Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 542: Persuasion (asking for monthly ticket)

After meeting Xu Qiong, Zhang Luan didn't take it too seriously.

He just treated it as a casual social interaction with a colleague in the officialdom. With his personality, he would rather pay more attention to eating and drinking. Although he was at the center of attention, he seemed out of tune with the officialdom.

As a result, when he just returned home that afternoon, he learned that Shen Lu had been waiting at home for half a day just to see him.

"Ruxue, look at yourself. You insisted on waiting here when I wasn't at home. If I didn't come back today, wouldn't your waiting be in vain?" Zhang Luan said in a complaining tone as soon as they met.

Shen Lu smiled and said, "Since you can enter the gate of Zhang's house and have the right to sit here, then just wait. You don't know how many people want to enter your house but have no chance."

Zhang Luan was surprised and asked, "Are there many people who want to visit my house? I don't usually see many people... Are you mistaken?"

Shen Lu smiled and said, "Isn't it because everyone in the court knows that the threshold to enter your mansion is high? There are rumors outside that it will be useless even if you submit a visiting card. It may also be that people in the court know that you are a low-key person, so even if they want to use your connections, they dare not act rashly now, for fear of arousing your disgust, and can only hint at it..."

"Act rashly... make indirect comments..."

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "Ruxue, are you playing dumb with me? Tell me, why did you come to me?"

Shen Lu stood up and wanted to help Zhang Luan in front of him to sit down in the main seat.

Zhang Luan waved his hand, "Don't treat me like porcelain. I'm not to the point where I'll break if touched... I'm much better now and have returned to the court to serve... I can do it myself."

"Hey, it seems that your body has recovered well."

Shen Lu smiled and said, "I heard that Minister Xu from the Ministry of Personnel went to see you today?"

Zhang Luan wanted to drink some tea, but he immediately looked away from the tea bowl. He looked at Shen Lu curiously and asked, "You know all this? Or did he discuss this with you before he came to see me?"

Shen Lu smiled and said, "Don't ask me how I know this first... just ask if this is true."

"Yes, I have."

Zhang Luan picked up the tea bowl in front of him, put it to his lips and took a sip, his expression indifferent, "Does it need to follow so many rules when the in-laws meet? Or, the Vice Minister of Personnel can't meet the Vice Minister of Revenue in the government office? The court shouldn't have such outrageous rules, right?"

Shen Lu said: "Of course not, and your meeting is aboveboard, no one will criticize it."

"That's what I said. Even if Shi Yong and I are not related by marriage, it's common for colleagues to visit each other and discuss official business... So what if we've met before?"

Zhang Luan said, "Ruxue, I know that you officials like to beat around the bush when you talk, but you don't need to do that with me. Just speak frankly."

"Haha, we are officials? Aren't you one of them?"

Shen Lu was about to make a joke, but when he saw Zhang Luan's serious expression, he immediately put away his contempt, looked around, and asked, "Is Yanling here?"

Zhang Luan said with a dark face: "Oh, you think that you can't discuss things with me, but you have to go to my son? Or is it him, not me, who you are visiting today?"

"No, no, no... I just came here to see you."

Shen Lu was very embarrassed and was thinking, when did you, Zhang Laizhan, become so impatient?
Can't you just listen to me properly?
"Laizhan, it's like this. Now everyone in the court is trying to use connections to keep their official positions. Of course, it would be best if they could get promoted, or avoid being transferred to other places, or be transferred from the local areas to the capital..."

Shen Lu explained his purpose.

Zhang Luan said nonchalantly, "I know this... Isn't it common for officials to change positions? It's not uncommon to use connections for this purpose... But the question is, does this have anything to do with me?"

"Of course it does matter!"

Shen Lu nodded and said, "Everyone knows that now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, the court is full of new atmosphere. The current cabinet ministers, starting with the recently resigned cabinet minister Wan, will gradually retire and leave. It seems that their official positions will not last long. As the saying goes, one carrot, one pit. After they retire, the positions they vacate will be filled by the next person, and the positions behind them will be filled by the next person."

"Haha, really? Is there someone like me who suddenly appeared in the officialdom... am I considered a wild radish?"

Zhang Luan said with a self-deprecating smile.

"what!?"

Shen Lu was stunned.

Is there anyone who uses himself as an example like this?
"You go on."

Zhang Luan smiled as if he was joking and didn't take it seriously at all.

Shen Lu looked embarrassed: "In the past, when we used connections, we mostly used the Tongzhengshisi to influence us."

"I know that. Just find Li Zisheng. He has a wide network of contacts and is trusted by the late emperor. The late emperor will most likely agree to whomever he recommends."

Zhang Luan said indifferently.

"Yes, yes, yes, come and see. If someone in the court wants to use his connections, who should he go to see?" Shen Lu asked as if he was trying to embarrass Zhang Luan.

Zhang Luan was stunned for a moment, then pointed at himself and asked, "You don't mean to say that they want to use my connections, do you? Does this official promotion have anything to do with me?"

Shen Lu asked with a smile: "You see, the Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is also considered a top figure in the Ministry of Personnel, right?"

"Oh, indeed. Not only in the Ministry of Personnel, but even in the entire Ming officialdom, he is considered a top figure. The promotion of most officials in the court is related to him."

Zhang Luan said, "Shi Yong has a lot of power."

"That's it, right? Shi Yong still has to ask you for your opinion, right?"

Shen Lu patiently and persuadingly.

Zhang Luan was stunned at first, then he lost his voice and said, "You mean, Xu Shiyong went to the Ministry of Revenue to find me in order to build connections in the officialdom? But after seeing me, he kept talking about letting me join the cabinet as soon as possible. I said I didn't want to join the cabinet for the time being, but he was not happy... What exactly does he want to do?"

Shen Lu said helplessly: "Laizhan, do you really not know or are you pretending to be confused? If you can enter the cabinet, then the position of Xu Shilang in the Ministry of Personnel will be more stable. In the future, he will be promoted to the position of Zuo or directly promoted to Shangshu. That is just around the corner. "You said that the people who wish you the best are those who follow you and are willing to cooperate with you with all their strength, right?"

Zhang Luan's face looked a little confused.

But it was obvious that he understood what Shen Lu said.

"Laizhan, what do you say?"

Shen Lu asked.

"I finally understand. Although I don't meet Xu Shiyong very often, we have vaguely become a party, and I am the leader of this party. Everyone hopes that I can go a step further to ensure that this party is more stable and prosperous, right?" Zhang Luan said with a wry smile.

"Your analogy..."

Shen Lu was quite speechless after hearing this, but he nodded helplessly, "I guess so. But don't you think this analogy is a bit inappropriate? Forming a clique has always been a taboo!"

Zhang Luan said angrily, "Since you know it's a taboo, why did you tell me? I usually try to reduce my contact with Xu Shiyong, because I'm afraid that others will think we are forming a clique for personal gain. Now, in order to help others, he uses his connections to come to me... How do you want His Majesty to think of me? How do you want the Empress Dowager to think of me?"

Shen Lu quickly said, "Calm down, let's take a long-term view."

Zhang Luan said, "I was just saying that I would see if I could help Xu Shiyong get promoted to the position of Left Vice Minister. It turns out that I was just being selfish... Forget it, forget it. I won't mention it again in the future. Whatever you want to do."

When Shen Lu heard this, he thought, Zhang Laizhan, you are really amazing.

You are the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. You have only been in office for a few days, but you have already learned how to make empty promises to people?

He's the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and he hasn't been in the position for even a few days, yet you dare to say that you want to promote him to the Left Vice Minister?
You deny verbally that you have engaged in self-interest, but you do not seem to be avoiding the things you do.

"Humph, I don't care anyway!"

Zhang Luan said proudly: "Let those who want to use connections to find those dignitaries who can help them!"

Shen Lu asked pointedly, "Laizhan, are you talking about Li Yu, the Minister of Personnel, or Liu Xuan, the Left Vice Minister?"

"Isn't it all okay?"

Zhang Luan frowned.

Shen Lu smiled and said, "Then you don't know the current structure of the Ministry of Personnel... Although Minister Li of the Yintaisi basically doesn't care about the Ministry of Personnel now, his influence is still there. Minister Li Yu is still in the court. The Ministry of Personnel is actually still controlled by Li Zisheng. Although Liu Xuan is the Left Vice Minister, he is only temporarily appointed after the former Left Vice Minister Xu Pu entered the cabinet. How much power do you think he has?"

Zhang Luan asked: "So what?"

Shen Lu patiently analyzed, "Look, our Minister Xu was recommended by Li Zisheng to come to Beijing to take up his post, right? He is also your in-law, and everyone knows that you two are very close. Now in the Ministry of Personnel, although he only holds the title of Right Minister, everyone actually thinks that he should be the head of the Ministry of Personnel."

"what!?"

Zhang Luan stared in astonishment and asked in a lost voice, "Ruxue, are you trying to say that, because of my presence, Xu Qiong has already vaguely controlled one of the six ministries, and can even dominate the appointment and dismissal of officials throughout the country? That's not the case, right?"

Shen Lu sighed, "I know you don't usually ask about these things, but you have to pay attention... Now that you are in a high position and have great power, just because you don't form a clique doesn't mean others don't want to get close to you... Do you think that gaining the emperor's trust is just a matter of a word?"

"What did you say!?"

Zhang Luan’s eyes were wide open, still looking confused.

He was thinking, I've been recuperating at home every day, not caring about anything, and even thinking about romance and beautiful women all day long. Do those trivial matters in the court have anything to do with me?

"Laizhan, if you are in the court and only fight alone, you will never be able to accomplish anything, and you may even lose your foothold in the end."

Shen Lu spoke eloquently, "It's true that you haven't been an official for a long time, but your foundation is too good and too upright. Everyone knows that you are the savior of the late emperor, the father-in-law of the prince, and you have made great contributions in assisting the East Palace to ascend the throne smoothly. Even if you don't take credit for yourself and don't want to be a powerful official, others will unconsciously push you to that position..."

Zhang Luan said, "Hey, what does this have to do with anything? Can't I just be an idle person?"

Shen Lu said, "Then do you know why there was no opposition from the court when you just handled the case of Liang Fang and others for His Majesty?"

"why?"

Zhang Luan continued to be confused.

"Because they all know that going against you for such a small matter will only backfire. Lai Zhan, you have power but don't know it, and you have ability but don't know how to use it... Let's put it this way, as long as you enter the cabinet, it will be natural for you to become the prime minister in the future. How many people are looking up to you?"

Shen Lu seemed very anxious, with fanatical eyes, as if he was very much looking forward to this happening.

Zhang Luan was surprised and asked, "Ruxue, why is the news I heard from you different from what I heard from others? Others all advised me to restrain myself and return to propriety, but you advised me to become a powerful official?"

Shen Lu said sincerely: "I have been an official for a long time and have seen through all kinds of things in the world. I speak the truth and have a clear conscience. Others are strangers to you. They are just trying to persuade you to be good and say polite words to you."

"Do I... have to be a powerful official?"

Zhang Luan muttered to himself and waved his hand, "Forget it. I won't think about this kind of troublesome problem anymore, lest it shorten my life. Let's wait for Yanling to come back and talk to him... Hey, I suddenly feel that what you say makes sense..."

"Which one?"

Shen Lu asked.

"Just what you said when we first met... Is Yanling here?"

Zhang Luan rolled his eyes at Shen Lu.

(I will continue to ask for monthly tickets in the middle of the month, please, thank you!)
(End of this chapter)