People in the early Tang Dynasty: I compete with Wu Zhao for the throne

Chapter 1803: Words are like knives. The emperor's words can really kill people.

In the lobby of the Yangzhou Grand Military Governor's Mansion, Li Xuan looked at the governors on both sides with a cold expression.

Liu Jingxian, Cen Changqian, Duan Baoxuan, Xiao Siye, Chang Yu, Li Ai, Li Xu, Wang Fanglin, Zhang Qian, Zhang She, Jing Hui and other provincial governors all stood on both sides.

A blue memorial was placed in front of Li Xuan, and He Zhizhang stood in the hall with his head bowed solemnly.

"Okay, okay, you've fooled me." Li Xuan raised his head and said through gritted teeth, "Jinghui!"

"I'm here!" Jing Hui stood up solemnly and bowed to receive the order.

"Did you say that Taizhou suffered serious damage from the typhoon this summer, and then you submitted a petition to me to exempt Taizhou from taxes for a year? Is that true?" Li Xuan shouted. Inexplicably, Jing Hui knelt down subconsciously and said with his hands clasped, "Your Majesty, I have heard of this."

"Then take a look for yourself and see how different the specific disaster situation in Taizhou is from what you reported." Li Xuan said coldly and threw the memorial in his hand to the ground in front of Jinghui.

Jinghui had a look of confusion in his eyes, but he knew that something must have gone wrong, and it was probably a big mistake.

Jinghui quickly picked up the memorial, opened it and took a look. In an instant, his face became extremely ugly.

It was a mistake. Not just a mistake, but a big mistake.

It was a fatal mistake.

"Regarding the flood in Taizhou, I have prepared to dispatch grain for disaster relief with the Yangzhou Governor's Office, Hangzhou Governor's Office, and Yuezhou Governor's Office a few days ago. But now, I sent people to investigate and found out that Taizhou was indeed affected, but the actual losses were less than one-third of what Taizhou reported." Li Xuan slammed the table and shouted angrily, "Who allowed you to fool me like this?"

"Your Majesty, please calm down." All the ministers bowed in unison.

"Huan Yanfan!" Li Xuan suddenly looked behind the ministers.

Sima Huan Yanfan of the Yangzhou Grand Military Governor's Office stepped forward and bowed: "I am here."

Li Xuan said in a cold voice: "From now on, you will concurrently serve as the Imperial Censor, and then personally lead a thousand Zhechongfu soldiers to Yuezhou, and then transfer another thousand Zhechongfu soldiers from Yuezhou to Taizhou to personally investigate this case. All those involved in the case will be convicted according to the law and punished with the first degree of deceiving the emperor, hanging or beheading. There is no need to report to Chang'an. The beheading can be approved by Duan Baoxuan, the chief of the Yangzhou Grand Military Governor's Office."

"I obey your order." Huan Yanfan immediately bowed, then turned around and left quickly.

"Your Majesty, calm down." Liu Jingxian stood up and said, "Your Majesty can investigate and punish this matter, but the death penalty should be sent to Chang'an for review by the Dali Temple, and then it is better for Your Majesty to sign it with your own hand."

Li Xuan breathed a sigh of relief, looked at Cen Changqian and said, "What do you think, Prime Minister Cen?"

"Your Majesty, now that Sima Huan is heading to Taizhou, I believe there will definitely be resistance. After the resistance, it will be fine to kill them immediately. However, all matters related to the death penalty should be reviewed by the Dali Temple and decided by Your Majesty personally." Cen Changqian and Liu Jingxian had the same idea.

Li Xuan heaved a long sigh of relief and said, "That's it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." All the ministers bowed.

Li Xuan's eyes fell on Jing Hui, and then he said with an unhappy look: "Now let's talk about him, how should he be dealt with."

"Your Majesty!" Duan Baoxuan stood up and said with a folded hand, "When Governor Jing first took office, he encountered a disaster and was busy with disaster relief. Then Your Majesty arrived, and he had no time to review. Therefore, I think that although Governor Jing was guilty of negligence, he should be forgiven."

Li Xuan looked at Liu Jingxian, Cen Changqian, and Xiao Siye, and the three of them cupped their hands and said, "I also think so."

Li Xuan nodded, then his eyes fell on Jing Hui, his eyes became cold again: "Jing Qing, Lord Duan has been the Minister of Dali Temple, the Minister of Punishment, and the Minister of War. In addition, Prime Minister Liu, Prime Minister Cen, and the Duke of Langya have pleaded for mercy. I will show mercy today and punish you for no more than six months, and your salary will be reduced by half."

"I thank Your Majesty for your grace." Jinghui looked up in surprise. He did not expect this kind of punishment.

Li Xuan smiled, then looked at the ministers and said, "I am not an unreasonable emperor. Some officials are poor. If I really fine them three months' salary at once, they will probably really have no food or clothing for the next three months. So from now on, at least in my reign, there will generally be no more cases of fines of three months' salary at once."

"Your Majesty's grace is so great that it shines thousands of miles away." All the ministers bowed in unison.

Li Xuan waved his hand and said coldly: "But sometimes, for those wealthy officials, I usually don't fine them for three months, but double their salary to serve as a warning to others!"

"We, your Majesty, will follow your instructions." The ministers looked stern.

Li Xuan looked at Jing Hui again and said, "Jing Qing, you should return to Taizhou now and cooperate with Heng Yanfan to investigate this matter thoroughly. I will set off in three days. Give me a preliminary result. If you can thoroughly investigate it, I will not fine you for your salary."

"Yes!" Jing Hui bowed his head solemnly and said, "Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for your grace. I will do my best to repay you."

"Go." Li Xuan waved his hand directly. Jing Hui bowed again, then stood up and left quickly.

Li Xuan nodded slightly. One Jinghui and one Heng Yanfan, another generation is gradually emerging.

"My Lords." Li Xuan's face turned cold again, and he looked at the ministers and said, "As the saying goes, a glimpse of a leopard through a tube can reveal a hundred things. I know that most of you have just started your duties in the past two years, and you are not very clear about many things. But as for today's incident, I believe that each state has more or less had some experience. You will go back now, conduct a self-investigation, and give me a result within three days. I will not punish you, but if you continue to deceive others, it will not be a matter of beheading one person."

Although Li Xuan did not say out loud that the three clans would be exterminated, all the ministers understood what he meant.

"We obey your order." The ministers immediately bowed.

"Let's adjourn the court." Li Xuan waved his hand slightly, and the ministers bowed and said, "Farewell, Your Majesty."

Li Xuan stood up and turned to go to the backyard of the Governor's Mansion.

……

Duan Baoxuan paced back and forth between the pavilions and corridors, and Xu Lu came quickly in front of him. Duan Baoxuan quickly stopped Xu Lu and said, "Xu Jian, His Majesty..."

"Your Majesty is resting in the Governor's Mansion today and taking a look at the archives of Yangzhou in the past few years. I have to go back to the palace now and take care of Princess Fuchang." Xu Lu bowed, then turned around and left quickly.

Duan Baoxuan shrugged helplessly. Well, the Yangzhou Grand Military Governor's Office is safe enough.

Turning around, Duan Baoxuan went towards his official residence. He would probably have to rest in the official residence tonight.

However, he did not notice that there were two pairs of eyes looking at him from the window in the backyard, one was Li Xuan and the other was Liang Fuling.

"Your Majesty, do you think Lord Duan knows about it?" Liang Fuling leaned sideways in Li Xuan's arms.

"I can already guess what kind of person Lord Duan is." Li Xuan sighed and said, "If you are willing to go back to the capital with me, then why would you care about what others think of you?"

"It's better not to go to the palace. In Yangzhou, I have the final say. When I go to Chang'an, I have to depend on other people's opinions." Liang Fuling shook her head firmly.

Li Xuan smiled helplessly. Although Liu Jinyu was not a strict queen, the rules of the palace were not acceptable to Liang Fuling, who was used to being outside.

Not to mention their two sons.

"Okay!" Li Xuan sighed and said, "Since you are willing to stay in Yangzhou, then stay in Yangzhou. But in case you miss me, I'd better leave you another son."

After saying that, Li Xuan picked up Liang Fuling and went straight to the bed.

A night of spring, beautiful and romantic.

……

In the Yangzhou Palace, a middle-aged official with a capable figure but a dejected look was pushed into the hall by two Qianniu guards.

Li Xuan sat calmly on the imperial couch, with prime ministers, provincial governors and a group of officials on both sides.

"You are Xu Pu, the magistrate of Le'an County." Li Xuan looked at Xu Pu calmly and asked, "You are the one who fabricated the disaster information and defrauded the court of relief."

The two Qianniu guards retreated, and Xu Pu kowtowed and said, "I, the guilty official Xu Pu, the magistrate of Le'an County, pay my respects to Your Majesty."

"Guilty subject." Li Xuan nodded and said, "So you admit your guilt?"

Xu Pu paused for a moment, raised his head and saluted, saying, "I don't know where I have done wrong. Le'an is located in a remote area, surrounded by mountains, rivers and fields. The people have no food or clothing. I can only use this method to keep more people alive."

"It sounds like you are quite proud of what you have done." Li Xuan looked at the ministers on both sides calmly and said, "Are you proud of it too?"

All the ministers bowed their heads, but many of them showed reluctance in their eyes.

"Every summer, the entire Jiangnan region is often hit by sea breezes. There is no disaster here but you falsely reported the disaster. The transportation of materials may cause the deaths of innocent people." Li Xuan stared straight at Xu Pu.

Xu Pu stood up straight, clasped his hands and said, "I am only the magistrate of Le'an County, I have no control over other places... and other places have grain and grass transferred by the court for relief, so there should be no doubts."

When the ministers on both sides heard what Xu Pu said, they didn't know how to refute for a moment.

It seems that what Xu Pu said was not wrong. He was only the magistrate of Le'an County and there was no need for him to care about things in other places.

"You are still very proud." Li Xuan sneered softly, then he looked up at the ministers on both sides and asked: "Do you know what his problem is?"

Liu Jing thought for a moment, then stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, please give me some advice."

"A saint governs the world with filial piety, loyalty, benevolence, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness and courage." Li Xuan looked at Xu Pu with cold eyes and said, "I govern the world with hundreds of officials. Not only do I require all officials to do this, but I also require all officials to teach the people under their rule to be filial piety, loyalty, benevolence, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness and courage, rather than criminals who only know how to cheat, deceive and be lazy."

Xu Pu suddenly raised his head and looked at Li Xuan in horror.

With just one sentence from Li Xuan, all the people of Le'an will be accused of fraud, deception, and laziness whenever they go out in the future, and the allegations will even be spread.

“If the people can’t survive, then think of a righteous way to make them survive. The fact that you can’t think of it is because you are incompetent, not that there is really no other way. You still have superiors in the prefectures and counties, and above them is me. You could have gone up one level at a time, but you didn’t want to, and you didn’t go. You only use this evil and crooked method to govern the people, but what kind of people can you produce? Who wants people like you?” Li Xuan’s face was full of contempt.

Xu Pu didn't know when it started, but he couldn't help shivering.

"You are nothing but a fame seeker, and a foolish one who is being used by others." Li Xuan snorted coldly, then raised his head and looked at the officials and said, "Go and check. With such a stupid county magistrate, it is impossible for the grain in Le'an to really fall into the hands of the people. There must be someone assisting the Taizhou governor's office, and this person must have received bribes from his subordinates. It can't be this idiot, it must be his subordinates."

"Yes!" Liu Jingxian bowed solemnly.

"As for him." Li Xuan sneered and said, "Take him back to Chang'an, have him tried by the three courts, and then make a verdict. The verdict will be spread all over the world. I want this idiot's name to be branded on the pillar of shame in history forever..."

With a "puff" sound, Xu Pu spat out a mouthful of blood.

The person fell limply to the ground, completely out of breath.

The ministers shuddered suddenly. The emperor's words were as sharp as knives. His words could really kill people.

(End of this chapter)