The kūn punishment mentioned by the prince is an ancient name for punishment that has existed since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
Kun punishment uses hair cutting as a method. The victim's long hair is cut off, leaving only about three inches of hair hanging by the ears. It can be seen from a distance and is particularly conspicuous in the crowd.
In the eyes of people at that time, hair was connected to a person's soul, and was a "remnant of blood" that contained the essence of the human body. Once a person's hair was cut off, he would lose his energy and his energy and blood would be damaged in some indescribable way.
Therefore, the Kun punishment, like the five punishments such as the Mo punishment and the Yan punishment, all belong to the category of corporal punishment. It destroys the dignity and integrity of the body. It is also intended to cut off the connection between the body and the "destiny" between heaven and man. It is not only a kind of physical punishment. It's a huge humiliation, and it's also a bloodless harm to one's own body.
Liu Ying proposed that she should be tortured, not because she was clever and opportunistic, but because she was sincerely willing to sacrifice herself for Xiao He. She had a pure heart, which was really admirable and admirable.
Hearing this, Lu Pheasant could not hide the surprise and admiration in his eyes.
In her previous life, she only knew that Han Hui Emperor Liu Ying was a famously "benevolent and weak" emperor. In the turbulent political struggle, he was defeated because of his weak mind, and he surrendered because of his soft heart. In the end, He was depressed and died young.
And when she personally saw those ambitious princes being forced into desperate situations by cruel and ruthless children, she gradually developed a different view of Liu Ying's bluntness.
Although stupidity inevitably makes people anxious, Liu Ying has a shining humanity that is rare in the imperial family, shining like a gem in the unpredictable palace.
Thinking of this, Lu Pheasant looked at Liu Ying with a smile and nodded slowly. This was a mother in the Han Dynasty who praised and encouraged her children. It was also a monarch who affirmed the character of another monarch.
Liu Ji was silent on the side, looking deeply at the prince whose temperament and temperament were completely different from his own, and thought thoughtfully:
The so-called adversity is to take, obey and defend, to conquer the world by force, to rule the world by civil rule, taking and defending are completely opposite to the emperor's art.
He has roughly achieved the goal of conquering the world, but when it comes to defending the world, he is more than capable.
During this personal expedition, he clearly felt that his energy was low. Compared with the decisive battle in Gaixia just a year ago, he felt that he was in decline.
A son who looks nothing like him in front of him will definitely not be able to conquer the world. However, if he is destined to go first, with the help of his mother, can he hold on to the world?
***
In the blink of an eye, the thoughts in Liu Ji's mind had gone back and forth several times, but Xiao He's thoughts were stagnant at this moment.
He seemed to be touched, his face was all gray and his beard was trembling wildly, his throat was rolling, and his expression was sad. He was a great hero. After hesitating and mumbling for a long time, he let out a heavy "Alas".
"I am so virtuous and capable that I can bear the responsibility of being a prince in my place."
Xiao He was a low-level official in Peixian County for the first half of his life, and later he became a civil servant. He has seen too many conceited and conceited people in his life, and he knows that the most unpredictable thing in the world is the human heart, and the most changeable thing is the human heart.
But here and now, in the confines of Luoyang Nangong, under the steaming fire cage, somehow, he was willing to believe that what he just said was the prince's heartfelt words.
Benevolence is a noble and rare quality.
Strength, perseverance, woodiness, and restraint are benevolence; generosity, kindness, loyalty, and forgiveness are benevolence; self-denial and courtesy are benevolence; and not doing to others what you do not want others to do to you is benevolence.
And the heart of compassion is also benevolence.
A young master with a compassionate heart can probably ensure a good death for himself?
Xiao He stood up tremblingly, left the table, and bowed solemnly to the childish ten-year-old Renjun.
Liu Ying hurriedly went to help her, but Liu Ji's joking voice came from behind her.
"Stop bowing, there are so many officials watching, and you are not afraid of breaking the child if you still salute randomly at such an age.
Xiao He, although you can be exempted from the death penalty, as for the living penalty, it still needs to be discussed. "
"Yes, I am willing to accept the punishment of Kun to apologize for my sins."
"My son is willing to be punished on behalf of the Prime Minister——"
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, there is no need for punishment. We can simply pay a fine and use money to atone for our sins."
Seeing the two of them arguing, Lu Pheasant turned his head and said to Liu Ji with a smile,
"Since Prime Minister Xiao's country has the resources to buy so many fields, let him give more to the treasury to compensate the people of Chang'an County and provide relief to the widows and widowers."
***
"A reward from the imperial court?"
Everyone here has never heard of this move. Dozens of pairs of eyes inside and outside the hall were all looking at Lu Pheasant, waiting for her to explain in detail.
Lu Fei was startled, and then he remembered that the official pensions and aid provided by the imperial court to the needy people and the dispatch of envoys to ask questions were officially recorded in the annals of history after Li Yuan, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, came to the throne.
Later, when she came to the throne, she also issued many edicts to reward widows, widowers, lonely people with three illnesses, so she said it with ease and familiarity with the road.
Forget it, the matter has come to this, so let’s implement it nine hundred years in advance.
She glanced at the bright eyes outside the corridor and explained slowly,
"When the country is first established, it will be in accordance with the fate of the heavens and the rebellion will be settled. It is the right time to promote the court code, promote grace and appease people's hearts.
The prime minister donated part of his family wealth, and the court ordered local officials to provide grain and silk to the many widowers, widowers, lonely people, and those who were seriously ill and unable to live on their own. "
Compensating the poor, the old and the weak, and providing relief to the orphans and disabled are policies that would only be implemented in the prosperous times. The true intention is to maintain the stability of people's livelihood and to be benevolent.
The courtiers who lived in the troubled times of the late Qin Dynasty had never seen the form of benevolent government, but human nature was the same. Old people, old people, and old people also felt that this was a good thing worthy of praise.
Liu Ji thought for a moment, then nodded and said,
"That's fine, just pay the fine to make up for the crime.
As for how much to donate, Xiao He, you are in charge of the construction of Chang'an City and are most familiar with the local people's livelihood. You can go down and count the amount and then report it to me.
I will spare you this time, but if there is another time, I will really abandon the market, haha. "
The cold sweat on Xiao He's back became wet and then dried again, and his heart finally fell back into his stomach.
***
Xiao He left, and Liu Ying was taken to study by the palace officials as usual. Lu Zhi was about to return to the Beigong, but suddenly hesitated and asked again,
"You are going to Zhao State this time to see if Lu Yuan is okay?"
Liu Jizheng lay on his back on the couch, lost in thought and did not respond for a while.
They were both former emperors. Lu Pheasant knew that he was feeling depressed, so he simply pointed it out,
"Xiao He is not a party member, he is truly the greatest treasure of the country.
With such a loyal and lonely Prime Minister, what else does Your Majesty have to worry about? "
Even though he originally had the intention to form a party, under Liu Ji's painstaking management, he was still at odds with the hero group due to the reward issue and made countless enemies. He really wanted to be a party but couldn't join the party.
In addition, Xiao He was not a military general, and he had no extraneous personal connections with the generals. Under this situation, he could only be loyal to the imperial power, and he would be better able to ensure the hard-won stability of the early Han Dynasty.
Moreover, the emperor had seen and used all the dozens of disciples in his clan one by one. None of them had any potential to be of great use. In the future, it would be impossible for both internal and external forces to join forces to form a party.
Seeing that Liu Ji was still silent, Lu Zhi sat back on the couch and said warmly,
"Besides, Xiao He is older than us..."
This is a deeper concern.
Liu Ji couldn't express his thoughts clearly, but Lu Fei was the empress in her previous life, and she had the memory of living with him for more than ten years in this life, so she already had a clear understanding of it.
Xiao He is much older than Liu Ji, and his health is deteriorating, so he will not be in phase for a long time.
In other words, a prime minister who is old, lonely, has no successors and is desperately trying to protect himself is the most stable prime minister in the world.
"No more, no more talk about Xiao He."
Liu Ji's eyes twitched suddenly, and he deliberately changed the subject.
"You just asked Lu Yuan?
She is quite nice and looks like an adult.
Zhang Ao was also good, and he also named Zhao Ji, the daughter of Ruyi's wife Zhao Yu. "
