Censor Jin was clearly well prepared. "I have already checked. The grain and grass were sent by the Lin family's caravan. And the Lin family is Madam Shen San's maternal grandfather's family."
He turned to look at Shen Zhixiu, "Doesn't Elder Shen know about this?"
When he asked this question, Emperor Xuande and the court officials present also looked at Shen Zhixiu.
Shen Zhixiu walked to the middle of the hall and shook his head, "Your Majesty, I really don't know."
Censor Jin was overjoyed when he heard his denial. If Shen Zhixiu had admitted it and then made some high-sounding remarks about his devotion to the country, it would have been difficult for him to impeach him.
But Shen Zhixiu denied it, so don't blame him for being rude.
Censor Jin's heart surged with excitement, his fighting spirit high. If he could accomplish this task today, his name would go down in history.
It is such an honor for a third-rank censor to successfully impeach a first-rank official.
"Sir Shen, I have already checked. The winter clothes sent to Northern Frontier came from Huajin Pavilion, and the owner behind Huajin Pavilion is Madam Shen San."
"And the food all came from the shop of Lord Shen's mother-in-law, Madam Lin. And the charcoal and herbs were all provided by the Lin family, who are also Lord Shen's in-laws. How does Lord Shen explain this?"
Shen Zhixiu shook his head, "I have no way to explain."
Censor Jin's tone of questioning became even higher, "Then Lord Shen admitted that all this was Lord Shen's work?"
"In Qianyang Palace, Lord Shen, please do not deceive the emperor. What is Lord Shen's purpose? Is he trying to buy off the soldiers and prepare for a rebellion in the future?"
Shen Zhixiu glanced at Censor Jin with a cold and frank look in his eyes.
"If Censor Jin is ever dismissed from office, it would be a good idea for him to write a storybook. It sounds like a true story. It took him all night to write it, right?"
Shen Zhixiu's teasing words made Jin Yushi feel guilty. In his opinion, if he continued to question Shen Zhixiu, he would confess.
Censor Jin faced Emperor Xuande, bowed solemnly, and said, "Your Majesty, it's clear that this was done by Elder Shen."
Emperor Xuande looked at Shen Zhixiu: "What did Mr. Shen say?"
Shen Zhixiu looked calm, without any sign of nervousness or fear.
"I truly do not know. Since Censor Jin mentioned my wife and my cousin, why not summon them to the palace and ask them?"
"By the way, if it's true as Censor Jin said, then Prince Ning should have taken over that batch of grain. Your Highness, Prince Ning, please come to the palace."
"Empress Jin has been talking for so long, but I still can't tell what it has to do with me."
Censor Jin knew that the emperor was now doting on Li Yunzhou, so he deliberately did not mention him.
He looked at Shen Zhixiu suspiciously. What did Lord Shen rely on to have these people come to the palace for a confrontation?
He said indignantly: "These are all the relatives of Lord Shen, how can you say it has nothing to do with you? Didn't your wife take so many things out without telling you?"
He said this in a fit of rage, but it made Shen Zhixiu laugh.
"Doesn't Imperial Censor Jin know? This official... is henpecked."
"Not to mention my wife's own business, even this official's private money is managed by my wife."
"Is Imperial Censor Jin trying to say that my wife is trying to buy off the troops and plot a rebellion?"
Shen Zhixiu's words made the civil and military officials present burst into laughter.
Even Emperor Xuande looked at him with a smile, "Zhixiu, Zhixiu, you're probably the only one in the capital who dares to openly say that you're henpecked."
When Shen Zhixiu heard Emperor Xuande mention this, he directly praised Su Qingyu in the hall.
In his words, he said that it was because his wife deserved it. In Shen Zhixiu's mouth, Su Qingyu was the most virtuous and capable wife in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Some people sneered in a low voice, thinking, isn't this still henpecked?
The prince saw that the atmosphere in the hall had relaxed a lot as the king and his ministers chatted and laughed, so he secretly winked at Censor Jin.
Imperial Censor Jin immediately stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, why don't you invite His Royal Highness Prince Xuanning, Shopkeeper Lin, and Madam Shen San to the palace?"
"But I have a suggestion. Can we ask the Dragon Guards to go and ask them to prevent someone from leaking the information and making false confessions?"
As everyone knows, all the eunuchs in this palace can be bribed, but the Dragon Guards won't.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuande summoned Puyi to the palace and ordered him to send the Dragon Guards to convey the message separately, asking these people not to have any private contact.
Li Yunzhou, who was the first to enter the hall, walked to the center of the hall and bowed.
Emperor Xuande signaled Censor Jin to repeat what he had just said. Li Yunzhou had arrived, and it would be easy to find out who had sent the food and fodder.
Censor Jin repeated everything, including his suspicions about Shen Zhixiu.
Li Yunzhou glanced up and down at Censor Jin, with a mocking smile on his lips.
"When the Northern Frontier was short of food and clothing, what was Censor Jin doing? I'm afraid he was drinking and embracing people all day long, right?"
"This prince led his soldiers in a bloody battle against the Tartars, and the Lin family also made great contributions this time, which is why we have achieved this feat of expanding our territory. Imperial Secretary Jin is convicting us all with just a touch of his lips?"
He sneered unconsciously, "Is Censor Jin relying on his eloquent mouth to stay in the court? If the Tartars were to arrive at the city, I think the first to betray the country would be someone like you."
The fourth young master of the Li family had previously been relatively unnoticed in the capital. Many people had the impression of him as a young scholar with a reserved disposition. In the past few days since returning to the capital, he had been even more polite and modest with his colleagues.
But today, when he entered the Ganyang Palace, he cursed Censor Jin so hard that he was speechless. Especially the word "treason" was so harsh that if he had a hot temper, he would have crashed to death in the Ganyang Palace.
Censor Jin's face flushed crimson. He had not expected that His Royal Highness Prince Ning was so eloquent and spoke without mercy.
But facing this young master, Censor Jin really didn't dare to go too far.
If court officials can be moved, even the chief minister of the cabinet may be brought down.
But it is different for the emperor’s closest relatives. If the emperor wants to protect them, no one can touch them.
So he explained to Li Yunzhou with an apologetic smile, "Your Highness Prince Ning has misunderstood. I have no doubts about the intentions of Your Highness and the Northern Frontier generals. Today I am impeaching Elder Shen, who is trying to buy off the military."
Li Yunzhou looked puzzled. "If Censor Jin is old, he should just retire. I've been listening for a long time, but I can't figure out what this has to do with Elder Shen."
Just at this moment, Guard Long brought Lin Wuchen and Su Qingyu to the main hall, and everyone's eyes shifted to the main hall door again.
Li Yunzhou suddenly looked at the Minister of Revenue Zhao Ziyi.
"Minister Zhao, I told you a few days ago that I hadn't paid you for the grain I bought in the northern border. What did you say then? You told me to wait a few days until the autumn taxes come in and settle the bill."
"I understand that the national treasury is tight and would like to wait a few days, but Censor Jin cannot wait. If you don't give me this silver, the Lin and Shen families will be held responsible."
"It just so happens that Third Young Master Lin is here, the Ministry of Revenue should quickly prepare the silver."
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