Chapter 621 The innocent heart of the third-grade chief minister
The emperor's summons was definitely an unexpected surprise for Cheng Tingzhi.
Because this is the first step towards the success of his plan.
It is impossible for the first constitution of a province and almost all the high-level officials of a province to be brought down with just a few words from Cheng Tingzhi and some evidence of corruption.
You should know that even county magistrates who have newly filled vacancies in the civil service department will sometimes be summoned by the emperor before leaving Jiankang.
Of course, this depends on whether the emperor is in a good mood or not. If the emperor is in a bad mood, he is probably too lazy to see these people and will just let the eunuchs read out the imperial edict of encouragement.
Reconsidering the candidate for the first constitution of a province is a major matter even for the imperial court. The emperor cannot decide the candidate for the governor based on his own likes and dislikes.
The emperor had to discuss with the prime ministers of Zhongshu Province and the officials of the Ministry of Civil Affairs before he could finally make a decision.
To put it bluntly, this is a big deal.
Before the emperor could formally consider this matter, he needed to meet Yianfu, the bold and bold chief envoy of Fujian.
Speaking of which, when Shen Yi was in Zhejiang, he also sent a letter to Shen Yi, asking Shen Yi to take Zhou Yishan, the governor of Zhejiang, to Jiankang to meet the Holy Spirit during the Chinese New Year.
In other words, during the Chinese New Year this year, Mr. Shen will return to Jiankang with two local officials.
Thinking of this, Shen Yi looked at Cheng Tingzhi and said with a smile: "Cheng Fantai, if the Holy One is willing to see you, it means that he has been seriously considering this matter. There is only more than a month left before the end of the year. In this more than a month, Cheng Fantai needs to think carefully about what he should say when he sees the Holy One."
Cheng Tingzhi seemed to hear something in Shen Yi's words. He looked up at Shen Yi thoughtfully, then lowered his head slightly: "Please give me some advice, Master Shen."
"Don't take advice seriously."
Shen Yi smiled and said: "I just have some personal thoughts and want to remind Fan Tai a few words."
Cheng Tingzhi looked serious, lowered his head and said, "Cheng is all ears."
"No matter which province you are in, or even in Jiankang, corruption cannot bring down the officials of the imperial court."
Mr. Shen said slowly: "Because for the Holy Emperor and the imperial court, as long as an official is willing to do things and can do things, it doesn't matter whether he has bad personal ethics or has taken some money privately."
"Take the province of Fujian as an example."
Shen Yi smiled and said: "For the Holy Emperor, the stability of a province is the most important, and corruption, bribery, and bullying of the people are all trivial matters."
Cheng Tingzhi thought for a while, then looked at Shen Yi and sighed: "Cheng knows these truths more or less in his heart, but Cheng has only seen the Holy Lord twice, and he still took a look at it from a distance, and once in private I have never seen him, and I have no idea about the Holy Sage’s temperament and character..."
Emperor Hongde has been in power for almost ten years this year.
During these ten years, the first six years were made by several ministers of the imperial court and the Queen Mother Sun. The emperor was really in power during these four years.
In the past ten years, although Cheng Tingzhi visited Jiankang several times, he only met the emperor at court meetings, and there was a long time interval between the two times. The first time he met the emperor, the emperor was still a boy of twelve or thirteen years old. The second time we met was in the seventh year of Hongde.
But it was just a quick trip without any contact.
Therefore, he has no understanding of the temperament of the current emperor.
Cheng Fantai bowed his head slightly to Shen Yi and said, "Scholar Shen is a close official of the emperor. Can you give some advice to Cheng?"
"I was about to tell the feudal lord this."
What Shen Yi said before was actually foreshadowing. Now, he finally got to the point.
Mr. Shen looked at Cheng Fantai and said slowly: "When Cheng Fantai meets His Majesty, you don't need to think about anything else, just remember two words."
"Meritorious work!"
"The current emperor is an emperor with far-reaching ambitions. All he thinks about is the great cause of the imperial court."
Shen Yi lowered his eyebrows and said, "If Cheng Fantai wants to do something, he must let His Majesty know what you are going to do, how you are going to do it, and how confident you are that you can accomplish it."
"Put aside all falsehood."
Mr. Shen said in a sullen voice: "It refers directly to the word merit."
The so-called meritorious service means being pragmatic.
All means are used to accomplish things.
The school of meritorious service is actually a bit niche among scholars, because some scholars feel that the word meritorious service is too "utilitarian" and does not conform to the lofty style of the sage's study.
These scholars pay more attention to self-cultivation and moral cultivation.
And this group of scholars, the most remarkable ones, can only "keep their hands up and talk about their hearts on weekdays, and die to repay the king in times of crisis."
The fact is that these scholars often cannot even "repay the king with death". When the country is in danger, they will still shave their braids if they should.
Cheng Tingzhi bowed to Shen Yi politely, lowered his head and said, "Cheng has written down everything that Bachelor Shen said."
He looked up at Shen Yi and asked, "Scholar Shen, it will be the twelfth lunar month in half a month. When are you going to leave for Jiankang? I can prepare in advance."
Shen Yi thought for a while and then said: "The Japanese prisoners captured by the anti-Japanese army have been killed for more than ten days. In another five or six days, they should be able to kill them all. By then I should bring the anti-Japanese prisoners with me The army returned to Wenzhou and Yueqing, and then took the road from Yueqing to Jiankang."
Most of the current anti-Japanese army soldiers are from Taizhou Prefecture or Wenzhou Prefecture. Shen Yi himself has to go back to Jiankang to spend the New Year with his family. There is no reason to leave these three thousand anti-Japanese army soldiers in Fuzhou for the New Year.
Cheng Tingzhi lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said: "Cheng will take leave from the governor's Yamen in the next few days, and will return to Jiankang with Bachelor Shen."
He was originally from the so-called "Gyeonggi" near Jiankang, so it was reasonable for him to go back during the Chinese New Year.
Shen Yi asked with a smile: "Do you have any family members or children in Fantai in Fuzhou? I will arrange two more carriages for you."
Cheng Tingzhi shook his head slightly.
"Cheng is alone and working as an official in Fujian..."
Good guy.
Shen Yi couldn't help but shook his head slightly.
No wonder these Fujian officials did not buy Cheng Fantai's account. It turned out that he was working alone as a "naked official" in Fujian. This would indeed make his colleagues fearful or keep them at a distance.
After all, such officials have no worries and no one knows what they can do.
As for Shen Yi, he is not even a naked official.
If he was a local official with a fixed official office, he would definitely take his wife and children with him.
It's just that he is traveling around the southeastern provinces, and it is really inconvenient to bring his family with him. Moreover, the coastal areas of this era are not as prosperous as in the other world. In comparison, life will definitely be easier for his wife and children to stay in Jiankang. of.
After talking to Cheng Tingzhi, Shen Yi said goodbye and said to Cheng Tingzhi: "Cheng Fantai, I will send someone to inform you when I leave Fuzhou."
Having said this, Shen Yi paused and then said with a smile: "This time I join the Jiankang Mian Sheng. Next year, Fantai will either become the first constitution of Fujian or be transferred to another province. In this way, Fantai will not suffer any loss. I really admire you in my heart."
Cheng Tingzhi had no dealings with Fujian officialdom, so it would be a good thing for him if he could leave Fujian.
Even if it's like being downgraded by half a level, he must be happy in his heart.
"It's all under the care of Bachelor Shen."
Cheng Tingzhi raised his hands to Shen Yi and said: "From now on, if Bachelor Shen has any instructions, all he needs is a piece of paper. No matter where Cheng is, he will do his best."
This statement smacks of officialdom alliance.
However, in Shen Yi's eyes, this Fujian chief envoy was a bit crazy and too unstable to be an ally.
So... Shen Yi did not answer this, but smiled: "If the feudal lord takes charge of Fujian next year and manages the shipping department for the imperial court, Shen will be very happy."
"If that's true..."
Cheng Tingzhi smiled at Shen Yi: "Cheng will bring all his family members to Fuzhou next year."
These words of looking forward to death made Shen Yi's heart sink.
He sighed silently, and then said slowly: "As long as the feudal lord can do errands for the imperial court, the imperial court..."
"We can definitely keep the whole family in Fantai safe."