Chapter 17 Building momentum
“Your Highness, this batch of materials is definitely not defective!” Guo Shangshu defended hurriedly,
"We personally work hard and select the best building materials to ensure that the Chunwei Examination Center is strong and durable. We will never slack off in the slightest and affect the country's talent selection plan!"
Li Chengze's face was expressionless, with unquestionable majesty in his tone: "It's just usable. Could it be that the Ministry of Household Affairs has insufficient funds?
The golden nanmu and gold bricks replaced this time are valuable. After deducting the cost, What do you plan to do with the remainder? The profit is not a small amount! "
Guo Shangshu lowered his head and firmly denied the suspicion of corruption: "Your Highness clearly knows that the items dismantled are properly stored in the warehouse of the Ministry of Rites, and the accounts are clear. I know very well that Your Highness is determined to severely punish corruption, so how can I dare to test the law by myself?" ? The minister is innocent and has not taken any ill-gotten gains!
All the students looked at each other, unable to judge the authenticity of his words.
Li Chengze had an insight into his intentions and hit the nail on the head: "Could it be that when you take office as a new official, you want to gain political achievements in the name of rebuilding the examination room, so as to show your ability as the Minister of Rites?"
Such behavior is not uncommon in official circles. New officials always like to build large-scale construction projects to show their political achievements, but in fact they are hiding their selfish motives, enriching their own pockets, gaining both fame and fortune, and showing their eagerness for quick success and instant benefit.
Guo Shang's writing was earth-colored. He did not dare to be openly corrupt, but it was an indisputable fact that he took advantage of the opportunity of reconstruction to add luster to his political achievements. Now that the second prince had exposed it, he had no choice but to plead guilty:
"I am eager for quick success and waste money. My crime is unpardonable. Please punish me severely, Your Highness!"
When Fan Xian saw this, he smiled secretly in his heart. This was obviously a trick set up for the second prince.
Li Chengze remained unmoved and said coldly: "I am not the one who can determine your guilt. Your Majesty will decide it for you.
Between you and me, the accounts have not yet been settled, so there is no need to rush to admit guilt. "
After saying this, Li Chengze turned to Fan Xian, who understood and immediately announced the evidence that Guo Shangshu was lazy and enjoying himself - his self-portrait.
Li Chengze said slowly: "Guo Shangshu, since you are responsible for the repair of the examination room, you should do your duty and supervise the project.
However, not only did you fail to fulfill this responsibility, but you were enjoying yourself in the arbor, and you even faked the scene of working, deceiving the Holy Spirit, in order to claim credit. Guo Zheng, how dare you deceive me! "
As soon as this statement came out, the whole hall was in an uproar. The crime of deceiving the emperor was a death penalty.
Fan Wujiu and the four others were even more aggressive, as if they wanted to escort this deceiver immediately. Guo Shangshu was so frightened that his legs weakened and he fell to his knees: "I was negligent for a moment, and I have absolutely no disrespect for your Majesty!"
Fan Xian sneered, pointed at the spacious pergola and asked:
"Negligence?
The Chunwei examination room has not yet been completed, but you are enjoying the blessings first. Fruits and vegetables are chilled in the pergola, but you let the students sweat like rain under the scorching sun without even giving them a shade. This is you. An oversight? "
"Not only have you neglected your duty, you have also become a corpse!
" Fan Xian's passionate voice aroused the anger in the hearts of the students. They complained one after another, exposing Guo Shangshu's injustice and greed.
In the face of public outrage, Guo Shangshu was unable to refute and could only defend himself more embarrassingly, but only in exchange for more accusations and indignation.
Everyone shouted in unison: "What His Highness and Mr. Xiao Fan said makes sense, and we fully support it!"
This passionate sound seemed to penetrate the sky and spread to every corner of the capital.
This is exactly the effect Li Chengze expected - to use the authority of the second prince and the momentum of the scholars to expose Guo Shangshu's crimes through the eyes of the people, and at the same time serve as a powerful warning to the forces behind him.
Li Chengze looked down at Guo Shangshu who was kneeling on the ground with burning eyes, with a hint of ridicule in his tone:
"It seems that you really know how to enjoy yourself."
Guo Shangshu could only kneel down humbly and admit his mistake in a low voice: "I am guilty..."
The students' applause surged like a tidal wave, and cheers came and went. Shi Chanli's cheeks turned red with excitement, and Hou Jichang's eyes shone with eagerness.
They looked up to the second prince, their hearts full of admiration and pride. This scene was more lively and exciting than any festival celebration. However, amidst the joy, Yang Wanli frowned and thought to himself, as if he had a premonition that the storm would not subside...
At the same time, a silent contest was going on quietly in the eldest prince's palace.
Li Chengqian can always grasp Li Chengze's movements quickly. Isn't this a different kind of "tacit understanding of brothers"? The guard hurriedly reported:
"Your Highness, the second prince has led Fan Xian and many attendants to surround the examination room, intending to thoroughly investigate Guo Shangshu's use of inferior quality and falsification."
Li Chengqian frowned, while Fan Wujiu looked confused:
"Did he discover something? Is it Guo Shangshu's corruption, or is it deeper corruption?"
Li Chengqian shook his head with deep eyes: "Those are just appearances. The second brother's move is more like a show, meant to accuse others of being eager for quick success.
As long as he has not yet figured out the layout behind us, there is nothing to fear. "
The guard asked tentatively: "Your Highness, Guo Shangshu is one of ours, and now he is being closely watched by the second prince, and he is suspected of taking advantage of the opportunity to build momentum. How should we deal with it? If he cannot withstand the pressure..."
Li Chengqian smiled indifferently, biting the grape lightly, with a hint of playfulness in his tone:
"It doesn't matter. If he knows that I am not alone in this power struggle, he will persevere. I would like to see how my second brother will respond."
When the guards heard this, they secretly marveled at the unfathomable power of this whirlpool.
In Fan Mansion, the sun had set, and Fan Ruoruo was waiting anxiously at the door, filled with worries about his brother's safety. The noise coming from the street made her even more restless, and the discussions among neighbors about the accident in the Chunwei examination center made her even more anxious.
Aunt Liu comforted her gently: "Ruoruo, you won't be able to help if you go, but it will only cause more trouble. Have you forgotten the lesson from last time?"
Fan Ruoruo nodded in agreement, but secretly swore in her heart:
"I want to become stronger. Whether it is martial arts or medical skills, I must learn a skill so that I can solve problems for my family and my brother in the future!"·······
Chunwei Examination Hall Renovation Department. People in Kyoto who heard that something big happened also came to join in the fun and saw a shocking scene.
Guo Shangshu went from groveling to kneeling down, and then his legs became weak and he knelt down. Like an eagle, his physical strength was exhausted, but His Highness had no intention of letting him go. It seemed that the goal had not been achieved and the means had not been exhausted.< br/>Where are you, His Royal Highness?
I betrayed the second prince and joined you!
That's right, because of the incident in the DPRK in the past few days, many of the second prince's retainers have switched to the prince's sect. Among them was Guo Shangshu.
Did you say that we are cooperative allies?
Why has no one come to help me even though I have done everything?
Just as Guo Shangshu was feeling hesitant and anxious, Li Chengze looked at Fan Xian beside him.
The latter took out a roster of candidates from his arms, which contained the names of hundreds of poor scholars who came to help, so it was somewhat thick and weighty:
"Students, do you know what this is?"
More than a hundred students were scratching their heads, and only the brave ones dared to shout: "It's us who came to help, and the names were recorded in the book!"
"That's right, the names and birthplaces of hundreds of you are recorded here."
Fan Xian held up the roster, walked around Guo Shangshu, and stopped in front of him.
The latter clutched his chest and felt bad. What a shame, the second prince was trying to use him to build momentum!
(End of this chapter)