The king is not the king, the minister is not the minister

The water towns in the south of the Yangtze River can be pictured, with white walls and black tiles surrounded by green streams.

After receiving Xu Yilu's letter, Wang Xin rushed to Xu's mansion, but he didn't expect that when he stepped into the Yamen of Yangzhou mansion, the person sitting in the courtroom was Yu Zhuo.

"Xiaguan heard that Prime Minister Zuo is a man of culture and martial arts, so the case of Yan Xiao must have come to an end." Wang Xin spoke politely, but his eyes were not kind.

Yu Zhuo took the teacup, took a sip, and then put the cup on the table.

Wang Xin immediately saw the official seal on the side of the teacup, and then asked with a half-smile: "Mr. Zuo is wise, but is he going to have a trial in court? I don't know Mr. Xu..."

When he had nothing to say, Yu Zhuo said: "Of course the investigation of the case is over, so I will try it with Mr. Wang here, and I will be promoted."

The officials filed in and brought up a few prisoners who were selling illegal salt. These people were caught by the yamen in the past two days. Xu Yilu seemed to be trying to fool them with a few small fish and shrimp.

Previously, Wang Xin's subordinates had inquired around, and they naturally knew about the few small-time salt owls that Xu Yilu had captured earlier, so they sent people to inform many well-known ordinary people beforehand.

For a while, the people who heard the news also looked forward to it.

Wang Xin didn't see Xu Yilu, and didn't know what he was playing, so he had to sit on a chair beside him and wait and see what happened.

After signing the painting, the people outside were quiet, and most of them were worried.Without him, according to these ordinary people, they can only afford private salt now, if there is no private salt...

This time, Wang Xin wanted to make Yu Zhuo famous.

Everyone outside the courtroom immediately started whispering, and more and more people were watching.After all, in terms of locality, a "governor" is a big official, not to mention a prime minister who is under one person and above ten thousand people.

"The salt lord's troubles are rooted in the heavy salt lessons and corrupt officials, so today not only the salt lords are tried, but corrupt officials are also tried." Yu Zhuo's voice was strong inside, and he was not disturbed by the noise outside.Then he knocked on the gavel, and the sound shocked everyone.

Wang Xin's eyelids twitched.

"Bring it up!" Yu Zhuo shouted.

Wang Xin took a closer look, and found that the person who was brought to court by Qi Ruo was actually Xu Yilu.The latter's expression was ashamed, and it was not until he saw Wang Xin that there was hope in his eyes.

Naturally, all the officials in the hall knew Xu Yilu, so they couldn't help but look at each other in blank dismay, and the military division huddled in a corner, trying to reduce their sense of existence.

"Xu Yilu, are you guilty?" Yu Zhuo asked, but without waiting for Xu Yilu to open his mouth, he listed his crimes one by one. Every sentence made Xu Yilu feel more sad.

Colluding with merchants, taking bribes, raising salt prices... Even Wang Xin can't save him.

"Bring witnesses and physical evidence." After Yu Zhuo finished speaking, several plainclothes imperial guards brought up all the people from the private account and the "Wanxi" salt shop, and even let Wang Xin have a look.

Since the establishment of the Yuxing Division, all the actions of the Nan Yuxing Division have been carried out in secret, and Wang Xin will not realize where these people come from for a while.

"Master Zuo Xiang actually brought someone with him, I'm afraid that the officials in Yangzhou Mansion will be difficult to deal with..." Wang Xin just mocked for no reason.

On this point, even Xia Houzhan who was sitting in the back hall was convinced, Wang Xin really thought that he was as high as the sky and the emperor was far away.Wang Lian still dare not offend Yu Zhuo, this Wang Xin is more promising than his father.

"Governor Wang, how do you think Xu Yilu should be convicted according to our court's laws?" Yu Zhuo asked.

"This..." Wang Xin looked vaguely at the aide who was pretending to be a servant next to him, and the latter quickly explained the relevant content of the Jing Dynasty's law.

After hearing this, Wang Xin's complexion was extremely ugly.If he is really sentenced according to the law, I am afraid that no magistrate will help him collect money in the future.

"Master Xu has worked in Yangzhou Mansion for many years. He has been conscientious and hard-working. If he is sentenced only according to the laws of the Jing Dynasty, it will be—"

"Conscientious?" Yu Zhuo laughed and asked, "Raising the price of salt and colluding with merchants, is this considered conscientious?"

Xu Yilu was shaking like chaff.

The people outside suddenly shouted: "Master Prime Minister, the salt owl is only for the common people to eat salt, five qian per catty of salt, what if you don't buy private salt!"

"Yes, my lord! How did you catch Yan Xiao, they are all good people!"

There are at least seven or eight people in a family, and at least one catty of salt is needed in a month, and it costs six taels of silver to buy salt in a year.However, even if it is the work of raising horses and handymen found in the government, one or twenty taels a year is considered rich.

Yu Zhuo sighed, and inadvertently glanced at the back hall, but it was a pity that he couldn't see the emperor's expression at this time.

Wang Xin was not thinking about it.This person was arranged by him to arouse public indignation, accusing Yu Zhuo of sweeping up the salt lords, seemingly for the common people, but actually driving them to a dead end.

However, the situation is different now, the person Yu Zhuo reprimanded was Xu Yilu...

"This guy is right. Catching salt lords is useless. The current plan is to punish corrupt officials and lower the price of salt." Yu Zhuo said.

These people speak with a pure tone, they don't look like people from Suzhou Mansion at all.

Suffering a dark loss, Wang Xin vainly tried to turn the situation around, and hurriedly said: "Dare to ask your lord how to lower the salt price. These are all stipulated by the imperial court. How can you adjust it just by saying it?"

Lowering the price of salt is really not just talking about it. After all, nearly half of the treasury's revenue comes from the salt tax.In fact, only one-tenth of the total salt tax was actually collected in the treasury.

The huge profits in the middle basically belong to the local officials and salt merchants who have plucked the geese.

"This matter will be decided by the imperial court and the saint. My lord, the trial of this case has not yet been completed." Yu Zhuo turned to ask the people outside, "Most of the people in Yangzhou Prefecture are insightful, and everyone thinks that Xu Yilu should be sentenced. What punishment?"

Immediately there was a commotion outside.

"By the way, besides this, there is another lawsuit." Yu Zhuo picked up the paper on the table, handed it to the master by the wall, and said, "Read it carefully for Mr. Wang."

The master was so frightened that he couldn't speak well.

This lawsuit was written by Yu Zhuo and sued Wang Xin.After finishing the reading, Wang Xin's eyes turned cold, and he couldn't learn the posture of flattering and obedient, so he said directly: "Is there any evidence?"

"No." Yu Zhuo said honestly.

Wang Xin stared wide-eyed: "No? Master Zuoxiang is looking for me to be happy!"

"The emperor is not strict, do you need evidence?" Yu Zhuo pointed at Xu Yilu with his chin, and said, "Master Wang should go back to Beijing with me to report on my work."

"Joke!" Wang Xin said disdainfully, "What does he have to do with me?"

Xu Yilu suddenly got up and rushed towards Wang Xin, shouting: "Your Majesty Wang, save me, you told me to do it, and all the officials did it, why can't you save me!"

Wang Xin got up and pushed people away, stepped back again and again, and shouted: "Whoever instructed you to frame this official, get out!"

Qi Ruo hurried to stop the two of them, the commotion outside combined with the commotion in the courtroom, it was extremely noisy, Yu Zhuo frowned, knocked on the gavel, and all the voices froze immediately.

"The quarrel is over? The imperial guard listened to the order and passed on His Majesty's oral order. Anyone in the Jianghuai province who is involved in corruption and illegal collection of salt taxes will be suspended and brought back to the capital for investigation." Yu Zhuo said.

Wang Xin sneered: "The sage gave an oral order—could it be that Master Zuo Xiang passed down the imperial decree?"

Now that Wang Xin dares to challenge him here, it should not be just because of the father of the Taiwei who has no military power, nor the title of "uncle of the country" who has a reputation in vain.

Yu Zhuo thought to himself, this Wang Xin really doesn't know how to live or die.No matter how big the backer is, can it compare with the emperor?

"Take it away." Yu Zhuo said.

When Qi Ruo came up, she found something to gag Wang Xin's mouth and threw it to the other Yu Xingwei, but Xu Yilu didn't even resist: after all, his wife and children were still under Yu Xingwei's nose.

The people at the gate applauded one after another. Yu Zhuo looked at the salt owls and said: "The system of this dynasty is naturally decided by the court. The price of salt will be reported to the Holy Majesty after the truth returns to Beijing. Take these salt lords into prison."

After all, let's bow down.

"With Lord Prime Minister making decisions for us, we are not afraid anymore."

"Everyone agrees, when the prime minister fought with the first emperor, where did these people come from?" An old man shouted.

"What the prime minister said is that these dog officials should have been punished long ago."

The officials in the yamen still looked at each other in blank dismay, and they all saw bewilderment in each other's eyes.And Yu Xingwei temporarily entered the main mansion, and after taking him down, Yu Zhuo announced his withdrawal.

When Yu Zhuo came to the back hall, Xia Houzhan asked, "What is the crime for falsely preaching the imperial decree?"

"Mr. Yan, you don't want to spitting blood!" Yu Zhuo pretended to be in a panic and stepped forward to cover his mouth, "If the truth is caught by the imperial guard, Mr. Yan will not escape the responsibility."

Pushing away Yu Zhuo, Xia Houzhan frowned slightly and asked, "Zhen, do you want to attack the Wang family?"

"Disaster to the country and the people, why didn't your majesty take action?" Withdrawing his hand, Yu Zhuo asked, thinking that the emperor was getting more and more fun, and he didn't respond to offending him so much.

But it was just silent.

With a long sigh, Yu Zhuo walked out of the yard and said, "Your Majesty, if we wait for the prosperity and peace, I will return to the hidden mountains and forests, far away from the rivers and lakes. There will never be such a gap between you and my monarch and ministers."

The moon is bright in the atrium, the breeze is gentle, and the pine and bamboo are swaying.

Xia Houzhan only felt that the person in front of him seemed to turn into a fairy and ride the wind away.

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