sjar Chapter 321: Emperor Xia is dissatisfied with Gu Jingzhi’s progress in handling the case…
Chapter 321: Emperor Xia is dissatisfied with Gu Jingzhi’s progress in handling the case…
After Gu Jingzhi took up his post at the Ministry of Revenue, he went to get off work and left on time every day. During this period, he did not cause any trouble in the court.
A month passed by unnoticed, and he gradually got the hang of the Ministry of Revenue, managing it in perfect order. However, his inaction during this month had made Emperor Xia very worried!
We agreed before that you would use the Empty Seal Case to force the aristocratic families to submit, but it’s been a month and there’s been no movement.
Therefore, after the court session that day, Emperor Xia called Gu Jingzhi to the imperial study.
In the imperial study, he also saw the crown prince.
Gu Jingzhi was a little puzzled. What was going on?
Gu Jingzhi stammered as he saluted Emperor Xia, but Emperor Xia said nothing, not even the "stand up" that he usually called out to most often!
Gu Jingzhi bent over, feeling a little puzzled. He raised his eyes slightly and glanced at Emperor Xia, but saw that Emperor Xia glared at him, and Gu Jingzhi shrank his head.
How did I offend the Emperor? I don't know!
However, at this time, it is best to maintain an ostrich posture. He stood there silently, still maintaining a polite posture!
After a while, Emperor Xia saw that he was silent and sneered, "Why? Minister Gu, who is usually eloquent and articulate, is silent today?"
Uh!
Gu Jingzhi smiled bitterly in his heart. This person is eloquent and good at speaking...but his tone is cold and arrogant, but I don’t know what’s going on!
He smiled bitterly and said, "Your Majesty, I dare not! But Your Majesty summoned me today suddenly, and I don't know why Your Majesty is displeased..."
"Your Majesty, please speak clearly!"
Gu Jingzhi tilted his head and glanced at Emperor Xia!
"Hmph! Sweet words and flattering expressions..."
"..."
Gu Jingzhi pursed his lips and said, "You are the boss, you have the final say." He thought it would be better for him to keep quiet.
Seeing Gu Jingzhi shut up again, Emperor Xia felt frustrated. Finally, he said calmly, "I remember when you first returned to Beijing, you told me that you planned to use the empty seal case to further promote currency reform. It's been a month since I asked you to go to the Ministry of Revenue, and why is there no news at all?"
"..."
Feelings are here to punish you!
Gu Jingzhi blinked and looked at Emperor Xia with an innocent look on his face: "Your Majesty, I am now the Minister of Revenue, but I do not have the right to investigate the case!"
"What? Are you asking me for power?"
"No, no, it's not..."
Gu Jingzhi smiled awkwardly and said, "Your Majesty, although this case belongs to the Ministry of Revenue, I cannot investigate it openly!"
"Therefore, I have entrusted Liu Shaoqing of the Dali Temple to help secretly!"
"Oh! You know how to order people around! You actually let the Dali Temple investigate the matter I gave you. Aren't you afraid that I will punish you for neglect?"
"Also, who allowed the unauthorized dispatch of Dali Temple officials?"
Emperor Xia had a stern face and a gloomy expression.
Seeing this, Gu Jingzhi said calmly, "Your Majesty, this is all authorized by you! Besides, the Dali Temple has the power to investigate cases..."
"..."
Emperor Xia was suddenly speechless.
He has never taken back the Great Xia Dragon Bird. Actually, Gu Jingzhi does have the power to transfer officials below the third rank.
Seeing that Emperor Xia's expression had eased slightly, Gu Jingzhi finally said, "Your Majesty, asking the Dali Temple to investigate the case is also a last resort. Although the mastermind of this case is in the capital, the person who is handling this matter is in the local area!"
"If I investigate this case with great fanfare, I'm afraid the case won't be investigated before we even leave the capital!"
"That's why I've been selecting some suspicious files over the past month and having the Dali Temple secretly investigate the case of the empty seal while they investigate local cases!"
"This case of the empty seal isn't complicated. It's simply because the capital and the provinces are too far apart, information isn't exchanged, and there are also people in the court who profit from it, so the transition has been smooth!"
"As long as we don't go too far and can ensure the local officials' ratings, they will naturally not bother to investigate how much money and grain they have paid over the years! The Dali Temple only needs to conduct a detailed investigation locally and they will definitely find the key!"
"I only want the Dali Temple to help find the most relevant evidence. When I submit the case, it will be useless even if those involved in the case file want to cover up!"
"..."
Emperor Xia was silent after hearing this. After a while, he calmly said, "Well, you have some truth to it. This case involves many people. If we act rashly without absolute certainty, we will easily alert the enemy! Let's do as you say! But..."
"Gu Qing! I want an exact time!"
Emperor Xia looked at Gu Jingzhi solemnly.
Gu Jingzhi didn't think much about it and said, "Your Majesty, I have tentatively set a time limit of three months. Now exactly one month has passed. Two months is enough time to thoroughly investigate everything. By then, I will report after the opening of the court next year..."
"No! Cough cough cough..."
Hearing Gu Jingzhi say that they would have to wait until next year, Emperor Xia seemed anxious, but before he could say anything, he burst into a violent cough.
"Your Majesty, you..."
"Ahem! It's nothing! Just a little dry mouth!"
Emperor Xia coughed lightly twice, then took the tea handed to him by the crown prince and took a sip. As if he had calmed down, he said, "Gu Qing, the New Year is coming too late!"
"Your Majesty, this case out of town cannot be solved in a day or two, especially since the journey is so long. I'm afraid it won't work without enough time!"
"Then shall I dispatch the inner guards to assist you?"
Emperor Xia thought about it and decided to help out.
However, Gu Jingzhi directly rejected it. He shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, the inner guards are directly under the emperor's command. If they were to move, it would only lead to speculation! Besides..."
He glanced at Emperor Xia and said softly, "The inner guards had already taken advantage of a loophole, and perhaps they've already dealt with it. But we can't be careless about this matter. You only have one chance, Your Majesty!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Xia's eyes narrowed. "You even doubt my inner guards?"
Ah this...
Gu Jingzhi is a bit Muggle.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince stood by and said, "Father's inner guards are naturally safe, but I feel that since the Marquis of Xiling has ordered the Dali Temple to take action, if he calls in the inner guards to help, it will most likely arouse suspicion!"
Emperor Xia frowned for a long time, then slowly said, "What the Crown Prince said makes sense!"
The Dali Temple going out to investigate a case would not arouse people's vigilance. After all, Liu Sandao was Gu Jingzhi's man, and Gu Jingzhi worked in the Dali Temple in his early years. He was already at odds with the aristocratic families, and by borrowing the authority of the Dali Temple, even if others knew the truth, they would not think too much about it.
At most, I just wanted to find out who the Dali Temple was investigating.
But it would be a different story if the Internal Guards were deployed. In Daxia, all officials understood one thing: the deployment of the Internal Guards was no small matter.
"Well! You two have been very thoughtful. It's indeed not appropriate for the Internal Security to intervene in this matter, but..."
Emperor Xia looked at Gu Jingzhi and said, "If we wait until next year, it will still be too late. I will give you one more month at most. You must find the key evidence within one month and close the case before the end of the year!"
"Since these people are officials but doing nothing, they are just making room for newcomers!"
"This……"
Gu Jingzhi was a little worried!