88. Chapter 88
"none"
After recognizing the reality, Qi You could not kill the king. Instead of being depressed and complaining, he might as well do something practical.
Even if his contribution can help ordinary people have one more meal or one more piece of clothing to keep warm, it will be meaningful.
Qi You threw himself into what he was supposed to do. Kangxi showed him the data, used threats and persuasions, and after briefing the captains of each banner, he issued an order to relocate a group of people who had suffered from disasters every year in the lower reaches of the Yellow River to outside the Great Wall.
During the New Year, Qi You was conferred a title, becoming the Prince of Chun. He didn't know what his brothers thought, but he was actually quite happy. Because the salary of a prince was high, his wallet was really fatter, and he could do a lot of things.
Qi You was well aware of the hardships faced by the relocated people in reclaiming wasteland. As for the imperial court, he had looked at the Ministry of Revenue's account books and was completely out of temper. The main reason was that the imperial court was so poor that it was impossible for them to provide financial aid or subsidies.
After becoming a wealthy prince, Qi You paid out of his own pocket for a thousand taels of silver worth of mixed grain and sent it north. He wrote to Chang Chun and Chang De, asking them to continue their previous efforts to provide more care for these newly arrived settlers, who had no place to stay or feed.
The purchase and delivery of grain caused a lot of noise, and too many people were staring at Qi You. In addition to being reported and beaten, he was also sued by the people to the government.
Toheqi, the commander of the Infantry Inspectorate, had a few too many drinks the night before and had risen later than usual. He had just washed up and sat down to enjoy a bowl of hot cheese when his attendant burst into the room like an arrow from a bow.
Tohchi's hand trembled in shock, and the cheese in the bowl sloshed everywhere. Fortunately, it wasn't too hot. He slammed the bowl down on the table, wiped his hands with a handkerchief, and opened his mouth to scold.
The attendant quickly greeted him and said anxiously, "Master, something happened at the government office. Someone is suing Prince Chun!"
"Who?" Toheqi was still in shock.
The attendant gestured and explained, "Prince Chun, that's the Prince Chun who recently returned from the north and has a problem with his left leg!"
Of course Tohaqi knew who Prince Chun was, but he couldn't believe his ears.
There are actually people who dare to sue the prince!
Tuoheqi quickly asked, "Is the person who filed the complaint a Bannerman or a Han Chinese?"
The attendant replied, "They are a group of poor, mud-legged Han people from the north of the city."
The lawsuit between the Han and the Bannermen had to be handled by the Council. Tuoheqi couldn't help but want to curse. These cunning bastards from the Council had pushed the hot potato onto him!
Immediately, Tohaqi's face fell again and he sighed.
The Infantry Commander's Office was in charge of the capital's public security, and since this case involved Prince Chun Qiyou, he was the only one who could handle it.
Tuoheqi's mind raced, and he subconsciously thought of the other princes. The Crown Prince was a very noble position, and if he were to be promoted to the next level, he would become the Emperor...
The fourth and fifth princes, who were older than Qi You, were only granted the title of Duolo Beile, and he and the eldest prince became Duolo Princes.
The eldest prince became a prince because of his age, but anyone with a discerning eye could see that Qi You became a prince because of his ability.
The court officials and royal family members would not, nor dared, to provoke the emperor's own son.
As the emperor's other sons, there was nothing they dared to do.
The third, fourth and fifth princes, who were only conferred the title of Beile this time, may be dissatisfied.
The Fifth Prince is loyal by nature and has a good relationship with Prince Chun.
The Fourth Prince had frequent interactions with Prince Chun. A few days ago, he set out to inspect the river workers and took with him the people recommended by Qi You.
The remaining bald princes are young and don’t interact much with Qi You, so there are usually no conflicts between them.
The only ones who dared to sue the prince and had a clear conflict of interest with him were the Third Beile and the Prince of Zhi.
The mere thought of this made Tohaqi's scalp tingle and his appetite vanish. He wiped his face vigorously with a cloth several times, and when he regained some consciousness, he hurried to the government office.
On the way, Tuoheqi carefully asked his attendant Qi You about the accusation. It was that he had bought up almost all the grain in the capital some time ago. Now that the grain prices had risen, the poor people could not afford to eat, so they came together to file a complaint.
Poor people dared to sue the emperor's own son, the prince. Not only Tuoheqi couldn't believe it, I guess those who filed the complaint couldn't believe it either.
When they were almost at the yamen, Tohaqi ordered the coachman to take a detour, enter the yamen from the backyard, and secretly go through the back hall to inquire about the front.
Even though spring had begun, the weather was still freezing cold, leaving people shivering. Several ragged men knelt before the court, their heads bowed, huddled together, their expressions indistinct.
People who rushed to watch the excitement were not afraid of the cold. They surrounded the yamen and pointed excitedly into the house.
It was freezing cold, and Tuoheqi's back was soaked with sweat. He pondered for a moment, then quickly ordered his equally frantic subordinates, sternly saying, "Watch carefully and don't let them cause any trouble. This matter is truly too serious. I must go to the palace and report it to the Emperor."
After returning to the palace to report to Kangxi, there was no response for a long time. Tuoheqi held his breath and lowered his head almost to the ground.
Kangxi's face looked extremely ugly. He slowly raised his hand and placed it on the memorial on the imperial desk that impeached Qi You. He pressed down hard, almost tearing the cover to pieces.
It’s really abominable that such a big thing happened just after the New Year and at the beginning of the new year!
Kangxi said coldly, "Liang Jiugong, go and summon the seventh brother to the palace, and call Li Guangdi and Suo Etu together!"
Liang Jiugong quickly agreed and left the room. Tuoheqi heard Kangxi's voice almost gritting his teeth, but he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as there are more people around, this matter will have little to do with him.
Qi You, as usual, got up early, had dinner, and went to his study. At this moment, De Gao hurried into the room and said with a pale face, "Your Highness, you've been sued!"
"Sue me?" Qi You paused for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Who sued me...?"
Just as he was halfway through asking the question, Gui He knocked on the door and eagerly poked his head in, saying, "Your Highness, the Prince of Zhi has an urgent matter and must see you."
Qi You put down his pen and couldn't help laughing. He said, "Please ask him to come in. Degao, you go down first and find out who is accusing me and what they are accusing me of. Quickly!"
The two men followed the order and left. Prince Zhi quickly entered the study. As soon as he entered the room, he widened his eyes, looked Qi You up and down, and said impatiently, "Seventh Brother, someone has sued you!"
Qi You finally had time to invite Prince Zhi to sit down and said casually, "Brother, since someone reported me, I see you seem very excited!"
The Prince of Zhi looked embarrassed and laughed dryly, "Look at you... I've seen this before. There are people who are so bold as to go to court and sue a prince, and a prince at that. It's really rare. But Seventh Brother, who did you offend?"
Qi You poured a cup of tea and handed it to Prince Zhi, saying helplessly, "Brother, I really don't know who reported me or what they reported me for. I just heard what you said. As for who I offended, you see, I never leave the house, so I really don't pay attention to these things."
Prince Zhi took the tea and sipped it, then mocked him bluntly, "That's right, you've offended so many people and blocked so many people's financial paths. How could you possibly know who sued you?"
Qi You raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this. Prince Zhi was right. He had offended many people.
For example, this time he asked He Ye and others to follow the Fourth Prince, so the Ministry of Works and the officials in charge of river engineering must have blamed him.
Kangxi relocated the Han people to the areas outside the Great Wall to open up wasteland. The powerful people who didn't get any land might have cursed him secretly behind his back.
Qi You doesn't care what they think. He doesn't play political tricks. He just does the right thing.
Zhijun Wang Chaoqiyou winked and said jokingly, "Let me tell you, you were sued by a group of peasants. They said you bought up all the old grain on the market, causing the price of grain to rise. They can't afford to buy grain and have no food to eat!"
After hearing this, Qi You couldn't help but laugh.
He used his 1,000 taels of silver to buy 700 taels of mixed grain in the capital, and the remaining 300 taels were taken to Zhangjiakou to save on transportation and freight.
In Zhangjiakou, he only bought grain for three hundred taels of silver, a small sum, but this was done out of consideration for the incompetence of the government. The market in Zhangjiakou was small, and he was afraid that if he bought too much at once, it would cause unwarranted panic.
In such a huge capital city, Qi You could buy grain at a high price by buying 700 li liang of grain, which was a slap in the face of Kangxi.
Qi You used his brain a little and quickly saw through the other party's thoughts and intentions.
The person behind the scenes could not be unaware of this, and he also knew very well that the common people mentioned by Prince Zhi could not bring Qi You down.
The price of grain in the capital is relatively stable and transparent. A simple check will reveal the exact price of grain. These people are making false accusations.
Even though he clearly understood the reason for doing so, the other party really disliked Qi You. He wanted to manipulate public opinion and embarrass Kangxi. Even if he valued Qi You, he would still vent his anger on him.
The person who was instructed to go to court and sue Qi You must have received the other party's promise.
It was not just the silver, but also Qi You's reputation. Because they were sure of Qi You's compassion, he would not bother with the people and at most let them be beaten with a few sticks.
The person who instigated them to file a complaint should be dead by now, and no one knows where he disappeared to, leaving no evidence.
The case is very simple, the key lies in suing the defendant himself.
When a prince breaks the law, the common people are guilty as well. What happened on the stage has now been brought to the front of the stage and is happening in reality.
Prince Zhi came to find Qi You, and it was estimated that the whole capital city already knew about it.
Qi You knew without hesitation that the government would not dare to hold a court hearing and would first go to Kangxi for advice.
In order to save the royal family's reputation, Kangxi would not bring this case to court at all.
Without a court session, gossip will spread like wildfire, and everyone will enjoy watching the drama and spreading rumors. The dirty water on Qi You will never be washed away.
When Prince Zhi saw Qi You remained silent, he glared at him angrily and said, "Seventh Brother, you allow yourself to be slandered like this, and yet you still sit still! If it were me, I would arrest these peasants and give them a good beating first. It's just a complaint, who's afraid of who? Go and argue with them in court, prove your innocence, and make them pay!"
Qi You looked at the Prince of Zhi with a puzzled look and said, "Brother, to open the trial, we must first get the consent of Khan Ama."
Prince Zhi held his head high, looking as if he understood, and said, "I know. You're worried that our Jueluo clan will lose face! But are you going to let them off so easily? Yeah, that's right. Khan Ama will definitely not let them off. They will have to pay the price!"
Qi You saw Prince Zhi's hand stroke his neck, sighed, and smiled bitterly.
These people are brainless and are just scapegoats. No one cares about their lives, so they are used.
Seeing Qi You ignored him, Prince Zhi almost jumped up. He leaned his head out to take a look, lowered his voice and leaned closer, saying vaguely: "Seventh Brother, I think the one behind this is most likely..."
Before he could finish his words, there was a light knock on the door.
Prince Zhi quickly shut up, looked out the door warily, and looked angry.
Qi You looked at him indifferently and said loudly, "Come in."
Degao pushed the door open and entered the room, saying, "Your Highness, someone has come from the palace. The Emperor has summoned you to come in."
Prince Zhi's expression changed slightly. He looked at Qi You with complicated eyes and said, "Seventh Brother, take care of yourself. I can't do anything for you." After that, he stood up and walked out.
Qi You looked at Prince Zhi's back, smiled, got on the carriage and entered the palace.
In the imperial study of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, in addition to Kangxi, Li Guangdi, Soetu, and Tohachi, the commander of the Infantry Governor's Office, were also present.
Qi You took a look at the scene, paused for a moment, and stepped forward to greet.
Kangxi waved his hand to let Qi You stand up and sit down, saying, "Here are a number of memorials implicating you in beatings. Would you like to take a look?"
Qi You lowered his eyes, walked forward to take the letter, opened it and looked through it.
In addition to criticizing him for buying grain, which caused the price of grain to rise, he was also criticized for allowing women to work in public, which not only violated the rules of thousands of years and was also immoral.
In the past, Qi You was surprised that when the Fourth Prince took He Ye and others to patrol the river, no one jumped out. This was simply inconsistent with the nature of these officials.
It turned out that they were waiting for him here so that they could punish him for multiple crimes.
Kangxi looked at Tohaqi and said, "Tell me about the affairs of the government office."
Tuoheqi stood up and told the whole story of what happened in the government office from beginning to end, not daring to hide a single word. It was exactly the same as what Qi You had heard from the Prince of Zhi.
Li Guangdi had been on duty in the South Study since early morning and had not heard what was happening outside. When he heard that Qi You was accused, he looked at him in surprise.
Suo Etu's news arrived quickly, and when Kangxi sent someone to tell him, he had already heard the general situation. At this time, he still pretended to be surprised and looked at Qi You.
Kangxi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, barely suppressing the anger in his heart. He appeared relatively calm and said, "Seventh Brother, since we've already brought you to the government, you should at least come up with a corresponding regulation. How do you plan to deal with this?"
Qi You looked calm and composed, saying, "I admire the courage of anyone who dares to go to the government office to sue the prince. Even though they are making a false accusation, I am very happy. This is a good start!"
Including Kangxi, everyone looked at Qi You in confusion, not understanding what he meant.
Qi You looked up at Kangxi and said earnestly, "Khan Ama, since that's the case, why not hold an open trial? We'll judge based on the evidence and facts, and according to the law, without favoritism. If the other party can't afford the lawyer's fees, I'll pay for them and try my best to give them a fair and just opportunity. If the law is imperfect, we'll take this opportunity to amend it. If it's proven that I've committed a crime, I'll plead guilty and accept the punishment according to the law, without any complaints. If the other party loses, I'll also deal with them according to the law, and I won't increase their punishment just because I'm a prince."
He paused, lowered his eyes, and thought for a moment before saying, "Since this incident was caused by me, I'll take the lead. I'll donate 500 taels of silver to establish a litigation aid fund for poor people. As long as they follow the law and their rights have been violated, and they want to sue powerful people, etc., but are too poor to hire a lawyer, they can come and apply for the aid."
"Boom!"
As soon as Qi You finished speaking, the tea bowl lid in Kangxi's hand fell on the memorials and rolled several times.
Not only Kangxi, Li Guangdi, Soetu, and the weeping Tohazi were all shocked and stood there in a daze.
Qi You is going to open a royal case and conduct a trial open to the people!
If this continues, in the future, if the princes and brothers, including the crown prince, break the law, the people will still dare to sue them.
Judging from Qi You's character, anyone in the room could see that he was just trying to take advantage of the opportunity to discredit him by causing such a case.
Those who throw dirty water on Qi You and instigate others to make false accusations will eventually be retaliated against...
The author has something to say:
Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided me with nutrient solution between 2022-11-27 23:30:43 and 2022-11-28 23:23:42~
Thanks to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: 8 drift bottles;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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