Chapter 449 Shameless person

Again.

Compared with life and future, face is nothing.

Since you have to kneel, then kneel completely.

When Yang Zongqi, the governor in charge of the important task of grain storage in Jiangnan, knelt down in front of Yan Shaoting.

When Yan Shaoting was still shocked that the opponent had already knelt down before he actually made a move,

Yang Zongqi had already taken out a thin booklet from his sleeve.

If you remove the thick cover, there isn't much paper left inside that can actually record text.

Yang Zongqi looked at the book with deep eyes, then sighed and held it high with both hands.

"This is a detailed account of my dealings with various government offices in the city and local government offices in Jiangnan since I took office in Nanjing. Please review it personally, Lord Yan."

"I know that I have committed serious sins, and I am not an official for the common people. Because I am concerned about my own safety, I have had many confrontations with Lord Yan. But I also know that Lord Yan's trip to the south of the Yangtze River was all for the common people..."

Yang Zongqi's tone was a bit dead and lost.

He continued in a low voice, "I originally thought that the Yan family was still the same Yan family, but Lord Yan's trip to Jiangnan has made me dazed until now, and I know that I am loyal and good. I am not surrendering today, nor do I want to redeem myself for meritorious service. I know that I have committed a crime and I am afraid that I will not be able to survive, but I still want to ask Lord Yan, don't let my family suffer. I can die, but I hope that Lord Yan can forgive my family for this thing."

Yang Zongqi seemed to have seen his own ending clearly.

Even after he said this, his expression suddenly changed, full of calmness.

Yang Zongqi laughed at himself and shook his head: "Lord Xiao Yan, don't worry. I know that what you have done recently is to clear the land and return it to the people. It is for the sake of our Ming Dynasty. I have also written to my family and relatives. This time, I will return all the land in my family to the people. I only ask... I only ask Lord Xiao Yan to forgive those people who are ignorant and greedy because of my official position..."

Finally, after finishing all the words.

Yang Zongqi prostrated himself on the ground with his hands on the ground, still holding the book.

Yan Shaoting narrowed his eyes.

Faced with Yang Zongqi's drastic change, although he was shocked, he also had to sigh that this world is not the only one that is sober while everyone else is drunk.

In your own plan.

The original intention was to use Yang Zongqi's life to intimidate Jiangnan.

Then the Yang family, who also oppressed and exploited the people, would naturally also be charged with the crime of implicated.

But Yang Zongqi is very smart.

Knowing the seriousness of what he had done, he was now willing to sacrifice his life, this book, and the complete evacuation of the Yang family's land in exchange for the safety of his family.

He also sighed softly.

Liu Wan walked in from outside, took the book in Yang Zongqi's hand, and handed it to Yan Shaoting.

Open this book.

There were no piles of accounts and evidence that had to be packed up in boxes when the officials and rebels were confiscated as imagined.

You know it if you think about it.

Real evidence of a crime might not be so inconvenient to hide and carry with you.

It was clearly recorded in the notebook that Yang Zongqi took out.

The people who travelled, when and where, and how much money and grain they received.

Such content can usually be recorded by one person in just one or two lines.

Even if an official is guilty of corruption, he cannot embezzle money and bribe people every day.

After finishing reading the entire book, Yan Shaoting put it into his sleeve and then sighed softly.

Although the book only contained cold records of names and numbers, the content was extremely interesting. Almost all the important officials in Nanjing and Jiangnan were clearly recorded.

Just from this one booklet, we can get a glimpse of the extent of corruption and secret collusion among officials in Jiangnan during the Ming Dynasty.

Almost no one is spared!
Yang Zongqi felt relieved when he saw Yan Shaoting put away the evidence.

Sacrificing himself to protect his family is the only thing he can do now.

But those people don’t have an easy time!

Yang Zongqi spoke cautiously: "I know that for the sake of peace in Jiangnan and stability in the court, Lord Yan will not arrest all the people on this list. But as a dying man, I have a few words of advice."

Yan Shaoting's eyes dropped to Yang Zongqi who was crawling on the ground, and he smiled coldly.

"Governor Yang, are you going to ask me to pick out the people on this list who have committed the most serious crimes and punish them severely?"

Yang Zongqi nodded: "Little Lord Yan has a keen eye. I mean, killing me is not enough to shock Jiangnan. Jiangnan is like this, Nanjing is like this, and it is not my fault alone. Killing Yang Zongqi will really make Little Lord Yan walk freely in Jiangnan? Little do you know that even during the reign of Emperor Taizu, there were four major cases that spread throughout the court and the country."

Yan Shaoting's eyes flickered as he looked at Yang Zongqi dimly: "How does Governor Yang want me to deal with you now?"

Yang Zongqi raised his head and slowly looked at Yan Shaoting who was standing in front of him and looking down at him.

A smile appeared on his face.

"I have been executed. The young Lord Yan is inspecting Jiangnan on behalf of the emperor. How I shall be dealt with shall be decided by the young Lord Yan. I dare not make any further comments."

Yan Shaoting was silent for a moment and chuckled softly.

"Liu Wan, please ask Governor Yang to temporarily live in the West Garden. We need to arrange a quiet and exquisite courtyard for him and make sure he is well taken care of."

Liu Wan, who had retreated to the door, immediately stepped inside, bowed and clasped his fists to receive the order.

however.

Yan Shaoting said with a half-smile, "Tell the public that Governor Yang is drunk and wants to stay overnight in the West Garden. When he wakes up, he will join me in checking the land and population of the six provinces in the south of the Yangtze River."

This statement came out.

Yang Zongqi, who was lowering his head, suddenly changed his expression.

But before he could think any more, Yang Zongqi had already called a few people in from outside and asked him to leave.

Not long after.

Zhang Juzheng had heard the news and came here. He wanted to inquire in detail about what Yang Zongqi wanted to do today, but Yan Shaoting did not explain immediately. Instead, he took him to see Zhao Zhenji.

The three of them were sitting in the front hall in a blink of an eye.

The kitchen was preparing the meal, and the three of them started drinking tea.

Most of the time, it was Yan Shaoting who explained the reason for Yang Zongqi's sudden arrival today, and Zhang Juzheng and Zhao Zhenji frowned from time to time.

After a long time.

After explaining everything, Yan Shaoting looked at the two of them with a smile in his eyes.

Zhang Juzheng frowned, with tears forming between his eyebrows.

He glanced at Yan Shaoting, then sideways at Zhao Zhenji, who looked calm and composed but made him feel that he was thinking of something.

"This Yang Zongqi is so calculating!"

"I think this Nanjing Grain Reserve Governor, who was said to be the most impatient and hot-tempered person in the past, is the smartest person in Nanjing."

Zhang Juzheng was muttering to himself, but he was always keeping an eye on Zhao Zhenji's every move.

Yan Shaoting nodded and looked at Zhao’s non-stick pan.

Facing the gazes of the two, even Zhao Zhenji had to look ashamed. "Since I took office as the governor of Jiangnan, although I have not made the people rich, I have also cracked down on the powerful and treated the common people leniently. However, in the officialdom, it is inevitable to interact with others. Although I have refused in the past, I have no choice but to accept some of the gifts from them."

Zhao Zhenji looked at the booklet sent by Yang Zongqi which was placed on the table between the three of them.

Among the countless names recorded above, there is one that belongs to him.

Yan Shaoting smiled and shook his head: "In the officialdom, people have always been incorruptible. I know this very well. Zhao Butang was an official in Jiangnan, and he only accepted four sums of money and goods, which added up to less than three thousand taels. He is already a rare example of being honest."

Zhang Juzheng also nodded in agreement.

This is not sarcasm, but real praise.

If we had known earlier that Zhao Zhenji had such status and official position, he would have served as the governor of Yingtian in Jiangnan since the 40th year of Jiajing, and now he is the governor-general of Zhejiang and the governor of Zhejiang.

But on this book, his name was ranked far back, and he only had less than three thousand taels of silver. This was truly a case of being honest.

Otherwise, given Zhao Zhenji's official position and status, it would be reasonable to add two zeros at the end of this number.

Zhao Zhenji was already ashamed, his face flushed a little: "After all, I have never been a perfect person..."

After self-criticism.

Zhao Zhenji then said in a deep voice: "But Yang Zongqi's actions today have disrupted the situation that Runwu had already set up. I'm afraid we have to make some adjustments now."

Yan Shaoting nodded.

This is also the reason why he was not excited after Yang Zongqi handed over the evidence.

Zhang Juzheng was even more direct.

"What he did was like stuffing a fly into our mouths!"

Yan Shaoting's face looked solemn.

The original plan was to use Yang Zongqi as the chicken to scare the monkeys.

but now……

Zhang Juzheng snorted coldly: "Now that he has taken out these things and forced you to imprison him in the West Garden, he has also pushed us against everyone in the city!"

Yan Shaoting forced an ugly smile on his face: "He did this to protect his family, and then dragged other people in the city into the water, trying to use us as a knife to kill people for him!"

……

"Jie Jie Jie..."

From the bright room came a sinister and smug laugh.

Yang Zongqi, the Nanjing Grain Reserve Governor and Minister who was imprisoned in the West Garden, leaned against the wall and stared at the branches outside the opposite window, his face full of pride and joy.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and he muttered in a low voice: "You can kill me, but you, Yan Shaoting, must also be my knife for once, to kill other people in the city, and finally be known as a cruel official!"

"If you don't kill me, if you pretend not to know, then you are a liar, a hypocrite, what's the difference between you and me?"

"But I didn't hide my whereabouts when I came to West Garden. They naturally knew about it and must understand what I did. Even if you do nothing, they will become panicked and you have to take action!"

Muttering and muttering.

Yang Zongqi burst into laughter.

"Yan Shaoting! Yan Shaoting!"

"Even if I die in this round, I still win!"

"Hahaha……"

A loud laugh came from the house, startling the birds in the woods outside, which flapped their wings and fled away.

……

Hubu Yamen.

The Right Vice Minister Xu Yangzheng had a solemn expression on his face as he hurried back from outside in a disorderly manner, then he walked straight into the Shangshu's residence.

"Budo!"

"Brother Xi Yu..."

Xu Yangzheng clasped his fists and bowed to meet the Minister Zhang Shunchen, then frowned and glanced at the Left Vice Minister Zhang Xun who was sitting next to him.

Zhang Shunchen put down the documents in his hands, looked up at Xu Yangzheng, and smiled: "What happened to Ji Fu that makes him look so unhappy?"

Xu Yangzheng didn't have time to calm down, he clasped his hands and explained: "To the minister, something has happened outside, something bad has happened. Yang Zongqi from the Governor's Grain Storage Office suddenly went to the West Garden today and has not come out until now. This humble official feels that..."

Zhang Shunchen's brows suddenly tightened.

He didn't know about Yang Zongqi's affairs, but he knew that today was also the day when Zhejiang Governor Zhao Zhenji entered the city and went to the West Garden.

Zhang Shunchen immediately asked, "What do you think?"

Xu Yangzheng's eyes were gloomy. "I think Yang Zongqi might have brought something to give to Yan Shaoting in the hope that he would be given a lighter sentence. But if that's the case, Yang Zongqi must have sold us to Yan Shaoting! Originally, Yan Shaoting didn't have any evidence, so he couldn't do anything. But now that we have what Yang Zongqi gave us, no matter what he wants to do, we can only accept it, or even... even plead guilty!"

The right assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue looked anxious and uneasy.

He never thought that Yang Zongqi, who was the most dissatisfied with Yan Shaoting in Nanjing and was most determined to fight Yan Shaoting to the end, would give in so easily.

The change happened too fast.

So much so that he still hasn't reacted, let alone thought of what to do now.

Although there is no news coming out from West Garden yet.

But Yang Zongqi has been in prison for so long. Apart from confessing his guilt and providing evidence, could he have gone to Yan Shaoting to drink and play with women?

Zhang Shunchen also frowned, glanced at Zhang Xun beside him, and then asked: "When did you receive the news? What are the reactions from other places?"

As soon as he finished speaking.

There was a burst of dense footsteps coming from the government office.

First, the Minister of Personnel Wang Yongbao and the Minister of Rites Yin Tai entered side by side. Then came the Minister of War Hu Song, the Minister of Works Lin Tingji, and the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Procuratorate Sun Zhi. After that came the officials of various government offices, all of whom had serious expressions, obviously having known that Yang Zongqi had entered the West Garden.

The front one.

After the Minister of Rites Yin Tai walked into the government office, before he even found a chair to sit down, he shouted with a sullen face: "Rebellion! Rebellion! It's really a rebellion! This Yang Zongqi used to be corrupt and committed many illegal acts in Jiangnan, and even indulged his family members to bully the people. Now he is colluding with Yan Shaoting. Now that he has Yan Shaoting, who holds the power in Jiangnan, as his support, I am afraid that Yang Zongqi will be even more lawless and make the people of Jiangnan live in misery!"

Minister of War Hu Song followed closely behind: "In the past, I have often heard that the Yan family is powerful in the court. Now, these three generations have been ordered by the emperor to go south, but they didn't expect that they would collude with treacherous people like Yang Zongqi before they even finish their mission. We are paid by the court, so we must not sit idly by and do nothing. We must submit a letter to the court as soon as possible to punish Yang Zongqi and request the court to recall Yan Shaoting to the capital to report on his work and question him!"

Minister of Works Lin Tingji and the officials from various departments present also nodded repeatedly.

"We all agree that this matter cannot be ignored."

At last.

Even Wang Yongbao, the Nanjing Minister of Personnel, looked at Zhang Shunchen with a frown and forced a helpless smile on his face.

"Mr. Zhang, we all know how treacherous Yang Zongqi is. Now that Young Lord Yan is young and full of vigor, I'm afraid he has been deceived and fooled by a treacherous villain like Yang Zongqi."

"We are stationed in the south, and now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to intervene."

"After all, Lord Yan is deeply favored by the Emperor. As senior officials, we cannot sit idly by and watch him go astray!"

…………

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(End of this chapter)