I will never be Renzong

Chapter 143
In the fourth year of Tiansheng, on the first day of May, there was a grand court meeting in Xuanzheng Hall.

All civil and military officials of the seventh rank and above in Beijing, as well as relatives of the emperor, were present. In addition, there were also doctors, lecturers and students from the Imperial College. The dark crowd stood silently in the Xuanzheng Hall, giving people a very depressing feeling.

"The official is here!"

A little Huangmen shouted loudly.

Zhao Zhen walked slowly in front of the dragon chair in his uniform, took a look at the throne that represented the supremacy, and then turned around to sit on it.

"Official Wanan!"

Everyone prayed in unison.

"Free gift!"

Zhao Zhen gestured casually.

Prime Minister Zhang Zhibai came out and said: "Before the official fast, the imperial envoy Fan Zhongyan was sent to Xiezhou to investigate the robbery of the imperial merchants. After Fan Zhongyan took office, the case has been investigated and the officials involved have been severely punished. Everyone thinks that Fan Zhongyan’s punishment is quite severe, so they ask the officials to remove Fan Zhongyan and forgive those involved in the case!”

Zhao Zhen said calmly: "Fan Zhongyan is the imperial minister appointed by me personally. Since all the ministers and the scholars in the Imperial Academy have asked me to remove Fan Zhongyan, then you should give me a reason!"

Wang Zeng said: "Officials! Our dynasty has always treated civil servants favorably since Emperor Taizu founded the country. After the two dynasties of Taizong and Zhenzong, I have never remembered an official being sentenced to death. In the case of Jiezhou, Fan Zhongyan actually executed him. More than 20 officials involved in the case received such severe punishments, which is unheard of. I ask the officials to remove Fan Zhongyan!"

Cao Lili also hurriedly said: "Officials! Fan Zhongyan relied on the power given by the officials to commit many illegal acts. The minister learned that Fan Zhongyan not only executed more than 20 officials, but also exiled and relegated the rest of the officials involved. All will be confiscated, and the family members will be made slaves and maids. I ask the officials to remove Fan Zhongyan!"

"I request the officials to remove Fan Zhongyan and forgive the officials involved in the case!"

The ministers below paid homage one after another.

Zhao Zhen couldn't help getting angry, and then got up and said: "What happened in the Jiezhou case, none of the ministers present have ever witnessed it with their own eyes, and just relying on rumors and the one-sided words of the criminal officials, they want me to dismiss the imperial envoy. It's too much of a joke!"

Lu Zongdao said: "Officials, there is an old saying that punishments cannot be punished for scholar-bureaucrats, and common people cannot be treated with courtesy. Fan Zhongyan has great power, but he recklessly killed officials. This move violates the rules of etiquette. My court Taizu even said that Treat scholars all over the world kindly, but Fan Zhongyan’s behavior also seems to be disrespectful to our ancestors. I think it is not an exaggeration to dismiss Fan Zhongyan. I hope the officials will think again!”

Zhao Zhen thought for a while and replied: "I remember this sentence, which comes from the Book of Rites. Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, scholars all over the world have believed that the explanation of this sentence is that common people are not qualified to receive courtesy, and doctors have privileges and are not punished. Lu Sir, is my explanation correct?"

Lu Zongdao hurriedly bowed and said: "Going back to the official's house, that's the intention!"

Zhao Zhen then smiled and said: "I have studied Qu Li in the Book of Rites quite a bit, so I have different opinions on a few sentences. I remember that Qu Li was written like this, the monarch caresses the style, the doctor orders it, the doctor caresses the style, and the scholar When people are under the law, courtesy is not inferior to ordinary people, punishment is not superior to high officials, and punishment is not on the king's side.

That is to say, when the monarch meets a doctor, the monarch caresses, and the doctor gets off the car. When the doctor meets a scholar, the doctor caresses, and the scholar gets off the car. It is the true explanation of not being polite to ordinary people. "

The ministers present were stunned for a moment, thinking that this sentence can still be understood in this way?

"I dare to ask the officials, what do you mean by the last two sentences?"

Lu Zongdao hurriedly asked.

Zhao Zhen said with a smile: "If the monarch selects the virtuous and capable, the selected doctor will be upright and honest, and he will not do anything that violates the criminal law, so naturally he will not use punishment. Go to the doctor, and the doctor here refers to a doctor who is honest, honest and self-denying, and does not mean that the scholar-bureaucrats should not be punished!"

Lu Zongdao asked: "Then how can we explain that the torturer is not with you?"

Zhao Zhen replied: "The so-called criminals are not on the king's side. It means that those who have violated the law can no longer serve as court officials, and they cannot appear in front of the emperor!"

Wang Zeng said: "The official's move has the intention of aggrieved, and I don't agree with it."

Zhang Zhibai said to Wang Zeng: "Wang's words about participating in politics are wrong. You must know that the Book of Rites was written in the Western Han Dynasty, nearly a thousand years ago. No one knows what it means except Dai Shengren who wrote the book. From the Western Han Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, courtesy was not inferior to ordinary people, and punishment was not superior to senior officials. These two sentences were often taken out separately. Today, officials trace the source and put these two sentences back into the original text to explain. What about misinterpretation?”

Zhang Zhibai turned to Zhao Zhen and said: "The words of the officials today made me suddenly understand. How can scholars of our generation read dead books, we need to learn and use them!"

After Zhang Zhibai's words fell, the ministers below were also discussing for a while, and the scholars of the Guozijian were also shocked by the remarks of today's officials.

Wang Zeng and Lu Zongdao looked at each other and did not speak again.

It is true that civil servants want to maintain their own interests, but they also need to be well-founded, and the words of saints they rely on now are obviously not enough to support their impeachment.

Cao Li said: "Even if it is as the officials said, I still think that Fan Zhongyan's punishment is too severe, and he should pursue his fault!"

Zhao Zhen said with a smile: "Whether Fan Zhongyan's punishment is serious or not, we have to look at the facts, after all, what is heard is not what is seen!"

"Come on! Bring things up!"

As soon as Zhao Zhen gave an order, the imperial guards had already brought in huge boxes.

Zhao Zhen glanced at several large boxes on the ground and said to everyone: "This is the property, land deeds, and confession of the officials involved in the case that Fan Zhongyan confiscated. You might as well take a look at it. What is this? Is it Corruption is about bending the law for personal gain and plundering the people’s wealth!”

Cao Li said: "Official family! Those who are officials in the court, their family members are also good at doing business, and it is normal to have a little wealth."

"Private Cao's words are not unreasonable, but do you know what Fan Zhongyan's father said?"

Zhao Zhen asked.

"I don't know!"

Cao Li hurriedly replied.

Seeing this, Zhao Zhen got up and walked to the box, then opened the front one, took out a booklet from it, glanced at everyone, and said: "This booklet records all the corrupt officials who Fan Zhongyan copied. The stolen money, I will give you a general remembrance."

Zhao Zhen opened the booklet and read aloud: "Xiezhou Zhizhou Qian Weiguan found gold, silver, jewelry, antiques and jade articles equivalent to nearly 2000 million yuan, Xiezhou Tong judge Mao Qiuwen found gold, silver, jewelry and jade articles equivalent to more than 800 yuan Wan Guan."

Zhao Zhen read it word by word, and the ministers below were also shocked, and Cao Lili was sweating on his forehead, thinking that Qian Qianweiguan had embezzled so much quietly, and sent him away. What I gave myself was just a drop in the bucket, it was really hateful!
After Zhao Zhen finished reading, the ministers below were silent. Zhao Zhen then picked up a pamphlet and said: "This pamphlet records all the criminal evidence of the executed officials in Zhimingzhou. If it is just corruption, return the stolen money. Afterwards, I can still forgive them, but I hope that the civil and military ministers and relatives of the emperor who are present will show me clearly that they are not only corrupt and accepting bribes, these officials who were executed are also guilty of rape, murder, and occupation. Wives and daughters, forced buying and selling and other evil deeds, which one is not a crime, I really can't find a reason to excuse them!"

Zhao Yuanyan, the eighth king who had never said anything, suddenly said: "Officials! These officials don't want to serve the court, but instead take bribes and oppress the people. They are not worthy of being scholars. I think Fan Zhongyan killed it well!"

"My minister agrees!"

"My minister agrees!"

Seeing this, the nobles and the royal family paid their respects one after another.

The civil servants looked at me and I looked at you, all lowered their heads, kept silent, and remained silent.

Yan Su, a doctor in the Ministry of Punishments, suddenly said: "The officials, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, once issued an edict that all those who rebelled against the death penalty should be reviewed three times by the local government, and then five times by the capital before they were executed. In the fourth year of Zhenguan, only 29 In the 25th year of Kaiyuan, only 58 people were sentenced to death. After the war at the end of the Tang Dynasty and the founding of the Song Dynasty, the population was not as large as that at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty. A hundred times, and the death penalty in the capital only has one chance to be reviewed. It is because the old minister hopes to restore the Tang system. Capital crimes in the world must go through a review before they can be executed. Now that the officials involved in the case have been severely punished, why don’t the officials forgive their families and show the officialdom? The wind of benevolence!"

Zhao Zhen thought for a while before he said: "Since ancient times, the criminal law has been divided into high and low, and the severity of the circumstances. In order to avoid responsibility, some judicial officials have always used the death penalty to deal with it, but there is something wrong with it. The Ministry of Punishment will set up a supervision department. , responsible for reviewing and re-examining major national cases.

As for the family members of the prisoners who seem innocent, but they enjoy the rich food and clothing brought by the criminal officials' corruption and bribery, and oppress the common people, some family members even use this to make a fortune. It is a felony, not to be forgiven! "

"The officials are wise!"

Seeing this, Yan Su hastily responded and retreated.

Zhao Zhen glanced at the silent group of officials and said: "Corruption among officials in Xiezhou has become commonplace and harmed the people of Li. I don't know people well, so I bear an inescapable responsibility. I issued an edict to exempt the people of Xiezhou from the three-year land tax. Zhou Wang, Dekang County King, Ankang County King, etc. listened to the message and disturbed the Queen Mother. They are hereby punished for one year and go home to contemplate their mistakes behind closed doors. After thinking about it behind closed doors for three days, I will be fined to copy Mencius a hundred times."

After the three government orders were issued, Zhao Zhen said again: "I remember the "Historical Records of Shang Jun Biography" records: the order was implemented in the period of the Republic of China, and the country of Qin Min said that thousands of people were inconvenient in the first order. So the prince broke the law. Wei Yang said : If the law does not work, you will commit the crime yourself. The prince, the prince, and the heir of the king will not be punished. Therefore, he punishes his father, son Qian, and tattoos his teacher, grandson Jia. Therefore, a prince who breaks the law is the same crime as the common people, let alone a scholar-bureaucrat?"

Wang Zeng said: "Could it be that the officials want to abolish the ancestral system of preferential treatment for literati established by the Taizu?"

Zhao Zhen smiled and said: "I will not abolish the ancestral system of giving preferential treatment to literati, but I need to make some additions. The preferential treatment of literati and bureaucrats remains unchanged, but anyone involved in a murder case will be severely punished. The imperial envoy Fan Zhongyan is the magistrate of Xiezhou, and he is fully cooperating with the Royal Chamber of Commerce to reform Jieyan!"

Zhang Zhibai saw that the matter had come to an end, so he said: "Officials! I would like to ask the official whether to abolish the system of grace?"

The civil servants suddenly regained their spirits. Although the officials did not deal with Fan Zhongyan, they were furious because of it and changed the saying that the punishment could not be punished by scholar-bureaucrats. Can't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

But the benefits brought by grace will benefit their children and grandchildren, and they will not give up easily.

Wang Zeng said: "In recent years, the grace of the government and the government has indeed been flooded, but the grace is conducive to the long-term stability of the country. The ministers have tried their best to make suggestions for the government. The old ministers think that the grace should not be abolished!"

Lu Zongdao also said: "The minister seconded the proposal!"

Lu Yijian said: "Officials! Since the proliferation of the Enyin system has caused the current disaster of redundant officials, then just slightly change the Enyin system to reduce the opportunities for Enyin. Abolition is still not feasible!"

Ministers, you say something and I say it word by word. In short, 0 officials are in favor of abolishing Enyin, more than half are in favor of reform, and half are in favor of no changes.

Zhao Zhen is also very clear about what Enyin means to the officials of the Song Dynasty. It is impossible to abolish Enyin, but it is still possible to reform it.

Zhao Zhen said: "Whether to abolish the Enyin system? These days, I have been devoutly fasting in front of Taizu Taizong and the late emperor's spiritual throne. I am quite touched. The reason why our country was established in the Song Dynasty is that the civil servants made suggestions and the generals fought the enemy bravely. , so I decided not to abolish the Grace System.”

Seeing this, the ministers present couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the officials did not stick to it to the end, otherwise their interests would be further damaged.

"But! Appropriate reforms are still necessary, after all, the imperial court does not support idlers! Therefore, I decided to cancel the Holy Festival Yinbu and Dali Yinbu and keep the Official Yinbu and Yibiao Mengbu, but make some changes."

Zhao Zhen said lightly.

Lu Zongdao said: "I don't know what changes the officials have made!"

Zhao Zhen said: "In the past, there were too many officials in my imperial court, but now it has been reduced to half. The children who accept the appointment of officials and the candidates must participate in the imperial court's assessment. Those who fail the assessment will retain their official positions for three years. , the salary will be halved, and after three years there will be no more, and the grace will be cancelled."

Cao Li said, "Officials! Isn't this a little inappropriate?"

Zhao Zhen replied: "What's wrong? The reason why I did this is that the ministers present here will urge their children to study hard after returning home, and eventually become a useful person for the country, so as to save them from only knowing about cockfighting." Walking the dog, ignorant of learning and skills, ruined all the wealth accumulated by the Qing family."

As Zhao Zhen spoke, he took out a booklet from his arms, then looked at the ministers of the Manchu Dynasty and said, "I have another booklet here, which was accidentally discovered by Fan Zhongyan when he searched Qian Weiguan's mansion. It recorded in detail that Qian Wei was an official More than ten years of bribes to the officials of the court!"

The day in May was not hot, but many ministers were already sweating on their foreheads at this time, and some of them were so frightened that they were already crumbling, as if they had seen the scene of quarreling and exile.

The expressions of the ministers all fell into Zhao Zhen's eyes, but he had no intention of delving into the matter. He changed his voice and said with a smile: "But I think this booklet is a forgery, and it was framed by Qian Weiguan, the prisoner." Framing the ministers of the DPRK."

"Come and fetch the brazier!"

After the two chamberlains brought a brazier, Zhao Zhen threw the pamphlet into the brazier without any hesitation. Seeing that the pamphlet was burned to ashes, the ministers present breathed a sigh of relief.

"Official Shengming!"

One after another, the sounds of kneeling and worshiping resounded throughout the Xuanzheng Hall.

When the water is clear, there will be no fish. Zhao Zhen glanced at the dragon chair behind him and realized that his journey to becoming an emperor has just begun.

(End of this chapter)