Eagle-eyed and wolf-watching

Chapter 1681 A Shocking Case!

After a moment of reflection, Ye Mingsheng saw that Jingren still looked very conflicted. Feeling sorry for the child, Ye Mingsheng patted Jingren's head and said:

"If you don't want to go, that's fine. When you're a little older, Dad will take you to Jiangnan for an inspection!"

Jingren, who had been hesitant, became more resolute upon hearing his father's words and said:
"Dad! I'll go with you!"

"Oh? You want to go again!"

Under his father's gaze, Jingren hesitated for a moment, then scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly and said:

"I don't want to disappoint my mother!"

Upon hearing this answer, Ye Mingsheng couldn't help but chuckle.

After chatting with Jingren for a couple more minutes, Ye Mingsheng inquired about Jingren's studies and asked:

"Jingren, what have you been learning lately?"

Upon hearing this, Jingren replied without hesitation:
"I have learned the Six Arts of Governing the People!"

Ye Mingsheng frowned slightly upon hearing this and said:
"Why did you learn this? Did your mother make you learn it?"

As Ye Mingsheng finished speaking, An Miaoyi happened to walk into the room. Hearing Ye Mingsheng's words, she immediately looked at him and said:
"Your Majesty criticizes Shang Yang so harshly, how could I dare to do the same?"

Upon seeing An Miaoyi's appearance, Ye Mingsheng was somewhat embarrassed, but he quickly recovered and asked again:
"Did Mr. Gu teach you?"

Jingren nodded and said:
"Father, you told Fourth Brother about Shang Yang's Six Arts of Governing the People, and after Mr. Gu found out, he told me about it too!"

"Master Gu said that our Great Qian Dynasty was founded on loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness, and that treating and caring for the people is the foundation of the nation. Therefore, we must criticize Shang Yang's way of governing the people, which treated them like pigs, dogs, cattle, and sheep..."

"Master Gu said that although Shang Yang's way of life relied on exploiting the people to quickly accumulate strength for the Qin state and help it unify the six states, such behavior also made the people suffer unspeakably and sowed the seeds for the Qin state's demise after only two generations!"

"Therefore, the Great Qian should learn from the lessons of the Qin Dynasty's downfall and never treat the people as pigs, dogs, cattle, or sheep. Instead, it should govern the world with benevolence, treat the people kindly, and care for them. In this way, the people will surely be grateful for the court's kindness and will support the court even more. The two will complement each other!"

Hearing Jingren say this, Ye Mingsheng nodded in satisfaction and said:
"Gu Sansi is right. Our Great Qian Dynasty is founded on loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness. We must never follow the ways of Shang Yang!"

"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. The people are the foundation of our Great Qian Dynasty. You must cherish the people as you cherish your own eyes!"

"I named you Ren because I hope you will be a kind and righteous person. It is also a reminder and encouragement to myself. The world is won by violence, and it is a contest of who has the bigger fist!"

"However, governing the world cannot rely solely on violence. Violence can solve some problems, but it cannot solve all of them. Relying solely on violence and oppression will often backfire!"

"The global trend is already rolling in, and some things are inevitable. You can rely on some grand narratives and populism to block or resist it, but these can only block it temporarily, not forever!"

"People are realistic, and they are also driven by self-interest and the desire for power. They will choose to live better lives based on their actions. That's human nature!"

"None of us can fight against human nature. The only thing we can do is go with the flow. If we try to fight against it, the end result will only be collapse..."

Hearing Ye Mingsheng repeat the same old story again, An Miaoyi appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly she became increasingly puzzled.

A moment later, after Ye Mingsheng finished educating Jingren, the couple prepared to rest. Just as Ye Mingsheng was about to turn over and go to sleep, An Miaoyi couldn't suppress her doubts and asked Ye Mingsheng a question.

Under An Miaoyi's gaze, Ye Mingsheng pondered for a moment before slowly explaining his thoughts.

Listening to Ye Mingsheng's story, even someone as shrewd as An Miaoyi was utterly shocked.

After Ye Mingsheng finished speaking, the Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty was so shocked that she couldn't speak. Ye Mingsheng was not surprised by this, after all, his words had completely exceeded An Miaoyi's cognitive boundaries, and were even things that An Miaoyi could not understand at all.

After a full cup of tea's time to process it, An Miaoyi finally raised her head and looked at Ye Mingsheng with a complicated expression. Although Ye Mingsheng's serious demeanor didn't seem like he was fabricating a far-fetched lie to deceive her, the Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty still couldn't help but ask:

"Your Majesty, is what you're saying true? Was the king of Lugao really publicly sentenced and executed by his people?"

Ye Mingsheng nodded and said:

"Yes! King Louis XIV was tried by his people and sent to the guillotine, and from then on, Lugao has had no king..."

Although she was somewhat numb with shock, An Miaoyi's expression turned incredulous when Ye Mingsheng confirmed the news.

She was also the one who killed emperors. The last emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the young emperor Jiang Cong, died suddenly at her behest.

Although An Miaoyi killed Jiang Cong, the fact that the emperor was tried and convicted like a criminal and sent to the guillotine deeply shocked An Miaoyi.

An Miaoyi felt this was even more outrageous than Cheng Ji, a subordinate of the Sima family during the Three Kingdoms period, killing Cao Mao, the emperor of Cao Wei, in the street.

After Cao Mao was killed, Sima Zhao still pretended to kill Cheng Ji, putting on an act of being a loyal and virtuous minister!

This Lu Gaoguo was so lazy that he didn't even bother to act or pretend. He not only tried the emperor, but also beheaded him with a single stroke. This was simply too crazy and too unbelievable!
Thinking of this, An Miaoyi instinctively wanted to ask who won and became king, but before she could speak, she remembered what Ye Mingsheng had told her earlier: that from then on, the Kingdom of Lugao would have no king. So she asked:
"Your Majesty, what kind of order would a country be without an emperor?"

Upon hearing An Miaoyi's question, Ye Mingsheng smiled and then briefly explained the development of the West to An Miaoyi.

For someone like An Miaoyi, whose mind is deeply rooted in feudal ideology, what Ye Mingsheng said was undoubtedly heretical and unacceptable!

After Ye Mingsheng finished speaking, she began to speak in a serious tone:

"Your Majesty, the methods of Gaul are absolutely not applicable to our Great Qian. The relationship between ruler and subject in the Central Plains has existed for thousands of years, and this is the foundation of the nation. Your Majesty, you must not easily believe those malicious words!" Looking at An Miaoyi's serious expression, Ye Mingsheng was speechless. He had just said that he should follow the trend of history, and An Miaoyi wanted to resist. She was completely ignoring his words!

However, Ye Mingsheng could understand An Miaoyi. After all, these feudal nobles, in their ingrained belief, always considered the world their own, treating the common people like cattle and horses, and taking whatever they wanted from them…

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Jiangnan, Lin'an

In the study of the Jianghuai Governor's Office
Liu Yufeng, the current Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangnan, is reporting to Murong Yuliang, the Governor who is resting with his eyes closed.

“Your Excellency, our Provincial Surveillance Commission has conducted a thorough investigation into the situation of Wanfu Bank. According to our investigation, the treasury records of Wanfu Bank should show 1.15 million taels of silver, but only 153,000 taels of silver are actually in the treasury!”

Murong Yuliang, who had been seemingly resting with his eyes closed, immediately opened his eyes and asked upon hearing this number:
"How did this million taels of silver disappear?"

Faced with Murong Yuliang's question, Liu Yufeng's eyes darted away, but he still managed to organize his thoughts and speak:

"Sir, according to our investigation, Sun Wenheng has been falsifying the data in the accounting books since the establishment of Wanfu Bank. The actual performance of Wanfu Bank over the years has not been that good!"

"You mean to say that Wanfu Bank was a fraud from the very beginning?"

Under Murong Yuliang's gaze, Liu Yufeng hesitated briefly before nodding to indicate that Murong Yuliang was right.

Upon seeing this, a hint of anger immediately surfaced on Murong Yu's originally refined face, but he ultimately maintained his composure, not immediately venting his emotions, but instead asking in a deep voice:
"How much of the profit recorded in Wanfu Bank's accounts is fabricated?"

Liu Yufeng spoke without hesitation:
"The accounts of Wanfu Bank haven't been fully settled yet, and the exact figures may take some time to arrive, but the profit of 100,000 taels of silver is likely all fabricated!"

Upon hearing this, Murong Yuliang was startled and immediately asked:
"The profit of 100,000 taels of silver was all fabricated? So, Wanfu Bank not only didn't make any money, but is actually losing money now?"

"Yes!"

"What about the remaining nine hundred thousand taels of silver?"

"Of the 900,000 taels of silver, 300,000 taels were used by Sun Wenheng to fund the war, and the remaining 600,000 taels should all have been taken away by Sun Wenheng!"

Upon hearing Liu Yufeng's words, Murong Yuliang could no longer restrain himself and immediately disregarded his dignity as governor, saying:

"You are the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangnan. How could you be so slow to react to such a major matter as Sun Wenheng? What are you good for? What use are you as the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner?"

Although Liu Yufeng had already realized before meeting Murong Yuliang today that telling Murong Yuliang about these things would definitely make Murong Yuliang very angry, he had also made some mental preparations in his heart.

But when faced with Murong Yuliang's rage, Liu Yufeng was still very uneasy. He knew very well that things had gotten out of hand. If this matter was not handled properly, Murong Yuliang might fall, but he, the provincial inspector, might lose his life!
After hurling insults, Murong Yuliang seemed to have calmed down a bit. He looked at Liu Yufeng, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said:
"Liu Yufeng, I promoted you. Now I'm asking you some questions behind closed doors. You have to tell me the truth!"

Upon hearing Murong Yuliang's words, Liu Yufeng's heart stirred, and he immediately spoke:
"My lord, I will speak frankly and without reservation!"

"Do you even know that Sun Wenheng used money from Wanfu Bank to bribe Gao LD?"

Liu Yufeng, who had just been saying he would speak freely and without reservation, was completely stunned by this question, seemingly at a loss for words. Murong Yuliang simply stared at him coldly.

Under Murong Yuliang's gaze, Liu Yufeng lowered his head in shame and whispered:

"Know!"

Murong Yuliang wasn't stupid; he already understood what the answer would imply before even asking the question, so he continued, "..."

"Knowing he was using GLD, why didn't you tell me?"

Faced with this question, Liu Yufeng looked somewhat conflicted, as if he didn't know where to begin.

Seeing this, Murong Yuliang spoke directly:

"How much silver did you take from Sun Wenheng?"

Seeing that Murong Yuliang asked so directly, Liu Yufeng thought for a moment and said:
"My lord, Sun Wenheng gave me three thousand taels of silver!"

Before Liu Yufeng could finish speaking, Murong Yuliang grabbed a paperweight from the table and threw it at Liu Yufeng, cursing:

"Three thousand taels of silver? You're kidding me! I'll give you one last chance. Tell me, how much silver did you actually take from Sun Wenheng!"

"This is your last chance, you'd better think it through before you answer!"

Hearing Murong Yuliang say this, Liu Yufeng dared not hide it any longer and lowered his head to say:
"Sun Wenheng gave me ten thousand taels of silver, along with some gold, silver, antiques, and other valuables, totaling around twenty thousand taels of silver..."

Hearing Liu Yufeng say this, Murong Yuliang was also filled with grief. He never expected that the Jiangnan Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, whom he had been cultivating, would become Sun Wenheng's accomplice for 20,000 taels of silver!

Since becoming the governor of Jianghuai, Murong Yuliang has dreamed of becoming the chief minister one day. In order to give Ye Mingsheng a satisfactory answer, he has done his best in the governance and development of Jiangnan and Huainan.

Wanfu Draft Bank and Tongxin Draft Bank, one serving large businesses and big traders and the other serving small and medium-sized businesses and small workshops, were important tools for Murong Yuliang in governing and promoting the development of commerce in Jiangnan!
These two tools helped Murong Yuliang govern Jiangnan with great success. To be honest, Murong Yuliang hadn't discovered anything at first and was still immersed in her sense of accomplishment.

However, just three months ago, Sun Wenheng suddenly approached Murong Yuliang and told him that Zhao Dahai, the second manager of Wanfu Piaohao, had secretly taken bribes and was caught by Yi Jing's side. Someone wanted Zhao Dahai to smear Wanfu Piaohao!
Murong Yuliang was shocked when she heard the news. Although Sun Wenheng put it in a very tactful way, Murong Yuliang knew very well who he was talking about!

Although Wanfu Exchange House was nominally just an exchange house and not an official government agency, it was actually a crucial tool for promoting commerce in Jiangnan and Murong Yuliang's most trusted ally...

(End of this chapter)