Chapter 5015 Family Reunion
After hearing Fang Jun's words, Li Chengqian, Liu Ji, and Xu Jingzong were all deeply shocked. Although the government and the public recognized that the imperial examination was a groundbreaking move that changed the way to become an official and the way to select officials in the past hundreds of years, they never thought that there would be such a thing. It may completely change the structure of the entire bureaucracy.
In the future, officials will not only value virtue but also talent, and have both ability and political integrity?
This is better than Cao Cao's "Merit-Only Examination" and Cao Pi's "Nine-grade Zhongzheng System", and it is also better than the Confucian imperial examination. The officials selected under such a strict examination system will probably be the best in history. Officials of the highest quality.
With the current prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, what kind of prosperous era will there be if these officials are used to govern?
I am afraid that the "Land of Huaxu" will reappear...
Of course, everyone knows that this step requires an extremely long process. After countless struggles and compromises, it is still unknown whether it can be finally achieved.
However, as long as there is such an ambitious goal, both the government and the public are willing to do their best to pursue and complete it.
After all, today's Confucianism has not been completely castrated, and the learning of Confucius and Mencius still has some pioneering and enterprising spirit...
Where the river meanders, a piece of gentle sand is washed away, and a thatched cottage is built with wooden piles as the foundation. It looks simple, but the light drizzle contrasts with the clear river water and the green mountains in front and behind, plus more than ten greenhouses. , quite a bit of leisurely and comfortable paradise.
In the thatched cottage, several people were sitting on the floor around a hot pot. Platefuls of thinly sliced mutton were poured into the boiling soup. There were also fresh and green leeks, spinach, vermicelli and other foods. Sesame sauce was mixed with fried chili sauce. , the chopsticks picked up the food and rolled it into the mouth. The monarch and his ministers were sweating profusely and gasping for pleasure.
The clay pots filled with rice wine were hung in the cold river water. The accompanying waiters poured the cool rice wine into large bowls and brought them to the table until the glasses were dry.
When the wine and food were full, the dining table was moved away, and the waiters lit the small stove to boil water and make tea. The monarch and his ministers sat cross-legged, enjoying the cool breeze and gentle drizzle.
Li Chengqian took a sip of tea to relieve the greasiness in his mouth, and sighed with satisfaction: "While busy, if you can always let go of your taboos and have a full meal, it would be a joy in the world."
His own energy was far inferior to that of Emperor Taizong, and he always wanted to surpass Emperor Taizong in his partiality. Therefore, he put all the government affairs on himself, worked hard and exhausted his mind. Not only was his body worn down, but his spirit was also greatly depressed.
I left the palace today, put down government affairs, and had a good time regardless of taboos. I felt extremely comfortable.
Xu Jingzong said: "The empire is strong and vast, and the government affairs pile up every day. Your Majesty is buried in paperwork and worrying about general affairs, which is extremely detrimental to the dragon body. You can also relax appropriately. This combination of work and rest is even more suitable."
Liu Ji frowned and said: "Your Majesty is the lord of the world and attracts the attention of the world. If you slack off in government affairs and indulge in pleasure, won't you be criticized by the world? Xu Shangshu's words are suspected of slanderous words to flatter the emperor and bewitch the king! Furthermore, the so-called superior If your Majesty is busy with government affairs and avoids it from time to time, I am afraid that all the officials in the imperial court will have this intention. When the time comes, the government affairs will be sluggish and the administration will be lax, which is just what the minister said!"
Today, he feels more and more threatened by Xu Jingzong.
This man was an old minister of Emperor Taizong's Qiandi residence. He had extremely senior qualifications and was rarely matched by anyone in the court. He also had Fang Jun as his backer and was the No. 1 minister of the Ministry of Rites among the six departments. Moreover, he now had the merit of measuring acres of land, and his reputation soared. , go straight to the prime minister.
If he is allowed to gain His Majesty's favor again, I'm afraid it won't take him a few years to replace him as Zhongshu Ling...
Xu Jingzong was so angry that he retorted: "Although your Majesty is diligent in his duties, he is also a human body. Years and months of hard work will inevitably damage his body. Is it okay to take a break when he has free time? Do you have to be exhausted from the complicated government affairs?" talent Is he a good emperor? As long as your majesty can combine work and rest, I would rather be called a sycophant by the world! On the contrary, so-called ministers like you only care about your own reputation and don't care about the health of your majesty's dragon body. It's extremely hypocritical!" >
He naturally knew why Liu Jie was targeting him in this way. Wasn't it because he was afraid that he would dethrone him from the position of prime minister?
That's what he thought!
"Okay, okay!"
Li Chengqian was so quarreled by the two that his brain hurt, and he said angrily: "I am just saying something with emotion because I am in a good mood. Why do you two argue? It's so good that you two ruined your good mood!"
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Liu Jie and Xu Jingzong quickly pleaded guilty.
Fang Jun was drinking tea with a smile on his face. It was obvious that His Majesty was very protective of Xu Jingzong.
It's no wonder that most emperors like treacherous ministers. It's not that they can't recognize the true face of treacherous ministers, but that treacherous ministers have a lower moral bottom line, act more willfully, and know better about "doing what they want". No one is a saint, and even some wise kings are just ordinary people. How can we not like a minister who speaks well and does things to his satisfaction?
Of course, a truly wise king knows how to make trade-offs and knows when to win over treacherous ministers to please himself and when to reuse loyal ministers to straighten the court.
And some so-called wise men are easily fooled...
Night came earlier in the mountains. Although there was no wind in the valley, it was drizzling and the temperature was very low. Fang Jun asked people to find some dead wood and light a bonfire outside the thatched cottage. The monarchs and ministers sat around the bonfire and had a long talk.
*****
The temperature is getting higher day by day, and the spring plowing in the Guanzhong Plain has begun with great vigor.
At the same time, new scholars from all over the country gathered in Chang'an, waiting to participate in the "Etiquette Examination" to be held in June. Due to the different distances of the journey, the scholars arrived in Chang'an in an endless stream. However, the sudden influx of a huge population made the already crowded Chang'an city even more overcrowded. Various security incidents occurred one after another. The two counties were in dire straits this year.
The first to bear the brunt is the housing problem.
Most of today's scholars are descendants of aristocratic families, with abundant wealth and a comfortable life. Therefore, they arrive in Chang'an in advance to rent houses to live in. On the one hand, they can adapt to the climate and soil of Chang'an to avoid inconvenience when they are about to take the exam, and on the other hand, they can live in peace and stability. Put in a lot of hard work, sharpen the gun in front of the battle, and the unhappiness will be gone.
But where are there so many houses in Chang'an City?
By the end of April, all the inns and museums in Chang'an City were overcrowded. Scholars gathered in Pingkangfang, and even the inns closer to the city were filled with scholars who came to Beijing to take the exam. The crowds have been pouring in for a long time, and the Jingzhao Mansion had no choice but to send letters to various temples and Taoist temples inside and outside the city, ordering them to open their doors and allow scholars to move in. This was finally alleviated...
……
In the south of the city, Fangjiawan Pier.
As countless scholars gathered in Chang'an to participate in the "Etiquette Examination", the children of these aristocratic families had been well-clothed and well-fed since they were young. With clothes on their hands and food on their hands, they naturally had to be accompanied by servants and maids, and even more clan members came to Beijing to manage various relationships. The resources required are countless, and countless ships transport various goods from Kanto to Beijing every day, causing the docks to be busy.
Today, Fangjiawan Terminal has become the leading cargo distribution center in the entire Chang'an area by virtue of its excellent geographical location, complete infrastructure, and reasonable design structure. Therefore, the huge wealth it brings to the Fangjia every year is even more incredible. How many people are jealous.
Near noon, a convoy of several horse-drawn carriages came slowly from the direction of Chang'an. Hundreds of well-equipped soldiers escorted them and opened the way. With the help of the dock stewards, they broke through the crowded crowd and arrived at the dock.
Soon, a fleet of ships arrived at the pier from the waterway. After docking, soldiers emptied the nearby berths and set up a springboard from the side of the ship to the pier. Only then did the people in the cabins walk onto the deck and file ashore.
Suddenly some porters and merchants nearby started making noises: "Is it the prime minister?"
"It must be! Didn't you see that the honor guard of the Taiwei and the princess came?"
"The prime minister is good at educating his son. After he retired from office, he went to the rich land of Jiangnan to take care of his old age and manage the fiefdom for Erlang. However, Erlang was doing everything in the court to keep the lintel intact. Compared with the other prime ministers of the Zhenguan Dynasty, he was really enviable. .”
"Who says it's not the case? Look at Changsun Wuji and Du Ruhui, Xiao Yu has escaped unscathed..."
There was a lot of noise on the pier, and people were extremely curious about the Fang family. After all, it was one of the top high-end families in the world, and according to the current situation, the situation was getting worse...
Fang Jun took his parents, wives and children who were returning to Beijing from Huating Town to pick up the carriage. Without stopping, he returned all the way to Liang Guogong's Mansion in Chongrenfang, surrounded by his own soldiers.
……
There was a lot of noise in the main hall.
Fang Xuanling and his wife sat at the top, and Fang Jun sat at the bottom. His two sons, Fang Shu and Fang You, held his thighs on the left and right, and climbed up one by one. Fang Jun opened his big hands and lifted them one by one. The two sons were held in their arms, looking at this and that, feeling happy.
Princess Gaoyang snatched Fang Jing from Xiao Shuer's arms, and kept kissing her delicate cheeks, making the little girl giggle. As Fang Jun's only daughter, Fang Jing was loved by thousands of people, from top to bottom. They are all very pampered.
Qiao'er sat next to her, and Fang Qian in his arms was a little confused by the lively atmosphere. Just as he was about to put his thumb in his mouth and suck it, his mother pulled him out...
Fang Xiaomei held Jin Shengman's hand and chatted with a smile.
When the family was reunited, Fang Xuanling and his wife were very happy and their smiles never stopped.
Mrs. Lu wiped away her tears, looked around, and complained to her son: "The only thing left is Mei Niang. Tell me about such a beautiful woman, how can you be willing to let her go to Luoyang? If you are not familiar with the place, what if there is something wrong?" What to do if something goes wrong?”
Fang Jun smiled, weighed the two sons in his arms, and said: "Meiniang is beautiful, smart, and ambitious. She is a husband among women, how can she be trapped in a boudoir? With such conditions at home, she can live happily ever after. There’s nothing wrong with showing off your strengths.”
Fang Xuanling nodded: "Meiniang is different from ordinary women, you don't have to worry about her affairs."
Lu rolled her eyes. Fang Xuanling was silent and never commented on the other children and wives. She only looked up to Wu Meiniang and often even listened to some of Wu Meiniang's opinions. As a result, Wu Meiniang's status in the Fang family was very special. She looked at Jin Shengman's belly: "The delivery date is next month, so be careful!"