——
After the court session ended and the officials dispersed, Jin Jiande quickly took a few steps and grabbed Wang Yong.
"Lord Wang, wait a moment, I have something to discuss with you."
Jin Jiande looked at Wang Yongdao, who was in a daze, with a blank expression.
"Young Prince, what brings you here?" Wang Yong rarely interacted with Jin Jiande, so he was puzzled when Jin called out to him.
However, my eyelids were already twitching.
Generally speaking, the people this young prince seeks out are never of goodwill.
After all, his identity is extraordinary, and what he does is also extraordinary.
Looking at Jin Jiande's handsome but unsmiling face, Wang Yong already had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, the next moment, Jin Jiande whispered:
"This is not the place to talk, Lord Wang. Please come with me to the Thousand Machines Pavilion."
Wang Yong's eyes narrowed, and a chill ran from his feet to his back. Although the weather was still a bit cold today, hot sweat immediately rolled down his forehead.
"Young Prince, what is it? Why do you need to go to the Thousand Machines Pavilion? What...what have I done wrong?"
Seeing Wang Yong covered in sweat, Jin Jiande smirked, knowing that he had achieved his goal.
He glanced around and, seeing that the ministers had all gone far away, said in a sinister tone:
"Lord Wang, among the six ministries, your Ministry of Revenue is the richest. Lord Wang, you have been in charge of the Ministry of Revenue for many years, hehe, you must have made quite a bit of money."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yong trembled, and the color of his fat face visibly changed.
"Young Prince, you can't just say things like that! I, Wang Yong, am the most..."
"What? You think you're like Zhang Tianguan? He's completely incorruptible!"
"But you, hmph! How dare you! Last year's taxes from Binhai City, and Anyang County, and that..." Jin Jiande's face darkened, and he raised his voice slightly.
Wang Yong was shocked and turned pale. He hurriedly interrupted, "Young Prince, let's talk this out. We're still in the palace."
Wang Yong wasn't stupid. He knew that Jin Jiande must have evidence of his crimes if he contacted him privately. However, the fact that he spoke privately meant that he would never report him.
They're probably trying to extort money from me!
Sure enough, Jin Jiande said in a low voice, "Anyang County has fallen, the national treasury is empty, and His Majesty is so troubled by this that he can't eat or drink. Didn't you see his face today?"
"At this time, shouldn't you, Lord Wang, do your part?"
Wang Yong's face was grim, and he cursed inwardly.
The national treasury is empty, but the Kim family is not! Trying to extort money from us at this time is truly shameless!
He cursed in his heart, but naturally dared not say it aloud.
Then, he chuckled and said, "Yes, yes, as a subject, it is only right to share Your Majesty's burdens."
Jin Jiande nodded, put his arm around Wang Yong's shoulder, and a smile appeared on his usually stern face. He held up five fingers and waved them in front of Wang Yong.
Upon seeing the five fingers, Wang Yong still wore a smile, but in his heart he was cursing Jin Jiande to the core.
His voice trembled as he spoke: "Five?"
Jin Jiande shook his head, "Fifty!"
Wang Yong's face turned pale, and he looked at Jin Jiande with a look of panic. "Fifty? Where would I get that much?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Jin Jiande's expression changed, suddenly becoming sharp.
"Lord Wang, think carefully before you speak!"
"Whether it exists or not, and how much it is, you and I know, but His Majesty doesn't. If His Majesty were to find out, well... you should understand!"
Wang Yong, having been exposed by his words, could only nod with a bitter face.
Jin Jiande smiled slightly, straightened Wang Yong's hat, and said calmly, "Go back, Lord Wang."
"Someone will be visiting your residence in the next few days."
Looking at Jin Jiande's face, Wang Yong almost ground his teeth to powder, but he still forced a smile and cupped his hands in greeting:
Yes, yes, yes.
He had only taken a few steps when he heard Jin Jiande say from behind, "Lord Wang, just do what you're supposed to do from now on, go for it, don't be afraid."
Wang Yong paused, instantly understanding everything.
It turns out that all the money he had accumulated over the years was just money he had collected for them.
He left the palace, pale-faced and unsteady on his feet.
——
After reaching an agreement with Wang Yong, Jin Jiande did not leave the palace but went to the inner palace.
As he approached the palace gate, he heard a series of crashing and smashing sounds coming from inside, clearly caused by teacups and other items being thrown to the ground.
What followed was a series of sharp rebukes.
"That's my money!!"
"This traitor dared to seize my Anyang Prefecture! This villain!"
Jin Jiande sighed inwardly and sent a palace maid into the hall to report his request for an audience.
A moment later, Jin Jiande entered the hall and immediately saw Jin Fengluan sitting upright in a chair, her face ashen, with the table and the ground in disarray, clearly having just lost her temper.
"What is it?" Jin Fengluan asked coldly without even glancing at Jin Jiande.
Jin Jiande bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I know you are worried about the empty treasury. This palace is quite old, and it will cost a lot of money to repair it."
"I...."
Before he could finish speaking, Jin Fengluan coldly rebuked him:
"I don't know? You need to tell me!"
"Who knows better than me how important Anyang Prefecture is!"
"Without Anyang Prefecture, I can't collect taxes, and the national treasury is empty. That's all my money!"
At this point, Jin Fengluan sat up from her chair, her eyes blazing with anger. She waved her hand and pointed at the main hall, saying:
"Look at this palace! Look at this imperial palace!"
"It's been years! It's old and dilapidated! We originally planned to renovate this palace before the new year and move in afterward, but look at it now!"
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