Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 71 The Rising Sun (End, Please Read)

In October of the 28th year of Wanli's reign, the Ming Dynasty court began to stabilize.

The biggest task is the abdication and enthronement ceremony on November 28th, the most important case is the trial of the Shanhaiguan uprising, and the most anticipated thing is the major recruitment of officials in the Ming Dynasty!

The Ministry of Personnel has been ordered to launch a large-scale performance evaluation, but it is only a performance evaluation, not a major inspection. The goal is clear: to improve the bureaucratic system that has been riddled with holes due to Wanli's laziness, from the two capitals to the local areas, all should be repaired.

The whole country rejoiced.

On the Ministry of Works side, He Shengrui returned from Taizhou and was promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, and the reconstruction of Huangji Gate was put on the agenda.

The Ministry of War was preparing for the surrender of prisoners from Bozhou on the second day of December, as well as the commendation of Bozhou's merits, and the strategy of reorganizing and training the Beijing camp.

The Ministry of Revenue was busy coordinating with various provinces, and the collection and transportation of land taxes could not be delayed at all.

In this new atmosphere, Xu Guangqi arrived in Beijing before the coronation ceremony, a little earlier than originally planned.

After all, it was a rare experience, and there were many candidates like him who rushed to the capital in advance to prepare for next year's imperial examination.

Three scholars and a servant walked here next to the Lushen Temple inside Guang'an Gate.

One was dressed more respectably, with his bag carried by a servant, while the other two were wearing rather worn-out clothes and looked embarrassed as they carried their bookcases.

Their two bookcases had something in common, one was made of fir wood, and the other was made of a wooden frame and linen.

"We're here, at Lu'an Guild Hall!" The more respectable-looking one pulled the two of them, "Brother Kaizhi, Brother Yushi, let's check in and stay here. It's still early, so there shouldn't be that many Shanxi graduates arriving in Beijing."

When he got to the door, he took out the visiting card: "In honor of your guidance, three of my students are going to Beijing to take the imperial examination, and we have come to stay here."

"The three gentlemen, please come in first." The doorman did not dare to neglect them and invited them into the guild hall first, then went to report to the shopkeeper.

"Brother Zhili, Brother Yushi, please take a look. This is one of the two Shanxi Guild Halls in the capital. The other one is in Qingyun Hutong, called Pingyao Guild Hall. This Lu'an Guild Hall is older, and was mainly built with donations from several copper, iron, tin, and charcoal businesses. Every year when the big exams come, it opens its doors and serves as a test hall for Shanxi candidates. Although it is not as grand as the guild halls in the southern provinces, it also gives Shanxi candidates a place to stay."

"...Thanks to my dear brother Dingyuan." The two from poorer families looked at him carefully and thanked him.

"It's nothing to mention, nothing to mention. Brother Kaizhi and I are of the same age, and I met Brother Yushi too late. Now that I know where to go, how can I hide it? I can save myself some trouble and take the exam here with peace of mind." He greeted enthusiastically, "Put down your luggage first, you are tired after going all the way into the city."

Just after chatting for a few words, the doorman came over with the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper held the visiting card with an embarrassed look on his face: "Master Wei, Master Cheng, Master Meng, I am really sorry, my hotel has no vacancies now. Please rest for a while, I will send someone to the inn not far away to reserve three rooms for you three masters, and then show you the way. My hotel will pay the room fee, and you three masters don't need to worry about it."

The man surnamed Wei was stunned for a moment: "It's full so early? It's true... the coronation ceremony is coming soon..."

Unexpectedly, several more people came over immediately: "No need."

The shopkeeper turned around and immediately bent down: "Boss..."

"Please pack your things. Since there is another candidate with a letter, we will go to the inn to stay." After that, he came to the three people and bowed. "I am sorry to make you laugh. In fact, we just arrived today. I am Fan Yuanzhu from Jiexiu. I have not asked for your advice yet."

"…It turned out to be Master Fan in person. The student is Wei Yunzhong of Shangdang."

"So it's my nephew Dingyuan who said 'If I'm not amazing, who will be amazing?'" Fan Yuanzhu smiled at him, then looked at the other two, "So my nephew's good friend Cheng Kaizhi, who passed the provincial examination this year, is here too?"

"My name is Cheng Qinan, nice to meet Master Fan."

"This is Meng Xi, the scholar from Puzhou. He is one of the three brothers, Meng Yushi. We met on the road and got along very well with Brother Yushi. Brother Yushi has profound knowledge and I admire him very much." Wei Yunzhong then introduced the one who looked the poorest.

"Brother Dingyuan, thank you for your compliment. I am Meng Xikong, your student, and I am honored to meet Master Fan."

"You are all great talents in Jin. It is a great honor to meet you today. The three of you will surely be on the list of successful candidates!"

"I would like to borrow Master Fan's good words."

Fan Yuanzhu bowed again and said, "There are already several fellow students staying in the hotel. We are all humble businessmen, so we will not bother you three. If you need anything, just tell the shopkeeper."

"Master Fan, what are you talking about? It's the students who are disturbing you."

Seeing that the "owners" of these guild halls had given up their rooms and left, Wei Yunzhong then introduced them to Cheng Qinan and Meng Xikong.

It is said that it first emerged in the south of the Yangtze River, where business associations from all over the country gradually began to donate to build guild halls and sponsor some poor scholars to take imperial examinations.

As for how to deepen the friendship after high school, that will be a matter for later. Anyway, it is not a bad thing to establish a good relationship now.

For the two people whose family conditions were slightly worse, although they had heard of it before, since they were not even successful candidates in the imperial examinations, they had never seen it with their own eyes.

Now I have one more experience.

What they didn't know was that after Fan Yuanzhu and the others left the guild hall, the ease and smiles on their faces disappeared.

"Let's find a place to wait for Admiral Wang to pass on his message. I originally wanted to stay at the guild hall, where it wouldn't attract attention and we can discuss things there." Fan Yuanzhu bowed to them, "It's not an important matter, so there's no need to send the steward in the capital to discuss it."

"Brother Fan, do we not need to be so cautious? Since... His Majesty has summoned us, it should be fine for us to discuss it or not, right?"

"Don't speculate on the emperor's intentions. Even the Wang and Zhang families don't dare to have other thoughts. You and I should be cautious. If it is a blessing, it will not be a disaster. If it is a disaster, it will be inevitable. Is it a good thing to discuss it frequently and let the factory guards find out? Let's say goodbye for now."

Who doesn’t have a shop in Beijing? If you have a shop in front and a yard in the back, just stay there.

Everyone felt uneasy, not knowing why the heir wanted them to go to the capital before he ascended the throne.

They are just cautious businessmen who have to bow their heads in everything.

But they also knew that it might be related to the merchants and people in Shanhaiguan resisting taxes and killing the imperial envoy.

This makes me even more uneasy.

At this moment, in the Cining Palace, Empress Dowager Li also reprimanded the envoys from the princes' palaces with a stern face, asking them to respectfully understand the difficulties faced by the royal family and not to act rashly at this critical juncture of the succession to the throne, which put a lot of pressure on them.

In Ciqing Palace, Zhu Changluo asked, "Which family of meritorious officials outside the capital has not arrived yet?"

Chen Ju replied: "The Duke of Qian must not leave easily, and sent his son Mu Qiyuan to congratulate..."

He mentioned the families of the meritorious officials who had not yet arrived in Beijing one by one. Zhu Changluo nodded and said, "You will arrange the banquet for them."

"My slave takes orders."

"Have Nurhaci and the Korean envoys passed Shanhaiguan?" Zhu Changluo asked Cheng Jing again.

"Yes. If we travel thirty to fifty miles a day, we should arrive in Beijing around the eighth day of next month."

"Where is Yuan Keli?" Zhu Changluo asked Tian Yi, "He is in his hometown in Henan. It has been almost a month."

Tian Yi was a little embarrassed: "Three elders have written to him, but he still said that he didn't refuse on purpose, but that the work was not completed."

"…What is he doing that is so important?"

"I helped Li Ruhua, the governor of Henan, who was also from Suizhou, to measure the land in his hometown of Suizhou and sort out the land tax in Suizhou. It was just the right time after the summer grain was collected."

Zhu Changluo was a little surprised: "Measure the land and clarify the land tax?"

"Exactly..."

"Li Ruhua is now the governor of Henan?"

"Yes, I was a Jinshi in the eighth year of the Wanli reign, and now I am the governor of Henan as the Right Censor-in-Chief."

Zhu Changluo's eyes were full of surprise. As expected of Yuan Keli, he was able to stir up trouble.

Although they were unlikely to carry out any large-scale land surveys, the fact that Yuan Keli was causing trouble in their hometowns based on his reputation and Li Ruhua's official position was enough to show that these two people were somewhat different.

"Then let's put off the selection of Liaodong's civil and military officials." Zhu Changluo nodded, "Wait until they finish this winter, and then go to Liaodong to take up their posts together after the New Year!"

The ceremony is getting closer and closer, and people of all kinds are waiting for that day.

Although the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty had not issued any decree in his own name, everyone had already vaguely seen his brilliance through the dark cloud of "oppression" by Shen Yikuan and the previous ministers.

Just like the blazing sun that is about to break out at dawn and shine upon the earth!
(End of this chapter)