"How difficult is it?" Zhao Ning asked.

Wang Ciweng said: "Let's just say that the lowest-level local officials supervise the town officials. Talents with excellent moral character must be selected from the University of Tokyo, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs will conduct assessments. Only those with excellent results can take office, let alone the magistrate of a county."

The Song Dynasty originally had 1,234 counties. Even in recent years, after the wars against Annan and Champa, new administrative jurisdictions were established, but there are still only more than a thousand counties at the county level.

Don't think that officials are worthless just because there are high-ranking officials everywhere in the capital.

This is called survivor bias.

In a large empire with more than 100 million people, the proportion of people who can sit in the position of county magistrate is indeed very low.

The magistrate of a county is called the parent official of the county. In ancient times when local power was not detailed enough, the power of the magistrate was very great.

This is also the reason why the "official standard" of China's feudal society originated from the Song Dynasty. Officials in the Song Dynasty, especially civil servants, enjoyed top-notch resources and treatment.

In the Song Dynasty, if you were not an official, no matter how rich you were, you were still a subordinate.

After losing the martial arts and courage of the Tang Dynasty, people sharpened their heads and began to burrow into the officialdom.

Wang Ciweng continued: "To be a county magistrate, you must at least be born with the same Jinshi. A fellow Jinshi must go through the Jie examination, the provincial examination, and the palace examination to stand out among the crowd. But now to take up an official position, you need to enter the new official school, and then become an official.

After being evaluated by the ministry, he was finally approved by multiple parties and appointed to an official position."

"In this way, it is not easy for an official to become a local official after going through many screenings. The imperial court spends a lot of time and energy to screen an official, and also allows these officials to study in the new official school, and then the staff department is dispatched

The manpower will be assessed, and then the performance will be assessed again every year.”

"It's such a pity to kill someone just because they made a mistake."

Luo Ruji also took the words and said: "Your Majesty, not only the Ministry of Personnel has to evaluate the performance of officials, but also the Ministry of Rites. It is really not easy for an official to take office."

Zhao Ning looked down, and some officials around him couldn't help but nod.

"Let's just say that in this Jiangdong case, if officials are killed for corruption, then all the previous efforts to cultivate them will be in vain."

"Yes! Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, the current situation has changed from one moment to another. Now we must use gentle means to stabilize people's hearts." Officials from the Ministry of Personnel also stood up.

"Your Majesty, the country should be governed according to local conditions. In the past, severe punishment of evildoers was a last resort. Now that the world has been settled, China is auspicious, and the people live and work in peace and contentment, we should indeed follow the example of Emperor Xiaowen of the Han Dynasty, lighten punishments, and nourish the people."

"..."

A lot of people stood up one after another.

Cai Mao continued: "Your Majesty, in addition to Jiangnan West Road, there are also Huaidong, Huaixi, Liangzhe Road, Jinghu Road, Jingxi Road, Jingdong Road, and Chengdufu Road officials. They all have memorials.

I hope that your majesty can lighten the punishment and support the people."

Zhao Ding and Lu Yihao on the side both glanced at Cai Mao.

Officials from all walks of life came up with memorials, but why were they not sent to Zhao Guan’s house?

The reason is very simple, because both Zhao Ding and Lu Yihao suppressed this meaningless memorial.

In their view, now is definitely not the time for light punishment.

As a prime minister, not everything needs to be reported to the emperor and wait for the emperor's decision. Otherwise, what should the prime minister do?

Doesn’t Cai Mao know this?

He knows very well.

Zhao Ding and Lu Yihao both knew what Governor Cai wanted to do at this time.

This is Gonghuo!

In today's meeting, the officials who stood up all spoke very nicely, as if countless rays of holy light were blooming from each of them, but...

However, everyone is playing politics. Whoever opens his mouth to do what he wants to do has no clue in his heart?

They all know what they are talking about, but they all pretend not to know what they are talking about, and they all cooperate with them in pretending not to know what they are talking about.

There are two sets of rules in this world.

One set is written on paper to maintain order.

There is another set of things that are not written on paper, which are to satisfy people's selfish desires.

In order to satisfy their selfish desires, ancient powerful people would use explicit rules to cover up hidden rules.

To cover up is to cover it up so that no one can see it. Even if someone notices it, there is no basis for it.

Throughout the ages, people who have tried to eliminate those invisible rules have all failed.

Because most of human desires cannot be told to everyone under the sun.

As the person with the highest authority, even if you cannot prevent the unspoken rules, you must at least be aware of their existence and know when, where and how they operate.

Just like before your eyes.

Zhao Ning's expression was calm, and his eyes were as soft as autumn water.

He stood up slowly, and his crimson gauze robe was like a flame, as if it was about to burn.

Only Gao Qiu, Nie Chang, and Lu Yihao were present, and they knew what was going to happen next.

Gao Qiu glanced secretly at Zhao Guan's house, and quickly looked away as if he had been touched by burning flames.

Zhao Guanjia walked down step by step from above, his whole body was like a bottomless abyss.

There were officials kneeling and others standing below, and the eyes of the surrounding officials also gathered and fell on the emperor.

"In the first month of the second year of Zhenguan, the battle of Minzhou between the Tang army and Tuyuhun."

"In April of the second year of Zhenguan, the Tang army destroyed Liang's capital."

Zhao Ning's voice sounded in the hall, as calm as water, without any emotion.

"The Battle of Hexi between the Tang Army and the Turks in November of the third year of Zhenguan."

"The Tang Dynasty destroyed the Eastern Turks from November 3rd to March 4th in Zhenguan."

"In April of the fifth year of Zhenguan, the Xue tribe in Pingxu, Tang Dynasty, rebelled."

"In the fifth year of Zhenguan, Feng Anping and his fellow soldiers rebelled."

Surprise slowly appeared on someone's face.

Zhao Ning continued: "In the first month of the sixth year of Zhenguan, the Liao people in Pingping Prefecture in Tang Dynasty rebelled."

"The Battle of Tuyuhun's Attack on Lanzhou in March of the Sixth Year of Zhenguan."

"In the sixth year of Zhenguan, the battle of Gaochang's attack on Yanqi."

"In the sixth year of Zhenguan, the Western Turks attacked Xue Yantuo."

"In the seventh year of Zhenguan, Niu Jinda and Pingliao people rebelled."

"Your Majesty..." Luo Ruji tried to interrupt Zhao Guan's family, but Zhao Ning continued.

"From the seventh to eighth year of Zhenguan, Zhang Shigui and the Liao people rebelled."

"The Battle of Tang Duan Zhixuan's Attack on Tuyuhun in June of the Eighth Year of Zhenguan."

"In the ninth year of Zhenguan, the Tang Dynasty attacked Xiang Qiang."

"In the fourth month of the ninth year of Zhenguan, the Tang Dynasty attacked Tuyuhun."

"In February of the twelfth year of Zhenguan, Qi Shanxing and Pingliao rebelled."

"In August of the twelfth year of Zhenguan, Shanliao in Bazhou rebelled."

"The Battle of Songzhou from August to September of the twelfth year of Zhenguan."

"In the twelfth year of Zhenguan, the Western Turkic Yipidulu Khan defeated the leech and lost the battle."

"In the fifteenth year of Zhenguan, the battle between Dulu Khan of the Western Turks and Yehu Khan."

"In the 16th year of Zhenguan, the battle between the Western Turks' Shegui Khan and the Dulu Khan."

"In the 16th year of Zhenguan, the Tang Dynasty attacked the Western Turks in Yizhou."

Zhao Ning finished speaking in one breath, and then his eyes calmly swept over the people who just spoke.
Chapter completed!