第六章 “部长的启示”Chapter VI "Minister's Revelation"

第六章 "部长的启示"

Chapter VI "Minister's Revelation"

Before the previous event...

Li Xiao was on her bed getting ready for bed after Rory came out. She was thinking of the concubine Lin: "My brother's marriage was a politician arranged by Chief Minister Li Qin Yuan. He proposed to marry his daughter to the emperor at the expense of forming a strong political party with the emperor and the powerful Lee family. Some ministers initially refused because they were concerned that this decision might negatively affect the emperor because the Lee family might have ulterior motives to seize the throne. The chief minister then cunningly refuted these objecting ministers and managed to remove them smoothly. Already the marriage took place. His daughter Li Lin Qin was already in love with the emperor and is trying in every way to attract his attention, wanting to be the empress of this country. Even because of her love for the emperor, she tried to get rid of the empress and also poison the other concubines when one of them tried to get close to him. She also gave them contraceptive medication and accused one of the concubines of this act and she was denied. However the emperor did not reveal her actions. She's really cunning. So could she have a hand in what happened earlier? The strange thing is that she is the only one that the emperor did not touch badly when he went crazy." Suddenly, she recalls, her pupils widen in surprise: "How did you forget such a thing? When I secretly entered the palace and tried to see my brother and went to see him in his room and both the chief minister, Jin Shen and the unknown man came. This man mentioned that he succeeded in making my brother crazy. So the former emperor was not crazy. This was not a curse from the ancestors as mentioned. It's what I did. Since Jin Shen, my brother's assistant, can't give him a medicine that drives him crazy and also the chief minister can't. However, one person can give him this medicine, it is the concubine Lin. Yes, it's her. That is, if I can get rid of her and get her out of the palace, I will be able to prevent my brother's madness. She analyzes and suddenly concludes a strong pain in her left shoulder: "Oh I feel really strong pain, it burns so badly." She moved her clothes away from her shoulder, groping for the pain: "Why would this happen to me? It hurts, aaah." and then fainted from pain on her bed.

A few days later...

On a cut road, after Miss Chan got out of the bar, she headed from this road to a hostel. This hostel was unremarkable. After entering the hostel, she went to the owner of the hostel: "Same room, boss." Then he gave her the key to this room and then went up the stairs to this room. The room was good as a normal accomodation that is not doubtful if you look at it. Miss Chan was inside the room, Then I moved a few steps to the right wall. It was wooden shelves arranged with books and some organized sculptures. It contained a Buddha sculpture. She raised her hand and then grabbed this sculpture and then turned it, then, a sound of pulling and opening,

Uncovering a secret door behind this wall.

Behind this door was a narrow and dark corridor with dim lighting coming from some openings in the walls. This road led her to a wide cabin leading to layers and branched roads. She took one of her routes and the fireplaces that illuminated her path in a round, twisted corridor that slopes deep downwards. The floor was of coarse stone and the walls were elaborately built of solid stone. She led her to the intended place, and masked guards surrounded the place. After her arrival, they greeted Commander Chan: "Tell Mr. Chan." Then this soldier went to the president's office, stood behind the desk door: "President, Commander Chan is asking to see you." Then a voice came out of this room: "Let her in and evacuate."

Chan: "Sir I have come." "Sit here, there's no need for formalities, but I think I warned you not to visit here." "Excuse me, sir, but I have something I can't wait to talk to you." "You mean that guy?" "Yes, Your Honor, I would like to ask, have you ever dealt with us or asked to contact us?" "Why are you asking these questions, we have a lot of people dealing with us." "Your Excellency, it's completely different. When he came to me after your departure, he came in and called me by my real name, I thought he was a deceiver, but he knew more details about me and also mentioned the password 'celestial garnet'. These years, and I am with you, I have never had such a person. I even stayed for days trying to find him in our records. "How is that possible? What did that person look like, and what did he tell you? "He was covering his face, I thought he was a man at first, but his movements, his body and also his hand were a girl. I'm just his maidservant. She told me that she wanted records about Finance Minister Cho, so that she knew detailed information about him and told me about the deposit that would enter the palace and that would be embezzled by his men. "Where does this girl live? Did you know who she was?" "After she got out, she sent some guards behind her. She entered the palace and then disappeared. They couldn't find her identity. And also something that caught my attention. "Speak," I went to General Jane's residence, I think it's on his side." "I'll take care of her, and also send her the documents she needs. Secretary Zhou is not that important to us, but nevertheless these documents will not take the decision to execute him, they are not enough for them. I expected something more special than that girl." Your Excellency, you already know this because she has enough evidence that he was executed. I mentioned that Minister Cho has a special center and soldiers who follow him." "It is considered a betrayal of the emperor." Yes, Your Honor, That way Minister Zhou will die." "Impressive, I'll look her more." Do you think it's friend or foe? "Consider your enemy a friend. Commander Chan, you can go now, just do your job carefully."

The masked master was lying on his couch with one hand under his head and the other holding a cup of red wine as he drank carefully: "Who are you, girl, haha, you arouse my curiosity, you may be useful. Sigh... Oh, that's life."

In the morning, the daily time when the ministers' meeting with the emperor is held in the Golden Dragon Hall. Meanwhile...

The next morning.

The emperor threw a document in his hands in the center of the hall angrily, "Are you mocking me? Do you consider me your ruler?" All the ministers prostrate themselves asking for mercy from him, and with one voice they answer, "Calm down, Your Majesty", He shouts angrily, then stands away from his throne, "Calm down? Oh well then. Minister Zhou, I ordered you a month ago to find me a reason for the lack of money in the imperial treasury and I gave you enough time to find the reason. Minister Zhu stepped forward, "I answer His Majesty, both North Shang Province and West Xin Province refuse to pay the agreed fees, claiming to be financially strapped even though I have tried with them many times."

As he continued his speech, the emperor began to laugh. The atmosphere was silent for a moment. The emperor stepped forward with his hands behind his back, slowly descended the stairs and then stood in front of Minister Zhou, "One of my ministers works honestly, seriously and honestly. Meanwhile, the emperor stretched out his hands holding Zhou's arm and helped him stand. "Your Majesty, you are not wronging anyone." Minister Zhu smiled, thought he was safe. "You have all heard, my ministers, that I do not oppress anyone.

Well, eunuch Wang Li, bring the documents to me." eunuch Wang Li came with the documents intended by the emperor. "Minister Zhou, can you read these documents aloud to everyone?"

Minister Zhou grabbed one of the documents, confused, yet opened the document, and when he saw its contents, he was really surprised and shocked. The emperor spoke loudly as he headed toward his throne, "I haven't heard you receive yet, never." Minister Zhou began to sweat and swallow heavily, stuttering,

In the second month of this year, the following were registered:

"Revenue:

- Taxes and fees: 12,000,000 Ling

- Royalties and gifts: 5,000,000 Ling

- Other sources: 3,000,000 Ling

Total: 20,000,000 Ling

Spending:

- Military expenditure: 10,000,000 Ling

- Government projects: 8,000,000 Ling

- Other expenses: 5,000,000 Ling

Total: 23,000,000 Ling -

Over the past months, we have noticed a marked decrease in the revenue of the imperial treasury.

- According to the investigations, the provinces of North Shang and West Xin have refused to pay the agreed fees, claiming to be in financial distress.

- This significant lack of revenue led to a budget deficit and a decrease in the imperial treasury stocks."

[الو

Zir Zhu throws the document on the ground with confusion and hesitation]

Minister Zhu: His Majesty the Emperor... It's just... The emperor speaks coldly, "Why did you stop? Minister Zhou, is there a mistake? Did you notice something? As you have seen, my ministers, Minister Zhou worked with complete integrity and my trust was right." The emperor began throwing documents at Minister Zhou one by one, "The truth is Minister Zhou, you are a skilled deceiver, but your deception did not last. Look, I found your corruption files,

Embezzlement files, moral files, and also extortion in raising fees on provinces without my knowledge. From Minister Zhou's shock, he fell to his knees as he prostrated repeatedly, trying to exonerate himself to no avail, "Guard, take him to his cell He will be executed the day after tomorrow. Today's meeting ended. I hope this will not happen again with any of you." Then the emperor walked out of the hall and all the ministers were saluting him for going.

A day ago in the evening...

Li Xiao got the already agreed documents, and the other party got the agreed bonus or payment as well. After receiving the documents, she planned to hand these documents over to her brother, but secretly. "After I get the evidence I have to get rid of it. The financial situation has already worsened so this must be ended with this greedy minister. You can enter my brother's room by another way that no one can see me so that I can put these documents on his desk." Already Li Xiao went to a special emergency corridor leading to the emperor's room. After arriving, she was able to enter the room unnoticed and put those documents, but at this time she heard voices, such as that of her brother and someone else, and also a well-known voice, "It's my brother and also Jin Shen. Oh my God, I have to go fast. I don't go back first, 'complain' why did you come at this time?" Li Xiao returned to the lane she had taken, but she didn't leave, but stayed to hear their conversation.

Both the emperor and Jin Xin entered, after the emperor sat at his desk talking to Jinxin, "The financial situation is getting worse. Minister Zhou stated that both the northern and western provinces refuse to pay official taxes, so you should check it out for yourself." Jin Shen bowed, "Your Majesty commanded, tomorrow I go." The emperor was sitting at his desk and began to look at the documents he was working on, then he noticed one of the documents and began to flip it from page to page shocked, asking, "Jin Xin, bring someone into my classroom?" ، "No, Your Majesty, everyone who enters is checked and fully inspected," the emperor replied, "Look, all provincial taxes are paid in full and smoothly, and look at these provincial complaints about the reason for the tax increase. Jin Xin, collect all the documents that Minister Zhu previously provided now." Jin Xin noticed something, an untitled letter. He opened its contents and read it out loud to the emperor, "These documents can be confirmed by comparing them to what Minister Zhou previously gave you. No need to look for the identity of the sender, the Red Phoenix passed through here." The emperor looked wondering and puzzled, "Jin Xin, don't go to the province of the West and North, but to another place. Then Li Xiao wanted to go through the corridor but hung her clothes in the door, "Wait for your Majesty, there is someone among us." Jin Xin drew his sword and advanced to Li Xiao's place, he got closer, "My dress is stuck."

To be followed in the next chapter.

Thanks for reading.