In the spring of March, the twenty-fifth year of Kaibao's reign, former Deputy Financial Envoy Shen Yilun died at the age of seventy-nine. According to custom, Emperor Liu issued an edict to abolish the court for three days and present it to Marquis Kangping.
This year's climate is a little weird. It wasn't until May that there were some signs of heat. The light was obviously insufficient. It had little impact on people's sensory experience. It was even a bit comfortable. But for crops, The impact is serious.
After receiving warnings from the Qintian Supervisor and the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Prince Liu Yang expressed serious concern and listened to the report in person. Needless to say, Qin Tianjian, this Academy of Agricultural Sciences was created by Emperor Liu. It has been established for thirteen years and specializes in researching agricultural technology and management issues, guiding farmers in farming, disaster prevention, etc.
Agriculture depends on the weather, and climate change is naturally a key focus of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. After a meeting with the two government agencies, Liu Yang went on a patrol in person and went to the countryside to check on the growth of crops around Luoyang. After traveling hundreds of miles and covering dozens of counties and towns, the results were not optimistic.
As the temperature is significantly lower than in previous years and there is insufficient sunshine, the crops in most fields are not growing well. This season's grain production is destined to be reduced and the harvest will be poor. If it continues, it will even affect summer planting and autumn harvest. Once there is a large-scale reduction in grain production, grain prices will inevitably rise with the fluctuations, which will inevitably greatly affect the national economy and people's livelihood, and even famine will break out.
After the plan was compiled at the beginning of the year, the imperial court officially ordered that the scope of tax reform would be further expanded, with Hedong, Hebei and Guannai being the focus, and Lianghu and Lianghuai being the next batch. In this context, the court needs a stable political and social environment, and stability is the first priority to ensure the smooth progress of reforms.
If there were a famine disaster, the impact would be estimated. Therefore, after returning to the court, Liu Yang convened a meeting with ministers to discuss climate abnormalities and reduced grain production to prepare for possible disasters.
The imperial court has rich experience in these matters, it just depends on whether to do it and how to do it. Again, the big man has accumulated some wealth over the years, which is enough to withstand most risks and withstand any test of wind and rain, especially if he is prepared.
In order to cope with the possible food crisis, the imperial court has made preparations to mobilize grain reserves from various places, and at the same time increased the import of grain from Nanyang. The vast Nanyang is really a good place...
After learning about Prince Liu Yang's behavior before and after this incident, Emperor Liu didn't say much, but issued an edict shortly after. From the date of the edict, except for conquests, sacrifices, and the appointment and dismissal of officials of third rank or above, all matters It is up to the prince to decide the matter, and there is no need to retaliate to Emperor Liu.
This is the first time that Emperor Liu has delegated power in the form of a clear edict in decades. The impact of this edict is far-reaching. First of all, the status of the prince has been consolidated again. A young and powerful emperor poses a huge threat to the prince. He can even decide his fate and take away his status with one word. But an aging emperor The late emperor's deterrence was naturally greatly reduced.
Of course, no matter how old a tiger is, it can still eat people. No one in the country dared to test whether the old emperor's teeth were sharp. However, although Emperor Liu likes to make troubles, at this point, it is no longer easy to use the safety of Jiangshan Sheji as a bargaining chip. What's more, Emperor Liu has always been dissatisfied with the prince Liu Yang, but I am always satisfied with the big festival...
All in all, Emperor Liu was a little immovable. And that clear edict delegating power was an explanation to the Han subjects to reassure them.
However, Emperor Liu could not control the extent of the effect and the specific aspects of the effect.
At least, many people can't help but pay attention to the old emperor's physical condition. How is he recovering from his fall at the beginning of the year?
Regarding Emperor Liu's physical condition, it is naturally top secret, and no one involved dares to disclose it easily. Because there is always a knife hanging over the head. If one person leaks the secret, everyone will be killed. It is simple, crude, and cruel.
However, for many things, the more you hide them and the more you want to keep them unknown, the easier it is to attract attention and speculation from others. Even though it is difficult to obtain the specific situation of Emperor Liu, it cannot prevent some speculations.
Therefore, of course, when rumors about Emperor Liu's health appeared inside and outside the palace, those who served Emperor Liu suffered the most, fearing that they would be beheaded for "leaking secrets."
Naturally, those rumors and speculations could not escape Emperor Liu's ears. When he learned about these situations, one can imagine Emperor Liu's complicated mood.
From those speculations and suspicions, Emperor Liu saw the doubts that people in the world had about him. From those seemingly loyal concerns, Emperor Liu saw an ulterior motive. Some people think that he is old and sick, that his days are numbered, and that he is no longer as awe-inspiring as he used to be. Some people even hope that he will die soon.
Whenever he thought of these things, the tiger in Emperor Liu's heart couldn't help roaring. He wanted to vent his anger and resentment, but he looked around, inside and outside the palace, up and down the court, but could not find a clear target.
You can't just kill people indiscriminately without asking the reason, right or wrong, just to vent your selfish desires. Emperor Liu was not so stupid after all. The old Emperor Liu obviously has some mental illness. He has to pay for his forty years of brutality, but he still has an instinctive sobriety and rationality in some critical matters.
On the one hand, Emperor Liu wanted to ensure his authority and prove that he was still the hero who suppressed the empire, but many of his performances were contrary to this.
When he was recuperating in the palace, Emperor Liu had poor sleep and often had nightmares. He often woke up from his sleep. His low roar often made the palace attendants tremble.
Although he had never told anyone about his nightmares, Emperor Liu's state was indeed worrying and heart palpitating.
Perhaps to vent, Emperor Liu personally handled a case. Li Yi, the horse supervisor in Qinzhou, had a fortune and hundreds of servants. He was rich and unkind, preying on the common people. He also befriended powerful people, bribed officials, took bribes and perverted the law. He was a local tyrant.
The local official Feng and his wife went to court for impeachment several times, but Li Yi bribed the officials to hide the petitions. In order to retaliate, Li Yi actually hired people to kidnap and humiliate Feng and his wife and daughter...
This matter is just a corrupt and violent official in the local area who deceived the officials and harmed the people. After the incident, it can be judged according to the investigation. But Emperor Liu personally intervened and sentenced Li Yi to death. At the same time, he implicated Li Yi deeply and dug into his background. In Emperor Liu's view, how could a small horse supervisor have the energy to do such evil and run amok for so long? But before it is released, someone must protect it.
As a result, one by one of the local bureaucrats Li Yi had befriended, they were picked out one after another, and the number gradually expanded. More than half of the local officials in Qinzhou were punished, and many people in Longyou Daosi were implicated in this and were dismissed from office and questioned.
At the same time, Emperor Liu brought up old matters again. How could such a person be allowed to flourish for so long? How could the previous official movement allow such a fish to slip through the net? So some officials who had been investigated in Longxi in the past were also punished. A crime of dereliction of duty...
In the Li Yi case, apart from the fact that the main criminal Li Yi had a miserable end and a cruel death method, he did not kill too many people, but another incident was even more involved.
A story that sounds ridiculous is that Li Feixiong, the son of the judge Li Ruoyu of Shaanxi Province, was a young scoundrel who went on a rampage and traveled westward from the capital. After passing through Chang'an, he stole an official's horse and pretended to be the special envoy of the King of Jin. He was ordered to patrol the border and went westward. All the counties and towns he passed were bowed and obeyed orders. More than ten county officials from Qinlong were ordered to accompany them. They crossed the border in a pretentious manner and arrived in Hexi. They were captured by Li Feixiong. The number of officials and soldiers accompanying him has reached hundreds.
After crossing the river, Li Feixiong suddenly had the idea that Hexi was a beautiful place and he could become a king by taking advantage of it. So he led his people to Liangzhou, intending to seize Liangzhou for great things.
As a result, Wang Ming, the governor of Hexi Province, who learned that the "angel" had arrived, personally greeted him. However, who Wang Ming was, he could tell at a glance that something was wrong with Li Feixiong. After a simple test, he falsified his identity and removed him. After taking it, a "rebellion" was eliminated.
What happened to Li Feixiong was absurd and ridiculous, but it exposed a lot of serious things. A scoundrel drove hundreds of people to travel to the northwest, relying on nothing more than a lie and a "secret edict" that could not withstand inspection.
This is certainly a manifestation of the central authority, which makes local officials dare not offend. However, the imperial court has formulated so many complete and detailed rules and has many measures for identity verification, but in the face of "fake imperial envoys", none of them work. If it were not for the machine I don't know how big the impact will be.
In fact, the matter was bad enough. When Emperor Liu learned of the situation, he was furious and intervened in the case again. He did not need a judge to review the case and directly issued disposal opinions.
Naturally, Li Feixiong's family could not escape their bad luck, and they were all sentenced to death. The hundreds of officials and soldiers who were coerced by Li Feixiong's lies to march westward were also executed. Senior officials in Guannei, Longyou, and Hexi were also punished. If it weren't for Wang Ming If you find a problem and deal with it in time, you may not be able to avoid criticism.
Although everything happens for a reason, killing seems to have become a way for the old emperor to show his presence. It is the most direct and effective, and the lowest cost...
