novelden Chapter 2160 Wang Xuance’s advice.
Chapter 2160 Wang Xuance’s advice.
After Li Shen finished speaking, he slowly sat down and stopped looking at these people. Chunxiang and Dongmei beside him came forward to serve Li Shen, some pouring wine and some picking up dishes.
The scene fell into a brief silence.
"Crash!" A crisp sound was heard.
Wang Xuance, who was beside Li Shen, was flipping through the account book carelessly. He looked up every time he turned a page, as if he was comparing something.
In the silent hall, the sound of Wang Xuance flipping the pages of a book sounded like the book of life and death in the hands of a judge. Many people wanted to go up and see if their names were in the book.
Some people even wanted to snatch it away and destroy it, but they didn't have the courage to do so.
Ten breaths were very short. Li Shen lowered his head and gnawed on a big bone. Without even raising his head, he said:
"Well, the time has come. Since you are all innocent, then act according to the law."
"Yes." Wang Xuance bowed and flipped through a few pages.
"king......"
"Your Highness Prince Ji, please spare my life. I am guilty. I hope Your Highness Prince Ji will show mercy."
"Your Highness Prince Ji, please have mercy. I am guilty."
"Plop, plop."
As soon as Wang Xuance read out one word, people began to kneel down one after another.
They all kowtowed and apologized. Li Shen raised his head and took a look. Wow, more than half of the people were kneeling on the ground.
In other words, most of the officials in the entire Anxi Protectorate are guilty. This is really fucked.
Those who were still standing were also stunned. They had never expected that so many of their former colleagues would break the law.
On weekdays, I treat them as brothers and we drink tea together when I have nothing to do, talk about poetry and songs, and show off my elegance.
Now they have become criminals one by one.
Some of them know about this, while others really don't. Some choose to keep themselves out of it and not associate with others, while others are too upright and no one seeks them out.
"Look, look at this. This is the official of our Tang Dynasty, the one who is called the parent official.
You appear to be righteous on weekdays, but in private you are in collusion with other officials and businessmen to oppress the people. You are really the good officials of our Tang Dynasty.
Well, with you around, the Li Tang dynasty will be destroyed sooner or later.
Come, drag them all down and chop them off. Let me chop them off.”
Li Shen looked at these officials with great rage, and slammed the table loudly.
"Your Highness Prince Ji, please spare my life. Your Highness Prince Ji, please spare my life."
Hundreds of guards rushed into the hall and dragged these people out to behead them. The officials kneeling on the ground were so scared that they kowtowed repeatedly and howled like ghosts.
"Your Highness Prince Ji, Your Highness Prince Ji, you can't do that. If so many officials are killed, how can we explain this to the court?"
Pei Ziyu, who was standing by, was also frightened and quickly stepped forward to bow and advise.
With so many people killed, wouldn't Xizhou be in chaos?
"Explanation? What is there to explain? The crimes they committed are enough to make them beheaded several times. I am also acting according to the law.
As for the explanation, I will naturally report to His Majesty, not only to chop off their heads, but also to confiscate their property and exile their families to a bitter and cold place.
We want to let all the officials in the Tang Dynasty see that the imperial court will never show leniency when dealing with corrupt officials.
Take action, drag them out to the streets, behead them and let the people see the court's determination."
Li Shen roared, his temper had reached its peak.
Pei Ziyu didn't dare to say anything more for a moment. Although what Prince Ji said was correct, there were too many people.
If they are all killed, how can Xizhou continue to function? Moreover, Prince Ji’s family will also be implicated.
"Your Majesty, I think what Pei Changshi said makes some sense. Your Majesty sent you here to stabilize Xizhou.
It will not affect the supply of food and grass at the front. If all these officials are killed, Xizhou will be unmanned and there may be chaos, which will affect the war at the front.
If His Majesty blames him, the prince will probably be punished.
Their death is a minor matter, but Your Majesty being punished is a major matter, Your Majesty, please think twice."
Wang Xuance on the side closed the account book, came to Li Shen and gently dissuaded him. His voice was like the sound of nature, giving people present a glimmer of hope.
Pei Ziyu was only the chief official of Xizhou Prefecture and had no say in front of Prince Ji, but Wang Xuance was different.
This man is the Chief Clerk of Prince Ji's Palace and a close minister to Prince Ji. The Chief Clerk's duties are to correct the prince's words and deeds, to manage the palace's government orders, to assist the prime minister in admonishing and correcting the prince's mistakes, and to command the palace officials to do their jobs.
The functions of the royal chief historian and the local chief historian are different.
As a close minister of King Ji, King Ji would surely listen to what he said.
Because in their understanding, the Chief Clerk of Prince Ji's Mansion was sent by His Majesty and was an official appointed by the imperial court.
The main duties include teaching, admonishing, and supervising the kings, judging government affairs, and expelling and beheading corrupt officials who cause the kings to indulge in pleasure.
Sure enough, after listening to Wang Xuance's words, Li Shen became less irritable. He looked up at Wang Xuance, then looked at the official kneeling on the ground.
His brows were furrowed, as if he was thinking. At this time, everyone's hope fell on Wang Xuance, and Wang Xuance lived up to everyone's expectations and continued to advise while the iron was hot:
"Your Majesty, the battle ahead is of utmost importance. Your Majesty is kind and loves the people like his own children. The lives of tens of thousands of soldiers ahead depend on your majesty.
His Majesty ordered the prince to be stationed in the Anxi Protectorate because he was afraid that internal strife in Anxi would disrupt the court's plan to conquer the west.
If we kill them now, there will be no one to manage the place, and the situation we have just stabilized may be broken.
If the rebels take advantage of the situation and invade, wouldn't that ruin the prince's plan?"
"Are we just going to let them go? They have committed capital crimes. Even if they are killed, I can report to His Majesty within 600 miles.
It is better for His Majesty to send officials here than to keep these cancerous creatures here."
Li Shen was still furious and was determined to kill someone to vent his anger.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. They have violated the laws of the country, so we cannot just abandon them. However, the country has its own laws and the family has its own rules. Your Majesty must still act in accordance with the law.
We cannot make a decision without trial, as this will not be good for the prince's reputation.
If His Majesty blames you, the prince will also be punished, and the loss will outweigh the gain."
Wang Xuan explained the situation with reason, which gave the criminal officials hope, because Prince Ji's brows slowly relaxed.
It seems that he was persuaded by Wang Xuance.
"Can't I kill them if they make mistakes?" Li Shen was still a little indignant.
“Your Majesty, in my opinion, it is better to judge the case according to the legal process, which will also avoid being criticized by others in the future.
Your Majesty, the tens of thousands of soldiers ahead are important, but His Majesty's order is even more important. I hope Your Majesty will think twice."
Li Shen fell into silence, his facial expression changing constantly.
Everyone could see that Prince Ji wanted to get angry, but he had reservations. After a long while, Li Shen suddenly stood up.
With a loud "crash", the whole table was blown away.
"Hmph! I don't care. Everything is up to you. If you don't satisfy me, I will chop you off as well.
You bastards, you're lucky. I'll let you live two more days." After saying that, Li Shen walked away angrily.
(I found that everyone is talented. They can imagine what I did on the day I asked for leave, and they all have different versions, all with good reasons.)