Wang Canghai frowned, filled with righteous indignation: "Someone in the country must be colluding with the barbarians, bypassing the border guards and supplying them with equipment and food! Your humble servant believes this matter should be thoroughly investigated!"
Gu Hong and others exchanged glances, all agreeing.
Xiao Qing finally put on a stern face and declared loudly, "Minister of Justice!"
Only then did Liang Xiao look at Lin Yan, the Minister of Justice, who had stepped forward.
Among the Six Ministries of the Great Gan Dynasty, the Ministry of Personnel was the highest. The Ministry of Justice, because it didn't deal with military or financial matters, had a relatively low presence. The Ministry of Works, with its money-losing projects, had the least status.
All important affairs of the Ministry of Justice were reviewed by the Son of Heaven, the Prime Minister, and the Chancellor. Including the former Gongyang clan, the four great aristocratic families did not pay much attention to such thankless official positions, primarily monopolizing the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Works.
After the Gongyang clan withdrew from the central government, Du Gu Liang continued to hold the position of Minister of Works until he was finally dismissed.
Lin Yan was the head of the Lin family in the capital. The Lin family had always quietly managed judicial matters and never participated in political struggles.
Even during political infighting, the major aristocratic families dared not casually provoke the silent judges of the Ministry of Justice.
After all, even Gu Hai, a subordinate official of the Ministry of Justice, dared to disregard Liang Xiao at first.
"Immediately commence a thorough investigation of this matter!" Xiao Qing commanded.
After solemnly promising, Lin Yan retreated behind Wang Canghai like a phantom, silent, as if he had never existed.
At this moment, Du Gu Qun and others felt as if needles were pricking their backs, daring not to breathe.
Their families had acted with great discretion, but facing a serious Ministry of Justice, they had to guard against unexpected failures!
Now that the barbarians had suffered heavy losses, they could no longer hope for them to conquer the Central Plains and could only lie low for now!
However, Du Gu Qun saw from Liang Xiao's ambiguous gaze that Liang Xiao had no intention of letting them off!
As expected, Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow: "If this matter cannot be investigated, it will be difficult to handle. Then the people of Great Gan can only speculate on who is responsible?"
Looking at the officials of civil and military affairs exchanging uncertain glances, Liang Xiao finally frowned: "Tsk tsk, not long ago, the Du Gu family had a few spies captured, didn't they? If the Ministry of Justice also fails to investigate, it will be hard not to associate this matter with that..."
Du Gu Qun's heart jolted. He feigned displeasure and said, "This matter has nothing to do with my family. Marquis Anguo, do not spread baseless rumors! My Du Gu family has been loyal for generations, serving the nation and its people!"
Liang Xiao pouted, "Minister Du Gu, how can you say that? This Marquis feels that everything you say is meaningless. What matters is what the people feel. At that time, I fear your family will have to bear the blame. Alas!"
Having said that, Liang Xiao couldn't resist sighing with a look of feigned sympathy.
Looking at Liang Xiao's insincere expression, Du Gu Qun felt a surge of blood to his head, almost ascending to heaven on the spot.
"At that time, I fear the Du Gu family will be drowned by the spitting of the entire nation," Gu Shaoyan couldn't hold back and grinned.
Du Gu Qun suddenly remembered Liang Xiao's newspaper, and a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
If Liang Xiao seized this opportunity to publicize it widely through his newspaper, making the entire nation aware, then the Du Gu family's scattered industries across the land might be ravaged by angry citizens...
"Marquis Anguo, who serves the nation and its people, would certainly not stand by and watch my family be slandered, would he?" Du Gu Qun asked resignedly.
Liang Xiao frowned, his tone displeased: "What do you take this Marquis for, Minister Du Gu? The Great Gan Daily will at most report the facts truthfully; it will never spread lies. Otherwise, it would be a disservice to His Majesty's support, wouldn't it!"
Was this not enough to add insult to injury?
Du Gu Qun and the Du Gu family members behind him almost cursed.
It was obvious that even if they were hiding well now, Liang Xiao and the Emperor could still find a way to make them take the blame!
"Marquis Anguo, tell me, what must I do to prove my innocence!" Du Gu Qun asked tentatively.
Liang Xiao looked at Du Gu Qun with a look of disappointment: "Minister Du Gu and I have been colleagues for a year, and our camaraderie is deep. Would Minister Du Gu not know what proposal this Marquis has?"
Fellow colleagues' deep affection?
Gu Shaoyan and Zhang Yang almost burst out laughing again, pursing their lips and lowering their heads.
They knew very well that if they continued to watch Liang Xiao's expression, they would eventually lose their composure and laugh.
What other proposal could there be?
"Donating money to express loyalty, is that it..." Du Gu Qun began to tremble with anger.
Damn it, donating money again!
Du Gu Yuncheng and the others behind Du Gu Qun mentally cursed Liang Xiao's ancestors for eighteen generations.
The money donated by the Du Gu family would naturally be distributed among them, the members.
Liang Xiao beamed with pride.
"Your Majesty, have you seen? Minister Du Gu and this subject truly share a deep camaraderie, understanding each other at a single hint! With Your Majesty's wisdom, the northern soldiers surely deserve rewards in silver and gold, but the national treasury is not that wealthy. It just so happens that the Du Gu family can declare a donation of one to two million taels of silver to support Your Majesty and the soldiers. It's not much, is it?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Du Gu Qun almost fainted from anger!
Liang Qing, Luo Changfeng, and other military officers, despite their professional training, could no longer contain themselves, covering their mouths and secretly chuckling.
"Indeed, deep camaraderie, not much..." Xiao Qing almost fell off his dragon throne.
As expected of my Xiao Gege, so shameless!
Seeing Du Gu Qun still trembling with anger, Liang Xiao looked innocent and said, "Minister Du Gu, your family's donation is not to this Marquis, but the Great Gan Daily can help publicize it, letting the people know that the Du Gu family has generously contributed to supporting the nation."
Du Gu Qun felt slightly better, gritting his teeth, "One million taels, is that enough?"
Liang Xiao responded without hesitation: "For the people to have access to newspapers and understand national developments, every issue of the Great Gan Daily causes this Marquis to lose at least four to five copper coins per copy. I am about to be unable to sustain it. But for Minister Du Gu, I was even planning to issue an extra edition. How can you..."
The members of the Ouyang family below the stage brightened when they heard Liang Xiao's words.
About to go bankrupt? Was his newspaper truly a money-loser? If each copy lost four to five copper coins...
The Ouyang father and son, skilled in calculation, began to estimate.
Wouldn't that mean that printing those books was indeed a significant loss?
Liang Xiao's seemingly casual remark gave the Ouyang family a glimmer of hope.
We must crush this little brat!
Ouyang Ji couldn't help but lean closer to Du Gu Qun and whispered, "Add another two hundred thousand, and that will be from our family."
Du Gu Qun then declared loudly, "One million three hundred thousand taels, of which one hundred thousand taels will subsidize Marquis Anguo's Great Gan Daily. Is that enough!!"
Seeing Du Gu Qun on the verge of tears, Liang Xiao smiled and applauded: "Minister Du Gu is truly a model for our generation, with extremely high awareness. I am full of admiration!"
This time, even Wang Canghai and others couldn't help but sweat on their foreheads.
Has "donating money to express loyalty" become a trend now?
Now the entire nation hates traitors. In the future, which family would dare to act against the prevailing tide? Wouldn't they all have to restrain their family members and ensure they have nothing to do with rebellion?
Through Liang Xiao's various invented pretexts and extreme pressure, the Du Gu family had already donated several million taels, and so far, they had gained nothing but the expression of loyalty...
Although the Du Gu family deserved it...
They had served as officials for many years and had seen shameless people, but they had never seen anyone as shameless as Liang Xiao!
Xiao Qing was overjoyed and nodded in praise: "The Du Gu family has repeatedly donated money to express loyalty, and I am greatly pleased. They will be rewarded accordingly later!"
Rewards too?
Du Gu Qun and the others were puzzled, but still couldn't help but feel a slight anticipation.
Xiao Qing personally wrote a new imperial decree in public and handed it, along with the original decree, to the Chief Eunuch to read.
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Our Great Gan's sage, Grand Tutor, Chancellor, Vice Minister of Works, General of Zhen Dong, Marquis of Anguo, Prince Consort, Liang Xiao, Your Excellency Liang, led the army to decisively defeat the barbarians in Yanzhou, and also received the assistance of the Heavenly General divine spirit. They beheaded seventeen thousand barbarians in total, a feat of military achievement unprecedented since the founding of the dynasty, shaking the present and the past!"
"The Heavenly General divine spirit had stated beforehand that these achievements were the result of the sincere efforts of Your Excellency Liang and the soldiers of the northern frontier, as testified by all the soldiers of Yanzhou! The Yanzhou garrison has achieved great merit, inspiring the entire nation, and should be rewarded! From this day forward, all captured cattle, sheep, and horse meat, except for preserved cattle, shall be used to reward the Yanzhou garrison for at least one month and the rest of the northern frontier garrisons for ten days!"
"Furthermore, the national treasury shall allocate three million taels of silver, to be distributed by Your Excellency Liang according to merit. Each soldier of the Yanzhou garrison shall receive no less than five taels of silver, and each soldier of the remaining northern frontier garrisons shall receive no less than one tael of silver. Those with great merit shall be promoted by Your Excellency Liang's decision!"
Before the Chief Eunuch finished reading, the expressions of Du Gu Qun and others had already turned ashen.
Allowing Liang Xiao to use the national treasury's money for merit-based rewards! Since the founding of the dynasty, only the founding marshal and the Marquis of Dingguo, Gongsun Wuji, had enjoyed such honor, which demonstrated the Great Gan founder's trust in Gongsun Wuji!
"Your Excellency Liang has achieved world-shattering merit, and furthermore, has defeated the barbarian cavalry with war chariots, comparable to famous generals of ancient times. He is promoted from General of Zhen Dong to General of Chariots and Cavalry, awarded one hundred thousand taels of gold, and granted an additional five thousand households of his choice to establish his fief, bringing the total to twenty thousand households!"
The Chief Eunuch's next statement made Du Gu Qun and the others unable to remain calm.
General of Chariots and Cavalry?!
In the official military ranks of the Great Gan Dynasty, this was a position of significant power, second only to Great General and General of the Flying Cavalry, and above General of the Guards.