Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Although Zheng Juzhong lost the Ministry of Household Affairs, his confidants took over the Ministry of Personnel. This business was definitely not a loss.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Ju Ming and Cai Jing were enemies. Zheng Juzhong felt that he could win over them and personally intervened in the arrangements for Bai Chongyan and Min Zishun.

Min Zishun's Jinshi ranking was higher, so he threw away the Carboniferous Division, which had more oil and water.

Bai Chongyan works in the Ministry of Industry and is responsible for office document transfer affairs.

They were crestfallen two days ago, but now their faces are full of joy, and they only have admiration for Ju Ming in their hearts.

Although he is only a minor official, he is a minor official in the capital, and Ju Ming actually made arrangements as soon as he said it would be arranged!

Min Zishun was afraid of ruining Ju Ming's affairs, so before he officially went to work, he asked seriously: "Although the Carboniferous Department is of a low level, it is in charge of the coalfield affairs of Kaifeng Mansion and surrounding areas. With such rich oil and water, someone must come to lend a hand. What does Brother Chenggong have to say?" my?"

Zhu Ming said: "The Ministry of Works builds palaces every year, and there is an alarming amount of oil and water. What does the Carboniferous Department count? Since the Carboniferous Department has been transferred to the Ministry of Works, and the original officials have been purged, within three to five months, no superior officials will dare to come and take advantage of it." Money. Take advantage of this period of time to deal with internal governance, complete the purchase of government offices, and stabilize the market price of coal as soon as possible."

Min Zishun asked: "We can't stop the greedy beetles, should we catch them more harshly?"

Ju Ming nodded: "Be ruthless, but leave room for it, otherwise it will not last long and it will become more chaotic in private."

In a word, officials must be allowed to be greedy for a little money, otherwise they will not be able to work at all.

This is determined by the system. The middle and high-level officials in the Song Dynasty were treated so well that it was frightening to death. However, it is difficult for low-level officials and clerks to support their families purely on wages. They do not allow subordinates to be corrupt at all, and they absolutely cannot do anything.

Bai Chongyan came up with an idea: "First knock the mountain to shock the tiger, punish a few severely, and then show kindness to the subordinates to win over the subordinates."

Shirasaburo is not a nerd, he only occasionally lacks practical knowledge. The suggestions he is making now are very good, and he also knows the policy of carrots and sticks.

"Ms. sir, someone from the Zheng family wants to see you." Bai Sheng ran over quickly.

Ju Ming said: "Invite him in."

The person who came was a high-ranking servant of Zheng Juzhong's family. He handed over the invitation and said, "My father-in-law is hosting a banquet to invite Xuezheng. Please be sure to attend the banquet."

Ju Ming looked at the invitation and declined politely: "I have received Mr. Zheng's kindness, so there is no need for a banquet."

The servant felt that he had heard wrong and said in disbelief: "Zhu Xuezheng, this is a banquet for the Privy Council. You have already hated Cai Jing, do you want to offend Mr. Zheng again? Mr. Zheng personally arranged the dispatch of your two fellow countrymen. Your Excellency is Is this how you repay?"

"How dare you? I'm just busy with official duties and really can't get away." Zhu Ming said.

The servant of the Zheng family looked displeased and lost all basic courtesy: "If you do things like this, you will suffer sooner or later. Don't come to ask my husband again!"

After saying that, he walked away.

Min Zishun felt something was wrong: "Since you hate Cai Jing, you should turn to Zheng Juzhong. You can't offend both sides."

Ju Ming explained: "I have just been promoted to an official position. Cai and Zheng will not do anything to me. It is also because of the official position that Zheng Juzhong entertained me. But if I fall in love with one of them, the other person will definitely hold a grudge." In my heart, I want to get rid of me quickly. With the behavior of these two people, can they last long? Even if I am suppressed by them, I will only be silent for a few years. If I cling to them, the stigma will be a lifetime thing."

Bai Chongyan admired him and said: "You still have a long-term vision for success."

Cai Jing is a traitor, isn’t Zheng Juzhong?

Look who are Zheng Juzhong’s accomplices? Most of them belong to Cai Jing’s former confidants.

Wang Fu is worse than Cai Jing.

Liu Zhengfu and Zheng Juzhong have also completely merged, and Zheng Juzhong is completely dominated.

Don't look at it. Liu Zhengfu doesn't want to get entangled in the court, and he just wants to resign and go home. But this old guy, after returning to Hangzhou, immediately built a house to enjoy.

Just build it, you can't fault it if people embezzle money based on their ability.

But Liu Zhengfu didn't bother to pretend, and directly occupied the military camp of the Xiang Army in Hangzhou, saying that he wanted to build an attic to store the books given by the emperor.

Don’t blame the local army for being stretched. There are no military camps. Where can they train?

Zhu Ming is ashamed to be with a group of insects!

…

A few days later, Min Zishun took office in the Carboniferous Department and began to prepare for the purchase.

Ju Ming plans to contract the management rights of a government-run business in the south of the city. After communicating with Tanhang first, and with Min Zishun's official cooperation, it should be easy to win the bid.

Don't talk nonsense. Ju Ming said one thing and did another. Given the business environment in the late Northern Song Dynasty, buying and selling was 100% done behind the scenes. It was impossible to win through serious bidding.

Anyway, he didn't take advantage of the court. At most, he would delay the contracting fees until he made money and paid back.

Ju Ming's energy returned to Taixue, because the quarterly examination was about to begin.

As a scholar, he needs to supervise the examinations of lower-class students from outside the dormitory.

Quarterly exams are more casual and are basically proctored by Xuezheng.

The court will arrange the examiners for the annual examination and the public examination, and the examination level is similar to that of the imperial examination.

Returning to Gongyuan again, in less than half a year, Ju Ming's identity changed from a candidate to an examiner.

He strolled around the examination room, then returned to sit under the eaves, picked up a book and read to himself.

Zhang Gang, a doctor of Taixue, dragged Zhang Zhang over and sat down.

Zhang Gang is the examiner and Zhu Ming is the supervisor.

"After marking the papers for this quarterly examination, they will be promoted to higher grades," Zhang Gang said. "Then all Taipei students will be moved to new addresses in the southern suburbs."

Ju Ming asked: "Is it confirmed?"

Zhang Gang nodded: "OK."

Ju Ming said: “Some students have a long way to go home.”

In principle, all students must live in dormitories, but enforcement is simply impossible.

The courses at Taixue are too many and too complex. It takes at least three years to graduate. Most of them take five to six years, or even seven or eight years to graduate.

Let young people in their twenties live on campus for several years?

He has a wife!

Local students often go home or even live at home.

Out-of-town students often rent houses and live with their wives and concubines.

The new campus in the southern suburbs is too remote. Students who live in rented houses will probably change their houses, and the rents of houses in the south of the city will also increase accordingly.

Just in time to increase the consumption power there, the coal shop contracted by Ju Ming is located in the south of the city.

Zhang Gang said: "After the quarterly examination, I want to be transferred to Secretary Lang."

Ju Ming raised his hands in congratulations: "Congratulations to Brother Yanzheng!"

Zhang Gang sighed: "I'm afraid that if I can't control my mouth, I will be demoted sooner or later."

This man is also very tolerant. When he was studying, he never said anything bad about traitors.

So no one came to suppress him. He ranked first in the exam when he was promoted to the inner house, first in the exam when he was promoted to the upper house, and still ranked first in the graduation exam, so he was awarded the number one scholar by the emperor and his family background.

After being awarded the official title, he had no choice but to visit Cai Jing once.

After that, he didn't bother to move around because Cai Jing wanted to recruit him, but he politely refused.

Ju Ming smiled and said: "If you flatter the officials more often, you will not be afraid of being framed by traitors."

Zhang Gang said: "If you don't get flattery, you will always be ashamed of it."

"Then there's nothing we can do." Ju Ming said.

Zhang Gang added: "In recent years, officials have favored Taoist priests a lot. This year, Xue Daoguang was favored first, followed by Wang Zaixi, and I heard that Lin Lingsu has been favored recently. Among the three, only one was successfully recommended. Xue Daoguang has the demeanor of a Taoist scholar. Wang Zaixi and Lin Lingsu have already intervened in political affairs and recommended officials to serve. Even after the Taixue students move out, the old Taixue building will be converted into a Taoist school. Alas. , how can anyone rule the country with the law?"

"The officials have their own interests, so what can we do?" Zhu Ming also pretended and sighed.

Wang Zaixi and Lin Lingsu were already in a relationship, both wanting to seduce Gu Chong.

Wang Zaixi will definitely be defeated, and will die miserably. Because this person is too arrogant and scolds the eunuchs as slaves, sooner or later he will be plotted by the eunuchs.

On the contrary, Xue Daoguang stayed out of the matter and was too lazy to get involved, and gained unanimous approval from civil servants, eunuchs and Taoist priests.

Zhang Gang sat on the corridor, looking at the examination booths in front of him, feeling confused about his future and that of Song Dynasty.

In other words, all upright people don't know where the way out is.

It is true that the emperor has been madly suppressing Cai Jing this year, but he has no intention of deposing him. Now that Cai Dang is back in charge of the household department, who knows what other tricks will come next.

Zhang Gang suddenly said: "I have already read the manuscripts of Your Excellency and Mr. Mo'an."

"How?" Zhu Ming asked.

Zhang Gang said: "It is also a book that manages the world and governs the country."

Ju Ming smiled and said: "Haha, if you are interested, you can visit Mr. Mo'an more often."

Tai students have to learn everything. When they were studying in their hometown, they had a foundation in various schools such as Luo School and Shu School. When I came to the capital, I had to study new subjects. I also had to study "Three Biography", "Laozi" and "Zhuangzi". Arithmetic was also a compulsory course.

Such complex learning content makes Tai students very open-minded and maintain an inclusive attitude towards various schools of thought.

They also have no objection to the "learning of Taoism".

Zhang Gang graduated from Taixue with the first place in all exams. After reading the manuscript, he had a more thorough understanding of "Tao Yong Xue".

Zhang Gang said: "I would like to present this book to the officials."

Ju Ming asked: "Aren't you afraid that some of the un-Jun's views may annoy the officials?"

Zhang Gang said: "By offering a book voluntarily, you can also use arithmetic to please the officials. If a traitor sees the manuscript, he will hide other pages and take quotes out of context to frame the crime."

"Indeed." Zhu Ming nodded.

After being reminded by Zhang Gang, Ju Ming immediately went home to pick up the manuscript after invigilating the exam, and then rode to visit Xue Daoguang.

"Taoist Priest, I'm here to see you!" Zhu Ming said with a smile.

Xue Daoguang said angrily: "My dear friend, I can't get up early for no benefit. If you have anything to say, just say it."

Ju Ming said: "The Taoist priest's words are too direct."

Xue Daoguang asked: "Isn't it?"

"I just sigh, Taoist priest is really good at judging people," Zhu Ming asked Bai Sheng to hold up the manuscript. "Please give these things to the officials, Taoist priest."

Chen Yuan has already finished writing the "Chapter of Righteousness and Benefit", roughly quoting Wang Anshi's views, but deliberately ignored the issue of which comes first, righteousness or benefit.

Xue Daoguang asked: "My friend, do you know the reason for this promotion?"

Ju Ming asked: "I offered advice to help the officials solve the matter in the Carboniferous Department?"

"No," Xue Daoguang shook his head, "it's because officials love to read Journey to the West. They have read it several times and they like you as the author."

Ju Ming: "..."

Sure enough, it is better to write novels to please the emperor than to contribute to the court by making suggestions and suggestions.

Just like when Zhu Ming was taking the imperial examination, he wrote policy papers seriously and analyzed the pros and cons of policy for the court, but he ended up finishing last in the provincial examination. He wrote a bunch of nonsense about cultivating Taoism and governing the country, but he was labeled as a prostitute.

In this world, you can't be too serious.