Prodigal Son of the Ming Dynasty

  Chapter 1565 Hope

  Emperor Hongzhi sighed when Wang Guang remained silent.

   Immediately, he said: "Okay, the Qing family still has merit."

   After all, he couldn't bear to pursue it.

   What's the point of pursuing these?

  Wang Guang has done the best within his knowledge.

  This is already a parent official with outstanding achievements, what is there to criticize?

   If you want to blame, no one can blame it.

   This stereotyped selection of scholars was originally a national policy of the Ming Dynasty, and it was decided by the Taizu Emperor Gao. Now we can't blame the local parents and officials for taking this stereotyped selection of scholars as too important.

only…

  Emperor Hongzhi flipped through the model essays.

  These things are full of flowers, and they are ingenious and ingenious articles, but Emperor Hongzhi thought in his heart... What are these things good for the country now?

  The world has changed.

  The responsibilities of the government have become heavier and heavier. This can be seen from the prefectures and counties of the New Deal.

  The problems involved in it can be described as a myriad of threads. Can a person who only knows how to be a stereotyped person be governed by just relying on one sentence?

  Thinking of this, Emperor Hongzhi cheered up.

   This time, he looked at Fang Jifan: "Fang Qing's family..."

   "My son is here."

  Fang Jifan has been silent all the time, in fact he is too lazy to make a sound, because...he is hungry.

  According to His Majesty's serious temperament, he can't predict when he will be able to accompany His Majesty to have a meal. The smartest way at this time is to talk less, consume less energy, and reserve more energy for emergencies.

  Fang Jifan's prediction was right.

  His Majesty is not in the mood to eat at all now.

  Emperor Hongzhi said: "I heard that Nantong is also implementing new policies?"

  Tongzhou is divided into Nantongzhou and Beitongzhou. Beitongzhou connects the northern section of the canal and is close to the capital, while Nantongzhou connects the southern end of the Grand Canal and is close to Nanjing.

   This Grand Canal is the most important artery of Ming Dynasty. The two Tongzhous connect this canal, which are important places for transshipment.

Because of this, Nantong Prefecture is a key place, where merchants gather, countless goods are collected and distributed here, and countless Jiangnan taxes are also set off from here to the capital. After the New Deal begins to deepen, this Nantong Prefecture, of course, It has become the most eye-catching place. Some New Deal strategies have begun to be piloted in Nantong Prefecture. The appointed magistrate of Nantong Prefecture is named Zeng Jianwen. This person’s background is different from other places. A civil official promoted by Ouyang Zhi in Baoding Mansion, he was promoted step by step.

  In the temple, this person is almost like a small transparent existence. No one mentions him among the officials in the temple, and he is regarded as an existence like air.

  Now Emperor Hongzhi suddenly mentioned Nantong Prefecture, Fang Jifan said: "Your Majesty, it is true that Nantong has started to implement the New Deal as early as three years ago."

  Emperor Hongzhi nodded and said, "You might as well go and have a look."

   It seems that Emperor Hongzhi would be interested in any place where the New Deal was implemented.

   This is also understandable.

  After all, this Nantong Prefecture is the first pilot project in Jiangnan, and it has a lot to do with it. If Nantong Prefecture can't manage well, then it will be insufficient to promote it to the entire Jiangnan.

  Going to Nantong again?

  Fang Jifan was speechless, but he didn't dare to neglect, and said honestly: "Yes."

  Emperor Hongzhi looked back at Wang Guang: "The Qing family will also go with me, and the governor will be notified here temporarily."

Wang Guang heard this, and wondered what His Majesty was thinking: "Could it be that Your Majesty also wants to see the enlightenment of Nantong Prefecture... Last year in Nantong Prefecture, there was not a single Jinshi without a high school... This education is at the bottom of the Southern Zhili prefectures. of."

  Emperor Hongzhi smiled slightly: "Go and see."

  As long as he is out of the palace, Emperor Hongzhi always has boundless energy and is not afraid of tossing at all.

   "Your Majesty..." Wang Guang thought for a while and said, "I have the guts to... I want to know what your Majesty is looking for in private visits to various mansions? Can you tell me clearly?"

  Emperor Hongzhi said firmly: "I hope..."

hope…

  Wang Guang was dumbfounded.

  …

  Emperor Hongzhi did not choose to eat in the magistrate's yamen, but rushed to Tongzhou wearing stars and moons.

  Thus, the traces of the emperor were found here. When a large number of guards from Fengyang arrived, everyone was dumbfounded again, and His Majesty...had left again.

   This is thanks to the horses and chariots. Because the horses and chariots are comfortable, the long-distance journey did not waste much time for Emperor Hongzhi. He just sat on the sofa, or used some pastries, or repaired.

  Fang Jifan cannot always ride with His Majesty, he can only go when His Majesty summons him.

  Because there were not enough carriages and horses, he had to be in the carriage with Wang Guang.

Wang Guang followed the holy driver in a daze, but... before leaving, the judge in the mansion called him aside, and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, the holy driver came here today is very strange, and he suddenly came to ask the enlightened teacher. Is this related to the rumors in Beijing?"

  "Rumors?" Wang Guang looked at Tong Juan in surprise: "What rumors are there in Beijing?"

   "It is heard that His Majesty was instigated by Duke Qi to abolish the imperial examination."

   buzz buzz...

  Wang Guang's brain suddenly buzzed. His legs were weak, and he was about to collapse. He opened his eyes wide and said, "Xiao... Is the news reliable? Could it be just lies?"

The judge said: "In this world, how can there be groundless things? There are rumors in the capital. Now His Majesty suddenly worshiped the ancestors, and then came to our Luzhou mansion. The lord, the officials thought that this is eight or nine. Not far from ten."

  Wang Guang was startled, feeling that the sky was falling.

  Abolishing the imperial examinations is already a terrible thing.

  If it is added that His Majesty came to Luzhou before the abolition of the imperial examination, this will inevitably lead to many unfounded speculations, maybe he will become a big sinner.

  At this time, he was completely devastated. Although Fang Jifan was in the same car, Fang Jifan was sitting on the sofa in the middle, and Wang Guangjing was the last seat, but he seemed absent-minded.

  Fang Jifan was too lazy to talk to him.

  Wang Guang is not polite, but not polite.

   Just staring like this for a day, Wang Guang couldn't help it the next day: "Your official heard a lot of rumors in Beijing. I heard...the imperial court intends to abolish the imperial examination? I wonder if Qi Guogong heard about it?"

  Fang Jifan said: "Who said that? It's none of my business anyway. Why, you still want to pour dirty water on me. How many heads do you have?"

  Wang Guang: "..."

   If it wasn’t Fang Jifan’s instigation, who else could it be? There must be someone, right?

   Reminiscent of His Majesty actually running to Nantong Prefecture, and taking himself with him, how can he leave his post without authorization as a parent official in a place? What is His Majesty's intention?

  Wang Guang was worried, forced a smile, and continued: "Duke Qi, don't be angry, my... The meaning of my subordinate is... this is a big matter. Is it just a rumor and not enough to believe it?"

"do not know."

  Wang Guang: "..."

  Obviously, he still didn't intend to give up, and continued: "If the imperial examination is abolished, the problem will be serious. Think about it, how many scholars depend on this for their wealth and life. This is definitely not a joke."

  Fang Jifan showed a bit of impatience, and said coldly: "Why are you so wordy, shut up."

  Wang Guang thought for a while, it seems that if stereotyped writing is really abolished, he might be smashed to pieces, but after all, this is a matter of the future, and it is better than dying now. It's better to keep a useful body and wait for the hope to be real.

  Emperor Hongzhi went to Nantong.

   Still the same, leading the people, pointing to a neighborhood, Xiao Jing stepped forward to knock on the door first, and the old woman who opened the door was still.

At this time, most men have gone to work, explained their purpose, and the old woman quickly became enthusiastic: "It turns out that it is the gentleman in the academy, come, come, come, sit in it, is it that my son is naughty again? "

  Emperor Hongzhi listened behind him, suddenly surprised.

  Because looking at this family, they may not be living a good life, and the difference in living conditions from those of the neighbors in Luzhou Prefecture is actually not that big.

   But in this family, someone actually enrolled in school.

   Then, under the enthusiasm of the old lady, everyone filed in.

   Then, as Emperor Hongzhi expected, it was so.

  This family can be said to be barren, with almost no commendable utensils, only a few wooden chairs and a table.

The woman hurriedly took the handkerchief and wiped the wooden chair clean before allowing Emperor Hongzhi and the others to sit down. The woman also specially brought a few cups of white water, all of which had been boiled. Obviously, her family could not afford tea. .

   Such a family, even in the relatively affluent Nantong Prefecture, is definitely at the bottom.

  At this time, the woman said: "I have a catty of bacon at home, why not cook it for the gentlemen today."

  She could see that Emperor Hongzhi and the others looked like a gentleman, so she didn't have too much doubt.

   Then, he turned around and was about to enter the kitchen.

  Emperor Hongzhi hurriedly called her to stop and said, "Don't bother, just come and sit, your family...huzi, you can go to school now."

The old woman nodded her head and said: "That's right. From the time I entered school last year until now, I have been very naughty. Every time I come back in a sloppy manner, after studying for a year, I can only recognize a hundred characters. The gentlemen are so angry that they vomit blood. I have been here a few times, and the gentlemen should also be in the academy."

  Emperor Hongzhi nodded, smiled kindly and said, "Yes, we are here..."

   "It's a home visit!" Fang Jifan said casually.

  Emperor Hongzhi nodded: "We heard that this tiger's family is in difficulty, so we came to take a look, old man, I see that your family is really down and out, why are you still willing to send your child to study?"

"If you don't study, do you want to sell your strength to others?" The old woman seemed ashamed, for fear that her child would not be in the school, and said cautiously: "The child's father is a laborer, working **** the pier. , Tired waist and back pain, every month, it is only two or three taels of silver, those who have studied, worked as accountants, and studied medicine, which one is not very leisurely, seven or eight taels of silver is entered into the account every month. Not much. That’s why my man said, we are poor and starving to death, we have to study, we can endure hardships, children can’t suffer like this, and can’t be like his father who can’t read. I can also recommend you to go to Xishan Academy. If you go to Xishan Academy, it will be a big deal, and you will follow Qi Guogong. Qi Guogong, you know it, right?"

   Upon hearing the words Qi Guogong, Emperor Hongzhi subconsciously glanced at Fang Jifan.

  The lights were dim, but the expression on Fang Jifan's face could not be seen clearly.

On the contrary, Wang Guang didn't understand what His Majesty was doing when he came here to talk so much with a wild woman, but when he heard the woman talk about the Duke of Qi, he murmured in his heart, the Duke of Qi has a bad reputation, and the woman was talking about this man to His Majesty. There must be no good things to say, this is also good, and it will also let His Majesty know more about what kind of person Qi Guogong is, so that His Majesty can be on guard, so as not to listen to him all day long.

  (end of this chapter)