Zhu Ying had no evidence, but he didn't need it.

But simple speculation is not enough, because it would be a problem if a good person was wrongly accused.

But in the latest clue, he found a piece of information.

That was when yesterday, Jin Shigui, the prefect of Guangzhou government, visited Guan Xianghai, the governor of Guangdong Province.

The seemingly normal visit made Zhu Ying realize that Jin Shigui was following Guan Xianghai.

Guan Xianghai is a good official.

At least that's what the files say.

He has been in this position for six years.

Even Zhu Yuanzhang's anti-corruption campaign failed to sweep him away. He was truly incorruptible.

And this person is capable. At present, the entire Guangdong region is extremely stable in terms of economic development, people's livelihood and other aspects.

Even before Zhu Ying entered the palace to be crowned as the Crown Prince, Guangdong rarely caused any major problems for the court.

These contributions are still there.

But Zhu Ying himself started out as a businessman and was well aware of the tricks involved.

Even if there are only a few superficial clues, you can know the general direction.

Whether it is true or not, you will know when you meet.

The Guangdong Provincial Administration Office.

"Stop, this is the Ministry of Civil Affairs, do you have a pass?"

The officers in front of the yamen were quite polite in their words. After all, it looked like Zhu Ying and his group were either rich or noble.

In this world, those who can be doormen basically have strong eyesight and are flexible. There is basically no such thing as looking down on others. No one likes to cause trouble for no reason.

Shi Di stepped forward, took out his badge and handed it over: "Shi Di, a captain of the Imperial Guards, is going to the yamen to look for the governor Guan Xianghai for an important matter. Please lead the way quickly."

The guard took the badge and examined it, then bowed quickly and said, "I didn't know the captain was here. I will lead you there right away."

No one can stop the Jinyiwei.

For the entire Ming Dynasty bureaucracy, it is like an imperial sword.

The gatekeeper was tactful enough not to ask about the identities of the two young men.

Those who could be followed by the Jinyiwei were all members of the royal family. They were not the ones that a small guard like him could afford to offend.

He then bowed and led the way in front, not even daring to report.

The place of the Provincial Administration Commission covers an area of ​​at least dozens of acres, if not hundreds of acres. It is very easy to get lost if you are not careful.

After walking along a few small paths, we soon arrived in front of the study.

It was working hours, so Guan Xianghai naturally worked in his study.

The door was open and there were guards outside, but they didn't dare to ask any questions after seeing the scene, so they went in immediately to report to Guan Xianghai.

Upon hearing this, Guan Xianghai walked out immediately, just as Zhu Ying and others arrived at the door.

"Your Highness, Guan Xianghai, pays respect to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I am sorry that I failed to welcome you personally. Please forgive me, Your Highness!"

As a provincial governor, Guan Xianghai certainly knew Zhu Ying.

After all, I have to return to the capital to report on my work every year, so there are many opportunities for us to interact with each other.

As Guan Xianghai knelt, all the servants and officers around him knelt on the ground: "Greetings, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

"No need to be polite."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

The guard who led the way earlier didn't dare to breathe. Although he had already guessed it in his mind, he was still extremely shocked when it was confirmed.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

This is the current Crown Prince.

"Come inside and talk."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Zhu Ying glanced at Guan Xianghai briefly. There was only respect on his face, but a little bit of surprise and nervousness.

This means that Guan Xianghai already knew about his arrival and had already cleaned up the mess.

"Yunhuan, come along too." Zhu Ying called out.

"Okay, big brother." Zhu Yunhuan followed him in happily.

After entering the house, Zhu Ying sat in the main seat and then asked the two to sit down.

Then he looked at Guan Xianghai and got straight to the point: "I came from Hong Kong Island. You must know about the dental industry in Hong Kong."

Guan Xianghai's heart trembled. Even though he had already prepared himself mentally, he did not expect the Crown Prince to ask him a direct question.

Saying you don’t know is a big problem.

He knelt down and said, "Yesterday, Jin Shigui, the prefect of Guangzhou Prefecture, came and reported to me the matter of the Hong Kong Island pawnshop. I have been guilty of negligence, and I hope Your Highness will punish me."

Ginger is always wiser with age. Guan Xianghai is no pushover, as he has been able to sit firmly on the throne for so many years.

Zhu Ying smiled and said, "You are quite quick. You have even arranged the charges for yourself."

Beads of sweat appeared on Guan Xianghai's forehead. Just one sentence made him realize that his preparations might be useless.

Zhu Ying continued, "Actually, I'm a little curious. You are a high-ranking official of the second rank, and you are also the Left Governor. You have so much power, why do you want to be so humble?"

"You live in the government office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, but you deliberately made it so desolate. I did have someone investigate, and no matter whether it was in your name or in the name of your family, there was very little property that could be confiscated. From any perspective, you seem to be an honest official."

"Now that it has come to this, why don't you play along with me? From what I see from you, it seems like you're planning to confess your guilt directly?"

Guan Xianghai kowtowed and said, "I... dare not deceive His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

He is a smart man and knows Zhu Ying very well.

When that sentence was uttered, thousands of thoughts had actually gone through my mind, but in the end I remained silent, which was tacit agreement.

He admitted that he was not a truly honest official.

Some things do not need to be explained too clearly. For smart people, a look or a gesture is enough to express their attitude.

Zhu Ying said: "Actually, I don't mind your affairs with the Hong Kong dental clinic, but you shouldn't cross my red line."

"The last time you came to the capital to report on your work, I clearly told all of you coastal governors that the issues concerning Kunlun slaves must not be touched upon."

"In addition, Hong Kong dental firms illegally leased land on Hong Kong Island to foreign businessmen."

"Perhaps in your eyes, those are just wastelands. I also know what you are thinking. You want those foreign businessmen to invest and build, develop Hong Kong Island, and then take it back."

"Then Jin Shigui, including the Xin'an County Government, are all your pawns. As soon as the construction of Hong Kong Island is almost complete, you will investigate and punish them, and then confiscate Hong Kong Island according to the laws of the Ming Dynasty."

"In this way, Hong Kong Island becomes your political achievement."

"No, it shouldn't be yours. Maybe it's your son, or your disciple. After all, it's in your hands."

Zhu Ying simply unravelled the mystery, and even though Guan Xianghai didn't say a few words, he had already deduced the general idea.

Guan Xianghai's throat moved, and he didn't know what to say.

Until now, he realized that he still underestimated the Crown Prince.

In fact, these are nothing to Zhu Ying. Compared with some corrupt officials in later generations, the corruption methods in the Ming Dynasty are obviously much lower-level.

Some of Guan Xianghai's behavior can only fool others.

In fact, even Zhu Yuanzhang knew that Guan Xianghai was not an honest official.

It’s just that he does have the ability to make the situation in Guangdong very good, and he is also loyal enough to the Ming Dynasty.

"I... am guilty." After a long while, Guan Xianghai could only utter this word.

Zhu Ying nodded: "You are indeed guilty, and you have made contributions to Guangdong. I can give you a chance to redeem yourself and make meritorious contributions."

"First of all, you have to deal with the matter of the Hong Kong pawnbrokers. No matter who the Kunlun slaves are, you have to bring them back to where they belong, no matter who they are."

"I think you already have a plan for the lease. Just do it according to your method. I think it will satisfy me."

"I'll give you half a month to deal with all these matters, and then you can resign from the court."

At this point, it was naturally impossible for Guan Xianghai to continue working.

No matter how capable he is, the Ming Dynasty does not lack such a governor.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for your grace."

Guan Xianghai breathed a sigh of relief. Although he lost his official hat, his life was saved.

"Don't thank me yet." Zhu Ying shook his head and said, "I don't know how much money you have embezzled, and I am too lazy to check in detail."

"This time I came to the Hong Kong Yahang to discuss the establishment of the Ming Ocean Trade Chamber of Commerce."

“The headquarters was chosen as Hong Kong Island.”

"Whatever you have embezzled over the years, give it all back and build the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce. The remaining money will be invested into the Chamber of Commerce and counted as a share of the treasury."

"After you are done, you will resign and take up the position of manager of the Ming Ocean Trade Chamber of Commerce, responsible for the investment in Nanyang."

"You have worked in Guangdong for so many years, so you have some knowledge about economic development. This is really making the best use of your resources."

well.

It is very difficult to find talent when it comes to overseas development nowadays.

Even the Jinyiwei were unable to obtain evidence of Guan Xianghai's crimes, which shows that Guan Xianghai was very capable in the area of ​​economic crimes.

From a small official to the current provincial governor, even in a fast-growing economic zone like Guangdong, he can still keep up with the situation in the capital quickly.

This is inseparable from the overall control.

According to current laws, the punishment for Guan Xianghai is to recover the embezzled funds and impose more than ten years of hard labor.

Because of the purpose of educating overseas, they would probably be sent to places like Southeast Asia or Japan to be teachers.

In fact, there are loopholes in the law here.

Strictly speaking, at least based on the current evidence, Guan Xianghai did not extort money from the people, but instead made money from foreign investors.

The regulations in the Ming Dynasty laws were mainly aimed at officials' corruption against the people, and there were no regulations for foreign businessmen.

It just so happens that the Ming Ocean Trading Chamber of Commerce is short of staff right now, so letting Guan Xianghai take charge is a good idea.

"Thank you for your grace, Your Highness. I will do my best until my death." Guan Xianghai was really relieved at this point.

I had already prepared myself to suffer, but I didn't expect the situation to take such a sudden turn.

By this calculation, it can be considered a half-retreat.

In fact, Guan Xianghai really doesn't care that much about enjoyment and money.

After the matter regarding the Hong Kong dental firm was settled, Zhu Ying came to the critical part.

"Now let's talk about the current situation of the King of Qin and the King of Yan."

"After all, your third son is currently in Japan, and he is very much trusted by the King of Yan."

Zhu Ying's words really scared Guan Xianghai.

He didn't expect that everything he had carefully prepared would be so vulnerable in front of the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness, I think I have hidden myself very well, including all my personnel, and I have no connection with anyone. The only place of contact is in that small noodle shop."

"It's that noodle shop. I only go there once every half a month. There's no specific time."

"The Imperial Guards would never know about this, how could Your Highness know so clearly?"

Guan Xianghai said with a wry smile.

He really couldn't understand how the Crown Prince could know what he had secretly prepared.

Zhu Ying waved her hands helplessly: "I don't know. I don't know what noodle shop you are talking about."

"It's just that when I was looking at the files, I heard that your third son went to Japan to follow the King of Yan, and he was just trying to trick you. I didn't expect that you actually had contact with the King of Yan."

"Kyushu Island in Japan has an advantage in maritime trade. The four feudal lords occupy a large amount of mineral deposits, and they have been involved in private seizures. This matter has already been dealt with within the palace."

"If the four princes want to sell their products abroad, they must go through the coast of Ming Dynasty. To do this, they must have support from within Ming Dynasty."

"In fact, it's not just you who can't refuse this. Many officials can't refuse it because it can open up overseas markets for the family. Moreover, since the people are in the vassal state, it is much safer. It can even serve as the foundation for the family's reproduction."

"You are considered a founding hero of the Ming Dynasty. Although you haven't made any outstanding contributions, you have risen step by step."

"My uncles were involved in government affairs very early on, so it's normal for them to have connections among the officials of the Ming Dynasty."

Guan Xianghai could only smile bitterly.

A man's reputation is like the shadow of a tree.

Guan Xianghai had to admit that he did have many fears about the Crown Prince.

Perhaps it was because I was too well prepared that I lost my composure at the slightest sign of trouble.

But when asked about the vassal kings, the truth was exposed all at once.

He has three sons.

But the third son is the one I care about the most.

Because among the three sons, the third son is the most intelligent and is far better than the other two sons in every aspect.

The eldest son, who could have been the heir, was irreparably damaged because of neglect in his early years.

The second son is filial, but too mediocre and won’t have any luck in the future.

At his age, he naturally cares more about inheritance.

Overseas vassal states are obviously a good choice.

It was much easier there than in the Ming Dynasty's officialdom. Moreover, because it was newly established, it was easier to gain merit and power, including wealth.

After struggling in his heart, Guan Xianghai felt weak all over and said feebly, "The smuggling ships of King Yan and his gang do pass through Hong Kong Island, and most of the minerals they sell are also sold here."

"As for the specific amounts, I have an account book here, which basically records them all."