Chapter 351: Zhongshu Meets an Old Friend
Chang'an.
In recent days, Li Nuo's name has often appeared on people's lips.
In the past, he was mentioned mostly because he was the son of the Grand Justice.
But this time, he truly relied on his own abilities.
After being sent as an envoy to the State of Zhao for half a year, he successfully supported the empress to ascend the throne and was named a first-rank prince. He presided over many reforms in the State of Zhao. He was nominally an envoy of Daxia, but in fact was the regent of the State of Zhao, and he and the empress secretly got married.
This is almost the pinnacle that a civil servant can achieve. Which scholar does not fantasize about all this?
There were even rumors that he and the queen had lived together for a long time and that the queen was pregnant with his child...
Zhao, like Daxia, was also one of the five dynasties.
His achievements and status have actually surpassed his father.
In Daxia, he was the son of Li Xuanjing.
If it were in Zhao State, people would only call Li Xuanjing the father of the king of a different surname, Li Nuo.
The court officials were better informed than the common people. When they went to the yamen the next day, they had already learned from their colleagues that after several transfers among the three provinces, Li Nuo had returned to Chang'an.
Half a year ago, when he was on a diplomatic mission, he was still a fifth-rank doctor in the Ministry of Justice.
After half a year on the mission, he was promoted twice and became the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice and the Secretary of the Secretariat.
According to officials from the Secretariat, as a secretary, he was not under the jurisdiction of the assistant minister of the Secretariat and was directly responsible to the left prime minister. He also did not have to follow fixed hours of going to and leaving the office. In the entire court, only officials of the third rank and above had such power.
The situation that many people had worried about before, where father and son would serve in the same court, finally happened.
Li Xuanjing was in charge of the Dali Temple and the Mingjingsi, while the Ministry of Justice was in charge of his son Li Nuo. Li Nuo also served as the Zhongshu Sheren and was able to participate in central decision-making. He wrote his own memorials and reviewed them himself. This kind of power was no different from that of a prime minister.
Strangely, the right prime minister, who had always suppressed Li Nuo, did not raise any objections this time.
It is foreseeable that the future Great Xia court will probably become a one-man show ruled by the Li family.
Ningxin Garden.
Su Qing had just come back from outside and heard the people of Chang'an talking about Li Nuo.
What do you mean he secretly married the empress? The empress is already pregnant with his child...
Of course, it is better to confirm with him personally about the various rumors about him.
She glanced at Li Nuo and asked, "What's going on between you and the Queen of Zhao? Why do people say that you have secretly decided to spend your lives together?"
Li Nuo explained: "That's all fabricated. If you don't believe me, ask Yiren. She knows everything."
Song Yiren nodded and said, "These are just boring rumors spread by the people of Zhao. The Queen of Zhao has nothing to do with him."
She scoffed at these rumors. When they were in Zhao State, she slept in the same bed with him. If Zhiyi had any relationship with him, how could she not know?
After hearing this, Su Qing didn't ask any more questions.
With Yiren by his side, he shouldn't do anything rash. It seems that I had wronged Yiren before.
The secret marriage was false, and the claim that the empress was pregnant with his child was naturally ridiculous.
After dinner, Li Nuo accompanied Jiaren and An Ning for a walk.
When he came back this time, he did not see the phoenix.
I heard from An Ning that Fenghuang left Chang'an half a month ago to look for new musicians elsewhere.
The current Fenghuang, in addition to Yuyin Pavilion, also owns Tianyin Court and Lelai Tower, and almost monopolizes Chang'an's high-end entertainment industry.
After she took over, Tianyinyuan and Lelailou both became pure music halls, but their business was better than before.
In the past, officials of all ranks in Chang'an had to be in fear when they went to brothels, for fear that they would be arrested and taken to the Dali Temple for reflection. Now, they can go to these places openly.
The service there only provides listening to music and watching dancing. The imperial examination also tests one's ability to express music. The court can't forbid them from communicating with the girls about music, right?
As more and more court officials went there, the wealthy families in Chang'an and the students from various academies also regarded it as an elegant event. Many musicians even used it to change their fate and successfully entered wealthy families. Even if they were only concubines, they could enjoy endless wealth and glory for the rest of their lives.
These two days, in addition to staying at home with Jiahe and An Ning, Li Nuo also took time to visit the Ministry of Justice.
In about half a year, the Ministry of Justice had accumulated a lot of files. Although handling these ordinary cases had only made a very small difference to his cultivation after entering the fifth realm, it was still better than nothing.
In addition, revising the Daxia Code is also an urgent matter.
The prison sentence in Zhao State had been increased to thirty years, while the maximum prison sentence in Daxia was only three years, which greatly affected the speed at which his lifespan increased.
The life span required to exchange for each ability is too terrifying. Li Nuo's current life span of more than 10,000 days will be gone if he exchanges it for the sixth level of cultivation at once. This number needs to be multiplied several times before he can feel safe.
The scope of redemption can also be narrowed.
He did not intend to abolish redemption directly. Such a thing could not be accomplished overnight.
Everyone has selfish desires, and all the officials in the court are beneficiaries of redemption. It is unimaginable the resistance they may encounter if they are asked to betray their own class.
Even taking redemption one step further would be a huge step forward.
After that, it can be gradually reduced until it is completely abolished.
Thanks to the experience of Zhao State, Li Nuo quickly revised the new laws of Daxia.
Of course, Daxia is not Zhao after all. As long as the empress gives an order, the new law can replace the old one.
According to the procedure, as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, if he wanted to amend the law, he must first obtain the consent of the Minister of Justice, and then submit the new law to the Dali Temple in the name of the Ministry of Justice.
After the Dali Temple reviews and approves it, it will be handed over to the Zhongshu Province. After the Zhongshu Province passes the resolution, it will continue to be reviewed by the Menxia Province. After the Menxia Province reviews it, it will finally be handed over to the Shangshu Province for execution. The Shangshu Province will send the new "Daxia Law" to the Ministry of Justice, and this law will truly have legal effect...
Although the process is cumbersome, no step can be skipped.
Ministry of Justice.
The Minister of Justice is fifty years old this year. He is the last fifth-level legalist in Daxia, besides Li Nuo and An Ning. Although Li Nuo has seen him many times in the Ministry of Justice before, this Minister has a personality somewhat similar to his father and is usually serious. Li Nuo only has official exchanges with him.
After reading Li Nuo's memorial, the Minister of Justice stamped his seal on it.
Li Nuo clasped his fists and said, "Thank you, Lord Shangshu."
The Minister of Justice smiled and said, "You're welcome. If the new law can be implemented, it may restore the glory of the Legalists. I have done my part..."
A moment later, Li Nuo walked out of the Ministry of Justice with the memorial.
He had never considered what the Shangshu said about restoring the glory of the Legalists.
However, the revised "Daxia Code" is indeed more stringent than the original laws, and the stricter the laws, the more beneficial it is to the practice of Legalism.
The most glorious moment of the Legalists was also when the laws were the most stringent.
Now, imprisonment, exile, and even acts that are not considered crimes are all serious crimes punishable by death when the law is at its strictest.
Nowadays, if someone flirts with a woman in the street, and the offense is minor, he will only be punished by a beating and a fine.
At that time, anyone who dared to touch a woman's face without her consent would be executed.
Visiting a brothel is not considered a crime nowadays, but at that time, both men and women who engaged in such transactions would be hanged.
However, overly harsh punishments are not conducive to long-term social stability and harmony. Under heavy pressure, a large number of people from countries with strict legal systems fled abroad. Since then, countries no longer reuse Legalists.
The laws of various countries have gone from being strict to being extremely lenient.
For example, shortening the prison term, using money to redeem the crime of a heavy sentence, etc.
The most important reason for this is the influence of the privileged class.
In the process of legal evolution, from the beginning of not distinguishing between relatives and strangers, noble and humble, to not punishing the powerful and wealthy, to redeeming sins with silver...
Every step in between is a process of constant game-playing between the Legalists and the powerful.
When the powerful have the upper hand, the laws will be more lenient towards them.
During the period when Legalism was in power, the laws were relatively strict against the powerful.
After hundreds of years of tug-of-war, the current laws of various countries were established.
When Li Nuo arrived at the Dali Temple, he happened to meet Prince Chun and his father going fishing together.
Li Nuo explained his purpose, but Li Xuanjing didn't even look at his letter and said, "The seal is in the drawer under the table, go and use it yourself..."
Watching their carriage go away, Li Nuo could only go to his yamen, find the seal, and stamp it himself.
The rest is simple.
His letter of appointment had come down yesterday. He had his own office in the Secretariat. Li Nuo came to the Secretariat, found the seal of the Secretariat Sheren, stamped it, and finally handed it to the Left Prime Minister.
After reading it, the left prime minister did not ask any more questions and said, "Wait a moment in the yamen. I will personally take it to the Ministry of Personnel for review."
Menxia Province.
The Censor of the Ministry of Justice flipped through the new Daxia Code with trepidation, and from time to time he looked up at the opposite side, where the Left Prime Minister was sitting and waiting.
The Jieshi Zhong was responsible for correcting violations of government orders, reviewing and rejecting imperial edicts and memorials, and investigating malpractices in the six ministries. If the Ministry of Justice wanted to amend the law, he, as the Jieshi Zhong of the Ministry of Justice, had the power to veto.
The terms of imprisonment will be increased across the board, from a maximum of three years to thirty years.
Narrow the scope of redemption of sentence and limit it to below exile.
The redemption amount was increased a hundredfold, and the maximum amount of redemption for a prison sentence was increased from three hundred taels to thirty thousand taels.
Even a small detail mentioned in this memorial is a big deal...
Moreover, the seals used on it belonged to the Minister of Justice, the Minister of the Supreme Court, and the Minister of the Secretariat, all of whom he could not afford to offend. After reading them, he immediately stamped his own seal on them without any hesitation.
If this memorial is rejected by him, how can he continue to serve as an official in the court in the future?
Similarly, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel also promptly stamped their seals on this memorial.
The three provinces are named three provinces, but in reality they are two provinces.
The Zhongshu makes the decision, the Shangshu executes it, and the Menxia just goes through the motions. This is already very clear in the official rank system of the court.
The Zhongshu Ling was the left prime minister, and the Shangshu Ling was the right prime minister, both of them held the second rank.
The chief official of Menxia Province, Shizhong, was only a third-rank official, and his assistant minister was two ranks lower than the assistant ministers of the other two ministries. The Left Prime Minister personally took the memorial to them for review, and his attitude was self-evident. If the Menxia Province rejected it, a reason would have to be given to the Left Prime Minister.
After passing the imperial examination and before entering the court to serve as officials, officials had to take an oath in the Confucian temple.
The content of the oath includes being an honest official and serving the people wholeheartedly. Who dares to openly oppose such a reform?
After the Menxia Province has reviewed and approved it, the memorial will be passed to the Shangshu Province, and all that remains is to execute it.
The Secretariat governs the six ministries, and its orders can reach the nine temples and local prefectures and counties. Only with the nod of the right prime minister can the orders of the Secretariat be executed.
This is also where the contradiction between the left and right phases comes from.
Without the approval of the Left Prime Minister, the Right Prime Minister cannot draft any decree.
Without the consent of the Right Prime Minister, the Left Prime Minister's orders cannot be implemented.
Unless the two people reach a consensus, no reform can be implemented.
The left prime minister thought that the right prime minister would put forward conditions this time, but he did not expect that after reading the memorial and the thick new law, he quickly said to an official: "Let the Ministry of Works print the new law as soon as possible and send it to the capital and various state offices. From today on, anyone who commits a crime will be punished according to the new law..."
…
Secretariat.
Li Nuo was drinking tea in his own yamen. When he looked up, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure passing by the yamen. After a slight pause, he immediately stood up and said, "Wait a moment."
The young official holding a pile of documents in his arms stopped and turned to look at the source of the voice. He was also stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Brother Li, long time no see..."
Li Nuo walked out the door and asked with a smile: "Why are you here?"
Zhou Yu said: "I have just been transferred to the Secretariat as the Chief Secretary."
Li Nuo remembered that Zhou Yu ranked over 80 in the imperial examination and could only be appointed to a ninth-rank official position. At that time, he was doing clerical work in a county in the capital.
Although both are clerks, the chief secretary of the Secretariat is of the seventh rank.
The Secretariat was the absolute center of the imperial court, and the Chief Secretary was responsible for the compilation and writing of rules and regulations.
Although he has no real power, he can get access to state secrets in advance. He can gain experience in this position and then go to the Six Ministries for some practice. If he does an average job, he may stay in the Six Ministries. If he has outstanding political achievements, he will be transferred back to the Secretariat and become the Secretariat Sheren.
After further training, the Zhongshu Sheren can be transferred to the Six Ministries Shangshu, Jingzhao Yin, Jiuqing and other third-rank officials. If they are transferred to the inner court, they can become Zhongshu Shilang. If they move up further, they can become prime ministers...
Of course, there are very few Zhongshu Zhushu who can become prime minister. Both strength and luck are indispensable.
But even so, for the seventh-rank official position of Zhongshu Zhushu, I am afraid there would be many people who would be willing to exchange it for the sixth-rank or even the fifth-rank position.
Inside the government office, Zhou Yu explained in detail: "I used to be a clerk in Liyang County, but after the Twin Kings Rebellion, the county lieutenant was beheaded by the Dali Temple, so I was promoted to county lieutenant. Half a year later, my father found a way to transfer me back, and I have been working in the Secretariat ever since..."
The Rebellion of the Two Kings was an event in which the King of Han and the King of You purged the court.
Many officials died that time, resulting in a serious shortage of manpower in the court. Many senior officials were promoted, and those without seniority had to be promoted as well. There was no other way but to make room for the new batch of Jinshi this year. Compared with the new Jinshi, they at least had some seniority...
Zhou Yu was lucky and had connections in the court, so it was no wonder he was promoted so quickly.
Zhou Yu clasped his fists towards Li Nuo and said, "I haven't congratulated Brother Li on his promotion yet."
Li Nuo also clasped his fists and replied, "Congratulations, everyone."
One-sixth of the credit for his being the top scorer in six subjects went to Zhou Yu.
If he hadn't sacrificed his own family for the sake of justice, Li Nuo wouldn't have caught his father. And if Li Nuo hadn't passed the six exams and become the top scholar, it's not certain whether An Ning would marry him.
Li Nuo poured him a cup of tea and asked, "Is your father doing well recently?"
Zhou Yu nodded and said, "He is doing well. He was just transferred to the post of Doctor of the Ministry of War a few months ago."
From Langzhong of the Imperial Guards to Langzhong of the Ministry of War, although the official position is still the fifth rank, the meaning is different. Langzhong of the Ministry of War has higher power and a brighter future, which is far higher than Langzhong of the Imperial Guards. It seems to be a horizontal transfer, but in fact it is a secret promotion.
This is also good news for Li Nuo.
He will have to contact the Ministry of War next. If he has acquaintances there, many things will be easier to accomplish.
Li Nuo was just about to catch up with Zhou Yu when a head popped in from outside. Seeing Zhou Yu, he said in an unhappy tone, "Master Zhou, what are you doing here? Have you found the document I asked you to find for me? Zheng Sheren is in a hurry to get it. There are a few more documents for you to find..."
Zhou Yu picked up the document on the table and said, "Found it, found it..."
The middle-aged official walked in and said, "You found it, but why don't you send it to me? What are you wasting time on here..."
Li Nuo turned to look at the middle-aged official and asked, "Who are you?"
Zhou Yu took the initiative to introduce: "This is Zheng Zhushu."
The middle-aged official was stunned for a moment when he saw Li Nuo, then he immediately bowed and said, "Greetings, Mr. Li!"
Li Nuo smiled and said, "So it's Zheng Zhushu. I thought it was Zheng Sheren."
Zheng Zhushu's heart skipped a beat. Having been in officialdom for so many years, how could he not hear the hidden meaning of these words? Wasn't this Zhou Zhushu just the son of a doctor in the Ministry of War? Why did he look so familiar with Li Sheren?
Although they were all Zhongshu Sheren, the status of the other Zhongshu Sheren were far inferior to his.
At least, they did not give the Left Prime Minister the honor of taking the memorial to the Ministry of Personnel for review in person.
He took the documents from Zhou Yu's hands with trembling hands, and said repeatedly: "Thank you, Secretary Zhou, I will find the other documents myself, so as not to delay you and Mr. Li's reminiscence..."
After Zheng Sheren left quickly, Zhou Yu clasped his fists to Li Nuo and said, "Thank you, Brother Li."
Li Nuo waved his hand and said, "You're welcome."
In official circles, workplace bullying is very common. Although Li Nuo has never encountered it, he has seen a lot of it. He just didn't expect that even the second generation of officials like Zhou Yu would be bullied.
Zhou Yu explained: "Zheng Zhushu is from the Zheng family, and Zheng Sheren is his uncle."
This is not surprising. The Zhongshu Sheren would not take the Bingbu Langzhong seriously. As one of the six major families, the Zheng family can even ignore the imperial court in their territory.
Another voice came from outside the government office: "Master Zhou, Master Zhou, Master Du is looking for you..."
Zhou Yu said to Li Nuo: "I'll go first, we'll talk later."
Li Nuo nodded and said, "Go ahead."
Zhou Yu walked to the door, and suddenly turned his head. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Brother Li, can I ask you a question?"
Li Nuo said: "Just ask."
Zhou Yu looked at him and asked curiously, "Is the Queen of Zhao your woman?"
(End of this chapter)
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