Are some of Bao Zheng's deeds in Bao Qingtian really that amazing?

Bao Zheng's reputation among the people is very good, mainly due to the case-solving novel Three Heroes and Five Righteousnesses. There is a moon on Bao Zheng's head in the novel, which is the reincarnation of the stars. He can judge the sun every day, and judge the yin at night, and get rid of Nuo Nuo-worshippers who are not afraid of powerful people, so the people call him "Bao Qingtian". Unfortunately, history is not a novel. Bao Qingtian's integrity is true in the official history, but his ability to judge cases is not as good as that in the novel.

Bao Zheng is in charge of the capital, and the law enforcement is strict. On the one hand, he is upright and upright to the powerful, but on the other hand, he is merciless to the people and treats them equally. This is different from the general officials who favor the powerful and the literati who favor the king. It should be said that Bao Zheng's attitude is more rational. However, rational Bao Zheng is sometimes held hostage by emotion. Once emotional, Bao Zheng, who is just, upright and self-disciplined, can't help being an asshole.

Once, a fire broke out in a street in Beijing. Bianjing's commercial and residential areas are mixed together, and many shops and vendors occupy the road, causing traffic congestion. Once a fire breaks out, the consequences are unimaginable. Bao Zheng rushed to the scene at the first time. Seeing that the governors are all in action, the relevant departments naturally dare not slack off. Bao Zheng was very worried when he saw the fire raging at the scene, which had spread to more than ten families. At this time, a man came to ask for instructions: "Do you want to take water from Sweet Water Lane or Bitter Water Lane?" Bao Zheng flew into a rage: at such a tense moment, he asked such a confused question! Fire fighting or sweet and bitter? So I concluded that this person was deliberately teasing and ordered that this person be beheaded on the spot. Officials and people in the fire were not afraid, and everyone was "in awe" of Bao Zheng.

This story comes from Du Xing Magazine written by Zeng Minxing, a scholar in the Southern Song Dynasty. Yang Wanli once prefaced the book and praised it: "No pen." In Zeng Minxing's view, this requester is a "rogue". A group of bored young people get together and want to deliberately Doby Bao Zheng, so there is such a question. However, there is another possibility. The person who may ask for instructions belongs to the kind of ordinary people who look forward to doing things, have no opinion, and are at a loss in the face of fire. Since the prefect is at the scene, you have to ask for instructions first. But Bao Zheng, for whatever reason, decided that this person overstepped his official position and delayed the disaster. However, even if this person is deliberately teasing, he will not die. But he told a joke and was beheaded by Bao Zheng. So willful to be an official, ignoring the law, and taking personal feelings as the basis for judging cases, Bao Zheng can be called heaven.

The verdict is already in the "bitter plan"

Bao Zheng is an official, so-called sharp-eyed, but is this really the case? Shen Kuo recorded another anecdote of Bao Zheng in Meng Qian Bi Tan. A rich man who breaks the law should be whipped according to law. The rich man wanted to bribe, but Bao Zheng honestly didn't love money, so the rich man found the beadle who was responsible for beating the board. The beadle received the red envelope and pointed out, "You want to see the prefect today, and he will definitely give me the case after asking. At this time, all you have to do is shout grievances and leave the rest to me. "

Bao Zheng took the rich man to court, and after some cross-examination, he really confessed that the petty officials used punishment. The rich man is like a small official shouting injustice. The small official shouted loudly: "As long as you accept the rod punishment honestly, you can go. Why say more?" He said it in front of Bao Zheng. Adults have already pronounced a sentence, so naturally there will be no mistakes.

Ordinary officials naturally like such flattery, but Bao Zheng is different. After listening to it, he didn't like being angry. He thinks that petty officials are just petty officials and are not qualified to evaluate cases at all. This is suspected of playing politics. So he ordered to stop the punishment of the big money and was acquitted, but he dragged the little collectors down and hit a dozen boards.

Bao Zheng's original intention is to suppress the arrogance of his officials, so that they dare not steal the column and obstruct judicial justice. I thought I was very clever, but I didn't expect everything to be expected by a petty official familiar with his style. The rich man escaped from the law with a vicious plan.