"Wang Zouhui, mind your words," Zhao Zhicai of the Zhao Clan snapped angrily, "It's the 'Zhao Zhikun Smuggling and Colluding with the Enemy Case.' This was his personal action and has nothing to do with the An Duke's Mansion, nor does it involve treason."
"Birds of a feather, merely trying to cut off a limb to save their life," Wang Zouhui sneered relentlessly. "Do you think people are fools?"
At this, even the former Prime Minister Zhao Hongbo slightly furrowed his brows and said, "Ding Duke Yin Da, please manage your Great Qian Wang Clan well, and do not baselessly slander our Zhao Clan."
"Zhao Hongbo, you allow your Zhao Clan to smuggle and collude with the enemy but deny others the right to discuss it?" Ding Duke Yin Da scoffed dismissively, "Truly domineering indeed."
"You..." Zhao Hongbo's gaze turned slightly sharp.
"Enough!" Emperor Longchang frowned, interrupting the quarrel between the two duke's mansions. He looked towards Wang Zouhui and said, "Zhouhui, if you have something to say, say it." He had already sensed that the reason Wang Zouhui had spoken out was probably not simple.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Since Lord Meng Yuanbai was able to verify that the Changning Wang Clan was clean, he obviously has great capability. Then surely, he can also uncover tax evasion and fraud among other prominent families," said Wang Zouhui, revealing his true intentions with righteous words, "But why only investigate the Changning Wang Clan? Why not the others?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone inside the Dingqian Hall was shocked, sensing that a major crisis was brewing.
"Could it be that the tax laws of Da Qian, including the powerful weapon in the hands of the influence wielders at the Three Talents Section, are selectively applied? To investigate those they wish to target, to protect those they wish to shield?"
Wang Zouhui swept his gaze across the room with impassioned earnestness, "I propose that since Lord Meng Yuanbai is so capable, we should, starting from the top in Da Qian, thoroughly audit the taxes of every prominent family, even the Imperial Household."
"To wrong no good person, but also to spare no wrongdoer."
Wang Zouhui's words, like a large stone thrown into the Dingqian Hall, immediately stirred up waves. The Great Qian Wang Clan, in an instant, offended everyone present.
"Your Majesty, absolutely not," "to audit taxes systematically is an enormous undertaking, we must consider this at length."
"Everyone shut up!" Ding Duke Yin Da bellowed angrily.
The old Divine Power Territory's authority swept across the room like a vast sea, even causing some princes and other Divine Skills ministers to feel subtly alarmed. Yin Da, that old man, seems to have gained even more strength.
Even Emperor Longchang was startled. Ding Duke, you dare exert pressure and swagger before me, the Great Emperor? Don't you even regard the emperor anymore? Nonsense! Just after promoting you as acting Prime Minister and you already act so high and mighty?
"Wang Shouzhe once said, 'Paying taxes faithfully is the foundation of the nation, and evading taxes undoubtedly undermines this foundation.' The Imperial Household, being First Grade, should set an example for us of the Second and Third Grades, and we of the upper grades should model for the middle grades, and the middle should model for the lower ones."
"I, Ding Duke Yin Da, believe that there is no avoiding an audit of taxes. It should start from the upper grades to set an example for all. As it's the Ding Duke's Mansion that brought forth this proposal, let us start with my Ding Duke's Mansion," Ding Duke Yin Da declared loudly.
"Meng Yuanbai, as the Prime Minister, I order you to lead an elite team to reside in my Ding Duke's Mansion and conduct a thorough investigation from top to bottom, to clear the name of the Great Qian Wang Clan. Let all see that in our great Da Qian, there is no wind of tax evasion!"
The other prominent families, especially the Zhao Clan and some of the Imperial Household, nearly fainted. Your Ding Duke's Mansion must surely be paying taxes by the book as the emperor has been suppressing your family for thousands of years, always scrutinizing your Wang Clan; otherwise, wouldn't it be absurd to be clean?
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Wu Mingyuan, the An Commandery Prince, stepped forward, his face filled with indignation as he said to Meng Yuanbai, "Please, Lord Meng, clear the name of our Imperial Household. My An Commandery Prince's Residence is willing to undergo a comprehensive tax audit so that no one thinks the noble Imperial Household is a parasitic worm sucking the blood of the people on Da Qian."
"Well said," Prince Dede also chimed in, "Please, Lord Meng, also clear the name of the Dede Prince's Mansion and the De Xin Prince's Mansion. Our noble Imperial Household should not allow unfounded slander. Investigate, investigate freely; no, it must be investigated!"
In the Dingqian Hall, everyone's expression changed.
Meng Yuanbai nearly collapsed on the spot. This was a major issue, one that would be recorded in the annals of history. That Wang Shouzhe had a fierce heart and a brilliant scheme.
Before even arriving, he had already turned the Dingqian Hall upside down.
And Meng Yuanbai, once again, became the knife in Wang Shouzhe's hand, wielded against each political foe!
...
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