News that Gu Zhengchen was getting married began to spread in Jurong, first to the three courtyards, then to Jurong City and Jurong County.
In this boring winter day, many Jurong people talked happily about Gu Zhengchen's marriage, and speculated on which girl was so lucky.
In the county government.
The county magistrate Luo Shao, who was sitting in the hall, called over Zhou Mao and Dian Shi Yang Liang, who were resting at home, and discussed: "The county magistrate is getting married. As colleagues, should we express our opinions?"
Zhou Mao and Yang Liang nodded repeatedly.
Yang Liang and others were all promoted by Gu Zhengchen. It can be said that they have the kindness of knowing each other. Although Gu Zhengchen is not in Jurong, he is the magistrate of Jurong after all. He still needs to come back after the New Year, not to mention the distance between Jinling and Jurong. They are so close and the caravan is still running. It would be disrespectful to show no sign of it at all.
The officialdom of the Ming Dynasty was often a place of human relationships.
For most officials, ability is not necessarily the first priority. Whether they can behave and understand words is the first priority.
Gu Zhengchen is the county magistrate now. What about three years from now? What about ten years from now?
Make friends early.
Luo Shao scratched his head: "It is inconvenient for us to go to Jinling now, so we can only ask the caravan to take it with us. Do you have any ideas about what kind of gift is appropriate?"
Zhou Mao knocked on the table: "Give me something to nourish your qi and blood. It will be needed when the county family gets pregnant in the future."
Yang Liang rolled his eyes at Zhou Mao and said, "Why don't you tell me to give you something to replenish yourself? The county magistrate is about to get married, and his body will inevitably be in need..."
Zhou Mao discussed: "You give me something tonic, and I give you something to nourish your qi and blood."
Luo Shao looked at these two guys and was extremely depressed: "Aren't you afraid that the county will beat you up if you do this? In my opinion, you should give some ordinary things, such as red dates and lotus seeds..."
"how about you?"
Zhou Mao asked, Yang Liang also looked at Luo Shao.
Luo Shao picked up the tea bowl and said slowly: "Of course I am sending you something tonic and nourishing Qi and blood..."
"Shameless!"
Zhou Mao and Yang Liang shouted in unison.
This kind of public gift-giving can only be limited to favors, and what is asked for is a light gift but a heavy affection. If anyone dares to send dozens of dollars, he will either be beaten by Gu Zhengchen, or Gu Zhengchen will be cut with a knife.
If you really want to have some connections, but under the high pressure of the court to combat corruption, you can only send it secretly.
Jurong Craftsman Academy.
Ma Li, Wu Dasheng, Lu Wu, Xu Erjiu, Guo He and others gathered around.
Wu Dasheng smelled the raw lacquer on his hands, frowned and said: "Gu Zhixian is a good official. He is kind to us, so it's not too much to show him some kindness. Without him, we would have to sigh in the twelfth lunar month this year and be depressed in the coming year." taxes and corvées?”
Xu Erjiu nodded repeatedly: "That's right, it's just a matter of what gift to give."
Ma Li twisted his neck, stood up and said, "The Song family customized a bed a while ago. The hollow carvings are all finished, and only the paint is left. According to me, this bed can be sent directly to Jinling. As for the Song family, we My brothers will take a few days off during the Chinese New Year, so they can work it out before the Lantern Festival."
"Is this suitable?"
Guo He was a little unsure.
Ma Ma smiled and said: "What's inappropriate? We only have craftsmanship, and craftsmen naturally give away handicrafts. What's more, if we give away other things, the county magistrate may not accept them."
Seeing that the others had no objections, Wu Dasheng nodded in agreement: "That's true. If that's the case, let's do it. I'll go get some paint. I should be able to use it in time for the county prince's wedding."
In the weaving courtyard, a group of women spread the red carpet, brought the elastic cotton, and began to sew quilts...
Jinling, Zhongshu Province.
Hu Weiyong frowned as he looked at Wu Lin and Zhan Tong, the Ministers of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Le Shaofeng and Sun Keyi, the Ministers of the Ministry of War, Chen Ning, the imperial censor of Yushitai, and Mu Ying, Zheng Yuchun, Lu Zhongheng, Tang Shengzong and others from the Governor's Office. : "Everyone, we have been discussing this matter for several days, but there has been no result. How can I explain it to Your Majesty? The Gu and Zhang families have finalized the wedding date, which is set on the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month. If it continues to be delayed, this reward will still be returned. Do you want to give it to me?"
Wu Lin looked at everyone, and her eyes fell on Lu Zhongheng, with quite a bit of contempt.
This person had said in the Ministry of Punishment that Gu Zhengchen would be highly rewarded, but when he came to Zhongshu Province, he only focused on the reward and did not mention the issue of the title.
Lu Zhongheng looked at his feet and flexed his toes: "Xiang Hu, it's Gu Zhengchen's credit for sending the alcohol. The court will reward him with five hundred guan, some silk cloth, and some pearls. Isn't that great? Why bother? Are you discussing this matter again and again?"
Zheng Yuchun supported Lu Zhongheng: "If you have merit, you should be rewarded. There is nothing wrong with giving money."
Mu Ying had a sullen face, because these people were considered elders, and it was hard to fall out, so she had to hold back her anger and look at Zheng Yuchun and Lu Zhongheng: "Your Majesty said that Gu Zhengchen's gift of alcohol and physical training was a military achievement. Marquis of Xingyang, Ji'an Marquis, according to the regulations of the Governor's Office, military merit should not only be rewarded without titles, right?"
Lu Zhongheng glanced at Mu Ying with dissatisfaction and made the matter clear: "Why, just because he gave two things, can the court still grant him a count? Mu Ying, you are His Majesty's adopted son, you should know the importance of the title. How can it be such a child's play!"
Mu Ying stood up suddenly: "Marquis Ji'an, the title is important, but does the physical training and the alcohol contribute less? Although he does not have the ability to kill the enemy, he has the ability to train the entire army and improve the combat effectiveness of the entire army. His merits include saving wounded soldiers! Are these not enough to make him an earl?"
Chen Ning coughed, with a sinister smile on his face: "I know, Governor Mu, what the Marquis of Ji'an said was also for the sake of the country and the court. If you only offer one or two things and you are awarded the title of earl, how can this happen once the trend starts? Rather than disturbing the people, we will be asking for contributions from all directions. By that time, there is no way that a wild boar covered with tin foil will appear in Jinling and be euphemistically called a unicorn."
Mu Ying glared at Chen Ning: "How can the false auspiciousness be compared with its real achievements?"
Chen Ning waved his hand: "This physical training technique has indeed proven to be effective, but this alcohol has not been used on frontline sergeants after all. Who can guarantee that it will be effective? I heard that there are only twenty death row prisoners proposed by the Ministry of Punishment, but in the battle of the army There are often hundreds or even thousands of wounded soldiers, so who can guarantee that this alcohol can help the wounded soldiers survive?"
Mu Ying said anxiously: "The imperial doctor..."
Chen Ning interrupted sharply: "The imperial doctor only made a conclusion based on the twenty prisoners on death row. These twenty people cannot be said to be lucky. After all, not everyone injured in the army has red, swollen and suppurating wounds. In my opinion, giving some money is enough. .”
Mu Ying looked at everyone, but no one spoke up for Gu Zhengchen.
Wu Lin didn't speak either. A person who was leaving the court really didn't need to get stuck in this matter.
When Hu Weiyong saw that everyone was speechless, he stood up and said, "I will take your words to Huagai Hall. If His Majesty is dissatisfied, haha, you all have to gather here."
Soon, Zhu Yuanzhang saw the reward plan discussed by the Zhongshu Province:
Give money.
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and looked at Hu Weiyong with a cold look: "I remember telling you not to disappoint me in this matter. Hu Aiqing, such a document is not what I want to see."
Hu Weiyong sighed: "Your Majesty, it's just that Gu Zhengchen is not enough to be granted the title of earl. Even if he is granted the title, he will be a laughing stock. I am thinking about whether we can make some changes to give him a reward while also making him Your Majesty is satisfied..."
