Looking out from the second floor of Yuheng Building, the street is decorated with snowflakes flying in the sky.
On the street below, hurried passers-by wrapped themselves tightly in hooded cloaks, and the carriages running over the bluestones also covered themselves with thick curtains.
The windows on the second floor were open, and the roaring cold wind rushed in, followed by chaotic snow flakes flying into the house, and the temperature inside the house dropped suddenly.
But for Wei and Chen, who were sitting by the fire, they only felt a rush of coolness.
"Auspicious snow heralds a good year, and next year should be another good one."
Wei Chen raised his wine glass with a smile, paying tribute to Zhao Zongquan and Zhao Ceying, and congratulating him in advance for next year's harvest. The warm aroma of amber tribute wine escaped from the glass, clear and mellow.
After drinking all the wine in the glass, Zhao Zongquan put down the glass and signaled Zhao Ceying to add more wine to Wei Chen who was opposite him. He smiled and said: "The harvest is a matter of heaven and man. I have been doing nothing in Yuzhou for more than ten years. But.
Xingyun, you have been serving as an official in Yuzhou for less than three years, but you have already made tens of thousands of people in Yuzhou realize your ambition. In this regard, I am far inferior to you."
"The team training is too modest."
Wei Chen smiled noncommittally.
Of course he knew that it wasn't that Zhao Zongquan couldn't do it, but that he couldn't do it.
The heirs of the Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty have had difficulties for a long time, and Zhao Zhen is not the only one. The same is true for Zhao Zhen's father, Zhao Huan.
At that time, Zhao Zongquan's father, Zhao Gai, was selected and brought into the palace by Zhao Huan, who had no heirs, and was trained as his successor for several years.
Later, Zhao Zhen was born, and Zhao Huan had a biological son. Naturally, the adoption matter was not followed up, and Zhao Zongquan's father, Zhao Gai, was also sent out of the palace.
Zhao Huan died within a few years, and Zhao Zhen was still a child when he came to the throne. As a child, he had nothing to do, so the Queen Mother listened to the government behind the curtain.
As the saying goes, the young master is suspicious of the country. During that period, the situation of Zhao Gai, who was once expected to ascend to the throne, was naturally quite delicate, and he became the meat and potatoes coveted by all kinds of careerists.
The Queen Mother was tolerant on the surface, but secretly she was wary of Zhao Gai.
Zhao Gai was in poor health and could not withstand such a torment. More than a year after Zhao Zhen came to the throne, Zhao Gai could not bear the disturbance and died of fear, leaving only Zhao Zongquan as a young son.
Thanks to the lessons learned from his biological father, Zhao Gai, Zhao Zongquan deeply realized how dangerous the battle for the reserve was. Once involved, it would be difficult to escape safely.
So Zhao Zongquan gradually learned to disguise himself with mediocrity and cowardice, creating an image of an idle clan member with no ambitions.
When he came of age and was sent to Yuzhou to train as an envoy, Zhao Zongquan stayed in Yuzhou for nearly twenty years, just to fade out of people's sight.
Facts have proved that Zhao Zongquan succeeded.
Even when the fight for the throne in Bianjing was at its fiercest, few people were aware that there was actually another person in Yuzhou, a hundred miles away from Bianjing, who was also a potential competitor for the throne.<
/p>
Even, from a certain perspective, Zhao Zongquan has an advantage over King Yong and King Yan, the two favorites in everyone's eyes.
After all, Zhao Zongquan's father, Zhao Gai, was trained by Zhao Huan as the heir to the Great Zhou Dynasty, and he was only a hair away from the throne.
It is precisely because of understanding her family's extraordinary past that Zhao Ceying gradually developed ambitions and ambitions.
Zhao Ceying is still young, and he is different from Zhao Zongquan, whose edges have been smoothed.
Zhao Ceying is not willing to be trapped in the small Yuzhou for most of his life. He hopes to go out of Yuzhou to show his ambitions and make a difference, but he has been struggling to find the opportunity.
In the private room on the second floor of Yuheng Building, Wei Chen quietly looked at Zhao Zongquan and Zhao Ceying who were sitting at the same table with him, and couldn't help but sigh.
Zhao Zongquan did not want to make the same mistake as his father Zhao Gai, so he was cautious in Yuzhou and kept a low profile.
And Zhao Ceying, unwilling to make the same mistake as her father Zhao Zongquan, held back her breath and wanted to make contributions.
These three generations of grandparents are really...
Zhao Ceying didn't know Wei Chen's inner thoughts at this time. He picked up the jug and filled Wei Chen with wine. After hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but ask: "Teacher, you have gone to Bianjing, will you come back again?"
?"
Zhao Zongquan's face darkened when he heard this, and he reprimanded: "Nonsense! Xingyun is ranked first in Henan in this evaluation, and it is the right thing to be promoted by the imperial court. Do you still want to keep a talented person like Xingyun tied to Yu for the rest of your life?"
Can the state be promoted without promotion?"
Zhao Ceying shrank her neck and sat back in her seat, but still looked at Wei Chen reluctantly.
Today's banquet was originally organized by the father and son to send Wei Chen to Beijing for pilgrimage.
It would be fine if he just went to Beijing for pilgrimage, but Zhao Ceying knew in his heart that if Wei Chen left, he would probably not return to Yuzhou for a long time.
In late September, the governor's Yamen came. The group inspected the river defenses and inspected the volunteer schools in Yuzhou. They stayed for more than a month and visited all over Yuzhou before saying goodbye and returning to Luoyang. Not long after that, the official circles of Henan Province spread the word about Fuya’s testimonials about Wei Chen, the magistrate of Yuzhou.
"There are no cases that have been closed, and the government is diligent, and the Qiangu military punishment is not difficult enough. The dam has been built for thirty miles, and three hundred hectares of fertile land have been opened... Yuzhou has been in office for three years, and its achievements in governing and governing the people are worthy of Henan.
No. 1 in the state capital!"
Hundreds of officials from nine prefectures and four prefectures in Henan ranked first in the evaluation!
This is a great honor.
But this also means that Wei Chen will not stay in the position of Yuzhou magistrate for too long. If nothing else happens, he should be promoted soon.
Perhaps after this pilgrimage to Beijing, Wei Chen will be left in Bianjing by the imperial court and hold a more important position.
During the two and a half years Wei Chen was in Yuzhou, Zhao Ceying learned a lot from Wei Chen. He respected Wei Chen's knowledge and personality from the bottom of his heart, so he was reluctant to let Wei Chen leave.
When Wei Chen saw Zhao Ceying's eyes were slightly red and full of reluctance, he couldn't help but feel a little emotional. He patted Zhao Ceying on the shoulder and said: "Before going to Beijing, all matters related to Yuzhou were entrusted to Huang Tongpan.
, although his ability is inferior, Xiao Gui and Cao Sui can still do it. If you assist him well, everything will be the same as when you were the teacher. In this way, even if the imperial court really lets the teacher step down as the governor of Yuzhou, the teacher can rest assured.
”
"Students, please remember." Upon hearing this, Zhao Ceying bowed to Wei Chen with tears in her eyes.
Zhao Zongquan also stood up and saluted Wei Chen and said: "Our father and son have taken great care of Xingyun over the years. I wish you a smooth journey and a bright future."
The children of the clan in a place like Zhao Zongquan are inevitably subject to the control and supervision of local officials. When Wei Chen was appointed as the magistrate of Yuzhou, he not only did not feel sorry for Zhao Zongquan, but also taught Zhao Ceying earnestly. Zhao Zongquan was naturally grateful to Wei Chen.
Facing Zhao Zongquan's congratulations, Wei Chen smiled and nodded, but he felt quite helpless in his heart.
From June of the sixth year of Tianyou's reign to the end of the eighth year of Tianyou's eighth year, Wei Chen has been appointed as the magistrate of Yuzhou for less than three years. Logically speaking, there is no talk of promotion at all.
During this pilgrimage to Beijing, Wei Chen originally just wanted to report on his duties, take the opportunity to marry Rulan Minglan, and then continue to return to Yuzhou to serve as an official, wait for the opportunity, and then return to Bianjing with Zhao Zongquan and his son. p>
Unexpectedly, Henan Governor Yuan Yingdao directly promoted Wei Chen to the number one official in Henan Prefecture.
Although this result has to be submitted to the Ministry of Civil Affairs for review, the opinion of the immediate superior has always been the most important in official evaluation, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs generally will not refute the governor's face. Now Wei Chen really wants to be promoted even if he doesn't want to be promoted.