Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong

Chapter 195: Being stunned
At the meeting.

When someone reported that Yan Shu was corrupt, everyone immediately held a meeting.

Zhao Zhen sat on the top and asked his subordinates calmly, "How do you think the Yan Shu incident should be resolved?"

Fan Zhongyan acted like a good guy at this time, and suddenly stood up and said, "Your Majesty! I think that Prime Minister Yan did not do a good job in this matter, but he is still a veteran of two dynasties. Even if he has no merits, he has worked hard. So, I think it is appropriate to give him a lighter sentence."

At this time, the censors were unhappy. After all, this was everyone's livelihood. Not to mention, there must be Xia Song behind the scenes fanning the flames.

The top henchman, Censor Liang Jian, stepped out and said, "The emperor himself said that if we want to fix the country, we must thoroughly rectify the administration of officials. How can we just start and then say we will give a light sentence?"

"I have heard that if there are laws but they are not strictly enforced, it is the same as not having them. In the future, more and more people will dare to engage in corruption."

"The reason why corruption is getting worse in our dynasty is that although we have a variety of complete laws, they have never been seriously enforced."

“This has led to an increasing number of corrupt officials.”

"I suggest that we should follow the rules set when the Song Dynasty was founded. For someone like Yan Xiang, who can be said to have embezzled official property for personal gain, he should be sentenced to death."

Now at least two-thirds of the people were anxious.

Liang Jian, are you crazy?

They all stepped out to persuade him, "Sir, this is absolutely not allowed!"

Seeing so many people getting anxious, Liang Jian felt that he had achieved his goal.

He received news that this time the corruption was caused by His Royal Highness Prince Yu.

In fact, Liang Jian didn't want to be an enemy of His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu.

There's no way!

I have been dealing with Xia Song and others, and I don't know how much leverage they have in their hands.

If he didn't do something, Xia Song would not let him go.

Xia Song's instruction to him was that since His Royal Highness Prince Yu wanted to investigate corruption so much, he should kill his teacher himself.

If we don't kill people, then punishing corruption will immediately become a joke.

Doesn’t Fan Zhongyan understand who Liang Jian belongs to?

As soon as this guy sticks his butt out, you can tell that it's definitely not good.

So Fan Zhongyan guessed roughly why this happened in an instant.

Liang Jian wanted to bet that the government would not kill him.

Fan Zhongyan also believed that the emperor would definitely not kill him given his good ears.

But isn't this too risky?
Or is there some hidden secret that he doesn't know?

I always feel that there is a strange atmosphere here.

in fact……

Xia Song had another purpose in doing this.

That is, the relationship between His Royal Highness Prince Yu and the Emperor is really very good, so good that they can often close the door and discuss state affairs together.

It would be great if we could find an opportunity to alienate the relationship between the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu.

But how to create discord?

On the one hand, Madam Zhang can whisper in the emperor's ear and say bad things about His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu. On the other hand, it would be best to destroy some of His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu's plans and make the emperor feel that His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu is not that smart and trustworthy.

The third aspect is to find opportunities as much as possible to make His Royal Highness Prince Yu make more mistakes.

For example, if His Royal Highness Prince Yu wanted to protect his teacher out of selfish motives at this moment, then Xia Song could also defeat His Royal Highness Prince Yu by further digging out Yan Shu's faults.

Seeing the ministers excited.

Zhao Xin also had to stand up: "Dad, I have something to say."

Zhao Zhen saw that Zhao Xin had spoken, so he also replied: "It's better for you to speak." Zhao Xin naturally couldn't blatantly favor his teacher, because if he really did that, would there be any fairness?

You can't really ignore his teacher, because then people will think you are so hard-hearted. If you really become an official in the future, with your mean attitude, how can the officials have a good life?

Then he said, "I am the teacher's student. The teacher has taught me a lot, although... the teacher actually only taught me how to read and didn't teach me anything else. No, to be precise, he actually taught me a little bit of other things."

"Anyway... no matter what, once you're a teacher, you're a teacher for life. The teacher made a mistake, and I, as a student, failed to correct it in time."

"This really shouldn't happen!"

"Actually... Censor Liang is absolutely right! The reason why our Song Dynasty has fallen to this point is because the law enforcement is sometimes too lenient. If the law is not strict, it is difficult to restrain everyone."

“Everyone will just muddle through.”

"If Daddy really wants to chop off the teacher's head, then I beg Daddy to allow me to observe mourning for the teacher for a year."

"In addition... I suggest that all officials should be given a chance to reform themselves, and let them voluntarily hand over all the money and property they have embezzled, and voluntarily admit that they have bribed. The reason why they have developed the habit of corruption and bribery is also closely related to the country's system and the customs of the people. As the saying goes, oranges grown in the south of the Huai River are oranges, while those grown in the north of the Huai River are tangerines."

"The court of the Song Dynasty is already corrupt enough. Sometimes, some officials and clerks want to do something for the court and the people of the world. If you don't give gifts to your superiors, it will be difficult to get it done!"

"But from now on, if someone still disregards the imperial decree and refuses to change his ways, then we can't blame the strict laws."

"That's all I wanted to say."

Zhao Zhen watched Zhao Xin's performance.

Speaking of...

It seems like they hadn't rehearsed this part before?
Did you add it improvised by yourself?
Without waiting for Zhao Zhen to react.

soon……

Everyone agreed, especially Fan Zhongyan, who said loudly: "Your Majesty, I think that what His Royal Highness Prince Yu said, 'Oranges grown in the south of the Huai River are oranges, while those grown in the north of the Huai River are bitter oranges', is very well said. The reason why corrupt officials become corrupt officials, and there are more and more of them, has a lot to do with the national system and the customs of the people. It was the court that did not do a good job before, and this cannot be entirely blamed on them. If some of them were not greedy, if they did not bribe others, they would not be able to do anything at all."

Zhao Zhen looked at the eager expressions of the crowd and asked, "Do you think so too?"

Everyone in the hall, except Liang Jian who was stunned, said in unison: "Your Highness, please reconsider."

Liang Jian was completely stunned.

no……

This is not the ending he wanted!
In fact, Liang Jian wanted to see Zhao Xin anxiously saving his teacher.

Or maybe they just kill their own relatives for the sake of justice.

however……

Even the other party could come up with this idea while mourning for Yan Shu, really!

Do you think you are Zigong?

The ministers slowly came to their senses. No...

Could it be that this was done specifically to trick them?
It would be better to just drag Yan Shu out and chop him up.

Now, let them hand over all the money they have embezzled.

But many of them have been turned into food and daily necessities, and some have been used to buy concubines. How can they be handed over or returned?
The key is……

More checking next!
But now, give them a chance to explain themselves.

Although if you really want to hide it, you can certainly continue to hide it, but who would like to have a bomb tied to their body that could explode at any time?

At this moment, everyone was stunned.

Some people even wonder whether this Censor Liang Jian is in cahoots with His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu?

Zhao Zhen thought this was a good idea, and finally said, "That's it! Let Zuixinglai and Bao Zheng take charge of this matter!"

Zhao Xin: “Yes!”

(End of this chapter)