Chapter 128: Dad
Ministry of Justice.
Inside the government office.
Li Nuo looked at Li An Ning and asked, "In other words, if I can promote the Anti-Theft Division throughout the country, I can be promoted to the second level?"
Li Anning nodded and said, "Why do you think so many Legalist predecessors risked their lives to promote reform and restructuring throughout their lives? Catching a thousand thieves is not as good as making a law..."
When Li Nuo looked back on the history of the Legalists, it seemed to be true.
The earliest powerful Legalists all had their own set of Legalist theories.
They lobby everywhere with their own theories. Once their theories are adopted and vigorously promoted by a country, their cultivation will improve rapidly in a short period of time.
This is how the earliest Legalists reached their highest levels.
As the Legalist system gradually improved, there was no more innovation in the general direction of the Legalists.
Later disciples of the Legalists could only make some minor changes based on the original laws.
For example, the scope of redemption of sentence will be narrowed from death penalty to exile.
Alternatively, increase the amount of ransom and raise the cost of the crime.
Promoting legal reform can benefit tens of millions of people. It is naturally more meaningful and will bring higher rewards than catching a few thieves or sentencing a few murderers.
But high returns are often accompanied by high risks, and the current laws are the result of multi-party bargaining.
Most people who try to break this balance end up paying the price with their lives.
However, what Li Nuo wanted to do did not touch anyone's cake, so the danger was not that great.
Li Anning said, "It would take countless manpower and financial resources to establish a thief-hunting department throughout Daxia. It is far from being that simple. The imperial court has always been very cautious about such reforms and will not easily agree to them. They need to be discussed in the court... Do you think I haven't thought about doing this?"
Li Nuo had indeed thought too simply just now.
He and Li An Ning played house in Chang'an, and the higher-ups gave his father face and turned a blind eye.
But it is not easy to promote institutional change, even a small one.
At least, he himself doesn't have the energy.
But there is a way out.
Dali Temple.
When Li Nuo came to the Dali Temple again, he heard someone playing the piano from afar.
Some officials and runners from the Dali Temple were standing or leaning in the yard, with their eyes closed and looking very happy.
The Taiyue Bureau is not far from the Dali Temple. Liu Shang, the Taiyue Director, comes to the Dali Temple to practice the piano every noon. Everyone in the Dali Temple thought it was noisy at first, but now they are used to listening to him play a few songs every noon.
After the song, an official opened his eyes and saw a figure. He immediately walked forward and said, "Sir, here you are. Lord Li is playing chess with His Royal Highness Prince Chun. I'll take you over..."
Dali Temple, Temple Minister's Office.
After Prince Chun placed a chess piece, he said to Li Nuo, "Why haven't you come to Prince Chun's mansion recently? The chefs in the mansion have developed many new dishes. Bring your wife to try them next time..."
Li Nuo explained: "I have been busy with some things in the Ministry of Justice recently. I will definitely visit Uncle Prince Chun in a few days."
Prince Chun said, "Don't wait a few days. Let's do it today. After this game of chess, you and your father should go over there. I will have someone tell the cook to start preparing now..."
Li Xuanjing said, "There are some important matters in the Dali Temple today, so let's do it another day."
Prince Chun was a little disappointed, but still said: "Okay, Xuan Jing said to do it another day, then let's do it another day..."
While playing chess, Li Xuanjing asked, "How is the situation at the Anti-Theft Bureau going?"
Li Nuo immediately said, "Everything is going smoothly. We can catch dozens or even hundreds of thieves every day and help the people recover their stolen property. It won't be long before the thieves in Chang'an are no longer so rampant..."
Since this topic was brought up, Li Nuo struck while the iron was hot and said, "Those people in the Thief Sect are not only good at stealing, but also good at catching thieves. There are so many of them, and it would be a waste to keep them in jail. If we could set up a thief-hunting department in other prefectures, not only would it allow them to atone for their crimes, but it would also benefit more people..."
Prince Chun looked at Li Nuo and said with emotion, "As expected of Xuan Jing's son, he can actually come up with such a plan. Unlike that good-for-nothing in our family, he only knows how to fiddle with a bunch of broken wood and flirt with a wooden woman every day. I must have done something wrong in my previous life to give birth to such a bastard son..."
Li Nuo said quickly: "In fact, this idea was first thought up by Princess An Ning, and... the prince is a Mohist cultivator. At such a young age, he has already reached the fourth realm. He is undoubtedly a Mohist genius. How can he be said to be useless..."
Prince Chun sighed and said, "Hey, you don't know, he actually said a few days ago that he wanted to marry that wooden woman..."
“…”
Li Nuo didn't know how to respond.
Although he himself is relatively traditional, he has also been impacted by various advanced ideas of later generations.
Although he couldn't understand this kind of thing, he expressed his respect.
Especially since Li Yun is a Mohist, it is even more understandable.
The Mohist school is like this; they regard the mechanisms they create as their own hard work. Over time, many Mohist disciples will develop a special feeling for the mechanisms.
Let's take a step back.
The one Li Yun likes is, after all, an agency worker, and an agency woman...
Prince Chun waved his hand and said, "Let's not talk about him anymore. You just said that you want to set up anti-theft departments in other prefectures. Although this idea is good, it may not be so easy to do. Such a large-scale reform needs to be discussed by the court officials. Starting tomorrow, Prince Rui will be the regent. He hates your father the most and will definitely not let you get your wish..."
Even Prince Chun said so. It seems that this matter is really not easy.
Prince Chun patted him on the shoulder and said, "However, if you are not in a hurry, just wait a few more months. When your uncle becomes regent next time, I will definitely get this done for you..."
Li Nuo clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, Uncle Chun."
Prince Chun waved his hand again: "Hey, we are a family, what are you thanking me for? Remember to bring your wife to our house for dinner next time... By the way, I heard from Li Yun last time that you and An Ning were practicing together?"
Li Nuo nodded.
Prince Chun showed a look of relief on his face and said, "Concubine Ning died early. An Ning lost her mother when she was six years old. She has always been a loner. I didn't expect that she could become friends with you..."
Li Nuo was stunned.
Has Li Anning's mother passed away?
No wonder she got so angry when she learned that Han Zhuo's mother was instigated by him to commit suicide in the last Han Zhuo case...
Some people dream of what others find worthless.
Next to the chessboard where the two were playing chess, there was a plate of tangerines. Prince Chun took one out and handed it to Li Nuo, saying, "This is a top-quality tangerine grown by farmer Gao Jing himself. Try it. It tastes better than the tribute tangerines from the south of the Yangtze River. It's also good for your health..."
In fact, Li Nuo was holding two oranges in his arms that he had taken from Li An Ning.
Looking at these tangerines, Prince Chun recalled some past events and said, "I remember that Concubine Ning loved eating tangerines and even planted an tangerine forest behind Changning Palace. My father gave all the tangerines that the Sinong Temple presented as tribute to Concubine Ning, which caused the other concubines to complain..."
Li Nuo's expression was stunned again, and the orange in his arms suddenly became heavy.
It turns out that the reason why she likes to eat oranges so much is because of her mother...
I even steal her oranges every day...
He really deserves to die!
Li Nuo took the tangerine handed to him by Prince Chun, but did not eat it. Instead, he put it in his arms.
“You don’t like eating oranges?” Prince Chun thought that he didn’t know the value of this orange, so he said, “This honey orange is not an ordinary orange. It is grown by powerful farmers above the fourth level in history. It is grown by the mother plant that was nourished by the true energy of farmers. It is extremely precious. Only the prince who is the regent is qualified to taste it. Prince Chun’s palace was only allocated three…”
Li Nuo took a look and found that besides the one in his arms, there were two left on the plate on the table.
He smiled and said, "Thank you, Uncle Chun Wang. I want to take it back and eat it with my wife."
Li Xuanjing handed him another orange on the plate and said, "I don't like eating oranges, you can take it back too."
"this……"
"Take it."
"Thank you, father. I'll go back first."
After Li Nuo left, Prince Chun looked at Li Xuanjing in surprise and said, "I have known you for so long, but I have never heard that you don't like eating oranges?"
He peeled the last tangerine, gave him half, and said, "Try it, this tangerine tastes really good..."
…
Ministry of Justice.
Li Nuo walked into the government office, and Li An Ning immediately asked, "How is it?"
Li Nuo shook his head.
Li An Ning didn't say anything else. As she expected, this matter was not an easy task even for the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple.
Li Nuo silently took out three oranges from his arms and placed them on the table.
Li Anning was stunned and extremely surprised.
He always steals his own oranges, but now he actually returns them.
And I returned one more.
She peeled an orange and put it in her mouth. The next moment, her expression was stunned again.
This is not the taste of Jiangnan tribute orange.
This is the taste of the tangerines grown on the mother tree in Sinong Temple deep in her memory.
When her mother was still alive, she could eat a lot of these top-quality tangerines every year.
But since her mother passed away, she has never eaten the tribute oranges from Sinong Temple again.
The familiar taste from the depths of her soul brought back many memories of her mother.
A tear quietly fell from her eyes.
Li Nuo looked at Li An Ning in a daze. She was just eating an orange, why was she crying?
Are the oranges from Sinong Temple really that delicious?
This made him feel even more guilty.
If I had known this, I wouldn’t have stolen her oranges.
With a feeling of great guilt, he silently took out the last orange hidden in his arms...
After an unknown amount of time, Li Anning wiped her tears, looked at Li Nuo, and asked, "Where did you get this orange?"
Li Nuo said honestly: "Just now in the Dali Temple, His Royal Highness Prince Chun gave me two."
The number of fruits produced by the mother tree of honey tangerines in Sinong Temple every year is extremely small. Even though she is a princess, she cannot get even one.
My father has so many princes and princesses, but only a few princes who serve as regents are qualified to enjoy them.
It's not that the tangerine is of great value, but that it is a symbol of status.
Li Anning looked down and saw that there were indeed two oranges, which were obviously different from the other two.
Two of them were the Jiangnan tribute oranges that Li Nuo stole from her, and the other two were brighter in color. Even from a long distance, one could smell the refreshing fruity fragrance. They were obviously the best products produced by the mother plant at Sinong Temple.
She looked at Li Nuo in great surprise and asked in disbelief, "Are they all for me?"
Although Li Nuo and his wife also like to eat oranges, for them, these are just appetite.
Since the oranges from Sinong Temple have special meaning to Li Anning, it would be fine to give them all to her.
One night of marriage means a hundred days of love, three nights of marriage means three hundred days.
Even if we give a discount to fake couples, there is still a hundred and fifty days.
Li Nuo looked back and didn't see anything wrong, so he walked to the door and looked outside, then walked back and said, "No one in my family likes to eat oranges, so I'll give them all to you."
After saying that, he sat down in his chair and picked up a file to look at.
However, he couldn't focus entirely on the files.
As expected of an orange grown by Sinong Temple, when Li Anning peeled an orange, the whole room was filled with a rich fruity aroma.
Li Nuo couldn't help swallowing a few times.
Such a fragrant orange, I wonder what it tastes like.
As this thought came to my mind, a slice of orange was handed to me from the side.
Li Nuo turned to look at Li An Ning and said, "I can do it myself..."
As soon as he opened his mouth, the orange slice was stuffed into his mouth.
One bite and the fragrance spreads everywhere, it’s so delicious that it makes you cry.
No wonder Li Anning cried just now. This orange tastes better than the peach before.
Another orange slice was handed to him. Li Nuo just stretched out his hand and wanted to have it himself, but it was stuffed directly into his mouth again.
Li Anning ate half of an orange and gave the other half to Li Nuo.
She looked at the remaining tangerine and said, "Take this one back and let them have a taste. This tangerine grew from the mother tree at Sinong Temple, and its taste is different from the tribute tangerines from other places..."
Although Li Nuo gave her both tangerines, Li Anning was not an ungrateful woman.
She didn't intend to take away all the things that belonged to Song Jiaren.
"Oh well."
After Li An Ning said this, Li Nuo did not say much. He took the last tangerine back and divided it between his wife and Murer Ning'er.
If three people share an orange, each person can only get two slices.
Song Muer tasted a slice of orange, widened her eyes and said, "Brother Li Nuo, this orange is so delicious, better than any other orange I've ever eaten. Do you have any more?"
Li Nuo said: "No more, these are what the uncle gave me last time, there are only two."
"What about the other one?"
"I ate it."
Song Muer finished eating her two orange halves and went to the yard to swing.
After Ning'er got her two petals, she disappeared soon.
Song Jiaren ate one petal herself and passed the other to Li Nuo.
Li Nuo shook his head and said, "I've already eaten, you can eat it."
But Song Jiaren did not take her hand back.
Li Nuo could only reach out and take it.
This is the difference between my wife and Li Anning.
Although he was not allowed to refuse, for the same orange slice, his wife would silently hand it to him, while Li An Ning would directly put it into his mouth.
The next day, when Li Nuo arrived at the Ministry of Justice, it was obviously quieter than yesterday.
He remembered that today was the first day of the new year.
On the first day of every month, the prince who serves as regent is rotated, and a court meeting is held regularly, in which all officials above the fifth rank must attend.
Li Nuo realized that today was already the first day of October.
The spring examination is on the first day of February, and the imperial examination is on the first day of March. There are still five months left before the imperial examination.
Li Nuo walked into the yamen, but Li An Ning had not arrived yet.
He sat in Li Anning's seat. Her chair was soft, with cushions under her butt and on her back, making it much more comfortable than his.
While she was not here yet, Li Nuo made himself a cup of tea and drank it leisurely.
Without Li An Ning around, the yamen seemed especially quiet.
At this time, there was some noise in the palace and the main hall, with many officials talking endlessly.
As October approached, the prince who served as regent changed from Prince Gong to Prince Rui.
The prince regent is rotated every month. This policy has been implemented for nearly ten years and the court officials have long been accustomed to it. What they are discussing at this moment is a proposal made by Li Xuanjing, the Minister of the Dali Temple.
Li Xuanjing controlled two key departments, the Dali Temple and the Mingjing Division, and was extremely powerful, but he seldom spoke at court meetings.
But every time he opened his mouth, it would cause a bloody storm, and countless people would lose their heads.
Therefore, when Li Xuanjing stood up, many officials couldn't help but feel a little nervous, wondering who he was going to attack next.
Fortunately, he didn't mean to kill anyone this time.
Some time ago, the Chang'an County Government, the Ministry of Justice, and the Dali Temple jointly enforced the law and cracked a large-scale thieves organization. Hundreds of thieves were arrested, causing the prisons of these government offices to be overcrowded.
The Dali Temple Minister proposed that a thief-hunting department be set up in each provincial government office to be responsible for arresting thieves.
At the same time, these captured thieves were assigned to the local anti-theft offices, where they were asked to catch thieves themselves and make up for their mistakes.
Although this proposal does not require killing, it is also very troublesome.
Each county government expands a new department. The Ministry of Revenue needs to allocate funds, and the Ministry of Personnel needs to assign responsibilities. Should this department be placed under the command of the county lieutenant, or should a separate official position be established?
Will the transfer of power to the county lieutenant disrupt the balance of power in the local county government?
Would the creation of additional official posts lead to redundant officials and honorary posts, and how much more salary would the court have to pay each year?
These are all things that need to be discussed by all departments together.
When it comes to national affairs, it is better to remain calm than to move. Besides, there has never been such a precedent of letting criminals catch criminals.
Many officials hold opposing views in their hearts.
But they didn't speak.
Finally, an official stood up and said, "I object. Catching thieves is the responsibility of the local county government and the county lieutenant is responsible for it. Setting up a separate thief arrest department is really unnecessary..."
The second official stepped forward and said, "It is ridiculous to let a prisoner perform the duties of an official. I heard that a thief-hunting department has been established under the Ministry of Justice, and many thieves have been recruited there. This is simply ridiculous!"
Soon a third figure stepped forward and said, "In my opinion, the Anti-Theft Division of the Ministry of Justice should also be abolished!"
After someone stepped forward to take the lead, more voices of opposition began to emerge in the court.
But they just felt that there was no need to make a fuss all over the country, and they selectively ignored the Anti-Theft Department of the Ministry of Justice.
Who doesn't know that Li Xuanjing's son is a law practitioner?
He did all these things to pave the way for his son.
The last person who wanted to cut off his son's path to cultivation had already died.
If you offend him to death, who knows what he will do next.
The three officials who just spoke were all followers of King Rui. With the support of the two major families, King Rui's strength has increased dramatically in the past two years, but he suffered a great loss at the hands of Li Xuanjing. Naturally, he will not let Li Xuanjing get his way.
Among all the court officials in the palace, only a few censors from the Censorate supported this reform, but their voices were quickly drowned out by the opposition.
Above the Golden Palace, a young man wearing a tall crown and with a stern face slowly stood up and said, "Since so many people are against it, let's stop here and there is no need to discuss it further..."
Soon, today's court meeting ended and the court officials returned to their respective offices.
Ministry of Personnel.
An official bowed to the new examiner and said, "Lord Sun is very impressive. He actually dared to be the first to stand up and refute the Dali Temple Minister. I admire him, I admire him..."
Doctor Sun glanced at him and said, "What's there to admire? I always say what I think. The court already has enough redundant positions. Is it necessary to set up another anti-theft department?"
The official patted him on the shoulder and said, "Lord Sun has just arrived in Chang'an, and there are some things he doesn't understand. Forget it, forget it..."
Watching Doctor Sixun leave, Doctor Kaogong curled the corner of his mouth in disdain.
He's just a judge of Dali Temple, why do they get scared like that?
His Royal Highness Prince Rui regards Li Xuanjing as a thorn in his side. He has just arrived in Chang'an, so naturally he has to perform well in front of His Royal Highness.
It doesn’t matter whether there is a theft prevention department or not. What matters is your attitude.
Whatever Li Xuanjing supports, he will definitely oppose.
When no one in the hall dared to oppose the treacherous minister Li Xuanjing, he was the only one who stood up without hesitation.
In Sun Jian's own eyes, he is a righteous man who is not afraid of power and dares to speak out.
He was a Langzhong of Kaogong, at least a fifth-rank official of the imperial court. He also had Prince Rui behind him. He really didn't believe what Li Xuanjing could do to him.
While he was thinking this, two figures walked in from outside.
Doctor Sun frowned and said in a deep voice, "Don't you know to knock before coming in?"
The two looked at each other, turned around and walked out of the door, knocked on the door, and walked in again.
Sun Jian frowned and asked, "Who are you and what do you want from me?"
The two men in black spoke slowly.
"Sun Jian, the doctor of examination."
"The Mirror Department has discovered a large amount of property of unknown origin in your residence. Please come with us to the Mirror Department for investigation."
Sun Jian's face turned pale.
No, those things are in the secret room underground in the house. The secret room can only be opened through a specific mechanism. How did they know?
On the way to the Mingjing Division, Sun Jian saw two other familiar faces.
Just now in the hall, the three of them took the lead in opposing Li Xuanjing.
Just after the morning court session ended, the three of them were arrested and taken to the Mingjing Division.
If this isn’t revenge, what is?
He wasn't even willing to wait two days!
Three officials of the fifth rank were arrested at will. This is Chang'an!
Is there no one who can control him?
(End of this chapter)
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