Selling an official beard, this idiom has a long history in China. In the time of the first unified dynasty, Qin Shi Huang, it had a "market". There is a clear record in the history books: "Nasu Qianshi, Baijue first-class." However, at that time, there was no such thing as "selling official beards", and its formation date should be the Han Dynasty, a dynasty after the Qin Dynasty.

According to Chinese historical records, the earliest appearance in history was not a selling official, but a bearded lord.

The so-called mantle refers to the exchange of the title for food, which has nothing to do with money, and the purpose is to relieve the disaster. It can be said that the mantle is an emergency measure taken by the country in the face of natural disasters due to lack of food. And the selling of officials began in the Han Dynasty, the era of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

Anyone who has read a little history book knows that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was ambitious, had many affairs at the border, and spent a lot of money on the treasury. The practice of exchanging titles for food was no longer enough to solve the problems of the time. So, he sold his position to increase his income and pay for the huge military expenses. At this point, the selling of officials and lords became one.

The Han Dynasty called "selling officials" as "Xuanxuan", and it was originally stipulated that in addition to merchants with city registration, those who paid a certain amount of assets could bring their own carriages and horses and clothing, and wait for selection in Beijing. Later, the scope was gradually expanded, not only lifting the restrictions on merchants, but also adding the sale of martial arts.

"Master," the system looked up at the palace-like mansion of the other big devil in the desert oasis, and said to Zai Ning Xiao very honestly. "This big devil is much smarter than the one in front of him. No, before he became the demon king, he made wishes everywhere, attracting the investment of many little devils, and also attached such a luxurious and luxurious palace. ”

"I haven't become a demon king yet, so I'm selling my official beard. If you become the devil, this demon world will definitely be in chaos. ”

"Then you can deal with it first!" Ning Xiao smiled slightly, prompting.

"Well, I'll fight him!" That's how the system replied.

However, with the passage of time, the character of the official seller has changed, and it has become more and more distant from its original intention, and has become a shameless method for the monarchs of various dynasties to loot the people's fat and ointment (the money of the official buyer will eventually be extracted from the people in different ways), and the method of selling officials is constantly renewed.

For example, Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han Dynasty sold his official position by auction, and the official position was not publicly priced, and whoever bid the highest bid would sell it to whom, and only received currency. Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty was even more "shrewd", not only "opening the West Mansion to sell officials" and setting up an agency specifically responsible for selling officials, but also openly "advertised" and pasted the golden words of Douda outside the Hongdu Gate of Chang'an: Lose Su to supplement the official, 2,000 stones! Senior officer: "Twenty million money."

Wen; Four hundred stones! The middle-level official "money four million Wen...... In addition, it is allowed to pay on credit, and the deadline for repayment is doubled after taking office.

A tycoon named Cui Lie bought the official position of Situ for only five million, and Emperor Ling was very remorseful for this: "I knew this was the case, and the price should be 10 million." ”

However, although Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty did a bit absurd, after all, it was still an act within the system, with the nature of the state, and the income was returned to the treasury. Later, however, the selling of official positions developed into self-employment and became "private".

Yuan Hui, a favored minister of the Wei State in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, was a secretary of the ministry, and he had openly sold officials, and the price was as follows: 2,000 horses for first-class county officials, 1,000 horses for the second class, and 500 horses for the third class. Empress Wei of the Tang Dynasty and her daughter Princess An Le joined forces to sell officials, and as long as they handed over enough silver taels, the mother and daughter notified Zhongshu Province to issue a "letter of appointment" in the name of the emperor.

The most ridiculous is Wei Yifan, the prime minister of Tang Zhaozong. Soon after he came to power, he relied on the means of sealing officials and making wishes, and made a lot of oil and water, which belonged to "collecting a deposit before the goods were sold". Before his wish could be fully fulfilled, his mother died. According to the custom of the time, he was dismissed from his post and went home to mourn. This dismissal did not matter, but it made those who were granted the title of recipient anxious, and they came to the door one after another, demanding a refund of the money paid for the official purchase. Wei Yifan was helpless, and did not wait for the mourning period to expire, so he asked for the phase to be restored in advance. The first thing he did after his restoration was to pay off his debts in a hurry - to knight those creditors.

"Master!"

Just when Ning Xiao saw the history book in her hand, the scarred system suddenly appeared in front of her. She was so shocked that she had to put down the history book she was reading.

"What's going on? With your skills, you shouldn't have been hurt so badly!"

"Alas, master! That demon is also good, and he has a lot of magic weapons on his body, and he is very powerful!"

"Oh!" Ning Xiao thought about it, then looked up at the small incense burner that was wiping the wound of the system.

"It's useless!" The little incense burner was still muttering to him while rubbing the scars on the system in distress. "Isn't it just a demon who beats you like this? He has a magic weapon, and you have it too! I am the most powerful magic weapon in heaven and earth......"

"Poof!" Ning Xiao smiled. So, she instructed the little incense burner: "After Xiaoliu recovers from his injury, you can take him to meet that demon!" Let's see, is Koyanagi exaggerating? ”

"All right, master!" The little incense burner replied quite cheerfully. After all, she has been watching the system punch all over the world recently, and her hands are itching.

So, Ning Xiao picked up the history book in his hand again. Anyway, as long as the big devil has not reached the peak level of the demon king, the small incense burner and the system can handle it, and she doesn't need to make a move. Of course, those old devils who have lived for countless thousands of years must be excepted.

In the last dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, the trend of selling officials reached its peak. The Qing Dynasty called "selling officials" "donations", and the officials that could be bought through "donations" were extremely extensive.

The Beijing officials could buy Langzhong, and the magistrates could buy Taoists who were higher than the prefects. There are no restrictions on those who buy officials, not to mention landlords and merchants, even hooligans and thieves. "Donation" has a wider range of uses: civilians can donate to officials; Petty officials can donate to big officials; Fictitious titles can be donated to real jobs; where punishment should be imposed, the punishment may be mitigated or even completely offset through "donations"; Those who are demoted and dismissed may be reinstated by "donating" officials; Those who violate the criminal law can donate to be innocent.

There was a thief named Zheng Guang who used the stolen money to buy a county order, and then used the money to make friends with his superiors, and was soon promoted to the rank of inspector. Seeing that no one doubted him, the "lord" returned to his old business and was caught stealing. While in prison, he also wrote a crooked poem, two of which are very intriguing: "Others are thieves when they are officials, and Zheng Guang is an official when they are thieves." ”

It is obviously one party buying and the other selling, but it is preferable to say "donation", as if it is a charitable act. The word "donation" makes the emperor sell decently, and the person who "donates officials" can buy scenery. The person who "donated officials" fulfilled his official dream, and the emperor Lao'er received gold and silver, which can be described as the best of both worlds. "Donating to officials" is also a kind of economic investment, if you "donate" a "fat shortage", within three to five years, the "cost" spent will be recovered, and you will make money in vain in the future. Therefore, those who donated to become officials, at the beginning of their tenure, eight or nine times out of ten, wantonly looted the people's fat and people's ointment. They "donate officials" so that they don't do the stupid thing of "losing money and making money".

"Selling officials", either as a system or as a social phenomenon, has openly and covertly existed in various dynasties in human history, and its drawbacks have become more and more exposed: first, "selling officials" has weakened the ideals and beliefs of officials and annihilated their conscience and sense of social responsibility; Second, "selling official positions" seriously suppresses talent and reduces the quality of officials; Third, the "selling of official positions" has increased the burden on the people and exacerbated class contradictions; Fourth, the "selling of official positions" has poisoned the political and social atmosphere, resulting in corruption in the officialdom, darkness, and the people's morale.

It can be said that when "buying officials" was at its most prevalent, it was also the darkest time for officialdom. Just as a Chinese leader solemnly pointed out in his speech at a forum: "The most serious cause of corruption in history is the corruption of officials. As a result of the sale of official positions and other corrupt phenomena brought about and promoted, the examples of people dying and the collapse of the dynasty are not uncommon in the dynastic society of China. ”

……

"Hosts, we ......"

However, when he saw the small incense burner and the system supporting each other and coming to him, Ning Xiao couldn't sit still anymore. She had to throw away the history books in her hand and come forward to deal with this matter herself.

"Your Excellency, this time you came to challenge two guys, it's really amazing!" Another Adversary's subordinate followed him, reminding. "Thankfully, you have a lot of magic weapons. Otherwise, you will be helpless. ”

"Humph!" The other big devil smiled coldly. "It's just two little babies, and it's not the old devil, what are you afraid of! The treasure at the bottom of my box hasn't come out yet!"

"Oooh!" When a subordinate heard the devil say this, he immediately relieved his heart. Because the system and the small incense burner are really terrifying. "When Your Excellency said this, you finally put your mind at ease."

"Haha!" The other adversary burst out laughing. He waved his hand and shouted, "I hope there will be a more powerful one this time." Then, I can give him a taste of the power of the pressed box baby. ”

"Really?" Ning Xiao cut through the void and suddenly appeared in front of the demon. "Then I want to learn about your pressure box baby!"

"Wow!" For Ning Xiao's sudden arrival, the devil's subordinates were suddenly frightened. In front of such a demon who came and went without a trace, these little Rolls could only be used as cannon fodder.

"Oh!" The adversary was just amazed. Then, he smacked his lips and said, "It seems that there is a very good chance that the demon world will usher in a female demon king - stunner, if you want to be a demon king, you can do it, but you have to pass my next level!"

"You are presumptuous!" At this moment, Ning Xiao was furious. She didn't care about anything else anymore, and directly attacked the other party.