In addition to this public reason, of course this banquet also has a purpose that the guests of honor know but no one will say.
The fathers of Tao Hongfang and others are members of the executive committee currently in charge of the empire. Their future is unlimited. The younger generation of officials understand this and will naturally form an interest group centered on them.
But not everyone can join these second-generation wearers with special status. In the two years since they were transferred from Sanya to Hangzhou, there are many people who have taken the initiative to try this, but only a few have succeeded.
This is not because Tao Hongfang and others are too high-minded and disdain to make friends with others, but because they have been taught by their parents since childhood that they have a special status and should not easily trust the flattery and overtures of others.
The invitees to today's banquet are basically a special group recognized by them and qualified to enter this social circle.
These young officials had both civil and military status, and almost all of them had certain family backgrounds. Among them, there were even aristocratic children from the Ming Dynasty like Zhu Zian.
Although their official ranks are not high at present, the road to advancement has been paved for a long time. If nothing unexpected happens, many of them will become high-ranking pillars of the empire in ten or twenty years.
From a certain perspective, these young officials are all fellow travelers who have common interests and are moving in the same direction. If they can go together, it will naturally be much easier in the future.
After today's banquet, there should be a clear idea of who will join and become long-term partners.
Tao Hongfang is no stranger to such occasions. He has been attending similar social events under the arrangement of his parents since he was twelve years old. He knew very well that his purpose in attending such an event was to find like-minded partners or people who could be used by him through constant communication.
And this kind of purposeful communication will not be easy. Tao Hongfang needs to test the other party's true thoughts and attitudes through conversation, and among the people invited today, no one will be a loser. No conversation here can be taken casually.
Tao Hongfang was so busy that day that he had almost no time to enjoy the scenery of Quyuan. Others came here to relax, but he felt a little exhausted both physically and mentally.
After the dinner, all the guests left one after another, and the last ones left were Tao Hongfang and a few close friends.
"How was your harvest today?" Ning Zi poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Tao Hongfang.
Tao Hongfang thanked him, took the tea cup and took a sip before responding to his question: "To be honest, it didn't go as smoothly as expected."
"How do you say that?" Ning Zijing asked in confusion.
Tao Hongfang said: "Local officials in the Donghai Region still have a sense of distance."
Bai Letong said: "They serve in the Donghai Region, and they are probably not that eager to choose a camp. This is definitely different from the officials in the south."
Tao Hongfang nodded and said: "I think so too. If they come too close to me, it may cause them some inconvenience."
The capital of Haihan was Hangzhou, and various yamen would move in from the south one after another. The Donghai region suddenly became the Gyeonggi region. The level of officials has increased, and there is no need to deliberately curry favor with people from Sanya.
And now that Shi Diwen has also joined the executive committee, officials in the Donghai Region no longer have to look far away if they want to move up. With Shi Diwen's support, they can save a lot of trouble.
Ha Jianyi added: "Actually, there is another point. The person they are optimistic about is not you, so they will not bet on you."
Tao Hongfang said: "You mean...Shi Chengwu?"
Ha Jianyi said: "The Donghai Region was created by Marshal Shi. Of course, the officials here will regard Shi Chengwu as their young master and support them." Tao Hongfang continued: "And at some point, I It may form a competitive relationship with Shi Chengwu, so they can’t get too close to me.”
Ha Jianyi nodded and said: "That's what I want to say."
Shi Chengwu is the same age as Tao Hongfang. They have been carefully trained by Shi Diwen since childhood. Their qualifications and abilities are among the best among the second generation. In the first two months of the war, Shi Chengwu also went to the front line to participate in the battle, and it is said that he made many military exploits.
Even if the officials of the Donghai Region didn't say it, they definitely wanted Shi Chengwu more in their hearts. After all, Tao Hongfang and others were just "outsiders", and the young master of the Shi family was the one they had been following.
But Shi Chengwu and Tao Hongfang will partner up in Nanjing next, so no one will choose sides at this time. Even those who intend to get close to Tao Hongfang will most likely choose to wait and see first.
Ning Zijing said: "Shi Chengxin is here today. I wonder if he will send a message to his brother after he returns."
Tao Hongfang said: "It's okay to send messages. I didn't ask anyone to stand in line. It was just normal communication. Shi Chengwu is also a smart man, so he shouldn't feel uneasy about this."
Bai Letong said: "You went to Nanjing, and now we are far apart. You have time to write more letters and send telegrams. Don't lose the news as soon as you go."
Tao Hongfang smiled and said: "But it's only five or six hundred miles away, which sounds like the ends of the world. If you have time, you can come to Nanjing to see me."
Several others waved their hands together, saying they were not free, and immediately started laughing together because of this tacit understanding.
On the eve of departure, Tao Hongfang was called by Tao Dong to give him a lecture.
Tao Donglai said straight to the point: "I asked you to come to Donghai Region two years ago so that you could get out of Sanya and see the outside world. You have grown a lot in the past two years, and it is time to take the next step. .”
"Nanjing is a test question for you. Only if you answer this question well can you be promoted to the next stage. I hope you can use what you have learned in the past few years in the governance of Nanjing."
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Tao Hongfang responded respectfully: "My child must work harder not to disappoint his father."
Tao Donglai said: "You have to remember that what you do is not for me, but for yourself. Whether you do well or not, you can see not only your father, but also many people. ”
"Nanjing must develop better than during the Ming Dynasty, so that people in the world who are still waiting to see the situation will know which side to follow. If you spend more time in Nanjing, you can save a lot of trouble in conquering the world in the future. Do you understand? ”
"I understand, kid!" Tao Hongfang quickly bowed in agreement.
Tao Donglai asked: "I heard that you held a banquet at the West Lake Quyuan today?"
Tao Hongfang responded: "There is such a thing. Zijing and the others implemented it on behalf of the children, and also invited some young local officials."
Tao Donglai said: "You young people like to be competitive, so it doesn't matter. But after you go to Nanjing, don't have any thoughts of comparing yourself with Shi Chengwu. You are in charge of the government and he is in charge of the army. Only by cooperating with each other can Nanjing be governed well." .”
Tao Hongfang didn't expect that his father also knew the twists and turns, and he didn't dare to explain any more, so he quickly bowed his head and agreed.