The Imperial Guards dispatched two battalions, a force of a thousand men, and quickly headed towards the Chang'an County government office.
The Imperial City Guard had already cleared the surrounding area.
Ordinary people can only watch from a distance if they want to observe.
An old man said, "I don't know what happened to cause such a commotion."
"I heard that His Majesty the Emperor is at the county government office."
Do you know what happened?
"I don't know, I don't know."
...
At this moment, the county magistrate was prostrate on the ground, feeling as if a mountain was pressing down on his head.
Liu Zhiyuan stood to the side, head bowed, not daring to move.
Zhao Huan's face was gloomy.
Before long, Sun Bangyuan, the military commissioner of Shaanxi Road, Gu Yuanpei, the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, and Zhang Zhu, the judicial commissioner, rode their horses toward this place.
Upon seeing the setup around the county government office, their hearts sank.
The emperor was unpredictable, sometimes low-key and sometimes extremely high-profile.
Right now, I don't know what happened that made the emperor make such a big fuss; now the whole of Chang'an County probably knows about it.
This matter will be known throughout the entire city of Chang'an tomorrow.
"I am Sun Bangyuan, the military commissioner!"
Sun Bangyuan took out his commander's seal, and the other two also took out their official seals.
Only then did the Imperial Guards allow them to enter.
The group rushed toward the county government office.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."
Sun Bangyuan was taken aback. Not knowing the ins and outs of the matter, he dared not speak rashly, much less express his opinion.
Zhang Zhu and Gu Yuanpei, standing to the side, also chose to remain silent.
"Sun Bangyuan!"
"Your subject is here!"
Which trading companies were involved in the railway from Chang'an to Xingqing?
"this……"
Sun Bangyuan was speechless for a moment. He was the military commissioner of Shaanxi Circuit, in charge of the entire Shaanxi Circuit.
The railway construction was the responsibility of the Railway Bureau. Although the Shaanxi Railway Branch reported to him, he only knew about the railway's progress and the large-scale budget. How could he know which specific trading companies were involved?
The emperor was clearly furious, and although he knew the emperor didn't care about these things, he still insisted on asking.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me, I was unaware."
"Zhang Zhu, tell me what happened!"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me, I was unaware of it either."
Where is Gu Yuanpei?
"Your Majesty... minister..."
Zhao Huan slammed his fist on the table in anger: "I have exhausted the national treasury and mobilized a million people to build the railway, yet you all turn a blind eye to it!"
The three knelt on the ground together: "Your Majesty, we deserve to die!"
“You all deserve to die! Especially you, Zhang Zhu! My Shaanxi Circuit Judicial Commissioner! And you, Liu Zhiyuan!”
Liu Zhiyuan, who was standing to the side, quickly knelt down as well.
"If I hadn't happened to come across this, I wouldn't have known that so many people had died building the railway! The number I know of is over a thousand!"
Mentioning this number, Zhao Huan couldn't help but want to drag some of the business owners here and have them executed by slow slicing.
Sun Bangyuan broke out in a cold sweat.
"I remember that at the grand court assembly in front of Shaanxi Road, it was reported that the railway construction workers were paid five strings of cash a month, and food was also provided. The Council of State Affairs also clearly stipulated that the personal safety of every single person must be guaranteed! Liu Zhiyuan, am I wrong?"
"Your Majesty! I am guilty!"
"I don't want you to spend all your time telling me you're guilty! I want you to solve the problems of the people and bring them good fortune!"
Zhao Huan's voice grew louder and louder.
"Now things have gotten even worse. Not only have so many people died, but they've also sent people to wipe out the survivors! And the killers are actually government constables!"
Zhao Huan frowned, his gaze sharp, and his voice resounding: "Where is the law?!"
The officials below knelt on the ground, trembling.
Zhao Huan took a deep breath and sat down again.
"These two are survivors. I'm giving you a chance. Immediately investigate all the merchants involved in the railway construction. Arrest anyone with a murder on their hands. I want to see the list of all the offending merchants in half a month! Imperial City Guard, go and make the arrests!"
Sun Bangyuan said, "I have something to say, but I don't know if I should say it or not?"
"speak!"
"Your Majesty, the railway will be completed in six months. If we rashly arrest people now, I fear..."
Zhao Huan forcibly interrupted him, slamming the gavel on the table down and hitting Sun Bangyuan in the back.
"Stop threatening me with these things! Does my Great Song Dynasty lack merchants? The railway blueprints and skilled workers are all employed by the imperial court. Those trading companies are just recruiting more laborers. I can do without them! What are all those local militia I've been keeping in Shaanxi for?!"
Sun Bangyuan dared not say any more, only saying, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will definitely investigate this thoroughly!"
"Han Zhi!"
"Your subject is here!"
"You must assist Zhang Sixian in investigating thoroughly!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Zhao Huan glanced at the county magistrate and the constables and head constables, and said, "Sun Bangyuan, I'll leave this to you. I can't be bothered with these things!"
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will certainly rectify the situation properly."
Zhao Huan walked down from above, went to the group, and kicked Sun Bangyuan: "Dispose of him properly and punish him severely! I entrusted Shaanxi to you, not so you could act like a tyrant!"
"Your Majesty's decree is hereby obeyed!"
Zhao Huan led his men out and left, surrounded by the Imperial Guards.
Soon, the news spread throughout Chang'an.
"I heard that the county magistrate of Chang'an County has been thrown into a death row and his home has been confiscated. Those corrupt and domineering constables have also been thrown into a death row."
"Our official is just like those legendary figures who hate evil and punish corrupt officials without hesitation!"
"In the past, we only heard about the Emperor's style of doing things from merchants who returned from Tokyo, but now the people of Chang'an have seen it with their own eyes."
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