I'm really not doing business

Chapter 549 Wonder: Zhengya Bell and Drum Tower
Wang Qian has grown up, has a career that he is good at, and knows what he can and cannot do. Although he has the reputation of being a playboy, he has never done anything that crosses the line. For example, Wang Qian has never disregarded human life, let alone He harbored cunning and indulged in lawlessness, and did not ask for a bribe from the prince. All this made Wang Chonggu feel very at ease.

This time, Wang Chonggu really carefully read the book "Analysis of Negotiable Tickets" from beginning to end. Wang Qian's investment in the entire trading house was very carefully observed and summarized extremely well. Moreover, Wang Qian Wang Qian put his knowledge and practice into practice and accomplished all the "four secrets" involved.

If a person can integrate knowledge and action, he can basically settle himself.

Wang Chonggu had nothing to worry about and began to actively prepare for the construction of the Glazed Pagoda.

Empress Dowager Li still firmly disagreed with the value measurement method. She didn't care about the value measurement. She knew that she really agreed. Her name must be on the pillar of shame in history. Building large-scale construction is not a good word, especially when When describing a specific person.

Finally, the Beiya Glazed Tower was named Zhengya Bell and Drum Tower.

The entire architectural style of the Glazed Pagoda has not changed. It is still based on the Glazed Pagoda of Nanya Dabaoen Temple, but simple modifications have been made. A huge dial is hung on the top. There are twelve hours on the dial, and each The hour is divided into two hours, each hour is divided into sixty minutes, and each minute is divided into sixty seconds.

The cycle continues.

One hour is equal to two hours, which is the division of Su Song, an astronomer in the Song Dynasty. Every hour on the hour, the watchman on the Bell and Drum Tower will ring the clock hanging on the Drum Tower to tell everyone that it is the hour.

The entire dial was designed by the Royal Academy of Ming Dynasty. On the basis of the hour hand, minute hands and second hands were added, and the base was sixty.

It had already entered the early summer of April, and this season had already begun to get hot. As always, His Majesty the Emperor went to the Beijing Camp to parade the military horses. On the way back to the city, strong cold air from the northwest suddenly arrived, and the weather suddenly became cold.

In order not to worry the courtiers, Zhu Yijun held a court meeting on the fifth day of April. When the courtiers saw the Ming Emperor appearing on the throne of Huangji Hall again, all doubts disappeared.

"Tsk, tsk, what you said is meaningful." Zhu Yijun discovered the memorial written by Liang Menglong, which pointed directly at the core issue of the examination law, that is, the officialdom ecology under the high pressure of the examination law.

"Wang Qian's four secrets of making a fortune, how's the sales?" Zhu Yijun stamped his stamp and asked with a smile.

Because all entertainment content revolves around attention and topicality, once political activities develop to this trend, all group decisions will be made contrary to the facts.

The examination method destroyed the original teacher system of the Ming Dynasty and brought a relatively fair competition platform for the officials of the Ming Dynasty. Instead of having to work as a cow and a horse for the teachers in exchange for possible promotion opportunities.

These memorials were full of loyalty, with all kinds of disgusting words emerging one after another. Zhu Yijun had to look through these memorials.

When the chief medical officer of Jieguyuan hurriedly entered the palace, His Majesty's fever had subsided and all the symptoms of wind and cold had subsided. If the chief medical officers came later, His Majesty would be fine.

Year, month, day and hour all have a cycle of sixty-one, so the time units below hour, minute and second, all use sixty as a cycle, which is reasonable.

Originally, the Bell and Drum Tower, which was more than thirty-three feet high, could see through the entire palace at a glance, which was very detrimental to the emperor. It should not have been chosen here anyway. However, since the emperor did not live in the palace, this location was very suitable.

"That's really popular in the capital! It's even started to be shipped in bulk to various places. I have to say, this name is really good!" Feng Bao praised His Majesty's idea. It's really great!

The year, month, day, and hour of the Ming Dynasty are all based on a cycle of sixty. For example, the imperial examination in the eleventh year of Wanli is: Guiwei Ke Palace Examination List. For example, on Ji Chou Day in February, Yu Youding was determined Be the chief examiner.

Zhu Yijun promised Zhang Juzheng that he should be approved, and he would naturally do it.

Since ancient times, the Central Plains has had ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches, and the heavenly stems and earthly branches are combined in cycles, from Jiazi to Guihai, there are sixty in total.

The imperial palace is a palace because the emperor lives in it. The current Huangji Hall and Wenhua Hall can at best be regarded as the offices of the Ming Emperor.

"What nonsense." Zhu Yijun sneered and said, "Why don't you go to Goulan Washe to talk politics to those fairies? Isn't that playing the piano to a cow?"

The reason is simple. The Ming Emperor, who has been in charge of the government for more than ten years, is ill and has a high fever.

The reason for sexagesimal system is mainly culture.

In fact, these are all rules of arithmetic, and arithmetic is a precise definition.

The reason why we chose the sexagesimal system instead of the traditional hexadecimal system of days, quarters, minutes, and seconds in astronomical literature is because it is inconvenient to calculate. 60 is the least common multiple of 123456, which can be easily calculated. One-third of an hour is two Ten minutes, and the sundial is round, and it also involves equal parts of the circle.

"A strong body is so important to the Ming Emperor." Zhu Yijun looked at the memorials stacked on the table, sighed and said: "I just feel the cold, and with so many greetings and memorials, I wish I could destroy my imperial study room. All piled up!”

This was Zhang Dang's self-correction. No system is perfect. Zhang Juzheng told the emperor very early on. The high pressure to pass the imperial examination brought many benefits to the Ming Dynasty officialdom, but also many disadvantages.

Publications and collections such as "The Theory of Contradiction in Serious Political Science" are completely unsuitable for dissemination in this way, because they are very serious in themselves, and turning politics into entertainment is a very dangerous behavior in itself, and it may not be possible.

Political activities are a process of group decision-making; entertainment attracts attention and makes people feel pleasure and happiness.

Moreover, after the establishment of the Ten King's City, the Ten Prince's Mansion had no meaning and became the site of Zhengya's Bell and Drum Tower.

The Ministry of Rites chose an auspicious day and began to break ground.

Zhu Yijun picked up a seal on the table. There were three words on it, [I am in good health], which means that I am in good health. For the greeting memorial, Zhu Yijun specially carved a seal, and when he encountered it, he put it on the cover of the frame. Chapter, the donkey in the mill must also learn to find ways to save labor.

The month and day of the Ming Dynasty are based on a cycle of sixty, so does the hour of the Ming Dynasty also have a cycle of sixty-one?

Thanks to his long-term martial arts practice, His Majesty, who is in strong health, recovered his health in just one day.

It turns out that outside the Donghua Gate is the Ten Prince's Mansion, which is the residence of the princes who still stayed in the capital before the Ming Dynasty became a vassal. However, because the Ming Dynasty was not prosperous, and there was even an incident where the Juehe branch was transferred to the great clan, the Ten Prince's Mansion fell into disrepair for a long time.

The emperor's life was always boring and fulfilling. The Ming Emperor was very busy every day, and everyone in the capital was accustomed to His Majesty's diligence and activity. Until the third day of April, the day when the imperial meeting was supposed to be held, the Ming Emperor suddenly came down. According to the decree, the imperial meeting was suspended and postponed.

After more than ten years of hard work, His Majesty the Emperor finally fell ill. His illness lasted just... one day.

"Isn't Liang Menglong a student of Zhang Juzheng? Liang Menglong actually accused Zhang Juzheng's examination method of being flawed! Is this an attempt to rebel against Tiangang?" Zhu Yijun was extremely surprised. This Liang Menglong was really very courageous!
Feng Bao thought for a moment and said, "Is it possible that it was given by Sir?"

The negative consequence of completely turning politics into entertainment is that in the decision-making process of political groups, in order to attract attention and be completely oriented by attention and topicality, they constantly throw out various promises that are impossible to fulfill and absurd arguments. , baseless conspiracy theories, extremely short-sighted or wishful thinking, and often filled with baseless lies and deception.

He had the same idea when he saw the memorial, but when he took it from the Supervisor of Ceremonies to the imperial court, Feng Bao was convinced that Zhang Juzheng knew about the memorial, and it was even possible that the memorial was completed under Zhang Juzheng's guidance.

Tan Lun coughed at the Temple of the Sun, to the point of impeaching the Minister of War. The whole process was full of lies and deception. If Tan Lun hadn't pointed it out directly, the list of Wang Chonggu's promotion of generals in the capital was the key to the struggle. Can the little emperor on the stage really understand the twists and turns?
"This memorial from the Ministry of Personnel is not a memorial to greetings." Zhu Yijun raised his hand to stamp it, only to see that it was not a memorial to greetings, but a memorial from Liang Menglong, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and the content was about the shortcomings of the imperial examination.

"Do you want to change the name of the theory of contradiction?" Feng Bao reasoned and thought about whether this method could be used to promote the theory of contradiction.

A similar phenomenon existed in the Ming Dynasty, which was manifested in the fact that the officials of the Ming Dynasty impeached for the sake of impeachment.

Political entertainment will lack facts and only lie.

The design of the large clock in the Zhengya Bell and Drum Tower is not a problem for the Imperial Academy of Sciences, because it is a unit of time, with a cycle of sixty times. Isn't that a matter of course?
The sketch was approved by the court on the seventh day of March, and then the detailed design began. At the same time, the location was determined, just outside Donghua Gate.

Hours are also a cycle of sixty. The hour of time is actually sixty hours as one hour. Sixty hours are exactly five twelve hours, which is exactly five days, so it is also called five days and one hour.

The law of passing the examination was a method for abolishing the status of humble slaves for all officials in the Ming Dynasty. This greatly stimulated the vitality of the officialdom. At the same time, cruel competition began.

Under high pressure, Ming dynasties at all levels formed different small groups. The struggle between these small groups was extremely cruel. It was a real life-and-death affair. The most capable people were promoted and the mediocre were demoted. This became the basic rule of the officialdom.

If it's just a struggle, that's it. Wherever there are people, there are rivers and lakes. Struggles and contradictions are everywhere.

But now power began to be shared among members of these small groups. This was a phenomenon that Zhang Juzheng had never anticipated, and it soon became widespread.

There is a lot of pressure to pass the exam. Once you fail to complete something within the time limit, you will immediately get a downgrade. If you save enough three downgrades, you may face jail time. If you want to be promoted, the minimum You should also comment on it and even comment on it.

They are all Jinshi who were rolled out of thousands of troops. Who is not the best among individuals?

roll.

In order to defeat their opponents, small groups began to make conveniences for each other, that is, you give me convenience, and I give you convenience. In this way, it is convenient for everyone, and they can quickly complete the imperial examination, and the efficiency of doing things is greatly improved. , of course, also brought huge administrative problems with unclear powers and responsibilities.

There is both prosperity and loss. A case is often a false case, involving a large number of people.

In other words, the various districts in the Ming Dynasty are quickly and closely united under the high pressure of the imperial examination. This is actually not good news for the court. If this continues, the place will The formation of a virtual small court, or even a further step, is the transformation of a vassal town.

Because Liang Menglong observed that these small groups began to facilitate each other, and they were no longer limited to the small groups. They often had the prefect or chief envoy, political ministers, and inspectors as a core. The power among small groups shared.

In this way, it seems that administrative efficiency has been greatly improved, but there is already a tendency for local governments to form synergies. Governors from various places may even be sidelined, or simply coerced, in order to pass the examination, the Shangshan Review and the local governments will become a whole. .

Under the unity of "blocks", the administrative power of the Ming Dynasty will be lost quickly, just like the rapid transformation from the prosperous age of Kaiyuan to the troubled times of Tianbao. This is a situation that Zhang Juzheng absolutely does not want to see.

"This is a big, big trouble." Zhu Yijun said sincerely.

Liang Menglong's memorial contains Zhang Juzheng's own comments. According to Zhang Juzheng, the phenomenon does exist, and the problem is very serious and needs to be solved immediately. Once the mutual convenience between small local groups becomes an unspoken rule, then it is The same danger as the seat-teacher system is the creation of centrifugal force. Over time, disobedience will become commonplace.

The two masters and disciples, Liang Menglong and Zhang Juzheng, discussed it for a long time and finally found a way for them.

Of course, this method is not to abolish the examination law, which is an important decree to restore the administrative power of the Ming Dynasty. It is also not to carry out high-pressure changes, such as the melons and vines that all prosper and lose. This kind of high pressure will only make the local area more united. , to accelerate local unity against the imperial court.

The method given by Liang Menglong and Zhang Juzheng is the short-term method.

To be precise, three envoys in one place cannot stay in one place for more than six years, because once more than six years, a very stable personnel relationship will be formed, which is very convenient for forming parties for personal gain. However, if the term of office is too short, the power will be overtaken by local officials. Complete control, and based on practical experience, the time period of six to nine years was determined.

By the ninth year, even if it is a big deal, you should be promoted or transferred and not allowed to serve again.

This is to avoid the formation of deep-rooted small groups with three ministers as the core. One emperor and one courtier. This is true for the court and the local government. Such a forced change of heads will force the local government to metabolize, and the flow of personnel will be restricted. This kind of mutual convenience between small groups is much less harmful.

The Ming Dynasty's rules will not be ineffective.

Zhu Yijun thought of Luo Yao, the former governor of Sichuan in the Xindu Yang case. Luo Yao was from Huguang and a direct descendant of Zhang Dang. When he arrived in Sichuan, facing the almost monolithic Sichuan region, Luo Yao, who was not determined, chose In order to surrender, he embezzled 360,000 taels of silver, and finally became infamous and was deprived of his official status and fame by the emperor.

The problems Liang Menglong summarized existed objectively, and the methods were extremely effective. Only the three envoys could stand in the way of the governor.

"Next chapter, the cabinet will know that this matter will be discussed tomorrow. The Chief of Ceremonies will make an extra copy of the memorial and put it in front of my case." Zhu Yijun explained additionally that he should keep this memorial in front of him to remind himself all the time. One thing is that contradictions are solved one after another. When one contradiction is resolved, new contradictions will appear. If there is no government decree that can be implemented, we can sit back and relax and enjoy the results.

The cheap Confucians always follow the law three generations above, hoping that there will be an eternal law, but in fact, it does not exist.

The examination method also needs to be tinkered with in order to continue to work hard.

"The minister obeys the order."

Zhang Juzheng's tinkering with the examination law was quickly approved by the court, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs immediately began to take action, promoting or transferring local officials who had been in office for more than ten years. In this round of rapid personnel transfers, officials The department was obviously well prepared, and Zhang Juzheng was not completely unaware of the disadvantages of taking the legal exam.

Without the scourge of party supervision in the court, Zhang Juzheng had more energy to focus on official governance and system improvement.

On the seventh day of April in the eleventh year of Wanli, a carriage set off from Tongzhou Shuimayi. On the carriage was Wang Jiaping, the governor of Guangdong in the Ming Dynasty. He also brought two people with him, Wan Wenqing and Wu Weizhong, who were first appointed as supervisors of the Guangzhou Shipping Department. As an official, because of continuous promotions, I have become a prefect. This promotion speed has been very fast.

Wan Wenqing and Wu Weizhong's biggest hobby is visiting brothels. The purpose of leaving the capital was to go to Guangzhou to visit brothels.

Wang Jiaping tried his best to stop the two from visiting the brothel. Now they can only covet.

"The capital is really changing with each passing day. When we left, the houses outside Chaoyang Gate were still far away from Tongzhou, but now they are all connected together." Wan Wenqing looked out the window and said with emotion.

Things have changed, people have changed, and the capital has changed so much that the two of them have been moved by the scene. When they left, although it could not be called dilapidated, it was far less prosperous than it is now.

"After I enter the capital, I am going to visit an old friend in Jiejuyuan. You two should not go." Wang Jiaping said with confidence as he looked at the two disciples.

Wu Weizhong frowned and said: "Fan Yingqi? Teacher, you pretend to be confused every day in Guangzhou. You can also pretend to be confused once in the capital. Fan Yingqi's problem is not small. Getting involved with him is not good for the teacher. He is locked up to solve the problem." If you go to see him in the courtyard, what will His Majesty think of you?"

"Teacher, just pretend to be confused once, just this once."

Wang Jiaping sighed and said, "Yes, that's him. I was actually hesitating on the way to Beijing. After hesitating again and again, I decided to go. It would be even more troublesome not to go."

"It's going to be more trouble if you don't go?" Wan Wenqing frowned, and these words made him a little confused.

"He and I are good friends. Whether I go or not, it's still a problem. Let's choose the lesser of two evils, because if I don't go, I am disloyal and unjust. Those moral defenders in the court will treat me I'm not afraid of them, but if I don't go, it means there's something wrong with me. This is the hardest part." Wang Jiaping sighed. Fan Yingqi's misbehavior had caused him trouble.

Wang Jiaping looked at the confused expressions on the two disciples' faces and sighed: "I know you don't understand. I won't explain that I'm afraid. What are you afraid of? The fear of implicating me means that there is something wrong in my heart. I ask my heart. Being unashamed can turn into a problem, so you have to go.”

"If you go, you may be implicated. If you don't go, you will definitely be implicated."

The most annoying thing about Ming Dynasty's Kedao Yanguan is that he is heartbroken. If you don't dare to visit your old friends, it's because you're afraid of getting angry. There's something wrong in your heart. As for what the problem is, it will be exposed when you fall! Only at this level can the thinking of Ke Dao Yan Guan make such a leap.

Wan Wenqing thought over and over again and said: "Before going, let's go to the party leader and let him make his decision."

"Wang Chonggu has gradually abandoned the Jin Party. Although most Jin people didn't notice it, I can see it." Wang Jiaping spread his hands. He was helpless about Wang Chonggu's change. He could only watch Wang Chonggu abandon it. Jin party.

The Jin Party is about to fall apart. After Wang Chonggu's death, if there are no people to carry the flag, the Jin Party will fall apart. Just like the original Yan Dang and Xu Dang, they will defect to others, but if they become monks halfway, no temple dares to do so. Collect it?

Just because he was a student of Xu Jie, Wang Yi'e worked as the Prime Minister of Shuntian Prefecture for ten full years without being promoted. If His Majesty hadn't insisted on his own way, Wang Yi'e would have continued to languish in the position of Prime Minister of Shuntian Prefecture. Go down.

Wan Wenqing and Wu Weizhong looked at each other, but they didn't feel anything at all, because they were not really addicted to officialdom. They just wanted to find a place to get away from Wang Jiaping's control so that they could continue to be free and happy. Continuing to be officials was a good thing for their family and family. Give your past self an explanation. Doing things well is a matter of loyalty, and you must seek your own government in your position.

Promotion and transfer are not particularly important to them.

"You two are so worthless! The Jin Party is about to disband, and you are indifferent!" Wang Jiaping said with an angry look on his face. These two disciples are good at everything and have great abilities, but they don't have anything. He is an outlier in the officialdom because of his ambition.

Wang Jiaping came to Beijing and stayed at Huitongguanyuan, and then went to the Quanjin Guild Hall. He did not see Wang Chonggu. Wang Cifu, the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, was not at Wenyuan Pavilion or the Yamen of the Ministry of Punishment, but at the Xishan Coal Bureau.

Wang Jiaping did not go to the Xishan Coal Bureau, but went straight to the Xie Cui Courtyard. After checking the dental plaque, Wang Jiaping walked into the Xie Cui Courtyard under the leadership of Tiqi.

"Why is it so cold?" Wang Jiaping shivered for no reason. He frowned and looked around. There was nothing strange, but it just felt a bit cold. This was obviously a psychological effect. Clean and no dirt.

This is the first time Wang Jiaping has walked into this hell on earth.

"Here we come." A calm voice suddenly sounded behind Wang Jiaping.

"Ah!" Wang Jiaping was startled. Looking at Chen Shigong behind him, his heart jumped into his throat and fell back. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said: "Scaring people will scare people to death. Why don't you walk like this?" sound?"

"Governor Wang is joking, isn't there a sound when I walk?" Chen Shigong said with a smile, "Listen, isn't this the sound of footsteps?"

"Let's go."

Wang Jiaping had goosebumps all over his body. It was very strange. There was no sound of footsteps just now, but now there was it again. Wang Jiaping was very sure that he had not heard it just now.

Was something covering his ears?
"This is..." Wang Jiaping passed by an open room and looked inside. There were various objects wrapped in rosin on display. He was a little curious.

Most people will not come to Jiejuyuan. What is inside is unknown to outsiders. It is not that Jiejuyuan closes its doors to thank guests. In fact, there are too many strange stories surrounding Jiejuyuan. There are too many stories to give here. It's shrouded in mystery, and no one wants to come.

"These are all Zhang Siwei." Chen Shigong said looking at the specimens.

"Ah? Ah, this is Zhang Siwei." Wang Jiaping took two hurried steps. He walked very quickly without any nostalgia, as if he wanted to forget what happened just now.

But the more I want to forget, the harder it is to forget, but the memory becomes more and more profound, so profound that it can never be forgotten.

The pieces and pieces of specimens sealed in rosin are all Zhang Siwei.

Wang Jiaping knew Zhang Siwei and had conflicts. When he actually saw those specimens with his own eyes, Wang Jiaping's heart beat faster.

Finally, Wang Jiaping saw Fan Yingqi. Fan Yingqi was much thinner than before. He used to be a little rich, but now he was skinny and skinny. His eye sockets were sunken and dull, and he looked a little depressed. He used to have that look in his eyes. The spirit of being like no one else in the world disappeared, and instead turned into a kind of turbidity.

"Coming?" Fan Yingqi saw Wang Jiaping and smiled, showing two yellow teeth. They were stained yellow by the tar inside after sucking opium balls.

Wang Jiaping sat on the chair, looked at Fan Yingqi who was sitting by the bed and asked, "What's the matter with you?"

"I am different from them. They were thrown in to be decapitated, while I was thrown in to be detached from opium. The difference is that His Majesty did not prohibit me from leaving. After I was successfully detoxed some time ago, Your Majesty allowed me to go home." Fan Yingqi murmured to himself: "I am different from them."

Wang Jiaping really didn’t know that Fan Yingqi had succeeded and had received approval from His Majesty to go home. Fan Yingqi’s main problem was that his wisdom teeth had grown crooked and he had toothache. In the hospital, the medical officers removed his wisdom teeth and he no longer needed them. After receiving analgesia, Fan Yingqi also punished himself and quit opium.

Wang Jiaping asked in confusion: "Then why are you still here?"

"Look at my appearance of neither human nor ghost, am I very suitable for this place where there is no life or death?" Fan Yingqi shook his head and said: "If I don't go out, what else can I do? I used to be a young hero of the Jin Party. It’s full of energy, but now it’s just the bones in the grave.”

"What you don't understand is that right now, I am a coward who feels more uncomfortable living than dying and doesn't have the courage to die. But here, it's quite good."

"I'm going to study medicine, become a doctor at a hospital, and find something to do for myself."

People are the sum total of social relationships, and Fan Yingqi plans to isolate his social relationships with the walls of the Jiecuyuan. In this way, he will not have to face the pointing fingers, insults, sneers, and disdain from the outside. , although everything is his own fault.

(End of this chapter)