Han Dao world

Liu Xie did not speak, but acted.

Outside the study, Yuan Heng, who was waiting in the corridor, heard Cai Yan's scream and was startled. He wanted to go in to have a look, but he didn't dare. His face was flushed, and he covered his ears and fled.

-

Jia Xu walked slowly into the hall and saluted Liu Xie who was sitting behind the case.

Liu Xie pointed to the soft seat opposite. "Sir, please sit down."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Jia Xu sat down.Liu Xie poured another cup of hot tea, pushed it over, and placed a piece of paper in front of Jia Xu.

Jia Xu glanced at it without changing his face, and took a shallow sip of tea.

Although he didn't sign it, he believed that Liu Xie could recognize his handwriting, and he didn't mean to hide it.

"Sir, what can't you say directly, why do you have to make such a big detour?"

Jia Xu smiled, stretched out her hand to collect the paper, put it into the brazier at the side, watched the fire flash, the paper slowly curled up and turned into ashes, and then said with a smile:

"Your Majesty, it's just a matter of raising your hand, no thanks."

Liu Xie was slightly taken aback, then burst out laughing. "Sir, do you think I'm thanking you?"

"En." Jia Xu raised his head and looked at Liu Xie with a smile. "Your Majesty doesn't intend to kill at all, but it's hard to make a decision. Wouldn't it be a good thing for me to ask Mrs. Tang and Cai Lingshi to come forward and give Your Majesty a reason?"

Liu Xie snorted, disapproving.

"As for Mrs. Tang and Cai Lingshi, His Majesty's grace, it is not a day for women to be officials, and they will be criticized. If they don't come forward to intercede, although it is not their fault, some people will inevitably be angry. Instead of this, it is better to let them Come forward to intercede. Even if you are punished by His Majesty, making people understand their difficulties will do more good than harm."

Liu Xie had to admit that Jia Xu was right.

This is actually the reason why he planned to let Cai Yan return to Chen to stay for a while.

"Putting aside these considerations, talk about your own thoughts." Liu Xie waved his hand, ending the unnutritious topic.

"Your Majesty's exile of the rebellious family members was not intended to kill people. It is expected that these people were born in well-dressed homes and have not endured hardships overseas. It is not surprising that they fled back to the Central Plains. It was just that they fled against the imperial edict. Even if the death penalty can be spared, exile again is inevitable. Those who assisted them cannot escape the responsibility, and they can share the same crime. I think that Sikong will not reject this proposal, and will only be grateful to His Majesty for his tolerance."

Liu Xie frowned, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and then turned into joy.

No wonder this old fox is called a poisoner by later generations. This move is too insidious.

Not only has he been kind, but he can also take the opportunity to expand the situation and move more Kanto gentry away from their original places and send them to remote places.

However, Zhou Zhong and the others could not refuse.

-

In the eighth year of Jian'an, the eleventh day of the twelfth lunar month.

The Sangong and Jiuqing took their seats one after another, with dignified expressions and cautious movements, even speaking in a low voice, as if they were afraid that others would hear them.

Sikong Zhouzhong frowned even more, twisted his beard, and said nothing.

After Xuanbo Ting sat down, he lowered his head and stared at the space in front of his knees, not communicating with anyone.

The government officials who were ordered to attend the meeting became nervous when they saw this scene.

Everyone knows what the theme of today is, and can predict what will happen, but they don't know where it will develop.

Two days ago, Lantai Order Shi Caiyan wrote a sacrificial article and published it in the residence newspaper, praying for the thousands of souls who died in the war in the past 20 years since Zhongping.

A seemingly merciful incident caused the emperor to be furious.

Cai Yan was dismissed and immediately returned to his hometown to visit his relatives.

Since the autumn of the second year of Xingping, when he escaped from the Xiliang army, Cai Yan has been following the emperor, writing countless articles for the emperor advocating equality between men and women, and all people are all scholars, titled Tianzi Wendan.It is said that Zhou Yu was rejected because of his admiration for the emperor, which can be described as infatuation.But now he was driven away because of a sacrificial oration, which is really surprising.

But those who understand the situation in the imperial court are not surprised at all.

The emperor was preparing to use the excuse of the returnees from abroad to start a massacre. Cai Yan suggested a public sacrifice at this time, making it clear that he was pleading for those returnees and persuading the emperor to kill carefully.

For the Son of Heaven, this was tantamount to betrayal.

Cai Yan lived in the center for a long time and was close to the emperor, but he was dismissed because of a sacrificial oration, and was immediately driven away. The punishment was so severe that everyone was silent. We had to weigh whether we had Cai Yan's influence.

Sikong Zhouzhong was so worried that his hair turned white within a few days.

Others can keep silent, but as Sikong, he has to express his opinion.

If he doesn't express his position and just flatters his wishes, those people will only have a dead end, and countless heads will fall to the ground.

But declaring his position means that his official career has come to an end, and under the wrath of the emperor, he will not even be able to maintain his last dignity.

At this moment, countless people thought of his predecessor Zhang Xi.

Sikong's position is somewhat ominous.

Chapter 1127

After a while, footsteps sounded, and a censor shouted.

"The Son of Heaven is here."

All the officials in the hall stood up subconsciously and saluted Liu Xie who walked in quickly.

Zhou Zhong, who was most nervous, shook his hands and pulled off a few beards, his face constricted in pain.

"My ministers, see your Majesty."

"Everything is flat." Liu Xie waved his hand and nodded to Taiwei Jia Xu and Situ Yang Biao. When his eyes swept over Sikong and Zhou Zhong, his eyes turned cold, and he glanced over.

Zhou Zhong's heart skipped a beat, and he became even more uneasy.

Liu Xie took his seat and made a joke first, asking Situ Yang Biao: "Situ, has the result of this year's plan come out? How is it compared to last year? Can you get full salary this year?"

Yang Biao cupped his hands. "Returning to Your Majesty, this year's plan is not yet over, but the general results have already come out. Compared with last year, it has increased by about [-]%, and the four prefectures of Yanyu, Jingyi, and Yizhou all have gratifying increases. Not only can all salaries be paid this year, but some rewards can also be issued. .Relevant materials have been dispatched from various counties and will be delivered to the line soon."

Liu Xie nodded. "Very good. In a few days, it will be the ninth year of Jian'an. Nine is an extremely large number, and there should be a phased result. Regarding rewards, you should make a plan and take care of some ordinary officials. They follow the court It’s not easy after so many years. Prepare more practical things, and you don’t need flashy things.”

"Wei." Yang Biao bowed to accept the order.

"Your Majesty is wise." Everyone chanted in unison, especially the middle and lower level officials of various temples were the happiest.

With the words of the emperor, this year's New Year will be more nourishing.

"Captain, how is the winter training arranged?"

Jia Xu stood up and bowed his hands in salute. "Abiding by His Majesty's edict, the winter training in all counties and counties is carried out normally, and the four generals at the front, rear, left, and right are also conducting training in their respective stations. The three divisions of Guang Luxun, Weiwei, and Zhijinwu are also training according to the plan, and they can go out at any time."

Everyone's heart skipped a beat.

The Son of Heaven attaches great importance to military affairs, and counties and counties organize drills every winter. This is something everyone knows.The Guangluxun, Weiwei, and Zhijinwu three divisions around the emperor are usually training troops, and it is not uncommon to conduct joint exercises in autumn and winter.But what did Jia Xu mean when he said that he could go out at any time?

Yizhou has been leveled, and the war in Jiaozhou has not yet begun. What kind of levy is there?

At this time, Liu Xie asked again: "How many available soldiers are there near Nanyang?"

Jia Xu didn't think about it. "There are 730 soldiers in the three divisions of the Forbidden Army, 180 and 910 officers, a total of 890, and 37 generals. There are 750 counties in Nanyang, with a total of 92 soldiers. There are also General Hussars, Han Sui, General Fujun, and the Chang'an garrison nearby, totaling [-] and [-] people, ready to be transferred at any time."

As Jia Xu reported numbers one after another, the atmosphere in the hall instantly dropped to freezing point.

Anyone who is not stupid can hear the strong killing intent behind the emperor.

Everyone knew that the new military service law was implemented smoothly, and there were many soldiers in Nanyang, but they didn't know how many soldiers were available in the hands of the emperor.

Now that Jia Xu reported the specific figures, I realized that the Son of Heaven has so many soldiers in his hands, one hundred thousand in Nanyang County alone.

Although Nanyang has a large number of household registrations, it is beyond everyone's expectations to have so many soldiers.

In particular, the total strength of the four generals in the front, back, left and right has reached more than [-], which is double that of before, which many people did not expect.

It can be seen that the emperor spent his time in Nanyang, and he really gained the hearts of the people, and the number of people who actively joined the army increased.

If the county soldiers only maintain local law and order and do not take on many combat missions, the four generals are standing troops, ready to fight at any time, and the station is not far from the emperor's line. three days.

In other words, if the emperor wanted to use force, he would have [-] elites available within three days.

What this means is clear to everyone.

Sikong Zhouzhong's face was pale, and cold sweat broke out from his forehead, layer after layer, and the neckline was soon soaked.

Without a doubt, he was the most stressed out of them all.

"A soldier is an ominous weapon. If you are prepared, you will not be in trouble. Use it for yourself. Governing the country should still be based on the law. There are laws to follow, and there are laws to follow." Liu Xie said unhurriedly, his eyes glanced intentionally or unintentionally. Xiang Zhouzhong. "Sikong, what do you think?"

Zhou Zhong hurried out and bowed down on the ground. "What His Majesty said is true."

"Let's talk about the escape and return to justice." Liu Xie waved his hand and got to the point.

Zhou Zhong swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and said with some difficulty: "The case of escape and return has basically been investigated. The mastermind is the old governor of Bohai Sea, the widow of Yuan Shao, the governor of Jizhou, and other 13 people. There are 38 households and 180 five people involved in the case. Impatient with the bitter cold overseas, they fled overseas despite the edict’s prohibition. Officials from Qing, Xu, Yan, Yu, and Hebei prefectures, some neglected their duties, and some deliberately covered up. A total of 390 people were involved. After escaping, the counties and counties covered them. Conceal and not report..."

Zhou Zhong took out the prepared reports and read them out one by one.

When everyone heard this, their faces changed again.

The case involved a wide range of shocking.Compared with the returnees, the number of those who provided convenience and even protection for them has reached the point of disregarding the face of the court. No wonder the emperor was furious.

After Zhou Zhong finished his report, he handed over the report with both hands.

Liu Xie flipped through it casually, and asked a faint question. "This is just a summary of the case, what is Sikong Mansion's solution?"

Zhou Zhong swallowed again, feeling his throat was even more dry.

The reason why he didn't write a treatment plan was not because he couldn't write a treatment plan, but because if he really followed the plan, many people would die.

Not only Liu and other conspirators must die, but those who provide convenience for them and help them conceal their whereabouts may also die.

This includes Nanyang celebrities like Runan prefect Zong Cheng.

They know the law and break the law, and the crime is aggravated.If the emperor refuses to spare them, there are some reasons to kill them, and just resisting the imperial edict is enough to make their heads fall.

"Your Majesty..." Zhou Zhong thought about it, and opened his mouth with difficulty.

Liu Xie interrupted Zhou Zhong. "Sikong Mansion has no plan, is it because there is nothing to follow?"

Zhou Zhong smiled wryly and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, it is not impossible to rely on. Exiles who fled back privately should be executed according to the law..."

"Since there are laws to follow, why not judge according to law?" Liu Xie picked up Zhou Zhong's report and shook slightly. "It's Sikong who can't perform his duties, should I make the decision?"

"Your...how dare you." Zhou Zhong fell on the ground, a little dizzy.

What they have always longed for is that the emperor will rule under the arch, and the government will belong to the Sangong.Now the emperor asked him why this Sikong couldn't perform his duties, and whether he wanted the emperor to make a decision, which can be said to have driven him to a dead end.

If he judges according to law, he will not bear it.If the judgment is not made in accordance with the law, the emperor will be furious and will definitely not agree.

If he doesn't make a decision, it proves that it is impossible for the government to return to the three princes, and it is useless to give them a chance. How can he ask the emperor to continue to delegate power in the future?

"Then tell me, what is the meaning of this report." Liu Xie raised his hand and threw Zhou Zhong's report on the ground.The pages of paper spread out one after another, as if slapping Zhou Zhong's face one by one.

Chapter 1128

Zhou Zhong fell to the ground, Liu Xie didn't speak, his face was sullen, and his cold eyes swept over everyone.

Everyone lowered their heads, and no one dared to speak.

After a while, Situ Yang Biao got up and left the table, walked to Zhou Zhong's side, lifted up his clothes, and knelt down side by side with Zhou Zhong.

"Your Majesty, I have something to say."

"Say." Liu Xie withdrew his gaze and said lightly.

"There are laws to follow and examples to follow for exiles, but there are some differences. Before exile, no matter how far away it was, it was within the territory of the Han Dynasty. Although it was hard work, it was not difficult for the barbarians. Now Your Majesty is opening up overseas, and the exiles and The barbarians live in a mixed environment, suffering from physical hardships and difficulties, so it is expected that some people cannot persevere and try to find ways to escape. Judging from what Sikong said, the returnees are mainly women and children, not many young and strong. "

Yang Biao paused, Liu Xie didn't speak, just looked at Yang Biao quietly, picked up the teacup, and took a shallow sip.

Yang Biao was helpless, so he had to continue to say: "I beg your majesty to be sympathetic to women and children, to show mercy to women and children outside the law, and to punish them lightly. Since the Sino-Ping Dynasty, there have been wars and disputes for nearly 20 years. Tens of millions of people have been killed and injured, their household registrations have withered, and there are many new graves. .Now His Majesty is starting a new policy to revive the great Han and show compassion to the common people. It is advisable to start from now on.”

After Yang Biao finished speaking, he bowed again and fell to the ground.

Zhou Zhong didn't speak, he didn't even dare to move his head, but he was grateful to Yang Biao from the bottom of his heart.

There are so many people in the hall, no one dares to speak out for him, as long as Yang Biao stands up, he is indeed a comrade who advances and retreats together.

Liu Xie put down his teacup, chewed the tea in his mouth, and chuckled lightly.

"Situ, you haven't forgotten who these people are, have you? They are not the victims of the war, but the instigators of the war. You asked me to be kind to them, so what about the people who died because of them?"

Yang Biao salutes again. "Your Majesty, they are not the instigators, but the family members of the instigators, some women and children."

"It's women and children, and even the family members of the perpetrators. Otherwise, how could they be exiled overseas. Situ won't feel that they are wronged, is it the court who hurt the innocent?"

Yang Biao quickly bowed his head and apologized. "How dare I. I don't think they are innocent, but I just think they are not the main offenders, so they can be dealt with lightly. There is benevolence in heaven. Although the law has been set, it is enforced by people. Your Majesty..."