Wang Yunsheng has been an official for many years. He is not an old fox, but he can still be regarded as an old man.
Facing Kou Ji's questioning, he was not afraid. Instead, his face turned bitter and he said dryly: "How did Shangguan start talking about this? I'm an official under your command. If I go to sue you for your treachery, I will
Officials cannot escape punishment.
How could a subordinate do such a thankless thing and offend others?"
Kou Ji glanced at Wang Yunsheng and snorted coldly: "Then I asked you to ask Li Shen about asking for the money for the soup and medicine. Who told it? Why would my grandfather know about it?"
Wang Yunsheng hurriedly said: "Then you have wronged the official. The official did not tell anyone that it was you who asked Li Shen for the money for the soup and medicine."
Before Kou Ji could speak, Wang Yunsheng said again: "My guess is that Kou Xiang thought there was something fishy and deliberately defrauded you. You didn't show any flaws, did you?"
Kou Ji knew that Wang Yunsheng was lying, but he did not expose him. Instead, he snorted and said: "I didn't reveal any flaws, but my grandfather said that after going to court today, the three of me will be confronted in court."
Wang Yunsheng was slightly stunned when he heard this.
He didn't expect that Kou Zhun would cling to such a trivial matter.
He originally wanted to fool Kou Ji and put this bad reputation on Kou Ji.
Now that Kou Zhun insisted on dragging the three of them to confront each other in court, it would be hard for him to fool Kou Ji anymore.
But he also didn't want to get the bad reputation of being a naughty guy.
He pondered for a moment and then said to Kou Ji with a grimace: "Shang Guan, I will do everything according to your wishes..."
Hearing this, Kou Ji narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Then the money for the soup and medicine you asked for should also be paid to me in full?"
"this……"
Wang Yunsheng was a little embarrassed.
He didn't want the bad reputation of being a mischievous person, but he did want the money of one thousand guan.
My family knows my own business.
He was born into a poor man. Ever since he met Li Fang and was promoted to an official career, all his relatives in the countryside came to him, asking for a job in his house to earn a living.
He was very thick-skinned in front of Kou Ji, but very thin-skinned in front of his relatives.
As time went by, the house took in many relatives.
In the past, when he was in another yamen, he could get along with some oil and water, and his life was relatively smooth.
But after he was transferred to the Ministry of Industry and was put on the bench, there wasn't much money to be made.
The high salary of the Song Dynasty was good for maintaining integrity, and his salary was not low either.
But compared to making money, salary is nothing.
Unfortunately, he was not a Jinshi, and he worked in a cold government office. There were many ways to make money, but he was not a part of it.
He wanted to do business to make a profit, but there was no business talent in his family.
What's more important is that the business scene in Bianjing City is very deep.
Even if it is a handful of loess, it belongs to its owner.
As long as you open the door to do business, there is more or less some background behind it.
Just like the Donglai Pawn Shop and Ziqi Gambling Shop that Kou Ji moved to before, the person standing behind it was Wu Xian, the imperial censor.
There is also the shadow of Wu Xian behind the store Zhang Cheng rented before.
Kou Ji moved to Wu Xian, it was like crushing an ant to death.
That's because Kou Ji has a strong background.
But it wouldn't work if it were him.
Wu Xian was born as a serious Jinshi.
If he faced Wu Xian, no matter whether it was his fault or not, all the important ministers in the court who were Jinshi would favor Wu Xian.
His salary can make the family's life comfortable.
But after having two more prodigal sons, his salary seemed insufficient.
His two sons were not very good at studying, but they chose to imitate others and spend their days hanging out with a group of distinguished children.
With his little salary, he was completely defeated.
However, I can't hit or scold him.
Beaten and scolded, his mother and wife all protected the two prodigal sons.
In the past, the farmland his family purchased outside Bianjing City could still contribute some money to him every year.
But a flood outside Bianjing City swallowed up his family's fertile farmland outside the city, and the tenant farmers fled and scattered.
After spring, he had to re-hire tenants and waive rent for a year to appease those tenants who helped him farm.
Bianjing City is no different from other places. If he exploits his tenants too much and gets a reputation for being unkind, he will definitely be impeached.
And the price of food in Bianjing City has been raised to a prohibitive level due to floods.
His salary is not enough to support his family's expenses.
If not, he would not have hurriedly found Kou Ji to implement these two rights after learning that the inner court had assigned the two rights of water and farming to the Ministry of Works.
I wouldn't really risk my skin to make trouble with Li Zhen.
He hurriedly helped the Ministry of Works to seize power, hoping that after the Ministry of Works gained power, he could make some money and subsidize his family.
He could scrape together a thousand dollars to give to Kou Ji, but he was unwilling to take it out.
But after giving Kou Ji money, he will have no money to recruit and settle tenants after next spring.
So when Kou Ji asked him for money, he felt a little panicked.
Kou Ji didn't know about Wang Yunsheng's family affairs. Seeing Wang Yunsheng's embarrassed face, he thought Wang Yunsheng belonged to Pixiu and only ate but didn't eat, so he laughed in a low voice and said: "Don't want to take out the money?"
Wang Yunsheng smiled dryly and said: "Xiaguan is indeed made sick by the people from the Third Division. The money is just enough for Xiaguan to drink medicine."
Wang Yunsheng is cheating.
When Kou Ji heard what he said, he was angry and funny, "Don't tell me what you have or don't have. The idea of asking you to ask Li Shen for money was my idea. Now I have to bear a bad reputation."
.
According to the rules, this money should be taken by me.
You came out to make a scene, which is considered hard work.
Get one or two hundred dollars of hard-earned money."
Seeing Kou Ji's reluctance, Wang Yunsheng simply spread his hands and said helplessly: "The lower official has already spent that money."
Hearing this, Kou Ji narrowed his eyes and said, "The idea I came up with, the bad reputation I carried, and I don't have the money to take it, it's against the rules."
Wang Yunsheng said with a bitter face: "Lower officials also have difficulties."
Kou Ji said coldly: "I am not short of that little money, but I have planned something, so I can't take nothing and still get a bad name for no reason, right?
I will tell you directly.
Either you take the bad name and take all the money.
Either you bring a bad name to me, and the money goes to me."
Wang Yunsheng looked embarrassed.
Kou Ji said quietly: "As an official who is not a Jinshi, what do you want to do with your reputation? You are not young anymore, and your official career will probably stop here. What is the use of your reputation?"
Are you planning to wait until you leave office, return to your home, and wait for someone to ask you to be your husband?
This officer is different. I am one of the secondary exams in the spring of next year.
You have to protect your reputation somewhat."
Wang Yunsheng was shocked when he heard Kou Ji's words.
He stared at Kou Jiqian and said with a smile: "Xiaguan also has to have a reputation! If Xiaguan loses his reputation, it is hard to say whether Xiaguan can keep his official position."
Kou Ji said calmly: "Have you forgotten who your Shangguan is, and who your Shangguan's grandfather is?"
Wang Yunsheng looked at Kou Ji in astonishment.
Kou Ji looked at Wang Yunsheng and said with a smile: "Do you still have to worry about not having an official position if you follow our ancestors?"
Wang Yunsheng's eyes widened, his mouth opened wide, and he said in shock: "Shangguan is willing to regard this official as his confidant?"
Kou Ji said calmly: "If you are useful, why can't I treat you as a confidant?"
Wang Yunsheng was overjoyed.
He said decisively: "I will definitely not let you, Shangguan, get any bad reputation."
He is an official who entered the official career on the recommendation of others. He knows better than anyone the importance of having a backer behind him.
So after Kou Ji extended the olive branch, he agreed decisively without even thinking about it.
Kou Ji smiled knowingly, "You know what I'm going to say when I go to court later, right?"
Wang Yunsheng nodded decisively, "This matter has nothing to do with you and me. The fault lies with the Third Division."
Kou Ji laughed, nodded and said, "You are very good."
Wang Yunsheng cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Shangguan, for the compliment."
Kou Ji encouraged Wang Yunsheng a few more words and left Wang Yunsheng's sedan.
Wang Yunsheng was so excited in the sedan chair that he couldn't control himself.
The court wanted to vote for Kou Zhun, and there were so many officials under the sect of Kou Ji's ancestors and grandsons.
It's just that Kou Zhun had a high vision. Except for some officials he valued and a group of confidants who had followed him in the early years, he didn't show any disdain for other officials. Therefore, even if many officials went to Kou's mansion to surrender with generous gifts, Kou Zhun would not.
Deal with it.
Kou Ji is more difficult to serve than Kou Zhun. Since Kou Ji entered the official career, he has never accepted anyone who surrendered.
I have never seen Rang accept a generous gift from anyone.
Therefore, those officials who wanted to join the Kou government had no chance.
Now that Kou Jicheng is willing to take him into the gate of Kou Mansion, how can he be unhappy?
How could you not be excited?
In the past, he joined Li Fang's sect. Under Li Fang's guidance, it took him six years to get from a ninth-grade sesame official to the position of a member of the household department.
At that time, his promotion was as easy as eating and drinking.
But since Li Fang passed away, he was relegated to the Ministry of Works and served as a bench, where he stayed for more than 20 years.
During this period, I also worked abroad and moved inland.
After going back and forth for twenty years, he was promoted to the position of Minister of the Ministry of Industry.
Now that he has joined the Kou Mansion, he may not be able to access the position that all civil servants most yearn for.
Although at his age, it is impossible for him to have the opportunity to sit in that position again.
But if he could sit in the position of a minister during his lifetime, with the support of the Kou government, it would be enough to make him famous in history, and to be named his wife and son.
Even if his two sons are useless, they can still get good official positions through his influence.
After all, with his current official title, if his two sons become officials, at most one of them will be from the ninth rank.
But if he managed to sneak into the position of a minister, his two sons would be able to directly serve as seventh-rank officials if they became officials.
If he died, the court would definitely promote his two sons to show its favor.
After Kou Ji left, Wang Yunsheng thought a lot in his heart. Even if the drum on Donghua Gate sounded, he didn't hear it.
If it weren't for the reminder from the old servant at home, he almost missed the time.
After the drums on Donghua Gate sounded, the officials got off their sedan chairs and hurried into Donghua Gate.
I walked quickly all the way and stopped when I entered the Chui Gong Hall.
In the Chui Gong Hall.
The earth fire dragon was burning brightly, and everyone who entered the temple felt a warm current coming towards them.
Some officials who wear thick clothes have to take off their outer cloaks after entering the Chui Gong Hall and hand them over to the eunuchs and the maids to hold them.
After the time comes.
Kou Zhun led Zhao Zhen into the Chui Gong Hall.
After Zhao Zhen sat down, all the officials bowed and saluted.
While Kou Ji was saluting, he glanced around at the officials in the Chui Gong Hall.
I found that in the past few days when he had not gone to court, there were many fewer familiar faces in the Chui Gong Hall.
In the Ministry of Husbandry and the Ministry of Punishment, there is only one left minister.
None of the other officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Punishment were present.
In addition, three or two subordinate officials of the Third Division were also missing.
Li Di and Wang Zeng also did not go to court.
Kou Ji guessed that Li Di and Wang Zeng were probably going to investigate the affairs of Chang Pingcang.
The two political advisors took action together.
Those officials who caused trouble in Changpingcang were probably about to be killed.
To this day, whether it was Kou Zhun who ordered the execution, or Kou Zhun, Li Di, and Wang Zeng used Zhao Zhen's mouth to kill civil servants, there are countless civil servants.
Words such as "You can't be punished as a doctor" have long become empty words.
Nowadays, even if he commits a crime, the only people who cannot be punished will be those of the second rank of the imperial court and officials above the second rank.
Only when the punishment used does not reach the second level and the punishment substituted does not reach the level of a high official, it is considered appropriate.
After a simple salute.
The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty began to discuss matters.
Regarding the issue of resettlement of refugees outside the city, Kou Ji made a report in class.
Kou Ji was also prepared and made a report in class.
Zhao Zhen praised Kou Ji in public and said, "We will discuss merits and reward them later." This exposed the issue of Kou Ji's resettlement of the refugees.
After the issue of resettlement of the refugees was revealed, discussions began again about the measurement of the flooded farmland outside the city and the flooded farmland in Kaifeng Prefecture.
Whenever there was a flood, it was necessary for the court to re-measure the land.
The purpose is to prevent civil conflicts over land issues.
After all, for the common people, land is the livelihood of the family and is something more important than life.
The common people often fight to the death for the sake of occupying ridges for planting, or for illegally moving the ridges and encroaching on other people's fields.
After discussions among officials, it was finally decided to hand over the issue of re-measurement of land property to the Ministry of Industry, which had just obtained the power to farm land.
Kou Ji didn't feel much about this.
When Wang Yunsheng heard that the imperial court was going to hand over the power of measuring land to the Ministry of Industry, he almost cried out on the spot without excitement.
Measuring property is a very lucrative job.
After discussing the issue of measuring the land, other issues were discussed one after another.
After the big things are dealt with.
Kou Zhun then pulled Li Zhen, Kou Ji, and Wang Yunsheng out to confront them.
Li Zhen accused Wang Yunsheng in court of acting rogue in the Third Division, which was detrimental to the court's face and official prestige.
Kou Jize asked three questions and didn't know.
Wang Yunsheng, who had received Kou Ji's promise, changed his words when he was cross-examined by Kou Zhun and put all the questions on the head of the Third Division.
No matter what Kou Zhun asked or what Li Zhen accused him, he always insisted that it was someone from Sansi who bumped into him and knocked him down.