Chapter 224: The Tough Liang Ge Lao, the Prime Minister's Worship
Chapter 224: The Tough Liang Ge Lao, the Prime Minister's Worship
A famous place of entertainment in the capital.
Xu Qing and Liang Ge Lao took their seats, and Yan Jishi Zhong drank with them, with a very high standard.
"Does your Excellency know how many students take part in each provincial examination in Qiannan Province?"
Lord Liang's work experience mainly includes the Ministry of Personnel, the Inspectorate, and the Ministry of Rites, where he climbed up to the position of Minister of Rites. It can be said that Lord Liang is timid, but it cannot be said that Lord Liang has no professional ability or a bad memory.
To be honest, no matter how incompetent the ministers who can enter the cabinet are, they all have some skills.
"Sometimes it's more than a thousand, sometimes it's two thousand." Elder Liang replied quickly.
"What about the southeastern provinces?"
"The least is eight thousand, the most is tens of thousands."
Xu Qing said: "The Lord has a good memory. After going to Qiannan Province, he focused on investigating this matter. Qiannan Province not only has few students, but also fewer candidates. Many candidates are not even born and raised in Qiannan Province. This has led to a long period of time when there are very few officials and clerks in Qiannan Province, and it has to rely on the autonomy of the chieftains. I know that the advantage of chieftain autonomy is that the cost of the court's rule is greatly reduced. The disadvantage is that due to the excessive number of chieftains, the chieftain rebellion in Qiannan Province has never stopped since the early years of the country, and it is nothing more than a matter of size."
The number of juren in each province is based on proportion.
The number of juren in Qiannan Province is relatively small compared to other provinces. Even so, because there are too few people studying, the competition environment and the degree of involution are far worse than those in other large inland provinces.
It can be said that Qiannan Province has always been a hard-hit area for imperial examination immigrants.
Moreover, the conditions in Qiannan Province are not good.
This also led to the situation that many juren, after passing the imperial examination, would try to become officials in other provinces if they felt they had no hope of passing the imperial examination.
As for the scholars and jinshi from other provinces, they were even less willing to serve as officials in Qiannan Province.
Therefore, many officials in Qiannan Province were demoted or exiled, so one can imagine how dedicated they are in their work.
Therefore, the shortage of officials in Qiannan Province is very serious.
Xu Qing talked a lot and then proposed a practical solution, which was to increase the number of Juren in Qiannan Province. However, these Juren could not take part in the joint examination, but could be directly appointed as officials, and their promotion treatment in Qiannan Province would all be based on the third-class Jinshi.
If one refuses the appointment to be an official in Qiannan Province, his status as a juren will be directly revoked.
Of course, Xu Qing gave a lot of official reasons, but in fact it all came down to finding an excuse to solve the staffing problem for the Fushe members who went to work in Qiannan Province.
When Xu Qing finished speaking, Lord Liang also understood.
Most of the members of Fushe were from Southern Zhili. If this matter was handled well, it would be considered as doing good things for the fellow villagers.
The officialdom of Qiannan Province belonged to the fringe of the officialdom of the Dayu Dynasty, and it was an uncontested place in the officialdom. Even if someone discovered that many new scholars in Qiannan Province were from the Fushe, they could not make a fuss about it.
As for how much harm would it cause if the Fushe members controlled the officialdom of Qiannan Province?
Could anything be more harmful than toast?
The chieftains all raised their flags and rebelled directly.
Yan Shan, who was listening nearby, was amazed. The boss's skills were getting more and more powerful.
What’s the difference between this and directly issuing a letter of appointment from the Ministry of Personnel?
But from a legal point of view, there is nothing wrong with it.
"Gongming, if this matter is implemented, who do you think would be the most suitable examiner for this special provincial examination?"
Xu Qing winked at Yan Shan.
Yan Shan was a little embarrassed: "I'm afraid my grade is not high enough."
Xu Qing said earnestly, "Because this is a new attempt, it is not good to have too high a standard for the examiner. Now the reform emphasizes crossing the river by feeling the stones, and we must be bold in trying. I think Wei Zhong is quite suitable. Elder Liang and I have decided on this matter, so don't feel any psychological pressure."
Liang Ge Lao: "What does the Prime Minister say about this matter?"
"I have already been informed."
Lord Liang felt at peace.
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...
On the second day, Liang Ge Lao, as one of the two leaders of the Southern Zhili Party, took the lead without any effort and directly brought the special provincial examination that he had discussed with Xu Qing to the court meeting for discussion.
Shangshu Wang, who had just taken the position of Minister of Personnel, immediately objected.
It’s not that Minister Wang thinks this matter is inappropriate, but that Elder Liang now has the support of Xu Qing and has become the leader of the Nanzhili Township Party.
You should know that Wang Gong is also from Nanzhili, and now he is the Minister of Personnel.
Even if you, Old Liang, are a cabinet minister, you cannot suppress him, a high-ranking official. Otherwise, the morale of his subordinates will be dispersed, and how can the Minister of Personnel do his job?
Moreover, recently, Minister Zhang hated Lao Wang for snatching his position as the Minister of Personnel, and he repeatedly pretended to obey his orders but secretly disobeyed them.
This made Minister Wang very unhappy.
However, Lord Liang changed his previous style and became very tough. He quoted classics and tied this matter together with the policy of converting natives into officials.
Although Minister Wang did not lose in the debate, he was unable to defeat Lord Liang.
The first court meeting to discuss this matter ended in a bad mood.
But Wang Gong did not expect that after the court session, many of his fellow villagers from Nanzhili ran to Shangshu Wang's house to block the door and cursed him with many ugly words.
Old Wang was confused, but in this day and age, it was impossible for an official to offend his fellow villagers.
He could only send someone to find out why.
"Xu Gongming is a bastard." Wang Gong found out the whole story and then realized the inside story. Because the special provincial examination had already been announced within the Nanzhili Guild Hall.
Everyone thought that the Minister of Rites and the Minister of Personnel were both from Nanzhili, and there was no reason to ruin the future of their fellow villagers. However, when Lord Liang argued with reason, his fellow villager Wang Gong actually held him back.
After all, Capital Xu Liu had promised that Qiannan Province was just a stepping stone. After the villagers went in, they would have to stay in Qiannan Province temporarily, but after making achievements, they would definitely find a way to transfer them out.
If the imperial court had promised this, no one would have believed it. But Xu Liushou was a sage of the time, and his words were as good as gold. Everyone believed him too much.
Even if the first subject in this class is Fushe eating the meat first, there is absolutely no problem for everyone else to drink the soup.
What's more, Nanzhili has always been home to many scholars, and no matter how big a family is, there are always only a few people who can make a name for themselves.
Xu Liushou took advantage of Qiannan Province's policy of changing the native system to Han Chinese to plan for a better future for everyone.
It can be said to be a great merit.
Unfortunately, a traitor appeared among the villagers.
Minister Wang didn't expect that there was a big bomb hidden in this matter.
Moreover, Xu Qing specifically chose the time when Wang Shangshu was attending court to make false promises to his fellow villagers in the Nanzhili Guild Hall, which resulted in that Shangshu Wang had no chance to learn about this matter in advance.
I suffered a loss in silence.
"This evil star should not be allowed to return to the capital!" Wang Gong gritted his teeth, but at the next court meeting, he quickly changed his position and strongly supported holding a special provincial examination in Qiannan Province.
The two big bosses, the Minister of Rites and the Minister of Personnel, had both been informed, and the Prime Minister acquiesced, so the matter was naturally passed quickly.
Again, compared to the chieftains, the gentry and wealthy families were considered progressive forces in Qiannan Province.
Even though Prince Yu was fully aware of the seriousness of the situation, he was persuaded by Mr. Dai to be tolerant for the sake of the overall situation and did not put any obstacles in the way.
But Prince Yu was very discouraged.
Ever since Xu Gongming came into the world, he, as the crown prince, has endured countless times for the sake of the overall situation. When will these hard days end?
And shouldn't Xu Gongming be tolerant of him for the sake of the overall situation?
As the crown prince, he should be responsible for the overall situation!
Reality is too cruel!
In addition, everyone also knows that Lord Liang is tough. He confronted the Minister of Personnel and made the other party slap himself in the face and leave.
After this incident, Liang Ge Lao's position as the nominal leader of the Southern Zhili Party became unshakable.
For many years, Lord Liang has always been tolerant and harmonious in everything he does. This is the first time that he has gained the absolute upper hand in such a sharp struggle. He feels so happy.
To put it bluntly, no one is born to like to be bullied and endure.
Many times it is done out of necessity.
If you can really become a powerful person, who the hell would be willing to work like a slave?
In this battle, Lord Liang fought with dignity and honor.
If it weren't for the huge age gap, Lord Liang would have been unable to resist the urge to worship Xu Liushou as his godfather!
After this incident, Lord Liang's authority increased greatly.
He also found that, intentionally or unintentionally, the things he proposed in the cabinet were strongly supported by the Prime Minister.
...
...
Yanyue Hall.
"Gongming, you have to take care of me during the time I'm away from the court." The Prime Minister looked sad.
He now really has the feeling of "How can the heaven be so unkind to me?"
The cause of the reform was gaining momentum, but in the end he had to leave the court temporarily.
Xu Qing was also somewhat helpless.
Being the Prime Minister in the court and not being in the court are indeed two different environments for him.
However, the Dingyou system is actually a key link in the central balance of the court, and it should not be changed unless necessary.
Yes, the old man of the Zhang family passed away.
In fact, if the old Taoist priest had not used Taoism to forcibly extend the old man's life, the old man of the Zhang family would have passed away more than half a year ago.
This time when the old Taoist priest came back from Jiangning Prefecture, the old master's condition worsened again, and even with the old Taoist priest's methods, he was unable to save him.
As a mortal, even if there is a Taoist master looking after you, your weak body will not be able to withstand too much torture.
"Grandpa, I'm not worried about anything else. I'm just worried that without you in the court, the reform cause will still be thriving, and you at home..." Xu Qing comforted.
The sadness on the Prime Minister’s face disappeared immediately. Is this kid still a human being?
His face flushed, and then he said with relief, "If that's the case, I'm relieved."
Xu Qing: "In fact, after Grandpa Tai returned, the reforms in Chu were all in your sight. It can't be said to be a bad thing then."
Returning to Chu as the Prime Minister during the mourning period to personally supervise the reforms was actually much more effective than staying in the central government. Moreover, the Prime Minister had been in the central government for a long time and still lacked a practical understanding of the local areas. This was also a good opportunity to re-examine the reforms.
Prime Minister: "You kid, you don't think I will have a day of peace, right?"
"Having something to do will keep you from being immersed in sadness. Besides, as the ancients said, you should worry about the world before you worry about yourself, and be happy after the world is happy..."
In fact, it was a happy funeral when Old Master Zhang passed away at the age of nearly 90.
Therefore, although the Prime Minister felt sad, it was not too much.
At his position, even if his own son died, it would not affect the important affairs of the court.
This period of mourning is also considered from the overall perspective.
In fact, if Xu Qing hadn't been there, the Prime Minister would have definitely chosen to take away his love and continue to stay in the court. However, in that case, the impact of public opinion would be too great, and it would also be a serious blow to his reputation after his death.
Although he didn't care about this, he was willing to do it as long as it didn't reach the point of "stealing someone's feelings".
"What do you think I should focus on after returning to Chudi?"
"Farming."
"Isn't it officialdom?"
Xu Qing: "I think that there is no cure for officialdom. The Prime Minister has been clarifying officialdom in recent years, whether it is the performance evaluation system or other government orders, but they are just temporary measures to stop the problem from happening. Of course, it is not to say that these things are meaningless, but at the moment, making a fuss about officialdom means more effort and less benefit. But farming is different. As long as there is no problem with food, the world will not be in chaos. I ask the Prime Minister to supervise the promotion of high-yield crops such as sweet potatoes after he has come to mourn. In my opinion, these crops still have great potential for increasing production..."
Sweet potatoes have been promoted in southern Fujian, and Xu Qing has found better varieties from Fang Xiandao. However, the promotion is still difficult.
Chu is already a major grain-producing province in the world. With the Prime Minister personally pushing this matter, there will definitely be gains.
"Are the crops you mentioned really that productive?"
"Xu cannot guarantee it, but the Prime Minister can choose a place to try it out and verify it personally. If it is really beneficial, it can be gradually promoted."
"Well, agricultural production is a national affair and cannot be rushed. I will remember what you said and will think about it carefully when I return."
This is what he admires most about Xu Qing. He can always find advantages in unfavorable situations, and he is bold and careful, and dares to take responsibility for his actions.
Xu Qing also felt that the Prime Minister was a man of great vision.
If other senior officials were instructed in this way by him and asked to care about farming, they would definitely be unhappy.
The Prime Minister did not feel uncomfortable at all, because in his opinion this matter was beneficial to the country.
Xu Qing then added: "I have another unwelcome request."
"what's up?"
"Since you are going to be in mourning, why not be a stepping stone..."
After hearing Xu Qing's plan, the Prime Minister resisted the urge to smash Xu Qing's head with an inkstone.
It turned out that Xu Qing was planning to ask the old emperor to take back his love, and the Prime Minister was hesitant. At this time, his father-in-law and his old mentor Wu submitted a memorial, urging the Prime Minister to observe mourning.
In this way, you can gain great fame.
Moreover, my father-in-law and Master Wu were both reformists, so this move could be described as sacrificing personal interests for the sake of justice.
What's more, both masters are from the clean and honest system of the Ministry of Education.
This move will help to gain the right to speak in the clear stream.
As I said, in the field of public opinion, Xu Qing needs to have both private and official sides, and he needs to do both well.
Seeing that the Prime Minister looked unhappy, Xu Qing said, "If it were me, I would also be willing to be this stepping stone."
The Prime Minister resisted the urge to curse and said, “Your parents died a long time ago!”
Not a son of man.
But Xu Qing does have a point.
Endure it!
The Prime Minister waved his hand and said, "Go prepare it yourself."
He almost laughed out of anger!
Xu Qing breathed a sigh of relief and bowed deeply.
The Prime Minister didn't look at him. He waited until Xu Qing left before he let out a long sigh.
With Xu Qing's skills, if Prince Yu comes to power in the future, he will probably be Xu Qing's plaything.
How can we fight this?
Forget it, for the sake of the world, I have no choice but to let Prince Yu suffer the injustice.
The next few days.
The death of the old man of the Zhang family caused an uproar in the capital.
"It's dawn!" Many conservatives couldn't help but celebrate.
For a moment, no one dared to believe that this was true.
...
...
"Your Highness, you must be careful and cautious at this time." After hearing this, Mr. Dai was not happy at all. Instead, he came over to remind Prince Yu.
"Well, sir, I know." Prince Yu has learned a lesson from his mistakes.
It actually does no good for the Prime Minister to be in mourning.
After all, reform is for the good of the world and for his own good.
"Do you think the Prime Minister will stay?"
"If Xu Qing hadn't been there, the Prime Minister would have definitely taken over the love. Now, the Prime Minister would have to leave. Dai suggests that the prince should..."
Prince Yu listened carefully to every word Mr. Dai said.
After listening to it, he said, "Mr.'s words really cleared the fog."
It turned out that Mr. Dai's suggestion was to take this opportunity to arrange for Zuodu Yushi Huo Jing to be transferred to the position of Minister of Rites and join the cabinet.
Then arrange someone to occupy the position of Zuodu Yushi.
Once the Prime Minister leaves, it is inevitable that Liang Ge Lao will be promoted to the Prime Minister.
But it is a pity for Mr. Dai. If Wang Gong had not taken over as the Minister of Personnel, with the support of Prince Yu, he might have had the opportunity to become the Prime Minister.
...
...
Wang Gong almost vomited blood, but if he held it in a little longer, he would be the Prime Minister!
The Minister of Personnel is the head of the outer court, but how can he be compared with the position of the Prime Minister? The key is that he is not a cabinet minister now, and in terms of qualifications, he has no chance to compete for the position of the Prime Minister.
He quickly calmed down, and suddenly came up with a good idea, so he wrote a memorial asking the Prime Minister to "take away the love"...
A memorial to the emperor caused an uproar in the court.
...
...
At this moment, Xu Qing and Xiong Chan were sitting idly.
"Gongming, don't you plan to participate in the Prime Minister's mourning this time?" Xiong Chan smiled.
Xu Qing: "The court's affairs are decided by the elders. Master, we should focus our energy on dealing with the Black Mountain Demon."
He naturally knew that after Xiong Chan came to the capital, he not only personally manipulated the affairs of the martial arts conference with his help, but also took this opportunity to make friends with princes and ministers.
He is a martial saint of the time. The profound sounds he makes when chanting scriptures are of great benefit to the human body. Many princes and nobles who indulged in excessive sexual activities have seen significant improvements in their health after listening to Xiong Chan's lectures.
It can be said that Xiong Chan is now a living Buddha in the eyes of many princes and gentry.
In terms of influence, he is no worse than Xu Qing.
After all, these people are afraid of death.
Xiong Chan smiled slightly: "To deal with the old demon, we can only do our best. Besides, I want to do something with Gongming that will bring great merit. I wonder if Gongming is interested."
"Master, please let me know if you have anything to say."
"Does Gongming remember the yellow rice?"
"Of course I remember. How could I possibly forget this thing?"
Xiong Chan: "In fact, after many years of research at Dachan Temple, we have cultivated a rice variety based on Huangliang rice that has a 30% higher yield than the current rice. If Gongming and I promote it together, it will be of great benefit to the world."
Xu Qing knew that increasing grain production was not enough relying on breeding alone, but also required improvements in fertilizers and other aspects.
If it were really so easy to increase production, Xiong Chan would not have brought it up now.
Although the big monk is an ally, he also has his own little thoughts.
He listened carefully to the monk's words and asked, "Master, are these rice seeds only available in the Great Zen Temple?"
He revealed the secret in one word.
Xiong Chan's face changed.
He didn't expect that Xu Qing could guess the most crucial point directly.
Xiong Chan: "Gong Ming is certainly a scholar, but this is definitely a good thing."
Xu Qing fell into deep thought.
(End of this chapter)