In the second month of the first year of Yuanyou, Guichou, Zhao Xu came to Kaifeng Mansion again.
First, we communicated with the officials about the rectification procedures for store and house affairs, field affairs in Beijing and various government offices encroaching on the street.
The ones making the fastest progress are naturally those in Beijing.
Today, most of the buildings encroaching on the street have begun to be demolished or have been demolished.
Then, it’s the official office in Beijing.
There are also signs of demolition of the intruding buildings in the three provinces, two governments, six ministries and various government offices in Kaifeng Prefecture.
The store's housework is a bit slow.
Most of the official houses showed no signs of being moved.
This is normal. All affairs in Beijing are purely royal institutions, while government offices are state institutions.
Naturally, when given an order, it will take action.
At least it will be positive on the surface.
But Dianzhaiwu is more like a state-owned profit-making organization, and its structure is complex, bloated, and huge.
And due to historical reasons, the ownership of the residences, shops, and houses owned by the Dianzhaiwu belongs to the government, but the management rights are in the hands of the merchants.
Many of these restaurants have been operating since the Renmiao era.
It's been like this for decades.
Now, would you like to personally say that you want to demolish some of the buildings that encroach on the street?
Do you think I’m stupid?!
So I started to wallow around and never do anything.
There is nothing the shopkeeper can do.
Forced demolition? They don't dare.
Because no one knows whether these businessmen are people or ghosts?
This is Bianjing!
Throwing a stone on Ma Xing Street could hit someone close to the emperor or a relative of the country.
Zhang Yi was so worried that he was sweating profusely and could only ask for help and guidance.
Zhao Xu comforted him with a smile, and then asked Song Yongchen to go over and help.
After finishing this matter, Zhao Xu was invited to the court of Kaifeng Prefecture.
The court hall has now been renovated.
The place where the magistrate of Kaifeng Prefecture used to sit has now been transformed into a mattress with a hanging curtain.
Moreover, Cai Jing did not dare to work and review cases here anymore, but respectfully and voluntarily retreated to the original Yamen.
As for the judge Li Shiliang who works in the local government office? Naturally, he can only move to the official government office where the recommendation officer Hu Ji is sitting.
Hu Ji could only have his own room in the official mansion of Kaifeng Mansion, like other officials, to handle daily affairs.
Zhao Xu was respectfully invited and sat on the mattress.
Cai Jing and others respectfully organized officials from all over the Kaifeng Mansion, as well as the banquet officials and accompanying readers who came with Zhao Xu, to pay homage.
Then, Cai Jing personally submitted some files.
"Your Majesty, these are all old cases and old abuses that have been discovered by the Kaifeng Mansion recently. I am incompetent and unable to make a decision. I beg for your Majesty's sanction!" Cai Jing bowed his hands.
Zhao Xu reached out and picked up one of the files.
It can be seen that this file has been copied again.
Not only is the paper new, but the ink is also new.
Zhao Xu opened the file and slowly read the text on it.
After only watching for a while, Zhao Xu raised his head and looked at the banquet officials sitting in the government hall.
Then, he started to call the names: "Mr. Fan, Mr. Lu, Mr. Su..."
Fan Chunren, Lu Dafang, and Su Song stood up quickly: "I'm waiting here."
"Since our ancestors, how should the property be distributed after the death of parents?"
Fan Chunren paid his respects and said, "I know that your Majesty's "Xingtong" contains provisions on household orders, and our ancestors clearly stipulated that those who should share the land, house and property should share it equally among the brothers."
This is the progressive nature of Hutiao in the Song Dynasty.
Regarding the inheritance of parents' property, there will be no distinction between concubines and concubines, elder or younger, and it will be divided equally among the whole family.
At the same time, this was also the problem that led to the endless litigation over property disputes in the Song Dynasty.
Because property distribution involves too many things.
Take the simplest land as an example, it can be either barren or fertile.
But which piece of land is fertile? Which piece of land is barren?
This is a personal subjective judgment.
At the same time, because the Song Dynasty did not establish a land system, many people's land was actually divided into one piece in the east and one in the west.
Different regions have different land prices.
Apart from other things, a small vegetable garden outside Bianjing City is enough for landlords to buy dozens or even hundreds of acres of land in other states and counties.
A piece of land is so complicated, let alone the more complicated division of shops, workshops, etc.
Surrounding these matters, Bianjing alone has to fight countless lawsuits every year.
It is common for brothers to sue each other, turn against each other and become enemies, and never interact with each other until old age and death.
Therefore, in many places in the south of the Yangtze River, a social phenomenon has quietly emerged, that is, the family property has been divided up while the parents are still alive!
For Confucianists, this is simply a treasonous thing!
Parents are here, but their wealth is different?
This undermines the system of saints and is not in line with the ideal social model advocated by Confucianism.
How can you go against the teachings of the saints?
We must fight hard and strike hard!
However, the social atmosphere is such that no matter how long an official's hand is, he cannot reach into other people's homes to meddle in other people's private affairs.
Moreover, ordinary people also have ways to deal with it.
The method of living together and making different money came into being.
The brothers still live together, but no longer share property. Everyone has his own share and clear boundaries.
When my parents died, the family was separated smoothly.
Therefore, countless troubles are reduced and the relationship between the brothers can be maintained.
Of course, this practice is currently only popular in the Jiangnan region where the economy is more developed and the concept of private property is stronger.
This wind has not blown to the north yet.
But that's a matter of time.
In short, the scholar-bureaucrats still tried their best to maintain the traditional social model.
However, the wheels of history are already rolling.
Once that critical point is reached, new great Confucians will emerge to argue for the new society.
Just like when Qingli founded the Confucian School, a large number of great Confucians rose up to endorse the new Confucian theory and put their foot down in the commentaries on the classics and meanings of the old Confucian scholars in the Han and Tang Dynasties.
Zhao Xu held the file in his hand and asked with a smile: "Are there any regulations for women in the household regulations?"
Lu Dafang once ruled Chengdu, a developed textile city.
The damask brocade produced by Chengdu Lingjin Yuan is the best in the Song Dynasty.
Therefore, the property distribution of the weavers in Chengdu Prefecture has become a social issue.
I don’t know how many lawsuits are filed over this every year.
Naturally, Lu Dafang was familiar with this.
So, he bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, I would like to inform you that in the household regulations, for women, there are three types: daughters who are still married, daughters who have returned to the clan, and daughters who are married."
"At the same time, there are also households that are extinct and non-households that are extinct."
Hujue means that there is no male heir, and non-huzetsu naturally means that there is a male heir.
"What if it's not a household?" Zhao Xu asked.
"Your Majesty, I would like to inform you that according to the local experience of the generals and ministers, if the household is not eliminated, the property of a married woman should not be divided."
"However, according to the law, a virgin should receive more than half of the property equal to her brother's betrothal gift. If her parents have made a marriage contract and agreed on a dowry before their death, they must respect their parents' agreement..."
"A daughter who returns to the clan shall, in accordance with the law, enjoy all the ownership of the dowry she brings back. In addition, her brothers shall also share a part of it as dowry property when they remarry in the future."
After Zhao Xu listened, he took the file in his hand and continued reading.
After reading the file, Zhao Xu asked Cai Jing: "Kaifeng Mansion, where is the license for this case?"
The so-called dry license refers to deeds, documents and other paper texts and certificates recognized by the relevant government.
Cai Jing has already been prepared.
He has even arranged for the suffering master to be in the side hall of the government office.
Just waiting for the emperor to send a message.
So, he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Kaifeng Mansion has been prepared. Please take a look at it."
Then there were officials who submitted relevant documents to prove it.
Zhao Xu just flipped through it casually and already knew that this case was an ironclad one.
The evidence is conclusive and irrefutable!
Therefore, Zhao Xu ordered Feng Jing to send the files of this case to the officials of the banquet.
At the same time, relevant work photos were also sent to the ministers present for circulation.
Fan Chunren and others took the file, lowered their heads and looked at each other.
This case is very simple.
It is a typical property dispute case in the Song Dynasty.
The plaintiff, Mrs. Qin and Zhang, was originally the youngest daughter of Zhang Qian, the former Lieutenant General of the Environmental Guard. When Zhang Qian was still alive, she chose a husband, Qin Yue, the son of Qin Ren, the third commander of the Tianwu Army.
However, before the marriage certificates could be exchanged, Zhang Qian died of illness.
When the Qin and Zhang family's mourning ceremony was over, the Qin family came to propose marriage.
At this time, Qin Zhang's brother, the defendant Zhang Ji, went back on his word and denied the existence of the engagement.
He even wanted to marry his sister to someone in Bianjing City as a continuation of his marriage because he was covetous of other people's betrothal gifts.
After Qin Zhang heard about this, she threatened the defendant Zhang Ji with death and agreed to marry her to Qin Yue.
However, because the Qin Zhang family disobeyed Zhang Ji, Zhang Ji seized all the dowry that Zhang Qian had prepared for the Qin Zhang family when Zhang Qian was still alive and refused to deliver it.
Therefore, the Qin family was furious and took the lawsuit to Kaifeng Mansion, demanding that Kaifeng Mansion order Zhang Ji to return the property belonging to the Qin Zhang family.
This case was originally easy to decide.
Even if you are a novice, you will know how to make a decision as long as you read the transfer certificate.
But the problem is...
The officials at the banquet looked at the name of the defendant - Zhang Ji, so the sanitation officer Zhang Qianzi.
Zhang Qian?
Isn't he the grandson of Xu Guogong Zhang Qi?
This person is the late minister of the Zhenmiao—Hezhenmiao has been a confidant of his since childhood.
At the same time, he is also Zhang Xianmingsu’s most trusted minister.
In the Renmiao era, he was still a favored minister.
The Zhang family's ancestral home alone, the mansion given by Renmiao, has a floor space of eight hundred.
It is one of the most luxurious mansions in the entire Bianjing city.
Even the mansion given to Cao Yi, the prince of Jiyang County, by the late emperor only had a threshold of 500 yuan, and it was still in the outer city.
The Zhang family's house is in Xingguofang, close to the imperial city.
Just when the other banquet officials were still hesitating.
Cheng Yi had already stood up and bowed to him: "Your Majesty, Zhang Ji bullied his young sister, disobeyed his father's orders, and was no longer a human son. I think he should be severely punished as a warning to others!"
Zhao Xu nodded slightly.
It’s not surprising that Cheng Yi would do such a thing.
Although Er Cheng is considered by later generations as a pioneer of Neo-Confucianism, many people subconsciously feel that they may have the ideology that a woman's lack of talent is a virtue.
In fact, on the contrary, the daughters of the Cheng family generally have a high reserve of knowledge.
For example, Cheng Hao's young daughter has been studying Confucian classics in her boudoir, and it is said that she has very high attainments.
Er Cheng liked her very much, so he always wanted to choose a husband who was worthy of her.
But after choosing and choosing, they could never find someone they thought was worthy of their daughter.
In the end, he actually delayed the girl - she was still unmarried at the age of twenty-two.
In the Song Dynasty, this belonged to old girls.
Finally, this talented woman fell ill and died at the age of twenty-four.
Cheng Yi wrote an epitaph for himself. The inscription reads: Yi hates her death, but does not hate her not being married.
After Cheng Yi, Su Che also stood up and said: "Your Majesty, I believe that the defendant Zhang Ji ignored the official documents and refused to come to Kaifeng Mansion to answer the question. His behavior is beyond measure and he must not be leniently spared!"
This is also the reason why Li Shiliang finally chose this case among many Zhang Ji's case files.
Because the evidence in this case is not only conclusive, but also negates Zhang Ji's moral character and conduct from the moral high ground.
This is an unfilial son.
My father once wanted to break the engagements he made during his lifetime.
He even wanted to push his sister into the fire pit.
In the end, he took most of the dowry that his sister deserved.
Unfilial, disloyal, unfaithful, unrighteous, and greedy.
In the Song Dynasty, once anyone was publicly labeled with the above labels, the only thing waiting for that person was social death.
The most important thing is that Zhang Ji perfectly stepped on the sore spots of the scholar-bureaucrats.
Ignored repeated interrogations from Kaifeng Mansion and refused to receive an explanation from Kaifeng Mansion.
What is domineering?
This is domineering!
As long as it is brought out and brought to the table, no one will dare to pretend to be deaf and dumb.
What awaits Zhang Ji must be the wrath of thunder.
When Su Zhe pointed out this point, other banquet officials and ministers also stood up and respectfully said: "I second my opinion."
Zhao Xu said solemnly: "In that case... Kaifeng Mansion!"
Cai Jing came out: "I am here."
"Summon the defendant Zhang Ji to the Yamen immediately!"
"promise."
"I won't see him anymore!"
"Such unfaithful, unfilial, trustless and unjust people are not my ministers!"
Zhao Xu said coldly: "Please go and interrogate me. If you have the results, report them to me!"
"If that's the case..."
Zhao Xu said coldly: "Destroy the writings he has written since his birth, and assassinate Salmon Island!"
Everyone looked up.
The young official was sitting on the mat. Although he looked young, everyone involuntarily lowered their heads under his cold expression, feeling a little trembling.
This is royal power!
One word can mean the difference between someone's life and death.
As for your question, this is a trivial matter, shouldn’t it be done like this?
According to the laws and regulations, the most they can do is reprimand and demote.
Isn't it a capital punishment to destroy the characters written since birth? Not to mention assassinating Salmon Island!
However, this is the Song Dynasty.
In a dynasty based on the rule of man, the emperor is the creature with the highest power of judicial interpretation.
What legal provisions?
How about I write you a message on the spot?
Zhao Xu doesn't even have any use for willfulness.
Because what he was doing was the highest justice in the Song Dynasty and even in the entire ancient feudal society.
"Spring and Autumn Judgment!" Fan Chunren lowered his head and said softly.
Judgment in the Spring and Autumn Period certainly does not mean judging cases based on the Spring and Autumn Period.
Instead, we use the subtle meaning of the saints hidden outside the text in the Spring and Autumn and other classics to decide the case.
As for what kind of subtle words and righteousness?
Of course it is a free heart.
However, its basic principles and framework are fixed.
The laws of etiquette, the principles of nature and human relations, loyalty, filial piety and brotherhood all belong to the category of the Spring and Autumn period.
Therefore, in feudal society, every case decided by the Spring and Autumn Judgment was an ironclad case.
The emperor quoted the decision made by the Spring and Autumn Period.
Naturally, it is an ironclad case among ironclad cases.
Let alone overturning it, outsiders will be criticized by thousands of people even if they question a single word.
So, most of the banquet officials smelled it.
"How on earth did Zhang Ji offend His Majesty?" Everyone was thinking in their hearts.
It’s not that these officials have low political acumen.
In fact, they don't know the specific situation. Although they have heard that the merchants in Bianjing City and the big households are busy paying off the debts of Yiwu, they don't know who has paid back? Who has not paid back?
I don’t even know who are the businessmen and big businessmen standing behind them?
Only Cheng Yi and Su Che were filled with joy.
They really thought that the emperor was going to prison in the Spring and Autumn Period.
…
At this time, Zhang Ji was lying in the arms of his two concubines, enjoying the beauty of these two new concubines.
In my heart, I felt even more proud.
"The money I owe is enough to buy hundreds of girls like this!"
A beautiful concubine worth one hundred guans is a high price even in Bianjing city.
so?
"Pay back the money? Only fools pay back the money!"
However, he felt a little flustered for no reason.
It feels like something is going to happen.
That's why he comforts himself and excuses himself like this.
Suddenly, a servant's frightened voice came from outside the door.
"Master...Master...something bad has happened..."
His butler ran in pissed.
"Someone from Kaifeng Mansion is here!" The housekeeper came to Zhang Ji in a panic and said, "There is a decree for the master to go to Kaifeng Mansion to answer the question."
"Destiny? Answer the message?" Zhang Ji was also panicked.
He quickly got up from his two beautiful concubines and asked, "What's the purpose of answering the call?"
This chapter has been completed!