Chapter 444: An opportunity to leave a mark in history
Because a large number of scholars gathered in the Imperial College, there were countless scholars from all over the world living within a few miles of the Imperial College.
It can be said that if you don't have any wealth, it is a luxury to find a residential house to rent near the Imperial College.
It is said that the capital is so big that it is difficult to live in it. This is indeed a wise saying for ordinary people. However, for those wealthy scholars, dozens of taels of silver are nothing.
It is said that not many scholars who can study in the Imperial Academy are from poor families. Even if they are, after obtaining the honors and gaining tax exemption privileges, a large number of homesteaders will choose to dedicate their acres to their names.
in exchange for tax-free treatment.
It's not that those farmers really didn't pay taxes, but that they handed over the taxes that should have been paid to the country to these scholars who had tax-free privileges.
It's just that the tax rate collected by these scholars is much lower than that of the imperial court. This alone allows many scholars to not have to worry about their livelihood.
This day was the time when the Imperial College was having a rest. Most of the scholars in the Imperial College were not in the Imperial College. Instead, they called their friends and either went out to play in the city or went to the Flower House in small groups.
In the Imperial College, Du Yuan, as the eunuch, along with Chen Gengyun and others, quickly summoned some of the lower-level officials who stayed in the Imperial College.
After all, the Imperial College is also a formal court institution. Except for several officials who have reached high-level positions such as the Imperial College's Jijiujiu and Jiancheng, the rest are naturally the lower-level officials affiliated with the Imperial College.
More than a dozen officials looked at Du Yuan and others sitting there with a hint of awe in their eyes.
These officials had the lowest status in the Imperial College. Even some of the scholars studying in the Imperial College shouted at them, but they did not dare to resist or offend in the slightest.
After all, these scholars studied in the Imperial College, and no one can guarantee whether they will become high school Jinshi in the future and become high-ranking nobles.
Not to mention that the people who came with Du Yuan at this moment were all officials above the court.
Du Yuan glanced at these officials and said: "Go and find Linyuan from Jiangnan, Dong Hui from Hebei, Chen Bizhang from Guangdong, and Zhao Jing from Sichuan to me."
After hearing Du Yuan's words, the officials were stunned for a moment, and then they came to their senses and said, "Sir, please wait a moment, we will go look for the person right now."
Watching the officials leave in a hurry, Chen Gengyun, Zhao Ye and the others who were sitting aside looked at Du Yuan in confusion.
Seemingly noticing the gazes of several people, Du Yuan smiled slightly and explained: "You don't know, but there are several influential figures in this Imperial College. It can be said that these people are of extraordinary origins, have great backgrounds, and are talented and knowledgeable.
It is not simple, so much so that it has a huge influence in the Imperial College, although I dare not say that it can cause quite a stir just by shouting from a high position and following the shadow."
Chen Gengyun raised his eyebrows when he heard this, stroking his beard and chuckled: "I think Chen was also a famous figure in the Imperial College back then, but I don't know what kind of figure the popular figure in the Imperial College is now."
Chen Gengyun also studied in the Imperial College before becoming a Jinshi in high school. As he said, he had become a prominent figure in the Imperial College with his talent and learning. Now when I hear what Du Yuan said, I naturally feel the same way. For those few
The scholars named by Du Yuan were also full of expectations.
Du Yuan laughed loudly when he heard this and said, "I will never let Chen Shiduo down."
Du Yuan said seriously to Zhao Ye and others: "Everyone, there are many scholars in the Imperial College. Even if we want to encourage a group of scholars to come to remonstrate with the emperor in the shortest possible time, we must say something.
Some of the key figures."
As he spoke, Du Yuan explained to several people: "Let's talk about Jiangnan Linyuan. He was born in the Lin family, a powerful family in the south of the Yangtze River. He controls most of the silk trade in the south of the Yangtze River, owns hundreds of thousands of acres of land, and has a net worth of thousands.
Wan is not an exaggeration at all. Lin Yuan was open-minded and generous. In the Imperial College, he gathered a large number of scholars from the south of the Yangtze River. He even established the Sanglin Poetry Society. If you persuade one of them, you can win the prize.
The hearts of hundreds of scholars of the Sanglin Poetry Society."
Listening to Du Yuan's account of Lin Yuan's situation, many officials couldn't help but secretly sigh. He was indeed a prominent figure in the Imperial College. Once he entered high school, his future would be much brighter than theirs.
"There is also Guangdong Chen Bizhang, who is surrounded by scholars from Guangdong and Fujian. Especially the Chen family behind Chen Bizhang is one of the top merchants in Guangdong, and his wealth is not inferior to that of Lin Yuan."
As Du Yuan talked about these influential figures in the Imperial College one by one, even Chen Gengyun, who was a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, couldn't help but sigh. It can only be said that there are really hidden dragons and crouching tigers in this Imperial College, and most of them are not ordinary people.
.
There was a sound of footsteps, and an official was seen striding over, leading a young man who looked to be about thirty years old with a somewhat respectful expression.
Walking into the hall, the young man glanced at him and stepped forward, bowing his hands to the eunuch Du Yuan and saying, "Student Dong Hui, I have met you sir, and I have met several adults."
Dong Hui's courtesy was thoughtful and he had a certain demeanor in the way he raised his hands and feet. Looking in the eyes of Zhao Ye, Chen Gengyun and others, they naturally nodded their heads, secretly praising him in their hearts.
Du Yuan smiled slightly and said, "I sent someone to invite you here today because we have something important to discuss. Let's sit down and talk."
Du Yuan, as a Juren, naturally had the honor of the imperial court. When facing Zhao Ye, Chen Gengyun and others, he showed no timidity at all. Hearing this, he bowed to several people, lifted up his gown, and slowly sat down.
With some doubts, Dong Hui glanced at Du Yuan and the others, secretly guessing the purpose of Du Yuan's invitation.
However, Dong Hui seemed very calm. Seeing that Du Yuan did not speak at this moment, he was not in a hurry to ask, but sat there as steady as a mountain.
Chen Gengyun, who had been observing Dong Hui's performance, now said to Dong Hui with admiration: "I heard that your father is the former left servant of the Ministry of Revenue Dong and Mr. Dong. I wonder if Mr. Dong is still in good health?"
Dong Hui heard this and said hurriedly: "Thank you, Sir Chen, for your concern. My father is in good health."
Chen Gengyun, who was stroking his beard, said with a sigh on his face: "Chen has always admired Mr. Dong's name for a long time, but he never had the chance to meet him. Today, when he meets Changning, he can get a glimpse of Mr. Dong's past style."
Changning is Dong Hui's cousin. Chen Gengyun calls Dong Hui his cousin, which shows his closeness.
Dong Hui naturally knew Chen Gengyun's identity. Dong Hui naturally did not dare to underestimate Chen Gengyun, a minister of the Hanlin Academy. Knowing that Chen Gengyun could enter the Hanlin Academy was enough to prove that he was not an ordinary person and would be at least a third-rank person in the future.
It is not impossible for the above-mentioned officials to even join the cabinet to assist in government affairs.
Feeling Chen Gengyun's closeness, Dong Hui bowed to Chen Gengyun humbly and said: "Master Chen, you are so complimentary. Master Chen used to be the second in the high school Jinshi list, and was appointed by the late emperor as the third flower. I am so envious.
how many people!"
Chen Gengyun was definitely the proudest thing in his life that he was the top pick in high school. Now being mentioned by Dong Hui in front of so many people just scratched Chen Gengyun's itch, which only made Chen Gengyun's face filled with smiles.
Dong Hui's eyes became more and more kind.
While he was talking, he saw a person walking over under the guidance of an official.
The person who came looked like he was in his twenties, at the age when he was in his prime and full of heroism. He strode into the hall with vigorous steps.
The words with a hint of Sichuan flavor sounded in the hall: "Zhao Jing has met the Prime Minister and all your lords."
After speaking, Zhao Jing nodded to Dong Hui who was sitting there.
Zhao Jing can be said to be a young hero. He passed the childbirth examination in his teens and was selected as a scholar. Last year, he even successfully passed the high school entrance examination. It is not uncommon for people in their twenties to succeed in the examination, but it is also quite rare.
In addition, Zhao Jing had a fiery temperament and was righteous, and he also gathered a group of scholars around him. He had his place among the influential figures in the Imperial College.
After inviting Zhao Jing to sit down, Zhao Ye and others naturally praised Zhao Jing.
However, Zhao Jing has an upright temperament. After sitting for a while, he felt a little unable to sit still. He looked at the eunuch Du Yuan and said: "Sir, I invited Zhao to come here. Is there something going on?"
Du Yuan glanced at Zhao Jing, nodded slightly and said: "I have invited you to come today because I have something to discuss, but there is no rush for now. We will wait until Lin Yuan, Chen Bizhang and others arrive to discuss it."
As he spoke, Du Yuan said to an official guarding the outer room: "Why haven't we seen Lin Yuan, Chen Bizhang and the others coming?"
It’s almost time for a cup of tea, so we should find Lin Yuan and the others.
Without waiting for the officials outside to speak, Zhao Jing, who was sitting there, said to Du Yuan: "Mr. Hao Jing knows that if nothing else happens, Lin Yuan should be holding a meeting with the same group of people at the Sanglin Poetry Society outside the city.
Poetry party. As for Chen Bizhang, I guess it’s probably to listen to music at Qiuyue Tower!"
Du Yuan couldn't help but raise his eyebrows when he heard this, and said to the official outside the door: "Why don't you hurry up and invite someone."
Sang Lin Poetry Society
I have to say that the Sanglin Poetry Society founded by Lin Yuan, who was born in the south of the Yangtze River, is a bit unusual.
Lin Yuan actually spent a lot of effort to plant a mulberry forest outside the capital and built a poetry club in it. It is said that just buying land and planting trees and building the poetry club cost tens of thousands of taels.
.
At this moment, there are hundreds of scholars gathered in the Sanglin Poetry Society. These scholars are obviously centered on three or five of them, and one of them is none other than Lin Yuan, a famous figure in the Imperial College.
Lin Yuan was drinking and composing poems at this moment, showing his madness. Although his poems were ordinary, the scholars around him were applauding and praising him. Lin Yuan's face was full of spring, and he could see that he was in a very good mood.
A panting servant came to Lin Yuan's side and whispered a few words. Lin Yuan, who was smelling of alcohol, raised his eyebrows and whispered to the scholars around him, then hurriedly left the Sanglin Poetry Club and went up.
The carriage rushed towards the Imperial Academy.
Chen Bizhang, who was also immersed in the tenderness of Qiuyue Tower, was also awakened by the servant. When he learned that it was the Prime Minister who invited him, he hesitated for a while and rushed to the Imperial College.
Finally, Chen Bizhang and Lin Yuan arrived at the Imperial Academy and met Du Yuan, Chen Gengyun and others.
Zhao Jing and Chen Bizhang, who had already been waiting a little impatiently, took their seats in Linyuan and said to Du Yuan: "Sir, you can always tell us why you invited us here!"
Monk Zhang Er was confused. Chen Bizhang, Lin Yuan and others looked at Zhao Jing, and finally towards Du Yuan and others.
Du Yuan coughed lightly and stared at Zhao Jing with a somewhat solemn look on his face. Lin Yuan and others said: "I invite you here today for a big event. If it is done well, I can guarantee you
The general's name will remain in history and be praised by scholars all over the world."
Hearing what Du Yuan said, Lin Yuan and Chen Bizhang couldn't help but their eyes lit up, but they quickly calmed down. According to Du Yuan, if such a good thing really happened, how could it happen to them.
Seemingly noticing the changes in the expressions of Chen Bizhang, Lin Yuan and others, Chen Gengyun, who was sitting aside, said slowly: "Do you know that the imperial court is undergoing tax reform?"
Hearing Chen Gengyun mention the tax reform, Lin Yuan couldn't help but said to Chen Gengyun: "This matter is such a big fuss, how could we not know that as the imperial court members, how could you condone Li Huan?"
That traitor seduces Your Majesty and reforms the taxation laws without authorization. Aren't you afraid of shaking up our country, the Ming Dynasty?"
The Lin family owns hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile land in the south of the Yangtze River. In the past, the imperial court implemented the two-tax system, and they had many ways to evade the imperial tax collection. But according to the imperial tax reform, the space they can vacate will be reduced.
It suddenly became much smaller, which has greatly damaged the interests of the Lin family.
So Lin Yuan seemed very excited at the moment.
Not only Lin Yuan, Chen Bizhang, Dong Hui, and Zhao Jing were all wealthy, but their own families were also large landowners with at least ten thousand acres of fertile land. Naturally, they were quite dissatisfied with the imperial court's tax reform.
There was no chance in the past, but now that Chen Gengyun mentioned the tax reform in front of them, they naturally became very excited. They opened their mouths to criticize the tax reform of the imperial court, and even shouted that Li Huan had corrupted the imperial court and would not kill him.
It's not enough to make the people angry.
Seeing the fierce reactions from the people, Du Yuan and Chen Gengyun looked at each other, feeling even more confident.
Du Yuan smiled slightly, pressed his hand, and signaled a few people to stop. After a few people stopped, Du Yuan slowly said: "Everyone knows that at the meeting today, the traitor Li Huan raised another question.
What a policy that will harm the country and the people?"
Zhao Jing subconsciously said: "What's the plan?"
Du Yuan snorted coldly and said: "Officials and gentry all pay their rations together. That traitor Li Huan actually asked the emperor to implement the method of rationing all the rations in front of hundreds of officials today."
"What!"
"The officials and the gentry all receive food from one person. How is this possible?"
"Is he trying to make enemies of everyone in the world?"
Immediately, Lin Yuan, Chen Bizhang and others seemed to have heard something incredible. They couldn't help but exclaimed, their faces full of disbelief and shock.