What Zhao Junchen asked Xiao Wenxuan to prepare was very simple, just a lock and key.
Among them, thirty-seven locks need to be prepared, which is not too many, but the number of keys is very large, as many as 3,700 need to be prepared.
That is to say, each lock needs to be matched with a hundred keys, and the styles and sizes of the keys are not limited. However, only one key among them is correct and can match the lock.
In addition, all keys must undergo special treatment to deform them slightly. Although it does not affect the lock opening, even the key that matches the lock head is not easy to insert into the keyhole.
After hearing Zhao Junchen's instructions, Xiao Wenxuan's expression was very complicated, a little confused and a little embarrassed.
Firstly, Xiao Wenxuan didn't understand what the purpose of these things was; secondly, there were too many keys, and it was very troublesome to prepare them.
Seeing Xiao Wenxuan's expression, Zhao Junchen asked: "What? Is there any difficulty?"
Xiao Wenxuan gritted his teeth and replied: "There is no difficulty. Although the number of keys is a bit large, my subordinates can prepare them properly."
After a pause, Xiao Wenxuan couldn't help but ask: "I just don't understand, my lord, what is the use of so many locks and keys? Do you want to use them to evaluate the talents of those masters?"
Zhao Junchen nodded and said: "That's right. As for the specific method, you will know tomorrow."
Seeing that Zhao Junchen was not going to explain, Xiao Wenxuan did not ask further questions, but just said goodbye to Zhao Junchen and left to prepare.
It is foreseeable that tonight, all the lock stores near Yangzhou will receive a big deal
…
There was no talking all night, and in the blink of an eye it was the morning of the next day.
After a night's rest, Zhao Junchen finally felt much more energetic.
On the other side, Su Xiqing also led the thirty-seven masters he invited to the Zhao family's ancestral home to meet Zhao Junchen.
Because of the large number of people, the meeting place between the two parties was the vestibule of the Zhao family's ancestral home.
After the meeting, Su Xiqing introduced to Zhao Junchen in detail the identities, resumes, specialties, etc. of these thirty-seven masters. Listening to Su Xiqing's introduction, Zhao Junchen also nodded secretly and found that all of these masters had their own strengths and were somewhat proficient.
Some of them are good at accounting, some are good at pen and ink, some are familiar with criminal law, and some are good at government affairs. There is even a master named Niu Fude who is familiar with military books and proficient in military strategy. He once worked under the governor of Liaodong for many years...
In addition, the reason why these masters are so famous is because of their rich resumes. After they became masters, they started by assisting low-level court officials such as county magistrates. After gaining a little fame, they began to assist middle-level court officials such as prefects.
As their fame grew, most of the officials assisted high-ranking court officials such as the chief envoys and inspectors. There were even six or seven masters who had served under certain governors. It can be said that these masters were very knowledgeable.
They all have their own methods for everything from settling cases to settling cases to playing games in temples.
After meeting Zhao Junchen, these masters all looked calm and measured in their advances and retreats, and they were able to demonstrate their talents appropriately, without too much arrogance or too much humility. It was obvious that they were all hard-working people.
The only thing that makes Zhao Junchen slightly dissatisfied is that these masters are a bit old. Except for a few people, most of them are in their forties or fifties. Although people of this age are experienced and well-informed, but
There are also shortcomings such as lack of energy, lack of courage and sticking to the rules. It can be said that there are clear advantages and disadvantages.
All kinds of thoughts were constantly changing in Zhao Junchen's mind, but Zhao Junchen did not show it. He just said some polite words to these masters and then proposed to test their abilities.
"Over the years, I have been in charge of the money and food for the imperial court. I have also participated in various policies of the central government. Although I can barely cope with it, I often feel that I am not energetic enough to cope with it, so I want to form a team of staff to assist me. This way I can
To feel more relaxed, I entrusted Master Su Xiqing to recruit several talented and experienced masters on my behalf... Originally, I only wanted to recruit a dozen or twenty people, but I didn't expect that Master Su was so diligent in doing things that he actually recruited three in one go.
There are seventeen people, twice as many as expected, and they are all the best in the profession, but this makes me feel a bit embarrassed..."
Hearing what Zhao Junchen said, the expressions of all the thirty-seven masters changed slightly.
Is it possible that Zhao Junchen finally invited them here, but then had to drive away half of them?
Seeing the changes in the expressions of the masters, Zhao Junchen smiled slightly and said: "Of course, you are all great talents, and if you are willing to join me, I will only feel honored, but I will never be too overwhelmed. However, I usually
There are only so many things that need to be dealt with. Although they are not too few, they are also light and heavy. Some things will be related to the overall situation of the court, and some things are just trivial matters. After the staff team is formed in the future, who should be included in it?
To handle the more important things? Who should handle the less important things? Even in the future, when doing things, who should be the main ones and who should be the assistants? The distribution of these things is both
It has something to do with your loyalty, but also with your ability...Of course, those who are both loyal and capable will receive more salary on weekdays when they are reused."
After a pause, Zhao Junchen continued: "As for loyalty, we can slowly observe and gradually cultivate it in the future. However, how high your talents are and what tasks you should be assigned in the future, I want to take advantage of today's opportunity to investigate.
Ichiban.”
After hearing Zhao Junchen's statement, a group of masters had some commotion.
However, although they are all the best in the field of masters, the status of masters is not high after all, and they do not have that much arrogance. Moreover, when the staff first entered the government, they were inspected by the shogunate, which is also what the question should have said.
In other words, they can take this opportunity to show their talents and abilities in front of Zhao Junchen.
Therefore, after a slight commotion, all the masters quickly calmed down. They just looked at Zhao Junchen and waited for the content of Zhao Junchen's assessment.
Under the attention of all the masters, Zhao Junchen waved his hand.
Then, the people of the Zhao family, who had been preparing for a long time, began to get busy.
I saw that the Zhao family had moved in thirty-seven sets of tables and chairs one after another. They were arranged in four columns and nine rows in the direction of Zhao Junchen. Between the tables, there were curtains covering them. On top of these tables, there were also densely packed tables.
There are a large number of keys placed, and on top of the pile of keys is a seemingly ordinary lock.
Then, someone brought an incense burner and placed it at Zhao Junchen's feet. A six-inch long fine incense stick was inserted in the incense burner.
After all arrangements were completed, Zhao Junchen said to all the masters: "My assessment content is very simple. It is to open a lock. Please find a place each. There is a lock and a hundred keys on the table. Among these one hundred keys
Among the keys, only one key can open the lock, so please find the correct key to open the lock in the shortest possible time. If you can complete it within half a stick of incense, your assessment score will be considered excellent, and you can assist me in the future.
It is an important matter for the court. The salary will be more than one hundred taels of silver. If it can be completed within one stick of incense, the assessment result will be considered as passing. In the future, you can help me handle some personal affairs. The salary will be more than seventy taels of silver. If it takes one stick of incense,
After that, if the correct key cannot be found, I can only let him take care of some trivial things, and the salary is only fifty taels of silver."
Upon hearing the difference in treatment, all the masters felt impatient and disapproving in their hearts.
Let’s not talk about how finding keys to open locks can reflect their talents and abilities. Moreover, the time Zhao Junchen gave them was really too generous. One stick of incense was enough time for them to try every key. As long as
Not surprisingly, everyone can achieve excellent results. I don’t know what the significance of Zhao Junchen’s assessment is.
However, when Zhao Junchen announced "the incense lighting begins", they quickly found a location, picked up the lock and key, and started trying one by one.
At the beginning, all the masters performed very calmly, but how could Zhao Junchen's assessment be so simple?
After all the masters found their positions, Zhao Junchen suddenly nodded to Xu Qingyan behind him.
Then, Xu Qingyan suddenly flashed a smirk on his face. He came to the incense burner, suddenly reached out and pulled out the incense stick from the incense burner, then broke off about two inches of the six-inch long incense stick, and then cut it off again.
Insert the remaining four inches of fine incense into the incense burner
After doing this, Xu Qingyan raised his voice and said: "Masters, please pay attention. The incense has already burned one-third, and it will reach half of it soon. Please speed up your actions."
Hearing Xu Qingyan's announcement, the thirty-seven masters all cursed in their hearts that the incense stick was obviously broken by you, right? We all saw it with our own eyes, how could it burn on its own? You are still shamelessly turning this upside down
Talking nonsense about right and wrong is really shameless
However, seeing that the originally abundant time suddenly decreased a lot, the assessment content that was originally thought to be easy suddenly became much more difficult. Thinking of the various differences in treatment, many masters who were originally very calm became quietly anxious.
However, Xu Qingyan's actions are not over yet.
I saw Xu Qingyan suddenly squatting next to the incense burner again, and took out a fan from nowhere. While humming a little tune, he fanned at the incense burner. Under the influence of the wind, the burning speed of the fine incense suddenly increased.
Double
Seeing that Xu Qingyan was causing trouble again, all the masters secretly cursed in their hearts. However, they also knew that Xu Qingyan's actions should have been under the instruction of Zhao Junchen, and Zhao Junchen did this to deliberately embarrass them, so they did not dare
No matter what objections were raised, he just quietly sped up the movements of his hands and his mood became more and more urgent.
At this time, Zhao Junchen was standing next to the incense burner, quietly watching the expressions and movements of the masters, and suddenly turned to Xiao Wenxuan and said: "Whether a person can accomplish anything and how much he can accomplish, the most important factor is not his
Talent, but his temperament and character. What a person's temperament and character are will only be truly revealed when he is in an anxious and chaotic mood... Wenxuan, didn't you ask me yesterday why I wanted to talk to the key and the lock?
Do you want to test them first? I still can’t tell you the answer now. You have to observe everything by yourself.”