I Despise Cowardly Men

Important matter? What important matter could involve me?

Currently, I go to work every day, and my life is very regular, happily so.

Please don't give me trouble for no reason!

Fang Zheng began to feel uneasy.

"The Northern Rong envoys are still negotiating trade matters, but Paba has sent many people to gather intelligence in the capital."

"Including about you! If you encounter him again, be more careful with your words."

"Also, those gifts prepared for Paba can't be exchanged for silver. What do you plan to do?"

Fang Zheng relaxed. So it was about this.

These were easy matters, he was already prepared, and they weren't significant issues.

"Your Majesty, the most valuable items in the gifts are the Celestial Immortal Tea and diamonds."

"The diamonds aren't a major issue. Those I gifted should be consumable within the Northern Rong nobility, perhaps even not enough."

"As for the Celestial Immortal Tea... later we just need to announce that the tea is now being mass-produced, and the price will naturally drop. Your Majesty need not worry."

Emperor Jing nodded. "Very good!"

"There's another matter. The Liu Xun case has some leads, but it's still very tricky."

"No clues were found within the capital."

"The Eastern Depot investigated in Jianjiang for a long time, interrogated many local officials, all to no avail! But there was a person named Wei Shan by his side, you should know him, right?"

Wei Shan? Fang Zheng quickly recalled, then remembered.

He was Liu Xun's lackey, one of the first to receive him when he went to Jianjiang.

"I remember, but I didn't get much useful information from Wei Shan at the time. Did the Eastern Depot discover any clues?"

Emperor Jing sighed lightly. "The Eastern Depot investigated from top to bottom, only obtaining a small clue when they reached Wei Shan."

"According to Wei Shan, Liu Xun had close dealings with local salt merchants. But the Eastern Depot investigated the salt merchants and found no issues."

Fang Zheng asked, "Doesn't that mean they found nothing?"

Emperor Jing shook his head. "Throughout history, salt merchants and local officials have had endless major corruption cases. The Eastern Depot finding nothing is precisely the problem."

"For someone like Liu Xun who died for wealth, having too clean a relationship with salt merchants makes me suspicious."

"There must be an issue here!"

As he spoke, Emperor Jing's brow gradually furrowed. "If this case were just an ordinary corruption case, even embezzling disaster relief funds would not be a major concern."

"But once it involves salt administration, it becomes the realm's biggest case! More than half of our Great Jing's treasury income comes from local salt administration, you must know this."

Fang Zheng nodded solemnly.

Are you kidding? Of course I know this!

Salt is a necessity of life, without it people would collapse.

But the salt sold in the market is very expensive, two taels of silver per catty. The high price is due to three factors: salt production is low, transportation costs are high, and the tax burden is excessive.

Recalling the times when he couldn't afford salt, when his daily meals were bland and watery, Fang Zheng still felt sick about it.

Even later, when he had some wealth, he was reluctant to buy salt, and went to great lengths to buy cheaper contraband salt.

Contraband salt cost only one tael, half the price of official salt.

Even now, the county used contraband salt, and Taoyuan County's contraband salt was even cheaper by another 20% because they bought in bulk.

Despite this, the cost of salt for ordinary people was still high, so Taoyuan County still had a huge expenditure specifically to subsidize county residents buying salt.

Sometimes when Fang Zheng had a full meal and thought about this, he felt quite embarrassed that as a transmigrator, he had to go around looking for salt peddlers...

"Liu Xun's backers are so secretive and may be connected to salt administration. I even suspect they have the ability to place informants in the palace, which is why I dismissed everyone else."

"I'm telling you this privately because I trust you!"

Fang Zheng felt chilled by Emperor Jing's gaze.

He's not asking me to take this on, is he? I can't provoke these people either!

I dare not accept Eastern Depot tasks!

"Fang Zheng, what... do you think about this?"

"Uh..... I dare not think about it."

"You must think about it!" Emperor Jing angrily slammed the table, narrowing his eyes at him. "I haven't made any demands of you yet! Why are you retreating? Did you think I don't know you sleep during court sessions? Such audacity! Now I just ask you a couple of questions and you're afraid?"

Since he had been exposed, Fang Zheng smiled awkwardly. "I think... since Your Majesty suspects problems with salt administration, why not start by investigating the Ministry of Revenue."

"Great Jing has a fixed population, consuming a fixed amount of salt. There shouldn't be major discrepancies."

"If there are major leaks in salt administration, they will be reflected in the accounts, and from there, more clues can be traced."

"That's right!" Emperor Jing's eyes lit up. "It seems my Eastern Depot has truly raised a bunch of useless fools! They couldn't even think of this."

"But... what if there are traitors in the Ministry of Revenue?"

"Then Your Majesty can first imprison Zhang Shi and replace the Minister of Revenue!"

"......."

The smile on Emperor Jing's face froze.

Petty! He had never seen Fang Zheng being so openly petty!

Even if you two had issues, you shouldn't say such things!

Daring to frame officials openly before me!

"I'll give you one more chance. Speak properly." Emperor Jing said with a stern face.

Fang Zheng lowered his head and smiled. "Well... Your Majesty can have people investigate."

"The mastermind who could make Liu Xun commit suicide and act so secretively must have formidable methods."

"If such a person is connected to salt administration, they surely won't be satisfied with just Jianjiang."

"But no matter how clever, they can't make all the ledgers across the country perfectly consistent!"

"So regardless, the investigation must start with the ledgers."

Emperor Jing rubbed his temples. "Good, I will arrange for this to be done."

"You indeed haven't disappointed me. I know you've always understood merchant affairs. Although salt administration is a major national policy, it still falls within the realm of commerce."

"Since the Eastern Depot has made no progress, we need extraordinary methods. So I'm thinking of sending you to investigate this case."

"I won't force you, and I won't blame you whether you succeed or fail. I just want to know if you dare to do it?"

Fang Zheng lowered his head and remained silent.

There's nothing I don't dare to do! But the matters involved are too significant, and I probably won't solve the case!

But I can't refuse too directly either. Let me pretend to think and stall for a while!

Seeing him silent, Emperor Jing continued, "If you accept, then the Embroidered Uniform Guard will be established immediately. I will announce it to the world! If you handle the matter well, I can also grant you one request."

Huh!

Would marrying the Princess be acceptable? With this ruler being so unpredictable, saying it out loud would probably earn a beating.

As for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, forget it. He hasn't even mentioned how much silver there would be.

Making empty promises here, am I supposed to form a team myself?!

"I... have thought about it, but I'm afraid I can't handle such a great task. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!" Having said this, Fang Zheng raised his head to look at Emperor Jing.

Emperor Jing stared at him without saying a word.

Sweat unconsciously dripped down...

After a long time, Emperor Jing's calm voice sounded in Fang Zheng's ear.

"Throughout my life, I've always despised cowardly men....."