After returning home, Li Qing simply tidied the bed, then lay down and fell asleep.
He was too tired. He had been busy and running during this period and had no time to spare.
Most of the time I was on the way on horseback.
In addition, it is a war. In addition to physical fatigue, there is also mental fatigue.
He didn't dare to relax during those days on the grassland. He was stabbed by Mu Zhuoer again. He also suffered some injuries when he came back from the battle. Li Qing was scarred.
This sleep lasted until the afternoon of the next day.
As early summer approaches, the temperature rises significantly, and the air is filled with the heat of midsummer.
Li Qing woke up faintly and was dazed on the bed for a long time. Then he got up and went to the courtyard to get a basin of water and wash himself. His mental state was much better.
Physical relaxation and psychological stress are also relieved.
Li Qing stretched and began to sort out the fakes brought by his master.
However, he is not in the mood now and has no time to steal books. He has to take Queen Qian to Jinling and come back to take charge of the overall situation to prevent his previous efforts from going to waste. gōΠb.ōγg
The civil servants must not be allowed to get into trouble - Li Qing's bottom line.
The transfer of power has always been the favorite time for civil servants to take action. Every time the throne changes, they have tried, worked hard, and even succeeded.
They succeeded at the beginning of Zhu Qizhen's succession.
Now that the crisis has been resolved, they will definitely come up with their old tricks.
…
After Li Qing finished cleaning up, it was the end of Shen Shi.
After getting up and having a meal at a small restaurant outside, Li Qing rushed to Yu Qian's new home to see his donkey.
The donkey has already grown up. Under Yu Qian's careful feeding, it is tall and strong, with black and shiny hair. It looks more pleasing than a good horse.
If his ears weren't so conspicuous, he would have been regarded as a good horse.
After all...average families wouldn't feed donkeys like this.
"Brother Donkey, do you still remember me?" Li Qing touched its head and smiled softly, which was considered a thought.
"Hmm~ah~" the donkey brayed and cupped his palm, obviously still remembering him.
Li Qing laughed.
After talking to the donkey for a while, Li Qing said to Yu Mian, who was not far away, "Is Yu Shangshu still busy?"
"Yes." Yu Mian nodded, "More than a hundred thousand soldiers need rewards and pensions. This is a big errand and it will probably take more than a month to finish."
"Yes." Li Qing nodded, "The donkey is still here. I will go out in two days."
Yu Mian was used to it. This donkey was almost his family, and he had developed feelings for it after raising it for a long time. He was really reluctant to let Li Qingzhen take it away.
"It's a small matter." Yu Mian smiled and said, "Sir, you might as well go to the living room and sit for a while. I guess my father will be back soon."
Although Li Qing has a beard, he still looks younger than Yu Mian, but Yu Qian calls him sir, while Yu Mian does not dare to address him as a peer, and is very respectful in his words.
"No, it's just fine here." Li Qing smiled.
…
When it was getting dark, Yu Qian dragged his tired body back and was surprised to see Li Qing there.
"When did you come, sir?"
Yu Mian said: "Father, Mr. Li has been here for almost half an hour."
"I kept you waiting for a long time, sir," Yu Qian was a little embarrassed, "Let's go to the living room to chat."
After a pause, he said to his son, "Prepare some wine and food. My husband and I will have a few drinks."
"Yes, father." Yu Mian said before leaving.
The two came to the living room and sat down, and the servant quickly came forward to pour tea.
"No need to wait here, go outside." Yu Qian waved his servants away, picked up the teapot and poured a cup for Li Qing himself.
Li Qing looked at the living room and said with a smile: "This is like a minister's mansion, much better than before."
Yu Qian smiled bitterly: "Sir, please stop teasing me. For such a big family, the salary of the Minister is barely enough."
"You have made such a great contribution this time, and the emperor didn't reward you with anything?" Li Qing was surprised.
"I was rewarded with a lot of money." Yu Qian nodded, "However, I feel uncomfortable spending the money and eating the emperor's salary..."
"Huh?" Li Qing interrupted him, "One code equals one code. Since it is a reward from the emperor, you can accept it with peace of mind. You are now the number one hero of the Ming Dynasty, and I don't know how many eyes are staring at you;
If you don’t take it, how will others take it? "
Yu Qian hesitated.
Li Qing added: "It's time to change your stubborn ideas. As the saying goes, the king's gift cannot be withheld;
Not to mention what the emperor thinks, if you can't enjoy what you deserve with peace of mind, how will others deal with it?
Those officials already have objections to you. If you do this, it will only make everyone hate you, and you will definitely have difficulty in the future. "
Li Qing teased: "Do you know what your name is?"
"What?"
"Pedantry!" Li Qing said angrily, "The money is rewarded by the emperor, and it is based on merit. It is not your bribe or withholding income. The money comes from the above board, so naturally you have to spend it with peace of mind."
"You cannot be incorruptible for the sake of being incorruptible." Li Qing said lightly, "You have set your moral standards too high. On the surface, the literati will naturally praise you, but secretly they absolutely hate you to the core.
If you have to live such a hard life in a good life, you are asking for it. "
"..." Yu Qian smiled bitterly, "What sir said makes sense."
"It's not a reason, it's a fact." Li Qing said seriously, "What is the purpose of being an official, to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country? No, it is to live a better life."
Li Qingdao: "It's not that I can overthrow a whole boat of people with one stick, but that no matter they are civil servants or military generals, there are good people and good officials; there are people who want to do good things and do practical things.
But more people will put themselves first. Everyone wants to be promoted to an official position. What is the purpose of being promoted to an official position? "
Yu Qian was silent.
"So," Li Qing patted him on the shoulder, "It's yours, so you have to live with it. If you live a miserable life just to clear your name, you're putting the cart before the horse."
After a pause, "Besides, this doesn't affect your reputation. Can't you spend the money from the Emperor's reward?"
Yu Qian nodded: "Sir, what you said is that I am too conservative."
"That's right." Li Qing smiled and took a sip of tea, "You know, compared to absolutely honest and conservative officials, I prefer people who are a little philistine but have outstanding abilities.
A person who is honest and pedantic is far inferior to a person who has bad personal ethics but is capable; what Ming Dynasty needs is capable ministers and officials, not moral models. "
Yu Qian nodded: "Sir, that's right."
…
While they were talking, the food and wine were served, and the two stopped talking and started eating and drinking.
After three rounds of wine and five tastes of food, the two started chatting again.
"Sir, you know the current situation of the Supreme Emperor, right?" Yu Qian looked at Li Qing with burning eyes.
Li Qing did not answer, but said: "You are now the new emperor's meritorious official and the current top powerful official. Don't be half-hearted. Why, you still want to welcome him back?"
"How can this be half-hearted?" Yu Qian said seriously, "If possible, I will naturally welcome the Supreme Emperor back!"
"Haha, you won't be able to please him when he comes back." Li Qing rolled his eyes, "You don't understand Zhu Qizhen at all."
"Sir, you...should be called the Supreme Emperor." Yu Qian couldn't accept Li Qing's direct name as the emperor. Although he knew Li Qing's identity,...there was a difference between king and minister.
Li Qing didn't take it seriously, "Just do your job and assist the current emperor. Don't think about the things you have and don't have."
Seeing that Yu Qian wanted to argue again, Li Qing had no choice but to say: "I don't know his current situation. The top priority is still the issue of civilian officials leading the army."
Yu Qian was startled for a moment and nodded slowly: "Yes, it can be foreseen that even if those people push their heads, they will push me up."
"This is inevitable, so we have to bring in a group of people first." Li Qing said.
"Sir, what do you mean...?"
"Honorable Lord!"
Li Qing said, "Zhu Qizhen...well, the Emperor personally went to war, and the civil service group suffered heavy losses. Although the nobles also suffered losses, they were much better off than the civil service;
No, it should be said that the nobility has not been lost. They all have heirs and the titles have been completely inherited. "
Yu Qian nodded: "Sir, what you said makes sense, but... the emperor has just ascended the throne, and his unstable status has led to some... weak benevolence. Those people are the best at building momentum and inciting public opinion. I'm worried that the emperor can't stand it."
"This is simple." Li Qingdao, "In the battle of the Supreme Emperor, the Six Ministries, the Cabinet, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the Taichang Temple... so many high-ranking officials died, which also caused many official vacancies;
As long as these vacancies remain empty, those who want to rise to the top will not dare to be too presumptuous. "
After a pause, he said, "Please discuss the pros and cons of this with the Emperor. By the way... extend the time line for rewards and pensions for the soldiers this time, and use this reason to delay it and keep their appetite."
Just as Yu Qian was about to nod, he suddenly realized something and said in surprise: "Sir, you don't want to care...are you going to travel far away again?"
"Ang, I miss home." Li Qing said, "I'm going back to Aurous Hill in two days."
Yu Qian: "..."
