Chapter 177

177. Chapter 175: Embroidered Imperial Plans, Preparing for a Rainy Day

The palace examination ended just at noon.

Naturally, the court officials had no reason to let their new colleagues leave the palace hungry.

The Ministry of Rites officials had long prepared the palace examination wine and food according to regulations: five plates of tea snacks, five plates of fruit, one portion of rice, four colors of vegetables, and five cups of wine per table.

Each jinshi was also issued two steamed buns and a bowl of soup.

The meal was relatively simple because the Ministry of Rites had also organized an evening banquet—the good stuff was all at the evening banquet, goose, lamb, deer, braised pork, smoked ham, everything one could ask for; to use a Liaodong auspicious saying, wouldn't one eat themselves to death?

However, although the food at the jinshi evening banquet was good, not all candidates would attend.

After the palace examination ended, except for the candidates aiming for probationary official positions who were still keeping their spirits up, the other candidates completely relaxed the moment they walked out of the Huangji Hall.

In this relaxed state of mind, what they were thinking about was not some Ministry of Rites banquet.

But returning to their rooms to cover their heads and have a good sleep, or making appointments with three or five friends to go to the brothels to recite poetry.

Li Kun belonged to the former.

He used stomach pain as an excuse to ask the Ministry of Rites official for leave from tonight's banquet.

Afterwards, he tucked the steamed buns into his bosom and left the palace in a hurry.

Too tired.

Since passing the provincial examination at twenty-six, he had been taking the jinshi examination for thirteen years.

The earnest expectations of the clan, the day and night of studying, plus the gradually declining energy and spirit urging him from behind... his sighing "tired" in his heart was already very subtle and restrained.

At this very moment, he just wanted to empty everything, throw away the imperial examination, jinshi, and probationary official positions, and sleep soundly on his couch until the results were posted five days later.

Pity.

Becoming an official is selling one's life; from the moment of passing, when to rest is no longer up to oneself.

Just as Li Kun untied his clothes and lay back on the couch, the door was knocked on at an inappropriate time.

Knock.

Knock, knock.

Li Kun lifted the quilt, his two eyes already irritated and crossed.

These people at the Henan Guild Hall are too much; can't they wait until people have rested before flattering?

Visiting every day, visiting every day!

It's not the squires of the capital, it's the fellow villagers from Henan; he was already annoyed, and now that he wanted to rest, they chose this time to disturb him!

Master Li Kun was at the height of his success, so he didn't care about any cultivation of temperament.

He rushed to the door full of morning irritability and pulled the door open with force.

Just about to scold.

But he saw that it wasn't a familiar face from the Henan Guild Hall, but two strange faces instead.

The two men were dressed plainly, but their features were slightly feminine, giving Li Kun an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Li Kun couldn't figure out their origin, so he naturally swallowed the words that were on his lips: "Who are you two?"

The leading man didn't exchange pleasantries and got straight to the point: "Master Li, my master has a book to gift you."

As he spoke, the person behind him opened the wooden box in his hand, took out a book, and handed it forward.

Li Kun saw that the two were so rude, not even reporting their origin, and felt even more suspicious in his heart.

He took the book by instinct, lowered his head and glanced at it: "Lü's Village Compact."

Li Kun frowned tightly; what did this mean?

He was at least a prospective jinshi and was equally familiar with these "non-bestselling ancient books."

This was the "Four Lüs of Lantian," that is, Lü Dazhong, Lü Dajun, Lü Dalin, and Lü Dafang, a book written in the ninth year of Xining used to restrain the village—bypassing the prefecture and county offices to agree with fellow villagers to "encourage virtue and industry, correct faults, interact with etiquette and customs, and help each other in times of trouble."

During the Hongwu years, the aristocratic gentry had no virtue, so Emperor Taizu followed Xie Jin's suggestion to "imitate the Lantian Lü's Village Compact and the Pujiang Zheng's Family Rules, taking the lead among the aristocratic families to set a standard," that is, using the Lü's Village Compact as a model for aristocratic families to act.

During the subsequent Zhengde years, mountain people in the southern Ganzhou area revolted continuously, and Wang Yangming also developed the "Southern Ganzhou Village Compact" on its basis while clearing border troubles, used to restrain the Jiangxi elders who did not follow government orders.

But, whether it's a model aristocratic family or restraining the common people, what does it have to do with him, Li Kun?

And who sent this book?

Li Kun thought of this, closed the book, and wanted to return it: "I wonder which elder is the master of you two?"

The feminine man had a businesslike appearance, shook his head, and stepped back: "My master's meaning is that he hopes Master Li will study it well."

After saying this, he didn't wait for Li Kun to reply and turned to leave.

Li Kun watched the two leave, his face filled with worry.

After a long while, he closed the door.

Li Kun threw the book on the table casually.

He lay back on the bed with his limbs spread, covered himself with the quilt, and closed his eyes.

Guess, guess, guess! Children still guess!

Master Li hates those who like to make people guess riddles the most in his life!

Repaying a debt is repaying a debt; is it lowering one's status or something to say it clearly?

Not learning well all day, just like the Jiajing Emperor!

While complaining in his heart, Li Kun's vision blurred again.

Apparently, the interlude was not enough to curb Master Li's rising sleepiness.

Before long, snoring sounds echoed in the room.

Three days later.

Li Kun put "Lü's Village Compact" and "Southern Ganzhou Village Compact" back on the desk, and only took a copy of "Pujiang Zheng's Family Rules" downstairs to eat.

He found an empty seat, ordered a few favorite dishes, and began to read the book with relish again.

He certainly didn't want to guess, but since an elder asked him to study a certain book well, he had no reason not to listen to reason.

Listening to advice means eating well.

It's just that it was a bit noisy around, and the efficiency of reading was not high.

"Should the dust have settled today?"

"Accurately speaking, it settled yesterday. According to the dynasty's regulations, two days after the palace examination, the Emperor goes to the Wenhua Hall, the reading officials unfold the scrolls and read them aloud, and then the Emperor approves the top three of the first tier, and the rest of the scrolls are collected by the Grand Secretariat officials, so it settled yesterday; the last two days are just for copying the yellow list."

"I wonder who will get the top three."

"We'll know the day after tomorrow, maybe you and I are among them."

"Hahaha, based on Brother Qian's auspicious words, I'll pay for today's meal."

Li Kun was reading, and couldn't help but be amused—although the Henan Guild Hall is stingy, they are very generous to these prospective jinshi; before the results are posted, they are allowed to eat and drink as they please, so why would they need others to pay?

"It's not necessarily the day after tomorrow; only from the second tier down do the reading officials take them back to the office to unseal the scrolls and fill in the yellow list. As for the top three of the first tier, since the Emperor personally decided yesterday, there have been rumors."

"There are rumors!?"

"That's for sure, there are more than a dozen reading officials, plus the secretaries and eunuchs and court ladies on the spot, it would be strange if there were no rumors."

"Tell us! Tell us!"

"What's there to say, I only heard some rumors last night, saying it's a jinshi surnamed Sun, with high aspirations, flowery language, concise wording, and powerful arguments, who was directly named the top scholar."

"That grandson Sun Jigao? I heard that too; this guy guessed the tendencies of the Emperor and the Grand Secretariat and forcibly chose the 'renewal' topic; he's a complete villain."

"Hey, you can't say that; there are outsiders here."

"Outsiders? I'd say the same to his face!"

"Alright, alright, let's wait until the yellow list is posted; it's not necessarily accurate. By the way, what about the second and third place? Any rumors?"

"The second and third place don't get as much attention as the top scholar, so there's not much news, only heard that the third place is surnamed Li."

"Don't tell me it's that dog official second generation Li Sancai?"

"..."

Li Kun was eating and drinking at the next table, and couldn't help but shake his head upon hearing this.

As expected of people who like to form societies, as soon as they hear the surname Li, everyone guesses Li Sancai.

Why don't they guess themselves?

Who isn't surnamed Li?

Of course, he only complained in his heart; based on his understanding of himself, it was more practical to think about how to get a probationary official position.

"Indeed, it's more practical for us to think about how to get a probationary official position."

"Need you to say it? I've long prepared fifteen ancient essays, and I'll submit them to the Ministry of Rites as soon as the results are posted."

"Sigh, my father told me that passing the provincial examination would be easy, but I didn't expect that now that I've passed the jinshi examination, I'm starting to worry about the probationary official selection, and later the monthly and annual exams for probationary officials, and the division between the censorate and the Hanlin Academy three years later; it's truly living to old age and studying to old age."

"Speaking of probationary officials, I heard that the probationary officials of this examination might not be taken into the Hanlin Academy."

"What do you mean? What does it mean not to be taken into the Hanlin Academy?"

"Hmm, the Chief Minister said it at the court deliberation yesterday. He said that since the evaluation law, there have been many officials who retired, were dismissed, or were demoted, and the vacancies in various places are gradually increasing; the central government still has talent to fill them, but the local areas have already started to lack prefecture and county hall officials. Therefore, the probationary officials of this examination are very likely to be sent to the local areas."

"Ah? Can't be, right? How can the dynasty mistreat probationary officials to this extent?"

"Probationary officials? I'm afraid even the top three of the first tier might not be able to stay in the Hanlin Academy."

The voices gradually stopped.

A table of people talked loudly for a long time, and finally dispersed after eating and drinking their fill.

Only Li Kun remained at the next table, chewing slowly.

Master Li looked at the village compact in his hand and fell into deep thought.

On the twentieth of the third month, in the Wan Shou Palace.

Zhu Yijun handed the approved memorials to Zhang Hong.

Afterwards, he took out another one separately and asked the secretary Wu Zhongxing to send it to the Ministry of Rites: "Go to the Ministry of Rites and convey my meaning, saying that whether Wang Shouren enters the Kong Miao depends not only on his attainments in classics, but more importantly on his Daoist lineage."

"In the past, whether it was inherited from Confucius and Mencius, Zhou and Zhang, Cheng and Zhu, and Lu Jiuyuan; in the future, whether it can be pioneered, and whether it conforms to the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty by the people of our dynasty."

"It just so happens that the Confucius family and Wang Shouren's direct disciples are all in the capital now, so let the Ministry of Rites ask clearly before coming to tell me about the matter of accompanying the Kong Miao."

Wu Zhongxing didn't ask much.

After receiving the oral instruction, he responded and left with the memorials tucked away.

After Zhu Yijun finished giving instructions, he stretched and leaned back.

He asked Zheng Zongxue, who had just come to take over the shift, casually: "Has the yellow list been posted?"

Early this morning was the ceremony of announcing the results. Zhu Yijun sat in the Huangji Hall for a while, listened to the official announce "Heaven opens the literary fortune, the virtuous and talented ascend to office, the ceremony should be celebrated," and after completing the etiquette, he returned directly to the West Garden.

He didn't have time to wait for the results to be posted.

Zheng Zongxue replied softly: "Your Majesty, when I entered the palace to be on duty, people were watching the yellow list outside the Donghua Gate."

"Top scholar Sun Jigao, second place Yu Menglin, third place Li Kun, should have started parading through the streets by now."

Zhu Yijun sighed inexplicably: "They are all good men whose names were sung outside the Donghua Gate."

Zheng Zongxue reminded: "Your Majesty, Hai Yushi Hai is still waiting at the Chengguang Palace."

Zhu Yijun then came back to his senses.

He nodded: "Let's go, Hai Yushi Hai is also a good man now, it's not good to keep a good man waiting too long."

Since Hai Rui returned to the capital from Huguang last year, he had been recuperating for a while.

It's not right to say recuperating, it should be preparing for the examination.

For this reason, Zhu Yijun didn't give him any big jobs.

Now that the exam is over, if he doesn't let him do practical work, Hai Rui might be more anxious than him, Zhu Yijun.

He, the Emperor, is the most considerate of his ministers.

After saying this, Zhu Yijun set off for the Chengguang Palace.

Of course, the homework on the road is unavoidable.

He called the head of the Eastern Depot to his side and asked about Hai Rui's daily life: "What has Hai Yushi Hai been doing lately?"

Li Jin blurted out: "Your Majesty, since Hai Yushi Hai was promoted to Right Vice Hai Yushi-in-Chief at the beginning of this year, he has taken on the duty of assisting in the evaluation law at the Censorate."

"At the end of the first month, Hai Yushi Ge also handed over the matters of inspecting the Court of Imperial Entertainments and the granaries to Hai Yushi Hai for supervision."

"In the second month, there was the metropolitan examination, and the Censorate did not add too many things to Hai Yushi Hai, only giving him the case files of inspecting tariff duties for review."

"This month, he took on the additional duties of inspecting the inner treasury, the imperial city, and the Five Cities Military Command."

Zhu Yijun listened quietly.

He didn't know if Ge Shouli was trying to guess the imperial will or planning to retire.

Listening to Li Jin, the speed at which he unloaded his burdens to Hai Rui was too fast.

Pity, thinking too much, Hai Rui is a brick, moved wherever needed, and it's not yet time to sit in the Censorate and retire.

Furthermore, if Ge Shouli, the Left Hai Yushi-in-Chief, retires, no one in the Censorate can suppress Huo Ji, and then this guy will be hitting the Tongzheng official Ni Guangjian at the court deliberation every day.

Old Ge is only seventy this year, and delaying retirement for five years is not excessive.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yijun couldn't help but laugh.

He coughed lightly and asked casually: "What about his life?"

Li Jin pondered for a while before answering: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Hai Yushi Hai is always the same."

"Serving his old mother, working hard at housework, helping neighbors, and often helping commoners draft complaints, which makes the Shuntian Prefecture a bit of a headache."

Zhu Yijun asked: "What about the concubine I bestowed upon Hai Yushi Hai the year before last?"

Li Jin heard this and carefully deliberated: "There is no movement yet."

Zhu Yijun sighed, feeling a bit regretful.

"However, the palace maids who often go to visit relatives say that although Hai Yushi Hai's family style has no romance, the two are respectful to each other, help each other in daily life, and the popularity in the family has increased a lot compared to the past."

After all, the concubine was stuffed over by the Emperor, and Li Jin, in order not to let the Emperor feel that he had done useless work, emphasized the positive significance.

Zhu Yijun was really comforted.

He nodded: "Send people from the palace to visit often, and help out if there's anything."

This is a very necessary thing.

People sent out by Zhu Yijun from the palace, teaching them to follow the rules is one thing, but taking care of them so they aren't bullied is another—after all, a loyal minister is a loyal minister, but the family atmosphere is probably not very good.

While the Emperor was talking to the head of the Eastern Depot, the group arrived at the Chengguang Palace.

Zhu Yijun glanced inadvertently and saw a figure standing straight outside the palace door.

Seeming to hear the movement, the figure began to salute from far away.

"Your Majesty."

Zhu Yijun quickened his pace, walked up to him, and grabbed Hai Rui's hand.

After helping him up, he pulled his hand and dragged him straight into the palace: "You are a jinshi today, do you feel any different?"

Hai Rui was grabbed by the Emperor, his expression calm, not feeling anything wrong: "Your Majesty's words make your subject ashamed. The palace examination bestowed by grace, how dare I shamelessly call myself a jinshi."

"The third tier 'like a jinshi' just shows my mediocre talent."

"Now in front of the grandmaster, I am already ashamed."

Zhu Yijun looked at Hai Rui in surprise; don't say, when a rigid person jokes, it's quite something.

He nodded with relief: "You have become more lively in your state of mind over this period of time, I, this grandmaster, am very comforted."

Hai Rui smiled with the Emperor but didn't answer.

He wasn't sensitive to whether his state of mind was lively or not, but seeing the Emperor striving upward and the national situation stabilizing, this scene that only appeared in dreams appearing in reality made him feel endless relief.

Now, Hai Rui no longer refuses the nourishing items bestowed by the palace, hoping to live a few more years.

Zhu Yijun let go of Hai Rui's hand and sat down behind the imperial desk: "Bestowing you a background is to let you do things for the country better. Whether you have talent or not, you have been an official for many years, who in the world doesn't understand?"

In the latter part of the dynasty, Hai Rui was able to reach this position with the background of a mere provincial graduate without a backer; to claim he had no talent would be too humble.

Hai Rui understood that the Emperor didn't call him to the West Garden for small talk, so he took the initiative to ask for orders: "If the country has matters, your subject will not refuse even if he dies ten thousand times."

Zhu Yijun waved his hand: "Don't talk about dying ten thousand times, it's unlucky."

He paused and said slowly: "Land measurement will happen in two or three years, I want you to lead this batch of jinshi."

Hai Rui looked up in confusion.

Land measurement is easy to say; he has been preparing for it every moment since he was restored in the sixth year of Longqing until the second year of Wanli.

But what does the Emperor mean by leading the jinshi?

Zhu Yijun didn't sell it, and said briefly: "Everything handed to you before was temporary, investigating big cases."

"Now I intend to let you patrol the local areas and sit in town for years."

"By the way, take this batch of jinshi... well, your seniors, and teach them a thing or two with specific political affairs."

Jinshi of the same examination don't talk about age, only rank, so calling them seniors is just right.

Hai Rui suddenly realized.

He didn't have any ambiguity and stated: "Please give instructions, Your Majesty."

Zhu Yijun nodded: "No need to measure land immediately, just hope you can sort it out, have a preparation in your heart and hands, and allow me to issue orders when the time comes."

"Nowadays, land is hidden everywhere, with Huguang, Sichuan, and Shandong being the worst."

"Huguang has the Chief Minister's student Liang Menglong who has just taken office, and for Shandong, I want to give Governor Yin a thin face, so, are you willing to go to Sichuan?"

Sichuan...

Hai Rui hesitated for a moment and asked: "May I ask Your Majesty, when shall your subject set off?"

He skipped the question of whether the Emperor was willing and asked about the time directly.

Zhu Yijun saw Hai Rui hesitate for a moment and naturally understood the reason.

His mother had been seriously ill, and in history, she should have passed away last year.

But now, perhaps because there were too many nourishing medicines bestowed by the palace, she was still hanging on by a thread.

Hai Rui was probably thinking of his old mother, his heart torn between heaven and man.

Zhu Yijun smiled and comforted: "No rush, wait until the probationary officials are selected and finish their concentrated study in the Hanlin Academy, then I will let you know in advance."

"Now I am in a hurry to summon you to the palace to grant you your position; as for taking office, you can wait."

Hai Rui breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

His mother was lingering on her sickbed, and if she passed away while he was far away, it would probably be his lifelong regret.

He sorted out his mind and asked about the business: "Position?"

Zhu Yijun said "Hmm": "Patrol Sichuan as Right Vice Hai Yushi-in-Chief, overseeing Sichuan's political affairs and also leading the pacification of the barbarians."

Hai Rui was stunned: "Your Majesty, your subject does not understand military affairs."

Political affairs are fine, but he really doesn't understand military affairs.

Zhu Yijun shook his head: "Most of the barbarians have been pacified, Lingxiao City and Dudu Fortress have been included in our dynasty's governance; now there are only small groups of barbarian thieves roaming, and after you go, there will only be pacifying the people and clearing out the roaming thieves."

Hai Rui nodded slowly after hearing the Emperor's explanation.

As for why he was given the task of pacifying the barbarians to clear out the roaming thieves, he didn't think much about it.

Zhu Yijun didn't want to explain too much—Hai Rui's old mother didn't have much time left, and he was afraid that Hai Rui would be stubborn and insist on observing the three-year mourning period.

He changed the subject: "The top scholar Sun Jigao, Yu Menglin, Li Kun, the second tier Li Sancai, the third tier Gu Xiancheng, etc., you should focus on disciplining them."

"Among them, Sun Jigao strongly advocates renewal; you can take him to the patrol office and let him see what it's like to be hindered by superiors, bitten back by subordinates, and rebelled against by the gentry."

"Yu Menglin is from the Imperial Academy, his character is pure, his experience is shallow, just send him out to take charge alone."

"Li Kun, I have a separate arrangement for him, let him explore the grassroots governance of the village."

"As for the latter two... their ability is not bad, but they like empty talk the most, Hai, you must train them hard for me!"

Hai Rui was stunned as the Emperor listed them clearly.

How busy must the Emperor be to be able to be comprehensive in classics and also meticulous about the character and personality of a specific jinshi in an examination?

Just as he was thinking this.

The head eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial stepped quickly into the Chengguang Palace.

Zhang Hong ignored Hai Rui and walked straight to the Emperor, handing out a memorial with the Jiliao fire seal.

He saw the Emperor put the memorial into his sleeve and nodded calmly: "Hai, the edict will arrive later, you go and read and organize the case files of Sichuan first."

Hai Rui followed suit and bowed to withdraw.

But in his heart, he was sighing that the Emperor was so busy, even in the morning there was the announcement of results, the arrangement of jinshi, and now summoning subordinates, there was also military news from the border.

Looking at the fire seal format, it must be an urgent report of a big battle involving more than ten thousand people.

The country has many things.