Xiangye

Chapter 231 The Devil's Horn ([-])

Cai Yuanwailang: "Why, the doctor means to put this matter on hold. Isn't this bad?"

"What's wrong, what's wrong?" Luo Langzhong sneered even louder: "Xu Yu, you little man! Last year when Yexian's army marched into Beijing, there was such absurd idea of ​​moving the capital to Nanjing. If it is true In this way, my Ming Dynasty is in danger! Fortunately, Your Majesty is not bewitched by such villains, and this is the reason for the great victory in the capital. He Xu, a small editor of the Imperial Academy, actually pointed fingers at our officials and regarded them as I'm waiting for nothing? How important is the position of Daxing county magistrate, and he said he will go?"

Officials in the Ministry of Officials have great power and temper.Xu Yu's proposal to move the capital has become the laughing stock of the world, how could Mr. Luo Lang pay attention to such a person.

Cai Yuanwailang said cautiously: "Luo Langzhong, after all, it was Yu Shaobao who handed it over. If you insist on not doing it, the Zai Zuo will not look good on the inside. Wang Shangshu and Da Sima are officials in the same dynasty, but they have to court every day." Face to face, it will be embarrassing at that time."

Luo Langzhong snorted heavily, and shouted: "Yu Qian is the minister of the Ministry of War, but he can't control our official department. As for Wang Shangshu, I will tell myself. Hmph, you probably don't know the origin of this Gao Wen. He was originally a subordinate official in Hancheng, Shaanxi. Because his ancestors were implicated in the case of Fang Xiaoru, the imperial court graciously allowed him to return to his good status. He wants to take the imperial examination, so he can do it in Xi'an. The imperial examination over there is easier. This person, like his teacher Xu Zhen, is a villain, how can he use it, and how can he be placed in such an important place as Daxing County?"

Cai Yuanwailang's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Hancheng...isn't Du Shenghui, Zuo Zai's protégé, working as a seal official there?"

Luo Langzhong nodded slightly: "Exactly, you and I handled this matter back then, why did you forget?"

This time Cai Yuanwailang fully understood that Gao Wen moved his household registration to Pingliang to take the imperial examination, and got the Shaanxi Provincial Examination Xieyuan, which was simply not giving Du Shenghui face.Du Zhixian is a student of Wang Shangshu, Luo Langzhong intends to please Wang Zhi and Wang Shangshu, and wants to embarrass Gao Wen in this matter.

Originally, the life and death of a mere Gao Wen had nothing to do with Cai Yuanwailang.However, Luo Langzhong would go too far in doing so.What matters in the officialdom is propriety, if it is too much, it is not good.Moreover, in his heart, he vaguely looked down on Luo Langzhong's enthusiasm for flattering Wang Shangshu.

He asked, "What does Luo Langzhong plan to do?"

Luo Langzhong: "What else can I do? Let him wait in line, when there is a vacancy, and when he will be reassigned. In any case, the post of Daxing County Chancellor cannot be given to Gao Wen."

Queuing, there are too many people queuing in the official department, maybe it won't be his turn to Gao Wen in ten or eight years.

Cai Yuanwailang smiled: "It's still not right. Let's think about this matter more for Zai Zuo. It's really not beautiful, but it's not beautiful. I heard people say that this Xu Yu is a difficult person. The ghost knows that he will come down." Would it be uncomfortable to go to Shangshu, let's not trouble Zukazai."

Luo Langzhong: "Anyway, we can't let Gao Wen go to Daxing County."

Cai Yuanwailang: "If this is not the case, just assign him an idle job and explain it to him. Anyway, the lower official estimates that Xu Zhen is just asking for a share of salary for his disciples to support his family. Let's see where there is a vacancy and arrange one at will. That’s it, when the time comes, everyone will have nothing to say.”

After talking for a long time, Luo Langzhong finally calmed down and nodded: "You are speaking firmly, no matter what, let's see what is missing."

While speaking, he stroked the beard on his chin, and said: "It's really not many suitable vacancies for the seventh grade in the sixth department and the various courtyards in the capital. I didn't care about it for a while, and I will think about it later."

This is true of the big society and small government system implemented in the Ming Dynasty.In other words, the country's political organs are understaffed.Take the Ministry of Officials among the six ministries as an example. The main officials are the Shangshu, the left and right ministers, the four chief ministers and the thirteen chief officials of the Qing Dynasty, plus the deputy officials of each department. people.Everyone's grades are high, and they all start at the sixth grade.As for ordinary office workers, if they are in the stream, it is really difficult to find a vacant position for Gao Wen, Xu Zhen's favorite student.

This man surnamed Gao made it clear that he wanted to be an official in the capital and get his salary to earn a living, while preparing for the exam, and then released Beijing to be the county magistrate. It is estimated that Xu Zhen will make a lot of trouble, but it is troublesome.

Cai Yuanwailang said with a smile: "Mr. Luo, it's not necessary to find a suitable vacancy, you can take a second job."

Luo Langzhong's eyes lit up: "This is a good idea, why didn't I think of it!"

He understood what Cai Yuanwailang meant, and he simply gave Gao Wen an official position of the seventh rank, but he did not hold a real position, and then sent him down to take charge of the corresponding duties.

Just want to make an analogy, it is like a section member who enjoys a department-level treatment under a department-level agency in a county in later generations.

Luo Langzhong: "Give Gao Wen the title of Cong Qipin, and go to the Ministry of Rites to work."

Cai Yuanwailang was puzzled: "Lang Zhong, the youngest official in the Ministry of Rites is the head of the sixth grade. He is an official appointed by the imperial court. It is not appropriate for Gao Wen to work there, right?"

"Who said he won't be allowed to be the master?" Luo Langzhong sneered, "There is a vacancy in Fengluan at the Ministry of Rites, let Gao Wengua take over from the seventh rank."

"Ah, this... is this inappropriate?" Cai Yuanwailang stuttered.

The so-called Fengluan is the chief officer of the Jiaofang Division, and the ninth rank is not in the ranks.

The Jiaofang Division is indeed a subordinate institution of the Ministry of Rites, but this place is so dirty that it would be an insult to ask Gao Wen to be in charge.

What does the Jiaofang Division do? It is in charge of music, dance and opera. In fact, it is a national song and dance troupe, which plays music exclusively at celebrations or when welcoming distinguished guests.Most of the musicians and singers in the company came from the wives and daughters of prisoners and prisoners of war.These people are happy households and belong to the humble family.

Among them, the high-ranking courtesans are simply equivalent to the film and television stars of later generations, and are sought after by tens of thousands of people. For example, in the late Ming Dynasty, famous Qinhuai prostitutes such as Dong Xiaowan, Li Xiangjun, Gu Hengbo, Bian Yujing, and Chen Yuanyuan were famous in the Jiaofang Department of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites. They are the eight beauties of the Qinhuai River, even if ordinary people move out of Jinshan Yinhai, they may not be able to see them.

However, there are more ordinary official prostitutes in Jiaofangsi.

So this Fengluan is, to put it bluntly, the head of the country's government management of the corruption industry, and his reputation is also bad.During the reign of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhengde summoned a man named Xu Lin and wanted him to be an official in the teaching room.Xu Lin burst into tears and said: "Since the aristocratic family is innocent, and those in the teaching workshop advocate excellent ministers, I dare not worship him after death." At any rate, he is a scholar, so he would rather die than obey if he wants to do this job.

Seeing his firm attitude, Emperor Zhengde had no choice but to confer another official post on him.

It can be seen from this that not only is it not a good thing to do this Fengluan, but it is very likely to ruin his reputation and become the laughing stock of the world.

"Why is it inappropriate?" Luo Langzhong said lightly: "Xu Yuanyu, a scholastic scum, what kind of good can his disciple be, he is naturally a lustful and greedy person. Wouldn't it be fulfilling his wish to let him go to the Jiaofang Division?"

Cai Yuanwailang shook his head and sighed: "Luo Langzhong, Xu Yuanyu is certainly a villain, but this Gao Wen is Xie Yuan from Jinke Township, Shaanxi Province. He is also a famous teacher. If we do this, how will others think of you and me? Shaanxi scholars are afraid." I don't agree."

Luo Langzhong raised his eyebrows: "So what if you don't accept it?" However, after being reminded by Cai Yuanwailang, he also felt that it was a bit too much.

Cai Yuanwailang said: "If it's not like this, we can let Gao Wen take a vacant post in the Ministry of Rites and take charge of the Jiaofang Division."

Luo Langzhong stroked the beard on his chin and thought for a while, then nodded: "Of course, let's do it this way. It's getting colder today, it's been hot all summer, it's refreshing, refreshing!"

Cai Yuanwailang looked at the wet imperial city outside, and said with a smile, "It's much more comfortable. This summer and autumn is really hot."

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Beijing, the imperial city, the cabinet is worth a house.

It rained for a few days, it was late autumn, and the weather suddenly turned cold.

Several elders in the cabinet gathered together today, which is rare, and they are discussing matters in the duty room.

The small room suddenly became lively, not only the first assistant Chen Dun, the official minister Wang Zhi, but also the newly promoted Dongge University scholar Gao Gu, who hadn't shown up for a long time, also arrived.

Mr. Gao Ge was a Jinshi in the Yongle Year, and he was also a veteran of the Five Dynasties like Li Zhen who had just passed away.He was old, and it was a bit difficult for him to be elected into the cabinet by the ministers this time. The new emperor ascended the throne, and the Supreme Emperor was on his way back to Beijing.

In addition to these three, the other eight cabinet elders also arrived, namely Peng Shi, Shang Ren, Yu Gang, Jiang Yuan, Wang Yining, Xiao Yi, Wang Wen, and Miao Zhong.

Among them, Shang Ren is the most famous among the scholars. In history, he was the second person in the Ming Dynasty who was awarded the title of Sanyuan.The first one is Huang Guan in Jianwen, that is to say, Shangge is the first place in the provincial examination, general examination and palace examination.Today, he is the official residence of Jinshendian University's Ministry of Scholars and Industry.

The cabinet of the Ming Dynasty is not actually an authority. When the Yamen was first set up, it was mainly used to make decisions for the emperor's staff. It was a standard secretarial organization.Therefore, the number of cabinet members is variable, and the least was in the year of Hongzhi, when there were only three people, Liu Jian, Xie Qian and Li Dongyang.Generally speaking, all six ministers are to be included in the cabinet, so the cabinet generally has six people, each of whom is in charge of one department.

The most time because it is now, the number reached a staggering 11 people.When there are too many people, there are too many things to do. The so-called too many oars destroy the boat, and the efficiency of doing things is low.But this is also something that can't be helped, orthodox to Jingtai, the court is in turmoil.Emperor Jingtai not only wanted to appease the old ministers of the Supreme Emperor, but also arranged for his own staff.

In this way, the cabinet expanded to its current size.

Everyone in the cabinet is here today, and there are obviously important things to discuss.

Just because he was too old, Gao Gu couldn't stand the autumn cold, so the cabinet prepared a stove for him early, and it burned vigorously.

The area of ​​the value room is small, and when it is baked by the stove, it becomes very hot immediately.

Chen Shoufu and Wang Cifu were calm and sat there with calm faces. The other eight elders also respected their identities and endured bitterly.

After taking a sip of tea and moistening his dry throat, Chen Dun, the chief minister of the cabinet, coughed and said, "The Emperor Taishang has arrived at Yehuling. Please come here today. I just want to discuss how to pick him up and return to Beijing. How to arrange things in the future."

(End of this chapter)