In the dark room, Fuzhou fellow governor Li Tai and general judge Zhang Wenyi both knelt in front of Jiangxi Chief Secretary Yuan Wenqing, bursting into tears.
Save you? I don’t even know how to avoid this disaster! Yuan Wenqing lowered his voice and said sternly, at the beginning of the disaster, I specifically told you two not to do anything that will cause trouble, but you two kept agreeing? What’s the result now?
You two are so brave! Even if the disaster relief is not successful, it has also caused a civil uprising. King Wu’s imperial envoys are here. Who can protect you?
Yuan Fansi! Li Tai, the colleague, took a few steps forward and said angrily, who knew that this disaster was so big and urgent. Besides, the Ming Dynasty was so big, how could there be no natural or man-made disasters? The officials and others were also caught off guard.
ah?
Because of what you said, you should not be allowed to be this official! Yuan Wenqing was furious, why do you mean there are natural and man-made disasters every year? Then how come there are no accidents in other places, but you have an accident in Fuzhou?
As he said that, Yuan Wenqing's expression turned into gritted teeth. If something goes wrong, you won't solve it. You will deliberately hide it and cover it up. You have brought me in and asked me to protect you. Who will protect me?
Sir, Sir! General Judge Zhang Wenyi also stepped forward and begged, Sir, for the sake of the past officials who tried so hard to fawn over you, you must save us. As he said this, a fifth-grade official actually burst into tears.
Come, dismissed from office, dismissed from office, subordinates, etc., all recognized, don't let the Jin Yiwei take us!
I was so blind before that I actually fell in love with you two idiots! Yuan Wenqing looked at the two people kneeling in front of him, with their buttocks raised high like two dogs, and sneered.
Greedy, stupid, and incompetent.
He is extremely courageous when nothing happens, but when something happens he just cries and begs. He is completely useless and useless.
These two people are Yuan Wenqing's local confidants. In recent years, whether they want money or things, these two people have tried their best and did not dare to neglect at all.
Yuan Wenqing was usually very protective of them, but now Yuan Wenqing wanted to kill them immediately to vent his anger.
However, after calming down for a while, Yuan Wenqing knew that now was not the time to kill people. If he killed them, no one would be able to do anything in Fuzhou.
King Wu suppressed his anger because the disaster came first, and he dealt with the victims first and then the officials.
Dealing with officials?
Yuan Wenqing's mind suddenly flashed back to Zhu Yunxi's face, which looked like a smile but was frightening. When King Wu came from the capital, he was definitely going to kill a lot of people.
So who to kill?
He is a third-rank chief secretary of a province in the Ming Dynasty, and he is not without a foothold in the court. I heard that the emperor intends to make the king of Wu the crown prince. The king of Wu has a distinguished status, but there must be a shortage of available people in Jiadai.
So if he has the intention to surrender, King Wu will definitely protect himself and not embarrass himself as the Chief Secretary.
And once the disaster situation improves, I will make some excuses for the old prince and praise the King of Wu. By using King Wu's line, this bad thing may turn into a good thing.
What does King Wu value most? Disaster victims!
After thinking about it for a moment, Yuan Wenqing had something to think about. Looking at the two officials at his feet, his expression suddenly softened, "Get up!"
Lord Domain!
Get up! Yuan Wenqing sighed and said, you two have followed me all these years, serving you from front to back, and now if something happens, I will naturally protect you!
Li Tai and Zhang Wenyi were immediately overjoyed.
King Wu cares about the victims. The top priority is that you two must handle the errands well. Whatever he said, do it with all your strength. Yuan Wenqing continued to speak.
The official will definitely do it! The two of them quickly agreed.
Although they are not high-ranking officials, they are closely connected in the local area and can unleash great energy. If nothing else, without their approval, recruiting civilian husbands in the countryside will be a big problem.
However, there is something I want to ask clearly!
You say!
Yuan Wenqing looked outside and lowered his voice again. What was going on with the sand in the grain relief supplies for the victims?
This...the two looked at each other and were speechless.
The killing intent in Yuan Wenqing's eyes was fleeting, and he quickly disposed of the grain mixed with sand.
Sir, the person who did this was a close confidant of the official, the treasurer of the granary of the government office. Li Tai, a fellow acquaintance, whispered, "Do you want...?"
Shut up! Yuan Wenqing scolded, "What you do is your business. I don't know anything." After saying that, he paused and asked, "Did you also use the disaster relief money sent by the court?"
The two looked at each other again and lowered their heads.
He really dared to touch any money, and Yuan Wenqing wanted to do it now. But he held it back and said slowly, "If you touch any money, you must make up for it. You must not lose a penny, and your accounts must be clear!"
Yes! Fellow colleague Li Tai quickly said, "I'm going to get off the job and get it done right away!"
Yuan Wenqing nodded, seeming a little tired, go ahead and do the things that His Highness King Wu told you!
Yes! The two of them bowed and slowly retreated.
When they left the door, Yuan Wenqing's face was full of sneers.
King Wu was right. If something happened to Fuzhou, his vassal could not escape responsibility, but the responsibility could be big or small.
For a feudal chief secretary, even if he discovers that local officials are corrupt and harms the people, lining his own pockets, and then promptly corrects the chaos, it is at best a misunderstanding of the people.
As long as you rely on the King of Wu and let the people behind the court exert their strength, this matter will pass easily.
The way to be an official is to cut off the situation, and the two of them will inevitably be punished anyway. The top priority now is to clear up the relationship, and then step on them again. This made King Wu feel that he was deceived by these idiots because he was not doing enough to provide disaster relief.
Thinking of this, Yuan Wenqing gradually began to think twice.
Where has Prince Wu gone?
As soon as he finished speaking, a master came out of the side door. Lord Domain Master, I heard that he went to the grain depot!
Someone is coming! Yuan Wenqing said again, and several senior officers came in.
Let me change my clothes, Master! Yuan Wenqing said, look for older clothes!
At this moment, Zhu Yunxi was inspecting the grain warehouse. The first batch of military rations allocated by Wuchang had been arrived and neatly stacked in the warehouse.
Military rations are the foundation of the country. In the Ming Dynasty, from the emperor to the ministers, they were all heroes who came out of the turmoil of war. They might turn a blind eye to other things, but they did not dare to be careless about military rations.
Anyone who dares to touch military rations must die!
Your Highness, the first batch of food sent from Wuchang, worth 150,000 shi, is here!
Zhu Yunxi, with his hands behind his back, walked in the grain depot and looked around. Behind him, the treasurer of the grain depot of Fuzhou Yamen followed humbly.
He was just a humble official, not an official of the imperial court. If Zhu Yunxi had not come suddenly, he would never have seen the prince of the Ming Dynasty in his life.
Whether it was anxiety or other emotions in his heart, there was cold sweat on the treasurer's head, face, and back at this moment.
Check it out! Zhu Yunxi ordered to those around him.
The words fell with a puff.
Liao Yong took a sharp tool with a slot and inserted it into a sack containing grain, and slowly pulled it out. The slot was filled with crystal clear white rice.
No sand? Zhu Yunxi sneered in his heart. The officials in Fuzhou were not stupid enough to cover up.
The next second, Zhu Yunxi snatched the guy from Liao Yong's hand, squatted on the ground and inserted it directly into the bottom sack of grain.
The feeling of inserting an iron tool into rice is different from that of inserting iron into sand. The greater the resistance, the greater the friction.
Zhu Yunxi slowly pulled out, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
The iron trough is half rice and half sand.
Your Highness, please spare your life! The treasurer's clerk knelt down on the spot and shouted in horror, "This food has been placed here since it was shipped, and no one has touched it!"
Didn't you shed tears after seeing the coffin? Zhu Yunxi sneered twice and tried to quibble. Could it be that the military rations were mixed with sand when they were in Wuchang?
Your Highness! The treasurer and the clerk are trembling. I really don’t know, I really don’t know!
At this time, a guard strode in from outside the granary. His Highness, Yuan Fansi asked to see him.
Let him in! Zhu Yunxi looked coldly and looked at the good deeds of the officials under him!
Your Highness! Yuan Wenqing bowed respectfully, and as soon as he came in, he began to plead guilty, asking Your Highness to govern his ministers, and for the crime of negligence!
After the Fuhe River burst, I arrived at Jianchang Prefecture, which was severely affected by the disaster, overnight. I didn't have time to take a look at the Fuzhou side. I thought that the local officials would do their best, but I didn't expect that they were all evil-minded.
Li Tai, the governor of Fuzhou, and Zhang Wenyi, the general judge, secretly tampered with the victims' food and used it as substandard goods to line their own pockets. They even used the disaster relief money distributed by the court.
Your Highness, I would like to ask Your Highness to use the Imperial Order Flag to execute the two men on the spot to calm the people!
While listening to Yuan Wenqing speak, Zhu Yunxi's eyes kept falling on the grain full of sand.
When he finished speaking, Zhu Yunxi's face showed ridicule, oh? Overlook? Then, he cast his eyes on Yuan Wenqing's face, Yuan Buzheng, do you think Gu is a fool? You came to Fuzhou earlier than Gu, why did you only know about Overlook now?
Gu gave you the opportunity just now, but instead of reflecting on it, you are now insisting on denying it. This is the way to serve as an official in a province.
With that said, Zhu Yunxi threw the grain in his hand directly on the ground. Gu was wrong. Gu still underestimated the human heart, underestimated greed, and overestimated your conscience!
At this time, someone outside the granary said loudly, "Your Highness, Ganzhou Guard Commander Xue Jizu and Fuzhou Magistrate Zhang Shan are asking for an audience."