At the same time, Liu Wen and the eldest grandson Wuji also arrived in Lingwu County.

For that slave Bai Yushao, Liu Wen also felt very strange, obviously this is a feudal society, how can there still be slaves? Could it be the remnants of the slavery system of the Xianbei regimes of the Northern Wei, Western Wei, and Northern Zhou dynasties?

At first, Liu Wen was embarrassed to ask.

But thinking that he would soon see his uncle-in-law and the king of the backer, it would be impossible to be so ignorant at that time, so when he was resting in the village one afternoon, he asked the eldest grandson Wuji about it.

"Alas!" The eldest grandson Wuji sighed and said, "There is no one else here, so the lower officials will say it directly." The birth of these slaves has a lot to do with the harsh laws of the first emperor. ”

"What? The harsh punishment of the first emperor? Liu Wen was full of disbelief: "Although I don't know much about these things, I also know that the "Kaihuang Law" promulgated by the first emperor abolished a series of cruel punishments such as whipping, beheading, car splitting, and joint sitting, which is the most merciful decree since ancient times. The people of the world all praise it, such a decree is also a harsh law? ”

"King Song, you know the kindness of the first emperor, don't you know the other side of him?"

Hearing the eldest grandson Wuji ask, Liu Wen was silent.

I once drank the poisonous wine that Yang Jian prepared for me, why don't you know him as a person?

As long as there is suspicion, Yang Jian will completely punish him outside the law.

It can be said that he is the creator of the rules, and at the same time the destroyer of the rules.

I think for Yang Guang, Yang Jian's personality is more divided.

On the one hand, he is very benevolent, and he can turn a blind eye to Yang Su's corruption and even the crimes of some ministers, and even forgive him after being exposed.

But on the other hand, he was very brutal, and whenever anyone mentioned a minister who was going to rebel, he would suspect it, and because of his suspicion and suspicion, he would kill that minister.

It is precisely for this reason that the political legacy he has left to Yang Guang now is a mess after a mass killing, and there is not much left of those who are really capable.

After all, if there is no ability, Yang Jian will not doubt him.

Eldest Sun Wuji looked at Liu Wen's expression and understood that he must have thought a lot, and Eldest Sun Wuji said: "Other emperors will do some extrajudicial favors, but the first emperor often tortures extrajudicially. In the past, in court discussions, it was not uncommon for some ministers to be executed in court for saying the wrong thing. ”

"In addition, the first emperor also issued some special decrees outside the scope of the "Kaihuang Law".

If more than three people conspire to steal something, even if it's not very valuable, just a watermelon in the ground, then they're not stealing, Bitu said. Although this kind of oppression of the people in the township is hateful, the practice of the first emperor is even more extreme. The eldest grandson Wuji paused when he said this, and asked Liu Wen: "King Song, what do you think the first emperor would do?" ”

Liu Wen guessed: "Twenty canes?" ”

The eldest grandson Wuji shook his head: "Once it is exposed, all of them will be exempted from interrogation and executed on the spot!" ”

"Wow!"

Liu Wen didn't know what to say.

Three people conspire to steal something, it really can't be measured by ordinary theft, but they will be killed on the spot without interrogation, and they are not afraid of killing the wrong person?

I only heard the eldest grandson Wuji continue: "Not only that, the first emperor also issued a decree that those who steal more than one liter of grain will not only be executed, but the people in the family will also be confiscated into the court as slaves. ”

After Liu Wen heard about it, he didn't understand it at first, but after thinking about it slightly, he gradually understood.

But for all those who steal grain and conspire to steal watermelons, for what?

Aren't many of them desperate because they have no food to eat and nothing to eat?

Three people stealing watermelons, it is very likely that these three people are hungry people, it is very likely that they will gather together and grab other things, and once they taste the sweetness, these hungry people will gather and break out into a large-scale peasant uprising.

Liu Wen believes that, in the final analysis, Yang Jian wants to stifle the sprouts of a peasant uprising.

And what he really wants to protect in this kind of extrajudicial punishment is the fundamental interests of the gate lord clan.

After all, the children of the family will not steal any grain and watermelons at all.

Yang Jian's punishments are mainly to deter those poor people, in this era, the so-called people's will is not the people's will at all. The so-called people have been completely represented by the powerful family.

Thinking of this, Liu Wen sighed: "From this point of view, that Bai Yusa is still a poor person?" ”

"I don't know if it's a lower official, but one thing is for sure, Lingwu and Wuyuan are both border counties, and many of those official slaves have been assigned here. In previous years, when conscription was levied, some officials and slaves would be transferred, but in the past two years, the construction of the eastern capital Luoyang, the conquest of Goguryeo, and even the repair of the palace have mobilized a lot of people, and most of them have never returned. ”

"Why don't these officials and slaves understand? If they continue like this, they will not survive. Therefore, now that some people are taking the lead in rebellion, they are dead hearted and have gone to the dark, and it is impossible to turn back......"

"There's another way." Liu Wen suddenly interrupted the words of the eldest grandson Wuji.

"What's the solution?" The eldest grandson Wuji was stunned when he heard this.

"Overcome them, and tell these people, if they are willing to surrender, let them be put into the army, and forgive their former sins."

The eldest grandson Wuji's face changed after hearing this, and he said, "Chitose, don't mention this strategy to the emperor!" These people had rebelled, but instead of being held accountable, they were pardoned as slaves and became special military households. This will make them feel that if they are not happy in the future, they can solve the problem as long as they rebel again and force the court to compromise. ”

"And once these pardoned thieves rebel again, then you King Song, who wants the emperor to make a suggestion, will bear a huge responsibility for it at that time! It is not unreasonable that there are few amnesties for rebels in every dynasty and generation......"

Liu Wen nodded silently after hearing this.

The proposal I just made was indeed a little inconsiderate.

Although this idea is very benevolent, it will also make people feel very weak, if he becomes the emperor, even the rebels will be pardoned, and even some benefits will be given, what will other people think? Then you don't have to do anything, just put out the rebellion and put out the fire everywhere.

Two days later, Liu Wen, Yang Lin, and Qiu Rui's army converged.

Speaking of this fire dragon real person, these two old princes hate it so much.

"This miscellaneous thief! I don't know where it came from, obviously I don't have other skills, I know how to use witchcraft to harm people, but we can't do anything about it! Qiu Rui was so angry that he stomped his feet repeatedly.

Yang Lin also opened his eyes angrily, puffing out his cheeks and sighing.

"The heels of this fire dragon real person, I am a little bit together."

"Oh? Who is he? Qiu Rui hurriedly asked.

Yang Lin and the eldest grandson Wuji also looked at Liu Wen curiously.

Liu Wen said with a smile: "He is a disciple of Haichao Ancestor. Back then, he followed the ancestor of Haichao and assisted Qin Shi Huang to destroy the Six Kingdoms, and made a little merit. Now I'm afraid I have some ideas, so I came out to make waves......"