Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 629 Xie Baoqing, oh Xie Baoqing...

It has been a long time since the last time martial law was declared in Jinling City, but this time the commotion is greater than ever before. Everyone is confused, whether they are ordinary people or officials at all levels. All they know is that the beacon fires in the southwest have been lit and the palace bells have rung.

The last time the palace bells rang was when Emperor Hongbao passed away.

"What exactly is going on?"

Gao Shilian frowned and questioned the people around him. He didn't know what had happened, but he felt a chill run down his spine. This feeling was very bad. He had never felt this way before, even when he was exchanging blows with his equally matched opponents.

This made him very uncomfortable.

"We don't know yet, but we do know that once this beacon fire is lit, people will die." The man below said in a low voice, "The scouts say that the Jiangnan Road is closed, and twenty-seven checkpoints have been set up on each road. Without a travel permit, you can only enter but not leave."

Upon hearing this, Gao Shilian's heart skipped a beat. He got up and paced around the room for a while before sitting back down in his chair: "Go and inform the Regent that Gao Shilian has suddenly fallen seriously ill and is bedridden, unable to participate in any external affairs."

"Prime Minister Gao... what is the reason for this?"

"Don't ask questions or interfere. From today onwards, the Gao family will be closed and will not receive any guests." Gao Shilian waved his hand: "Do as instructed."

He didn't know exactly what had happened, but he had a vague feeling that something enormous was about to happen.

"By the way, find out what rumors are circulating in the Central Plains recently."

"Yes! I'll go right away."

Because there are many merchants from all over Jinling City, and this should be the most developed period of commerce in history, it is not difficult to find out news from the north. Gao Shilian's subordinates quickly obtained a lot of useful information.

Among them was content about Xia Lin.

After compiling this valuable information, he handed it to Gao Shilian.

"Bastard!"

After reading through all the rumors circulating these days, Gao Shilian slammed his hand on the table: "This is trying to force the emperor to rebel against powerful ministers, it's outrageous!"

His hair stood on end. After reading all the messages again, Gao Shilian narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath: "Intrigues and schemes will eventually backfire."

Having said that, he issued another order: "Go, make the Gao family sever all business dealings with the northern gentry, break off engagements, and divorce those who are already married. Return any goods that are available, and stop accepting goods from the north if you don't have any. Hurry! Also, write a letter to Changsun Wuji, telling him to come to Jinling as soon as possible and return as quickly as possible, traveling day and night without delay."

"Yes."

After issuing these orders, he raised his hand again: "Send someone to tell Li Mi that he still has a sliver of hope. If he cannot capture Liu Heita within fifteen days, he would better pack his bags and go to the Tang Dynasty, otherwise he will not survive. Also, dismiss the Gao family's branches in the north, tell them to change their names and surnames, those who are officials to resign, and those who are merchants to sell their property and all move to the south."

"Yes."

After everything was arranged and his subordinates left, Gao Shilian sat there looking at the unpredictable weather outside, and suddenly laughed helplessly: "I'd like to see how you handle this thunderous wrath."

Having said that, he unfolded the paper in his hand and shook his head helplessly. As an old rival, he had long since figured out Xia Lin's temperament. Within the rules, he could do whatever he wanted, but this had clearly crossed the line. If he ruined Xia Lin, the world would truly be in chaos.

He certainly wouldn't just stand by and watch himself collapse, and the message from this beacon fire boiled down to just three words—kill, kill, kill.

There aren't many fools in this world, but there are far too many self-proclaimed smart people. They probably thought Xia Lin was neither good at fighting nor dared to fight. Now these people are probably going to learn what it means to be swept away like a whirlwind.

Gao Shilian didn't know for the time being which way the wind would blow, but no matter if it was a crosswind or a vertical wind, the Gao family would just close the doors and windows to avoid its sharp edge.

Just as Gao Shilian was sitting there pondering, his disabled granddaughter was pushed in and asked curiously, "Grandfather, I heard you broke off my engagement?"

"Yes, what's wrong? Are you dissatisfied?"

"Not really. Anyway, that man wasn't marrying me because of me, but because of the Gao family. If I could avoid marrying him, I would be more than happy. I just want to know why my grandfather is like this?"

“Their family won’t live much longer.” Gao Shilian raised his eyes slightly and glanced at his granddaughter: “I know that although you have a chronic illness, you are very clever and insightful. Look at that.”

He handed the paper to his granddaughter, who picked it up and began to read. The more she read, the deeper her brows furrowed. After a long while, she looked up and said, "Are they crazy?! This method has only ever worked on loyal ministers throughout history. When has it ever been used to deal with powerful ministers? Isn't this just forcing a rebellion?"

"Yes, what they want is to force a rebellion. But now Grandpa is also curious about how Xia Daosheng will deal with it. If he doesn't deal with it well, he himself will be doomed. But no matter how well or badly he deals with it, he can't swallow this grievance. He has troops and is good at fighting. No matter how he deals with it, the person who set up the scheme will die."

After listening, Gao Yunmeng said, "They want to completely destroy Xia Daosheng. Whether he sends troops or not, his reputation is ruined. If he sends troops, it will give others a pretext, and he will become a traitor by the emperor's side. If he doesn't send troops, then this problem will be passed on to the emperor. Whether the emperor punishes him or not is not easy. If he punishes him, he can remove a major obstacle for others. If he doesn't punish him, he will become another pretext, a powerful minister who holds the emperor hostage, just like Dong Zhuo in the Eastern Han Dynasty."

"Yes, I wonder how he will handle this situation. I'm itching to see what kind of trouble this commotion will cause. Meng'er, you always compare yourself to Xia Daosheng. So, let me ask you, how would you break out of this predicament?"

Gao Yunmeng gently shook her head: "I can't think of it, I can't figure it out. I'm not as good as him."

When the proud and arrogant Gao Yunmeng uttered the four words "I am not as good as him" in a crisp voice, she was actually quite frank. Because in all these years, she had been sitting at home without reading erotic novels and dreaming of domineering CEOs falling in love with her like other young ladies, nor had she been immersed in deadly songs and operas all day long. She had studied Xia Daosheng for four whole years. During these four years, she took out every single thing Xia Daosheng had done in his political career, analyzed it, and then compared it with the current changes in Fuliang and the possible future developments.

The more you learn about Xia Daosheng, the more you realize how remarkable he is. Although some of his actions are fantastical and unbelievable, when you look back a few years later, you realize that his actions have come to fruition and landed smoothly, pulling that small area forward at high speed.

The most classic example is the abolition of agricultural tax and the increase of commercial tax. To the average person, this would seem like the end of the world. But in reality, in the years that followed, almost no one relied on landlords and powerful families to avoid taxes. Farmers had abundant produce to trade, but their output was not large enough to meet the tax requirements. This gave farmers spare money, which naturally led to their desire to buy. As the majority of the population began to consume, farmers stimulated the development of large trading companies. The development of these companies not only increased tax revenue by 30%, but also ensured that everyone, from top to bottom, made a profit, and the situation was safe and stable.

There are also the three principles regarding the non-negotiable use of arable land, namely, no buying or selling, no encroachment, and no planting of other crops. At first, everyone thought he was crazy, even the local farmers thought he was crazy. However, ten years after the implementation of this policy, Fuliang has not produced any large landowners or local tyrants who could influence the political situation, let alone those who raised private armies.

Without the exploitation by large landowners and local tyrants, and with the addition of spare money due to the first agricultural tax reduction policy, the entire Fuliang and even the entire Jiangnan region thus began to cycle.

Every time Gao Yunmeng studied this part, she thought Xia Daosheng's administrative orders were amazing. He seemed to be a god who stood on the clouds and manipulated the world. Even for systems that no one had ever touched before, he could know how they would develop in the future.

Faced with such a person, Gao Yunmeng always compared herself to Xia Daosheng in private, but when she was asked to bring it up on stage, she naturally said, "I am not as good as him."

Of course, Gao Shilian wasn't the only one curious; the entire city of Jinling was eagerly awaiting the outcome. They wanted to see how someone like Xia Lin, who refused to accept his fate, would handle such a situation.

A dead end with no way forward or backward.

On the third day, a messenger, who had traveled through war-torn areas, arrived at the main hall and delivered the letter to Prince Teng.

"I have inherited this great undertaking and have been diligent day and night, fearing only that there may be shortcomings in governance and education, and that I may fail to live up to the great trust placed in me by my ancestors. Recently, I have received reports that Xia Lin, the fifth-rank county marquis of Fuliang County, has behaved improperly, harbors rebellious thoughts, secretly forms cliques in the court and the countryside, and privately amasses armor and weapons in the capital region. When I first heard this, I was saddened and found it hard to believe."

I recall your past tenure overseeing the grain transport and salt administration, where you were renowned for your integrity and competence; and your diligence in providing disaster relief in Yuzhou two years ago. However, certain individuals have secretly submitted seven memorials listing thirty-two charges against you, including embezzlement of military funds, misappropriation of official land, and collusion with foreign powers. Furthermore, anonymous accusations directly allege that you used disaster relief as a pretext to massacre civilians. All these accusations, if not baseless, are indeed a threat to the very foundation of the nation.

The Emperor hereby orders the three judicial departments to conduct a joint trial, with An Musi, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, presiding and other high-ranking officials in the central government assisting. All officials of the seventh rank and above involved in the case, regardless of their kinship or merit, may be directly reported to the Emperor. Xia Lin is ordered to temporarily relinquish his official seal and await investigation in seclusion; his sons, nephews, and students are all suspended from their duties pending trial. Furthermore, the Investigating Office is dispatched with 300 elite guards to thoroughly investigate the records of finances, grain, population, and transactions in all prefectures and counties.

I know that water that is too clear has no fish, yet the laws and regulations cannot be relaxed, and the national laws cannot be abolished. If you are truly guilty of treachery, you shall be punished according to the law to serve as a warning to others; if you are framed, you shall be exonerated. All of you ministers should take this as a lesson, harbor no illusions, and not wait and see. Although I reside in the highest palace, my eyes and ears are all-seeing; be cautious and heed my warnings! This edict shall be implemented swiftly upon receipt, without delay. So be it.”

"This writing style..." The prince turned his head and glanced at Ma Zhou.

Ma Zhou nodded gently with his eyes closed... When the people below heard the edict, they were stunned for a moment. Many of them had no idea what was going on. Why was the emperor suddenly going to openly attack the most powerful minister of the Great Wei Dynasty?
But soon someone realized that this wasn't about dealing with Xia Lin; it was a suicidal move! This was about bringing the Legalists to the forefront and burning them from top to bottom with the flames of Legalism.

Okay, you guys made up stories for him, so let's check. Everyone's included, don't let anyone escape. Start from the seventh rank and work your way up, whoever you find is the one you're looking for.

With this move, Xia Lin clearly indicated that he didn't care whether he lived or died, but everyone else had to die!
Furthermore, a thorough investigation of the accounts of each state is required, including land registers, tax books, and import/export figures. A fire burning down the granary? Good heavens! How much is burned, how much is the deficit! Let's try burning one!
When the imperial edict was issued, panic gripped the people. The crucial point was that no one could speak out; at this critical juncture, anyone who spoke would be labeled a traitor and would be in trouble.

Still want to purge the court of corrupt officials? Dream on! They've already stabbed you three times and left you with six wounds right from the start. How can you possibly purge the court of corrupt officials?
For a moment, the court and the public were solemn. But just an hour later, the imperial banner was raised in the capital region camp, the horses were prepared and the soldiers were sharpened. A sense of impending doom filled the air. Then the army set out of the camp and began to deploy along the capital region. It was certainly not to defend against the Jiangnan region.

When this news reached Gao Shilian, who was living a secluded life and fishing in his backyard, he slammed his fist on the table and exclaimed, "Wow! Brilliant!"

Gao Yunmeng was reading a book nearby when she heard her grandfather's exclamation. She looked up in surprise and asked, "Grandfather?"

Gao Shilian approached him with a broad smile: "Meng'er, do you know how Xia Daosheng will deal with this?"

"I don't know."

"Then listen to this imperial edict."

Gao Shilian read the imperial edict to her. At first glance, it seemed innocuous, but upon closer examination, one could sense the murderous intent emanating from it.

"Seventh rank? General investigation???"

“Yes!” Gao Shilian paced back and forth in front of Gao Yunmeng with his hands behind his back: “This move is brilliant, truly brilliant.”

“Very clever.” Gao Yunmeng nodded silently. “Although it seems like he was punished, he was actually using this method to announce to the world that he was fulfilling his duty as a wise ruler, clearing the ministers’ name, and taking the opportunity to use the righteous cause to send troops. He had given an explanation to both the emperor and the people. The common people understood, and the ministers dared not speak out. What a brilliant move…”

"Very good, very good, what a brilliant move to turn the tables. Now we'll just have to watch those ministers tear each other apart."

Will Xia Daosheng be punished?

“Yes.” Gao Shilian paused for a moment, then smiled and said, “He definitely will. But the punishment he will receive will probably just be a reprimand, because whether he did what he was told or not, only heaven, earth, you, and I know. With his personality, he will keep the accounts clear and transparent. At most, he will be punished for his moral failings.”

"Private morality?"

“He…” Gao Shilian said, both amused and exasperated, “He has illicit relationships with several prostitutes.”

Gao Yunmeng rolled her eyes. She thought it was something serious. How could such a small thing be considered a big deal? What kind of status did Xia Daosheng have? He played around with a few courtesans. Even the most critical person would just shrug and say, "It's only human nature." After all, if it were someone else, he might even dare to play around with the Empress.

"Nothing else?"

“That’s it.” Gao Shilian shook his head and said, “There are countless eyes in the world watching him, but they can never find a single fault with him. Sometimes I even think this man is really weird.”

Gao Yunmeng pursed her lips: "Don't you treat human life like dirt?"

"No."

"What about seizing by trickery or force?"

"Does eating people's food without paying count?" Gao Shilian laughed: "He often eats people's food without paying."

"How much money can a steamed bun cost..." Gao Yunmeng was speechless. "Isn't there anything else that can do his thing?"

Gao Shilian shook his head: "No."

"But he has stationed troops there."

“He…” Gao Shilian stopped speaking here, and shook his finger: “Grandson, this matter cannot be discussed.”

"Why?"

This time, however, Gao Shilian, who was always outspoken, remained silent and instead smiled as he turned and went fishing.

The news spread very quickly, starting from Jinling City and spreading outwards, all the way across the Yangtze River, reaching the Central Plains, and even Chang'an.

It's as if someone is deliberately spreading it.

The heroes of the world were all shocked. Some of them were just warlords, nominally affiliated with the Great Wei, and this thorough investigation also included them.

Whether or not to allow an investigation, and whether they are allowed to investigate, is a matter of life and death for them. The imperial banner has been raised, and if they do not agree, then they should not blame the Great Wei for bringing down their swords. But if they are allowed to investigate, wouldn't that be a disguised way of taking away their power?

Should we send troops to resist? On the other side, there was not only the Po Lu Army waving the banner of justice, but also the New Army with red eyes, howling to clear the name of their commander.

They now hate the person who set up Xia Lin, because if one person sets up a scheme, the whole family is implicated.

This time, Wang Shichong learned his lesson and was the first to send an official letter welcoming the Inspectorate to Xuzhou to conduct an investigation, promising to fully cooperate.

At this moment, Li Mi was actually in Xuzhou. He had already been informed by Gao Shilian and was currently seeking Wang Shichong's help.

"Brother Wang, you..."

"Stop with the 'you' and 'me' talk. If you keep acting all high and might cause big trouble at this point, can you find out who set up Xia Daosheng?"

"So what if we find it? So what if we don't?"

“If you hand over the head, you’ll be fine. If they can’t find out, you’d better surrender now. I’m not joking.” Wang Shichong smiled broadly. “Anyway, I’ve surrendered. As a father, I can’t let my son’s future be ruined. How many men do I have? I, Boheng, already have 100,000 troops under my control.”

"Yang Ying!!!" Li Mi gritted his teeth, making a grinding sound: "I've caused you so much trouble!"

Wang Shichong glanced at Li Mi: "My Lord, you can't only think of the court when you're gaining an advantage. I think this matter was orchestrated by those people in the Central Plains. The biggest factions in the Central Plains now are Yuwen, Yang, and Liu Heita. They will kill you."

"Brother Xingman, I have a request to make."

"Borrowing troops is out of the question." Wang Shichong waved his hand. "I dare not gamble at this time, brother. If I lose the bet, I will be implicated, no, no, no, it will implicate my son. My son has now returned to his hometown and become a true eagle of the Western Regions. As his father, I dare not cause any trouble."

Li Mi rested his hands on his knees: "But now..."

"Going to the capital, huh? Bowing your head isn't shameful." Wang Shichong patted his chest. "Look at me, your old brother. I bow my head and I'm still a local tyrant in Changzhou. Who cares about me?"

(End of this chapter)