I, Liu Bian, the hero

Chapter 32
"It's in vain that I trusted my father and mother so much in the past, and defended them repeatedly when the courtiers impeached me. I never thought..."

In the hall of Chongde, Emperor Ling looked at Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and Guo Sheng who were kneeling in front of him in horror and anger, and was shocked that the three of them could donate a total of 8000 million yuan.

How many official positions does he need to sell to earn such a huge amount of money?

However, Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and Guo Sheng managed to amass such an astonishing amount of wealth without telling him, which made Lingdi think of the various impeachments against Zhang Rang and others by the court ministers.

At this time, Liu Bian was also there. He was invited by Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and Guo Sheng to intercede on his behalf. Seeing that Emperor Ling was angry, he persuaded him: "Father, please calm down. I have heard that the most exciting thing in the world , are nothing more than beauties, wine, food, jewels and wealth. To put it bluntly, the middle officials in the palace are all physically handicapped people who have lost the ability to be happy with women and pass on their heirs. When mourning, they can only use other things to divert their sorrows Therefore, most of them like wine and money. Zhang Changshi, Zhao Changshi, and Guo Changshi are a little bit too much in love of money, but their loyalty to their father is beyond reproach. The military expenses for countering the rebellion are exhausting, and I voluntarily donate my savings so far, and sell the land of my hometown..."

He is not against pleading for Zhang Rang and others, even in his opinion, Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and others must not have an accident for the time being, otherwise his influence in the palace will be greatly reduced.

After Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and Guo Sheng heard Liu Bian's intercession for them, they completely dispelled their doubts about this Marquis Shi. They knelt and hugged Emperor Ling's leg, weeping bitterly, begging for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, The old officials and others used to be greedy for money, but as Shi Hou said, the officials have always been loyal to His Majesty..."

Guo Sheng used Liu Bian's intercession as an excuse, sitting on the ground and crying: "As Shi Hou said, people with physical disabilities such as ministers are ashamed of their ancestors, and only yellow and white things are left... ..."

Seeing the three of them crying bitterly, Emperor Ling really softened his heart, hesitated for a while and reprimanded: "Get up! You're already old, what's the point of crying?"

Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and Guo Sheng were secretly happy when they heard the words, but on the surface they still pretended to be fearful and uneasy.

After a long time, Emperor Ling questioned Zhang Rang and the others: "Tell me the truth, how many bribes have you accepted all these years?!"

"That's all." Zhang Rang said with a bitter face: "In order to make up the [-] million yuan, the old minister has to ask the prison slave to sell the mansion and land in his hometown..."

Zhao Zhong and Guo Sheng also nodded repeatedly.

From the side, Liu Bian did not speak.

Although he also knew that Zhang Rang and the others must have exaggerated, but with so much money, the three of them must have lost their money. It can be seen how obsessed they are with the matter of Fenghou, just because he made a point, Don't hesitate to risk most of your savings to gamble.

But yes, this is their only chance to be a marquis. After all, the Han Dynasty basically does not confer eunuchs as marquises. The former relative Dou Xian even made it clear that eunuchs are not allowed to be marquises. The road was completely blocked, and the only exception was Cai Lun, who invented the "Caihou paper". Although he was eventually questioned by Emperor Han'an for committing a crime, he committed suicide by drinking poisonous alcohol because of his shame, and the fief was also abolished. However, the title of "Longting Hou" is still retained, and has become the object that later eunuchs look forward to and imitate.

For this reason, Zhang Rang cried and begged: "The old minister's donation of huge money is by no means to coerce your majesty. Besides, we do not ask for fiefdoms, but only for a false name, so that our ancestors will not be ashamed because of us."

8000 million or even [-] million huge sums of money, but only for a nominal title, Lingdi also felt the humbleness and sadness in the words, sighed softly: "Okay..."

"Your Majesty!" Zhang Rang and the others expressed surprise.

However, Emperor Ling interrupted them and said: "Don't be too happy, even if I promise you to wait, I still have to listen to the suggestions of the officials in the court."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and Guo Sheng quickly knelt down and kowtowed to thank them. After all, in their opinion, as long as they pass the level of Emperor Ling, the matter is basically settled. By the way, if you have the ability, you can make up enough military expenses yourself!
Just when Zhang Rang was secretly ecstatic, Emperor Ling suddenly glanced at Liu Bian, and said to Zhang Rang: "Father, come with me to the inner hall, I have something to tell you."

Under Liu Bian's puzzled eyes, Emperor Ling brought Zhang Rang to the inner hall and asked in a low voice, "Father, tell me the truth, are the middle officials in the palace hiding as much as the three of you?" money?"

Zhang Rang pondered for a while, and said cautiously: "Sun Zhang, Feng Xuan, and Xia Yun have presided over the West Garden for a long time, and the money they have must not be inferior to us. Others don't know."

The other people he mentioned refer to Bi Lan, Li Song, Gao Wang, Zhang Gong, Han Kui, Song Dian, etc. among the ten permanent servants in the past. These people were far less powerful than Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, Sun Zhang, Guo Sheng and others remained neutral in the struggle between Changqiu Palace and Yongle Palace, so Zhang Rang did not want to betray them.

However, Emperor Ling didn't want to do anything to those people at first, so he asked Zhang Rang: "If I let other people also become a lord, are they willing to donate the money?"

Hearing this, Zhang Rang was also dumbfounded: Do you still want to treat this as a business?

But thinking about it carefully, he felt that this matter was not bad. After all, Bi Lan, Li Song and others were in the same situation as them, and they also wanted to be named marquises, but they didn't have as much money as them. If they could spend tens of millions Money is exchanged for a marquis, even if it is a township or county marquis, these people are absolutely willing.

And this matter is also very beneficial to Zhang Rang and others. After all, there are more people who "buy nobles" and the momentum is huge. Against Sun Zhang and the others.

Thinking of this, Zhang Rang said flatteringly: "Your Majesty, let the old minister handle this matter. Others in the palace may not have much savings, but they should have quite a lot. They are willing to donate to Your Majesty if they think about it."

Emperor Ling was overjoyed when he heard the words, and immediately discussed with Zhang Rang the grades of selling nobles, such as the price of marquis in small counties, and the price of marquis in middle and large counties; What is the price? The discussion is more exciting than the court meeting and handling state affairs.

At the end, Zhang Rang hinted: "Your Majesty, this money, the old minister advises Your Majesty that it is best not to let Xiyuan handle it, so as not to be hindered again that day."

Emperor Ling shuddered when he heard the words, and immediately said worriedly: "I'm afraid that the queen mother will blame..."

Zhang Rang hated Sun Zhang deeply and vowed not to let Sun Zhang handle the money. Hearing the words, he said in a low voice, "Your Majesty does not know that Sun Zhang and others are in charge of the money in Xiyuan. It is rumored that they intercepted it privately. You can use this as a name to set up another warehouse. As for The Queen Mother said it was specially designed to put down the rebellion in Liangzhou."

"Well."

Emperor Ling nodded slightly and said, "Then leave it to Father."

As he spoke, he glared and said, "Father won't intercept my money in private, will he?"

"The old minister will never dare." Zhang Rang quickly expressed his loyalty: "On the contrary, the old minister's money is His Majesty's money. As long as His Majesty asks, I am willing to sell the ancestral property and dedicate it to His Majesty."

Emperor Ling was very happy, nodded and said with a smile: "That's unnecessary, my father donated [-] million today, and the rest will be left to his adopted son Zhang Feng. Although he is not his own, he can still enjoy incense in the future."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Zhang Rang sighed suddenly, obviously mentioning the pain.

After a while, Zhang Rang walked out of the inner hall, ready to contact Bi Lan, Li Song and others.

At this time Liu Bian, Zhao Zhong, and Guo Sheng had already left and returned to their respective places, but Zhao Chun was ordered by Liu Bian to wait outside the Chongde Hall. Seeing Zhang Rang coming out, he hurriedly greeted him, smiling Inquiring: "Mr. Rang, His Majesty recruited you into the apse just now. I don't know why?"

"Have Shihou left?"

"Go back first."

"Oh."

Zhang Rang did not hide anything, and took Zhao Chun to a corner where no one was around, and told the latter about Lingdi's orders, only to hear Zhao Chun also had a strange expression on his face.

At the end, Zhang Rang cupped his hands and said to Zhao Chun: "For today's matter, please thank Shihou for me."

Zhao Chun cupped his hands in response, and immediately returned to Jiafang Hall, and told Liu Bian what Emperor Ling had ordered Zhang Rang to do.

Liu Bian also had an incredulous look on his face when he heard that, and said to himself that Emperor Ling is a genius in selling officials and nobles, and he just lured Zhang Rang and others to donate, so the faint emperor sees a business opportunity now?

But this matter is not bad, after all, the top priority is to raise military expenses for the conquest of the rebels in Liangzhou. The money obtained from bribes in the hands of the eunuchs in the palace, and the people's anointing from exploitation, instead of letting their fathers, brothers, nephews, relatives, friends and guests squander, Extravagance and waste, it is better to use it for business.

Of course, there are hidden dangers.

In the afternoon of that day, in the Chongde Hall, Lu Zhi and Liu Bian talked about this matter.

In all fairness, Lu Zhi also disapproved of eunuchs being named marquises, but it had to be said that the money donated by Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, and Guo Sheng this time was too much for him to refuse.

He worriedly said to Liu Bian: "It's really ingenious for Shi Hou to lure the middle officials, but I'm afraid that some people will intensify their wealth in the future and invade the local people."

In fact, Liu Bian had already considered this issue, and said to Lu Zhi: "I will beat them to make them restrain themselves as much as possible, but the main thing is to rely on the censor and governor to supervise the place."

Lu Zhi nodded and said no more.

At the same time, the officials in the court had exploded. Headed by Shi Yushi Zheng Tai, a group of honest and upright scholars, or who claimed to be upright and upright, were very frightened and angry.

At this time, Zhang Rang had already told Emperor Ling that Bi Lan, Li Song and others were also interested in buying a noble. Although the money was not that much, they still had about [-] million together. That's nearly [-] million yuan!

How could Emperor Ling be willing to give up this deal?

The next day, Emperor Ling angrily reprimanded the officials in the court meeting: "Because of the difficulty of the national treasury, the middle officials who have always been despised by the Qing are willing to donate huge sums of money to increase military expenses. Are you willing to accommodate?"

Zhang Rang took the opportunity to sue Zheng Tai, the imperial censor: "I sue Zheng Tai, the imperial censor, that his family has [-] hectares of fertile land, but he would rather support the dead than share the worries of his majesty."

Later, he told the same thing to Sili Xiaowei Yuan Shao.

Although Emperor Ling could not deprive his courtiers of their property, he was also very angry because of this, and dismissed Zheng Tai on the spot, scaring Yuan Kai who had originally supported Zheng Tai to change his words.

During the period, Huangfusong, Zhu Jun, Zhang Wen and others looked at each other in blank dismay. Although they also opposed eunuchs being named marquises, considering that the money obtained by Emperor Ling's "selling the marquis" was mainly used to put down the rebellion in Liangzhou, these Han Dynasty The generals are also not easy to speak.

In the end, the resistance and rebellion of the scholars in the DPRK lost to the huge sum of money donated by Zhang Rang and others. Zhang Rang got his wish and was named "Loyal Lord". Zhonghan Hou', the rest of Bi Lan, Li Song and others all have canonization.

Regarding this incident, the officials in the court felt more disgusting than swallowing flies, and secretly despised these positions as "eunuchs".

But in any case, the imperial court had enough military expenses for the rebel army in Liangzhou, and the next thing to discuss was how to suppress the rebel army.

Naturally, Liu Bian was indispensable for this matter.

　Although I am slower, I write seriously. Please be considerate of the middle-aged people and support the new book a lot.

　　In other words, the community where I live has been sealed off. The nucleic acid checks have been repeated in the past two days, and express delivery can no longer come in. I can't help but want to eat takeaway.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)