A traitor

Because of Su Qinglang's letter, the subsequent actions went smoothly. When those people in the court saw Mr. Su's signature, it was faster than seeing the emperor's imperial decree.

In Shangshu's mansion, Mei Liusheng was sitting at the stone table in the pavilion, and Cai Jun was sitting opposite him, their faces were gloomy, comparable to charcoal.

Su Qinglang leaned against the pillars of the pavilion, raised his feet, put them on the stone bench beside him, and said, "Why, what did you find out today?"

Cai Jun looked at Mei Liusheng, hesitated in his heart, and said: "The mine owner Du Qingyun is protecting has a problem, and he is actually mining the official mine under his name."

Su Qinglang didn't seem surprised, and asked again: "And then?"

"Then?"

Cai Jun's expression was agitated, and he jumped up, and his voice couldn't help being louder: "The official mine that should belong to the imperial court, but it is in the hands of merchants in the market, for the sake of money, they don't care about the life and death of others, rushing to work overnight, with almost no protection. measures, resulting in the death of seventeen miners innocently..."

Hearing this, Su Qinglang squinted his eyes, feeling that Cai Jun's temper has grown lately, and asking him to return to work in the Ministry of Criminal Justice aroused the enthusiasm in his heart, and now he dared to yell at him.

Cai Jun felt terrified when he saw him, and immediately realized the impoliteness just now, the hand that was raised because of excitement was frozen in mid-air, and he put it away in embarrassment.

Sitting on the stool again, depressed, shrank his body, and muttered: "The lower official said a long time ago, the water here is deep..."

In recent years, the national power has been declining, so the imperial court distributes some official mines every year and sells them to aristocratic merchants for money.

However, the number of distributions each time is limited, and the official mines where they are distributed are all determined by the emperor himself. The time, place and even the selling price will be clearly recorded in the register.

However, some people were greedy, abused their power, and secretly changed a few words in the registered accounts, making Li Daitao stiff, fish in troubled waters, and secretly sold minerals that were not on the list to merchants for mining, so as to collect some kickbacks.

Therefore, this phenomenon has existed since the first emperor, and it has continued to this day, and it has long been a practice. Usually, no one checks it, and all the officials in the court are tacit about it.

It's just that at that time, because of the invasion of foreign enemies, the country had been fighting for years, and the imperial court had to sell one or two mines in order to prepare for the army's salary.

Unlike now, year after year, more and more things are sold, but the effect of recovery is getting smaller and smaller. The people complain, and the emperor still does nothing.

Mei Liusheng lowered his head, and said in a deep voice: "The embankment of a thousand miles collapsed in an ant's nest. The former emperor expanded the territory and conquered this great country. It is unimaginable that it will be so exhausted..."

Cai Jun also looked sad, and then said: "There are so many official mines every year, so they flow into other people's hands. If they are used by the court, they can make up the surplus. Holding these mines in their hands will be a huge fortune." Considerable income... Now like this, digging the east wall to make up for the west wall, but drinking poison to quench thirst will only increase internal friction."

After the voice fell, there was silence in the pavilion, everyone had their own thoughts, and their faces were more serious than before.

After a long time, Su Qinglang sat up straight, unfolded the folding fan with a whoosh, and said calmly: "The court's expenses, profit and loss, that is the matter of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and has nothing to do with us. Now you are taking this case, it is a hot potato. It's good to be able to get away safely, don't worry about eating carrots, you will only find trouble for yourself."

Cai Jun sighed, very educated, paused, and said: "But in this situation, what can we do, we can't take a rope to the scholar's mansion to tie people up."

The scholar's mansion, the cabinet's university scholar's mansion, Su Qinglang's deadly enemy, the mansion of Mr. Xu Jin.

The old man Xu Jin was clean and honest all his life, as upright as a bamboo pole in the back mountain, but he was only poor for five generations and rich for three generations. No one would have thought that there would be a prodigal son in his family.

As far as the Xu family is concerned, it can be regarded as a famous family in Chang'an City. It is a scholarly family. It has always been loyal to the emperor and love the people.

Xu Jin's only son, about the same age as Su Zheshan, served in the court in the early years.A few years ago, he was transferred by the emperor to work in other places, and he has not returned for a long time.

Under Xu Jin's only son's knees, there are two other sons. The eldest son stays in the city and is now working in the Imperial Academy.

The second son Xu Jingyu, under Zhao E, served as a copywriter. He was responsible for things that were not big or small, and it was to record the imperial court's entry and exit of mines.

This Xu Jingyu, only twenty years old, full of vigor, is a seed of infatuation, and he is in love with Yunxian girl in Zuixianlou with all his heart.

However, their family's family education is too strict, not to mention asking him to marry a woman from a brothel, even stepping into the door of the Zuixian Tower, his grandfather thought it was an insult to the Xu family's face, so Mr. Xu had no choice but to lose his family. If you support her, she has no money to redeem Miss Yunxian, so she can only offer her in the warm pavilion of Zuixianlou.

As time went by, Miss Yunxian's social status became higher and higher, but Mr. Xu's purse became less and less. Even the old bustard who usually had a smile on his face no longer gave him good looks.

Xu Jing was in dire straits, in order to meet Miss Yunxian whom he had been longing for, in desperation, he could only choose to compromise and help Zhao E and Du Qingyun secretly change the records of the official mine.

However, Xu Jingyu is also an upright master. Although he has done crooked things, he still remembers his grandfather's teachings and refuses to bow to Du Qingyun and others. He is only willing to change the words and get money , other bad things will not be involved.

Therefore, both Zhao E and Du Qingyun were a little annoyed with him, blaming him for not knowing how to praise him, and being a stinky stone in a latrine.

After what happened in Yingzhou, Du Qingyun's deeds were inevitably exposed, so he had to use his power to suppress the case of the mine accident.

Now that the Dongchuang incident happened, Zhao E was in a high position, and with the backing of Prime Minister Qin, the lives of Du Qingyun's family were in his hands, so naturally he didn't dare to bite people indiscriminately, so he could only be his scapegoat.

On the contrary, Xu Jingyu was the first person to look for when there was a problem with the records. However, although Mr. Xu's official position was small, he was protected by a scholar Xu Jin, so Mei Liusheng and Cai Jun naturally did not dare to act rashly.

Su Qinglang said disdainfully: "Why, are you still afraid of him?"

Thinking of Xu Jin, Cai Jun could only admit his cowardice, and said in a low voice: "Xu...Master Xu, although he is getting older now, he will grow stronger and stronger, and his power will not decrease in the past..."

Su Qinglang thought for a while, the cabinet bachelor, the first rank in the current dynasty, the veteran of the three dynasties, the official position is older than him, and the qualifications are older than him.

Don't look at him in the harem that day, running against Xu Jin was very smooth, if he really wanted to rank seniority, even if his father Su Zheshan came, he would bow and bow his head in front of Xu Jin.

However, Su Qinglang is Su Qinglang after all. A few days ago, the auspicious Mr. Liu of the Ministry of Punishment was pulled down from the position of second-rank minister by him, so what is Xu Jin?

He shook his fan, and immediately thought of a plan, showing a wicked smile of an eagle catching a chick.

Said to Cai Jun and Mei Liusheng: "Go to the Zuixian Tower and tell the old bustard there to make an account of Xu Jingfei's expenses in recent years and send someone to Xu's mansion."

After a pause, he added: "Tell her again, remember everything clearly, even a cup of tea, and if the accounts are done well, you will be rewarded."

Cai Jun heard the meaning of his words, and showed a sinister smile, secretly gave a thumbs up: "Tall, my lord is really tall."

Hearing this, Su Qinglang raised Erlang's legs, leisurely waving his folding fan and said, "This old man of the Xu family is the most fair. If he sees the accounts, he will definitely ask about the origin of Xu Jingyu's money. Then you can wait in the Ministry of Criminal Justice and wait for the future." With Xu Jin's temperament, he will personally escort his grandson there. In this way, you don't have to knock on that door again."

Cai Jun nodded and sighed again: "Once Xu Jingfei is brought to justice, I'm afraid our good days will come to an end."

Su Qinglang snorted lightly: "Why, is Mr. Cai afraid?"

He paused, and then said: "In fact, this matter can be simple or complicated. The key depends on how Master Cai plans to deal with it. If Master Cai wants to keep it simple, he will only review it as an ordinary dereliction of duty case. For that The official mine under the mine owner's name is regarded as ignorant, and only Du Qingyun is held accountable, even Xu Jingfei doesn't have to do anything. This will not offend Xu Jin, and many royal family and nobles in the imperial city will be grateful to you, Mr. Cai. .”

Cai Jun frowned: "This... how can this be..."

Su Qinglang said again: "If you want to make it more complicated, then arrest Xu Jingfei. No matter who he bites out, Master Cai will handle it impartially. This road is not easy, but at least it can make you feel more at ease."

In this case, from the very beginning, what was difficult was not the case itself, but the many forces involved in the imperial city.

The most important thing is whether the officials in charge of handling the case dare to open the hornet's nest, and the second is how to open the hornet's nest in the face of heavy resistance.

Obviously, the former and the latter are both great challenges for Cai Jun. Without certain determination and preparation, most people would not accept such a case.

Therefore, Mei Liusheng answered calmly: "Brother Su should have understood Mr. Cai's intentions a long time ago. If he really wanted to be simple, he would not have traced it to this place in the first place."

He glanced at Cai Jun, and continued: "Although Mr. Cai and I intend to reimburse the court and eradicate the villains, we don't want to end here. Since we have come so far with the help of Brother Su, I am afraid there are still many things to come in the future. Trouble Brother Su."

Lying in the water nest, I wanted him to wet his shoes. This Mei Liusheng really bought side dishes with a weight, and he didn't want to suffer at all.

Su Qinglang snorted softly: "There is a solution, but whether it is a perfect solution remains to be verified. You should start with Xu Jingfei, and don't let him run away, let alone die in prison. Everything, wait for it. I'll meet someone first before talking."

Cai Jun subconsciously asked, "Who?"

I saw Su Qinglang raised a sly smile, stretched out his folding fan and said, "Shangshu of the Household Department, Zhao E."