In the early days of Hongwu, the number of officials in Beijing was only about 27,000, but it gradually increased. Data from the Zhengde period showed that there were 20,000 civil servants and 80,000 military officers in Beijing.

In the current Jiajing Dynasty, the number of people in the imperial court reduced its expenditures in order to reduce its expenditures, but the base of the capital officials was here and the purchasing power was also here.

On the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, the markets in the capital are the most lively, especially the markets such as Gulou, Chenghuang Temple, and Liulichang will add some entertainment programs to attract the crowd.

But Zhang Juzheng didn't go anywhere, and he was neatly tidy, with an incense bag hanging on his body, and came directly outside the Xu Mansion.

The concierge saw him and asked him to wait. The butler greeted him with a warm look on his face and said, "Editor Zhang, it's so early today! But the master is meeting guests. Please follow me to the side hall to wait for a while.

Bar!"

The higher the position and the more powerful the holiday is, the more uneasy it will be. There will be many things to come to you. Zhang Juzheng is also one of the people who disturb Xu Jie's holidays and will visit him every holiday.

Zhang Juzheng followed the housekeeper to the side hall and was very familiar with it. He was not only the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall and the porcelain bottles on the table, but also the maid who was standing next to him.

He has a good appearance and likes to take care of himself. He also has a beautiful beard and a handsome official image, which has won the favor of these two maids.

"Miss Qiuju, can you tell which adult teacher was meeting?" Lin Qingran took the teacup sent by the maid and looked at the beautiful maid with a smile.

The beautiful maid bowed her head in shame, said "Sir Li", and walked away like a deer bumping into her.

However, Zhang Juzheng was not happy at all, but instead showed a solemn look on his face.

The so-called Bachelor Li naturally refers to Li Chunfang, a bachelor who is to be studied in the Hanlin Academy.

Speaking of this person, Zhang Juzheng and him have a deep relationship. They were the same Jinshi in the 26th year of Jiajing, Li Chunfang was the top scorer, and he was only ninth in the second grade.

Just eleven years have passed, Li Chunfang has been promoted from a sixth-rank Hanlin compilation to a fifth-rank Hanlin bachelor's degree. Now he is about to be promoted and will serve as the fourth-rank Shaoqing of Taichang Temple.

On the other hand, Zhang Juzheng was only promoted from Shujishi to the seventh grade Hanlin editor.

Although he was a Jinshi in the same subject, he felt very uncomfortable now. The only thing that made him feel a little relieved was that he was fourteen years younger than Li Chunfang.

This wait made him wait for an hour.

Zhang Juzheng frowned slightly, but was not dissatisfied with the teacher's negligence, but remembered that he had met with the teacher in the palace yesterday. There was nothing wrong with him at that time, but the teacher wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Looking back now, it was raining heavily and the weather was cool. The teacher would not have sweat. It should be a common move used by the teacher to cover up his face. But he was confused again, and he seemed to have nothing wrong.

It was when he was lost, and the housekeeper came over and said with a smile: "Editor Zhang, I have made you wait for a long time. The master has asked me to prepare the wine and food and let you go over and have a meal with him."

"It's better to obey your orders than respect!" Zhang Juzheng also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he might have been too careful, and the teacher might have been delayed by the matter, and did not deliberately neglect him.

When he arrived at the dining room, Xu Jie was already sitting at the dining table, and raised his hand with a smile at Zhang Juzheng who was coming in and said, "Sit down!"

"Teacher!" Zhang Juzheng replied respectfully, and then sat down carefully.

Xu Jie nodded to the butler, and the butler turned around and went out.

In just a moment, the dish was served. The dish was very simple, with only a steamed Songjiang fish, a plate of fried pork with bamboo shoots, a plate of clear soup tofu and an old turtle soup.

"No need to be polite!" Xu Jie said with a smile, then moved his chopsticks.

Zhang Juzheng was not only a little obsessed with cleanliness, but also picky about food. However, when he started to move his chopsticks, he found that the fish was tender and light, the bamboo shoots had astringent taste, and the tofu broke as soon as it touched.

If he was at home, he would definitely call the chef over and scold him.

But for the teacher, Zhang Juzheng dared not show any unhappiness on his face. Especially when he saw the teacher eating with relish, he endured the discomfort and swallowed it reluctantly.

During the meal, Xu Jie asked about Zhang Juzheng's recent situation in the Hanlin Academy.

Zhang Juzheng also talked about his work as before, but there was nothing to say, so he talked about "Talking about the Ancient and the Current" and about the incident when he was summoned by the Lord yesterday.

Everything was fine, Zhang Juzheng followed Xu Jie one by one, and took the attitude of a student, which was to report and ask the teacher for advice, and it was also a normal way of communication between teachers and students in this era.

Xu Jie didn't say much, but suddenly asked, "What do you think of Lin Qingran?"

"He... is very smart, a bit sharp, but he also knows how to judge the situation. He is a very powerful person!" Zhang Juzheng was silent for a while, and then answered seriously.

"Is there no shortcomings?" Xu Jie asked at him with a piece of fish.

When Zhang Juzheng saw the piece of Songjiang fish meat, he said with emotion: "Although he was the top scholar and received the plaque of Daming Wenkui by the emperor, he was too young after all, and he is only seventeen years old now!"

Xu Jie refused to comment and ordered the maid next to her to give Zhang Juzheng the soup.

"Good soup!"

Zhang Juzheng blew off the heat from the bowl and brought the turtle soup to his mouth, and his eyes immediately lit up.

This turtle soup is probably made of old fire. The essence of the turtle seems to be melted into the soup, making the soup extremely sweet and a delicacy on earth. He also drank two sips.

Xu Jie commented one by one at the three dishes on the table: "Although this Songjiang bass comes from a famous family and is known as the number one fish in the south of the Yangtze River, the young fish will be bland and tasteless! The bamboo shoots are not as hot as they are, and they will be bitter.

Feeling! This tofu and tofu milk is insufficient and it will eventually become a climate. The chopsticks will break when they touch it!"

Only then did Zhang Juzheng realize that the meal had a deep meaning and immediately felt touched.

"Only this turtle is moistened by the sun and moon, and boiled by old fire, it becomes a real delicious food!" Xu Jie picked up the turtle soup and spat in a small mouthful, which is really endless aftertaste.

Zhang Juzheng looked at the old turtle soup and three dishes, and his eyes were filled with tears.

"You go back first! Go back and think clearly. No matter which way you want to go, I will support you!" Xu Jie looked at Zhang Juzheng with something to say, so he raised his hand to stop him.

Zhang Juzheng gave a long gift seriously and then turned around and left, but he felt extremely conflicted.
Chapter completed!