I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 61 Before quarreling, it’s important to do your homework

Early this morning, inside the Chui Gong Hall.

As soon as Zhao Zhen sat down, he saw the memorials from Ouyang Xiu, Tang Jie and Su Liang.

After reading the three memorials, Zhao Zhen couldn't help but frown.

All three impeached the political advisor Chen Zhizhong. In the case of land embezzlement in Bianjing, they were afraid of the powerful and only arrested the scapegoats, leaving the real mastermind behind the scenes to go unpunished.

Su Liang even claimed that this move was: only swatting flies, not tigers!

"Ugh!"

Zhao Zhen let out a long sigh and murmured: "These three people are going around in circles and trying to change their ways!"

If Chen Zhizhong dared to do this, it was naturally Zhao Zhen's instruction.

All the officials in the court knew about it.

This matter caused a big fuss, and the officials and noble relatives of the Song Dynasty lost face.

Since the three of them knew that it was Zhao Zhen who had given instructions, they still wanted to make the matter a big deal. Naturally, they wanted to reform the law and change the land annexation method.

Zhao Zhen thought for a moment and looked at Zhang Maoze on the side.

"Mao Ze, do you think our government should restrain land annexation?"

"It's just me and you in the palace, but it doesn't matter!" Zhao Zhen added.

Zhang Mao thought for a while and said: "Since Taizu, our dynasty has not suppressed mergers. Not suppressing annexations can make commerce prosperous and help cultivate wasteland. Bianjing can be so prosperous, and our dynasty's water transport business can be so developed. It has the merit of not suppressing mergers, but...but this also leads to the gap between the rich and the poor being too wide, and various phenomena of forced buying and selling occur from time to time. As for whether to suppress it or not, it still depends on how the officials and you all decide!"

Zhao Zhen rolled his eyes at Zhang Maoze and said, "I said a lot, but if I spared it, I didn't say anything."

Zhang Mao smiled awkwardly and lowered his head.

As a chamberlain, the official family has not yet made up its mind, so naturally he cannot give an answer first.

I can only say this kind of wheelbarrow talk.

Zhao Zhen thought for a moment and said: "Xian Ouyang Xiu, Tang Jie, and Su Liang are here to meet. Oh... no... forget it, I really can't defeat them. Let's inform the court for an afternoon meeting!"

"Yes, official." Zhang Mao said with cupped hands.

……

In the afternoon, Chuigong Hall.

Prime Minister Du Yan, Deputy Prime Ministers Chen Zhizhong and Wu Yu, Privy Councilor Jia Changchao, Third Secretary Zhang Fangping, Hanlin scholar Ouyang Xiu, Taiwan admonishers Wang Gongchen, Tang Jie, Li Ding, and Su Liang were all summoned into the palace.

Before entering the palace, everyone drank an appropriate amount of tea, ate some snacks, and paid their respects.

Today's court meeting will definitely not be short.

After a while, Zhao Zhen came to the throne.

He raised the memorial on the table and said straight to the point: "Today, Ouyang Yongshu, Tang Zifang, and Su Jingming respectively submitted memorials to impeach Vice Minister Chen for fearing the powerful in the case of land embezzlement in Bianjing and only arresting scapegoats. People. I feel it is necessary to explain, so I summoned all of you for discussion."

"Our dynasty has not refrained from annexation since the founding of the country. Over the years, bureaucrats and wealthy businessmen have indeed purchased a lot of land. I believe that those who purchase at market prices are in line with national policy and have no fault in doing so. However, those who plunder by force must be severely punished!"

"I have read the closing memorial of Deputy Prime Minister Chen. It involves many officials and noble relatives. Some of them may have acted based on their power, but I believe that most of them were their servants and distant relatives who acted based on their power."

"There are too many officials and nobles involved in this matter, and it is a confusing matter. The more we investigate, the more people involved and the more chaotic it becomes."

"I then told Deputy Prime Minister Chen that there is no need to fight to the end, just severely punish the main culprit and return the property. Some may have someone behind the scenes, but after this punishment, they will naturally know what to do next, and this is the end of the matter. Okay, do you all have any objections?"

Hearing this, Chen Zhizhong couldn't help but straighten his chest, as if to say: I am just following the official's wishes, what can you do to me?

This is indeed the right way to handle the matter.If we were to take it seriously, most of the officials and nobles in Bianjing City would probably be demoted and punished.

Tang Jie stood up first.

"Officials, I have no objection to the arrangement of this matter. But the situation of annexing land by force in Bianjing City has become so serious that other state capitals can imagine it."

"I believe that the current policy of not suppressing mergers has caused many hidden dangers. Bureaucrats use power to occupy land, and wealthy businessmen purchase land with low capital. This is very abnormal. The people are complaining. The land property law should be reformed immediately, otherwise the consequences will be very serious. !”

On the side, Supervisory Censor Li Ding took the lead to stand up.

"Tang Yushi, this statement is ridiculous! You only see the slight disadvantages of not suppressing mergers, but you cannot see the huge benefits."

"My government's policy of not suppressing annexation can enable the people to make money in business and encourage the poor to reclaim wasteland. Look at how many people in Bianjing can still live and work in peace and contentment without relying on land. Look at how many people have moved to the northwest border and rely on land. By trading, you can enjoy cooking sheep every day. In your eyes, you only see a small group of poor people, but you cannot see the abundant food and clothing in our great Song Dynasty!"

After saying that, Li Ding held his head high and felt a sense of pride.

What Su Liang couldn't stand the most was this kind of person who told lies with his eyes open.

He couldn't help but stand up.

"I dare to ask Li Yushi, how can a poor and weak family, with heavy servitude and heavy taxes, and no land in their hands, do business? Who will provide the capital?"

"If you don't have money to do business, can't you cultivate wasteland? Our government has given the people enough freedom, and they have hands and feet, so how can they still starve to death?"

Su Liang sneered: "Li Yushi, why don't you eat minced meat?"

"Do you know how much labor is needed to cultivate wasteland? If poor people want to cultivate land, they have to rely on powerful landowners and borrow food and clothing to grow food. It is difficult to maintain food and clothing in good years, let alone in disaster years!"

"Who can do business on the northwest border and cook sheep for fun? Who doesn't bring a lot of money to start a business? Today, what we want to debate is not how the people at the bottom live, nor the advantages and disadvantages of unrestricted mergers, but the power of bureaucrats, wealthy businessmen The big businessmen exploited and plundered by taking advantage of the national policy of not inhibiting annexation."

"The people at the bottom have no power or wealth, and are not protected by laws. They will only become poorer and poorer. This makes them feel that it has been difficult for them to stand up for generations, and they can only rob, steal, and rebel!"

"Su Liang, don't talk nonsense!"

"The Song Dynasty is in its prime, and it is not as unbearable as you say. You claim that the people have no cost to do business and are unable to cultivate land. It is just a piece of lip touching the lower lip. Why should the officials believe your words? What do you have to say? evidence?"

"I really have evidence!"

Su Liang smiled slightly and took out a document from his arms.

He smiled and said: "In the official family, I once served as an official in Qizhou. This document records in detail the movement of people and the reclamation of wasteland in Licheng County, Yucheng County, Changqing County, and Linyi County in Qizhou. According to the directory and the income of tenants, the owners of reclaimed wasteland are all wealthy households, and there are very few poor farmers participating in business!”

After saying that, Su Liang submitted the document.

On the side, the supervisory censor Li Ding's face turned pale with anger.

He argued forcefully: "How can Qizhou alone represent the more than 200 states of the Song Dynasty!"

At this time, Su Liang smiled slightly, took out another document from his arms, and said: "I also have some data on Kaifeng Prefecture. If you want to see the data on other states, you can ask the Third Secretary Envoy. It is easy to find. !”

Zhang Fangping on the side said with a slight embarrassment: "It's easy to find, it's easy to find."

Hearing this, Li Ding wanted to find a crack in the ground and crawl in.

His face was slapped by Su Liang again and again.

On the side, Jia Changchao and Wang Gongchen were also stunned.

Normal court discussions are all about eloquence, but I never thought that someone would start to give evidence.

Zhao Zhen didn't expect Su Liang to be so well prepared.

After taking the document, he read it carefully and said, "What Su Qing said is supported by detailed data, and it is obviously more reasonable!"

(End of this chapter)