Zhu, a thinker in the Southern Song Dynasty, told a story about Bao Zheng when talking with students about "the way of communication". He said that when Bao Zheng was young, he studied with a classmate named Li at a monk's home in Luzhou, Hefei, his hometown. Every time he goes back and forth from home, he passes by the home of a rich man. Bao Zheng and Li Sheng have excellent academic performance and bright future. They are blue chips, and rich people want to get close to them. One day, when they passed by, the rich man invited them into the house. Bao Zheng and Li Sheng politely refused. After a while, the rich man specially prepared a banquet and warmly invited them to dinner at home. Li Sheng accepted the invitation with good intentions, but Bao Zheng snapped, "He is a rich man, and I am an apprentice from different times or countries. Isn't it tiring to make friends with him today? "

Bao Zheng this sentence means, if you don't pay attention to the details, don't eat and drink with the rich, don't call each other brothers, then you will learn something later and go back to your hometown to be an official, won't these debt of gratitude affect justice? Please pay attention to the person in the project bidding, and let him go through the lawsuit. What should I do? So, I once again refused the hospitality of this rich man. Coincidentally, many years later, Bao Zheng was really arranged by the imperial court to return to his hometown and became the year of Luzhou. Because he didn't owe any debt of gratitude before, he was able to judge and enforce the law impartially, leaving a lasting stigma.

As an official, Bao Zheng has always been strict with himself. He is attached to neither the rich nor the powerful. In the first year of Kangding, Song Renzong, 42-year-old Bao Zheng became famous in Duanzhou. Duanzhou inkstone, one of the four famous inkstones in China, was ranked first especially for its excellent stone quality and exquisite carving, and was designated as a tribute by the court. Those arty dignitaries are proud of getting Guangdong inkstone.

As a result, officials working in Duanzhou seem to have found a shortcut to promotion, charging dozens of times more money under the guise of tribute, seeking personal gain and taking public as their friends. However, after Bao Zheng took office in Duanzhou, the first thing he thought of was to reduce the burden on farmers and have the right to use the right, which cut off this shortcut to promotion. All the levy is deducted, and only the amount of tribute is collected. Whether leaders, old friends, notes and greetings are paid or not, he will not pay attention. He also wrote a poem on the wall of Duanzhou Capital: "A pure heart is the foundation, and the right path is a personal plan." High quality steel can't make hooks. Fill the barn with mice and birds, and the grass worries rabbits and foxes. Qing history is famous, and those who come are ashamed. "He believes that being an official should eliminate greed, seek the right path, be proud of being an honest official and be ashamed of being a corrupt official. This is his outlook on life and honor and disgrace. As a result, Bao Zheng became the governor for three years, "after one year, he will never return".

Bao can't grow flowers, he can only grow thorns. He and Zhang Yaozu are sworn enemies, Zhang Yaozu is a consort, and his niece Zhang Guifei is favored by Song Renzong, so his career is thriving. At first, Zhang Yaozu was appointed as the third special envoy. Bao Zheng said to Song Renzong that people like Zhang Yaozu can't even be a small official, let alone a third envoy, and he objected. A few years later, under the influence of Zhang Guifei, Song Renzong proposed to be appointed as our special envoy, and Yao Zhang later proposed to be appointed as the special envoy of the mission. Bao Zheng thinks that such promotion is too fast and does not conform to the cadre promotion system. He wrote to impeach Zhang Yaozu seven times before and after, and even refuted Song Renzong face to face in court. It is because of his weakness that Zhang Yaozuo's promotion was blocked.

Bao Zheng values official morality most and hates abusing power for personal gain most. Jia _ three years, for the right suggestion, suggestion officer. At that time, Zhang's third secretary used his power to buy a businessman's house at a low price and made a profit from it. Bao Zheng thinks that the third envoy is the highest financial official.

That's it, Bao Zheng. Officials only talk about right and wrong, not about interests, honor and disgrace. He is aboveboard, not hypocritical, and does not admit defeat. He only has the discipline of the court and the warmth and coldness of the people in his heart, and he doesn't want to influence the judiciary because of his connections. No one can get any benefit from him. So "old friends and close relatives all refused" and everyone left him. In officialdom, where human power far exceeds the power of laws and regulations, Bao Zheng is isolated. However, he has been a poisonous star in the eyes of corrupt officials all his life. Song Shi _ Bao Zheng said, "Gangyi Li, the officials and eunuchs gathered their hands for it, and they were afraid of it." Yes, how can such a selfless and disloyal person not be afraid?