Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 573: Worry about the world before you worry about yourself (Special thanks to my book friend LX for his monthly ticket!)

Di Qing didn't understand why, so he said:
"Your Majesty has been very caring towards me since I was young and has high expectations of me. Fortunately, I have not let your Majesty down!"

Chai Zongxun nodded and said with a smile:

"Now that my Great Zhou is prosperous in culture and military, civil officials and military officers are working together for the country, Qing'er will have no worries about not having a place to use his talents in the future.

Qing'er, do you want to join the Longxiong Army, the Longxiong Guard, or the Wude Division?"

Di Qing thought for a moment and said:

“Your Majesty, I heard that the Eastern Roman Emperor Basil II passed away last year, and his son Constantine VIII succeeded him. He seems to be dissatisfied with your Majesty’s mediation and is raising an army to attack Bulgaria.

This man is extremely ambitious and wants to recreate the glory of the Roman Empire unifying Europe. He may be a great threat to the future of our Great Zhou!
I am willing to join the Longxiang Army and go to West Asia to help Your Majesty secure the territory and guard against the Eastern Roman Empire."

Basil II was born in 958. After taking power at the age of 18, he spent his entire life fighting for the Eastern Roman Empire.

When he went to war, he lived and worked with his army and was called "the father of the army" by his countrymen. After his death, he was not buried in the traditional royal mausoleum of the Eastern Roman Empire, but asked to be buried in his cavalry training camp.

Chai Zongxun was delighted that Di was young but had such a long-term vision in strategy.

Chai Zongxun said:

"Qing'er has a great strategic vision, and will surely become a famous general of our Great Zhou who possesses both wisdom and courage in the future!

The reason why I left Bulgaria and the Green Caliphate was to balance the Eastern Roman Empire.

Although Constantine VIII is young and vigorous, I don't think he would dare to go against my will and attack Bulgaria. If he wants to expand, the first step might be to test his courage by taking on the Green Caliphate. If he defeats the Green Caliphate, then my Great Zhou Empire will have to fight with the Eastern Roman Empire!
Since Qing'er is willing to help the country, I will allow you to join the 4th Corps of the Longxiang Army and garrison in West Asia. Yang Yanzhao is a calm person and will definitely take good care of you."

After the king and his minister chatted about some family matters, Di Qing took his leave.

After taking a short rest, Chai Zongxun ordered Fan Zhongyan to come for an audience.

After a while, Fan Zhongyan walked into the hall led by the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict and the imperial guards.

After the greeting, Chai Zongxun looked at Fan Zhongyan.

He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, of medium build, with a honest and resolute face, and dressed quite simply.

Chai Zongxun said:

"Lord Fan, I heard that when you were studying hard in the temple, you refused the money your stepfather sent your friends to help you, and lived on dry porridge and pickles every day. Why is that?"

Fan Zhongyan said:

“Your Majesty, I only knew my origins when I was humiliated by my two stepbrothers when I was 21 years old.

Therefore, he left his stepfather's home and studied hard in order to become a useful person for the country.

Since I have become independent, how can I accept charity from my stepfather? No matter how hard or difficult it is, I will never give up my ambition! "

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:
"My dear minister, you can be said to be 'even more determined despite being poor, and never lose your ambition to reach the sky'!

My dear minister, what is your evaluation of my governance over the past few decades?"

Fan Zhongyan immediately said:

"Your Majesty is proficient in both domestic affairs and military affairs. All industries in the country are thriving. Externally, you are expanding the territory and conquering an unprecedentedly vast territory!

Your Majesty abolished the "ennoblement system" and the recommendation system, and implemented the examination system and the local merit system, truly achieving the saintly ideal of "putting the people first and the world for the public"! There is no longer the drawbacks of the bureaucratic lifelong system and the hereditary system.

Today, our Great Zhou has a stable government and harmonious people, officials are honest, and the people all have a chance to rise. Your Majesty has established trust and integrity in the world, giving equal importance to agriculture, industry and commerce, making the people rich and the country strong.

What is particularly valuable is that the concept that "industry and commerce are the foundation for enriching the people and filling the national treasury" has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people across the country and has become an indestructible consensus. This is a great achievement!

Your Majesty's achievements far surpass those of the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor, and you are the three emperors of ancient times!"

Chai Zongxun was delighted and said with a smile, "Now that you have won the first place in the imperial examination, how will you contribute to the country?"

Fan Zhongyan said with emotion:

"Your Majesty has perfected the system of our Great Zhou. I am fortunate to have won the first place in the imperial examination. All I have to do is to build more livelihood projects for the people and prevent any injustice from happening after I go to the local government to serve as an official!"

Chai Zongxun immediately knew that Fan Zhongyan was a man of great ability and said:

"Your Excellency wants to go to the local areas to do practical things for the people and benefit them. Your spirit is commendable!

However, given your talent as the top scholar, isn't it a waste of your talent to serve as an official in a local government?
I order you to serve in the Ministry of Works and supervise the construction of various major projects related to national economy and people's livelihood."

Fan Zhongyan was deeply grateful for the emperor's recognition and was appointed as a fifth-rank official in a key central department as soon as the emperor gave the order.

After Fan Zhongyan bowed and expressed his gratitude, he prepared to leave.

Chai Zongxun called him.

Chai Zongxun said:

"I have heard that you are very filial to your mother, but the official residence of the Ministry of Works is too small to support your mother.

I grant you a large house in Bianjing so that you can fulfill your filial duties."

Fan Zhongyan was filled with gratitude and shed tears. He bowed deeply and thanked the emperor again, saying:
"Your Majesty's kindness to me is as high as the sky, and I cannot repay you even if I were to be torn to pieces!

I only serve my king wholeheartedly, share the worries of the country, and "worry about the worries of the world before I enjoy the happiness of the world"! "

After Fan Zhongyan left the hall, he had just walked out of the Xuande Gate, the south gate of the imperial city, when he was surrounded by a large group of people who looked like stewards of officials' families.

Fan Zhongyan was startled, and just as he was wondering what was going on, the housekeepers shouted:

"Greetings, Lord Fan! My master, Shangshu Wang, heard that the top scholar is now 28 years old and still unmarried, so he is willing to betroth his 17-year-old daughter to Lord Fan as his wife.

Please ask Master Fan to follow me to see Minister Wang!"

"Master Fan, my master Li Ci Fu heard of Master Fan's talent and loved him very much!

I am willing to marry my beautiful 18-year-old daughter to Mr. Fan.

Lord Fan, please come to the mansion to see me!"

"Master Fan, my princess is outstanding in virtue and appearance. The prince has ordered me to invite Master Fan to the mansion to discuss the marriage!"

Fan Zhongyan lost his father at a young age and lived with his stepfather. He had not yet married when he left at the age of 21. He studied hard for the exams in the past few years and had not yet married until he was 28.

As the housekeepers were talking, they all reached out to pull Fan Zhongyan's sleeves and started scrambling for it.

Seeing that the housekeepers were about to fight if he did not stop them, Fan Zhongyan said:

"Staff, please don't be violent!
I, your humble servant, have been favored by all the princes, the ministers and the chancellors, and have been honored and favored!
Would you allow me to visit each of you one by one, get to know each of you, and decide on your marriage?"

The housekeepers were overjoyed when they heard this. They had been following strict orders from their master to invite the new top scholar Fan Zhongyan to their house to discuss the marriage. Now when they heard that Fan Zhongyan agreed to visit them, they were relieved.

After spending a few days hanging around the homes of high-ranking officials in Bian Jing, Fan Zhongyan finally agreed to marry the fourth daughter of Li Hang, the Grand Tutor.

First, Li Hang had served as prime minister for ten years. During his tenure, the government was clean and the economy developed rapidly. He was known as a saintly prime minister among the people of the Great Zhou.

Secondly, Li Hang had three sons and four daughters. Three of his sons had passed the imperial examination and became Jinshi. The fourth daughter, who was about to marry Fan Zhongyan, was born to his second wife, Mrs. Zhu.

She is only seventeen years old this year, and is the most beautiful among the daughters of nobles and high-ranking officials whom Fan Zhongyan visited.

On the second day of July in the fifty-ninth year of Kaixi, Fan Zhongyan's wedding to the fourth daughter of Li Hang, the Grand Tutor, was held in the Fan Residence bestowed by the emperor, causing a sensation.

(End of this chapter)