bookbashuk Page 2504
Page 2504
The convicted official Cao Chengda suggested: "We can lure and recruit the barbarians in the vicinity, teach them how to plant and irrigate, then register them and have them pay taxes to the government."
“Then select children from their families, preferably twelve or thirteen years old, and teach them to read, write and speak.”
“That’s a good idea,” Sun Li nodded. “I’m giving you a task: you’ll be in charge of civilizing the barbarians.”
Cao Chengda was overjoyed. After sending Sun Li and Xiang Ziyin away, it would be his turn to be promoted and leave.
They never considered falsifying anything, because the imperial court would certainly be very strict in checking the population.
Xiang Ziyin asked, "How many Han Chinese will be exiled to Zhenyuan Fort this time?"
Sun Li said, "There are about two thousand people, including soldiers and civilians."
“Children don’t count; we only consider those 15 years and older.”
"By the way, who knows medicine?"
Three convicted officials immediately stepped forward, claiming they had some medical knowledge.
These convicted officials were all talented individuals.
In order to leave Zhenyuanbao, everyone is now united in their efforts.
Based on a population of 5,000 adults, for every additional 500 people, one civil official and one military officer could be released from poverty, and this also included assimilated barbarians.
They believed that all the convicted officials present would be able to leave within twenty years.
This set of rules applies to southern Sichuan, Guizhou, and Taiwan.
If a single sheet of toilet paper is useful, then a group of officials would be even more so.
If they are willing to work and have clear goals, they will definitely be able to unleash amazing power.
Putting aside other factors, their ability to educate and civilize is top-notch, capable of quickly assimilating large numbers of barbarians.
Xiang Ziyin was originally torn about whether or not to report Emperor Huizong of Song, but now that she had a new target, there was no need for her to do something against her conscience.
As he left Sun Li's cabin, he secretly winked at Emperor Huizong of Song.
The two arrived at a secluded spot, and Emperor Huizong said with a sob in his voice, "Thank you so much, my virtuous brother. You are like my second parents."
Xiang Ziyin sighed and asked, "How have you been, brother?"
Emperor Huizong of Song said, "I'm just getting by. I even remarried, and we had a son a couple of years ago."
Xiang Ziyin was speechless for a moment.
This damned, incompetent ruler is really something else.
A deposed monarch, unbeknownst to anyone, secretly took up an official post, married, and had children in the new dynasty.
Judging from his appearance, he seems to be living a very comfortable life.
Xiang Ziyin began to have doubts. Perhaps at some crucial moment, he could expose the tyrannical emperor and gain merit!
.....
Imperial City, Council Hall.
Zhai Ruwen said, "The previous dynasty treated scholars leniently, which led to many officials being corrupt. The new dynasty should indeed impose severe laws."
"But the Great Ming Code was too harsh and unreasonable."
“Take Xu Fuyan’s three sons for example, they did not separate from the family.”
"Both the eldest and second sons were honest officials. The Censorate and the Ministry of Justice conducted repeated investigations, but they only found that they had accepted some gifts."
"According to the Great Ming Code, the three sons committed a serious crime and were punished together by the household register. The two honest elder brothers were also to be exiled."
"Your Majesty, is it the duty of a wise ruler to unjustly exile two honest officials?"
“If the law continues to be enforced in this way, the Ming Dynasty’s officialdom will be in a state of panic, and even honest officials will be afraid of being implicated by their families.”
"Won't it have the opposite effect?"
Chapter 3316 The Consequences of Embezzlement
"No matter how good one's political achievements are, or how honest one is as an official, one may still be implicated, beheaded, or exiled."
"Then they might as well just hold their positions without doing any work, or even embezzle and enjoy themselves."
"Good laws shouldn't force good people to become bad!"
"Good laws should not make things difficult for law-abiding citizens."
"Good laws must also be reasonable and logical in order to be easy to enforce."
"Take the Song Dynasty for example. In order to prevent officials from exploiting the people, officials were not allowed to purchase daily necessities inside or outside the city."
“If a county magistrate wants to abide by the law, he can’t even buy a writing brush in the county town; he has to send his servant to the small town to buy it.”
"Who obeys such a law? May I ask Your Majesty, when you served as governor in the previous dynasty, did you abide by this law?"
Zhao Yuan did not answer immediately; he also realized that there was a problem with the "Great Ming Code".
The imperial examination system in the Song Dynasty was too frivolous, and many people were granted official positions through hereditary privilege. It was possible that more than ten members of a family could become officials. The founding of the Ming Dynasty also accepted these people.
If a family is implicated, a major case could shake up the entire national officialdom.
That's why Zhao Yuan revised the "Great Ming Code" to implement collective punishment based on household registration.
Otherwise, Xu Fuyan and his two brothers would all be officials, and their sons would have eight officials of various ranks.
If the son of a non-official commits a crime, and eight officials of the same rank are implicated, what's the difference between him and a tyrant?
It would be strange if the scholars of the world didn't rebel!
Now the system has been changed to hold individuals accountable based on their household registration, but the same problem still exists when major cases are involved.
Xu Fuyan was a founding hero, and his two sons were also high-ranking local officials.
Is it reasonable that all three members of the father and his two sons were implicated because of one scoundrel who didn't even hold an official position?
Even if responsibility is pursued, it will be Xu Fuyan himself who bears the blame, because his youngest son is using his father's name to make money.
What does this have to do with Xu Fuyan's eldest and second sons who are far away from the capital?
After pondering for a long time, Zhao Yuan said:
"Xu Fuyan, Minister of Justice, was dismissed from all his official posts, stripped of his literary talents since birth, and his house and land bestowed upon him at the founding of the dynasty were confiscated."
"That bastard son of Xu Fuyan, execute him immediately!"
"Based on the amount of embezzled funds obtained during the interrogation, a fine of five times the amount will be imposed, which will be paid by Xu Fuyan."
"Xu Fuyan's eldest and second sons were ordered to retire and return to their hometowns, while their children and grandchildren could take the imperial examinations."
"But the youngest son's descendants for three generations are not allowed to take the imperial examinations!"
"Who else has objections?"
The ministers looked at each other, still feeling that the punishment was too severe.
This is a meritorious official who rose to power at the ministerial level; simply ordering him to retire would suffice.
They actually dismissed all officials and stripped them of their official status and literary qualifications, showing absolutely no mercy.
But no one dared to object anymore, because His Majesty had already made concessions.
From the perspective of Xu Fuyan's eldest and second sons, they were truly wronged.
He worked diligently for the court and didn't embezzle any money, yet he inexplicably lost his official position.
As for Xu Fuyan himself, he deserved it; who told him to be so disciplining his son?
Moreover, they couldn't even properly guard the seal of the Ministry of Justice!
Xiao Chu asked, "If the Xu family was sentenced this way, what about the other convicted officials?"
“All shall be dealt with in this manner,” Zhao Yuan emphasized. “If any person in the same household register commits a serious crime, the rest shall all be dismissed from their posts.”
"Even if the households have been separated, if the son commits a serious crime, the father should still be dismissed from his post!"
The ministers' expressions softened considerably, and they were no longer so worried.
With this revision of the Ming Code, fewer people will be exiled for major cases this year.
In fact, there were serious problems as well. For example, when the Ming Dynasty was in decline, an official named Wang Anshi began to implement reforms.
The Ming Code would become a tool for the conservatives, who would try every means to induce Wang Anshi's son to commit serious crimes, and then use the law to get Wang Anshi dismissed from office.
After curbing the corrupt practices in officialdom, the Ming Dynasty Code will still need to be revised in the future.
Except for serious crimes such as treason and rebellion, one should not be implicated by others without due process.
One person commits a crime, and one person bears the consequences. Those who deserve to be beheaded should be beheaded, and those who deserve to be exiled should be exiled. Randomly implicating others will cause problems.
“Your Majesty, there is also Li Bangyan,” Wen Huanzhang said.
Zhao Yuan said, "His family is different."
"His two sons in Beijing, as well as several sons who were officials in other places, were all found to have committed crimes."
“Those sons should be beheaded or exiled as appropriate, and their families should also be exiled.”
"As for Li Bangyan himself, he was dismissed from all his posts, all his rewards were revoked, and he was stripped of his official status."
“When they confiscated his property, they left him 100,000 strings of cash so that he and his wife could return to their hometown to live out their retirement.”
Upon hearing of such a punishment, even those who had a grudge against Li Bangyan felt that the emperor was too cold-blooded.
Li Bangyan was at least a founding hero, yet all his sons were either beheaded or exiled.
Besides Li Bangyan and his wife, the rest of their family members were also to be exiled.
He was stripped of his official position and all his honors were gone.
What's the use of leaving 100,000 strings of cash for retirement?
Li Bangyan embezzled at least a million strings of cash during the Song Dynasty, but now his home has been confiscated and he only has 100,000 strings left. It's definitely a losing proposition!
Did Zhao Yuan favor his military generals?
Sun Li, who was thrown into Zhenyuan Fort, also had his family property confiscated, but he was still allowed to lead troops in the barbarian lands.
.......
Chapter 3317 Reconstructing the Law
After four months of anxious waiting, Xu Fuyan finally received his punishment.
Upon hearing the words "strip him of his birthright," Xu Fuyan fainted. It was no different from a death sentence.
He didn't even dare to commit suicide because he still harbored a glimmer of hope.
Perhaps in a few years, His Majesty will restore his original form?
Several days later, at the execution ground on the outskirts of Beijing.
Xu Fuyan seemed to have aged more than ten years. He sat in the carriage and refused to get out, unable to bear the sight of his youngest son's tragic death.
A servant ran back from the execution ground: "My lord, the executioner dared not accept money, saying he would guarantee a quick death."
Xu Fuyan was taken aback.
In the past two months, too many people have been beheaded. The imperial court's crackdown on corruption has even frightened the executioners.
On the other side of the execution ground, Li Bangyan not only did not offer money, but also shouted at the executioner: "Don't let these two unfilial sons die too quickly."
"Don't kill him with one blow, make a few more to teach him a lesson!"
"Li Bangyan, I'll fight you to the death!"
Overwhelmed with grief and anger, his wife rushed over and started pulling at Li Bangyan's beard.
Li Bangyan shoved his wife away and wailed angrily, "My money, my house, my fertile land, all of it has been ruined by these two bastards!"
"What's so great about keeping 100,000 strings of cash? If you include all the real estate and shops, I'll have a full two million strings of cash!"
"It's all gone, everything's gone. What's the point of me living? Waaaaah..."
Did he embezzle two million strings of cash in the previous dynasty?
The crowd of onlookers around the execution ground glared angrily at Li Bangyan, wondering how much of their hard-earned money had been involved in his execution.