Su Ruyu left the capital on November 17, the twenty-sixth year of Fu Rui, but he came back this time in September of the twenty-ninth year of Fu Rui. If calculated carefully, he had not yet completed his term of office.
three years.
But it doesn't matter. No one in the capital will use this reason to impeach Su Ruyu. He doesn't look at the monk's face or the Buddha's face, even for the sake of his father Su Wang's face. Even those admonishers who have always been disliked will not stand up.
Come out and say more.
Today at the court meeting, Su Ruyu, who already had an official status, was able to go to the pilgrimage as a minister for the first time. However, he was still just a county magistrate who had just reached the seventh rank. After entering the Jinluan Hall, he felt very conscious
He stood at the back of the last row.
But now no one who is qualified to stand in the palace dares to neglect him because of this. Even the officials standing at the end with him are still fawning over him with their words and eyes, because everyone knows that after today, he will
Appear in the first few rows.
"Long live my emperor! Long live!"
With this timeless sentence uttered from the mouths of the ministers, this morning's court meeting came to an end. After saying those polite words again, Chu Zheng turned the topic to the main purpose of today.
"Where is Su Ruyu, the magistrate of Taopu County, Huanan County, Bianzhou?"
Hearing the voice of her soon-to-be father-in-law, Su Ruyu stood up from the last row without haste, and then walked from the end to the front step by step without haste.
He seemed to be measuring how many steps it would take to finish the road that could see the end when he looked up.
Twelve steps!
But he also knew very well that for other people, this distance of only ten steps would take them a lifetime to walk.
"Xiaguan Taopu County Magistrate Su Ruyu meets the Emperor!"
He knelt down respectfully and his voice was neither humble nor arrogant. He was neither the playful and smiling face before when he saw Chu Zheng as if he were an elder, nor the young man who was at a loss in front of Chu Zheng after doing something wrong.
This made Chu Zheng, who was sitting high in the throne, nod his head with some satisfaction in his eyes, as if he was saying that your three years of being outside has really had some effect.
"Plain body."
After seeing Su Ruyu stand up, Chu Zheng continued.
"Su Ruyu was the top scholar in Fu Rui's 26th imperial examination. He was later transferred to Taopu County, Hualiu County, Bianzhou as the county magistrate. During his tenure, he did his best and brought great benefits to the local people. But..."
After saying so many words of praise, Chu Zheng was choked up.
"Now there are no vacancies in any official position in the government. Which official position should I give you?"
Taking advantage of Chu Zheng's hesitation, Chu Tianxiong, who was standing next to Chu Wushuang, thought for a while and then stood up and said.
"Father, our court once stipulated that those who did not enter the Hanlin Academy were not allowed to join the cabinet. Although Mr. Su has three years of practical experience as a county magistrate, there are no redundant positions to be arranged. According to Erchen's wish
We should still let Mr. Xiao Su go to the Hanlin Academy to polish his qualifications for a few years."
"Father, this matter cannot be done. Today, our country, Chu, is not to say that everything is in ruins, but at the time of the ZTE, officials with rich experience like Mr. Xiao Su should directly serve in the court instead of going to the Qing Dynasty.
It would be a waste of this rare talent to polish it in the expensive Imperial Academy."
After hearing what his second brother said, Chu Wushuang became anxious, so he quickly stood up to speak for Su Ruyu, because it was not convenient for Su Ruyu himself to speak. After all, he was still just a small county magistrate. At this moment, he could not even speak for Su Ruyu.
The little eunuchs who guard the gate are all of higher rank than him.
And don't look at what Chu Tianxiong said. In fact, he didn't have any good intentions. Those words about not being admitted to the Imperial Academy and not being allowed to join the cabinet seemed to be for Su Ruyu's consideration, but in fact it was not the case.
Although the Hanlin Academy is the most noble yamen in the court, many people can't find a way in even if they want to get in, but this nobleness means that there is no real power in it. If Su Ruyu is let in by Chu Tianxiong, then
It would be difficult for him to intervene in the struggle between the two princes for at least three more years.
And as long as Chu Tianxiong has gained a huge advantage in the past few years, even with Su Wang escorting Su Ruyu and the others, their lives will be very difficult! This is no wonder Chu Wushuang is so anxious! I have to work hard.
I have been waiting for my helper for three years, and now you want to throw it into the Imperial Academy?
In fact, it can be seen at this moment that Chu Zheng's hesitation was intentional. He just wanted to see the fight between his two sons. For this, he could be said to have reached the point where he was happy about it.
.
Seizing the opportunity while his father was still lost in thought, Chu Wushuang hurriedly continued.
"Father, a few days ago, You Tianyi, the left minister of the Ministry of Revenue, proposed the idea of retiring and returning to his hometown because he was too old, but he suppressed it."
Logically speaking, it was not his place to intervene in the matter of the minister retiring from old age and returning to his hometown, but he still had the guts to talk about it at this time.
"Father, that old man is now seventy and four years old, and it is time to enjoy his old age. The reason why you did not agree at that time was because you did not find a suitable candidate, but now this is not the case
Mr. Xiao Su is back, why don't you fulfill the old man's wish?"
Chu Wushuang had just finished speaking when an old man with white hair and beard stood up among the ministers.
"I would like to report to the emperor that Xiaguan's home is not in the capital, but in Lingzhou. It is said that people return to their hometowns when they grow old, and fallen leaves return to their roots. Therefore, I would like to ask the emperor to see that the old minister has no merit but hard work in these years and allows the old minister to return home.
Come to the countryside!"
It can be seen that this old man who is half buried in the ground really wants to go back. After decades of honor and disgrace in the capital, what else can he not see through?
Chu Zheng sighed and waved the two young eunuchs beside him to go down and help the left minister of household affairs up.
"How can you say that you have worked hard and achieved great results, sir? But it is true that I am greedy. At your age, sir, you are just counting the days, but I still want to keep you by my side.
, this is because I didn’t think it through thoroughly.”
Hearing Chu Zheng's words, the very old man burst into tears for a while, crying as happily as a child.
"Thank you, Your Majesty for your grace!"
"According to my decree, You Tianyi, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, has been working hard for our great Chu for many years. Now that he is old, he is specially allowed to return to his hometown to take care of himself. In accordance with the etiquette, his annual salary can be promoted to the second grade, and he is given the title of Yiyuan.
Layman."
Hearing Chu Zheng's decree, the already old man was even more excited. He was really afraid that he would accidentally burp in the court, but of course, his performance was understandable, for an official
What I hope most is that I can return home in fine clothes.
But his position as a minister was originally only a third-rank official position. This does not mean that the third-rank official position is not high enough, but now Chu Zheng's words have raised his rank by a full rank. This shows that when he returned from the capital,
You can do it according to the etiquette and etiquette of the second-rank minister.
There is also the title given by the layman Yiyuan, which shows that his favor from the emperor has not diminished, and he will be able to rely on the favor from the emperor when he returns to the place in the future, and no one dares to offend him.
"Old minister, I thank the Emperor for His grace!"
You Tianyi, who was in tears and was supported by two young eunuchs, wanted to kneel down and bow down again, but the two young eunuchs helped him down the hall at Chu Zheng's signal.
Seeing the excited expression of the old man, many people in the court showed envy. Who doesn't want to receive a huge favor from the emperor when he retires with success?
"Since Mr. You has returned home, let Su Ruyu fill the position of left minister of household affairs! Zhao Yunqing, do you have any objections?"
Chu Zheng's words drew the attention of those ministers who had other thoughts, and Fatty Zhao, who was standing in the second row in front, stood up and said with a smile.
"Hehehehe, Your Majesty, what can I say? I'm afraid that my little temple will offend Master Xiao Su!"
Su Ruyu didn't speak much since he stood in the court hall. It wasn't until his official position was confirmed that he turned to look at Zhao Yunqing.
"Mr. Zhao's words really upset me. Who doesn't know that it was Mr. Zhao who tightened the purse strings for me, Da Chu, so that I, Da Chu, have never encountered a financial crisis in these years. It is my honor to work under Mr. Zhao.
, It’s just that this kid is new here. If you do anything wrong in the future, please bear with me, Mr. Zhao.”
"Hehe, I like to hear what you have to say. You are not like your father who has practiced keeping silent all his life. He just likes to be a good old man. Lao Zhao, I can't stand your father's moral character the most."
After Zhao Yunqing finished speaking, he deliberately glared at Su Wang, which made the latter dumbfounded, while Chu Zheng interrupted the conversation between the two with a chuckle.
"Okay, okay, keep those polite words of yours in private. I don't like to hear them. Now you all should stand back in your seats!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Zhao Yunqing was originally the Minister of Household Affairs, and he was the largest group of people in the entire temple, so he was no different from usual.
It was just that Su Ruyu, a seventh-rank county magistrate who had just entered the court, sat in the position of a third-rank official in one day, leaping over most of the people in the temple, and stood in the fourth row of You Tianyi's vacated seat.
But no one was surprised by this. If he did not take the position of third rank but was just a minor official, these courtiers would be surprised! Maybe the position of left minister of household affairs was reserved for him.
.
…
As time enters September, it means that this year's imperial examination is not far away, but compared with previous years, the scene of this year's imperial examination is much bigger.
Students from Jinghua Academy graduate every three years, and this year happens to be the time when the first batch of students graduate. This also means that those scholars who have studied in the academy for three years are about to show their ambitions in the imperial examination.
It has to be said that since Qi Baihe took the position of Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs due to that ridiculous move that year, he has indeed selected many scholars with great learning in Dachu in the past few years, and as these people took office, they also came to various places
It has gained great support among the people.
This also made Qi Baihe gain more and more attention from Chu Zheng in recent years. Chu Zheng almost did not interfere with the imperial examinations and the selection of officials, leaving all the power to Qi Baihe.
Along with the batch of liberal arts scholars who graduated from Jinghua Academy, there were also the first batch of small banner officials recommended from various places.
They will not take part in the imperial examination, nor will they stay in Beijing to serve. Instead, they will be assigned to various places and borders to test their results. As long as they pass the test, the trend of the martial arts academy becoming bigger and bigger will be irresistible.
Nowadays, in addition to the four subjects of arithmetic, literary talent, political theory, and law, the imperial examination in Da Chu also has an additional subject of judgment. The government of Chu ordered the officials of various states and counties to submit all the strange cases and strange cases encountered in the local area for those scholars to come.
Judgment.
It has to be said that after this method came out, at least half of the scholars were wiped out, which made those guys who only know how to study hard and don’t know what people’s livelihood is, complain endlessly.
But they can only cry out in vain! But as long as they pass this exam, they will naturally be more suitable to be officials.
September has gone by in a flash, and October has arrived as scheduled. After one month, the imperial examination has come to an end.
Now all the officials in the capital are eagerly looking forward to the list. They want to see if this academy is as good as Lu Xiangrui imagined.
But when the results were released, everyone was shocked. It wasn't that the academy's results were not good, but that it was really good!
Among the list of those who passed the exam, a full two-thirds of the places were occupied by students from the academy. This was the result of deliberate suppression by Qi Baihe, the Minister of Civil Affairs. He withheld some students who were suitable for writing moral articles.
Let them return to the academy to continue their studies instead of running out to become officials.
In this way, under the loud exclamations of many officials in the capital, the first batch of scholars who came out of the academy were sent to various places to serve as basic officials.
But I don’t know what kind of changes this group of scholars who have high hopes from Chu Zheng will bring to Chu!