Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

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After his fifth son came of age, he also joined the army to fight for the Ming Dynasty.

Five of his sons joined the army, one died and another was crippled on the battlefield.

They were definitely meritorious officials who helped the emperor rise to power, and they came from a family of loyal and brave people!

This bastard is getting into trouble now, not for money or power.

Instead, they are driven by a sense of brotherhood and pride, and after a few drinks, they forget who they are.

After sobering up, he knew he shouldn't have, but since he had already made the promise, he felt embarrassed to go back on his word.

In Gong Xiu's mind, his sense of loyalty, his promises, and his pride were greater than national law and military law.

After much deliberation, Zhao Yuan still drafted an imperial edict to show leniency to the Gong family father and son.

Gong Xiu himself should be thoroughly investigated and sentenced accordingly.

If the investigation finds no problems with Gong Xiu's sons, they will be exempted from being held jointly liable.

If there is a criminal offense, the appropriate sentence should be imposed accordingly.

Zhao Yuan took the secret report and tossed it to Wen Huanzhang, who had just returned from a stroll in Dongxi Garden.

"Gong Xiu was such a shrewd man back then, with brains and methods. How did he become so stupid now?" Zhao Yuan sighed as he lay on the chair.

Wen Huanzhang carefully read through the secret report and said, "He's gotten arrogant. He's older and made mistakes when he was leading troops, which is why he withdrew from the front-line units."

"With such profound experience and numerous military achievements, yet he only received the titles of Commander-in-Chief and Earl, he must harbor resentment."

"He's settled down in his local post, it'll be hard for him to get promoted, and all he cares about is saving face and loyalty."

"Feeling that the imperial court had always owed him something, he naturally disregarded the law and even harbored a tendency to deliberately trample on it..."

Zhao Yuan was heartbroken: "To be irresponsible, with his seniority and military achievements, as long as he doesn't mess around in the army, who the hell would investigate him?"

"Even if it involves accepting gifts or occupying land, as long as it's not too outrageous, the censor will definitely turn a blind eye."

"But this bastard still held back the victory report from the garrison of Ji'an Prefecture for more than half a month."

"I was so afraid that I couldn't keep it under control that I wrote a secret letter to expose the matter."

"He harbored the intention to deceive the imperial court from the very beginning!"

There's another point that Zhao Yuan didn't directly mention, but that was also a major reason for Zhai Ruwen's retirement.

The prefect of Ji'an and the military commander of Jiangxi both reported this matter without following the proper procedures, choosing instead to submit their reports in secret.

Chapter 3570 The New Prime Minister

Because they both knew that Provincial Governor Xie Dan was related to Zhai Ruwen by marriage.

Therefore, they were afraid that official documents would be blocked when sent to the central government, and even worried that Zhai Ruwen was the mastermind behind it all.

.....

When people are happy, they are in high spirits, and Liu Jian seemed to have become ten years younger.

He still dressed extremely simply, with two sets of official robes for changing, which he had kept for several years without throwing them away, and they were even patched up.

Liu Jian moved into the Prime Minister's official residence in a hurry, with only an old wife, an old concubine, and a few servants who had followed him for many years to take care of his daily life.

Each meal is strictly portioned, with limited amounts of meat; the diet is primarily vegetarian.

Liu Jian summoned his wives, concubines, and servants, saying, "Now that I am the prime minister, I should set an example."

"When you go out, you must not be ostentatious or bully others."

Even if you are bumped into by a peddler or laborer, you should still treat him with kindness and gentleness.

"All visitors should be politely declined, and gifts should not be accepted."

"have you understood?"

"Understood," the wives, concubines, and servants replied hastily.

Liu Jian also wrote letters to his children and grandchildren scattered in other places, admonishing them not to be corrupt or break the law, but to work diligently and loyally for the country.

That evening, he also began writing "The Liu Family Instructions" to teach his descendants the principles of being a person and doing things.

After writing until the wee hours of the morning, Liu Jian happily went to sleep.

I was so excited that I couldn't sleep and started thinking about when I would retire.

He was old and had no other ambitions; on his first day as prime minister, he considered retiring.

Resigning immediately is definitely not an option; that would be slapping the emperor in the face!

After careful consideration, Liu Jian decided to work for another six months before applying for medical retirement.

After three requests and three resignations, it is estimated that he can serve as prime minister for a total of eight or nine months.

He was too lazy to cultivate his own cronies, to avoid getting into trouble.

Of course, after so many years in office, I still have basic abilities.

The following day, after officially taking office, Liu Jian moved into the Prime Minister's Office and handled various government affairs in an orderly manner.

Moreover, he knew how to delegate authority, allowing the other cabinet ministers to do more work.

He is only responsible for reviewing, approving, and making decisions. He generally does not overturn the opinions of cabinet ministers. If the differences are too great, he will convene the cabinet ministers to vote to resolve the issue.

Harmony, so perfect!

The most harmonious cabinet since the founding of the Ming Dynasty has emerged.

Gradually, Liu Jian acquired the nickname: the clay-sculpted prime minister.

After learning the situation, Zhao Yuan really wanted to kick him.

I've seen officials who lie down and do nothing, but I've never seen a prime minister who lies down like this!

It should be noted that Liu Jian was known for his "uprightness" when he was young.

Liu Jian first opposed the excessive issuance of iron coins, which offended Tong Guan to the point of death because Tong Guan was using iron coins to pay the Western Army.

After being demoted and transferred three times in succession, Liu Jian, as the prefect, successfully suppressed the Hebei bandit Zhang Yan.

The victorious army, which rushed to quell the rebellion, missed the battle and instead slaughtered hundreds of villagers to claim credit for their crimes.

The Shengjie Army was Tong Guan's private army, and they could do whatever they wanted wherever they went.

Liu Jian disregarded all that and ordered the execution of the officers who had harmed the villagers, resulting in him being impeached and demoted again by Tong Guan.

Such an upright and incorruptible person, who was not afraid of powerful figures, actually became a prime minister in his old age and just wanted to work peacefully until retirement.

Zhao Yuan summoned Liu Jian separately and praised him, saying, "Since becoming prime minister, Minister Liu has handled everything in an orderly manner, which greatly pleases me."

Liu Jian replied with a smile, "This is all thanks to the efforts of all the ministers in the cabinet."

Chapter 3571 Cabinet Voting

After praising, it's time to criticize.

Zhao Yuan said, "The ministers are quite troubled. Some trivial matters have been summoned by Minister Liu for discussion and voting."

"At its most frequent, the cabinet voted four times a day, and there were no important events that day."

"Being meticulous and cautious is good, but it may slow down the cabinet's efficiency."

Liu Jian's smile froze, and he bowed in fear, saying, "Your Majesty, I have failed to consider things thoroughly and have let you down. I will certainly correct my mistakes!"

Liu Jian did indeed correct his mistake.

He consolidated the disputed government affairs and convened a cabinet vote before the end of the workday.

The cabinet ministers no longer need to make repeated trips; they can vote one by one at a time, and then submit the draft votes to the emperor the next day.

When Zhao Yuan learned the details, he was both amused and exasperated.

Can't Liu Qianzhen handle those government affairs that require voting on his own?

No.

This guy is afraid of problems and doesn't want to take responsibility.

So they dragged the cabinet ministers into the vote, and whatever the consequences, they all shared the blame.

It's time for the cabinet to leave work again; the cabinet ministers voted to handle seven government affairs today.

Yes, after the correction, the number of votes increased.

Since there's no need to run back and forth, I can submit everything in one go right before I leave work, and that won't waste any time if I submit it multiple times.

As Qian Chen left the voting venue, watching Liu Qian's busy figure, he shook his head and sighed, "This Prime Minister Liu is truly a complicated character!"

“He was daring and impulsive when he was young,” Li Hanzhang suddenly asked. “Do you think we’ll become like that when we get old?”

Qian Chen said, "Probably not. What's the point of him being prime minister? He's just like a clay idol in a temple."

Li Hanzhang said, "This person probably won't last long; he's probably already thinking about retiring."

"His way of handling government affairs keeps him out of trouble, yet he is disliked by everyone in the cabinet and still greatly displeases His Majesty."

"If he works for a few more months and then resigns, everyone will be eager for him to leave so he can return home in glory."

"He can be considered...a very intelligent person." Qian Chen tried hard to come up with an adjective.

Li Hanzhang exclaimed, "It's more than just wisdom; it's become incredibly shrewd with age."

“After he retires and returns to his hometown, he will hold literary gatherings every now and then and invite fellow scholars from his hometown to write articles to boast about him.”

“Praise his integrity and selflessness, praise his lack of greed for power and wealth, and he will surely be praised throughout the world in the future.”

"By the way, he was fearless of powerful people when he was young, and that should also be praised in great detail."

“A hundred years from now, he will surely become a role model for officials and an example for scholars.”

"Hahahaha!"

Qian Chen couldn't help but burst into laughter: "I'm truly impressed. Prime Minister Liu is incredibly wise. It's a pity we can't learn his skills."

Li Hanzhang, however, said with a serious expression, "He can do this because he has the confidence."

"He was upright and honest, incorruptible in his youth and as incorruptible as water in his old age."

"How many people in the world can reach this level in both personal conduct and official duties?"

Qian Chen also stopped smiling and nodded, saying, "Indeed."

Even if someone in a higher position farts, those below will try to decipher the angle, volume, and even the smell of the fart...

As for Gong Xiu, a meritorious official who joined the army with his entire family, Zhao Yuan said that he should be sentenced as appropriate, but his sons should not be implicated.

So the emperor's intention was to be lenient in sentencing, but still within the bounds of the law.

Therefore, someone secretly helped Gong Xiu make a decision.

Chapter 3572 Land Distribution

First, make him hand over the gifts he received and the land given to him by others, and actively return the ill-gotten gains to try to get a lenient treatment.

Then he was asked to atone for his crimes by confessing everything he knew.

After a series of actions, he was ultimately sentenced to exile and his property in Jiangxi was confiscated.

They also confiscated the Gong family's mines in Yangxian County and stripped them of the earldom they had been granted last year.

Although he was exiled to the Hehuang region, his second son served as a garrison commander there, so he was essentially sent there to live out his old age with his son.

When investigating his sons, the investigation results must show that they are honest, loyal, and brave.

Afterwards, Zhao Yuan also promoted Gong Xiu's eldest and second sons by one rank as compensation.

There's nothing I can do; this bastard is just too special.

At that time, Zhao Yuan raised an army in Jinzhou and could not attend to Yangzhou for the time being.

When Wen Huanzhang raised an army in Yangzhou, he only had more than two thousand men under his command, while Gong Xiu directly brought several hundred men to join him.

This already qualifies them as shareholders; if the punishment is too harsh, many veterans will complain.

Military leaders should neither be too lenient nor too ruthless; a balance must be struck.