"Student Henan Juzi Niu Jinxing respectfully invites Holy Ann!"
The place where Niu Jinxing was summoned was formally placed in the Chengyun Hall of the Xuanfu Imperial City. Niu Jinxing followed the noble man in his previous life and went to the palace in a nervous mood, and then kowtowed to Zhu Youjian.
He regrets it to death now. Wouldn't it be better to just be a juren in his hometown who is just waiting to die? Why are you going to Beijing to take the exam? It's a fluke that he won the imperial examination for his essay, but he couldn't win the Jinshi at all... In fact, it doesn't matter if he doesn't win the Jinshi. It's good to go to Beijing to broaden your horizons and appreciate the style of the imperial capital.
But he was obsessed with participating in some kind of bus letter... He completely forgot that there was a ubiquitous Jin Yiwei in the Ming Dynasty!
I'm so dizzy!
"Flat body!" Zhu Youjian carefully looked at this short, fat, unattractive, and even a bit wretched Niu Jinxing.
It’s true that people cannot be judged by their appearance, and sea water cannot be measured!
Zhu Youjian nodded and asked, "When did Niu Xiaolian win the exam?"
"Students are the first in the seven years of Tianqi." Niu Jinxing replied.
Zhu Youjian asked: "Then why didn't you take the imperial examination in the first year of Chongzhen?"
What?
Niu Jinxing was stunned for a moment. Did the emperor even know about this? Oh, someone from Jinyiwei must have told him... Jinyiwei's eyes and ears are indeed all over the world!
"Students' talents and learning are limited, and it was just a fluke to win the exam before," Niu Jinxing said. "I didn't dare to expect to win consecutively in the exam... so I studied knowledge at home."
Zhu Youjian looked at Niu Jinxing and thought: Are you studying how to oppose the imperial court?
"Oh," Zhu Youjian finally didn't ask a question that might scare people to death, "then when you come to Beijing this time, you must be academically accomplished, ready to go to high school in one fell swoop, and then serve the imperial court?"
"Students... don't have such talent and knowledge. Students just want to increase their knowledge."
Niu Jinxing was still modest, but Zhu Youjian was thinking: How could you have no talent? Li Zicheng set up a good job for you with a grass-roots team. You are full of real talents and learning. Don't even think about leaving after this time!
From now on, Wei Zaode will be the first assistant, you will be the second assistant, Hong Chengchou will be in charge of the army, Shen Tingyang will be in charge of the household department, Sun Yuanhua will be in charge of the cannons in the engineering department, and Qian Qianyi will be the minister of the etiquette department... I can rule the world. So peaceful!
"How could it be?" Zhu Youjian said in a strange tone, "You can write to me, state the pros and cons, praise and criticize current affairs, how come you don't have the knowledge to become a Jinshi?"
Niu Jinxing doesn’t even know what to say... Can’t you even be modest? Besides, the knowledge of being a Jinshi and the knowledge of governing the country are not the same thing! The Ming Dynasty has conducted imperial examinations for so many years. If the candidates selected were all talented in governing the country, would it be like this now?
"Tell me," Zhu Youjian asked with a smile, "Niu Jinxing, what do you think is wrong with everything I have done since I became an emperor? Do you have any good ideas? Speak carefully, and you will be the one to do it today. The top scholar in the department!"
Did you agree to be the top pick?
Niu Jinxing was doubtful, but at the same time he thought wildly: Maybe he won't be arrested and sent to prison, right?
"Speak quickly!" Zhu Youjian saw that Niu Jinxing was silent and urged, "Don't you want to write on the bus? What are you going to say? You tell me first so that I can feel confident... ....Ah, if there are any, then change them, if not, then encourage them!"
Zhu Youjian didn't want to "change things if they exist, and encourage them if they don't exist." He just wanted to know in advance what nonsense those officials wanted to say in their petitions? Then, fortunately, the civil and military ministers came forward to engage in a face-saving verbal battle with the Confucian scholars.
Killing the heads of the dozen or so troublemakers is not considered a skill, and it cannot be killed... If they lead a tax resistance in their hometown, then Zhu Youjian can send troops to kill and arrest them.
But if they want to write a letter on the bus, then Zhu Youjian can't kill them in Beijing. Because writing letters on the bus is the right of the people to be elected, there was no rule in the Ming Dynasty that prohibited the people and scholars from writing letters to express their opinions.
As for arresting and imprisoning them, that would be even more pointless. How about turning them into idols and leaders in the minds of scholars all over the world?
This reputation is so great. It's a great deal to gain such a reputation after spending a few years in prison.
Therefore, the best way to defeat these talkers is to kill them with your talk. You have to show the courage of Zhuge Kongming to fight against the Confucian scholars!
...
The group of Confucian scholars finally entered the Chengyun Hall of the Xuanfu Imperial City. There were not just one group, but two large groups.
A large group of them are the old Confucian scholars in black silk python robes, a few bachelors, monks, ministers, and the heads of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. They are all still in Xuanfu City and have not returned!
Zhu Youjian just wanted to have a verbal battle with the Confucians in front of them!
There was also a group of worried Confucians, the twelve of the "Thirteen Gentlemen". They had already lived in Xuanfu City for a day, and it was not difficult for them to arrange for them to live in empty houses in the imperial city. You don't have to worry about food and drink, and you have the "protection" of Jin Yiwei. It's really thoughtful.
Zhu Youjian sat grandly on the dragon throne, with Li Zicheng, Niu Jinxing, and Luo Yangxing standing beside him. Among them, Li Zicheng glared angrily at the twelve "anti-thief Confucian scholars" who dared to oppose Long Live Lord. Luo Yangxing smiled and looked proud. Niu Jinxing lowered her head, not daring to look at the group of "gentlemen" kneeling below, and seemed a little guilty.
Most of the twelve gentlemen also had uneasy looks on their faces. Only Zhang Pu and Yang Tingshu still looked like majestic and awe-inspiring adopted sons... Their ability to nourish Qi was not weak!
"Niu Jinxing has already told me everything you guys want to mention in the letter on the bus!"
Zhu Youjian spoke and proved the suspicion of the twelve gentlemen - Niu Jinxing is a traitor! They are Shilin scum! It's the eunuch's lackey!
Zhu Youjian glanced at Niu Jinxing next to him, and then said with a smile: "Don't you just want to advise me to 'implement benevolent government, reduce taxes, relieve disasters, use troops with caution, and restore Liaodong'? There is no need to write a letter on the bus. Can you say it now... I am here, and most of the great scholars, ministers, and ministers of my dynasty are also here. If what you say makes sense, are you afraid that I, the emperor, will not accept it?
If what you say is unreasonable, then go back and prepare for the exam carefully. When you get the Jinshi, I will arrange for you to go to Shaanxi to save the people and implement benevolent government, and to go to Liaoxi to defend the city and farm the land to fight against the Eastern captives... Don't think it's a hard job, I'll wait for you to finish it. If you go through these hard and difficult tasks, you will be able to appreciate my painstaking efforts. "
Well, I haven’t passed the exam yet, but the hard work has already been arranged!
Due to years of drought in Shaanxi, some poor prefectures and counties have no water, not to mention oil, and can only suffer. Moreover, they have to beware day and night of hungry people causing chaos!
As for Western Liaoning... it refers to the territory of Yingzhou Guards and Ningyuan Guards. It's hard, but it's also extremely dangerous. If you're not careful, you have to be loyal!
"Your Majesty, if I am able to serve as an official, I should not have to endure any hardships or dangers, but only serve the country and the people!"
"Your Majesty, although I am a scholar, I am also familiar with military literature, and I am willing to go to Liaoxi to guard the prisoners!"
Zhang Pu and Yang Tingshu, the two successors of Donglin, were both upright and upright, and they said words that made the other ten gentlemen nod their heads.
"Well said!" Zhu Youjian nodded solemnly, "You are indeed ambitious in your actions. I admire you very much... But after all, you are young and ignorant, and do not understand the difficulties of politics and the dangers of using troops, so Although your petition has good intentions, if I were to accept it, it would be a disservice to the country!"
Are we young? The twelve gentlemen are all a little unconvinced. Each of them is older than Zhu Youjian!
Zhu Youjian still used the tone of an elder scolding a younger generation, and continued: "Let's talk about light taxation and famine relief first... Zhang Pu, Yang Tingshu, did you have a famine in Suzhou Prefecture last year? Both of your families had many Land, right? How much tax did you pay last year?”
"Your Majesty, Suzhou Prefecture had good weather last year...only a few places were flooded."
"Your Majesty, although I have some farmland in my family, according to this dynasty's preferential and exemption laws for scholars, I don't have to pay for food and work as errands..."
Zhu Youjian nodded and asked: "If you don't pay taxes, why are you talking about light taxes? Suzhou Prefecture has no major disasters, so why are you talking about famine relief?"
"Your Majesty, there is no disaster in Suzhou, but there are disasters in Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan. The Huaihe River is also overflowing. Xuzhou has just receded and needs relief, and the harvest in Beizhili is not good..."
"Your Majesty, the tax amount in Beizhili increased several times last year. When the students went north, they passed through many prefectures and counties in Beizhili and found that the people there were in dire straits, with nine out of ten houses empty... Please also ask Your Majesty to reduce the taxes there and provide more benefits to the people. There is a way for us to survive!”
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