inspire-indiana Chapter 15: The imperial court's disaster relief grain was stolen? The furious empress
Chapter 15: The imperial court's disaster relief grain was stolen? The furious empress
Chapter 15: The imperial court's disaster relief grain was stolen? The furious empress
Changan.
In the palace, in the court.
The empress's narrow eyes were filled with anger, her face was cold and she was extremely furious.
Just because of today.
The court received a letter from a minister who was going to provide disaster relief, saying that the grain, silver, and warm clothing provided by the court for disaster relief were robbed on the way to Xingqing Prefecture.
All the soldiers who were transporting relief supplies were killed.
And the huge amount of grain and silver disappeared overnight after being robbed.
Disappeared completely.
Not even a trace was left.
No one either.
Until the person who took action was known, no one noticed any signs of military mobilization.
The reason why the minister was not killed was that he was lucky enough to arrive at Xingqing Prefecture ahead of time to arrange disaster relief matters, which allowed him to escape with luck.
About it.
The empress was extremely angry.
This also shocked many civil and military officials in the court, as this was the grain provided by the imperial court for disaster relief.
Someone actually dared to snatch it?
Not only did they rob, they also killed all the soldiers who were escorting the food.
How can this be considered stealing food?
This is clearly a plot to revolt.
After all, although there were not many soldiers escorting the disaster relief food, there were still 1,500 soldiers.
One thousand five hundred soldiers.
Soldiers!
This lineup was more than enough to capture a small city, but they were completely wiped out.
If this wasn't planned long ago, they wouldn't believe it even if you kill them.
In the panic of all the civil and military officials in the court.
The furious empress asked coldly, "Where is the Censorate?"
"The minister is here."
The left and right censors of the Censorate heard this.
He walked out with a solemn face, and His Highness was waiting for him.
"Check it for me."
The empress said in a cold voice: "I will ask the Jinyiwei to cooperate with you. Even if we have to turn the entire Xingqing Mansion upside down, we must find the person for me."
"According to the order."
The two took a deep breath.
My heart sank, as if a huge rock was pressing on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
In a very short time.
One can imagine how terrifying the person who killed all 1,500 soldiers was.
One can imagine the person behind the scenes.
Either he has a powerful celestial realm warrior serving him, or he has a truly elite force.
But no matter which possibility it is.
None of them are something the Censorate can handle.
Even with the help of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, the mastermind behind the incident was found out.
Whether or not he could leave Xingqing Prefecture alive was still a question.
"I will only give you ten days."
The Empress looked at the two men under His Highness and said coldly, "If you can't find out within ten days, you two will apologize for your crimes."
"Yes"
The two's pupils shrank when they heard that.
His face was somewhat embarrassed, but he did not dare to say anything more. He respectfully accepted the order and left the court.
"Xingqing Prefecture."
After the left and right censors of the Metropolitan Censorate left, the empress frowned and said angrily, "As I recall, this should be the fief of the King of Wu, right?"
Say it.
The empress's cold eyes fell on the clan leader of the imperial clan affairs office.
The current clan order of the Dawu Dynasty.
He is the King of Anqing.
Although he is the second-character king, his status is not high.
But his generation is not low, he is one generation older than the previous emperor, and he is now ninety-eight years old.
"Avoid it."
Prince Anqing saw the empress looking at him.
He walked out with a hunched figure and replied indifferently, "It is the fief of the King of Wu."
"Humph!"
The empress snorted coldly upon hearing this.
His narrow eyes were filled with coldness: "Send an order to King Wu, and ask him to investigate for me as well."
"His Majesty."
Prince Anqing frowned: "This is against the rules, after all."
Prince Anqing was about to refuse, but when he saw the empress's extremely cold gaze, he was shocked.
He stopped talking abruptly.
"how?"
The empress looked at him: "Do you have any objection?"
"No, I dare not." Although the empress's tone was flat, it carried an unquestionable majesty. Prince Anqing had no doubt that if he dared to say the word "no" today.
I'm afraid my role as a leader of this clan has come to an end.
The empress's throne is not stable enough, even on thin ice, and may change hands at any time.
Everyone in the court, both civil and military officials, knew about this matter.
He knows it too.
But now the Majesty of the Dawu Dynasty is still the empress, and her words can decide her life and death.
After thinking about this.
A layer of cold sweat suddenly broke out on Prince Anqing's forehead. He cursed himself inwardly for being stupid. Even if he did not obey the empress, he could not be so obvious, otherwise he would die without knowing how.
Think about it.
Prince Anqing wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said respectfully: "I will draft the decree right away."
See that Prince Anqing knows what's best for him.
The murderous intent in the empress's eyes also subsided. She then looked at the ministers in the court and frowned, saying, "What do you think of the disaster relief work? How should we proceed?"
Disaster relief is an important matter that should not be underestimated.
The snow is getting heavier and heavier, with no sign of stopping. I don't know how long it will last.
There are seven million people in Xingqing Prefecture.
The number of people who froze to death was no less than 300,000, and the number of people who starved to death was even greater.
If disaster relief is not provided quickly.
I'm afraid there's going to be big trouble.
"This"
After the empress said this, all the civil and military officials in the court frowned and looked solemn.
Disaster relief is not complicated.
As long as the court has money, it will be fine.
But the problem is, if another batch of relief supplies is shipped out, will they be snatched away again?
Of course.
This question is not difficult.
As long as an elite force is sent out to escort it, no one will dare to snatch it.
But the problem comes again
All the civil and military officials in the court were silent and did not dare to speak.
The Minister of Revenue came out with his head held high.
The voice trembled slightly as he said, "Your Majesty, the previous batch of disaster relief silver, food, and clothing has already emptied the Ministry of Revenue. The Ministry of Revenue is now..."
"I have no money left, Your Majesty."
After he finished speaking, the Minister of Revenue knelt down in the Golden Palace with a plop, his face bitter.
"hiss"
Not to mention the empress.
The other ministers in the court were all dumbfounded after hearing what the Minister of Revenue said.
They all gasped, their eyes full of disbelief.
What did the Ministry of Revenue do?
So much tax revenue and so much cash collected each year, just gone like that?
"You mean"
At this moment, the empress almost couldn't breathe.
He stared at the Minister of Revenue and said word by word: "The Ministry of Revenue has no money?"
"Your Majesty."
Under the gaze of the empress.
The Minister of Revenue trembled and said in a trembling voice: "The Ministry of Revenue is indeed out of money."
"Give me a reason not to kill you."
After receiving the confirmation from the Minister of Revenue, the empress felt a darkness before her eyes, as if she was struck by lightning.
During the years of the Dawu Dynasty.
The taxation became more and more exaggerated, more and more was collected, and even disappeared after three years.
Under normal circumstances, the annual tax revenue of the Dawu Dynasty was about 60 million taels of silver. However, in recent years, due to the unknown reasons of the previous emperor, the tax revenue has skyrocketed to more than 90 million taels of silver per year.
Last year it was even more exaggerated.
The tax revenue alone amounted to 110 million taels.
Now you tell me that the Ministry of Revenue has no money?
"His Majesty."
"It is none of my business, Your Majesty."
Hearing what the empress said, the Minister of Revenue was completely panicked.
This tax is not an exaggeration. After all, it is 110 million after exploitation.
To be honest, the taxation in the Song Dynasty was exaggerated!
(End of this chapter)