Han Shizu

Ma Qing's concerns are very reasonable. Following Liu Jiqian's transfer, Shenzhou officialdom ushered in a major adjustment, which even had a certain purge purpose.

He guessed very accurately that all the chief officials of Shenzhou, Prefecture and Three Counties were unlikely to remain in office. What he guessed wrongly was that the outcome would not be transfer, but beheading.

Feng Shan, the magistrate of Xinyang County, and Wu Changlin, the magistrate of Yingshan County, along with several state officials, were all taken away and executed. They were first beheaded and then interrogated, and then the people of Shenzhou were clearly informed.Of course, in name, they are punished for bullying the emperor, taking bribes, and bending the law to harm the people.

What this treatment wants to express to the ignorant people at the lower level is that Shenzhou's bad government and the suffering of the people are all caused by these corrupt worms. It has no direct relationship with the construction of Taikang Palace. Even if there is, it is this group of corrupt officials. Blind the sight and hearing.

All in all, the emperor is also a "victim", the emperor is also innocent, and the emperor's glorious image cannot be tarnished.At the same time, the emperor was also very angry, and he had just killed him to bring order to the chaos and restore peace to the people of Shenzhou.

As for how many people this set of nonsense can fool, and how far the goal can be achieved, it is not the old emperor's main consideration.The old emperor understood the truth deeply that the common people are easy to bully and easy to appease when bullied. In contrast, the powerful bureaucrats are more difficult to deal with.

Therefore, the Shenzhou incident could not just pass like a breeze. He had to show something, just like he had done repeatedly, killing the chicken to scare the monkeys.

If every place behaves like Liu Jiqian did in Shenzhou, then the Han Dynasty will not be able to withstand a lot of troubles. Letting Liu Jiqian go or even give him a promotion is already a bad start.

Therefore, the old emperor could only use some less representative chickens to warn the monkeys all over the world. Before doing this, he first weighed whether he was Liu Jiqian, whether he had that kind of relationship, and whether the person he met was someone like Taikang Palace. event
In fact, if Luan Jia was not still in Shenzhou, the stability and prosperity of Shenzhou was related to the majesty of the emperor. The old emperor would have wanted to clean up Shenzhou from top to bottom.

Of course, it is not impossible to do that. After all, the old emperor has no shortage of people at the moment. Among the accompanying ministers, there are a lot of people with local experience. Just pick a few people, with low-level positions and high-level positions, and have the power to control state and county affairs. They can solve the problem. .

However, the old emperor did not want his trip to Shenzhou to be too bloody.

The most shocking thing about the whole process was Ma Qing, the former magistrate of Luoshan County. Two of the three county magistrates were cut down, and he was the only one left.He doesn't think he is anything special. The only difference may be that he sees opportunities quickly and follows Liu Jiqian's footsteps. Therefore, when the transfer order is issued, even if he is demoted to Chuzhou in southern Zhejiang and becomes a county magistrate, he will be grateful. Thank you and bow down endlessly.

At least if his life is saved, there is still hope. What's more, in terms of "personal ethics" as an official, Ma Qing is the same as Liu Jiqian. Although he has none, he rarely seeks personal gain. In this regard, he is still very clean. Unlike the other two counties, which are full of shit.

As the initial turmoil subsided, the situation in Shenzhou gradually stabilized, a large amount of resources continued to pour in, and the prosperity of Xinyang was still steaming. The old emperor could relax a little and stay in Taikang Palace to enjoy the cool weather.
However, after all this turmoil, how can one sit still!
It is true that the old emperor's actions in handling the Shenzhou affairs showed a hint of twilight, conservatism and even ignorance. However, all the experiences from the south still deeply touched him and even stung him. A proud heart.

The old emperor was indeed lazy and lax, but he did not sink to the bottom after all. When it came to issues involving imperial power and rule, his high sensitivity was only covered with dust, which does not mean that he completely lost it. consciousness.

Looking back at the old emperor's life, it can be said to be magnificent, but not necessarily full of ups and downs.It can be said that except for the worries and repetitions in the early years, the old emperor's subsequent life has been relatively smooth and he has not experienced too many setbacks.

Even the two large-scale Northern Expeditions of Qianyou and Kaibao were just a historical surge. Success or failure was not fatal to the rule of the Han Dynasty or the old emperor.

Since the beginning of his reign, the old emperor has been on the right path and won a series of brilliant and great victories that are recognized by the world. He himself has been immersed in them and reveled in his achievements.

Let the facts speak for themselves, the old emperor can be called the emperor of the ages.However, if we put aside these auras and analyze his person and experiences, we may be able to draw another conclusion.

The wise and powerful people in the early years were to protect the nascent Northern Han Dynasty and the Liu family's wealth and lives; the youth's enterprising and diligent pioneering were to unify the country and restore peace to the world; in middle age, they became suspicious and suspicious, and they also had troubles in government affairs. Although he was negligent, he was resolute and thorough with clear goals in controlling power and maintaining rule; but in his later years,
It is said that times create heroes. The hero of the old emperor was precisely created in time, and he was favored by God for a long time.The changes in his later years, especially in recent years, may ultimately only point to one point: he is also a mortal body and is not any more advanced than his "peers".

The old emperor always maintained a sense of crisis, was highly vigilant about everything, and was good at summarizing and reflecting. Coupled with Empress Fu's reminders and advice, he kept his wisdom fresh for a long time.

Otherwise, based on the behavior of the old emperor in recent years, after the success of Kaibao's Northern Expedition, he would probably be in trouble, and there would be no golden age in those ten years.

After the death of Fu Fu, the old emperor no longer had anyone to "check and balance" him. Except for his unabated desire for power and undiminished desire, he had slackened off in other aspects.The reasons are all-round, the goal is missing, the mind has declined, and the body cannot keep up.

Even now, it is difficult to tell clearly when the changes in the old emperor began and how they developed to the present level.Fuhou's death was only a superficial turning point, but the change in his mentality may be traced back even further.

After the Shenzhou incident, the old emperor had a rare opportunity to reflect on these things and people, and also did some introspection on himself.It was far from the level of sudden awakening, but the process was really painful and his heart was tormented. The old emperor still found it difficult to face himself.

On the other hand, if you stay in this luxurious and magnificent Taikang Palace, what kind of truth can you reflect on? Even if there is any, it is just a conjecture.

So, the old emperor, who was always uneasy in his heart, suddenly remembered Wang Yuchen's previous inquiry?How long had it been since he had personally seen things, understood the sentiments of the people, seen the country of the Han Dynasty with his own eyes, and seen what the living conditions of the people of the Han Dynasty were like?
"Where are Wen Huan and Wen Ji?" On this day, the old emperor suddenly asked.

If it were Yantuo, faced with such a sudden problem, he would probably just open his mouth and say nothing else. He could clearly handle all the big and small things around the old emperor.

It's difficult for Hood. He has to make inquiries first before he can give the result.However, the old emperor didn't have much objection to Hood's slowness. It was good to do his duty.

Yan Tuo was too shrewd and too keen, which resulted in him being too selfish and thinking too much about himself. In the end, he even lost his life.

The reaction may be slow, but Hood's efficiency is not low. He only made the old emperor wait for more than a quarter of an hour before he came back and said: "Back to the official house, Wannian Hou is hunting at the foot of the mountain, and His Highness Wenji is studying in the palace."

After hearing this, the old emperor pondered for a moment and immediately said: "Studying and practicing martial arts are done in the capital! This palace is so dazzling that people can't open their eyes. How can you read books?"

Without waiting for Hu De's reaction, the old emperor immediately reached out and ordered: "Inform the two of you to clean up and follow me on a patrol tomorrow!"

"The officials are on patrol!" Hu De was surprised and said quickly: "I will inform someone to make arrangements now."

"What are the arrangements?" Seeing this, the old emperor immediately interrupted him angrily: "What can you tell by setting up a guard of honor with great fanfare!"

Well, not long ago, Luan Jia entered the city with the same grand display of honor, but the old emperor noticed something strange about the people of Shenzhou, which was already concealed.If there is no cover-up, then the current situation of people's livelihood and sentiment in Shenzhou may be what the old emperor wants to find out.

The old emperor's thoughts were like this, but Hu De was shocked. The old emperor wanted to go on patrol incognito. How could this be done? After Wei Wei thought about it, he bit the bullet and asked for instructions: "Except for the two royal highnesses, I don't know who the official family wants." Who will accompany you, who will escort you, and where will you patrol?"

Listening to these questions, the old emperor became a little impatient, but he also knew in his heart that he couldn't really go on patrol secretly. In that case, the people around him would not dare to let him out even if they died.

After pondering for a while, he said: "Let Wang Xuanzhen take Wang Qinruo with him, and let him lead me around Shenzhou and talk, and the others will not be alarmed. As for the escort, who is on duty in front of the palace today?" Go back to the official’s house, battalion commander Li Jihe!”

"Let Li Jihe pick a team of guards to accompany him in civilian clothes and escort him at his side!" The old emperor ordered: "As for where to go, it matters where you go!"

"What about Taikang Palace? If the empress and ministers ask, how should I explain it?" Hood was still full of doubts.

"It's just a patrol, why are there so many worries?" The old emperor was completely annoyed: "If you tell me, I'm in a bad mood. I won't see anyone in the next few days!"

"Yes!" Seeing that the old emperor's patience was almost worn out, Hood did not dare to be verbose anymore and could only respond helplessly.

Can the atmosphere be the same whether this person is present or not?Can you hide it from others?The dignitaries of the Han Dynasty are not blind or deaf. The old emperor may not see anyone for a month, but as long as they stay there, they will be honest.

But for these people, Hu De could only arrange them according to the old emperor's wishes.Hu De felt heavy. On the other hand, Li Jihe, who was appointed by the old emperor to escort him, was honored but also felt pressured.

First of all, whether to report it to the army and camp, and whether to let these immediate superiors know.If he doesn't retaliate, if something goes wrong while the imperial commander is on patrol, his little arms and legs won't be able to bear it. But if he retaliates, wouldn't he immediately violate the holy will?
As for who to choose, the escort plan, etc., it is secondary.No matter how the atmosphere of the Imperial Army has changed over the years, the basic quality of the guards is still excellent, and their manpower is absolutely guaranteed.

No matter how tangled up the people below were in doing things, the old emperor kept his word. Early the next morning, when the sky was dark, he set off in high spirits. He even rode a horse in person, which was rare. Under the shroud of morning light and dozens of followers, Accompany me and go down the mountain.

What the old emperor didn't know was that before he set off, the senior dignitaries accompanying him basically knew about his private visit. They didn't care whether they knew more or not, but the news was received. What's more, even the old emperor left. The time and staffing of the palace are known. The only uncertainty is the destination and purpose. After all, it depends on the mood of the old emperor.
Xinyang will naturally not be the destination. The old emperor has also heard about the liveliness there during this period. He no longer dares to be interested in the prosperity that has surged to the point of being false. On the contrary, after returning to Beijing, it will attract people's attention. Let’s see what Xinyang is like.

The only remaining counties are Yingshan and Luoshan counties. Comparing the two, we naturally tend to favor Luoshan, otherwise there would be little point in bringing Wang Qinruo.

Xinyang can be called a land of plenty, with a large population, rich products, and good scenery. It has mountains, water, lakes, tea, and stories. These are also important factors to consider when choosing the location of Taikang Palace.

However, as it is also under the jurisdiction of Shenzhou, the situation in Luoshan is somewhat less than satisfactory.The first is transportation. The old emperor has always been proud of the "straight roads" of the Han Dynasty. Those wide and flat avenues are like blood vessels, connecting all parts of the Han Dynasty, conveying instructions and orders from the center, and are also an important symbol of the centralization of power in the Han Dynasty.

But in fact, the construction of straight roads was limited to major cities in the Han Dynasty and some key transportation places.Due to actual conditions, Dahan has only taken a small step in transportation construction. In recent years, the construction of straight roads has become more and more perfunctory. Before the construction cost drops significantly and the construction technology improves, it will be difficult to build another straight road. Big breakthrough.

The transportation from Xinyang to Luoshan is really difficult to describe. There are both water and land transportation. Shishui flows from southwest to northeast and stretches to Luoshan. This is the first choice for many people.As for the official road on land, it is narrow and irregular, with many depressions, fractures, and potholes. Just walking through it will make your stomach feel empty.

It was the rainy season, with continuous heavy rains, and the roads were muddy for a long time. The old emperor who chose to take the land route also suffered a lot. He was tired from riding a horse, and it was not easy to ride in a car.
At that time, he expressed emotion that the big man still needed to work hard to build bridges and pave roads.

Only 12% of Luoshan County is plain area, mainly distributed in the Huaihe and Shishui basins, and the cultivated land area is even less. The county's registered cultivated land is less than [-] acres, and the average per capita is more than four acres. But per capita data, look at this That is, how can it reflect the true level.

This is still data on paper, and according to Wang Qinruo's explanation, even if the hidden land is included, it is difficult to exceed 20 acres.

Among the cultivated land, some abandoned land had to be cleared away. This attracted the attention of the old emperor. In this peaceful era, when the population grew, he would only think that there was less land. When there was no disaster or harm, how could there be such a situation as abandoning land?

Wang Qinruo's answer directly silenced the old emperor. The reason is very simple, the competition for farmland population. Like most parts of the country, Luoshan County has experienced a population surge in the past 30 years. Today, the number of registered Dingkou in the county has exceeded Thirty-five thousand people.

Among these people, the strong labor force is always in abundance. However, in the competition for this elite population, the landlords and old wealthy people have perseverance, while the bureaucrats have less perseverance as their positions are transferred.

Over the past few decades, we have seen that the number of self-cultivated farmers has continued to decrease, and the decrease in registered acres has been accompanied by an overall increase in population and cultivated land. The extra population and land have naturally been absorbed by those powerful landowners.
Wang Qinruo had nothing to hide from the old emperor. He immediately made the old emperor furious when he gave an overview of the development of Luoshan County in the past 30 years that he knew about.

All along, the old emperor believed that he was fighting against those bureaucrats and landlords, fighting against land conflicts, and fighting against the almost unstoppable trend of historical development.

To this end, he has actually done a lot and carried out a lot of reforms, but the situation in Luoshan County once again slapped his old face.What he thought was laying a solid foundation and strengthening the foundation for the Han Empire and the Liu family was really just wishful thinking.

The old emperor asked Wang Qinruo very angrily, what were these local officials doing, and why did they not crack down on these repeated tyrants to restore the dignity of the government.

Wang Qinruo's answer was bold and practical. How could a low-ranking official stand up to a noble family?In the past, it is not that there were no strong magistrates and county magistrates, but they could suppress them for a while. Once they were transferred and replaced with someone who was slightly weaker, it would be difficult to control them. What is even more frightening is that some people simply chose to make peace with local powerful people in order to seek fame and fortune. , political achievements, and even governance and public security require their cooperation.

The old emperor knew that what Wang Qinruo said was reasonable. Compared with the powerful clans that had taken root for decades or even hundreds of years, it was indeed not easy for a county magistrate who served for three to five years to suppress the powerful local clans for a long time.

And the official system is one of the most striking features of the centralized government. In this regard, one can only take advantage of it and endure the small harm.The struggle between the government and powerful people only maintains a dynamic balance in the short term. In the long term, the expansion of local clan powerful forces is inevitable.Even the so-called balance has to be in an environment where the central authority is strong.

This is the truth, but for someone like the old emperor, it is extremely difficult to get him to accept it.He was holding back his dissatisfaction and wanted to vent it. The old emperor asked: "I heard that Luoshan magistrate performed well in his tenure. What kind of governance method does he have for the powerful clan?"

At this moment, Wang Qinruo knew in his heart that the future and destiny of Mazhi County might depend on his words.Thinking of the scene when Ma Qing rushed into the house and took him away, Wang Qinruo wanted to take revenge here and go back.

But after a brief whim, he was extremely restrained and calm. Wang Qinruo also knew that accompanying the king this time was an adventure for him. It was related to his official career, so he should be more cautious in his performance.

Therefore, resisting the urge to retaliate, Wang Qinruo replied in a pertinent tone: "Although the governance of Mazhi County is lenient and even relies on local big families, it does not compromise blindly. The overall situation of the county has always been in control." It’s under control!”

After hearing what Wang Qinruo said, the old emperor's expression improved a little, and he couldn't help but glance at him in surprise.After pondering for a while, he asked again: "How is the tax reform in Luoshan? How is the progress of the land clearing?"

When asked, Wang Qinruo looked embarrassed, hesitated a little, and answered honestly, but made little progress.This once again angered the old emperor. The tax reform policy has been announced by the court and will be implemented nationwide. It has been more than a year, but there has been no progress. Is the little Luoshan County going to change the world?

Although he was frightened by the powerful old emperor, Wang Qinruo still tried his best to calm down, explained calmly, and carefully pointed out that in the past two years or so, Luoshan County's main energy was focused on dealing with the state government's transfer order, and all resources were concentrated in Taikang Regarding the construction of the palace, other aspects were naturally neglected.
So the old emperor was choked again and went around and around to Taikang Palace again.He really didn't expect that the impact of the construction of Taikang Palace would deeply cover all aspects of local governance, and even delay the imperial reform plan.

There was a moment of impulse, and the old emperor wanted to issue an edict to burn down the Taikang Palace. This was probably because his dusty shame came back into play.