Chang Sun Dechong sighed deeply, his tone filled with helplessness and heaviness. He slowly said, "It turns out that among those hardworking farmers, there are indeed hidden accomplices like you profiteers.
They might be quietly passing information to you in the fields, or during the harvest season, allowing you to manipulate food prices and reap huge profits. Or you might be directly ordering the farmers to sabotage the fields.
However, Your Majesty has long seen through all these tricks and conspiracies. Your Majesty is well aware that there must be profit-seeking people in Wei State, which will pose a great threat to the country's food security when Wei State encounters a disaster.
Therefore, His Majesty Chu Fan made a very wise decision. He ordered that all grain cultivation work in the royal official fields be carried out by eunuchs and palace maids. This not only ensured that the grain cultivation process was kept secret from the outside world, but also ensured the yield and quality of the grain through these loyal eunuchs.
Hearing Chang Sun Dechong's words, Lü Ben and the others were all dumbfounded. They had already been seen through by His Majesty Chu Fan, and they still thought they could hide it from the world. How foolish!
Chang Sun Dechong ignored them and continued, "You think you can manipulate the market to drive up grain prices, but you don't know that His Majesty has long been aware of your sinister intentions. He has secretly ordered people to plant immortal grain. Your conspiracy has long been discovered by His Majesty, but he did not want to alert the enemy, so he did not expose you immediately."
"Not only has your evil plot failed, but you have been exposed in broad daylight. Since you have not reflected on yourselves, but instead have come outside the palace to force the emperor to abdicate, your actions will surely be punished accordingly, and the people will remember your majesty's kindness forever."
Chang Sun Dechong's rage erupted like a volcano. His gaze swept over Lü Ben and the treacherous ministers and profiteers behind him, each one filled with resentment and disappointment. He knew full well that these former colleagues, now traitors, were willing to sacrifice the lives of the people for their own selfish gains. This behavior was simply outrageous.
Chang Sun Dechong's words were resounding, and every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting the hearts of Lü Ben and others. Lü Ben and his family members were especially terrified, as their fear almost consumed them.
Lü Ben's face was as pale as paper, his eyes gleaming with fear and regret. He knew full well that his and his family's years of greed and illegal behavior had thoroughly infuriated His Majesty Chu Fan. Now, they were trapped like turtles in a jar, with nowhere to escape. They finally realized that the power and wealth they had always pursued were nothing compared to His Majesty's absolute imperial power. Their names would forever be nailed to history's pillar of shame, the objects of scorn by future generations.
Those who followed the Lu family, whether they were relatives or the forces that depended on them, now felt deep regret. They had once thought that by relying on the Lu family, they could enjoy the protection of power and wealth, but they had never expected that such protection would be so fragile in the face of imperial power.
An elderly man from the Lu family cried, his voice trembling and his body shaking, "We were wrong, utterly wrong. Our pursuit of power and wealth has caused us to lose our conscience and our bottom line. Now, we must not only face the punishment of His Majesty, but also the condemnation of our own conscience."
Lü Ben and the others finally understood that their past actions had caused irreversible consequences, and they could only silently await their fate of death.
Chang Sun Dechong continued at this time: "You all said that His Majesty the Emperor would take action against us. You really think too much. You know that His Majesty Chu Fan directly gave me the task of treating the victims and His Majesty Chu Fan directly gave me food.
If I wanted to recruit soldiers, I could easily raise hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the disaster victims. Do you understand what this means? If I had any ill intentions, rebellion would be as easy as breathing. Yet, Your Majesty trusts me so much. Do you really think Your Majesty is narrow-minded? You people have long been corrupted by greed and power, and you believe that everyone else will be like you.
After Chang Sun Dechong finished speaking, he ordered the city guards to start taking action. Even though the people led by Lu Ben had some resistance, it was all in vain in front of the regular army.
Ultimately, Lü Ben and the others left this world filled with regret. Their passing didn't cause much commotion, but their names and stories have become fodder for discussion and reflection. People draw lessons from their experiences, reminding themselves not to repeat their mistakes and to be loyal to their emperor and patriotic.
In the long river of history, everyone's behavior is like a speck of dust, perhaps insignificant, but at some point in time it affects the world around them. Although the stories of Lu Ben and others have gradually faded from people's sight with the passage of time, their lessons are like a mirror, reflecting the complexity and fragility of human nature.
The victims outside Kaifeng applauded after hearing about Lü Ben and others. Such profiteers betrayed their own country and even forced the emperor to abdicate. Such people should be cut into pieces. Killing them directly would be a mercy to them.
Qin Hui and others who were standing outside the city watching the show saw the dust settle and were about to leave when the eunuch serving Chu Fan called out to him.
"Prime Minister Qin, please stay. His Majesty has a message," Eunuch Li said when he came to Qin Hui and the others.
Qin Hui said respectfully, "I am here. I wonder what your Majesty wants me to do?"
Eunuch Li pulled a brocade bag from his sleeve and handed it to Qin Hui, saying, "His Majesty has said that no one can make concessions in this matter. I hope the Prime Minister will enforce the law impartially."
Qin Hui took the brocade bag with a puzzled heart, but remained expressionless. He bowed to Eunuch Li and said, "Thank you for conveying your order. I will bear in mind your Majesty's instructions."
Eunuch Li smiled slightly, and when he noticed that Cao Mengde was also present, he bowed to him and turned to leave.
Qin Hui watched the eunuch disappear before opening the brocade pouch and taking out the letter. The contents of the letter made him frown. Chu Fan stated in the letter that all officials who had left Wei without prior notice within the previous month would be rehired. Even if they had indeed been raising grain for Wei, they would not be pardoned. Those wishing to continue serving as officials would have to wait three years before being eligible to take the imperial examination. Finally, Chu Fan ordered Qin Hui to send 10% of the proceeds from the confiscation of Lü Ben and others' property to the imperial palace.
After reading Chu Fan's letter to Qin Hui, Cao Mengde and others smiled at each other.
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