The great hero of the Silk Road, starting from a farm farmer

It’s spring again!
At the end of February in the 11th year of Jingli, in Luoyang City, the capital of Dazheng, dozens of literati were sitting in the back hall of the Commercial Press.

They gathered together in twos and threes, drinking tea, reading, and reading newspapers. Some of them were revising manuscripts with pens. This was just an ordinary afternoon!

Under normal circumstances, unless there is an elegant gathering of literati, it is difficult to gather so many literati in one place.Apart from anything else, with so many people gathering together, who pays for the expenses incurred?

However, since the Commercial Press has been operating in Luoyang for a long time, its back hall has become a place where some literati often come to have nothing to do.

Not for anything else, just because it provides free tea and a place to sit, as well as free reading, newspapers and snacks.For some literati who have no errands, here they can not only chat and talk about the world, but also read and write articles. It feels like they are at work when they have errands. The experience is very good. If you stay at home, you might even be attracted by your wife. The child is being disturbed.

Of course, not everyone can come to the back hall of the Commercial Press to drink tea for free, and there are barriers to entry.To be eligible, you must have published a book in the Commercial Press (including articles published in publications), or have written a book manuscript that has been invited.The back room of the Commercial Press is actually a group of writers.

This afternoon, Liang Suhua also came to the back hall of the Commercial Press for tea.Unlike most of the idle people who come here, Liang Suhua is no longer an official on duty. In the spring of last year, he was finally remembered by the people in the Ministry of Personnel and assigned a job as a member of the Ministry of Etiquette.

After getting an official position, Liang Suhua did not give up writing books to earn royalties. Last year, he wrote another book and received a royalties. The contents of the book were successively quoted by several publications published by the Commercial Press. In a month or two, you can earn a few silver dollars for free.

Although the officials of the Ministry of Rites are noble and have a good future, this is a Qingshui yamen. Unless they are sent to invigilate exams, they can only live on their salary. The lower-level officials do not have much additional income.It is quite important for Liang Suhua to have extra income from his manuscripts.

"Brother Liang, it's been more than a month since you last came back. Are you here to collect payment for your manuscripts again today?" In the back hall of the library, an old friend of Liang Suhua saw that Liang Suhua was also in the back hall. He hurriedly sat down next to him with a tea cup and struck up a conversation. .

"Brother Zhou is joking, how can it be possible for Liang's manuscript to be published in magazines and receive royalties? Brother Zhou, I heard that you have published another masterpiece? You have not received less royalties this time, right?" Liang Suhua saw that it was his old friend Zhou Yuan who was greeting him. He quickly put down the book he was reading and started to be polite with his old friends.

"It's also lucky that the manuscript has been favored by the editorial department, but it has not been published yet. After it is printed, I will invite Brother Liang to a restaurant for a drink. There is no remuneration for the manuscript, it is just to make some money, that's like Brother Liang, you have a real difference, your income is stable, and your future is even brighter." Zhou Yuan complimented Liang Suhua very politely, although both of them were Jinshi, but now one has a difference and the other is guarding the vacancy. There is a difference in conscious status.

"What kind of stable income is it? As a sixth-grade official, the salary we have earned after a year of hard work may not be worth the price of one of your books, Brother Zhou. Not only does it make a small amount of money, but we also have to suffer from the Shangguan's idleness. It's not as comfortable as being on duty." "That's what it's like to be an official in Beijing. Speaking of which, Brother Liang, you have been working in the Ministry of Rites for a year. Are you about to be released? If you are released, the situation will be much better." Like A Jinshi with average prospects like Liang Suhua would normally not serve as a Beijing official for too long. Within one or two years, he would continue to be sent to other places.Those who can serve as Beijing officials for a long time and continue to rise are Jinshi at another level, and their development path is completely different from that of Liang Suhua and others.

"Originally, we are about to be released to the state capital! It's just that the Ministry of Rites has been busy with important matters recently. With this delay, who knows how long the release will be delayed?" Officials who have no future in Beijing are most looking forward to being released. Under normal circumstances, Beijing officials who are sent abroad will be promoted. Officials who are nothing in Beijing will become big bosses when they get to the local level, and their lives will be much more comfortable than being a junior Beijing official.

"Is the matter that the Ministry of Rites is busy with related to the Mimeng people? I heard rumors that the Mimeng people came to envoy to join forces with our Dazheng army to destroy the Xiang thieves. Is this true?" Seeing that Liang Suhua himself mentioned work matters, Zhou asked Yuan couldn't help but start gossiping. He was an idle official now and had no first-hand information about the important events in the court. He was itching in his heart.

"This is not a secret. Since last year, the Mi Meng people have defeated the Xiang thieves in Mobei. Now they are in the spotlight. They really intend to join forces with our Dazheng army to destroy the Xiang thieves." Liang Suhua said with no sense of confidentiality. An old friend talks about the serious events in the court recently!
"What does the court think? The Xiang thieves have been rampant for so many years. Since there is a chance to destroy them this time, the court should join forces with the Mi Meng people to destroy Xiang. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event. But morally, we and Xiang Thieves are a country of brothers, if we fall out, we may lose face."

"This is a country of bullshit brothers. Have the Xiang thieves considered us Da Zheng as their brothers all these years? Now the opinions of the important ministers in the DPRK are basically the same, and they have basically made up their minds. However, the terms that should be negotiated with the Mi-Meng army are also We must talk clearly, we cannot help them in vain. Pingqing, Hengshan, Yanbei, and Liaodong occupied by the Xiang people must be in our hands." Liang Suhua started to talk, and brought the court and the Mimeng people together. The key points of the negotiation were stated.

"Don't you want to bring back Yinzhou, Shuofang and Qingcheng as well? These places are also our hometown in the Central Plains."

"People who despise the Mongols and raise armies to destroy the country have to find some place, right? All the good places belong to us, what can they do? That's all. In the library, we won't talk about these state affairs. Didn't you see the poster on the back hall that says Don't talk about state affairs? Big characters? Anyway, the Ministry of Etiquette will be very busy in the coming time. I am afraid it will be difficult for Liang to find an opportunity to sit here again." Perhaps realizing that he had revealed too much, Liang Suhua stopped the topic and said Instead, he complained about the hard work.

In order to keep the Commercial Press in Luoyang away from politics and trouble as much as possible, a plaque was posted in the back hall of the Commercial Press saying "Don't talk about state affairs."I would like to remind the literati who come here that this place is a gathering place for casual writers. The books and periodicals published by the Commercial Press are all professional and classic books. We do not involve any political matters.

"It's better to be busy! This time Brother Liang and others are busy with a major matter that affects the Qianqiu. Zhou will not inquire more. When the matter is completed, we will find out. When the time comes, Brother Liang will be rewarded. To be honest, At such a critical moment, Zhou stayed far away from the court and had no contribution. It is really a pity in life."

Zhou Yuan felt that he had missed a historical opportunity, and he couldn't help but envy Liang Suhua who was serving as an official!It seems that I need to pay more attention to my career, and I can't just waste my time drinking tea in the Commercial Press!
(End of this chapter)