Zhu Yuanzhang had just gone to court and was waiting for the officials to discuss the matter. Suddenly, Zhu Xi asked for an audience outside the main hall.
He was deep in thought.
"Announce!"
The Emperor was well aware that this time Zhu Rong came to help Shen Wansan escape his crimes.
He and the Crown Prince looked at each other and let that fellow in.
"This subject, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, Zhu Xi, greets Your Majesty!”
In the court, Zhu Xi greeted the emperor with the etiquette of a monarch and his subjects.
This was the first time Old Zhu had experienced such a scene, and he was greatly comforted.
"Rise!"
"Zhu Rong, you came to see me in a hurry. What do you have to report?”
Although both father and son knew why Zhu Rong had come, they still had to act.
"This official was ordered to investigate Shen Wansan's case and now there is a result!”
"Shen Wansan has been summoned by His Majesty to Nanjing City to repair a portion of the city walls!”
"This was originally a huge favor for such a lowly peasant, but he did not think of the emperor's favor. Because the price of glutinous rice was too high, he bought cement from me!”
"Although the cement that I developed has no problems and its effect is better than glutinous rice juice, this is not a reason for Shen Wansan to lie to His Majesty!'
"Because Shen Wansan doesn't know if the cement is up to standard or if there are any side effects!”
"You dare to use it without knowing anything. If that's not the crime of deceiving the emperor, what is?”
"This minister's cement indeed has no side effects, but it can't be a reason for him to cheat!”
"I think that Shen Wansan is guilty!”
"Damn it!"
Zhu Rong's words stunned all the officials present, including the Zhu father and son.
Shouldn't there be a limit to shamelessness?
Not to mention that you, Zhu Xi, are the culprit who put Shen Wansan in prison. It's a magical thing for Old Zhu to let you investigate the case.
When Zhu Rong said that he wanted to close Shen Wansan's case, everyone thought that he was trying to get Shen Wansan off the hook.
But this fellow, what did he mean by saying black into white?
They had finally seen what a shameless villain was.
If you want to frame Shen Wansan, you can also get yourself out of it.
However, Zhu Rong kept saying that. His cement was especially good, and cement shouldn't be the scapegoat.
It almost suffocated the officials.
Even Hu Weiyong, who usually greeted everyone with a smile, widened his eyes and looked at Zhu Rong.
He thought he was thick-skinned enough, but compared to Zhu Rong,
It's not even in case!
"This kid was born to be an Embroidered Uniform Guard. He reversed black and white and called a deer a horse. This old man is inferior to him!”
Li Shan Chang whispered to the people beside him. The officials nodded in agreement.
They all thought that the Emperor wanted Zhu Rong to investigate Shen Wansan so that Wu Wang could find an excuse to release Shen Wansan.
But now it seemed that the Emperor was really cruel. He clearly wanted to give Shen Wansan a groundless crime to protect his dignity.
Not only were the officials certain of this,
Even Old Zhu himself almost believed it?
"Wait, does this unfilial son want me to kill Shen Wansan or save him?“
Old Zhu couldn't hold it in anymore. He was also confused by Zhu Rong's actions and didn't know how to answer for a moment.
However, Zhu Rong changed his attitude and continued,"
"However, this person's crime is not death. I originally wanted to suggest that Your Majesty exile him for three thousand miles!”
"But I found this blood letter on Shen Wansan!”
"I think we should let Your Majesty take a look before deciding whether this person is guilty or not.”
After Zhu Xiong finished speaking, he respectfully handed over the blood letter that he had hidden in his bosom.
A blood letter?
In view of Zhu Xiong's showy actions, the officials were also confused.
Old Zhu was even more confused by his own son. He quickly asked the eunuch to hand over Zhu Rong's blood letter.
He opened it and examined it carefully.
Then, the expression on the Emperor's face became more and more interesting.
For a moment, the entire Hall of Heaven's Tribute was silent.
They were all waiting for the Emperor's reaction.
What exactly was written in this blood letter that even Emperor Hongwu, who rarely showed his emotions, would have such a disrespectful expression?
After Old Zhu finished reading, he took a deep breath.
"Fifth brother, you gave this one a big surprise!”
Crown Prince Zhu Biao did not understand the Emperor's meaning, and neither did the ministers.
However, when the Emperor handed the blood letter to Zhu Biao, Zhu Biao understood.
There was only one content in Shen Wansan's blood letter. As the richest man in the world, he was asking the emperor to increase taxes for merchants?
This kind of magical thing made the Crown Prince's already weak body almost spit out a mouthful of blood.
The fifth brother was a genius.
How could he make Shen Wansan write such a bloody letter?
The big merchant took the initiative to ask the emperor to increase his taxes. If he wanted Zhu Biao to believe that Shen Wansan was willing, he might as well let him die.
If Shen Wansan wrote this letter, not only would it take away most of his future interests, but it would also offend the big businessmen in the world.
This pledge of allegiance was like blood on a piece of paper.
It was a bloody knife that slashed at the head of the world's merchants.
All the merchants in the world, especially the big ones, hated Shen Wansan to death.
Of course, the merchant hated the Jinyiwei commander Zhu Xi even more. Even if this blood letter was released,
No one would believe that Shen Wansan wrote it on his own accord.
The King of Wu, Zhu He, was the mastermind behind this matter. Because of this blood letter, Zhu He was destined to become the public enemy of all the merchants in the world.
"As expected of a good son of my Zhu family!"
If not for the fact that he was in this temple, Zhu Biao would have laughed out loud.
He and his father were worried about how to change the tax system. After all, the emperor had already made his words firm in the past. If he wanted to overturn his views, he would have to be careful.
However, the blood letter that Zhu Rong sent was like sending charcoal in the snow to the Emperor.
No wonder his father's expression changed so drastically. He estimated that his own expression would be even worse than his father's.
"What is it?"
The officials were completely dumbfounded. They watched as the Emperor's expression changed because of this blood letter, and they witnessed the Crown Prince's wonderful expression when he saw the blood letter.
Everyone's curiosity had been raised to the limit.
Finally, after Zhu Biao finished reading it, he passed the blood letter to Li Shan Chang with the Emperor's approval.
Li Shan Chang took the blood letter. The officials did not care about him and all gathered over, wanting to see the contents of the blood letter.
"What?"
"Shen Wansan asked the emperor to levy heavy taxes on merchants. Is he crazy?”
"This is an idea that only a madman can come up with, right?”
"Ridiculous, you actually dare to question the Great Ming Law that the Emperor personally set?”
After reading Shen Wansan's blood letter, all the officials had different reactions.
There were those who agreed with Shen Wansan's views. For example, the Minister of Revenue and the Governor of the Ministry of Central Affairs, Zhang Chang, agreed with Shen Wansan's approach. However, most of the officials opposed it.
Collecting taxes for the merchants of the world seemed to have nothing to do with these scholar-bureaucrats.
However, as an official, how could he not have human relations?
Although merchants had a huge amount of wealth, they were even lower than farmers in terms of status among scholars, farmers, and businessmen.
In such a harsh environment, businessmen, especially the rich, would definitely curry favor with the high officials and nobles if they wanted to live well.
What's more, some of their businesses would even give some shares to their parents.
Even though this kind of thing was not as rampant as the Great Ming Dynasty in the future, it did not mean that it did not happen.
"This Shen Wansan actually dared to question the Emperor's laws. He deserves to die!”
"This subject believes that this fellow has a way to die!”
"Your Majesty, I believe that Shen Wansan is just trying to please the public. He knows that he will die, so he deliberately sold the interests of merchants to survive. This kind of person who destroys the foundation of the law should be executed immediately!”
"I think that what he said might not be the blind spot of my Great Law…"
A letter written in blood, the officials argued,
Some agreed with Shen Wansan's opinion, while others disagreed.
However, the number of people who opposed it far exceeded the number of people who supported the blood letter.
Old Zhu and the Crown Prince sneered in their hearts.
"Alright, stand properly!"
The Emperor roared angrily. Only then did the officials realize that they had lost their composure.
They stood in their respective positions and kowtowed to the Emperor."
"We have lost our dignity. Please forgive us, Emperor!”
"Alright, if you want to say it, you can say it one by one!”
"Li Shan Chang, tell me, what do you think?“
Lee Shan Chang thought for a moment, then looked at Zhu Rong on the ground and said,"
"The law cannot be changed easily. I think what Shen Wansan said is just nonsense!”
"Hu Weiyong, what about you?"
Zhu Yuanzhang waited for Li Shanchang to finish speaking before turning to Hu Weiyong.
Hu Weiyong felt that there was something wrong with the Emperor's attitude, but since the head of Huaixi's civil and military officials, Li Shan Chang, had objected, he had no reason to go against Li Shan Chang.
"I agree!"
"We agree!"
The Left and Right Ministers of the Ministry of Central Affairs were all against the change of business tax, and all the civil and military officials agreed.
The Emperor's expression did not change as he turned to Liu Ji.
"Teacher Liu, what do you think?"
Liu Ji looked troubled.
"Emperor, this minister is a censor. It is this minister's duty to manage the affairs of the censor, but this matter of government affairs is within the scope of the Ministry of Central Affairs!‘
"I dare not speak nonsense!"
"Teacher Liu, your words are too polite. Today, I asked you to say it, so just say it. I'm waiting to hear your opinion!”
Liu Ji, Liu Bowen,
Only when the Emperor asked this did he bow and say,"
"I believe that what Shen Wansan said is not without reason!”
"Scholars, farmers, merchants, and businessmen, how can the taxes of merchants be lower than that of the common people?”
"I agree with Shen Wansan's suggestion, please change the business tax!”
"Liu Ji, you…"
Liu Bowen's different opinion finally broke the tacit understanding formed by the officials.
Li Shan Chang was flustered and exasperated. Because of the various officials forcing him to abdicate, Liu Bowen had gone in and out with them.
The people of Huaixi had almost forgotten that Liu Bowen and Liu Ji were their lifelong enemies.
East Zhejiang Group leader, censor Zhongcheng, sincerity Bo Liu Ji.
"This Master Liu is indeed as Father said. He is a smart person!”
After Zhu Xiong handed over the blood letter, he looked at the commotion in the hall coldly as if he was an outsider.
Liu Bowen was the first to stand up for the emperor.
He sighed.
These people, they're too involved to see,
Couldn't he see that the Emperor was on his side from the start?
Li Shanzhang and Hu Weiyong were smart people.
In the end, she was still deceived by herself.
Perhaps it was not that they were stupid, but that these officials had connections with those big merchants.
They came out to object.
In fact, he was speaking up for himself.
Because people had a standpoint, they couldn't see through the true thoughts of the high and mighty Emperor.
Therefore, Zhu Rong felt that Liu Bowen was a really smart person.
He jumped out of the trap set by the emperor.
He quietly looked at Lee Shan Chang and felt uncomfortable.
Everyone expressed their opinions.
Next, it was time for the emperor to begin his performance.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]