Molested Zulong at the beginning

After pondering for a moment, Bai Su ordered: "Da Qiao, go and prepare a pen and ink for me, I want to write a memorial..."

.......

soon.

Sister Zheng summoned a group of officials to gather in the main hall, and there was a sudden turmoil.

The officials above the court looked at each other with doubts in their eyes.

Today, Hu Yan will temporarily supervise the government affairs, while Zheng Jie will retreat into the deep palace.

Logically speaking, this kind of thing is not a big deal, there is no need to summon all the civil and military officials to come, if His Majesty arranges it like this, do you have something else to say?

While everyone was waiting, Miss Zheng arrived late.

Wearing a jade crown and a black dragon robe, she is full of grace and luxury. Her long black and soft hair is brushed up in a high bun. Dan.

A pair of phoenix eyes carried a majestic look, looking around, no one dared to look at them.

Even Hu Yan, who is very nervous, couldn't help but feel nervous at this moment. Facing this powerful, intelligent, and beautiful mother, she dared not look directly at her serious gaze.

Bai Su didn't panic at all, and even winked.

The corners of Sister Zheng's mouth curled up in a subtle way, and she couldn't help rolling her eyes.

The group of officials bowed their heads and saluted, not noticing the small movements between the two people.

The political sister took her seat, and the officials saluted.

Sister Zheng said indifferently: "Everyone who loves you is free of courtesy."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After these people saluted, they fell silent.

The political sister's phoenix eyes swept over the officials below, and she said, "If there is something to do, I will go to court if there is nothing to do."

None of the crowd stepped forward, and when they were about to retreat, a hearty voice suddenly came from behind.

"Your Majesty, I have something to announce."

Everyone looked back, only to see that the person who spoke was Bai Su.

This made everyone feel surprised. In the public's impression, Bai Su was a guy who was always reckless and retired early, but today he took the initiative to stand up and give a performance, which is extremely rare.

But Li Si, Fu Su and other smart people couldn't help frowning after seeing Bai Su stand up.

After all, based on what they know about Bai Su, this guy usually doesn't speak a word, but when he speaks, he surprises everyone. Could it be that this guy is going to do some tricks?

Sister Zheng pretended to be surprised, and her phoenix eyes looked at Bai Su with great interest: "Bai Su, what do you have to say?"

Bai Su cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, I suggest that the salt and iron should be taken back to the imperial court and managed by the government."

As his words fell, the hall was silent for a while.

Even Li Si, Fu Su and others couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

Although they were already mentally prepared that Bai Su might make big news, they never expected that the news Bai Su would release would be so big.

Collecting all the salt as an official camp, this... This is to attack the Qi Guotian clan.

One of the Confucian officials stood up after being dazed for a while, and reprimanded him: "Lord Bai, you can eat food indiscriminately, but you can't talk indiscriminately."

Immediately afterwards, Kong Le, who is at the helm of the Confucianism, stepped forward, and she frowned and said: "Yes, my lord, this salt and iron thing should be managed by someone who is good at it. The blacksmith will forge iron, and the salt merchant will sell it." Salt, as it has been since time immemorial."

"The ancient sages all valued virtue and despised profit."

"If the government manages the salt and iron business, isn't it competing with the people for profit? Moreover, this move will greatly damage the prestige of the imperial court. It will erect an image of low morality and high profit, and low righteousness and high wealth."

"Whoever has money will be robbed. In this way, everyone in the world will be in danger, and the court will lose the hearts of the people."

"Forcing salt and iron to be run by the government will definitely ruin the simple and stable social atmosphere of the people."

Listening to their rebuttals, many officials in the hall nodded slightly.

These Confucian scholars are right.

In the past, the government was responsible for the management and regulation of salt and iron. I have never heard that the government is like a businessman and runs these businesses in person.

If the government forcibly took them away just because they were rich, it would be unconvincing.

Bai Su smiled and said, "That's wrong."

The Confucian scholar was taken aback for a moment, and couldn't help asking: "What does Master Bai mean by this?"

Bai Su snorted softly, and said, "Listen to my rebuttals one by one. First, you said that the ancient sages valued virtue and despised profit. How dare you ask the sages in your mouth, how vast the territory, the population, and the number of soldiers and horses? no?"

"If we don't find a way to adapt to local conditions and find ways to adapt, but simply copy the old-fashioned methods, then Dujiangyan in the land of Bashu will be endless, and how can it be called the Land of Abundance."

"Back then when Lord Shang entered Guanzhong, don't reform. Great Xia has long been destroyed by the six kingdoms of Shandong. How can the world be unified today?"

"If you really want to abide by the old system, then if you have the ability, don't eat the rice I planted. Don't you still eat the rice seeds I offered very deliciously?"

That Kong Le couldn't help being stunned for a moment, and immediately retorted: "This is different, no matter how you say it, the government and the common people take advantage of it, it is really a move that loses the hearts of the people."

Bai Su sneered: "It's unpopular, is she a citizen?"

Kong Le couldn't help asking: "What do you mean?"

Bai Su said: "These salt sellers have always regarded the people as grain and grass, and the harvest is the last thing to do. They have nothing to do with the power of artifacts, but they never do business."

"Once it's a real famine year, when they continue to provide supplies, they never provide timely relief and stabilize prices. Instead, they take advantage of the situation to hoard supplies and sell them at high prices to exploit the people."

"Taking advantage of the people's desperation, annexing a large amount of high-quality land at low prices, forcing countless people to sell their sons and daughters, their families were ruined, and they were reduced to refugees, while they slept on the bones of countless people and ate their mouths full of meat."

Facing Bai Su's pressing step by step, Kong Le couldn't help taking a few steps back.

Bai Su continued: "And the government collects salt and iron goods as official camps. No matter whether it is a flood or a snow disaster, they sold them for five yuan before, and they still sell them for five yuan after that, so that the prices of the goods will always remain within a stable price."

"The money earned by the imperial court through salt and iron will be used to build official roads and water canals all over the world, and will be distributed to those craftsmen as wages to recruit soldiers and horses, as rewards, to reward those soldiers."

"As for those salt merchants, after making money, they used the money to curry favor with officials, annex land, make friends with people in the world, and keep thousands of followers in captivity."

"You said that for the people in the world, is it the imperial court that is taking advantage of them, or the businessmen who are taking advantage of them?"

"You are full of benevolence, righteousness and morality, and the hearts of the people, but are you referring to the people, or..."

"Those aristocratic families, wealthy merchants?"

Kong Le's face paled for a while, and he sat on the ground limply under his feet, with his mouth slightly open for a long time, unable to speak.

The surrounding officials were stunned when they saw this scene.

Unexpectedly, Bai Su could render Kong Le, the helm of Confucianism, speechless with just three questions and three answers.

From this point of view, Bai Su won.

Li Si's slender black eyebrows were slightly frowned, and her autumn-like eyes glanced at the political sister on the dragon chair.

Purely from the perspective of pros and cons, it is indeed more beneficial to take the salt and iron back to the official camp, but this matter is not only about pros and cons.

At the beginning, His Majesty had promised Tian's to give them a rich and noble life, but now it is unreasonable to openly renege on it.

Sure enough, Sister Zheng quickly spoke up: "Bai Su, Mrs. Tian is loyal to the court and has made great contributions to the court. How can you do anything to her? Let's let it go."

Fu Su couldn't help but shook her head, she had to say what Bai Su said just now, her blood spurted, and she agreed with it very much in her heart.

It's just a pity...

It is impossible for my lord mother to attack the hero for no reason. His hard work is in vain.

Facing everyone's complicated gazes, Bai Su did indeed smile: "Your Majesty, you have a lot of respect for Tian, ​​but they are sorry for your majesty's respect."

Chapter 290 IX How He Did It

The expressions of the officials froze, what is Bai Su going to do again.

Zheng Jie looked at Bai Su with her phoenix eyes, pretending to be puzzled: "Bai Su, what do you mean by that?"

Bai Su clasped his hands and said: "According to reliable information, this Qi Guotian clan secretly colluded with other races, secretly smuggled salt, iron, and armor, and there is no reason to be disobedient."

hiss!

Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air.

The way Li Si looked at Bai Su changed.

Fu Su's expression was even more astonishment, her vermilion lips opened blankly, a little in disbelief.

Even though she had already felt that Bai Su might be about to release some big news and was prepared in her heart, but now when she actually heard it, her head couldn't help but buzzed.

Colluding with other races, secretly smuggling salt and iron, secretly forging armor, no matter which one is a felony.

Tian actually made so many violations in one go.

This is simply Zhong Kui jumping into the cesspit and becoming a demon in death.

All the officials stared blankly, they never expected that Bai Su would accuse Tian Shi of such a crime.

This Qi Guotian family is one of the most powerful families in the Central Plains, how could they suddenly rebel, could it be Bai Su made a false accusation?

Many officials couldn't help but have this idea in their minds.

Sister Zheng's expression was indifferent, her phoenix eyes and Bai Su looked at each other for a moment, and then they parted: "The imperial court treats the Tian family well, how can they be so..."

Her tone was very cold, and everyone could hear the dissatisfaction in it.

Some family officials who were born in the Tian family, or had a close relationship with the Tian family, woke up from their shock.

They immediately stood up and said hastily: "Your Majesty, this is slander. The Tian family is loyal to the imperial court, and realizes the slightest disobedience. Please show your majesty the lesson."

"Yes, Your Majesty, it is absolutely impossible for me to make such a conspiracy."

"My Tian family is a loyal minister of the Great Xia, since the time when His Majesty ruled the six kingdoms..."

All of a sudden, a large group of people stood out from the court hall. Most of these people were related to the Tian family, or they were nobles from the six countries who also worked with the Tian family in the salt and iron business.

At this glance, there was a dense darkness, and many people's hearts were shocked. They secretly thought that it was indeed the Qi Guotian family, and this intricate relationship really made people's scalp tingle.

The rest of the court officials frowned in thought, this happened too suddenly, if they join forces rashly, they might die miserably.

It's better for them to keep silent until things are clear.

Sister Zheng looked coldly at the officials below who begged for mercy. If she hadn't had too many scruples, she really wanted to pull all these people out and kill them.

When you need to do things for your own sake, few can be used, and when you need to pursue accountability, they all huddle together.

This feeling of being unable to do anything would make any monarch annoyed, let alone a decisive person like Sister Zheng.

But she also knew that there was no need to rush this matter, even though the imperial examinations had been promoted for several years, poor families continued to gain fame and fame and entered the court as officials.

These former aristocrats from the six countries still had a lot of influence in the court. It would take at least a few generations for the humble scholars to occupy the mainstream and the aristocratic families to be reduced to a minority. There is no rush at present.

It can only be divided and ruled, and one faction will fight the other. First, the country's fundamental land, salt and iron, will be taken back to the imperial court for control.

She restrained her anger, and asked flatly: "Bai Su, since you said that, do you have evidence?"

Those family officials who were closely related to the Tian family all turned their heads to look at Bai Su. They were more inclined that Bai Su was talking nonsense, but seeing Bai Su's calm expression, they couldn't help feeling angry with a bad premonition .

Bai Su met everyone's gaze, and said calmly: "That's right, I have sent Zhang Han to search secretly, not only captured the Huns who traded with the Tian family, but also collected green salt, armor, and even the survivors from the Six Kingdoms." , evidence of collusion."

what! ! !

These people's scalps suddenly went numb, they never thought that Bai Su would be so ruthless, not only secretly investigated the news of Tian's smuggling, but even captured witnesses.

This clean and neat method made their heads buzz.

There was a chill in the phoenix eyes of the political sister, and she said coldly: "The Tian family is actually related to the Xiongnu and the remnants of the six kingdoms. They traded salt and iron for war horses and funded the bandits. Hehe... you are indeed a good courtier."

A layer of cold sweat broke out on the foreheads of these officials, and they could naturally hear the sarcasm of the political sister.

They all looked ugly, and they were very remorseful. What they regretted was not the smuggling done by the Tian family and the Huns, but the evidence that was caught by Bai Su.

As an aristocratic family, it's normal to bet on both ends. Who doesn't want to do some gray business.

Tian Shi just went too far, and just happened to be caught.

But now it was too late to regret, all they could do was to grit their teeth and challenge Bai Su to the end. After all, once the Tian family fell, Bai Su would use this opportunity to sweep them all out and take Yantie back into the official camp.

Then their days of lying down and making money are gone forever.

Thinking of this, an official from the Tian family immediately stood up: "Your Majesty, I think this matter is of great importance and should not be taken lightly. The Tian family is a well-known local family with a prominent reputation and great prestige among the people. Be kind and generous, there must be something inside these things."

"That's right. It doesn't make sense why the well-established Tian family wanted to rebel. If the case is closed on the basis of these evidences alone, if there is an unjust, false or wrong case, it will have a very bad impact and lose the hearts of the people..."

"Yes, please Your Majesty to learn from you."