"Brother, you know how to govern the Song Dynasty."

Zhao Jun gave a thumbs-up and continued, "There's just one problem. Ever since the previous emperor, there's been an incredible tolerance for corrupt officials. He even issued an edict stating that as long as corrupt officials report their crimes themselves, they won't be held accountable. Isn't that a bit excessive? When did being a corrupt official become something to be proud of?"

Zhao Zhen thought for a moment and said, "Grandson, are you here today hoping that I will withdraw these imperial edicts?"

"Exactly."

Zhao Jun nodded and said, "Not only must the imperial edict be revoked, but a new decree must also be issued. Those who report their crimes can be given lenient sentences, but they must be imprisoned. Those who refuse to confess will have their property confiscated and their families exterminated. There will be no leniency."

Zhao Zhen was stunned and said, "This, this, this, Grandson, isn't this going too far? If this decree is issued, I'm afraid the entire court will be shocked, and then there will be a large number of petitions."

In order to seize the power of arrest and trial from the literati and hand it over to the Imperial City Office, Zhao Zhen had been bombarded by the censors.

In other words, Zhao Zhen was madly criticized by Zhao Jun, who told him that the imperial power must be strengthened and the power of arrest and trial must not be taken away by officials. Only then did he withstand the pressure and stubbornly refuse to make any changes.

After all, no emperor would ever refuse to strengthen his imperial power.

Even if Zhao Zhen was Renzong, he would still strengthen the imperial power and consolidate his own rule.

But ordering a nationwide crackdown on corrupt officials and ending their preferential treatment is another matter.

Because it is normal for the emperor to strengthen his imperial power.

But if he ordered severe punishment for corrupt officials, it would not be strengthening the imperial power, but strengthening supervision over officials.

This would inevitably anger six out of ten corrupt officials in the world. If the entire scholar-official class were to make a fuss, it would be a threat to his imperial power. So if Zhao Zhen could still withstand the former, the latter would be more difficult to deal with.

Even if no one would admit that they were corrupt officials, the literati always had plenty of excuses to deceive the emperor into giving lenient treatment to corrupt officials.

For example, "the ancestral precepts do not allow the killing of scholars and officials", "the scholars and officials should be treated preferentially", "the corrupt officials are not killed so that they have a bottom line and are prevented from becoming desperate", "although corrupt officials have no morals, scholars and officials should still be given a chance, etc."

Therefore, Zhao Zhen felt that this matter was rather difficult to handle.

But Zhao Jun shook his head and said, "In any dynasty, it is immoral to tolerate corrupt officials. Bureaucracy has always been an extremely bad guy. Not only is it abominable for sucking the blood out of the people, but its exploitation, oppression, arrogance, and mediocrity are equally abominable. This is not only for the people of the world, but also for the Song Dynasty. Brother, sometimes, you have to make a decision. Be brave, I believe you can do it!"

"Forehead"

Zhao Zhen looked at Zhao Jun's encouragement and was at a loss for what to do and speechless for a moment.

(End of this chapter)

2015