unclear

Chapter 247 Time for settling accounts 2
"Li Dong, how should I be convicted of treason according to the "Law of the Ming Dynasty"?" After reading the interrogation results, the emperor did not say that he was satisfied or dissatisfied, and he did not plan to discuss privately with his ministers after leaving the court. On the table.

"... To report back to Your Majesty, treason is the first of the ten evils. According to the "Great Ming Law", those who commit serious crimes are always pardoned but not punished. Anyone who conspires or conspires with great treason will be executed without distinction of leader.

Grandfathers, fathers and sons, grandsons and brothers, and people who live together, regardless of surname, and sons of uncles and brothers, regardless of their nationality, who are sixteen years or older, regardless of whether they are seriously ill or not, will be killed.

Those who are fifteen years old and below, as well as their mothers, daughters, wives, concubines, sisters, and sons' wives and concubines, shall be given as slaves to the family of the meritorious official.Property enters the officialdom.If a daughter's marriage has been decided, she will return to her husband.Children and grandchildren who live with someone else, or who have not yet married a wife, will not sit behind her.

Anyone who knows the truth and hides it will be killed.Those who are able to capture will be given civilian officials by the people and military posts by the army, and the prisoners' property will still be fully rewarded.If you know it and report it first, the official will be the one who captured it and will not give you property.Those who don’t bow will be punished by a hundred sticks and a flow of three thousand miles. "

Li Dong, the minister of Dali Temple, was naturally familiar with the law, but he still hesitated when he answered. It was not that he had forgotten, but that he was timid.His thought was equivalent to killing Shen Li, Li Tingji, Wen Chun and others, as well as the three clans.

Although these people did not come from a noble family, they had been officials for many years and were full-fledged. Each family had at least a hundred members, and thousands of lives were lost in one go. Even if they were ordered to be executed, they would not bear it.

"Can I change the Ming Law according to the teachings of my ancestors?" But the emperor seemed not satisfied yet and made another request.

"..." At this time, all the civil and military officials, including the three presiding judges, lowered their heads and fell silent.

What does it mean to change the laws of the Ming Dynasty according to the teachings of the ancestors?It's too obvious, just like Emperor Taizu, he turned the Zhu San clan into the Zhu Shi clan.Say no to it. On weekdays, when the emperor made a request, the officials always kept the ancestral teachings in mind and stopped him.Now the emperor wants to imitate his ancestors but refuses to do so. Isn't this an obvious contradiction?

It can be changed, no matter whether it is a first-grade official or a ninth-grade official, who wants to meet an emperor who is as ruthless as killing officials and stepping on ants.This time I agreed to kill other people’s clans, but next time it might fall on me. It’s not a good precedent to set!
"If you don't say anything, you will be acquiescing. I believe that the principal culprit will be punished, and the accomplices will be given a reprieve. Let's just kill the whole clan. A few of them took risks in order to seize power and poisoned my biological mother to death. They are really unfaithful, unkind and unjust people. , death is not a pity.

However, his parents, wife, children, and brothers were not involved and did not know about it. If I also killed him for revenge, what would be the difference?When the emperor breaks the law, he is as guilty as the common people. This sentence has been shouted throughout the ages, but few people have taken it seriously.

I wanted to make an exception today, but Ling Chi was exempted. The main culprit was beheaded instead, and the three clans were confiscated. All the family property and acres were brought into the official service. All men and women between the ages of 16 and 50 were forced to work in factories for 20 years before they could leave.During this period, he became a slave and was not allowed to take the imperial examination for three generations.

The accomplice reduced his registration to a civilian, confiscated his family property and acres of land and became an official, and worked in a factory for ten years. During this period, he was registered as a slave and was not allowed to take the imperial examination for two generations.Anyone who fails to report any knowledge or provides assistance will be punished as an accessory. "

Unfortunately, they thought wrong again. The emperor did not expand the scope of the attack at will, and carried out a general purge in the court to eliminate dissidents. Instead, he greatly reduced the intensity of punishment.

Although it is quite uncomfortable to confiscate the family property and work in a factory for 20 years without allowing future generations to take the imperial examination. It is tantamount to destroying the accumulation and future of the family, but after all, there is no need to die.Nine out of ten people living in this world will be unhappy, but few people are really willing to die. They say that life is worse than death, but they care more about living than anyone else. "Your Majesty, your Majesty...Long live my emperor..." At this time, the officials immediately came to life. Someone took the lead and shouted on the ground, and soon hundreds of people joined in, and the momentum was overwhelming.

"Don't be too quick to sing praises. What I'm going to say below will go against the teachings of our ancestors. All nobles and scholars are the pillars of the country. Merits, rewards, and punishments are natural and justified, and violations of the law should not be ignored.

But a scholar cannot be killed but cannot be humiliated. Losing his moral integrity and softening his bones is tantamount to self-destruction and is of no use to the country and the country.Being scolded by a stick in public may seem like physical pain, but in fact, it will destroy your heart. In the long run, your face will be disgraced and you will become a skinny dog. The method of the imperial stick should be abolished.

In addition, I discovered a problem when I was reading history books. Some of the etiquette in our dynasty was inherited from the previous dynasty, which seems a little inappropriate.The Ministry of Rites hurriedly revised it. Zhou rites were separated by a long time, and Qin and Han Dynasties had more people sitting on the floor. They were all different from today.Or the etiquette of the Tang and Song Dynasties is more suitable... What do you think? "

It was nothing new to be kowtowed by civil and military officials at a large court meeting, but it was the first time for Hong Tao to enjoy such standard movements, such a loud voice, and such a correct attitude.How should I put it, there is indeed an illusion that I am superior, that I am the best in the world, and that I love everyone.

Now that I know it is an illusion, I will not make a mistake.Hong Tao's initiative to lower the punishment for the rebels was not to please the courtiers, but to pave the way for the next exchange of benefits.

The rebels have already appeared, and everything is done. Even if all the civil and military officials of the dynasty are killed and replaced with a new wave, will no one dare to rebel in the future?Facts have proved that no matter how many people are killed, people's desire for power cannot be stopped, and the idea of ​​​​completely eradicating it is unreasonable.

Since it was a problem that couldn't be completely solved, Hong Tao didn't plan to spend more time on it.But you can use this situation to your own benefit, for example, take the opportunity to make some demands. Presumably there shouldn't be too many officials standing up to fiercely oppose it at this moment.

It doesn't matter if you really object. Wang An still has some confessions in his hand. They are all names of people who have close contacts with Shen Li and others, who may not have reported the information, and who have provided convenience.

Don't agree?Well, if anyone disagrees, just ask Wang An to search carefully in the confession. As long as his name is on it, he will be an accessory immediately. His home will be confiscated and he will be exiled to hard labor. No one will be missing.

"Your Majesty, your Majesty, long live my emperor, long live long live..." There was another chorus of kowtows and chants, and the officials responded with actions.

Strictly speaking, the emperor's suggestion is not a bad thing. Taizu followed the Yuan system in order to maintain orthodoxy. Now more than 200 years have passed, the throne has been passed down for more than ten generations, and the Yuan Dynasty is gone. Who will care about these details anymore.

It can be said that the Tang and Song Dynasties were the imperial courts of the Han people, and their etiquette and laws were more appropriate.Of course, you won’t get used to the sudden change, so you can just tolerate it for a few years.The emperor is so angry that he should endure it as he should.

Therefore, no matter ancient or modern, anyone who can be an official must have his own merits.They can do nothing, they can take bribes and bend the law, and they can betray their country for glory, but they will not be stupid.Knowing when to persist and when to give in is very accurate.
(End of this chapter)