In the hall of the Supreme Court.
Gao Shilian cupped his hands and bowed to the ground. Then, he cried bitterly,"Lord Du, please save me…"
In the fourth year of Zhenguan, Gao Shilian was already fifty-five years old. Du Kefa did not expect Gao Shilian to cry so suddenly and so sorrowfully.
"Lord Gao, please rise."
Gao shilian
Official Position: Minister of Civil Affairs
[Strength: 80]
[Stamina: 80]
Intelligence: 90
Military Strategy: 89
Power Manipulation: 90
Gao Shilian was the Minister of Official Personnel, a position of high authority. Whether it was in terms of official position or prestige, Gao Shilian was far superior to Du Kefa.
Now, Gao Shilian was crying in front of Du Kefa because he was afraid of following Dang Renhong's footsteps.
No matter how high his official position was, once he entered the Supreme Court, he would be unable to defend himself. He would be at his mercy. If the Supreme Court Minister Du Kefa dared to overthrow Dang Renhong, he would be able to send Gao Shilian to the execution platform.
"What injustice does Lord Gao have? Why did you ask me to save you?"
Gao Shilian stood up and pretended to wipe his tears. He sighed and said,""I won't hide it from Lord Du. Twenty years ago, the general of the previous dynasty who went to Xiang City was me!”
Du Kefa listened to Gao Shilian's words, but his mood didn't fluctuate because he had already guessed it.
In the royal court, Gao Shilian and Zhangsun Wuji belonged to a faction. They were the closest relatives of Empress Zhangsun.
Du Kefa and Hou Junji's relationship had long since reached the point where they were like fire and water. In Du Kefa's view, if he wanted to gain more power in the court, he had to overthrow his political enemy, Hou Junji. Otherwise, he would feel as if he was being stabbed in the back.
If he wanted to kill Hou Junji, he would need to borrow the power of others.
……
"Lord Gao, I only want to know one thing.”
"Please ask, Lord Du."
"Did you kill Xun Cai 'er? Xiao Die, the servant girl of the Xun Family's Young Lady, is in the palace. If Xun Cai 'er is killed by you, I can't save you!”
After Du Kefa finished speaking, Gao Shilian waved his hand and said,""Lord Du's wish. Back then, I did go to Xiang City, but I only told the Xun Family about the interests. Moreover, I have a close relationship with the Xun Family.”
"Then tell me the whole story. Tell me the truth. I will do my best to protect Lord Gao, but if Lord Gao deceives me, then it won't be me who will leave you in the lurch.”
After Du Kefa finished speaking, Gao Shilian wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and began to tell the whole story truthfully.
Li Shimin was studying in Yingchuan and had a private engagement with the eldest daughter of the Xun family.
Later, Li Shimin left Yingchuan and made an agreement with the eldest daughter of the Xun family to meet up in Xiangcheng when he returned.
In Jinyang, the Zhangsun family wanted to marry the Li family, but Li Shimin did not agree. The Guanyin maid's uncle, Gao Shilian, went to Xiangcheng and told the Xun family that Xuchang was a place of war. The world was in chaos and war was everywhere. They should avoid the disaster of extermination.
The Xun family was a big family with countless wealth accumulated over the generations. Since the Three Kingdoms, the Xun family had been a famous big family with many talented people.
Since ancient times, the Xun family had never feared the prosperous emperors. The only thing the Xun family feared were the rebels and bandits.
The Xun family listened to Gao Shilian's suggestion and chose to hide from the world, far away from the prosperous Central Plains.
However, the eldest daughter of the Xun family, Xun Cai 'er, insisted on staying in Xiang City. She gave birth to a daughter in Xiang City and named her Xiang City.
When Li Shiming sent people to Xiang City, he received the news that the Xun family had gone into hiding. He was heartbroken. Then, Li Shiming married the Guanyin maid and Jin Yang raised an army to devour the world!
……
Gao Shilian told Du Kefa everything.
As for whether Xun Cai 'er was alive or dead, Du Kefa and Gao Shilian did not know.
The only person who knew whether Xun Cai 'er was dead or alive was Xiao Die, who was brought into the palace by Li Shiming.
Li Xiangcheng had always treated Xiao Die as his mother, then…
……
"Lord Gao, please return. I will do my best to protect Lord Gao!”
Gao Shilian bowed again.
"I thank the Supreme Court…"
Du Kefa helped Gao Shilian up and ordered someone to send him off.
After Gao Shilian walked out of the Supreme Court, he felt as if the huge stone that had been weighing down on his heart had been completely lifted. For a moment, it was as if the clouds had been lifted and he had seen a sunny day!
Gao Shilian fled.
Du Kefa sat alone in the main hall, considering how to reorganize the forces in the royal court.
In Du Kefa's opinion, Gao Shilian did not make a big mistake. After all, when he set Li Shiming up with the Guanyin maid, Li Shiming was just a young master who had just returned from his studies and was not the emperor!
If Gao Shilian was like Dang Renhong, who was greedy for silver and caused trouble, Du Kefa would rather destroy Gao Shilian than let him die!
However, Gao Shilian was not greedy. His role in this case was understandable.
Minister of Civil Affairs.
Du Kefa took out a chess piece.
Gao Shilian's official position was very good. He was the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the highest-ranking officer in the Ministry of Personnel. He was in charge of the appointment and removal of officials, examinations, promotions, transfers, and honours…
If he could rope Gao Shilian into his chessboard and make him a chess piece, his power would definitely increase greatly…
In the officialdom of the Great Tang, the aristocratic families were extremely powerful. Even the aristocratic families behind the courtiers could influence the emperor's decisions.
A flowing dynasty, an ironclad aristocratic family.
Many aristocratic families had been passed down for thousands of years.
Du Kefa suddenly stood up. Since Gao Shilian had given him a chess piece, then he would take this chess piece under his wing!
……
Du Kefa walked out of the Court of Judicial Review. The sun was shining brightly, and the spring breeze caressed his face.
Du Kefa decided that he would report this case in front of all the officials tomorrow.
Only by explaining the case clearly in public could Gao Shilian's crime be lightened. If he went into the palace alone to report, no one knew what kind of imperial edict Li Shimin would issue in his anger.
Du Kefa's carriage left Chang 'an and headed straight for his own land.
At present, Dukofa had 500 acres of fertile land and 13 tenants. Each tenant had six to seven able-bodied laborers, and each tenant had children.
The houses of these tenants were built on the side of the fertile fields.
There was a peculiar scene in the Great Tang.
Perhaps these fertile fields had changed owners six or seven times, but the tenants on the side of the fertile fields had lived here for generations. Every time these fertile fields changed owners, they would follow the new owners with these fertile fields...
When Du Kefa was rewarded with this fertile land, he often came to check. The Great Tang did not have a high salary, and the income of the aristocratic families came mostly from agriculture.
In other words, these 500 acres of fertile land would be Du Kefa's foundation.
One mu of fertile land would produce three stones of grain, and five hundred mu of fertile land would produce one thousand and five hundred stones of grain. The tenant would eat one stone, and the rest would go to Dukefa.
Du Kefa could sell these grains and store them in the warehouse. Of course, Du Kefa wouldn't do it himself. He would let his servants do it.
In the Great Tang, merchants were a lowly profession. Officials did not engage in business.
A while ago, Du Kefa had designed a waterwheel to increase the production of his farmland.
He took out the huge, tall waterwheel and called for a large ox cart to pull it to his fertile field.
Dukefa's fertile farmland was next to the Wei River, just in time to install the waterwheel.
The farmer installed the waterwheel, and the water current pushed the waterwheel to rotate quickly. Barrels of water were carried to the shore and flowed into the fertile fields.
The existence of the waterwheel was enough to increase the yield per mu by a stone!
Du Kefa looked at the green wheat thoughtfully. Chang 'an was relatively dry, so they mainly planted millet and wheat. If they could plant some other crops in the wrong season, their income would definitely increase greatly.
Du Kefa stared at the fertile fields. These grains represented his wallet. Whether his own wallet was thick or not depended on the yield of these fertile fields.
……
After Du Kefa inspected his crops, he returned to the Fuma Residence and began to prepare the memorial for tomorrow's court session.
The next day!
As the sun rose, Yin and Yang had already separated. Du Kefa appeared outside the Black Tortoise Gate in high spirits.
Today! Du Kefa was going to do something big in the imperial court!!
The Black Tortoise Gate opened!
All the officials entered Daxing Palace's Xuanzheng Hall!
The morning court session that Du Kefa had been looking forward to the most had arrived once again.
……
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