"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."
Shengdu also quickly stood up and saluted.
"Okay, don't thank me, thank Hanlong instead."
Zhao Zhen shook his head.
If it were in the past, he would have treated it as nothing.
In history, Zheng Jian captured people like Lu Gongchuo, but released them soon after, didn’t he?
Moreover, these people later became high-ranking officials and had no problems at all.
But now that Zhao Jun is here, everything must be dealt with according to the law.
However, Zhao Jun personally believes that exile is too harsh a punishment for reading banned books. Only by making the sentencing standards fair can the punishment be dealt with leniently.
As for Lu Gongchuo, he must be dealt with strictly.
Let’s keep things separate.
Reading banned books such as Wen Tian History is not a big deal, but selling official positions and using influence to accept bribes are definitely not to be forgiven.
So the fact that Lu Gongbi, Sheng Shenfu and Zhang Yuxi were fine should be thanked to Zhao Jun for relaxing the previously strict punishment for collecting banned books, otherwise these three would have been in great trouble.
"Well, I'm exhausted from all this traveling. My legs are almost worn out. And because of your incident, I didn't even get a good night's sleep on the road."
Zhao Jun stood up and said in a deep voice, "I have to go back and catch up on some sleep. You guys should do whatever you need to do. Lü Yijian, Sheng Du, I can only remind you that the development of the country is like the rolling wheel of history. Don't keep trying to stop it with your bodies. Your old bones can't stop it. That's all I have to say. Leave it at that."
He bowed to Zhao Zhen and said, "Brother, I really can't handle this any longer. This mess is really giving me a headache, and every one of them is a real worry. These old men are too corrupt, and it's time to replace them. Let's get some young people in. I'm going back now."
It's really embarrassing to say this in front of everyone.
But it is not Zhao Jun's fault for speaking harshly. The future development of the Song Dynasty was clearly told to them, but they still wanted to obstruct it for their own interests. They had no determination to serve the country and the people at all. They were purely motivated by their own selfish desires. How could people not be angry?
Besides, there were not many outsiders here, so Zhao Jun was too lazy to put on airs with this group of people. He just spoke in a tone that was one-third threatening, one-third humiliating, and one-third sarcastic.
After all, it is to express one's dissatisfaction and also to warn these people that if they do this again in the future, they should get out of the Constitutional Yuan.
"Well, you go first, grandson."
Zhao Zhen said hurriedly.
"I will escort you to the magistrate's office."
Li Di stood up and followed Zhao Jun out.
The two men walked to the corridor outside the door and headed towards the palace.
After walking a few dozen meters out of Chongzheng Hall, Zhao Jun turned around and asked Li Di, "Old Li, I didn't expect you to not punish Lü Yijian to death?"
Li Di smiled bitterly and said, "I would like to, but the law already has such provisions."
"Do you think I believe it?"
Zhao Jun smiled and continued, "The right to interpret the law is in your hands. Since the law does not allow such abuse of power by using influence, isn't it you who has the final say on how to sentence someone?"
"Yes, it's not impossible for me to give Lu Gongchuo a heavy sentence if I want to, but I think that at least the government and the prefect are unwilling to go to that extent."
Li Di smiled and said, "So I can only find the least culpable one among these."
"You are good at understanding people's hearts."
Zhao Jun also laughed.
I raised my head and looked into the distance, but there was only melancholy in my eyes.
I can’t say that I am a friend, nor an enemy to Lu Yijian. At most, we have different political views.
It would not be the case that he was shielding Lu Yijian.
Otherwise, Lu Gongchuo, whose crime was more serious, would not have been sentenced so severely.
But in the final analysis, it is all for the peace of the Constitutional Yuan.
Unless the emperor sheds tears and executes Yijian, it will not be good for anyone if he really breaks off relations with Lu Yijian.
More importantly.
Zhao Jun has no relatives in this world.
The people who were closest to him were Zhao Zhen and the earliest eight people: Lü Yijian, Yan Shu, Wang Zeng, Cai Qi, Song Shou, Wang Sui, Fan Zhongyan, and Sheng Du.
Now that Wang Sui is dead, one of the eight people is gone, and the rest probably won't live for many more years. In the future, fewer and fewer people will know his background.
Why should we kill Lu Yijian and Sheng Du?
Therefore, for the sake of legal fairness, abolishing the serious crime of banning books is one aspect.
On the other hand, I really don’t want to go that far.
Fortunately, Lü Gongchuo was not a public official, and his intention was not to accept bribes. He was simply using his influence to make a connection, rather than accepting bribes and perverting the law as a chief official. Otherwise, he would have had no choice but to execute Lü Gongchuo to set the record straight.
(End of this chapter)
2015
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