Chapter 72 072 I know.
Whether under the emperor's nose or in a distant prefecture or county, arresting and imprisoning people is never the most difficult task; the real hurdle is often "conviction." Once the censors, officials, and ministers all work together, even if the emperor has his own plans, he has to consider the opinions of his officials. Otherwise, the constant clamor about these matters, which brings government affairs to a standstill, is also a problem.
In the past, when an incident involved a wide range of people, it didn't mean it could be thoroughly dealt with; rather, it meant everything could be hastily concluded, a few exemplary cases arrested, and the rest released. This might be one reason why some arrogant families continued to commit offenses even after receiving hints. As long as they had many acquaintances and relatives who could plead for them, they wouldn't be the ones ultimately arrested as "exemplary cases." They had seen too many cases of lenient treatment.
Some court officials, unable to withstand the emperor's thunderous wrath, hoped their voices would be heard. However, the Wise Ruler System did not appear at this moment, leaving Zhao Jialing to vent his anger.
Zhao Jialing glanced at the quail-like courtiers and snorted coldly, saying, "The former Imperial Censor Cui Jue, after being dismissed from office, lived in a certain place. He farmed for a year and had enough to eat, and for two years he had more than enough to eat and wear... He started from barren land and now owns thousands of acres of wasteland, transforming barren land into fertile soil. He is truly 'pure and steadfast'." This was an intercepted letter between scholars. Many people were happy to write about their time in their hometowns, always mentioning "barren land," "not relying on others' efforts," and "a clean salary." But were the ways in which these fields and lands were acquired truly clean?
In a desolate, uninhabited place, perhaps there might be an endless expanse of wasteland, but in a densely populated, bustling area, it was laughable. The dispatched envoys also secretly investigated the origin of the fields and houses, finding them to be clearly the direct seizure of the local residents' shrines, inevitably facilitated by officials. Even if a few acres were indeed reclaimed land, the land reclamation was supposed to be for the benefit of the people, but in reality, these very individuals often benefited first during the distribution process.
Only the Imperial Censor was mentioned, but everyone could tell that His Majesty was being sarcastic and cryptic towards the scholars. Hesitantly, only one person cautiously stepped forward and said, "The implications are far-reaching, causing much inconvenience and potentially disturbing the peace of the people."
Such a statement is truly laughable. Zhao Jialing said calmly, "Does it mean that if you die, you will become a vengeful ghost and do evil? It's alright, I will go to the ancestral temple to pray to the ancestral spirits."
The person who spoke obviously didn't mean that, but he was speechless after being silenced by His Majesty's words and dared not argue further, retreating dejectedly. The evidence itself was conclusive and there was no way to exonerate him; the only recourse was to appeal to "stability," but His Majesty wouldn't buy it.
"It's a small matter that they deceive me, but the shortage of national funds caused by their greed is a big problem." Zhao Jialing sighed. "During the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, there were only a few hundred officials in Chang'an, and it was enough to transport a few hundred thousand shi of grain. But now it is several times that amount. I am really afraid that one day we will not be able to supply them."
The officials who participated in the regular court sessions held high positions and were somewhat aware of the state of the national treasury, knowing it wasn't as dire as His Majesty described. Yet, upon hearing this, they still felt a chill, and a single thought involuntarily surfaced: Was it to reduce the number of officials? Or to cut salaries? The former could be met with a glimmer of hope, but the latter meant equality for all.
What else could I do? After holding it in for a while, I could only curse in my heart: Those shameless and arrogant thieves are too wicked!
The secret messengers were mainly for gathering information, but the real task of investigating and dealing with the situation in the local areas was to be carried out by ministers with imperial credentials. This task fell to the Vice Minister of Revenue and the Censor.
Officials in the Ministry of Agriculture may not know how to farm, but those in the Ministry of Revenue absolutely cannot be ignorant of abacus calculation.
The court officials reached a reluctant consensus in silence, praising His Majesty's wisdom.
Never mind, as long as my head is safe.
In slightly more remote prefectures and counties, envoys were needed, but in some closer areas, those involved in major cases were directly sent to the Dali Temple prison. Usually, these cases were sealed in archives, and the people only knew bits and pieces, discussing them as stories, embellishing them several times, to the point that even ghosts and monsters appeared to prove that the world was bright and that Heaven had eyes.
Zhao Jialing originally only intended to use human heads as a deterrent, as was customary, but when he met Xie Lanzhao alone, Xie Lanzhao made a suggestion—to have the law students of Mingde Academy publish an academic journal.
In Xie Lanzhao's view, the example of making an example of someone should be thoroughly demonstrated.
Moreover, it would allow them to see the abilities of the law students at the academy and also to popularize some laws among the people.
Thus, the case files, which were originally only reviewed by officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review, became the homework of law students at Mingde Academy. After the news spread, the doctors from the Imperial Academy also came nervously, as they also had law studies and did not want to fall behind.
Zhao Jialing was satisfied with the Imperial Academy's sensible approach and stopped paying attention to their "great wisdom." However, since they were both required to complete their coursework, the decision of whose article would appear in the academic journal still rested with Mingde Academy. The Imperial Academy's Doctor of Law's first thought was that it was all over—what if Mingde Academy didn't accept the Imperial Academy students' assignments? But then he thought, it's better than getting nothing at all. Human nature is inclined to compromise; he decided to try his best to participate first.
The censors and officials also had reservations about this measure. Wasn't this just trampling on the dignity of the scholars? What if they were pointed at and gossiped about, causing their morale to plummet? Scholars… even if they committed crimes, shouldn't they still have some dignity? Neither the previous dynasties nor the first few emperors of this dynasty had ever crushed the spirit and pride of the scholars. Only a small number of scholars were punished, but the entire scholarly community was disgraced.
Zhao Jialing certainly knew that the dynasty had always treated scholars well, but to lose one's backbone just because of this would be too contemptible.
Xie Lanzhao said calmly, "Would a person who values reputation and integrity break the law? This scoundrel is shameless and dishonest, accepting bribes and favors without any sense of shame. He schemes and plots to gain wealth and status, turning himself into a monster. He has lost the integrity of a scholar. Why didn't you impeach him then? Are you only now considering the loss of your reputation as scholars?"
"What you say is indeed true, Xie Qing," Zhao Jialing said. She could somewhat understand the concerns of the censors and officials who spoke out. Their characteristic was "reporting based on hearsay" and "worrying unnecessarily." The great upheaval had stirred up a surging tide, and former colleagues who had walked together would part ways. If they had made any major mistakes, no. But those who couldn't keep up were destined to be eliminated.
She was always considerate of her officials, and fearing they might not be able to withstand the shocks of the future, she had no choice but to ask them to resign and return to their hometowns.
"Will I be branded as autocratic in the future?" Zhao Jialing wondered to herself as she asked Xie Lanzhao. From the moment she began her mission, she hadn't listened to the censors or officials in charge of remonstrance, yet the task was still being carried out smoothly. Perhaps it was because there were few dissenting voices in the court, and trusted advisors were there to "debunk" her arguments.
Xie Lanzhao hummed in agreement and smiled slightly, saying, "Your Majesty, I will be known as a favored servant, used to curry favor and gain power."
Zhao Jialing blinked and asked curiously, "So what are your thoughts?"
Xie Lanzhao said slowly and deliberately, "If it can benefit the people, enrich the country, and bring peace to the people, becoming a model for all ages, what does it matter if it is slandered by a few petty people?" Her expression was open and her eyes were firm, displaying the courage and determination of "I will go even if there are thousands of people against me." Xie Lanzhao was Xie Lanzhao, and her principles were consistent throughout.
“I know you,” Zhao Jialing said.
Xie Lanzhao had heard Zhao Jialing say this before, but this time, when she looked up, she didn't see his usual smug, smiling face and gentle demeanor, but rather an unusual solemnity. She was slightly stunned, but quickly regained her composure. "Your Majesty—" she uttered, then fell silent again, only now realizing that her mind was not a tranquil lake, but had been unknowingly disturbed.
Zhao Jialing gazed intently and said earnestly, "Go ahead and stride forward, I will accompany you."
Xie Lanzhao composed herself and bowed to Zhao Jialing. She paused, then said, "Your Majesty, I feel..."
Zhao Jialing asked, "What do you think?"
Xie Lanzhao hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's a little different now."
Zhao Jialing chuckled, her eyebrows dancing with excitement, and said, "A scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation. I have been working hard for several 'three days' now, so of course I should be completely transformed."
One of her cultivation tasks involved imperial majesty, which she had previously ignored, but recently she had actually made some progress. However, the achievement was truly embarrassing to mention. What did she mean by "Even a pig has to learn this"? As for the achievement reward, it was even more useless. It was called "Nine Clans Elimination Game," and its function was to "kill people like killing pigs," reducing the side effects of the elimination game.
Is she a ruthless killer? We still need to be wary. A thousand years of merit can blind one's discernment, and wielding great power can easily lead to an inescapable immersion in that power. Although the system says that achievement rewards are limited and only effective against truly wicked people, Zhao Jialing believes that she must set limits for herself before doing so.
As her scattered thoughts gradually converged, Zhao Jialing stared intently at Xie Lanzhao: "If I make a mistake, you must remind me." She stood with her hands behind her back, and said with an air of maturity, "Human desires are endless. My achievements today should make the late emperor regret his criticism of me back then, right? Filial sons and daughters have returned to their graves, but I alone shine as brightly as the sun and moon. I fear that if I become complacent, I will make a mistake that will last for eternity."
Xie Lanzhao: "..." How can someone be both humble and sincere, yet so smug? Perhaps this is His Majesty's talent. Xie Lanzhao couldn't understand it, and stopped thinking about it. She earnestly replied, "Yes." A magnificent, boundless sea suddenly appeared before her eyes, and Dayong was a ship setting sail, slowly heading into the depths of the mist.
The officials and censors who wanted to uphold the "integrity of scholars" were rebuffed. Regardless of their intentions, the Mingde Academy's journal flourished. While students at the Imperial Academy might hesitate to carefully choose their words, at Mingde Academy—where only the intelligent were willing to enroll—they seized the opportunity. Whether it was Cui from Qinghe or Wei from Jingzhao… they were all turned into typical cases in the book. Laws and regulations were listed and analyzed one by one, and finally, a student added: "Theft within the Confucian school is worse than robbery in broad daylight."
The academic journal circulated not only within Mingde Academy but was also sold outside through Huangyong Bookstore. Because it was a large publication, even more people could afford to buy it. Official post stations and traveling merchants also sent the journal to various prefectures and counties outside Chang'an. With all pretense and pretense stripped away, the "gentlemen" in and out of court fell silent, no longer offering any words of pleading.
The wealth of criminals is not officially owned. Zhao Jialing was short of money at the time, so he specifically ordered people to keep an eye on things, preventing any unauthorized individuals from entering; even a cat had to be confiscated. The wealth accumulated by these powerful clans and local tyrants was enormous; at least during the experimental phase of road construction, the money wouldn't have to be taken from the national treasury. There were also many secret books that could be sent to the library.
"If I'm short of money, I'll just catch a fat sheep and slaughter it?" Zhao Jialing muttered to himself, but he quickly realized that his thoughts were somewhat dangerous. It might be satisfying to feed and then reap the benefits, but are those greedy and despicable people the ones who suffer? Aren't they all from the bottom of society?
While academic journals flourished, good news also spread from Princess Jinxian's residence. Zhao Xianju and Gao Shao had been tinkering with "cement" for a while, hoping to impress others, but ultimately few were interested. Glass windows were precious and rare items; installing a few would allow sunlight into the room and provide a display piece. But what irreplaceable use did this cement have? Very few people were interested in it. Those willing to order it were mostly to keep up with His Majesty's pace, fearing they might be left behind in terms of wealth and luxury.
After several more businesses were wiped out, these people suddenly became incredibly clever and changed their minds.
"That's really strange." Zhao Xianju looked puzzled as he sorted out the list.
Gao Shao chuckled and said, "They think they're the monkeys." The palace is efficient enough to deal with a few families quickly. This will probably intimidate the local powerful clans. After all, His Majesty can't possibly dig up everyone at once and display tens of thousands of heads in the capital. But those people are thinking too much.
“We won’t let them suffer any losses.” After a few pauses, Zhao Xianju continued, “His Majesty has suddenly gone from a state of chaos to one of perfect understanding. Could it be that he is truly being protected by the late Emperor and the gods?”
Gao Shao casually replied, "Your Highness has been studying Taoism for so long, don't you know if there are any gods?"
After being teased, Zhao Xianju glared at Gao Shao and casually picked up a book and threw it at her.
Gao Shao, being the descendant of a military general, was exceptionally agile. She reached out and snatched the book. But a brief glance at it made her gasp. She quickly placed the book on the table, frowning, and asked, "What is Your Highness reading?"
Zhao Xianju glanced at her, annoyed that she was making a fuss: "The Deep Spring of the Ming Dynasty, Locked in the Secretariat."
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