Protect Our Chief

Chapter 1072: Chapter 70: Suppressing a 2nd-Rank! The Scheme Against the Emperor’s Son (Part 2)

"Therefore, I respectfully request Your Majesty to accept my resignation from the position of Chief Minister of the Inner Pavilion."

Resigning as Chief Minister of the Inner Pavilion?

Prince Deshun was taken aback.

This Zhao Hongbo really was decisive enough, and ruthless enough.

For thousands of years, the Zhao Family’s greatest prestige and power came from having both a Duke and a Chief Minister within the family.

The position of Duke was inherited from ancestors, reflecting the Zhao Family’s prestige, but the Chief Minister position was true power. It was under this real power that the Zhao Family was able to thrive and reach its current peak state.

Emperor Longchang also frowned slightly.

Even though in recent times, he had been somewhat dissatisfied with the Zhao Family and displeased with Zhao Hongbo, he had never truly thought of stripping Zhao Hongbo of his role as Chief Minister.

After all, the Zhao Family were founding heroes of Daqian who had made countless sacrifices and shed much blood.

A country cannot rely solely on its imperial family. The imperial family is merely the most powerful, most contributive, and largest "shareholding" family among many, but not a "one-family rule."

As such, as a great emperor, he had to balance the relationships between the imperial family and the noble families, as well as between the noble families themselves.

"Hongbo, how much did Zhao Zhikun smuggle?" Emperor Longchang’s expression was extremely solemn, "How many years has it been going on?"

Zhao Hongbo also looked at Zhao Zhikun with severe eyes: "You wretch, answer His Majesty’s question quickly."

"Your, Your Majesty." Zhao Zhikun was already somewhat weak all over, and said tremblingly, "In total, it’s been ninety years. Initially, it was a few million each year to test the waters, but later, it developed into ten to twenty million, thirty million, and in recent years, it’s been more than fifty million each year."

"After deducting bribes and various costs, the total profit was eight hundred and thirty million Qian Gold." As he spoke, Zhao Zhikun also took out a ledger and honestly presented it, clearly well-prepared.

Old Yao took the ledger and handed it to Emperor Longchang.

The scale is not small, but it’s still not out of control!

Emperor Longchang glanced through it casually with a gloomy face, then set it aside: "Where is the profit money?"

"I spent some of it. The majority, I, I used to pay off debts..." Zhao Zhikun said, bracing himself, "Your Majesty, I was deceived in that gamble!"

Zhao Zhikun gave money to Prince Kang, naturally not openly, but by routing it through the Immortal Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, I don’t believe Zhao Zhikun acted alone; it must have been the Zhao Family instructing from behind," said Prince Deshun, "I implore Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly."

"Your Majesty." Zhao Hongbo also bowed and spoke loudly, "Our Duke’s Mansion, being the pillar of Daqian, has unwavering loyalty to Daqian and would never betray for such profits. The eight hundred and thirty million Qian Gold in illicit gains involve noble individuals from the Immortal Dynasty, making it difficult to recover. However, my Zhao Family is willing to gather ten billion Qian Gold to repay the national treasury. It’s just that the amount is too large for Zhao Family to gather immediately, so we ask Your Majesty to allow Zhao Family to repay one million each year and settle the full amount within a century."

"Your Majesty, it is not about Hongbo evading responsibility. But as Chief Minister, Hongbo holds considerable power. If indeed engaging in such smuggling and treacherous acts, while not claiming to be flawless, the methods wouldn’t be so crude, nor would the scale be so small."

To this, Emperor Longchang made no definite reply, but again turned to Zhao Zhikun and asked: "Was Yingji involved?"

"Your Majesty, Yingji has no knowledge of this," Zhao Zhikun answered honestly, "Your Majesty, you also know Yingji’s nature; he couldn’t engage in such acts. Therefore, I could only place two heads in charge to dominate Anjiang through the Jiaolong Gang..."

The honesty comes from realizing this matter cannot withstand investigation.

Emperor Longchang’s expression eased slightly, then he turned to Zhao Hongbo, asking: "Hongbo, you presumably have a plan for handling this situation. Let’s hear it."

"First, I am ashamed to continue as Chief Minister and request Your Majesty appoint someone wise. Second, my Zhao Family is willing to compensate the illicit gains to the national treasury. Third, Zhao Zhikun’s smuggling and treason are unforgivable, deserving severe punishment, but I hope Your Majesty considers his status as a Divine Seed and allows him to go to the Outer Domain Battlefield, join the Cannon Fodder Camp to kill the enemy and atone for his crimes until he has redeemed himself completely."

Zhao Hongbo spoke firmly, accepting full responsibility, and then pleaded: "I also ask Your Majesty, considering the Zhao Family as founding heroes and noble lineage, to leave Zhao Family with some dignity."

These three conditions inflicted significant wounds on Zhao Family, difficult to recover from shortly. But it was still far better than complete disgrace.

Initially, the Zhao Family only wanted to offer the second and third terms. As for the first, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision by Zhao Hongbo to silence Prince Deshun.

"I indeed believe the Zhao Family did not participate in the smuggling and treason as a whole. Such sincere atonement is indeed honest enough." Emperor Longchang’s expression was calm and unruffled, "But, Zhao Aiqing must not forget that now all accusations point directly at Changning Wang Family, directly at Wang Shouzhe. With all eyes on this, how will it end?"

"Do not assume that I, being in the palace all day, am blind, deaf, or oblivious to the origin of this matter and why it escalated to such an unmanageable extent."

"Your Majesty," Zhao Hongbo bowed and said, "the investigation into the Wang Family’s taxes was indeed ordered by me upon receiving a report. But now it seems likely someone is secretly targeting the Wang Family."