The two brothers Shen Yi stayed at Zhao's house for almost a whole morning and did not leave until near noon.
And Zhang Jian also left with the two brothers. The Zhang family has been in Jiankang for decades. Although the old man Zhang Jing and most of the Zhang family have left, the Zhang family still has many elders in Jiankang. Zhang Jian needs to come to visit one by one to pay New Year greetings.
The four Shen family members left Zhao Mansion together.
After leaving the Zhao family, Shen Yi asked Lu Ruoxi and her son to take a carriage back, while he took Shen Heng with him to Dayifang on foot to pay New Year's greetings to Mr. Gu in Dayifang.
As the two brothers walked on the road, Shen Heng was still a little confused.
Master Shen glanced at his brother and smiled slightly: "Do you think what you saw today is different from what you imagined?"
Shen Heng raised his head and glanced at his brother, then nodded silently: "Yes."
"I thought that my elder brother and Duke Chang Ping only had some intellectual contacts because of the academy."
"I thought the senior brothers and elder brothers of the Zhang family were just friends..."
Shen Yi said calmly: "Actually, it's not much different from what you think, Zichang. Master Zhao and our brothers are indeed related from the academy. As for what you see."
Shen Yi said silently: "Zichang, human nature is selfish."
"You were originally concentrating on your studies, and I wouldn't teach you these things. But now that you are about to enter the officialdom, it's time for me, my brother, to teach you something useful."
Shen Heng took a deep breath, looked up at Shen Yi, and said, "So, brother took me out deliberately today."
"Um."
Mr. Shen walked in front with his hands behind his back and continued.
"Everyone is born with selfishness in their human nature. This kind of selfishness will be particularly obvious when entering officialdom, such as our Ganquan Academy in Jiangdu."
"The academy was first founded by Mr. Yi'an. Only three or four years after its establishment, the academy produced its first Jinshi."
"This Jinshi entered the court and became an official. After struggling for a long time, one day..."
Shen Yi glanced at Shen Heng and continued: "One day, suddenly another person from the academy became a Jinshi and entered the court."
Master Shen asked: "If Zi Chang were the first Jinshi, how would you react when you met the younger generation?"
Shen Heng said silently: "When you are in a foreign land, you will naturally be very happy to meet a fellow junior from the same hometown."
Mr. Shen smiled and said: "Yes, I am happy. Maybe I will promote the younger generation."
"And this junior who has just entered the court and has no foundation will follow the senior with all his heart and charge into battle for the senior."
"So, as time went by, more and more Jinshi came, and the so-called "Ganquan Sect" gradually took shape."
"The so-called three common subjects in the examination room are roughly the same as this."
"Speak louder."
"All relationships in the court, whether they are from the same hometown, the same year, classmates, or the same academy, or masters and apprentices, relatives, friends, these relationships can be understood as a thread."
"Countless threads are woven into a giant web."
"A giant, unbreakable web."
Mr. Shen looked at Shen Heng silently and sighed: "You and I, including Master Zhao, are all nodes in this giant network. We are each connected to some nodes, and at the same time we are connected to others."
"This is the so-called network of people in the imperial court."
"If you want to be successful in the court, you must understand these things, straighten out the layers of relationships in your body, and know how to leverage others. At the same time, you must be careful not to be dragged into a situation of no return."
Shen Heng was thoughtful.
He glanced at Shen Yi and asked in a low voice: "What about Your Majesty?"
Shen Yi was silent for a while, and then said: "Your Majesty, it is a huge network."
“He connects countless people and is connected by countless people.”
"So sometimes he's in the middle of it and can't do anything about it."
The young Tanhualang stopped, looked at Shen Yi silently, and said, "If we are all tied together, wouldn't it mean that we are forming cliques for personal gain and nepotism?"
Shen Yi shook his head slightly: "It's far from that level..."
"If those on our side are capable enough, you can reach out and give him a hand."
"In other words, when the opportunity is presented in front of us, those elders may also lend a hand to us."
"At best, it's just a few more chances."
Shen Heng looked at Shen Yi and asked, "Brother, is this right?"
This question stopped Shen Yi.
After being silent for a while, he shook his head slightly: "I don't know."
"Maybe not."
Mr. Shen patted his brother on the shoulder and said, "But the situation is like this. It is not just in the imperial court, but in all walks of life."
"Want to change."
Shen Yi thought for a moment, and then continued: "It is almost impossible."
"If you want to be an official, you must first comply with these rules."
"Of course, you have just joined the official position, and the main thing is to use your strength."
"One day in the future, you, Shen Zichang, will reach a high place. Whether or not you can reach out and pull the person who comes after you is your own business."
Shen Heng nodded silently.
"Thank you for your guidance, brother."
"My little brother has memorized everything."
…………
In the next few days, Shen Yi followed Zhao Changping's instructions and went to pay New Year's greetings to his three future bosses one by one.
Of course, many officials from the Ministry of War also came to his home to wish him New Year greetings.
Shen Yi didn't reach out to hit anyone with a smiling face. Shen Yi saw all the people who came to pay New Year's greetings, but Shen Yi didn't accept any gifts that were too expensive.
It’s not that I’m looking for a reputation for being honest, it’s mainly because I haven’t been exposed to work yet, and I don’t know what I want to do or what I can do, so naturally I can’t accept the benefits of others.
In a blink of an eye, it was the ninth day of the first lunar month in the eleventh year of Hongde.
The snow in Jiankang City has melted, and the weather has cleared up.
That morning, the imperial list was posted on the wall of the imperial city.
The content on the imperial list is very simple. It roughly means that the emperor's sons have little income, so they have to draft a large number of women to enter the palace. After the spring, every family in Jiankang can select women of suitable age to enter the palace, and choose virtuous and beautiful ones as concubines.
On the day when the imperial list was posted, Shen Yi was flipping through a miscellaneous book in Liquan Tower. Before he could finish a book, Zhang Jian, the newly appointed member of the Household Department, wandered up to Liquan Tower and sat down opposite Shen Yi. .
It was already close to noon. Mr. Zhang pulled Shen Yi's sleeve and said, "It's almost noon. Why are you reading? Come and have a drink with me!"
In this way, Shen Yi was dragged into a restaurant by Zhang Jian. After the two senior brothers sat down, Shen Yi took a sip of tea on the table, then looked at Zhang Jian with a smile and said, "Senior brother, shouldn't you be here at the moment?" Are you going to learn from Uncle Zhao how to work in the household department? How come you have time?"
Zhang Jian becomes extremely excited every time he encounters some gossip. Looking at him now, it seems that there is some big gossip again.
Zhang Jian took a sip of water and said, "Teacher went out to visit friends today."
After drinking the glass of water, he looked at Shen Yi and smiled: "Zi Heng, have you heard that His Majesty is going to draft a girl!"
Mr. Shen blinked and asked, "Is it true or false?"
"The imperial list has been posted, so why is it still fake?"
Mr. Shen took a sip of tea and said with a smile: "That's not surprising. The harem of this dynasty is indeed empty. It is normal for draft girls to enrich the harem."
"It turns out that this is not unusual."
Zhang Jian looked around, and then whispered to Shen Yi: "But this time, there is news in the palace about the selection of girls. It is said that it is the intention of the Queen Mother..."
Shen Yi was thoughtful and asked, "What do you mean?"
"There is news from the palace..."
Zhang Jian coughed and continued: "It is said that after the Queen Mother went to the Queen Mother's place, the Queen Mother gave Her Majesty's instructions to draft girls."
"I guess…"
Zhang Yian chuckled.
"I'm afraid it's because the Queen has no children..."
