The prince is more stable

Chapter 974 Cleansing the Officialdom
No need to worry if you have too many debts, no need to worry if you have too many lice.

Li Huai, who fled in the dead of night, added another crime to his list: "falsely conveying an imperial edict."

As the words fell, torches suddenly lit up the arrow tower above the north gate of Yingtian Prefecture, illuminating the night sky and making the facial features of the person standing quietly on the arrow tower clearly visible.

Han Zhongyan, dressed in official robes, stood calmly on the arrow tower, looking down indifferently at Li Huai in front of the city gate passage.

Yes, Li Huai couldn't possibly escape.

After Han Zhongyan thoroughly investigated the accounts of Yingtian Prefecture, he arranged for people to closely monitor the Yingtian Prefecture government office. The moment Li Huai disguised himself and walked out of the government office, he was already under the surveillance of his informants.

Di Zi's vanguard entered the city, and Han Zhongyan also led his thousand cavalry into the city. Knowing that Li Huai would definitely escape through the north gate, he waited in the arrow tower above the north gate after entering the city.

This is called waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump, or inviting someone into a trap.

The moment Li Huai looked up and saw Han Zhongyan, not only did his heart turn cold, but he also felt a chill run through him.

Extreme fear and despair left him powerless, and he collapsed to the ground, struggling to stand up and run into the city, but he found that he couldn't muster any strength at all.

The torches around them moved rapidly, and before Li Huai knew it, he was completely surrounded by the Imperial Guards.

Han Zhongyan walked down the city wall and stood in front of him, his gaze still indifferent, as if looking at a dead man about to be buried in a grave.

"Li Huai, your crime has been exposed. The Emperor has decreed that you be escorted back to the capital and publicly executed," Han Zhongyan said calmly.

Li Huai shook his head in fear: "I, I... I am innocent, Doctor Han, you mustn't frame me!"

Han Zhongyan sneered: "You have committed heinous crimes and are not worthy of the word 'innocence'. Li Huai, the Censorate and the Imperial City Guard have irrefutable evidence. You can't escape now."

Li Huai was speechless. Any further explanation would seem futile at this moment. He knew very well what he had done and what fate awaited him.

However, Han Zhongyan did not let him off the hook. Instead, he calmly ordered, "Men, go to Li Huai's residence immediately and interrogate his parents, wife, and children."

Li Huai snapped out of his daze and roared angrily, "Han Zhongyan, my parents, wife, and children are innocent! Why are you arresting them?"

Han Zhongyan slowly walked up to him, stared into his eyes and said coldly, "Li Huai, you instigated a popular uprising, which is not only a capital offense, but also a capital offense of exterminating three generations of your family. You hold such a high position, don't you know the laws of the court?"

At this moment, Li Huai seemed to have all his energy drained away. He collapsed to the ground, stunned for a moment, and then suddenly looked up at the sky and burst into tears.

Han Zhongyan's gaze was devoid of pity; he merely frowned and waved his hand: "Take him away."

Di Zi's vanguard entered the city, and tonight, Yingtian Prefecture was thrown into turmoil.

The Imperial Guards searched the entire city, following the map meticulously, and captured all the officials of Yingtian Prefecture involved in the case, just like trapping a dog in a cage.

All the officials of the Nanjing Garrison, including the Prefect, Judge, Registrar, and officials from the Nanjing Provincial Judicial Commissioner, Judicial Commissioner, and Transport Commissioner, were arrested without exception.

At the same time, Han Zhongyan also ordered a portion of the Imperial Guards to leave the city and go to the seven counties under the jurisdiction of Yingtian Prefecture to arrest the magistrates, assistant magistrates, county lieutenants, and other officials of the seven counties.

The officialdom of Nanjing, the capital of the Song Dynasty, was almost completely wiped out. This massive arrest operation lasted for two whole days.

Within two days, the news had reached Bianjing, shocking the court officials who were unaware of the reason. Some censors who were unaware of the truth immediately submitted memorials to dissuade the officials from taking action.

After all, Zhao Xiaoqian's actions were too drastic; the entire Nanjing officialdom was purged. No emperor in the history of the Song Dynasty had ever done such a thing.

The administration of Yingtian Prefecture was paralyzed; all the officials had been arrested, and there was simply no one to do anything.

Zhao Xiaoqian didn't care. In the Song Dynasty, there were few other things, but there were many officials.

There are now more than 10,000 officials in the country who receive salaries but do no work. Countless of these officials are eyeing positions with real power.

Purge the entire Nanjing bureaucracy would not lead to too many serious consequences. In contrast, keeping these corrupt officials in their positions would be the greatest harm to the Song Dynasty.

All officials, high and low, in Yingtian Prefecture were arrested and escorted back to the capital. The next step was interrogation and purge.

Of course, not all officials in Nanjing were bad people; this could only be determined after the three judicial departments and the Imperial City Guard conducted their investigations.

Some innocent officials who refuse to compromise their integrity will eventually be released and reinstated, provided they have never done anything wrong.

Moreover, this storm involved not only officials, but also powerful landlords and merchants in the private sector.

The collusion between officials and businessmen was very serious in Nanjing's officialdom. After all the officials were brought down, it was time for the powerful local landlords to be targeted next.

The occurrence of a bad thing is not necessarily entirely a bad thing.

From another perspective, it could be an opportunity to turn the tide.

After the officialdom and powerful local figures in Nanjing were purged, the court's new policies were easier to implement.

Because there were basically no obstacles at the local level, those who could have hindered the new policies of the imperial court had all been imprisoned, and those who were not imprisoned were deeply shocked by the court's thunderous actions and dared not oppose the court anymore. Whether they wanted to or not, they could only choose to obey.

...On the way back to the capital, Zhao Xiaoqian appeared incognito outside the dilapidated gate of a simple house on Bianjing East Street.

The house looked dilapidated and had not been repaired for many years. Dozens of burly men stood in front of the door. These men had cold expressions and wary eyes, and it was clear at a glance that they were from the Imperial Guard.

Zhao Xiaoqian walked into the house and looked at the small courtyard with only two sections. The tiles on the east and west wing rooms were broken, and he wondered how much rain leaked into the house on rainy days.

Zhao Xiaoqian stood in the small courtyard, looking at a peach tree planted in the southwest corner of the yard, and sighed softly.

"This is too simple. Liu Zening is really poor for being an official..." Zhao Xiaoqian murmured.

Most people in this world become officials only to make money, but it is undeniable that there are also some officials who genuinely want to do things for the country and the people.

Liu Zening was one of them.

Unfortunately, such incorruptible officials were extremely rare in the Song Dynasty; they were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

That's right, this is Liu Zening's residence.

Last night, Zhao Xiaoqian received a report from Zhao Xi of the Imperial City Guard that she had brought Liu Zening back to Bianjing and was settling him in his own residence to recuperate.

During the uprising in Xiayi, Liu Zening escaped, but he fell seriously ill and almost died in the mountain god temple. Fortunately, Zhao Xi and his subordinates from the Imperial City Guard arrived in time and pulled him out of the brink of death.

Early this morning, Zhao Xiaoqian arrived at Liu Zening's residence.

He wanted to see this loyal minister he had never met before.

Liu Zening was lying in the north wing of the backyard when Zhao Xiaoqian entered the room and saw two women wiping away tears of heartache in front of his bed. One of them was an old woman, and the other looked younger.

Zhao Xiao could tell at a glance that these two must be Liu Zening's mother and wife.

Liu Zening lay on the bed, his face pale, his lips dry, his face bloodless, his eyes sunken, his hair disheveled, and he looked very haggard.

As Zhao Xiaoqian entered the room, the people inside immediately realized what was happening and looked at him curiously.

Liu Zening turned his head and was immediately shocked. He struggled to get up and bow, but Zhao Xiaoqian quickly stepped forward and pressed him back down.

"You are seriously ill, there's no need for formalities. Just lie down and rest," Zhao Xiaoqian said gently.

Liu Zening's eyes reddened with gratitude: "Your subject Liu Zening greets Your Majesty."

When he addressed the emperor as "Your Excellency," the two women in the room were startled and hurriedly bowed.

Zhao Xiaoqian waved his hand and said, "You two don't need to be so polite. It was my oversight that almost cost Liu Zening his life. It was my fault that you two almost lost your son and husband. I should apologize to you."

The two women became even more frightened and repeatedly said they dared not.

Liu Zening nodded to the two women, who bowed and then tactfully left the room.

“Your Majesty, I was ordered by the Censorate to inspect the seven counties under the jurisdiction of Nanjing. I never expected that a peasant uprising would break out in Xiayi County. I must defend myself. The peasant uprising in Xiayi was not instigated by me. It was a malicious frame-up by someone.”

Zhao Xiaoqian waved his hand and smiled, "I know almost everything about the situation. This matter has nothing to do with you. The Imperial City Guard has investigated the facts, and Han Zhongyan from the Censorate has personally gone to Nanjing and arrested the relevant officials, including Li Huai. None of them will escape. Don't worry."

Liu Zening breathed a sigh of relief: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your keen insight, for not wronging or acquitting me, and for restoring my innocence."

Then Liu Zening added, "After inspecting the seven counties under the jurisdiction of Yingtian Prefecture, I have collected some irrefutable evidence."

"The officials of Yingtian Prefecture are rampant and lawless, colluding with local powerful merchants to harm farmers and seize land. The new policies of the court have not been implemented at all in Yingtian Prefecture. Nanjing of the Great Song Dynasty has almost become a vassal state that does not listen to the court's orders. I have prepared the relevant evidence for Your Majesty to examine."

Zhao Xiaoqian hummed in agreement and asked, "How are the people in the seven counties under the jurisdiction of Yingtian Prefecture doing? What do they think of the imperial court and the government?"

Liu Zening sighed and said, "Officials and powerful figures colluded to seize large amounts of land from the people, turning countless people into landless refugees, most of whom became tenants of landlords."

“Every year after working hard to cultivate the land and paying rent to the landlord, we could not support our families at all. We had to rely on digging wild vegetables and even eating tree leaves to survive.”

"The people are suffering too much, and therefore they have many grievances against the court and the government. I believe this cannot be blamed on the people. It is the actions of local officials and powerful families that have made the people disillusioned with the court."

"The reason why the peasant uprising in Xiayi County broke out so suddenly and spread so quickly was not unrelated to the suffering of the people under the jurisdiction of Yingtian Prefecture. It may have been secretly instigated by officials and powerful families, but its rapid spread was actually because the imperial court had lost the hearts of the people in the area."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded solemnly: "I have remembered what you said. To understand the true suffering of the people, one must experience it firsthand and witness it with one's own eyes. Liu Zening, thank you for your hard work."

Liu Zening shook his head: "I am not tired. If I can bring the people's suffering to the ears of the Emperor and make the Emperor and the court make changes in the local areas, I will have no regrets even if I die."

"The Nanjing officialdom has been purged, and the Ministry of Personnel will soon select and fill the vacancies. Many local powerful landlords and merchants are also involved in the case. Now that the court is implementing the Fangtian Equal Tax Law in Nanjing, there should be little resistance. The people will soon be able to live a good life."

Liu Zening breathed a sigh of relief and finally smiled: "Your Majesty is wise. It is my greatest fortune to serve Your Majesty and the Great Song Dynasty."

(End of this chapter)