Chapter 679 Yang Guozhong's Pseudo Entrustment Case
The steward quickly replied: "Of course, this should be a tribute from Miji Store to A Lang. I always take it and place it in the back kitchen and warehouse."
"How much does he give us every year?"
The steward was very surprised that Alang suddenly asked a question that people were concerned about now, so he had to answer truthfully: "Thank you to Alang, they honor one stone every year."
"Only one stone?" Yang Guozhong frowned and thought. The current market price of pepper is six hundred guan per dou, and one stone is only 6,000 guan. Compared with Gao Shang's estimated profit of several million a year, it is a drop in the bucket.
According to Gao Shang, this Michagan is the merchant that Li Siye supported in Chang'an. This is very likely, because it was Li Siye who introduced this businessman to him in the first place and also gave him a large amount of pepper money and food. In the past three or two years, Li Siye
Spending money in Chang'an was extremely generous, whether it was to bribe officials or to present eternal gifts to the emperor.
As the Jiedushi of the three towns in Beiting and Hexi in Anhui Province, he happens to control the trade routes to the Western Regions. Naturally, he has the means to control the transportation routes of pepper. It is not a problem to support a businessman. But he has made so much money through this,
But you only give yourself a stone of pepper, which is really stingy!
Yang Guozhong would never have imagined that the Western Regions Chamber of Commerce does not control such a businessman. They transport more than 700 shi of pepper through relay every year. After the massive expansion of the post road this year, the transportation volume has exceeded 1,000 shi.
Stone, middlemen have spread all over Hexi, Guanzhong, Shuzhong, Luoyang and other places.
He was still a little tangled in his heart. Although he was very dissatisfied with the fact that he served as the military governor of three towns, Li Siye did not openly oppose him. Moreover, he had outstanding achievements, was favored by the emperor recently, and had many party members in the court.
And every year he sends people to give him a lot of gifts, so it would really be a shame to check him out like this.
But if you don't check it, just watch him amass a lot of money every year, and you can only eat what leaks from his teeth. It is really shabby. Whether it is public or private, such indifference is really not the behavior of a prime minister. Besides, Li Siye
Being the Jiedushi of the Three Towns is really detrimental to his control of the northwest vassal towns. If it is found out that he used the benefits of the vassal town to make money and compete with the people for profit and repay it to the saint, the saint will definitely be displeased and order to remove him from the title of the three towns.
After his power is weakened, he will probably be more respectful to himself.
But we can't do things like this too obviously to investigate him, so as not to cause too much trouble for no reason. It's better to send two people to investigate in the name of the court, without making false accusations or exaggerating, and to make him fair and square, so that he can't do anything.
You can talk.
It's just that how to choose the two people, one needs to be upright and upright, and the other needs to be flexible to complement each other.
He immediately ordered the steward: "Go and call Dou Hua from Zhongshushe to the house immediately, and tell him that I have something important to inquire about in detail."
"Well, I'll go right away."
Half an hour later, Dou Hua walked up the wooden stairs to the corridor, walked through the partitions and bowed to Yang Guozhong, crossing his hands and saying, "Mr. Yang, when will you call me?"
Yang Guozhong waved to him: "Come to Dou Hua, sit down and talk."
"The truth is that I want to order someone to investigate a major case involving controlling trade routes, amassing money, and competing with the people. However, the person involved is in a high position and has military power. Therefore, we need someone who is loyal, brave, and fearless, and someone who knows how to watch people's movements and know how to advance and retreat.
Do you have such a person around you and can you recommend me one or two?"
Dou Hua raised his head and thought carefully, and then said to Yang Guozhong: "Since we are investigating the case, we should look for it from Dali Temple and the Ministry of Punishment. I know two friends. One of them is Sizhi Yuanzai of Dali Temple. He is the most well-rounded person.
He is good at flattery. The other person's name is Xiao Hua, who is the eldest son of the late prime minister Xiao Song. He is currently a doctor in the Ministry of Punishment. He behaves openly and aboveboard, but he is unwilling to be attached to you, Prime Minister Yang, so I'm afraid it will be difficult to deal with him."
Yang Guozhong suddenly let out a strange laugh, put his hands on his hands and said: "It doesn't matter, Wei Jiansu has just been recommended by me as the Minister of Punishment and Ping Zhangshi, so I summoned the two of them to investigate the case publicly in Wei Jiansu's name. Don't explain how powerful he is.
Let’s start by investigating the source of the goods from Micha Gan, the owner of Miji Store, so that they won’t dare to get started.”
After receiving Yang Guozhong's order, Dou Hua crossed his arms and turned around to leave, but Yang Guozhong suddenly stopped him: "Wait a minute."
He turned back again, bowed and asked, "Does Prime Minister Yang have any other instructions?"
"Tell Wei Jiansu not to let others know that it is my intention to investigate this case."
"Here."
Dou Hua stepped out and sighed quietly alone. Hearing Yang Guozhong's attitude and words just now, he knew that this case could not be investigated. Although he did not mention his name just now, when he mentioned controlling trade routes, he had a high position.
Based on the weight, we know that the person to be investigated may be Li Siye, the governor of Longyou Third Town.
Isn't this embarrassing? Even you, Yang Guozhong, know how to hide behind the scenes, but you want others to offend a border official in Jiedu San Town. Who can persevere without fear of offending a strong man and having his head chopped off?
Anyone who receives this case will be severely punished.
…
Wei Jiansu was sitting in the political hall of Zhongshu Province in the imperial city. He had a stack of memorials sent by local officials. He opened them and looked at them. They were all empty tributes. What about memorials with real content?
Maybe it was placed here, but it had already been sent to Yang Guozhong's house in Kaihuafang by the people from Zhongshushe.
The fine tradition of Zhongshu Ling working in his own residence began with Li Linfu. At that time, his servant Chen Xilie was sitting in the political hall, deserted and undisturbed, but the right minister's house was busy with traffic. Now Yang Guozhong has also learned this tradition.
Artistic skills completely eclipsed Wei Jiansu.
He simply leaned on the bed and closed his eyes to rest. Dou Hua, a member of the Zhongshu House, crossed the threshold and entered the hall, bowed and saluted him: "See the left prime minister."
Wei Jiansu said with a hint of self-mockery: "Mr. Dou She, if you weren't waiting at Prime Minister Yang's house, how could you come to this political hall?"
Dou Hua came forward and whispered in his ear for a while. Wei Jiansu's expression gradually became serious, and he suddenly raised his hand and slapped it on the table: "It's too much, this is obviously a hot potato! Yang Guozhong is so powerful that he still squats.
Behind the scenes, don’t you know that if you’re in your position and don’t care about your government, it’s neglect of government?”
Dou She said with a smile: "Why should Prime Minister Zuo be angry? Prime Minister Yang is not the kind of person who cares about the easy and is afraid of the heavy. Just take the lead and give orders. When the time comes, he will stand up and uphold justice."
Wei Jiansu sighed helplessly: "In that case, it's up to you to invite the two of them to the political hall, and I will give you instructions face to face."
"Here." Dou Hua crossed his hands and turned to leave.
After waiting for nearly an hour, Yuan Zai and Xiao Hua walked into the side hall of the political hall respectively. The two were stunned for a moment when they met. Yuan Zai took the initiative and smiled, and Xiao Hua also returned the favor, but his expression was cold.
A lot.
The two of them hung out in the officialdom together, but although they knew each other, they didn't know each other very well, because they didn't belong to the same circle. Xiaohua had always been straightforward and looked down upon those who were practical and utilitarian. Moreover, he was from a famous family in Lanling.
Xiao's father was once a prime minister. Yuan Zai was just a poor son-in-law of Wang Zhongsi, and he was also a flatterer. Naturally, he had to show his attitude of rejecting others and keeping them thousands of miles away.
Yuan Zai wanted to go over and get close to her, but when he saw Xiao Hua's eyes were raised above her head, he had no choice but to smile angrily and step aside.
"The Prime Minister is here!"
The two people quickly arranged their crowns and belts, each stood on one side, and said in unison to Wei Jiansu, who came in, crossing their hands: "See the left prime minister."
Wei Jiansu glanced at the two of them calmly, looked at Xiao Hua and said, "I invite you two to the political affairs hall today because I want to ask you to cooperate sincerely in handling an important case."