After Wang Anshi and the others left, Zhao Xu looked at the list of clan relatives sent by the Clansmen Supervisor. In the past 108 years, the number of clan relatives had reached an unprecedented 53,653.
The land granted to them by successive emperors had reached 500,000 mu, and the fertile land they annexed from the poor had reached an unprecedented 5.3 million mu.
The scope was not only in Kaifeng, but also in Luoyang, the western capital, and Yingtian (Shangqiu), Nanjing.
At this rate, it would not be difficult to reach 10 million mu.
According to the intelligence of the Investigation Division, the land was the most conservative because the land had not been measured since the founding of the country.
In the Song Dynasty, the total economic output was very large, but the imperial court's national treasury was never abundant. It was unable to make ends meet, resulting in the Kaifeng Imperial City not being large, only ten miles in circumference.
Flipping through the register of the Clansmen Supervisor, Zhao Xu saw a person, Zhao Ning. This person was a descendant of the Great Ancestor, Zhao Defang's fifth grandson. He owned an unprecedented 320,000 mu of fertile land and was rich enough to rival a country. He even had connections with the officials in the imperial court.
The Investigation Division found out that Zhao Ning had dealings with the Minister of Rites, Xu Lirong, and the Minister of Justice, Mao Jingyu. This was against the ancestral system. The founding ancestor, Zhao Kuangyin, had made it a rule at the beginning of the founding of the country that all relatives were not allowed to have any contact with the officials.
The first person Hai Rui investigated was Zhao Ning.
Zhao Ning lived in a royal residence on the northeast side of Kaifeng Imperial City. Taizu's bloodline could only live in Kaifeng. This was set by Taizong Zhao Guangyi.
Zhao Guangyi had an improper position and was very wary of his brother's bloodline.
Zhao Ning was the Anwei Commandery Prince, one of the few kings in the clan.
The title of Anwei Commandery Prince was obtained in the Renzong Dynasty. Zhao Ning spent a lot of money for this title. The subtlety of it was criticized by the scholar-officials in the Renzong Dynasty.
When Hai Rui walked into the Regional King's Mansion, Zhao Ning did not come out to welcome them. Instead, he arranged for a butler to handle them. To Zhao Ning, Hai Rui, who had just entered the Regional King's Mansion, was nothing in his eyes.
It was only when Hai Rui took out the imperial edict that the butler of the Prince's mansion was shocked. He hurriedly changed to a cup of high-quality tea and ran to report to Zhao Ning.
In a small attic, Zhao Ning was watching a few singers sing a variety opera. This was his daily pleasure. The Prince's mansion had several hundred singers, and they were also potential concubines.
Hearing the housekeeper say that Hai Rui had an imperial edict, Zhao Ning stopped the drama and went to change into his purple court dress. In the Song Dynasty, the court dress was purple for those above the third rank, red for those above the fifth rank, green for those above the seventh rank, and green for those above the ninth rank.
Zhao Ning's court attire was specially used to welcome imperial edicts. Although clan relatives could enjoy glory and wealth, they could not participate in politics, so they did not need to go to court.
When they arrived at the palace, Hai Rui's face was solemn. The yellow scroll in his hand was an imperial edict.
Hai Rui stood up and unfolded the imperial edict,"
"The imperial edict has arrived! The Anwei Commandery Prince, Zhao Ning, receives the decree!"
Zhao Ning hurriedly knelt down and said loudly,"I, Zhao Ning, kneel down to receive Your Majesty's imperial edict. Long live!"”
" The Emperor has decreed that the Prince of Anwei colluded with the officials and annexed the fertile land of the people. His crime is unforgivable. He will reflect on himself for three days. Hai Rui will handle this matter personally. He is my imperial envoy.”
Zhao Ning was stunned. Making friends with the officials and taking over the fertile land of the common people was something that everyone knew. Moreover, he was not the only one. There were too many people in the clan who were like this.
"This humble subject…This humble subject is wronged!" Zhao Ning subconsciously avoided the imperial edict's accusation.
Hai Rui shouted," Zhao Ning, you're not going to admit your guilt and thank me? Are you trying to commit the crime of deceiving the emperor?"”
Zhao Ning quickly reacted and begged,"Thank you, Lord!"
"Sir Hai, what does His Majesty want? Lord Hai, please give me some pointers."
Zhao Ning took out a large amount of money and tried to stuff it into Hai Rui's hands.
Unexpectedly, Hai Rui pushed it away and said angrily,""Bribing an official of the imperial court on the spot, what crime is this!”
"Lord Hai, this is to help you with your household expenses. It's not considered bribery.”
" I have my own salary from the Imperial Court, so why would I need Your Highness's subsidy? I have been ordered by the Imperial Court to investigate the matter of the clan's relatives swallowing the land. I will report everything that happened today to His Majesty. Your Highness, please forgive Hai Rui for being so straightforward. Men!”
"Yes!" The Royal Guards that had come with Hai Rui rushed in from outside. The one leading them was the commander of the Royal Guards and the Royal Guards, Xiao Feng.
"Commander Xiao, His Majesty has ordered me to be the imperial envoy and have full authority to investigate the matters of the Imperial Clan. Today, the Anwei Commandery Prince tried to bribe me.”
"I heard it clearly. The Anwei Commandery Prince tried to bribe Sir Hai, and according to the law, he should be confiscated.”
Zhao Ning was already scared out of his wits. He had never thought of resisting. With the strength of his Imperial Residence, he could not resist the Royal Guards. Moreover, he did not know the art of war, nor did he have any martial arts.
If the emperor wants to mess with you, there's nothing he can do.
He could only admit defeat. However, Zhao Ning still felt that the Emperor's imperial edict only asked him to reflect for three days. What was the meaning of this?
"Milords, this king did not attempt to bribe you. It was a gift. If you insist on saying that it was bribery, this king will definitely go to see the current emperor and punish you for slander!”
"I can't tolerate your glib tongue. His Majesty asked you to reflect on yourself for three days. Commander Xiao, you stay here and watch him for the next few days. I'll deal with it in three days."”
After speaking, Hai Rui left.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。