My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 40: I Want to Buy Osmanthus Flowers and Wine

Shen Yikuan didn't know what kind of magic Su Ze used to convince Xu Wei with just a few words.

The two of them had not even agreed on the betrothal gift or drafted a contract, but Xu Wei agreed to be his aide.

However, Xu Wei said that he still had some things to deal with and would have to wait until next month to move to Su Ze's house.

Su Ze didn't care about a month or two, and readily agreed to Xu Wei's request. He even gave him some silver in advance so that he could deal with the matters at hand.

After Shen Yikuan sent Su Ze back home, he got on the carriage and hurried to Zhu Dashou's mansion.

These days, Shen Yi Guan often went to Zhu Dashou's house. The stewards and servants in the house had already regarded him as Zhu Dashou's disciple. He came to Zhu Dashou's study without any obstruction. Only then did Shen Yi Guan wait obediently in the side hall for Zhu Dashou's call.

However, Shen Yikuan didn't have to wait too long before he was summoned into the study by Zhu Dashou.

Putting down the pen in his hand, Zhu Dashou asked:

"Xu Wenchang agreed?"

Shen Yikuan nodded repeatedly and recounted in detail what had happened in Xu Wei's small courtyard.

Zhu Dashou murmured:
"What a wonderful line! 'With nowhere to sell the pearls from my pen, I idly toss them among the wild vines!' It truly captures the essence of Xu Wenchang's life!"

In fact, Zhu Dashou was originally planning to support Xu Wei and let him stay in the capital, but he knew that Xu Wei had a strong sense of self-esteem and would rather sell his ancestral property than repay the severance pay he owed to his friend.

Finally, Zhu Dashou came up with this idea to introduce another owner to Xu Wei so that he could stay in the capital.

If Xu Wei returned to Shaoxing, those local officials who wanted to be promoted would not know how to deal with him.

Zhu Dashou looked at Shen Yiguan and said admiringly, "You did a good job this time. Do you have any questions?"

Shen Yiguan was naturally full of questions, but he knew Zhu Dashou's character, so he only picked out the question he wanted to ask the most and said:
"Uncle Zhu, why Su Ze?"

Zhu Dashou raised his head and said approvingly, "The fact that you can ask this question shows that you have made some progress in copying the Zizhi Tongjian."

"It's Su Ze, but it's not entirely for Su Ze."

Shen Yikuan knew that this was Zhu Dashou training himself, so he concentrated on thinking.

This is the difference between having someone to guide you in politics and having no one to guide you.

Politics is the relationship between people.

Human hearts are the most difficult to predict. Understanding who is the enemy and who is the ally has been the number one political challenge since ancient times.

People who have just entered the officialdom often inadvertently offend people they should not offend, and then encounter obstacles everywhere.

Shen Yi Guan stayed at Zhu Dashou's house when he had nothing to do, just to learn the wisdom of governing from him.

"Is it Lord Gao?"

Zhu Dashou showed a teachable expression and then said:
"Not only Gao Gelao, Zhang Gelao also thinks highly of Su Ze. Xu Wenchang's joining Su Ze's staff can be seen as a test."

"Testing?"

Zhu Dashou said:
"A test from Hu Zongxian's former subordinates."

Seeing that Shen Yi Guan still didn't understand, Zhu Dashou patiently explained:
"When Zhejiang suppressed the rebellion, so many people and events were involved, but Xu Wenchang wasn't even that deeply involved."

"Tan Lun was a scholar, and Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang were military commanders. Which one of them wasn't an old friend or subordinate of Hu Zongxian?"

Zhu Dashou said again:

"Everyone says Hu Zongxian is from Yan Song's old party, but in the political situation back then, if we really want to get to the bottom of things, who can avoid Yan Song?" "Take the Qingliu people for example. Didn't Zhao Ge Lao, who is currently in the cabinet, also praise Yan Song as 'the best literary talent in this dynasty'?"

"Hu Zongxian has fallen, but his old friends and subordinates haven't. Now that the Yan father and son have been down for so long, and Lord Xu has retired, these people naturally need a place to go."

Now Shen Yikuan also understood that Xu Wei was a clerk, but he also represented the direction of the court.

This represents the court's attitude towards Hu Zongxian's old friends and subordinates.

Tan Lun is now the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, Yu Dayou is the General-in-Chief of Guangdong, and Qi Jiguang is the General-in-Chief of Fujian.

These people have real military merits and cannot be easily defeated.

However, their contributions were so great and their ranks were so high that they would definitely not be able to survive without support in the court.

Who is Li Chunfang? Could it be that the Prime Minister of the current dynasty really needs some dowry from Xu Wei?
He has to demand the money back just for this little bit. Is it because Lord Li is short of money?
Li Chunfang was just expressing his attitude. He still wanted to stick to Xu Jie's line and was unwilling to take in the remnants of Hu Zongxian's old subordinates.

But if you, Lord Li, don't accept it, what about Lord Gao? What about Lord Zhang?

Yan Song had been overthrown, and even Xu Jie, who overthrew Yan Song, had stepped down.

For Hu Zongxian's old friends and subordinates, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If he could find support in the court again, he might have a chance to shine.

If you can't find a backer, you will be transferred to more and more remote places and eventually be forced to retire.

Political struggle is so terrible that the consequences of standing on the wrong side are far more serious than doing the wrong thing.

Shen Yikuan was also frightened and broke out in a cold sweat, and he also felt the sword and blood behind the political situation in the court.

Zhu Dashou was in a good mood today, so he couldn't help but give Shen Yiguan a few more pointers:
"The reason why the Hanlin Academy is so noble is that you have the opportunity to choose not to take sides before the situation becomes clear."

"Shen Shixing did a good job in this regard. Although he was a disciple of Zhang Ge Lao, he did not necessarily completely follow Zhang Ge Lao in terms of political views. He had good relations with the outer court."

"On the other hand, Su Ze took sides too quickly and hastily, which may not be a good thing."

Shen Yikuan felt a little sympathetic when he thought about how Su Ze's house was surrounded twice by students from the Imperial College. Now Su Ze had become the public enemy of the Imperial Academy. Once Gao Gong lost power, the consequences would be disastrous.

Zhu Dashou added, "But when you make friends with them, you don't have to be too utilitarian."

Zhu Dashou seemed to recall his youth and said calmly:

"Back then, I socialized with your uncle Xu Wenchang and others, and made friends like Shen Chunfu (Shen Lian). We discussed current affairs and heroes, and we also said a lot of stupid things and made a lot of wild remarks."

"But at this age, when old friends get together again, the enthusiasm they had back then is gone."

"I wanted to buy sweet-scented osmanthus and drink it with me, but it turned out to be different. I was a young man traveling."

Shen Yikuan quickly bowed to Zhu Dashou to express his gratitude. In fact, this was Zhu Dashou reminding himself not to be too utilitarian when he first entered the officialdom. The friends he associates with now are more pure and more worthy of association than those who get together for profit in the future.
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Su Ze didn't know now that there were so many tricks behind Xu Wei's joining the curtain.

At this moment, he looked at the cotton on the [Home Planting Mat] and felt the joy of a good harvest.

Cotton, which takes half a year to bloom, bloomed in just half a month on the [Home Planting Blanket].

Just looking at the sparse cotton, Su Ze frowned. Why was it different from the large balls of cotton he saw before he traveled through time?
This output is too low.

Su Ze sighed. As expected, any technological change is gradual, not that human history will develop by leaps and bounds with the discovery of a certain species or the invention of a certain machine.

The foundation before the Industrial Revolution was based on the completion of the agricultural revolution.

Feiniao also knows that he updates too little. There are too many things to do at home during the Qingming Festival. He will try to update more when he starts working tomorrow!
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(End of this chapter)