Chapter 120 A fight led to a corruption case

The sound of carriages and horses rumbled along, and they were walking alone in the snow and mist.

After a long time, the carriage stopped.

The attendant said from outside the curtain, "My dear, we are here."

Lu Wensheng hummed.

The car curtains were opened, and the wind and snow rushed in, blowing away the smoke from the Boshan stove.

Lu Wensheng got off the carriage, and the snow sprinkled on the ground, as vast and desolate as the white moonlight.

Reflected in his warm eyes, there was a chill in his eyes.

He was delayed on the road, and Prince Jing Xiao Xun had been waiting for a while.

"Uncle! Why did you come just now?" He turned to face the people in the hall, "Tell the situation again to the Duke of Fuguo."

Xiao Xun was just an adult, dignified and a man of steel, but due to his impatience, there was a hint of viciousness in his eyes.

"The new salt commissioner of Lianghuai has been replaced. Rong E discovered that the amount of money in the Lianghuai salt tax accounts was incorrect. He accused the previous salt commissioner Jian Jun of colluding with salt merchants and engaging in embezzlement. Pei Jian, the assistant chief of the Censorate, has now ordered the arrest of Jian Jun."

Salt specialty store.

The government prints the salt permits and compiles them into a number book; each permit has a number and two tickets, the front one is the stub and the back one is the voucher; salt is packed in bags, each bag is a permit, and the weight is limited to a certain kilogram; merchants pay the salt price including taxes for the permit, and then use the permit to purchase salt at the place of production for transportation and sales.

The profit from the salt business was huge, often amounting to hundreds of millions of silver dollars.

What Pei Jian is checking now are the accounts of the merchants who were required to pay the remaining interest in silver in advance in previous years, as well as the salt tax payment accounts of the Ministry of Revenue.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Zhang Hongzhe, was also present.

It was the coldest time of winter and the charcoal fire in the house was not very strong, but Zhang Hongzhe kept wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.

The Censorate had been asking for the salt tax accounts of previous years for several days. Pei Jian was a difficult person and he could not delay any longer.

Even His Majesty was shocked by this incident.

Lu Wensheng sat upright with his eyelashes drooping, wondering what he was thinking about.

Xiao Xun was impatient and turned to ask him, "Uncle, what should we do now?"

He pursed his lips, his clear voice suppressing impatience and anger. If the corruption case broke out and he was dragged into it, the consequences would be disastrous.

But Lu Wensheng remained as calm and indifferent as ever, which made him even angrier and more upset.

"Uncle, don't forget that you and I are blood relatives, and we are inseparable!"

We are blood relatives and share the same honor and disgrace.

Lu Wensheng's clear and moist face showed no signs of shock, but he spoke in a deep voice about something else, "Have you ever made friends with Pei Jian, the governor of the capital, whom I mentioned to your mother?"

"Uncle, why are you bringing this up now? It's too late anyway." Xiao Xun's irritable brows stiffened slightly, and his eyes became more and more fierce. "When this matter is over, I will never let him go!"

Lu Wensheng knew that Pei Jian did not accept Prince Jing's goodwill.

His nephew is talented and ambitious, but he lacks calmness and acts radically. He never understands the principle of taking things step by step.

The salt administration is the main financial concern of the country. Now we are at war with Northern Liang, which is costly and the treasury is empty. If it is revealed at this time that officials and businessmen are colluding and embezzling taxes, and that the prince is involved, His Majesty will be furious, and there will be a big turmoil in the court and the country.

"Do you know the accounts of Jian Jun's collusion with salt merchants?" Lu Wensheng asked Xiao Xun with a clear gaze.

Xiao Xun did not say anything, but Zhang Hongzhe hurriedly wiped his sweat and stepped forward to bow, "When I was in Lianghuai, I secretly accepted silver from several big salt merchants!"

“Can I take it with me?”

"No, but it is in my house. If you want it, I will go back and get it immediately."

Lu Wensheng said yes, raised his hand to his lips and coughed softly, "This is a serious matter, please go and get it yourself."

Zhang Hongzhe quickly responded.

Lord Lu, the Duke of Fuguo, is a very calm person. Since he has agreed, this disaster can probably be avoided.

Zhang Hongzhe had been oppressed by Pei Jian and had been frightened for more than a month. Only at this moment did he feel a little relieved.

After bidding farewell to His Royal Highness Prince Jing, he went home in the wind and snow.

Lu Wensheng stood up and washed his hands.

He raised his eyebrows slightly towards the guard, and without any words, the guard understood. His face turned serious and he quietly retreated from the hall.

Lu Wensheng had a pair of well-proportioned and slender hands, with knuckles as white as silver and snow, slender and delicate. When soaked in water, they looked exceptionally clean.

However, being in a high position, how can one truly stay away from the dust and keep oneself clean?

He is an extremely calm, even pessimistic person who always expects the worst.

He always protects his family first.

"Your Highness, please sit down."

This was a villa he bought in his early years. Although no one lived there all the time, there were people to take care of all the affairs.

Lu Wensheng called for the tea set and ground the tea into powder.

Xiao Xun was not in a state of leisure or scheming at the moment, and kept pacing in the hall.

Lu Wensheng had advised him not to get involved in the Yanyin business, but he was profit-conscious and insisted on doing so. Now he had to rely on his uncle to clean up his mess. Xiao Xun felt guilty and worried, and had no choice but to sit down on the other side.

But I couldn't calm down. "Uncle, how do we solve this problem?"

What happens after you get the account?

Jian Jun has donated more than one million silver coins to him in the past few years. Is he trying to fill this hole?

Not to mention that it is impossible to make up for it, can this matter really be covered up?

Lu Wensheng was still unhurried. He didn't raise his eyes when he heard this. He took out the teacup and poured water into the tea powder.

"Your Highness, please don't be impatient when things happen."

The white hand was holding the tea whisk and beating it, causing milky mist to surge up and overflow from the cup, and the fragrance of the freshly brewed Qingfengsui tea in the ancient cauldron also wafted out.

After seven cups of soup, the teacup was placed in front of Prince Jing. White milk floated in the cup, like sparse stars and a pale moon.

Xiao Xun forced himself to calm down and drink the bowl of tea. But he was so worried that he swallowed it without tasting anything.

Lu Wensheng held a staff in one hand and a jade cup in the other. Square lamps were lit in the four corners of the hall, shining on his slightly silent features, making them even more misty and difficult to see through.

"Why would Pei Yushi suddenly investigate the salt industry?" He asked slowly, his clear voice ringing.

Xiao Xun put down the teacup. He knew the cause of this incident:

"Isn't it Zhang Hongzhe's prodigal son? He was fighting with an official at the door of a teahouse. It seems his surname is... Wen? Pei Jian blocked the attack and followed the clues to find out about Zhang Hongzhe and Yan Yin's corruption."

Lu Wensheng intuitively felt that something was wrong.

But another thing touched my heart, "Wen?"

Those eyes, as clear and elegant as glass, finally began to ripple.

Xiao Xun didn't understand what was going on.

The subordinate replied, "Your Excellency, it is Wen Yuanqiao, the Director of the Imperial College."

"Uncle, what's wrong with this person?"

"Nothing."

When Lu heard the sound, he kept silent.

However, Xiao Xun kept his strange behavior in mind.

Half an incense stick later, when Xiao Xun's patience was finally exhausted and he was about to speak, a guard came in to report that the road was slippery due to the snow, and Minister Zhang Hongzhe fell off his horse and died under the east city wall.

After hearing this, Lu Wensheng hummed in dismay, "It's just bad luck. Minister Zhang served the country with all his loyalty, so please give more gifts at his funeral."

Xiao Xun was shocked at first, but he didn't expect that Zhang Hongzhe had been silenced. He stood up anxiously and asked:

"What about the account book? Did you get it?"

The guard bowed and presented it with both hands.

Xiao's face turned pale. He flipped through the book roughly and handed it to Lu Wensheng.

Without even looking at it, Lu Wensheng threw an account book into the stove. Flames suddenly rose and quickly engulfed the account book. After the black smoke, only ashes were left.

"Uncle..." Xiao Xun said hesitantly.

The firelight shone on Lu Wensheng's extraordinary face. There was a hint of compassion on his brows, but he still had the elegant demeanor that was not affected by the slightest dust.