The Reborn Duke of Ming Dynasty

"Young master, you are awake. Breakfast is ready."

As soon as Zhang Fan woke up early in the morning, he saw that Xiao Xiangmei had already cleaned up the housework, and his mother was very satisfied with this diligent girl.

Zhang Fan nodded with a smile and didn't say much.Today he had to go to the Imperial College to report. Just after dinner, Butler Li arrived in front of Zhang Fan's house.Zhang Fan took his stationery and the books he wanted to take with him and went out with Butler Li.

Zhang Fan followed Steward Li to the main entrance of Guozixue in Zhongdu, which is also the main entrance of Guozijian. This building really shows the unique temperament of a scholar, but today is April 26, the day of endorsement. Zhang Fan really didn’t How to hear the sound of reading.The main entrance of the Guozijian is called Jixian Gate, which is a yellow glazed archway.

In the Ming Dynasty, Guozijian had Jijiu, Siye, Jiancheng, and Dianbo each.Ritual wine is from the third grade, and the department is from the fourth grade.He is in charge of the seven schools of discipline, Zongguozi, Suanfan, Taixue, Simen, Guangwen, and Lvshu.Jiancheng is in charge of judging supervisors from the sixth grade. Every year, some students graduate and take the test with Jijiu and Siye. Those who pass the exam are reported to the Ministry of Rites.Dian Bo from Qipin, palm prints, supervises supervisors.An official supervisor who came to pick up Zhang Fan.

"Mr. Zhang is here." The old supervisor was very enthusiastic towards Zhang Fan, "Master Zhang told me everything about you. Old man Wang Shengqing."

"I'm Zhang Fan, whose name is Yuande." Zhang Fan said.

After bidding farewell to Butler Li, Zhang Fan followed Wang Shengqing and walked in.The scenery along the way was extraordinarily exquisite, but it just made Zhang Fan feel so deserted.

Along the way, Wang Shengqing introduced to Zhang Fan: "The master of Jijiu today is Mr. Zhao Zhenji. There are Guozixue here, including five doctors, five teaching assistants, four direct speakers, two doctors of the Five Classics each; There are six doctors and six teaching assistants; Guangwen Hall has four doctors and two teaching assistants; Simen Hall has six doctors, six teaching assistants, and four direct lecturers; Law has three doctors and one teaching assistant; There are two doctors and one teaching assistant; there are two doctors and one teaching assistant in mathematics."

After saying this, the two of them had walked through many prison cells, and Zhang Fan gradually saw people, but there were very few people.

Zhang Fan couldn't help but asked in confusion: "Supervisor Wang, why aren't there many people here?"

Wang Shengqing was very embarrassed when he heard Zhang Fan's words, and he said after a long time: "Young master Zhang, you are also recommended by Zhang Dashi, so I will tell you directly. All the students who come here to study are supervisors. The source of the great source is that students who study in the prison are called Gongjian, bureaucratic children are called Yinjian, those who recruit people are called Jujian, and those who donate money to prison are called Lijian. Supervising students can directly become officials, especially Taizu During the emperor's time, local officials were vacant, and there were countless supervisors who went to the localities to serve as officials as soon as they graduated. However, after Emperor Chengzu, the opportunities for supervisors to become officials directly became less and less.

"Now you can also see that the most educated of the four types of prison students is the prisoner, but since they are all for the purpose of becoming an official, why do those who win the exam have to suffer this crime. Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer prisons here. If it weren't for the fact that the supervising students can directly take the general examination without the provincial examination, I am afraid that there are not so many people now!"

Zhang Fan was a little indifferent after hearing his words. He didn't expect that the highest school in the feudal society is now in such decline.No wonder I came here to study, even though I was just a borrower, Wang Shengqing was so happy. His feelings were not based on Zhang Juzheng's identity, but on Zhang Fanju's identity.

Zhang Fan followed Wang Shengqing all the way to the sacrificial wine room. "Master Zhao, Juren Zhang is here."

Zhao Zhenji's first impression of offering wine is that of a literati with a bookish look on his face.He also warmly received Zhang Fan: "Mr. Zhang is a young man who has been selected for the examination, and his future is limitless. Senior Scholar Zhang speaks highly of you."

"Thank you, Master Jijiu, for your compliment, Wansheng," Zhang Fan said.

"I heard from Mr. Zhang that Mr. Zhang is going to take the test this year, is that right?" Zhao Zhenji asked.

"Exactly." Zhang Fan returned, "I'm going to bother you all these months."

"Hehe, it doesn't have to be like this." Zhao Zhenji said, "Since Mr. Zhang is going to take part in the examination in four months, he doesn't need to be enthroned now. I don't know if Mr. Zhang is going to live in the prison or..."

"Late students come here to study, so naturally they want to live here." Zhang Fan said.

"That's great. I've ordered someone to prepare the room." Zhao Zhenji said, "Today is the day for the endorsement. Mr. Zhang can go with the prison students, or stay in his own cell."

"Thank you for your arrangement, sir." Zhang Fan thanked.

Zhang Fan followed a teaching assistant to his dormitory. This is a single room, and it seems that Master Jijiu takes good care of him.Zhang Fan didn't feel special, so he stayed there.All the items in the dormitory are very simple, but they are all the things needed for daily life, and there is absolutely nothing superfluous.There are standard textbooks such as the Four Books and Five Classics on the bookshelf.Zhang Fan didn't bring any extra things with him, so he just tidied up a little.

In his previous life, as a high-achieving student at a key university, Zhang Fan often went to self-study, but he never went to this ancient self-study.With a curious attitude, Zhang Fan brought books to a "classroom".There were more than 30 superintendents studying inside, shaking their heads and looking very serious, but they didn't pay much attention. As soon as Zhang Fan entered, many people looked at him, although his head was still shaking, his mouth was still muttering , but you can still read books there.Zhang Fan glanced around, and although the inmates in front of him were all wearing the same clothes, he could tell at a glance that most of them were officials and children from wealthy families, and they probably came here for the status of being able to take the exam directly.Zhang Fan didn't care about other people's gazes, found a seat and sat down and began to read.

In this way, Zhang Fan really started his study life in the capital.Zhang Fan would think about the things Zhang Juzheng told him about the court from time to time.Zhang Juzheng may have cared about his teacher Xu Jie, but because of the relationship between teachers and students, there is nothing he can do.Zhang Fan also knew that he called himself into the capital because he wanted to have more help.No matter how upright and selfless a person is, if he wants to do a great job, it is not enough to rely on his own strength alone. It's just that when an upright person chooses a companion, he will look for someone who shares his goals, not Only capable people.In some respects, this is similar to the principle of "only use the most obedient and not the most capable people" in Chinese society, except that those who employ people have no bad intentions.Zhang Fan doesn't care about this, at least for Zhang Juzheng and him, the intersection between the two is reflected in their talents, but the abbreviation of character is preserved in their talents, which may only be reflected by literati weird.

The things Zhang Juzheng said also made Zhang Fan feel that the Ming Dynasty was already on the verge of crisis, but the territory was too large, and so many problems seemed insignificant, so not many people noticed it.Zhang Fan could analyze these things with the comprehensive coping vision of later generations, but Zhang Juzheng, as an ancient man who had no modern education and was in the court, was able to see these things so clearly. admire.But think about it, there has never been a shortage of such people in Chinese history, it just depends on whether the times give such people a chance.

Regarding the reform mentioned in his conversation with Zhang Juzheng the day before yesterday, Zhang Fan knew that Zhang Juzheng would indeed carry out reforms in history, whether it was the "examination method" or the "one-whip method" would revitalize the Ming Dynasty again.It's just that people who have always carried out reforms in China's feudal society, such as Shang Yang and Wang Anshi, did not end well.As the saying goes, ancestral etiquette cannot be changed. If you want to reform, you must "digging the ancestors' graves". There is no reason for those feudal defenders not to fight you desperately.And without the support of those in power, how could this reform start!The current Emperor Longqing has just ascended the throne for more than a year, and apart from the calamity of the Tatars in the north, the country of Ming Dynasty is enjoying peace and prosperity. Now that you are talking to the emperor about reforms, it is better to let the emperor directly depose you from Beijing and come back sooner.

It seems that Zhang Juzheng's road to reform and revival has a long way to go, and Zhang Fan is also tied to these two chariots, but Zhang Fan has no complaints.Zhang Fan actually thought about a question for a long time, that is why he was reborn back to the Ming Dynasty.God has not given me any predictions, and I have not encountered any catastrophe in my previous life that requires people to go back to the past to change.For a while, Zhang Fan just regarded this rebirth as a mistake from heaven, or a game, but now Zhang Fan began to wonder if he should do something.Life is short for a few decades, but these decades can only be said when looking back on those old people who are dying, and for Zhang Fan, he hasn't read it in these decades, so why rush!I have a personal goal in life, a dream.This dream is to make China stand on top of the world, and this goal is to let the Chinese people have a safe and secure life.The goal seems difficult, but there is still a chance to achieve it, and this dream seems illusory, but it is an inspiring encouragement.Zhang Fan will never overestimate himself, but he will not underestimate himself. Life still needs some ideals to be more exciting. No matter how difficult the road to this ideal is, Zhang Fan still has decades to go, at least he can Tried hard.He never thought that he would be a savior or something, but he also thought that as long as he had the ability, he could still help more people.Now a great opportunity is in front of him, how could Zhang Fan give up.

Zhang Fan thought about it the other way around, whether he had made such a grand decision too quickly, and within two days of talking with Zhang Juzheng, he had such a plan, but he himself was not surprised at all.Human beings are very complicated animals, even they don't know what they are thinking, but this is precisely the source of power for human beings to create all kinds of things, Zhang Fan is not surprised at all.

However, the road is long and the task is heavy, and it cannot be accomplished overnight. Today, Zhang Fan is still studying hard, but what he is learning is not just from books.Unknowingly, Zhang Fan has been in the Imperial College for more than a month, but he has a hot fight with the students around him.Now most of the Guozijian are the children of officials, or descendants of rich families.Zhang Fan wants to learn another skill from these people - communication.What is the most important thing after entering the officialdom?It is not knowledge, not ability, but people and relationships.No matter how knowledgeable and capable you are, what good is it if no one agrees with you!It's just that after a period of understanding, Zhang Fan found that these "rich second generations" are not proficient in communication. Of course, some superintendents who think that they can take the exam as long as they graduate are quite disdainful of this.Zhang Fan returned to the embrace of books. Except for the days when he could speak and re-speak, Zhang Fan would go to the doctor's class, and Zhang Fan would stay in his cell at other times.There are no beautiful scenery in this Guozijian, and most of them are books.When Zhang Fan was bored, he could only pass the time by reading books, and reading a lot of books at the same time increased his knowledge a lot.

The first and fifteenth day of each month are holidays, and Zhang Fan will go home to visit his mother.Xiao Xiangmei is really a diligent girl, she does all the housework at home.Mrs. Zhao also likes this little girl very much, and even teaches her to read some characters when she has time.Zhang Fan didn't object, he didn't have the concept that a woman's lack of talent is virtue, and he thought it was a good thing for a person to have some knowledge.Now his family is also harmonious, but in his spare time, Zhang Fan will start to miss his fiancée Ru Xue.In the past few months, Zhang Fan has written her a letter every two or three days. Although the capital is very far away from Anhua, sometimes Zhang Fan's letter has not been sent before the second letter arrives. On the road, but he is still the same.Zhang Fan also received many letters from Ru Xue, and the two of them also confided in each other's heart, very sweet.There was also a small episode, the girl Zhaoxue also sent several letters to Zhang Fan for some reason, which objectively told Zhang Fan about Ruxue's situation, which made Zhang Fan feel at ease a lot.Not to mention Zhaoxue's letter saying that since Zhang Fan's mother and son moved away, Ru Xue has lived in Zhang Fan's original place, and lived in the bedroom where Zhang Fan once lived. I was very moved.

Mother Zhao also missed her prospective daughter-in-law very much. Every time Zhang Fan returned home from vacation, Zhao always had to mutter a few words beside him.This girl Xiangmei knew that her young master had an unmarried fiancée. Although she had never met her, she had a general idea of ​​Ru Xue's appearance in her mind after listening to Zhao's talk all day long.The little girl thought about this hostess whom she had never met, although she heard that she was very gentle, but she was still a little scared in her heart.

That day Zhang Fan was studying, Zhang Juzheng sent someone to say that he wanted to see him, but the person who came seemed rather urgent, Zhang Fan didn't know what happened, so he had to go with him.

When he came to Zhang Juzheng's mansion, he saw that Zhang Juzheng was talking to another person, that person looked very old, and Zhang Juzheng and his words revealed respect everywhere.

"Yuande, come to meet my teacher." Seeing Zhang Fan coming, Zhang Juzheng warmly introduced him.

This person is none other than Xu Jie, the chief assistant of the cabinet, the hero who defeated Yan Song.Zhang Fan didn't dare to be negligent, and immediately stepped forward to pay respects: "The late Zhang Fan has met Elder Xu Ge."

"Well, it was Ju Zheng who told me about yours." Xu Jie's voice revealed a sense of majesty in his old-fashioned voice, "Young people are very good, and they have achieved so much at a young age."

"Mr. Ge is too much." Zhang Fan said.

"This time makes you always want to hear your opinion." Zhang Juzheng said.

Zhang Fan didn't quite understand what he meant and looked at him suspiciously.

"Ju Zheng, you are the old man's favorite student." Xu Jie said, "I also personally promoted you to join the cabinet. But you don't care about the relationship between master and apprentice, so you insist on doing things like this?"

"Teacher, the students are able to have today thanks to the teacher's promotion." Zhang Juzheng saluted Xu Jie first, and said, "It's just that the court seems to be fine now, but it's really on the verge of crisis."

"Presumptuous, how could you have such an idea." Xu Jie said sternly, "I have been a teacher for many years, and only then did I get rid of Yan Song's confidant trouble for the court. Now everything is stable, but you are here to scare people."

The conversation between the two made Zhang Fan understand that Xu Jieding disagreed with Zhang Juzheng's idea of ​​reforming the government.It's just that he still doesn't know why Zhang Juzheng called him over, he doesn't have any status now.

"The ancestral etiquette must not be changed, but you...but..." Xu Jie seemed really angry, "Now that you have found a backup, what do you want to do? Don't say I disagree, but I don't care, even if you and him later Ranked among the three princes, there is no one in this court who can agree with your ideas."

"Old Xu Ge." Zhang Fan felt that he should say something, "Master Zhang's idea is also a good intention. Now the court seems to be peaceful, but the things that maintain it are too fragile. If there is any change, But I can't bear it!"

"Zhu Zi, how dare you make such nonsense!" Xu Jie said, "I don't want to know anything about you. You have a bright future, so you should get out early, so as not to make mistakes." These words were a real threat.

Zhang Fan showed no fear, facing Xu Jie and said, "Master Zhang is in charge of the affairs of the world. Wansheng fully agrees with Mr. Zhang. Moreover, Wansheng also knows that this is a difficult road, and I will not give up."

What Zhang Fan said made Zhang Juzheng look at him with admiration. He didn't expect Zhang Fan to be as determined as himself.

"Okay, I'll see what you guys do." Xu Jie said, "Juzheng has entered the cabinet, and the emperor loves him very much. It is difficult for the old man to move him. But don't forget that the old man is also the chief assistant of the cabinet. , Now that Gao Gong who sang against the old man is gone, I want to see if you can stand up to the old man." After speaking, he waved his sleeves and left angrily.

To be honest, Zhang Fan was a little worried at this time. After all, the other party was the chief minister of the cabinet with a man under one man and over ten thousand people. It was not a matter of using his fingers to deal with a small person like him, but Zhang Fan himself had his own concerns. With some arrogance, it is not impossible to make him follow others, but there is really nothing to say about this kind of principle.

"Yuande, I would like to thank you for being here. I am very pleased that you can persist." Zhang Juzheng said, "It's just that what you did just now was really unwise!"

"I appreciate Mr. Zhang's kindness." Zhang Fan thanked him, "It's just that the words have been spoken, but there is no way to take them back."

"Well, in fact, my mentor has been in the cabinet for a long time, how can I not see the current situation of the court." Zhang Juzheng sighed, and said, "It's just that my mentor is old, not only his body, but also his heart."