"Because he just needs a sum of money to give a gift." Shen Zhao said lightly.

"Gifts? Who to give a gift to? But no matter who he gave a gift to, he did not raise money for himself by increasing the taxes of the people." Sheng Qingyuan said with a frown.

After a pause, Sheng Qingyuan asked, "Is there any substantial evidence for this matter, if the people know about it, see how he collects this tax."

Shen Zhao said with a smile: "There is no need for evidence, as long as this matter is disseminated, the effect can be achieved, and this matter is not made up, but true, so Wang Qinhui can't withstand any investigation."

Sheng Qingyuan understood: "In this way, it is impossible for Wang Qinhui to use this money to give gifts to officials in the capital, and it is best to cancel this decree and give the people a chance to breathe."

"Well, that's it." Shen Zhao nodded and said with a light smile.

"Then let someone arrange it quickly, the sooner this matter comes out, the people can breathe again as soon as possible." Sheng Qingyuan urged.

Seeing Sheng Qingyuan looking so anxious, Shen Zhao smiled and said, "It's already being done, and it won't be long before the people of the entire Qingcheng will be able to know about it."

The people have always dared to be angry, but when the prefect arbitrarily increased their taxes in order to give gifts to the higher officials, the people could no longer bear it.

Some of the more courageous people went directly to the yamen to express their dissatisfaction.

Some people who are not so bold can't help but go along with them after thinking of the days they have spent under such heavy taxes.

With so many people, the remaining part of the timid ones are not so afraid, after all, so many people have already gone, and they are not good to cower at home.

For a time, almost all the people of Qingcheng gathered outside the yamen, and the crowd was surging.

Shen Zhao said to Xuan Yi, "Keep an eye on the situation of the people at all times, don't let them be congested, don't accidentally hurt yourself."

"Yes." Xuan Yi responded and immediately arranged for people to consciously maintain order in the crowd to ensure that there can be a certain distance between people.

The prefect hid behind the yamen and asked his entourage, "How is the front?" Have they dispersed?"

"My lord, they are all outside, and none of them want to leave, so they all ask the adults to give an explanation, and they must pay them all the taxes they have paid." The verdict replied.

"They're just wishful thinking!!" The prefect scolded angrily.

Tongzhi frowned and said, "My lord, I think the most important thing at the moment is to stabilize their emotions and appease the people, otherwise it may lead to serious consequences."

"Do you need to say this? You don't know about me?! Tell me, then, how can I appease them?" The prefect retorted impatiently.

When the same governor was about to speak, the prefect immediately said, "Don't think about using my money to appease them, I took the money, but you are not less."

Tongzhi secretly scolded the prefect in his heart, but he still patiently gave him advice: "My lord, when this decree was first issued, they did not have any opinion, which shows that they are acceptable. Now they are making trouble, mainly because I don't know who has spread the rumor that the adults have temporarily increased taxes for gifts, so the people are naturally not happy."

The prefect snorted heavily, and said dissatisfiedly: "Not happy, not happy, the gifts they bought with their money can finally be delivered to the hands of various adults, this is their great honor, this official gave them this honor, not only do they not know gratitude, but they even have to scold this official, it is simply unreasonable!"

Tongzhi wanted to strangle the superior in front of him who had fallen into the eyes of money.

Things have come to this point, and I'm still thinking about how to make excuses for myself.

With a long sigh, he said to the prefect, "My lord, no matter what the facts are, and no matter where the money ends up, you have to give everyone an open explanation now, even if it's just a word, tell them it's just a rumor."

The general judge also hurriedly nodded and agreed.

"Okay, okay, I see." The prefect waved his hand impatiently and said.

He knows this truth very well in his heart, but he just can't pull off this face.

It's obviously a little thing, and he has to explain it to those insignificant people, but he is the prefect!

In the end, the prefect reluctantly arranged it.

It's just that this time, the prefect thought that he was enough to give these people face, but the people expressed their distrust of his set of rhetoric.

Who knows if it's just here to fool them.

When the prefect heard these replies and questions, he was so angry that he almost vomited a mouthful of blood.

These people are so stupid in their daily lives, why are they suddenly smart now?

"My lord, King Jing and Princess Jing are here." A servant came and said.

The prefect felt that he was already having two big heads at this time, and when he heard that Sheng Qingyuan and Shen Zhao were coming, he had a headache: "What are they doing?"

The official replied, "The prince heard about what happened here, and he came to ask if he needed help?"

The prefect was very irritable: "If they don't come, it's the biggest help!"

The official stood in place, looking at the prefect with a confused expression, and the prefect waved his hand angrily and invited them in.

The official looked at the prefect hesitantly, and saw that the mansion's eyebrows were furrowed: "What else is going on?!"

"No, no, the little ones will please." The official hurriedly said.

After a while, the official returned and said to the prefect, "My lord, the prince and the princess are above the public court at this time, and they say that the place is more spacious, and they want you to go there."

The prefect frowned: "It's all messy, it's good that this official can have this time to see them, and they are so picky."

Although he kept complaining, he still walked to the court.

When he went to the court, he was stunned.

Above the public court, in addition to Sheng Qingyuan and Shen Zhao, there are many people, and there are also many people outside the public hall who are watching.

After the prefect saluted Sheng Qingyuan and Shen Zhao, he asked tentatively, "Lord, princess, is this ......?"

Shen Zhao said lightly: "This king heard that there was a little problem with the tax matter, so this king specially came with the princess to see if there was anything that could be helped, this matter involves the vital interests of the people, so a few people came in to discuss it together, Lord Wang is okay, right?"

The corners of the prefect's mouth twitched.

No problem?

What's the big problem!!

The prefect kept scolding in his heart, but he still had to try to raise a flattering smile on his face, and said, "This is just a small matter, I didn't expect such a trivial matter to bother the prince, which made the lower official's heart really unhappy."

"You don't have to feel sorry for it, you just need to settle this matter for the big guys, and that's it." Sheng Qingyuan said lightly,

The prefect said, "I, I have just told them that what is being spread outside is just a rumor, not true, how can I use the people's money to give myself gifts?"

The prefect put his hand at his side and couldn't help but wipe his clothes.

What the hell, he was obviously just talking to the powerless prince and princess, what did he have to be nervous about.

Sheng Qingyuan took in the prefect's reaction and said lightly, "You just said it so casually, it is naturally difficult for the big guy to convince you."

The prefect gritted his teeth, eager to sew Sheng Qingyuan's mouth up, but it was difficult to show half of his dissatisfaction on his face, and said, "Xia Guan has been the prefect here for so long, what kind of person am I, don't you know everything? Since I said it was a rumor, it was a rumor."

When the people listened, many people couldn't help but roll their eyes widely.

It is precisely because I know what kind of virtue their prefect is, so I am even more reluctant to believe what he says today.

Sheng Qingyuan: Yes

The prefect said, "Lord Wang, you said that the tax you added was all for digging ditches and dams?"

"Yes, isn't that what the princess said? The lower officials are also fulfilling the princess's wishes." The prefect said with a smile.

This sentence undoubtedly threw the pot on Sheng Qingyuan's head in front of so many people.

Sheng Qingyuan chuckled.

If you want to dump the pot for her, it depends on whether she is willing to accept it.

Sheng Qingyuan raised his hand, and Xuan Yu immediately sent an account book to Sheng Qingyuan's hand.

Sheng Qingyuan looked at the prefect and said, "Lord Wang, I have clearly understood the tax situation of Qingcheng over the years, and I have already calculated the corresponding amount very clearly."

The prefect looked at the account book in Sheng Qingyuan's hand, listened to what she said, and was stunned for a moment.

At the same time, I also felt a little panicked in my heart.

What does she mean by that?

Sheng Qingyuan continued, "According to the calculations, under the condition that none of you embezzled the people's money, there should be so many silver taels left in your yamen now."

As the words fell, Sheng Qingyuan opened the first page of the account book, and the remaining silver taels were written very clearly on it.

Looking at this number, the prefect suddenly felt that he was not very good.

He didn't know that there was still so much money in the yamen?

"This... This...... Princess, the daily maintenance of this yamen, and some of the money spent on the people, are not recorded." The prefect tried to quibble.

Sheng Qingyuan directly put the account book in front of the prefect: "I have also included these expenses, if Lord Wang thinks that there is still that money that you spent on the people, but it is not written on it, you can just mention it."

The prefect slowly flipped through the account book of Sheng Qingyuan.

When he saw the above content, the prefect's heart couldn't help but rise.

Didn't King Jing and Princess Jing just come to the capital for a long time? Your Majesty doesn't dislike them, and is he deliberately trying to snub them?

It stands to reason that such a prince can only be a rich man at most.

However, he was able to find out all his information in such a short period of time.

This, this is not something that a powerless prince can do.

Seeing that the prefect was gradually turning white, Shen Zhao sneered in his heart, and asked the prefect in an indifferent voice, "Lord Wang, can you find anything missing?"

"Xiaguan, Xiaguan............" The prefect racked his brains to make up some names.

However, if it is made up temporarily, this group of ant people is estimated to not cooperate, and if it is directly debunked in person, the situation will only be worse than now.

"Since Lord Wang didn't find out that there are still good deeds you did that have not been recorded, it can show the authenticity of the silver taels that should have been left. According to what is left on the books, Lord Wang does not need to collect any more taxes, and the rest is more than enough."

After a pause, Sheng Qingyuan continued, "Since the new round of taxation initiated by Lord Wang is for the purpose of digging ditches and dams, then, according to the current situation, Lord Wang can also cancel this decree."