Not quite three years, but soon.
When he left Beijing and went south, Zhang Fujing was a new scholar in his forties. When he returned to the capital, he was already a third-rank right-deputy imperial envoy with experience as a governor.
The speed at which new officials were promoted in the Jiajing Dynasty was unparalleled.
It was already June, and the officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Metropolitan Procuratorate who came to greet him, as well as Zhang Fujing's classmates and friends, all looked at him with eyes as hot as the weather.
When he comes back this time, how will the emperor use him?
Seven counselors left Beijing, among whom Wu Tingju went to take office as the governor of Guangdong. Many people originally thought that Zhang Fujing would return to Beijing and become a counselor, but now the counselors have been filled.
And Zhang Fujing was also very confused.
When Liang Chu pointed out His Majesty's plans for Guangdong and Guangdong to him, Zhang Fujing always thought that he would stay in Guangdong for a long time. It is necessary not only to make the new law in Guangdong effective, but also to complete the major task of conquering and restoring Jiaozhi in the future before returning to the government.
But now he has returned to Beijing early, and Gui E has also been transferred to Sichuan as an inspector.
Naturally, Zhang Fujing would not think that His Majesty was giving a signal to abandon or adjust the new law. This only shows that the situation the new law is facing now is very serious.
There must be a bigger mission to call him back to Beijing.
After entering the city, Zhang Fujing directly requested to see your Majesty without bothering to rest for a while.
This is not only because it is very impressive to ask for a report immediately after a long journey, but also because he does not want to delay his future.
The virtual age is already fifty.
Zhang Fujing is only a short distance away from the ministers and cabinet ministers. If promotion is normally based on age and seniority, his chances are slim.
All his opportunities were given by the emperor and the new law.
At the Meridian Gate, Zhang Zuo was waiting for him in person.
"Eunuch Zhang, I haven't congratulated you yet for taking charge of the ceremonial department."
"Zhang Dutai is out."
Zhang Fujing was stunned for a moment when he heard the name Dutai, and then he understood in his heart.
Apart from Shandong, where else is there no governor?
He took a deep breath and suppressed his inner excitement.
The governor is often given the title of right deputy capital censor or minister, while the governor or general is usually given the title of right censor or minister.
Although he has not yet become a counselor, this time he has reached the rank of minister of the second rank.
"Thank you, Eunuch Zhang!" Zhang Fujing saluted Zhang Zuo seriously.
Zhang Zuo returned the favor with a smile: "We are not deliberately leaking the Chinese language, but since this fate has been decided long ago, it will not be changed. We will wait until Zhang Dutai enters the palace. It is just that His Majesty and all the counselors want to take the initiative. .”
"Oh?" Zhang Fujing followed Zhang Zuo forward while looking at the Forbidden City that he had not seen for a long time.
The changes are relatively large. This does not mean the buildings around Fengtian Temple, but the people in them. It is obvious that there are more and more officials busy in and out of Wenhua Hall, Wuying Hall, Wenlou, Wulou and the surrounding corridors.
Before Zhang Fujing left Beijing in the 16th year of Zhengde, there were only many officials at the court meeting in the Meridian Gate. In normal times, the cabinet ministers are on duty in Wenyuan Pavilion, and the Zhongshu Sheren and some officials from the General Affairs Department are busy on business.
But now, there are many scarlet robes, green robes and even green robes.
Zhang Zuo heard Zhang Fujing's high-pitched "Oh" and thought to himself that he was worthy of being a person who had already been a governor and had his hands stained with the blood of a third-rank official. He actually had the natural tone of a superior person.
Although he took over the charge of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, the emperor's focus on using ministers had shifted. Zhang Zuo was worried that he would be reprimanded again, so he suppressed the strangeness in his heart.
"Zhang Dutai didn't know something. Since the impeachment of Li Xiang on the 15th day of the first lunar month, there have been changes in the fifth military camp and rebellion in Sichuan. After questioning, it was found that there were many people involved in the matter in the government and the public. Each province has a governor, adviser to Li Jing, When selecting the vanguard in the capital camp, there were also decrees issued to the officials in the Southern Zhili Province, but some people still persisted in not realizing it. From this point of view, Zhang Dutai's order was kept secret, which fully shows his majesty's foresight."
"Still stubborn? I returned to Beijing from Guangdong, and I don't know what happened all the way. If Eunuch Zhang can tell me, please give me some advice." Zhang Fujing saluted him again.
"Zhang Dutai was promoted by His Majesty. Now if he didn't have other important responsibilities, he would be able to participate in national policies, and our family would not be outside." Zhang Zuo said after being polite, "This time, you are also in a difficult position. .”
After that, he quickly talked about some recent developments on the way to the Yangxin Hall.
Before all memorials were submitted to the Imperial Study Room for the emperor to read, they would pass through the Supervisor of Ceremonies.
What Zhang Zuo told Zhang Fujing were the memorials that had been sent to the capital in the past month or so, mainly from various prefectures in southern Zhili and Huguang and Jiangxi provinces.
It was mainly the result of two events. One was that after the King of Liao invaded the capital, the Liao Palace, Jingzhou Palace and Huguang patrolled into the capital. One is to impeach the King of Liao for being immoral and immoral and the Liao vassal harming the people; the other is the King of Liao himself begging for favors.
The other incident was related to Nanjing. Before Meng Chun and others were captured, the Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs went to the Beijing Ministry of Household Affairs to file a report according to the regulations. At the same time, they also sent official documents to the prefectures in southern Zhili and the three provinces of Huguang, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang. After that, officials from all over the country showed enthusiasm for the new law, but the many old accounts that were dug up were all about unfair tax and labor showdowns in various places. Now, the people who used to bear more are not complying, and the people who used to bear less are not complying. Refuse to share equally.
This is neither blocking the new law, but rather making preparations in advance to clarify fallacies and "mobilize" local areas.
Zhang Fujing understood: "Do things according to the rules, don't hold everyone accountable according to the law, and don't have enough people to patrol the constitution?"
"...The governor is right." Zhang Zuo couldn't understand the full meaning of this sentence immediately, but Zhang Fujing and others were more capable than him, so Zhang Zuo still recognized it.
Under the pressure of Zhu Houcong, Zhang Fujing did not feel deeply, but Yang Tinghe and others clearly felt the difference in power of the eunuchs in the Zhengde and Jiajing dynasties.
Without the emperor's favor, Zhang Zuo, the chief minister of etiquette, became both humble and cautious.
While talking, the two of them had arrived in front of the Yangxin Hall.
Zhang Fujing looked at the small door, but sighed in his heart: Now this is the real center of the Ming Dynasty.
Memorials from all over the Ming Dynasty were submitted here, and decisions on many major events in the Ming Dynasty were issued from here.
The emperor's daily life was also here, and the Qianqing Palace was mostly used to hold some ceremonial ceremonies or banquets with a larger number of participants.
"Your Majesty, Zhang Fujing has arrived." Zhang Zuo announced outside the imperial study.
"come in."
When Zhang Fujing heard the emperor's voice again, he felt that it was louder than it was nearly three years ago.
He first bowed and bowed outside the royal study, and said loudly with choked sobs: "I, Zhang Fu, respectfully bow to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty! Long live! Long live your Majesty!"
You can't say that he is too willing to pat the dragon's fart. When he meets the emperor later, he will definitely kowtow to him face to face again.
But for him to soar into the sky like this is indeed the opportunity given by the emperor.
In Zhang Fujing's mind, everything stemmed from the palace trial strategy, from his courage to ask the emperor for his name, and from the emperor's understanding of his intentions when he was only fifteen at the time.
Then, he was directly asked to discuss the strategy of enriching the country, promoted to the imperial study room, and appointed as an imperial envoy to go south to Guangdong.
"Get up, I know what you want."
Zhu Houcong's voice sounded in front of him with a smile. Zhang Fujing straightened up and saw the emperor already standing inside the door.
He has grown taller, and now his body is stronger and he looks more majestic. Not only that, he also started to grow a beard, which naturally made him look more stable.
Zhang Fujing's eyes were indeed wet: "I am so frightened that I bother Your Majesty to welcome..."
Zhu Houcong, who was cooperating with his performance, stretched out his hand and took his arm: "Mao Gong worked hard and achieved great results. I will remember it in my heart. It's hot, come in and have some refreshing and delicious drinks."
The emperor was trustworthy and his ministers were loyal and capable. Zhang Fuking was an example of the emperor of the new dynasty who knew people well and handled them well.
Gu Dingchen, the current chief of the imperial study, no longer has to serve as a daily lecturer and daily lecturer. The person who serves as two accompanying bachelors is now a doctor from the sixth rank of the sixth grade.
The threshold of the royal study room is getting higher and higher. Looking at this scene, the two of them can only look at Zhang Fuking with envy, envying the opportunities he once had.
Zhu Houcong cordially invited Zhang Fujing to drink some chilled cold drinks, and asked him if it was hotter in Guangdong. He listened to him describe the specific process of cutting off Wang Ziyan, and then joked: "I actually use the powerful medicine of Huguang, dragon and tiger to describe me, 伱This courage is greater than Wang Ziyan's sword."
Zhang Fujing smiled awkwardly and said: "I know your Majesty's broad mind, so I dare to do this. It's just that they are cunning, so I can only do this, pretending to be complicit, thinking that I can find out more clues so that Guangdong will not be in chaos for a long time. Unexpectedly Your Majesty is strategizing, but what I got from what I said is not as good as the account book that Your Majesty ordered Eunuch Wei to send to Guangdong. I am ashamed! Although I dare not slack off in Guangdong, after hearing about His Majesty's practical experience, I really regret that I can't see you often in Beijing. I’d like to see your Majesty and ask for your help.”
The smile on Zhu Houcong's face did not change: "So, you want to stay in Beijing? What if I send you somewhere again?"
Zhang Fujing nodded: "Of course I want to stay in the capital and always be with Your Majesty, but Your Majesty promoted me to a young age, so I will naturally devote myself to death. As long as Your Majesty has orders, I will never give up even if I die!"
Although he already knew that he would go to Shandong, he still wanted to say this.
Who doesn’t want to be a highly respected minister? Zhang Fujing did not hide his wishes.
He came back from "killing" in Guangdong, so he should naturally be motivated.
However, Zhang Fujing would not be vague about his attitude.
Zhu Houcong nodded: "Since you know that I still want to send you somewhere, with Mao Gong's talent, do you know where and what position?"
Zhang Fujing pretended to think for a moment, and then asked: "Your Majesty wants me to go to Shandong to oversee the constitution?"
"Exactly." Zhu Houcong's eyes became sharper, "What do you think Mao Gong should do after going to Shandong?"
Zhang Fujing naturally knew that His Majesty already had a plan, but by asking him now, he no longer regarded him as just a sharp sword.
In the past three years in Guangdong, has Zhang Fujing's ability been recognized by the emperor? This was what he thought, so he thought about it for a while.
This time, I really thought about it.
The emperor was testing him.
If you only accept orders, then when you arrive in Shandong, it will take time to report, and many things will be done inappropriately. But if he could accurately understand the emperor's meaning, then with his intelligence and experience, he would naturally be able to grasp this sense of proportion.
He is the hero of the new law in Guangdong. He was asked to go to governor Shandong. Under the current situation, it was naturally for the new law.
The biggest difficulty with the new law at present is nothing more than what Zhang Zuo said before, "It's very difficult for you to take action."
For relatives and vassal kings, and even for some possible rebellions and rebellions, there are already plans to advise the governor-general and select leaders in the Beijing camp.
But after all, what Your Majesty wants is for Ming Dynasty to operate normally.
Guangdong has added so many official positions, and Zhang Fuking, who is in charge of Guangdong, knows best. The real purpose of adding more officials was not just to divide the Guangdong officials and gentry and win over people's hearts. After the restructuring of the Guangdong Yamen Office, the biggest purpose was to improve the efficiency of handling public affairs.
Outside Guangdong, the provinces still have few officials, many officials, and are assigned to serve various tasks. Nowadays, instead, various places are forcibly active and dig out many old accounts to actively deal with them. The number of things will be "unspeakable" for the officials, and it will also involve many people who are unreasonable and easily incited.
Isn't it obvious enough that the emperor is determined to implement the new law? Wasn't the handling of the Five Military Camp Incident and the Sichuan Rebellion Case, and the arrest and questioning of so many high-ranking officials not tough enough?
The reason why these people dare to do this is because there are indeed many people involved this time, and they are all local officials who deal directly with the people, and they all use the banner of supporting the new law.
The fact that the law does not hold the public accountable is second, but they are indeed "supporting the new law". At most, they are a little "eager". They actively made some preparations five years before Jiajing, so they are not really in advance. New laws have been implemented everywhere.
This is the collective tacit understanding of the veterans to pose problems to the court.
If they are dealt with collectively this time, not to mention how many people will be temporarily recruited to replace local affairs, does Ming Dynasty have tens of thousands of grassroots officials in reserve? This alone is very troublesome: in the future, provinces will need brave and enterprising people to implement the new law, but this time they were punished for supporting the new law, and those who come forward in the future will naturally be conservative and cautious.
Zhang Fujing thought for a long time and then said: "When I go to Shandong, Your Majesty should show me special kindness, so that the world will know again your Majesty's determination to reform and strengthen. After I went to Shandong, I have been the governor of Xianyan Shenggong's Mansion for many years! I have done nothing illegal! I have been delighted to hear about His Majesty's practical knowledge since the end of last year, and I have gained a lot in the past six months. Since I want to supervise the constitution of Shandong, I should submit a brief memorial to Your Majesty for your inspection."
"oh?"
Zhu Houcong remembered that Zhang Fujing was a fierce man who defeated the Kong family, but he didn't remember how he operated.
Now, has Zhang Fuking really thought about how to reform Confucianism and create a new world for practical studies in the past six months since he came into contact with practical studies?
Zhu Houcong's voice was once again the tone of a superior, and Zhang Fujing also replied confidently: "Your Majesty said that today's people are better than the ancients. Although I am ashamed, I am also inspired! Scholars in the world should have such vigor, and Confucianism has not always been This is a kind of knowledge that blindly keeps to itself and does not talk about pioneering. Nowadays, scholars are all underestimating themselves. They dare not claim to be the sages of Yue in terms of knowledge. When studying and doing things, they talk about the Six Classics. The source of all kinds of chaos is that they respect Confucius too much. It’s an indecent act!”
"How to refute it?" Zhu Houcong fast forwarded to the point where someone would jump out to express objections.
Zhang Fujing smiled a little evilly: "Use the spear of the son to attack the shield of the son. Your Majesty clearly knows that I will naturally make all the Confucian scholars in the world speechless. What I worry about is that after the success, if Yan Shenggong Palace has forgotten it for many years Following the teachings of our ancestors, what step should I take?"
Zhu Houcong saw that he was trying to sell things off first and knew that he had already calculated. Even when he didn't know that he would serve as the governor of Shandong, he probably already thought about how to carry forward practical studies in the future. Otherwise, why would Guangdong be so bold as to add the content of practical studies to the provincial examination?
Zhang Fujing wanted to go to Shandong with this background, and also with his reputation of almost killing all the important officials in Guangdong and Guangdong.
"Prepare the decree!"
Zhu Houcong gave an order, and the two accompanying bachelors who had heard the conversation between the monarch and his ministers trembled in their hearts.
As Confucian disciples, are they now discussing how to deceive their masters and destroy their ancestors?
However, it is not new that there are many crimes in Yanshenggong's palace. Wasn't Kong Hongxu, the father of the current Yanshenggong Kong Wenshao, deprived of the title of Yanshenggong because he was too promiscuous and a bastard, and was succeeded by his younger brother?
Zhang Fujing only asked what step should be taken. What is the emperor's will now?
"Zhang Fujing was on patrol in Guangdong and had meritorious service in trying out new laws. He ordered the Governor-General Shandong to supervise military affairs, pay and pay, as well as the governor's affairs. He was assigned the title of Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites and the censor of Youdu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He was also granted the crown prince's junior master and the bachelor of Youchunfang. He was granted the title of Xing Mang and Yin Yi. The son is admitted to Huangming University."
To their surprise, this was just a promotion decree, although it was very interesting.
Ministers on the governor's side are often given the title of Minister of the Ministry of War, but Zhang Fujing was given the title of Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
It is normal to serve as the censor of the right capital, but to add the prince's young master... You must know that since the birth of the emperor's legitimate son, this is the first minister to be given the title of prince, three sons and three lonely ministers. Although the prince's three sons and three orphans have nothing to do with the prince's tutoring after Yongle, who knows what His Majesty is thinking now?
Don't you see, there is a bachelor of Youchunfang following behind? If a prince is established in the future, will he become a bachelor of Zuo Chunfang, and really become the "prince's teacher" in charge of the prince's petitions, letters and lectures?
In addition, he was given a python suit. Even though he was just walking on the python instead of sitting on it, it was doubly gracious. There is one more thing... Yanshenggong's gift is the walking python.
Yanshenggong's grade is only the second grade.
If Zhang Fujing went to Shandong now, his face would be so bright that it would be frightening. Yan Shenggong Kong Wenshao's face would not be able to dazzle in front of Zhang Fujing.
Zhang Fujing thanked him excitedly, and then listened to the emperor's encouragement: "Mao Gong's experience in practical learning can be found in Zhejiang. If you listen to it, you will understand."
"...I should learn more from Yan Weizhong."
Zhang Fujing trembled, knowing that the answer to his question was hidden in this sentence.
Which step should be taken?
In the past, during the reign of the Meng Yuan Dynasty, the descendants of Confucius first had three sects, and then the northern and southern sects existed side by side for more than a hundred years, and they were even exempted from the title of Yanshenggong.
Isn't this descendant of the Nanzong in Quzhou, Zhejiang?
Nowadays, the Yanshenggong Mansion in Qufu does not need to exist.
Zhang Fujing knew the price he was about to pay for receiving so many "special favors": it was not enough to just peel off some of Confucius' halo, this matter must also be connected with the specific affairs of the new law outside of current practical studies.
Now in Shandong, he will still kill people! Kill the descendants of the most holy master!
(End of chapter)
