The rise of the late Song Dynasty reigns supreme

Chapter 192 Not 200 million but 800 million taels
"Master Xu, does the emperor really not know?" Zhao Gou asked again.

Xu Jingheng nodded firmly, and replied: "My lord, I dare to make a decision!"

Zhao Gou was silent. According to his guess, if the father really didn't know, maybe someone deliberately kept the news shut.Since the founding of Song Taizu, the annual fiscal revenue of the Song Dynasty was about 8000 million taels, and in the middle and late period it was about 6000 million taels. Excluding the salaries of court officials, military expenditures, and annual tribute money, only half of the 6000 million taels would be left. However, the corruption of 200 million taels of ink should be executed according to the laws of the Song Dynasty.

The salary of officials in the Northern Song Dynasty was the highest in the entire feudal dynasty. The monthly salary of first-rank officials was 400 taels, which was 10 times that of the Han Dynasty and 2 to 6 times that of the Qing Dynasty.In addition to salaries, there are lumi, officials big and small, fine clothes and delicacies, and a luxurious life.

In addition, the Song Dynasty also established the "system of ancestral halls and salary", and the highly respected ministers received regular medical treatment, and all expenses were borne by the state.Moreover, many officials in the Song Dynasty could still receive two salaries, which also made their salaries much higher than that of any other dynasty. Therefore, the annual salary of officials in the Song Dynasty was a large expenditure, which was much higher than that of the army.

200 million is just a drop in the bucket compared to the 6000 million taels of fiscal revenue of the Song Dynasty, but this money fell into the hands of corrupt officials. If the current emperor knows this, Longyan will be furious.If it was the incompetent emperor in history, Zhao Gou didn't think he would care, let alone pay attention to it, but now this emperor father is different.

Zhao Gou asked Xu Jingheng, and he knew it well when he got an affirmative answer, so he also decided to start the investigation from the Ministry of Household Affairs.After all, the disaster relief funds are all allocated by the Ministry of Accounts, and all the sources are from the Ministry of Accounts, so people have to suspect that there is something tricky in it.Xu Jingheng only supervised the actions of the officials, investigating cases was not his area of ​​expertise, and he did not have that power, so he had to ask Zhao Gou to come forward to handle it, and he only needed to assist from the side, and he had to find out everything.

"Master Xu, do you know who sent those people?" Zhao Gou asked quickly, remembering that Xu Jingheng had been under surveillance for a while.

Xu Jingheng said in a deep voice: "To be honest, I don't know who sent those people. If I'm not wrong, they should be sent by those people. The officials didn't continue to investigate, so they disappeared, presumably related to the corruption case."

Zhao Gou really couldn't think of anyone else who had the guts to embezzle such a huge sum of money. He also knew that nine out of ten officials in the Song Dynasty would embezzle, big or small.Moreover, some vacant officials in the Song Dynasty could be bought with money even if their grades were not high.

"Master Xu, after that incident, have you continued to investigate?" Zhao Gou guessed that with Xu Jingheng's character, he couldn't give up halfway, so he asked this question.

Sure enough, Xu Jingheng nodded and said: "This matter is of great importance, how can we let it go. Although they sent people to monitor, it inspired me to investigate this matter thoroughly. However, I know that this matter cannot be investigated clearly, but It can be changed to an unannounced visit, and it took a whole year to find out a clue."

Zhao Gou hurriedly asked: "What is it?"

"That 200 million taels is just a small amount, the real number is 800 million taels!" Xu Jingheng roared indignantly.

Zhao Gou exclaimed, "What? Eight million taels?"

Zhao Gou couldn't be surprised now, 200 million taels was already an incredible amount, and the increase to 800 million taels made Zhao Gou a little unacceptable.Even the annual military expenditure is only about 1000 million taels. He really can't figure out who is greedy for this money.

Xu Jingheng smiled bitterly and said, "800 million taels? How many disaster-stricken people can be rescued by this money? How could there be a rebellion in the Song Dynasty? These people are the culprits for everything!"

Zhao Gou said angrily: "These people really deserve to die!"

Only now did he know why Xu Jingheng had to start with the Ministry of Household Affairs, and even he felt that the Ministry of Household Affairs had absolutely nothing to do with it.Xu Jingheng's idea was approved by Zhao Gou, and he also decided to thoroughly investigate the corruption case together with Xu Jingheng. It is bound to punish all these people, which is even more hateful than Gao Qiu, Tong Guan and others.

Then, Zhao Gou left Xu Jingheng's mansion and did not return to his own mansion, but directly entered the palace. There must be many people involved in this matter.Zhao Gou didn't dare to make a private decision. He needed Song Huizong's will to avoid trouble in the future.

The embezzlement of 800 million taels cannot be accomplished by one person. There must be a huge force behind it, and Zhao Gou doesn't know about this force, and even Song Huizong doesn't necessarily know about it.Even if it has never been recorded in history, this incident was beyond Zhao Gou's expectation.

"Father, my son, please see me!"

At this time, Song Huizong stayed in the imperial study room, and all the guards, maidservants and others around him withdrew, leaving him alone to review the memorial.He didn't expect that Zhao Gou would come to look for him in the middle of the night, so he couldn't help being a little curious, and said, "Old Nine, what's your purpose here?"

Zhao Gou said respectfully: "Father, my son has something to report!"

Song Huizong was slightly taken aback, and said with a smile: "If you have something to say, you may as well say it directly, this place is my study, not above the court, so there is no need to be so restrained."

He saw that Zhao Gou was respectful and respectful, he looked a little unfamiliar, like a monarch and minister, if other people didn't care, the person in front of him was his most beloved son, so he wouldn't behave like a monarch and minister in the court.Zhao Gou was not presumptuous in the slightest, he was still respectful and respectful. This is a public matter, and he should not be favoritism. He said again: "I got a piece of news today about the foundation of the Song Dynasty. I am here to report to my father, and I also invite my father decide."

Song Huizong laughed and said, "You're talking about a corruption case?"

"Father knows?" Zhao Gou raised his head, looked at the smiling father in a daze, and asked with some uncertainty.

Song Huizong nodded and said: "I have known about this matter for a long time. Even if someone in the Privy Council interferes with it, it still cannot escape my eyes and ears. It's just that I haven't been careless in government affairs these years, so I forgot. I heard that you went to Xu Jingheng's mansion. Above, I guess he told you, so there is no need to hide it."

Zhao Gou was stunned for a moment, he couldn't see through his father. The father in front of him still had a refined appearance, but he was a little different, hiding something deeply, as if he knew all the affairs of the court clearly, but he didn't move. Sensual, let the situation develop, he really can't think of what his father wants to do.

"Father, since you already know, why didn't you investigate this matter?" Zhao Gou complained in his heart. He knew that there were corrupt people in the ministers of the court, but he never took any action. He didn't seem to say anything. To conceal the doubts deep in his heart.

Song Huizong smiled lightly, and said slowly: "The time was not ripe at that time, but now it is possible!"

Zhao Gou was silent, this was the day he was silent the most times, his heart felt as if the river was overwhelmed, it was really hard to see clearly, even the father in front of him gave him an illusion, as if it was not Song Huizong, but someone else pretending to be .

"Father, do you know how much money those people embezzled?" Zhao Gou asked again.

Song Huizong smiled and said, "It's only two million taels!"

"Two million taels? If only it was really two million taels!" Zhao Gou smiled bitterly and said in a low voice.

Song Huizong's complexion changed drastically, his smile stopped abruptly, and he asked coldly, "Isn't it 200 million taels?"

Seeing his father's expression, Zhao Gou knew that he still underestimated the ambitions of those people. He shook his head and said, "Of course it's not 200 million taels, but a full 800 million taels!"

"800 million taels?" Song Huizong said with a murderous look on his face, and said with a sneer, "What a group of good ministers!..."

　Sorry, I have been working overtime~~I have kept you waiting~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)