Chapter 50
Emperor Yongshou always trusted Li Shufeng, but it was because of this trust that Li Shufeng became the most harmful official in the Yongshou Dynasty.
As long as the emperor's relatives, nobles, and favorite ministers asked for salt permits and land, they would most likely agree.
With this loosening of the policy, tens of thousands of salt permits from Huaibei and Zhejiang provinces flowed into the pockets of these people every year. Li Shufeng was the most prominent among them, and this directly exacerbated the collapse of the "Kaizhong Salt Law".
The "Kaizhong Salt Law" was originally established by Emperor Taizu. Its purpose was simple: the Central Plains and the Yangtze River Delta were rich in grain, while the borderlands were poor and needed military garrisons. Therefore, merchants were required to transport grain to the border before they could sell salt. For centuries, this law maintained food supplies at the border.
Until the Yongshou Dynasty, it was changed to paying silver to obtain a voucher. So why would merchants bother transporting grain?
The excessive issuance of salt permits by the Yongshou Dynasty directly led to salt permits becoming as cheap as waste paper. Merchants found that instead of working hard to transport grain, it was better to bribe the powerful people in the court.
Even if one held a salt permit, they might not be able to obtain salt. Salt production was limited, yet salt permits were issued continuously. The powerful naturally received priority, leaving ordinary merchants waiting in vain. This gave officials an opportunity to manipulate the market.
The original idea was that paying silver in exchange for grain would directly benefit the imperial court, which could then allocate funds to purchase grain and transport it to the border. While this was a good idea, in reality, each level of government cut back on the money. Ultimately, the borders were short of grain, and the treasury was empty.
If you think about it carefully, you will know that Dasui's productivity has not declined. Where did all the money and grain go? It is nothing more than the pockets of salt officials, salt merchants, eunuchs, relatives of the emperor's wife, and royal family members.
It is said that what Li Shufeng gained was worth tens of millions.
However, Xuan Shu knew that he would not dare to reveal all of it - if people really knew that he had greedily taken so much, even if Emperor Yongshou still favored him, he would not be able to save his life.
At this time, the Qianyuan Hall, which he instigated the emperor to build, was struck by lightning, and the reason for the lightning was related to his second son.
Although it was already night, Xuan Shu could imagine that the ministers must be ready to fight and had already taken action - they wanted His Majesty to eliminate this scourge no matter what.
The Cui Mansion was still brightly lit after dark.
The chief minister Cui Qun sat in the main seat, with the junior secretary Zhang Yan and cabinet ministers Su Jian and Zheng Heren sitting on both sides.
Although it was late at night, the ministers still had bright eyes and showed no signs of fatigue.
At this moment, it doesn’t matter whether you sleep or not.
The most important thing right now is how to deal with Li Shufeng; the time and place are right now, and the opportunity cannot be missed.
The only disagreement is whether to involve the prince.
Zhang Yan stroked his beard and said worriedly, "Li Shufeng is deeply favored by the emperor, so eliminating him will be no easy task. Although the current opportunity is rare, there's no guarantee that there won't be changes. If I get His Highness's approval and act in the name of the crown prince, my influence will naturally be even greater."
A gleam of light flashed in Zheng Heren's eyes. "What His Highness said in Qianyuan Palace the other day left Li Shufeng speechless. I wonder if it was intentional or not."
When mentioning what the prince said the day before, everyone couldn't help but show joy on their faces, obviously thinking that the prince shared the same aspirations as them.
Cui Qun noticed the change in his colleague's expression and shook his head.
"It must have been intentional." Cui Qun said slowly, "But I don't think His Highness should be the leader."
Zhang Yan looked at him in surprise, only to see that the Prime Minister looked calm, as if he had already thought it through.
Cui Qun felt everyone's gaze and continued, "It's enough that Your Highness shares our beliefs. Li Shufeng is ultimately the Emperor's man. If Your Highness is dragged into this, it would be disadvantageous to Your Highness."
"But what if we fail because of this?" Zheng Heren asked.
Cui Qun glanced at him and asked, "Hasn't Your Highness ever helped us?"
Yes, what Qianyuan Palace said was a help to them.
The candlelight flickered, casting flickering shadows on everyone's faces. Cui Qun observed his colleagues' expressions, knowing they were weighing the pros and cons. He took a sip of his tea, giving them time to think.
"I believe that at the crucial moment, Your Highness will stir things up, perhaps with just one word. If that still doesn't work, it means the Emperor is determined to protect Li Shufeng. Even if Your Highness steps in, he won't be eliminated. So why should Your Highness... take such a risk?"
This is the foresight of the Prime Minister.
After doing this many times, his superiors knew that he was capable and were naturally more willing to use him.
Zhang Yan nodded thoughtfully, his doubts dissipated, and he suddenly understood the Prime Minister's profound meaning.
“Before you succeed, think about failure; before you advance, think about retreat.”
If something cannot be done, leave room for it.
That's exactly the case.
…
At the same time, Li Shufeng did not sit idly by.
He was usually calm, but now he was in a state of panic, with sweat pouring down his forehead.
Who can save him now? Ultimately, it depends on who he can still be of use to.
The answer is almost self-evident.
That night, he did not leave the palace, but remained in Chongwen Pavilion. As the night deepened, he quietly moved towards the East Palace.
Strangely, no one stopped or questioned us along the way.
When I arrived at the East Palace, I saw that the hall was brightly lit.
Li Shufeng was both happy and worried when he saw this. He was happy that the prince was waiting for him, which meant there was still a glimmer of hope; but he was worried that this chance might not be easy to seize.
As he approached the palace, he saw Zhang Xian waiting for him at the steps.
"Lao Li, please go in. His Highness has been waiting for you for a long time." Zhang Xian looked straight at Li Shufeng, "But before you go in, His Highness wants me to ask you, how much is your life worth?"
…
Entering the East Palace and turning left, I saw Crown Prince Xuan Shu leaning on a soft couch, reading a book by candlelight.
The windows of the hall were wide open, letting the night wind blow through. Li Shufeng frowned slightly—his trip was secret, and the matter they were discussing was of great importance. Leaving the windows open like this made him feel uneasy.
"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you!" Li Shufeng bowed in greeting.
The only sound in the hall was the rustling of pages turning, but the prince turned a deaf ear to it. Li Shufeng felt a little depressed.
"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you!" Li Shufeng had no choice but to raise his voice again.
"I heard you, don't make any noise."
Li Shufeng's body suddenly stopped.
Xuan Shu flipped through two more pages and suddenly said, "Master Li..."
Li Shufeng lowered his body a little, "Your Highness..."
"Tell me, how many generations can our Da Sui be passed down?"
"Our Great Sui will last for thousands of years and will never fade away."
"Oh?" The Crown Prince chuckled. "The Yan, Chen, Lin, and Feng dynasties all boasted of their eternal glory. How is Dasui any different?"
Li Shufeng's heart tightened.
Why did the prince suddenly ask this question at such a critical moment? Although the question was not difficult to answer, he knew very well that the prince never asked nonsense questions.
After thinking for a moment, he replied, "I am stupid and don't understand your Highness's deep meaning. I hope you can explain it clearly."
"My meaning is very clear." The prince closed the book. "Da Sui will not last forever. There have been several emperors before my father. Perhaps one day, the world will change its surname."
"Your Highness, please be careful with your words!" Li Shufeng raised his head abruptly, sweat already oozing from his forehead, but he tried to maintain a steady voice. "Today, the emperor is wise and virtuous, the world is at peace, and the country and the people are at peace!"
"Peace and prosperity? Peace and prosperity for the people? Those favored ministers of the Yan Dynasty used these same rhetoric to deceive their lord. But the Yan Dynasty still fell." His eyes shifted, a cold expression on his face. "Ironically, I should really 'thank' those last generation of sycophants who brought disaster to the country and its people."
When Li Shufeng heard this, his expression suddenly froze and his fingertips tightened slightly.
"Those treacherous officials sing praises of the emperor's achievements every day, whitewashing the situation. In public, they profess loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, but behind the scenes, they are full of corruption." The prince's eyes were sharp. "They trampled on the laws of the court and eroded the country. If it weren't for these people, how could the world change its surname to Xuan? Maybe it would still be called Li. If it weren't for them, maybe you, Lord Li, would still be the master of this Xuan child of mine."
"Your Highness!" Li Shufeng unconsciously clenched his sleeves with his fingertips, and even his breathing stopped for a moment.
Xuan Shu snorted coldly, "Lord Li probably thinks I'm the one who's causing trouble for you. But I think you were the one who started it. The things you did to satisfy your own selfish desires are going to ruin my Xuan family's kingdom! In the future, my Xuan family's tomb will also be built with the credit of you, Li Shufeng!"
The prince spoke neither fast nor slow, but every word was heart-wrenching, piercing Li Shufeng's heart like a knife.
"Your Highness! Although I may harbor greedy thoughts, I would never be so foolish in the face of great loyalty and righteousness! Your Highness is referring to the crime of treason... I have received the Emperor's great grace, how could I dare to harbor such a rebellious heart?"
"You have no rebellious heart?" Xuan Shu suddenly threw the book in his hand at Li Shufeng. "Then tell me! How much of the silver you embezzled can be equivalent to a year's food rations for the people? The wealth of the world is limited. Every penny you take is a penny less for the people! When the people are living in poverty, rise up and make sure my Xuan family is annihilated! How is this different from treason? Is this your way of serving the emperor and the country?!"
"Your Highness, I acknowledge my guilt... I am willing to offer all my wealth, and only ask Your Highness to show mercy and spare my life..."
Xuan Shu's eyes were cold and fierce. "All under heaven belongs to the king; all the people in the world are his subjects. As the crown prince and the only son of my father, how could I ever care about your little silver?! Today, I ask for it not for my own selfish desires, but for the people of the world!"
"According to the law, I would execute you, confiscate your property, and naturally take the silver. But my father has treated you with such kindness that no matter how the officials accuse you, I still refuse to believe you are guilty of such a crime."
"Father is a wise ruler who has restored the country. If he really seized mountains of gold and seas of silver from your house, what would the people of the world think?"
"Where will our Dasui maintain its dignity? Where will the imperial court's prestige be?! If this gets out, won't my father be labeled a foolish ruler?"
"Listen! You must give me back all that stolen money! Even so, you deserve to die!"
"Your Highness..." In the face of life and death, even the calmest person would find it difficult to remain calm.
The prince's words were not only about his crimes, but also about the relationship between him and Your Majesty. He knew how the emperor treated him, and he was also aware of what he had done.
"Your Highness, I acknowledge my guilt." Li Shufeng's voice was low and hoarse, his fingertips digging deep into his palms. "A thousand mistakes are all mine... I only ask Your Highness not to report this to His Majesty. Your Majesty is a benevolent ruler throughout history, and I... cannot bear to cause His Majesty any pain."
He bowed down, his suppressed sobs being particularly clear in the silent hall.
Xuan Shu looked indifferently at Li Shufeng, who was crying bitterly at his feet. He didn't care whether those tears were out of regret or just a show. The only thing he cared about was seeing the actual silver—enough to fill the national treasury and alleviate the urgent need.
After a long silence, the prince pretended to be troubled and said, "Forget it. I said I would not let them take your life. If I kill you, I'm afraid father will be sad for a long time..."
Li Shufeng's eyes flickered with hope when he heard this. Could it be that the Crown Prince, for the sake of the overall situation, was willing to let him go?
"I thank you, Your Highness!" He kowtowed quickly, then changed the subject, "As for the silver, Your Highness, rest assured. I will give it all. But this amount..."
"What?" The prince raised his eyebrows.
"When Your Highness first met me...you promised to find a suitable explanation for the origin of this batch of silver. I wonder...if you still have this intention now?"
Xuan Shu sneered, "If I really wanted to kill you, I would have teamed up with those people long ago. Why go through so much trouble? Don't worry, I will slowly spread the word about this silver, saying it was donated by my uncle and grandfather. Even if someone questions it, how many people dare to question this prince?"
These words are full of dominance.
Upon hearing this, Li Shufeng finally showed a slight smile on his face and felt a little relieved.
"Go away." Xuan Shu waved his hands in disgust, not wanting to look at this face any longer.
"I'll take my leave."
When he retreated to the palace gate, the prince's voice was heard again, but he no longer had the anger in his voice, but was much calmer.
"Lord Li."
"I am here."
"I know you'll definitely keep some of that money. But how much should you leave? You should have a rough idea in your mind."
These light words seemed to echo in the hall, lingering for a long time.
Li Shufeng was shocked.
The prince had actually guessed his little thought... In other words, the prince didn't believe a single bit of his heart-wrenching confession just now.
The prince's life depended on the amount of silver.
Li Shufeng couldn't help but look up again, but the prince's expression was indistinct. Under the bright moonlight, he could only see the noble crown prince calmly turning the pages of a book, his expression calm and composed.
…
"Zhang Xian."
The prince's call came from the Green Palace.
"The servant is here!"
Zhang Xian immediately bowed and stepped forward.
Xuan Shu closed the scroll in his hand and placed it on the desk. "Go to Li Shufeng's place. Bring more people with you and find a secluded place outside the palace. No matter what, I must see the silver tonight."
Zhang Xian put on a flattering smile, "Don't worry, Your Highness. You have already completed the most difficult tasks. If you can't even handle a trivial matter like collecting money, I don't need to keep my head. Besides, with Your Highness's brilliant plan, Li Shufeng is just a grasshopper in autumn, unable to jump..."
"not necessarily."
Xuan Shu raised his hand to interrupt him.
Now the court officials were eager to try and get rid of Li Shufeng as soon as possible. His only chance of survival was the crown prince's protection. If the crown prince was willing to speak a few good words in front of the emperor, there might be a chance of turning the situation around.
But if he handed over all the silver, he would no longer have any bargaining chips in his hand. Who would then protect him?
"If it were me, I would definitely try every possible way to delay the matter. I would delay until the memorials of the civil officials were shelved, until the lightning strike at Qianyuan Palace and the incident of witchcraft were forgotten. Only then would I hand over the silver and truly save myself. I wonder if Li Shufeng can think of this."
A cold glint flashed across Xuan Shu's eyes. "Don't assume victory is certain until the dust has settled. You think he's at his wit's end, but who knows if he's just showing weakness and waiting for an opportunity to strike back? The key to gambling is to always remember: a cornered beast will fight back, and that's the most deadly."
Zhang Xian's heart trembled when he heard this, and he secretly sighed that His Highness was indeed thoughtful.
"I understand. I will do my best on this mission."
Zhang Xian nodded solemnly.
"If it goes wrong..."
"Your Highness, there is no need for your orders," Zhang Xian bowed solemnly, "If I have caused any trouble for Your Highness, I will bring my head before you!"
…
Late at night, Zhang Xian's sedan chair stopped in front of Li's residence. The red lacquer gate was wide open, and two rows of servants stood at attention, holding lanterns.
Passing through the three courtyards, the view suddenly opened up. Three hundred camphorwood boxes were neatly arranged on the bluestone floor in front of the main hall. With their lids open, the gleaming silver ingots shone coldly in the twilight, dazzling the eyes.
Zhang Xian paused slightly, his throat rolling unconsciously. He had been working in the Eastern Palace for ten years, and he had never seen such a scene.
Li Shufeng's knuckles turned slightly white in his sleeves. He took a deep breath and said, "One million taels, all here."
"Everyone says that Lord Li is as rich as a country, how come this is all?" Zhang Xian raised his eyebrows slightly.
Li Shufeng looked calm and waved his hand gently, saying, "The rumors are often exaggerated. To be honest, the expenses incurred over the years have left me with only three million silver taels..."
He paused, a helpless, bitter smile playing across his lips, and said, "As for the remaining silver, I've already moved it out of the capital to avoid risks. After all, a tall tree attracts the wind."
His words were sincere and his expression was calm, making it difficult to tell whether he was being sincere or not.
Zhang Xian's eyes gleamed, and he sighed, "As expected, His Highness!" His expression darkened. "Master Li, do you know what His Highness has ordered? If we don't see the silver tonight, I'll lose my head! You're telling me the silver has either been spent or shipped away. You're asking for my life!"
"Eunuch Zhang, calm down..."
"What are you trying to calm down!" Zhang Xian interrupted harshly, "Do you think I'm a three-year-old child? If you continue to play tricks, I will report the truth to His Highness immediately. Tomorrow, I'll see how you die!"
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