"Chai Zongqing, do you want me to invite you out?!"
Chai Zongqing, trembling all over, appeared outside the train and wailed: "Guan family, I have been deceived by a traitor, please make the decision for me!"
Zhao Zhen stared at Chai Zongqing coldly and said word by word: "I just want to ask you, are you greedy or not?"
Chai Zongqing gritted his teeth and said, "I am a recipient..."
Zhao Zhen suddenly roared, "Are you greedy or not?!"
Chai Zongqing fell to the ground with a frightened thud.
The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were also shocked.
Zhao Zhen stared at Chai Zongqing, who was lying on the ground and refused to plead guilty, and said coldly: "If you don't want to say anything, then I will send someone to investigate!"
"Chen Lin!"
"The slave is here!"
"Go to the Wude Department and the Imperial City Department to inform me of my decree, and ask them to arrest all the people who have handled this money. They will interrogate and question each one one by one.
I want to know who took the lives of our soldiers.
I want to know who is digging up the foundation of my great Song Dynasty.
I will make everyone who has stolen this money pay with their lives."
"Here!"
Chen Lin followed Zhao Zhen's instructions and exited the Chui Gong Hall.
Zhao Zhen stared at the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and said: "Don't you like to stay in the palace? Then stay in the palace today and don't leave. Wait until the matter is found out before leaving."
The civil and military officials in Manchao agreed with complicated expressions.
Zhao Zhen did this because he could not trust them and was afraid that they would tip off the news.
If this matter only involves one or two officials, that would be fine.
If a lot of officials are found behind their backs.
Then Zhao Zhen will definitely look at the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty with suspicion in the future.
The emperor seemed to be born with suspicion, and he would be suspicious of everyone around him.
When the time limit expires, the more people deceive him, the more suspicious he becomes.
When his suspicion reaches the point where he can no longer suppress it, he will choose to use violent means to make himself feel at ease.
For example, killing a group of people who make him feel uneasy.
Or kill a group of people he thinks are not loyal enough.
Once the emperor starts killing people for this reason, his own children will be killed, let alone the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty.
Zhao Zhen now possesses both civil and military skills. He has pushed his majesty to the highest level by relying on his civil and martial arts.
No one in the government or the public could restrain him in his rage.
Zhao Zhen took Manchao Wenwu's reaction into his eyes, snorted coldly, sat on the seat, and waited quietly with Manchao Wenwu.
As time went by, officials with guilty consciences could not withstand the pressure and fell to their knees on the ground.
Zhao Zhen seemed to have not seen them.
Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng, and Zhang Zhibai looked at the officials kneeling down one by one, their faces as dark as the bottom of a pot.
During the period when the three of them were in charge of the government, such a big scandal occurred, and the three of them will also bear the consequences.
The amount of money involved in the case is already shocking.
If there were more officials involved in the case, it would be shocking.
Then the three of them will probably resign.
Time passed by, and by noon, ten officials had already knelt down.
During this period, some people dressed in black entered the palace. After asking Zhao Zhen for instructions, they took some kneeling officials out.
Those men in black are from the Imperial City Department.
They asked Zhao Zhen for instructions and went into Chui Gong Hall to arrest people, indicating that they had found those people and had conclusive evidence.
All the civil and military officials in the court were frightened when they saw it.
Zhao Zhen's heart was as calm as a lake.
Zhao Zhen had already mastered all the evidence in the military pay embezzlement case.
He was already terrified.
The reason why he mobilized a large number of people to investigate was to lure some people out.
Time flies.
By the afternoon.
Zhao Zhen and others entered the palace.
Just as the civil and military ministers in Chui Gong Hall were staring at Chai Zongqing, a small yellow door quickly entered the hall.
The reason why the civil and military ministers stared at Chai Zongqing was because among the people who knelt down, except for him, all the remaining people were taken out.
Xiaohuangmen entered the palace, and after saluting, he reported: "I am reporting to the official family, the eldest princess of Deng State is asking for an audience..."
Hearing this, Zhao Zhen pretended to be surprised and said: "Is it the imperial aunt?"
When the civil and military ministers saw this, their hearts trembled.
The eldest princess of Deng State entered the palace and cried and complained. Will the officials spare Chai Zongqing lightly?
Combined with Zhao Zhen’s previous attitude towards the royal family.
It is very likely that Zhao Zhen would spare Chai Zongqing lightly.
Think of this.
Lu Yijian stepped forward without hesitation and said: "In the official family, the Chui Gong Hall is a place to participate in and discuss politics. Women are not allowed to enter. The official family also wrote a plaque for this purpose and erected it in the harem. Have the officials forgotten?
?”
After Lu Yijian spoke out, Wang Zeng also stood up and said: "Now that the official and military salary embezzlement cases have been investigated, it is probably clear that the consort Chai Zongqing must be involved.
The eldest princess of Deng State entered the palace at this moment. She must have known what happened and wanted to intercede for her consort Chai Zongqing.
If the officials spare Chai Zongqing because of this, the people of the world will complain that the officials are unfair."
Zhang Zhibai then stood up and said decisively: "I will die to remonstrate with you!"
As soon as Zhang Zhibai said these words, he seemed to have dropped a pebble on the calm lake.
For a while.
Most of the civil servants went out to echo Zhang Zhibai's words.
"I second the proposal!"
"I second the proposal!"
"I second the proposal!"
"..."
Ninety percent of the civil servants stood up and seconded the proposal.
The reason why there is such a situation is also related to Zhao Zhen's mindless defense of the emperor's relatives in recent months.
Zhao Zhen mindlessly defended the emperor's relatives and relatives for several months, and the emperor's relatives and relatives did many outrageous things.
For this reason, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty often impeached the emperor's relatives.
But every impeachment has been fruitless.
All civil and military officials in the dynasty were almost in despair.
It seems that the royal relatives will become the source of trouble in the Song Dynasty.
Some loyal and upright ministers worry about not being able to eat or sleep every day.
Now that Chai Zongqing committed a crime, it was a major event that could shock the world.
They think this is an opportunity.
An opportunity to severely damage the royal family.
If you miss this opportunity, you may never see it again.
So they desperately began to remonstrate.
Of course, they are only part of the officials. There are also some officials who are simply following the trend. There are also some officials whose interests have been usurped by the emperor's relatives. They will naturally move to the emperor's relatives. Therefore, most of the civil servants die to remonstrate
When the time came, they also followed.
In short, after 90% of the civil servants went out to remonstrate, some military officials also began to go out to remonstrate.
A moment.
There was a group of people standing in the middle of Chui Gong Hall.
Seeing this, Zhao Zhen felt extremely happy, but his face was filled with frost.
"What are you doing? Are you forcing me to have a baby?"
Lu Yijian and Wang Zeng were just about to speak, but Zhang Zhibai took the lead and said: "I am all the officials' servants, how dare they force the officials. It's just that such a big corruption case has caused a mutiny. If the officials don't
If we deal with it impartially, people in the world will probably criticize it.
As a minister involved in political affairs, I cannot give justice to the people of the world, and I have no shame in continuing to live in this world."
"The same is true for you, ministers..."
The officials standing in the temple echoed.
Zhao Zhen seemed to be aroused with anger, "I just want to summon my imperial aunt. I not only want to summon the imperial aunt, I also want to summon all the imperial relatives!"
"Official!"
"I have made up my mind!"
"faint……"
"Fainted? Who fainted?!"
Zhang Zhibai was also angered by Zhao Zhen's actions. Just when he was about to shout out the word "Hunjun", Kou Ji seemed to have just recovered and shouted loudly, forcing Zhang Zhibai to shut his mouth.
All civil servants in the court looked at Kou Ji angrily.
Nowadays, everyone is forcing the officials to deal with the emperor's relatives. It doesn't matter that you, Kou Ji, don't help, but you are still causing trouble.
"Kou Ji!"
Someone shouted and wanted to accuse Kou Ji.
Kou Ji didn't wait for him to speak, and shouted: "What are you doing? Force the palace? Since the official family wants to summon the emperor's relatives, it naturally has official motives. Don't you want to make the decision for the official family?"
All civil servants in the court glared at Kou Ji fiercely, but no one answered Kou Ji's words.
Wang Zeng frowned and looked at Kou Ji, gritted his teeth and said, "Kou Ji, this is a serious matter, so don't talk nonsense."
Kou Ji said carelessly: "This is such a serious matter that it naturally requires the dictatorship of the official's sacred heart. If the official thinks that the consort Chai Zongqing is guilty, then he will be punished according to the law. If the official thinks that the consort Chai Zongqing is innocent, then the consort Chai Zongqing is not guilty."
Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng, and Zhang Zhibai all frowned.
They felt that Zhao Zhen was acting recklessly and Kou Ji was aiding the evil deeds.
Just when Lu Yijian and Wang Zeng were about to scold Kou Ji, the eldest princess of Deng State had already broken into Chui Gong Hall.
After the eldest princess of Deng State entered the palace, she bowed respectfully to Zhao Zhen and said loudly: "Your Majesty, Zhao Xuanci, comes to visit the official family..."
The eldest princess of Deng State shouted the character Zhao in her surname very loudly.
Seeing this, Zhao Zhen said in a deep voice: "Why is the emperor's aunt doing this...Chen Lin, please give the emperor a seat quickly."
Chen Lin hurriedly went to get the seat.
Seeing this, all civil and military officials in the dynasty were heartbroken.
Seeing this, the eldest princess of Deng State breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing this, the consort Chai Zongqing breathed a sigh of relief. He was so frightened just now that he didn't dare to say a word. Now that he saw Zhao Zhen's attitude, he finally felt relieved.
Zhao Zhen's reaction was exactly the same as after they had committed a crime before and were sued in court.
The eldest princess of Deng State waited until Chen Lin brought the chair and sat on it. She bowed slightly to Zhao Zhen and said: "When I was in the palace, I heard that the consort was deceived by an adulterer and did something stupid.
, and immediately rushed to the palace to plead guilty to the officials.
The minister heard that the prince-in-law had embezzled some money, so he took some money from the treasury and escorted it outside the palace to make up for the prince-son-in-law's mistake.
In addition, I will return the three thousand acres of land outside Bianjing City to the national treasury, which can be regarded as atonement for the consort."
After all, it was Chai Zongqing who made the mistake and triggered the mutiny.
The eldest princess of Deng State did not dare to act arrogantly anymore.
After listening to the words of the eldest princess of the Deng Kingdom, Zhao Zhen said in a deep voice: "Imperial aunt, don't worry, this matter has not been clarified yet, and it will not be too late to make a decision after it is clarified.
I will send someone to invite the Fifth Emperor's Aunt and other royal relatives to enter the palace. When they arrive, we will sit down as a family and discuss it carefully."
As soon as these words came out.
The eldest princess of Deng State was completely relieved.
Zhao Zhen not only did not rush to deal with Chai Zongqing, but also helped them recruit many helpers into the palace.
Zhao Zhen is determined to protect them.
When Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng, Zhang Zhibai and others heard this, their hearts were filled with despair. They all had gloomy faces and did not want to say another word.
Zhao Zhen's stupid behavior has exceeded the limit of their understanding.
They didn't want to talk any more and just wanted to leave the court as soon as possible.
They didn't have any thoughts of resigning, they just wanted to leave the court and find a way to wake up Zhao Zhen from his lethargy.
The three of them, Lu Yijian, didn't speak, and naturally the other civil and military officials didn't speak either.
Everyone was waiting quietly in Chui Gong Hall,
He waited until the royal family and relatives entered the hall one after another.
The royal family and relatives already knew the whole story when they were outside the palace, so after entering the palace, they did not say anything and stood decisively with the eldest princess of Deng Guo.
Although they were very dissatisfied with the trouble caused by Chai Zongqing.
But considering that they would cause trouble in the future and needed Chai Zongqing's help, they did not speak out their inner complaints.
It's a coincidence.
After the imperial relatives arrived one after another, people from the Wude Division and the Imperial City Division, who were responsible for investigating the military pay embezzlement case, simultaneously reported the results of their investigations.
The people from the Wude Division and the Imperial City Division reported the results of the investigation to Zhao Zhen's desk in front of everyone and exited the hall.
After they left, Zhao Zhen slowly opened the documents they submitted.
Although this was not the first time Zhao Zhen read the documents, when he saw the specific amount of Chai Zongqing's embezzlement, the anger in his heart still rose uncontrollably.
"very good……"
After Zhao Zhen finished reading the document, he asked Chen Lin to pass it on to others for viewing. He praised it with a smile on his face.
Everyone in Chui Gong Hall was confused, not knowing what kind of medicine Zhao Zhen was selling in the gourd.
Zhao Zhen stared at Chai Zongqing with a smile on his face and said: "Consort Chai, Uncle Chai, you are my great meritorious official. I have approved a total of 3 million yuan in military pay, and you have saved me 240 yuan in one go."
One hundred thousand guan.
By the way, he also helped me uncover a bunch of corrupt officials.
I have relatives like you, so why worry about the Song Dynasty not being prosperous?"
Zhao Zhen was obviously praising someone, but it sounded very harsh.
The civil and military officials in the court looked puzzled, and most of the royal family members also looked puzzled. Only Princess Deng frowned, and Chai Zongqing felt inexplicably flustered.
Zhao Zhen didn't pay attention to their thoughts. He glanced past Chai Zongqing and looked at the other relatives of the emperor. He smiled and said: "Among you, there are some who help me rob shops, money, food, and land. There are also others who help me."
I'll go grab those girls who haven't left the court yet...
Someone helped me kill people and set fires everywhere...
Someone helped me resell my official title for profit...
Someone helped me sell weapons to Liao Kingdom, Qingtang and other places...
There are even people who bring troops and horses to help me bloody suppress the Xixia people who are unwilling to surrender to me, the Song Dynasty..."
When Zhao Zhen said this, his face showed no effect at all.
The civil and military officials of the entire dynasty, as well as the emperor and his relatives, all realized that Zhao Zhen was speaking sarcastically.
Unprecedented surprises appeared on the faces of civil and military officials throughout the dynasty.
The royal family and relatives were astonished and all frowned.
Zhao Zhen continued: "In the past, when you were not serving as officials, you all complained that the court was unfair, that I was unfair, that I was taking advantage of outsiders, but I was not willing to take advantage of you.
I have thought about it for a long time and feel that the imperial court is indeed a bit harsh on you.
Therefore, you are allowed to appear in the court and hold important positions.
Give you money, give you power, give you soldiers.
Whatever you want, I'll give it to you.
Not only that, even if you made mistakes, I will always protect you."
Zhao Zhen said coldly: "But I gave you what you wanted, what did you give me? You gave me nothing, you didn't help me with anything. Not only did you not help me protect the Zhao family, you also acted everywhere
In laying the foundation of the Song Dynasty.
You keep saying that we belong to the Song Dynasty, and you and I are both members of the same family.
But who of you has ever done something that your own family should do?
Not only are you not protecting your own business, but you are taking away the pillars of your own business.
Two million and four hundred thousand yuan, just be greedy without blinking an eye.
Have you ever thought about the impact that greed for these two million and four hundred thousand yuan would have on our country, the Song Dynasty?"
Zhao Zhen roared loudly, "It will make me break my trust with 300,000 soldiers, and it will chill the hearts of 300,000 soldiers. How many 300,000 soldiers in our Song Dynasty can withstand such a torment?"
If all the soldiers in the world are heartbroken by your torture, who will sacrifice their lives for our country, the Great Song Dynasty?
Who will safeguard your glory and wealth?
Who else can protect your lives?
If the Song Dynasty died due to your troubles, the first person to be executed by the whole family would not be anyone else, but our Zhao family.
As members of the Zhao family, you do not want to work for your own lives or the lives of your descendants, but to help me in the Song Dynasty and build a peaceful country for your descendants.
Instead, it blindly harmed the Zhao family's foundation.
After your death, how can you be honored by your descendants?"
Zhao Zhen pointed at the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and shouted: "The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty are impeaching you, and I am defending you. Do you really think it is me who is against you? I am afraid that I will drag you to the execution ground and lose the face of the royal family, so I did it for you."
You are secretive.
I hope you can recover from your lost ways and understand my good intentions, but you don't."
The face of Princess Deng's eldest daughter had already turned purple, as had the other royal relatives.
The eldest princess of Deng State stared at Zhao Zhen and said in a heavy voice: "The official family..."
Zhao Zhen interrupted her forcefully before she could finish her words, "Zhao Xuanci, you were born when my grandfather was here. You can clearly see how we, the Song Dynasty, have stumbled to where we are today.
You should understand how difficult it is for me, the Zhao family, to get to where we are today.
How many people died because of this.
There are countless civil and military officials throughout the dynasty who worked hard for our Song Dynasty and fought bloody battles for our Song Dynasty.
They risked their lives for my Zhao family.
As a member of the Zhao family, you have not done anything for the Song Dynasty.
Don’t you feel ashamed or guilty?”
The eldest princess of Deng State blushed with shame.
With one word, Zhao Zhen removed all the faces of the emperor's relatives and exposed their ugly faces to everyone's eyes.
Anyone who cares about face cannot remain indifferent.
"Bring it up!"
After Zhao Zhen calmed down the emperor's relatives, he gave an order.
Chen Lin led several eunuchs and carried two large boxes into the Chui Gong Hall.
"Open!"
Zhao Zhen gave an order.
Chen Lin opened the box, which was filled with memorials.
Zhao Zhen pointed to the memorial and said to the emperor's relatives: "It is all filled with the disgusting things you have committed, and there is no repetition. The memorials to impeach you have been piled up in two side halls.
I just picked out some important ones."
Zhao Zhen ordered: "Come here and see how you contribute to my country, the Song Dynasty."
All the royal family members were blushing, and no one dared to step forward.
Zhao Zhen snorted coldly, "Show it to me. If you don't see it, I will order someone to recite it in the hall. When will the recitation be finished, when will the court leave?"
Even though the emperor's relatives were cleansed, they still felt a little ashamed.
They were afraid that Zhao Zhen would actually order someone to read the memorial in public.
If Zhao Zhen really ordered people to read all the memorials in front of the audience, no one among the emperor's relatives would be able to raise their heads and behave like a good person.
The royal family and relatives walked to the big box step by step.
One by one hesitantly picked up the memorial.
Some people just took one look and couldn't stand it anymore.
It's not that they can't stand the disgusting things they committed, but that they can't bear the pressure Zhao Zhen puts on them at this moment.
"I am guilty and I am willing to ask the officials to punish me!"
Even if someone can't stand the pressure, he will bow down and apologize.
Someone took the initiative, and others naturally followed to apologize.
After a while, 80% of the royal family and relatives bowed down to apologize.
So far.
They have no choice but to apologize.
Some of them guessed that Zhao Zhen's previous blind protection of them was probably to induce them to make mistakes so as to eliminate them in one fell swoop.
But I dare not say it.
Nowadays everything they say is wrong.
Even if Zhao Zhen designed to seduce them, it is their fault.
It was because they couldn't resist the temptation and were slightly tempted by Zhao Zhen that they committed the wrong thing.
Although Zhao Zhen's move was a bit unreasonable.
But they were the ones who made the mistake. No matter where their crimes are, they can't quibble with them no matter how much they quibble.
Eighty percent of the emperor's relatives bowed down to apologize, but the remaining 20% did not.
Zhao Zhen looked at those who did not apologize, and asked coldly: "Fourth Aunt, Fifth Aunt, do you think you are right?"
After hearing Zhao Zhen's words, the eldest princess of Ji got up and apologized.
But he was held back by the eldest princess of Deng State.
The eldest princess of Deng State stared at Zhao Zhen and gritted her teeth and said: "The officials are really good at it. This time I admit defeat. If the officials want to deal with it, just deal with it. If I frown, I will not be called Zhao Xuanci!"
"Sister Royal..."
The eldest princess of Ji State called out in a low voice, as if to remind the eldest princess of Deng State not to go against Zhao Zhen.
But the eldest princess of the Deng Kingdom was scolded by Zhao Zhen and said that she was completely incompetent.
Feeling ashamed, she was also filled with anger. She decided to fight to the death with Zhao Zhen in order to save some dignity.
She was Taizong's daughter and Zhao Zhen's aunt. Zhao Zhen would never dare to take her life, nor would he dare to serve her with severe punishment, so she was not afraid of Zhao Zhen's punishment.
Zhao Zhen saw through the thoughts of the eldest princess of the Deng Kingdom. He stared at the eldest princess of the Deng Kingdom and said, "The Fourth Princess is my own royal aunt. If I punish you seriously, I am afraid that my father and the emperor's grandfather will not be able to survive."
Will agree.
The fourth emperor's aunt will stay at the house from now on, and her future food and clothing expenses will be provided according to the county master's quota."
The eldest princess of Deng State heard Zhao Zhen's words, gritted her teeth and said with a trembling voice: "Okay~"
Zhao Zhen had lowered her status in disguise and put her under house arrest. Naturally, she felt uneasy.
After Zhao Zhen finished dealing with the eldest princess of the Deng Kingdom, he looked at Chai Zongqing again, "As for you... you should make peace with the Fourth Queen... because... I will kill your whole family!"