The System Forces Me to Be the Emperor

It's another day.

In the early morning, Yang Feiyuan, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, finally reported to His Majesty the statistical results of all granaries across the country, a total of 4.29656 billion shi. What is in charge is still the local granary, and the results of all statistics are obtained.

After getting this result, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty talked a lot at first, and heard a lot at first, but then they fell silent, and all the civil and military officials remained silent, because His Majesty's face was expressionless and there was no joy to speak of.

This shows that His Majesty is not happy, and if His Majesty is not happy, all officials will be afraid.

Xiao Rui glanced at Yang Feiyuan who was standing in the hall, sneered in his heart, exchanged glances with Li Mingchong next to him, and immediately sat upright.

Emperor Xia made great efforts to govern the country. In the middle ten years of governing the country, he rectified the administration of officials, land reform, etc., and the weather was beautiful. There were no major natural disasters in the country, so the people had a bumper harvest every year.

As the saying goes, if you have grain at home, you don’t panic. When the grain harvest is abundant, His Majesty will naturally order to stockpile grain for emergencies. Therefore, all states and counties have built four major local grain storage warehouses, and the central household department is naturally the same.

Therefore, according to Emperor Xia's estimation, the grain reserves of Daxia would be enough for the people of Daxia to consume for ten years! This is the foundation of the country!

But now, the figures reported by the Ministry of Household Affairs are not enough for ten years, at most six years!

The population of Daxia is 116.63 million. If slaves, refugees, newborn babies, etc. are added, it is estimated that the actual number is more than 200 million, which can be calculated quickly if it is enough to feed for several years.

For a long time, Emperor Xia hadn't set his sights on grain storage. After all, it was for the purpose of storage, and it would not be used at all in the event of a catastrophe. But this is the basis for ensuring the country’s destiny. Once a long-term and large-scale disaster really occurs, the unfavorable consequences of fleeting years will be large-scale production cuts or even no crops, or large-scale wars, which may cause cliff-like disasters. Food is the magic needle for stabilizing the country.

It's just that I didn't expect that Emperor Xia's lack of attention would actually lead to corruption and bribery inside!

According to the statement submitted by the Ministry of Accounts, the major grain storages under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Accounts are acceptable, and the actual quantity counted is consistent with the accounts. However, there are very few granaries in prefectures and counties, and there are discrepancies between the accounts and the actual grain storage.

For example, there are only more than 1.8 million stored grains in the granary of Yangzhou Mansion. You must know that Yangzhou Mansion belongs to the top ten Shangshang Mansions among the more than 300 mansions in Daxia. What about the grain stored in the granary?

This is true for one Yangzhou prefecture, ten or a hundred prefectural prefectures, and the shortage of grain reserves has gathered into an astonishing number.

Moreover, the condition of these stored grains is not yet known. Many local officials will mix old beams that have rotted over the years, even chaff, and stones, and then collaborate with the inspectors from the Ministry of Households and the Metropolitan Procuratorate to open up Close one eye. The same is true for the local officials at the next level, so there are many ways in it.

"Yang Aiqing, is this the result of the Ministry of Households managing for me?" Emperor Xia's voice suddenly increased, and he shouted loudly.

Yang Feiyuan knelt on the ground immediately, and said respectfully: "I am guilty, please punish me!"

Emperor Xia said coldly: "You are the Secretary of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Your fault lies in not being aware of the people you employ. It is not up to you to manage all the state government officials and granaries in Daxia. Where is the Censor of Zuodu?"

Du Shaonian immediately stepped forward: "My minister is here!"

Emperor Xia continued: "According to the list provided by the Ministry of Households, conduct a thorough investigation! No mercy! Anyone who eats it will spit it out! Dongchang and Jinyiwei fully cooperate with the Metropolitan Procuratorate! No mercy!"

"The humble minister leads the decree!" Du Shaonian responded.

His Majesty was furious, Daxia seemed to hide a lot of moths under the clean court, now let Dongchang and Jinyiwei cooperate with the investigation of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, those corrupt officials are enough to drink a pot.

Then all the officials retreated.

On the way back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Xia suddenly asked with a smile, "Do you know why I know that there is something tricky about the grain storage, but I haven't checked it for so long?"

Xiao Rui thought for a while and said, "Father wants to take advantage of the grain storage to rectify the administration of officials?"

Emperor Xia laughed and said: "This is one of the aspects! There are no longer a few officials in the world who secretly embezzle food reserves. I am the emperor of Daxia. How can I have so much energy to urge the Metropolitan Procuratorate to investigate corrupt officials? If so, then don't Investigation. Now the time is right, taking advantage of Yasukuni’s deterrence to make a decision, just to rectify the administration of officials. On the other hand, in order to make up for the grain reserves, corrupt officials must try their best to make up for the deficit, and the fastest way is to buy from merchants. Seeing the rise in food prices, we will definitely sell the food in our hands. This price increase is due to the pursuit of corrupt officials, not other reasons, so it will not last for a long time, will not cause food prices to continue to be too high, and will not cause large-scale businesses Storing food..."

Xiao Rui's eyes lit up, and he immediately understood His Majesty's plan.

In order to make up for the vacancy of the granary and reduce the crime, the fastest way for corrupt officials to make up for the vacancy of the granary is to replenish the missing grain. Corrupt officials have to exchange the silver they earned from embezzling grain into grain and return it to the court. Merchants can't afford it without profit. They sell the grain in their hands to corrupt officials and exchange it for silver. Merchants who have money promote the development of other businesses.

It is also because this incident was caused by the investigation of corrupt officials, not a natural disaster, nor a war, so it will not cause bad behavior of large-scale storage of grain in the market, and the interests of the people will be guaranteed.

By the way, it can also rectify the administration of officials. The pool of water in the officialdom has never been clear water, and the water can never be cleared, so it is the best way to come to rectify activities for a period of time.

"How's the progress of the matter I asked you to investigate?" Xia Huang asked.

Xiao Rui knew that His Majesty was referring to Yang Feiyuan.

Xiao Rui said: "Reporting to Father, I haven't started to investigate carefully yet."

Emperor Xia nodded and said: "We need to find a few big fish to rectify the administration of officials, so as to form a deterrent so that we can reap a lot of rewards."

"I understand." Xiao Rui smiled. From the beginning, it was not Xiao Rui who wanted to punish Yang Feiyuan, but His Majesty.

After lunch, Xiao Rui went to the Metropolitan Procuratorate.

After hearing the news, Du Shaonian came out of the government office to greet him, and respectfully invited Xiao Rui to move to the teahouse.

"Lord Du, His Majesty entrusted you with the heavy responsibility of rectifying the administration of officials, and even let Dongchang and Jin Yiwei fully admire you. It shows His Majesty's trust in you. Which state is Du Shaolin going to start with?" Xiao Rui asked.

When Du Shaonian heard the words "rectify the administration of officials", he was determined. Early in the morning, Du Shaonian suspected that His Majesty was going to start a new round of rectification of officials. The inventory of the granary was just the beginning. Now Xiao Rui said straight to the point, not only reassuring him, but also knowing what he should do.

"Your Highness, this subordinate wants to start from Chang'an and check the tricks there, what does Your Highness think?" Du Shaonian replied.

Xiao Rui smiled immediately, nodded and said: "Chang'an is good, the Xijing warehouse is in Chang'an, maybe we can use the Xijing warehouse as a breakthrough to find out some big problems. Your Majesty said that this time the rectification of officials will have to catch a few big fish , I don’t know who the big fish is in the first place! It shouldn’t be Master Du!”

Du Shaonian hurriedly waved his hands and shook his head, and said: "Your Highness must be joking. Since I have served as the Zuodu Censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, I have always kept the mission of the Metropolitan Procuratorate in mind. Don't form cliques for private interests, the officials are loyal to the imperial court, to His Majesty, and to His Highness, the sun and the moon can show it!"

Xiao Rui laughed and said, "Big Xia needs an upright official like Mr. Du. By the way, where did Mr. Yang invite Du Shaonian to eat?"

Du Shaonian replied: "Reporting to Your Highness, the meal was served at Tianxiang Building! It is all delicacies from mountains and seas, such as bear's paw, velvet antler, snow lotus, and ginseng. After a rough calculation, the meal cost a hundred and ten taels. To tell you the truth, Your Majesty, I have never eaten such a rich delicacy, and now I think about it, I will never forget it."

"Master Yang is really generous. As the saying goes, people are soft-spoken. What is the purpose of Master Yang's meal, and what help do you need from Master Du?" Xiao Rui asked.

Unexpectedly, Du Shaonian chuckled and said, "Your Highness, Lord Yang didn't say it explicitly, he just said that he misses his family in Xijing, and his greatest wish is for the family's well-being."

Yang Feiyuan didn't say it directly. In his opinion, Du Shaonian is a smart person who has already discovered the problem of Xijing warehouse. If he hosted a banquet for him this time, Du Shaonian must know how to measure and turn a blind eye. It is a thankless task to offend a cabinet scholar and household secretary, what would Du Shaonian do?

"Then what did Lord Du say?" Xiao Rui asked.

Du Shaonian laughed and said: "The lower officials only focus on eating, don't listen to the things around them, just nod their heads, completely forget what Master Yang said, I'm really ashamed, Master Yang wouldn't say anything It's a big deal."

It really is a little fox, second only to Li Mingchong's existence. This time Yang Feiyuan not only lost a meal, but also proved that the problem of Xijing warehouse is inseparable from the Yang family!

"Master Du chose to start the investigation in Chang'an. I think it is very suitable. It just so happens that I have some important information at hand, and I will order someone to send it to you." Xiao Rui said.

Du Shaonian got up, cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty understands, please rest assured, Your Majesty and Your Highness, I will definitely handle things beautifully."

Xiao Rui nodded, and then left without staying in the Metropolitan Procuratorate for a long time.

After walking around Zhan Shi's mansion, Zhang Liang and Xiao He were packing their bags and were ready to leave in two days.

Today's Zhang Liang is famous in the capital, and he jumped to the position of Anxi Jiedu Envoy in less than a year. What a great reward it is to have such an honor, and it is also because His Majesty can hold the court, and Anxi Jiedu Even if it is a newly established official, it is also under the jurisdiction of fourteen prefectures, and there is no division of the original cake, so although the Minister of the Ministry of Officials shouted a few words, he was frightened by His Majesty's eyes and shut up.

Everyone believed that Zhang Liang's achievements were not due to his own talents, but because he chose the right people to follow!

Following the crown prince is the only way to achieve the current achievement. His Majesty's trust and love for the crown prince really makes the crown prince of the enemy country jealous!

And the result is that the recruiting hall established by Xiao Rui is overcrowded, and countless people want to follow Xiao Rui, hoping to reach the sky in one step, so as to make a fortune.

Nowadays, following His Highness the Crown Prince has become a way to enter the official career faster than the imperial examination. Fortunately, Xiao Rui lives in the East Palace, otherwise there would be as many invitations as snowflakes in the mansion.