89. Chapter 89

"none"

Kangxi came to his senses and immediately realized that something was wrong. Qi You was about to use his ultimate move! He quickly asked Li Guangdi and the others to retreat, leaving Qi You alone.

Despite the chill outside, Qi You's gentle features remained calm, which made people feel calmer when they saw him.

Kangxi's impatience gradually calmed down, and he said earnestly, "Seventh Brother, what do you want to do?"

Qi You was surprised and said, "Khan Ama, I have already said that since I have been accused, I should stand in court, respond, and sue the person who accused me!"

Kangxi glared at Qi You and cursed, "You bastard... face, face! Are you trying to piss me off on purpose? This is so disgraceful! Once you start this, others will surely follow suit!"

Qi You asked with amusement, "Khan Ama, a person with a clear conscience has nothing to fear from his own shadow. So what are you afraid of?"

Kangxi was choked and almost blurted out, "You're not afraid, but others are afraid, even the royal family is afraid!"

Qi You was really determined to take the opportunity to amend the law and correct the chaotic atmosphere from top to bottom.

He also knew that if he did so, he might be crushed by the huge waves.

Because the Qing Dynasty was too rotten, with too many things that could not see the light of day, and it was too decayed. Even a small tear would release a stench that could envelop the entire Qing Dynasty.

Are you not going to do it because you are afraid of turmoil?

Just because there are too many bad rules in the conventions and customs, does that mean it is right?

No!

If all the powerful officials in the court were like this, Qi You could only agree that they should all be brought to justice.

If the Qing Dynasty would perish because of this, he would simply think that the Qing Dynasty had no need to exist.

Kangxi sighed again and said, "Everyone knows that you have been wronged. Not to mention you, I have also been subjected to a lot of criticism in private. Even if I am the emperor, I cannot do whatever I want!"

Qi You felt a deep sorrow in his heart. He looked at Kangxi intently and said, "Khan Ama, they know it, and we know it too. They're doing this not because my status bothers them, but because I'm doing something, truly doing something. They're afraid, afraid of losing their own interests, afraid of exposing their incompetence, so they're trying every possible way to stand up and obstruct me. They even wrote in their memorials that I'm trying to buy the hearts of the people. How wonderful it would be if they could do things like me, follow my way, and win the hearts of the people!"

Kangxi's face turned pale and he sat there in a daze, speechless for a long time.

Qi You spoke in a slow but powerful voice, "Khan Ama, look, isn't all this ridiculous? What is the will of the people? The will of the people is peace and prosperity, and they want to have enough food and clothing. They can't get the will of the people because they are suffering! This is such a simple truth that everyone understands. They also know how to win the will of the people. But they choose not to do so. Instead, they go against the will of the people. They are hoping for the demise of the Qing Dynasty!"

Kangxi's chest heaved, his expression was gloomy, the corners of his mouth drooped, his hand was pressed against his tired brow, and his head was throbbing with pain.

Qi You's words were like frosty swords, cutting straight into people's hearts.

Dispel the fog and reveal the truth.

The world is bustling with activity, all for the sake of profit. The world is in turmoil, all for the sake of profit.

Being obsessed with profit and power will cause the court to betray the people and will lead to the destruction of the country.

Kangxi clenched his fists tightly, his voice even colder than the weather as he said, "Since you have been wronged, step forward and answer in court!"

Qi You was silent for a moment, then asked frankly, "Khan Ama, how far do you want to interrogate me?"

A bitter taste rose in Kangxi's mouth. He turned his head to avoid Qi You's clear eyes, leaned deeply back in his chair, and looked somewhere in the distance.

After a long time, Qi You heard Kangxi squeeze out a trace of sound from his voice and said vaguely: "Don't be too impatient."

Qi You sighed secretly.

Kangxi still had some concerns after all. If he really found out the truth, what would be revealed would not be pretty.

A family scandal is also a national scandal.

Kangxi quickly summoned the Grand Secretary, the Crown Prince and others to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, and announced that the case would be jointly investigated by Grand Secretary Li Guangdi and other Grand Secretaries, the Ministry of Justice, the Dali Temple Council, and the Infantry Governor's Office.

The prince and others who were originally going to oppose it wisely shut up when faced with Kangxi's tough attitude.

Because Qi You was a party to the case, he avoided everything except attending court.

The news that the lawsuit between the poor people and the prince was going to trial spread like wildfire and spread throughout the capital almost instantly.

Various people who came to watch the fun and gather information almost surrounded the government office.

Tohaqi not only sent foreign officials to maintain order, he even transferred the soldiers guarding the capital to avoid any problems.

There were people everywhere, and the carriage could no longer pass. Qi You's carriage was forced to stop two blocks away from the Infantry Governor's Office and walk to the court.

The guards and De Gao Guihe nervously surrounded Qi You, protecting him as he walked through the crowd.

The people around who were watching the excitement looked at Qi You with great excitement, and the sounds of conversation and discussion rose one after another.

"Prince Chun is not in the capital, so I rarely see him. I didn't expect him to be so handsome!"

"What's the use of Jun, his left foot..."

"Oh, shut up! How dare you talk about the prince? Are you going to die?"

"Prince Chun is a good man! Do you remember back in the day when there were many homeless beggars in the capital who were captured by the Infantry Inspectorate?"

The beggars in the streets and alleys of the capital were all taken away by the officers of the Infantry Governor's Office, and their wailing and shouting could be heard throughout the capital.

Many people still remember the horror of that time. They thought something big had happened and were so scared that they hid behind the door, listening to the noise and crying outside.

"I heard they were taken away to do hard labor, and many of them didn't survive!"

"You're talking nonsense! Those people are living well, much better than you and me! They first went to Shunyi to build roads and houses. Later, when Prince Chun went to the north, they followed him two years later and continued to build roads and houses there. When Prince Chun returned to the capital, some stayed and started families there, while others followed him back. Oh, you don't know, many of them are now dressed in silk and satin, eating the best food, and enjoying the good life as wealthy masters in Shunyi!"

"There is such a good thing. Can a beggar have such a blessing?"

"When have I ever lied to anyone? My aunt and her family moved to Shunyi to do business, and someone happened to become her neighbor. If you don't believe that, then those orphans from the Beijing Huimin Bureau are all well and truly studying in Shunyi. You should believe that, right?"

When the Welfare Bureau sent the orphans to Shunyi, the rumors were even worse. They said they would cut open their abdomens and take out their hearts to provide them to the rich and powerful to prolong their lives.

Someone who was well-informed interrupted and said, "Prince Chun is a nobleman. How could he eat these coarse grains and old grains like us? He used his own money to buy grain and sent it to the north to help the people."

"Now that you've said that, I understand. I was wondering why Prince Chun bought all this food. There's no way his family would be short of food. It seems he's doing charity!"

The people who were crowded on both sides watching the excitement were talking endlessly and admired Qi You more and more.

Qi You ignored the discussions on both sides, walked calmly into the court under the gaze of everyone.

Li Guangdi and others who had already arrived hurriedly stood up to greet them. Qi You smiled and waved his hand, saying, "I'm the defendant today, so I don't care about these empty formalities."

Tohaqi quickly ordered the servants to move an armchair aside, and Qi You sat down on it.

Several victims who had sued Qi You knelt there, trembling with fear.

The people who found them had said that they only needed to go to court to file a complaint. If they dared to come and file a complaint, the people in the capital would be watching, and no one would really do anything to them.

The yamen wouldn't even hold a court session, it was just a formality, and at most the offender would be beaten with a few sticks.

They had money to earn and no worries. Their families were extremely poor, with a large family, young and old, waiting to eat, and they barely made it through the winter.

The spring in the capital was still freezing cold, and even summer wasn't any better. The courtyards were teeming with insects and ants, the stench was unbearable, and the heat was unbearable.

It goes on and on, year after year, so you might as well give it a try.

After receiving the silver, they went out to eat a big meal of meat. When the meat got stuck in their throats and they could not eat any more, they came to complain, burping.

There was no brazier in the courtroom, and the high walls and green tiles were airtight, but the smooth bluestone floor was even colder than the slum.

After waiting from early morning until afternoon, the meat in their stomachs seemed frozen in their intestines. Li Er, the leader, shuddered and choked a few times, then couldn't hold it back and vomited all over the floor with a roar.

Tuoheqi, who was in the court, was about to ask a question when he suddenly glared at him and cursed angrily, "How dare you defame this court!"

Li Guangdi, who was sitting next to Toheqi, frowned deeply and said, "Let's clean up first. It seems that we can't afford whole grains. We ate a lot of meat this early in the morning."

Soetu and others sitting on both sides had different thoughts and smiled indifferently.

Qi You looked at Li Er and the others, a hint of pity flashing in his eyes.

Some people become stupid because they are bad, and some people become bad because they are poor.

After the guards had cleaned up, Tuoheqi began the trial. He said, "Li Er, you are accusing Prince Chun of buying up all the grain at the grain store, causing the price to rise. Do you have any evidence?"

Li Ershi propped himself up on the cold ground and answered with a stiff face, "Your Excellency, I usually buy food from the Jucai Grain Shop. Last night, I was out of rice, so when I went to buy some, the shopkeeper, Ma, told me that Prince Chun had bought up all the food, leaving the shop with nothing and raising the price. They are all in the same boat and can testify on my behalf."

Several others followed suit and confirmed Li Er's statement.

The Jucai Grain Shop was across an alley from the large house where the complainants were staying. The shop primarily sold old grains and coarse cereals, catering to the poor in the surrounding area. The prices were usually fair, and most of the surrounding people bought their food there.

This case was no longer about the actual case itself. Tuoheqi did not pursue the details of Li Er's previous meat-eating incident and immediately ordered Ma, the shopkeeper of the Jucai Grain Shop, to be summoned.

Li Guangdi then spoke up and said to Tuoheqi, "Let's also ask about the prices at the surrounding grain shops."

Tuoheqi was very annoyed and scolded Li Guangdi for causing trouble again. He knew the truth but still wanted to mobilize a large force.

Tuoheqi's eyes quickly swept over Qi You, who was sitting beside him with a calm expression. Seeing that Qi You didn't react, he followed Li Guangdi's instructions and ordered the guards to inquire about the prices at the nearby grain shops.

After a while, the foreign officers brought back the shopkeeper Ma, and the foreign officers who asked about the price of grain also returned to the yamen one after another.

Shopkeeper Ma looked worldly-wise. Facing the dignitaries in the hall, he was initially nervous, but soon relaxed and replied, "At first, I didn't know who was buying grain. When I heard it was a big deal worth 500 taels, I knew it must be someone of high rank, and I didn't dare ask any more questions. The visitor was also generous. Hearing that my shop had grain, he left some money as a deposit, agreeing to pay the rest when he came to pick up the grain in two days. He kept his promise, took the money on time, and took the grain away. Later, I learned that my shop wasn't the only one that took the deal; other shops had also accepted it. There are rumors that you want to buy a lot of grain in the capital. Now is the lean season, and grain is more expensive than usual. If the capital's grain is sold out, the price will inevitably rise. My lord, how can I raise the price of grain just by relying on my shop? It's only when there is a famine that grain prices will rise!"

Toheqi stood there in a daze, looking at Li Guangdi, and remained silent for a while.

Shopkeeper Ma took out the prepared account book and said, "Sir, this is the account book of my shop. This transaction is recorded truthfully in the account book."

Tuoheqi was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously looked at Qi You. Qi You was still sitting upright, with no emotion on his face.

His subordinates had secretly reported to Tuoheqi before that when he entered the palace, he sent people to inquire around Li Er and others, and found out that Qi You only bought 100 taels of grain in the shop.

Now, Shopkeeper Ma said that the shop sold 500 taels of grain to Qi You. The other party reacted quite quickly and changed the account books.

In this way, the opponent hiding behind was also not weak. Kangxi actually agreed to open the court for trial and acted cleanly and neatly, intending to prove Qi You's guilt.

After looking through the account book, Tohaqi handed it to Li Guangdi who was standing next to him. The account book went around the room and finally returned to Tohaqi's hands.

Toheqi held the account book as if it were a hot potato, and he wished he could throw it into the brazier and turn it into ashes.

Since Kangxi agreed to try the case...

Anyway, it was the order from above, and the winner would be determined by the evidence. Tuoheqi simply went for it and asked the servants to go forward and ask the surrounding shops for the price of grain.

The guard asked several shops and found that some had raised their prices, while others kept the same prices as before.

After listening, Li Guangdi said, "When it comes to the price of grain, I don't think you and I know as much as ordinary people. There are so many people out there, why not send a few people over to ask."

Tuoheqi didn't know what he meant, but since Li Guangdi stood up, he was just waiting for it, so he immediately asked the guards to call a few people into the court.

Li Guangdi's questions were simple. He only asked where they usually bought food and the price of food.

If food prices have increased, when did the increase start?

Through the questions and answers, the smart people in the class figured out the problem.

The food prices in other parts of the capital were basically back to normal, but several food shops around the people who filed complaints suddenly raised their prices by nearly 20% and announced a food shortage.

The price increase took place yesterday.

Qi You bought the grain five days ago. According to common sense and what the owner of the Jucai Grain Shop, Ma, said, they believed that there was a shortage of grain and the price should have started to rise at the latest three days ago.

Li Guangdi pondered for a moment, then turned to Tuoheqi and asked, "Sir, do you know if there is any grain in the warehouse of the Jucai Grain Shop?"

Tuoheqi was furious and secretly blamed Li Guangdi for his meddling, but he remained calm and said, "Sir Li, you only said you wanted to check the grain prices, so I didn't send anyone to check the warehouse. Besides, the warehouse is a very important place, so there's no reason to check it!"

Qi You finally moved and said, "Coincidentally, I have the account book here. I asked someone to buy grain worth only one hundred taels of silver at the Jucai Grain Shop. I still have the deposit receipt, and it states how much percentage of the price I paid as deposit."

The guard stepped forward, took the receipt from Qi You with both hands, and handed it to Tuoheqi.

Tuoheqi felt relieved. After reading the receipt, he handed it to Li Guangdi and the others. He frowned and questioned the shopkeeper Ma, saying, "The prince only paid a deposit of 100 taels of silver to your shop. Why do you say that the prince bought grain for 500 taels of silver? What are your intentions?"

Shopkeeper Ma's face paled slightly, and he quickly knelt down, crying out his innocence: "Your Excellency, I know everything I say. I dare not hide anything from you. I have the receipt here, and it clearly states that it is the deposit of five hundred taels of silver!"

Tuoheqi was stunned. He took the receipt from the shopkeeper Ma and saw that it really stated that a 20% deposit would be charged based on the transaction amount of 500 taels, totaling 100 taels.

Qi You smiled and slowly took out another booklet, saying, "I paid money to the carriage and horse companies in the capital to deliver the grain I sent to the north. One carriage and horse company didn't have enough porters, so I bought grain from three different companies and simply hired three different companies. The grain I bought from the Jucai Grain Shop was the least, so it was delivered by porters from the nearby Zhao Family Carriage and Horse Company. This is the receipt for my transactions with the Zhao Family Carriage and Horse Company, and it's a record for the customs clearance documents they need to get from the government office."

The incoming and outgoing receipts may not be recognized, but the customs documents clearly state the goods transported and the quantity.

The difference in the number of carriages and horses required for 500 taels of grain and 100 taels of grain was too great. If the amount on the customs document didn't match the actual amount, even Qi You's carriages and horses would be inspected at the customs.

Qi You said calmly, "The carriages and horses transporting the grain are moving slowly. You can hurry up and catch up. Find out exactly how much grain I took from the capital and see if it matches the customs documents."

At this time, Shopkeeper Ma no longer dared to argue. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, stood there with his head down and said nothing.

Qi You stood up and slowly walked to the storekeeper Ma, looking at him curiously.

Shopkeeper Ma quickly opened his eyelids and met Qi You's indifferent gaze.

For some reason, Shopkeeper Ma felt as if a mountain was pressing down on his head, making it hard for him to breathe. He involuntarily took a step back, his face pale.

"You are also someone who does things for money." Qi You laughed softly, but the smile did not reach his eyes. "I will not ask about the boss behind you. Because you dare not say it, at least not here. If you say it, you will die. It is not a pity for you to die. According to your age, you should have grandchildren, right?"

Shopkeeper Ma knelt on the ground and kowtowed fiercely to Qi You, "Your Majesty, please spare my life, Your Majesty, please spare my life!"

Qi You lowered his eyes and suddenly raised his voice and said, "I also know which farm you were the manager of more than ten years ago."

Shopkeeper Ma was horrified, his whole body went limp, and he fell to the ground, not daring to move.

The room suddenly fell silent.

The owner of the shop is difficult to find, and the powerful people in the banner will never show up in order to avoid it.

Once you know which farm Manager Ma used to be in charge of, you will know the mastermind behind him.

Qi You didn't continue speaking, but nodded to Li Guangdi, Tuoheqi and the others, "Just as I said before, let's judge according to the law. I don't have anything to do here, so I'll leave first."

By the time Tuoheqi and the others had regained consciousness, Qi You had already turned and walked out of the court. His tall, thin figure stood straight, as always.

Qi You glanced at the sky, got on the carriage, and ordered, "Enter the palace."

After the case was over, Qi You did not embarrass Kangxi in front of everyone and revealed the mastermind behind the incident.

It was just the right time to take care of both public and private matters. He was going to fight back hard and skin them alive!

The author has something to say:

Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided me with nutrient solution between 2022-11-28 23:23:42 and 2022-11-29 23:40:02~

Thanks to the little angels who cast mines: Yanyan 1;

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: 20 bottles of Lanlan; 5 bottles of Xiamu; 1 bottle of my big one, Niwan;

Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!