Chapter 449 Asking for a Hammer and Getting One
Song Mo read Lu Desheng's memorial quickly and threw it on the table in front of him. "You all take a look."
Zhang Xian quickly snatched the memorial.
The friendly assist was completed, and he consciously took up the responsibility.
Zuo Anmin, who didn't get the memorial first, went crazy. He was obviously in favor recently and his current position was closest to the emperor, but he couldn't snatch it from Zhang Xian!
Zhang Xiancai ignored him.
He didn't get the memorial, but that didn't stop Zuo Anmin from taking action. "Your Majesty, let's not talk about Lu Desheng impeaching the ministers. It's really an overstepping of the mark."
The ministers present thought to themselves: Are you trying to say that the dog is meddling in other people's business?
"But Your Majesty, you should know that Lord Xie is loyal to you, as pure as ice. Lu Desheng slanders loyal and good people, harms pillars of society, and harms the country of Dali. His intentions are truly sinister."
Zuo Anmin's words were also a reminder to Song Mo that Lord Xie had just given you six million taels. Isn't this enough to show his loyalty?
These six million taels certainly couldn't be said to be plundered from wealthy merchants in Shujun and Gusu. Instead, they were sent to Chang'an under the guise of the Xiaozhuya Island gold mine. It was pure silver.
Of course Song Mo knew it, and he was very unhappy now. This unhappiness was directed at Lu Desheng. This guy really always made things difficult for him!
The other ministers present looked at each other. Tsk, Zuo Anmin seemed to have been stabbed in the lungs, and his counterattack was not polite at all.
Zuo Anmin was furious, mainly because Lu Desheng was so despicable. His involvement in this incident was likely to ruin the Patriarch's efforts over the past few months, and Zuo Anmin was furious.
Zhang Xian read the memorial and had a rough idea of what he was going to say. He quickly prepared a draft in his mind.
But he said, "Master Zuo, why are you so anxious? You haven't even read the memorial, and you're already defending Governor Xie?"
Zuo Anmin said sternly, "Zhang Xian, are you going to help the tyrant?"
Zhang Xian glanced at him. So loud? He was so scared.
"Master Zuo, it's not the loudest person who has the final say here. And you're so loud, and you're so close to the Emperor. What if you startle him?"
Zuo Anmin was furious, "Stop looking around and talking about other things!"
Zhang Xian asked him in return, "You just said that Lord Lu's impeachment of Governor Xie was meddling in other people's affairs and overstepping his bounds?"
"Don't you know that every man has a share of responsibility for the fate of his country? Protecting a nation is the work of its ruler, its ministers, and its people. Lord Lu, as an official appointed by the court, also cares about the country. How can you say he's overstepping his bounds?"
Zuo Anmin sneered, "The Four Classics of the Emperor says: 'Peace comes with tranquility, justice brings order, civility brings enlightenment, and military power brings strength. Only when the ruler and his subjects each remain in their positions and perform their duties can the Great Li be stable. If one is not in a position to do so, one should not interfere in the affairs of state. Otherwise, if Lü Desheng feels that the Emperor has made an oversight, can he also directly intervene in government affairs?"
These words touched Song Mo's sensitive nerve.
Well, both sides are accusing each other without mercy and will not stop until death.
The ministers shouted in their hearts: Fight, fight!
"Zuo Anmin, you say this with ill intentions. Local officials are like the emperor's eyes, ears, and feet. When they see injustice and grievances, they naturally want to report them to the emperor. You wish you could eliminate all the emperor's eyes and ears, shut his eyes and ears, and then let the bad guys harm the people!"
Zhang Xian finished his excited speech and turned to Song Mo, "Your Majesty, Xie Zhan and his cronies have been amassing wealth and competing with the people for profit, causing widespread public resentment. Seeing the people of the two regions suffering so deeply, should Lord Lu just turn a blind eye? Is it right to allow them to exploit the people?"
Song Mo certainly couldn't say that Lü Desheng was wrong at this time. He really needed these local officials to control the world, otherwise it would be a tragedy if the government orders could not leave Chang'an.
"Having said that, if the Censorate had just worked harder, Lord Lu wouldn't have to worry about this." Zhang Xian said with a look of disappointment.
Hearing this, everyone glanced at the Imperial Censor Zhou Chengzhong, who was standing beside them. It seemed to make sense. If they were useful to the Imperial Censors, Lv Desheng wouldn't have to be a local official and still have to worry about the Imperial Censor's concerns.
Zhou Chengzhong: ...It's really a disaster from the sky!
When the gods Xie and Lu fought, they, the mortals, suffered.
"Your Majesty, I failed to supervise." Zhou Chengzhong simply admitted it. It was the duty of their Censorate to supervise all officials. He could not make excuses. Making excuses would mean pushing power away.
Zhang Xian continued, "Lord Lu knew this was inappropriate, but he still did it. This shows that even Lord Lu couldn't stand Xie Zhan's actions. Your Majesty, Lord Lu is a good official who truly serves the country and the people."
Ministers: I can’t stand it anymore!
Zuo Anmin, "Zhang Xian, stop slandering me! You claim that Lord Xie and his cronies amassed vast wealth, causing widespread public outrage. What evidence do you have? Without evidence, what crime should Lü Desheng be charged with, using public power to avenge a personal vendetta?"
Zhang Xianyi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, everything I say is true. Merchants from Gusu and Shu have already come to Chang'an to sue Lord Xie. This matter can be passed on to the Minister of Justice, Yao Songwen, who will inquire about it."
Ministers: Oh no, you got what you asked for!
Hearing this, Song Mo frowned slightly.
Zuo Anmin was terribly anxious. What was going on with the Patriarch? Hadn't he sent people to intercept the relevant personnel on the route to Chang'an from the two places? How had two people slipped through the net and reached Chang'an?
Song Mo immediately summoned Yao Songwen to inquire about it. It turned out to be true, but the other party could not provide much evidence to prove that it was Xie Zhan who did it.
Zuo Anmin quickly pulled himself together and sneered at Zhang Xian, "Businesses always make money and lose money. How can there be a business that guarantees profits? If they lose money, it's because they have poor vision, lack ability, and are inferior to others. How can they blame others? They even slandered the officials of the court. They deserve to be killed!"
It doesn't matter whether there is evidence or not.
Song Mo knew that this was indeed done by Xie Zhan, but he must try his best to distance himself from the matter.
"What Zuo Aiqing said makes sense."
The ministers understood that he was going to protect Xie Zhan?
At this time, Zhang Xian sighed, "I don't blame them for this. I have also learned a little bit about it, because the amount of silver involved is huge."
Song Mo felt a little uncomfortable when he thought of the six million. Isn't this a huge amount?
"As far as I know, Lord Xie has embezzled 20 million taels of silver from Shu County and Gusu. Many brocade and silk merchants have been ruined."
Twenty million taels!
As soon as Zhang Xian finished speaking, the whole place was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Lu Desheng had anticipated this when he wrote this impeachment memorial.
Humph, does Xie Zhan think that just by giving filial respect, it’s enough?
He'd better give Song Mo enough benefits, otherwise, even if he had ten mouths, he wouldn't be able to explain it.
However, for an emperor like Song Mo, unless Xie Zhan was willing to hand over most of the benefits he had obtained through extraordinary means, Song Mo would feel that no matter how much he received, it was not enough.
But is it possible? Will the ambitious Xie Zhan be willing to work for Song Mo for nothing?
He was not supposed to know how much money Xie Zhan and others had earned this time, otherwise it would give Song Mo the impression that he was overreaching.
Lu Desheng decided to give the specific data to Zhang Xian.
And now, Zhang Xian has lived up to expectations.
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