The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 287 Public Opinion
The pre-Qin sage Mencius once said, "If you are invincible against foreign patients, your country will perish." This is a famous saying passed down through the ages, an unbreakable truth.

In fact, when it comes to past historical facts, this sentence can also be extended to "If the internal affairs are improved but there are enemies from abroad, the country will not perish!", "If the internal affairs are not improved but there are no enemies from abroad, the country will perish."

The meaning of failure to repair internal affairs is very broad. Examples are given to illustrate this, such as the government has many branches, the institutions are redundant, excessive taxes are imposed, the laws are enforced, sycophants are favored, the people are in poverty without notice, the currency is disordered, thieves are rampant, floods and droughts are caused by disasters, etc. All.

The most common and traditional phenomenon is bureaucratic corruption.

This phenomenon is "consistent", and all the above-mentioned examples have a "mother-child relationship" with it. It can also be said that corruption is the cause and these examples are the consequences.

With these phenomena, there will be enemies from abroad. On the contrary, if the politics are clear, then there will be no worries about enemies from abroad.

Regarding the phenomenon of corruption, if we carefully study the history of each dynasty in the past, we can't help but sadly discover that "no generation without corruption" actually has the same life span as the history books.

For thousands of years, the era of simple government and clean punishments, honest officials, and people's livelihood and prosperity was simply like the sound of Huang Zhong and Da Lu, which was pitifully rare.

When historians encounter such an era of scarcity, they often sigh and sigh in admiration but cannot help themselves.

Politicians of all dynasties have tried their best to eliminate corruption and establish clean government. There are only two methods. The first is generous salary. They believe that the main reason why officials disregard their integrity and act rebelliously is that the salary is not enough. To maintain integrity, if the salary provided by the state is enough to live on, officials with ordinary talents and moral education should know how to love themselves. If you break the law again and receive stolen goods, you can be punished severely.

The second type is severe punishment. The state makes laws and regulations, and those who break the law are given criminal seals, which are despised by everyone.

The former is like the Song Dynasty, and the latter is like the Ming Dynasty. Well, to be precise, it should be the early Ming Dynasty.

The official salary in the Song Dynasty was the richest and generous. Officials who entered the official position could get a guaranteed living without having to worry about their wealth and could devote themselves to serving the country. At the same time, the laws of the Song Dynasty also had severe punishments and severe laws. All officials who committed stolen goods would be killed without mercy. In the Taizu era, law enforcement was the strictest. Officials inside and outside the court who committed stolen goods must abandon the market. This law could still be maintained during the Taejong period, but it was changed to Jangryu Haidao during the Shinjong period. After Renzong, appeasement became the norm, and officialdom became increasingly corrupt, which was no longer the same as the early moral governance.

The Ming Dynasty and the Song Dynasty were exactly the opposite. During the Hongwu period of Taizu, heavy punishment was used to punish the defeat of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty. Corrupt officials were punished with death in the most serious cases, and at the most minor cases they were sent to the army or punished with hard labor, or even stripped of their skins. After the punishment, for a time, all the Chinese and foreign officials held their breath and feared the law. The two generations of Ren and Xuan followed the rule of benevolence and relaxed, but they also built the Qingming politics for decades.

After orthodoxy, the situation was very different. The reason is that the official salary in the Ming Dynasty was not generous at first, and it could be fully paid in the Hongwu era. Later, the method of folding was adopted, and the salary rice was folded into banknotes, and the salary rice was folded into cloth. The thick ones were no more than three stones, the thin ones were one stone or two stones, and the rest were folded into cloth. The value of the banknotes depreciated to 23/1000, and the actual income of a seventh-grade county magistrate was only one or two hundred coins.

In this situation, there is nothing to look up to to serve one's parents, nothing to look down upon to support one's wife, and there is no other way to think of except corruption. You must know that not all officials have the "noble" integrity of Hai Rui.

The Ming Dynasty government did not understand this situation, but it always dealt with it perfunctorily and did not solve the problem fundamentally. The top and bottom were confused, corruption became a normal trend, and current affairs became irrelevant.

Emperor Taizu of the Qi State was born as a reckless pirate on the sea. He followed his uncle and elder brother through many hardships and finally established himself in Hanzhou. This was the beginning of the Qi State, which then rose to dominate Nanyang.

However, the ultimate reason why Emperor Taizu lived on the sea and became a desperate bandit was because of the political collapse of the Ming Dynasty, which allowed official corruption to flourish, so that the people were deprived of their livelihood and forced good people to become thieves.

These bureaucrats cited each other, and the officials who were suffering from the people's poverty and corruption were called outstanding officials. Not only were they not dismissed by the inspectors, but they were promoted one after another. The collection and collection was called routine, and the move was declared to be a pilgrimage and for the purpose of exams. The superiors did not mince words, and the subordinates were not surprised when they heard about it. This made the imperial court issue a decree and local construction projects become a source of interest for officials.

"Using the income from search and management to promote promotion, taking official title as life, taking pricking as custom, taking bribery as communication, taking entrustment as a matter of course, following the sentiment as virtuous, and asking for advice as humility."

Even if you are deposed by the Chief of Quan, the most you can do is dismissal from office. Even if you are impeached, the most you can do is serve the people. Anyway, good land, big house, singing children and dancing girls, not only do you benefit from it, but also the foundation of your descendants has been laid. A mere official is not that good. No nostalgia left.

Although the corruption of officialdom was not the main reason for the collapse of Jiashen, it was definitely one of the important prerequisites for Chongzhen to hang himself in the southeast.

Therefore, during the Taizu period, the Qi State could not tolerate the corruption of officials, and imposed severe punishments. Although it was not like Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty, who frequently peeled off the grass and killed people, it was still very harsh. Official status is far away from the bitter cold and remote place, and it will also bring disaster to the descendants (descendants of the offending officials are not allowed to be employed by the government). As for the stolen property, they will also pursue the stolen property and exhaust it to the deprivation of their relatives.

After Taizong succeeded to the throne, all rules and regulations followed Emperor Taizu and continued to maintain the laws and regulations to combat corruption. As a result, Qi State basically maintained a clean and honest administration for more than 50 years in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

In fact, at the beginning of the founding of the Qi State, due to the remoteness of Hanzhou, it was difficult to establish, and coupled with the lack of talents, the affairs handled by many officials were extremely complicated and heavy. For this reason, Emperor Taizu promised to encourage them with generous salaries.

With Qi's rapid industrialization and rapid economic development, the entire empire accumulated a large amount of wealth in a short period of time, making the country prosperous and prosperous, and the salaries of central and local officials also continued to grow. .

From the perspective of visiting officials from the Qin State, the official salary of the Qi State is comparable to that of the former Song Dynasty. When people hear about it, they are all jealous and crazy.

“Officials in the capital of Qi State enjoy a fixed monthly salary, including spring and winter clothes, job money, charcoal, vegetables, carriages and horses, as well as two meals. … In addition, they are provided with tea, wine, cooking materials, rice, flour and sheep’s mouth, and also There is money for daily public use and salary for external transfers. Foreign officials also have money for transportation and service... Even small officials should have money for tea and soup, and they should be paid generously."

However, even so, the selfishness of human nature cannot be concealed, and corrupt officials will risk their lives to gain wealth.

During the Taiping period, appeasement of offending officials began to emerge, and strict discipline was also relaxed. Especially in the past ten years, corruption cases occurred frequently, but the punishment became increasingly broad.

Two years ago, the corruption case in Yingzhou (now Newcastle, Australia) was uncovered, causing great shock inside and outside the court.

It should be noted that Yingzhou is an important town in the southeast of the empire, the political and economic core of the empire, and it is not a remote and desolate overseas territory.

But in such a place not far from the emperor, a major corruption case broke out that affected the entire city. Everyone from the civil affairs magistrate to the county officials were involved.

The officials involved were not only noble children from aristocratic families, but also "promising people" who graduated from various well-known universities. The total amount involved was as high as more than 200,000 yuan, which is shocking. But I never thought that in such a major case, after more than a year of investigation and trial, only six people would be found guilty, and the rest were let off lightly on the grounds that the facts and evidence were unclear.

"It's the most ridiculous thing in the world!"

Cao Shuling, the editor-in-chief of "Chang'an Chronicle", drank the wine in the glass in one gulp, then placed it heavily on the table, and then said angrily: "Yingzhou officials benefited from corruption, and the local Dali Temple in Daxing condoned and perverted the law. This is a matter of outrage for both humans and gods. , everyone gets it and spits it.”

"Yes, the ambition to govern the country and bring peace to the world has become the ultimate goal of cultivating oneself and harmonizing the family in the hearts of many officials." Zhu Jingfu, a famous writer and literary master in Chang'an, sneered: "This cultivation of one's self is about cultivating one's mind. Feichang, this Qi family is greedy for wealth, rich clothes and luxurious houses. If Emperor Taizu is still alive at this time, I am afraid that all these corrupt people will live in a cold land and will not be pardoned. The family members will also be in a state of eternal disaster. Even those who have committed serious crimes will be hanged in the city and be despised by all the people."

"If the officials are not managed properly, the corruption is not eradicated, and the law is not exhausted, it will put our Qi country in the same state of defeat as before the Ming Dynasty!" Cao Shuling said sadly: "No one from the cabinet, Dali Temple ministers, or the Supervisory Yuan came forward to express their opinions. Objection? Are we all corrupt and corrupt people inside and outside the Great Qi court?"

"Maybe they can't see or hear."

"Can't see or hear?...Brother Zhu, your words are a bit false!"

"Isn't it?" Zhu Jingfu picked up the jug and filled Cao Shuling's wine glass. "What ordinary people care about every day is nothing more than the firewood, rice, oil and salt on the market, how much they can save from their hard-earned monthly salary, and whether their wives, children and children at home can do it." Live a better life. As for official corruption, Dali Temple's violation of the law, and the reaction of the court officials, it has almost nothing to do with them. Why not ignore it and ignore it since it is not a major matter of people's livelihood? If only a few officials are sentenced and punished, how can the public in the court make comments and stir up trouble? "

"This is a cover-up!" Cao Shuling said anxiously: "Are they all sharing the same interests and sharing weal and woe?"

"If this case were to be handled in a big way, it would be too shocking for the officialdom and would be a disgrace to the court officials. Haha, it would slander the official's reputation and damage the official's dignity. In this case, why not hold it high? , put it down gently, and dissipate the impact of this shocking corruption case into the invisible pile of old papers. "

"Brother Zhu, you..., are you...are you trying your best to speak for those corrupt officials?"

"What else? Can I stand up and speak out loudly, criticize their shameless faces, and lash out at their despicable behavior?" Zhu Jingfu said calmly: "If not, if I dare to write these, will you dare to send them out to me?"

"Why don't you dare!" Cao Shuling said loudly: "Back then, Emperor Taizu opened up the people's wisdom and founded newspapers and periodicals in order to comment on world affairs, supervise domestic lawlessness, and correct the government's mismanagement. I am the editor-in-chief of "Chang'an Chronicle" , it is natural to use the voice of the people, the voice of everyone, to correct those who are corrupt and bend the law with public opinion and public criticism.”

"Okay!" Zhu Jingfu smiled and took out a stack of manuscripts from the bag behind him and handed it to Cao Shuling opposite, "This manuscript is a detailed disclosure of the Yingzhou corruption case. There are many evidences and the investigation process. There are also more Do you dare to publish the identity and background of many people involved in the case, as well as the specific details of corruption and bribery? "

"You..." Cao Shuling suddenly understood, stretched out his right hand and nodded at the other party, "Co-author, you have already written a manuscript on the Yingzhou corruption case, and then you pulled me here today just to provoke me with words?"

"Brother Cao, please forgive me." Zhu Jingfu solemnly bowed his hand to Cao Shuling, "We all know that newspapers and periodicals need to be reviewed by the Civil Affairs Information Department of the Cabinet before they are allowed to be published. If this manuscript is submitted to the Information Department, it will inevitably be cited. There has been quite a turmoil. It ranges from a warning to cease publication to a severe penalty. The "Chang'an Chronicle" that Brother Cao has been working on for decades may also stop publication and have its news license revoked... You can. Have you thought about it?”

"Brother Zhu, you are underestimating my character." Cao Shuling patted the manuscript on the table and said with a smile: "Speaking for the people and correcting the government for the country, even if it is doomed, I have nothing to fear! Haha, that's true. You, as a signer, will you be prepared to respond if this article is published?"

"Haha..." Zhu Jingfu picked up the wine glass on the table, drank it all in one gulp, and said with a laugh: "I have been to the prison in Daxing, and I have also been to the police station in Linzi, and I have not been to the prison in the imperial capital of Chang'an. Go and experience it, is it different from other places? ”

"Okay, if you go to jail for this, I will definitely come to see you every day with good food and wine."

"Why are you so sure you won't be jailed?"

"No." Cao Shuling said with a smile: "Because I have a great ancestor who was a minister of Emperor Taizu. For the sake of the late old man, some people will not take me to prison. ”

"..." Zhu Jingfu looked at the other party steadily, with a look of disdain for a moment, "...shameful and corrupt powerful man!"

"Haha..." Cao Shuling laughed, reached out and grabbed the manuscript on the table, stood up and was about to leave, "But I am definitely a son of a powerful person who dares to speak out for the country and the people. ...This time, you have schemed against me. , it’s your turn to treat me to this meal.”

Zhu Jingfu smiled and waved, and did not get up to see him off. Instead, he picked up the chopsticks, picked up the wine glass, and started eating by himself.

Not long after Cao Shuling left, a man in his thirties quietly walked out of the corner of the wine shop and sat directly opposite Zhu Jingfu.

"Although I don't know what your purpose is, I am still willing to be used by you." Zhu Jingfu kept using his chopsticks, eating while looking at the man in front of him, "It doesn't matter whether you are dog biting dog or fighting each other in the officialdom. That's fine, but when I think about the faces of those corrupt officials, I get so angry that I can't help but think about how thousands of ordinary people have to work so hard to put up with factory owners in order to have three meals a day, a wife and children to take care of. In the end, the amount of exploitation and oppression is only a dozen yuan, but those corrupt people can easily steal tens of thousands... How unfair is this world?"

"If you do too much injustice, you will be punished." The man smiled and said softly: "If the people have publicity in books, newspapers and publications, such corrupt people will have no room to escape and will be despised by the world."

"Really?" Zhu Jingfu stopped his chopsticks and said sarcastically: "Do you think a manuscript exposing official corruption can pass the review of the Information Department smoothly?"

"Yes." The man said confidently: "Our country of Qi has never been guilty of words, let alone blocking the world's mouth with selfish interests. ... What do you think?"

"...A bird of a feather."

Zhu Jingfu was startled for a moment, then poured himself a glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp.

Then, he stood up, ignored the man, and left the wine shop.

(End of this chapter)