12dz Chapter 305 The irrefutable evidence
Chapter 305 The irrefutable evidence
She paused again, and her tone became more serious, "First of all, it was the Minister of Revenue. He embezzled a large amount of disaster relief money in the name of disaster relief." Cen Jiexiao's voice was crisp and powerful, and every word was like a nail, hammering on Chai Zhen's heart.
"According to my investigation, the Minister of Revenue, Lord Li, used this silver to purchase land and businesses, and even secretly funded the Empress Dowager's cronies to expand his power. While the people were displaced and starving, he remained wealthy enough to rival a nation. Where is his conscience?"
She paused and continued, "The evidence is irrefutable. I have compiled the embezzled account books, witness testimonies, and a list of Li Huaiyuan's assets into a book and presented it to Your Majesty."
She took out a thin booklet from her bag and handed it to Shai Zhen with both hands.
Chai Zhen took the booklet, quickly flipped through a few pages, and his face became increasingly gloomy.
Cen Jiexiao retracted her gaze and continued, "Secondly, there is Lord Wang, the Minister of Rites. He embezzled funds from the national treasury to sell illegal salt." There was a hint of contempt in her tone.
"He also used the stolen money from selling illegal salt to build a private residence. It is said to cover an area of 100 acres, with pavilions, towers, carved beams and painted buildings. It is extremely luxurious and comparable to the imperial palace!"
"The national treasury is empty, but the border troops' salaries are delayed again and again. The soldiers are fighting hard to defend their country, but they can't even guarantee basic salaries. This is simply outrageous!" Cen Jiexiao's voice was filled with indignation.
"There is also conclusive evidence of Lord Wang's crimes. I have compiled the account books of misappropriated treasury funds, the construction drawings of his private residence, and the testimonies of relevant witnesses into a book. Your Majesty, please review it." She took out another booklet from her bag and handed it respectfully to Chai Zhen.
Chai Zhen took the booklet, his face turned pale and he said nothing.
Cen Jiexiao took a deep breath and continued, "There's also the Empress Dowager's confidant, Eunuch Cui, the head eunuch of the Imperial Household Department. He relies on the Empress Dowager's favor to exert absolute control over the palace, eliminating dissidents, installing his own confidants, and controlling the harem. Fortunately, the Empress is in the harem, otherwise, it would be unimaginable."
"He accepted bribes, engaged in corruption and perverted the law, and even interfered in government affairs and disrupted the order of the harem. His crimes are heinous!" Cen Jiexiao's voice was loud and clear.
"Your Majesty, please take a closer look at the evidence that Eunuch Cui accepted bribes, as well as the list of people he placed his confidants in and excluded those who were dissidents. She continued to take out a booklet from her bag and presented it with both hands.
Chai Zhen took the booklet, his fingers trembling slightly, obviously he was extremely angry.
Cen Jiexiao paused slightly, her tone becoming more serious.
"In addition, the Queen Mother exploited the so-called 'Mandate of Heaven' to spread rumors, mislead the people, manipulate the harem, interfere in state affairs, and even attempted to... establish a new monarch."
She raised her head and looked at Chai Zhen firmly, her eyes full of confidence and determination.
"I have collected evidence of the Queen Mother spreading rumors and misleading the people, as well as the correspondence between her and her followers plotting to establish a new ruler. Your Majesty, please review it."
She pulled another scroll from her sleeve and presented it with both hands.
"I have also analyzed the distribution of the main forces of the Queen Mother's party and their weaknesses, as well as the strategy of defeating them one by one. All of this is recorded in this document. Please review it, Your Majesty." Cen Jiexiao respectfully handed the thick document in her hand to Chai Zhen.
Chai Zhen took the document from Cen Jiexiao, his slender fingers gently caressing the edge of the scroll before slowly unrolling it. His gaze scanned the contents, word by word, his brow furrowing ever tighter. At first, his expression was only slightly solemn, but as he read further, it grew increasingly gloomy, like a sky covered in dark clouds, foreshadowing an impending storm. The atmosphere within the hall grew oppressive, as if even the air itself had frozen.
Chen Zigui stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have received news from General Yue Zhenting. He has already made detailed military arrangements with the Prince of Yan to deal with any possible incidents."
Chai Zhen shifted his gaze from the document to Chen Zigui, nodded slightly, and motioned him to continue.
Chen Zigui took a deep breath and spoke in a firm and powerful tone, "After consultation with General Yue, the King of Yan decided to dispatch 30,000 elite troops to the capital, Qifeng, under the pretext of an annual joint military exercise."
He paused and added, "To avoid alerting the enemy, this operation will be kept highly confidential, and only a few generals will know the true purpose."
He continued, "These 30,000 elite troops will be stationed at Jianyi Pass, 300 miles outside the capital. 10,000 of them will be stationed at Jianyi Pass to ensure the security of the capital's periphery."
He paused again, a gleam of light flashing in his eyes. "The other 20,000 elite soldiers will be ambushed in the dense forest fifty miles outside the capital of Qifeng, ready to attack immediately upon receiving the order."
His tone held a hint of unquestionable majesty: "This army will serve as a military force to deter the Queen Mother's faction. Once the time is right, it will be able to quickly control the situation in the capital and ensure its safety and stability."
He added: "We have anticipated various possible contingencies and developed corresponding response plans to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
His eyes were as sharp as a sword, ready to be unsheathed at any moment: "I believe that as long as we are fully prepared, we will be able to meet any challenge."
He paused again, his tone softening slightly. "In addition, I have also arranged for experienced spies to closely monitor the latest developments of Prince Yan's new army, as well as other factors that may affect the situation in the capital."
He paused briefly and continued, "At present, the Prince of Yan's new army has not made any unusual moves, and there have been no unusual movements in other areas. However, we will remain highly vigilant and closely monitor developments."
Chai Zhen put down the paperwork in his hand, raised his head, and gazed at the two men with deep eyes. "Thank you for your hard work, my dear ministers," he said with a hint of gratitude and relief.
Chai Zhen turned the document in his hand over and over again, carefully considering every line of words and every punctuation mark, as if he wanted to find the hidden mystery in it.
As time went by, his expression gradually became gloomy, like the dark clouds before a storm.
He put down the documents, raised his head, frowned, and tapped the table with his fingers, making a dull sound.
"This is a tricky question indeed," he muttered to himself.
"How can we transfer General Yue's elite troops into the capital without anyone noticing?" He paused for a moment, his eyes swept over Chen Zigui and Cen Jiexiao, with a hint of anxiety in his tone.
"If the Queen Mother's followers realize our intentions and launch a mutiny, the consequences will be disastrous."
The room fell into a brief silence, as if the air had frozen. Chen Zigui and Cen Jiexiao both understood the seriousness of the situation and were racking their brains for a solution.
"Your Majesty, I may have a plan." Cen Jiexiao broke the silence, her tone calm and her eyes firm.