Zhenguan Xiaoxian Wang Li Shen Li Shimin

Wang Wencheng is Wang Hongfu's cousin, and they have the same grandfather.

Wang Hongfu's father and Wang Wencheng's father are brothers, but Wang Wencheng's father is not a legitimate son.

Wang Hongfu's mother gave birth to two sons and several daughters, but he was the only son who survived the war.

All his sisters have died or gotten married, and they basically had no contact with each other.

It was only during these years that he worked for Prince Ji's Mansion and became the head manager of the mansion, that the sisters' husbands' families were eager to let their wives interact with Wang Hongfu.

They usually send letters, and bring some local specialties during festivals.

Wang Hongfu was not stingy either. His return gifts were often money, silk, jewelry, etc., and he would return ten times the value of the gifts.

After Wang Hongfu became rich, due to lack of manpower, or perhaps because he wanted to help his clansmen, Wang Hongfu was nepotism in hiring people.

This is what Wang Wencheng did. Li Shen developed the Anxi Protectorate and allowed the remnants of Gaochang and Tuyuhun to grow cotton.

The person in charge of this matter is Wang Wencheng.

At that time, Wang Hongfu asked Wang Wencheng to lead a group of people to the local area to look for white cotton, and finally found it with the help of the Protectorate.

And according to Li Shen's request, local people were encouraged to grow more cotton and the cotton was purchased at a high price.

He also asked Wang Wencheng to set up a workshop in the local area to purchase cotton, spin yarn and weave cloth, and finally transport it back to Chang'an City for refined processing.

This took several years.

Today, the cotton workshop of Prince Ji's Mansion is the largest workshop in Anxi Protectorate.

The Ji Wang Mansion also grows the largest amount of cotton.

Brought rich rewards to the local people.

Many people from the surrounding areas immigrated there and started growing cotton together.

And this Wang Wencheng also became the spokesperson of Prince Ji's Mansion in Anxi Protectorate, and was in charge of all affairs of Prince Ji's Mansion in Anxi.

Because he has the support of Prince Ji's Mansion, he is also a well-known figure in the local area.

When Li Shen mentioned Wang Wencheng, Wang Hongfu's heart skipped a beat.

The temptation of power is too great, and Wang Hongfu knows this very well.

The temptations from all sides over the years almost made him lose himself several times.

The amount of money that passes through his hands every year is over 10 million strings of cash, and it is hard not to be tempted.

Fortunately, Wang Hongfu kept his original intention. He also knew that his life was important and always remembered what Li Shen said.

"A gentleman loves money and earns it in a proper way, not in an unorthodox way. Be careful that you may earn it but not spend it."

Wang Hongfu almost had this sentence engraved on his forehead.

Over the years, noble families, aristocratic families, and even some forces he didn't know had offered high prices to bribe him, some of them were even kings.

The prices offered were even more tempting, but he rejected them all.

For no other reason than that he was afraid of death.

He knew Prince Ji's methods too well. He could make his entire family disappear silently without anyone being able to find any trace.

He has always been conscientious and committed to his duties, but unexpectedly something went wrong.

Since Prince Ji asked, something must have happened.

"Your Majesty, has Wang Wencheng committed a crime?"

Wang Hongfu was kneeling on the ground, sweat oozing from his forehead, and his trembling body showed that he was a little nervous and scared.

Li Shen didn't say anything, but waved at the stone.

Shitou picked up a piece of paper from the top of Li Shen’s desk and handed it to Wang Hongfu.

"Look for yourself, these are the accounts that the Anxi Protectorate has checked over the years.

On the surface, the accounts seemed to match, but in reality, there was a difference of more than 600,000 strings of cash.

It's only been a few years and it's become so rotten. Wang Hongfu, tell me, is this what you call loyalty?

Humph! ~~"

Li Shen lay there, his face showing anger, sadness, and more of disappointment.

My team has only been established for a few years, but corruption has already occurred. Don’t I have any deterrent power at all?

Under this feudal dynasty system, the title of prince was not given for nothing.

Aren’t they afraid of themselves?

Wang Hongfu took the paper handed to him by Shi Tou and read it from beginning to end. After reading it, Wang Hongfu's face turned pale.

The accounts above are clearly written.

"Don't you believe the amount above?" Li Shen asked Wang Hongfu.

"No, I believe what the prince said, but... just..."

Wang Hongfu really wanted to ask the source of this data, because he reviewed the accounts every year and found no mistakes.

"Xuan Ce, tell him that I don't want to talk to him right now."

Li Shen was very sad now. He closed his eyes and didn't want to see Wang Hongfu.

Wang Xuance knew that Prince Ji was very upset. Anyone would be sad if betrayed, especially someone as loyal as Prince Ji.

He sighed in his heart, and then said to Wang Hongfu who was kneeling on the ground:

"Alas~~~ Shopkeeper Wang, we have been investigating Wang Wencheng for a long time.

At first, he lied about the amount of cotton he purchased every year, and the amount of money he embezzled was not much.

But later on, he became more and more daring, and his embezzlement increased…"

As Wang Xuance told the story, the story slowly unfolded.

When Wang Wencheng first went to Anxi, he was very capable and he would complete every task assigned by Prince Ji's Mansion very quickly.

Wang Wencheng has done a great job in establishing the workshop and promoting cotton planting.

But as the business grows, more and more money is needed.

The Anxi Protectorate was a primary processing workshop that did not sell its products to the outside world and only spent money but did not make any money.

The amount of money Wang Wencheng handled every year increased, reaching millions of strings of cash.

As the saying goes, money can make people move. Wang Wencheng had never seen so much money before. Gradually, he could not resist the temptation and lost himself.

At the beginning, they lied about the purchase quantity, and after processing such as deseeding, there was still some loss.

He made his first windfall in life and was terrified for more than a month, but then he realized that nothing had been done to investigate and he couldn't stop.

He lied about the purchase amount, embezzling several hundred strings of cash at first and later thousands of strings of cash.

There is no limit to human greed.

Wang Wencheng is no longer satisfied with the small amount of money he earns a few hundred or a few thousand dollars a year.

He began to unite with local tribal leaders, conspiring to lower the price of cotton for the people, and forced the people not to disclose it.

He lied that this was King Ji's order, and also took out some money to distribute to the leaders of these tribes.

Upon hearing that it was King Ji's order and that there was money to be made, the tribal leader of course agreed.

In the end, Wang Wencheng bought cotton from the people at half the price he reported to the Prince Ji's Palace, and he pocketed the remaining half of the money, except for distributing it to the tribal leaders.

He also excluded dissidents and placed his own confidants in positions to prevent his affairs from being discovered by Prince Ji's Mansion.

Let the tribal leaders eliminate all those who are disobedient and want to report them.

He has achieved his goal of having absolute control over the Anxi Protectorate.