February 26th, early morning.
A hem of clothes brushed the dew on the green grass on the roadside, and several figures turned to the corridor and headed towards the main courtyard. After arriving, several people knelt down and lowered their heads to hold a wooden box.
What they faced was an old man with a gray beard. There was a young man beside him, who looked somewhat similar to the old man.
The young man took the wooden box, opened it, and took out a page of rice paper inside.
The old man turned his eyes and read the two words on it, "Get an official position."
This is a bit strange.
Because the imperial examinations in the Song and Ming dynasties were held every three years. For example, after the Yichou Branch in the 18th year of Hongzhi, the next time will be the Wuchen Branch in the 3rd year of Zhengde. It has nothing to do with whether a new king ascends the throne. The idea of having Enke after the emperor ascended the throne was an idea the Qing Dynasty came up with in order to win over the world's scholars.
Therefore, Liu Jian could not see clearly at this time, but if he thought about it carefully, he actually held consecutive imperial examinations in the fourth and fifth years of Hongwu and the ninth and tenth years of Yongle.
The emperor always relied on his ancestors to demand himself. Perhaps this was also based on the emperors Taizu and Taizong.
Fortunately, it is not difficult to apply for an official position. After all, literati will not cut off their roots. If the emperor had said that the imperial examination would be held this year, and if any literati disagreed, the gentry in the world would probably make up many rumors. To ruin his reputation.
However, Liu Jian also wondered, since this matter is not difficult, why should it be treated as a separate issue? How to occupy a day?
While I was thinking about it, a servant came to report that the father-in-law from the palace was here.
Liu Jian didn't dare to ask for help, so he quickly got up and went to greet him. Since he was someone from the palace, it must be His Majesty's wish.
When I went to the large courtyard in front of the hall, I saw that it was indeed the person who came. It was Liu Jin, the Supervisor of Ceremonies!
"Eunuch Liu."
"You don't need to be polite, Mr. Xixian. Get ready to receive the order."
Liu Jian was slightly surprised. How could there be an imperial edict so early in the morning? And when I went to the palace yesterday to report on my duties, there was no sign at all.
But no matter what, he quickly prepared the etiquette for receiving the order, and then led his family to kneel down and worship.
After Liu Jin cleared his throat, he began to read the imperial edict:
"The emperor's edict was carried out by heaven and said: I am compiling Hongtu, only for the peace of Fangxia. I rely on the admonitions to find out the faults, and seek the faults of others, so as to achieve the highest benefit. This is the inheritance of this book. It covers what is called Chen Gudao in ancient times, and it is not in general. As for those who are careful, there is such a person today.
Liu Jian, the chief envoy of Shandong Province, was appointed as a scholar by the late Emperor Baer Yu Shiyan. Set up a high standard of integrity and loyalty, carry out the majestic talent of being broad-minded and powerful, make progress with each passing day, be cautious and respectful, work conscientiously, and treat the people with kindness.
When I was in the dynasty and the Baoli calendar was first opened, I only wanted the small people to live forever. I held the wind and frost in my white pen, and people sang until they stopped. Shake the mountains with the iron liver, hold the clear bridle with authority. By virtue of Qin's grace, I confer the imperial edict of Xi on the right side of the Erdu Procuratorate, the censor of Qiandu, the prime minister of grain storage, the admiral of military affairs, and the governor of Shandong Province. Er Dang resends this letter, she is loyal and tries her best, but her mother behaves erratically and harms the people! Admire this! "
Governor of Shandong?
Liu Jian did not expect that he would be promoted immediately after arriving in Shandong for only one year.
"My lord, Liu Jian, thank you for your divine grace! Long live my emperor! Long live my emperor!"
“Mr. The only person who has been promoted before is Mr. Xixian. Your Majesty’s move is with pure intentions. It’s good that Mr. Xixian knows it in his heart.”
"ah!"
Liu Jian didn't expect that there were such details in it, so he couldn't help but exclaimed. His wrinkled face was full of emotion, and he replied with tears: "Your Majesty treats me so kindly, how dare I not refuse to die?" ?”
Liu Jin nodded. He would just report these replies to the emperor after returning to the palace.
Liu Jian is not a courtier of acting. Although it is a bit exaggerated to cry, he is still shocked in his heart.
In the afternoon, Li Dongyang and Xie Qian rushed to his residence after receiving the news.
In fact, Zhu Houzhao mainly had two considerations.
First, Liu Jian did a good job. Let's be honest about this. I was originally the chief minister of the cabinet. Isn't it more than enough to be the chief envoy? Moreover, when he first took office, the emperor supported him, the officialdom was curbed, and his old friends in the capital were willing to help him.
After arriving in Shandong, Liu Jian did two things in one year. One was to promote education. He opened academies in Shandong and gave various lectures. Unlike some officials who felt resentful after being demoted, he remained the same as before. Adhering to a serious character, he should be taught to be loyal to the emperor and to love the people; the second is to focus on agriculture and mulberry. Within the scope of his ability, he prevented powerful families from annexing land and recuperated with the people. Various expenditures of the Shandong government also tended to people's livelihood.
Although he did not create any wealth myths, he did what an ideal feudal civil servant should do. This is actually enough. Ordinary people, if you don’t torment them, they will live a good life.
Secondly, the promotion of rewards to Liu Jian at this time is also to win people's hearts.
Several major things Zhu Houzhao did actually offended the scholar-bureaucrats to a certain extent. Liu Jian has always enjoyed high prestige among the scholar-bureaucrats. Giving him such special treatment at this time is to show the generosity and broadmindedness of a monarch. It also made him appear more impartial.
"The issue of getting an official position is to increase the number of subjects in the first year, and to add subjects in the first year is to make the world's scholars return to their hearts."
Both Li Dongyang and Xie Qian agreed with Liu Jian's words. Li Dongyang also analyzed, "Opening up the world and recruiting talents for the country are also the signs of a wise king in a prosperous age. But it is quite different from what the outer court expected. Now it seems, Opening up the sea should no longer be an issue.”
"Yes, if there is, it shouldn't be ranked fourth. Besides..."
In fact, the most critical reason is not difficult to think of.
That is, the maritime ban is an ancestral system, and it always feels wrong to talk about the opening of the sea as a major meeting issue.
If you really want to do something, do it, but don't talk about it over and over again. Otherwise, wouldn't he tell others over and over again that the emperor violated the ancestral system?
At the beginning, reintegration was a national policy, but opening up the sea was not. In fact, this consideration was also included.
"Your Majesty, you are your Majesty after all." Liu Jian shook his head slightly and sighed, and more compliments were actually left unsaid.
How could he not be impressed by a teenager whose political control was no worse than those of them who had been veterans for decades?
Then Liu Jian stood up and formally saluted the two of them, "I have been in charge of Shandong for one year. Over the past year, I would like to express my special thanks to the two cabinet ministers for their care and concern for the people of Shandong!"
】
"Mr. Xixian." Neither Li Dongyang nor Xie Qian accepted this courtesy. "We don't want these false gifts between us. We said in the early years that since we have met each other, we should not use common names. What we ask for will be explained by the Supreme Lord." Jun You, I'm just a concubine! Yu Qiao and I are here today, Mr. Xixian still doesn't understand what we two are thinking?"
Liu Jian was moved, "I will have no regrets in this life if I can know one or two of them."
"Xixian Gong, please sit down quickly." Xie Qian poured him tea, "Now, your Majesty loves the people, and this is the opportunity to do something. No matter how it is on weekdays, when it comes to the big court meeting, it will still be about river work and official appointments. This shows that Your Majesty governs the country in the right way.”
Xie Qian's words also represent the inner thoughts of most officials in the capital.
The topics of the Great Court Meeting are enough to reflect many things.
So for a while, words of praise continued.
In the spring of the first year of Zhengde, Ming Dynasty seemed to be more vibrant.
By February 27th and 28th, what came out of the palace still exceeded many people's expectations.
First of all, the numbers are different. On the 27th, the topics for the fourth and fifth days of the court meeting were decided, which were official administration and increasing revenue and reducing expenditure respectively.
There are also two plans on the 28th, namely the city that never sleeps and the armaments.
The original plan was for military preparations on the sixth day and a city that never sleeps on the seventh day.
Because the city that never sleeps will be completed and opened this year, it will occupy an issue no matter what.
The so-called "no night" means that there is no curfew inside, and there are many things that are easy to say, such as how to ensure the quality of goods and how to collect taxes. It is actually very complicated to do it well, and it can take up a business start-up.
Zhu Houzhao didn't want to make it bad, so he naturally needed to spend time thinking about it.
The reason for adjusting the order is because there were mostly civil servants in the Ming Dynasty, or the power of the civil servants in the entire Ming Dynasty was relatively strong. If he can squeeze in the issue of armaments, his goal will be achieved.
It's not about the order. Being ranked last is to give face to the civil servants and at the same time to ask them to give face to the emperor. In other words: this is the last thing to be discussed.
You see, river workers and job seekers are all very advanced.
Zhu Houzhao wanted to reduce political resistance. As for the implementation after discussion, to what extent it was implemented did not depend on him as the emperor.
He still has some political wisdom.
On March 1st, the Great Court Meeting officially begins.
Spring is warm, flowers are blooming, the grass is growing, orioles are flying, the sky is blue and white clouds are white, and everything is revived. This time is well chosen.
The reason why the imperial court raises issues in advance is to let officials understand that those issues are relevant to them, and to give them time to consider and consider their own suggestions and rhetoric. This way, the quality can be ensured as much as possible. Otherwise, thinking about it on the spot will always be a waste of time. It will be inferior.
Moreover, Zhu Houzhao also ordered the imperial dining room to prepare a day's food for hundreds of high-ranking officials today. There will only be rest time in between, and he will not ask everyone to go back to their homes or go back to the Yamen to have a meal before coming back.
In addition, there were three times more imperial troops guarding the palace gate than usual, and there were even more imperial guards assisting them.
Of course, officials such as Honglu Temple will also enter the hall. They want to correct if someone is whispering to each other in private and not observing court etiquette.
When everything was finally ready, the eunuch in charge of the ceremony shouted:
"The Emperor has arrived!"
Hearing this voice, the hall was filled with people. Rows of people lifted their robes and knelt down, "Long live my emperor, long live my emperor!"
Zhu Houzhao is wearing a bright yellow court uniform today. He has grown taller, and his slightly frowning appearance makes people feel quite imposing. In fact, his appearance is nothing. What is more important is that the things he has done in the past show the true power of a king, so ministers It is due to these forces.
The main buildings of the Forbidden City are all on the central axis. Through the majestic main hall, Zhu Houzhao can see the important ministers all the way to the end.
He clenched his fists, this was the emperor.
"Flat body!"
