Wang Shichong said: "It's true, the main palaces such as the Taiji Hall and the Liangyi Hall have been completed, and only some of the garden courtyards of the harem are still under construction, and within a month, they will be completed." ”

Yang Guang shook his head and said with a smile: "I can't imagine that Zhang Heng has been advising me to cherish the people's power and not to build a lot of construction or anything, but when he built the palace by himself, he tried his best than others, Luoyang's palace was built for a year and a half, and his Jiangdu palace was almost completed in less than a year. ”

Wang Shichong nodded: "Yes, although Weichen only stayed at the construction site for a day or two, I also saw that many of the supervisors recruited by Zhang Heng were the sergeants when Uncle Ma was planning to open the river, one by one, like wolves and tigers, and the migrant workers moved a little slower, and immediately a leather whip slashed their heads and faces, even for those who fell to the ground, they were punched and kicked, and those who couldn't get up were thrown directly into the corpse pile." Relying on this harsh method, the construction period can be reduced to such a short time, and the quality and magnificence of the project are even better than the palace in Luoyang, the eastern capital. ”

Yang Guang nodded, hooked the corners of his mouth, stroked his chest and long hair, and said: "This Zhang Heng is really careful, he also wants to use this way to please me and return to the court as soon as possible." Wang Aiqing, you said that since this Zhang Heng is willing to be loyal to me in this way, can he be open to him? ”

A look of disapproval flashed on Wang Shichong's face, and he shook his head in an instant: "Your Majesty." This is a big picture. He is willing to suppress his true heart. Abandoning one's principles to please and curry favor with His Majesty is nothing more than an attempt to regain power. ”

"He is different from Yu Shiji and Pei Yun, those people have no foundation and cannot form a force, but this Zhang Heng is a wealthy family in Guanzhong for generations, although he is a civil official. But he is also a member of the Guanlong Group, if he is allowed to come back this time, it is inevitable that he will form a party for personal gain, connect with civil officials and military generals, and form powerful ministers like Gao Ying and Yang Su, when His Majesty wants to move him, it will not be so easy, and I hope Your Majesty can see this! ”

Yang Guang nodded and sighed again: "Originally, I wanted you to report some evidence of Zhang Heng's crimes this time. I also justifiably removed his official position and completely made him lose power. It no longer poses a threat, but the news you brought back this time makes it impossible for me to remove him from his official position, you must know that those former ministers from the dragon are also staring at Zhang Heng, if I punish him for no reason, I will lose people's hearts. ”

The corners of Wang Shichong's mouth hooked up a sly smile: "Your Majesty, although Zhang Heng did not rebel and conspire in tandem, but in the process of building the palace this time, he wantonly embezzled money and took bribes, these are all sure things, with this, although it will kill him, it is enough to remove him from his official position!" ”

Yang Guang's face changed slightly: "Oh, there is such a thing? Zhang Heng is not short of money, can he be guilty of this? ”

Wang Shichong said with a smile: "Your Majesty, money is a good thing, no one will be too much, besides, Zhang Heng used to be empty-eyed, and he didn't make much friends with other officials and families, so the last time he was dismissed, no one spoke for him, that is, General Yuwen and General Guo, who followed him from Long, pleaded for mercy, so this person also learned a lesson, and this time he wanted to come back and pull a relationship in Guan Long's family, walk, pull a large group of people, and form a party, thinking that in this way he could blackmail the Supreme, and he didn't dare to touch him." ”

"It's just that this kind of ganging up and ganging up requires a lot of money, although Zhang Heng used to be rich, but it was only limited to his own field industry, and he wanted to make friends up and down, and make friends everywhere, just relying on the money in his hand was not enough, so he put the idea on the project money that His Majesty gave him to repair the palace!"

Yang Guang's face became more and more gloomy with Wang Shichong's words, and he said hatefully: "Wang Aiqing, do you have any specific evidence?" How did he embezzle the money for the project? I remember that when the Ministry of Civil Affairs allocated him an appropriation, the sum of money was calculated very carefully, and it was completely according to the construction cost of Luoyang, the eastern capital, how could he be corrupt? ”

Wang Shichong sighed: "Your Majesty, maybe you are a wise man with a thousand tigers, and Lord Fan Zi Gaifan, the secretary of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, has not been through business, and he doesn't know the joints, the construction project of Luoyang, the eastern capital, and more than half of the money is used to purchase those rare and exotic stones in the south of the Yangtze River." ”

"Your Majesty likes the architecture of the Jiangnan style, so the Dongdu Palace purchased a large number of these Jiangnan villages and stones, at that time the Tongji Canal and the Jiangnan Canal were not dug up, those strange stones and trees, to be transported from the deep mountains and old forests in the south of the Yangtze River from the land, to the Yangtze River after the river, and then transported from the land to Luoyang, along the way on the road to the thousands of miles, of course, the cost is huge, more than half of the money is used on the road."

Yang Guang suddenly realized and nodded: "What you mean, Jiangdu is very close to Jiangnan, and the Jiangnan Canal has been dug again, so the freight of various stone and timber in the south has been greatly reduced, and there is no need for the project of Luoyang Palace, right?" ”

Wang Shichong smiled slightly: "Your Majesty Shengming." Exactly. Therefore, the project funds on both sides are almost the same, but the cost of Jiangdu is actually much less than that of Luoyang, and this money naturally falls into Zhang Heng's pocket! ”

Yang Guang gritted his teeth and said, "Wang Aiqing, have you ever calculated how much money the old thief embezzled me?" ”

Wang Shichong nodded and said: "The specific number has not been fully calculated, but according to Weichen's preliminary estimates, the entire project cost 10 million yuan, and Zhang Heng alone embezzled at least 3 million yuan, of course, he also has to pay up and down the money, buy all kinds of relationships, and fall into his own hands, at least 1 million money, Weichen's entire industry now adds up, less than half of him, and now he should be the richest man in the world!" ”

Yang Guang's eyes flashed with murder, and he said angrily: "Okay, great, I asked him to build a palace, but this thief embezzled my money, I want to find Yushi to impeach him, punish him, and kill him!" ”

Wang Shichong hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, by all means. This kind of thing can't kill him! ”

Yang Guang was slightly stunned: "Why?" Zhang Heng embezzled such a huge amount of money, wasn't it enough to punish him? There are also relevant punishment regulations in the Kaihuang Law! (To be continued......)