Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Emperor Jing's mood improved considerably, finding reason in every word Li Yansong spoke.

He couldn't help but praise, "What Master Li says is very reasonable!"

Yang Yingcai, however, frowned deeply as he looked at Li Yansong, feeling a sense of bewilderment.

Logically speaking, you, Grand Secretary Li, should have an understanding with the officials.

Relief through work is not impossible, but isn't the risk of implementing it on such a large scale clear in your mind?

Are you, Grand Secretary Li, so old that you no longer care about your reputation?

Yang Yingcai gritted his teeth and kowtowed loudly, then raised his head and said, "Your Majesty! I believe that what Lord Li says is too much wishful thinking!"

"The localities are already without money or grain. Now, with a single imperial edict, local officials will inevitably resort to any means to achieve their goals."

"But there simply isn't any grain! Does the government intend to force the wealthy households in the localities to hand over their money and grain?"

"This is forcing the people to rebel! And it's the local gentry who are rebelling! If this continues, the foundation of the country will be shaken!"

"Does Your Majesty believe that the local gentry will obediently take out their silver to build projects for the imperial court?"

"This is simply a fantasy!"

"Therefore! I implore Your Majesty to withdraw the decree! Issuing another decree to stabilize grain prices is the best policy!"

"I implore Your Majesty to withdraw the decree!!" A large group of officials knelt on the ground and shouted again.

The slight bit of good mood that had just arisen was now completely washed away.

Heh, you say you want to change my imperial edict?

If you change it today, will you have me issue a decree of self-reproach tomorrow?

If decrees are changed in the morning and evening, how will the world view me, and where will the imperial family's face be?

The hall fell silent for a time.

Suddenly, a small eunuch ran to Guo Tianyang and whispered a few words in his ear.

Guo Tianyang shuddered! He quickly bowed to Emperor Jing.

Emperor Jing also looked surprised after hearing this, waved his hand, and Guo Tianyang quietly left from the side.

He trotted to the outside of the hall and immediately saw Liu Jin, his face covered in dust.

He angrily said, "You little bastard! You still know how to come back! Why didn't you die outside!"

When Liu Jin saw him, he quickly took out a letter from his sleeve and said pitifully, "Godfather... This is a letter from Lord Fang for you, saying it's a major matter, and you'll understand it as soon as you see it."

Guo Tianyang hurriedly snatched the letter, opened it, and saw a piece of paper inside.

He unfolded it and read it carefully.

As he read, cold sweat began to pour down... The content inside was more shocking than the last!

That damned Fang Zheng Yi, he really can't stay idle wherever he goes.

I have to hurry... I have to hurry and present it to His Majesty!

Guo Tianyang looked up at Liu Jin, his eyes already bloodshot, and said urgently, "Go back, I'm still busy. Don't say too much about anything others ask you!"

After saying that, he hurried back to the hall.

He walked to Emperor Jing's side, put the letter on the imperial desk, and whispered, "Your Majesty, Fang Zheng Yi's letter, there's a major matter!"

Emperor Jing's body shook, and he picked up the letter and began to read.

After reading the first page, his brows suddenly relaxed, and then he quickly turned to the second page.

This look was terrible, Emperor Jing's heart began to beat rapidly, and anger began to brew in his chest.

After reading it repeatedly, he turned to the third page.

After just a quick glance, he leaned back on the dragon chair as if he had lost all strength.

He sighed and said, "Guo Tianyang, read the contents of this letter to my group of important officials!"

"See how capable my Da Jing officials have become!!"

"This is a letter from Fang Zheng Yi from Jianjiang, you... all listen carefully! Listen carefully!"

The officials' faces changed, and they all looked at Emperor Jing.

Only one thought was in everyone's mind.

Something big has happened in Jianjiang!

Guo Tianyang was also mentally dazed, his heart full of worries.

Liu Jin is back. Will my cooperation with the Crown Prince be exposed? If His Majesty finds out, won't I be finished?

Hearing Emperor Jing's words, he absentmindedly took the letter, sorted it out, and then began to read.

"Dear Your Majesty, long time no see, how is your appetite recently? I'm not doing well. I can't see you, and I don't feel like eating every day... There was once a sincere relationship between monarch and subject in front of me, but I didn't cherish it. Now that I'm in Jianjiang, I regret it very much. If I were given another chance to be loyal to Your Majesty, I would be willing to go through fire and water. If I had to put a time limit on this responsibility, I hope it would be ten thousand years......."

What nonsense are you talking about!!?

The officials below were stunned, and then everyone turned black!

That damned Fang Zheng Yi! Seriously, he can still disgust people even after going so far away? Why doesn't he just die!

Besides, Guo Tianyang, are you senile? Is it appropriate to say this in the hall!?

Emperor Jing closed his eyes and leaned on the dragon chair, repeatedly thinking about the Liu Xun corruption case, his head aching.

Coming back to his senses, he heard that Guo Tianyang was actually reading the first page!

He was immediately furious: "Shut up! Guo Tianyang! What did I tell you to read!"

Guo Tianyang also came back to his senses with a bang in his head, and tears almost fell from his eyes as he looked at the letter in his hand.

Damn it! How could I have made such a basic mistake? It's all that damned Fang Zheng Yi's fault.

It's over, it's over, I don't know how His Majesty will punish me later.

Guo Tianyang endured the pain, bit the tip of his tongue, cheered up, and quickly turned to the next page.

"The things I have seen since I first arrived in Jianjiang are shocking. Liu Xun, the governor of Jianjiang, is corrupt and perverts the law, using disasters to amass wealth, his mind is twisted, his path is deviated, his mistakes are dereliction of duty, he cannot escape his responsibility, his judgment is wrong, his handling is improper, his response is inappropriate, he shirks responsibility, provokes confrontation, robs supplies, is like a monkey in a crown, is outrageous, is bewitched, spreads rumors and smears, his mouth is crooked and blows out the lamp, is a evil spirit!..... The evidence is conclusive!"

The officials gasped, you little brat, it's okay to flatter!

Why are there so many twisted words?

"Because of such evil deeds, the people are filled with resentment. I have already beheaded these two thieves in public to vent the people's anger!"

Many people's eyes went straight when they heard this... This, this Jianjiang governor was directly beheaded by you Fang Zheng Yi?

Even the process was omitted! And he didn't even report it to the imperial court?

He dares to be so rampant when he arrives in the locality! Even your uncle, Lord Li, doesn't handle things this way!

Fang Zheng Yi, you are a ruthless person!!

"Speaking of the grain disaster in Jianjiang, the imperial court has repeatedly ordered that the price of grain in the private sector should not rise."

"But the soaring grain price has become an indisputable fact. There are policies above and countermeasures below."

"Although rice shops still sell rice at a flat price, most of the shops deliver rice to the door, and then take the opportunity to claim shoe wear and collect additional wear and tear fees, which the people call "shoe money" to compensate for the loss of rice prices."

"Even more rice shops sell grain under the guise of washing rice, and then collect "washing rice money." If you don't wash it, there will be no grain to sell!"

"All of these things are endless! The people are constantly coming up with ways to deal with the imperial court's policy of stabilizing grain prices, which is impossible to prevent."

"I believe that the rise and fall of grain prices have their own laws, and laws cannot be violated!"

"The imperial court's decree has already been reduced to waste paper, and I hope that the lords in the court will find other ways!"