"Queen, Dong Ji, how much money did Cai Degui give me... Hey, who are you? Why are you in my palace?"
After attending court in the lobby of Luyang County Temple, he happily returned to the harem, which is the rear house of the county temple. The little emperor Liu Xie wanted to count his money. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw Fu Shou and Dong Guiren kneeling upright. Sitting and receiving guests. There were two visitors, one was the queen's brother Fu De; the other was a man in his forties, with a white face and short beard, elegant appearance, wearing a black court dress, but Liu Xie did not recognize him.
Logically speaking, the emperor's harem was inconvenient for other men to enter and leave, let alone talk face to face with the queen and nobles.
Such a thing is unlikely to happen in an ordinary scholar's home, let alone the imperial palace. However, the situation in the harem of the young emperor Liu Xie was a bit special. All the eunuchs in the Han Palace were slaughtered by Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu during the Shi Changshi Rebellion. Palace official positions that were originally held by eunuchs, such as Imperial Order, Da Changqiu, etc., are now held by scholars. After the imperial court was moved to Chang'an by Dong Zhuo, some minor eunuchs were recruited again. However, due to the rebellion of Li Jue and Guo Fan and the subsequent pursuit of the emperor during his eastward movement, all these eunuchs had been killed and wounded and fled.
Therefore, there are still no eunuchs serving in the Han Palace today. All the official positions in the inner court were held by scholars, and the labor in the palace was handled by hired servants. As the head of the harem, the queen will inevitably have to deal with other men besides Liu Xie, Fu Wan, and Fu De...
"From the Tian family, I am Zhang Ji, the former governor of Changsha." When the man in his forties heard the little emperor's question, he quickly bowed his head and introduced himself.
"Former Changsha Governor? Are you from Liu Jingzhou?" As the young emperor Liu Xie spoke, he walked to the queen's side, sat down in a grand manner, and then ordered all the people who saluted him to stand down.
"I report to the Tian family that I was recommended by Liu Jingzhou to serve in the palace." Zhang Ji explained, "Liu Jingzhou was very sad when he heard that the Tian family was unwell. He also knew that I was good at medicine, so he recommended me to serve in the palace. "
"Oh? Do you know medical skills?" Liu Xie didn't know that Zhang Zhongjing was here to treat his madness. As soon as he heard that the other party knew medical skills, he immediately became interested - this was like meeting a colleague!
On the side, Fu De, the uncle of the state, answered for Zhang Ji: "Tianjia, although this Zhang Zhongjing entered the official position with filial piety and integrity and served many prefectures and counties, he is famous for his medical skills."
"Ah, are you Zhang Zhongjing?" Liu Xie was surprised - this was not meeting a colleague, but meeting the founder! In his previous life, he came from the Xinglin family, and his great-great-grandfather was also an imperial physician. His medical skills were very good. On October 21st and 22nd in the 34th year of Guangxu's reign, he even went to the palace to see the Emperor Guangxu and the Queen Mother of the West. ...
When he took the college entrance examination, he worshiped the image of Mr. Zhang, and with the blessing of his ancestor, he was admitted to the School of Veterinary Medicine at an agricultural university!
But where did Liu Biao hear that I was unwell? There is nothing wrong with my body! The little emperor immediately began to doubt again: By the way, Liu Jingsheng must have thought that I had a schizophrenia when I dreamed that Emperor Gao taught the Heavenly Book? So we sent a miracle doctor to take a look? I suspect that the emperor has schizophrenia...Liu Biao, you are disloyal! Master Patriarch, you are not good, how can you help Liu Biao to check whether I am crazy?
No, you have to knock it!
Zhang Ji felt proud and worried at the same time when he saw the emperor's reaction. I am proud that even the emperor knows about my medical skills! What worries me is...the emperor was so startled that he seemed a little crazy!
"Tianjia," Fu Hou spoke again at this time, "Zhang Zhongjing is a miracle doctor, why not let him be the imperial physician."
Liu Xie shook his head: "The Imperial Medical Officer is only an official with a salary of 600 dan, and he is not as important as the Marquis of the Northern Army. Zhang Zhongjing is a prefect with a salary of 2,000 dan. How can he be humbled?"
"How do you want to arrange it that day?" Fuhou asked.
Fu De interrupted: "Tianjia, Liu Jingzhou knew that the palace was in dire straits, so he asked Zhang Zhongjing to donate 10 million!"
Ten million? Another job seeker! This is the time for the official store to open!
Thinking of this, the little emperor asked: "How much did Cai Degui give?"
"Twenty million!" Empress Fu replied with a smile, "The Cai family of Xiangyang are really loyal ministers! They donated ten million in copper coins alone, and also donated a lot of Jiangling brocade, pepper and Sichuan peppercorns... Concubine's body I didn’t know how much it was worth, so I asked my brother to estimate the price. It was at least 10 million, and if you add the copper coins, it would be 20 million!”
Liu Xie nodded and said with a smile: "Yes, Cai Degui is indeed a loyal minister. I was not wrong about him!"
Giving money to buy an official position means being a loyal minister... How is this the way of the Ling Emperor?
Zhang Ji was a little speechless after listening to Liu Xie's words, but he couldn't resist - he himself had used the 10 million given by Liu Biao to buy an official position. How could he say that it was not good for Cai Mao to buy an official position now? He is allowed to buy an official position alone, but no one else is allowed to buy an official position? Isn’t this bullying and domination of the market?
"Zhongjing," Liu Xie said to Zhang Ji with a smile at this time, "Cai Degui spent 20 million to buy a county governor...Liu Jingzhou only paid 10 million for you. The county governor and the prime minister cannot buy it. , I will arrange for you a two thousand stone that can enter and leave the palace!"
"Thank you Tian family." Zhang Ji quickly thanked him.
"What vacancies are there in the palace?" Liu Xie thought for a moment, "By the way, there are still vacancies in Da Changqiu!"
Great Autumn? Zhang Ji was stunned again and again.
This official position is "the person in charge is ordered by Xuanzang Palace", that is, the general manager of the Queen's Palace. In fact, this position often also has the authority to take charge of the eunuchs in the inner court, becoming the de facto chief eunuch! Before the Shi Changshi Rebellion, eunuchs had long served in Dachangqiu. However, after the Shichangshi Rebellion, eunuchs were almost all slaughtered, so Dachangqiu was replaced by scholars.
But when Zhang Ji heard this official name, his crotch tightened...
And Liu Xie's reuse of Zhang Ji is not over yet! He then added: "Add a regular attendant!"
Da Changqiu, Zhongchangshi?
Isn't this official position too similar to a powerful eunuch? Zhang Jixin said: My officials are the same as Cao Mengde’s grandfather!
Zhang Jigang was about to shirk it, but Liu Xie rushed to speak: "Mr. Zhongjing, the position of Zhongchang Shi was originally a Langguan, and was held by scholars. However, because the emperor of this dynasty died young, there were many dynasty ministers. It was inconvenient for my mother to have contact with the scholars, so eunuchs were appointed to this official position. Over time, everyone in the world thought that the ministers of Zhongchang must be eunuchs. And since I came to the throne, there have been no eunuchs in the palace, not even in the palace of a queen like Dachangqiu. The general manager is always appointed by a scholar, not to mention the regular attendant who is always by my side?
Mr. Zhongjing was born in the Zhang family of Nanyang, and he was recommended by my ancestor Liu Jingsheng. He is old and virtuous, has experienced many prefectures and counties, is familiar with the affairs of the world, and is also proficient in medical skills... to serve as my permanent minister. Isn’t it appropriate to serve as a counselor and to have constant communication with internal and external ministers? Isn't it that Liu Jingsheng recommended you to come to the DPRK just to have Mr. follow me? Liu Jingzhou must be very concerned about my health, right? "
Could this little emperor really be able to figure things out? Zhang Jixin said: He asked me to be a regular servant... He should also take the opportunity to beat Liu Jingzhou, right? After all, sending a doctor into the court to spy on whether the emperor is crazy doesn't seem like something a loyal minister would do, right?
Seeing that he was silent, Liu Xie said warmly: "Mr. Zhongjing, although the regular servants in the past often used the opportunity to speak for the emperor to do evil, they could also go to discuss some inconveniences with the courtiers on behalf of the emperor or the queen mother. Matters where the Queen Mother directly intervenes. For example... Selling an official position!"
"Selling an official position?" Zhang Ji was stunned.
"Yes!" The little emperor nodded, "Cai Degui offered 20 million to buy the governor of Nanyang. Is that Liu Jingzhou's intention?"
"Of course."
"That's right!" Liu Xie said with a smile, "Liu Jingzhou knew that the imperial court spent a lot of money after it was still in the old capital. It would take less than one billion to revive Luoyi. And with such a large amount of expenditure, we can't rely on Jingzhou, right?"
"Indeed... we can't all count on Jingzhou!" Zhang Ji had to answer. He is a descendant of Zhang Qian, who was envoy to the Western Regions. Zhang Qian was granted the title of Bowang Marquis, the same Marquis of Bowang who "burned Bowang Slope" in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms". Zhang Qian's descendants settled in Nanyang and developed into the Nanyang Zhang family. They were also a wealthy family in Jingzhou. They had to represent the interests of the wealthy family. We couldn't let Liu Xie catch Jingzhou and kill them all!
"Yes, we must let the states and counties all over the world share the burden!" Liu Xie nodded and said, "That's why Liu Jingzhou let Cai Degui be the first to buy an official! I think that from now on, all the governors and ministers outside the direct jurisdiction of the imperial court will want to get me. The title given will cost five baht and twenty million, while the state pastor and governor need to pay ten million! If anyone is not willing to pay, let them get it themselves. I will not recognize them. of!"
Zhang Ji was also an old bureaucrat. Of course he knew that the words of the little emperor were not meant for him, but for the people behind him and Cao Mengde.
Now the three ministers and nine ministers in the imperial court have become clay puppets. Important affairs of the imperial court have to be discussed with Cao Cao and Liu Qi. Zhang Ji, with the title of "Zhongchangshi", can not only speak "whisper" to Liu Qi and Cao Cao on behalf of the little emperor, You can also participate in the buying and selling of official positions... This is a great use!
...
Liu Qi, the eldest son of Liu, occupied a mansion in Luyang City that originally belonged to the Fan family of Nanyang. It was built to be even more impressive than the county temple!
When Zhang Ji came to ask for an audience, Liu Qi, who had just settled in the house, was discussing with a sixteen-year-old boy about buying an official position for his uncle. This boy was a student at Xiangyang Academy named Zhuge Liang!
Zhuge Liang is no longer a "commoner". He has already joined the work. He joined the work in Yuzhang County, Yangzhou, and his official position is with Yuzhang County Government!
And his job did not exist in the original history. The reason why it exists now is of course Liu Xie's "butterfly wings".
Didn't Liu Biao send Liu Qi to lead troops to Luo this time? They have already invested so much money, sending troops, providing food, brocade, and cattle. Of course, they have to ask the little emperor Liu Xie for some reward. However, Liu Biao himself did not want to be promoted. He was already the General of Zhennan, the Mu of Jingzhou, the Jiejie, and the Tongsansi. Even if he was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry, or General of Hussars, how much prestige would it bring? What he needs most now is for his old subordinate Zhuge Xuan to gain a foothold in Yuzhang County in Yangzhou. This would prevent Sun Ce, who had a grudge against him for killing his father, from completely controlling the four Jiangdong counties in Yangzhou and further invading Jingzhou's territory.
Liu Biao's image in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" seems to be an honest state pastor who protects the environment and the people, and does not have much ambition. But in history, this Jingzhou shepherd was quite good at making troubles. In addition to making troubles in the seven counties of Jingzhou, he also "represented" Lai Gong, the governor of Jiaozhou, Wu Ju, the prefect of Cangwu, and Zhuge Xuan, the prefect of Yuzhang. However, Liu Biao has not yet fully controlled the four counties in Jingnan, so Lai Gong and Wu Ju have not yet "expressed" themselves to the governor of the state and the governor of Cangwu, but Zhuge Xuan has already "expressed" to the governor of Yuzhang.
It's just that Zhuge Xuan's governor didn't do a very good job, and currently only controls a small amount of territory in Yuzhang County. Moreover, he is Liu Biao's private prefect, so he has no legitimacy. Unless he can be formally appointed by Emperor Liu Xie, Zhuge Xuan's fate in Yuzhang will be a bit uncertain!
So Liu Biao asked his son Liu Qi to bring Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Xuan's nephew, and asked Zhuge Liang to go to the young emperor to ask for an official position on behalf of Zhuge Xuan... Of course, Liu Qi would help pay for the official request, and he had to go through the back door. It's up to Cai Hao and Zhang Ji to find a way to go. Zhuge Liang just showed up and took on the name. It was enough.
Otherwise, would it be inappropriate for Liu Biao, a Jingzhou shepherd, to completely handle the appointment of the governor of Yuzhang County in Yangzhou?
