Heart disease comes and goes quickly.
Huang Zhixian was able to get out of bed the next day. He first persuaded the people gathered outside the county government office to leave. Then he took the initiative to find Chang Feng for a deep talk.
Chang Feng learned another lesson from this incident: Don't judge books by their appearance.
A fat official is not necessarily a corrupt official.
An official with a lean body may not necessarily be an upright official.
In Fatty Xu's words: "What's wrong with Fatty? Fatty didn't eat your rice."
Back Yamen living room. Chang Feng and Huang Zhixian sat across from each other and drank tea.
Chang Feng asked with concern: "How is Huang Zhixian's health?"
Huang Zhixian said: "It's an old problem, nothing serious. I made the superior official laugh. The lower official was bitten by a dog when he was a child. He has been timid since he was a child."
After a while, Huang Zhixian knew that he had made a mistake and said quickly: "Ah, I didn't mean that..."
Chang Feng laughed it off and said, "It doesn't matter. Jin Yiwei is a vicious dog raised by the royal family."
"Brother Huang Shi, I have something to ask you. Why are the official warehouses everywhere full?"
Huang Zhixian replied: "Officials in various places have already made a lot of money from purchasing the grain stored by the people, so there is no need to think about official warehouses."
"For example, the imperial edict stipulated that lower-class counties should stock up on five thousand shi of grain. They spent the official silver needed to buy 5,000 shi of grain. The actual amount of grain collected should be around 8,000 shi."
"Someone with a little more evil heart may actually harvest ten thousand dan. The extra grain will naturally flow into the hands of local officials, officials and servants."
Chang Feng thoughtfully said: "In other words, the imperial edict to stock up on grains has been implemented. Officials also made a lot of money. The only people who suffered were the people."
Huang Zhixian replied: "That's right. There are some words that may not sound good. Forget it, I'd better not say it."
Chang Feng walked up to Magistrate Huang and refilled the good official's tea with his own hands: "We are close brothers. There is something we cannot say."
Huang Zhixian hesitated for a long time, and then he had the courage to speak out what was in his heart: "I dare to ask my superiors, what makes the emperors of the past dynasties considered good emperors?"
Changfeng thought for a moment and then answered: "Make great contributions."
Huang Zhixian shook his head.
Chang Feng said again: "Open up territory and expand territory."
Huang Zhixian continued to shake his head.
Chang Feng said again: "Be diligent and love the people."
Huang Zhixian still shook his head.
Chang Feng asked, "Please give me some advice from Brother Huang Shi."
Huang Zhixian's answer was shocking: "An emperor who doesn't bother is a good emperor!"
Chang Feng was stunned. Then he asked: "What's the explanation?"
Huang Zhixian said: "Throughout the history books, a promising emperor may not necessarily be a good emperor to the people."
"During the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the generals Wei Qing and Huo Qubing sealed the wolf in Xu and drank from the vast sea of horses. How glorious is the Han Dynasty?"
"What's the price? It's that the Han household registration has been halved over the past few decades! The common people don't have enough to eat."
"Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty only realized this when he was old. He issued the "Edict of Luntai Sinner". But... it was already too late!"
"In the early Kaiyuan period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, large areas of the Western Region and Beiting became the territory of the Tang Dynasty."
"However, Du Gongbu has a poem that says: The side court bleeds into sea water, and Emperor Wu has not stopped opening the side court. If you don't hear it, there are thousands of villages in the Han Dynasty's two hundred states in Shandong."
"The poor bones by the Wuding River are like those in a spring boudoir dream!"
"I have lived in China for thousands of years. For thousands of years, generations of people have lived like animals."
"Once there is a promising emperor, it will be a luxury for the people to live like an animal with a mouthful of fodder!"
"There is an old saying that goes well, only when you speak loudly will you be able to speak louder."
"If the emperor doesn't bother, officials, businessmen, and landowners will make a fortune. The common people can follow An Anan and get a mouthful of fodder without starving to death. It can be considered a truly prosperous age!"
"For example, the emperor issued a decree last year to stockpile grain. The original intention was to make a difference. But the result? All the people in the two capitals and thirteen provinces suffered!"
After Huang Zhixian said these words, he regretted it. He spoke from his heart,
It's also true.
But doing so would be considered treasonous.
Even a coward can be brave enough. Huang Zhixian has been timid and cowardly for half his life. Today, I became a warrior and said everything I wanted to say. It was as if all the strength had been drained from him. He sat on the chair in a daze.
Chang Feng was extremely surprised: "Brother Huang Shi's remarks... are really novel. I can't say I agree, but I can't think of a reason to refute it at the moment."
"Right and wrong. Let's leave it to future generations to comment."
The two chatted for a while. Chang Feng suddenly remembered something: "By the way, the price of food in Beizhili plummeted this spring. Is it related to the emperor's decree to stock up on food?"
Huang Zhixian nodded: "It's closely related. Officials only have one mouth, and they only have three meals a day. How much can they eat by just eating?"
"After so much food was harvested through the grain hoarding policy, it was natural to find a way to exchange it for money, and then use the money to buy land, real estate, and singers and dancers."
"I heard that there is a man in the capital who has great powers. He can turn huge amounts of grain into money. Local officials always come to him to sell the grain obtained by squeezing the people."
"With so much grain being rushed onto the market, it would be strange if grain prices don't fall."
Chang Feng thought of a major case that Jin Yiwei solved during the Hongwu period - the Guo Huan case.
Guo Huan was then the Minister of Household Affairs. He colluded with thousands of officials, large and small, and embezzled a total of 24 million shi in land tax.
After the incident, Taizu executed all officials including the Sixth Minister and below.
From the minister to the grain chief, a total of more than 30,000 officials and their families were killed!
Could it be said that Guo Huan also came out of the Hongzhi Dynasty?
Chang Feng asked Magistrate Huang: "Brother Huang, does he know who the man with great powers in the capital is?"
Huang Zhixian shook his head slightly: "I have never corrupted the people's food. I have never sold dirty food. So I don't know."
Chang Feng asked: "Magistrate Huang, how long will your term last?"
Huang Zhixian replied: "There is still more than a month. At that time, I will go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to report on my work and apply for a new position."
Chang Feng said: "Let's do this. You hand over the affairs of the county to the county magistrate first. Wait and come back to Beijing with me at any time. I will ask the emperor to summon you."
"You are a good official. You have served in Rongcheng County for six years and have benefited Sangzi. You should let the emperor know that there is an upright official like you in Beizhili under the emperor's feet."
"At the same time, you must tell the emperor personally about the shortcomings of the grain hoarding policy."
Huang Zhixian said: "Okay! In fact, after receiving the imperial edict to stockpile food last year, Xianguan planned to write a note to remind the emperor."
"However, the lower official is just a county magistrate and does not have the power to directly submit the order. The order must be passed up through the prefect's yamen, the chief envoy's yamen, the governor's yamen, and the general affairs bureau's yamen."
"I'm afraid that as soon as I arrive at the magistrate's office, the documents will be taken away and burned! The lower officials will also be in trouble."
"Because this kind of cheating is destroying the wealth of local officials in the world, and destroying people's wealth is like killing their parents!"
"That's why I didn't dare to take this trouble."
After chatting with Magistrate Huang, Chang Feng summoned Fatty Xu, Qian Ning and others to discuss matters.
He told everyone the secret of hoarding food.
Everyone was stunned.
Qian Ning was very excited: "Master Chang, the time has come for us to make great achievements! If it is true as Huang Boren said, all the state and county officials in the world will fall into the hands of our Jin Yiwei!"
"Killing one or two thousand officials will fully strengthen the prestige of our imperial guards!"
Qian Ning stole the show last time when he punished two officials in Beijing. He finally tasted the sweetness. Is there anything more convenient to establish authority than teasing others?
He rose from an unknown little flag in the Wei to a well-known figure in the capital, just by tricking people.
Fatty Xu echoed: "Damn it. Those local officials eat the flesh of the people and exploit the oil of the people. They should be punished and punished."
Chang Feng believes that simply concocting major cases and killing people cannot solve the problem.
During the Hongwu Dynasty, the four major cases of Guo Huan, Kong Yin, Hu Weiyong, and Lan Yu killed officials all over the world. Is it cruel enough?
What happens in the end? Should officials be greedy?
The problem of official corruption has not been solved at all.
Chang Feng said: "That's it. Let's pick a county. Well, let's choose Xiong County. Find out how many dan Xiong County has actually harvested from the people's grain of 5,500 dan."
"How many stones have been corrupted by the officials from top to bottom in the county government."
"Investigate the matter in Qingxiong County and use it as an example for the Emperor to weigh and consider."
In the words of later generations, Chang Feng's original mission when he left Beijing was acceptance inspection, but now his mission has become investigation.
Jin Yiwei does research and will not have a heart-to-heart talk with local officials. The great memory recovery technique is not a guarantee.
Everyone agreed to leave Rongcheng County and go straight to Xiong County.
Ten days later, Xiongxian County Government.
The thin Cheng Zhixian was having a drink with two Yangzhou skinny horses in his arms at the back office.
His butler stood in front of him, next to a large wooden box with neatly stacked silver ingots.
The housekeeper smiled and said, "Sir, Runde Grain Store is really easy to do business with. I went to Beijing and went to the grain store. I delivered the five thousand stones of grain from our county to them that day."
"We got a total of two thousand taels of silver. Have you counted it?"
Nowadays, the price of fine wheat in the capital is five cents per stone. Since officials are selling stolen goods, they naturally cannot be sold at the market price. It's equivalent to disposing of the stolen food for four coins.
Cheng Zhixian sneered: "Sir, I am a man who has read a lot of poetry and books. I hate these copper-stinking things the most. Let me count, do you want me to dirty my hands?"
"Leave one thousand taels. The remaining one thousand taels will be divided among the subordinates according to the county government roster."
The butler said: "Yes."
At this moment, Lu Dianli came in and said, "Your Majesty, the Jin Yiwei has come to our Xiong County again."
Cheng Zhixian's expression changed: "We just sent away those plague gods, why are they here again? Where are they?"
Lu Dianli replied: "It's in the county government hall."
Cheng Zhixian pushed away the two thin horses and said, "Quick, let's go to the lobby to greet them."
Cheng Zhixian came to the lobby and saluted Chang Feng and others.
Chang Feng sat on the chair: "Mr. Cheng, last year Xiong County and the people purchased 5,500 shi to stockpile grain. How much silver was spent in total?"
County Magistrate Cheng replied: "The price of fine wheat last autumn was six cents of silver per stone. It cost the county government a total of 33,000 taels of silver. There are detailed accounts for inspection. Can I bring you the accounts?"
Chang Feng nodded: "Well, let me take a look."
Cheng Zhixian presented the account book with both hands.
Chang Feng took a closer look and found that there was nothing wrong with the accounts.
Chang Feng changed the topic: "It cost 3,300 taels of silver, what is the actual amount of grain purchased?"
Cheng Zhixian was stunned at first. Then he said: "The real number is the 5,500 stones of grain from the official warehouse!"
Chang Feng sneered: "Ah, a county official is very courageous to dare to lie in front of Jin Yiwei. Do you think I have just arrived in your county?"
After speaking, Chang Feng clapped his hands.
Fatty Xu led more than twenty people whose hands and feet were tied into the lobby. There is also a group of strong men holding the official dendrobium and official title used to collect grain in Xiong County.
These two dozen people are the grain chiefs of various townships in Xiong County.
Cheng Zhixian was stunned and thought to himself: Not good! It turns out that I came prepared!
Chang Feng took out a piece of paper from his arms and read: "Last year, your Xiong County purchased people's grain. It cost a total of 3,300 taels of official silver. This is true."
"But the price of grain set by the county government is not six yuan per stone at all. It is three yuan per stone! Some people caused trouble because of the low price, and your county government arrested more than 300 people. They were easily beaten."
"Last year in the twenty-seventh township of Xiong County, a total of 10,500 shi of high-quality new wheat was purchased from the people!"
"The extra five thousand stones will all go into your pocket, Magistrate Cheng! There are twenty-seven confessions from the grain chiefs as proof!"
Fatty Xu pointed at the official dendrobium and the official lifting scale, and added to Chang Feng: "You have also tampered with these grain harvesting and weighing instruments!"
Beads of sweat broke out on Cheng Zhixian's head.
Chang Feng pointed at Qian Ning: "Zhixian Cheng, please remember, this is Qian Ning, deputy Qianhu of Fusi, Beizhen. He has hated evil all his life, and he hates you the most.
These corrupt officials who eat the flesh of the people and drink the blood of the people! "
"Now, Deputy Qianhu will give you a severe punishment!"
According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, to punish a seventh-grade official, an official document signed by the officials of the three levels of law is required.
Even the governor cannot punish seventh-rank officials without authorization.
The only exceptions are Dongchang and Jinyiwei. Factory guards are existences beyond the law.
Qian Ning sneered: "Okay, Mr. Chang, just take a look!"
Cheng Zhixian shouted: "I will recruit them all, please spare my life!"
Chengzhi County's reputation is still shallow. He didn't know that Jin Yiwei had the habit of being sentenced first and then questioning the case.
Not long after, nails were driven into Cheng Zhixian's feet and salt was sprinkled on them.
How could Cheng Zhixian, who was as thin as a hemp pole, endure such a crime? Screaming in pain.
Qian Ning put the clamp on Cheng Zhixian again and pinched Cheng Zhixian's ten fingers.
After struggling for two moments, Cheng Zhixian was already dying.
Chang Feng took a sip of tea and said, "Prisoner, last year you hoarded grain. How much grain did you forcibly buy from the people? How much did you corrupt?"
Cheng Zhixian answered truthfully: "The actual number is as the official said, it is 10,500 shi. The greedy black ink was 5,000 shi."
"But the conscience of heaven and earth. Of these five thousand stones of grain, only half belong to lower-ranking officials. According to the rules, the rest must be distributed to the county magistrate, the chief registrar, the clerk, the chief and deputy head of the third class, and the twenty or so grain chiefs."
Chang Feng asked again: "Where is the stolen food?"
Cheng Zhixian replied: "The lower official sent people to transport it to Tongzhou and sell it. A total of two thousand taels of silver were obtained. The silver was just transported back to the county today."
Chang Feng asked: "Who did you sell it to?"
County Magistrate Cheng replied: "Sold to Runde Grain Store in Tongzhou."
Chang Feng frowned: Runde Food Store? Why does it sound so familiar?
He continued to ask: "Those local officials in your neighboring counties, where did they sell the dirty food they got from squeezing the people?"
County Magistrate Cheng replied: "It was also sold to Runde Grain Store. Runde Grain Store has great magical powers. I am afraid that more than half of the local officials in the world took grain that they should not have and sold it to them!"
Chang Feng asked: "What is the background of Runde Grain Store? Who is the boss?"
Magistrate Cheng couldn't help but kowtow: "I don't know! I really don't know!"
The boss behind Runde Grain Store is extremely mysterious. Magistrate Cheng did not know.
Chang Feng said: "Take him back to the capital."
Fatty Xu said: "Master Chang, should we go back to Beijing?"
Chang Feng nodded: "I've been out for two months. It's time to give an explanation to the emperor."
On the first day of May in the third year of Hongzhi, Chang Feng, who was out on inspection, returned to the capital.
He brought back two magistrates, one was honest and the other was greedy.
Huang Zhixian, who resisted the imperial edict and failed to store enough food, was arranged by Chang Feng to live in his own home. Waiting for the emperor's summons.
Cheng Zhixian, who obeyed the order and stocked up enough food, was placed in a cell in the imperial edict.
The third day of May. Emperor Hongzhi summoned Chang Feng and Huang Zhixian in Qianqing Palace.
After hearing the report of the two men, Emperor Hongzhi turned pale and felt like a knife!
He thought hard and came up with a policy of hoarding grain that would benefit the country and the people, but it turned out to be a bad policy that harmed the people!
Emperor Hongzhi didn't know whether he should be angry with himself or the local officials all over the world!
In anger, he regained his temper. He slammed the bronze sword beside Long's desk to the ground. Then he roared angrily: "You are deceiving the heavens!"
Chang Feng said quickly: "Your Majesty, please calm down."
Emperor Hongzhi said: "Calm down your anger? How can I calm down my anger? Those grains are the rations that the people depend on for survival!"
"Because of my decree, the people's food rations fell into the hands of corrupt officials!"
"There are 1,138 magistrates in the world, 193 prefectures, and 140 prefects! According to what you told me, nine out of ten officials are probably corrupt!"
"Few of the remaining 10% of honest officials dare to report the truth to me!"
"Since I came to the throne, I have treated criminal ministers without killing them if I can. That is my mercy! But they regard my mercy as weakness!"
"Chang Feng, kill! I will go on a killing spree this time!"
Emperor Hongzhi was really angry this time. The veins on my neck popped out!
Chang Feng kowtowed heavily: "Your Majesty, I can't kill you!"
Emperor Hongzhi glared at Chang Feng: "Can't kill? Why? If you don't tell the truth, you are protecting corrupt officials all over the world!"
Chang Feng kowtowed: "Your Majesty, the lessons learned from the Guo Huan case are still there! Killing people will not solve the problem! It will only destabilize the court."
What Chang Feng said is true. Combating corruption is an eternal problem. Just killing people is useless.
Emperor Hongzhi was stunned. He is a thorough reader of history books. Naturally, we know the Guo Huan case.
Chang Feng said again: "Magistrate Huang has been staying at Chen's house these days. He and I had a good talk. He said something to me last night, which made sense."
Emperor Hongzhi turned to look at Huang Zhixian: "Oh? What are you talking about? Huang Boren, tell me."
County magistrate Huang said: "Your Majesty. I have the courage to speak out. Corrupt officials are like leeks. Once you cut one crop, another crop will pop up."
"You kill a corrupt official when he's full. If you replace him with a new scholar who is hungry and has not had enough to eat, he will chew the flesh and blood of the people even more unscrupulously. It's better to keep the corrupt official who is full!"
Emperor Hongzhi read poetry and books since he was a child. Huang Zhixian's pragmatic remarks subverted his three views.
Emperor Hongzhi was furious: "Huang Boren, you fart!"
Huang Zhixian was originally timid. After being scolded by Emperor Hongzhi, sweat dripped from his neck.
Chang Feng was really afraid that he would suffer from chest pain in the main hall of Qianqing Palace.
