Cao Ang knew very well that the corruption committed by Chen Xun and others was by no means an isolated case. Cao Ang wanted to launch a vigorous anti-corruption campaign to wipe out all these evil officials who tortured the people.

But Cao Ang also knew very well that he could not do this.

The war with Yuan Shu has not lasted long. At this critical node, the entire Xuzhou needs to remain stable, so everything that affects the stability of Xuzhou must be suppressed.

Cao Ang was also worried, but he had long been accustomed to giving in for the sake of the overall situation.

Back in the backyard, although Cao Ang tried his best to forget the troubles of government affairs, the annoyance in his heart could not be hidden in front of Yuan Ying.

Although Yuan Ying usually did not interfere in political affairs, seeing how troubled the government was, she still couldn't help but ask.

Cao Ang did not hide it from Yuan Ying, and frankly expressed his helplessness about corruption.

After hearing this, Yuan Ying said: "Sages pay attention to small punishments and big commandments. Those who punish are punished, and those who admonish are educated. Since your husband can't punish him now, why not teach him extensively?"

"Could it be that if I educate these people more, they won't become corrupt?"

Cao Ang didn't take this seriously.

Yuan Ying said: "Education may or may not work. I don't know its effectiveness. I can imagine that people with a sense of shame can always play some role.

If you punish them without teaching them, the punishment will be complicated and evil will prevail. Your husband has given these people a chance by educating them. When the time comes, and the time is right, if your husband punishes them severely, these people can no longer complain that your husband punished them without teaching them.

.”

After hearing this, Cao Ang was overjoyed and couldn't help hugging Yuan Ying and kissing her.

"Wei Rui is really my good wife!"

If you punish without teaching, then the punishments will be complicated and evil will prevail; if you teach without punishing, then the traitors will not be punished; if you punish without rewarding, then the hard-working people will not persuade; if you punish and reward without distinguishing, then the people will be suspicious and dangerous and the people will be different.

Cao Ang has already made a plan. He will first conduct a round of anti-corruption propaganda to stir up public opinion. Then he will wait for the right time to launch an anti-corruption campaign.

At any time, anti-corruption campaigns are the easiest way to win over people's hearts.

If you dare to kill corrupt officials, the people will applaud you.

Cao Ang was so rude in broad daylight, Yuan Ying pushed him away, glared at him and said, "If you act like a rogue again, I'm really angry."

Cao Ang had a bad smile on his face, but Wei Rui was still too shy.

After lunch, Cao Ang asked Guo Jia to be summoned and asked him to write a strategy for anti-corruption propaganda using the "Xiapi Cangcheng Corruption Case" as the starting point.

Guo Jia was a little confused after hearing this, and immediately said: "Ming Gong, I am a military attache. This anti-corruption propaganda should be handled by the shogunate. Why don't you arrange this matter for Pangong Yu."

"I see!"

Cao Ang pretended to be surprised and said with a smile: "Fengxiao is complaining about me because I made an oversight. I will ask them to make up the order later and grant Fengxiao the authority to lead the affairs of the general's office."

"Ming Gong, that's not what I meant!"

Cao Ang didn't wait for Guo Jia to finish, and said: "That's it."

Guo Jia's face looked like a bitter gourd. He was not such a bully. He was being used as an animal.

Seeing this, Cao Ang quickly comforted him and said: "Don't be like this, Fengxiao. This matter has to be handled by an important minister, mainly for the shogunate and local officials, so it is not appropriate to leave it to Gongyu, and it can only be led by you."

Of course, your main job is to coordinate the arrangements. I will let Han Kui, Xu Yi (who works in the Propaganda Department), and Liu Zhou help you. You are responsible for making the decisions and leave the specific work to them."

Guo Jia reluctantly accepted it.

It was also difficult for Cao Ang. He had to coax his subordinates to do some work.

Regarding how to publicize it, Cao Ang and Guo Jia discussed some opinions and said no more.

In fact, Cao Ang had another purpose in recruiting Guo Jia, but he was just hesitant.

"Fengxiao, do you know what my biggest feeling was when I met Song Pei?"

"Jia Zhidao!"

"Song Pei told me that he knew that his future was hopeless and that there was no chance of advancement, so he focused on making money. In the final analysis, he lost his enterprising spirit.

But what he said is indeed true.

Nowadays, the important generals in the army are basically Zhonglang General and Xiao Lieutenant. After the battle with Yuan Shu, some people will even be given the title of General. After that, there is no way to be promoted.

As for the officials of the shogunate, they have long been faced with this situation.

For example, the chief officials of each Cao Cao and the important ministers used to have a rank of only 300 shi, but now they are promoted to a job, and the rank is only 600 shi.

As for the people below, many of them are small officials with a salary of three to two hundred dan.

Do you think these people, like Song Pei, will focus on corruption when there is no chance of promotion in the short term?"

After hearing this, Guo Jia looked a little serious.

"What Ming Gong said is not unreasonable."

Cao Ang added: "The reality is here, I can't give unlimited promotions to everyone, but promotion of official positions is necessary. In this case, I think it is better to start with the title."

Title?

Guo Jia had some doubts and said: "I'm afraid it's inappropriate to confer a title in the name of the shogunate. Moreover, the title of Han Dynasty has long been out of use."

The Han Dynasty continued to use the twenty-level nobility of the pre-Qin Dynasty, but it was ruined by the rulers of the Han Dynasty.

The emperor of the Han Dynasty promoted everyone in the world to one rank today, and tomorrow he promoted everyone to one rank. It makes no sense at all for everyone to be promoted.

"Of course we don't have the right to confer titles ourselves, so we have to put it another way."

Cao Ang explained: "I plan to set up twenty ranks of honors, similar to twenty ranks of knights. The treatment at each level is different. They will be awarded according to their merits, mainly for military merits.

In this way, everyone will have the motivation to be promoted, and the enthusiasm of officials and even soldiers will be mobilized to the greatest extent."

Guo Jia's eyes lit up after hearing this.

"Ming Gong's arrangement is indeed feasible. There was much corruption in the Later Han Dynasty, and the main reason was that the salaries of officials were relatively low. The upper-level officials were better off, but the lower-level officials were really too few.

For example, if an official with a hundred stones is paid sixteen husks of dendrobium a month, he cannot even feed a family of five, so he will naturally engage in corruption."

For example, the third elder in the township, similar to the township head in later generations, was given two hundred kilograms (50 dry grams) of grain a month, which was only two or three rations, but it was not enough.

As for the three princes, who are both Baishi, the General's Palace, the Historian's Records Office, the Men's Lingshi and the rest of the Lingshi, live in the capital with a salary of sixteen dendrobium a month. They are simply forcing people to engage in corruption.

"I've thought about it too."

In many cases, high salary to maintain integrity has little effect, but at least it can prevent some timid people who are struggling with food and clothing from taking desperate risks.

"There's just one thing. If this is implemented, the monthly salary expenditure alone will be a huge expense."

Cao Ang shook his head and said, "This is indeed a big problem."

In Cao Ang's view, these things are all interconnected. If you want to implement the system of honoring honors and honoring merit, you must have money, and if you want to have money, you must implement a series of economic reforms.

And economic reform is bound to stir up the interests of large families, and these cannot be achieved by a handful. Moreover, now is a critical time to compete with Yuan Shu for Huainan, so we must not move lightly.
Chapter completed!