Chapter 105 - Removed
Before the court hours, everyone arrived at the Imperial Palace. The palanquins stopped in front of the Fu Imperial Gates. The Emperor stepped down from the palanquin along with the Empress, followed by the others.
Sheng Li helped Ying Lili in getting down and then told the Court Lady to take her to the Zhenzhu Inn. Sheng Li went towards his father when he heard the shouts of a person. He turned to look and saw a man covered in blood was coming running there.
"Please save me," the person shouted with the remaining strength he had in his body. Everyone turned back to look at the source of the voice. Wang Hao ran towards the person who was by then went down to his knees.
General Wang gestured to the guards to surround the person. "What's going on?" Han Wenji asked and walked towards the person. Sheng Li and the First Prince too followed their father.
"Aren't you the Former Minister of Revenue?" Jian Guozhi asked and then looked at his father.
"Minister Luo Peng? What has happened to you? Who did this?" Han Wenji asked. Luo Peng came towards the Emperor and went down to his knees.
"Please forgive this subject, your majesty. I did not want to do this but on the Prime Minister's instructions I did this and betrayed the kingdom," Luo Peng pronounced while crying and lowered his head further down such that his forehead touched the ground.
Empress Wei was stunned to hear the name of the Prime Minister. She got confused and went towards them.
"What do you mean?" Sheng Li demanded an answer.
"Please forgive me and also save me, your majesty. Prime Minister Wei wants to kill me and my family," Luo Peng announced. Everyone there was shocked to hear such words from a Former Minister.
Xue Yu-Yan drew her eyebrows together after hearing such words against her father.
"Do you know who you are accusing?" Han Wenji questioned Luo Peng.
"Your majesty, if it had not been for this Empire then I would not have revealed the truth," Luo Peng stated and lifted his body. He took out the Account ledger from inside his robes and extended his hands out, holding the ledger in his hands.
"This is the fraud that has been going on in the Empire by the Prime Minister. I wanted to tell you about this earlier but I could not," Luo Peng started weeping. Sheng Li stepped forward and took the Ledger from the hands of Luo Peng.
He opened it up and flipped the pages. "Father, he is saying right," Sheng Li asserted and handed the Ledger to the Emperor who also checked it. The seal which was given to the Prime Minister had Imperial Stamp on the front page. On the other pages, it was mentioned how the taxes would be imposed on the people of Han who live in the countryside.
"Call the ministers in the Court. Bring the Prime Minister and the former Minister Luo Peng there," Han Wenji ordered. Sheng Li bowed his head and then turned to look at the Empress.
"Her majesty shall go to her Inn. General Xiao, please send the Empress to her inn," Sheng Li ordered. Weng Wei glared at Sheng Li, but at the moment, she could not even say anything. Xiao Zhan came towards the Empress and took away the Empress from there. Oppositely, General Wang sends the other Regal family members to their respective Chambers.
In the court, the Emperor could be seen seated on the throne. Luo Peng was on his knees while the Prime Minister was standing beside him.
"Your majesty, someone is trying to frame me," Zhang Yong pronounced in a firm voice. His head was lowered, but inside he was terrified.
"Prime Minister Wei is trying to say that the Ledger book is a lie!" the response of the Prime Minister astonished Sheng Li. "The Prime Minister also knows that these seals cannot be forged," Sheng Li proclaimed.
"Is the Prime Minister lying in front of the Emperor? This ledger is explaining everything. You betrayed not only my trust in you but also betrayed the people of this nation," the Prime Minister, who went to his knees, disappointed Han Wenji.
"Your majesty, you know the Wei Family more than anyone. Enemies are everywhere. I have not even met him for years. Your majesty, please believe me," Zhang Yong pleaded.
"Prime Minister Wei is saying that the former minister came to the Imperial Palace for no reason just to say this lie. We are not fools, Prime Minister. You are telling a white lie not only in front of the Emperor but also among these ministers," Sheng Li put forward his argument.
The Current Minister of Accounts, Pei Xuanzing, came forward and said, "Prime Minister Wei, the ledger has the seal of the Emperor and then the Prime Minister. The situation in the villages is worsening because of the taxes implemented by you there. Revenue generation is important but it should not worsen the lives of the people of Han.
Your majesty, the expeditious delivery of justice is indispensable in this case."
Zhang Yong found himself stuck and had no way out. "Send the message to the Governors of these provinces to send the account ledgers. Since the Prime Minister is still not accepting his crime, the Crown Prince will handle the matter to bring the truth out. A corrupt minister is harmful to every Empire so, the Prime Minister will be removed from his current position," Han Wenji delivered his decision. The historian who was writing the decision on a scroll came forward and handed the scroll to the Emperor.
Han Wenji picked the Emperor's seal and stamped it on the scroll.
"I will soon elect the new Prime Minister after a high-level Committee meeting, which will be after lunch. Deliver this message to the Civil Service Department as well. The provinces which are affected by all this tax forgery will be checked by me and accordingly, a tax plan for the revenue generation will be decided.
Since the former minister of Accounts did the wrong thing, he will be punished too which will be decided in the committee meeting," Han Wenji delivered his second decision in the court.
The other historian came forward with a scroll in his hand in which decision was noted down. Han Wenji stamped on that scroll as well, and they were given to the Crown Prince for further action.
General Wang came forward. Gesturing to the guards, Zhang Yong and Luo Peng were taken to the prison.
"The Court will look into the other matters tomorrow," Han Wenji announced and stood up from the throne. Everyone bowed their heads as the Emperor walked out of the Court.