Wei Xiang beckoned everyone to sit down, and he also walked towards the seat to the north. At this time, a shout came from the west gate: "His Majesty the Emperor has arrived." ”

Wei Xiang was stunned, the emperor came to listen to the case in person, but he didn't expect it, and hurriedly led the ministers out of the palace to greet him, and shouted in unison: "May Your Majesty live a thousand years and live a long life." ”

Liu Xun stepped down from Luan Yu and said, "No courtesy." Walking straight into the hall of the court, the chief in the center of the north sat down, raised his hand and motioned for everyone to sit down, and asked, "Who will say about Su Xian's affairs first." ”

Wei Xiang came out and arched his hand: "Su Xian's widow broke into the Prime Minister's Mansion to shout grievances, saying that Su Xian was detained for no reason and died unexpectedly. Su Xian is the mayor of Dong City, an official of the imperial court, and the minister has the responsibility to find out this matter and inform Su Xian's widow. ”

Liu Xun's gaze turned to Zhao Guanghan.

Zhao Guanghan came out of the column and kowtowed: "The minister is dead." ”

Liu asked: "Get up and speak." ”

Zhao Guanghan stood up and arched his hand and said: "The minister received a report from the businessmen of the East City, and the mayor of the East City, Su Xian, was charged with selling fake goods and setting up stalls across the border. But Su Xian was greedy and repeatedly blackmailed, and the merchant couldn't bear it anymore and anonymously reported it to Jingzhao Mansion. The minister suspected that he was guilty of 'intimidation and bribery', so he sent a government official to take him to Jingzhao Mansion for questioning. ”

Wei Xiang asked, "Is there any evidence?" ”

Zhao Guanghan said: "It is still being verified. ”

Wei Xiang snorted and said, "Su Xian's widow testified that Zhao Guanghan was framed with revenge. It is alleged that her husband had evicted a bootlegging stall owner in Dongshi, who claimed to be a relative of Jing Zhaoyin. Su Xian is the mayor of East City, and his duty is to still drive him away. Zhao Guanghan held a grudge for this incident and deliberately retaliated. ”

Zhao Guanghan hurriedly bowed down towards the emperor's seat, and said in an aggrieved tone: "The minister is wronged, and the minister has no relatives to do such illegal things as selling illicit wine. ”

Hearing this, Liu Xun suddenly turned his face sideways and glanced at Huo Yu, and a smile overflowed at the corner of his mouth.

Huo Yu was inexplicable at first, but then remembered a past incident, and couldn't help but feel ashamed and annoyed.

Zhao Guanghan is shrewd and decisive, but his temperament is difficult to say loyal. When the general Huo Guang was in power, he served Huo Guang and only promised. After Huo Guang's death, he figured out that the emperor intended to alienate the Huo family, so he thought about finding something to embarrass the Huo family and take the opportunity to curry favor with the emperor.

One day, he learned that Huo Yu was making wine in the mansion without permission, which was a violation of the ban. So he immediately led the officials of Jingzhao Mansion to Huo Yu's house, rushed straight into it without saying anything, and regardless of the obstruction of the Huo family, he commanded the officials to search everywhere, smashed all the wine urns found in front of Huo Yu, spilled the wine all over the ground, and used an axe to cut down the door, and then walked away.

Huo's court is so noble, but Zhao Guanghan was arbitrarily insulted, Huo Yu was unwilling, and sent someone into the palace afterwards to inform his sister Empress Huo. Empress Huo cried and cried to find the emperor to complain. Liu Xun listened, and after comforting the queen a little, he ordered someone to summon Zhao Guanghan and ask him why he did this. Zhao Guanghan guessed that the emperor would not blame him for this matter, so he said that Huo Yu illegally brewed and should be arrested, and it was light to smash the wine urn.

Liu Xun was tired of the Huo family's arrogance, and Zhao Guanghan's move, he also felt happy, so he didn't say anything. Back in the palace, he told Empress Huo that Zhao Guanghan was acting impartially and could not be guilty. After Huo Yu heard about it, he had to endure the humiliation, and since then he has hated Zhao Guanghan.

Huo Yu thought of this past, although his face did not show an angry expression, his heart became more and more resentful, watching Wei Xiang and Zhao Guanghan arguing, there was a feeling of schadenfreude.

Wei Xiangdao: "I was also at the scene that day, and the stall owner did say so." ”

Zhao Guanghan choked and said: "Diao Min can also believe in nonsense, can't it be a hypocrisy." ”

Wei Xiang was speechless for a while. Huo Yu interjected: "How did Su Xian die, but he used a rod to blame." ”

Liu Xun also looked at Zhao Guanghan with an inquiring gaze.

Zhao Guanghan bowed and said: "The government official brought him into Jingzhao Mansion, and before the minister could ask, Su Xian had already stroked his chest and fell to the ground." It was really a disease and died, and the minister really did not reprimand. ”

Liu Xun's gaze turned to Tingwei Yu Dingguo.

Yu Dingguo bowed his hand slightly, and said, "I have already experienced corpses." Su Xian had no injuries on his body, and he did die of convulsions caused by palpitations. I also asked his family members that Su Xian had a chronic illness of convulsive pain. ”

Zhao Guanghan had a sneer on the corner of his mouth, and glanced at Wei Xiang with disdain. Wei Xiang was expressionless.

Liu Xun also sensed the antagonism between the two people, and asked Tingwei Yu Dingguo: "How should this matter be resolved?" ”

Tingwei Yu Dingguo didn't think so much, and said: "Jingzhao Yin Zhao Guanghan detained officials without empirical evidence, resulting in illness and death, acting recklessly, and having the fault of 'dereliction of punishment'. ”

Liu Xun asked Huo Yu again. Huo Yu's heart moved, Zhao Guanghan and Wei Xiang fought, he was happy to stand by and watch, and he was satisfied with both defeats. However, judging from the current situation, it is better to support Zhao Guanghan, so he said: "Jing Zhaoyin is also responsible. ”

Liu Xun pondered for a moment, glanced at Wei Xiang again, and said, "Jingzhao Yin and Zhao Guanghan committed the mistake of 'dereliction of punishment'. I remember that he is diligent in government affairs, and this time he will be lightly dismissed and lowered to a higher level. If the offense is repeated, it will be punished together. Su Xian's family has a generous pension. ”

Wei Xiang still wanted to argue, but Shi Gao quietly pulled down his sleeve, Wei Xiang grinned bitterly, and gave up.

Tingwei Yu Dingguo glanced at the ministers and said, "Su Xian's widow sued Zhao Guanghan, and the case was closed. ”

The ministers in the main hall exchanged their heads and ears, and no one raised any objections.

Liu Xun pondered for a moment, stood up, and slowly paced to the center of the main hall, and the ministers got up one after another, bowing their heads and standing solemnly.

He looked around and said slowly: "The cause of this incident is that Zhao Guanghan suspected Su Xian of blackmailing and accepting bribes. If the officials are not honest and peaceful, they will be in decline. I also know that the affairs of the county and township officials are trivial and complicated, and they are very hard, but they have to take care of their wives and children, and they have to serve their parents, even if they keep telling them to be honest and not to invade the fishermen, how much effect can it have? Sometimes it's just like you can't help yourself. ”

Liu Xun's thoughts returned to the Shangguan of the year, the old father-in-law Xu Guanghan was a palace dyeing workshop official, although his wife Xu Pingjun was diligent in running the house, he often couldn't make ends meet.

The past was like smoke, and Liu Xun's eyes were moist. He breathed a long sigh of relief, retracted his thoughts, and said slowly: "I think that now that the treasury is full, it has the ability to improve the treatment of county and township officials. In this way, increase the income of the minor officials below 100 stones by fifteen. ”

The hall suddenly fell silent, Wei Xiang staggered out of the ranks, and choked on the ground: "The minister's order." Your Majesty's benevolence and virtue are the blessing of the courtiers and the blessing of the people. ”

The ministers knelt down together and said, "Your Majesty is benevolent and sage." ”

Liu inquired: "Get up." Then he walked out of the front hall of the Prime Minister's Mansion with his hands, and the ministers got up to send them off.

Walking to the door, Liu Xun suddenly stopped, thoughtfully, turned to Wei Xiang and said: "Folk festivals or weddings often hold banquets, and everyone congratulates each other. If there is no food and drink, then the people will not enjoy the joyful atmosphere. Now that there is more food, it is not impossible to take some out and make wine. The government-run monopoly liquor system is too harsh, you can discuss whether it can be changed to a tax liquor system, and the folk liquor and liquor sales are just to pay taxes. ”

Wei Xiang bowed and said: "The minister obeys the order, that is, the court will discuss the abolition of wine and change it to tax wine." ”

Huo Shan followed behind the emperor and said casually: "The one who sells worries is Mo Ruojiu." ”

Hearing this, Liu Xun suddenly looked back, glanced at him with a smile, and said, "Why worry? There was a hint of banter in his eyes, and he said that he would give away and leave.

Huo Shan was stunned by the emperor's sudden interruption, and his chest was tight and short, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

Huo Yu looked strange on the side, and asked softly, "What's wrong, but I'm not feeling well." ”

After Huo Shan waited for the emperor to go out and get into the car, he gasped for breath, stroked his chest and said, "I almost died of a seizure." ”

Wei Xiang sent the emperor away and returned to the palace of the Baiguan Dynasty, and when he saw that Zhao Guanghan was still there, he was indignant in his heart, and said: "A very diligent official died without evidence. ”

Zhao Guanghan disagreed, and said, "I originally wanted to correct him after verification. His death like this can be regarded as his creation. ”

Wei Xiang was furious, his hands trembled and pointed at him and said, "You can do it yourself." ”

Zhao Guanghan looked indifferent, with a contemptuous smile on the corner of his mouth. After this discernment, he became more and more arrogant.