Chapter 322 The Emperor’s Common Problem
Ru Lan said it was her own idea, but Zhao Xing didn’t believe it at all.
However, Zhao Xing does not reject his woman's cautiousness.
In order to please him, they tried some tricks, but Zhao Xing didn't care. He was the one enjoying it anyway.
As long as we don’t think about each other and harm each other, just do some small tricks.
Ru Lan came back to her senses and felt that Zhao Xing's hand was really making trouble on her chest, so she buried her head in Zhao Xing's arms in shame.
Although she has been serving Zhao Xing with Minglan since she entered the palace, and she also served with Yu Yanran and Shulan respectively.
But that was all on the bed. Even if there was a maid serving in the room, it was still separated by a curtain.
But at this time, there was not only Shulan in the palace, but also their respective maids.
"I'm so shy now, for a while..." Zhao Xing leaned close to Ru Lan's ear and whispered a few words.
"Yeah."
Ru Lan's ears turned red after hearing this, but she still nodded.
"Get up and wait for me to take a bath." Zhao Xing took back his hand and said.
Ru Lan got down from Zhao Xing's arms and straightened her messy clothes in a panic.
…………
"We have to change the morning time later."
Zhao Xing yawned, glanced at the moonlit night sky, and thought to himself.
It’s nonsense to wake up earlier than the chickens when you become an emperor.
However, it is not that simple to change the time of morning pilgrimage.
Since ancient times, the morning court time has been relatively early, as if this is the only way to show the emperor's diligence.
In my wild thoughts, I came to the back hall of Daqing Hall.
When the chamberlain brought breakfast, Zhao Xing ate some and learned that all the officials had entered the palace, so he went to court.
“Your Majesty is here!” shouted the eunuch of Si Dian.
"I pay homage to Your Majesty!" All the officials bowed and saluted.
"Pingshen!" Zhao Xing came to sit on the dragon throne and waved.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
After all the officials thanked them, the eunuchs of the Si Dian Hall sang: "If you have something to do, please report it early!"
The morning court officially began.
First, several officials reported some trivial matters, which made Zhao Xing sleepy.
Zhao Xing looked at Yan Kuan. This tool man is a bit dishonest. He hasn't come out yet. What are you waiting for?
As if aware of Zhao Xing's displeasure, Yan Kuan walked out of the queue, bowed and said: "Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
"Yes!" Zhao Xing sat up straight, and his whole body became energetic.
“Your Majesty asked his ministers to join the three departments of Dali Temple Qing and Yu Shi Zhongcheng to examine the Minister of Civil Affairs Peng Qingzhong and those ministers who received the Liao envoys. Now they have been clearly examined.”
"I have not found any evidence that Peng Shilang and the ministers who received the Liao envoys defected to the Liao Kingdom." Yan Kuan said.
"Then where did Peng Qingzhong get the money to buy the fields and shops?" Zhao Xing frowned.
"Back to Your Majesty, I have carefully investigated and found that Peng Qingzhong, the Minister of Civil Affairs, used various means to embezzle and accept bribes, totaling hundreds of thousands of taels. The specific number needs to be verified! In addition, several ministers also found during the review The amount of corruption and bribery is not small," Yan Kuan said.
"Bang!"
Zhao Xing pretended to be furious and patted the armrest of the dragon chair, with an ugly face and said: "The salary of the imperial court is far higher than that of any dynasty. The reason why Emperor Taizu set this It’s really hateful that these officials dare to be corrupt even if they are given such a generous salary!”
After hearing this, all the officials in the hall bowed and shouted: “Your Majesty, calm down!”
< br>"Calm down your anger? How do you ask me to calm down my anger? Grand Prime Minister, tell me, in all the past dynasties, is there any dynasty with a higher salary than the Song Dynasty?"
"Your Majesty, no dynasty has a higher official salary than the Song Dynasty. It is not even half of that of officials at the same level." Han Zhang bowed.
"Is the salary enough for officials to support their families?" "More than enough!"
"Since it is more than enough, it means that there is no other reason for these people to take bribes. Greed is at work!"
Zhao Xing said angrily: "Yan Kuan, you are the Minister of Punishment, tell me how to deal with these people according to the law!"
"Your Majesty, according to the law, these people should abandon the market and their families should be sent to the Jiaofang Department!" Yan Kuan said.
Abandoning the market is a type of beheading. In TV dramas, it is often seen that capital beheadings are carried out at Caishikou.
In fact, most beheadings will not be carried out in public. Only the most heinous crimes will be beheaded in public, which is also called abandoning the city.
Everyone knows that Zhu Yuanzhang treated corrupt officials ruthlessly, and even skinning and cramping was nothing. He even ordered officials to be executed buried in the ground at the gate of the government, and allowed officials to step in and out. This was both humiliating and shocking.
However, Emperor Taizu's methods of dealing with corrupt officials were not light-hearted. Although not as extreme as Lao Zhu, he directly chose to abandon the market when executing officials.
When all the civil and military officials in the court heard Yan Kuan's words, their minds were buzzing.
I don’t know how many people are watching the three-division interrogation. They already know all the things Yan Kuan found out.
Therefore, no one interceded for Peng Qingzhong and others. After all, the evidence was conclusive and there was no way to intercede.
They thought Yan Kuan would say that those people would be sent to the frontier, but they did not expect that Yan Kuan would actually say that they would be abandoned.
“Your Majesty!”
Hu Zhongyan came out and bowed and said: "I think what Yan Shangshu said is too much. Although Peng Shilang and others are guilty, they are not guilty enough to die. They can just be sent to the frontier."
"Yes, Your Majesty, God has it." Such a harsh method is impossible for a good life."
For a time, most of the officials in the court stood up to oppose it, and many officials even asked Zhao Xing to remove Yan Kuan due to their duties.
Zhao Xing frowned slightly and shouted: "Quiet!"
The officials slowly became quiet.
"How is it appropriate to make noise in the main hall? What kind of place do you think this is?"
"The ministers are guilty, please calm down your Majesty!" Everyone quickly bowed and apologized.
"You and others are the first offenders. Anyone who has just spoken will be fined for half a year as a warning to others!" Zhao Xing said lightly.
Even though the officials were heartbroken when they heard this, they did not dare to refute.
Zhao Xing looked at Yan Kuan and said, "Yan Aiqing, the courtiers are all opposed to what you said. It shows that what you said is very inappropriate. What do you have to say?"
"Your Majesty, everything I said is based on the laws of the Song Dynasty. I have carefully studied the "Song Xingtong", "Warning against Corruption" and "Zhucang Beggar's Law". According to the crimes committed by several ministers, such punishment is already considered light. ." Yan Kuan said.
Hearing this, Zhao Xing looked at Han Zhang and asked: "I don't know much about the law, but I heard that the Grand Prime Minister knows it very well. Let's see, is what Yan Shangshu said true or false?"
"Your Majesty, what Yan Shangshu said is true!" Han Zhang bowed.
Zhao Xing nodded when he heard the words, and looked around everyone, saying: "It seems that all of you, like me, don't know much about the laws of the Song Dynasty. Sanshui, after the court, give it to all the courtiers, every I sent you a copy of the Song Dynasty Law."
"Yes!" Sanshui responded.
"Since there is a law to follow, let's do what Yan Aiqing said!" Zhao Xing said lightly.
"Your Majesty, no!"
A sixty-year-old minister came out and said: "Since our ancestors, I have never killed my ministers lightly. How can this great virtue be taken lightly?"
< br>"Yes, your majesty, Emperor Taizu once said not to kill scholar-bureaucrats. How could your majesty go against Taizu's words?" Hu Zhongyan said.
"Hu Shangshu deceived me into not knowing the words of my ancestors? Taizu said not to kill officials who speak out. How come you said you should not kill scholar-bureaucrats?"
Zhao Xing looked at Yan Kuan and said, "What's the difference between misinterpreting Taizu's words and falsely transmitting imperial edicts? Yan Aiqing, what's the crime of falsely transmitting imperial edicts?"
The founding emperors of all dynasties had a common problem.
Thinking about the future of the family for generations to come, and fearing that future emperors will not live up to expectations, they will set up many rules and regulations to regulate future emperors.
(End of this chapter)