Chapter 102: Discovery
The eastern sky was faintly tinged with the pale light of dawn.
Day was about to break.
The Vice Minister of Revenue stepped forward, holding his “Hu” tablet, and said in a clear voice, “Your Majesty, in Yonghe County, Funing County, Fu’an County, and Fushou County, large quantities of grain have been purchased, causing grain prices to soar in major grain shops. Many local people are unable to buy grain, and there is widespread anxiety! I have sent people to investigate and found that this was done by Yao Bo, the Prefect of Zunding Prefecture. The people are accusing him, and the evidence is conclusive!
Your Majesty, Yao Bo deliberately purchased grain in large quantities, driving up grain prices, causing the people to have no grain to buy, and creating widespread anxiety. The actions of the Prefect of Zunding are truly intended to create chaos in the world. Those who disrupt the people’s hearts disrupt the world. His crimes are truly heinous! I ask Your Majesty to severely punish him!”
Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials in the court looked at Yao Yilan. Everyone knew that the Emperor feared chaos in the world most of all and feared a popular uprising the most.
Look at how the Emperor, in order to avoid war with the Zhao Kingdom, sent the Eldest Princess to marry into their royal family and agreed to pay tribute to the Zhao Kingdom every year!
Yao Bo dared to cause panic among the people, seemingly intent on creating chaos in the world? Wasn’t this seeking death?
Everyone couldn’t help but look at Prime Minister Liang and Yao Yilan, the Director-General of Grain Transport, who had just returned to the capital to report on his duties.
After all, the Yao Family and Prime Minister Liang were related by marriage.
The Emperor, with a darkened face, finished reading the memorial submitted by the Vice Minister of Revenue, along with the petition signed by the people, and the evidence. With a “snap,” he slammed the memorial shut.
The Emperor looked majestically at Yao Yilan, the head of the Yao Family, who also held the positions of Director-General of Grain Transport and Director in the Ministry of Works, standing at the very back. “Those who seek to create chaos in the world are unforgivable! Yao Bo dared to purchase grain in large quantities for personal gain, causing public anger and panic! In consideration of Yao Aiqing’s many years of meritorious service in managing grain transport, Yao Bo’s death sentence for this matter can be spared. I will only remove him from his position as Prefect of Zunding, demote him to a commoner, and fine him one hundred thousand taels of silver and five hundred thousand “Jin” of grain to appease the people. Does Yao Aiqing have any objections?”
The ministers were shocked. Removal from office, demotion to commoner status, and a fine of one hundred thousand taels of silver and five hundred thousand “Jin” of grain.
The Yao Family suffered a heavy loss this time!
Silver was secondary; after all, the Yao Family was as wealthy as a nation.
Yao Bo, at only twenty-seven years old, was one of the most promising individuals among the younger generation of the Yao Family.
His future was now ruined!
It takes a family many years of planning to nurture a member of the younger generation to the position of Prefect.
Yao Yilan knelt on the ground: “My unfilial descendant deserves to die ten thousand deaths. I dare not have any objections. I thank Your Majesty for your immense kindness!”
The Vice Minister of Revenue immediately said, “Your Majesty is wise!”
Some other officials glanced at Prime Minister Liang’s expression before echoing, “Your Majesty is wise.”
Prime Minister Liang was furious in his heart. That damned First Prince, that damned Ren Zilin!
They had been outmaneuvered this time!
He had arranged for Yao Bo to be sent to the local area as a Prefect for three years, after which he was to return to the capital and enter the Ministry of Revenue to take over the position of Minister of Revenue, who was about to retire.
He had been setting up this move with Yao Bo for six years!
Now, years of planning had been completely ruined!
Moreover, one hundred thousand taels of silver, plus five hundred thousand “Jin” of grain, was not a small amount. Even though the Yao Family was as wealthy as a nation, they had many places where they needed to use silver.
Previously, they had been tricked out of four hundred thousand “Jin” of grain in exchange for those twenty thousand “Jin” of high-yielding grain seeds. Where could they find another five hundred thousand “Jin” now?
They had lost both their wife and their soldiers!
Failing to report the quantity of high-yielding grain seeds, then purchasing grain in large quantities, causing grain prices to soar, leading to grain shortages, triggering panic among the peopleโhe had originally planned to use these things against the two of them, but unexpectedly, they had been used against him instead.
~
After the court session, Prime Minister Liang and Yao Yilan returned to the Prime Minister’s Residence with gloomy faces and went to the study.
The Second Prince, Chu Tianyu, was already waiting in the study.
The two respectfully bowed to him.
The Second Prince was handsome, but because he resembled Consort Liang in appearance, he looked slightly effeminate. He said with a stern face, “Yao Daren, you have been in charge of grain transport for many years. How could you let him exploit such a loophole? How exactly did he transport those hundreds of thousands of “Jin” of grain seeds to Futai County right under your nose? Have you investigated this clearly?”
This time, they had spent a large sum of money to purchase one hundred thousand “Jin” of high-yielding grain seeds from the Zhao Kingdom. Including the twenty thousand “Jin” intercepted from Funing County, they had a total of one hundred and twenty thousand “Jin” of high-yielding grain seeds! This was a great achievement that could benefit half the people in the county!
He had thought that with this achievement, compared to Chu Tiankuo’s negligence of duty in Futai County, which resulted in the people of the entire Futai County having no high-yielding grain seeds, and the unrest among the people in other counties, his position as Crown Prince, which had not yet been officially confirmed, would definitely be untenable!
Then, the ministers in the court would take the opportunity to petition for him to be appointed Crown Prince. The Emperor had always favored him and would definitely agree.
Now, such a big blunder had occurred. If they waited until next year when the entire Futai County had a bountiful harvest, Chu Tiankuo would probably take the opportunity to make a comeback!
Even if he didn’t make a comeback, there would be no excuse to propose deposing him from his position as Crown Prince.
Yao Yilan felt even more aggrieved. It was their Yao Family who had suffered the heaviest losses, and his most promising grandson had lost his official position! He said with a gloomy face, “I will definitely investigate this clearly!”
โฟโฟโฟ
His grandson, with such a bright future, could not be ruined!
~
Futai County
Because she planned to go to the capital tomorrow, Xingnong got up early and went into the city.
She first went to the bookstore and handed the remaining storybooks to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper asked excitedly, “Girl, did you receive the silver? Are you excited? Haha, don’t worry, this is just the beginning. And that silver is just the dividend from the bookstore in Futai County. The dividends from the bookstores in other places haven’t been settled yet, so there will be more next month. Also, copybooks, plays, and the like have been arranged. The dividends will increase more and more in the future. Haha. Are you happy?”
Xingnong: “.I haven’t looked yet. ”
Shopkeeper: “. . .”
He had been excited for a long time, but she hadn’t even gone to the bank to see how much silver she had?
He waved his hand to shoo her away: “Go, go, go! Go and see!”
After sending Xingnong away, the shopkeeper took the new manuscript and walked excitedly towards the study, twisting his hips: “Money is rolling in, money is rolling in!”
~
After leaving the bookstore, Xingnong went to the restaurant.
The chefs who had come from various places had left overnight.
Xingnong went to the private room to find Shen Hanyu and handed him the recipes she had written while staying up all night.
Thinking of Xingqing’s letter, Xingnong said to Shen Hanyu, “Shen Gongzi, I have something I want to ask of you. ”
Hearing this “Shen Gongzi,” Shen Hanyu became unhappy. He complained, “Girl, what’s our relationship? You still call me Shen Gongzi?? Call me Big Brother, no, call me Third Brother! Call me Third Brother from now on! I’ll only help you with what you ask if you call me that! Otherwise, I won’t help!”
She called that Chu guy “Senior Brother” and called him “Shen Gongzi”?
Did he have a lower status in her heart than that Chu guy?
Hmph, this ungrateful girl! He had given her most of the restaurant’s profits!
His heart was still bleeding!
Without batting an eye, Xingnong immediately changed her address, “Shen Third Brother. ”
“I have a younger sister.”
Xingnong told Shen Hanyu about the possibility of Xingqing leaving a message or asking for help at the Welcome Inn and asked him to have the shopkeepers of the Welcome Inns in various places keep an eye out for her.
Shen Hanyu thought it was some big deal. “Don’t worry, leave this small matter to your Third Brother!”
Then he took out a white jade token and handed it to her: “You’re now considered a major shareholder of the restaurant, and you’re earning more silver than me! Take this token. At any Welcome Inn or First Restaurant in the Four Kingdoms, as long as you show it, you can ask the restaurant staff to do anything for you. ”
“Thank you. ” Xingnong didn’t refuse. She really needed help right now.
She would repay him for the rest later.
Xingnong took the token and took out her pouch to open it, but she froze: the knot on this mutton fat jade token.
Shen Hanyu also sharply noticed the familiar knot on the string in her pouch.
He grabbed her hand and snatched the pouch from her, taking out the jade pendant inside.
“How did you get this jade pendant?” he asked in shock.
One more chapter to come~
Before twelve o’clock.
No more drafts, updates will be in the evening from now on.
