Daming talker

Chapter 605: Return of the True God of War

It was already mid-July when Lin Tailai, a reader in the Hanlin Academy, Shaoqing of the Shaanxi Provincial Temple of the Imperial Equipment, Langzhong of the Ministry of Personnel's Examination and Reward Department, Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites's Directorate of Guests, Langzhong of the Ministry of War's Communications Department (in preparation), Counselor of Shaanxi Military Affairs, and Military Supervisor of the Suppression of Rebellion, returned to the capital.

It has been almost exactly one year since he left Beijing for the northwest last year.

The army, escorting a dozen well-known rebel generals, entered the city from Deshengmen in a show of force, receiving cheers from the people lining the streets.

General Lin stayed at Deshengmen for a while, inspected the city gate, and found that his poems were well preserved. He then left with satisfaction.

Our Ming Dynasty is a country ruled by law. Before the rebel generals are presented as prisoners or beheaded, they must be approved by the Ministry of Justice to show that the punishment is legal.

After supervising Li Rusong to hand over the captured rebel generals to the Ministry of Justice, Lin Tailai completely completed his military supervision mission.

Then I went home and rested with Secretary Bai.

The capital was very peaceful that night.

After work, Shen Yongmao, the deputy minister of the Ministry of War, ran to the Lin residence and said with some concern:

"You have done so much this time. What should we do? Someone in the court even suggested conferring a title on you."

The other party was obviously delivering a message on behalf of Prime Minister Shen. Lin Tailai said with a smile, "A civil official is being given a title? Are you trying to put me on the fire?"

Application: "."

The meaning is correct, but the grammar is too easy to be misunderstood. Can it be expressed in a different way?

"Since ancient times, it has been difficult to reward great achievements. Let's take it one step at a time." Lin Tailai sighed, "By the way, what is the proposed title? Does it sound good?"

Application: "."

What? If the title sounds good, you want to accept it?
Including Shen Yongmao, Lin Tailai only met with members of the Renewal Society tonight and refused to see anyone else. The difference in closeness was obvious.

Lin Tailai asked the members about their recent situation and most of them were doing well.

Only Wang Yusheng and Pan Shizhang, two censors, had a rather depressing life since Lu Guangzu came to the Censorate as the Left Censor-in-Chief.

Originally, these two people from Lin Tailai's circle were considered outliers among the censors, and now that the chief of the Censorate has been replaced by a hostile person, they are even more under control.

Originally, Zuo Qiandu Yushi Zhao Huan was considered one of their own and could be looked after a little, but Zhao Huan was promoted to Governor of Fengyang and Governor-General of the Grain Transport System last year.

Therefore, Wang Yusheng and Pan Shizhang had no power or backing in the Censorate, and their situation became increasingly difficult.

Lin Tailai comforted him, saying, "Just be patient for a few more days until I have dealt with Lu Guangzu."

The next morning, the diligent Lin Tailai went to the gate of the Metropolitan Procuratorate to practice his spear. After all, this place was close to home and the venue was spacious, making it very suitable for morning practice.

It was during the morning exercise that Lin Tailai accidentally had a conflict with the entourage of Left Censor-in-Chief Lu Guangzu, and then accidentally injured dozens of the entourage.

Then, in order to express his apology, Lin Tailai said very sincerely to Lu Guangzu, the Left Censor-in-Chief in the sedan chair:

"As a hero who has won seven battles and was the first to capture a city, I will use this achievement to offset today's mistakes."

After the demonstration, Lin Tailai chose the Hanlin Academy as his first job after returning to Beijing.

No matter how many part-time jobs he has, the identity of a Hanlin official is his true core.

Like many Hanlin scholars, their nominal rank was promoted to that of Vice Minister, but their core rank was still that of a fifth-rank Imperial Lecturer or Imperial Reader.

The hero who had won seven battles and was the first to break into the city walked with a domineering step, crossed the Hanlin Academy and climbed up the Yingmen Gate.

However, as soon as he entered the Hanlin Academy, Lin Tailai felt that the atmosphere here was not right.

He grabbed a colleague from the Imperial Academy and asked, "What happened recently? Why do you all look so sad?"

The Hanlin replied sadly, "Senior Tian Yijun, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Academician, and the Tutor of the Imperial Academy, has passed away."

"Ah, this." Lin Tailai was stunned for a moment and sighed, "It's fate that makes us suddenly separated by the Yin and Yang."

Lin Tailai was indeed very sorry. Mr. Tian was a good man. He was very indifferent to fame and fortune, had an open mind, and was a little socially anxious.

Even though he always grabbed the microphone and lectured the new Shujishi without permission, Master Tian never got angry with him or blamed him.

Such a good person died of illness.

With a little sadness, Lin Tailai walked to the Champion Hall.

The layout of the Champion Hall is as follows: In the 17th year of Wanli, Champion Lin occupied the left half of the hall alone because he was busy with official duties and often needed to meet with officials.

Zhu Guozuo, the number one scholar in the 11th year of Wanli, and Tang Wenxian, the number one scholar in the 14th year of Wanli, did not have so many official duties, so they both followed their own style and squeezed together in the right half of the hall, leaving the left half entirely to their junior, Lin the number one scholar.

Lin Tailai, who had just returned from the northwest, walked into the Zhuangyuan Hall and turned to the left half of the hall as usual, but suddenly found that something was wrong and stopped.

The desk placed in the left half of the hall is not your desk!
There are some unfinished documents on the desk, which means someone has been working here recently!

And the owner of the left half of the hall, he hasn't been to the Zhuangyuan Hall for nearly a year!
So someone took over the left half of the hall while I was away?

Lin Tailai snorted coldly, and a murderous look flashed across his face.

What kind of plot is this? The God of War returns and finds that his doghouse has been occupied?!
Or is it that the old soldier in the Siheyuan Courtyard has retired and the Jia family has occupied my room?
Lin Tailai glanced towards the right half of the hall again and found that his rosewood desk had been moved to the right half of the hall, squeezed together with the desks of Zhu Guozuo and Tang Wenxian.

"Who is this?" Lin Tailai pointed to the left half of the hall and asked Tang Wenxian.

Tang Wenxian answered truthfully: "My predecessor Sun Jigao finished his mourning and returned to the Hanlin Academy, continuing to serve as Junior Secretary and Attendant Scholar."

"So it was him!" Lin Tailai understood and said sarcastically, "How come I've been away from Beijing for a year and all these monsters and ghosts have popped up?"

Sun Jigao was the top scholar in the second year of the Wanli reign, and theoretically he was qualified to work in the Top Scholar's Office.

Although Lin Tailai had never dealt with Sun Jigao directly, they had discussed with each other from a distance.

At the Suzhou Literary Conference two years ago, the "literary rebel group" attempted to nominate Wuxi tycoon Sun Jigao as the leader of the literary world, but the conspiracy was crushed by Lin Tailai.

If Gu Xiancheng is the core figure of the Wuxi Gang and even the Changzhou Gang today, then Sun Jigao is equivalent to the "ancestor".

During the imperial examination in the eighth year of Wanli, Sun Jigao, as a co-examiner, personally made the decision to select Gu Xiancheng. He was Gu Xiancheng's teacher, which shows Sun Jigao's status in the world.

It was just that Sun Jigao returned to his hometown for mourning a few years ago, so Lin Tailai had never seen Sun Jigao in the capital.

Lin Tailai then asked Tang Wenxian again, "It is only natural for Senior Sun to return to the Hanlin Academy and work in the Zhuangyuan Hall.

But didn't you tell him about the rules of the Zhuangyuan Hall? "

Tang Wenxian said awkwardly: "He is an old senior after all, how dare we be disrespectful to him?"

In the Hanlin Academy, the relationship between seniors and juniors is very important, and it is more important than in other government offices. What can Tang Wenxian say about the work of a senior like Sun Jigao who has already reached the level of a bachelor?
Lin Tailai suddenly thought of something and said, "I just heard outside that Master Tian is gone?"

A smart man like Tang Wenxian who was able to pass the imperial examination and become the top scholar certainly knew what Lin Tailai wanted to ask.

So he answered very to the point: "Senior Sun has taken over the affairs of Scholar Tian and is teaching the Shujishi."

Lin Tailai said to himself with emotion: "I never expected that not only the situation in the ministries and academies would be rebounded, but also the Hanlin Academy would be attacked."

Teaching new people is not a meaningless and empty job. You will be half a teacher to this group of new people in the future.

Letting a member of the Qingliu Party serve as a teacher for new recruits is like letting a wolf shepherd the sheep, isn't it?

Then Lin Tailai continued to ask Tang Wenxian, "Did Sun Jigao come today? Where is he?"

Tang Wenxian replied, "Senior Sun did not come today."

He suspected that Sun Jigao knew that Lin Tailai would return today, so he deliberately did not show up.

"Since you are not coming today, then don't come again!" Lin Tailai turned to the left and right guards and ordered, "Pass my words! From today on, send fifty people to stay at Dengying Gate, and only be responsible for stopping Sun Jigao and prohibiting him from entering the Hanlin Academy!"

Tang Wenxian advised: "Don't do this! Don't make a big mistake!"

Lin Tailai said disdainfully: "I am a hero who won seven battles and was the first to capture the city. I have plenty of merits to atone for my crimes. It doesn't matter if I make some mistakes against someone like Sun Jigao who doesn't follow the rules."

He then said to the Dharma protectors on both sides: "Call a few more people. There is a lot of garbage in the Zhuangyuan Hall. Clear it out today.

When I come back tomorrow, I want to see the layout of the Zhuangyuan Hall restored to what it was a year ago!"

After explaining everything clearly, Lin Tailai prepared to leave the Hanlin Academy.

He has too many part-time jobs in government offices and he has to visit all of them today. How can he just stay in the Hanlin Academy?

At this time, a servant came running over and shouted to Lin Tailai from a distance: "Dean Chen wants to see you!"

Lin Tailai shouted at the servant contemptuously: "Get lost!"

Then he left without saying a word and without looking back.

Knowing that Lin Tailai had always been highly vigilant about the infiltration of the Qingliu Party into the Hanlin Academy, he still dared to arrange Sun Jigao to be in charge of teaching new people?
If I give face to you, Mr. Chen, you are the president of the Hanlin Academy. If I don’t give you face, you are nothing!

After that, Lin Tailai walked out of the Hanlin Academy again. If he met someone who had difficulty making decisions, facing the options of the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, and perhaps the Imperial Household Department, he would probably be struggling until noon.

But Lin Tailai was still relatively decisive. He passed the Ministry of War and headed towards the Ministry of Personnel which was a little further away.

After entering the Ministry of Personnel, Lin Tailai did not go to pay a visit to the court officials, but went directly to the courtyard of the Ministry of Examination.

But Lin Tailai did not enter the courtroom. He stood at the gate and ordered, "Let's hold a meeting of the whole court now! All officials, come out!"

After a while, dozens of people stood in the yard, waiting for Lin Tai to give them a lecture.

Lin Tailai didn't rush to say anything. He first slowly glanced at the clerks of the Ministry of Examination.

Then he said, "I remember that last year the former Minister of Justice Lu Guangzu passed the examination. Who handled it? Come forward yourself."

After the officials looked at each other, two of them stepped out and stood in front of the crowd.

Lin Tailai questioned: “I remember I said before I went to the Northwest that Lu Guangzu is not a good person and should be treated strictly when the exam is completed.

But while I was away, you actually gave Lu Guangzu a position. Who gave you the courage?"

The two clerks were bewildered and stunned.

The so-called full assessment can be understood as a full term assessment, with one term being three years.

In the Ming Dynasty officialdom, the higher the seniority of the official, the simpler and more relaxed the examinations were, while the examinations became more complicated and strict as one moved down the hierarchy.

For example, a cabinet minister only needs to submit a self-summary memorial to the emperor, while a minister like Lu Guangzu only needs to go through the motions in the Ministry of Personnel.

Therefore, you, Minister Lin, are blaming others for judging Lu Guangzu as competent after completing the test. This is simply a false accusation.
Lin Tailai disdained reasoning and ordered his attendants, "These two people disobeyed the orders of the chief officer. Drag them away, give each of them 20 strokes of the cane, and expel them from the Ministry of Examination!"

The servant of the Lin Mansion nearby subconsciously asked, "Hit him for real? Hit him with all your heart?"

Lin Tailai: "."

The two clerks struggled and shouted, "We are clerks appointed by the court and we serve the court!
How dare you publicly lynch an innocent official? You are committing the grave crime of setting up a private court!"

Lin Tailai said proudly: "I am a hero who won seven battles and was the first to break into the city. I have made a lot of achievements and beheaded four-digit people!

What's the big deal about beating you two petty officials? As long as you don't kill them, I can use a merit to atone for my crime!"

All the officials were silent and realized who was the real master of the Examination Office.

Then Lin Tailai said to Yu Zan, the deputy director of the Ministry of Examination, "When I am away, you will be in charge of the Ministry of Examination.

But you actually protected Lu Guangzu when the exam was over. Just prepare to be impeached by me!
I don't want any credit, I want to punish you who form cliques and pursue personal interests!"

Yu Zhan: “.”

Damn it! No wonder when Lin Tailai went to the northwest last year, he didn't stop me, an outsider, from presiding over the Ministry of Examination. Was I being cheated?

Finally, Lin Tailai instructed his friend and fellow townsman, Chen Yunjian, who was in charge of the Ministry of Personnel's Examination and Reward Department, "You are responsible for supervising the execution. No one is allowed to send him to the hospital after the beating. The execution must be put at the gate of the Ministry of Personnel for public display!"

After saying this, Lin Tailai did not enter the courtroom, but turned around and left.

When Lin Tailai walked into the Ministry of Rites again, his deeds that morning had already spread wildly throughout the government offices.

Phrases like "I am a hero who won seven battles and was the first to capture the city, so I have made great contributions" and "I use my contributions to atone for my sins" are like a sword hanging over the heads of many people.

It really feels like the God of War has returned and is making a strong appearance.

In the Ministry of Guests and Guests, Lin Tailai instructed other officials: "Hurry and start preparing for the ceremony of surrendering the captives!"

Yuanwailang Zhong Huamin hesitated and said, "According to the regulations, the ceremony of presenting captives should be hosted by the Ministry of Rites and organized by the Department of Ceremonial Affairs."

Lin Tailai said bluntly: "The credit belongs to me, Lin Tailai, and it has nothing to do with them! Don't worry about what they do!
This time, our host and guest department is in charge of the prisoner offering ceremony. Everyone in our department should do some good work. I, Lin Tai, said so!"

Shen Yan, a fellow student and friend from the same hometown and the head of the Ministry of Guests, advised: "Jiuyuan, you should restrain yourself. You will definitely be impeached for being arrogant, self-righteous, arrogant and lawless."

Lin Tailai asked in return: "Even if I keep my tail between my legs and behave myself, will I not be impeached?
The result is the same anyway, so why should I be restrained? "

This made so much sense that Shen Yan was speechless.

(End of this chapter)