Chapter 0942 Two cheap students who fell from the sky
Kou Ji accompanied Zhao Zhen to discuss until midnight, and promoted Cai Qi's duke to the first-level Duke of the State, and promoted Cai Qi's two sons to the sixth level.
Then he ordered someone to draft an imperial edict and told Chen Lin to send someone to read it tomorrow before leaving the palace.
When Kou Ji returned to Zhuyuan, Xiang Yan had already fallen asleep.
Inside and outside the bamboo courtyard, only the concierge and his study room had lights on.
Kou Ji was very curious about when a great talent who studied at night by candlelight appeared in his family, so he couldn't help but walk to the study.
In Kou Ji's impression, Kou Hui is a person who wields her fists more than writes. If she can read at night by holding a candle, the old sow can probably dance on the tree.
Zhao Run must return to the palace after nightfall, without exception.
Empress Cao had great expectations for Zhao Run, so she was extremely strict with Zhao Run.
Zhao Run could barely indulge himself when he was around Kou Ji.
Without Kou Ji, he would be either a longevity king respected by everyone, or a well-behaved son.
Therefore, it is impossible for Zhao Run to read at night in Kou's house.
"Is it Zhao Xu?"
Kou Ji entered the study room with curiosity. As soon as he entered the door, he saw four people in his study room.
Two are sitting and two are standing.
The four of them were quiet and didn't say a word.
The two Kou Ji who were sitting knew each other.
One is the half-owner of the Bamboo Garden, Liu Heng.
The other one is Cai Qi, who was praised as a virtuous man by Zhao Zhen in Zishi Hall today.
Behind Cai Qi stood two teenagers.
One of them was half as old as when Kou Ji first entered Bianjing City, and the other was as old as Liu Heng when Kou Ji first met him.
The two people's eyes were very sharp, and they kept looking around in Kou Ji's study.
It seems that everything in Kou Ji's study can arouse their curiosity.
Liu Heng is a pure person.
The same is true for Cai Qi.
It is precisely because of this that the two of them sit clearly on the left and right.
There is nothing to talk about, either literary or military.
After Kou Ji entered the study and saw the four of them, he laughed and said, "It's so wonderful that Mr. Cai has come to visit. After Mr. Cai left the palace today, whenever the officials mentioned Mr. Cai, they would praise Mr. Cai for his potential to become my great minister."
The second sage of the Song Dynasty."
Cai Qi stood up, saluted Kou Ji, and said seriously: "I have met Prime Minister Kou, and Prime Minister Kou should know that I don't like those flattery words."
Kou Ji was stunned and said with a smile: "Cai Gong is still involved in political affairs now, there is no need to claim to be a subordinate."
Cai Qi stared at Kou Ji and said, "You call me Cai Gong, but not Cai Xiang. This shows that the official family has determined my identity."
Kou Ji sighed: "It's really boring to talk to smart people like you."
Cai Qi smiled lightly and said nothing.
Liu Heng stood up and said to Kou Ji: "Since you are back, I will go to bed."
There is a saying that one should not speculate in half a sentence.
Liu Heng and Cai Qi are basically two different people with nothing in common.
Cai Qi's visit late at night must have something important to do.
Kou Ji was away, so Liu Heng entertained him out of courtesy.
When Kou Ji returned home, it was time for Liu Heng to leave.
Kou Ji nodded.
Liu Heng left the study.
As soon as Liu Heng left, Cai Qi hurriedly said to the two young men behind him: "You haven't seen the Prime Minister Kou yet?"
The two young men saluted Kou Ji without being humble or overbearing.
"Students have seen Kou Xiang..."
He didn't introduce himself as a family member, he just called himself a student to prove that he was a scholar.
The reason why he did not report his family status was, firstly, not to leave a clinging impression on Kou Ji, and secondly, to wait for an introduction from Cai Qi, an elder.
If Cai Qi wanted them to hang out with Kou Ji in the future, he would naturally introduce them.
If they don't want to, they will announce their family status on the pole, which will cause Cai Qi's displeasure.
Kou Ji smiled and nodded, turning his head to ask Cai Qi, "Your student?"
Cai Qi shook his head, "My old friend's disciples knew that I was coming to visit you tonight, so I came over to see the world."
Kou Ji asked Cai Qi to sit down and said with a smile: "To be valued by Mr. Cai, you must be extraordinary."
Cai Qi shook his head again and said, "All the heroes in the world pale in comparison to you."
After Kou Ji sat down, he ordered the servant guarding the door to serve tea again, and then said with a smile: "I have never seen you flatter anyone. Even if they are relatives of the emperor, you will point your nose at them and scold them.
My status is more than a little bit inferior to that of the royal relatives.
Are you asking for something when you say nice things in front of me now?"
Cai Qi sighed and said: "I am really suitable for scolding, not flattering."
Koji laughed loudly.
Cai Qi is the only one who can say this with such righteousness.
Zhang Zhibai might be a little more humble.
Kou Zhun would be more domineering.
Amid Kou Ji's laughter, Cai Qi said straight to the point: "As entrusted by an old friend, I would like to ask Kou Xiang for two places in Wenchang Academy."
When Kou Ji heard this, the smile on his face faded slightly, and he smiled calmly: "If you want to go to Wenchang Academy, you can wait for the Wenchang Academy examination next year?"
Cai Qi said frankly: "Because I can't wait until next year, I want to ask Kou Xiang for a convenience."
Kou Ji pondered and said: "With your status, it should be easy to get one or two places from Wenchang Academy."
Cai Qi said with a bitter face: "I've been there... I poked the words written by your grandfather in front of me and told me that as long as I can write the same thing. Not to mention making an exception and enrolling two students, even if they are sitting
In his position as the head of the Wenchang Academy, he changed the rules of the Wenchang Academy beyond recognition, and he accepted it."
The headmaster of the Wenchang Academy asked Cai Qi to write a letter exactly like Kou Zhun's. He didn't mean the words, but the weight.
Although Cai Qi was praised as a virtuous man by Zhao Zhen, he was not a sage and could not write words of the same weight as Kou Zhun.
Kou Ji sighed: "Isn't he making things difficult?"
Cai Qi said dumbfounded: "I am a great scholar in the literary world who is much taller than me. How can I dare to show my superiority in front of others?
Although he made things difficult for me, he also showed me a clear path.
He told me that from the establishment of the Wenchang Academy to the present, only people recommended by you, Prime Minister Kou, can enter the academy with exceptions.
Because you, Mr. Kou, have a pair of wise eyes, there is nothing wrong with anyone you have seen.
Today, I will bring two juniors to meet you."
Kou Ji glanced at the two young men behind Cai Qi and said with a smile: "Are you going to let me consider them? Everyone knows that I am ignorant and incompetent, but I can't consider them."
Hearing this, Cai Qi shook his head and said with a smile: "Although you don't like scriptures, you are the sect of various arts and crafts. Learning does not only refer to scriptures."
Kou Ji smiled and said: "Mr. Cai has promoted me."
Cai Qi smiled and said nothing.
Although he didn't like Kou Ji, he had to recognize Kou Ji's achievements.
There are so many famous scholars in the world, but the only one who is worshiped in their homes by the common people is this person who does not study the classics.
Businessmen regard him as their foundation, farmers regard him as their root, and craftsmen regard him as a god.
All the students are amazing talents.
Everything he did was shocking.
Those who laugh at his ignorance are truly ignorant.
In a society dominated by scriptures, he gained the respect of everyone through side sects.
That is a great scholar.
After all, it is easy to conquer everyone with scriptures, but it is much more difficult to conquer everyone with other methods.
Kou Ji saw that Cai Qi was determined to recommend these two people, so he said in a dumbfounded way: "Since Mr. Cai recommends you two with integrity, it means that Mr. Cai is very optimistic about you.
I give Cai Gong some thin noodles.
Give you an opportunity to recommend yourself.
As long as your words can move me.
I'll let you enter Wenchang Academy."
When Cai Qi heard this, he couldn't help but said: "Extraordinary people do use extraordinary methods. When I first met them, I spent a long time taking the knowledge test."
Kou Ji said carelessly: "I don't like scriptures, so there is nothing in the scriptures to ask."
Cai Qi nodded and said to the two young men behind him: "Thank you, Prime Minister Kou."
Kou Ji waved his hand and said: "No need, let's get straight to the point. Which of you will come first?"
The two teenagers looked at each other.
The elder suddenly took a step forward, stared at Kou Ji and said, "Student Zeng Gong..."
After saying this, there was nothing more to say.
The other one took a step forward, cupped his hands and said, "Student Wang Anshi..."
After saying this, there was nothing to follow.
When Kou Ji heard their names, he was stunned for a moment, then laughed loudly, "What an arrogant little guy!"
Zeng Gong and Wang Anshi were young and vigorous. They felt that they were already well-known among the young people in Bianjing. They only needed to share their names, and Kou Ji would know that they were talented.
Zeng Gong and Wang Anshi were not old acquaintances, nor were they from the same hometown.
They met in Bianjing City.
Since they are both eunuchs and are quite arrogant, it is inevitable that they will make a lot of gestures when they meet each other.
After a lot of competition, they naturally cherish each other.
After all, both of them are rare smart people and have few rivals among their peers. If they finally meet their rivals, they will naturally become close friends.
It's strange to say.
Given Wang Anshi's background, it was absolutely impossible for him to get in front of Kou Ji before he became an official.
After all, his father is a county magistrate.
The county magistrate is not even qualified to board the bamboo courtyard now, let alone his son.
Unlike Zeng Gong, his grandfather was the late Shangshu Hubu doctor who advised Zeng Zhiyao, and his father was Zeng Yizhan, the young minister of Taichang Temple. He was an official of the fourth rank and was considered a high official in the court.
According to historical records, Zeng Gong's father, Zeng Yizhan, was framed and after serving several terms as county magistrate, he lost his official position and was sent to Guangnan.
But the appearance of Kou Ji affected the entire Song Dynasty.
It also indirectly affected Zeng Yizhan's fate.
Not only was Zeng Yizhan not framed, but because of his uprightness and outstanding political achievements, he was promoted repeatedly, and was finally promoted to the position of Shaoqing of Taichang Temple.
Since Zeng Yizhan had a similar temperament to Cai Qi, Cai Qi made him a friend, which led to this scene today.
This little guy Wang Anshi is just lucky.
After he became close friends with Zeng Gong, Zeng Gong took him to visit other friends and gained a lot of fame.
Not only that, when Zeng Yizhan wanted to send Wang Anshi to Wenchang Academy to study, he happened to take help from Zeng Mansion.
Although Zeng Yizhan was upright, he was not pedantic and had a very open-minded temperament.
Seeing that Wang Anshi was a teachable talent, he took him along with him.
Wang Anshi appeared in front of Kou Ji just like this.
When Cai Qi heard that Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong only knew each other by their first names and nothing else, his face looked a little unhappy.
Thinking of another important trust from his old friend, he was embarrassed to speak again.
He does not object to young people being arrogant.
After all, what is a young man if he has no edge?
But your arrogance has to challenge people.
In front of this person, no one among the talented people in the world has the right to be proud.
This person's achievements can already be compared with those of the best people in history.
He was just worried that this person would go astray, so he kept showing displeasure towards him, reminding the civil and military officials of the court to be on guard against him.
But he still fully recognized this person's achievements and merits.
How can two fledgling guys be proud in front of this person?
If someone else's list of merits and achievements is revealed, it will crush you to death.
Kou Ji seemed to have seen Cai Qi's thoughts and said with a smile: "It's normal for a young man to be a little arrogant. I remember that when I first entered Bianjing City, I was also full of arrogance. Until now, the arrogance in my chest has not dissipated.
.”
Speaking of this, Kou Ji looked at Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong and said with a smile: "There are many arrogant people. Only those who can continue to be arrogant are considered figures."
Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong looked at each other after hearing this.
They knew what Kou Ji meant by his words.
Kou Ji used himself as an example to tell them that being arrogant for a moment is not arrogant, but being arrogant all the time is true arrogance.
When Cai Qi heard Kou Ji beating up Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong, he immediately shouted: "Thank you sir for your advice."
Kou Ji was stunned.
Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong were also stunned.
Don't wait for Kou Ji to react.
Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong had quickly bent down.
"Thank you sir for your advice..."
Kou Ji looked at Cai Qi in a daze, "Mr. Cai, what are you..."
Cai Qi showed a rare expression of embarrassment and said with a dry smile: "My old friend said, it would be better if I could become your disciple.
My temperament is not suitable for asking for help, so I can only use some small tricks."
Kou Ji said dumbfounded: "Mr. Cai, what you did is a bit unethical."
Cai Qi seemed very happy to see Kou Ji deflated. He smiled cheerfully and said: "Anyway, this gentleman has called me. I will spread the word after I go out."
If you break your promise, it will be your own people who will be lost."
Kou Jichang sighed and said: "I thought you, Mr. Cai, were an upright man, but I didn't expect..."
Cai Qi said with a smile: "Being upright is for the powerful, the court, and the people. For relatives and friends, if you maintain uprightness, it is not upright, it is old-fashioned.
You are an old-fashioned person and you are not qualified to enter the court."
When Kou Ji heard this, he had nothing to say.
There are really not many fools who can live in the past and not change their ways.
Even if they exist, they are mostly just pretending and have some kind of purpose.
Some seek wealth, some seek official positions, and some seek fame.
There are also those who are afraid of the trouble caused by changes.
There are also those who want to hang out in the court.
Most of the old fools that Kou Ji met in the court in the past were seeking fame, office, and attention, and some were seeking to protect the assets of those he protected.
You see people say stupid things in the court, but no one can tell whether they are people or ghosts behind them.
After all, the unspoken rule that doctors cannot be punished gives them a protective umbrella for talking nonsense.
They are not afraid of being beheaded if they say the wrong thing.
Now Kou Zhun, Zhao Zhen, and Kou Ji fought with ferocity, making it a joke to kill a doctor who could not be punished.
Nowadays, those who say stupid things in the court are either seeking fame or protecting their own money.
Just like Cai Qi impeached Kou Ji in the court.
Knowing that he would be criticized and punished, he still impeached Kou Ji without hesitation.
Did he impeach Kou Ji to serve as a pawn for those civil servants?
He is not, he is using this to remind Kou Ji not to act recklessly in the court, someone is watching you.
Kou Ji also knew what Cai Qi was thinking, so he didn't bother to argue with Cai Qi.
Otherwise, with the reputation of Kou Ji and the temper of King Yama, Cai Qi would have been buried in the ground long ago.
Amid Cai Qi's laughter, Kou Ji glanced at Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong and sighed, "So I have two more students inexplicably?"
Cai Qi asked with a smile: "Is it too few? I will give you a few more tomorrow. I know they have some talent, so I sent them to you.
If I knew that you would not refuse anyone who came, then I would also send my grandson here."
This is what the ancients did. If you give a good opportunity to others, you may not necessarily leave it to your own children.
Some people may think this is silly.
But in fact, they are not stupid at all.
With huge resources in hand, if your children and grandchildren are too mediocre, you must learn to invest in talents.
When a talented person comes to power, he will naturally protect his children and grandchildren out of consideration for their love.
This is far better than wasting huge resources on his children and grandchildren who he cannot cultivate.
Mediocre children and grandchildren will eventually fall down even if they are pushed up with resources.
It is better to let the children and grandchildren rest against the big trees to enjoy the shade.
If you are very talented and marry a daughter, you will immediately become a community of interests.
Building relationships through in-laws is not just exclusive to the royal family.
The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty also did this.
Otherwise there would be no such thing as political marriage.
Take Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong as an example. After Zeng Gong's father, Zeng Yizhan, learned that Wang Anshi was a talented person, he immediately asked his successor Wu, who was Zeng Gong's biological mother, to write a long letter to Zeng Gong's grandfather.
, inviting sisters of appropriate age from the Wu clan to visit Bianjing City.
What exactly is it? Zeng Yizhan has no famous saying.
But after Zeng Gong's grandfather saw Wu's letter, he immediately understood its profound meaning.
Kou Ji heard Cai Qi's words and did not respond. Instead, he shook his head and said, "Mr. Cai should know my situation. Are you sure it's okay for the two of them to follow me?
Earlier in the court, Mr. Cai shouted at me to beat me and kill me."
The implication.
If he doesn't do it right, he may not be able to survive in the court.
His students will be implicated when the time comes.
When Cai Qi heard this, he let out a long sigh, "I was really worried before, but after spending so many days with you and reviewing the reports submitted by your students from various places, I know that I can
The heart of a villain will judge the heart of a gentleman."
Speaking of this, Cai Qi looked at Kou Ji and said, "If you wanted to do something, you would have done it long ago. There is no need to wait until now to do something that offends others and does not please others."
Kou Ji was stunned for a moment, stared at Cai Qi and said with a smile: "You can make this conclusion based on only a few days of getting along with Cai Gong and a few memorials?"
Cai Qi said bluntly: "I'm not stupid. I can still tell who is sincerely serving the country and who harbors evil intentions. Besides, you and the officials deceived a large number of people from the hinterland of the Song Dynasty to Liao in the name of recruiting troops.
Wait for those wealthy families in the hinterland of the Song Dynasty to come to their senses.
There will be a lot of scolding from both the government and the public.
It is impossible for them to scold officials.
So I can only scold you.
It would be strange if you could accomplish something amidst all the scolding."
After all, he has become a person that everyone in the government and the public hates.
It is difficult to lead everyone in the government and the public to create a new dynasty.
Because you can only rob people of benefits but cannot give them benefits, why should people follow you to start trouble?
Risking beheading to help those who take away your wealth to rebel?
Crazy?
Throughout all dynasties, rebellion is inseparable from the word profit.
Gao Huaide, Shi Shouxin and others supported Zhao Kuangyin in the rebellion because Zhao Kuangyin's rise to power would bring them huge benefits.
If they couldn't get anything, they wouldn't support Zhao Kuangyin.
Zhao Kuangyin also knew about this, so after taking away their military power, he decisively stuffed them with money, crazily.
Doesn’t Zhao Kuangyin like money?
He governs a country that is in dire straits and needs money everywhere.
He needs money more than anyone else.
But even so, he still crazily stuffed money into Gao Huaide and others.
Why?
It’s not because I’m afraid that people will rebel.
After all, they can push themselves to the top for the sake of profit, and they can also pull themselves down for the sake of profit.
Anyway, after decades of war in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, changing the emperor was as easy as eating and drinking.
They are all people who have experienced the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.
There is not much psychological burden for changing emperors.
After listening to Cai Qi's words, Kou Ji said with a mixture of laughter and tears: "You understand now. In order to guard against me, you took a lot of tricks to scold me."
Cai Qi said very bachelorly: "I am sitting here now, you can scold me back."
Kou Ji shook his head, not wanting to argue with Cai Qi anymore.
Kou Ji took a deep breath and said: "You have tricked me, and I admit it, so I will accept these two students. However, I don't have much time to teach them. They will still have to study in Wenchang Academy.
But our sect has many rules, so if they follow me, they may not be able to learn from me, but they must abide by the rules of my sect."
Cai Qi said with a smile: "If they become your disciples, even if you don't teach them anything, it will be enough for them to benefit from for the rest of their lives."
Kou Ji's huge network of connections alone is enough to make any of his talents rise to the top, let alone knowledge.
Kou Ji is the much talked about elder brother of the current Emperor of the Song Dynasty, and he is also the husband of the next Emperor of the Song Dynasty.
The two highest-ranking people in the Song Dynasty were both taken care of by Kou Ji.
Even if Kou Ji doesn't irradiate his own students, these two will.
Kou Ji later left Bianjing and went to Han.
When these two saw things and thought about people, they would also move Kou Ji's students to their homes.
Even if it is a pig, if it is named as Kou Ji's student, it will be able to live in style in the future.
Kou Ji heard Cai Qi's words and sighed: "Even so, let them bring Shu Xiu to see me tomorrow."
Cai Qi smiled and said, "I can just be a witness."