Farm Girl Turns Everything Around: Sly Husband, Let's Farm

Chapter 1336: Chapter 1135: They Failed Me_1 Chapter 1336: Chapter 1135: They Failed Me_1 Emperor Yongan declared that others were free to search for experts, and over the next three days, a turbulent undercurrent surged within Daqi as civil and military ministers bound together in an unprecedented alliance, searching for gambling experts while practicing games like Texas Hold’em and building card castles.

Yang Wenxiao knew that when Emperor Yongan took aim at the casinos this time, he offended not only the interests of the Aristocratic Families but also those of other bureaucrats.

These bureaucrats had risen through the ranks over the years via the Imperial Examination, and were considered Yang Wenxiao and Emperor Yongan’s proteges, previously wielded by the two to combat the Aristocratic Families.

Now, before the Aristocratic Families had been completely toppled, Yang Wenxiao and Emperor Yongan were poised to break their sword–how could this be acceptable?

They had to band together and weather this storm.

Otherwise, Yang Wenxiao and Emperor Yongan would surely use the same pretext to take away even more in the future.

Yang Wenxiao had anticipated this united front among the civil and military officials and was not at all worried. He strolled through the cornfield with a smile on his face.

The corn was growing well and was ready to eat; he couldn’t help but break off a few ears every so often.

He couldn’t eat too much; each ear consumed was like eating away a large piece of the cornfield, which was painful to consider.

“Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun; before absolute hard power, all cunning schemes are worthless,” he said.

Qiao Xiaomai followed behind him, carrying a delicate bamboo basket. Hearing his words, she smiled and said, “You’re right. But, this time you’ve pushed all the civil and military officials to your opposing side…”

Wasn’t this move too hasty?

“You don’t understand the situation,” said Yang Wenxiao with a wave of his hand. “On this trip around Daqi, Yeye has unearthed more than sixty unjust cases, spread throughout the land, and that’s just what he found during brief stops.”

“These local officials, all chosen through the Imperial Examination, were raised up by the Emperor and me. I gave them generous salaries, hoping they would be incorruptible, hoping they would maintain public security for the Yang Family, and take good care of the local people.”

“I’m frugal in other areas, for example with titles. Titles are just for show, those who have them are idle, not doing real work–naturally, I give them less in salary. But those officials with real power, I support them with high salaries, take for instance a county magistrate–a minor seventh rank official–but because they directly interact with the people, I give them a salary of sixty thousand tael a year, five thousand tael every month.”

“Five thousand tael, that’s enough for a small County Town, isn’t it? Even in the Capital City, one could live comfortably, right?”

“I pay them such high salaries because I want them to withstand the temptation of bribes, but how did they repay me?”

“Creating so many false and unjust cases, tell me, what use are they to me? Should I wait for them to oppress the people and push them to rebel?”

“With so much trouble from just the minor local officials, not to mention those running Gambling Houses. Gambling Houses are filthy dens, not legitimate businesses, intricately tied to usury–what use do I have for such officials running such industries?”

“Do I want them to oppress the people and incite rebellion?”

Qiao Xiaomai “…”

This she truly did not know.

“I know my actions have infringed upon their interests, and I did it deliberately. I want to root out the worms. I have not wronged them; they wronged me first,” Yang Wenxiao said with a sigh.

“I am a person of deep feelings; as long as one does not fail me, I will never fail them. I supported these people, but they have let me down, so naturally, I must choose others.”

“Those who have not wronged me, I will continue to support.”