Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 357 Xia Zhibai is different from others!
Liu Sanwu remained silent.

But the bulging veins on his brows revealed his true condition.

Zhao Mian sighed and said, "Father-in-law, I don't know what kind of unhappiness you and Xia Zhibai have, but if you want me to stand up for you, I'm afraid I can't count on it. And let alone asking me to stand up for you, even if I come forward to make Xia Zhibai surrender, I'm afraid it won't work."

"Xia Zhibai is the top scholar."

"I am only ranked 70 or so in the second class. Xia Zhibai will not take me seriously at all. Although I am higher in rank than him, he is more valued by His Majesty and His Highness now. He is not someone an official like me can mess with."

"Besides."

"Xia Zhibai and I have no intersection."

"We only met sporadically during the imperial examinations, and when the salt industry in Kyoto opened, other Jinshi asked to take care of the business. As for the rest of the time, we only met a few times and didn't have any conversations."

"Not familiar!"

"Of course, there is no way to ask Xia Zhibai to give me face."

Zhao Mian smiled bitterly, looking somewhat bitter and helpless.

With his current position, other officials in the court would look up to him to some extent, except Xia Zhibai. This man has always been a maverick, and even His Majesty and His Highness sometimes don't take him seriously, let alone him.

Moreover, most of his friends were Jinshi who ranked second in the class.

Like Yang Jing and Zhang Heng.

Xia Zhibai mostly stayed with Hua Lun, Lian Zining and others. Both of them were first-class Jinshi and were equally arrogant, but they could not lose their temper in front of Xia Zhibai. Even if they complained about him in private, it was just that. There was still a psychological advantage like a chasm between the first-class Jinshi and the second-class Jinshi.

This is an official position that cannot be filled.

What's more, the official positions of these three people may not be lower than theirs in the future.

It's just that His Majesty is intentionally suppressing them now because they are too young. Once they have more experience in handling government affairs, they will be promoted much faster. Perhaps in a few days, Xia Zhibai and others will surpass them.

How dare he provoke Xia Zhibai?

Liu Sanwu's face froze.

He could hear the helplessness in Zhao Mian's tone.

But he was very puzzled. Xia Zhibai was only a university scholar, while his son-in-law was the right vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, a high-ranking official with great power. His official rank was far higher than Xia Zhibai's, who was a fifth-rank official. How come it seemed that Xia Zhibai was of the third rank, while his son-in-law was of the fifth rank?
And is he so afraid of Xia Zhibai?
Zhao Mian let out a long sigh.

People are different.

In fact, these Jinshi scholars secretly envied Xia Zhibai, who was completely free and uninhibited, not influenced by the outside world, and did whatever he thought of. He was very decisive and did not care much about the so-called "superiority and inferiority". To a certain extent, many of them were actually influenced by him.

Zhao Mian said: "Father-in-law, Xia Zhibai is different from others."

"Father-in-law, you can recall that since Xia Zhibai suddenly appeared, that thing was not unexpected, from the initial failure of the exam to his return with the 'priceless item'. Moreover, he also talked about the iron horse that traveled a thousand miles a day and the artillery that killed the enemy hundreds of miles away. Let's not talk about potatoes for now."

"When we were in the south, we already saw the iron horse. Now we are still undergoing further experiments. Who knows when it will be made."

"And the powerful artillery."

"Father-in-law, are you curious about why the generals of the Five Military Command have been so quiet recently?"

"Because they went to see the firearms that Xia Zhibai was refining at the Zunhua Iron Smelter some time ago. We don't know what kind of firearms they refined, but they must be very different from the current ones, so that the generals who originally had a lot of resentment suddenly calmed down."

"The 'big words' Xia Zhibai said at the beginning are now being realized step by step."

"The salt, cotton clothes, coal factories, etc. that we have created are all very popular among the people. It is said that there were some frictions when Xia Zhibai went south this time, but I don't know what happened, and everything finally calmed down. Xia Zhibai can almost do whatever he wants. With such power and such amazing results, I am afraid that even His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can only do so much."

"My son-in-law is indeed a third-rank official, and his official position is higher than Xia Zhibai's."

"but"

"The son-in-law can't make things difficult for him." "I don't dare."

"Moreover, among the scholars of this year, there is a tacit opinion that Xia Zhibai basically succeeds in everything he wants to do, and if he doesn't want to do something, he will fail in everything he does. He has the ability and confidence to do so."

"And that's something a son-in-law doesn't have."

"So the son-in-law can't avenge the anger my father-in-law suffered from Xia Zhibai."

"I can only persuade my father-in-law to take a step back and see the bigger picture."

"If my father-in-law still insists on going against Xia Zhibai, then I, as a son-in-law, can only stand by and watch." Zhao Mian hesitated for a while, but still said this.

He didn't want to have any grudge against Xia Zhibai.

Hear the words.

Liu Sanwu was so angry that his beard was fluttering.

He glared at Zhao Mian fiercely, but he didn't expect to hear such a ruthless answer from Zhao Mian.

But after thinking for some time, he calmed down. After all, the arm is no match for the thigh. His official position was not as high as Xia Zhibai's, and now Xia Zhibai was in power. If he continued to confront Xia Zhibai, he would probably suffer losses.

Even more people will look down on them.

He has already lost face once, and he can't lose face again.

"Forget it."

"I have now seen through it. You are all weak-willed and ungrateful. I can no longer count on you. Okay, you go back first. I will find a way myself." Liu Sanwu waved his sleeves and drove Xia Zhibai away in annoyance.

"I have always been upright in my life, and I will never compromise with Xia Zhibai."

"Rather Stick to your guns!"

Liu Sanwu spoke with a resolute look on his face and in a resounding voice.

Seeing this, Zhao Mian hesitated to speak, and finally said nothing. He just bowed to Liu Sanwu and quietly retreated.

There was really nothing he could do.

Public power is not in our own hands.

Moreover, the appointment of Hanlin academicians is not something that the Ministry of Revenue can handle.

After Zhao Mian left, Liu Sanwu's face drooped, and he sighed deeply. He then reached out and hammered his knees, saying, "I'm getting old. This Xia Zhibai is a little too powerful. Well, since I can't afford to offend him, I'll just hide."

"Anyway, I don't need to compile a book now."

"It doesn't matter whether I am in the Imperial Academy or not, so I will just take a few days off to recuperate."

"It's also a leisurely and fun experience."

Liu Sanwu has recognized the facts. He was still indignant at first, but after Zhao Mian's reminder, he suddenly realized that Xia Zhibai was not someone he could afford to offend, and Xia Zhibai was now a big shot in front of His Majesty, which he could not compare with.

But it is still necessary to be tough.

As a scholar of great reputation, I cannot be timid in my words.

Otherwise you will just be laughed at.

But saying and doing are different after all.

(End of this chapter)