Two days later, the imperial court invented an edict, announcing Sheng Huai's crimes, eighteen major crimes, the rules are indignant, the government and the opposition are in an uproar, the courtiers have been sparse, demanding severe punishment, Gu Wei was ordered to act as an agent of Yangzhou Assassin History, in three days, more than a dozen Yangzhou officials were impeached, and everyone in Yangzhou was silent.

After catching Sheng Huai, a secret decree came from the palace, asking Liu Han to interrogate Sheng Huai, Liu Han pondered the meaning of the palace, and felt as uncomfortable as swallowing a fly.

In Liu Han's view, if Sheng Huai is captured, the new tax system can be implemented in the whole territory of Yangzhou, and everything now is just cleaning up the battlefield.

Sheng Huai came in with leg cuffs and handcuffs, and Liu Han ordered him to move a stool, let him sit down, and served him a cup of tea.

"Tea is not good, casual. Liu Han's expression was calm, as if a friend was chatting.

Sheng Huai took a shallow sip of the teacup, and after putting down the teacup, he looked at Liu Han with an expressionless face.

"You know the rules in the yamen," Liu Han said and ordered the door on the side to be opened, and a clerk sat in it, and the clerk saw the door open, and quickly stood up, and Liu Han instructed him: "Let's talk, you are responsible for remembering, no need to hide." ”

The clerk nodded hesitantly, and the last time Wei Zhen was interrogated, it was the same, but the records handed in were sorted out.

Sheng Huai was still very calm, just looking at Liu Han with interest.

"Master Shan, let's talk about it today, let's talk casually. Liu Han said with a smile.

Sheng Huai smiled coldly: "What are you talking about? You are the presiding judge, I am a prisoner, what can you talk about?"

"You can talk about anything, you are an official, you have been an official for decades, and I, a new recruit in the officialdom, want to ask the boss how to be an official, how to be a bigger official. Liu Han said.

"Being an official?" Sheng Huai looked at Liu Han mockingly, Liu Han nodded slightly: "Yes, it's to be an official, not to be an official, what am I going to do in the officialdom, I Hanhai Trading Company is doing a good job, I want silver to have silver, I want beautiful women to have beautiful women, why should I run to be this official." ”

Sheng Huai's mood was not high, looking at Liu Han, his expression was playful, but he was a little more interested.

Liu Han nodded heavily, and then sighed: "There are a few points in your case, I have never figured it out, for example, why do you have to refuse the new tax system, don't you know, the determination to implement the new tax system is very firm, you have been in the officialdom for decades, I can see the things clearly, naturally I can't hide it from you, but you still insist on confrontation, why is this?"

"What's so hard to understand about this," Sheng Huai looked indifferent, and said casually: "You are a businessman, of course you don't understand, I am against the new tax system for the sake of the court and the world." ”

"I don't understand this," Liu Han shook his head and said: "The new tax system, I heard Lord Gu say, it is good for the court and the people, why do you want to oppose it?"

Sheng Huai's expression was even more disdainful: "I told you, you can understand?"

"This is not to ask for advice from adults," Liu Han looked respectful, and said with a smile: "Yesterday, I heard Lord Gu say that if the whole country implements a new tax system, the imperial court can increase its annual income by tens of millions of taels every year, so that the world's displaced people can be resettled, if it is really like what he said, this is a good thing!"

"Good thing?!" Sheng Huai sneered again and again, and Liu Han frowned and asked, "Isn't it?"

"This is a policy to bring disaster to the country," Sheng Huai's expression suddenly became stern: " At the beginning of the founding of the country, Taizu swore to share the world with the Shi clan, this is the country's capital, understand, the country's capital, I have been in the Jin Dynasty for 800 years, how many difficulties during the period, are all under the assistance of the Shi clan, work together to cross, turn the danger into a disaster, not to say far away, just say that the first emperor fought against Xianbei, if there is no cooperation of the Shi clan, Qiuyun, Fang Hui, Duan Chang fought in front, where did their food come from, Xianbei people attacked Bohai, Duan Chang 8,000 men and horses guarded Nanpi, but you know, in addition to these 8,000 people, there are many private soldiers and family members of the Shi clan, tell you, 20,000. ”

Liu Han nodded slightly: "This is an answer, but the emperor likes the new tax system, and you oppose it like this, isn't that against the emperor?"

Sheng Huai said lightly: "This world is the world of the people of the world, not just the emperor's world, the emperor is just confused by Pengzhu Zhang Meng." ”

"Confused? I don't think so, there are still people in the court. Liu Han stabbed him shallowly: "I know, you sent a lot of silver to Shang Shuling Pan Lian, Pan Lian is the father of the Queen Mother, he has the protection of the Queen Mother, you have Pan Lian to protect you, the emperor can't help you, right?"

Sheng Huai didn't answer, just smiled faintly, and Liu Han said again: "Lord Gu impeached you for corruption and bribery, and the court has verified it, but it still can't help you, so you have a decision in your heart." ”

Sheng Huai smiled slightly, but did not answer, Liu Han secretly scolded in his heart, the old and cunning guy, however, he also expected such words to impress Sheng Huai and pour out all the words in his heart.

After saying a few more words, Liu Han ordered Sheng Huai to be sent back to the cell, Sheng Huai was stunned, and the clerk got up and brought the recorded confession and asked Sheng Huai to draw a fingerprint.

"Tell the guards that Sheng Huai is to be held in solitary confinement, and remember that there is no need to treat food badly, but no one is allowed to talk to him, and there can be no one in his sights. ”

The order was strictly enforced, and Sheng Huai was locked in a cell, which was quiet, but it was so quiet that there was not even a sound, and no one could see it except for a jailer who brought him food.

Sheng Huai didn't feel anything at first, but two days later, he felt uncomfortable, and he had something to say to the jailer, but the jailer ignored him at all, and he was so anxious that he was in a hurry after three days.

On the fourth day, seeing that it was getting late again, the jailer opened the cell door, Sheng Huai didn't understand, and tentatively came out, there were two more tiger guards in the cell, he understood in his heart, and followed the tiger guards out.

When they got to the room outside, the lantern was bright, and Liu Han sat at the table, where there were a few side dishes and a pot of wine.

Sheng Huai smiled coldly in his heart, it seemed that he still didn't give up, he didn't salute Liu Han, he sat straight up, picked up the wine jug and poured himself wine.

Liu Han didn't speak, the two of you have a cup and I have a cup, drink it, and see the bottom of a pot of wine, Sheng Huai couldn't help it.

"What?

Liu Han shrugged: "It's okay, just invite the seniors to have a glass of wine." ”

"Just drink?" Sheng Huai was slightly stunned, Liu Han nodded, Sheng Huai did not give up: "Aren't you afraid that the court will investigate your dereliction of duty?"

"Dereliction of duty, dereliction of duty?" Liu Han was puzzled and very curious.

"The court asked you to try me, but you can't get the result of the trial, and the court still doesn't punish you?" Sheng Huai's expression was a hint of arrogance, and his tone had the taste of a lesson.

"Oh, this matter," Liu Han suddenly realized, and said with a smile: "Thank you seniors for worrying about me, but it doesn't matter, your matter, there is already evidence, it doesn't matter if you have a confession or not, you don't know, just say that the funeral is not reported, the imperial court let Runan County guard and ... , The county order in your hometown, enter the house to check, so, this matter has been confirmed, and also, your family's account book is enough to prove it, hehe, five taels of silver a mu, Shanda, you do a good job, when, introduce me to it. ”

Sheng Huai put down his wine glass and looked at Liu Han: "According to the imperial court system, there must be a confession in the Qin case, otherwise the chief judge will be held accountable for dereliction of duty." ”

"Dereliction of duty, I am not dereliction of duty," Liu Han shook his head and pointed to the clerk on the side: "Isn't he recording, when the time comes, you sign and draw a pledge and press your handprint, isn't this a confession." ”

Sheng Huai smiled dumbly: "This is also a confession?"

"Then what counts as a confession?" Liu Han asked, "Okay, let me ask you, why didn't you report the funeral?"

Sheng Huai sighed softly, this was a hidden pain in his heart, Liu Han didn't ask, just waited quietly.

"Actually, there's nothing bad to say," Sheng Huai sighed deeply: "When is this time, the implementation of the new tax system is urgent, and Wei Zhen's case affects Yangzhou, can I leave at this time?"

"So you hide your funeral and don't report it," Liu Han shook his head and said regretfully: "I said Lao Sheng, you didn't do this properly, do you think, the old lady died of illness, this paper can't hold the fire, this is going to be leaked, it is a big crime, ruined and ruined, besides, this Yangzhou is not inseparable from you, you are gone, and Wang Ze and them, they are also scholars, or a thousand-year-old family, the power of the Wang family is much greater than your Sheng family, with them, the resistance of this new tax system can only be greater, don't you say?"

Sheng Huai didn't speak, Li Yan in the shadows couldn't help but feel a chill, and Liu Han added another fire: "Besides, it's not that there is a Taishi in the court, and the next assassin will not be the same as blocking the new tax system." ”

Sheng Huai's expression was blank, and Liu Han sighed softly: "I feel that in this matter, you have fallen for someone else." ”

Sheng Huai still didn't speak, but his expression was strange, Liu Han shook his head slightly: "You see that Yangzhou has arrested so many officials this time, but there is no Wang Bo, what do you think is the reason for this?"

Sheng Huai was surprised, and looked up at him, Wang Bo was his cronie, the governor of Yangzhou, who could be called the second person in Yangzhou, and actually survived this time!

What is the reason for this!

Liu Han took a small sip of the wine glass, and noticed that Sheng Huai's hand couldn't help bending and opening up, knowing in his heart that there was a door.

"What the second junior doesn't understand is that the silver copied from your house can't be accounted for, it's not a secret, your housekeeper has been taken down by me, but the accounts don't match, the use of some silver is very strange, and your housekeeper can't say it clearly. ”

"It's very simple, they were all sent to Kyori. Sheng Huai said, and a sneer suddenly appeared at the corner of his mouth: "Actually, even if I tell you, what." ”

Liu Han smiled: "That maybe." ”

Sheng Huai raised his eyes to look at him, his eyes were quite playful, Liu Han's expression was calm, Sheng Huai picked up the wine glass, drank it dry in one gulp, and looked provocative.

"Even if I tell you, do you dare to investigate?"

"Whether you dare to check it or not is my business, whether to say it or not, it is the business of my predecessors. Liu Han smiled slightly, unabashedly hoping to get the news.

Sheng Huai thought for a while: "Over the years I have received more than 1.8 million taels of silver in Yangzhou, I guess how much you copied? About 150,000 taels, right?"

Liu Han was slightly surprised in his heart, this Sheng Huai was very clear about the situation at home, and the silver copied from Sheng Huai's Yangzhou house this time was more than 152,000 taels, just because the number gap was too big, so he had to ask.

"Actually, it's very simple, except that my hometown sent back about 100,000 taels, and the others were sent to Beijing, not to mention anything else, when the first emperor married the current queen mother, I sent 100,000 taels of He Yi, and last year, on the birthday of the queen mother, I sent 80,000 taels of silver. ”

"But this is not enough, only 180,000 taels. Liu Han added.

Sheng Huai smiled, with a hint of disdain in his smile, and that look was like looking at a hillbilly who had never seen the world.

(End of chapter)