Daming talker

Chapter 666: Welcoming, Sending Off, and Inheritance

February is early spring, and although it is still cold, it is the real beginning of the year. Farmers start preparing for spring ploughing, merchants start preparing to go out, and the grain transport troops start shipping.
The Yingtian governor Zhao Canlu was demoted and set out to return home. The journey was not far, and everyone knew that he was from the neighboring province of Zhejiang.

It may be a coincidence that after Governor Zhao lost his official position, the public grievances in the Suzhou and Songjiang areas were immediately subsided.

Suzhou prefect Tu Shufang sent Zhao Canlu to Wujiang County because they were from the same province and the same camp.

Going further south would put them out of Suzhou, and Prefect Tu could no longer go forward.

Looking at Zhao Canlu, who was still bedridden with a head full of white hair, Prefect Tu felt sympathetic and sighed, "Don't worry about it anymore. Just go back home and have a good rest."

Zhao Canlu felt a little resentful, as he felt that Governor Tu did not support him enough.

We all took office together and should have worked closely with each other. I have been working hard, but Tu Shufang was timid.

If the prefect has such an attitude, the counties below will be even more likely to pretend to obey but actually disobey, making the governor's orders ineffective.

Tu Shufang said helplessly: "It's not that I don't want to help you, but I don't have the ability to help you. It's good enough that I can protect myself.

Because I found in the government office that even without officials like us, it seemed to have no impact at all.”

"What do you mean? Is this an excuse?" Zhao Canlu asked.

Tu Shufang replied: "What I mean is that even if all of us officials disappeared, Suzhou City would still be able to operate as usual and would not be affected at all.

In other words, the city of Suzhou does not need officials like us, and our role to the people of Suzhou is insignificant.

In the face of such a situation, how can we, the redundant people, win in Suzhou? What can I do to support you? "

As another failed governor, Zhao Canlu left Suzhou while seriously ill.

The people of Suzhou have discovered a pattern: failed governors and successful governors have appeared alternately over the years.

After Governor Wei who was dismissed from office that year, there was Zhao Zhigao who was successful, then Governor Li who committed suicide, then Zhou Ji who was successful again, and then there was Zhao Canlu who attempted suicide this time.

Since the governor failed this time, he will probably be the successful one next time.

However, after seeing off Zhao Canlu, Prefect Tu continued to stay in Wujiang County, the southern gate of Suzhou Prefecture.

In official social gatherings, there is not only seeing off but also welcoming.

Zhu Geng, the Minister of Rites, a member of the Wenyuan Pavilion, a participant in the mechanical affairs, and a grand secretary of the Palace, set out from his hometown in Shanyin County, Zhejiang Province, on his way to the capital to take up his post, and happened to pass through Suzhou Prefecture.

There are a set of rules for etiquette in official circles. As the new cabinet minister, Zhu Geng is definitely worthy of the prefect's greeting at the border wherever he passes through.

Two days after Zhao Canlu left, Prefect Tu welcomed Zhu Ge Lao's boat in Wujiang County.

Prefect Tu was also from Zhejiang, so he and Lord Zhu could always find some common topics to talk about.

Speaking of which, in the current imperial court, Zhejiang may be the most divided province.

Officials in other provinces are generally united and have a sense of mutual solidarity, but this is completely different in Zhejiang.

The top leaders of the Qingliu forces, such as Lu Guangzu, Sun Yu, and Chen Younian, were all from Zhejiang. In history, these three people also served as the Minister of Personnel one after another.

However, Shen Yikuan, who had a good relationship with Shen Shixing, and Zhao Zhigao, who was pushed to power by Lin Jiuyuan, were also from Zhejiang.

Therefore, it is difficult to judge a Zhejiang official’s political stance based on his place of origin; it mainly depends on his social circle.

After getting a little familiar with each other, Prefect Tu still wanted to ask Wang Xijue indirectly why he recommended Zhu Geng.

This is a question that most officials are very curious about. After all, on the surface, Wang Xijue and Zhu Geng have nothing in common.

However, Lord Zhu asked first: "Is Lin Jiuyuan in Suzhou City now?"

Prefect Tu replied, "He went to Songjiang Prefecture a few days ago, but he only stayed there for two days before returning. He should be at home in the city now."

After hesitating for a moment, Lord Zhu asked again, "You should be familiar with Lin Jiuyuan. In your opinion, if my ship docks at Gusu Posthouse, will Lin Jiuyuan come to visit me?"

Prefect Tu was stunned. What kind of question was this? It seemed simple, but it was very strange.

After thinking it over for a while, Magistrate Tu replied helplessly: "I don't know either."

If a normal official were to meet the cabinet minister passing through, he would definitely go to pay a visit. This is the most basic official etiquette, but whether the cabinet minister would receive him is another matter.

But Lin Tailai, to put it nicely, is a man who is not bound by rules and regulations and who always does whatever he wants.

No one could guess whether the often arrogant Lin Tailai would visit Zhu Ge Lao who was passing through.

Perhaps to prevent the old man from getting angry, Prefect Tu tried to appease him by saying, "He is a true gentleman, so it won't hurt even if Lin Jiuyuan doesn't show up.

When Yan Song passed through Suzhou, he stopped his boat on the river, but the famous scholar Wen Zhengming did not go to visit him.

Prefect Tu guessed that Lord Zhu might be worried about losing face.

So the implicit meaning is, if Lin Jiuyuan really doesn't take you as the minister seriously, you should not take it to heart and don't bother with Lin Jiuyuan. It's not shameful.

Zhu Geng glanced at Prefect Tu and suddenly said, "What if I want to see Lin Jiuyuan?"

Prefect Tu: “.”

It turns out that what you, Lord Zhu, are afraid of is not being humiliated by Lin Tailai, but being afraid of not being able to meet Lin Tailai.

Indeed, from the perspective of etiquette, if he visited Lin Tailai as a senior minister, it would be too cheap and he would be laughed at by the world.

But if Lin Tailai doesn't take the initiative to visit again, it will be like two parallel lines, difficult to meet.

So Lord Zhu’s current mentality is that he wants to meet Lin Jiuyuan, but he is also afraid that Lin Jiuyuan will ignore the official rules and not come to visit.

And the key point is that Zhu Geng and Lin Jiuyuan have no relationship at all, and there is not even a suitable middleman. Prefect Tu and Lin Tailai do not have such a relationship either.

With the intention of befriending Lord Zhu, Prefect Tu thought about it carefully and came up with an idea: "If Lord Zhu is not in a hurry to go north, he can stay in Suzhou for a few more days. He will definitely be able to meet Lin Jiuyuan in a decent manner."

Zhu Geng asked with great interest: "What's the explanation?"

Prefect Tu replied: "According to the report, the former Prime Minister Shen Yaoquan will soon arrive in Suzhou City, and Lin Jiuyuan will definitely go out of the city to welcome him!

After all, when Lin Jiuyuan first debuted, he always regarded himself as a retainer of the Shen Mansion. Now it is impossible for him not to welcome Lord Yaoquan back home.

If the elder stayed for a few more days and went to Fengqiao to welcome Prime Minister Shen, he would naturally be able to meet Lin Jiuyuan.

This way it won't seem too deliberate, and it will also be enough to maintain the dignity of the elder."

"Very good!" Zhu Geng answered without hesitation, "Then stay for a few more days, until Senior Shen returns to Suzhou." Prefect Tu was still quite surprised. Most officials would rush to take office in order to seize power, but Lord Zhu would rather delay for a few more days to meet Lin Jiuyuan.

Zhu Ge Lao arrived in Suzhou City and stayed at Gusu Station for a few days. As expected, Lin Jiuyuan did not come to visit.
Perhaps to Lin Jiuyuan, Zhu Geng, the new cabinet minister, was just an insignificant passerby.

After all, with the iron triangle of "little brothers" such as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Heaven, and the Grand Marshal under his command, an ordinary cabinet minister is really nothing special.

But others were much more normal, and Lord Zhu did not feel neglected, as Xu Xianqing, a fellow student from Suzhou, was always with him.

That year, the two of them passed the imperial examination together, were selected as scholars together, and became editors after leaving the academy together.

At the end of the 17th year of Wanli, after Xu Xianqing was attacked and dismissed from office by the Qingliu forces, he returned to Suzhou and joined the Weaving Association. After all, the Xu family in the east of the city was a big weaving family and had no worries about food and drink.

However, when Zhu Geng asked Xu Xianqing to help introduce Lin Jiuyuan, Xu Xianqing politely declined.

A few days later, flags were flying, gongs and drums were beating, and there were huge crowds of people on both sides of the Fengqiao River.

What is happening here today may be the largest welcoming ceremony in recent decades.

Not to mention the officials from various government offices, gentry, local officials, and scholars who came out in droves, the presence of a current cabinet minister was enough to raise the level of the ceremony by several levels.

In the same year, accompanied by Xu Xianqing, when Zhu Ge Lao arrived at Fengqiao Town, he saw the core of the crowd at a glance.

Jiuyuan Zhenxian, who was superior to others in the physical sense, wore a very low-key green robe and stood there casually.

But a group of officials and celebrities automatically surrounded him, listening to his big speeches and following his lead.

"I'm not bragging, brother, but Old Shen has been doing a really bad job in the past few years. Whenever I'm not in the capital, something will inevitably go wrong.

In the 15th year of Wanli, Lao Shen almost stepped down. Fortunately, I tried my best to save him. We in Suzhou also lost a good prefect and a good governor.

At the end of the 17th year of the Wanli reign, I went back home and found that my fellow townsman, Xu Xianqing, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, had been fired. It was a pity for Old Xu, as he had a chance to enter the cabinet. "

Everyone around laughed in unison, then looked at Xu Xianqing beside Lord Zhu, and the atmosphere suddenly became cheerful.

Lin Jiuyuan turned his back to Zhu Ge Lao and Xu Xianqing, seemingly unaware of what was happening, and continued to speak nonsense.

“Two years ago, in the eighteenth year of the Wanli reign, I went on an expedition to the northwest, and as a result, Old Shen lost his position as the Left Censor-in-Chief, and the Ministry of Personnel was also in danger!

Not to mention the end of last year, I had only been back in Suzhou for a month or two, but Old Shen couldn't even protect himself. How embarrassing! "

When he said this, Jiu Yuan Zhen Xian suddenly realized something, turned around, and said to Xu Xian Qing, whose face had turned black:
"Old Xu! Why did you, the Weaving Industry Association, which occupies the east of the city, go against the trend and suppress the calls of the Pingjiang Road business owners to establish a municipal management office?
We are all from the Hanlin family, why are you so disrespectful? At most, we can divide the Pingjiang Road area into 30% and 70%, you take 30% and I take 70%!"

Zhu Geng: “.”

Is this gang member who keeps talking about grabbing territory really the top scholar in the imperial court, the reader in the Hanlin Academy, the junior minister of the Taichang Temple, or the doctor of the three ministries?

Xu Xianqing ignored the community affairs negotiations initiated by Lin Tailai, pointed at Lord Zhu, and introduced him in a somewhat irritable manner.

This was also the first time that Mr. Lin met Zhu Geng. During the years when Mr. Lin was stirring up trouble in the court, Zhu Geng had been staying in his hometown, so they had never had any dealings with each other.

Elder Zhu was not arrogant and said to Mr. Lin: "I have not been in the court for many years and am very unfamiliar with the current situation. If Mr. Lin Jiuyuan has time, I hope you will give me some advice."

Lin Tailai was a little surprised and asked tentatively: "The current Prime Minister, Senior Zhao, is from the same hometown as you. It will be enough to have his guidance."

Zhu Geng replied, "Brother Zhao wrote to me and said that we should not miss the opportunity to pass by and communicate more with Lin Jiuyuan, and we will definitely benefit a lot."

After hearing this, smart people would guess why Wang Xijue recommended Zhu Geng.

It is estimated that Wang Xijue made a deal with the Prime Minister Zhao Zhigao and recommended Zhu Geng on behalf of Zhao Zhigao.

Lin Tailai was even more surprised. Zhu Geng had already entered the cabinet, so why did he still need to look for him?

However, after a little guessing, I thought of a direction. Could it be that Zhu Geng wanted to be the second assistant?

At this moment, a yamen runner suddenly called out, "Here they come! Here they come!"

Everyone stopped talking and turned towards the river, looking towards the north.

When Shen Shixing appeared on the bow deck, huge cheers broke out on both sides of the river to welcome the prime minister home after being away from his hometown for decades.

Mr. Lin wondered in his heart why the old Prime Minister looked more radiant than last year.

Freed from the shackles, Shen Shixing, now freed from his official duties, walked briskly off the boat and onto the shore. He frowned at Lin Tailai and said:

"Why are you still in Suzhou? How can a young man indulge in comfort and not make progress? Wait until you reach my age, then you can retire and enjoy the pleasures of the mountains and rivers!"

Mr. Lin replied lazily: "A wanderer is homesick. Can't he stay at home for a few more months?"

Shen Shixing pointed to the north and said, "I have retired, but your career is still there. Aren't you afraid that you will make mistakes if you are away from the court for a long time?"

Lin Tailai still said indifferently: "No hurry, no hurry! As the saying goes, it's not a good deal to rush. I'll wait for the court to beg me to come back."

No one dared to interrupt the conversation between the old Prime Minister and Mr. Lin, but they were all speechless when they heard this.

What do you mean the court is begging you to go back? What could possibly happen that would make the court beg you to go back?
Prime Minister Shen asked again: "How many gardens have you built in these years?"

Lin Tailai answered truthfully: "It wasn't repaired much. It was mainly bought ready-made, and the old senior lived in it as he pleased."

Master Shen, who was silent beside him, said: "."

Who is your biological son? I'm standing right here, Dad, can't you see?
Shen Shixing passed the second generation of the Shen family and looked with a kind gaze at the several third generations of the Shen family who had appeared in recent years.

"Which one is married to the Lin family?" Shen Shixing asked his son Shen Yongjia.

Shen Yongjia, who finally managed to talk to his father, pointed to a daughter who was about five or six years old, and Shen Shixing picked up the granddaughter.

He smiled and said to everyone, "Finally, I can enjoy the fun of playing with my grandchildren."

In the eyes of everyone, this series of words and actions seemed as if Shen Shixing had passed on the position of leader of the Suzhou Gang to Lin Jiuyuan.

After the grand ceremony on the shore ended, Shen Shixing returned to the boat and continued to move slowly along the river.

Minister Zhu Geng and Lin Tailai both boarded the boat and accompanied Shen Shixing into the city.

"He wants to be the deputy assistant." Lin Tailai pointed at Zhu Geng and said to Shen Shixing, "Put Zhang Wei, whom you recommended, in the back row. Zhang Wei has a stubborn personality and is not suitable for being too prominent."

Zhu Geng: “.”

Is this how you, Lin Jiuyuan, always talk to the old Prime Minister? It seems that not visiting me is really not treating me badly.

(End of this chapter)