The Sichuan and Zhen allied forces retreated, and Tang Yin's squadron returned to the capital.

After a war, the Feng Kingdom's military strength was sharply reduced and its treasury was empty.

The shortage of troops can be filled by recruiting new soldiers. The shortage of money is the most thorny problem of Feng Kingdom at present.

During the war, more than a dozen major cities in the Feng Kingdom, including Baguan, Chongcheng, Jiancheng, Fengcheng, and Fangcheng, were seriously damaged or even burned down and needed to be rebuilt, and all of this required money.

The Feng Country was poor and the people were not rich. It was basically impossible to collect such huge expenses from the people. Tang Yin naturally turned his attention to the eight counties in Ningbei that had just been annexed, and wanted to collect money from the eight counties in Ningbei.

Just when Tang Yin was worried about the shortage of gold and silver, Zhang Xin, the governor of Suzhou, secretly reported to Tang Yin that Shangguan Yuanji, the right minister, had accepted bribes.

These are extraordinary times, and what Tang Yin cannot tolerate most is embezzlement of money by his officials. Zhang Xin's report is fatal to Shangguan Yuanji.

Zhang Xin really didn't let things go without hesitation. Shangguan Yuanji did have private money, Cai Song's money.

Currently, the Cai family headed by Cai Song is responsible for managing Ningdi in Fengguo, while Zhang Zhe, the imperial censor who was dispatched to Ningdi by Tang Yin, is responsible for supervision.

Not long after Tang Yin returned to the capital, he sent a letter to Cai Song, asking him to raise 5 million taels of gold and 20 million taels of silver in Ningdi within half a month, and transport them to Fengdi to support the reconstruction of the damaged city. Cai Song was very efficient in doing things, and received

After receiving Tang Yin's royal order, he immediately implemented it. It didn't take him half a month to collect the gold and silver in just ten days, and he entrusted the Sky Eagle Army to send 50,000 troops to escort him.

Cai Song managed things so smoothly. Firstly, he was indeed capable. Secondly, it also showed that Ningguo was wealthy. On the night when the Tianying Army escorted the gold and silver to Yancheng, Cai Song held a banquet in his mansion and invited everyone to

Guest. The first task Tang Yin assigned to him was completed so smoothly. It was a great achievement. He certainly had reason to celebrate.

What's more, others spend money to hold banquets, but he holds banquets to make money. Cai Song was appointed by Tang Yin as the chief inspector of the eight counties in northern Ningbo. He has administrative power over the eight counties in northern Ningbo, and the appointment of officials depends entirely on his words.

, if someone wants to get an official position, it is inevitable to give him benefits.

Those who came to attend the banquet were all dignitaries from Ningdi. Of course, they could not come empty-handed. They all brought generous gifts. After the banquet, Cai Song made a lot of money.

But what surprised Cai Song was that Zhang Zhe also came to participate.

It's not that he didn't invite Zhang Zhe, but Zhang Zhe has always been alienated from him. He can even feel that Zhang Zhe despises him from the bottom of his heart. On weekdays, except for official business, the two of them may meet, but they don't interact in private.

.

Today, Zhang Zhe suddenly came to attend the dinner party he held. Cai Song was surprised and had an ominous premonition in his heart.

Zhang Zhe was the imperial censor, a high-ranking official of the first rank and an important minister around Tang Yin. Cai Song did not dare to show any slights to him and went out to greet him personally. Following him were his two sons, Cai Peng and Cai Gui.

Seeing Zhang Zhe in official uniform outside the house, Cai Song began to grin secretly. It seemed that Zhang Zhe came with bad intentions! After meeting, Cai Song bowed to the ground and said flatteringly: "I didn't know that Mr. Zhang is here to visit you."

, I feel that I have missed the chance to welcome you from afar, but I still hope that Mr. Zhang will be kind to you."

"Hmph!" Zhang Zhe was a straight-headed person and didn't know how to use rhetoric when dealing with people. He snorted coldly and stood still. He just looked sideways into Cai's residence and said, "Mr. Cai's house is so lively. I don't know.

What kind of good day is it today that Sir Cai arranges such a big banquet?"

"This..." Cai Song swallowed, rubbed his hands and laughed dryly: "Today, the official has fulfilled the king's order and sent away the gold and silver designated by the king, so..."

"So we have a banquet to celebrate!" Zhang Zhe finished the following words for him, and then said with a sinking face: "Just to complete the king's order once, Lord Cai is so extravagant. It seems that Lord Cai is really rich!

"

Cai Song broke out in cold sweat and didn't know what to say.

Zhang Zhe continued: "If you want others to know, you have to do nothing yourself. Mr. Cai, you rely on your authority to collect bribes, do you think others don't know?"

Cai Song's body trembled with fright, his head shook like a rattle, and he said repeatedly: "Master Zhang, I am loyal to the king and to the Feng Kingdom, and I have no second thoughts..."

"What a loyal person with no second thoughts. Now that Baguan and many other cities have been destroyed, a lot of money, manpower, and material resources are needed to rebuild them. But you, Mr. Cai, are eating, drinking, having fun, and collecting bribes at home. It's so uncomfortable.

Is this your loyalty?"

Cai Song was left speechless, speechless, and speechless by Zhang Zhe.

Zhang Zhe threw off his sleeves, turned around and walked back and said coldly: "I came here today to inform Mr. Cai. I will truthfully report what Mr. Cai has done to the king, and ask the king to make a decision!"

, Zhang Zhe had walked back to the carriage, and with the help of the guards on the left and right, boarded the carriage.

Zhang Zhe left with such words, and Cai Songke was dumbfounded. Zhang Zhe is a censor and has the power to supervise all civil and military officials. He wants to report his bribery to the king. How about repaying it? Don't.

He said that his official career was coming to an end, and he didn't even know whether he could keep his head on his shoulders!

He stood there for a while before he woke up, screamed, and subconsciously chased Zhang Zhe's carriage, trying to stop Zhang Zhe.

At this time, Cai Gui reached out to hold him, shook his head and said: "Father, there is no need to chase him anymore. With Zhang Zhe's personality, it is useless even if you catch him."

"Then...then we can't really let him report to the king, right?" Cai Song, whose face was glowing just now, turned pale with fright, and he stammered when he spoke.

Cai Peng, who was next to him, glared and said in a ferocious voice: "Father, I think we are going to do nothing but do nothing, and let Zhang Zhe be the first..." As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, making a killing gesture.

.

Cai Song rolled his eyes upwards and almost fainted. Is Zhang Zhe someone he can kill if he wants to? That is the imperial censor, a high-ranking official from the first rank and a close confidant of Tang Yin. He wants to kill him.

Can it be better? Without Tang Yin's order, the Sky Eagle Army staying in Liangzhou can tear itself into pieces first.

Before Cai Song could speak, Cai Gui had already shaken his head and said repeatedly: "It's inappropriate, it's inappropriate! Brother, please don't be impulsive. To assassinate Zhang Zhe is to get yourself into trouble and seek your own death."

"Second brother, what do you think we should do? Are we just going to watch Zhang Zhepifu report his father to the king?"

Cai Peng and Cai Gui are brothers, but their personalities and talents are completely opposite. Cai Peng is a typical playboy, impulsive and arrogant, reckless in doing things, and arrogant, while Cai Gui is resourceful and extremely smart.

, the city is also very deep.

He rolled his eyes and said to Cai Song, "Father can send someone to deliver a heavy gift to Yancheng."

"To whom?"

"Right Prime Minister Shangguan Yuanji."

"Oh?" Cai Song's heart moved and he looked at Cai Gui in confusion.

Cai Gui explained: "Shangguan Yuanji is a smooth man, not as straightforward as Zhang Zhe, and is easy to talk to. Secondly, Shangguan Yuanji is the popular person in front of the king, and he is also the most eloquent person. His advice will usually be heard by the king.

Listen, thirdly, Shangguan's family has a big business and has to support many people. When the king started his army, Shangguan Yuanji donated all his property. Although he is now the prime minister, his life is not easy. His father's importance

He should accept the gift, as long as he is willing to speak kindly for his father in front of the king, the king will never reprimand his father."

Hey! Cai Song's eyes lit up, this is a good idea. He asked: "Then... how much should I give to my father?"

Cai Gui smiled and held out five fingers.

Cai Peng asked: "Five thousand taels of silver?"

Cai Gui rolled his eyes at his brother, meaning how could you have the nerve to say this?

Cai Peng paused and then said: "Fifty thousand taels?"

"Yes!" Cai Gui nodded and said, "Yes, fifty thousand taels, but it's not silver, but fifty thousand taels of gold."

Phew! When Cai Song and Cai Peng heard this, the father and son almost vomited blood together. Fifty thousand taels of gold, which is almost equivalent to five million taels of silver, were to be given away so much gold at once. Even the wealthy Cai Song couldn't bear it.

Cai Peng was furious, shaking his head like a rattle, and said urgently: "Boss, are you crazy? Fifty thousand taels of gold!"

Cai Gui said seriously: "If we can bribe Shangguan Yuanji, what does fifty thousand taels of gold mean? In the future, if we have the right minister as our backer, our Cai family can earn back no matter how much gold and silver we have. If you want to give a gift, you must give it to him.

The other party is tempted, but he doesn't have the courage to refuse even if he sends it to him. Father, you must not be stingy in this matter!"

After carefully considering the words of the second son, Cai Song nodded secretly. His son's words were not unreasonable. If he could really win Shangguan Yuanji to his side, then he would be able to sit back and relax in the eight counties of Ningbei. Not to mention fifty thousand taels of gold, fifty thousand taels of gold, etc.

You can earn back ten thousand taels or five million taels.

After a battle between heaven and man, Cai Song finally gave in to Cai Gui's advice and reluctantly gave up his love. He took out 50,000 taels of gold and secretly sent his confidants to Yancheng overnight to bribe Shangguan Yuanji.

Through this incident, we can also see that Cai Gui is fast, accurate, ruthless, and his brains and skills are beyond ordinary people.

Zhang Zhe's impeachment of Cai Song had not yet reached Yancheng, but Cai Song's generous gift arrived in Yancheng first and was delivered to Shangguan Yuanji's house.

Fifty thousand taels of gold were packed into ten carts and hundreds of boxes. Even Shangguan Yuanji had seen this much gold for the first time.

Perhaps it is true as Cai Gui said, giving gifts should be given to people who will not have the courage to refuse. Regarding Cai Song's generous gift, Shangguan Yuanji did not shirk and accepted it all. Then he took the letter written by Cai Song to him and opened it.

Take a closer look.

Most of Cai Song's letters are full of praise and flattery. At the end, he only asks Shangguan Yuanji what he should do in Ningdi to gain the king's trust and not be punished by the king.

What he meant was very cryptic. To put it bluntly, he was asking Shangguan Yuanji how far he, Cai Song, could go to the eight counties of Ningbei to do evil and what his limit was.

Shangguan Yuanji was so smart that he understood what Cai Song meant at a glance. He immediately wrote a reply to Cai Song. The content was very simple, with only sixteen words: "Party for personal gain is a taboo for the country and a grave evil for the king.
Chapter completed!