Zhao Defang's road to the virtuous king

In June of the first year of Jingde, the imperial court issued an edict: "After investigation, people from various prefectures went to the capital to recommend or retain local officials to the imperial court, which was mostly involved in favoritism. From now on, ordinary people, monks and Taoists are not allowed to privately go to the capital to stay as local officials. There are really good government officials. , must be reported to the imperial court through a transshipment envoy, and the envoy will still be entrusted to investigate and see if it can be heard. If you dare to violate the border, the leader will be treated as a law."

In the Changchun Palace, Zhenzong and Defang discussed matters, and Defang submitted a letter saying, "Your Majesty, I have re-elected 24 officials. Please have a look at the roster."

Zhenzong took over the roster, "Thank you for your hard work, brother, sit down."

"Thank you Your Majesty." Defang sat aside, "Your Majesty, these 24 people are all talented and virtuous, and their political achievements are quite good. After the initial selection, they will be determined after consideration."

Zhenzong looked at the roster and nodded, "Well, very good, I will appoint 24 people to prepare talents."

"How does His Majesty assess them?"

"I am going to order the 24 people to be brought into the Chongzheng Palace one by one and then sit in the right place. The outsiders will go to the palace by post. I will carefully assess their talents, learning and senses, and then let the talented learners go to the third hall. Those with high official status will be judges, and those who are pragmatic and loyal will be directly promoted to official positions."

"Your Majesty"

[24 persons: Bian Su, doctor of the Ministry of Punishment; Ju Zhongmou, Prime Minister of the Dianzhong; Zhu Xie, a member of the Ministry of Justice; Chen Ying, Hao Taichong, Li Xuan, a member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ma Jing, He Liang, Zhou Jiang, Xie Tao, Wei Taisu, a doctor of Taichang ; Guozi Dr. Chen Zhaodu; Taichang Cheng Cui Duan, Gao Jinhui; Secretary Cheng Zhao Xiang, Zhang Ruogu, Jiang Yu; Dianzhong Cheng Huangfuxuan, Teng She, Lu Xuangui, Li Fengtian; Prince Zhongyun Cui Zundu; Zhongshe Caodu; Supervisor Chen Yue]

"Brother Huang, since we prayed for rain in the middle of May, there has been no rain yet. Drought has been reported in various places this month. There are more than [-] people who have died due to the heat in the capital alone, and hundreds of people have suffered from heat stroke. As a worry."

"Your Majesty sent Chinese envoys to the temple to dispense medicine last month, and the Imperial Medical Office also sent several imperial physicians to help the people choose prescriptions. For this reason, the Kaifeng government ordered that water tanks be placed in all the lanes for the common people to dispel the heat. There is still work to be done, and most of the dead are for this."

"At present, there is still a labor office in the capital?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, the repair and reinforcement of the city, the removal of the old government office and the replacement of the new one, and the expansion of Quxiangping Road all require labor."

"The heat is so hot that human life comes first. It's not a problem to suspend these affairs. Brother Huang, you can issue an order from the Ministry of Works later to suspend labor in the capital. In addition, the Chinese envoy will give you more medicine to promulgate the best anti-corruption prescriptions in the palace." All over the world, regarding the matter of praying for rain, I plan to send Zhizhi Gao Chen Yao to consult Beiyue."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Defang said, "Your Majesty, there is an edict at the beginning of the month to cancel the tributes of the Sichuan, Shaanxi, Fujian and Guangzhou Army Fengtian Festival, and the tributes of the prefectures and neighbors three thousand miles away are also cancelled. Since this month, Hongdezhai played the Dangxiang Fan Department Commander Du Wei and others to join our dynasty. I heard that the people of Dangxiangbian Town have recently learned of the Central Plains imperial decree and more and more people want to return. Song Wanmin made more and more people return to the border."

"Yes." Zhenzong nodded, "For the Linbian Fan tribe, I follow the law of my ancestors, which is very effective. What they ask for is nothing more than fame and money, and I can give them all. Let Li Huan send his son Shehuan in Jiaozhou this month. Let’s talk about the tribute matter of Ming Ti, the prefect of the state. This Ming Ti said he was begging for grace from the heavens to come to this Dao to comfort his descendants. In fact, he just wanted me to give him more property. The governor of Huanzhou didn't seal it up, Mingti saw the reward, his jaw couldn't close his smile, hehehe"