At noon the next day, the "Beijing News" published a headline on the front page with the headline: "The country's moth, the emperor's relatives have been caught!" It was a big news.
This news made the sweltering hot summer in Lin'an seem to have added a fire to the stove. The whole Lin'an was boiling. All the teahouses and restaurants were talking about this matter. Feng Daji and his son were arrested and hundreds of thousands of jins of illegal salt were seized.
Everyone saw with their own eyes that all Feng Kee dry goods stores were closed down and sealed.
In the Changfeng Tea House, dozens of tea guests were discussing intensely the major salt smuggling case.
"Plum Blossom Guard has never done anything good, this time he finally did something good!"
"This is also forced. Illegal activities are rampant. If we don't take action, the Song Dynasty will be destroyed."
"Who would have thought that a private salt dealer would be a relative of the emperor? It is simply a curiosity in the world."
"This is a sign of national subjugation!"
In the Bai Yutang, Wang Mu took a sip of tea and asked with a smile: "What does the special envoy think the emperor will do with Feng Daji?"
Lu Gang smiled slightly and said: "If this incident happened silently, it would definitely end silently, and nothing would happen to the Feng family and his son. But when the Beijing News took a stab at it, the matter became difficult."
"Will the Feng family and his son be killed?" Dong An couldn't help but ask.
"Kill? Where did you think you were going?"
Lu Gang glanced at Dong An and said calmly: "With so many relatives and relatives of the emperor watching, he dares to kill the Feng family father and son today, and he will dare to kill others tomorrow. Don't expect the powerful people to support him anymore. Zhao Gou knows this better than anyone else."
Nothing will happen to the Feng family and his son. At most, the title of the county king will be gone."
Wang Mu smiled and added: "I think the Feng family may not be able to keep their accumulated wealth. Losing money can avoid disaster!"
Lu Gang chuckled, "That makes sense. Now the emperor doesn't care about anything but money."
In the imperial study, Emperor Zhao Gou put down the newspaper with a complicated expression. In the past, he would have torn the newspaper to pieces and become furious, but today, the front page headline of the "Beijing News" gave him a step forward, and he could give others a step forward.
The powerful man made excuses and the people were filled with resentment. He had to investigate and deal with the Feng family. Otherwise, how could he explain it to the world?
Of course Zhao Gou has his own thoughts. Yesterday he agreed to search the Feng family, and he is planning on the Feng family's wealth. By handing over the Feng family's wealth, the prime ministers will no longer keep an eye on their inner treasury. At the same time,
It also solved the problem of salt tax, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone.
Cleaning up the Feng family can also intimidate other relatives of the emperor and the country, and beat them to stop messing around. Our country cannot withstand their torment.
Of course, there is a degree issue here, which needs to be dealt with, but it should not be excessive.
At this time, the eunuch reported at the door: "Your Majesty, Concubine De wishes to see you!"
Zhao Gou frowned, feeling really unhappy. Why did Concubine De come to the imperial study? This was a violation of the rules in the palace.
But he also knew why Concubine De came. Zhao Gou held back his dissatisfaction and said: "Xuan her in!"
Just a moment later, the young and beautiful Concubine Feng Defi came in like a gust of wind, knelt down in front of Zhao Gou and burst into tears. Zhao Gou sighed and said, "Why do you have to be like this, my beloved concubine!"
"I am willing to serve in Yeting, and I beg your Majesty to spare my father's life for the sake of my service!"
When Zhao Gou saw Concubine De crying so hard, he felt pitiful and felt soft in his heart. He stepped forward to help his concubine up and said, "I can't punish you as a doctor. My concubine's father is my father-in-law. If he makes any more mistakes, he will not be punished with death."
, I will arrange for him to take care of himself in old age, my dear, don’t worry."
"Where are my concubine's two brothers?" Concubine Feng De was unequivocal. Even if her father survived, would her brother be blamed?
Zhao Gou wiped away her tears and said with a smile: "Even the father-in-law is fine, how can I still bully the father-in-law?"
Concubine De cheered and threw herself into the emperor's arms, "Thank you for your forgiveness, my father and brother. I was in a hurry and should not have come to your study. I promise not to do this again, and I beg your majesty to forgive me."
Zhao Gou nodded, "This will not be an example next time. In addition, I want to make it clear to my beloved concubine that I am only protecting the lives of the father-in-law and his son, but the punishment must be meted out, otherwise, my country will not be protected."
Concubine Feng's pretty face turned cold, and she asked in a trembling voice: "How does Your Majesty plan to punish my father?"
"It is impossible to give him the title. If the prince sells illicit salt, I will become the laughing stock of the world. All his illegal gains will be confiscated. I will arrange to give him an imperial manor. He can go to the imperial manor to stay quietly for a few years! As for the two
As an uncle, I will send them an errand to get them to leave Lin'an until this matter subsides."
Concubine Feng's eyes were gloomy. It seemed that it was impossible for her father to escape unscathed.
She had to thank the officials again for their forgiveness and resigned.
Watching Concubine Feng De go away, the eunuch reported in a low voice: "Your Majesty, Yan Dutong is already here, waiting outside!"
"Announce his presence!"
After a moment, Yan Xin walked in quickly, bowed and saluted: "I am here to see you, Your Majesty!"
"How's it going? Is the list out?" Zhao Gou asked anxiously.
The list of quantities of illicit salt sold by the Feng family and his son had already come out. Zhao Gou didn't care. He was more concerned about the Feng family's wealth list.
"Reply to Your Majesty, he has come out!"
Yan Xin took out an inventory and handed it over. Zhao Gou quickly took it and looked at it carefully.
The first thing he saw was the copper coins and gold and silver hidden in the mansion, which was equivalent to 500,000 guan. Then he saw below that he extracted the gold and silver from the Baoji Cabinet Storehouse, which was equivalent to 350,000 guan. The two items added up to eight
150,000 guan, but there are jade, jewelry, silk and satin, as well as land, real estate, shops, and various goods in warehouses worth more than 100,000 guan. The total valuation is around 1.5 million guan.
But Zhao Gou also knew that the real estate and shops in Lin'an were not easy to sell now. They were expensive but not marketable, so he said to Yan Xin: "Leave him two houses, including the current palace, and leave him ten shops with goods."
Also give it to them, and all other properties and properties will be confiscated and put into the internal treasury."
"Wei Chen understands. In addition, what should we do with Feng's father and son and other arrested stewards? Please make it clear to your majesty!"
"All the stewards were publicly executed as private salt dealers. As for the Feng family and his son, does General Yan know about my Guiyuan Imperial Manor?"
"Wei Chen knows that he is in Xuanzhou!"
"Yes! Send the three of them, father and son, to Guiyuan Huangzhuang for resettlement. They will be sent away today, and a few more Meihua Guard spies will be sent to monitor them. They will not be allowed to run around, and tell them that they will be allowed to return to Lin'an in two years."
"I obey the order!"
Yan Xin resigned and left, and Zhao Gou issued an order that night to remove Feng Daji from the title of Guangling County Prince, demote him to a commoner, confiscate his illegal gains, and kill all the officials involved in selling illegal salt!
Zhao Gou's decree was an explanation to the other royal relatives. Selling illegal salt would shake the foundation of the country, and at most he could save his life, but his official title and property could not be saved. Zhao Gou grasped this very well.
But what Zhao Gou didn't expect was that when the other thirteen Feng family stewards were publicly executed for selling illicit salt, the real culprits of the illicit salt trade, the Feng family and his son, were safe and sound, and were only relieved of their titles. Such an unfair sentence,
This caused an uproar among the people, the government and the public, and the entire Lin'an City was talking about it. The imperial students were extremely angry and criticized the emperor for openly protecting the emperor's relatives.
A few days later, "Jingzhao" also published a print for the first time. The name of the print was "Fighting Crime". Three fat rats rode away in a sedan chair. A dozen soldiers held down Cockroach A and Bedbug B.
Ant B asked to behead him with a knife.
The impact of this print was so great that within a month, it spread throughout the Jiangnan region. Even Empress Dowager Wei criticized it, believing that the emperor was too tolerant of the emperor's relatives and mishandled them, which could easily chill the hearts of the common people.
Really shake up the country.
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[I have something going on at home today, so there are only two chapters, sorry!]
