Zhao Huan entered the Chengdu Mansion amid the cheers of the people along the way, and what he saw was rows of people kneeling on the ground. Shortly before them, there were several times lying on their stomachs, their buttocks covered in blood, apparently being tortured.

Although he came from the afterlife, he also knew that this was not the time to abolish corporal punishment, and although he saw it, he did not speak.

The prefect once came forward and saluted him again, Zhao Huan comforted him a few words, and then asked him: "What crime have these people committed to be like this?" ”

At that time, his face was fair, and his whole body was very neat, and his face was full of ability.

Hearing the emperor's question, he hurriedly replied: "Some of these people can't pay taxes, and some abuse the court and insult the gentry. Then there is the sale of illicit salt. ”

Zhao Huan's heart was heavy, the picture in front of him was not something he had seen in some black and white movies?

The difference is that he is now the general representative of the so-called bureaucratic landlord class.

I wanted to scold him for a few words, but he didn't do anything wrong. And agreeing with his move, but there is something wrong.

He had no choice but to say, "The people also have suffering, let them go." ”

Unexpectedly, Zeng Shi turned his face and replied: "Your Majesty, the ministers and the shepherd side naturally must follow the laws of the court, although Your Majesty has compassion, but you must not corrupt the laws of the court." ”

Such a confrontation, in the eyes of Song Dynasty officials, is not particularly excessive. Not only did Zeng Shi's face remain as usual, but even Zhao Kai and other officials who watched from the sidelines did not change their faces.

Zhao Huan froze slightly, suppressed the anger in his heart, and only smiled: "What you say is reasonable, since this is the case, I sent money from the inner treasury and paid the taxes for them, how about it?" ”

Zeng Shi arched his hand and said: "Your Majesty is kind, what else does the minister have to say?" It's just that the wind can't be long, if the people of the whole world are like this, how much money can Your Majesty send out? ”

Zhao Huan had no choice but to nod yes, and ordered someone to send out those people who owed taxes and couldn't pay them, and ordered someone to make up for their tax arrears.

Seeing those people go in tears, Zhao Huan was also in a heavy mood.

Ninety percent of the country's land was concentrated in the hands of twenty-three percent of the gentry and landlords, but they refused to pay more taxes and solve problems for the country, but they still put a heavy burden on the people.

At the end of the Northern Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Southern Song Dynasty, peasant uprisings broke out one after another, and if it were not for the national war that diverted the eyes of the people of the world, it is difficult to predict how the situation would develop.

Most of the people were released, but some of them were still on their knees and were not released.

Zhao Huan glanced at them a few times, but saw that they were all full of unruly and unruly colors, all of them were strong, although they were forced to fall to the ground, they all raised their heads and refused to obey.

It's just that they may not have imagined that the emperor would appear in front of their eyes, and when they tried to make a look of indifference, they also had a little uneasiness.

At that time, even if it was a rebellion, the people rarely pointed the spearhead directly at the emperor.

Zhao Huanyin asked, "Are they all criminals who sell illicit salt?" ”

Zeng Shi replied, "Exactly." These people were bold, more than a dozen people gathered in one place, sold illicit salt, and the ministers sent troops to capture them all, but this group of people was very strong and did not admit guilt. According to the law, he shall be punished by beheading. ”

But this group of people is also really strong, and they have heard that they have been put to death, but still no one will cry out for mercy. The leader was bruised, obviously extremely unconvinced.

If it weren't for the emperor here, these people would have scolded.

Zhao Huan knew in his heart that Song Lu was extremely tolerant of scholars, but he also had an extremely strict side towards the small people. Those who sell more than 20 catties of illicit salt can be sentenced to death.

It's just that the law is ruthless, but several emperors are still lenient in their governance. If it weren't for that, there would have been more than 10,000 people selling more than 20 catties of salt during the Guangqing calendar year, and they were all killed, but it was really a river of blood.

Because of this, most of the people who have committed the death penalty for selling illicit salt like this are assassinated and exiled, and these men in front of them are obviously hob meat with their heads in the palm of their hands, and they are not afraid of execution, let alone assassination and exile. It was the words of the time, but it did not frighten them.

"What's your name, where are you from?"

Zhao Huan was not intensely attacked by the other party's bad attitude, but looked calm and asked a strong man kneeling in front.

The strong man's hair was messy, not combed, the roots of the beard on his cheeks were bulging, and his face was like black charcoal, Zhao Huan looked at him carefully, but he couldn't help but praise: "What a man." ”

The man had made up his mind, and he would kill at will, never begging for mercy, and not speaking.

just watched Zhao Huan sit in front of him, smiling and asking for his name, but it was difficult to keep his original opinion.

He coughed twice, and finally replied: "The official family, the surname of Xiaomin is Wang Mingjing, and the name of Haizhou is from Haizhou." ”

"Oh?"

Zhao Huan was also from Haizhou in his previous life, but he said to him in Haizhou dialect: "Then why did you come here to sell illicit salt?" ”

That Wang Jing was taken aback, almost jumped up, and said to him: "How can the official family speak the dialect of the villain? ”

Zhao Huan heard the local accent and was happy in his heart, but he changed his official dialect again and said with a smile: "When I was in the Five Kingdoms, I chatted with Uncle Zhang day and night, he was in Haizhou for many years, sometimes with an accent, but I learned a few words to relieve my boredom." ”

He couldn't bear it for a while, but Wang Jing was overjoyed and shouted, "It turns out that Master Zhang is still alive, cough!" If I knew it, I wouldn't have made a living, so as not to embarrass his old man. ”

Uncle Zhang was supposed to die on the way north, but somehow, he didn't die. Zhao Huan knew that he was a famous minister of the Northern Song Dynasty, and he often chatted with him in his spare time, but he also benefited a lot.

Seeing that these people were all excited, he asked, "Are you his old subordinates?" ”

Wang Jing's original violent color gradually faded, but he showed a trace of shame at the moment, and replied: "We were originally robbers, rampant everywhere, and no one can control us." Later, under the leadership of Brother Song, he went to attack Haizhou, but was captured by Master Zhang with a trick, and Brother Song and we all surrendered. I thought that if I worked for the imperial court, I would be able to fight for wealth again, but who knew that in a few years, Lord Zhang would be unable to protect himself, so he couldn't do anything to appease him, and went to the court as an official, but he was arrested by the Jurchens. Those of us who are not officers and soldiers in the first place, but who cares about this situation, and we are tired of fighting, so it is better to be robbers and have a good time. ”

Zhao Huan didn't care about it originally, but when he heard the words "Brother Song" he said, his heart moved.

Hurriedly asked, "Brother Song you are talking about, is it called Song Jiang?" ”

Wang Jing replied, "Exactly." It turned out that the official family had also heard of him. ”

Zeng Shi snorted coldly on the side, and said: "Song Jiangxiao gathered thirty-six thieves and rampaged through Gyeonggi, Liangshanbo is only a few hundred miles away from Tokyo, and the imperial court is deeply troubled, and Fang La said together, how can Your Majesty not know." ”

Zhao Huan was very interested in this leader of Liangshan, who was famous in later generations, and even more famous than him. Ignoring Zeng immediately, he asked Wang Jingdao: "Where is Song Jiang now, and where are Lin Chong, Hua Rong, Li Kui and others?" ”

He rubbed his hands again and again, and said in his heart: "If the heroes of Liangshan are here, it will not be bad to recruit them to be generals." ”

But Wang Jing was stunned and said: "Brother Song has passed away, but Lin Chong, Huarong and others, but I have never heard of it." ”

Zhao Huan shouted a pity, Song Jiang was dead or alive, he didn't care about it. This person is born to be a big brother, is it possible to give him a seat? However, Lin Chong, Huarong and others are all unworthy courage in the romance, and it seems that the novelist's words are not enough to be believed.

At that moment, he asked the whereabouts of the rest of the leaders, and then he knew. That Song Jiang was originally recruited by Zhang Shuye to surrender, but he led some people to rebel, and was captured by the famous general of the Western Army. Dadao Guan won, and he died in the second year of Jianyan, and he is a good man.

Shi Jin, in the first year of Jianyan, rebelled according to Xingzhou, proclaimed himself emperor, and was killed.

The rest of Yang Zhi, Zhang Heng and others have nothing to do with Song Jiang, or are junior officers of the Song army, or thieves from other departments, who were imposed on Song Jiang's subordinates by later generations.

After he asked, although he felt a pity, he also had a wonderful feeling of being in history and reality.

After being stunned for a while, he said to Wang Jing: "Since you have also served in the army, these illegal transactions should be stopped." I see that you are a man, serving in the Jingyuan Army and being a military academy can be regarded as a right path. ”

The emperor personally recruited, and all the thieves were excited, and they kowtowed one by one to agree, but a few people couldn't help but cry.

After all, Wang Jing's strength, after thanking the emperor for his great kindness, he still slit on the ground with his hands, and said to Zhao Huan: "Official, listen to the words of the small people, the taxes are so heavy now, we also know that the imperial court is going to fight with the Jin, but the people really can't survive." The villain sells salt, knowing that it is also a loss of the government's money, but if there is no villain, how many people can't afford to eat salt, and their bodies are swollen. The villain went all the way from Haizhou to Jingxiang Sichuan, there are hungry people everywhere, if it is not rectified, it will be a big chaos. ”

Zeng Shi stepped forward and shouted: "Shut up, you thief, what do you know, dare to talk nonsense in front of Your Majesty." ”

Zhao Huan's face was gloomy, and he said slowly: "People in the countryside are often in one word. ”

He stood up and instructed Kang Chengxun: "Don't embarrass them, send a few people to send them to serve in the Jingyuan army." ”