Lin Yuanqiu waved to him, telling Zhang Gui not to say any more. You don't trust people when you employ them, and you don't trust people when you doubt them. Since I have given him full power to run the shop, I naturally trust him.
Besides, if the water is extremely clear, there will be no fish. There is no need to worry too much about some trivial matters.
After thinking about it, Lin Yuanqiu asked, "Tell me about things in the capital, no matter how big or small, as long as you think it's the same thing, tell me."
After leaving the capital for three years, he had lost contact with many things. At this moment, Lin Yuanqiu's eyesight could be described as dark. Naturally, it would be difficult for him to go to his teacher's or father-in-law's house before meeting the saint to report his work. So now he wanted to ask Zhang Gui first to hear what was happening in the capital.
Zhang Gui naturally knew what the young master meant when he said "that's what happened." He was just saying something useful for himself.
The most useful thing is of course that the Holy Master is ill, but I don’t know if the young master has heard about it.
"Sir, in mid-September, our capital was under martial law for a period of time. The curfew originally started at three o'clock, but then it was changed to the end of Youshi and no one was allowed to walk outside. At that time, the villain looked out through the crack in the door. I found a lot of patrolling guards on the street. At first, I didn’t understand what was going on, but later I heard that the Holy Father was ill. After more than twenty days, the curfew was changed back to the original time."
Lin Yuanqiu didn't expect that the moment Zhang Gui opened his mouth, something shocking happened. He was far away in the north of the Great Wall, but he didn't hear any news.
This is where Beijing officials have an advantage over local officials.
Officials in the capital are close to the central government. No matter what happens in the court, they can basically know it immediately. And local officials, just like him, if I say something disrespectful, I am afraid that if the Holy One suddenly passes away, it will take five, six, seven or eight days at the earliest to find out.
However, being far away has its advantages. At least if there is any trouble in the capital, it will not be affected.
Hearing Zhang Gui later talk about Qiu Youye, the minister of the Ministry of War, who was sent to the prison, Lin Yuanqiu became more sure of his thoughts.
Also, he remembered that the teacher once said that Qiu Youye was the second prince's son. The illness of the Holy Emperor made some people unable to hold back, and then the emperor had their claws cut off directly.
Lin Yuanqiu could also understand why martial law was imposed in the capital some time ago. This was because the old emperor was preventing his sons from rebelling.
However, based on the current situation, it seems that Emperor Jing Kang can still control the whole situation. Also, even if a tiger loses its teeth, it is not a sick cat.
I don’t know if the third prince had any eagerness to give it a try at that time.
However, this question only went through Lin Yuanqiu's mind once before he threw it behind him.
It is said that those who eat the emperor's salary and be loyal to the emperor must be loyal to the emperor. For Lin Yuanqiu, the only person he wants to be loyal to is the current emperor.
At this moment, Lin Yuanqiu probably understood why there had been no response to the memorial he submitted. It was probably because the Holy One was ill and he had not had time to read his memorial.
I have to say that Lin Yuanqiu found out the truth. Things were exactly as he suspected. Some time ago, Emperor Jingkang was in poor health, so many memorials were delayed without review. When he saw this memorial again after he recovered, it was already October.
This was also the reason why Emperor Jingkang suddenly summoned Lin Yuanqiu back to Beijing to report on his duties. If the increase in grain production was true, it would be a great joy for the people of the Jing Dynasty.
Generally, the first thing that foreign officials do after entering the capital is to go to the east gate of the palace to hand over the certificate of audience with the Holy Emperor. This kind of folding is called "please make peace". It had two purposes, one was to show respect for the emperor, and the other was to tell the emperor that he had arrived in the capital.
After handing over the invitation letter, the next step was to wait for the emperor's summons.
Not far from the palace, there is a Xianliang Temple. There are specially prepared wing rooms in the temple, where officials from other places who are waiting to see the emperor usually live there. Those like Lin Yuanqiu who have houses in the capital are waiting for summons at their own homes.
Ever since he gave Lin Yuanqiu the order to return to Beijing to report on his duties, Emperor Jing Kang had been thinking about this matter.
So after seeing the greeting note written by Lin Xiu handed over, Emperor Jingkang immediately asked Eunuch Wu to send him to the palace to see him.
Lin Yuanqiu did not dare to delay, put on the fourth-grade official robe, tidied up his appearance, then took the booklet and a small half bag of grains with him, and followed Eunuch Wu to the palace.
The guards at the palace gate were no longer the same ones Lin Yuanqiu had seen. They checked carefully, turned over the books, and then put their hands into the bag to fumble around.
The soldiers and guards were puzzled, wondering why this gentleman brought grain into the palace and blamed it on his hands.
Eunuch Wu naturally knew that His Majesty was interested in the new method of planting rice, and he was worried that the soldiers and guards would accidentally scatter the rice, so he hurriedly told the inspection and inspection soldiers to pay more attention.
After checking that there was nothing wrong, Lin Yuanqiu followed Eunuch Wu into the palace gate with a cloth bag in his left hand and rice in his right hand.
Although I haven't set foot in the palace for three years, everything is still the same as in my memory. No, on the square brick corridor leading to the imperial study, a few green bricks with missing corners are still laid in their original positions.
Not long after waiting at the door, Lin Yuanqiu was summoned into the imperial study.
He lowered his head and looked straight. As before, Lin Yuanqiu counted his feet as he walked. He walked straight past the sixteen gold bricks, then turned right and continued forward. When he reached the sixth gold brick, Lin Yuanqiu stood After deciding, he first put the bundle and bag aside, then knelt down and kowtowed to his superiors: "I respectfully wish your Majesty's blessing, long live my emperor!"
"Get up."
Emperor Jing Kang's voice sounded a little hoarse, which was so different from the strong and rich voice before that Lin Yuanqiu couldn't help but raise his head.
When I saw the Holy Lord who had not seen each other for three years, he had already aged much, and his hair was almost completely white. For some reason, Lin Yuanqiu suddenly remembered what his grandfather said to him in his previous life. Grandpa said that older people are like guests coming from afar. After this trip, they don’t know if there will be another trip.
Thinking about himself as a foreign official who rarely returns to Beijing, it is unknown that today may be the last time he sees the Holy Emperor.
Thinking of this, Lin Yuanqiu's eyes suddenly became uncontrollably moist, and tears soon fell down his cheeks.
Knowing that he had lost his composure, Lin Yuanqiu hurriedly lowered his head. Taking advantage of the moment he lowered his head, he quickly wiped away the tears on his face with his sleeves.
Emperor Jingkang had already seen it and understood that he was worried about him from the bottom of his heart. Compared with the words of concern expressed by other ministers, Emperor Jing Kang felt that this was true sincerity.
Then I saw that Lin Xiuzhuan had lost a lot of weight compared to three years ago. It seems that in the past few years, people have really become one parent.
Thinking of this, Emperor Jing Kang couldn't help but smile on his face, "Why, does Lin Xiuzhuan feel that he has suffered three years in Saibei and is ready to appeal to the Holy Spirit?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Emperor Jing Kang saw the person in front of him suddenly raised his head, his mouth opened wide, and his eyes were still red.
This look is full of disbelief, as funny as it looks.
Emperor Jing Kang couldn't help laughing.
Eunuch Wu and Eunuch Jiang on the side also laughed.
The two of them couldn't help but think that it was rare for the Holy Father to smile again after he recovered from his illness, so today was God's mercy.
Also, I didn’t expect that His Majesty would still address him as Lin Xiuzhuan, which shows that he really values Master Lin in his heart.
Knowing that the Holy Master was teasing him, Lin Yuanqiu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. At the same time, I thought in my heart that I could still joke. I thought that the Holy Spirit was just looking at his old age, and his body should be fine.
Since he was here to report on his work, Lin Yuanqiu did not delay. At Emperor Jingkang's signal, he quickly explained the situation of governing the prefectures and counties in the past three years. Including the "small county and big city strategy" that the Holy One already knew and the annihilation of the Shanrong people.
What he heard from others was not as vivid as the oral account of the person involved. Emperor Jing Kang seemed to have the feeling of being there.
Especially after hearing that the soldiers and guards were hiding in quilts and ambushing him, Emperor Jing Kang would have jumped up and clapped his hands if he hadn't been concerned about his identity as emperor.
Lin Yuanqiu then emphatically talked about high-yield grain, and then handed over the booklet he had recorded, as well as the half sack of rice.
Emperor Jingkang flipped through the pages and saw that the writing was really careful. Not only the whole process of raising seedlings, but also the changes in the height of the seedlings were vividly displayed on the paper, which showed how much care was taken during the process.
Look at those plump grains, which make people reluctant to put them down in their hands. This is the basis for the survival of the people in the world.
Finally, Emperor Jingkang couldn't help but sigh, "If the officials in the court are as diligent and dedicated to the people as Mr. Lin, why should we, the great Jing Dynasty, have to worry about it for generations to come!"
This evaluation was really too high, and Lin Yuanqiu felt a little ashamed and did not deserve it, "Your Majesty, this is your duty as a minister, and you do not deserve such praise from your Majesty."
After hearing this, Emperor Jing Kang couldn't help but nodded, thinking that he was worthy of being the number one scholar he kissed.
By the way, Emperor Jingkang suddenly remembered what he had heard about the Mountain Wife before, and immediately asked, "I have always had doubts in my heart. Mr. Lin comes from a farming family. How did he get so much money to buy a house in Beijing and subsidize Shizhou Mansion? The dowry of twenty-seven mountain wives?”
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Chapter 222 Knowing
Emperor Jingkang's sudden question made Lin Yuanqiu, who was originally a little excited, almost choke on his own saliva.
As expected, accompanying a king is like accompanying a tiger. You have to be alert at all times in front of the Holy Master.
To be honest, Lin Yuanqiu had thought about this problem many times in his mind. Especially when facing the Holy Emperor, he already had a good idea of how to respond.
Naturally, Lin Yuanqiu would not be stupid enough to tell about the banknotes he had dug out of the house.
Since he didn't say it at the beginning, even if he explains it to the fullest now, in the eyes of others, he is already a dishonest person.
As for other things that are made up, it is even less true. If it is fake, it is fake and cannot withstand scrutiny and inquiry.
Therefore, I'd better tell the Holy One about making money from selling paintings.
As for whether the Holy One would reprimand him for this, Lin Yuanqiu no longer cared about it at this moment.
Also, since he has decided to speak out, Lin Yuanqiu will naturally not hide anything. Anyway, if you don’t steal or rob, what are you afraid of?
However, it is said that speaking skills are very important. If the same sentence is expressed differently, others will have different opinions.
Lin Yuanqiu organized his words in his mind, then bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have been in a poor family since I was a child. The fifteen members of my family only lived on six acres of thin farmland, so starvation is a common thing. Don't be afraid of Your Majesty's jokes. When Weichen grew up to five years old, because of his small size, others thought he was only three years old. Later, when he saw that his uncle, who had passed the scholar examination, lived a good life with enough to eat, Weichen also I thought about going to school so that my grandparents would no longer have to go hungry. At that time, Wei Chen was studying ethnic studies, which did not need to be compulsory, but he had to buy books and books by himself, but his family couldn't afford any money. Later, Weichen's father went to the town dock to help people carry grain. A sack of grain weighed 150 kilograms. He only got two cents for carrying 300 kilograms. Weichen's father was too thin and often couldn't straighten up while carrying the sack. .”
At this point, Lin Yuanqiu paused, and Emperor Jingkang heard the choking in Lin Xiuzhan's voice.
Then I heard him say, "After Weichen passed the Tongsheng examination, he went to a private school in the town. The master in the private school often taught the students to draw. At that time, Weichen was thinking, if he could learn painting well, Is it possible to make money by painting, which can reduce the burden on the family? Therefore, in his spare time, Weichen diligently practiced calligraphy and painting, and he liked it. Within a few years, Weichen's paintings were acceptable. It is difficult to be in the elegant hall, but it can save the humble ministers from having to worry about repairs and pens, inks, paper and inkstones."
Finally, Lin Yuanqiu concluded, "Your Majesty, the money used by the humble minister to buy the house and supplement the mountain wife's dowry was exactly what he earned from painting with others."
After saying that, Lin Yuanqiu, who was standing in the hall, not only showed no guilt on his face, but also looked like he was not ashamed to make money with his own hands.
This generous and generous look fell in the eyes of Eunuch Wu and Eunuch Jiang, and they couldn't help but admire him.
If the officials nearby were known to be making a living by painting, they would probably be so embarrassed that they would have nothing to do.
What's more, this is not just a matter of blushing. The court has clearly stated that in order to prevent officials from using their power for personal gain and competing with the people for profit, officials in the DPRK and the Central Government are not allowed to do business.
However, Eunuch Wu and Eunuch Jiang quickly realized that selling paintings should not be regarded as seeking personal gain with power or competing with the people, right?
As for Emperor Jingkang, from the time he heard about Lin Xiuzhuan's father carrying sacks for his son to study, to Lin Xiuzhuan's diligent calligraphy and painting practice to save his father from hard work, a picture of a loving father and a filial son soon appeared in Emperor Jingkang's eyes. In front of you.
As for those who were not in business, Emperor Jingkang didn't even think about it. In his opinion, painting with others is just like a scholar copying books for a library to earn money. And since he doesn't have a shop to specialize in business, how can this be considered doing business?
Thinking again, Lin Xiuzuan not only reduced the burden on his family by painting, but also completed his career. He also used the money earned from painting to help the people. It is rare for an official with such good character to be seen.
No, Emperor Jingkang quickly remembered that houses in the capital were not cheap, and he didn't think Lin Xiuzhan could earn so much money just by painting. Not only the house, Emperor Jingkang also remembered that Lin Xiuzuan bought a villa specifically to allow his two sisters to take care of themselves during the confinement period.
If you have any doubts, it’s natural to clarify them. What's more, Emperor Jingkang had other plans in mind. In his opinion, the loyalty of his ministers was more important than his ability.
In other words, how can a person be entrusted with important responsibilities without loyalty?
So, Emperor Jingkang asked Eunuch Wu to spread rice paper on the large table in the cubicle, and asked Lin Xiuzhan to draw a picture on the spot.
He would like to see what kind of painting can actually earn money from a house or a village in the capital, and even supplement others from time to time.
Lin Yuanqiu knew that the sage said he wanted to see his painting skills, but in fact he just wanted to see if he was lying.
If so, then what I said just now is the crime of deceiving the emperor, and I'm afraid I won't be able to live with it.
Fortunately, it is a fact that I can draw, so there is nothing to worry about.
Although it is said to be a partition, the area is actually quite large. This is where Emperor Jingkang wrote poems and painted in his spare time.
Lin Yuanqiu already had a rough idea in mind about what to draw. He looked at the paints on the desk and decided to draw a picture of Takimi Guanyin.
Taki saw that Avalokitesvara had the meaning of protecting everything, happiness, longevity and peace, so it was appropriate to present it to the Holy One.
Due to busyness, Lin Yuanqiu has not painted for a long time, but the ability to paint is engraved in his bones. In just half a cup of tea, Lin Yuanqiu had already conceived the layout of the entire picture. In the middle of the paper was Takimi Guanyin, who was sitting against a rock and looking at the flowing springs and waterfalls. Next to Guanyin, Lin Yuanqiu was preparing to draw another picture. The good fortune boy and the dragon girl.
When drawing a Bodhisattva, the most important thing to draw is naturally the facial expression, that is, opening the face, especially the eyes, which must be separated by two parts and closed by eight parts. This kind of look means looking at the outside with two points, looking at the inside with eight points, looking at the world with two points, and looking at yourself with eight points.