Northern Song Dynasty Justice

Chapter 509 Salt Money Dispute

Chapter 509 Salt Money Dispute

When He Chunlin went down, almost everyone thought that the question was about the same, because He Chunlin didn't try to refute it, the evidence was conclusive, and he could directly pronounce the sentence.

boom!

Zhang Fei suddenly tapped the gavel, "Mr. Fu Wenxian, Mr. Fu."

Everyone present was startled, and they all turned their heads to look at a hale and hearty old man with white beard and hair sitting in front.

The old man came to the court and was about to salute Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei hastily stretched out his hand first and signaled: "You don't need to be polite, old man, please sit down."

"Thank you!"

Fu Wenxian sat down.

Su Zhe asked a little embarrassedly: "Who is this old gentleman?"

Chen Qi shook her head.

Accidents are not accidents, because when Zhang Fei was writing, he liked to call some surprising witnesses.

Zhang Fei asked with a smile: "May I ask, does the old man live a long life this year?"

Fu Wenxian cupped his hands and said, "It's the age of seventy."

Zhang Fei said in surprise: "But the old man still looks very energetic, it really makes us ashamed."

Fu Wenxian said with a chuckle: "Chairman Zhang is already the chief judge of the Hezhong Mansion at such an age, the old clumsy should be ashamed."

"I am over-flattered!"

Seeing the two complimenting each other, the surrounding guests broke into a cold sweat.

Hey!

This is a trial, what are you doing, greeting?

It's so unorthodox.

Zhang Fei coughed lightly, and said again: "Today, I am very grateful to the old gentleman for being able to testify in court. Could the old gentleman introduce his resume first."

Fu Wenxian nodded and said: "Old Zhuo is from Hedong County, not a Jinshi. When he was young, he served in the pre-yamen service and served as a secretary in the county government. After that, he has been moving around in various counties of Hezhong Prefecture. About 30 years ago, The government broke the rules and promoted Lao Zhuo to be the governor of Xiezhou, and later served as the county lieutenant of Hedong County, and then served as the general judge of Hezhong Prefecture."

After listening to his resume, he was not from an ordinary background, otherwise, it would be impossible for the Yaqian to directly serve as the undersecretary, and it is very difficult for an official to be promoted, and he must have a background.

Zhang Fei nodded, and said again: "The old man must be very familiar with the changes in the Hezhong Mansion in the past few decades."

Fu Wenxian nodded and said, "It's relatively clear."

Zhang Fei looked down at the copywriting, and asked again: "Do you still remember, old man, in what year did you serve as the general judge of the Hezhong Mansion?"

Fu Wenxian thought for a while and said, "It should be the first year of Jiayou."

Zhang Fei said: "What was the situation in Hezhong Mansion at that time? Especially in terms of finances."

Fu Wenxian stroked his beard with a sigh, shook his head and said, "The finances of Hezhong Mansion were really bad at that time."

Zhang Fei asked: "Why?"

Fu Wenxian said: "Because before Jiayou, there were continuous wars in the Northwest, and at that time, the salt government in Jiezhou was extremely corrupt, and illegal salt was rampant, and tens of thousands of people were forced to serve, alas..."

Having said that, he sighed heavily, really unbearable to look back.

Zhang Fei asked again: "How did the court respond afterwards?"

Fu Wenxian cheered up and said: "After the war with Xixia ceased, the imperial court immediately sent people to rectify the salt administration, but the effect was not good. It was not until Fan Tixing came here to preside over the salt law that the predicament of the Hezhong Mansion was completely reversed."

"Fan Xiang?"

"Yes."

Zhang Fei asked: "Fan Tixing's salt method is the salt money mentioned just now, that is, merchants take the money to Bianzhou to exchange salt money, and then take the salt money back to Jiezhou to exchange salt, and finally sell it to various places. .”

Fu Wenxian nodded.

Zhang Fei asked: "Can the old man specifically talk about how much this salt law has benefited the court?"

Fu Wenxian said: "Because Lao Zhuo happened to be the general judge of the Hezhong government at that time, I knew it quite well. After Fan Tixing presided over the salt law, the salt administration increased from loss to profit by more than 400 million yuan, and at the same time it saved the court eight dollars. The expenditure of more than one million guan has made tens of millions of guan in profit for the imperial court."

Why does the imperial court always hope that the Hezhong government can solve the Northwest military expenditure as much as possible? That is, when fighting with Xixia Li Yuanhao before, the salt government of the Hezhong government was corrupt and could not provide more support. The central government could only allocate money, and the loss was very alarming.

At the same time, the savings of 800 million yuan in expenditure also included the laborers. At that time, all the laborers were used to deliver military rations. These people were on the road every day, and they could not farm and pay taxes. The local finance of Shaanxi directly collapsed.

Wang Anshi is a staunch supporter of Fan Xiang, this is financial management!

What's funny is that this is precisely the reason why Sima Guang opposed Wang Anshi. Before the salt government was so corrupt, it was not because the officials discussed the law, official property, official sales, and official transportation. The result was a mess. The people lived in dire straits, and the court could not see penny.

Zhang Fei was shocked and said, "So many?"

Fu Wenxian hehe said: "If it weren't for this, how could this law continue to this day? You must know that the previous salt law was changed every three years. Not to mention the common people, even officials like me often don't know. What kind of law should we respect?"

Zhang Fei asked: "According to the old man's opinion, will excessive issuance of salt bills violate the salt law set by Fan Tixing?"

"Absolutely."

Fu Wenxian said: "When Fan Tixing was in office, he repeatedly told him not to issue excessive salt bills. Fan Tixing even adopted the ordinary method to balance the price of salt bills and stop them from hoarding and speculating."

Zhang Fei asked: "The old man thinks, is there a new law that can replace the old law?"

"No."

Fu Wenxian shook his head, "Anyway, the old clumsy didn't find out."

Zhang Fei continued to ask: "Based on the old man's experience, if Fan Tixing's salt law is violated, will the country's interests be harmed?"

Fu Wenxian nodded and said, "I will definitely."

Zhang Fei asked, "Why is Mr. Fu so sure?"

Fu Wenxian said: "Because after Fan Tixing was transferred away, his successor once overturned Fan Tixing's salt law, and as a result, the finances immediately returned to the past, and he was forced to return to Fan Tixing's salt law. It hasn't been changed."

"I see!"

Zhang Fei nodded and said, "Thank you, old gentleman, for testifying in court."

"It should be, it should be."

A royal policeman came forward, but Fu Wenxian waved his hands, then stood up by himself, cupped his hands slightly and went down to the court.

Everyone looked at Fu Wenxian with confusion on their faces. What does this have to do with this case?

Xu Zhiqian quietly came to Zhang Fei's side and put a copy on it.

"Thank you!" Zhang Fei nodded, lowered his eyes to stare at the copy for a while, then suddenly knocked on the gavel, raised his head and said in a loud voice: "Wei Yingfang was judged by Chuanhe Zhongfu."

Wei Yingfang was not surprised, because Zhang Fei had already sent someone to inform him that he might be asked to testify in court. After all, the Hezhong government's general sentence involved financial and prison rights, so he got up and came to the court immediately.

"Wei Tong, please sit down."

"Thank you."

After Wei Yingfang sat down, Zhang Fei said: "I'm very sorry, since Mr. Fu failed to provide the current financial situation of Hezhong Mansion, we can only trouble Wei Tongju."

Wei Yingfang nodded and said, "President Zhang, don't be polite, this is also my duty."

"Thank you for your understanding."

Zhang Fei asked: "I don't know when Wei Tongsan came to Hezhong Mansion to serve as the generals?"

Wei Yingfang said: "The first year of Xining."

Zhang Fei said: "At that time, Envoy Xue Fa was still here as an envoy to unsalt the salt."

"Correct."

"How was the finance of Hezhong Mansion at that time?"

"very good."

Wei Yingfang nodded, and said truthfully: "The government's finances are increasing every year, and the people's labor taxes are greatly reduced."

Zhang Fei asked: "But I don't know what magic method Xue Fayun used?"

Wei Yingfang said: "Actually, Envoy Xue Fayun has always firmly supported Fan Tixing's salt law, but he combined the salt administration with the horse administration, just as He Yanjian said just now, saving more than [-] yuan in horse breeding fees, and at the same time It also exempted thousands of people from hard labor, and during the tenure of Xue Fayun, the Hezhong Mansion made millions of dollars in profits."

Zhang Fei asked: "Can I think that Xue Fayun's method is just to transfer the more than [-] yuan for raising horses and the labor of thousands of people to the salt merchants?"

Wei Yingfang thought for a while and said, "Perhaps there is a part of it, but the main reason is that the government has issued more salt money every year because of the increase in military expenditure in the Northwest."

Zhang Fei said: "Just now Mr. Fu said that excessive distribution of salt bills will definitely destroy the salt law. I wonder if Wei Tong judge agrees?"

Wei Yingfang hesitated for a while, then nodded and said, "I agree."

Zhang Fei asked, "I don't know what evidence Wei Tong has for his sentence?"

Wei Yingfang said: "In the past two years, the amount of salt banknotes sold by the imperial court has been decreasing, and the number of merchants who are willing to go to Bianzhou to buy salt banknotes is also decreasing."

Zhang Fei asked, "Does Wei Tong think that this will affect the country's finances?"

Wei Yingfang nodded.

"Is it a big influence?"

"It's not too big."

Wei Yingfang said: "If the merchants don't go, the imperial court can only send military rations and military expenses, which will inevitably increase the labor of the people and increase wear and tear."

Zhang Fei asked: "Does the imperial court have any countermeasures?"

Wei Yingfang shook his head and said, "As far as I know, no."

"Thank you, Wei Tongjue."

After Wei Yingfang went down, Zhang Fei did not call any more witnesses, but said: "If the plaintiff has no other demands, he can make a closing statement."

"We have no other demands."

Li Min stood up, "Because the facts and evidence have proved that the government violated the contract without reason, and did not give a reasonable explanation afterwards. Instead, they have been delaying and using the method of issuing small notes to force my clients to bear the responsibility of the government. losses resulting from breach of contract.

In the past few years, several of my clients have invested all their capital in this salt money, and they are not willing to bear these losses, so that there is no harvest in these years, and they are sitting on nothing.If the imperial court fulfills the contract, according to the calculations of previous years, within the past two years, my clients will be able to obtain a total of about [-] yuan in profit.

Therefore, I urge President Zhang to rule in our favor, and the government will exchange the amount of salt stipulated in the contract for the salt banknotes in my client's hands, and compensate my parties with [-]% of the total value of the salt banknotes. "

The surrounding officials looked at Li Min as if they were fools.

What is he saying?

Blame the government?

Gone!

This pen is really floating!

Can he survive tomorrow?

If Su Zhe said that, it would be normal. The procuratorate was supposed to supervise, and he was here to accuse the government of being wrong.

But the problem is that Li Min is just a pen, how can he say that?

However, Yuan Jiang and Su Zhe, who had seen Zhang Fei's lawsuit, were not surprised at all. In comparison, this is really too gentle.

Not a single sarcasm.

Zhang Fei tapped the gavel, "Adjourn the court for now."

Then he got up and entered the back hall with Xu Zhiqian, Cai Bian and others.

Some old men hurriedly stood up and moved their shins. They really regarded this lawsuit as a kind of entertainment, and they were fascinated by watching it, but it turned out that it was a sore back.

Yuan Jiang also stood up, but she frowned and looked at Wei Yingfang, "Wei Tong's words of judgment are really inappropriate!"

Wei Yingfang was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly asked, "What does Bachelor Yuan say?"

Cai Yanqing suddenly said: "It seems that he will probably award compensation."

As soon as the words came out, the surrounding officials immediately gathered around.

Cai Yanqing explained: "Mr. Fu's confession and Wei Tongju's confession just now have fully explained that if you want to continue to maintain the existing salt law, you cannot issue more salt bills, otherwise, the national finance will be severely affected. If there is a big loss, the solution is naturally to compensate those salt merchants."

Yuan Jiang said: "Prefect Cai is right. In the current situation, even if he judges the government to pay compensation, how can everyone do this?"

The surrounding officials suddenly realized.

Finally understand why Zhang Fei wanted Fu Wenxian to testify in court.

They used to think that this was very difficult to judge. If Zhang Fei dared to award compensation from the government, then your imperial court would be responsible for financial problems. But now their confessions have proved that if the government does not award compensation, the problem may be even bigger. .

How can you make trouble with the court!

Wei Yingfang was immediately annoyed, and cursed secretly, this brat is really hard to guard against!He argued again: "Old Mr. Fu said that before, if I didn't say that, I could say that again."

If he realized this, he might change his rhetoric, but he didn't dare to change the facts. There is evidence for these things, and everyone knows that salt money is not selling well nowadays.

The reason is that the depreciation of salt money is too severe.

He Chunlin asked anxiously, "Then what should I do?"

Cai Yanqing looked directly at Yuan Jiang.

Yuan Jiang frowned, "Let's see and talk."

However, the worries of the officials were seen by those salt merchants, and they were very excited. For them, this process is not important, because the government must have breached the contract. The key lies in how the imperial court will judge. Will it be executed again.

The expressions of the officials are more important than this process.

After a long while, Zhang Fei and others came out from the back hall. As before, everyone was standing and looking forward to it.

Zhang Fei knocked on the gavel, and suddenly seeing the silence around him, he couldn't help but smile, and said loudly: "According to the trial of this case, the judge judged that the government breached the contract first, and the amount of salt stipulated in the contract must be used. To exchange the corresponding salt banknotes, at the same time, the government also needs to compensate the plaintiff's losses with an annual interest of [-]%."

Immediately there was an uproar.

Duan Chaobei and other salt merchants all opened their eyes wide and looked at Zhang Fei in disbelief.

Sentenced!

Really awarded compensation.

Although they didn't ask for 18.00%, but the compensation is [-]% per year. If it is three years, it will be [-]%, which is close to [-]%.

In fact, the key is not how much, even if it is [-]%, it is unprecedented.

Because in the previous judiciary, the government was in an absolute dominant position, and it was very, very rare to be able to compensate you in full. If you pay back the interest, what the hell are you thinking about Taozi.

But the imperial court really awarded compensation.

"Silence! Silence!"

Zhang Fei slammed the gavel a few times, and when the surrounding area calmed down, he continued: "However, given that these salt bills have been accumulated for two or three years, and the Hezhong Mansion is currently financially strapped, it may be difficult to come up with so much for a while." Salt comes.

The finance of a government is related to the people of the same government, and it also involves the supply of the frontier army. In order to avoid the burden of this case on the people, the chief judge allows the government to postpone the compensation, but must come up with a detailed compensation plan as soon as possible. And the consent of the salt merchants must be obtained. "

As soon as this remark came out, those salt merchants were taken aback again, didn't they immediately compensate?

This has to be delayed again!

Drag and drop but it will be gone!

Wei Yingfang and the others were also a little depressed. Instead, they expected that Zhang Fei would be sentenced to pay compensation immediately. At this point, what are you doing to delay the attack? Can't you just be firm?

"also!"

Zhang Fei said: "In the future, the government must announce the amount of salt money issued, and there must be no concealment."

"I object!"

Su Zhe immediately stood up and said, "The imperial court has no right to interfere with the salt administration. Why does Judge Zhang require the government to announce the amount of salt money to be issued?"

He Chunlin wondered, "Are the procuratorate and the imperial court on the same side?"

Several times Su Zhe tried to overturn Zhang Fei's judgment.

Yuan Jiang said in a low voice: "According to the system, the procuratorate mainly supervises the trials of the imperial court, so the rank of the chief prosecutor is the same as that of the chief judge, and there is no distinction between them."

Over there, Zhang Fei also explained: "The imperial court did not interfere with the salt administration, and never thought of intervening in the salt administration, but the imperial court must safeguard the legitimate interests of the people, because the salt banknotes are sold by the government to the common people, and the common people don't care about it." Salt banknotes naturally have the right to know. The confession and evidence just now can prove that the number of salt banknotes issued will directly affect the willingness of the people to buy salt banknotes.

In addition, the government's actions this time will also be suspected of violating the law of our dynasty's ancestors.The Procurator-General believes that the current decision to issue salt notes has complied with the governing principle of "preventing things and making things right". "

The people couldn't help crying with joy when they heard it. We must protect our interests. Are you telling the truth?

But Su Zhe was dumbfounded.

What the hell?

Ancestral law?

Chen Qi and Wang Shen were also dumbfounded.

Zhang Fei waited for a while before continuing: "The confessions of all the officials just now did not give a solution. Obviously, they did not consider the consequences of issuing excessive salt money. The law runs counter to this. The chief judge also hopes that the procuratorate can supervise this aspect.”

Su Zhe was overjoyed immediately. It seemed that he and I wanted to go together. He nodded and said, "Our procuratorate will investigate this matter."

He originally wanted to investigate this matter, but Zhang Fei also gave him an ancestral method, which is even more justifiable.

And Wei Yingfang, He Chunlin, Cao Yi, Qin Zhongshou and other officials couldn't help sweating profusely.

This hat is buttoned, everyone is dumbfounded!

Cai Yanqing was puzzled and said: "Scholar Yuan, can the imperial court still judge whether it violates the law of the ancestors?"

There has never been a government ruling on a case that violated the ancestral law, because without this law, the ancestral law is just a reason for restricting the emperor.

How can ordinary officials afford this hat.

Yuan Jiang said: "Cai Zhifu doesn't know that the new version of "Song Xingtong" has the laws of the ancestors written on the first page. written."

In the past, the ancestral law was not a written regulation, but after the lawsuit, Zhao Xu wrote the ancestral law into the "Song Xingtong" in his own hand, because Zhao Xu believed that it was unwritten, and you use various ancestral systems to restrain me every day. But it's not fair, Lao Tzu wrote it directly in "Song Xing Tong", and everyone was restrained.

And there is an argument.

I have Zhang Daer's pen, who am I afraid of.

Zhang Fei looked around and said: "If both parties have objections to this judgment, they can present corresponding evidence to appeal. Today's trial ends here, and we will leave the court."

(End of this chapter)