Red Mansion Taoist

Chapter 303 Counterattack
Although the cabinet wanted to delay, under Li Qiang's supervision, the imperial examination was held as scheduled.

Forty Gongsheng students walked into the Jinluan Hall one after another, and each of their eyes was full of longing.

I have studied for decades just to get here and become part of the power that controls Daqian.

They also saw the figure sitting on the dragon chair in the middle, that was the legendary Daqian Crown Prince Li Qiang.

There are forty tables in the Jinluan Hall, with pens, inks, paper and inkstones arranged on them.

Forty tribute students were arranged to sit down, and they were all waiting for Li Qiang, who was sitting on the dragon chair, to give the question.

Li Qiang took the ink-soaked brush from Jin Dong's hand and wrote "The Way of a Great Economy" on a piece of yellow silk cloth.

Jin Dong picked up the yellow silk cloth and walked in front of the forty Gongsheng students one by one, letting them see the title on the cloth clearly.

The forty candidates began to answer questions, and Li Qiang had some thoughts as she looked at them.

Most of the important official positions in the Daqian court were held by officials with Jinshi background.

Nowadays, Daqian's military power can be said to be at its peak, so his idea of ​​government affairs after Daqian is mainly economic, and these officials in the court have more or less interests with businessmen.

Collusion between officials and businessmen cannot be prohibited at all. To truly and completely solve this problem, we must rely on 100% loyal officials. It is impossible for these 100% loyal officials to betray Li Qiang, and they will fully implement Li Qiang's orders.

Of course, there was another reason why he chose this slow method. In a short period of time, he could make Da Qian Chaotang fear him and thus not dare to disobey his orders.

The top three listed by Li Qiang were based on their economic insights.

With a Jinshi background, they are among the core group in the court. Whether it is assigning positions or promoting grades, officials with a Jinshi background are given priority.

In the future, every candidate who takes the imperial examination will do this, and then the entire civil service system of Daqian will slowly be penetrated by him, and eventually be completely controlled by him.

Li Qiang sat on the dragon chair. When the palace examination reached the final stage and the eunuch took back the examination paper, he activated the 'Moon Wind Treasure Mirror'.

In Li Qiang's opinion, in just ten years, there would be thirty or forty Jinshis a year, and in ten years there would be three or four hundred Jinshis. These officials would rise from low to high and occupy the core part of the officialdom of Daqian.

Li Qiang selected the top three candidates from among the forty candidates, as well as their Jinshi background and those with the same Jinshi background.

The most important thing is that since the 'Fengyue Baojian' is bound to Jinshi without rank, when they grow up, the binding effect will still be there and will not be affected by promotion.

From now on, a group of Jinshi will be released every three years. When these Jinshi enter the officialdom, they will be given priority to enter the official training system.

As for his immortal-level souls, which are the souls of the Flower Master and the immortal-level souls he killed, these immortal-level souls are limited in number and he does not want to use them rashly.

In addition, Li Qiang will also intentionally strengthen the training of these 100% loyal Jinshi, so that they can upgrade their grades as soon as possible. With the background of Jinshi, coupled with Li Qiang's cultivation, these 100% Jinshi will be more likely to succeed.

In fact, those who can participate in the palace examination have top-notch abilities. These candidates are selected from all over the country.

Officials bound by ordinary souls should preferably be of the sixth or lower rank, but even if ordinary sixth- and seventh-rank officials were 100% loyal to Li Qiang, they would not have much influence on the court.

But the forty candidates in front of them are different. Although using the 'Fengyue Treasure Mirror' to bind their loyalty is of little use now, in a few years they will develop and become the backbone of the officials.

Li Qiang thought about using the "Feng Yue Baojian" to bind important officials of Da Qian. However, because the important officials of Da Qian themselves were too high-level and deeply involved in Da Qian's luck, the "Feng Yue Baojian" wanted to bind the number. A large number of high-level officials cannot be accomplished by ordinary souls.

Li Qiang understood that Datong Bank had other ideas and had no intention of exchanging 90 million taels of silver notes for him in four months.

As the days passed, the intelligence from Jin Dong showed that although Datong Bank was transporting silver from various places to the capital, the total amount was far less than the figure of 90 million taels. Even this behavior of transporting silver seemed more like intentional Shown to outsiders.

This change was not noticed by others. Except for a moment of confusion, the forty candidates returned to their normal state.

Forty ordinary souls were consumed, and then the forty candidates looked at Li Qiang. In addition to awe of power, there was also loyalty.

After judging this result, he smiled faintly. This Chase Bank was really looking for death.

He also wanted to see what the six major merchants behind Datong Bank were planning to do and dared to go against his will.

You must know that Li Qiang is the crown prince of Daqian and the future emperor.

Li Qiang exchanged the banknotes for cash. This was not a treasonous act. No matter what the confidence of the six major merchants, they should not have done such an irrational behavior.

In the early morning of this day, Li Qiang was thinking about her thoughts while listening to her ministers' reports.

The day for Lin Daiyu to give birth has arrived, and she may give birth at any time within these few days.

This made Li Qiang a little absent-minded and distracted when doing anything.

"I have this to say!" Just when the daily government affairs were over and Jin Dong was about to announce the next dynasty, a censor stood up and said loudly.

Li Qiang glanced at the censor and waved for him to continue.

"I impeach the crown prince for violating the ancestral system by bringing nine women who have not been inspected by the palace and have no status to live in the East Palace!" the censor said in a deep voice.

He held a book in his hand and looked at Li Qiang with sharp eyes, not caring at all that Li Qiang was the crown prince.

"Jin Dong, bring me the discount!" Li Qiang was not surprised at all. He knew that this was the beginning of Chase Bank's counterattack.

Among the other courtiers, some were shocked, while others had known about it for a long time. They all watched how the prince Li Qiang dealt with himself.

"Originally, the matter in the East Palace was my private matter, and I didn't want to mention it in the court. But since a censor has impeached me about this matter, I will make the matter clear!" Li Qiang said lightly.

His eyes swept over the courtiers, and his sensitive perception allowed him to feel the emotions coming from the courtiers. Many of them were gloating about their misfortune, and some were excited.

"I have been living abroad and have only returned to the royal family in recent years. The woman mentioned by the censor has been living in my residence before I moved into the East Palace. Could it be that when I become the prince, I have to do such ruthless and unjust things? person?
Censor, what kind of sage's book are you reading? Could it be that since I became the prince, I have to be a person who is cut off from love and righteousness? "Li Qiang looked at the censor and asked repeatedly.

"Then why did the prince not allow those women to undergo inspection in the palace? Doesn't this violate the ancestral rules of the palace?" the censor retorted loudly.

"Come here, take him down and send him to prison!" Li Qiang shouted in a deep voice.

Two palace guards came forward and took the censor into custody.

"Slow down!" Academician Deng stood up and shouted. Li Qiang looked at Academician Deng coldly, waiting for what Academician Deng was about to say.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Censor has the power to report things based on rumors. Even if the Censor says something wrong, he should not be imprisoned like His Highness the Crown Prince!" Academician Deng bowed and said.

"I am not punishing him because the imperial censor sued me, but because he dared to peek into the palace. Doesn't Deng Zhongtang have to plead for such a person?" Li Qiang stared at the great scholar Deng and asked.

Academician Deng was startled. Only then did he think of the charges that the censor had impeached the prince. Those matters in the palace were not something that a censor could know.

"You are so brave. You dare to pry into the secrets of the East Palace. How can you put the Royal Family in your eyes? I want to use him to investigate who he is colluding with in the palace!" Li Qiang continued.

He waved his hand, and the two palace guards escorted the censor down.

The censor's face turned pale as he was being taken away. He did not expect that Li Qiang would be so ruthless.

“I know that the six major merchants of Chase Bank asked some of your officials to come forward and want to impeach me, but before you do so, you need to consider the consequences.

I did not expect that I would be treated like this if I just exchanged the banknotes in my hands for cash at Chase Bank. If the banknotes were in the hands of ordinary people, I am afraid that they would not be able to exchange them for cash from Chase Bank! "Li Qiang said with a sarcastic smile on her face.

He did not hesitate at all and told the story of Datong Bank in front of the civil and military officials of the court.

Some officials below looked ugly. They never expected that Li Qiang would directly overturn the table.

If they really want to impeach Li Qiang next, not to mention Li Qiang's revenge, other courtiers will think that they are here for Datong Bank.

Some things can be said privately but cannot be said publicly. It is possible that everyone knows what is going on, but if said publicly, everyone will have to blame.

"Deng Zhongtang, I know that you have a close relationship with Datong Bank. I hope that Datong Bank can give me my money. Is this too much?" Li Qiang looked at Bachelor Deng again and asked.

He has lost patience with Bachelor Deng now. It's not like the world can't function without him.

He directly questioned the great scholar Deng in the court, and he had already decided to openly break with the great scholar Deng.

"I have never used my power to help Datong Bank. We can learn from this!" Academician Deng did not answer Li Qiang's question, but said loudly.

This question is really impossible to answer. If Li Qiang is wrong, it is somewhat unreasonable.

What Li Qiang wants back from Datong Bank is his own money, and the silver note is just proof of the existence of Datong Bank's money.

But to say that what Li Qiang did was completely correct is somewhat unjustifiable. The amount of money Li Qiang wanted to take was so much that it affected the normal operation of Chase Bank. Li Qiang's behavior can be considered an economic war.

"This is what Chase Bank has done in the name of Deng Zhongtang in the past ten years. Jin Dong, show it to Deng Zhongtang!" Li Qiang took out a large stack of paper and said while handing it to Jin Dong.

He had already prepared a counterattack. Unlike Chase Bank, he planned to directly touch Chase Bank's biggest pillar in the government.

Academician Deng took the thick stack of paper from Jin Dong's hand, his hands trembling a little.

Of course he knew that Chase Bank often used his name to do things, but he always turned a blind eye to such things.

Who told him to accept the Wu family's kindness in the first place? In this way, he can repay the Wu family.

He looked at the first piece of paper, which was written on something that had just happened. A large purchase by Daqian Military, involving a value of more than 1.3 million taels of silver, was taken over by Datong Bank.

Their unblocked relationship followed the path of Deng Da's disciples.

More importantly, the market price of various items purchased by the military and the delivery price of Chase Bank are also appended to the paper.

This delivery price is 30% higher than the market price, which means that for a large purchase of more than 1.3 million taels of silver, not to mention the profit, just the difference from the market price is more than 300,000 taels of silver.

Academician Deng turned to the second and third pages. There were similar records on each page. The difference between these records and the market price ranged from millions of taels of silver to tens of thousands of taels of silver.

"Deng Zhongtang, your name is really useful. In the past ten years alone, Datong Bank has used your name to earn nearly 30 million taels of silver from Da Gan!" Li Qiang said lightly.

Scholar Deng's face was as pale as earth. The reputation he had built up throughout his life suffered a huge blow at this court meeting.

Upon hearing the amount of nearly 30 million taels of silver, all the officials in the court were shocked.

Although Daqian's tax revenue was large, it was almost not enough every year, and the national treasury could not support it until the end of the year, and the emperor often had to use the inner treasury to maintain it.

Often at the end of the year, the Ministry of Revenue would quarrel with the emperor over hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, and various departments would also fight for tens of thousands of taels of silver.

But the amount of money lost from Deng University's academic relationship alone amounted to 30 million taels in ten years, which averaged out to 3 million taels per year.

Academician Deng shook his hand, and the paper in his hand fell to the feet of some officials.

Some officials picked up the paper curiously and read the content on it.

Then more officials picked up the paper and everyone circulated it.

Academician Tian frowned slightly and took two pieces of paper from the official on the side.

He read the contents carefully. The paper contained the time and place, the individuals and yamen involved, money and materials, and other data.

At first glance, this kind of evidence was collected by the intelligence agency, or even the result of the Emperor's secret intelligence organization.

He looked at Li Qiang who was sitting on the dragon chair, and a chill rose in his heart.

Li Qiang's counterattack left no chance for Academician Deng.

According to the rules of the officialdom, if something like this happened to an important official like Academician Deng, Li Qiang would call him to the East Palace and show him the evidence.

As long as there is enough evidence, Academician Deng will become an official in some name and retire from officialdom with dignity.

What Li Qiang did was not to give Scholar Deng a way to survive. Scholar Deng would not only lose his official position and bear a lifetime of infamy, but he would also be punished for these things.

At such an old age, University Scholar Deng probably wouldn't live long if he were really imprisoned.

(End of this chapter)