Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 175 People’s joys and sorrows are not the same
It is a taboo to have a casual conversation. "Mr. Zhang" was very cautious. After three rounds of drinking with Fang Chongyong and others, he found an excuse to say that something was urgent, and left with his entourage calmly. .

From beginning to end, he never said anything important to Fang Chongyong. Of course, Fang Chongyong's attitude was the same.

From the moment they met to the time they left, the two of them only knew each other's names and who their respective fathers were. The rest could only be made up in their heads, or they could find out slowly after returning home.

"This Mr. Zhang, I feel that it is not simple."

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but sigh and said, today's meal was really full of twists and turns.

"Indeed, as the son of Mr. Zhang, he is so low-key, and his emotions and anger are invisible. It's really..."

Yuan Jie described it for a long time, not knowing what to say.Because he found that Fang Chongyong seemed to be such a person, and some of the words he said were not very good.

"Fang Shijun, if it's too difficult to do the examination, it's okay not to do it. Just now, the governor of Jingzhao said that there was fraud in the imperial examination. I'm afraid that this imperial examination..."

Du Fu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly mentioned this.

"Ugh!"

Fang Chongyong sighed, then crossed his hands and saluted Du Fu and Yuan Jie and said, "Don't worry, you two. Although I am no longer an official of the imperial court, like the two of you, I have to take part in this imperial examination. But you can rest assured. I am still somewhat sure about the matter, and I will never talk nonsense."

Fang Chongyong promised with a strong oath.

Ok?
Du Fu and Yuan Jie were stunned. Why did it feel like they had just heard something important?

Yuan Jie quickly suppressed the anxiety in his heart and asked in a low voice: "Fang Shijun resigned?"

"It doesn't count. I just came to Chang'an to report on my duties when my term is up. It doesn't count as resignation."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand casually and said.

Eh?
Du Fu and Yuan Jie, who were sitting across from each other, were so frightened that they almost jumped up!It's hard to find a thick thigh, but you can't just say it's gone!
"What did Fang Shijun just say...take the imperial examination?"

When Du Fu spoke, his voice was knotted.

"Oh, I have too many chores and social activities recently, so I forgot to tell you two. I also took part in the imperial examination this year, just like you. So now we are considered candidates taking the imperial examination together, hahahahahahaha!"

Fang Zhongyong touched the back of his head and smiled heartily.

Brother, this is not how you play with people!You have already been a governor, why are you coming back to take the imperial examination? Is it to "experience life"?
Du Fu and Yuan Jie both had wry smiles on their faces. The thoughts of these powerful people were really hard to fathom.

Yuan Jie asked in confusion:

"Fang Shijun, normally speaking, after debriefing, one has to wait for the election of officials. All you have to do is wait at home. If you really want to work hard, shouldn't the first thing you have to do is smoothen the relationship and let the court try to arrange a good relationship? A new official position?
After completing the imperial examination, you have to wait for three years to undergo the so-called inspection by the court.Even after these three years are over, you will still have to participate in the election of officials. What is the difference from now? "

When he finished saying this, Du Fu nodded slightly in agreement.

"Fang Shijun, when I was young, I also thought that when I came to Chang'an and Luoyang, fame would be as easy as picking out something from a bag.

However, when I went to Luoyang for reference before, I failed miserably and was not listed on the list.Now that my family has fallen into decline, I have just become aware of the suffering in the world.

Fang Shijun served as governor at a young age. He had a bright future, so why bother taking the imperial examination?A certain person wanted to enter the Imperial College and be better than others in the scientific examinations, but he couldn't do that. He really couldn't compare with Fang Shijun. "

Du Fu said very frankly, which can be regarded as exposing his own shortcomings.

So why did Du Fu say that he couldn't learn from Fang Chongyong, find connections to enter the Imperial College, and then take the exam as an Imperial College student?Doesn't he know that this status will be very convenient for the imperial examination?
In fact, the inability to do so is not just a matter of his lack of background.

It's the admissions of the Imperial College. Although there are various drawbacks, it can be said that the admissions have no bottom line and no principles.But even so, there is one principle that it always adheres to.

That is the admission age for the Imperial College, which must be between fourteen and 20 years old!Hard standards are hard standards. If they cannot be met, it will not work even if the prime minister comes!
This was not only to prevent Chang'an dignitaries from using the Imperial College as a toilet for brainless "recruitment", but also due to the social trend of the entire Tang Dynasty society that admired prodigies and despised mediocrity.

The social atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty was extremely utilitarian, and it was not denied that being an official was for the pursuit of fame and fortune.This is very different from the conservative ethos of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was obvious that one was an official for thousands of miles just for food and clothing, but he still said that he was an official for the sake of bringing peace to the world.

In the Tang Dynasty, if a person was middle-aged, he was still studying in the Imperial College.

So according to normal circumstances, when he passes the imperial examination, he will be at least 50 years old, or even after 55 years old.As for whether he can become an official... it's actually better not to say it, because the reality is too cruel, and the possibility of such a person being awarded an official position is extremely slim.

According to ancient medical conditions, people after the age of 50 are at an age when they may die of illness at any time.The potential and investment value of such officials are already very limited!In other words, if the officials of the Imperial College are offended, they will be offended.

Such a person, who has finally become an official after being over 50 years old, does not want to take advantage of the afterglow of life to make money and enjoy himself. How can he still think about how to bite those who have offended him all day long?

Therefore, the Imperial College is an open-fire organization that discriminates against those powerful people who are too old and have not read a book!And use this as the last fig leaf!

No matter who is over 20 years old, they will not serve you!

One of the important reasons why Fang Chongyong was able to successfully obtain the "graduation qualification" is that "don't bully young people into poverty."No official would take a child who was a governor in his teens and not take him seriously!
Du Fu also wanted to join the Imperial Academy to gain qualifications.But the problem is, if he wants to enter, even if there are powerful people behind him to help him, will they still accept him?

He is over 30 years old.

This is the sorrow of the times, and also the sorrow of Du Fu.When people reach middle age, all the doors of career opportunities are quietly closing.

I used to think that I was omnipotent, but now I find that as I grow older, the obstacles in front of me have not become fewer, but have become more, taller, stronger, and more insurmountable.

"This official relies on the kindness of his fathers and the guidance of saints. It's like building a tower on sand, but it will fall down when the wind blows!"

Fang Chongyong stood up, walked to the fence on the second floor of Xinghua Building, and looked into the distance.

"I don't want to live under the shadow of my father's generation, and let outsiders say that he is Fang Jieshuai's son whenever he mentions me!
In this imperial examination, I just want to prove that even if I rely on my own strength, I can make my way in the officialdom! "

Fang Zhongyong said loudly, his already tall and burly figure looked even more like a giant at this moment.

However, Du Fu and Yuan Jie looked at each other, and they didn't know whether the Fang Yanei in front of them was deliberately showing off in front of them, or if he was really childish.

Logically speaking, it shouldn’t be the case!

Even the two of them understood that it would be difficult to enter the officialdom without the full support of their families and the kindness of their fathers.Not to mention what will happen after entering the officialdom.

Who dares to say that being in officialdom is all due to one's own ability!Don't be afraid of the wind blowing your tongue!
Why did Fang Shijun, who was born into an official family, have such "arrogant" thoughts!
"Fang Shijun is really very ambitious...very ambitious."

Yuan Jie pondered for a long time, and finally gave a thumbs up and said some innocuous nonsense. Even he felt extremely embarrassed.

Seemingly realizing that he had gone too far in his pretense, Fang Chongyong sighed and said: "X's situation is different from what you think. Now I don't want to become a bigger official, but I want to retreat temporarily to avoid trouble. I will tell you slowly about the cryptic things involved."

Fang Chongyong sat down and poured wine for Du Fu and Yuan Jie.After drinking all the "Sanle Pulp" in the cup, Fang Chongyong told his own story.

"When I came to Chang'an when I was nine years old, I was going to study at the Hongwen Academy. However, the sage changed his orders at night and made me drop out of school. He also gave me the position of a lieutenant general in Qianniu Guard, who was inspecting the school.

Although this official position is empty and useless, is it something that an ordinary child can have? "

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but complain.

Du Fu and Yuan Jie nodded numbly. Sure enough, these are the high-end players in the high-end game. They are indeed different from ordinary people like them.

It was crushed right from the start!

"Later, when I wanted to visit Hexi, the sage gave me a job in Liangzhou Prefecture to join the army! That year, I was less than ten years old!
Can a ten-year-old child bear the heavy responsibility of joining the army in the state capital? "

Fang Chongyong said heartbrokenly.Joining the army in the state capital is often a position that a scholar with a Jinshi background cannot get even if he debuts.Many people who have no connections can only "submit" to a small county captain.Unexpectedly, Fang Chongyong could become a "prefecture" and join the army without doing anything, not even going to school.

This position has great authority, few responsibilities, and does not limit the office location.It is simply a super cute official position that can be either sweet or salty!
Those who are not capable will use this position to work as a gangster in a prosperous place, eating, drinking and having fun as an official all day long. Cities at the "fu" level are generally capitals from the separatist era, and their prosperity is only slightly less prosperous than Chang'an and Luoyang.

For example, Chengdu Prefecture, Liangzhou Prefecture, and Yangzhou Prefecture (Jiankang City was demolished by Yang Jian, and Yangzhou on the other side took its place in the Tang Dynasty), the regional population is hundreds of thousands or even millions.

And those who have the ability and want to do things can use this official position to get involved everywhere without being crucified somewhere.

hateful!So envious!Become a high official at the age of ten!Still this kind of difference!
What's wrong with this horse riding?

Hearing this, Du Fu and Yuan Jie not only did not feel the same way, but secretly hated themselves for not having a strong father like Fang Youde.Decades of exhausting struggle are nothing compared to having a good father. How realistic and cruel!
"Indeed, hahahaha..."

Yuan Jie and Du Fu responded casually.

"You don't understand, there will be something even more outrageous next!"

Probably because I drank some wine, and I get angry when I think of the embarrassment back then!

Fang Chongyong pounded the table hard and continued to complain:

"Later, the Tubo people came, and the saint gave a certain Ganzhou governor the official position!

The ten-year-old governor of Ganzhou!Do you know how someone came here during that time? "

Thinking back to the timid fighting in Ganzhou, with only Guo Ziyi's [-] soldiers outside the city, and the near-paralysis of the implementation of the Autumn Defense Order in Ganzhou, he didn't know why he was so bold to go against Brother Ji and oppose the Autumn Defense Order. Yang serves and Yin violates.

Fang Chongyong served as the governor of Shazhou and conducted smuggling transactions with the Tubo people. Later, when he made friends with Enlan Dazalugong, he realized that the illusion he felt in Ganzhou of being targeted by wild beasts was not an illusion. !
But Tubo has actually made preparations to cross the Qilian Mountains and attack Ganzhou City by surprise!
It's only one step away from launching an attack!

It was because Fang Chongyong and Guo Ziyi had some discussions and adopted a strategy of suspicion!
The Ganzhou government office publicized to the local people in Ganzhou, especially the Sogdian Hu settlements: There may be gold mines near the Qilian Mountain trail in the south of Ganzhou. Whoever can find the gold mine should report it to the Ganzhou government office, and then meet and share half of it.

In addition, Fang Chongyong sent Yan Zhuang to spread rumors among the people, saying that someone had picked up gold at the exit of the Qilian Mountain trail.Therefore, many local Hu people and herdsmen in Ganzhou went to that area to search for gold.

This scene made the already cautious Tubo people mistakenly believe that the Tang army was well-defended and well prepared, so they did not choose to take action rashly at that time!

Without this move, Fang Chongyong, Guo Ziyi, Xin Yunjing and others would most likely have been killed or captured.With the terrain in Ganzhou, they couldn't escape and could only wait for help.With only [-] sharp soldiers in hand, only God knows how long they can hold on and whether the Tang army's reinforcements can arrive in time!

How dangerous it was at that time can only be felt by understanding the situation afterwards.

Fang Chongyong did not tell Enlan Dazalugong about the situation in Ganzhou at that time, but only boasted that he had no plans.

"Your Majesty was once the governor of Ganzhou!"

Du Fu and Yuan Jie exclaimed that their focus was completely different from Fang Chongyong's.

"Isn't he just that miserable Ganzhou governor? Alas!"

Fang Chongyong sighed with a wry smile and couldn't help sighing.

In the officialdom of the Tang Dynasty, the speed of official turnover is often the simplest proof of whether an official has a future.

If an official's job turnover is extremely slow and he has to complete his term before changing, his official career will be very bleak.Because when the term is up, you have to return to Chang'an to report on your duties. At that time, you have to move around to seek election, and you will not be able to receive a new official position immediately.

This wait may be two or three months, maybe two or three years.Many of these officials have been waiting for a lifetime and will never be granted official positions again!

They belong to the gentry and cannot work in the fields or do business. If there are no officials to serve, they can only "raise their hopes"!
Commonly known as unemployment.

It was a tough day!

Of course, for example, Han Yu, who was similar to the Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties, was not willing to wait for selection at home, so he would participate in the "official qualification assessment" independently organized by the Ministry of Personnel.The exam was so difficult that even Han Yu took it three times before he passed!

Among the officials of the Tang Dynasty, how many were more capable than Han Yu?Therefore, this road is more than ten times more difficult than the imperial examination, and it is basically a dead end.

However, look at how cool Fang Chongyong, a top official, is in the officialdom!

After joining the army in the state capital for only a year, he was immediately promoted to the governor of the border town.There is no need for him to seek an official position, the official position will be automatically obtained!
Really more popular than dead people!

"and then?"

Yuan Jie asked helplessly, while Du Fu was too depressed to speak.

"Then for some unknown reason, a certain person was appointed as the governor of Shazhou and a member of the Ministry of Rites, and he also had the post of envoy of the Doulu Army. Anyway, he was dizzy with work."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said, passing by in one stroke.

There is a lot of unspeakable dark history in this experience, including the "illegal trade" in Shazhou.

These are all licking blood jobs, so don’t mention them.

If killing someone in Shazhou is a crime, then there probably won’t be many innocent people left inside and outside the government offices of Shazhou!Later, Yan Chaodu found connections and became a minor official in the Shazhou government office. According to what Fang Chongyong knew, this guy had dozens of lives in his hands and killed them with his own hands.

He also served as the direct contact person among the large local Han households in Shazhou and helped Fang Chongyong do a lot of dirty work!

Although Yuan Jie and Du Fu were two times older than Fang Chongyong, compared with Fang Yanei who secretly commanded people to kill people and sell goods, and even personally led troops to "suppress bandits", they were as pure as hibiscus flowers that had just emerged from the water.

As for Fang Yanei himself, his heart has been completely blackened, and he has seen all kinds of big scenes where gangsters take advantage of gangsters.

Fang Chongyong did not miss any serious crimes in the Tang Dynasty's criminal law, such as murder, instigating others to kill, instigating the extermination of a family, smuggling with enemy countries, using his power to bully and dominate the market, etc. Fang Chongyong was able to do it with ease.

Shazhou has a ringing voice, "If you have any difficulties, you can find someone to envoy you."

Back then, a Hu businessman from the Western Regions didn't know the local market, so he got carried away and teased Fang Chongyong's Hu Ji, and he wanted to destroy her family to establish his power.

In the eyes of Yuan Jie and Du Fu, this yamen was "ignorant of the sufferings of the people."But in fact, Fang Chongyong not only knew it, but also knew it too well, to the point of "unity of knowledge and action".

It's just that the rules in Hexi, where the people are strong and strong, are strange: if anyone's life is too hard, he really can't survive.So the way to work hard is not to farm, but to be a gangster, a bandit, rob, kill and buy goods!
Even the local women admire Fang Chongyong, a fierce man who takes both black and white, completely different from the pretty boy from Chang'an who likes to put on makeup and powder.

This is the "struggle" of ordinary people in Hexi.

If you want to say that they are not motivated, that's not true. It's just that the way and means of improvement are different from those in Chang'an.

Fang Chongyong understands very well the "civilian sufferings" of the lower class people in Hexi.

After listening to Fang Chongyong's brief introduction, Yuan Jie and Du Fu fell silent and drank several glasses of wine in a row!

Just when Fang Chongyong felt that the conversation with Du Fuyuanjie was not going well, and was about to stand up and leave, there was a sudden noise outside.Dozens of soldiers wearing red linings and Jinwuwei's unique standard armor surrounded Xinghua Tower!

"What happened?"

Fang Chongyong looked out the window and happened to meet the eyes of a Jinwu guard.The man pointed at Fang Chongyong and shouted: "That's him, arrest him!"

Eh?
How is this going?

Fang Chongyong's heart sank and he secretly cried out.

(End of this chapter)