The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 289 Ascending Channel
There are two large-scale palaces in Chang'an City. One of them is the Taichu Palace, which was built during the capital period. The overall planning and design were written by Emperor Taizu. It covers an area of ​​more than 2,800 acres, which is larger than Nanjing. The Forbidden City is even larger, with countless pavilions and pavilions. It not only has the splendor of traditional Chinese palaces, but also has the grace of a perfect integration of mountains and geography, setting off the strong atmosphere of a great power in the empire.

However, at the beginning of the design of this palace, a huge mistake was made. In order to match the majesty of the royal family, the entire palace strictly followed the tradition of palace construction with south facing north, without actually considering that Hanzhou was a continent located in the southern hemisphere.

As a result, after the palace was built, the royal family and the cabinet were embarrassed to find that the north-south layout actually caused all the doors and windows of the palace rooms to open to the south side, giving people a dark and depressing feeling.

Fortunately, Emperor Taizu was not a particularly particular person, and he took charge calmly until he abdicated and retired.

During the period of Emperor Taiping, the royal family built another palace in the southeast of Xuanwu District in Chang'an City, named Taiyi Palace. This palace is larger in scale, covering an area of ​​more than 4,000 acres. It is backed by Lingyun Mountain and less than one kilometer away from the Changxing River (today's Gowrie River in Toowoomba, Australia) that passes through the city.

For a long period of time afterwards, in addition to briefly staying in the Taichu Palace to hold events such as the coronation ceremony and royal etiquette, the emperor spent most of the rest of his time in the Taiyi Palace handling daily imperial government affairs and issuing relevant imperial edicts.

While many important ministers in the cabinet were discussing how to deal with the public opinion caused by the corruption den in Yingzhou, the emperor Yonglong was enjoying a magnificent song and dance performance in the Taiyi Palace.

In the empty Guangming Hall, more than ten beautiful women danced to the lively music. Emperor Yonglong was holding several memorials and leaning on the dragon chair, but the focus of his eyes was obviously not on them, and he seemed to be in a deep thinking state. .

On the right side of the main hall is a band composed of dozens of musicians. The musicians wear uniform blue robes and black hats, and hold various musical instruments in their hands, such as pipa, flute, sheng, and huqin. The music is melodious and the melody is smooth, making people immersed in it involuntarily.

In the middle of the hall, there is a performance by a group of beautiful dancers. They are dressed in beautiful imitation Song Dynasty costumes. Their skirts swing gently to the rhythm of the music. Their graceful figures dance in the center of the stage, performing various light and agile dance postures.

As the music reached its climax, the musicians began to add some intense melodies, and the music gradually became grand and enthusiastic. The dancers also accelerated with the rhythm of the music, and their performances became more enthusiastic and unrestrained, which made the guards and attendants beside them dizzy and intoxicated.

Finally, the music and dance reached a climax in the rapid and bright music, and the dancers showed off their graceful bodies and beautiful faces.

Suddenly, the music stopped, the dancing stopped, and the hall fell into silence, with only the dancers' gentle breathing being heard.

"If you are not tired, can you play one more song?" Emperor Yonglong raised his hand to pick up a few more memorials from the table and said with a smile.

"Your Majesty has an order, and we must obey it." A tall dancer said softly to Emperor Yonglong who was behind the imperial case, and then walked to the band and communicated in a low voice for a while, seeming to be choosing the appropriate music. .

After all, His Majesty the Emperor has given me money and rewards. No matter how tired I am, I have to work up a hundred times more energy to dance for His Majesty.

After a while, the music started again, the dances moved again, and the Guangming Hall regained its noisy and extravagant atmosphere.

However, Emperor Yonglong's attention was still not in the dance music. Instead, he took out a pen and paper and kept writing and drawing on the desk, thinking that he was planning a major decision-making matter for the empire.

"Your Majesty, please see Mr. Luo of the Polling Department." An attendant walked up to the imperial steps and said softly.

"..." After hearing the report, Emperor Yonglong came back from his deep thoughts and said, "Let him come in."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The attendant paused for a moment, then turned to look at the dancing scene in the hall, hesitating whether to remind His Majesty to stop singing and dancing temporarily so that he could synchronize with the chief producer of the Polling Office. To have a quiet space.

However, seeing that His Majesty had placed the memorial document in his hand on the desk, his entire attention was attracted by the singing and dancing, and he showed great interest, so he gave up.

When His Majesty is restless or considering important matters, he always invites a singing and dancing band. He seems to be accustomed to meditating in a noisy environment.

Compared with the previous period when Emperor Taiping was in power and the prince was supervising the country, the entire Taiyi Palace strictly maintained a solemn and quiet atmosphere. However, this young majesty likes to make the entire palace lively and even invites sociologists and scholars from time to time. Teachers and students in the university hall come here to discuss society and people's livelihood, and comment on current affairs in the world.

Perhaps it is because His Majesty is so young that he has extremely high energy. In his spare time, he often watches theatrical performances, enjoys singing and dancing music, goes to noisy and lively stadiums to watch games, and takes the guards and royal children on outings and hunting. , and even stay in the military camp to personally operate and test the latest weapons and equipment with a group of officers and soldiers.

In the eyes of many important cabinet ministers, His Majesty seems to be a bit high-spirited, lacking a bit of the majesty and solemnity of the emperor. However, in the eyes of many middle and lower class groups, His Majesty the Emperor is more approachable, making people feel that the royal family is not as imagined. It's so mysterious, and it's not a god's residence that doesn't eat the fireworks of the world.

"Your Majesty." Luo Kangning, the chief director of the Polling Office, walked straight through the song and dance scene that was still being performed in the middle of the hall, walked straight to the imperial steps, and bowed slightly to Emperor Yonglong.

"Have you finished the investigation?" Emperor Yonglong asked with a smile.

"I have initially compiled all the resumes of officials above the prefecture level in all provinces in the country and overseas territories into a volume, and now present it to His Majesty." As he said that, Luo Kangning handed over a thick investigation record form in his hand.

"President Luo, thank you for your hard work." Emperor Yonglong took the official resume questionnaire, flipped through it casually, and nodded with satisfaction.

"I will serve your Majesty even to the death," Luo Kangning said with his hands in hand.

"When investigating and sorting out the resumes of these officials, what did Mr. Luo think?"

"My lord... I don't dare to think about it."

"Huh?... Mr. Luo has no thoughts?"

"Your Majesty, I have something to think about, but I dare not... think about it deeply."

"But are you afraid of the power of aristocratic families?"

"..." Luo Kangning's pupils shrank suddenly, and he swallowed a few times subconsciously, "Your Majesty, I am scared."

"What are you afraid of?" Emperor Yonglong sneered and stood up from his throne. While pacing in the hall, he looked sideways at the graceful dancers dancing and said softly: "It should be me who should be afraid, it's the emperor who is afraid." The Qi royal family, and the tens of millions of common people in the empire. In our Qi state, there are two or three generations of governors, four or five generations of prefects, as well as many low-level officials and subordinates. Isn’t it a bit like the powerful families in the Han and Jin Dynasties? politics?"

"Your Majesty..." Luo Kangning bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I, the King of Qi, have wise ministers and wise ministers. I am united as one, and the country is also prospering. I hope that the situation like... that happened during the Han and Jin Dynasties will not happen."

"Isn't it?" Emperor Yonglong shook his head and said: "If it is twenty or fifty years later, do you think that situation will still not happen in our Qi country? By then, I am afraid that it will be difficult to recover and there will be no way to recover."

"Your Majesty..." Luo Kangning didn't know how to respond to the emperor's question for a while, and Nie Nie didn't dare to say anything. "General Luo, you said you have the same surname as Luo. You started from a young age and went through many departments. By chance, you were recruited by the late Emperor to serve as a confidential secretary for government affairs. Then you took up the post of Secretary Supervisor, and now you are in the important position of Residential Coordination. It has been a very difficult journey for more than twenty years. However, Luo Jingchuan, the governor of Yingzhou, has only been a high-ranking official for more than ten years since he became an official. If he had not been affected by the corruption case, he might have been arrested. If you are transferred to an overseas territory and take up the post of governor, after a few years of experience, you will be promoted to a court official, promoted to a subordinate officer of a certain cabinet, and finally you may have the opportunity to join the cabinet and become the prime minister, and you will be able to reach the top of the world. Do you have any idea about this? What do you feel?"

"Chen..., Chen..." Luo Kangning began to sweat on his forehead.

"If, because of your humble background, your official career will end here, will Luo Qing be willing to do so?"

"..."

"I saw a word that was highlighted in the records of Emperor Taizu." Emperor Yonglong walked to Luo Kangning, stood still, and looked at the panic-stricken chief executive of the Polling Office, "That word is, rising Channel. Well, to be precise, it should be the upward channel of social class. According to Taizu's label, there must be an unobstructed upward channel in a country and society to ensure that all levels of society can pass through. With unremitting efforts and hard work, we can change our destiny and rise to a higher level, thus bringing a better life and a broader space for development for ourselves and our families. Then, the upward path for our country is still open. ?”

As soon as Emperor Yonglong finished speaking, the music in the hall stopped. The musicians and dancers paused on the spot and looked up, waiting for the emperor's next arrangements, which caused an eerie silence in the hall.

"Everyone, please go down and rest first." Emperor Yonglong waved his hand and signaled the attendants to take the musicians and dancers away from the Hall of Light.

For a moment, the entire hall suddenly seemed empty and quiet, which made Luo Kangning feel a little restrained and uneasy.

As the Public Opinion Bureau directly under the royal family, although its main responsibilities are domestic counter-espionage and anti-corruption, detecting and stopping any illegal activities that endanger the royal family and the cabinet government, and it is also one of the important agencies to control and restrain domestic speech and publications, it does not It is not a spy organization like the former Mingdong Factory, but more like the empire's comprehensive intelligence department, coordinating the intelligence activities of various government departments and agencies related to the empire's security, and providing basis and information support for the emperor's national security decisions.

During the decision-making process of major affairs in the empire, the Director of the Polling Office will also be invited to attend as an intelligence consultant. This also establishes the important position of the Polling Office among the many intelligence departments in Qi. It is the intelligence agency closest to the empire's security decision-making process.

It can be said that any candidate who can serve in such an important department must be the emperor's most reliable confidant.

Luo Kangning was promoted from the royal secretary to the chief of the polling department before the death of Emperor Taiping. Naturally, he wanted to use him to be the successor emperor to have absolute control of such a critical intelligence agency, so that he could provide the emperor with all-round intelligence (information ) support to avoid being deceived by ministers.

It has been more than two years since Emperor Yonglong took the throne. In the eyes of many people, this little emperor seems to have not yet fully grasped the supreme imperial power. He is still patiently and conscientiously learning how to manage a huge empire, and is carefully observing the cabinet. Every action was taken to maintain the stability of the empire's political situation.

But as someone close to the emperor, Luo Kangning knew that Emperor Yonglong was not as "green" and "immature" as he appeared on the surface. He perfectly inherited the best blood of the Daqi royal family and possessed self-discipline, courage, and perseverance. , tenacity, as well as many excellent qualities of the emperor such as careful thinking, good governance and good management.

Emperor Yonglong was not a pampered and aloof king who was "born in a deep palace and grew up with women's hands". When he was a prince, he spent a year traveling to more than half of Hanzhou, visiting more than a hundred prefectures and counties, and gained a practical understanding and experience of the people's livelihood in many places.

In addition, he also served as the consolation envoy of the Daqi royal family and accompanied King Dan to visit Qin. He was the only emperor among all previous emperors who had visited the mainland of China.

Many people saw that Emperor Yonglong liked to watch drama performances, enjoy songs and dances in the Taiyi Palace, and sometimes go on horseback riding in the countryside. He even mingled with soldiers in the military camp regardless of his status as a noble, and looked like a young emperor with a heart. .

However, Luo Kangning learned from the Royal Attendant's Office and the Supervisory Secretary that Emperor Yonglong would often stay up late to study and work. In addition to carefully reading and reviewing the government affairs documents submitted by the cabinet, he also read a large number of books and newspapers, and even more It is to read and appreciate the "Records of the Emperors" frequently and carefully to appreciate how emperors in the past dynasties governed and controlled the country.

It is said that Emperor Yonglong had written a thick book of notes while reading the "Records of the Emperor", and he probably had a deep understanding of the words and deeds of Taizu, Taizong and Emperor Taiping.

Perhaps it was because he had not succeeded to the throne for a long time, had little prestige, and was still unable to convince his ministers that Emperor Yonglong was so forbearing and dormant. Faced with the increasing power of the cabinet, the emergence of aristocratic families, and the rise of local power, he did not respond, watched without saying anything, and maintained sufficient political determination.

"Governing a big country is like cooking small dishes." What is important is to be cautious in words and deeds, be careful of haste and be patient, and be careful not to be happy with one's grudges and fight with iron horses.

With this performance, Emperor Yonglong was already a qualified and wise king.

"Emperor Taizu once said that the path for social class advancement is in fact the core institutional design that leads the evolution and development of a country. It also determines the interest distribution model and development direction of a country and a society over a long period of time." Emperor Yonglong's voice echoed in the hall, "During the Han and Jin Dynasties, there were powerful families and aristocratic families. They had been ministers for many generations and almost controlled all the power and public opinion of a dynasty. So, during that period, there were classes for ordinary people. Ascending channel?”

"Some people may say that promoting filial piety and honesty is the way for ordinary people to be promoted. But the question is, who will recommend and who is qualified to be recommended? Although there is no detailed description in the history books, we all know that this system is nothing more than It's just a power game played between aristocratic families. If you promote a member of my clan and reciprocate the favor, I will recommend outstanding young people from the Qin clan. The so-called path to class advancement at that time had nothing to do with ordinary people. It has nothing to do with the poor children of the common people."

"In the market, we often hear the story of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" about Yuan Shao, a man of four generations and three princes, who is a typical aristocratic family. The Yuan family has absolute say in the court, and can recruit many disciples and minions in the court. , gathered political connections, and were qualified to promote filial piety and integrity. Those low-level officials and scholars who wanted to complete their class transition could only rely on a dynasty like the Yuan family, because the path to class advancement was completely controlled by the family members. Otherwise, the imperial power can only use the power of relatives or eunuchs to fight for power. Otherwise, how could He Jin, who was born as a butcher, become a general? "

"What a helpless move! Because people with backgrounds are bound by the interest chains of other aristocratic families, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty could only find a low-level character like He Jin who came from a humble background and could accompany the emperor to the end for the sake of class advancement to deal with him. Later, when the Three Kingdoms were fighting, Wei Wu occupied the Central Plains, and the Nine-Rank Zhongzheng System came into being, which fundamentally destroyed the path to class advancement that was better than nothing at that time. "

"Of course, the formation of aristocratic families was not completely without merit. As far as the actual situation at that time is concerned, because of their existence, objectively, a large amount of Han civilization and a large number of knowledge books were preserved during the Five Husties period. It saves and preserves the lives of a large number of Han people, thus continuing the Chinese civilization and bloodline.”

"After the two Jins were divided and the north and the south stood side by side, the northern gentry group experienced a cruel test of blood and fire. Some aristocratic families died, some big families became stronger, and the aristocratic families eventually formed more powerful clans. These The clans not only controlled knowledge and economy, but also generally had powerful private armed forces. The subsequent Sui and Tang dynasties were essentially a continuation of clan politics. However, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty (Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty) had reached the pinnacle of imperial power. I wanted to get rid of the failed model of the Nine-Rank Zhongzheng System, and also wanted to get rid of the recommendation system of wealthy families, so I came up with the imperial examination system."

"However, the imperial examinations at that time, and even those in the Tang Dynasty later, were not the same as those in the Song and Ming Dynasties. The imperial examination system in the Sui and Tang Dynasties actually made great compromises to the wealthy families. Because of that During this period, the imperial court still required recommendation and recruitment in many cases, and the imperial examination provided an additional channel for rising class for the poor scholars of that era, but this channel was not wide enough. "

"So, by the Song and Ming dynasties, all the aristocratic families were almost wiped out, and the channels for class advancement in the entire country were opened and widened?" Emperor Yonglong stood at the door of the hall, a ray of sunlight shining on half of his face, As if bathed in a layer of holy light, giving people an inexplicable pressure, "In fact, in the Song and Ming dynasties, the path for class advancement was indeed much wider than before, giving hope and opportunities to countless children from poor families. However, this path was not It is only open to scholars, excluding other classes of society, especially the warriors who are crucial to national security and the agricultural, industrial and commercial classes who promote social development and progress.”

"In the Song and Ming dynasties, except during the founding of the People's Republic of China, most of the time, the status of warriors was very low. They were like crude embryos, like slaves, and were extremely unpopular with officials. As for businessmen, Tian was at the bottom of society, and craftsmen were Although they are humble servants, the peasants are the most exploited, and the people have little chance of advancement. The only ones who benefit are the scholars. The seal of the Ming Dynasty's defeat is not far away!

"Your Majesty, I am willing to go through fire and water for your Majesty, no matter what." Luo Kangning was shocked after hearing Emperor Yonglong's long speech. He immediately stood up and bowed deeply to the emperor.

"Although the Yingzhou corruption case has been exaggerated by newspapers and periodicals, it has aroused great dissatisfaction among the public and forced the cabinet and Dali Temple to re-open the trial. But those corrupt people will not sit still and wait for death, and they will definitely communicate with the Internet. , communicate with each other and try to avoid involving more forces and more people. Therefore, the polling office needs to explore the private matters and expose them to the world as much as possible. "

"..." Luo Kangning couldn't help but be startled when he heard this, and looked at Emperor Yonglong in surprise.

Why did the topic suddenly turn to the Yingzhou corruption case?

Isn’t it necessary to broaden the channels for social class advancement?
Aren't you going to attack the aristocratic families that are about to emerge in Qi State?
"Yes, Your Majesty." When Luo Kangning saw the confident Emperor Yonglong, he vaguely grasped something in his heart.

"In addition, there is one more thing that needs your attention." Emperor Yonglong said slowly: "Two years ago, the incident of Prince Mingde, the former crown prince, falling from his horse was very strange. Your polling office will restart the investigation at any cost. The means and price must be revealed!”

"...My lord, I obey your order!"

(End of this chapter)