I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 58 How to convince Hai Rui?

Wu Chang, the director of the Imperial College, was from Enping, Guangdong.

In the 28th year of Jiajing's reign, he and Hai Rui passed the provincial examination together. Then in the spring of the following year, Hai Rui failed, while he became a Jinshi.

However, Guangdong is located in a remote area and was regarded as a barbaric land with malaria by the literati in the Central Plains and the southeast. Not many people passed the imperial examinations, and the court's influence was marginalized.

Wu Chang served as a county magistrate, county magistrate, and prefecture judge, and had been transferred to remote areas such as Yunnan and Sichuan. Later, with the help of his mentor Nan Lin, he was transferred to the capital with great effort.

Unfortunately, there were many talented people here, and Wu Chang had a shallow background, so he could not make any contribution. He slowly suffered as the head of the Ministry of Rites and the deputy minister, and then sat in the position of the director of the Imperial College for several years, with no future in sight.

Melancholy and depressed!
That day, he came out of the Imperial College and went into the Zuixian Restaurant. He sat in his usual private room on the second floor, drinking and getting drunk to relieve his depression.

As we were drinking, someone knocked on the door of the private room.

"Who?"

"Master Wu, we have a visitor."

Oh, a lonely ghost like me, is there anyone visiting me?

Wu Chang was curious and said, "Come in!"

The door opened and the waiter stood at the door, leading in a man in a green robe and long shirt.

He is in his forties, gentle, elegant and handsome.

"Brother, what is your name?" Wu Chang stood up and asked with a bow.

Xu Wei turned around, signaled the waiter to close the door, and replied with a folded hand: "I am Xu Wei, Xu Wenchang from Kuaiji."

Wu Chang's eyes suddenly widened, and he asked in surprise, "Is it Mr. Xu Wenchang, the head of the Ministry of Revenue and the director of the Donation and Relief Coordination Bureau?"

"Exactly not talented."

"Please, please take a seat!" Wu Chang said excitedly.

Xu Wei is Xu Wenchang!

Everyone in the capital knew that he was a famous scholar from the southeast.

Prior to this, he joined Hu Zongxian's court and helped plan the suppression of Japanese pirates in the southeast.

The key point is that he somehow caught the eye of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and became the co-director of the Coordination Office.

Over the past year, he was rewarded by the Emperor with the title of Director of the Ministry of Revenue for his contribution in coordinating the supply of grain and money for the suppression of the Japanese invaders in the southeast. Everyone also knew that he had become the Crown Prince's confidant.

The prince's party!

The latest rising force in the court that cannot be ignored.

Hu Zongxian, Tan Lun, Liu Tao, Cao Bangfu, Wang Chonggu, and the vaguely mentioned Li Chunfang, Zhao Zhenji, Zhang Juzheng, and Pan Jixun.

Among these people, Hu Zongxian became the leader of the Prince's Party. He transformed himself from a notorious member of the Yan Party into a key official of the country and a pillar of the Northern Frontier.

Tan Lun, Liu Tao, Cao Bangfu, Wang Chonggu and others had previously fought in the southeast to suppress the Japanese pirates. They had suffered hardships and most of the credit was taken away by others. When something went wrong, they stepped forward to take the blame.

But after he joined the Crown Prince's party, he was quickly promoted to the positions of Deputy Envoy, Governor, Governor-General, Deputy Censor-in-Chief, and Vice Minister.

Li Chunfang, the prince's teacher, "dean of academic affairs", directly entered the cabinet
Thinking of this, Wu Chang's heart burned hot and his eyes almost filled with tears.

The organization has finally found itself.

"Mr. Wenchang, please take a seat! Waiter, serve the food and wine. Good wine and good food, serve them all, serve them all! Mr. Wenchang, is there anything you cannot eat?"

"There's nothing to avoid, just add two dishes and I'll have a few drinks with Brother Wu."

Have a few drinks, and you will feel close to me!
After a flurry of activity, Xu Wei and Wu Chang sat down.

Xu Wei raised his glass and said with a smile: "I have some juniors studying in the Imperial Academy. I have heard them mention Brother Wu. He is very talented and worthy of being called a hero of Lingnan."

"Brother Xu, thank you very much." Wu Changmei was so happy that his nose was almost bubbling. He raised his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

After three rounds, Xu Wei said calmly, "I heard that Brother Wu and Hai Rui, the head of the Ministry of Revenue, are from the same school and have close contacts?"

Wu Chang's heart skipped a beat.

Hai Rui was writing a memorial to impeach the Coordinating Bureau. As one of his few good friends, Wu Chang knew about it. Several of his friends even sat together to discuss the wording of the memorial.

When Wu Chang heard Xu Wei's question, he knew that this person was targeting Hai Rui. But he was not angry, because this showed that he was valuable!

There are tens of thousands of officials and scholars in the capital. If you don’t have some value, you are even worse than a stray dog ​​on the roadside.

"Mr. Wenchang, I passed the provincial examination in the same year as Gangfeng, and both of us were masters of Nanlin. Before that, we only communicated through letters when we were traveling around.

Last year, Gangfeng was transferred to the capital, and he didn’t know many people, so he kept in close contact with a few old friends like me.”

Wu Chang replied calmly.

Xu Wei could tell that Wu Chang had experienced the ups and downs of officialdom and was not a rash person.

This is better.

"There is a rumor in the capital that Hai Gangfeng is writing a memorial to impeach the Coordination Bureau. Gangfeng is upright, honest and fair, and is well-known throughout the world. He has set his sights on the Coordination Bureau, and we are very anxious."

Xu Wei worked in the Coordination Bureau, following Zhao Zhenji. He didn't learn much else, but he learned it in a roundabout way.

When discussing matters in official circles, everyone would first go through a lot of trouble to test each other and feel out each other's cards before slowly releasing the news.

I was too honest in the past, no wonder my career wasn’t going well!

Wu Chang blinked his eyes and began to respond, "Gangfeng is indeed a very stubborn person. To put it bluntly, he is a stubborn person. Once he makes up his mind, no one can change his mind."

Ask me to persuade Hai Rui?

It's not impossible, it's simply impossible!
If he had listened to the advice, he would not have offended Lord Xu so much!
Wu Changxian put the difficulties on the surface.

"We have heard about Hai Gangfeng's character and temper. It's just that we feel wronged."

Wronged?

What do you mean?
Wu Chang pricked up his ears and listened to what was said next.

"There are so many problems in the court, why are they focusing on us who are doing practical work? We have worked hard to raise food and money for the Southeast to suppress the Japanese invaders. Is it easy?"

It’s really not easy!
Wu Chang had also heard that the Coordination Office not only had to raise food and money for the suppression of Japanese pirates in the southeast, but also had to raise money for the renovation of Taoist temples and palaces for the emperor and for practicing Taoism. This was not something that ordinary people could do.

You know, these two tough tasks forced the Ministry of Revenue to have a one-third shortage of staff from the minister to the director.

No one wants to take over this mess.

But it's not easy to persuade Hai Gangfeng with just one word!

"Actually, there are a few things that give the Coordination Office the biggest headache. One is the Taoist temples, which are extravagant and wasteful. Every day, they pretend to offer sacrifices to the emperor, and they use the three animals, sacrifices, gold and silver instruments, etc., to secretly take away the money.
There were also provincial governors, even governors-general, provincial governors and other border officials who did not do their work but vied to contribute auspicious items to the emperor, and the ceremonial officials always presented congratulations. The emperor was also very proud, and he would repair palaces and pavilions to display auspicious items and reward him with grace.

The ceremonial officials present a memorial to express congratulations and also reward the officials generously, which will benefit the people. These are all money. "

Wu Chang was so frightened when he heard this that he wanted to get up and leave.

Why are you telling me this?
Is this something I can listen to?
Mr. Wenchang, you are at least a famous scholar in the southeast.

I have no grudge against you, why do you want to harm me?

Xu Wei continued, "If the root of bad governance is not removed, what is the point of impeaching our Coordination Bureau? If we close down, will the Taoist temples stop offering sacrifices to the heavens? Will they stop reporting auspicious signs? Will they stop delivering congratulatory messages?

Hai Gangfeng shouldn't be so confused! Besides, as a well-known honest official, he didn't impeach so many bad policies, but impeached a small shrimp in our Coordination Bureau. Isn't he afraid of being laughed at by the world?"

Xu Wenchang! What do you mean? !

Do you want me to instigate Hai Rui to impeach the Taoist temple and Xiangrui and slap the emperor in the face?

Wu Chang was so scared that sweat broke out on his back.

wrong!

After all, Xu Wei is a famous scholar in the southeast. The prince's party is not only capable of getting things done, but also smart people. How could they be so confused!

Wu Chang's mind was racing. What was going on?

What is Xu Wenchang’s intention in saying these things to us?
Wu Chang looked at Xu Wei's smiling face opposite him and suddenly understood!

You officials who are doing well in the court are all too bad, black-hearted, and dirty.

But I like it because it means I have a future!
(End of this chapter)