After finishing speaking, Li Chen looked at Xu Changqing and said calmly: "Now the Ministry of Revenue is missing a minister. I have put the opportunity in front of you. If it is done, you will be the next minister. These things cannot be done well.
I will replace you with someone else, do you understand what I mean?"
Xu Changqing's heart was surging, and he knelt down and said loudly: "O minister, I am willing to kill you for His Highness's sake!"
Since ancient times, interests have attracted people's hearts, not to mention the position of leading a minister, and the household department is in charge of the world's money and food. That power is much greater than ordinary people imagine.
After sending Xu Changqing away, before Li Chen could take a sip of tea, Sanbao arrived.
"Your Highness, Dongchang has received news that the North Korean envoys who came to the capital a few months ago are actively operating among the major officials in the capital, promising huge profits, and want to prompt the empire to send troops to North Korea to solve their crisis of being invaded by Japan.
"
Sanbao's report made Li Chen frown slightly.
At this juncture, the situation in the capital is already complicated. Various forces are mixed together, and the whole body is affected. However, a North Korean envoy comes to muddy the waters...
"How long have they been in the capital?" Li Chen asked.
Sanbao reported back: "It's been more than half a month. The reason is that Japan attacked North Korea half a year ago. North Korea was in civil strife. Japan was caught off guard. Now a third of its territory has been lost, so they sent envoys."
The group came to ask for help from the empire, but the emperor was not in good health and did not summon them."
"I guess they were impatient because North Korea was at war again, so they searched for officials in the court and tried to achieve their goals through bribery."
Li Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and said: "Well, I am planning to chop off a few heads, which will not only establish my authority but also loot the homes and make money to fill the treasury. I am worried that I can't find the opportunity or reason, so you send Dongchang's spies to keep an eye on me."
The envoys, who they went to see, how much money they sent, all details were recorded one by one. After a period of fermentation, when enough heads have been collected, I will behead them all at once."
Sanbao responded respectfully: "I obey your order."
After sending Sanbao away, Li Chen drove to Qianqing Palace.
Emperor Daxing was still lying on the dragon couch, unconscious.
"How is your father's health?" Li Chen asked the imperial physician.
The imperial doctor sighed and said: "The Emperor's health is getting worse day by day. Some time ago, he could wake up for a quarter of an hour every day, but now he may not be able to wake up even once every two or three days."
"How long can we hold on?" Li Chen asked bluntly.
The imperial doctor immediately knelt down and said: "Your Highness, I really can't give you an answer. When the condition has reached this point, medical skills are secondary. The main thing depends on the emperor's willpower and... God's blessing."
"Okay, I know, let's go down."
Li Chen did not criticize the imperial doctors too harshly. After asking the imperial doctors to move away, Li Chen sat beside the dragon couch.
Looking at the withered-faced Emperor Daxing, Li Chen said nothing.
He came from time travel and had no feelings for Emperor Daxing. In some ways, he would not be able to ascend the throne until Emperor Daxing died... But now, he was not thinking about Emperor Daxing's condition.
, but thinking about how to deal with the group of profiteers who steal the country with money at night.
These profiteers took advantage of the decline of the empire's national power, colluded with local officials, forcibly annexed land, and then used benefits to lure those officials into their chariots. Over the years, they had formed a strong and complex interest network.
It is not that simple for Li Chen to move them. Even a bad operation will immediately cause backlash from the court, and the gain will outweigh the loss.
But if they don't move, the national treasury will have no money, and it will be unable to provide disaster relief. If they are allowed to do whatever they want, the people's lives will only become more miserable.
At that time, it will be like a certain dynasty before time travel. The people are poor and the court is even poorer. On the contrary, the corrupt officials and businessmen are all extremely fat.
This is something Li Chen will never allow to happen.
When Li Chen was thinking about this scene, in the eyes of others, they thought it was the prince who was worried about the emperor's health.
"Mr. Chen, His Royal Highness is really filial."
An imperial doctor whispered to his colleagues.
Imperial Physician Chen was the imperial physician who answered Li Chen's question before. He sighed and said, "Who says otherwise? The emperor's family has been the most ruthless since ancient times. But I see that the prince's solemnity and worry at this time are not disguised. Your Majesty." There are many heirs, but in the end, the only one who really cares about the emperor's health is the prince."
The companions beside him all nodded, thinking that they had glimpsed the prince's inner secret.
While Li Chen was thinking in Qianqing Palace, there was no calm outside the palace either.
The ripples caused by Renault Hill's death were like throwing a stone into the situation in the capital, which was turbulent but at least seemed calm.
The storm caused by this stone instantly affected the situation of all parties in the capital.
Zhao Xuanji was the first to receive the news.
"Master Chief Assistant, after Renault Mountain was beheaded by the prince, the left minister of Tobe immediately went to the East Palace. According to the news from our eyeliner, Xu Changqing talked with the prince for nearly half an hour before he came out. But what exactly they talked about, now Don’t know yet.”
The one who reported to Zhao Xuanji was Qian Han, the general affairs envoy in the capital. He had the official title of third-rank official with real power. When he got to the local level, he was a high-ranking official in charge of the place. But in front of Zhao Xuanji, Qian Han's attitude But he was very low, bowing his head while giving the report.
Zhao Xuanji picked up the teacup and shook his head gently, blew away the tea leaves floating on the tea soup, and said: "Kill Wei Xian first, and then Renault Mountain. The first one is the one who has been operating deeply in the inner palace for more than ten years, and can vaguely compete with the three treasures. One of the eunuchs is the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs. He leads the first department and is the second rank of the imperial court. Our prince is very bloody in his methods."
Qian Han hesitated for a moment and said: "Not only is Renault Mountain dead, but now the people in Dongchang are ransacking his home. All his family members have been consigned to slavery, the men are in the army, and the women are in official positions. This is equivalent to annihilating the family. This Such thunderous tactics have made many of us here feel a little panicked. Sir, Chief Assistant, should we write to the court to ask the prince to restrain himself?"
"convergence?"
Zhao Xuanji shook his head and said, "He can't restrain himself at this time."
"The prince has just taken charge of the country and is in high spirits. If anyone tries to stop him, he will do whatever it takes to remove the stumbling block. It is unreasonable to openly oppose him at this time."
Qian Han said respectfully: "He is humble and stupid. The prince is only a supervisor of the country and has not ascended the throne. How can he confront the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty? Even the emperor sometimes has to compromise with his chief minister."
Zhao Xuanji put down the tea cup and said: "The compromise between the Emperor and me is just a political game, a compromise and a choice that has to be made to take the overall situation into consideration. But the prince is different. The prince oversees the country and has a strong temper. He has the power at this time. Who can Can you listen to what you say?"
"What's more, he has not yet ascended the throne, which is his disadvantage and his advantage. When things get out of control, he can push the emperor out, and he will not have to bear many responsibilities. Once he ascends the throne, he will have no backer behind him.
I can only stand in the front by myself, which is not beautiful."
Qian Han seemed to understand and asked: "Then how should we deal with it?"
"Do nothing and wait and see what happens."
"If he wants to kill a minister, as long as he is not one of our core people, let him kill him. If he wants a memorial, give it to him to read. In governing a country, it doesn't mean much if you don't read the memorial. Even if he gave the order, the prince can't issue it.
It’s just a joke if no one enforces it in the capital.”
Zhao Xuanji said calmly: "The more he kills, the more dissatisfied with him in the court. When the time comes, no one in the civil and military officials will support him, how can he ascend the throne? He cannot ascend the throne. Once the emperor dies and dies, the throne will be lost.
Variable. In order to seize power, he is now killing people with fear. It seems that he is happy, but in fact he is digging his own grave and losing people's hearts. If he wants to depose him, it is just a flip-flop."
Qian Han showed a smile and said: "The chief assistant has great wisdom and is really smart."
"There is another matter. The prince is hosting a banquet for the heads of the three major grain merchants in the capital tonight at the East Palace. Should we intervene in this matter?"
Qian Han cupped his hands and said with a gloomy smile: "As long as we continue to speak, those three grain merchants will not even pay attention to the prince. By then, the prince will be disgraced and embarrassed."
Zhao Xuanji did not treat this matter as a big deal, and said casually: "You can just do whatever you want. Anyway, it's just a few businessmen, it's not a big deal. It doesn't matter if you kill the prince's majesty, at least let him understand.
Who is in charge in the court today?"
Qian Han cupped his hands and said, "I'll do my humble job now."
"Go ahead. I'm tired. I have nothing else important to do. Don't disturb my rest."
"Then I resign from my humble position. Sir, please have a good rest and don't work too hard."
...
Li Chen sat in Qianqing Palace until evening before leaving.
Returning to the East Palace, I estimated the time and the three grain merchants should have almost arrived. However, when Li Chen asked about it, I realized that the three grain merchants had no intention of coming at all.
"Your Highness, among the three major grain merchants, the head of the Chen family said that he was recovering from illness and should not move around in the wind. The Hu family said that their master went to a branch in another place to check the accounts and was not in the capital. The only one left was the Liu family, so he should simply close up.
Can’t get out.”
Xu Changqing looked embarrassed and knelt down in front of Li Chen in fear and said.
There was no emotion or anger on Li Chen's face, but his eyes were extremely gloomy.
"Okay, since I can't invite them to the East Palace, I will personally go to their house."
After saying this, Li Chen waved his sleeves and robe and said, "Three Treasures, along with a hundred guards in brocade robes, will accompany me out of the palace."
When the prince leaves the East Palace, he is like a hidden dragon on patrol.
Sanbao did not dare to neglect, and immediately ordered one hundred of the most elite Jin Yiwei at the headquarters of the East Factory in the capital, and he and two Jin Yiwei Qianhu personally led the team.
There are twenty Jinyi guards on each side of the front team, with one Qianhu holding the formation. In the back, there are twenty Jinyi guards on each side, led by another Qianhu. In the middle, there are the remaining twenty most loyal Jinyi guards with the best hands, led by Sanbao himself.
Lead the guard Li Chen to safety.
More than a hundred people left the East Palace and headed straight for the nearest Chen family residence.
Along the way, Li Chen did not keep a low profile, but followed the rules with great fanfare, taking the royal road in the middle of the road and traveling on the clean street.
Anyone on both sides of the people who hears the arrival of Prince Luan but does not kneel down and worship him will be punished with the crime of disrespect.
Without saying a word, Li Chen walked through the busiest East Street. Under the attention of countless people and spies and spies from all walks of life, he arrived at the gate of the Chen Mansion, which occupied a large area of land in the most prosperous area of the capital.
The Qin Empire had strict regulations on class.
There are four levels of scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, with merchants being the lowest level.
No matter how rich a businessman is, he can only wear clothes made of coarse cloth, not even silk. In a place like the capital, you don't just have to be rich to buy a house. Many pieces of land have status regulations, whether they are farmers or farmers.
As a scholar, you are not eligible to own a mansion in the capital.
But the Chen family obviously made an exception.
When Prince Luan arrived outside the Chen Mansion, the Chen Mansion had obviously already received the news.
The door opened, and more than ten people from the Chen family were already waiting outside.
"Chen Jingchuan, a common man, brought his family to see His Highness the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince is a thousand years old, a thousand years old, a thousand years old."
Amidst the shouts of a thousand-year-old mountain, Li Chen climbed up the sedan chair, looked at Chen Jingchuan who was kneeling in front of him, and said calmly: "Aren't you sick? Why, now that you see the wind again, are you not afraid that your condition will get worse?"
