Han Shizu

Chapter 854
It has entered summer, and the weather has already started to heat up, but for the Imperial Prison, it has no effect. It is characterized by coldness and humidity is its pronoun.

Of course, the imperial prison in the Imperial City is not as terrifying as the outside world imagined. Apart from tight defense, less light, and a little more quiet and gloomy, there are no other shortcomings.When it comes to cleanliness and tidiness, the sanitation of the Imperial Prison is probably the best in all prisons in the world.

As for the reason why imperial edicts are feared and feared by people, and even rumors are spread, the only reason is that those who enter imperial edicts are nobles and bureaucrats with certain status in the imperial court.

For the bureaucrats of the great Han Dynasty, entering the imperial prison is not only the end of their official career, but also basically represents the end of their lives, and will affect the next generation.Therefore, no one wants to have anything to do with the prison.

In the early summer of the 11th year of Qianyou, the Imperial Prison ushered in a new high-ranking official. In these years, the Imperial Prison has received relatively few criminals, but there are only a few who have had a major impact. .

Among the ministers, before Zhao Li, it was King Ren Jingchong, and before that, it was Yang Bin, the former prime minister.And among so many people, only Yang Bin escaped from the imperial prison alive, and everyone else died without exception.As for Yang Bin, his fate was not good either. For eight years, old Mr. Yang was still squatting in a kiln in the area of ​​Jingyuan.However, it is said that he can still live in poverty, stay in the bitter cold, and still be healthy.

There was a sound of footsteps in the silent and cold passage, step by step, clear and heavy, stepping on the hearts of the prisoners.As if feeling something, Zhao Li raised his head, and after a rustling sound of unlocking the lock, the tightly closed iron door of the cell was opened.

It's only been a few days since he was in prison, but Zhao Li looks much older, just like those who have been hit hard.These days, inside the high walls and iron gates surrounded by thick walls, he rarely recalled and reflected on his official career.

He became an official in the later Tang Dynasty, wasted in the later Jin Dynasty, and when the Great Han Dynasty was established, Liu Chengyou went west to Luoyang in the first year of Qianyou, and only then did he enter the emperor's sight.

He was born in a humble family, and was favored by the emperor for promotion. In his early years, he repaid the emperor with great enthusiasm and dedication.Zhao Li has made great contributions to the reconstruction of the supervisory system of the Han Dynasty, the restoration of the supervisory system at all levels, and the selection of internal and external censors.

Of course, for his loyalty and dedication, the emperor did not treat him lightly. He was a high-ranking official with great power, and he was never stingy.

These ten years have been the ten years in which Zhao Li has achieved fame and glory, but since when did he become depraved and corrupt, using power for personal gain?After thinking a lot, he finally confirmed that it seemed that he received a basket of charcoal from that cold winter, and then, favors, money, and beauties came one after another, so that Si.

It is inevitable to look back at the past and say regret, but only when regret is useless can we see the matter so clearly and realize it.

Guo Tong walked two steps into the cell, looked at Zhao Li who was sitting there dumbly, and his eyes could not help showing a bit of emotion.The gray hair on the temples tells of all the desolation. You must know that Zhao Li is not yet 46 years old.As the center of the imperial court, Guo Tong was very clear about Zhao Li's favor and favor from the emperor, a high-ranking minister.

A high-rise building was raised yesterday, guests are entertained today, and the building collapses tomorrow. Such an ending is really embarrassing.

Seeing that it was Guo Tong, Zhao Li's spirits lifted slightly, he became a little excited, and called out, "Guo Chengzhi!"

From Zhao Li's eyes, it seemed that a little hope could be seen.Guo Tong's expression was blunt, and he said, "Your Majesty's word of mouth!"

Hearing this, Zhao Li immediately fell to his knees, and his forehead was actually knocked on the ground: "The guilty minister is ordered!"

"Your Majesty said that Zhao Li committed a heinous crime of dereliction of duty and violated the law, and he has failed me!" Guo Tong's voice was almost emotionless: "Your Majesty also said that considering the ten years of friendship between the monarch and his ministers, I will give you a face, and I will be punished in the wrong place! "

Hearing what Guo Tong said, Zhao Li's body couldn't help shaking, with a tendency to go limp, but he managed to hold on.His eyes slowly became desperate, and then some tears came out of his old eyes. Zhao Li said in a sly tone: "I have failed His Majesty Long En, and his crime should be punished. I thank Your Majesty! I can no longer serve you in this life, but I will die in the next life." Grass rank in return!"

Watching Zhao Li's performance, Guo Tong gestured towards the back, and immediately two guards brought up two trays, one with white silk and the other with poisoned wine, and said, "I brought two things to Mr. Zhao, please." Choose yourself!"

Looking up, Zhao Li suddenly pleaded earnestly: "The guilty minister has a wish, and I hope it will come true!"

"Please tell me!" Guo Tong frowned.

Zhao Li said: "At the moment of death, the guilty minister wants to give His Majesty a final performance!"

After a little hesitation, Guo Tong waved his hand and ordered, "Give him a pen and paper!"

After about a stick of incense, Guo Tong put the ink-stained playing paper into his arms, and then stared at Zhao Li.Seeing this, Zhao Li showed a wry smile, and the sadness on his face was slightly reduced.

After tidying up his embarrassing prison uniform, he bowed solemnly towards the north, and then chose poisoned wine.With slightly trembling hands, he picked up the glass filled with wine, gritted his teeth, and poured it into his mouth as if making up his mind.
After Zhao Li's death was confirmed, Guo Tong ordered someone to clean up temporarily, and then returned to the Chongzheng Hall with a heavy heart.

Zhao Li was deeply entrenched in the supervisory system of the Han Dynasty. He had many disciples and old officials. Because he was trusted by the emperor, he had great power and was one of the most powerful factions in the court.However, it is such a powerful minister who has great influence, once he falls, there is no sign of it.The emperor gave an order to arrest, imprison, interrogate, and put him to death, all with one word, without the ability to resist.

Zhao Li's death was not meaningless, at least it announced the emperor's official attitude to the world. Even Zhao Li was mercilessly accused of committing a crime and executed. But for others, it was enough to make all officials vigilant.

On the other hand, it proves that in the current great Han Dynasty, the power of ministers no longer has the strength to compete with imperial power, and a situation where the monarch is strong and the ministers are weak has already formed unconsciously.

"Report to Your Majesty, Zhao Li has been given death!" In the Chongzheng Hall, Guo Tong stepped in and returned to Liu Chengyou who was sitting behind the imperial case.

Liu Chengyou, who was instructing the immigration affairs in the Northwest, raised his eyelids, and responded lightly: "Yes!"

The emperor's bland reaction was heart-wrenching. Guo Tong said, "Before Zhao Li died, he felt quite remorseful, and promised to repay Your Majesty's kindness in the next life!"

"Hehe! If regret is useful, what else do we need the law for?" Liu Chengyou said with a smile, paused, and said: "Notify his family to collect the body!"

"Your Majesty, Zhao Li's family property has been confiscated, and all his family members have been distributed to Hunan." Guo Tong reminded.

Hearing this, with a slight sigh, Liu Chengyou said: "Then there is a special decree, after he is buried, he will be exiled!"

"Your Majesty is benevolent!" Guo Tong immediately cupped his hands.

"After all, I have that friendship with me, if you give him face, then you will be enough!" Liu Chengyou said lightly.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Guo Tong took out the copy of Zhao Li's handwriting, and respectfully said: "Your Majesty, before Zhao Li died, the letter was left behind, and I will perform it on my behalf!"

"I have nothing to say to him, but he still has words to remonstrate?" Hearing this, Liu Chengyou smiled, as if mocking.

Received it, and looked at it for a while, Liu Chengyou's eyes became serious.After pondering for a long time, he put down the ink-stained memorial, and said to Guo Tong, "Go to the Metropolitan Procuratorate, check Zhao Li's recent official affairs, and bring them all to the Chongzheng Palace!"

Curious about the emperor's behavior, Guo Tong said, "Yes!"

Zhao Li's posthumous memorial did not express how regretful he was, how much he was ashamed of his trust in the emperor, it was just a very normal business memorial.But the content of the playing is not ordinary at all. What it says is the malpractice of the military officials in the world.

The so-called malpractice of military officials refers to the problem of those retired and transferred military officers that have spread all over the place.In the early years, during the process of Liu Chengyou's rectification of the forbidden army, a large number of wounded and retired officers and soldiers were assigned to the localities, either as small officials in the village, or as state and county servants, or leading the township soldiers.

In several wars, a group of meritorious people also emerged, and the court rewarded them. Many people have been transferred to other places in recent years.

These arrangements are not only to refine the army, but also to appease the morale of the army, and at the same time strengthen the imperial court's influence and control over local states and counties.The original intention was good, but after all these years, something went wrong.

(End of this chapter)