The idea put forward by Qian Menggao is undoubtedly very extreme. How could such a situation occur under normal circumstances? There are differences in the palace, the palace doors are closed, and there is no communication between the inside and the outside? However, Shen Yiguan did not deny this idea, but instead thought about it along this line of thinking.
This is not because Shen Yiguan is old and confused, but because he knows that today's high pragmatism can no longer be dealt with by ordinary means. If you want to let Gao Pragmatism have a flaw in the current situation, only if the situation develops to some extreme situation will there be any possibility.
There is no doubt that such an extreme situation is not easy to happen. If you want it to happen, you must make many calculations and push it carefully. This is extremely difficult, but Shen Guangyuan is not afraid of challenges.
After all, he never thought that he had Li Chunfang's good fortune, and the throne of chief minister would not appear under his butt for no reason. Besides, although Li Chunfang was lucky enough to get a chief minister for nothing, he would still give up his position to Gao Gong in the end. ?
Some things will only be reliable if they are obtained by one's own ability, just like the high pragmatism at this moment. If Gao Pragmatic does not have the foundation of countless contributions he has made in the past thirty years, so what if he has the legacy of three generations of chief assistants? Considering that he is less than forty years old, who would be willing to sincerely accept him as the chief minister? Do you really think that this is still the era of the so-called "Gan Luo Twelve Prime Ministers"?
Qian Menggao looked at the teacher with stern eyes and said in a deep voice: "The teacher's inference is very feasible, but such a situation is not easy to happen. But no matter what, if you want to be able to turn things around one day, you must first be kind to yourself. treasure."
The sharp light in Shen's eyes quietly disappeared, and he regained his usual calmness. He nodded and said: "Yes, this is exactly the truth. Now Gao Rixin is a flying dragon in the sky, but we have to hide from the dragon and don't use it. It is indeed disappointing." I'm not happy, but the current situation is like this and we must pay attention to it.
When a gentleman obeys the heaven and earth, he will be harmonious and harmonious. After two or three years of this, the flying dragon in the sky may turn into a powerful dragon with regrets, but we can turn into a hidden dragon without using it, or jump into the abyss. At that time, if Gao Rixin still doesn't know the time, then..."
"On the sixth day of the lunar month, when we walk on frost, the solid ice arrives." Qian Menggao said, and then the master and the disciple looked at each other and laughed.
This sentence "On the sixth day of the lunar month, walking on frost, the solid ice arrives" is not the last sentence of Qian Gua in "Book of Changes". Because after the Qian hexagram says "Up to nine, a strong dragon means there is regret.", the next step is the last sentence of this hexagram: "Use nine to see a group of dragons without a leader, which is auspicious."
"A group of dragons without a leader" does not seem to be a good word in the eyes of later generations, and the situation it describes seems to be very confusing. So why did the Zhouyi call it "auspicious"? This depends on one of the basic ideas of the Book of Changes: Heaven moves vigorously, and a gentleman strives for self-improvement.
Although the situation is chaotic, as a "gentleman" who studies "The Book of Changes", this is the time to show your subjective initiative! Now that everyone is leaderless, isn't that the best opportunity for you to take advantage of the situation?
Of course, Shen Yiguan and Qian Menggao also read "Yi", and of course they knew that once they were highly pragmatic in their conception, once "the dragon has regrets", the next step will inevitably be "the dragon has no leader", which is "good luck" to them.
However, a gentleman, you can think about it or not, so you skip this sentence and "fast forward" directly to the first sentence of the Kun hexagram: "On the sixth day of the lunar month, when you walk on frost, the solid ice arrives."
This sentence is not as famous as the ones about dragons. Its literal meaning is probably: "On the sixth day of the lunar month, trampling on the thin frost, it can be inferred that the thick ice layer is about to freeze." However, a major feature of "The Book of Changes" It's a metaphor, so divergent thinking is needed to understand it.
"The Classical Chinese" says this: A house that accumulates good deeds will surely be blessed; a house that accumulates bad deeds will have lingering disasters. A minister will kill his king, and a son will kill his father. It does not happen overnight. It happened gradually, so it is not necessary to argue early. The Book of Changes says, "When you walk on the frost, the ice will come to you", which means it goes well.
In other words, by this time, we can already know the past, see the present, and judge the future. That is, the momentum of the development of things has become clear, and we can judge the future situation.
Then, this time it’s time to focus on “accumulating good deeds”. If you have been 'accumulating good deeds' before getting this hexagram, then when "walking on frost, solid ice arrives", as long as you continue to act cautiously, everything will go smoothly next.
When Qian Menggao said this at this time, he was actually persuading Shen Yiguan in a roundabout way to act cautiously and work hard to "accumulate good deeds" in the next "two or three years". Because after Gao Pragmatic's "exalted dragon has regrets", who can take over the position of chief assistant left by him will be the time to "accumulate good deeds".
Speaking of this, both master and disciple knew each other's intentions, so they looked at each other and laughed. There is no doubt that Shen Yiguan will act according to this idea next.
Soon, he said: "Since Gao Yuanfu's flying dragon has become powerful in the sky, I have no choice but to be this hidden dragon. Now I am going to Mount Tai and Nanjing. I don't care about the government affairs. I only concentrate on the ceremony of consecrating the emperor and the saint's journey south." Ancestor's preparations. If you still have some free time, you should make good connections in Nanjing and accumulate good deeds for the future."
Qian Menggao smiled and said: "This is a great kindness. I wish my teacher all the best."
Shen Yiguan nodded and accepted Qian Menggao's blessing, but immediately looked at his proud disciple with some worry and thought: "I will go south this time. As long as I am careful in my words and deeds, I will be safe and in good hands." In order to save his face, Gao Rixin will not do anything to me. However, it is somewhat dangerous for you to stay in Beijing..."
Qian Menggao felt relieved and thought to himself: As long as you still remember the student, the student will be relieved.
However, there is no need to say this clearly. He just smiled and said: "It doesn't matter. The student is only a seventh-grade official. I don't think Gao Yuanfu will really take it seriously. I think as long as he is careful in his words and deeds after the teacher goes south, Gao Yuanfu will Yuan Fu can't catch the students, so what can he do to me?"
"Even if he can't catch you, it doesn't mean that he can't do anything to you." Shen Yiguan shook his head and said: "There is no need to talk about his foundation. Now that he is the chief assistant, he is even more powerful. Even if he can't do it without reason. I criticize you, but doesn’t he know how to play the trick of ascending and descending secretly?”
"This is the proper meaning of the question. The student is not surprised or worried." Qian Menggao smiled and said relaxedly: "Although the six subjects have heavy authority, after all, they are only in the seventh rank. If the teacher comes back to the court in the future, the student He is still no more than a section chief, but in fact he cannot be of much help.
If Gao Yuanfu really wants to promote and demote his students, even though the students will have to eat some cold food in the past two or three years, once the teacher returns to the court, the students may also have a chance to advance. On the contrary, it can help the teacher even more. "
Shen Yiguan immediately understood what his student meant: on the one hand, he was showing his absolute loyalty to himself, and on the other hand, he was also putting forward conditions for his teacher.
There is no need to explain the former aspect, but I can say a few words about the latter aspect. Qian Menggao actually said: Although Gao Pragmatic may play a trick on me, but that doesn't matter. As one of the six section chiefs, although my rank is only a mere seventh rank, I still have an important position. He If I want to be promoted openly or secretly, I have to be assigned a high level.
According to the tradition of the Ming Dynasty, if the chief of the Sixth Section is transferred and promoted, if he stays in Beijing, he does not have to go from the sixth rank to the fifth rank step by step. In many cases, he can directly enter the Metropolitan Inspectorate and serve as the censor of Qiandu - this is the fourth rank. Taste.
If it were to be released to the outside world, it would naturally not start from the seventh-grade county magistrate. That would be a flat tone, and in fact it would be a denigration. If it is not to be derogatory, then the chief of the Sixth Section can at least be posted to a local magistrate, and it must be a high-level magistrate, such as the prefect of Suzhou.
If you are reluctant to give a job to a superior government such as the Suzhou magistrate, then you must prepare a way for the army. The soldier himself has no rank, his rank depends on his own rank. In fact, most of the soldiers were in the fourth rank, and their official officials were the imperial censors of the capital procuratorate.
Qian Menggao also judged his career after his teacher went south, that is, Gao Pragmatic would promote him openly and covertly, give him an official position in the Imperial Procuratorate and Qiandu Censor, and then send him to a certain place to prepare troops.
What is less certain is where exactly they should be placed. After all, although the Ming Dynasty's military equipment was not overwhelming, there were at least dozens of them. Who knows where Gao Pragmatic would throw them.
Of course, although this situation is easier to judge, it is not easy for Shen Yiguan to change. After all, they have already discussed it just now. In the next two or three years, they will "do not use the hidden dragon", so it is not convenient for Shen Yiguan to do it for money. Menggao went to bargain alone with Gao pragmatism. What's more, if he really bargains, it might make Gao Pragmatic pay more attention to Qian Menggao, which might lead to bad things.
Therefore, what Qian Menggao really means is this: Although there is a high probability that students will be sent to a certain place for military preparation, and this place is likely to be a shabby place where birds do not shit, it does not matter, this is just the students who are saving their qualifications. , as long as the teacher returns to the court and the student has the qualifications to prepare for the military, then he can naturally be promoted without being criticized by outsiders... As long as the teacher doesn't forget the student.
Shen Yiguan was very happy to promote Qian Menggao after two or three years. After all, this student had proven his loyalty and ability. Who else would he promote if he didn't promote such a person?
However, Shen Yiguan also had his own dilemma, that is, once Qian Menggao really sent troops to prepare for the road, his promotion would not be easy to arrange. Because normally speaking, the imperial court rarely transferred Bingbei Dao directly back to the capital for promotion. If most Bingbei Dao had the chance to be promoted, they would almost always serve as governors of a certain type - for example, when Gao Jingshi served as Jin Fuhai's Gaibing Bei Dao, When he was promoted, he was promoted to the governor of Liaodong. After becoming the governor of Liaodong, his next position was the Minister of Rongzheng of the Ministry of War.
It is true that the imperial court has a precedent of directly transferring Bing Beidao to the capital as the Minister of the Sixth Division, but it is extremely rare. It is an exceptional promotion among exceptional promotions and generally does not occur.
Think about it, Gao Pingshi achieved a great victory in Liaonan when Jin Fuhai was in charge of building troops and preparing for the road. He not only directly destroyed the Huahua Department, but also beat Tumen Khan into disgrace. But even with such huge military exploits, Gao Pingshi first served as governor of Liaodong for a period of time, and then he was transferred back to the capital to serve as Minister of War, one of the top officials of Liubu Hall.
In comparison, although Qian Menggao was considered by Shen Guangxi to be a very talented person, but... not to belittle himself, he really didn't dare to think that Qian Menggao could achieve the same level as Gao Pragmatic in his military preparation mission. of great merit. Therefore, even if Shen Yiguan really "returns as king" in the future, he will have to let Qian Menggao serve as governor in another place before he can be transferred back to the capital to serve as a court official.
The problem is that although the governor is a territorial leader, he has little say in the capital. That is to say, even if everything goes well, when Shen Yiguan needs Qian Menggao's help the most in the future, Qian Menggao will not be able to help him, and there will be at least two or three years in between.
However, Qian Menggao himself obviously did not feel embarrassed. This is easy to understand. How cool it is to be a governor, a powerful official in the frontier!
Of course Shen Yiguan knew this, so although he nodded, he still couldn't help but think about it, hoping to find a solution that would satisfy both parties.
"You can rest assured about this. How can I forget you? However, because I hope to use you again in the future, this matter needs to be carefully considered... If you have any good ideas, you might as well let me know. "
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Thanks to book friends "Cao Mianzi" and "The Wind Does Not Envy the Immortal" for their rewards and support, thank you!
Thanks to book friends "klauszx" and "Midnight Snack Master" for their monthly support, thank you!
PS: Sorry, I haven’t used the keyboard for a few days, and the H key sometimes works or not, which really affects the smoothness and mood of typing... I have to buy another keyboard. I feel that I can only use one keyboard for about a quarter.
(End of chapter)
