Heart disease comes and goes quickly.

Huang Zhixian was able to get out of bed the next day. He first persuaded the people who had gathered outside the county office. Then he took the initiative to find Chang Feng to talk deeply.

Chang Feng learned another lesson through this incident: you can't judge people by their appearance.

An obese official is not necessarily a corrupt official.

A thin official is not necessarily a clean official.

In Fat Xu's words, "What's wrong with the fat man? The fat man didn't eat your rice."

Back office living room. Chang Feng and Huang Zhixian sat opposite each other and drank tea.

Chang Feng asked with concern, "How is Huang Zhixian's health?"

Huang Zhixian said: "It's an old problem, it's not a big deal. Let the chamistress smile. Xia Guan was bitten by dogs when he was a child. From a young age, he was timid."

After a while, Huang Zhixian knew that he had lost his words, and hurriedly said, "Ah, I didn't mean that......

Chang Feng laughed and said, "It's okay. Jin Yiwei is a vicious dog raised by the royal family."

"Brother Huang, there is something I have to ask you. Why are the official warehouses everywhere full?"

Huang Zhixian replied: "Officials in various places have been able to make a lot of money from purchasing the people's grain stocks, and there is no need to fight the idea of the official warehouse."

"For example, the Divine Decree stipulates that the lower counties should hoard 5,000 stone of grain. They spent the official money needed to buy five thousand stone grain. The actual amount of grain collected should be around 8,000 stones."

"A little black-hearted may actually receive 10,000 stones. Naturally, the surplus grain will flow into the hands of the magistrates, officials, and servants."

Chang Feng pondered: "In other words, the holy decree of hoarding grain has been carried out. Officials also make a lot of money. The only people who suffer are the people."

Huang Zhixian replied, "Exactly. There's a saying that might not sound good to say. Forget it, I'd better stop talking."

Chang Feng walked up to Huang Zhixian and personally refilled the tea for this good official: "We are cordial brothers. There is nothing you can't say."

Huang Zhixian hesitated for a long time, and then he had the courage to say what was in his heart: "Dare to ask the emperors, how can the emperors of all dynasties be considered good emperors?"

Chang Feng pondered for a moment and then replied, "Make a contribution."

Huang Zhixian shook his head.

Chang Feng said again: "Open up the territory."

Huang Zhixian continued to shake his head.

Chang Feng said again: "Be diligent in government and love the people."

Huang Zhixian still shook his head.

Chang Feng asked, "Please also ask Brother Huang Shi for advice."

Huang Zhixian's answer was deafening: "An emperor who doesn't toss is a good emperor!"

Chang Feng was stunned. Then he asked, "What is the explanation?"

Huang Zhixian said: "Throughout the history books, a promising emperor is not necessarily a good emperor for the people."

"During the time of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the generals Wei Qing and Huo Qu were sick and sealed the wolf Juxu and drank Ma Hanhai. What a glorious man is?"

"At the cost? It is the halving of the Han household registration in decades! The people don't have enough to eat."

"Emperor Wu of Han only understood it when he was old. Issued the "Luntai Guilty Edict". But....... It's too late!"

"In the early period of Tang Xuanzong, a large area of land in the Western Regions and Beiting became the territory of the Tang Dynasty."

"However, there is a poem in the Du Gong Department that says: The border court bleeds into the sea, and Emperor Wu has no intention of opening the border. If you don't hear it, there are 200 states in Shandong, and thousands of villages are born."

"Poor and uncertain riverside bones, like a person in a spring boudoir dream!"

"I have been in China for thousands of years. For thousands of years, people have lived like animals from generation to generation."

"Once there is a promising emperor on the stall, it is a luxury for the people to mix a mouthful of forage like cattle to live!"

"There's an old saying, it's good to make a big shell out of silence."

"The emperor did not toss, and officials, merchants, and landlords made a fortune. The common people can follow An An and mix a mouthful of forage steadily, so as not to starve to death. It's a real prosperous age!"

"It's like the emperor's will to hoard grain last year. The intention was to make a difference. The result? The people of the two capitals and the thirteen provinces have all suffered!"

Huang Zhixian regretted it after saying this. He speaks from the heart,

It's also true.

But in this case, there is a suspicion of rebellion.

There are also three moments of courage to coerce people. Huang Zhixian has been timid and cowardly for half his life. Today, I became a warrior and said everything I wanted to say. It was as if he had drained all the strength from his body. He sat down in his chair in a daze.

Chang Feng was surprised: "Brother Huang's remarks...... It's a novelty. I can't agree with it, but I can't think of a reason to refute it for a moment."

"Right and wrong. I'll leave it to posterity."

The two chatted for a while. Chang Feng suddenly remembered something: "By the way, the price of grain in Beizhili plummeted this spring. Does it have something to do with the emperor's decree to hoard grain?"

Huang Zhixian nodded: "It's closely related. The official only has one mouth, and he does not eat more than three meals a day. How much can you eat?"

"After making so much grain through the grain hoarding policy, it is natural to find a way to exchange it for silver, and then use the silver to buy land and real estate, and buy songs and dancers."

"I heard that there is a powerful person in the capital. It can turn a huge amount of grain into silver. The magistrates came to him to sell the grain that had been obtained by the oppression of the people."

"With so much grain rushing to the market, it's no wonder that the price of food doesn't fall."

Chang Feng thought of a big case that Jin Yiwei solved during the Hongwu period - the Guo Huan case.

Guo Huan was the head of the household department at the time, and he colluded with thousands of officials, large and small, and embezzled a total of 24 million stones.

After the case, the grandfather put to death the officials of the six squires and below.

From the squire to the grain chief, a total of more than 30,000 officials and family members were killed!

Could it be that the Hongzhi Dynasty also produced a Guo Huan?

Chang Feng asked Huang Zhixian, "Brother Huang Shi, do you know who that powerful person in the capital is?"

Huang Zhixian shook his head slightly: "Xia Guan has not been greedy for the people's food. Dirty food has never been sold. Therefore I don't know."

Chang Feng asked, "Huang Zhixian, how long do you have to serve in office?"

Huang Zhixian replied, "There is still more than a month. When the time comes, I will go to the ministry to report on my work and apply for a new position."

Chang Feng said, "That's it. You first hand over the affairs of the county to the county. Wait for me to come back to Beijing at any time. I will ask the emperor to summon you."

"You're a good officer. He served in Rongcheng County for six years and benefited Sangzi. The emperor should know that there is a clean and honest official like you in the Beizhili at the feet of the Son of Heaven."

"At the same time, you must tell the emperor about the shortcomings of the grain hoarding policy."

Huang Zhixian said, "Okay! In fact, when Xia Guan received the holy order to hoard grain last year, he planned to give the emperor a wake-up call."

"However, the subordinate official is only a county order, and does not have the power to directly fold up. The excerpts should be passed through the prefect's yamen, the political envoy's yamen, the governor's yamen, and the general administration secretary's yamen."

"I'm afraid that as soon as I arrive at the prefect's yamen, the fold will be detained and burned! The lower officials will also be trapped in a place of unforeseen circumstances."

"Because such an excerpt is cutting off the wealth of the magistrates of the world, and cutting off the wealth of people is like killing one's parents!"

"That's why the lower officials didn't dare to go up to this fold."

After chatting with Huang Zhixian, Chang Feng summoned Xu Fatzi, Qian Ning and others to discuss the matter.

He told the people the secret of the grain hoarding.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Qian Ning was very excited: "Master Chang, the time has come for us to make great contributions! If it is really as Huang Boren said, all the state and county officials in the world will fall into the hands of our Jinyi Guard!"

"Kill him one or two thousand officials, and the majesty of our Jinyi Guard can be regarded as shaking!"

Qian Ning's punishment of the two Beijing officials last time was out of the limelight. He's got a taste of the sweetness. What is more convenient than a whole person?

He went from an obscure small flag in the guard to a well-known registered figure in the capital, relying on the whole person.

Xu Fatzi echoed: "Fuck it. The magistrates ate the flesh of the common people and squeezed the oil of the common people. It should be punished and punished."

Chang Feng believes that simply concocting a big case and killing people can't solve the problem.

During the Hongwu Dynasty, the four major cases of Guo Huan, Kongyin, Hu Weiyong, and Lan Yu killed several officials in the world. Ruthless enough, right?

In the end? Officials should be greedy or greedy.

The problem of corruption in the administration of officials has not been solved at all.

Chang Feng said: "That's it. Let's pick a county. Well, let's take Xiongxian. Find out how many stones of grain the people have actually collected in Xiongxian County by hoarding 5,500 stones."

"How many stones have the officials of the county government from top to bottom greedy?"

"Find out about Xiongxian County, as an example, for the emperor to weigh and consider."

In the words of later generations, Chang Feng's mission out of Beijing was acceptance, but now the task has become research.

Jin Yiwei conducts research, but he will not have a heart-to-heart talk with the local officials. The big memory recovery technique is not covered.

Everyone discussed, left Rongcheng County, and went straight to Xiongxian.

Ten days later, Xiongxian County Ya.

The thin Cheng Zhixian was eating wine with two Yangzhou skinny horses in his arms.

His butler stood in front of him, beside him a large wooden box with neatly stacked silver ingots.

The housekeeper smiled and said, "Master, Runde Grain Store is really simple in doing business. The small one entered Beijing and went to the grain store. On the same day, we handed over the five thousand stone grain from our county to them."

"Two thousand taels of silver. Have you counted?"

Nowadays, the price of high-quality wheat in the capital is five dollars a stone. Since officials sell stolen goods, they naturally cannot be sold at a listed price. It is equivalent to four coins of silver to dispose of the stolen grain.

Cheng Zhixian scoffed: "Master, I am a person who reads poetry and books. I hate these copper smelly blockages the most. Let me count, are you trying to get my hands dirty?"

"Leave a thousand taels. The remaining 1,000 taels were distributed to the people below according to the county government's register."

The butler said, "Yes."

At this moment, Lu Dian's official walked in: "County Venerable. Jin Yiwei is coming to our Xiongxian again."

Cheng Zhixian's face changed: "I just sent away that group of plague gods, why did you come again?" Where have the people gone?"

Lu Dian's official replied, "It's in the county hall."

Cheng Zhixian pushed away the two thin horses: "Quick, let's go to the lobby to greet you."

Cheng Zhixian came to the lobby and saluted Chang Feng and the others.

Chang Feng sat on the chair: "Cheng Zhi County, last year, Xiongxian County bought 5,500 stone from the people to hoard grain, how much silver was consumed?"

Cheng Zhixian replied, "The price of fine wheat last autumn was six coins of silver and one stone. A total of 33,000 taels of silver were spent on the county officials. There are sub-ledgers to check. The subordinate brought you the accounts?"

Chang Feng nodded: "Well, show it to me."

Cheng Zhixian handed over the account book with both hands.

Chang Feng took a closer look, and there was nothing wrong with the accounts.

Chang Feng changed his words: "I spent three thousand three hundred taels of silver, what is the actual number of grain purchases?"

Cheng Zhixian was stunned at first. Then he said, "Shangcha, the real number is the 5,500 stone grain in the official warehouse!"

Chang Feng sneered: "Heh, a county official, dare to speak in front of Jinyiwei, he is not small. Do you think I've just arrived in your Xiongxian County?"

After speaking, Chang Feng clapped his hands.

Xu Fatzi led more than two dozen people who were tied hand and foot into the lobby. There is also a group of wrestlers, holding the official Hu and official lifts used in Xiongxian County to collect grain.

These 20 or so people are the grain chiefs of various townships in Xiongxian County.

Cheng Zhixian was dumbfounded, and said secretly in his heart: Not good! It turned out to be prepared!

Chang Feng took out a piece of paper from his bosom and read, "Last year, you Xiongxian County purchased grain from the people. It cost three thousand three hundred taels of silver, which is true."

"But the price of grain set by the county government is not six dollars a stone at all. It's three coins and one stone! Some people were arrested by your county government for making trouble because of low prices, and more than 300 people were arrested, and they were all beaten."

"In the 27th Township of Xiongxian County, a total of 10,500 stone of high-grade new wheat was forcibly purchased from the people last year!"

"The extra five thousand stones, all of them went into your Cheng Zhixian's pocket! There are twenty-seven grain chiefs' confessions to bear witness to it."

Xu Fatzi pointed to Guan Hu and Guan Lifting the scales, and helped Chang Feng add: "These grain collection and weighing appliances have also been touched by you!"

Beads of sweat broke out on Cheng Zhixian's head.

Chang Feng pointed at Qian Ning: "Cheng Zhixian, you remember, this is Qian Ning, the deputy of the Fusi of Beizhen. He is jealous and hateful all his life, and he hates you most of all

These corrupt officials who eat the flesh of the people and drink the blood of the people!"

"Now, Qian Deputy Qianhu is going to give you a big punishment!"

According to the law of the Ming Dynasty, to punish the seven-rank officials, you need an official document jointly signed by the three law officials.

Even if he is a governor, he cannot act on the seven-rank official without authorization.

The only exceptions are Dongchang and Jinyiwei. The factory guard is a being that transcends the law.

Qian Ning sneered: "Come on, Chang Ye, look at it!"

Cheng Zhixian shouted: "I recruit, I recruit everything, and I will spare my life!"

Cheng Zhixian's road is still shallow. He didn't know that Jin Yiwei had the habit of going to the court first and then asking about the case.

Not long after, Cheng Zhixian was nailed and sprinkled with salt on the surface of his feet.

How could Cheng Zhixian, who was as thin as a hemp stick, stand such a crime? It hurts and squeaks.

Qian Ning put a clamp stick on Cheng Zhixian again, and clamped Cheng Zhixian's ten fingers.

After tossing for two moments, Cheng Zhixian was already dying.

Chang Feng took a sip of tea: "Prisoner, how much grain did you forcibly buy from the people last year? How much ink have you greedy?"

Cheng Zhixian replied truthfully: "The real number is 10,000 and 500 stones, as stated above. I coveted five thousand stones."

"But the conscience of heaven and earth. Of the 5,000 stone grains, only half belonged to the lower officials. The rest shall be distributed according to the rules to the county clerk, the chief bookkeeper, the warden, the head of the third shift, and more than twenty grain chiefs."

Chang Feng asked again, "Where is the stolen grain?"

Cheng Zhixian replied: "It was sent by the lower officials to be transported to Tongzhou to be sold. and two thousand taels of silver. The money has just been shipped back to the county today."

Chang Feng asked, "Who did you sell it to?"

Cheng Zhixian replied: "It was sold to Runde Grain Store in Tongzhou."

Chang Feng frowned: Runde Grain? Why does it sound so familiar.

He went on to ask, "Where did the magistrates in your neighboring counties sell the dirty grain they squeezed the people?"

Cheng Zhixian replied: "It was also sold to Runde Grain Company. Runde grain is powerful. I am afraid that more than half of the magistrates in the whole world have taken grain that should not be taken and sold to them!"

Chang Feng asked, "What is the background of this Runde Grain Company? Who's the boss?"

Cheng Xianling couldn't stop kowtowing: "The lower officials don't know! I really don't know!"

The behind-the-scenes boss of Runde Grain is extremely mysterious. Cheng County Order really doesn't know.

Chang Feng said, "Escort him back to the capital."

Xu Fatzi said, "Master Chang, shouldn't we go back to Beijing?"

Chang Feng nodded: "It's been two months. It's time to give the emperor an explanation."

On the first day of the fifth month of the third year of Hongzhi, Chang Feng, who went out to inspect, returned to the capital.

He brought back two magistrates, one honest and the other greedy.

Huang Zhixian, who did not stock up enough food to resist the decree, was arranged by Chang Feng to live in his own home. Waiting for the emperor to summon him.

Cheng Zhixian, who had stockpiled enough food in accordance with the order, was placed in a cell in the Imperial Prison.

The third day of the fifth month. Emperor Hongzhi summoned Chang Feng and Huang Zhixian in the Qianqing Palace.

Emperor Hongzhi listened to the report of the two, his face turned pale, and his heart was like a knife!

He pondered and meditated, and came up with a great policy of hoarding grain for the benefit of the country and the people, but it turned out to be a bad government that harmed the people!

Emperor Hongzhi didn't know whether to be angry with himself or a magistrate who should be angry all over the world!

In a fit of rage, he was second in a row. Smashed the copper on the side of the dragon case to the ground. Then he roared, "Fooling the sky!"

Chang Feng hurriedly said, "The emperor is angry."

Emperor Hongzhi said, "Anger? How can I calm my anger? That is the bread that the people depend on for their survival!"

"Because of a holy decree of mine, the rations of the people fell into the mouths of corrupt officials!"

"There are a total of 1,138 prefects, 193 prefects, and 140 prefects in the whole world! According to your performance, I am afraid that nine out of ten corrupt officials!"

"There are only a few of the remaining Qing officials who dare to report the truth to me!"

"Since I ascended the throne, I have dealt with my courtiers who have committed crimes, and if I can, I will not kill them. That's my Kuanren! But they take my forgiveness for weakness!"

"Chang Feng, kill! I'm going to kill this time!"

Emperor Hongzhi was really angry this time. The muscles on the neck are bulging!

Chang Feng kowtowed heavily: "Your Majesty, you can't kill it!"

Emperor Hongzhi glared at Chang Feng angrily: "Can't be killed? Why? If you don't tell the truth, you are protecting the corrupt officials of the whole world!"

Chang Feng kowtowed: "Your Majesty, the lessons of Guo Huan's case are still there!" Killing people won't solve the problem! It will only destabilize the situation."

Chang Feng is telling the truth. Fighting corruption is an age-old problem. It's useless to kill people alone.

Emperor Hongzhi was stunned. He read through the history books. Naturally, I know about Guo Huan's case.

Chang Feng said again: "In the past few days, Huang Zhixian has lived in the minister's house. Have a good talk with the minister. He said something to the minister last night, and it makes sense."

Emperor Hongzhi turned his head to look at Huang Zhixian: "Oh? What words? Huang Boren, you tell me to listen."

Huang Zhixian said, "Your Majesty. Wechen dared to speak. Corrupt officials are like leeks, they cut a stubble and then a stubble will emerge."

"A corrupt official has eaten enough, and you kill him. If a hungry and anxious new scientist who has never eaten a full meal comes up, he will chew the flesh and blood of the people more unscrupulously. It's better to keep the corrupt officials who have enough to eat!"

Emperor Hongzhi read poetry and books since he was a child. Huang Zhixian's pragmatic remarks subverted his three views.

Emperor Hongzhi was furious: "Huang Boren, you fart!"

Huang Zhixian was originally timid. was scolded by Emperor Hongzhi, and his neck was sweating.

Chang Feng was really afraid that he had chest paralysis in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.