Impeachment will make me stronger, and I will be invincible on the road to death.

Chapter 62 Suo Yuanli: I want to impeach Yushi Zhongcheng
Wu Zetian was stunned by this sudden news!

The Chao Gang is unstable and the people are dissatisfied. She has ways to solve these problems. She can suppress them with high pressure, use troops abroad, and promote talents. But she is short of food. How to deal with this?
"By the way, didn't the rice harvest last? Isn't it just right to collect rent now?" Wu Zetian had an idea.

Unexpectedly, Yang Wenyu smiled bitterly: "The money and food to be compensated for those who have been rehabilitated this time are allocated from the Qiu Fu."

Wu Zetian felt dizzy after hearing this, and a layer of cold sweat suddenly broke out on her back!
"So, does the Ministry of Revenue have any countermeasures now?"

Yang Wenyu then bit the bullet and said: "The imperial court may be able to borrow grain from large households."

But as soon as he finished speaking, all the ministers' expressions suddenly changed slightly.

It's okay for everyone to chat and talk about state affairs.
But if you want to cut off flesh and blood from everyone, that won’t work.

Wu Zetian naturally knew this truth, but things had come to this and it had to be like this.

The imperial court's tax revenue only reached out to the poor people, but the officials and nobles who controlled a large amount of land hardly had to hand over a grain of rice.

It's really not that easy to reach out to these people who are used to being pampered.

"Then the Ministry of Household Affairs will find a way to borrow some grain from wealthy households in various places!"

Wu Zetian said thoughtfully.

"When will we repay them, and how will we repay them, please let the Queen Mother make it clear." Yang Wenyu asked bravely.

Wu Zetian suffered from the loss of food, so she subconsciously became stingy: "I will pay them back next year. The court will pay them back as much as they borrowed!"

Yang Wenyu smiled bitterly: "Rich households transport grain from the local area to the national treasury. The consumption on the road is not a small amount, and some even cost nearly half! If you pay back as much as you borrow, I'm afraid no one will be willing to borrow it."

Wu Zetian immediately became angry: "If you don't borrow it, they will..."

Wu Zetian was about to threaten a few words, trying to speak quickly, but Wu Zetian did not say anything in the end.

This world is, after all, the world of the nobles. To make such a threat would offend all the mainstream nobles, which would be extremely detrimental to her subsequent ascension to the throne.

But Wu Zetian was unwilling to make more compensation.

In previous years, the treasury's balance of money and food was not much. If the compensation was too much, it would definitely sow the seeds of disaster next year, resulting in the need to borrow money and food next year.

In the long run, the imperial court's finances will be overwhelmed and its majesty will be ruined.

Of course, Wu Zetian and all officials knew about these situations.

Neither party wanted to suffer, so the scene fell silent.

At this time, Suo Yuanli had an idea and looked happy!

So he immediately took a step outside and said in a deep voice: "Queen Mother, I have a plan to solve the food problem!" Wu Zetian looked surprised: "Are you sure?"

"Queen Mother, I think it's okay!"

Wu Zetian nodded suspiciously: "Then come and listen!"

Suo Yuanli smiled slyly and said, "Your Majesty, the Censor Zhongcheng has been in the limelight recently. Everyone must have great trust in him?"

Su Liangsi, the left prime minister of Wenchang, immediately scolded him: "What are you talking about about food?"

Wu Zetian couldn't help but frown: "Suo Yuanli, now is not the time for impeachment. If you have no other choice, you can retreat!"

But Suo Yuanli smiled even more: "Empress Dowager, Prime Minister, please listen to me! Naturally, everyone has great trust in Mr. Zhongcheng, the Censor, and recently I happened to hear that Mr. Zhongcheng, the Censor, is good at farming, and one acre of land can Producing thousands of kilograms of grain! According to me, the imperial court can just borrow more grain now. With the ability of the censor Zhongcheng, within a few years, he can repay this debt to the imperial court by himself! "

Su Liangsi looked sulky and couldn't help but scolded him again: "Don't say these things. Yang Yanzhang has not confirmed it himself. Even if it is true, why would he pay off the debt for the court? In my opinion, it is better to confiscate your property."

A fierce look flashed in Suo Yuanli's eyes, but he smiled cunningly: "Yang Yushi has not always been loyal to the country, so of course he is willing to help with such a small matter! If he doesn't help, how can he live up to his good reputation? "

In fact, Suo Yuanli had inadvertently changed the subject. The most important thing now was whether Yang Yanzhang could actually grow several kilograms of grain per mu, and Suo Yuanli was already leading everyone to study the question of whether Yang Yanzhang was willing or not.

One is a question of ability, and the other is a question of willingness. If everyone believes that Yang Yanzhang should be willing to shoulder this debt, then Yang Yanzhang really has to be Yuan Datou, otherwise it will be troublesome to let all the officials collectively disappoint.

But Suo Yuanli, a foreigner, thought of it, so how could all the officials present not think of it?
Therefore, Wenchang's right minister Wei Daiji, who had suffered a big loss in food, immediately snorted: "I heard that Yang Yanzhang has just planted it, and the actual harvest is still a few months away! Suo Yuanli, what are you saying now? Do you think it’s too early? If he doesn’t get there yet, are you willing to take charge of it?”

Suo Yuanli cursed secretly and shook his head hastily: "How can I, a lowly official, afford such a big responsibility? But since everyone doesn't believe that Yang Yushi has such ability, it seems that Yang Yanzhang is suspected of deceiving the emperor! Queen Mother, my minister We want to impeach Yang Yanzhang for deceiving the Queen Mother!"

Suo Yuanli changed the subject and directly impeached Yang Yanzhang, which made the ministers present call this guy cunning.

The previous remarks made all the officials afraid to support Yang Yanzhang's productive words. Now that Suo Yuanli said that Yang Yanzhang deceived the emperor, it was really difficult for everyone to refute.

Wu Zetian was also agitated at this time, and she complained a lot to Yang Yanzhang: If you hadn't used the topic to rehabilitate so many people, how could I be in the current predicament?
Wu Zetian heard a lot from Yang Yanzhang about the so-called yield per mu of several kilograms, and Yang Yanzhang also guaranteed that each employee would be given [-] kilograms of grain at the end of the year!

Now these words once again made Wu Zetian suspicious, so when Suo Yuanli provoked her, Wu Zetian became angry: "What Suo Yuanli said is not unreasonable! It was Yang Yanzhang who said it. This result will naturally come to him." Back! If he cannot give me a satisfactory answer in three months, I will definitely punish him severely!"

After everyone heard this, they relaxed. As long as it was not done immediately, there was room for maneuver in this matter.

According to past practice, once Suo Yuanli's impeachment is successful, the impeached person will immediately be tortured to extract a confession.

This time Wu Zetian's attitude is sending another signal: the days of cruel officials blocking the way are gone forever. In the future, evidence must be used to resolve cases, and there will be no torture to extract confessions!

Suo Yuanli was also very surprised. He didn't expect Wu Zetian to be so disrespectful this time.

As soon as he rolled his eyes, he planned to give Yang Yanzhang some more eye drops: "Queen Mother, the current difficulties in the court have not yet been solved. Since Yang Yushi dares to say that, why not ask him personally? If he really has that ability, with Yang Yushi's noble integrity, he will definitely Will take the initiative to help!”

(End of this chapter)