The struggle for the throne among nine princes—I really don't want to be the crown prince.

Chapter 152 A Two-Pronged Approach: Both Hitting and Pulling Back

Shen Ye looked closely and saw that the person who stepped forward was none other than Feng Gubei, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel!
Although the Ministry of Rites was ranked first among the six ministries, the Ministry of Personnel always held the highest power.

The Minister of Personnel was even referred to as the "Heavenly Official".

As the second-in-command of the Ministry of Personnel, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was also a high-ranking and powerful figure.

Many people believe that he would rather be the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel than the head of the Ministry of Works.

Because the Ministry of Works had too low a status and too heavy a responsibility.

The Ministry of Personnel manages promotions and demotions, so there's no risk involved, and naturally, people will flock to curry favor with them.

This is also why the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel held such a high position.

Feng Gubei is in his fifties, thin, and simply dressed. In many people's eyes, he is a model of self-discipline.

However, at this moment, Feng, who was highly respected by many, was righteously criticizing the management methods proposed by the Crown Prince.

He solemnly knelt on the ground and said, "Officials who owe debts should be urged to pay them. However, linking the collection of debts with punishment will turn Your Majesty's benevolence into oppressive rule."

"Your Majesty, please take a closer look!"

Following Feng Gubei's appearance, another person knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I agree with Lord Feng's words!"

"Your permission for officials to borrow money from the imperial granary to overcome the difficulties is itself a benevolent policy of harmony between the ruler and his ministers."

"At present, although Taicang is facing difficulties, the officials who are in debt are also urgently raising money to repay His Majesty's kindness."

"If such a good thing is handled in the way the Crown Prince does, I'm afraid it won't be able to silence the gossip of the people."

Emperor Qianxi valued his reputation above all else, and he would generally avoid doing anything that could damage it.

Most of his subordinates knew about this hobby of his.

Therefore, many people like to bring this up when they are presenting a memorial to the emperor.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qianxi frowned.

Shen Ye looked at the second middle-aged man who knelt down and said calmly, "Lord Li, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, you have said it well."

"If borrowing silver from the imperial granary can help officials overcome difficulties as quickly as possible, this is His Majesty's grace. Then let me ask you, how did you manage to use the borrowed 100,000 taels of silver to lend at usurious rates?"

“I’ve sent people to inquire, and your family’s loan shark shop has already taken over half of the loan shark industry in the southern part of the city. There are quite a few families who have been ruined and killed because of your loan sharking.”

"I have a roster here, shall I read it to you?" Shen Ye was observing the administration in Daxing County, where Nian Dongliang, the county's leader, listened to him without question.

As a local strongman, Nian Dongliang knew the ropes about certain things very well.

Although Shen Ye was unwilling to make a big fuss, after taking on the task of collecting the debts owed by the Ministry of Revenue, he asked Nian Dongliang to collect information on what these officials intended to do with the borrowed money.

Unexpectedly, upon inquiring, they discovered that this official from the Ministry of Justice had used money from Emperor Qianxi's imperial granary as capital to engage in usury.

Lord Li, who was kneeling on the ground, trembled subconsciously upon hearing Shen Ye's words.

He never expected that the Crown Prince would know so much about his family's situation.

He said with a slight tremor, "Your Highness, I am completely ignorant of household affairs and have not taken care of anything at home."

"It was...it was done by some servants who were using...using the guise of servants!"

"Your Majesty, this servant truly had no idea!"

Emperor Qianxi glanced at Minister Li with a hint of disgust, then coldly said, "Strip him of his official hat and take him to the Dali Temple for interrogation."

"I want to see how much money he made from this loan."

At this point, Emperor Qianxi's gaze fell on Shen Ye again, and he said, "Crown Prince, you may continue."

Shen Ye clasped his hands in a fist salute to Emperor Qianxi, then turned his gaze to Feng Gubei and said, "Lord Feng, you are a renowned Confucian gentleman." "Tell me, how can someone like Lord Li borrow silver from the Taicang and not repay it, then claim that the court's demands for repayment are unjust?"

"But what about myself? I'm using money that doesn't charge interest to lend at exorbitant interest rates."

"I heard they're also doing something called 'Nine Outs and Thirteen Returns'!"

“If you don’t pay him back, he forces people to sell their children, causing their families to be ruined and destroyed. Tell me, is that what you call kindness?”

"By the way, he seems to really like calling himself a scholar."

"Look, how well is he studying?"

Feng Gubei's face turned ashen; he clearly hadn't expected to encounter such a terrible teammate.

But he still forced himself to say, "Your Highness, what you said is just an isolated case. He alone does not represent everyone."

At this point, he solemnly addressed Emperor Qianxi, saying, "Your Majesty, I cannot agree with judging whether a person is qualified to be an official based on whether they repay their debts."

"If Your Majesty insists on granting such a proposal, please forgive me for being unable to comply."

Feng Gubei was a high-ranking official, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. If his proposal was not implemented, then Shen Ye's memorial would be nothing more than an empty shell.

Shen Ye glanced at Feng Gubei, then said to Emperor Qianxi, "Your Majesty, if Lord Feng is unable to carry out the task, I believe we can find someone else to do it."

"As a court official, if one cannot wholeheartedly consider the interests of the court, but instead focuses on one's own empty reputation and the interests of one's own group, ignoring the operation of the court, then such a person is better off not being kept."

At this point, he glanced at Feng Gubei and said calmly, "In this world, people are always replaced if their thinking is not changed, and they are moved if their attitude is not right. Apart from the eternal sun and moon and the supreme emperor, everyone can be replaced!"

"You don't need to take yourself too seriously."

Feng Gubei's lips trembled. He never expected that the usually gentle and refined Crown Prince would say such a thing to him.

Suddenly, he felt a tightness in his chest and almost fell to the ground.

His face burned, but what bothered him even more was knowing that he was finished this time.

To be told by the Crown Prince not to take himself too seriously was like a merciless tearing apart of his years of moral principles.

Even if Emperor Qianxi wanted to protect him, it would be difficult for him.

His fingers trembled as he tried to say something, but the Crown Prince said calmly, "Lord Feng has no debts in Taicang, but your cousin, Lord Feng Guqiu, the head of the Ministry of Works, owes more than 200,000 taels of silver. No wonder he stepped forward in such a hurry."

That last sentence struck Feng Gubei directly on a vital point, almost causing him to fall to the ground.

He said tremblingly, "Your Majesty, I...I..."

Emperor Qianxi waved his hand; he knew more than the Crown Prince.

Normally, he might have said a few good words for Feng Gubei, who was considered a capable official, but at this moment, he waved his sleeve and said, "Since Feng Gubei is unwilling to serve as an official, then let him return to his hometown!"

"From now on, I will devote myself to my studies and think carefully about whether a person who owes debts can become a good minister."

Faced with this scene, Feng Gubei felt a pang of sorrow. He looked around and found that no one paid any attention to him, which made him even more frustrated.

How could I have lost my mind and recklessly contradicted the Crown Prince?

However, the Crown Prince's actions were too ruthless. Wasn't he afraid of offending the officials, the nobles, and too many other people?

Just as Feng Gubei was about to stagger out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, someone else said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the Crown Prince's proposal is still inappropriate."

Upon hearing this, Feng Gubei slowed his pace.

He really wanted to see who would stand up and stand firmly with him at a time like this.

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(End of this chapter)