Autumn wind, autumn rain and autumn are terrible. One autumn rain and another cold.
The remaining lotuses are withered, and most of them stand upright on the surface of the pond, giving them a unique appearance. Small bridges and flowing water, green trees and warm sunshine, red leaves like fire, just like blazing life.
Life is as gorgeous as summer flowers, and death is as quiet and beautiful as autumn leaves.
Life must be wonderful, and death must be peaceful.
Those graduated students from the Martial Arts Hall were sent to the border by him. He hoped that their young lives would be as gorgeous as summer flowers for the sake of the country and the people.
In the back garden of Lin'an Palace, among the waterside pavilions, Zhao Hong was lost in thought looking at a pool of autumn water.
On the table behind him, there was a thick stack of books and memorials. Xu Liang and several young members of the anti-corruption department were checking them carefully around the table.
In fact, after several months of overt and covert investigations, they had figured out the details of the people on the list who had entered the official list. Taking this last step today is just a final verification.
The reason why the members of the Anti-Corruption Department were asked to do this was because they did not want this matter to spread to outsiders, and they would mess up the situation and cause trouble.
"Your Majesty, it has been verified."
After a long time, Xu Liang came over and said, pulling Zhao Hong back from his meditation.
"Everyone has worked hard. Let's go back."
Zhao Hong nodded slightly, and all the subordinates retreated, only Xu Liang stayed.
Zhao Hong returned to the table and sat down, picked up the booklet and started reading.
"En Yin enters the official position, hereditary neglect, the son inherits the father's legacy, and the rich and noble people in the family are all happy. The officials are happy and happy, but the people are complaining and the people are extremely angry. He is really a good minister of the Song Dynasty!"
Zhao Hong put down the list and smiled coldly.
Jinling University Hall has already absorbed thousands of young people from powerful families, and now nearly a thousand more have appeared.
"Your Majesty, the number of people who have become officials in our court is twice the number of people who have taken the imperial examination. The whole dynasty is full of officials' families, and our Great Song Dynasty has become the court of the official family. The second generation of officials, the third generation of officials, It’s hard to clean up officials!”
Xu Liang made a final move.
"Bah! These are a bunch of moths and vampires!"
In front of Xu Liang, Zhao Hong said angrily without any cover-up.
Eat from the bowl and look at the pot. If all the benefits are taken advantage of, what good will it do to the people? What’s the benefit to the country?
Just like the Shi Miyuan family in history, with three prime ministers, four kings and two kings, and a family full of scholars and officials, it would be strange for the Song Dynasty to survive under such family control.
The three redundancies of the Song Dynasty were redundant officials, redundant expenses, and redundant soldiers, which were related to the survival of the country. There were twice as many talents in Enmeng's official career as there were in the imperial examination, which was the main culprit of redundant officials. The officials who joined Enmeng were a mixed bag, filled with a large number of uneducated, drunken and wealthy people. It is no exaggeration to say that the government of the Song Dynasty was ruined by the officials who joined Enyin.
"This time Enyin becomes an official, tell me what you think."
After scolding, we still have to get back to the point and solve the problem.
"Your Majesty, there are a total of 976 people on the list of Enmeng's official appointments this time. After checking, I found that the personnel are mixed, and 502 people are difficult to reuse, accounting for more than half of the total number. I have already made a note. Please give your Majesty a clear warning."
Xu Liang explained softly on the side.
More than half cannot be reused.
Zhao Hong couldn't help but sneered and continued to look at the book full of signs.
To be honest, unless there is someone with extraordinary talents, he will not directly appoint anyone.
The second and third generations of officials do not even do anything but eat and drink, and do bad things. I really think that the court is run by your family.
Only at this time did he deeply understand the essence of "the king and the scholar-bureaucrats co-ruling the world".
"The king does not regard himself as a "king". Instead, he colludes with the scholar-bureaucrats and becomes a vested interest. In order to ensure the security of his throne, he lowers his status and is selfish. I don't know whether he is sad or sighing? A dignified king of a country, Don’t they have that much confidence?”
Zhao Hong said angrily again.
"Dear scholar-bureaucrats, don't they know the disadvantages of this?"
"Your Majesty, I'm sorry to speak frankly. The scholar-bureaucrats have a high and powerful position, and there are many people who have been promoted to official positions by their families. Many people are officials. Flowers are blooming, and the oil is boiling. Driven by interests, they are naturally willing to continue the bad government."
Xu Liang expressed his feelings and did not shy away from it.
"What happened to the dozen or so people named Shi above?"
Zhao Hong asked suspiciously when he saw a series of historical names on the memorial, followed by Si Ming's identity.
Could it be said that these are all relatives of Shi Miyuan?
Shi Miyuan corrected the edict and abolished it. He did not kill anyone, but he just felt that it was not appropriate to kill in large numbers and it was really unnecessary.
Are the string of Shi's names on this list a slap in the face and a blatant provocation to him?
"Your Majesty, these seven people are all branches of the Shi family, not direct descendants of Shi Miyuan, and have some reputation. These are all brought up by the ruling officials, and I can't do anything about them."
Xu Liang answered cautiously, feeling helpless.
The list of favor candidates was selected by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and reviewed by the Political Affairs Hall. As the deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Branch, he naturally had no right to make the decision.
Zhao Hong looked at Xu Liang coldly, and then spoke after a long while.
"Xu Liang, I think you don't understand what I mean. The entry of Enmeng into the official position is the most serious problem of our dynasty. I have racked my brains and tried every means to abolish it. It's good for you, but you are trying your best to maintain the bad government. . Do you think the Song Dynasty is not corrupt enough or chaotic enough?"
Jinling University Hall accepted so many second-generation officials, and handed over 976 more. These court officials are too self-righteous.
Do they still see him as the Emperor of the Song Dynasty?
"Your Majesty, I know I was wrong, I will immediately cross these people out!"
Xu Liang said with fear.
Only now did he understand Zhao Hong's thoughts.
It seems that Zhao Hong has made up his mind to take action against redundant officials, kill "Enmeng becoming an official", and abolish this customization.
"Zhao Rushu? Hasn't he already retired? Why are his three grandchildren and nephews still on the list?"
Zhao Hong's face was dark and his brows were knitted together.
If Shi Miyuan's lackey hadn't run fast, he would never have let him go so easily.
"Your Majesty, Zhao Rushu is a member of the imperial family of the Song Dynasty and the Minister of Justice, so I..."
Xu Liang secretly cried out. These were all candidates selected by the ruling ministers. He just didn't provide any advice, so he was severely criticized by the emperor.
"Bullshit clan! You worked as a talisman and didn't go to jail. You're lucky. You want your children and grandchildren to enjoy the blessings. Cross them all out!"
With a dark face, Zhao Hong took a red pen and drew a few red crosses himself.
If he remembered correctly, Zhao Rushu's son Zhao Chong should have been dismissed from office.
Now that he knows that he doesn't like Zhao Rushu, he still reports his son and grandson. Is this going against him and reaffirming their rights as scholar-bureaucrats?
"Who is this Liu Fu from Xue Ji, and why is he also on the list of Enmeng's officials? And this Xuan Haogu, who is he from Xuan Zhen, why is it not marked? And Hu Ju's two grandsons are what happened?"
"Your Majesty, Liu Fu is Xue Ji's nephew. Because the prime minister can extend favors to eight people, Xue Ji became the prime minister, so he extended favors to his grandnephew and his wife's nephew. Xuan Haogu is Xuan Zhen's great-grandnephew, and he is eight years old this year. The other one, Zhao Guanhe, is a disciple of Xuan Zhen, and he is quite talented. Hu Ju’s two grandsons have just grown up and have reached the age of becoming officials.”
Xu Liang was sweating on his forehead, and Zhao Hong was stunned and stunned.
At the age of eight, Enmeng can become an official, and retainers can also enter the palace. Vested interest groups, what a painful realization this is!
"If one person is an official, all his descendants and relatives can be granted the title. It's so confusing and outrageous, it's nonsense! Cross it out!"
Zhao Hong waved his red pen and drew another string.
