allendalepharm Chapter 583: My Rule is the Rules
Chapter 583: My Rule is the Rules
Chapter 583: My Words Are the Rules
Jiangnan was a prosperous place with numerous scholars and Confucian scholars.
Newspapers founded by famous scholars such as "Shilin Shiwen" are already the most popular publications. Today, they specially published an article by Jia Cong, the top six literary champion, which attracted even more attention.
Originally, scholars and literati thought they would see poems and essays with gorgeous language, but they did not expect that Jia Cong used thousands of words to connect small stories to show the entire process of proposing, planning and implementing the compulsory education national policy.
For a moment, the Qinhuai River seemed to become much quieter.
The young men on the pleasure boat stopped their chattering and stared at the words on the newspaper in a daze.
"It's so difficult..."
"I thought it was just a matter of opening a school. It wouldn't be that difficult..."
"Some time ago, the cloth merchants of the Yang family in the west of the city donated two thousand taels of silver to the public school near their home. I thought the head of the Yang family was extremely kind and righteous. But compared with the investment of the court, it seems... probably... it seems to be just so-so. At least the court invested so much, but there was no special monument or seal to publicize it."
"This is normal. Look, Marquis Yongfeng said that educating and enlightening the people is the responsibility of the court..."
"No, no, since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors until now, has there ever been a dynasty that invested tens of millions of taels of silver in a year to allow all children in the world to go to school for free? This responsibility was taken on by our Great Xia court. In fact, this is not a responsibility, but a gift from your majesty to benefit the people!"
Compulsory education, this is the first time in history that compulsory education is being implemented nationwide.
It would have been fine if they hadn't paid much attention to it before, but now, after careful consideration, everyone has realized how difficult it is for the court.
According to the description written by Yongfeng Hou in the newspaper, when the imperial court officially implemented compulsory education throughout the country the year before, the annual income that year was only 70 million taels of silver.
Twelve million taels of silver were invested, accounting for one-sixth of the court's annual revenue.
Such a huge investment requires courage and determination.
Confucius has been shouting these four words "education for all" for his whole life. During the thousands of years of the Central Plains dynasty, when has there ever been such a flourishing culture and education?
This is the truth, and it cannot withstand careful thought.
In the past, wealthy families could buy a great reputation by "giving away" a little money. But now, compared with the court's boldness, perseverance and large-scale investment, their plans are immediately exposed.
Similar remarks gradually spread from the Qinhuai River. In just three or five days, Jia Cong's article in the newspaper began to ferment in various parts of Jiangnan, and finally formed a new round of storm, triggering a large-scale debate.
The official academy faction headed by Zhou Yichang conducted a large-scale, multi-level, in-depth analysis of the court's investments, sacrifices, and national policies over the years, and published them in major publications such as "Shilin Shiwen" and "Jinling Evening News".
It is not just about compulsory education, but also about the improvement of official poverty alleviation institutions directly under the central government, such as the Yangjiyuan and Yaowangfang, the interpretation of various policies of the new political reform, anti-corruption and the interpretation of the laws in the "Imperial Constitution of Daxia"...
Those national policies and laws that seemed abstruse in the past suddenly became close to the people, which made ordinary people who used to not understand the intricacies fall in love with reading newspapers.
Even if you are illiterate, the village elders and heads have to obey the orders of Yongfeng Hou, gather everyone together, and read his articles in the newspaper to the villagers every day.
Oh, it turns out that the imperial court has once again canceled the imperial grain and national taxes this year.
Oh, it turns out that the imperial court is going to implement new laws this year and set up a new judicial supervision office, called a court.
Oh, so if we ordinary people are bullied by local gentry in the future, we can report it to that Supervisory Commission.
……
A storm once again blew up in Nanzhili and even in neighboring areas such as Zhejiang and Fujian, and local officials, gentry, and wealthy businessmen were all terrified.
Jia Cong's tough orders forced the Nanzhili Provincial Administration and the Judicial Inspection Commissioner to fight for survival. They found some abandoned pawns of moderate size and threw them into jail in order to deal with Jia Cong's orders.
Unfortunately, they will be disappointed in the end.
Daiyu stayed in Yangzhou for a whole month and visited all the counties under the jurisdiction of Yangzhou. Jia Cong stayed in the Lin family's house for a month and was too lazy to even go out the door.
This caused the officials and wealthy merchants of Nanzhili to live in fear for a whole month. They wanted to take the initiative to "report" to Jia Cong, but they couldn't even meet him.
Go and ask Daiyu openly or secretly. Her Royal Highness the Princess is too lazy to deal with this group of people.
This palace has been ordered to inspect local education work, and will only talk about education and nothing else!
"This is just like collecting some interest first. If they make me unhappy, no one will have an easy life!"
Jia Cong was determined to put a stop to the evil trend in Jiangnan. Every day, an article would be sent to Jinling City, but people would go around the city.
The officials of Nanzhili were now hoping that Jia Cong would quickly enter the city, thinking that it would be better to give Jia Cong a quick death, whether he lived or died, than to live in fear all the time.
But after Daiyu finished her inspection of Yangzhou Prefecture, Jia Cong turned around and went with her to the Jia family's old house twenty miles outside Jinling City.
Afterwards, a handwritten order was delivered to the Nanzhili Provincial Administration Office. There was only one line of words written on it, but it made all the officials in the provincial administration office take a deep breath.
"Can your necks really withstand the blade of this Marquis?"
Yongfeng Hou was very angry and the consequences were serious.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see what Jia Cong was up to. Their plan to sacrifice some pawns in order to survive had been discovered.
Soon, a piece of news that seemed true but not true spread in Jinling City. The Yongfeng Marquis was kind and did not want Jinling City to be flooded with blood, so he gave them one last chance...
No one dared to doubt the truth of this news, because Jia Cong really did bombard the city with cannons.
The personal soldiers kept traveling between Jinling City and the Jia family's old house, delivering the latest news to Jia Cong.
"Look, this is the local official of our dynasty. He doesn't put a knife to his neck and always thinks about how to fool the court."
After these years of rectification, the administration of officials in the central government and the capital can truly be said to be the most clean and honest era in history.
However, at the local level, except for the imperial envoys sent by the emperor or the major national affairs that take place every three years, if the local government can avoid bringing harm to the people, it can be considered as having clean administration.
The most hateful thing is the act of covering the bag, which is what Jia Cong hates the most!
"If I hadn't used the heads of Ma Daoyuan and Liao Wanyi as a warning to others, and if they hadn't shown up yet, I don't believe they would have dared to use a few insignificant pawns to fool me."
Jia Cong handed the information in his hand to Daiyu, which contained the latest developments of the Southern Zhili Judicial and Surveillance Commissioner's Office.
Except for the Maritime Customs Office which was directly under the central government and remained temporarily unmoved, all the government offices, prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of Nanzhili were almost shaken in just three days, with more than thirty officials being arrested.
Among them, there are eight officials above the seventh rank and twenty-seven lower-ranking officials, and the number is still growing.
At the same time, the Nanzhili Provincial Administration Office asked the Dragon Guards and the Jinling Pacification Office for help, and requested the Dragon Guards and the Jinling City Guards to join forces to capture illegal merchants under their jurisdiction.
After reading the news on the paper, Daiyu just sighed.
It is really impossible to catch all the corrupt officials. Once you cut one batch, another batch will appear.
"Even if you strike hard this time, how long can you keep it up after you leave?"
"Then keep punching!"
This is what Jia Cong insists on. He also understands that as long as there are people, corrupt officials will never be caught.
However, he was conferred the title of Imperial Cat by the emperor, and the old man even gave him the "Golden Mace to Strike the King" during his lifetime, so that he could catch all the rats in the world.
If we catch one more, people will have a better life.
"Since I have enjoyed the offerings and respect of the people and received the salary from the court, if I only enjoy without giving anything in return, am I still a human being?"
This is Jia Cong's simple and plain principle of being an official, which may seem childish and ridiculous to others.
But Jia Cong had seen selfless people, including Duke Wen Zheng of Wei, Hai Bijia, even old man Zhou Jiong and those old men in the court, and his master Xu Qingteng, which one of them did not take it as his responsibility to cultivate himself, manage his family, govern the country and bring peace to the world?
In order to free the people from the ideological control of Lijiao, Mr. Zhou Jiong, at the age of seventy, still buried himself in ancient scrolls and compiled and sorted out the holy classics.
In order to keep the new policy going, Xia Lingxing was willing to give up the opportunity to become the head of all officials and took the initiative to recommend his father-in-law Lin Ruhai.
His teacher, Xu Qingteng, could have sat firmly in the center of power, but he kept running between the center and the local areas, acting as the sharpest knife of the court for years.
He has been deeply influenced by the teachings and guidance of these great sages, so how could he associate with those despicable people?
No, he couldn't even lie down and enjoy it, that would be so embarrassing!
Thinking of this, Jia Cong turned over and sat up.
"Uncle Eleven, have someone spread the word that Yongfeng Marquis Jia Cong will be entering the city in two days!"
……
The "crackdown on gangsters and evil" campaign in Jinling City seems to have come to an end after five days.
On the morning of the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, all the officials of Nanzhili who were able to make it to Jinling City came to the South Gate of the city.
Zhao Maoliang, the Left Governor of Nanzhili, Song Wenxing, the Right Governor, Zhu Yutai, the Chief Justice, Xiong Kuohai, the Garrison Commander of Nanjing, and other civil and military officials arrived outside the South City Gate as the sun rose.
Along with him came the city's local elders and the nobles who stayed in Jinling...
There were probably thousands of people waiting at the city gate early in the morning. They waited for more than an hour and no one dared to complain.
It is true that the city of Jinling has been too scary recently, with reports of soldiers breaking into homes and entire families being arrested at any time.
It is said that the jails in all provincial government offices were packed to the brim. In just five days, the property of more than twenty wealthy businessmen was raided, and more than thirty court officials were thrown into the jail of the Ministry of Justice.
"coming!"
Bang, bang, clang!
Jia Cong now displayed a full set of ceremonial guards, including the ceremonial guards of the Marquis of the State and Daiyu's Princess. The team, with a total of more than 2,000 people, exuded the momentum of a mighty army.
At the front of the team, several cavalrymen held famous sails and wrote to the Marquis of Yongfeng County, the Grand Master of Imperial Households, the Duwei of the Imperial Consort, the Princess of Zhenguo Wen'an, the Minister of Rites, the Imperial Envoy...
The golden dragon flag and the phoenix flag fluttered in the wind. Although the team was still hundreds of steps away, some people were already so frightened by the momentum that their calves were trembling.
"Your Highness Princess Wen'an is here to greet you!"
"Greetings to Marquis Yongfeng!"
With the help of Jia Cong, Daiyu got off the phoenix sedan chair. She saw dozens of civil and military officials and hundreds of gentry and common people.
"Although I am here to inspect the area under the order of the emperor, your grand welcome is a bit too ostentatious."
The leading Left Governor Zhao Maoliang was almost cursing, "When it comes to publicity, are we as flamboyant as you two?"
There were more than 2,000 people in the ceremonial procession. If it weren't for the dragon and phoenix flags, which not everyone dared to use, he would have thought that some desperate person was going to rebel and attack the city!
However, he did not dare to act arrogantly in front of the young couple, so he could only bow and explain: "Your Highness, your status is noble, and now you are here to inspect the local area under the imperial order. The etiquette is like this, and I cannot violate the etiquette of the imperial court."
Daiyu nodded and gave him a helping hand. "Please stand up, Mr. Zhao. I just said it casually. Please welcome him with all of you. I would like to thank you here."
"No, no, this is what we are supposed to do. We have already arranged a place for you to stay. Your Highness and the Marquis please go into the city and rest."
When the imperial envoy arrives, there will naturally be many rules and rituals to follow.
Fortunately, Daiyu has been trained over the years, and she is better than Jia Cong in dealing with these local officials.
The two of them settled in a large garden in Jinling City, named Mengyuan, which is a typical Jiangnan garden.
On the first day in the city, Daiyu summoned the Nanzhili Education Commissioner and the Jinling Imperial College's chief academic officer, as well as other professors.
Jia Cong, on the other hand, led his personal soldiers and headed straight for the Supreme Court. He had no intention of attending any welcoming banquet at all, and his target was directly the officialdom and business circles in Nanzhili.
"Do you see the imperial cat embroidered on my robe? It was given to me by the late emperor himself to catch traitors like you. Do you have anything else to say?"
More than a dozen captured corrupt officials were kneeling in the main hall. Jia Cong's anger soared to the extreme as he looked at these fat and bloated rats who were eating the people's blood and sweat.
The Censor Zhu Yutai standing by was having a headache. The education official's immediate superior, Princess Wen'an, was gentle and kind to others, but he had to face the "big devil" Jia Cong who was causing panic in the officialdom of Southern Zhili.
He had to find a topic to ease the solemn atmosphere in the hall.
"My Lord, isn't that the Qilin embroidered on your body?"
"The Qilin is not a cat? I, Jia Cong, say it is a cat, so it is a cat!"
On the official robe that the old sage finally gave to Jia Cong, the big orange cat turned into a majestic golden unicorn.
"Zhou Nan" records: "The toes of the unicorn revitalize the prince; Oh, unicorn! The determination of the unicorn revitalizes the prince's family name; Oh, unicorn! The horns of the unicorn revitalize the prince's clan; Oh, unicorn!
The unicorn is a benevolent animal and a good omen for a sage king.
The old man's expectation for Jia Cong is to have him assist the wise king and make Daxia a truly prosperous dynasty.
Jia Cong also wanted to eradicate all the filth in the world and create a bright and clear world.
Therefore, he was not polite at all to the blessing platform in front of him.
The Ministry of Criminal Justice was in charge of the investigation and impeachment of a province, and had both judicial and supervisory functions. As the Censor, Zhu Yutai did not send any news to the capital when he saw the collusion between officials and businessmen in Nanzhili and the collapse of the civil service. Apart from anything else, he could not escape the crime of negligence.
"Come here, go and ring the gong to announce that this marquis will begin to accept cases of injustice in Nanzhili today. All cases of officials and gentry oppressing the people, corruption, and perverting the law can be reported to the Criminal Investigation Department."
"The Nanzhili Provincial Administration Commissioner's Office, the Criminal Procuratorate, and the government offices of prefectures, counties, and cities shall not prevent the people from filing a complaint. Those who violate this will be executed!"
With a clang, Zhu Yutai trembled and even the teacup on the table fell over.
He gritted his teeth and said, "My Lord, this is against the rules. Although you are of noble status, you do not have the power to open a court without the permission of the court..."
Jia Cong just glanced at him coldly, took off the imperial golden order from his waist, put it on the table, and sneered: "I am the Marquis of Yongfeng County, holding the imperial golden order. In the sixth year of Yuanyou, His Majesty gave me the power to supervise the world. What rules are you talking about with me?"
Monthly ticket recommendation ticket
(End of this chapter)