The greatest respect for officials by the king of a country is to attend his funeral. Only the prince and tutor Wang Dan who enjoyed such honors in the Song Dynasty, but today Li Derun, Weizhen County, also received such honors. Early in the morning, the people gathered outside the long pavilion in the county town to wait.

The official family actually attended the funeral for a sixth-rank magistrate like Li Derun!

This made many people who were originally dissatisfied with the court shut up. All local officials from the first-level road government level arrived, and even Zhou Qi and the officials who framed Li Derun did not dare to be exceptional.

The eyes of the people looking at them were filled with pleasure. The culprits who killed Li Qingtian would be punished by the officials. The people sent by the court had conveyed the news that the officials came to attend the funeral of Li Derun and also told that His Majesty would strictly investigate the Li Derun case, which gave the people hope.

In any era, people will not be ashamed of good people and ruin their freedom.

Zhao Zhen sat in the carriage, and most of the officials of the court remained in Tokyo. He only brought some veterans of the imperial examination to the people and give the people the explanation.

Sancai picked up the teapot in the stable carriage and added tea to Zhao Zhen's teacup. The emperor's carriage was wide and stable, and not much tea was spilled out. Zhao Zhen took it and moistened his throat and said, "Let Bao Zheng come and see him."

Bao Zheng is now the famous Qingtian. When the army supervisor was bright and clear, Quan Zhi was even more organized and he was divine in his judgment. This also caused many people from other places to complain, and Bao Zheng was unwilling to accept the complaints... It caused dissatisfaction among the officials of other places to submit memorials to him several times.

But Zhao Zhen’s imperial criticism was very simple: “If you can judge the case and distinguish right from wrong, why should the people travel thousands of miles to Tokyo to find Bao Xiren to uphold justice?”

The officials who submitted memorials and participated in the memorials silently did not report the memorial again, but soon after, they asked the court to send Bao Zheng's capable Zhengqi to help. Zhao Zhen agreed with a stroke of his pen, knowing his shortcomings and saying them was not a bad thing.

Since Kaifeng Prefecture divided into three yamen, a large number of criminal names appeared and were even awarded grades. This is a rare thing.

Zhao Zhen was encouraging them to study hard. From ancient times to the present, the name of punishment has been a very important subject, but this so-called "small thing" has been ignored by emperors of all dynasties. How could Zhao Zhen slack off?

The carriage was still moving forward, but the speed became fast and stable. It was not because of how superb the coachman’s skills were. However, after entering Weizhen County, the original dirt road was replaced by a stable cement road, which was built by Li Derun and led the people.

Although Weizhen County is under the jurisdiction of Haozhou, it is only a hundred miles away from Yingtian Prefecture. With this cement road, it can be faster. Zhao Zhen sat in the car and sighed in vain for a good official to die.

Local officials could independently raise money from local wealthy households to lead the people to build roads without the court’s official documents. This was not uncommon in the Song Dynasty, but Li Derun did not mix it with his own interests, not for political achievements or reputation, but just wanted the people to live a better life.

Zhao Zhen had already read Li Derun's official agenda along the way and knew his every move. When he reported the state officials to him, Zhao Zhen planned to promote him, but he refused.

The saying "How can you become an official, work, and be a person because your colleagues are illegal and have an illegal position?" Zhao Zhen still remembers it vividly.

Zhao Zhen believed that he was a good official who was not inferior to Haibijia. Hai Rui was not even as good as him. Li Derun did not be as frugal as Hai Rui and also made his family suffer.

On the contrary, he took good care of his family. Li Derun's family had many brothers and sisters, and such a family was not small. He often helped his relatives and friends, treated his wife well, and adopted his parents, and did not let anyone suffer. This is the most rare thing.

Zhao Zhen looked at people in many ways because he believed in dialectical methods and no one was perfect, but he could hardly find any shortcomings in Li Derun. If he insisted on saying the shortcomings, he was just overwhelmed and was too harsh on himself.

But isn't this his advantage?

The people were happy when they saw it, the scholars respect when they saw it, and the illegal people were afraid when they saw it. Zhao Zhen could see from the people who came to greet the emperor not far away that they were almost covered in mourning, and their expressions were mostly painful.

Bao Zheng stood under the emperor's carriage, and Zhao Zhen asked him to get on the car. It was a very honorable thing to ride with Jun. Bao Zheng thought about it or got on the car. Zhao Zhen pointed to the stool fixed on the ground in the carriage and said, "I'm going to Weizhen County soon. I'm telling you are here to ask, how do you plan to handle the case?"

Bao Zheng bowed and said, "I have already read the official accusation of Li Derun. Just visit the entire Weizhen County to find out whether he is doing things for the people and the court. However, I think it is a bit redundant. The people in Changting should be able to show that Li Derun is an official and the benefit of the people."

Zhao Zhen nodded and said, "Yes, it is far beyond my expectations for the people to love Li Derun so much. No matter how old or young, whether rich or noble, whether close or alien, explaining to wear mourning clothes, it can be seen that Li Derun's character and official qualities. I want you to investigate Zhou Qi and others, are you sure?"

Bao Zheng said with confidence: "I am sure that they have no chance of being freed from sin!"

The national law was formulated by Zhao Zhen, so he must abide by the rules of the game and must be convicted with evidence, otherwise he cannot kill Zhou Qi and others with the emperor's golden words. Although Zhao Zhen has cut these people in his heart for countless times...

Once a thing like law is established, it will be difficult to overthrow. Zhao Zhen wanted to use the Li De facto to show the people of the world the severe punishment of corrupt officials by the Song Dynasty, and at the same time, he also told the people of the world that even the emperor could not change the laws of the Song Dynasty.

This is to lay the foundation for future emperors, put a small shackle on imperial power, and form the law of ancestors. Later generations should not use imperial power too much to act.

How could Bao Zheng not see Zhao Zhen’s intention?

"Your Majesty sets an example, and the kings of future generations must obey them carefully!"

Zhao Zhen smiled and said nothing. The continuation of feudal dynasty has a beginning and an end. Zhao Zhen did not believe that the Song Dynasty could last forever, but as long as the fire of Chinese civilization was continued, this was enough. All he could do was to manage the Song Dynasty better when he was alive and try to continue the Song Dynasty's national destiny.

The horse arrived at the Changting with brisk steps, as if without the coachman's command, the horse slowly slowed down and stopped. They had become accustomed to the crowds of people, and whoever made their master was the ruler of the Song Dynasty.

Bao Zheng jumped out of the carriage before the carriage stopped. He didn't want to be seen by others to ride with the official family. This is not the treatment he can enjoy now, and it is not good to misunderstand. Zhao Zhen shook his head slightly on the carriage. The persistence and pride in the hearts of the literati were really hard to understand.
Chapter completed!