Because Liu Kunyi had just died last year, and Zhang Zhidong had served as the governor of Liangjiang for three years and was very familiar with this territory, many officials were promoted by him.

The imperial court would be unable to send a suitable candidate for a while, so it had to ask him to take charge. But once a suitable candidate was found, he would have to return to Huguang.

Therefore, Zhang Zhidong's half-month stay in Jiangning Mansion was very tight, with constant meetings in the small hall and two meetings in the lobby every day.

Hall meetings are the main means for local administrators to handle daily government affairs. They are exactly the same as the emperor's court meetings in the capital, but the image is slightly different.

The feudal official was a native emperor in his own right. He had to take charge of everything from managing the military to managing the people, finance, taxation, education, and people's livelihood.

Chen Tianhua is lucky. Today is Zhang Zhidong's last day in Jiangning Mansion. Tomorrow's morning meeting will see him farewell to all the officials. After breakfast, he will take the luxurious river ship ordered from Japan and return to Wuhan.

Therefore, today's hall meeting is a lobby meeting, which stipulates that all officials of seventh grade and above in Jiangning Prefecture and surrounding counties must attend the lobby meeting to report in public or receive training.

Whenever there is a lobby meeting, officials and civilian officials in Jiangning Prefecture will ride in sedans or official carriages. Military attachés are not allowed to ride in sedans, but they can ride in carriages.

As for those who actually came on horseback, the Qipin Zhima officials in those remote suburban counties could only ride horses and run, otherwise they would not be able to make it in time.

Wearing long robes and court crowns, it was indeed inconvenient to ride a horse. When we arrived outside the camp gate, we were already disheveled and looked very embarrassed.

Isn’t this just looking for trouble for yourself?

It is said that Marshal Zhang Zhidong paid great attention to the appearance of his subordinate officials, which was the image and dignity of his administration.

Later, these seventh-level officials who had traveled far away learned the lesson. They stayed in Jiangning City one day in advance and hired carriages in advance. They were much more relaxed the next morning and would not be reprimanded by Zhang Zhidong again.

Chen Tianhua thought he had arrived early, but he knew that as soon as he passed the Yuanmen plaque, he saw many officials from a distance, already waiting in the square.

Soon, more and more people gathered.

At the lobby meeting, civil and military officials of seventh grade or above from Liangjiang and three provinces are eligible to enter the hall, pay homage to the Governor, and present memorials or submit memorials for instructions.

This is a rare opportunity.

It is said that many officials from other places come from thousands of miles away. They often arrive in advance to stay at Jiangning Mansion and then attend the lobby meeting.

I hope that the Governor can give a clear answer to the difficult and complicated problems that have accumulated for several years in person.

At least the memorial can be handed over, especially for lower-level officials who have been unjustly, falsely or wrongly convicted, or who have been suppressed by their superiors. This time they can appeal in person.

Look, there are a total of two hundred people gathered in the square.

They wore court uniforms of various colors, including dark blue and azure; they wore blue feathers on their heads, with many flowered feathers and even a small number of flowered feathers for both eyes.

This represents their respective grades and status.

There is only Chen Tianhua here. He is not wearing court clothes, which looks very different. Mixed together, it is still a very beautiful scenery.

Many eyes were looking at him, making comments from time to time. They were all talking about who this person was, how could he attend the Governor's lobby meeting like this?

Why should he go in? He might be beaten with a stick by a government official or guard, or even worse, beheaded in prison.

Chen Tianhua felt very calm and held a gold token in his arms, which Zhang Yuxiao gave him last night.

This golden token is a special pass for the Governor-General's Office of Liangjiang and even the entire Liangjiang region. Holding the golden token is like the governor himself, and the gate guards at all checkpoints cannot block it.

It is said that there are a total of six gold tokens in the Liangjiang Governor's Mansion, half of which are in the hands of the ceremony room, and the other three are in the hands of the governor himself or the chief of staff.

All large and small court meetings in the Liangjiang Governor's Office were held in the lobby of the government office.

The lobby of the Yamen Office is the most important office space in the Governor's Yamen. It is the place where the Governor delivers imperial edicts and discusses military and political affairs with subordinate officials.

It is also the place where ceremonial activities are held on the day of worship.

When a ray of morning light fell and shone on the land of China, the entire huge building complex of green bricks and gray tiles shone with light instantly, as if they had found their home after walking in the night.

"Dong dong dong..."

The bells and drums on the Zhengyangmen Gate Tower were ringing.

At this time, the camp door slowly opened, and it was time to enter the hall.

At this time, all the officials entering the city, like primary school students in later generations, consciously lined up neatly.

Those of higher rank naturally go first, while those of seventh rank Zhimaguan consciously stay behind.

The ministers filed in through the gate and continued walking along the central axis.

This magnificent and huge building complex is said to have been renovated by Zeng Guofan during his third and final time as governor of Liangjiang. It includes the east and west gardens, the back garden, etc., and the Zhengyangmen gate tower was also re-reinforced.

Along both sides of the central axis are the offices, offices, offices, etc. of the Liangjiang Governor-General's Office.

Although the Presidential Palace built during the Republic of China was built on the basis of the Liangjiang Governor-General's Palace, it has changed beyond recognition.

For the first time in my life, I entered the real Liangjiang Governor's Office in the late Qing Dynasty, and I felt a bit frightened.

Although I visited the Presidential Palace several times in later generations, they were all lifeless buildings, and my mood was completely different.

Is it the same to watch and ponder casually without any pressure and to have an uneasy mood?

Everyone walks very lightly here, and even coughing is not allowed. Otherwise, it will be recorded by the guards and staff at the side.

Slowly walking to Zhengyang Gate, where everyone's identity was to be verified, Chen Tianhua showed his golden sign.

The guard was so frightened that he opened his mouth wide and did not even check his badge. He waved his hand for Chen Tianhua to come in quickly.

Entering Zhengyang Gate and walking inside is the real Governor's Mansion.

This is where the Governor-General works and lives daily.

It can be seen that if an ordinary person wants to sneak into the Governor's Mansion, he has to pass through many checkpoints and scan through many pairs of eyes. This is more difficult than climbing to the sky, unless he can fly over the walls.

The Governor's Palace was renovated and expanded on the basis of the Han Dynasty Palace. It was renovated by the Tianwang Palace and then underwent several renovations by Zeng Guofan. It took decades to build it carefully. It is magnificent, majestic and majestic.

All the palaces and pavilions are mainly grand and majestic, depicting birds and animals.

Many stone pillars have birds and animals, representing nobility and power.

The palace was tightly defended, with guards standing neatly with wild goose feather sabers hanging on their waists, as well as the Nanyang Self-Strengthening Army wearing yellow-green military uniforms, big-brimmed hats, and armed with live ammunition, creating a solemn atmosphere.

If the guards on duty find an official looking panicked, they will step forward and pull him out for questioning, check his license plate, or even search him if he is not doing well.

If this unlucky guy fails to pass this review, what awaits him will be: being taken to the torture chamber on the spot.
Chapter completed!