Qing Yao

Chapter 380 Teacher Zhao Acts Like a Scoundrel

Geng Dayong's shout was like pressing the pause button on the screen, and to Zhao An it was no less than a desperate cry for "Grandpa, save me!"

Trouble.

Killing a fifth-rank garrison commander and several low-ranking officers of the sixth or seventh rank under the pretext of delaying military operations is no different from crushing a few ants; they are simply killed.

Who made Zhao An wield a divine weapon and kill a second-rank general and a fourth-rank prefect, and whose actions were subsequently "recognized" by the imperial court? His favor with the emperor was beyond measure.

But now that they have money to cover their crimes, this matter has become tricky.

What is "yizui yin"?
The "negotiated fine" was a major national policy that was tacitly approved by the old master and promoted by Heshen. It was promulgated nationwide last year in the form of a "red document" and its authority was similar to that of the later "Civil Code"!

Although this thing was abolished after the old man died, denying the crime of negotiating the silver is no different from directly denying the old man's leadership and denying the legitimacy of the Qing Dynasty's rule.

Moreover, Zhao An himself is the brand ambassador for Yizuiyin.

Or rather, he was the biggest beneficiary of the bribery scheme!

Other officials reduced their punishments through bribery, but he rose to prominence through bribery.

If Zhao An hadn't proactively paid a thousand taels of silver to gain favor with Heshen and become a model for the whole country to learn from, he might have been able to climb the ranks at the grassroots level, but he would never have reached his current high position. He would probably be either the vice principal or the director of studies at Yangzhou Prefectural School.

Who knows, he might be temporarily transferred to some unit to muddle through and try to gain experience and achieve a leap in his career.

At most, he rose from the ninth rank to the eighth rank.

Can an eighth-rank official be compared to a second-rank provincial governor?
Therefore, as the biggest beneficiary of the "negotiated punishment money," Zhao An could not deny its "effectiveness" under any circumstances, let alone the fact that it was a project personally managed by Heshen.

A genuine denial would undoubtedly be self-destructive, offending both Heshen and the powerful figure behind the scenes.

Having finally boarded the ship of friendship with Heshen, could it really capsize so easily?

If things really turn out this way, even without Heshen's intervention, that kid Jiaqing could make him fall into the water three times over.

However, it is also true that Geng Dayong's overdue notice did not delay military operations. He clearly stated in his troop mobilization proclamation that anyone who was late, regardless of rank (military officer, scout, commander, or garrison commander), would be dealt with according to military law without any leniency!

If this man surnamed Geng is spared because of the fine, what face will Zhao An, the acting governor, have left?
Where is the authority?
Without absolute authority, how could one command the large-scale encirclement and suppression of the salt bandits, and how could one ensure that the lion's share of the spoils of victory fell into one's own hands?

Suppressing bandits is not the goal; the goal is to seize power.

Therefore, it feels like Geng Dayong has encountered a bug, feeding Zhao An a fly, leaving him with no choice but to accept it.

It seems the only option is to find bugs in the other party's system as well.

With his mind racing, Zhao An carefully analyzed the mechanism of the "negotiated fine" and came to two conclusions: the "negotiated fine" was aimed at crimes of official negligence and dereliction of duty, as well as economic crimes.

For example, the grain registers in the warehouse you manage might be gnawed by rats, causing discrepancies in the accounts; or your advisor might secretly take a small bribe and cheat you out of it; or a distant relative's neighbor might use your name to illegally occupy two acres of paddy fields in the countryside; or you might have accepted a bribe to help someone resolve a certain matter.
In such cases, a fine of money would suffice, because in the old master's eyes, these were all minor criminal offenses that could be redeemed with money.

But to think that one can use fines to offset heinous crimes like treason, rebellion, and forming cliques is pure fantasy.

Those with too much impact are also ineffective.

For example, the Gansu embezzlement case was so outrageous that it aroused public resentment and shocked the government and the public. Although the officials involved had paid bribes to punish their crimes, dozens of them were still executed.

There was no way around it; the impact was too great, so great that even the old man was embarrassed to give these guys a chance to redeem themselves.

The introduction of the "negotiation of crimes" silver policy encountered great resistance and criticism, but why did it eventually become a national policy? Besides the efforts of the old master and Heshen, it was also because everyone knew that the crimes to be discussed under the silver policy were limited and small-scale. At most, it would further corrupt the bureaucracy and would not have a direct impact on the foundation of the Qing Dynasty's rule.

In the military, the punishment for the crime was actually minor. The Huainan Battalion was delayed by one day in arriving at the assembly point and was subject to military law, but it did not actually cause too serious consequences. After all, we were in the preparation stage before the war, not yet in the war.

Whether to impose the maximum penalty is debatable.

They can be killed, or they can choose not to.

In principle, Geng Dayong's breach of contract could be subject to the penalty of imprisonment.

Based on the actual mistakes and their impact, the maximum penalty would be a six-month salary deduction or a demotion by one or two levels while still being employed.

Killing someone outright is going too far.

At this moment, the tent was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Apart from the panicked and expectant eyes of Geng Dayong and others, and their rapid breathing, there were also the strange glances from the Green Standard Army generals who were watching the show.

By now, who doesn't know that the young provincial governor was promoted through bribery?

That garrison commander Geng brought up the matter of negotiating fines. Should you, Lord Zhao, listen to him or not?
In this case, he is undoubtedly contradicting himself and has no choice but to swallow his pride.

Ignoring it would be a violation of the court's national policy and a slap in the face to the Emperor and Grand Secretary He. How much ability do you, Lord Zhao, have to oppose the Emperor and Grand Secretary He?
Qin Guodong, the garrison commander of Shouchun Town, who had already become a seasoned veteran, was now watching the show with great interest and found it quite amusing. Little did he know that Zhao An was using Geng Dayong and others to establish his authority within the Anhui Green Standard Army.

But the methods are too old-fashioned. Can killing people at the drop of a hat be conducive to the "unity" within the Green Camp? In the end, they are still too young. They have risen to high positions without the experience of years of accumulation and without the ability to adapt. They think that ruthless and domineering methods can solve everything.

This is a common problem among young people; they're now in a difficult situation.
He remained silent for the time being, planning to step in and smooth things over when the young Lord Zhao was truly embarrassed. In this way, he could both protect his old friend's son and demonstrate his ability as a general, as well as his social skills.

Zhao An's face showed no emotion whatsoever. After weighing the pros and cons, he glanced at the Green Standard Army officers with their various thoughts and said loudly without hesitation, "His Majesty is benevolent and compassionate towards his officials. He has specially ordered Grand Secretary He to establish the system of 'punishment money,' which gives officials who have made mistakes or committed minor transgressions a chance to repent and make amends. This is a glorious national policy, and I dare not deny it!"

Upon hearing this, many Green Standard Army officers immediately displayed a hint of sarcasm in their eyes: Lord Zhao is changing course quite quickly.

Zhao An's gaze fell on Geng Dayong, who was being held down at the entrance of the main tent, and he asked in a deep voice, "How much money did you pay as compensation?"

Upon hearing this, Geng Dayong's deathly pale face flushed with a blush of relief, and he quickly replied, "Reporting to you, sir, this humble general has paid eight hundred taels!"

"Sir, we've paid too!"

The bound Huainan officers, as if seeing a lifeline, began to count their money. Some paid three hundred taels, some five hundred taels, and the least paid one hundred and forty taels.

Military officers paid far less than civil officials of the same rank, because their salaries were low and they could not earn as much extra money as civil officials.

However, the amount of money confiscated for crimes was clearly far greater than the legal income of these officers.

It is estimated that Zhao An's "price gouging" has had some impact on the market, and of course, it cannot be ruled out that some people think that since they are spending money to buy insurance, they might as well buy more.

In any case, the cost will ultimately come from the soldiers. Zhao An nodded: "Since you have paid the penalty money, I will grant you permission to plead guilty and give you a chance to atone for your sins."

As soon as he finished speaking, Geng Dayong's knees buckled, and he almost kowtowed to express his gratitude on the spot.

The unexpected turn of events made his knees buckle.

"but,"

The way he emphasized the name Zhao An instantly plunged the hopes of Geng Dayong and the others into an ice cave.

"Failure to arrive on time, thus delaying military operations, is a grave offense that cannot be easily punished!"

Zhao An, who had just entered the tent, was now all frosty. He stared at the garrison commander Geng Dayong as if he were looking at a dead man, and said sternly, "If you can disobey military orders and fail to arrive on time after paying the penalty money, then can you desert in the front lines? Or even raise troops to rebel against the court!"

"No, no, sir, this humble general had absolutely no such intention!"

Geng Dayong was about to defend himself when Zhao An raised his hand to interrupt him, saying in a deep voice, "The Emperor and Grand Secretary He established the system of 'penalty silver' to give those who know their mistakes and can correct them a way out. I never expected that you would use the name of 'penalty silver' to provoke military law. This is knowingly breaking the law, and your crime is doubled. If I don't execute you today, where is the rule of the court!"

This statement immediately caused an uproar in the main tent, because it was obvious that Zhao An was lying.

"What kind of logic is this!"

“Since Garrison Commander Geng has already admitted to the imprisonment and paid the fine, according to regulations, his crime should be reduced or he should be pardoned. Your actions are contrary to the regulations!”

"Geng Dayong has already admitted his mistake. Why are you being so aggressive, sir? Why force him to his death when you can't even discuss the crime?"

"."

Many Green Standard Army officers were angered by Zhao An's "rogue" behavior. Qin Guodong couldn't help but step forward, cupping his hands and saying, "Lord Zhao, military law is indeed as solid as a mountain, but the regulations of the court cannot be abolished. Garrison Commander Geng and others are guilty of delaying military operations and should be punished. However, since they have already paid the penalty money according to regulations, Your Excellency should reduce their punishment according to regulations. If you still insist on execution, I'm afraid it will be difficult to convince the public and will also go against the court's intention to be lenient. I urge Your Excellency to reconsider!"

"General Qin is right, Lord Zhao, what you're doing is unreasonable!"

The one who said this was Song Youji, the guerrilla commander of Huizhou. Besides feeling that Zhao An was a scoundrel, he also felt that he was too domineering. Paying the fine money for redemption, reduction or exemption of punishment was a system clearly issued by the court. How could it be considered a violation of the law by you?

If you, Zhao, can kill Geng Dayong today after he paid the fine, can you use any other excuse to kill anyone present tomorrow?
If that's the case, what's the point of paying this bribe?

A sense of shared fate arose among the Green Standard Army officers in the tent, and the murmurs grew louder. Some even said indignantly, "If the fines for crimes cannot be used to justify crimes, then the court should return the money to us!"

"Yes, return the money!"

A captain from Wuhu, enraged, blurted out, "The money I was given for my punishment was already deposited into the provincial treasury. I beg Lord Zhao to return the money to me now!"

Seeing his colleagues in the tent all speaking up in support of him, Geng Dayong also shouted excitedly, "Lord Zhao, how is your failure to follow the regulations of the court any different from knowingly breaking the law! This humble general is not convinced, not convinced!"

"presumptuous!"

Upon seeing this, the officers of Fubiao naturally stood up to support Zhao An.

Xu Lin and Ye Zhigui were about to speak when Zhao An silenced them with a single glance. Faced with the doubts and objections of the crowd, Zhao An not only did not get angry, but instead said in an extremely calm tone: "You say that I have broken the law, and I admit it. However, you all probably know that I have also paid the fine for my offense. According to the regulations of the court, this minor offense is enough to exempt me from punishment."

"."

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned and could hardly believe their ears.

What the hell?
If you discuss crimes and I discuss crimes, then we won't discuss crimes at all?

Ignoring the stunned crowd, Zhao An directly instructed his accompanying secretary, Liu Penggao, "Take five thousand taels from my official allowance and send it to the Imperial Household Department, noting that this is my advance payment for punishment."

After speaking, he turned to look at the puzzled crowd and said, "According to the regulations of the court, even a minor mistake by a governor or viceroy is enough to warrant a fine of several thousand taels. Today, I will pay five thousand taels in advance. If the court or the Grand Secretary later decides that I have made a mistake in executing him, this five thousand taels will be my compensation for my crime!"

His gaze swept across the utterly shocked faces, and he snorted softly, "Now, tell me, according to the rules of my Great Qing, can I execute Geng Dayong for delaying military operations? Or is it that my five thousand taels of silver won't be enough to punish Geng Dayong? Regardless of whether the court thinks I'm right or wrong, today, my military law is merciless!"

silence.

Deathly silence.

Zhao An's actions
Qin Guodong opened his mouth, but his throat was dry, and he couldn't utter a single word.

What could he say?
Accusing Zhao An of breaking the rules?

They defended it, and they defended it better than anyone else.

Accusing him of abusing his power?
They are willing to pay a huge price for their abuse of power!

Judging from this, they are determined to kill Geng Dayong and the others. If he were to step in to plead for them again, it would inevitably leave a bad impression on the young people.

Thinking that he was about to retire, the general could only sigh and refrain from offering any further opinions.

"Drag him out and execute him!"

After waving goodbye, Zhao An stopped looking at the limp Geng Dayong and the others, turned around and strode back behind the command desk.

This time, no one dared to speak up and stop them.

To be precise, they were all baffled by Zhao An's actions.

Outside the tent, a flash of blades, followed by a few short screams, and then silence fell.

Several human heads were brought in on a chopping board, and the stench of blood immediately filled the entire tent.

The sight of those heads, none of which dared to close their eyes, filled the tent with a chilling stillness, as if it were the dead of night.

"Take it down."

Zhao An glanced at it, picked up a pen, and quickly wrote a few lines on a blank piece of official paper. Then he instructed his secretary, Liu, to send the petition to the capital immediately, along with a detailed account of today's events, requesting that I pay 5,000 taels of silver in advance as compensation. First, inform the Ministry of War, the Grand Council, and the Grand Secretary.

Afterwards, he put down his pen and looked up at the pale-faced Green Standard Army officers in the tent. He gave a slight snort and said in an unquestionable tone, "From now on, you should all know that military law is as firm as a mountain. I hope you will all behave yourselves well! If any of you disobey orders, let me let you know that I still have five thousand taels of my allowance for maintaining integrity that I have not yet received!"

(End of this chapter)