Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30
Kangxi looked down at the people kneeling on the ground, his face twitching slightly.
Yinreng!
Yinreng actually brought Yinzhi, Yinzhi and Yinzhen to make a scene!
Is it worth it to make a scene with him just for a few things?
But when he lowered his head and saw the pitiful looks of the four people, he couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth.
The children's behavior made him angry and amused at the same time. He said to the four of them, "What are you doing kneeling on the ground? Get up quickly."
After speaking, he looked down at the few people and continued, "Each person can choose one. You are not allowed to take away more than you want."
Yinreng has really changed. He has almost forgotten what he was like before. It has only been a few months, but this somewhat rogue character has almost become deeply ingrained in him.
He would find a time to have a good talk with him.
When Yinzhen and others heard what Kangxi said, they immediately got up from the ground and walked silently towards the storeroom. But as soon as they turned their backs, the four of them saw smiles of success in each other's eyes.
Seeing how easily Kangxi agreed to let Yinzhi and the others choose something, Yinyu's eyes, which were distinctly black and white, suddenly brightened. He held Kangxi's face with his chubby little hands, rubbed it, pointed at Dongzhu, and said to him softly, "Daddy, I want it, Zhuzhu."
This Dongzhu is so beautiful and easy to carry. Just now he could only choose one thing, so he had to give up the Dongzhu with great pain, but now he feels that he can still take the Dongzhu away.
Yinyu's soft gesture softened Kangxi's heart. Seeing his expectant eyes, Kangxi took the Dongzhu without thinking and placed it in Yinyu's hand. He kissed his little face and said helplessly, "I really owe you."
The cautious and pitiful look of the child Fifteen made him feel distressed, and he couldn't help but want to love him more.
After Yinzhi, Yinreng, Yinzhi and Yinzhen had chosen their things, they walked out satisfied.
After seeing the Dongzhu in Yinyou's hand, Yinreng curled his lips slightly. His royal father really knew how to make the fifteenth son happy.
It’s a pity that Fifteen is not by his side, otherwise he would even be able to pick the stars from the sky for him.
Just as he was thinking about it, he heard a muffled sound. He looked down and saw a jade flute fell at Yinzhen's feet.
The things in the warehouse are valuable, so they are covered with thick blankets to prevent them from falling to the ground and breaking.
This also prevented the jade flute from breaking into pieces when it fell from Yinzhen's body.
Yinyu held the Dongzhu in his small hand. He watched the jade flute fall from Yinzhen's sleeve. After carefully considering Yinzhen's actions, he asked the 679 system, "Why do I feel like this jade flute is a birthday gift from my fourth brother?"
Yinzhen was embarrassed for a moment. He was so happy that he forgot about the jade flute hidden in his sleeve, and now it fell out of his sleeve.
The expression on his face remained unchanged. He bent down to pick up the jade flute, lowered his head, and looked at the patterns on it, as if nothing had happened.
System 679 looked at Yinzhen looking at Yuxiao and nodded in agreement, "I feel the host is right."
"But was this jade flute taken from the storeroom? Or did he have it with him from the beginning?"
As soon as these words came out, Yinzhen's mouth twitched slightly. No matter whether it was taken or brought with him from the beginning, if he wanted to keep it, he had to leave quickly.
Thinking of this, he bowed slightly to Kangxi and said, "I have already chosen what I like. Thank you, Father, for the reward. I will take my leave now."
Kangxi looked at the calm expression on Yinzhen's face and nodded at him.
As soon as he got Kangxi's permission, Yinzhen walked out without looking back.
As soon as Yinzhen went out, he lowered his head to glance at the jade flute in his hand, then quietly touched the things on his body, and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously. Although he did not take out the things he selected in the warehouse, his royal father would know it when he looked back.
But he was poor, and he regretted it when he gave the fifteenth birthday gift.
I'll probably go out and buy a set of small clay figurines for Shiwu. Although they don't look valuable, they are beautiful.
As for the rest, he decided to go on an inspection tour in the south after the New Year, at least to stay away from the capital, which was a dangerous place.
Yinyu looked at Yinzhen's back, then turned to look at Yinzhi, who was holding an ancient book with a look of joy on his face. He asked the 679 system in his heart, "We all know the fate of my eldest brother, second brother, and fourth brother. What happened to my third brother in the end?"
Yinzhi looked like a nerd, holding an ancient book, as if he had the whole world. For a person like this, the final outcome should be the best, right?
System 679 heard Yinyu's question and followed his gaze to Yinzhi. He excitedly said to Yinyu, "Your third brother didn't do anything too outrageous. He just had a good relationship with Yinreng, and after he was deposed as crown prince, he was implicated. From then on, he was cut off from the books he loved."
He paused slightly, then continued, "Your fourth brother is truly remarkable. After ascending the throne, the first thing he did was confiscate your third brother's collection of books. Your third brother had been collecting them his entire life, and in the end, they were only used to help him."
"He also guarded the imperial mausoleum for several years, feeling depressed and unhappy. In the end, he fell ill and died."
"Oh, by the way, he died a few years earlier than your fourth brother."
After hearing what the 679 system said, Yinzhi was stunned. It took him a long time to blink and come back to his senses.
His ending was not too good, but it was not too bad either. At least it was much better than that of his elder brother, second brother and fourth brother.
But what on earth had Xiao Si done?! He wasn't even angry when he asked him to guard the imperial mausoleum, but he dared to confiscate his collection of books?! He must have been so kind to him, and yet he dared to confiscate his collection. He had to go and extort a few books from him.
Otherwise, how can I let go of the anger in my heart?
Thinking of this, he calmly bowed to Kangxi and said, "Thank you, Father. I will take my leave now."
Kangxi nodded slightly.
Yinzhi raised his foot and chased after Yinzhen. He didn't believe that Yinzhen didn't hear what Fifteen said. He wanted to take this opportunity to make Fourth compensate him.
Thinking of this, he trotted forward and shouted to Yinzhen as he ran: "Xiao Si, walk slower and wait for your brother."
Yinzhen had heard clearly what happened to Yinzhi. How could he have done such a thing to his third brother? He had to run fast, otherwise he would definitely be blackmailed.
Last time I was thinking about his ancient book, and this time I found a suitable reason.
Thinking of this, he almost ran outside.
Kangxi looked at the two men's backs with a complicated expression. He didn't expect that Yinzhi loved books all his life, but in the end they were confiscated by Yinzhen?
Isn't this going to kill him?
It can be said that Yinzhi’s depression is directly related to Yinzhen, but the relationship between the two is still very good now.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but shook his head. Let the children solve their own problems first. He would only get involved if they really couldn't solve them.
Yinyu looked at the two men running so fast and asked System 679 in confusion, "Did they take something and were afraid my father would find it? Or did they hide it in their clothes?"
When Kangxi heard this, he turned around and looked at Yinzhen and Yinreng who had not left yet. He asked each of them to choose one item. Could it be that each of them had taken a lot by now?
Thinking of this, his eyes swept over the two of them.
Yinzhen blinked when he heard Yinyu's words. He took two steps forward and wanted to explain. However, as he took one step, two or three of his things fell to the ground with a jingle. He gave Kangxi an innocent smile and explained to him, "Father, I just thought these looked good, so I wanted to take them away to play with for a few days."
At this point, he saw that Kangxi had no intention of believing it, so he continued, "I don't want it. I will return it to my father in a few days."
Yinreng himself was also a little nervous. When Yinzhi finished speaking, he almost laughed out loud. With this movement, the night pearl tucked inside his clothes suddenly fell to the ground. The night pearl rolled on the ground and stopped right at Kangxi's feet.
Yinreng blinked at the object in front of him and said to Kangxi dryly, "Father, I said I just use it for lighting and have no other intentions. Do you believe me, Emperor?"
As soon as these words came out, Kangxi sneered and said to Liang Jiugong: "Search me, and don't take anything away!"
He has really become more capable. The things hidden under those clothes must be from his warehouse, right?
When he was blind, he saw nothing?
He told them to just pick one, but they actually acted as if the warehouse belonged to them and filled themselves with as many things as they could. So they couldn't blame him for not giving them any.
Thinking of this, he glanced at the two of them, then walked outside holding Yinyou.
Yinyu hugged Kangxi's neck and, through his heavy cloak, watched the two men being searched by Liang Jiugong. He suddenly felt a little envious. He said to the 679 system, "Why didn't I expect this to happen? If I had known this would happen, I would have lay down in that tripod and had someone carry it to my storeroom."
Having said this, he said to System 679 in a somewhat noisy manner, "I should get off my father and pick up that pearl. The night-shining pearl I pick up will be mine."
The night pearl was right at his feet. If he had just gotten down from Kangxi's body, he would have picked it up. But he missed it in vain.
When Kangxi heard what Yinyou said, he suddenly felt helpless. What kind of logic is this? Everything he picked up is his?
System 679 was silent for a moment. He then said to Yinyu in a baby voice, "Is it possible that your father won't give you anything?"
"Look at your eldest and second brothers? They were just greedy and ended up with nothing left."
After listening to System 679's words, Yinyu fell into deep thought. After waiting for a while, he said, "You're right. We must not make long-term plans like our two brothers. We only need to obey one thing this time. We will have another chance in the future."
"But my eldest and second brothers are likely to be blacklisted."
He said as he thought about what had fallen from them and couldn't help but grin.
After being searched by Liang Jiugong, Yinzhi and Yinreng sat on the ground bored, watching Liang Jiugong put the things he had taken from them back one by one.
Yinzhen's eyes fell on Yinreng and he asked him, "Why are you carrying so many things? Aren't you afraid that the Emperor will be angry?"
In fact, he was taking these things today just to test his royal father's bottom line.
It was also the same ceremony before, when they were fifteen, but now it seems that his royal father has really lowered his bottom line for them again and again. His royal father really loves them, and he really dotes on them as long as it does not involve the interests of the court.
But once the interests of the court are involved, he may not be so amiable.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh.
Yinreng sat beside him on the blanket on the ground and said to him without hesitation: "I was thinking that if someone can get the treasures here by calling him daddy at the age of fifteen, we can do it too. We just need to call him daddy a few more times."
As he spoke, he got up from the ground, glanced at Liang Jiugong, and said to Yinzhen, "I really made a mistake this time. I took too many things, and in the end, they were all searched and taken back. What a pity. Next time, I will try to take only one or two items."
As he spoke, he brushed off the nonexistent dirt on his body and said to Liang Jiugong, "Everything has been taken away. Manager Liang, can we leave now?"
Liang Jiugong walked towards Yinreng in small steps, a proper smile on his plump face. "Your Highness, you may go, but could you please give me this night-shining pearl? Otherwise, I won't be able to explain to the Emperor."
As he said this, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. The personalities of these two people were different from before, so he had to be more careful.
Yinreng looked down at the night-shining pearl hidden in his palm, handed it over reluctantly, and then said to Liang Jiugong unhappily: "Can I leave now?"
It's just a night pearl. He also has one, but it's not as big as this one.
When Yinzhen saw Yinreng's expression, he also put back the only jade pendant he had hidden. He got up from the ground and said to Liang Jiugong, "Can't you be a little bit merciful? You're staring at this one thing, as if you're afraid we might take it away."
After saying this, he turned to Yinreng and said, "Let's go, let's go to work."
It has been a few days and those salt merchants should have been escorted to the capital. It would be a good opportunity for him to go over and take a look. Maybe he would find an unexpected surprise.
When Yinreng heard what Yinzhi said, he ran after him and asked, "Brother, I heard you got a lot of things from the salt merchants. What are they? Can you let me see them?"
If I could get one or two items from there, it would make up for today's losses.
Yinzhen turned his head and glanced at him, smiling brightly, "No, if you look at it, it will become yours. I dare not let you see it."
"Yinreng, I've noticed that you've become much more shameless. Today's kneeling really took it to a new level. If you hadn't reacted quickly, Xiao San and Xiao Si might have gotten nothing."
Speaking of Yinzhi and Yinzhen, even though they ran fast, if they ran slower, nothing would be left of their belongings.
Just when he thought of this, he said to Yinreng: "That's not right. Why do I feel that Xiao Si is trying to trick us? Why did he run away for no reason? Did he only take one thing?"
"And Yinzhi, how come he reacted so quickly? Did he really go to look for Xiao Si, or was he afraid of being discovered because he took too many things?"
When they said this, Yinreng and Yinzhi looked at each other. There was not much time between Yinzhen's departure and Yinzhi's departure.
Even if Yinzhi knew his fate, he wouldn't run away so quickly, right?
He said he was looking for revenge on Xiao Si, but in fact, he didn't take the same thing, right?
Thinking of this, both of them saw a hint of surprise in each other's eyes. Were they tricked by these two guys?
Kangxi held Yinyou in his arms as they walked towards the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The wind was howling on the road, and the clouds in the sky were getting thicker. It looked like a heavy snow was about to fall.
After entering the house, the chill suddenly dissipated. Kangxi took off Yinyu's fox fur cloak, smiled and put him on the couch, touched his nose with his hand, and said to him: "You can play by yourself first, father has something to do."
After saying this, he asked someone to summon Zhang Ying directly.
Yinyou held the Dongzhu in his hand, his mouth slightly open with a bright smile. The Dongzhu was very big and could not be held in one hand.
Zhang Ying walked in from outside. His eyes fell on the Dongzhu in Yinwei's hand. His heart trembled slightly and he quickly lowered his head. He knew that the emperor doted on the fifteenth prince, but he did not expect that he doted on him to this extent.
Even such a precious item as Dongzhu became a toy in the hands of the Fifteenth Prince.
Thinking of this, he restrained his brows and walked towards Kangxi. He bowed slightly and said, "Your humble servant greets the emperor."
Kangxi raised his eyes and glanced at him, then said to him, "Sit down."
"Yinzhen's investigation into the salt merchants has already made some progress. This time, the properties of those who controlled the salt price were confiscated. I'm afraid what was found is something that Minister Zhang Ai has never seen or heard of before."
This time, the things Yinzhen sent were really a lot, filling up the entire national treasury.
There were countless rare and precious treasures, so many that he had never seen them before.
This made him sigh that these salt merchants were really capable.
Before Zhang Ying even sat down on his chair, he quickly stood up and bowed to Kangxi, saying, "Your Majesty, corruption has been a problem among salt merchants since ancient times. Prince Zhi is investigating the salt merchants with a relatively strict investigation. Will this cause salt prices to rise and lead to the proliferation of illicit salt?"
He also knew about the confiscation of Prince Zhi's property, and it was a decision made by the emperor himself.
When I first became an official, I could not tolerate any grain of sand in my eyes. But after serving as an official for a long time, I finally understood one truth.
There is no way to completely eliminate corrupt officials. If the investigation is too harsh, it will backfire on the people and make their lives even more difficult.
Therefore, he sometimes advocated severe punishment for salt merchants, but would not think of confiscating their property.
If these salt merchants are raided today, other salt merchants may take their place tomorrow, and the people who liaise with the court may also change. In the end, it will be unclear how much profit the salt merchants can actually make.
It is difficult to determine the amount of tax.
Yinyu listened to Zhang Ying's words and asked System 679 in his mind, "Why do I feel that Zhang Ying doesn't seem to object to the salt merchants enriching themselves?"
Zhang Ying is a little different from what he imagined.
System 679 explained to Yin Yu, "Zhang Ying has his own considerations. He finally understood what the salt merchants were doing, and he wanted to maximize the salt tax while reducing the illegal salt trade."
"It's possible to turn a blind eye to private salt, and the people can still eat salt, but if both official salt and private salt fall into the hands of the same person, it would be terrible."
When Yinyu heard System 679's explanation, he immediately understood what he meant. He picked up the Dongzhu and fiddled with it, thinking, "Now that you put it that way, I understand what you mean. Official salt is for the wealthy; they make a lot of money, so the price is higher. Private salt is for the common people, so they can have access to salt. But if both official and private salt fall into the hands of one company, the money will go to one, and in the end, the only thing lost is the salt tax."
"No wonder my dad said he was poor. There's a reason for that."
How can he not be poor if he doesn’t even have any money?
Kangxi listened to the words of Yi Yi Tong and looked at Zhang Ying. After a long while, he sighed and said, "Sit down and talk."
"I understand your concerns, but both official and private salt are now monopolized by a group of people. Private salt is cheap, so everyone is flocking to it. Official salt is expensive, so it is difficult to sell."
"Many people bought private salt and ignored the official salt. This led to the salt merchants saying they couldn't sell salt. In fact, they were selling the official salt as private salt, making a lot of money. Then they cried poor to me and asked me to allocate money to subsidize them."
"Zhang Ying, they've monopolized the money. What's going to happen to the national treasury?"
There was a hint of majesty in that deep voice, as if he could angrily drag the person out and beat him with a stick at the next moment.
A thin layer of sweat broke out on Zhang Ying's forehead. He had thought of this result, but he didn't expect these people to be so bold as to deceive their superiors and subordinates and collude with each other to steal the silver from the national treasury.
At the same time, I also understand that what the emperor said is right and that this is how it should be handled.
Thinking of this, he stood up from his chair and was about to speak when he saw Kangxi waving his hand and saying, "Zhang Ying, I didn't ask you to come here to apologize. I understand what you mean, but now I have something for you to do in person."
Zhang Ying suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Kangxi, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Kangxi was silent for a long while. He leaned back in his chair and looked at Zhang Ying, who was kneeling on the ground. He said, "I want you to personally interrogate the salt merchant and Qian Qing. Make sure you get to the bottom of this matter. I want to know whether Suo Etu and Mingzhu were involved."
Upon hearing Kangxi's words, System 679's robotic voice hesitantly replied, "It can't be considered participation. It's hard to judge, but there are definitely hints."
As he said this, he played the short video in front of Yinyou.
The person Mingzhu in the short video is sitting on a chair. There are a lot of things around him, including account books and some other things, but the signatures on them are all other people.
None of it has anything to do with Mingzhu herself.
Just when Yinyu was wondering if Mingzhu wanted to destroy the evidence, Mingzhu picked up the account book in her hand, looked at it for a while, and chuckled, "Sort it out for me. I need to take these things into the palace now."
After saying this, he glanced at the butler beside him and said with a smile: "Go. You know what to do."
The moment Yinyu saw this, he exclaimed to the 679 system, "I understand what's going on here. Mingzhu is actually going to report what she said to the housekeeper with evidence."
At this point, he paused slightly and asked hesitantly, "Is that an order to kill and silence someone?"
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