Chapter 449: Wealth worth millions of jade coins [please subscribe for a monthly ticket]
After hearing Xuan Lingzi's description, Chu Chen immediately had a better understanding of the matter.
First of all, Xuan Lingzi did not embezzle treasures, but embezzled public funds.
The biggest difference between the two is that Xuan Lingzi subjectively had no intention of misappropriating the treasure house's property, but only temporarily occupied and misappropriated it with the intention of returning it in the future.
The two crimes are different in nature. The crime of misappropriating the treasure house's property is lighter than the crime of embezzling the treasure house.
It is necessary to identify whether Xuan Lingzi is greedy or embezzling.
In fact, it's very simple. You only need to check the account books of Zhongming County Ghost Treasure House to find out.
If Xuan Lingzi did not settle the accounts and misappropriated property, it would be misappropriation, not greed.
During a surprise audit, the imperial censor discovered that the Zhongming Treasury was in deficit and the accounts were inconsistent.
This proves that Xuan Lingzi subjectively did not want to swallow the treasures of the treasure house, but wanted to wait for the female cultivator to return the goods after the turnover to make up for the shortfall.
He had concluded in his mind that Xuan Lingzi was probably tricked.
The so-called "be considerate and understand your heart" is just that the female cultivator is of high rank and can control you to death.
If he, the scholar, and Wang Ping encountered this kind of situation, I am afraid they would have been alert.
But Xuan Lingzi was different. He came from a reclusive sect and grew up in the mountains and swamps. He had a relatively small network of contacts. He had a simple heart hidden under his arrogant and indifferent appearance. He had never seen too many intrigues.
Even though he entered the world and practiced cultivation, he had a noble and arrogant temperament and did not make much progress in his worldly sophistication.
Chu Chen couldn't help but sigh secretly:
"Fellow Taoist Xuan Lingzi, do you know the origin of that woman?"
Xuan Lingzi seemed not to have heard anything and kept silent.
I don't know if it's because I don't understand them well, or because I don't want to confess the female cultivator, and I'm getting into trouble.
When Chu Chen saw this, he couldn't help but shake his head.
Either way, it's not a good thing.
The former shows that Xuan Lingzi is simply terrible. He gave away his savings without knowing the details, and also had the delusional idea to misappropriate the treasures of the Department of Ghosts and Gods. He has no brains and is extremely stupid.
If it's the latter, it means that Xuan Lingzi didn't see the true face of that "female cultivator" and had unrealistic delusions about her.
Xuan Lingzi has encountered a catastrophe in the world of mortals.
Chu Chen couldn't help but sigh.
The disciples of the hidden sect practice in the mountains. They all have different temperaments, but their minds are generally very simple. They don't know the ways of the world. If they enter the mortal world, they will fall into the "mortal calamity" if they are not careful.
If we cannot get over it, not only will the future of cultivation practice in the Immortal Court be ruined, but our future self-cultivation practice will also be greatly affected.
Chu Chen knew that Xuan Lingzi was still interested in protecting the female cultivator, so he stopped asking the female cultivator, and instead made insinuations:
"Fellow Taoist Xuan Lingzi, what emergency happened to the female cultivator's family? Why does she need a large sum of money?"
Xuan Lingzi said nothing and remained unmoved, unwilling to reveal any information about the "female cultivator".
Seeing this, Chu Chen lost his patience: "Do you think she will return the property? If you pretend to be deaf and dumb, you will harm yourself."
Xuan Lingzi sighed and said:
"Whether the treasure in the treasure house is returned or not, my future will be ruined. In this case, I will bear the responsibility alone."
When Chu Chen heard this, he was quite disappointed with Xuan Lingzi.
I used to think that he was just a bit arrogant and nothing else out of the ordinary, but now it seems that he is misunderstanding others.
"What are you responsible for? When the time comes, it won't be your master who will take care of everything for you and make up for the shortcomings?"
"Perhaps, you feel that you are stubborn, admitting your guilt and accepting punishment, and do not need the teacher to help you make up for the shortfall, but have you ever thought that no one will make up for the shortfall in the treasure house. The unlucky one is not you, but the local people in Zhongming County."
"The treasure treasury of the county's Department of Ghosts and Gods is seriously in short supply and cannot make ends meet. How can we pay taxes? How can the various groups of immortal officials and inspection envoys distribute the rewards on weekdays? How can we support the ghosts, gods, soldiers and horses in various places?"
"Who will protect the safety of local people in the next few years? Are you worthy of the people of Zhongming County?"
"As the county governor, tell me, how can you shoulder the responsibility on your own? Could it be that you have the power of avatars? You can pluck out a handful of leg hair and create countless mysterious spirits. You can take care of the county ghosts and gods department and the local ghosts and gods all by yourself."
Have you done all the work of soldiers and horses?"
"Whatever nonsense you say, a three-year-old is more sensible than you!"
When it came to getting excited, Chu Chen kept talking without any politeness at all.
Xuan Lingzi was scolded to death.
At first, he was unmoved, but later he was somewhat touched.
After all, he has been the governor of Zhongming County for more than half a year, and he still has feelings for Zhongming.
"I will plead with my elders to make up for my shortcomings, and I will not let innocent people suffer in vain."
When Chu Chen heard this, he was speechless.
Come on, Xuan Lingzi just doesn't want to speak.
Not only was he deeply affectionate, he was even a little obsessed.
"That's fine, it's up to you."
Chu Chen waved his hands and was too lazy to talk nonsense with Xuan Lingzi.
He left the side courtyard where Xuan Lingzi was under house arrest.
Chu Chen contacted Du Guan Han Chen with a yellow court order and reported the situation of Zhongming County Treasure House truthfully.
In the fragrant cloud, Han Chen couldn't help but sigh after hearing the report:
"Xuan Lingzi really suffered a catastrophe in the world of mortals."
"Fellow Daoist Chu, please inform me of the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the County, to immediately remove Xuan Lingzi from the post of Commander-in-Chief Zhongming, and report the crime of misappropriation of public funds to the Xianting Procuratorate and the Celestial Capital Procuratorate truthfully, and hand him over to their custody."
"You are solely responsible for this, and you will recover the lost property in the treasure house as soon as possible."
"If the property cannot be recovered, I will communicate with Taixuanzong and try to let them fill the deficit in the local treasury."
"yes!"
Chu Chen received instructions from the Du Guan Han Chen and went straight to the county Du Guan compound to summon the immortal officials of the Ghost and God Department and the Ghost and God Department to temporarily take over and stabilize the situation.
After some arrangements, Chu Chen was free and transferred the treasure house's account books to check the accounts.
Just as Xuan Lingzi said, he did not settle the accounts, and the amount of money he transferred from the treasure house without authorization was clear.
From the accounts, Chu Chen saw some clues.
Xuan Lingzi first misappropriated jade coins, and later when there was not much jade money left, he misappropriated all kinds of spiritual materials and precious medicines.
The most recent misappropriation was two days ago.
In total, property worth millions of jade coins was misappropriated, and most of the treasure house was emptied.
Whether it is jade coins or spiritual materials and precious medicines, they are all hard currency and can be traded with people anywhere. There is no need to sell stolen goods. It is extremely difficult to recover the treasure trove's shortfall.
Even if you want to look it up, it's hard to find clues.
The only clue is that I learned from Xuan Lingzi that the female cultivator lives in Longling Mountain.
To be precise, it is the Jinzhong Mountain Range, a branch of Longling Mountain near Zhongming County.
The Admiralty Mountains are also very large, with endless green forests. For others, searching is like looking for a needle in a haystack, and it is difficult to be effective.
However, Chu Chen has his dog brother Lao Liu and his brothers from the mutual aid association in the Admiralty Mountains.
A human family living in seclusion in the Admiralty Mountains may be able to hide it from outsiders, but it cannot hide it from the little monsters who were born and raised here.
Thinking of this, he picked up the dream stone and invited it into the dream.
Brother Dog Lao Liu was quite happy to see Chu Chen:
"Brother Chu, is the Dream Stone Sacrifice ready?"
Chu Chen shook his head. In the past two days, he had been busy seeking the Great Dharma.
"I've been delayed because of something. I'll prepare the sacrifice for you in a few days. I have something to ask you for."
After hearing the whole story, Dog Brother Lao Liu laughed and said:
"There are only a few human tribes that have lived in seclusion for a long time in the Admiralty Mountains. Brothers, we know it well. Brother Chu, you and I can quietly sneak in to investigate. Maybe we can find clues and recover the treasure house worth millions of jade coins."