The third emperor of the Sui Dynasty

Chapter 541 Pei Yin Enters Beijing to Meet Her Daughter

"My lord, are the salaries you ordered too much for these officials?" After discussing some important events in the main hall of the Luoyang Palace, Wei Yunqi held an official document, which was newly drafted by Yang Shidao, Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, according to Yang Tong's request. salary system.

The salaries of officials at all levels under Yang Tong's current rule are generally high. If the monthly salary is converted into food, the position of a sixth-rank official is about a hundred stones. It is not much different from the generals of the Twelve Guards and the ministers of various temples.

But going down is different. A county magistrate, in the era of Emperor Wen and Wu, was divided into the upper county magistrate from the sixth rank, the middle county magistrate from the seventh rank, and the lower county magistrate from the eighth rank. That is to say , the same county magistrate, not only the level is different, but also the salary is different. The county magistrate of Xia County earns [-] shi a year, that is, about [-] shi and [-] dou a day.

But when it came to Yang Tong, the prefect and county magistrate abolished the division of upper, middle, and lower, and removed the upper and lower. The prefect was unified as the fifth rank, and the county magistrate was unified as the seventh rank. They were all promoted from poor scholars. Before that, more than [-]% of them had no official experience, and no county or county officials were demoted or reduced their salaries. Naturally, there would be no voice of dissatisfaction; Counting the price of food, everyone's salary has been greatly improved.Because of this, Wei Yunqi felt that the new salary system was too high.

"Is it high? I think it's a bit low."

"Not enough?" Wei Yun almost popped his eyeballs.

"You may wish to think about it from another angle."

Wei Yunqi racked his brains and thought for a while, then said with a wry smile: "My humble minister is dull, please show me clearly!"

Yang Tong said: "Let's take the county magistrate as an example. He is in charge of the people's livelihood of a county. In the past, many people said that corrupt officials were mostly county magistrates. This does not mean that county officials are not corrupt, but that the county magistrate is closest to the people. What the county magistrate looks like is what the imperial court looks like in the eyes of the common people! Therefore, the reputation of the county magistrate determines the image of the imperial court."

When everyone heard the words, they all came to their senses. County magistrates are grassroots officials. If they don't implement policies in place, even if the imperial court has a panacea, it will not be able to cure the chronic diseases of a place.

"But brother emperor! If the county magistrate is greedy, fatuous, or ineffective, he can be punished by the Ministry of Punishment and the Ministry of Defense according to law. What does this have to do with high salaries?" Yang You asked everyone's aspirations.

"A county magistrate has to solve civil disputes and care about people's livelihood every day. For the common people, the county magistrate is the sky!" Yang Tong looked at the puzzled expressions of the crowd and continued, "But how much is the county magistrate's salary? One month's income , barely able to buy fifty stone meters! This is enough for ordinary people! But the county magistrate, he can’t always wear official uniforms when he goes out, and he also has to attend some celebrity parties and so on, so he must have decent clothes. And It is the safety of the county magistrate. Although there are county soldiers in the county, they belong to the military department. Their salaries are issued by the imperial court. The wishes of the honest people offended the rebellious ones. In order to prevent these rebellious ones from beating and assassinating, the county magistrate had to pay for a few of his own followers. Money is also needed. A county magistrate has dozens of people to support, so his salary is not enough, he can only use the power in his hands for personal gain, and thus step by step into the abyss of degeneration."

"Corruption has been a problem since ancient times. In the past, the governance of corruption was mainly based on suppression, but I think it is better to prevent it than to avoid it. We need to find out the crux of the problem, and then start from the root cause, increase the salaries of officials, so that they will not As for corruption for livelihood, the salaries are so high, why do officials still engage in corruption? If they continue to be corrupt, then the problem is serious. To put it lightly, it is a person’s moral issue, but to put it seriously, he wants to More money is used to recruit soldiers and plot rebellion. Therefore, when high salaries become popular, any corrupt officials will lose their reason to be sympathetic and pardoned, and all those who commit corruption and fraud will be severely punished, and those who commit serious crimes will be punished as treason.”

Fang Xuanling said with a smile: "The Holy Majesty's move, in addition to these, can also increase the attraction of talents."

Yang Tong said: "There are only so few officials in a country, and the country can afford it. No matter how poor they are, there is no need to treat everyone badly; moreover, it is not easy for the country to train a talent. , I don't want them to take risks because of the desperation of life, and finally go to the road of no return."

"The younger brother is taught!"

"The humble minister is taught!"

Everyone was convinced.

Corruption has been difficult to eradicate throughout the dynasties, but it is undeniable that Yang Tong's policy of high salaries and honesty has undoubtedly opened a new path. Measures such as Shi Jiguo and "one person's crime will harm three generations" can indeed curb corruption to a large extent.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

While Yang Tong was discussing with the ministers, concubine Lu Qinghua came to the school where her younger sister Pei Yuehua lived. Pei Yuehua was afraid that her "adopted father" Li Mi would marry her to someone she didn't like or knew, so she sent Yang Xifang to the university. After the Sui Dynasty, they stayed in the Sui Dynasty and did not leave.Not long after she transferred from Yecheng to Luoyang, Yang Tong gave her a small house, which only occupied an area of ​​about two acres, but it was enough for her and several servants to live in.

When Lu Qinghua arrived outside the back hall, he only heard bursts of laughter from the hall.Looking from a distance, I saw her father Pei Yin sitting in the middle, and her younger sister Pei Yuehua sitting at the bottom. The father and daughter were chatting and laughing, narrating their parting feelings.

But as Lu Qinghua walked into the lobby, the hall suddenly became quiet. Pei Yin and Pei Yuehua looked at her together. Lu Qinghua quickly stepped forward, knelt down in front of his father, burst into tears, and said with a choked voice: "My daughter kowtowed to her father." !"

"My child, I have suffered for you!" Pei Yin also became sad, and quickly helped her up. Seeing that her face was radiant, far from what it was before, she couldn't help but sighed: "My child, after hearing that you were 'destroyed', your mother was in great pain. Here, Yuehua told the truth."

"My daughter is unfilial and makes her parents worry." Lu Qinghua wiped away his tears, and it was only now that he knew why his sister had someone invite her here. It turned out that his father had arrived.

"As long as you have a good life, your mother and I can rest assured." Pei Yin was happy and sad at the same time, and suddenly thought of his eccentric granddaughter, so he asked, "By the way, where is Fang'er?" ?”

"I didn't know that father was here, and my daughter didn't bring Fang'er." Lu Qinghua glared at his sister, Pei Yuehua didn't think he was afraid, and smiled, "I want to surprise my sister."

Pei Yin asked with concern: "Tsinghua, are you, Emperor Shengwu treating you well?"

This question only made Lu Qinghua blush, but what can she do now that this is the case?Lowering her head, she whispered in shame and shame: "Husband, the Holy Majesty treats my daughter very well, not only canonizing her as Concubine Shu, but also canonizing Fang'er as Princess Wu'an."

Speaking of this, Lu Qinghua asked: "Is father still working with Li Mi?"

Pei Yin also knew his daughter's embarrassment, so he didn't want to say anything more, so he took advantage of the situation and said: "Before being a father, I was forced to be an official of the puppet Wei Dynasty. Emperor Shengwu assassinated countless officials of Li Mi in a fit of anger, more than [-]% The local officials became the ghosts of the sword, the officialdom of the Puppet Wei Dynasty was paralyzed, Pei Shiqing's family also suffered, more than half of their family was killed, only some women and the elderly survived, and all men and children with Pei's blood were killed Jue, the casualties were very heavy, and even Pei Shiqing was killed, and his family property was looted. Father took the opportunity to resign from his official position because he was afraid of revenge."

Pei Yin has always held a grudge against Pei Shiqing who had sold his two daughters several times, and he only had two daughters, so he didn't feel sorry for what happened to Pei Shiqing's family.

But Lu Qinghua was taken aback. The puppet Wei officialdom was killed by assassins and there was an uproar. Of course she had heard about it, but it was the first time she had heard about Pei Shiqing's almost extermination. Thinking of the time when this happened , A burst of sweetness suddenly surged into my heart, and I replied in shame: "Husband, Your Majesty is venting his anger for his daughter."

Pei Yuehua let out a "poof" laugh, "It's you, sister, that beauty is talking about!"

Pei Yin also misunderstood, and he simply thought that Yang Tong was "resulting in the crown—angry as a beauty", and he was very relieved. From this, it can be seen that not only was his daughter not wronged, but rather favored,
"Since my father is not an official of the Puppet Wei, I should take my mother to live in Luoyang, so that our family can be considered reunited. Sooner or later, the Holy Majesty will release the pressure and crusade against non-officials, and as the capital of the Puppet Wei, there will inevitably be a tragic war in Pengcheng , you are not very safe there." Lu Qinghua said.

Pei Yuehua also said: "Yes, father, it is said that 'people in a troubled world are not as good as a dog of peace', and the Sui Dynasty is the only pure land in the world today. Li Mi will end sooner or later, so you and your mother can come to Luoyang! Let's live together."

Pei Yin's heart was moved, and he pondered: "Okay, when I go back, I will bring my wife to Luoyang."

"When will father go back?"

"When will father go back?"

"..." Pei Yin glanced at the two excited daughters speechlessly, and said unhappily, "It seems that I haven't even drank my mouth since I started, so am I so unpopular?"

"Ah! I forgot!" Pei Yuehua stuck out her tongue and ran to arrange it herself.

Lu Qinghua laughed, "Father, why didn't you bring your mother?"

"Find me out? You're still a little tender."

"..." Lu Qinghua
"You cheated to death, which made me and my wife sad for a long time! Now I'm fine."

"Father!" A strong sense of guilt flashed from Lu Qinghua's eyes, and he choked up, "It's all my daughter's fault."

"Only in this way can you have a happy and happy reunion. This is the best result, and I don't blame you." Pei Yin sighed: "This matter must not be spread, otherwise it will be fatal to Emperor Shengwu and you. "

Lu Qinghua bit his lip and said, "My daughter understands! It's just that my daughter has changed her surname..."

"So what?" Pei Yin interrupted his daughter, and said: "My daughter's family belongs to someone else when married. If Emperor Shengwu is not the emperor, then you are the Yang family and Mrs. Yang. Isn't this also a change of surname? What? Even if you change it, you can't change the fact that you are my daughter."

"Thank you, father." This was Lu Qinghua's biggest heart disease, and with his father's forgiveness, the haze in his heart disappeared instantly.

"This time, I was entrusted by Uncle Pei."

"Uncle Shiji?"

"Exactly!"

"Does he want to descend to the Sui Dynasty again?" Lu Qinghua frowned.

"Almost." Pei Yin narrowed his eyes slightly, and said with a sneer: "The "Six Kingdoms" written by Emperor Shengwu has long said that 'the destruction of the six kingdoms will not be disadvantageous without soldiers. If the war is not good, the disadvantage lies in bribing Qin. Loss, the way of destruction...' But Li Yuan didn't learn from this lesson. After becoming emperor, he became as timid as a mouse. He lost a big battle, and he didn't think of a way to win a battle fiercely, so as to unite people's hearts. I came here again and again to negotiate with the Sui Dynasty. In order to survive, I signed a series of treaties that forfeited power and humiliated the country, and compensated a large sum of money and food. Since the loss of Guanzhong, the puppet Tang Dynasty has begun to lose heart. This is all right, just a few years The 'Six Kingdoms' that 'bribed Qin' will naturally not be far from 'disintegration'."

Looking slowly across Lu Qinghua's face, Pei Yin continued: "Uncle Shiji is very smart, even my father is far inferior. How could such a person be buried for the puppet Tang Dynasty? It's just that he Worried about falling into the trap, I made a detour and let my father make the trip."

Lu Qinghua was silent for a while, and said bluntly: "Although the Holy Majesty loves his daughter, she will not participate..."

Pei Yin glared at Lu Qinghua and said, "You want to participate, but I won't let you."

"Huh?" Lu Qinghua was one of them dumbfounded.

"I used to be most worried about you. You are doing well now. Why should I hurt my daughter for the sake of my clansman far away? Think I'm stupid!" Pei Yin only has two daughters, and his branch is considered dead. Whether the Pei family is good or bad in the future has nothing to do with him, so he doesn't care about the continuation of the Pei family.

"Thank you, father." Lu Qinghua's heart was warm, and after a while, he asked again: "But father, the world's aristocratic families have always regarded him as a scourge and scolded him as a barbaric, rude, and domineering evil god. Why is this uncle?"

"Why descend to Sui?"

"Correct!"

"The pursuit of interests is the instinct and nature of the family, and there is no exception throughout the ages. The family will only be loyal to its own interests, and will not be loyal to any emperor of any dynasty. If the enemy of the emperor is stronger and can promise a lot of benefits to the family, the family will Abandoning this emperor without hesitation, now the situation in the world is clear, the Great Sui Dynasty has the tendency to dominate the world, the family is afraid, thinking of leaving a way out for themselves, they try their best to curry favor with the Sui Dynasty, in the final analysis, they are still for themselves If the price offered by Emperor Shengwu is high enough, these aristocratic families will definitely try their best to send the heads of Li Yuan and his son to Luoyang. I am also a member of the aristocratic family, and I know what the aristocratic family thinks very well." Pei Min sighed and said: "At the beginning, my uncle was optimistic about Yang Tan, and you were the most outstanding girl in the Pei family, so he did not hesitate to separate you and Emperor Shengwu. For the Pei family, as long as you become the queen or queen mother, then the Pei family can gain from you." Unimaginable power and interests."

Hearing this, Lu Qinghua felt chills all over her body. Although she was ice-snow and smart, even if she had been Yang Tan's queen, because of Wang Shichong, the Pei family could not get much from her, which also made her have no chance to understand these things. .Hearing her father coming one by one at this moment, she hated and resented Mrs. Pei extremely in her heart. If it wasn't for the family, her life would not have stains that could never be washed away.Women are like this, she has very little distinction between good and evil, good and evil, and some just like and dislike.When a man conquers her body and mind, then she is willing to dedicate herself to everything, even if she loses her dignity, she will be willing to do so; on the other hand, no matter how good you are, all you get is disgust and disgust.

In a woman's world, there is only willing or not, never right or wrong.

No matter how noble she is, when she is conquered physically and mentally by a man, she is willing to throw away all her dignity, just to smile for Bo Jun.

Otherwise, where is the saying of "water thrown out by a married woman"?
Obviously, Lu Qinghua did the same.

She was furious, her beautiful eyes were ablaze, and she hated Pei Ju to the point of bleeding.

If it wasn't for Pei Ju, she and Yang Tong wouldn't be separated, if it wasn't for Pei Ju, she wouldn't have married Yang Tan, if it wasn't for Pei Ju, she would have been innocent from beginning to end, if it wasn't for Pei Ju, she wouldn't be in pain For so many years, if it wasn't for Pei Ju, she wouldn't have almost died, almost separated from her husband and daughter forever.

Everything is Pei Ju's fault.

Even breathing is.

The rationality of women is so unreasonable, and so is the most virtuous person.

If Pei Ju knew that Lu Qinghua's thoughts had to be passed on in anger, even though he had been involved, Yang Guang was the one who made the decision.

Lu Qinghua's eyes rolled, her husband happened to be staying in her bedroom tonight, she decided to have fun first, and then let her husband slaughter the damned Pei Ju, one Pei Shiqing would not be enough.But after thinking about it, he was afraid of ruining her husband's career, and asked, "What does father think of the Holy One? Will he compromise with the family?"

Pei Yin shook his head: "I haven't been in touch for a long time, and I don't know the character of Emperor Shengwu, but judging from his attitude towards the family, he is stronger than Emperor Wu. He will never compromise with the family."

"I heard that when Zhai Rang led the army to invade, he was betrayed and played by the children of Yuan Wendu, Lu Chu, Wei Jin and other aristocratic families. With the encouragement of Yang Gongren and Huangfu Wuyi, he was forced to put on armor and go into battle. He personally took risks, so he has a hatred for the family."

Lu Qinghua was relieved this time, and suddenly said: "Father is also a child of an aristocratic family, shouldn't he be afraid?"

"When the two countries are at war, don't behead the envoy. How could Emperor Shengwu kill my head?" Pei Yin said with a smile.

Lu Qinghua said: "The Holy Majesty really killed the envoy."

"Isn't it?" Pei Yin shuddered, his eyes widened and he said: "I'm just a messenger! Why kill me?"

"I also heard from the palace maid. It is said that the unlucky emissary seemed to be sent by Liang Shidu. The man brought dozens of cars of rare treasures to Yecheng to meet the Holy One. I don't know the specific reason. Anyway, the result is All presents will be accepted, and everyone will be chopped off." Lu Qinghua's expression was very serious.

"..." Pei Yin felt that he had come to the wrong place.

Lu Qinghua said: "How about this, if there is a letter or something, the father might as well give it to the daughter, let the daughter bring it into the palace, and ask about it by the way."

"Alright!" Pei Yin honestly handed Pei Ju's handwritten letter to his daughter.

(End of this chapter)