Protect Our Clan Leader

Chapter 1072: Chapter 70: Suppressing the Second Rank! Planning against the Emperor’s Son_2 Chapter 1072: Chapter 70: Suppressing the Second Rank! Planning against the Emperor’s Son_2 “Therefore, I formally request your Majesty to permit my resignation from the position of Prime Minister. I ask for your gracious approval.”

Resigning as Prime Minister?

Prince Dede was stunned.

Zhao Hongbo really was decisive enough to take such a harsh step.

For thousands of years, the greatest prestige and power of the Second Class Zhao Clan came from having a Duke and a Prime Minister in the family.

The position of Duke is a legacy from the ancestors, representing the prestige of the Zhao Clan, but the Prime Minister holds actual power. It is under this power that the Zhao Clan had flourished and reached its current zenith of prosperity.

Emperor Longchang also furrowed his brow slightly.

Even though he had been somewhat displeased with the Zhao Clan and had feelings of irritation towards Zhao Hongbo in recent days, he had never truly considered stripping Zhao Hongbo of his powers as the Prime Minister.

After all, the Zhao Clan was also a founding hero of Da Qian, having made countless sacrifices and shed much blood.

A country cannot be sustained by the Imperial Household alone; the Imperial Household is merely the strongest and most contributing family, holding the largest “share.” It is not an absolute rule by one family alone.

Therefore, being a Great Emperor, he must balance the relationships between the Imperial Household and Prominent Families, and among the Prominent Families themselves.

“Hong Bo, how much has Zhao Zhikun smuggled?” Emperor Longchang’s expression was extremely grave. “And for how many years?”

Zhao Hongbo also looked sternly at Zhao Zhikun: “Scoundrel, answer His Majesty immediately.”

“Your, Your Majesty.” Zhao Zhikun was already somewhat weak in the knees, his voice trembling. “All in all, it has been ninety years. Starting from a few million each year to try, it later developed to twenty or thirty million each year, and in the most recent years, each year exceeded fifty million.”

“After deducting costs for bribes and various expenses, the total, total profit is eight hundred and thirty million Qian Gold.” As he spoke, Zhao Zhikun even took out an account book, clearly well-prepared, and presented it honestly.

Old Yao took the account book and handed it to Emperor Longchang.

The scale is significant, but it was still under control!

Emperor Longchang, with a somber face, scanned the book briefly before setting it aside, “Where is the profit money?”

“I spent some of it. The rest, most of it I used… I used to pay off debts…” Zhao Zhikun said doggedly. “Your Majesty, I was scammed that time in the gambling!”

Zhao Zhikun giving money to Prince Kang naturally couldn’t be done openly, it had to go through Immortal Dynasty and circle back.

“Your Majesty, I do not believe this was the doing of Zhao Zhikun alone, it must have been instigated by the Zhao Clan in the background,” Prince Dede said. “I implore Your Majesty to discern the truth.”

“Your Majesty.” Zhao Hongbo also bowed and said aloud, “My house, An Duke’s Mansion, has been a pillar of Da Qian, loyal without two hearts, how could we betray our country for such profit? These eight hundred and thirty million Qian Gold implicating your nobles in Immortal Dynasty are too difficult to retrieve. However, my Zhao Clan is willing to make up a total of one billion Qian Gold to return to the national treasury. However, due to the large amount of funds, it is difficult for the Zhao Clan to gather this at once. I ask Your Majesty to allow the Zhao Clan to return ten million each year, within a hundred years to repay fully.”

“Your Majesty, it is not that Hong Bo is shirking responsibility. But as the Prime Minister, I hold no small amount of power. If I were really to engage in such despicable acts as smuggling and colluding with the enemy, I do not dare say it would be perfect, yet it would certainly not be this crude, and the scale would at least be several times larger.”

Emperor Longchang said nothing to this, but once again looked at Zhao Zhikun and asked, “Did Yingji participate in this?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, Uncle Yingji was unaware,” Zhao Zhikun honestly answered. “As you know, Uncle Yingji’s nature, he would not engage in such actions. Therefore, I only managed to place two managers there—through the power of Jiaolong Gang dominating Peace River…”

He was so honest because he knew such matters could not withstand scrutiny.

Emperor Longchang’s expression eased slightly, then he looked at Zhao Hongbo and said, “Hong Bo, you have come forward with a plan for handling this, say what you have in mind.”

“First, I am unfit to continue as Prime Minister, and I ask Your Majesty to appoint another wise individual. Second, my Zhao Clan is willing to make up the embezzled funds to replenish the national treasury. Third, Zhao Zhikun’s smuggling and treason are unforgivable offenses, and he should be severely punished, but I hope Your Majesty, considering he is a Divine Power Seed, permits him to go to the foreign battlefield to enter the Cannon Fodder Camp and fight to redeem his sins until he has fully atoned.”

Zhao Hongbo did not shirk responsibility, speaking with a clear and forceful voice, then he pleaded, “I beseech Your Majesty, considering the Zhao Clan has been a founding hero and a millennium-old Prominent Family, please leave some dignity for the Zhao Clan.”

These three conditions, each one inflicted a severe wound on the Zhao Clan, making it very hard for them to recover their vitality in a short period of time. But compared to being completely ruined, they were indeed much better.

The conditions originally intended by the Zhao Clan only included the second and third. As for the first, it was an impromptu idea from Zhao Hongbo, meant to shut up Prince Dede.

“I truly believe that the Zhao Clan did not fully participate in the smuggling and collusion. This plea is indeed sufficiently honest,” Emperor Longchang said with a calm expression. “But do not forget, Zhao Aiqing, that currently all accusations are pointing directly at the Changning Wang Clan, pointing at Wang Shouzhe, under everyone’s watchful eyes, how shall this end?”

“Do not think that just because I stay in the Imperial Palace all day, I am blind, deaf, and oblivious, unaware of how this situation started or why it has escalated to such an uncontrollable level.”

“Your Majesty.” Zhao Hongbo bowed and said, “Investigating the Wang family’s taxes was indeed initiated by me after receiving a report. However, it now appears that someone has been plotting against the Wang family in the shadows.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by novlove.com