The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 282: Extortion and embezzlement

Li Linfu's Mansion.

Li Linfu was originally very depressed, but not long after that, he received an oral order from Li Longji asking him to draft an edict to demote An Sishun.

Li Linfu received the oral order and sent the messenger away. He shook his head and sighed, saying, "The saint really knows how to strike a balance. You know he is playing tricks on you, but you still feel quite comfortable."

Ji Wen, who was standing by, asked in confusion, "Since the Saint knew what was going on, why didn't he give the order to the Right Prime Minister in person?"

Li Linfu said: "If I say it to his face, it will be easy for people to misunderstand that it is because of my advice that the sage demoted Sishun. Wouldn't that mean that I suppressed Prince Shou?"

"I see." Ji Wen understood a little, thought about it, and said, "Prince Shou has always been clear about public and private affairs. He made a wrong move."

"No." Li Linfu thought, "Even if the saint knew that Prince Shou was eliminating dissidents, Prince Shou had enough reasons. For you, the war with Tubo is imminent, and it is a taboo for generals to be at odds. Not to mention the distant past, Wang Zhongsi's father, Wang Haibin, died in a battle against Tubo because other generals were jealous of his achievements and refused to send troops to rescue him."

Ji Wen said: "Back then, only An Sishun followed Xue Na to rescue Wang Haibin, but he was a step too late. However, Wang Zhongsi still remembered this favor, so after the saint transferred An Sishun to Hexi, Wang Zhongsi recommended An Sishun to be the deputy governor."

Li Linfu was interrupted by Ji Wen, but he was not angry. He continued, "Personally, An Sishun has been with the Shou prince for many years. Whether it is emotion or tacit understanding, it is not comparable to Geshu Han. If you have to choose between the two, everyone will choose An Sishun. And the Shou prince did not do anything to Geshu Han. It was Geshu Han who resigned on the grounds of illness. The Shou prince is always like this. No matter what he does, he must have a good reason."

Ji Wen said: "Yes, it's really hard to deal with."

Li Linfu smiled slightly and did not answer. Instead, he changed the subject and said, "When Geshu Han returns to the capital, you must not embarrass him and treat him well."

"Yes." Ji Wen accepted the order.

Just as Li Linfu was about to say something else, his personal maid knocked on the door and came in, saying, "Right Prime Minister, Wang Yu, the doctor of the Ministry of Revenue, has something to report and is waiting in the meeting hall."

Normally, government affairs should be handled in the government hall of the palace, but Li Linfu is the only one in power now. Most of the time, he handles government affairs at home, and no one cares about Chen Xilie in the government hall.

"Does he have another way to raise money?" Li Linfu wondered and got up and went to the meeting hall.

Arriving at the meeting hall, Li Linfu and Wang Yu greeted each other and asked, "Doctor Wang, what do you want to report?"

Wang Yu said, "Right Prime Minister, I have already collected the food and money you asked me to collect. I will send it to Longyou as soon as you give the order. I came here to ask you, Right Prime Minister, when is the best time for us to send the food and money?"

What Wang Yu meant was that he was asking Li Linfu whether he wanted to control Li Heng.

Because as long as there is no food, Li Heng cannot fight.

But Li Linfu didn't care about this, and asked: "How did you raise the food and money?"

Wang Yu said: "Most of it is collected from rent, labor service and tax."

Li Linfu asked, "Have you also prepared what the palace needs?"

"Yes." Wang Yu admitted it and explained, "That's all in addition to the rent, labor service and tax, and has nothing to do with national funds."

What Wang Yu said was not false. The money he raised for the palace to squander had nothing to do with rent, labor service and taxes. It was just a pretext for collecting extra taxes.

For example, they collected freight and tolls from the people, and required soldiers who were exempt from rent and labor service to pay taxes as well, or even to pay additional taxes.

According to Tang law, soldiers guarding the border should be exempt from rent and labor service, but the border generals did not report their defeats, resulting in the household registration of many soldiers who died in battle not being cancelled. Wang Yu seized this loophole and treated all those who died in battle but had household registration as tax evaders, requiring them all to pay back taxes, some even for more than 30 years.

It doesn’t matter if there is no one in the family to make up for it. After all, the neighbors can be asked to pay the rent and labor service, and someone will always have to pay the money.

Li Linfu didn't care what means Wang Yu used to make money, he just hated Wang Yu for not telling him the truth.

Moreover, Wang Yu's heavy taxes not only collected enough food and wages for Li Longji, but also provided him with enough money to spend during the war, which undoubtedly pleased Li Longji the most. Li Linfu was angry when his personal maid knocked on the door and came in, saying, "Right Prime Minister, Yang Zhao, the Imperial Censor, wants to see you."

"Let him wait!" Li Linfu said with anger in his tone.

"Yes." The maid bowed and walked out.

I was offended by Li Linfu, so I came to the door, glared at Yang Guozhong, and said angrily: "The Right Prime Minister told you to wait in a proper manner!"

Yang Guozhong smiled and said, "Excuse me, Miss Qing, who is in the meeting hall?"

"Just wait when I told you to. Why are you talking so much?" the maid said unhappily.

Hearing this, Yang Guozhong smiled awkwardly and stood in a proper manner, but he cursed in his heart: "You stinky cousin, why are you so proud of yourself as a slave? You are just a dog in the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, but you are higher than me, an official appointed by the court! One day, I will trample you all under my feet and trample you mercilessly!"

Yang Guozhong was still thinking to himself, and humiliated the maidservant thousands of times in his heart.

After an unknown amount of time, Wang Yu walked out of the meeting hall in a proud manner, greeted Yang Guozhong, and said, "Yang Yushi, the Right Prime Minister wants you to come in."

"Thank you." Yang Guozhong bowed to Wang Yu and walked into the meeting hall.

Arriving in the hall, Yang Guozhong politely saluted Li Linfu and said, "Your Excellency, I have collected all the food and money that I was responsible for raising."

"How did you raise the money?" Li Linfu asked calmly.

Yang Guozhong said: "Half is rent and labor tax, and the other half, I have found a way to mobilize the inventory of the local charity warehouse and the Changping warehouse, and there is also..."

Li Linfu listened carefully, and seeing that Yang Guozhong had nothing to hide, he made a decision in his heart.

Since Wang Yu is disobedient, it is better to support Yang Zhao to replace him.

Li Linfu interrupted, "Have you raised money for the palace?"

"No," Yang Guozhong shook his head and asked in confusion, "War is imminent, do we still need to raise money for the palace?"

Li Linfu said, "You don't eat during the war? When you came back last night, you didn't go home first, but went to find the girl in Pingkangfang first. You must have gained a lot from collecting food and money this time, right?"

Yang Guozhong smiled awkwardly and said, "I have already prepared a copy for the Right Prime Minister."

"Go prepare the one for the palace first." Li Linfu smiled. "Wang Yu is a slave and he is not doing a good job. You need to work harder!"

Yang Guozhong quickly stood up and saluted, saying, "Thank you for your advice, Right Prime Minister. You are my second parents. I will serve you like my parents in the future."

Li Linfu smiled back and said nothing.

Yang Shenjin and Wang Bo's father were cousins. Yang Shenjin was both a teacher and a friend to Wang Bo, and he also contributed to Wang Bo's initial promotion.

However, Wang Yu still stabbed Yang Shenjin in the back and pushed Yang Shenjin to death with his own hands, and dozens of people were implicated.

Li Linfu still remembered that day at the court meeting, Li Longji asked Wang Yu whether Yang Shenjin was his relative, and Wang Yu actually denied it.

Li Linfu's smile deepened.

He knew clearly that Yang Zhao and Wang Bo were the same kind of people. He could use Wang Bo to kill Yang Shenjin, and he could also use Yang Zhao to kill Wang Bo.

(End of this chapter)