The playboy county magistrate

If it were an ordinary newly appointed cabinet minister, most would believe it to be true and let it go.

But they were facing Li Xuanzhi, who was praised for his infallible strategies.

Li Xuanzhi sat upright at the desk, not immediately turning the pages of the files, but merely glancing at the four people with a faint look in his eyes.

"Are you, Your Excellencies, certain that the accounts are in order and the administration is free of corruption?"

Grand Secretary Zhang looked calm and nodded slightly.

"We have checked each item one by one, and there is absolutely no error."

"it is good."

Li Xuanzhi smiled slightly, "Since everyone is certain there are no flaws, then please have someone verify it."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand in a gesture.

Tang Zheng, accompanied by several royal guards, entered the cabinet carrying a thick stack of secret documents and bowed as he presented them.

"My lord, the evidence of the various powerful families colluding to falsify accounts, conceal their official appointments, and exaggerate their achievements has been fully verified."

The documents were laid out meticulously, each word irrefutable, the evidence as solid as a mountain.

It contains detailed records of the time, place, and conversation details of secret meetings and collusion among powerful and wealthy families, as well as traces of officials altering financial accounts.

The records list the whereabouts of hundreds of officials who violated regulations and sought to evade investigation, and even the drafts of the memorials issued by various departments with perfunctory replies and traces of alteration are all preserved.

The four elders' expressions changed drastically, their eyes filled with disbelief and panic.

They thought they were acting discreetly, but little did they know that all their schemes and pretenses had fallen under Li Xuanzhi's surveillance.

wrong!

It's true that Tang Zheng is Li Xuanzhi's confidant, but the clothes worn by the remaining men...

His Majesty's men!

"I... know nothing of this matter!"

Grand Secretary Zhang was in a state of confusion and hastily tried to distance himself from the matter.

"These are probably all decisions made by officials on their own initiative, and have nothing to do with the cabinet!"

Li Xuanzhi was so angry he laughed.

"Irrelevant?"

"The Ministry of Personnel tacitly approved the corruption of officials with nepotistic connections, and the Ministry of Revenue condoned the embezzlement of funds and grain. The six ministries were working in cahoots, collectively engaging in perfunctory actions. Would they dare to do this without the secret instructions of someone in the cabinet?"

"Such a flawless plan, if His Majesty's secret guards hadn't been monitoring and recording it from beginning to end, would have been impossible to detect a single problem. You dare say it's unrelated?"

The four elders trembled, their faces ashen. Gone was their former majesty; their schemes had been exposed in public, leaving them utterly humiliated.

They thought their plan was meticulous, but in the end they were just walking into a trap.

Li Xuanzhi's gaze was cold and deep. Without further hesitation, he gestured for the people waiting outside to come in.

"As your colleague, I gave you a chance. But you didn't cherish it, so I have no choice but to follow the agreement with His Majesty and have the eunuch deliver the decree."

The eunuch, with a stern face, unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud. The contents of the edict nearly made several people faint.

"Effective immediately, seal all accounts involved in the case and summon corrupt officials from the imperial court and local authorities for trial!"

"Grand Secretary Zhang has failed in his judgment of character, neglected his duties, and tolerated corruption. He is hereby fined one year's salary, suspended from office for self-reflection, and temporarily relieved of his duties as Grand Secretary!"

The streets and alleys, the various ministries and government offices, and the residences of the imperial family were all shaken by this event.

The officials from humble backgrounds were greatly encouraged and welcomed the elimination of long-standing abuses and the rectification of officialdom.

Meanwhile, the remaining noble families and old aristocratic families were all in danger. In addition to their fear, the desire to fight back against defeat also grew wildly.

After being suspended from his post and reflecting on his actions, Grand Secretary Zhang returned home and remained secluded. However, he secretly sent messages to dozens of retired officials, idle members of the imperial family, and collateral branches of powerful families, and drafted a joint memorial overnight.

This group of people were all beneficiaries of the old order, and they knew that once Li Xuanzhi's power was established or even fully expanded, the privileges of hereditary officials, private property, and local monopolies would all vanish.

Although Li Xuanzhi had shaken many of their interests before, he hadn't shaken everything.

The powerful and prestigious families that have managed to stand the test of time certainly do not possess only two or three monopolistic privileges.

But now that Li Xuanzhi is in the cabinet, he has more power and influence.

They couldn't gamble, much less dared to gamble on whether those poor young men who depended on them would turn against them and side with Li Xuanzhi.

Over the years, quite a few people from humble backgrounds have risen to power thanks to their favors. The reason they have remained at peace all this time is because they have no confidence to challenge them.

However, if someone as powerful as Li Xuanzhi were to take the lead, those people might not hesitate to compete with them.

The next morning, dozens of joint memorials were sent into the palace, piling up in one corner of the imperial desk.

The memorial was filled with venomous words, employing every possible means to slander and defame.

It is said that Li Xuanzhi was young and arrogant, stubborn and self-willed. Once he took control of the central government, he abused his power, suppressed veteran officials, and mistreated powerful families.

Unjustly framing loyal officials has stirred up turmoil in the court. Using the guise of reform, they have eliminated dissidents and established their own power. If not checked and balanced in time, this could lead to the calamity of powerful ministers disrupting the government.

Even worse, some deliberately sowed discord among the emperor, subtly implying that his military achievements were too great and his power too heavy, suggesting that he was already showing signs of becoming too powerful and dominating the court.

Immediately, a backlash against Li Xuanzhi surged, seemingly attempting to replicate the previous chaos and slander at the border, forcing the emperor to exercise restraint and reclaim power.

The atmosphere in the court today is even more stagnant and oppressive than in the past.

Most of the civil and military officials bowed their heads and held their breath, none daring to utter a sound.

On one side is a young regent who enjoys immense imperial favor and wields powerful methods.

On one side are the old ministers of a century-old family, united in a fierce battle, with a deep-rooted heritage.

For the first time ever, a group of retired senior officials returned to court today and stood in the hall, their hair and beards all white, their postures earnest.

Every word was a lament, every sentence a plea for justice. He appeared deeply concerned for his country and eager to speak out for his people.

"Your Majesty! Li Xuanzhi acted too hastily and abused his power. In a single day, he severely damaged several powerful families, implicated countless officials, and caused widespread panic throughout the court and the country!"

"Li Xuanzhi's methods are too harsh and cruel, lacking any human touch. He arbitrarily investigates accounts and eliminates officials. I fear this will chill the hearts of the nobles and officials throughout the land, disrupting the stability of the court for a hundred years!"

"Your Majesty, we humbly request that you reclaim the cabinet power of your regent Li Xuanzhi in order to stabilize the court!"

His words were earnest and pleading, attempting to force the Emperor to compromise. He wanted to overturn all the cabinet's decisions from the previous day and completely destroy Li Xuanzhi's foundation.

The other officials who were observing all turned their heads and waited for the emperor's decision.

There was no way around it; after being proven wrong by Li Xuanzhi so many times, smart people no longer dared to take sides casually.

On the dragon throne, the emperor looked down at the noisy hall, his expression calm and undisturbed.

After everyone had finished their lamentations, the hall gradually fell into a deathly silence.

The emperor's gaze swept indifferently over the group of old ministers who had jointly submitted their petition, and he spoke abruptly in a clear and authoritative voice.

"I have reviewed your memorials and listened to your grievances. Not a single word is for the sake of the country and the people; every word is for personal gain and to plead for leniency!"

After he finished speaking, the hall fell even quieter.

The faces of the veteran officials changed simultaneously. They hurriedly tried to speak in their defense, but the emperor's sharp gaze held them firmly in place, rendering them unable to move.

"What Li Xuanzhi did was nothing more than purging corruption, auditing finances, reducing redundant officials, and eliminating long-standing abuses. Every single one of these actions benefited the country, the people, and the nation!"

"The national treasury is depleted, official careers are stagnant, local governments exploit the people, and the people suffer. All this is because your aristocratic families have been corrupt for generations, clinging to outdated practices!"

"A century-old ailment that no one dared to break, no one dared to eradicate. Only Li Xuanzhi stepped forward and took decisive action."