I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 152 The Use of the Ten Constant Attendants

When Liu Bian saw Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and others, they were trembling in Yuntai Hall.

Several people took off their hats, boots, and official uniforms early in the morning, wearing only their underwear and came outside Yuntai Hall.

Then Liu Bian waited for two quarters of an hour in the cold wind.

Not all of the ten permanent attendants were here. Only Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong and Sun Zhang, who had more contact with Liu Bian, were here, and Guo Sheng was also among them.

Bi Lan was not among them, and was probably still making inventions in Xiyuan. Duan Gui, Song Dian and other regular servants who were not familiar to Liu Bian were not present either.

Obviously they are going to play the emotional card.

When the four of them saw Liu Bian, they kowtowed quickly.

"Why are you like this?" Liu Bian was not pretending to be surprised. He really didn't expect Zhang Rang and others to do this. "Guo Zhi, hurry up and put on some clothes."

Before Guo Zhi got the clothes, several people apologized one after another.

"Your Majesty loves me so much, I am very ashamed."

"I feel that my sin is serious and I cannot bear it."

……

Zhang Rang apologized and said: "I have little virtue and talent, but the late emperor did not entrust me with important responsibilities because of my humbleness and vulgarity. Now that the Beigong is on fire, the courtiers all say that I am an unvirtuous minister."

"I made mistakes in the past and did not know how to restrain myself. I accepted a lot of gifts and money from people who wanted to follow me. Now that I think about it, I feel ashamed of my late emperor and your majesty..."

"I am incompetent and cannot help the monarch. I am willing to donate this wealth to repair the palace..."

"Your Majesty's exemption from oral tax for three years is indeed good governance. However, how can I get your Majesty to reduce expenditures for this? I am willing to use my family wealth to make up for the expenses incurred."

Is it so straightforward?

Liu Bian looked at the few people and felt that things went smoothly beyond imagination.

It's okay to repair the palace. Three years of oral tax will cost more than 300 million yuan. Without discounts, it is enough to buy three Sangong.

Liu Bian estimated that based on the family assets of the four people present, after paying out the money, there would definitely be some leftover, but not much.

Zhang Rang and others saw that Liu Bian was silent for a while and continued to kneel on the ground. At this time, Guo Zhi had already brought some clothes.

Liu Bian then said: "Please, please get dressed quickly. It's freezing cold. If you are sick, how can you share your worries with me?"

Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong seemed to be panicked, but in fact they were not that panicked.

Not to mention the other ministers, the late emperor specifically told the new monarch about their achievements before his death.

The two knew that it was impossible for the new king to ignore the former emperor's affection.

At the same time, they also understood that the late emperor also pointed out their faults.

This was not only a kindness left to them by the late emperor, but also a reminder to them.

Instead of waiting until the corruption investigation is found on them, it is better to donate the family wealth to relieve the new king's worries.

It is by no means a secret that Zhong Changshi is greedy for money. The late emperor knew it, and the new king naturally knows it too. Zhang let them understand something a long time ago.

During the Yellow Turban Rebellion, they used their family wealth to support military expenditures, and there was also bloodshed during the Liangzhou Rebellion.

Although I feel distressed, it is nothing compared to my life and future.

And past facts have proven that they did it right.

It's just that the two of them are lucky in the end. If they can keep the money they have accumulated little by little through hard work, it is of course better to keep it.

But now that the situation has developed, especially after they know that Yuan Wei is targeting their huge family property, they know that they cannot withstand the investigation. In this case, it is better to use family wealth to express loyalty in advance, so as to increase the goodwill of the new king who already has an attitude towards them.

They can give up their wealth, but they can't throw away their capital. This is the title that will last them a lifetime, and it is also their hope for future generations.

Moreover, as long as there is a future, who can say what will happen in the future!

This time, the facts once again proved that they did it right again.

If Liu Bian had some thoughts of starting a new career among the eunuchs at first, he has completely given up this idea now.

Eunuchs are also human beings. When they see their predecessors being abandoned as useless shoes, can they only rejoice in others' misfortunes without even a hint of empathy?

The most important thing is that the regular attendants are really easy to use.

Liu Bian said: "You don't know, I was going to reuse you, but I was worried that the people below you would act recklessly and bully the people after leaving the palace, which would implicate you, so I hesitated."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Rang and others expressed their loyalty one after another.

Zhang Rang even swore: "If there is a traitor among Fanchen's men, I will never let Your Majesty bother. I will definitely deal with it immediately and never protect anyone!"

Not a word was mentioned about his responsibilities.

The other three people saw this and came one after another.

Liu Bian did not expose them, but took out a memorial and handed it to Zhang Rang who was closest to him.

Zhang Rang's hands shook as soon as he saw the name of the person who wrote the memorial.

Gai Xun... Zhang Rang only felt that every time he saw this name, something bad happened.

He opened it and read it. It said that the local township officials were corrupt and perverted the law. If the virtuous policy of exempting three years of oral tax could not be implemented because of the evil officials in the township, it would damage the kindness of the new king.

In order to support his thoughts, Gai Xun also specifically explained what he saw and heard in Hedong County.

This was something Liu Bian had known for a long time, and the memorial written by Gai Xun to remind him just saved Liu Bian from looking for other reasons.

After several people had finished reading, Liu Bian slammed the table: "I waived the oral duties to reduce the burden on the people, but now the oral duties I have waived have gone into the pockets of corrupt officials."

Zhang asked Zhao Zhong and others to immediately follow Liu Bian's words and criticize corrupt officials.

Guo Sheng took the initiative to ask Ying to investigate these village officials.

Liu Bian shook his head: "Isn't this overkill? Gai Qing's administration in Hedong last year is enough to prove that the governor of the country is serious and can carry out the court's virtues and benefit the people."

"What I want you to investigate is not the township officials, but the county officials."

Hearing this, even Guo Sheng, who had been secretly cooperating with Liu Bian, became excited for a moment.

It is not difficult to deal with powerful people who have little voice in the bureaucracy, because as long as they have great righteousness, there are very few people who can speak for them.

But once the county magistrates are targeted, it's different. Even for the lowest county magistrate, most of them rose up step by step from the Third Department Langguan. The biggest source of the Third Department Langguan members was the annual promotion of filial piety and integrity. These were all representatives of scholar-bureaucrats.

The relationship between scholar-bureaucrats is complicated, and eunuchs will undoubtedly be quick and ruthless in dealing with these people.

The exemption of oral duties can be said to be Liu Bian's test for county magistrates. Being able to truly let the people know the content of the edict at least means that they have the ability to curb local forces and promote the imperial edict. And if you can't do it, just stay where it's cool!

Of course, Liu Bian would also send official documents to the county magistrates about what Gai Xun had done.

Then, don’t say that you didn’t predict what you said.

Liu Bian continued: "Although this matter is not urgent, we can start preparations. How to train subordinates, what Guan Yunchang has done is just around the corner. Please go back and make a charter first, and we will discuss it later."

The four of them came in tremblingly and left with high morale.

　I’ll update it today, and I’ll think about it after I’ve sorted it out.

　　

　

(End of this chapter)