Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

In the silence where the sound of falling needles could be heard, someone couldn't hold back and burst out laughing with a "poof".Even if he held it back quickly, the air that was almost frozen would flow again.

"This is what you said," Zhao Heng pointed to the pile of various snacks, and was amused: "Bribe, huh?"

The three packs full of snacks are worth almost as much as the postage.

Faced with the emperor's questioning, the Taiwan official who was caught off guard and lost his face turned red like a pig's liver.

"Gossip and rumors" have always been the prerogative of Taiwan's admonishing officials. Even if the impeachment is speculative, he will not have the risk of being convicted, and it is purely regarded as performing his duties.

But it's one thing not to be convicted, but it's another thing to lose such a big face in court.

At this moment, he has the heart to swallow Su Song alive.

As a Taiwan official, it is naturally inconvenient for him to verify.But the man swears by it, and there is a proof of sending and receiving the mail, and the package has not been touched, it does not seem to have been unpacked, and there is no trace of other people's tampering, so he believes it to be true.

Anyway, it is not up to the Taiwan officials to do the verification and ruling. No matter what is in the package, and whether there is an appointment with Lu Ci in advance, Lu Ci will definitely be suspended.

Disposition will not be announced until the investigation is completed.

And who would have thought that the number one scholar of the third grade and the first rank has a different way of thinking from ordinary people, and instead of asking for bribes, he asks for a bunch of inexplicable food?

Almost all the courtiers couldn't help sighing in their hearts: This Lu Ci is very lucky.

Zhao Heng asked in a deep voice, "Who exactly got what you said and said?"

However, the Taiwan official bit his tongue and refused clearly: "I would rather impeach myself, and dare not obey the Ming Dynasty."

Although he was indignant at Su Song's stupidity, which made him lose face, but the other party's name should not come out of his mouth no matter what.

Although with the eyes and ears of the royal family all over the place, it is not difficult to quickly get the name and surname of the false accuser and punish them, the final result may not be different.

But if he opened his mouth, he would become an out-and-out coward in the eyes of others.

What's more, he is also confident-according to the law, "the monarch does not ask where his words come from, and he does not charge that what he says must be true."

If the Taiwan official made up his mind not to speak, the emperor would have nothing to do with him.

Zhao Heng brushed off the dragon case impatiently, signaling people to go back to the queue, and then unhappily glanced at the quiet officials with a pair of eyes flushed from staying up all night: "Lu Ci's lawsuit of accepting bribes is pure nonsense, and now I have ruled, Are there any objections?"

There is no sound in the court, so naturally no one dares to do it.

Zhao Heng sighed and said, "It's only been a month since Yu Yu entered the museum, and already there are people who are jealous of the virtuous and capable and have falsely accused them..."

Before the officials could finish explaining how sad he was, Kou Zhun, who had experienced ups and downs in mood, had already stepped forward and said solemnly: "I dare to ask for orders, and I am willing to find out who made false accusations and hand them over to His Majesty for severe punishment."

Zhao Heng frowned, he was not at ease with Kou Laoxier, and he didn't agree for a while.

While he was hesitating, Yan Shu had already made a serious statement: "Why do you need to work with the privy envoys for a mere matter of virtuous school management? Although I am not talented, I am willing to take orders and share the worries for Your Majesty."

"What Uncle Tong said makes sense." Zhao Heng said with satisfaction, "Then it's up to you to do it."

Yan Shu calmly bowed to Kou Zhun's murderous eyes: "I take orders."

The northerners, including Kou Zhun, inevitably thought that the reason why the emperor entrusted this task to Yan Shu, who was born in the south, was because he wanted to take it high and put it down gently.

Let a southerner handle the affairs of the northerners, can he still do his best?

Kou Zhun sighed in his heart, even though he wanted to take advantage of the victory and pursue the attack, but the emperor was watching him covetously, he had no choice but to return angrily.

After such a dumbfounding turning point, the morning court had to continue.

After the official was angry and laughed, although he was completely awake, he lacked interest in what the courtiers reported next, and he just wandered around, not knowing what to think about.

Before the court was over, he suddenly proposed: "How much is the monthly salary of officials, big and small? Tomorrow morning, remember to make a clear list before the court."

Ji Xiang hurriedly took orders.

After the court was over, the officials filed out, but the officials were still sitting on the dragon chair with their eyes closed.

Lin Neichen didn't know what the official's mood was like, so he waited tremblingly, when he suddenly heard the official muttering in a low voice: "The salary is too little? Do you have to make a special trip to send some snacks from various places in the same year?"

Lin Nechen: "..."

From the rank of the eighth rank, it is definitely impossible to say that the salary is generous.

Although they would receive a reward from the imperial court before taking office, many of the envoys who were born in the Han family could not make it through that time.

And long before that day, she couldn't resist the temptation of a wealthy family looking for a son-in-law, so she married Jiao Jiao, who had a generous dowry, and improved her family's situation along the way.

Although Lu Ci didn't marry anyone, but judging by the way he bought both horses and houses, he didn't look like a person living in poverty at all.

If it is true that the salary is too little, shouldn't the few friends of Lu Ci who work in the local government be less?Where is it their turn to help Lu Ci?

But this is the truth, Lin Neichen obviously won't say it.

Before he could form the appropriate language, the official opened his eyes and said to himself: "Those who make false accusations need to be investigated strictly, and Yu Yu should be compensated for this innocent disaster."

While speaking, the official's eyes fell on the three packages of snacks that had been torn apart.

He looked at it for a while, then suddenly laughed: "Have someone rewrap those packages of 'bribes', and add another table of imperial food, and send it to someone."

Lin Neichen felt relieved, and deliberately joked: "Not according to the usual practice, will this heavy bribe be kept inside?"

Sure enough, the officials laughed loudly: "I only have a small glutton in the Daoguan Pavilion, but I don't know that there is an old glutton hiding beside me!"

Lin Neichen smiled, and just as he was about to bend over to accept the order, the official added in a good mood: "It's as good as it is. From now on, every three or two days, I will give him a table of royal meals, which should satisfy the little Taotie."

Lin Neichen was secretly startled, but he didn't show it at all on his face, and calmly responded.

Contrary to what Kou Zhun and the others were worried about, when Yan Shu did this, he was not at all like his gentle and handsome appearance, but full of decisiveness.

He quickly found out the identity of the false accuser, it was none other than Lu Ci's superior, Su Song, an academician of Jixian Academy in the pavilion, and reported it to the emperor.

When the emperor learned about it, he was really furious.

After all, in his heart, the pavilion is a place that is detached and noble, where talents are bred, but in the end it hides filth and raises such narrow-minded villains who are jealous of talents.

How not to be angry?

Lu Ci, who didn't know about this, was reading a book with Song Shou in Jixian Yuan, one by one, and suddenly heard a loud noise outside, and a row of forbidden soldiers rushed in, and they would soon be dismissed from office. The cap, the disheveled Su Song and the guards were taken away together.

I am afraid this is the first time that Guange, which is so gentle and quiet that even the emperor treats people so politely, will take people away directly.

Everyone was discussing and had no intention of working. Song Shou's eyes lit up even more. As soon as he left, he couldn't help but hold Lu Ci's hands and said happily: "The official is a sage! Finally, the traitor who has been embarrassing you has been taken away!" down."

Lu Ci smiled slightly and accepted Song Shou's heart, but lowered his voice and said, "Be careful that the walls have ears. Before the situation is clear, you should be cautious about your words."

Although looking at the unceremonious arresting posture, the lightest thing is to be demoted and dismissed, but until the result comes out, who knows if it will be a misunderstanding?

If Song Shou's behavior at this time was known and reported afterwards, it would be a lot of trouble.

Only then did Song Shou restrain his joy a little, and nodded to Lu Ci.

The two sat back in front of the book table again, Song Shou was overjoyed, and Lu Ci was also a little fuzzy.

In his opinion, although Su Song is disgusting, he is a person who has no courage or ability to do great evil, and is easy to fool as long as he grasps his mind correctly.

And staying in this Jixianyuan full of books every day, there is no chance to meet the high officials outside, so how can he attract the attention of others and be targeted and suppressed to this extent?

The more Lu Ci thought about it, the more curious he became.

Even if he pondered over and over again, he didn't even think about contacting himself, so naturally he couldn't find any clue.

Su Song was arrested vigorously, and after being imprisoned, Yan Shu, under the orders of the officials, launched a thorough investigation on him.

Just as Lu Ci expected, there had never been a big evil, but the accumulation of small evils was enough for him to drink a pot.

However, before the final result came out, Lu Ci went back to his private house with his thoughts in mind, and was surprised to be greeted with a table of exquisite and rich imperial meals.

"……How is this going?"

Lu Ci looked at it for a long time before turning his eyes away from the dishes and asking the servant who was still in a trance.

The servant hurriedly said: "Not long before Ah Lang came back, someone from the palace said, 'return the jade to Zhao', and gave this table of royal food as compensation."

"Return the jade to Zhao?"

Lu Ci repeated.

The servant woke up like a dream, and hurriedly brought over the three big packages that had been left aside.

Lu Ci had a vague guess in his heart, and felt that it was unbelievable, so he suppressed it for the time being and checked the seals of the three packages carefully.

Seeing that it had obviously been unpacked and then rewrapped, he fully understood.

... This is probably self-inflicted, so I can't live.

The corners of Lu Ci's lips twitched slightly, he put the three packages aside, and enjoyed the 'surprising feast' calmly.

When he was enjoying the royal meal in a good mood in the cool little hall with an ice basin, Su Song was terrified and regretful in the hot and humid prison cell.

If he had known this earlier, he shouldn't have provoked Lu Ci at all...

Yan Shu acted impartially, and even Kou Zhun, who was eyeing him like a tiger, couldn't find any faults. He quickly found out everything and handed it over to the sage, and the officials personally ruled.

In addition, after reading the salary list submitted by the Ministry of Finance, the emperor also decided to increase and thicken the monthly materials, salaries, and rice and wheat received by officials at all levels.

Especially the low-ranking Beijing officials and selected officials who have been repeatedly emphasized by the emperor to be the most concerned will benefit the most.

A county lieutenant found out that his monthly salary had been doubled from half a catty of post coupon meat to two catties. Pass it on for a while.

This kind of poems promoting merits and virtues soon appeared in endlessly in various places, and they were also introduced to the ears of officials under the deliberate submission of local officials.

Zhao Heng could not help but subconsciously like Lu Ci, who had indirectly prompted him to make this decision, while he felt comfortable all over.

The author has something to say: Notes:

1. I think some readers don't understand why such rumors can be made nonsense, but in fact they can do it, and they don't need to be punished.Moreover, they don't need to check and verify. Even if they find out that it is a false accusation, the unlucky ones are only the source of the news, not them who are responsible for impeachment.

——Song Ting deliberately strengthened the power of admonishment, and established "rumours and rumors" as a privilege of admonishment in Taiwan.The so-called "rumours and rumors" refer to Taiwan's admonition to impeach the government. The monarch "does not ask where his words come from, and does not charge that the words must be true. If other people's words are not true, they will be charged with false accusations and false letters. Admonishing officials , The censor is not true, but he will not add crimes” [Note], which is a bit similar to the immunity of speech of modern parliamentarians.The monarch can't pursue the source of the rumor, and the Taiwan admonisher has the right to refuse the monarch's questioning.During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, Peng Ruli, the censor, impeached Yu Chong, an official. Shenzong asked Peng Ruli to say, "Who is the source of what he said?" Use Ru to sharpen words, so give up." "Song: The Dawn of Modern Times"

2. Budget and province: the Ministry of Finance