The True Winner of the Red Chamber

A hint of sarcasm flashed across the emperor's face, and there was even a lot of tone in his tone, "Everyone talks loudly on weekdays, and has a lot of insights in front of the courtiers, why are you dumb in front of me?"

Zhen Yingjia listened clearly, but the two words of high-spirited talk and insight were harsh.

But even if they knew it was a trap, these princes had no choice but to jump.Anyway, if everyone is together, those who have a back will not be so afraid.

At that moment, the princes exchanged glances with their heads half lowered. According to the order of seniority, the elder second prince spoke first.

"Father's palace was flooded. Naturally, it needs to be repaired. However, the flood in the south of the Yangtze River has not been eliminated, and the embankment needs to be repaired. It is better to wait until next spring to rebuild the palace."

What the second prince said was not very brilliant, but he didn't make any mistakes. Matching his image of a reckless man all the time, it can make people relax their vigilance, and it can be seen that he wants to follow the golden mean.

However, Zhen Yingjia felt that the second prince had been exposed a lot by the matter of his probing the flowers last time. Zhen Yingjia took a careful look at the emperor, and when he saw the emperor nodded, he gave a hum and didn't express any opinions.

The second prince took a step back and returned to the team. The third prince stepped forward, "I feel that I also want to practice the palace, and it needs to be overhauled!"

What he said was very decisive, and the emperor was so excited that he even straightened up a little bit, and asked, "What's the big repair?"

Zhen Yingjia sighed inwardly, the third prince was very careful about the emperor's heart, not to mention the emperor, as a person, he wanted his things to be unique, but only the emperor was capable of achieving this goal in the whole world.

"Father has been on the throne for many years, the world is peaceful, the treasury is abundant, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. This is all thanks to Father."

Sure enough, the emperor smiled.

"However, the imperial father's palace was built decades ago. According to Erchen, it is better to take this opportunity and send the minister who is good at construction from the Ministry of Industry to measure the place and spend the blueprints. When the levee is repaired, tomorrow will be spring." Go and fix it up."

The emperor was very thoughtful when he heard this, the third prince smiled complacently, and the face of the fourth prince who followed him immediately darkened.

However, Zhen Yingjia felt that the emperor would probably not agree. From his point of view, when these princes came in, the emperor had already made up his mind, and now it was just a matter of giving these princes a try.And judging by the expressions on the emperor's face, none of the two princes in the front spoke to the emperor's heart.

What the two princes said was to repair the palace, so what the emperor meant... I am afraid that the palace will be destroyed.

Zhen Yingjia squinted his eyes. He could understand this very well. When the emperor went to Jiangnan, the people who picked him up, and those related to the palace, had become local tyrants. Jiangnan was the top priority. The big production area is controlled by several big families, the emperor must have regretted it long ago.

Maybe... the emperor wants to take this opportunity to do something?

Thinking of this, Zhen Yingjia looked up at Kang He, only to find that whenever he secretly looked at Kang He, Kang He was always looking at him secretly.

It's just that now Zhen Yingjia doesn't have any thoughts in her heart, she just shook her head at Kang He with a serious expression. As for whether Kang He can understand what he means, it's up to God.

"It's interesting." After a while, the emperor raised his head and said, with a smile on his face, he said, "What do you think, fourth child?"

Although the fourth prince is impulsive, he was reprimanded by the emperor once because of this, and immediately suppressed his unhappiness and said: "My son thinks that the second brother's idea is good, and the third brother's... is too mobilizing, and it is a bit of a waste of money."

The third prince's face showed displeasure, and the emperor's face was also a little gloomy. The fourth prince actually thought of an excuse in a hurry, "The beginning of spring is the season for spring plowing, and the south of the Yangtze River is a place of production. Although there are many strong men, but if the second brother According to my idea, it is enough to recruit [-] to [-] strong men, which will not have much impact on Chungeng. If I follow the third brother's idea, I am afraid it will be..."

"I understand." The emperor had no expression on his face, and could not tell whether he agreed or disagreed, or even the slightest emotion.

The fourth prince gave the third prince a ostentatious look and backed away.

"Fifth, what do you think?" the emperor asked again.

The fifth prince originally thought that the fourth brother would never get up again after being reprimanded by his father, so he took over the power under him without any hesitation. Unavoidably feeling a little guilty, he immediately said: "My son thinks what Brother Si said is reasonable."

Zhen Yingjia sighed again in her heart, the emperor's move directly turned the fourth prince and the fifth prince into enemies, and the fourth prince has an extremely arrogant temperament. In this way, there is no possibility of an alliance between the two, and they are holding each other in private , be wary of each other, and calculate each other, most likely they will fall out of the ranks of seizing the heir together.

After the fifth prince finished speaking, he became the sixth prince.

The first four people had the same opinion, and the sixth prince knew that his opportunity had come, so he said, "Why don't you change it into an academy?" He was not very sure.

Seeing that the emperor was still looking at him, the sixth prince stammered: "There are so many literati in the south of the Yangtze River, and it is a province with a large number of imperial examinations. Why not turn it into an academy to give students a chance to study."

The emperor gave a rare kind smile and said, "Your idea is quite novel."

The sixth prince heaved a sigh of relief.

The emperor looked at the seventh prince who was only 11 years old. The seventh prince showed a slightly innocent smile and said, "Father has not brought his son to the south of the Yangtze River. Wouldn't it be good to go again?"

The emperor laughed out loud, but it made the princes present even more jealous of Lao Qi.

The emperor stood up and said: "I understand. If you should go to school, if you should leave the palace, I will think about it carefully."

Several princes filed out again, but before leaving, everyone turned their heads to look at Zhen Yingjia and Kang He who were still in the imperial study.

After leaving the Imperial Study Room, the third child sneered, "Why did the emperor keep the two of them in there, one is just an editor of the Imperial Academy, and the other... is not even a son anymore."

The fourth one raised his head and said: "Why don't you keep the two of them, one is born and bred in Jiangnan, and the former is in charge of the palace, and the other has lived in Jiangnan for more than a year. If you don't keep them, can't you stay?"

The third child's face darkened, he flung his sleeves and left with a snort, and before he left, he still did not forget to sarcastically say, "Your fourth brother, you have really lost your wife's position by giving up the position of side concubine for nothing, but you have nothing in your hands." .”

The fourth child's face suddenly became extremely ugly, but he refused to admit defeat, "Whether it is a loss-making business or not, let's wait and see!"

Only Zhen Yingjia and Kang He were left in the imperial study room. The emperor glanced at them and said slowly, "I want to change this palace into an imperial temple."

Zhen Yingjia was taken aback for a moment, but then she came to her senses and immediately bowed her head and said, "Everything is according to His Majesty's orders."

The emperor nodded in satisfaction, "I will assign you and Kang He to handle this matter, and I will leave Beijing in two days."

The two of them had nothing to say except obeying the order.

Unexpectedly, the emperor let Kang He go out suddenly. In the blink of an eye, only Zhen Yingjia and the emperor were left in the imperial study. !"

Zhen Yingjia naturally said it again with incomparable sincerity.

Hearing a slap, the emperor suddenly threw Zhang Zuo down, and said sternly, "Then you explain to me carefully, what's going on!"

Zhen Yingjia picked up the memorial, glanced at it and only saw two words: Salt tax!

Now he is very grateful to Kang He for reminding him a long time ago, letting him know that there is such a book, so Zhen Yingjia knelt down without saying a word.

"Your Majesty! This news was leaked on purpose!"

Sure enough, the emperor was stunned.

Zhen Yingjia was naturally worried, but since the emperor was able to suppress the memorial for so long, it proved that he still wanted to hide such things, whether it was related to him or out of consideration for stabilizing the overall situation, in short, this was Zhen Yingjia's escape Chance.

"There was a shocking change in the minister's family the year before last. After learning from the pain, I cannot help but weigh the gains and losses of these years, and realize that although I went astray in the early years, there is still a chance to repent!" Zhen Yingjia said this in an annoyed but relieved tone. talk.

"You mean that you released this news on purpose?" The emperor's voice was somewhat suspicious.

Zhen Yingjia nodded, and the emperor froze for a moment. After a while, he walked out from behind the desk, walked up to Zhen Yingjia, and said each word: "Tell me about it!" Helped up.

Seeing the emperor's reaction, Zhen Yingjia felt more at ease.Although he did not release the news, it is obvious that Lin Ruhai did not find out the real source of the news, or that Wang Ziteng and others had extremely clean hands and feet, so the emperor must not know that this was framed by Wang Ziteng.

Zhen Yingjia was secretly happy, since Wang Ziteng planned to let him take the blame, he would not be polite.

Besides, even without him, they will still have to be dealt with when the new emperor comes to power.

"In the early years, I was involved in the private salt trade with several families in the south of the Yangtze River..." Zhen Yingjia said with a sullen face, and told all the things in his memory bit by bit.

He was quite confident that he could get away.

After all, the emperor's actions were to make a major event into a minor matter, and what's more, if the emperor broke the law and committed the same crime as the common people, as long as he passed the emperor's level, it would be nothing.

The most important thing is that he didn't do this in the first place, and he can't be blamed for it.

"...It's just that the minister released the news, but I feel a little regretful in my heart." Zhen Yingjia paused deliberately.

The emperor's complexion darkened, and Zhen Yingjia said again: "I have no friendship with Mr. Lin, but I have met three or four times through the matter of my son and daughter, and I don't know his temperament. I am afraid that he will get news and startle the snake. After all, such things It has been done for nearly ten years, and it is not so easy to peel off the cocoon now."

The emperor pondered for a moment, "You are brave, and you are not afraid that he will take you directly."

Zhen Yingjia didn't say anything, just looked at the emperor.

The emperor's face softened a little, "But...it is indeed as you said, Lin Ruhai has known this news for several years, and now only you have been found out..."

Zhen Yingjia nodded sadly.

The emperor said again: "The person in charge..."

"I don't have any evidence in my hands..." Zhen Yingjia said, "I'm afraid I have to investigate it carefully."

Although he said so, he knew in his heart that if the emperor really wanted to deal with a person, he didn't need any evidence. Besides... Zhen Yingjia also thought carefully, if he was the emperor, this matter must be handled in private Yes, after all, court officials and local officials have been selling illegal salt for ten years, so even if they are found out, it will not have any good effects.

As for Wang Ziteng, even if he didn't say anything, the emperor knew that he was the person in charge. Among the wealthiest families in Jinling these years, the royal family had the highest official position and the most powerful in their hands.What's more, Zhen Yingjia couldn't believe that the emperor had never heard of the talisman that had been handed down in Jinling for a long time.

Fortunately in misfortune, there is no Zhen family in this official amulet.

Zhen Yingjia looked up at the emperor, who had a gloomy expression again, presumably thinking about the four Jinling families.

After a while, the emperor sighed, and said: "This matter has to be investigated in secret. I originally planned to let you go to the south of the Yangtze River. Now, in the name of the practice palace, you and Kang He will investigate carefully."

Zhen Yingjia nodded, "I obey the order!"

The emperor took a small seal from the table and gave it to him, "With this seal, you can send the prefect commander!"

Zhen Yingjia took over Xiaoyin cautiously.

The emperor didn't speak for a long time, and sighed again before waving Zhen Yingjia to leave. Zhen Yingjia walked to the door and vaguely heard a sigh coming from behind.

"...The four great families in Jinling...are all from my early years..."

Apart from the imperial study, Zhen Yingjia saw Kang He waiting for him at the door with a faint smile on his lips.

Zhen Yingjia went up to welcome them, and the two walked side by side, "The emperor follows His Majesty every day, what did the emperor answer?"

Kang He glanced back at him, with an unfathomable posture, "Guess."