168 Flip the tables.
“Yes, Your Highness. Please bring back Prince Zheng Xiang to the palace.” After Yang Luoyang boldly stated his request in front of Zheng Liang, the other ministers also nodded in acknowledgement and supported him.
They shouted in unison and lowered their heads politely to convince Zheng Liang to fulfill their wishes. There is no way Zheng Liang could go against them if they come together and pressure him.
Just as Yang Luoyang has stated, the palace needs someone who will lead the position of the Crown Prince while Zheng Liang has been handling the work instead of His Majesty.
In terms of skills and capabilities to take over the palace responsibilities, no one can beat Zheng Liang other than Zheng Xiang. He is not only capable in all fields but also the son of the current Empress.
If they bring him back to the palace, the Empress would be pleased by their actions and will support them in the future. Not only the Empress, but they would also be able to gain the favor of Prince Zheng Xiang who will come useful in the future as well.
If Zheng Liang would have supported them and come to their side, they wouldn’t have needed to go to such lengths to go against him.
However, unlike their expectations from the Crown Prince to uplift the reputation and increase the powers of the aristocrats, Zheng Liang is more concerned about the general public and their welfare.
He is adamant to do well for the common people even if it comes at the price of lowering the power of the nobles and the aristocrats.
After he returned from the southern border, he has been working hard to make the financial situation of the common public better by suggesting changes in the already existing policies.
.....
He has raised the complaint against the unfair distribution of taxes among the masses where everyone has to give a fixed amount of taxes to the government, be it, aristocrats or poor laborers. This causes more burden on the lower labor class who barely have enough sources to put food on their plates.
However, after Zheng Liang’s intervention, His Majesty has been positively considering changing the taxation system and charging people taxes according to their incomes. Not only that, he has already given some relaxation to the poor farmers and laborers.
This caused chaos among the ministers and aristocrats as they would be the first ones to be affected if this policy was implemented. Because they take the most of the revenue and if the policy would be implemented, they would have to submit more taxes from their income revenues.
Not only this, but Zheng Liang also raised an issue about the supply of food and first aid to the famine-affected area. He revealed that the supply sent by the palace didn’t reach the ones in need and was taken away by the ministers and middlemen before it could reach the people. However, later Zheng Liang was accused of falsely framing Yang Luoyang for this corruption.
Even though this matter was dismissed and no results came out from the investigation. It still caused everyone in the royal court to be wary of Zheng Liang and worried about his power and position in the royal court.
He was openly going against their powers and the existing system that was going on in the palace for years now. Because of this reason, they cannot wait to throw Zheng Liang out of the palace and bring Zheng Xiang to the palace.
That is why Zheng Xiang seems like the best candidate to become the future successor of His Majesty instead of Zheng Liang. Because Zheng Liang has his own sets of ideas which never coincide with theirs.
If they cannot control him, it’s better to change him.
On the other hand, if Zheng Xiang becomes the Emperor, the Empress would become the Empress Dowager and they will have the support of the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
How can they miss this golden opportunity to broaden their connections and make themselves more powerful than before with the support of the puppet Emperor and Empress Dowager?
____
Zheng Liang wasn’t shocked by the behavior of the ministers but amused to see everyone going against him and requesting that he brings Zheng Xiang back to the palace.
Until now, Yang Luoyang was scheming against him in secret, but now he is openly going against him and now urging others to join him as well. After the age of maturity, following the royal family rules, Zheng Xiang left the palace and was sent to a private residence to avoid the struggle for the crown.
However, now the ministers are urging him to bring him back to the palace. They do think highly of themselves to demand something so ridiculous from him.
He scoffed and could see the desperation in Yang Luoyang’s eyes. His Majesty is sick and still in bed and yet he dared to make such a shameless request to him.
Bringing Zheng Xiang back to the palace is just an excuse. In the mask of bringing him back to the palace to handle the work, they want to make a position for him at the palace and slowly make his way to the throne in the future.
Do they think he would not know what is going on in their heads? Well, If that’s what they want, there is no reason for him to be polite with them anymore.
Zheng Liang looked at everyone solemnly and fixed his gaze on Yang Luoyang, “Minister Yang, I can see that you are concerned about the palace work.”
“However, rather than worrying about other people’s work, I think you should be more concerned about your position as the head of the finance department and work. I checked the monthly financial report for the past few months and noticed that the revenue collected from the taxes was less than it was supposed to be. What is going on?” He asked coldly.
Yang Luoyang’s expression turned pale when he heard his sudden question and gulped nervously before answering, “Your Highness, from where did you get the report? I don’t remember handing you one. Because, His Majesty always asks for an annual financial report and not a monthly report.” He asked in confusion.
How can Zheng Liang get his hands on the monthly report?
Zheng Liang looked at Yang Luoyang with a smirk and said, “That was what His Majesty used to do. However, I believe that rather than reviewing the vague annual report, it is better to check the monthly financial records to know the true condition of the administration.”
“Even though you didn’t give me the report, I have my ways to get it. I have the ultimate powers of His Majesty after all. So tell me, what is going on that the revenue was less last month and it keeps on decreasing month by month?”
Yang Luoyang lowered his head in embarrassment and cleared his throat awkwardly before answering him, “It’s because….after His Majesty has given relief to the farmers and laborers in the taxes, the revenue collection decreased tremendously. That is why I and the other ministers were insisting on keeping the tax collection system as it is. It was beneficial for the treasure in that way.”
“The people were already resisting in submitting the taxes, now they have gone more rebellious and don’t pay their dues timely and create troubles for officers.”
Zheng Liang let out a mocking chuckle at his words and said, “Minister Yang, do you think I only read the monthly report and not reviewed it carefully? The difference in revenue shouldn’t be that large if it was caused by the farmers or laborers.”
” In the records, I noticed that many ministers aren’t paying taxes for months now even though they aren’t exempt from paying the taxes, including you.”
“Not only that, but I also noticed that many merchants also aren’t paying the complete share of their taxes. Where is all the revenue going if not the royal pressure? Will you care to explain about this matter before worrying about the work piling of the palace?” He asked coldly.
Zheng Liang’s words left everyone speechless and caused other ministers to lower their heads in nervousness and embarrassment. Who would have thought that Zheng Liang would flip the tables and put Yang Luoyang in the difficult spot instead?
Like everyone, Yang Luoyang was also shocked and horrified at how Zheng Liang got his hands on the original taxation records. Rather than the taxation records only, who gave him the detailed list of the taxpayers and the revenue collected from them? That document is extremely confidential and cannot be shown to anyone as Yang Luoyang never allowed anyone to read it.
His Majesty never doubted him and asked to read that document and other than him, no one could dare to read that document.
Who was the man sent by Zheng Liang to his department that took the special document from his office under his keen surveillance? Who the hell could betray him and take away those confidential records from his office?
However, it’s not the time to think about that. His main concern at the moment is to figure out how to get out of this mess. How would he answer Zheng Liang so that he would not question his loyalty in front of everyone and create trouble for him?
