Chapter nine hundred and eighty third strong county magistrate
Dong Xuan's meaning was very clear. Zhang Ben could not be killed. Liu Xiu raised his finger and pointed at Dong Xuan and asked: "Dong Xuan, are you going to disobey the imperial edict?"
"Zhang Bi just made an oversight, and his crime will not lead to death."
"What if I must execute him?"
"Zhang Bi just made an oversight, and his crime will not lead to death!"
"Are you going to fight me to the end and protect Zhang Bi to the end?"
"The minister is just handling the case in accordance with the law and has no fault." Dong Xuan looked up at Liu Xiu and saw that Liu Xiu was glaring at him. He said sternly: "During His Majesty's personal expedition, I must ensure that Luoyang is peaceful and safe."
Liu Xiu narrowed his eyes and asked, "You mean, after I finish this battle and return to the capital, I can execute Zhang Bi?"
Dong Xuan bowed his hands forward and saluted, and said loudly: "Your Majesty is the king of a country. No one can stop whoever your Majesty wants to execute."
Liu Xiu almost laughed angrily. I wanted to kill Zhang Bi now, but Dong Xuan stopped me. He said angrily: "Being grounded for a month, is this a punishment? Zhang Bi was beaten two hundred times.
You have to recuperate at home for more than a month, right? Or..." After a pause, Liu Xiu raised his eyebrows and asked: "He has already received two hundred blows, how can Zhang Bi survive?"
Dong Xuan bowed forward and said: "After the execution, Zhang Ben was lucky enough not to die, but he was already dying."
Liu Xiu also knew the secrets of the stick punishment. He could still survive after being tortured with two hundred sticks, which only shows that the executioner did not want to beat the person to death. Liu Xiu stared at Dong Xuan, waved his hand and said: "You can step back.
!”
Seeing that Liu Xiu no longer insisted on executing Zhang Bi, Dong Xuan knelt down and kowtowed, and loudly said: "Your Majesty is a wise man, and I am a humble minister and I thank you!"
"Get out!" Liu Xiu shouted angrily.
"Wei Chen, please retire!" Dong Xuan was still the same as before, kowtowing to Liu Xiu solemnly, then stood up, bowed, took three steps back, then turned and walked out.
As soon as he walked out of the hall, he heard a loud bang from the door panel behind him, and he didn't know what hit the door panel.
Zhang Kun stepped forward quickly, waved his hand to the side, and said with a dry smile: "Mr. Dong, please come this way! Let's go quickly. If you don't leave, Your Majesty still may not know..." He may not know how to vent his anger on you!
Dong Xuan bowed to Zhang Kun and said with a smile: "Thank you so much, Zhang Ye. By the way, Zhang Ye, I also brought something to present to His Majesty..."
Liu Xiu was very angry at Sun Xiang, and his anger was also directed at Zhang Bi. However, it must be said that Zhang Bi had an outstanding and very reliable immediate boss, Luoyang Commander Dong Xuan.
Dong Xuan, whom Liu Xiuxiao called his strong point, once again showed his fearless spirit. In front of Liu Xiu, he argued with reason and almost risked his life. In the end, Zhang Bi's life was temporarily saved.
Although Dong Xuan gave Liu Xiu a step down, he meant that after Liu Xiu finished conquering Weixiao and returned to Luoyang, he could then punish Zhang Bi as he pleased.
However, Dong Xuan knew in his heart that His Majesty wanted to kill Zhang Bi now out of anger. After the battle was over, His Majesty's anger would have dissipated long ago and he would not have any murderous intention towards Zhang Bi again.
What's more, it has been so long, and if your Majesty wants to kill Zhang Bi again, it will be unnamed! Dong Xuan had already calculated it in his heart. As long as Zhang Bi does not die now, he will not die in the future.
Liu Xiu sat back on the throne and threw a small incense burner on the table. The loud noise Dong Xuan heard just now was the sound of Liu Xiu throwing the incense burner.
When Liu Xiu was sitting in the hall and sulking, Zhang Kun walked in, followed by four chamberlains, two in pairs, who worked together to bring in two large boxes. Seeing this, Liu Xiu asked curiously: "This is
What?"
"Reporting to your majesty, this is the money seized by the county government from Sun Xiang's gambling den. When Magistrate Dong met the emperor just now, he did not have the opportunity to present it to your majesty, so he asked the slave to deliver it to your majesty for your majesty's inspection."
Zhang Kun spoke and ordered the four chamberlains to quickly open the lid of the box.
The four chamberlains opened the lids of the two boxes. Liu Xiu and Luo You stretched their necks and looked into the boxes. Well, one box was filled with gold cakes, and the other box was filled with dragons.
Coin, either Malaysian currency or turtle currency.
The box containing gold cakes alone is estimated to contain five to six hundred thousand dollars, and the box containing third-grade platinum is estimated to contain three to four hundred thousand dollars. If the two boxes are added together, even if it is less than one million dollars
, but not much different.
Liu Xiu frowned and asked, "What did Dong Xuan mean by sending all this money to the palace?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, Magistrate Dong said that this was won by Your Majesty in a gambling den and should be sent to the palace."
Liu Xiu waved his hand impatiently and said: "Send them all to Sikong Mansion and let Sikong put them into the treasury!"
"Yes! Your Majesty!"
The emperor is never short of money, and many industries such as smelting iron and copper, boiling salt and fishing, felling wood and burning charcoal, etc., are all private property of the emperor, and all expenses incurred belong to the emperor himself.
In addition, there is a poll tax. According to Chinese law, if a child is over three years old, he must pay a poll tax, which is twenty-three yuan per person per year, which is not much. Twenty yuan of it belongs to the emperor, and the other
Three coins are used as military expenses.
During the reign of Emperor Ping, a national census was conducted. The population at that time was more than 59 million. If calculated based on a population of 60 million, the emperor would have an annual income of 1.2 billion yuan from the head tax alone.
Add to that the income from mineral mining and smelting, the income from salt transportation and sales, the income from fishing and selling fish, the income from logging and burning charcoal, and I don’t know how much money there will be every year.
This is far from the entire income of the emperor. Taxes from market transactions also belong to the emperor.
Therefore, it is really not an exaggeration to say that the emperor can support three thousand beauties in the harem. Even three thousand beauties in the harem is too small. Throughout history, most emperors' harems have not less than 10,000 people.
.
At present, Liu Xiu has not unified the whole country, but Sili, Jingzhou, Yuzhou, Jizhou, Qingzhou and other places with a relatively concentrated population are all under Liu Xiu's control. In terms of various taxes, there are substantial increases every year.
Increase.
After Dong Xuan left the palace, he stopped by to visit Zhang Bi, who was recovering from his injuries at home. On weekdays, Zhang Bi's home was full of people, with people from all walks of life coming and going. Now, Zhang Bi's mansion was deserted.
The first is that Zhang Bi learned a lesson and now he doesn’t want to see anyone. The second is that people still don’t know the extent of what Zhang Bi committed this time and whether he can escape this disaster. In this sensitive period,
, people don’t dare to visit him.
Upon hearing the news of Dong Xuan's visit, Zhang Bi, who was lying on the bed, hurriedly asked Dong Xuan to be invited in.
Seeing Dong Xuan walk into the house, Zhang Ben was still struggling to get up. Dong Xuan waved to him repeatedly and said: "Lie down, lie down, you'd better lie down. I don't want to see you without pants."
Zhang Bi was now wearing neither trousers nor obscene pants. His lower body was completely naked and had been coated with a thick layer of medicine. Zhang Bi's old face turned red, his eye circles were red, and he said in a trembling voice: "Thank you, sir."
The favor of killing!"
Dong Xuan did not say any unnecessary nonsense, nor did he ask how his injury was in a pretentious manner. Instead, he said directly: "Just now, I was summoned by His Majesty."
Zhang Bi trembled and asked quickly: "Your Majesty... what did your Majesty say?"
Dong Xuan glanced at him and said: "Your Majesty's attitude has not changed."
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty still wants to kill this official..."
"I have made an agreement with Your Majesty that during His Majesty's expedition, I will keep your life alive. I will decide how to deal with you when His Majesty's subordinates return to the court." Dong Xuan said truthfully.
Zhang Ben was stunned for a moment, and immediately realized Dong Xuan's intention. He supported him with both hands and was about to get up from the bed. Dong Xuan held him down again and said displeasedly: "Why don't I let you lie down?"
"My lord's great kindness and kindness will never be forgotten by me. In my next life, my lord will never be able to repay you even if I work as a cow or a horse for you!" Zhang Bi burst into tears as he spoke.
Dong Xuan waved his hand and said: "Okay, there is no need to say any more useless nonsense. What I want to tell you now is that your work is not over yet. During His Majesty's personal expedition, if you can guard Luoyang and ensure that Luoyang is safe and sound,
When His Majesty returns to Beijing, it will never be possible for you to be severely punished. On the contrary, if there is trouble in Luoyang during this period, whether it is a big mess or a small mess, when His Majesty returns to Beijing, you will definitely be punished for both crimes. When that happens,
No matter how much I risk my life, I still can't save you."
Zhang Bi quickly wiped the tears on his face and said seriously: "Don't worry, sir. Even if I don't eat, drink or sleep, I will still protect Luoyang City during His Majesty's personal expedition!"
Hearing this, Dong Xuan nodded with satisfaction and said: "Take advantage of this period of time to recuperate at home and reflect on your bad friends. You can't see them without seeing them. Now you have done a good job."
If in the past, Zhang Bi would have been furious when he heard Dong Xuan describe his grassroots brothers as "husband and dog friends". But now, when he heard these words again, Zhang Bi felt heart-warming and moved.
Good medicine tastes bitter, but loyal advice hurts the ears. Now he has realized it deeply. Those who can say such words to him are true friends. At critical moments, people can really risk their lives for themselves, even if they don't hesitate to offend the emperor.
Thinking of this, Zhang Ben was filled with emotion, his eyes became hot, and he couldn't help crying again. Seeing his appearance, Dong Xuanden felt upset, stood up, and said: "Cry slowly at home.
I go first!"
"My lord... Where are you going, my lord?"
"Where else can I go? Back to the county office!" Dong Xuan rolled his eyes at him, shook his head, and walked out quickly.
In Zhang Ben's absence, all the military and political work in the county fell on him alone, which made Dong Xuan feel overwhelmed just thinking about it.
In the palace, Liu Xiu was still angry with Dong Xuan, and Luo You persuaded him in a low voice: "Your Majesty, Magistrate Dong handles the case in accordance with the law. In fact... it is actually right!"
Liu Xiu said: "They are all right, so I am wrong?"
Luo You hurriedly said: "Your Majesty is certainly right." Seeing Liu Xiu raising her eyebrows and looking at her, she hurriedly added: "The most abominable person is Sun Xiang. He is so audacious and disrespectful of human life. His crime is unforgivable!"
Liu Xiu looked back and snorted heavily. At this time, Zhang Kun walked in and said: "Your Majesty, Magistrate Dong just sent someone."
"Oh?" Liu Xiu frowned slightly and asked, "Who sent it?"
"It says his name is Zhang Wei."
Liu Xiu suddenly realized this, shook his head in disbelief, and muttered in a low voice: "This Dong Xuan actually sent Zhang Wei to me."
Zhang Wei was a chess player hired by the gambling house. Although he was not an accomplice of Sun Xiang's crimes, he was still a member of the gambling house. When the county government closed down the gambling house, Zhang Wei was also arrested and brought back to the county government.
After cross-examination, Dong Xuan confirmed that Zhang Wei was not involved in Sun Xiang's evil deeds. He also heard that His Majesty had played two games with Zhang Wei and was very interested. Zhang Bi sent someone to take Zhang Wei to the palace and hand it over to Liu Xiu.
