Officials from the Ministry of Justice, Yushitai, and Dali Temple gathered together and re-examined all the power tools in front of officials from the Ministry of Works.
The Ministry of Industry officials looked at the test results and pursed their lips, all in disbelief.
Compared with the standard utensils prescribed by the imperial court, the utensils of the Ministry of Industry were too light and too heavy. Either the craftsmen who made the utensils were not serious, or someone had tampered with them.
The possibility of the former is almost negligible. Even if the craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry are not serious, it is impossible to make such a big mistake. What's more, after each weapon is polished, it has to go through layers of inspections, unless someone bribes it.
There are inspection personnel at each level, otherwise it would be impossible for such non-compliant weapons to be sent out for use.
As a result, the craftsmen responsible for making the instruments of power, as well as all the inspection officials, were all captured by the Ministry of Punishment and Dali Temple.
The Ministry of Industry was responsible for making the weapons, and the people who inspected them were all officials of the Ministry of Industry. This time, everyone from the Ministry of Industry to doctors and craftsmen were almost wiped out.
As for Cui Shilang, the imperial court has also issued an edict to summon him back to Beijing.
When the Minister of the Ministry of Industry heard the news and hurried from home, the doctor of the Ministry of Industry, the foreigner of the Yuan Dynasty, three principals, five Zhang Gu, the secretary of the order, and more than ten craftsmen were lining up and being escorted out of the Ministry of Industry by official officials.
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The Minister of the Ministry of Industry looked at this scene and asked in shock: "What's going on?"
The doctor in the field pursed his dry lips, stepped forward, and said: "There is something wrong with the power tool made by the Ministry of Industry. Your Majesty ordered a strict investigation. All the colleagues in the Ministry of Industry were taken away, and the imperial court also issued an order to recall Minister Cui.
…”
"Power weapon!" When the Minister of Industry heard these two words, he understood the seriousness of the matter.
The tools made by the Ministry of Industry are not used by the Ministry of Industry, but are transported to salt fields, mines, and other places where measurement is needed.
There is a problem with the power of the Ministry of Industry, and the entire Chen State is involved!
Tang Ning had met the Minister of Industry in the Imperial Study Room before. She walked up to him and asked, "Is Master Shangshu's condition getting better?"
The Minister of the Ministry of Industry looked at him, and the next moment he held his head and said: "The doctor said that it will take several months to recover. During this time, the Ministry of Industry will be in trouble for Mr. Tang."
"This is my duty." Tang Ning smiled and said, "Don't worry, Lord Shangshu, the Ministry of Industry will be left to me."
The Minister of Industry looked at him and pursed his lips.
Don't worry, how can he be relieved? How dare he be relieved?
He had only been away from the Ministry of Industry for a few days, and only three of the four divisions of the Ministry of Works were left. In the past few months since he had been away, he didn't know what the Ministry of Works would become.
Although he was a little angry in his heart, he didn't want to stay in the Ministry of Industry anymore. It was better for him to clean up the mess he had caused.
Even he would feel a headache if these things were involved.
After the Minister of the Ministry of Works left in a hurry, Tang Ning also left the Yamen of the Ministry of Works and went to the Ministry of Household Affairs.
These powerful weapons came from the Ministry of Industry, and Cui Shilang of the Ministry of Industry should bear the main responsibility. After he is recalled to Beijing, someone will naturally hold him accountable.
However, problems in salt fields and mines need to be investigated by the Ministry of Household Affairs. Major salt merchants need to register with the Ministry of Household Affairs before they are qualified to sell.
As soon as he walked into the Hubu Yamen, Qian Shuo, the Minister of Hubu, came out to greet him and said with a smile: "I have already prepared everything Mr. Tang wants."
Qian Shangshu seemed very positive, and Tang Ning could understand that this incident involved not only the Ministry of Industry, but also most of the salt merchants in Chen State.
Once their charges are found out, they will not only have to vomit out everything they have eaten over the years, but will also have to pay several times the amount of fines. People who do not have a strong family background may go bankrupt.
But this time the silver fine was different from that in Jiangnan. It was conducted openly and openly. All the silver collected had to be turned over to the state treasury. Emperor Chen would be embarrassed to interfere with this if he wanted to save face.
Tang Ning handed over the materials provided by the Ministry of Revenue to Dali Temple. As soon as he returned to the Ministry of Works, a eunuch sent a message and his Majesty summoned him.
He walked into the imperial study room, where the minister of Dali Temple was reporting to Emperor Chen.
"Your Majesty, including the doctor of the Ministry of Industry and the officials and craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry, have admitted the fact of forgery of power tools, and have revealed that Cui Min, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, was the mastermind, embezzled the money allocated by the imperial court, and colluded with salt merchants and officials from various places..."
The physical evidence was right in front of us, and the quibbles of the officials and craftsmen from the Ministry of Industry were of no use. Dali Temple had them all arrested in a very short period of time.
The next thing to do is to call the Minister of Works back to Beijing to investigate the crime, and conduct a detailed investigation of the salt merchants in various places. Those who can pay the fine will pay the fine, and those who cannot pay the fine will have their homes searched. The imperial court has never done anything like this.
Will be kind.
Emperor Chen looked at him and said in a deep voice: "This case is jointly handled by Dali Temple, the Ministry of Punishment and the Yushitai. Anyone involved in the case, no matter who they are, will be punished according to the law!"
The Minister of Dali Temple, the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, and the Yushi doctor all raised their hands and said yes.
Chen Huang waved his hand and said, "Okay, you can go down and Tang Ning will stay."
After the three people left, Tang Ning stepped forward, cupped her hands, and said, "I wonder what important matters your Majesty has summoned his ministers to the palace?"
Emperor Chen stood up, looked at him, and asked expectantly: "How much money can the court collect this time?"
Tang Ning really didn't know, so she shook her head and said, "Your Majesty, I can't estimate it. The Ministry of Revenue is already investigating this matter, and the results should be available soon."
Although he could not estimate the specific figure, if Emperor Chen wanted to use the money to support his 100,000 cavalry, it was a daydream.
The amount of silver recovered by the court this time is not small, but compared with Runzhou's, it is naturally not worth mentioning.
After all, what Tang Ning brought back from Jiangnan was half of the richest state in Chen State. It was more than what Chen State had earned from the salt and iron franchise for decades. Even if the fines were added, the amount would not exceed 10 million taels.
Chen Huang looked at Tang Ning as if he were looking at a money tree.
In fact, Tang Ning was his cash cow. Whenever he was short of money, he would send him a large sum of money. Looking at it, there was only one such caring minister in the entire court.
Thinking of something, he looked at Tangning again, coughed slightly and said, "If something like this happens again in the future, you should come to me and report it first..."
Tang Ning looked up at Chen Huang, who was not blushing and out of breath, cupped his hands and said, "I obey your decree..."
"In addition..." Chen Huang thought for a while, his face darkened, and said: "This case involves more than one person and two people. You go and investigate it yourself. The Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple, and the Yushitai Third Division will assist you. Don't let it go.
A fish that slipped through the net!"
…
Prince Kang's Mansion.
King Kang's face turned pale and he was pacing in the palace, looking anxious.
Not long after, a person walked in quickly from the outside and said anxiously: "Your Highness, I want to know more clearly..."
King Kang looked at him sharply and asked, "How is it?"
The man said: "All the officials of the Ministry of Industry have been arrested. The imperial court has sent people to arrest the minister of the Ministry of Industry and return to Beijing for questioning. Your Majesty ordered the three departments of the Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple, and Yushitai to thoroughly investigate the case..."
King Kang's body swayed, and he managed to stabilize himself by holding on to the table.
He looked fierce and gritted his teeth and said: "The Ministry of Industry is already foolproof, how could there be any omissions? Who would be able to inspect that weapon..."
The man thought for a moment, looked at Prince Kang, and said, "Your Highness, it was Tang Ning who started this matter. Did he know that the Minister of Industry was your Highness's servant, so he deliberately..."
King Kang said angrily: "I have no grudge against him..."
The man looked up at King Kang and said, "Your Highness, you bumped into his ship a few days ago..."
King Kang looked at him blankly and asked, "Is it because of this?"
