eurekapd Chapter 553 Bai Wuan was dismissed
Chapter 553 Bai Wuan was dismissed
Qin State, Xianyang Palace, in the court.
The Qin Emperor slammed a letter on the table.
"Half a month ago, I sent people into the Northern Army to secretly investigate corruption! My dear ministers, guess what we found? It was shocking!
The Northern Army has been selling food and fodder to the Yan Army in the north for half a month!
He could smuggle out two thousand dan of grain in one night, selling one dan for two hundred coins, and he did this for half a month.
Who can calculate this for me? How many dan of grain did they sell and how much money did they make?
Zhisu Neishi, you speak!"
Looking at the furious Emperor Qin, Zhisu Neishi quickly stepped forward and made a quick calculation.
"Your Majesty! If we smuggle this much grain every day for half a month, we can sell 30,000 dan of grain and earn 6,000 taels of stolen silver."
"Then calculate again, how much would these 30,000 dan of grain be worth in silver, including the transportation costs?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, the grain collected from various places and transported to Xianyang consumes two dan of grain per ten dan. One dan of grain costs one hundred coins, which is equivalent to one hundred and twenty-five coins per dan.
Xianyang was very far away from the Northern Army. To transport ten dan of grain, the laborers had to eat six dan on the way. In this way, the grain for the Northern Army was equivalent to 312 wen per dan.
Thirty thousand dan of grain, converted into silver, is nine thousand three hundred and seventy-five taels.
Our country lost more than 9,000 taels of silver, while those who stole and sold grain gained 6,000 taels of silver.
Similarly, on the Yan army's side, Shengjing was extremely far away from the Yan State's western army, and eight out of ten stones of grain would be consumed during the transportation.
By this calculation, one stone of their grain is equivalent to 625 coins, while the one purchased from our army is 200 coins per stone.
The Yan army saved a total of 12,750 taels of silver by using 30,000 dan of grain.
Your Majesty, our country is suffering a huge loss, while the Yan army is making a huge profit!
This act of secretly selling military rations is completely unscrupulous and undermines the strength of the Qin army!"
The Emperor Qin nodded and said,
"Yes, Great Qin is losing money and having a shortage of food, while Yan is saving money and having more food. As one gains, the other loses. My Great Qin warriors can't even get enough to eat. How can we still have the strength to fight against those fierce armies in the north?
For the sake of a mere few thousand taels of silver in profit, they are gnawing at the roots of our Great Qin like termites.
For this little money, the Qin soldiers were unable to win the battle, the Yan army broke through the northern defense line, and the Yan army broke into the Xianyang Palace and hung my head and yours on the city wall!
It's so insane and outrageous that it cannot be tolerated by heaven!
Tell me, how should we handle this matter?
The ministers were shocked when they heard this and shouted in unison,
"Your Majesty, please investigate this case thoroughly and punish the criminals who stole and sold military rations!"
"Then who could this person be, stealing and selling military rations, using our Great Qin's money and food to support the enemy?"
The Qin Emperor looked at the civil and military officials in the court with a sharp gaze and said with gritted teeth.
The general sighed. He was in charge of military affairs. When problems arose in the army, he had to speak out.
"Your Majesty, Bai Wuan is the commander-in-chief of the Northern Army and is in charge of all military affairs. He is fully responsible for what happened.
Your Majesty, please issue an imperial decree ordering Bai Wuan to thoroughly investigate this matter and severely punish those responsible."
The Emperor of Qin laughed in anger when he heard this and asked,
"Who do you want Bai Wuan to investigate? Who do you want him to investigate himself?
Hundreds of people, pushing carts and pulling food, swaggered out of the pass and sold food to the enemy. Do you think Bai Wuan was unaware of it?
Is this coach blind?
Either Bai Wuan was unaware of this matter and committed dereliction of duty.
Either he knew about it, deliberately condoned it, or even manipulated it!
No matter what, Bai Wuan is guilty!
The Yan army had been stationed at the border for several months, and there had been no incidents of our army stealing and selling military rations. How come this incident started as soon as Bai Wuan went to meet Shen Changgong?
Can someone explain to me what is going on?!"
An official stood up and said loudly,
"I request that Your Majesty recall Bai Wuan to the capital to report on his duties. I also request that Your Majesty appoint a new commander to replace Bai Wuan in the Northern Army. A thorough investigation must be conducted. All those involved in the theft and sale of military rations must be brought to Xianyang for trial."
"I second the proposal!"
"I second the proposal!"
"This matter should be thoroughly investigated. No matter what, Bai Wuan should no longer be the commander-in-chief of the Northern Army!"
The Emperor Qin nodded and said,
"Then let's do this. Let Bai Wuan and those who stole and sold military rations come back to investigate!
Also, my dear ministers, who would be the most suitable person to take over Bai Wuan's military post?"
The general thought for a moment, then stood up and said,
"I believe that Sun Tai, Marquis of Boyang, is the most suitable. Sun Tai is a hereditary noble, brave in battle, and loyal. He can temporarily serve as the commander-in-chief!
If Bai Wuan is innocent, he can be allowed to return to be the head coach after a minor punishment.
If he is the mastermind, then it is up to Your Majesty to decide the matter."
"Alright, let's do this. Pass on my imperial decree and order Sun Tai to immediately go to the Northern Army to replace Bai Wuan. Find out who is stealing and selling military rations and escort them back to Xianyang."
"According to the order!"
The Bai family was also a prominent family in Xianyang, and many of their members served as officials in the court.
At this time, the Bai family was unable to argue and could only hurry back and send a carrier pigeon to Bai Wuan, asking him to be prepared.
……
A day later, Bai Wuan, who was in the Northern Army, received the letter.
He sat in the lobby of the general's mansion, read the letter three times, and finally just sighed heavily.
"General, I will go to the grain camp and investigate this matter thoroughly, and find all those people!"
A general was extremely angry and walked out angrily.
After he left, the other generals gathered around him.
"General, this is clearly a frame-up. This must be a conspiracy by the Yan people. They deliberately bribed our people to steal and sell military rations, and then deliberately let the emperor's people find out. This is to frame you."
"Yes, the theft and sale of military rations can be a big or small matter. Many generals stationed in various places have converted military farms into private fields, embezzled military grain, oppressed soldiers, and embezzled military pay, leaving the soldiers starving.
But when did the imperial court ever investigate? No one cared!
We just had our people steal and sell some military rations, just a few thousand taels of silver, and yet you've caused such a stir to the Emperor?"
"Exactly. They left so many corrupt officials unchecked. Our commander worked diligently and diligently to manage the army, yet this is what happened! Can't they tolerate even the smallest mistakes?"
"This is deliberately targeting our Marshal. The Emperor has long disliked the Marshal."
Upon hearing this, Deputy Commander Huan Qi sneered.
"That's right on the point. How many officials have clean hands? If you investigate, you'll find problems with every one of them.
After all, it's because the emperor dislikes our commander-in-chief.
One was because he was in a high position with great power and prestige, one was meeting with the enemy commander, and the other was aiding the enemy.
These three things are all against the emperor's weak spot."