Fan Zhong couldn't help but open his eyes wide.
"Your Majesty, do you mean to recruit anti-corruption officials from the private sector?"
What on earth is the emperor playing at? Are the Anti-Corruption Department all private elites? Then what is he, a court official and a dignified scholar-bureaucrat?
However, if the anti-corruption department is all civilian elites, and he is the only scholar-official, he also feels a sense of pride, pride in having his morality confirmed.
"You're right! Except for the Anti-Corruption Department, which is a government agency of the imperial court, its employees are all civilians. From now on, you, Fan Zhong, are no longer an official of the imperial court. Instead, you have no official position."
Zhao Hong laughed, feeling a little proud.
The Anti-Corruption Department is obviously an official office of the imperial court. In fact, the officials in the Anti-Corruption Department are nothing. They are just paid as usual and are not as good as the state-owned enterprises of later generations.
The anti-corruption department's forbidden troops are changed from time to time to ensure the purity of the execution team.
As for whether employees of the Anti-Corruption Department can become court officials, it depends on the character of the employees of the Anti-Corruption Department and their personal work abilities.
"Your Majesty, the anti-corruption department is all from the private sector. Is it to prevent officials from protecting each other?"
Xu Liang and Zhou Ping looked at each other, and Xu Liang's soul left his body and asked directly.
Employees are ordinary people! Zhao Hong's performance is really heart-pounding.
"That's right! Just to prevent officials from protecting each other!"
Zhao Hong nodded and continued:
"The Anti-Corruption Department reports directly to me and has the authority to handle all anti-corruption matters. We fight corruption and promote integrity, and investigate major and important cases. The Anti-Corruption Department is separated from all government offices in the imperial court. All employees are decided by the three of you, with Zhou Ping as the chief. You can make the final decision.”
During the two hundred years of the Song Dynasty, if officials had been able to fight corruption, the situation would not be as bad as it is now. To eradicate corruption, we must take a different approach.
"The three of you are responsible for each one. Jiangnan East Road is implementing the New Deal, Sichuan is the border, and the two Zhejiang Roads are where the line is. At the beginning, there are not enough manpower, so we can set up points in important state capitals, conduct overt and covert inspections, and open up the situation as soon as possible."
Zhao Hong looked at everyone and said curiously:
"Why don't you ask about your salary?"
He suddenly remembered the famous saying from later generations: "Don't ask about money, ask your mother."
The three of them looked at each other, and Xu Liang smiled awkwardly.
"Your Majesty, look at it. We are all a big family. Your Majesty will not treat us badly anyway."
"You're not polite at all!"
Zhao Hong pondered for a moment and continued:
"Now that the treasury is empty, please be patient first. Fan Zhong and Xu Liang are the deputy chiefs, and their salaries are 600 guan. Zhou Ping is the chief, and their salaries are 700 guan. The following officers are from 200 guan to 300 guan."
"I accept the order and thank you!"
Zhou Ping and others bowed and saluted with different thoughts.
Officials get 200 guan and 300 guan a year. Although it cannot be compared with officials, it is enough for a family to eat, drink, and have sex, so they can work with confidence.
Xu Liang's palms were sweaty and his heart was pounding.
Although Zhao Hong had already greeted him, he never dreamed that the deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Department would be on an equal footing with a scholar-bureaucrat like Fan Zhong.
I'm afraid, Tian Yi's salary is not as generous as his.
With 600 strings, my wife and children don’t have to worry about their livelihood, and they can also help the family.
Would his father, and especially his sister-in-law, smile at him?
Zhao Hong didn't know what Xu Liang was thinking. He looked at a few people and took the matter seriously.
"The reason why the Anti-Corruption Department is staffed by civil servants is to eradicate the mutual defense between officials and put an end to rampant corruption. Among all the Anti-Corruption Department officials, whoever dares to commit adultery and commit crimes, know the law and break the law, will be punished with an additional penalty!"
Zhao Hong's face was solemn, and Zhou Ping's heart was awe-inspiring.
The emperor valued anti-corruption matters so much that he did not dare to treat them lightly.
"Your Majesty, how do you define the laws and regulations of the Anti-Corruption Department?"
Fan Zhong asked hesitantly.
To combat corruption and promote integrity, there must be laws to follow. This dynasty's anti-corruption campaign is all based on moral restraints, and it is difficult to rely on laws.
"I have asked Xu Xuan, the young minister of Dali Temple, and Song Ci, the executioner of Jiangnan East Road, to come to the capital. Please work together to formulate a law as soon as possible and try it out in all roads in the Song Dynasty!"
Zhao Hong said, picked up the paper on the table and handed it to Zhou Ping.
"This is the legal provision I drafted for the Anti-Corruption Department. Please take a look."
Zhou Ping picked up the paper and several people read it.
“If the amount of corruption exceeds 10,000 yuan, the person will be punished with death and the family property will be confiscated.
The amount of corruption is between 5,000 and 10,000 guan, and the sentence is more than 10 years and less than 20 years in exile, and the property is confiscated.
The amount of corruption is between 3,000 and 5,000 yuan, and the sentence is more than 5 years and less than 10 years in exile. Confiscation of property.
If an official is corrupt, his descendants will not be allowed to join the official position within ten years.
The influence was so bad that the court and the people suffered huge losses, were sentenced to death, and had their property confiscated. "
After several people read it, they all looked at each other in shock, and Fan Zhong spoke out with trembling fear.
"Your Majesty, if we follow this law, we will arrest all the officials of the Song Dynasty!"
A confiscation of family property and a sentence of exile are more uncomfortable for corrupt officials than killing them.
"That's better than them causing harm to the country and the people!"
Zhao Hong smiled coldly, with murderous intent in his eyes.
"The common people live such a hard life. They work hard for only about 60 guan for a year. Corruption of 100,000 guan is equivalent to more than 160 years of work for the people without food or water. Who will be killed if I don't kill you?"
Ten thousand guan was a death sentence. Ordinary people in the Southern Song Dynasty spent five guan a month. Calculated at 2,000 yuan, ten thousand guan was equivalent to about 4 million in later generations. In this era when people barely have enough to eat, this is enough to be compassionate.
In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang fought against corruption and was beheaded for 60 taels of silver. According to the price at that time, one tael of silver was exchanged for rice and two shi. 60 taels was 120 shi of rice, a total of 18,000 kilograms, about 50,000 yuan.
Four million versus fifty thousand, the people were all in poverty, so he was already being lenient.
"Your Majesty is concerned about the country and the people, and I admire you. However, during the hundred years of the Song Dynasty, Your Majesty ruled the world together with the scholar-bureaucrats, not with the people. By doing this, Your Majesty, aren't you afraid of losing the hearts of the world?"
Zhou Ping spoke out with fear.
With such strict laws and an anti-corruption system, officials must be cautious, but who is willing to work for the country?
"The human heart is just the heart of the scholar-bureaucrats, not the hearts of the people."
As someone who has experienced it, Zhao Hong knows the shortcomings of the Southern Song Dynasty court better than anyone else.
"Only by implementing anti-corruption laws can we clarify the administration of officials. The scholar-bureaucrats will definitely not be happy, but the people will be happy. As long as we can enrich the country and strengthen the army, I will not hesitate to offend the people of the world."
What he was talking about at this time was the heart of the world, of course, the heart of the scholar-bureaucrats.
"Your Majesty, the laws of our ancestors are above. If your Majesty implements new laws, I'm afraid you will attract criticism."
Fan Zhong was also uneasy.
Wasn't Wang Anshi's reform just overturned?
"The ancestral laws are bullshit! If the ancestral laws were good, the Song Dynasty would be strong and powerful. How could it be like this bullshit now!"
Zhao Hong was unwavering and set the tone for the anti-corruption campaign.
"My bottom line is that anyone who is corrupt or above, from princes and ministers to local subordinates, will be punished by death. Just go ahead and do it! I don't believe it. Can't we kill all the corrupt officials? How can they rebel?"
Zhou Ping and others felt chilled, and Zhao Hong gave serious instructions.
"I want to publish the anti-corruption law in the latest issue of China Daily. No matter what I have done in the past, it will be wiped out. If it is committed again, hum!"
Zhao Hong looked ugly, and Zhou Ping and others quickly followed the order.
Zhao Hong has already set the tone. If there is anything else to discuss, just let the Propaganda Department announce it.
"Fan Zhong, it is said that Sichuan scholar-bureaucrats cover the sky with one hand and are extremely xenophobic. Wherever you go, in addition to fighting corruption, you must also pay attention to local collusion. The Sichuan border army is rotten, and the defense of Shukou is ineffective. You must thoroughly investigate corruption in the army. Be careful and don’t act hastily.”
In the next ten years, all important wars may be fought in northern Sichuan, and the stability of Sichuan's military and political affairs is crucial.
"Your Majesty, I will be careful in doing things so as not to distract Your Majesty."
With the emperor supporting him, Fan Zhong was full of confidence.
"Be careful! The border troops are all desperadoes. They can only investigate carefully and not arrest. If you collect evidence, report it to me first. Don't alert the enemy. I don't want anything to happen to you!"
Zhao Hong warned Fan Zhong seriously.
He didn't want to lose his general because of a few corrupt generals, and then die before he left the army, which would make the hero burst into tears.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty!"
Fan Zhong's heart felt hot and he bowed respectfully.
"Xu Liang, Liangzhe Road, especially Liangzhe West Road, is densely populated with court officials, big tigers, and flies who are powerful and lawless. You have to be careful and don't be careless!"
Zhao Hong solemnly warned Xu Liang to come.
Lin'an is traveling, courtiers gather, dragons and snakes are mixed, and there are a lot of tigers and flies. The resistance against these people is definitely not small.
Xu Liang nodded and replied seriously:
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will be cautious. At worst, the fish will die and the net will be broken. I will never disappoint Your Majesty. I will fight the tigers and flies together and we will definitely carry out the anti-corruption campaign!"
Xu Liang was decisive, without any hesitation.
Zhao Hong nodded with satisfaction. Compared to Tian Yi's gentleness, Xu Liang is much more decisive and bold.
"In that case, let me ask you, if the ruling minister Hu Ju committed the crime, how would you investigate? Do you dare?"
"Your Majesty, as the deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Department, I am investigating corrupt officials. There is nothing I dare not do! As for investigating the case, or through the people around Hu Ju, first check the money, land, and shops in his own name. , antique calligraphy and paintings, etc. Or check his wives, concubines, relatives and friends. Such important officials of the court should be closely investigated and secretly visited to avoid alerting the enemy. "
Xu Liang has obviously made a record, and his answers are clear and logical.
He was just secretly surprised. Could the dignified minister of the Ministry of Industry and the minister in power really be a corrupt official?
Zhao Hong would not mention Hu Ju for no reason. It seems that Hu Ju has attracted the emperor's attention and may be the focus of the next step of the court's cleanup.
"Okay! You can decide for yourself how to investigate the officials involved and how to investigate and handle the case. I will not interfere."
Zhao Hong nodded, feeling much more at ease.
"Officials seconded from the imperial court should communicate with them more and listen to their opinions, but they should not be misled by them."
He was very much looking forward to seeing what the Anti-Corruption Department could find out, whether it would really allow the officials of the Song Dynasty to rule the Qingming Dynasty better than ever before.
"Zhou Ping, Jiangnan East Road is where the New Deal is implemented, and the whole country is paying attention. We must investigate the corrupt officials to ensure the smooth implementation of the New Deal. If it goes wrong, you and I will be the sinners of history!"
Zhou Ping was sweating on his forehead, so he solemnly said his words and bowed respectfully.
"I will do my best to share your Majesty's worries!"
He naturally hates evil, so naturally he won't care about anything. Besides, even if something happened, he didn't have to worry, the emperor would be there to support him.
"Combating corruption and promoting integrity is a matter of no small importance. It affects the fate of the Song Dynasty and the safety of the country. If all the officials in a country become corrupt, the country will be dead!"
After Zhao Hong's words, the three of them understood clearly.
Fighting corruption and promoting integrity is related to the clean and bright administration of officials and the foundation of the court. The two Zhejiang Roads were the capital of the country, the Jiangnan East Road was where the New Deal was implemented, the southeastern front line, and the Sichuan Road were the war front lines. The emperor was clear and thoughtful.
"Dong Songchen, go tell the Information Department that I want to publicize anti-corruption and integrity in newspapers, publicize anti-corruption laws, and set a moral example to set the record straight."
Zhao Hong looked at the dark, thin and simple Fan Zhong and immediately had an idea.
Fan Zhong is a positive example and can be set as a benchmark. To implement the New Deal and fight against corruption, we need to publicize it vigorously. And newspapers are a very good tool.
Fighting corruption will destroy the party; not fighting corruption will destroy the country. It's just that the party that died was just a small group of vulgar people among the scholar-bureaucrats.
"It's getting late. I've already asked people to prepare wine and food. Let's talk while eating."
Anti-corruption efforts are complicated and will be attacked by vested interests. Prepare for a rainy day, take drastic measures, and kill with pain, all of which are indispensable.
