They couldn't see further and only cared about protecting their own interests, consuming the merits and blessings of their ancestors. If they really waited until the emperor ordered them to be confiscated, they would wake up and regret it…
…
" Second Master, Eunuch Tong has confessed that he has received an egg from the Xue family for every ten copper coins. He then falsified the accounts and took money from the Ministry of Revenue for a total of 3,897,000 taels of silver. At the same time, he also used his authority to accept bribes for 380,000 taels of silver…"
"At the same time, there are 13,000 hectares of fertile land, 67 residences in the capital, 138 shops, and all kinds of antiques, precious calligraphy, paintings, and high-grade jade, precious medicinal herbs, and cloth. However, the estimated price should be no less than one million taels.”
"But according to him, 70% of the money he embezzled was given to Old Lady Zhen in the palace.”
The next day, after court…
The Ministry of Revenue…
The guard that Jia Lian brought over to interrogate Eunuch Tong reported to Jia Lian in detail.
Jia Lian's guards were the elite of the Brocade Guard. They were not only good at fighting and investigating cases, but also experts in the criminal prison.
There was no cruel torture that others could not think of that they could not research and use.
In other words, they were the most suitable to be placed in prison. In prison, no matter how hard the bones of the prisoners were, they could still open their mouths.
Yesterday, Jia Lian went home and transferred a few guards to interrogate Eunuch Tong and the Xue family steward. Today, after the court session, there will be results.
"Are you sure it's Old Lady Zhen?"
Hearing the guard's words, Liu Wen's expression immediately became cowardly. He looked at the guard and asked doubtfully.
Apart from being able to understand the Retired Emperor's heart, Old Lady Zhen had been doted on by the Retired Emperor for her entire life because she was thrifty and honorable.
To be able to save money for Retired Emperor without losing his noble status made people look down on him.
When the guard said that the person behind Eunuch Tong was Old Lady Zhen, he thought that the guard was not capable enough.
Liu Wen felt that the person behind Eunuch Tong must be an enemy of Old Lady Zhen.
If Eunuch Tong was captured, he would not be able to escape death. This situation was naturally designed for the person behind it to drag a master of the palace down with him.
"Old brother, you don't need to doubt the words of this guard. Since Eunuch Tong has handed the interrogation to him, this matter naturally won't go wrong.”
Jia Lian saw Liu Wen's expression was not good, so he took a step forward and said to Liu Wen.
"Sigh, Brother Jia, this is no small matter. We'll be beheaded if we don't get to the bottom of this case, and our family will suffer if we wrongly accuse Old Lady Zhen.”
"Besides, Old Lady Zhen is famous for being thrifty. How could such a thrifty person be corrupt?”
Liu Wen listened to Jia Lian's words and sighed fiercely. He then explained his true thoughts and worries to Jia Lian.
"Big brother, do you believe in Lady Zhen's frugality?”
Hearing Liu Wen's words, Jia Lian looked at Liu Wen suspiciously and said.
"Why can't I trust you?"
Liu Wen asked curiously.
"When the Retired Emperor was still in power, he went to Jiangnan no less than ten times. However, the Zhen family had received no less than seven invitations. Each invitation cost at least a few hundred thousand taels of silver. Let's not talk about where the Zhen family's money came from…"
"If Old Lady Zhen is so thrifty, why would she accompany Retired Emperor on his travels instead of persuading him to be frugal?”
"I know that Old Lady Zhen is always involved in the Retired Emperor's expedition to Jiangnan.”
Jia Lian saw that Liu Wen did not seem to be faking it, so he took out the matter of Retired Emperor going to Jiangnan and told Liu Wen.
"That's right, everyone knows how frugal Old Lady Zhen is, especially when it comes to small matters…But Old Lady Zhen has accompanied Retired Emperor to Jiangnan more than ten times, but I've never heard of her dissuading Retired Emperor and his family from being frugal!”
Liu Wen felt as if he had seen through the clouds and seen the green mountains after Jia Lian's words.
He immediately understood.
Putting aside the fact that no one had ever seen Lady Zhen's frugality in the palace before, you couldn't be frugal and follow the Retired Emperor on more than a dozen trips without remonstrating with the Retired Emperor and his family.
One had to know that the Retired Emperor spent an astronomical amount of silver every time he went on an inspection tour.
He hadn't noticed this problem before because the focus was on the Retired Emperor and the family that received him.
Now that Jia Lian said this, Liu Wen finally understood.
He believed Eunuch Tong that Lady Zhen was the mastermind behind him.
"It seems like old lady Zhen has been hiding her true colors all these years!”
Liu Wen sighed with an ugly expression.
Old Lady Zhen had been known for being thrifty for so many years, but she was actually a greedy person who loved luxury.
Although the Retired Emperor doted on her for hiding for such a long time, she had to admit that Old Lady Zhen was quite capable.
"Every saint in the past had a harem of 3,000 beauties, and all of them were beautiful. This old lady Zhen isn't the most beautiful, but she has been loved by the Retired Emperor for so many years.”
Jia Lian said faintly.
Liu Wen's trust in Jia Lian's words increased.
"Eunuch Tong also said that he had secretly mentioned that Old Lady Zhen had sent money and all kinds of luxury items to the Zhen family in Jinling.
The total amount of silver was probably no less than five million taels of silver. This amount of silver was not even considered a luxury item.”
"It's said that not only does she control all the food in the Internal Affairs Office, but she also controls the fabric.”
After the guards saw that Jia Lian and Liu Wen had made things clear, they continued to talk about the evidence of torture from Eunuch Tong.
"Phew…"
"As the old saying goes, the most dangerous place is the safest place. Old Lady Zhen is deeply loved by the Retired Emperor and no one has ever suspected her. But now…"
Liu Wen's face was filled with emotion.
With the Retired Emperor's love for Old Lady Zhen and her status, Liu Wen knew that he wouldn't be able to get the money back in a short period of time.
Unless the Retired Emperor and Old Lady Zhen were dead, the Emperor wouldn't touch House Zhen to get back the money that Old Lady Zhen had embezzled.
The reputation of the Imperial Family and the Retired Emperor would not allow this matter to spread.
Even the emperor would suppress this matter out of filial piety.
"What else did Eunuch Tong say?”
Jia Lian looked at Liu Wen and said to his guard.
"Yes…"
"Eunuch Tong also told Old Lady Zhen to eat white rice with bean sprouts every day, but in fact, she had hollowed out the bean sprouts and poured them into shredded meat.
The cooking method of this dish was complicated. If they wanted to feed Old Lady Zhen three meals a day, they didn't need at least 30 people to cook this dish.”
----
I repeated three chapters, and now I've changed it back. To show my sincerity, I'll send another chapter today, and I'll kneel down to the readers to remind them.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。