After a while, Mi Tai Rongxuan brought Li Xiong, Kou Fei, Chen Mei'er, Zhang Shilun, and the Persian Nahammu into the room.

"Prime Minister, the emperor has an order to ask the Prime Minister to have full authority to deal with this case. All the perpetrators in this case are here, so please ask the Prime Minister to review them. Mi Tai Rongxuan said.

Several people knelt on the ground, lined up in a row, and fell after listening.

Zhao Guangyi sat up and said to Li Xiong and Kou Fei, "Li Xiong." Kou Fei, you two have been in the house for a few years, and you two are guilty of doing such things?"

Li Xiong and Kou Fei pleaded guilty again and again: "The small one is guilty, and the small one is guilty." ”

"Well, I'm going to let you two think about it behind closed doors in the firewood room in the backyard for five years, and during these five years, you will never be allowed to go out and leave the firewood room for half a step. Sort out the accounts for the government and supervise each other. If Mr. Bookkeeper discovers that there is a mistake or omission, and the sentence is increased, do you two have any opinions?" said Zhao Guangyi.

"Another punishment for the small one, thank you for your magnanimity!" the two kowtowed again and again to thank him.

Zhao Guangyi said to Chen Meier: "Chen Meier, I pity you for your poor family since you were a child, so I accepted you into the house to be a maid." But instead of being grateful and self-reliant, you are arrogant and greedy for money, and love vanity. It was also at your instigation that several of them did such absurd things even more brazenly. Since you love money so much, I will punish you to take inventory of money in the treasury alone, and you will be sentenced to ten years in prison, and you will not be allowed to leave half a step, do you have any objection?"

When Chen Meier heard such a punishment, her face turned pale with fright. So he argued: "Master, it's their fault that they are greedy for money and lustful, and they can't blame me at all." Why did the master favor one over the other, but punished me the heaviest?"

Zhao Guangyi said: "Because of your greed, it has inspired them to be more possessive and greedy. You have made a negative example for the women of the world, so you must wash away all the bad influences with your own hands. In the past ten years, you can receive the same salary as an ordinary craftsman. It can also be regarded as giving you a chance to work hard with your own hands and turn over a new leaf. As for why the old man set a ten-year period, it is also to let you develop a good habit of self-reliance for a long time. Let you know that only what you can get through your hard-working hands is the most reliable in the world. The most reliable. If you don't want to, then you have to go to jail. If a woman goes to prison, she will basically suffer **** and die. Which path to choose, you can think about it yourself?"

Chen Meier kept tears in her eyes and said helplessly: "Go to the treasury, I will go to the treasury to count the silver." Sir, please don't put me in jail. ”

Zhao Guangyi said: "Well, the same rule, if you leave without authorization, or there are omissions and errors in the accounts, the original deadline will be added up." I hope you will work hard, change your past mistakes, develop a good habit of self-reliance in the future, and never want to rely on others to live a life of fine clothes and food. ”

"Yes. Meier is willing to accept the punishment. ”

Zhao Guangyi turned his head to Naham, a Persian merchant who was kneeling on the ground, and said, "Nahamu, you know that it is a grave crime to help Zhang Taoguo's father and son escape from Middle-earth with a huge amount of stolen silver. But he still recklessly recklessly and forcibly went against the grain. I will confiscate all your property in Panyu and hand it over to the state treasury. You will not be allowed to do business in Lingnan in the future, are you not convinced?"

Nahammu said, "Your Excellency, Prime Minister. I knew I was wrong, and I would never dare to do this again. I am willing to pay another fine of one million taels, but I beg the Prime Minister. Can you let me continue to do business in Lingnan?"

Zhao Guangyi said: "No, you have violated the law of my Han Dynasty, and treating you like this is already taking into account the friendship between Persia and my Lingnan." If you still dare to do business in Lingnan, after discovering it, you will be dealt with according to the law of the country and beheaded at the entrance of the vegetable market. ”

"But..."

"It's nothing, the Tang Dynasty was too tolerant of you businessmen at the beginning, so that you were able to make waves in Guangzhou, and even delusionally wanted to seal the territory. Although my Southern Han court is weak, it also knows the lessons of the past, and I will not let you have a chance to take advantage of it again. Zhao Guangyi said.

"Your Excellency, buying and selling is to communicate with each other, so that they can prosper for mutual benefit. At the beginning, it was because the Tang Dynasty Imperial Court restricted us foreign merchants too much, and many of the things we really needed were not allowed to be bought and sold, so it caused that misunderstanding. Please don't restrict us anymore, Prime Minister. Nahammu said with a heartfelt voice.

"The old man knows it, but one yard is one yard. If you have violated the law of the Han Dynasty, you should be dealt with according to the law of the Han Dynasty. If you don't want to accept my punishment, just ask the chopping market. Zhao Guangyi said firmly.

Nahamu listened to Zhao Guangyi's words, touched his neck, and felt afraid for a while. I really regret not being at the beginning, picking up sesame seeds, throwing watermelons, and losing big because of small things. In the end, I didn't get anything. I really blame myself for not being too greedy in the first place, but what can I do now? So Naham could only agree in frustration: "Yes, I will obey the order." ”

Soon, all four of them were taken down by the soldiers, leaving Zhang Shilun alone on his knees.

Zhao Guangyi said to Zhang Shilun, who was waiting for trial: "The old man has always cherished and loved talents. Although you are talented, but you bribe officials, the old man really loves and hates you. If it is peaceful today, the old man will definitely expel you from Lingnan and never hire you. But in troubled times, it is also the time to employ people, so I will allow you to make meritorious contributions. Zhang Shilun, listen to orders. ”

Zhang Shilun bowed to the ground and said: "The sinner Zhang Shilun is waiting to be released." ”

Zhao Guangyi said: "Zhang Shilun, since the strategy of the displaced people to reclaim the border was proposed by you. Now that the problem of border bandits has been preliminarily resolved, the old man ordered you to lead the displaced people from the north to reclaim the border in Chengzhou and work with the people. Without an order from the imperial court, you are not allowed to leave without permission. ”

Zhang Shilun said: "The sinner Zhang Shilun received the order, thank you for the extrajudicial grace of the Prime Minister." ”

"You get up first," Zhao Guangyi said.

Zhang Shilun: "Sinners don't dare. ”

Zhao Guangyi said: "I have one more sentence to tell you, punishing you to Chengzhou is a punishment and a test." If you can lead the displaced people to open up wasteland for production, live and work in peace and contentment, and lay the foundation for our Southern Han Dynasty to solve the border troubles in the future, it will also be regarded as a great achievement. If you can't withstand this experience, even if I, Zhao Guangyi, look away, I will have national law to deal with it at that time. ”

Zhang Shilun said: "The sinner understands, and the sinner Zhang Shilun is grateful to the Prime Minister for giving me a chance to mend my ways. Please rest assured, Prime Minister, that sinners should be grateful to Dade, live up to their trust, and make meritorious contributions. ”

Zhao Guangyi said: "Well, that's good." And also. You are responsible for contacting the people of the Great Changhe Kingdom, and I will try my best to persuade the emperor to let our Southern Han Dynasty marry the Great Chang and the Great Chang Peace Kingdom, so that the relations between the two countries can be eased, and we can free up our hands to solve the Annan problem. ”

Zhang Shilun raised his head and said: "The Prime Minister is wise, after the failure of Changhe's invasion of Shu a few years ago, he has always been afraid that Shu will seek revenge on them. If we can win over the country of Changhe, it will be easier to solve the Annan issue. ”

Zhao Guangyi said: "That's right, the old man thinks so too." It's up to you. In any case, it is necessary to promote the marriage between the two countries. ”

Zhang Shilun said: "It's the Prime Minister, the sinner Zhang Shilun received the order, and he must live up to the trust of the Prime Minister." ”

In this way, Zhang Shilun took the order and left. And Elk Tairongxuan on the side asked: "May I ask the Prime Minister, and those businessmen who want to go to Persia with Steward Zhang, what should be done?"

Zhao Guangyi said: "Since they are innocent, let them all go." In addition, the imperial court is now buying green glaze from Persia. If you come back and burn new porcelain, let them go to Persia as planned. Although Zhang Taoguo's father and son have been punished, that Nahamu has also been punished. However, commercial and trade exchanges between the two countries should still be carried out normally. ”

Elk Tairong preached: "Yes. The subordinates then went to convey the prime minister's meaning to the merchants. With that, Mi Tai Rongxuan turned around and left.

After disposing of all the people, Zhao Guangyi said to Yi Dan and the others: "Hey, my affairs in this house. Let everyone laugh. ”

Master Kongbei folded his hands and said, "Amitabha, the prime minister's leniency can be described as immeasurable. ”

Lu Jianyin also chimed in: "Yes." Love talents, cherish talents, and give them a chance to reform themselves, which can be described as Zhou Gong's vomiting and feeding, and the world returns to his heart. ”

Zhao Guangyi said: "Don't dare, don't dare, thank you for your praise." Oh yes, I don't know what this master is called?" Zhao Guangyi asked Master Empty Compassion.

Empty sorrow: "Amitabha, the poor monk is empty and sad." ”

Zhao Guangyi nodded.

At this time, Yi Dan on the side said to Zhao Guangyi: "Master, forty years ago, three hundred knights from Tingfeng Hall in Guangzhou helped Huang Chaojun to pacify foreign merchants. Among them are the master of empty sorrow in front of you, as well as Lu seniors, and Lu seniors. Yi Dan spread out his hand and introduced several old people in front of him to Zhao Guangyi one by one.

Zhao Guangyi heard Yi Dan's words, and hurriedly asked, "Is this really the case?"

"Of course, the three seniors are standing here, can I lie and deceive the prime minister?" Yi Dan said.

Zhao Guangyi admired and admired: "I have long heard that there were hundreds of heroes in the rivers and lakes back then to assist the Huang Chao Army in quelling the chaos. It turns out that a few heroes were the heroes who saved thousands of people in Guangzhou back then, and it was really disrespectful and disrespectful to be old!"

Master Kongbei said: "Hey, the poor monk has killed countless people in his life, and every time he thinks about it, he feels guilty. Only this thing can kill one and save a hundred, but I have never regretted it. But it is also this incident that has caused irreparable sin. I don't know how many lifetimes it takes to atone for my sins. ”

Zhao Guangyi asked, "What does the master mean by this?"

Yi Dan arrived: "Master, you don't know something. In fact, Master Empty Sorrow and that Huang Chao are fellow villagers. Back then, he also persuaded Huang Chao to raise troops to correspond to Wang Xianzhi. But later, the Huang Chao army killed innocents indiscriminately, and even cannibalized people to satisfy hunger. Master Empty Compassion blamed all the guilt on himself. So I lived my whole life in self-blame and guilt. ”

When Zhao Guangyi heard this, he suddenly realized: "Master, please don't mind anymore, in fact, over the years, I have been running from south to north, and I have also understood many things. Let's tell the truth: throughout the ages, there have been people in this world who are greedy for fame and fortune. In fact, it is all a virtue. In order to achieve the goal, unscrupulous means, for their own selfish desires, smearing thousands of living beings. Therefore, Lao Yu hopes to use his limited ability as much as possible to help the poor people in the world. Let them suffer as little as possible with some sin and suffering, and do their best if they can have one more peaceful day. We've worked hard, and we have a clear conscience. You don't have to blame yourself too much for the past, don't you say?"

Empty sorrow folded his hands and said: "Amitabha, thank you for your persuasion." The poor monk understood a little. Let go of the previous obsession and do good deeds to accumulate virtue, which is enlightenment. ”

Yi Dan said: "Congratulations to Master Kongbei, who has come to a great understanding." ”

Empty sadness: "The poor monk has practiced Buddhism for decades, but he is still too obsessed. Today, Zhao Shizhu pointed out, and only then did he realize something. It's really worth the trip, I can't thank you enough!"

Zhao Guangyi said: "Master, you are all wise and kind people, and the old man should thank you." ”

Master Empty Sorrow, as well as Lu Jianyin and Lu Yonghuai, all smiled with satisfaction.

"Alright, after bothering us for so long, it's time for us to take our leave. Yi Dan said.

Zhao Guangyi said: "This time, I really want to thank all the knights for their help." My prime minister's house is destitute, and there is nothing to give, and I hope that you will be able to do so. ”

At this time, Wang Yunhai on the side said: "Prime Minister, you are a good official, so no matter the court or the rivers and lakes, you will protect you openly and secretly." They don't want anything from you, but you do your part for the people. This should be what people have said since ancient times, the principle that there is much help for the righteous and little help for the unjust. ”

Everyone listened to Wang Yunhai's words. They all nodded in agreement.

At this time, the family Ding ran over to report: "Master, Mrs. and Young Master, as well as your other family members in Luoyang, have all come to the house, please go to the door to have a look." ”

When Zhao Guangyi heard this, he said very happily: "Well, great, let's go." Take me there. ”

Yi Dan playfully posed as when he was a maid before, stretched out his hand, walked up to Zhao Guangyi and said, "Master, slow down, or I'll help you." ”

Zhao Guangyi happily pointed at Yi Dan and said, "You girl." It's really naughty. ”

After that, Yi Dan helped Zhao Guangyi to the gate. Zhao Guangyi saw the wife and son who came down from the carriage and hurriedly greeted them. He burst into tears of joy and said, "Madam, you are all here." Now we can finally be reunited. ”

Several people hugged each other and cried, and the happy appearance of the family made Yi Dan envious.

"Congratulations, sir, the family is reunited. Yi Dan said.

Zhao Guangyi's son Zhao Zhen said: "Presumably this is Miss Yi, right?"

Yi Dan said: "Don't dare to be, in Xia Yi Dan, I have seen Zhao Gongzi." ”

Zhao Yan said: "As soon as I entered Guangzhou City, I had already heard about it. Miss Yi, thank you for saving my father's life. My Zhao loss is broken bones, and there is no way to repay it. ”

Yi Dan said: "Where is Zhao Gongzi, this matter is not my credit alone. Prime Minister, he is dedicated to the people and does his best. It is a person who admires him very much. It is also a blessing to be able to do a little bit for such a clean official."

Zhao Guangyi's wife stepped forward and said, "My son is right, thank you for your great kindness, girl, our family can be reunited safely today." I think we might as well have a dumpling meal at the house today to celebrate the reunion, right? Girl, you can join us too. As she spoke, the old woman took Yi Dan's hand and couldn't let go.

Yi Dan said playfully: "Okay, it's better to be respectful than to obey your fate." ”

At this time, Zhao Guangyi's son Zhao Yan said: "Mother, since we have come to Lingnan now, don't hold on to the customs of the Central Plains." I've heard that people in the south celebrate reunion and eat glutinous rice dumplings. Why don't we have a meal of glutinous rice balls today and follow the local customs?"

Zhao Guangyi said: "Well, it's okay, or my son has knowledge." The world is so big, and the customs are ever-changing. Let's adapt measures to local conditions, follow local customs, and don't take a standard and let it go. The way of governing the country is the same, we must know how to be flexible, otherwise we will not eat the ancients, and we will mislead the country and the people. ”

"Well, Daddy was right. Zhao Yan smiled and nodded.

Yi Dan listened to Zhao Yan's words and said in amazement: "Zhao Gongzi is knowledgeable and has unique insights, so I really admire him." I think that in the future, Zhao Gongzi will definitely be blue. ”

When they heard this, they burst out laughing.

Zhao Guangyi asked, "I don't know what the girl's plans are next?"

Yi Dan knew in his heart that the Annan Jiaowutang in the south was full of talents. Although there was a bastard like Ruan Zhilong, he previously learned from the mouth of Master Empty Compassion that Jiaowutang was also a righteous faction that was famous in the rivers and lakes back then. She would love to visit Annan and find out. So he said to Zhao Guangyi: "If you go back to the master, the little woman is a person in the rivers and lakes, and she should have things to solve on the rivers and lakes, and then I want to go to Annan." ”

Zhao Guangyi said: "Now that Annan is not what it used to be, it must be dangerous to go here, so you must be careful." ”

"Well, I understand in the next, I will definitely be careful in the next, thank you for your concern," Yi Dan said.

Zhao Guangyi turned his head and said to his subordinates: "Go to my study and bring the pen, ink, paper, inkstone, and seals." ”

When the man had answered, he brought everything in a short time. Zhao Guangyi began to write on an empty fold.

After a while, he wrote it and stamped it, handed it to Yi Dan and said: "This is the customs clearance document I gave you, if you encounter obstacles when you go to Annan, you can use this book as a way to protect yourself." I believe that even if Annan had the heart of self-reliance, he would not dare to brazenly confront our Southern Han. ”

Yi Dan said: "No need master, I am a person from the rivers and lakes, naturally the sword comes and goes, and it will not touch the officials and nobles of Annan, so you don't have to worry about me." ”

Zhao Yan on the side said: "Girl, you just take it, you saved my father's life, but you don't want anything." He didn't know how to repay him, but this was the only thing that could fulfill his wishes. If you don't take it, won't it make his old man sad?"

Yi Dan listened to Zhao Yan's words and thought that there was a bit of a transfer, so he took the fold and said: "Okay, it's better to be respectful in the next place, and please take care of your body in the future." ”

Zhao Yan said: "Girl, don't worry, my mother and I will definitely take care of my father." ”

Yi Dan nodded and smiled with satisfaction. (To be continued.) )