Sign in: The female supporting character in the book disrupted the heroine's glory

Chapter 407: Overreaching, Water Conservancy Project

"You are stretching your hand too far, aren't you? You are just a scholar now, not even a juren. Why do you have to wade into this muddy water?"

The Second Prince was very angry before he met Jiang Youzhen, but after seeing her, his anger subsided a lot. How strange!

Jiang Youzhen found it strange. Why did the Second Prince know so quickly that she was the one who interfered in this matter? Did the Fourth Prince leak her secret?

Jiang Youzhen's thoughtful expression made the Second Prince sneer, "I knew it was you. I was just guessing at first, but now I am sure."

Jiang Youzhen: ...I was careless.

"Do you treat me as well as the fourth one? I will give you money if you want it, and power if you want it..."

Jiang Youzhen glanced over and the Second Prince coughed lightly.

"It cannot be given to you at the moment, but that is because you have not yet entered the government."

"Didn't we cooperate well in the Tongzhou Wharf case? Why did you turn to Lao Si?"

The second prince was now filled with resentment, "Why did you abandon me?"

"Your Highness, have you gone out to take medicine?" Jiang Youzhen twitched his mouth.

The second prince was a little confused. "I have almost recovered from the cold in the past two days, so I didn't take it today. Oh! How did you know that I had a cold?"

Jiang Youzhen was speechless. "Second Prince, I don't know what you are referring to. You came here and accused me excitedly, but I know nothing about your accusations."

"Don't come on, you just know how to pretend! Do you dare to say that the Fourth Brother found out that the food and fodder sent to the border were inferior and short of weight, and thus found out that there was a connection with the embezzlement of military pay, and it has nothing to do with you?

Do you dare to say that it has nothing to do with you that the Fourth Brother found out that someone was using the male members of the government and those exiled prisoners as private soldiers?"

The second prince became more and more angry as he spoke. "Although the court has blocked the news, the emperor has secretly sent an imperial envoy to the border to investigate. This matter must involve many people. How could there be only so few private soldiers? They are training every day, so there must be other soldiers. Where did the food and money come from? Of course it was embezzlement."

He paced in the study, his eyes gleaming with brilliance. "Raising private soldiers due to corruption may even be treason. If it is verified, it is a serious crime that will result in the execution of the entire family. And the one who dared to do this is most likely a certain prince. I believe you know who this person is."

He suddenly turned around and stared at Jiang Youzhen with a stern look in his eyes, "You gave Old Four a great opportunity!"

Jiang Youzhen: "I don't understand what you are talking about?"

The Second Prince ignored Jiang Youzhen's denial and continued, "I have been investigating the border for so long, and just when I found the slightest clue, you intercepted it."

"Don't be so quick to deny it. Tong Huaian came to find you as soon as he returned to Tongzhou Prefecture. He left in a hurry. A few days later, there was movement from the Fourth Brother. Who else could it be if not you? What benefit did he promise you? Why did you give him such a great opportunity?"

The second prince was more and more unwilling to accept it. Was he not good to Jiang Youzhen? He knew that there were only interests in the court, but Jiang Youzhen's move hurt his heart.

"Of course it's the benefits that make my heart beat." Jiang Youzhen didn't deny it. The Second Prince wouldn't believe her anyway.

"You finally admitted it. I thought you were going to continue to be stubborn!" The second prince smiled sarcastically.

"What did the fourth elder promise you, money? Or a career? What he can give you, I can't give you?"

Jiang Youzhen opened his mouth when he heard this, wanting to say, you really can't give it to me this time.

However, the second prince was angry and did not give Jiang Youzhen any chance to speak.

He kept complaining about Jiang Youzhen's ruthlessness and described him as a heartless man who had seduced her and then abandoned her.

Jiang Youzhen tried to interrupt several times but failed, so he simply stopped talking and began to let his mind wander.

After an unknown amount of time, the study suddenly became quiet and Jiang Youzhen looked over in surprise.

"Are you doing this because of Qian Chongen?" The second prince had never thought about it this way before, but he suddenly had an idea and realized it.

This is very much like something Jiang Youzhen would do. She is the most protective and vindictive person.

"You took such a big risk just for Qian Chongen? I can find you, so the others are not fools. When they come to their senses, your life will be in danger. The boss will not let it go. Do you think he is a soft persimmon? Before he is stepped on, you will become his stepping stone."

The second prince really couldn’t understand, Jiang Youzhen was really crazy.

"So we must eliminate this trouble once and for all! We must do it once and for all!" Jiang Youzhen smiled slightly, "And this is exactly why I approached the Fourth Prince."

The second prince was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly, and finally understood.

"After all, you also despise my background because I have no outside family to rely on, right?" The second prince had an inexplicable look in his eyes, and he was shrouded in a dangerous and gloomy aura.

"Once this matter is exposed, it will not be handled according to the Emperor's will. This is a confrontation between the imperial power and the power of the Queen's mother's family. If we want to completely eliminate the trouble forever, we must have another major force to join in. Otherwise, the centipede will not die, which will only put me in danger."

Jiang Youzhen looked at the teacup in front of her. She had no choice. Once she stepped into the vortex of power, who could escape unscathed?

Ants like her can only rely on big trees for shelter from wind and rain, otherwise they will die.

There was silence in the outer study for a long time before the second prince said, "The fourth prince's family is indeed powerful, and your choice is not wrong."

As he spoke, he took out two pieces of paper from his pocket and placed them on the table.

Jiang Youzhen looked over curiously, only to hear the Second Prince say, "I have been searching for this for quite some time, and I think this one is suitable for you."

She picked it up and unfolded it, and found that the first one was actually a house deed.

The large house with five courtyards is located in the capital city near the north city, but strictly speaking, it is located in the west city.

"You are not a court official, so you cannot live in the North City."

Jiang Youzhen was very surprised. For her?

Looking at the second one, I found that it was the deed to the hot spring manor that the second prince had promised last time.

"I'm planning to buy a house. How much money does it cost?" Jiang Youzhen asked.

"Although my family is not prominent, I am still a prince. Don't you think I can't even give you this little money? You really underestimate me."

He rolled his eyes and walked away.

Jiang Youzhen looked at the desolate back of the Second Prince and coughed lightly.

"I recently read the court report and found that the national treasury is insufficient and the Ministry of Revenue is having a headache over this matter."

The second prince turned his head suddenly, his eyes lit up, and then he walked back in two steps at a time.

"Yes! Do you have any idea?"

"Because the maritime trade is closed, it is more complicated to transport the grain tax from Jiangnan back to the capital, and the transportation cost is also very high, which is really not cost-effective."

The second prince nodded rapidly, "Indeed!"

"Why not build water conservancy projects and open a large canal that flows from somewhere in the south of the Yangtze River into the Luhan River?"

The Luhan River leads directly to the capital, but it is only a canal in the north. Transportation to the south of the Yangtze River requires several detours, which is very troublesome.

"Develop water conservancy projects? Open a canal? How big a project would that be and how much money would it cost?" The second prince shook his head. He thought it was impossible.

"The Ministry of Revenue doesn't have any money to begin with, so it's impossible for them to allocate money."