Back to the Song Dynasty as a tyrant

Through the curtains of the carriage, Zhao Gou saw many houses on the side of the road. Those houses were very special, different from the houses in China, they were all built by big cannibals.

In order to facilitate management, the local governments have designated special areas for these big cannibals.

There are also many cannibals in Tokyo City and Guangzhou, but compared to Quanzhou, there are many fewer.

The houses of those big cannibals are row after row, and those who don't know it think they are in the country of big cannibals.

The number of ships in the port is several times that of Guangzhou.

Going forward for a certain distance, we entered Quanzhou City.

Big cannibals can actually be seen in Quanzhou city. It seems that Quanzhou did not strictly implement the imperial court's orders.

After arriving in Guangzhou and now in Quanzhou, Zhao Gou saw with his own eyes how enthusiastic the people in these two places are for business.

After arriving at the hotel, Zhao Gou did not rest, but met the magistrate Liu Guangde alone.

"Is there anything your Highness needs to be done as an official, please tell me?"

Zhao Gou said: "You know why this king came to Quanzhou this time."

"The lower officials are dull."

"Prefect Liu, we Ming people don't speak dark words. The fact that Quanzhou smuggled artillery and sold it to the Japanese has been spread throughout the capital. I don't believe you didn't hear about this kind of matter related to your official title."

"Your Highness was talking about this."

"Where is the person who smuggled the artillery?"

"The man has already been arrested, and he is now locked up in the prison of the magistrate's yamen."

Zhao Gou said grimly, "Who is so bold?"

"It's just a few greedy profiteers. The officials never thought that they would alarm His Highness."

"Tomorrow, the king will go to the magistrate's yamen to meet the prisoner in person."

"The lower officials have already prepared a banquet for His Highness to cleanse the dust. After His Highness rests for a while, the officials from all over Quanzhou are still waiting for His Highness' instruction."

It was all about this, and Zhao Gou was too embarrassed to refuse, after all, he is now the South China Sea pacifier, in charge of all areas related to the South China Sea except the military.

Including Quanzhou, Guangzhou, Dasong Nanhai General Commercial Company, and Dasong Nanhai Zhuzhou Prefectures.

In more detail, such as Liuqiu, Qiongzhou, Jiaozhou, Mayi, Lingyamen, etc., many administrative and judicial affairs.

Even in terms of personnel rights, Zhao Gou also has the power to remove local officials.

Of course, he did not have the power to appoint officials.

"Okay, I will go after a short rest, you guys go down first."

"The subordinate retire."

As soon as Liu Guangde left, Zhang Ziyan, Zhao Gou's personal guard, hurried in: "Your Highness, Your Highness."

"What's the matter?"

"There is a letter from Hangzhou."

Zhao Gou opened it and read it quickly, his expression gradually became dignified.

He gave Zhang Ziyan a look, and Zhang Ziyan said, "No one."

Then Zhao Gou said: "Have you read this letter?"

"How dare I read His Highness's letter casually."

"It was written by your father." Zhao Gou handed it to Zhang Ziyan.

Only then did Zhang Ziyan dare to read the letter, and he couldn't help being shocked after reading it.

"What is the origin of this Liu Xiang?"

"He is a businessman from Guangzhou Prefecture. He has been doing business in the South China Sea for generations. In the tenth year of Jingkang, Master Wang went south to conquer the countries in the South China Sea. He was doing business in the Kingdom of Luni. He met Master Wang by chance. It is said that he once assisted Master Wang in conquering the Kingdom of Luni. In the following years, it rapidly expanded in the South China Sea.”

"Is it related to Li Baoke?"

"This lower official doesn't know, and I haven't heard that he has anything to do with Li Bao."

Zhao Gou sighed and said, "If this matter is related to Li Bao, it will be a big trouble."

"Why did Your Highness say such a thing?"

"Li Bao is currently stationed at Ling Yamen, holding the real power. The merchant ships of the Song Dynasty and the cannibals all pass by there. Every year, tens of millions of merchants travel there. The imperial court will not move Li Bao easily, but in the The private sale of artillery in the South China Sea is very important."

Zhao Gou fell into deep thought.

He thought for a while before asking, "What exactly is your father doing in Hangzhou?"

Zhang Ziyan was a little confused by Zhao Gou's question, and couldn't help but startled.

"What I mean by this king is, why did your father find out that Liu Xiang was secretly selling artillery in the South China Sea?"

Zhang Ziyan answered Zhao Gou's question very carefully. He said, "To tell you the truth, my father has been in Hangzhou Mansion these years, and has come into contact with a lot of businessmen. Many of these businessmen come from Korea, Japan, Liuqiu, and Jiaozhou. Mayi and Luni came from the country, and there are also many cannibals in Hangzhou Bay, and my father likes to contact merchants."

But he never mentioned that Zhang Jun was making money through business in Hangzhou.

This is no secret, many people have privately rumored that Zhang Jun is the richest man in the southeast of the Song Dynasty.

You know, back then, Zhao Guanjia asked Zhang Jun to hand over more than 500 million guan, and directly sucked up Zhang Jun's skin and cramp and threw it to Hangzhou.

But this product is even more profiteer than Wang Zonglian who sells soap for a hundred pennies!

In just a few years, he made countless fortunes in the fertile land of Hangzhou, taking advantage of the general trend of the opening of the Maritime Silk Road.

His way of collecting money is different from the corruption of other officials. He relies on his power to participate in business.

"Why did your father tell this king about these private sellers of artillery?" Zhao Gou looked at Zhang Ziyan and asked.

"I don't dare to lie to Your Highness. My father has not been happy these years. In the first year of Jingkang, my father participated in King Qin's army, and was supported by His Highness. Since then, he has made meritorious service for the court many times, but he cannot be reused. The Dukes of Zhong have always been unwilling to let his father go, anyway, there are rumors about his father's embezzlement and embezzlement, and my father always remembers His Highness's kindness to him."

This Zhang Ziyan may not look like a military officer, but he seems to have won the true biography of his father Zhang Jun's eloquent tongue, and his words of refuge are so fresh and refined.

"Well, it's really not easy for your father these years."

Zhao Gou knew in his heart that Zhang Jun just liked money, and he was wronged in Hangzhou?

Stop bullshitting!

He had a great time in Hangzhou!

Hebei is not his paradise, Hangzhou is!

However, with someone like Zhang Jun who has been doing business at sea for several years to help him, he, as the South China Sea appeasement envoy, will be able to do many things much more smoothly.

Zhang Jun is now fancying his title of South China Sea Pacifier and wants to cooperate.

Zhao Gou didn't expose it either, because Zhao Gou also needed people.

Zhao Gou also has his own views on the current situation.

Cai Mao recommended himself to come to Quanzhou to investigate the case, and Cai Mao offered himself his willingness to cooperate, but Nanhai has Qian Yuqing's influence.

And what is the official's attitude towards smuggling artillery, do you know Liu Xiang?

Did Zhang Jun write letters to officials privately in order to claim credit?

Quanzhou is just a lead. The situation in the South China Sea is more complicated than it appears on the surface.

Chapter 1302 The Powerful Zhao Gou (Second Change)

In the evening, Liu Guangde came again.

Zhao Gou tidied up and went to the banquet with him.

All the officials of Quanzhou Prefecture, big and small, were present to cheer for Zhao Gou.

Of course, there are also several big businessmen in Quanzhou.

It can be seen from this that in the current Song Dynasty, the status of merchants is higher than in the past.

In the past years, although the status of merchants in the Song Dynasty was higher than that of previous dynasties, it was not high enough to gather with officials for dinner.

Even at the beginning of the Zhenzong era, many high-ranking officials and dignitaries sought loans from merchants, and the merchants made a lot of money, but money returned to money, and status returned to status.

The Song Dynasty didn't get richer and status higher.

When Zhao Gou came in, everyone came up to pay respects.

Zhao Gou walked in under the stars.

"It is an honor for all our officials in Quanzhou to have His Royal Highness Kang come to Quanzhou."

The prefect Liu Guangde raised his glass, and everyone stood up and raised their glasses together.

Zhao Gou felt very embarrassed. He got up, picked up his wine glass, and said with a faint smile on his face, "It's a great honor for me to be taken care of by my colleagues."

The atmosphere seems to be very happy.

But Zhao Gou's face changed in a blink of an eye, and immediately became gloomy. He put down the wine glass in his hand, and sat down.

Before everyone could react, Zhao Gou said, "Which one is Ma Chongshan?"

The crowd suddenly fell silent, and the smiles on their faces gradually froze.

"Your Highness, why are you looking for Ma Zhongshan?" Liu Guangde smiled.

"It's nothing, it's just that someone reported him for making artillery privately."

As soon as Zhao Gou said this, there was an uproar.

"Is Ma Chongshan here?" Zhao Gou looked at Liu Guangde and asked.

Liu Guangde hesitated for a moment, looked at a evasive middle-aged man in the crowd, and said, "At...at..."

"Just let him out."

"Ma Chongshan, why don't you come out and explain!"

The middle-aged man in a long blue silk dress stood up and said, "Your Highness, Ma Zhongshan, a grass-roots man."

Zhao Gou was also unambiguous, and said: "Come here, arrest me."

Everyone was startled, but they didn't expect Zhao Gou to act so rudely.

Quanzhou officials, big and small, are all here, and they sincerely invite you to have a drink. When you come, you haven't had a glass of wine, so you arrest people directly?

This obviously violates the official code of conduct and exceeds the common sense of all officials present.

Is there someone who catches people like this?

Zhang Ziyan on one side was about to make a move, and Gao Tianming, the secretary of Shibo, stood up and said, "Your Highness, the smuggling of cannons is a big deal. Without evidence, we can't take people at will."

"Yes, Your Highness, Your Majesty has always adhered to the principle of arresting people with evidence to rely on, and not randomly arresting people. Otherwise, local officials will follow suit, and it will be the people who will suffer." Liu Guangde, the prefect, immediately continued, "In Your Majesty's top-to-bottom system Under strict supervision, the number of local officials who dare to set up names to disturb the people indiscriminately has been greatly reduced."

Zhao Gou naturally knew in his heart that he had said everything, and if he could not provide evidence, his prestige as the South China Sea pacifier would be lost today.

If this matter is reported back to the capital, what will Zhao Guan's family think of him?

Zhao Gou said: "This king naturally has a basis for this."

"Then please take it out, Your Highness, otherwise we can't take people indiscriminately in Quanzhou today." Liu Guangde withdrew his flattering smile before, and said to Zhao Gou with a serious expression.

This is a set of bureaucratic procedural justice constructed by Zhao Ning, forming a deterrent system from top to bottom.

Liu Guangde is the prefect of Quanzhou, and his rank is much lower than that of Zhao Gou.

Above him is the chief envoy of Fujian Road, who is two levels lower than Zhao Gou.

Although the chief envoy is at the same level as the minister, he usually reports to the minister, and Zhao Gou's rank is half a rank higher than the minister.

But even if Zhao Gou is several levels higher than Liu Guangde, he can't do whatever he wants in Quanzhou.

Because what is greater than him is procedural justice, whoever violates procedural justice will be mobilized and attacked.

Even if Zhao Gou wanted to arrest people, he would do so within a reasonable procedure.

Procedural justice always makes the process fixed, making some people take advantage of loopholes.

For example, Zhao Gou said that Ma Chongshan, you know that he has illegal business and is smuggling artillery, but if you don't have evidence, you can't get him.

If there is no such procedural justice, when Zhao Gou arrives in the South China Sea, he can make a clever name, dismiss officials at will, and fill his own position.

In short, strict procedural justice allows the wicked to carefully avoid the French Open and live tremblingly, fearing that one day their secrets will be revealed.

But without procedural justice, bureaucrats can rob openly and legally.

The atmosphere became very tense, and countless pairs of eyes were looking at Zhao Gou.