I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 785 This is the light of human civilization!
Zeng Shengwu was still feeling indignant. How could he have such good intentions?

You stole my throne as the governor of Jiangsu and threw a broken chair of the governor of Hunan over to me. Do you think that’s a good intention?
Send beggars away?

Zhang Juzheng saw the devil in Zeng Shengwu's heart from the gloomy and changing expressions on his face, and his face darkened.

"Zeng Sanxing, do you really think that the post of Jiangsu Provincial Governor belongs to you alone?"

Zeng Shengwu was frightened by Zhang Juzheng's harsh questioning, and his confused mind began to clear up.

The knocking words continued to come out of Zhang Juzheng's mouth.

"The governor of Jiangsu Province is supposed to be under the jurisdiction of the cabinet, and I, as the prime minister, should have the final say. Sansheng, can I, your teacher, just say it and it's up to you?"

Zeng Shengwu shook his head repeatedly.

"It's good that you know! In the Wanli Dynasty, no minister could cover the sky with one hand. The post of Jiangsu Provincial Governor is vacant, and countless eyes are watching. I am not completely sure that I recommend you, and I also need to collude with others.

Why do you think this position is definitely yours?"

Zeng Xingwu regained consciousness and quickly apologized: "Teacher, I was so angry that I lost my mind and lost my composure. Please forgive me."

Zhang Juzheng sighed and waved his hand, "Since you know you are wrong, I can't say anything to you. You have flaws in everything else, but you are honest, and you have done well.

Fortunately, your teacher sent you to find Pan Fengwu, otherwise both you and I might have ended up with nothing, or even nothing at all, and ended up making a big fool of ourselves.

Sanxing, do you know Wu Ruzhong? "

"I know. Wu Ruzhong is from the famous Wu family in Huai'an. He is a good friend of the former Prime Minister Shi Lu Gong (Li Chunfang). His cousin is the former Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Hu Nanjin Gong."

As a Tongzhengshi, Zeng Xingwu needed to deal with officials from all levels, and he remembered the resumes of many important officials. Wu Chengen was once the chief officer of the Caodu and was now the Shaoyin of Yingtian Prefecture, so of course he remembered his resume.

"Do you know, Nanjin-kun?"

"Teacher, Nanjin students don't know much."

"Mr. Nanjin is from the Hu family, the most famous family in Changhuai, with three Jinshi and two Juren.

After Nanjin Gong returned home, he taught many students, including Dongkuo Gong (Zou Shouyi), Songxi Gong (Cheng Wende), and other famous scholars during the Zhengde and Jiajing periods. His disciples were spread all over the country, especially in Jiangnan and Jiangxi.

He also has a grandson named Hu Kerou (Hu Yingjia).”

Zeng Xingwu was greatly surprised. "The former Dali Temple official, Mr. Hu, who died of illness in the second year of Wanli, is Wu Ruzhong's cousin?"

Zhang Juzheng nodded: "That's right. Wu Chengen is not well-known, but he has a deep connection with the scholars in Jiangsu. He was appointed as the governor of Jiangsu, and it must have been recommended by someone. The emperor nodded.

Sanxing, do you know why the emperor wants him to be the governor of Jiangsu?"

Zeng Shengwu racked his brains and suddenly remembered that he had heard from his teacher that the emperor wanted to appoint Cai Maochun, the chief minister of the Taichang Temple, as the governor of Jiangsu.

"Teacher, is it related to the fact that Cai Taichang was sent to serve as the governor of Jiangsu?"

Zhang Juzheng nodded with satisfaction, "Yes, we should look at things together. Jiangsu, Jiangsu, the land of the Three Wus, is rich in natural resources and has many outstanding people."

Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard and let out a long sigh.

"In the first year of the Wanli reign, three major cases in Jiangnan eliminated many famous people from aristocratic families. Later, Zhang Siwei served as the director of the Cultural Construction Committee and stayed in Suzhou for more than a year.

I know his thoughts and methods.

Hai Rui was about punishing people and killing them, while Zhang Siwei was about digging out the root of the problem.

The Jiangsu literati were pruned too much. If Wang Shizhen had not led Tu Long, Hu Yinglin, Tang Xianzu and others to support them, the Jiangnan literati literary world would have been desolate and withered. "

After hearing this, Zeng Xingwu understood, "Teacher, the emperor sent Wu Chengen to be the governor of Jiangsu Province. Is he using his connections in the literati circle to revive the literati circle in Jiangnan?"

"The weeds have been weeded, but such a beautiful garden in Jiangnan Sanwu cannot be left to waste. According to the emperor, the cold winter is over and the spring of Daming has arrived. It is time for all flowers to bloom and compete for splendor."

"Teacher, Cai Taichang was ridiculed by the Qingliu for several years because of his marriage, and his relationship with the Shilin is not good. Why does the emperor still use him to comfort Su?"

"This is the wisdom of the emperor. Cai Qiushi was ridiculed by the literati and had a grudge against them, so he would never get along with them.

Moreover, he has been in charge of the Taichang Temple in recent years and is responsible for promoting education. He has always dealt with scholars and literati, and his methods are no worse than Zhang Fengpan's.

The emperor wanted the Three Wus to flourish, so he used Wu Ruzhong; but he didn't want weeds to grow again, so he used Cai Qiushi. Do you understand the key?"

Zeng Xingwu replied respectfully: "Teacher, I understand everything you have taught me."

Zhang Juzheng thought for a moment and said, "Sansheng, you must remember that this is the Wanli Dynasty. The new dynasty has a new atmosphere and is different from the past. You must adapt, and so must your teacher.

'Survival of the fittest!'

This sentence from the Imperial Observatory is similar to the saying "Heaven and Earth are not benevolent, and treat all things as straw dogs." You should understand this well.

After a pause, Zhang Juzheng continued, "Pan Fengwu accepted the teacher's kindness and pointed out a clear path for you, Sanxing."

Zeng Xingwu asked hesitantly, "The governor of Hunan?"

"Yes. Hunan is the rear base of Yunnan and Guizhou's reform of the native system, and can share the military merits. The governor of Yunnan and Guizhou recommended by the prince should be Ling Rucheng (Ling Yunyi), but the prince's recommendation is still very important in Yunnan and Guizhou.

Pan Fengwu can be so frank with you, which means that he will come forward to collude with Prince Jian so that you can smoothly take up the post of Hunan Provincial Governor and stay in the position and do a good job! "

Zeng Xingwu was a little confused after hearing this. He was dazzled by the series of secret collusion and coordination between the various factions.

Zhang Juzheng waved his hand and said, "Sansheng, go back and think about it carefully. Your experience abroad has been full of twists and turns, which is also a good thing for you.

This is the true state of the court during the Wanli reign. Think carefully and comprehend it well. "

"Yes!"

After Zeng Xingwu left, Zhang Juzheng sat in the chair, staring blankly at the door with his cloudy eyes, and did not come back to his senses for a long time.

At this moment, he felt extremely tired, both inside and out, physically and mentally.

"Master." Zhang Tong walked in and said softly, "It's getting late, go back home and rest early."

Zhang Juzheng turned around and looked at his trusted follower, "Zhang Tong, I am old, old."

Zhang Tong quickly replied: "The master is not old, the master is in the prime of life."

Zhang Juzheng laughed at himself and said, "Haha, old is old. My body is old, my mind is old too, just like an old cow that can no longer plow the land."

Seeing that Zhang Juzheng was still sitting in the chair, Zhang Tong stepped forward, held his arm, and slowly helped him up.

"Master, please go back home and rest early. We have to go to Xiyuan to continue the meeting tomorrow morning."

Zhang Juzheng raised his head, and looked outside with eyes as deep as the sea, his eyes sparkling with excitement, relief, and determination.
"Yes, we held a meeting, a meeting of the Advisory Council. We held a summary meeting and a planning meeting for the next three years. The Ming Dynasty finally began to transform and revive. However, after the meeting of the Advisory Council, it was the Emperor's Birthday. After the Emperor's Birthday, it was the Imperial Council.

At this court session, the emperor came up with a new idea. He wanted to show everyone the steam locomotive he had promoted. He wanted to use this train to take us to Luanzhou, Qinhuangdao, and factories and mines. "

Zhang Juzheng's eyes became blurred, with melancholy, loss, and unwillingness. All kinds of emotions surged up, like rippling waves, rippling in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, now that you have a steam engine, you no longer need oxen for plowing."

The plenary meeting of the Advisory Bureau in the Ziguang Pavilion of Xiyuan was still going on. Shu Youliang, along with Marcelo, Leon and his party, continued their tour of the capital.

"Is this Nanyuan?"

Standing on the shore of Lake Biwa in Nanyuan, looking at the pavilions and terraces in front of him, Marcelo couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

Most of the buildings in front are built along the water and are of different heights.

Some are wide and tall, with more than ten floors, appearing majestic and magnificent, with flying eaves and corners, painted beams and carved buildings. They are tall yet exude exquisite beauty everywhere.

Some of them are suspended in the air over the water, with a light shape and glazed tiles on the top, which complement the exquisite wooden carved doors and windows.

Willows, weeping crabapples and other trees are planted on land around the pavilions and terraces. Their branches hang down over the water, swaying in the wind, adding a sense of softness and agility.

There are aquatic plants such as lotus and water lilies around the water surface, and the water ripples sparkle when the breeze blows.

Sophnia couldn't help but say, "This is the first time I've seen a building that is so seamlessly integrated with nature. Harmony between man and nature, following the laws of nature, this is the essence of your civilization."

Shu Youliang laughed out loud, his face full of pride.

Marcelo pointed to the Changyi Pavilion on the other side of Lushi Lake and said, "Master Shu, where is that? It looks very similar to the guest houses we saw in Hong Kong and Shanghai, but it is more majestic and more magnificent."

"That's Changyi Pavilion, a hotel directly under Shuntian Prefecture."

"Can we go over there and take a look?"

"No."

"why?"

"Because I'm not qualified, and neither are you."

Marcelo and Leon looked at each other and understood.

It was an official building that required a certain rank of official to enter. It was like the Western Garden, a place outside the majestic imperial palace where only nobles and high-ranking officials were qualified to enter, and they had to be summoned by His Majesty the Emperor.

They had been in Ming for some time, and they had been trying desperately to cram into their brains what they had seen and heard, and then trying to understand it in their own way.

"That's where the meeting is held, like Xiyuan?"

"Yes."

"Xiyuan is still in a meeting?"

"It's on."

Marcelo asked curiously, "What kind of meeting is this? The Charter of Nobles or the Estates General?"

"The plenary session of the Advisory Council is similar to the national decision-making consultation meeting. Senior officials attend, but there are relatively few nobles. It is not the same as the Charter Conference or the Estates General you mentioned."

"Is that the Senate meeting?" Leon asked to get to the bottom of it.

"That ancient Roman Senate you mentioned earlier? Well, it's a bit like that.

The emperor presided over a meeting of the important officials of the Ming Dynasty, with representatives from the cabinet, the military government, the censorate, as well as local, industrial, commercial, and agricultural forces sitting together to summarize and discuss state affairs. Do you understand what I said? "

Shu Youliang has been with Marcelo and his team for some time and has learned a lot from them.

Marcelo, Leon and others often lamented that Shu Youliang, a high-ranking official's servant who looked a bit "sleazy", could answer any question and understand everything.

Sophnia often sighs that Shu Ye is not only full of artistic bacteria, but also has a very interesting soul.

In comparison, his servants were just a bunch of Iberian donkeys!

Is it possible that the Ming Dynasty was so civilized that it even required such high cultural literacy of its servants?

Marcelo and Leon looked at each other and said, "Okay, we understand."

Continue walking forward, and you will see colorful flags fluttering along the way, as well as various slogans and advertising slogans.

Marcelo and his companions were no longer amazed, as they had seen the colorful flags as soon as they entered the garden.

They had seen so many slogans and advertisements all the way from Longkou Port that they were already tired of them. They had only one thought in their minds: the merchants of Ming Dynasty were more business-minded than the merchants of Venice, and they could actually come up with such a genius idea as advertisement.

Their emperor was also a very open-minded emperor. He actually allowed such advertisements to be broadcast on a large scale during his birthday and at the carnival held to celebrate with the people.

It is said that the advertising income of this carnival is quite considerable. It is not only enough to support such a staggeringly large carnival, but also has a large amount of surplus money to invest in education and social welfare for the elderly and orphans.

The longer Marcelo and Leon stayed, the more they realized that the business atmosphere in Ming Dynasty was completely different from that in Venice.

The commercial atmosphere in Venice is all about profit. As long as the price is right, even Jesus can be sold. If you look through it, you will find that this lively commercial atmosphere hides a kind of chill that penetrates your bones.

The core of the Ming Dynasty's business atmosphere was to make the country strong and the people rich. The business ethics were honesty, benevolence and righteousness. It repeatedly emphasized the responsibility to the country, the people and the society. The word most frequently mentioned in the propaganda slogan was "common prosperity."

If you experience it deeply, you will find that the business atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty is like the rising sun, hot and warm, making people feel warm from the inside out.

They both have a business atmosphere, so why is there such a huge difference between ice and fire?

Marcelo and Leon were puzzled.

The group walked to the entrance of the gymnasium. Shu Youliang went forward to negotiate for a few words, and the guarding police officer smiled and let them in to visit.

Standing in the stands, seeing this huge venue that can accommodate tens of thousands of spectators, Marcelo couldn't help but exclaimed: "This stadium is bigger than the Colosseum in Rome."

"Well, although it's not that high, it looks much wider than the Colosseum."

After listening to Shu Youliang's introduction, Sophnia snorted, "Haha, how can the Colosseum compare to this place.

It was a place where the nobles used the lives of slaves for their own amusement, it was eerie and horrifying!
This is a place where people are truly happy. Standing here, we can feel the light of human civilization shining on us like the sun. "

Marcelo and Leon looked at each other and smiled bitterly.
Woo——!
Suddenly, a sharp, long sound came like a javelin, thrown from a distance and piercing everyone's ears.

Marcelo and Leon's faces changed slightly, and they couldn't help asking: "Master Shu, what's that sound?"

(End of this chapter)