Chapter 646 Foundation
"Your Majesty, Liu Mingzhi, is here to see you!"
"No courtesy, please take a seat!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Prince, Prince Qing, Qi'er, please sit down too!"
"Thank you, Father."
The emperor held up the tea cup and blew the tea foam gently and looked at Liu Mingzhi's embarrassed look: "Give me a reasonable explanation!"
"Your Majesty, I don't know what to say!"
"Say what you want to say, don't use a set of nonsense words to deal with me. You know how annoyed I am about the border issue. Dalong is recuperating, but these bastards want to bring Dalong in Is it so easy to fight in the flames of war? Money, food, and people are not things that are related to the stability of the people of the country, but they only have money in their eyes, and they don't pay attention to the court at all. "
"I have nothing to refute your Majesty's words. In fact, I reported this matter to your Majesty because I was worried about what your Majesty said would happen. However, the case of corruption in the exchange market has nothing to do with your Majesty's restoration of punishment. Your Majesty's benevolent policies have now won the hearts of the people and are praised by everyone inside and outside the court. , if His Majesty reinstates the punishment, everyone in the civil and military dynasties will be in danger and be timid in their actions. This is not a blessing to the court!"
Li Zheng gently clasped the dragon case and stared at Liu Mingzhi intently, as if trying to find something from his expression.
However, Liu Mingzhi's expression was neither humble nor arrogant, and he showed no fear at all. The emperor could not see anything for a moment.
"Father, I have something to say!"
The prince noticed that the atmosphere was getting colder and opened his mouth to break the deadlock.
Li Zheng looked at the prince with a hint of approval in his eyes. Among the civil and military officials in the court today, no one except Xia Gongming and Liu Mingzhi came out, and no one from the Li family dared to speak.
Today, the three princes, Prince Qing and Prince, were summoned at the same time to see who was more courageous to grab the dragon's beard. However, before Liu Mingzhi came, none of the three could be sure of the emperor's dragon vein, and they were all holding on to each other.
Liu Mingzhi once again mentioned that he hoped that the emperor would not reinstate the punishment. The emperor did not get angry but pondered, which showed that this matter was not impossible to discuss.
"That's right!"
"Father, my son and I agree with Mr. Liu's words. My father has implemented benevolent policies for many years, and he is full of praise from home and abroad. My father suddenly reinstates the punishment. Not only the people in the court are frightened, but even the people will be frightened. It is similar to the crime of conspiracy. One person commits a crime. If the whole family is implicated, not only will the people under his rule not be obedient, but they will take risks in order to survive. After all, the whole family is implicated, so it is better to fight to the death. I am not saying that my father's restoration of punishment is wrong. It is true that many officials do not use punishment and it is not enough to deter them. It's just that I hope my father will think twice and realize that the benefits of restoration of punishment outweigh the disadvantages, or the disadvantages outweigh the benefits!"
The emperor looked at the four people in the imperial study calmly, trying to tell something from their expressions.
But Li Zheng was disappointed again. He had to lament that these princes had grown up and knew how to restrain their emotions and how to observe the situation carefully.
Even the youngest seventh prince Li Zhi didn't show any clues.
"Prince Qing, what do you mean?"
"Father, I also think that Master Liu's words are reasonable, but I have a question that I would like to ask Master Liu. Is it okay?"
Feeling the gazes of the Emperor and Prince Qing, Liu Mingzhi nodded: "Your Highness, Prince Qing, it's okay to say so. I will tell you everything I know!"
"Master Liu, you just said that the restoration of punishment will put everyone in danger. But as what happened today, if the punishment is not restored, the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty will see that the emperor easily let go of the corrupt officials at the border. Then they will follow suit and act unscrupulously. Deal with it!"
"According to the laws of Dalong, I should be executed according to law. I am not covering up corrupt officials. Your three highnesses also know that I beheaded more than 90 criminals in Qingzhou Mansion not long ago. However, the family members of the criminals do not seem to know. Yes, let it go. Your Majesty pays attention to governing the country in accordance with the law and putting the people first. The family members of the criminal officials are also His Majesty's subjects and are among the people. If they are implicated because of their father's crimes, how can they be innocent? The law of punishment and the law of good punishment have the same goal through different channels. , if this is the case, why reinstate punishment?”
"My Highness understands what Master Liu means, but what I want to ask is what should we do if the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty follow suit without fear?"
"I have issued a clear order to punish all officials. Those who are corrupt and take bribes will be killed. Their property will be confiscated. Does Your Highness want to say that if officials are corrupt, their families will not be held responsible? If officials are killed, their families will still enjoy the glory?"
"That's right. Mr. Liu, please think about it. If an official takes bribes and only punishes one person, and his family enjoys the glory, where will the victim be?"
Liu Mingzhi pondered for a while and looked at the emperor who was looking at him quietly: "The Great Dragon Law contains records that officials are corrupt, behead their heads, and confiscate their homes. The son will not be allowed to take the imperial examination, and the descendants will not be in the shadows."
"This... Your Highness understands, thank you Master Liu for your advice!"
"Master Liu, my highness disagrees. If it is your words, why do border officials still dare to be so corrupt and accept bribes worth more than ten million taels?"
Liu Mingzhi glanced at the Seventh Prince Li Zhi: "It makes you stupid! Therefore, border affairs should be handled properly, and the Yushitai should be ordered to supervise and the prince to supervise. The prince is changed every year. I think the prince will not harm the country!"
The eyes of the three princes lit up and they drank tea pretending not to care.
Li Zheng pondered for a while: "Where is the court?"
"Haha... Who in the court can escape His Majesty's discerning eye!"
"Stop flattering me, are you determined to prevent me from reinstating punishment?"
"I don't dare. I just hope that your majesty will think twice. Although the restoration punishment can serve as a warning to all officials, in fact it will do more harm than good!"
"Your Majesty, the imperial censor has a memorial to present!"
"allow!"
Fuhai walked into the imperial study with a memorial and respectfully placed it on the long desk: "Your Majesty, please read it!"
The emperor picked up the memorial and began to read it. After a while, the emperor put down the memorial and started pacing with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed and deep in thought.
"Liu Aiqing!"
"I'm here!"
"I ask you, what should I do if the load-bearing pillars of the main hall are in disrepair? Is it better to hold them up for a while longer, or is it better to replace them with new ones in time?"
Liu Mingzhi's heart skipped a beat. Just as Song Yu told him not to get involved with the old and new pillars, the emperor came and asked what exactly was written in Xia Gongming's book.
The most important thing is whether the emperor likes the old pillar or the new pillar. Liu Mingzhi glanced at the emperor quietly and couldn't tell anything at all.
After looking at the three princes, the three of them were all silent.
I couldn't help sweating on my forehead, and pondered for a moment: "Your Majesty, I don't think the old pillars or the new pillars are important. Whether the hall is as stable as a mountain depends on whether the foundation is strong. As long as the foundation is strong, the pillars can be replaced at any time. But if the foundation is not good, the thousand-year-old pillars will not be replaced." The tree cannot bear the weight of the main hall, so I thought that if there was no problem with the foundation, the main hall would be safe."
The emperor glanced at his three sons who were looking at their noses and hearts: "If there is a problem with the old foundation, what kind of foundation can support the main hall?"
Liu Mingzhi shuddered: "I can only make money to stabilize the foundation. As for what kind of foundation can support the building, I am not an official of the Ministry of Industry, but I don't have that vision!"
The emperor looked at Liu Mingzhi who had his head lowered and sighed: "Prince!"
"My son is here!"
"Follow the Beiqin Guards to deal with the corruption case in the mutual market, and ask Liu Aiqing for advice!"
"Yes, I obey your order!"
"King Qing."
"My son is here!"
"Jingzhou, please go and supervise the drought in Mingzhou!"
"My son, I obey!"
"Old Seven!"
"My son is here!"
"Shu has always been known as the land of abundance. Lao San has a good reputation there, especially since this year's tax revenue is several percent higher than in previous years. Come learn from Lao San how to manage government affairs!"
"My son, I obey!"
"Everyone, please step back!"
