"I've heard of this, but I wonder how the investigation is going now?" Wang Haoran also paid attention to this matter, as a businessman, he naturally hoped that the status of the businessman could be improved, but Xu Chengjie of Linze County was too radical, once the imperial court suppressed the businessman, Xu Chengjie would become the sinner of all businessmen.

"After finding out, Xu Chengjie of Linze County promised to give Linze County's family 10 million and let Linze County Order take all the charges. Presumably, Lin Ze County Commander felt that no matter what the result was, he, as Lin Ze County Commander, colluded with officials and businessmen to deceive the imperial court to mine copper mines, which also led to many casualties among villagers, and he had to die in prison if he didn't die, so he agreed to Xu Chengjie's conditions. Li Shimin said, "People's pursuit is endless, those who are hungry want to eat enough, those who can eat want to make some money, and those who have money want to have rights, so the pursuit becomes ambition." Now the ministers of the DPRK and China feel that they should let the businessmen do the cholera court, and think that you, the protector of the country, are a good businessman once in a thousand years, while other businessmen must be suppressed. What do you think? ”

The incident in Linze County really aroused the vigilance of the imperial court against the merchants!

"The younger brother thinks that the people of the Tang Dynasty are a whole, and the farmers and industrialists perform their own duties, and none of them are indispensable, and there should be no distinction between superior and inferior. Nowadays, merchants can develop rapidly, and most of the reasons are due to the suppression of merchants by previous dynasties, which made the development of merchants slow. Businessmen can have today's situation in just over ten years, which seems to be advancing by leaps and bounds, but in fact, this is just adapting to the development of Datang. If the merchant class had not been suppressed in the past, the merchants would have developed slowly, and they would have almost developed to what they are now. ”

Li Shimin didn't agree with Wang Haoran's idea, but he didn't answer, but asked the eunuch to call Li Zhi to discuss together, after all, he had already let go of the affairs of the DPRK and China.

After Li Zhi came, Li Shimin said to him: "Zhi'er, now that you are going to start taking charge of the affairs of the DPRK and China, you should have your own opinions. What do you think about Linze County? ”

"Back to his father, the child thinks that it is necessary to curb the development of merchants, but the role of merchants plays an important role in the development of commerce, and the imperial income tax mainly comes from commercial taxes, so it should not be too strict to suppress merchants." Li Zhi replied.

"Haoran, what do you think?" Li Shimin asked Wang Haoran again.

"Your Majesty's concerns can be described as thoughtful, but the courtiers think that the reason why businessmen are taboo inside and outside the court is only worried about the collusion between officials and businessmen. The harm of collusion between officials and businessmen is indeed very significant. However, those who can collude with officials and businessmen naturally have the participation of officials, and the culprits should be both officials and businessmen, not just businessmen. Wang Haoran did not agree with the practice of suppressing businessmen, but if Li Zhi only used a more moderate method, he could accept it.

"This is also true, and preventing officials from favoritism is also a top priority! In recent years, corruption and bribery of officials have emerged one after another, and it is time to take drastic measures to rectify them. Li Zhi nodded.

"More and more officials are engaging in favoritism, and a very important point is that there is an imbalance in their minds. They have a noble status and power, but the money they obtain is not as good as that of lowly businessmen, especially in recent years, commerce has advanced by leaps and bounds, many businessmen have made a lot of money, and this imbalance among officials is even more prominent, and those who cannot stand the integrity have embarked on the road of favoritism and fraud. Wang Haoran analyzed.

"What does my uncle mean to increase the number of officials and support them with high salaries?" Li Zhi asked.

"It's not, Datang has developed to the current level, and the evaluation of Datang's advantages and disadvantages is no longer whether the grain and treasury are sufficient, but how many people want to be officials. As an official, it is more of a spirit of dedication to solve the difficulties of the people and to meet the needs of the people. If the people of the Tang Dynasty are eager to become officials, then it means that it is profitable to be officials, and those who become officials with this idea will definitely be corrupt and pervert the law. ”

"Then you have to reduce your salary...... "This can't be done, that's not it, Li Zhi is even more puzzled.

"Of course, it will not work out, and it will only aggravate the imbalance in the hearts of officials. Wechen thinks that a separate judicial body should be set up to examine whether officials are competent. This judiciary is directly accountable to His Majesty and may at any time call upon local officials to cooperate with the investigation. In addition to having a small number of money, this organization has strict requirements, and once there is corruption or bribery, the amount exceeds 1,000 yuan and can be beheaded. ”

"Will this work? Who would want to work in such an institution? Li Zhi was still very skeptical.

"It's true that no one wants to go to such an institution, but those who are jealous and hateful are willing to make a difference on this platform. In addition, the imperial court also has to publicize this institution to the outside world, so that the people of the Tang Dynasty know that only people who truly love the country and the people can enter this institution, and create an honest and selfless reputation for this institution. Of course, we must also promote the idea of protecting this reputation in this institution. And in the future, His Majesty can also select suitable talents from this institution to be reused. ”

Li Zhi's eyes lit up, and then he felt that this was not easy to achieve, and said: "Although there are not many people needed for such an institution, but the territory of Datang is so large, even if there is only one in each state and county, the demand for that number of people is still large, will there be so many people willing to enter such an institution?" ”

"It is better to have a shortage than an indiscriminate, and the requirements for people entering this institution must not lower the threshold, and if there are not enough people, we will set up a few demonstration sites first."

"Father, what do you think?" Li Zhi still couldn't make up his mind.

"Now you are in charge of the affairs of the court, and you can do whatever you want." Li Shimin felt that this method could be tried, and even if it didn't work, he would then withdraw this organization.

"The kid wants to try." Seeing that Li Shimin did not object, Li Zhi was eager to try, which was the first decision he made as emperor.

"Well, then you can do it with your heart!" Li Shimin nodded.

In the discussion between Wang Haoran and Li Zhi just now, Li Shimin didn't interject, just to see how Wang Haoran would speak to Li Zhi, fortunately, Wang Haoran didn't beat around the bush or use tricks or anything like he did before, and Wang Haoran's analysis of the whole thing can be said to know everything about Li Zhi, and he was relieved a lot, so he said to Li Zhi: "Haoran has always been a good minister for governing the country, if he wasn't willing to be an official, the widow would have given him the position of prime minister." In the future, if you have any problems or important matters, you should consult with him more often. ”

"The child remembers the teachings of his father." Li Zhi turned around and saluted Wang Haoran again: "I will ask my uncle for more guidance in the future." ”

"Your Majesty's words are serious, Weichen, as a concubine of the Tang Dynasty, naturally wants to contribute to the Tang Dynasty." Wang Haoran got up in panic and saluted.

After some deliberation, Li Zhi named the organization the Department of Integrity and Integrity. As for the suppression of merchants, in addition to increasing taxes, there are also many commercial thresholds and restrictions, and all merchants who invest more than one million yuan will be subject to different levels of supervision. These will be officially proposed in the next early dynasty, and Li Tang is not as authoritarian as imagined, especially when Li Shimin is in office.