Nothing could be seen from the outside of the Wang family tonight. It was as low-key as ever. There was not even a large lantern with the Wang family's logo hanging at the gate.
But in the inner courtyard of the Wang family, there was a joyous atmosphere, except for the lanterns and festoons.
After the young Situ became the senior Situ and the future uncle won the first place in the martial arts test, another happy event happened today.
Wang Xiangmeng, the censor of Jiangxi Province of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the acting censor of Xicheng City, seized the opportunity today and successfully provoked the emperor. He was awarded twenty imperial staffs, adding glory to the family.
At this time, Wang Yushi was so weak that he could only lie down on the soft couch in the inner room. While enduring the severe pain after being beaten, he listened to the sounds of people drinking and drinking outside.
Vaguely, I seemed to hear the sound of Lin and his uncle Wang Zhiyou playing guessing and drinking.
The joys and sorrows inside and outside the curtain are not the same, and this magical atmosphere makes Wang Yushi a little sad and sad - I learned the word magic from Lin Tailai.
It’s understandable to have a banquet and drink, but can you take care of the mood of the wounded and move the banquet farther away?
"You are so disrespectful to me, a wounded soldier!" Wang Xiangmeng shouted outside the curtain.
Then I heard Wang Zhiyou reply outside: "We are gathering here to celebrate, because Lin Tailai will be pardoned by the emperor and the case will be wiped out. Why are you anxious?"
Accompanying Wang Yushi was his sister-in-law Wang Shiwu. After carefully questioning what happened in the Wenhua Hall today, she fell silent.
Wang Xiangmeng suddenly felt very happy when he saw that his aunt, who was always giving advice, seemed to be depressed today.
"Don't be dissatisfied. Planning and planning are not on the same level. I guess Lin Tai coming to see you is like watching a child playing."
Wang Xiangmeng felt that he was capable again, so he actually provoked his elder Wang Shiwu.
"You want the Wang family to come forward to carry the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder for Lin Tailai, and you also imagine that the Wang family will pay privately to blackmail the Zheng family.
As a result, in Lin Tailai's heart, nothing was needed. He fiddled with the chess pieces a few times, and everyone was happy in the end and everyone gained something.
This gap is not a technical gap, it is a gap in the entire realm of life, do you understand?"
Wang Shiwu gently patted Wang Yushi on the back, "You talk too much!"
The Yanguan system is different from other government agencies. Internal promotion depends not only on seniority but also on popularity, and receiving the imperial cane is currently one of the greatest prestige.
Wang Censor already has three years of experience as an imperial censor. The imperial cane he received today is at least equivalent to three to six years of experience, and he also has huge additional popularity.
So if nothing unexpected happens, Wang Xiangmeng will definitely be able to become the censor in charge in the future.
When the three-year term of the censor in charge expires, according to the rules of the officialdom, if you are released to the fourth rank to start, if you go to the sixth rank, you will be a fifth-rank doctor.
In other words, it is very likely that Wang Xiangmeng can be promoted from the seventh rank to the fourth rank local official or the fifth rank six ministry official in only four or five years.
Except for cheating, this is basically the top promotion speed.
Wang Xiangmeng added: "Do you know why my uncle invited Lin Tailai over for a drink again? Because there are rumors outside that you made Lin Tailai angry and ran away."
Wang Fifteen sighed, "Now Lin Tailai helped to fight for the chief disciple of the Wang family. Lin Tailai also helped you plan your future as a censor. I guarantee that you will be at least a high-ranking official in the future.
This is the greatest kindness in fame and fortune. So what kind of kindness of the same level can the Wang family repay to Lin Tailai? If they cannot repay Lin Tailai, how should they deal with themselves?
All I want from all this effort is for the Wang family to give and repay Lin Tailai, so that the relationship between them will not be unbalanced.
But the matter has come to this, I have tried my best to be kind and righteous, and I don’t care about your men’s affairs!
In the future, the Wang family will become a vassal of the Lin family, just don't regret it, since I won't suffer any loss by marrying into the Lin family!"
Although Wang Xiangmeng vaguely felt that his aunt's words made sense, he was currently thinking about his suddenly bright future and could not think deeply about it.
There were no extra people at the wine table outside. There were only three people, Wang Situ, Wang Zhiyou, a member of the etiquette department, and Lin Tailai.
They drank very relaxedly today. After drinking a bottle of wine, Lin Tailai suddenly said: "I have a dream and I need Da Situ's help to complete it."
Wang Situ said without hesitation: "Why should my family be so polite? What's the matter?"
Lin Daguan said boldly: "My dream is to become the overlord of Yangzhou's salt industry!"
Wang Situ: "."
It's not that it's not easy to help, but what Lin Tailai said was completely unexpected, and Wang Situ was not mentally prepared at all.
Even Lin Tailai understands better than this salt industry overlord who wants to conquer the northern desert and capture the Great Khan alive.
Lin Tailai continued: "Before coming to the capital, I made some plans in Yangzhou, but in order to go to Beijing to take the exam, I left in a hurry after finishing the layout.
If we return to the south, we will definitely continue to complete the layout, and this will require the help of the Ministry of Household Affairs."
All salt industry affairs in the world were under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Household Affairs in the imperial court. If Lin Daguan really had the dream of being the overlord of the salt industry, he would definitely have to go to the Ministry of Household Affairs.
Wang Situ said doubtfully: "It's definitely okay to help, but I don't quite understand. What's the use of being the overlord of the Yangzhou salt industry?"
Lin Tailai let out a long sigh and said with concern for the country and the people: "I see that the Yangzhou salt merchants are very profitable, and the city has accumulated hundreds of millions of money.
But this money is of no use to the country or the people, so we must guide it correctly and turn this huge wealth into a tool that benefits the country and the people. It is our duty to do this!"
Wang Situ still couldn't see through Lin Tailai's thoughts, but he was used to it. After all, there were too many times when Lin Tailai was hard to see through, and this time was no different.
"If it can be used by the Household Department, it will be no problem." Wang Situ formally promised.
He didn't even consider whether Lin Tailai could solve the problem. Even if Lin Tailai messed up, he still wanted to help.
Official Lin was very satisfied. This was the attitude he wanted. Otherwise, wouldn't it be in vain to support Wang Situ?
With the Ministry of Revenue as the backing, it will be much easier to dominate the Yangzhou Salt Industry. Not to mention that Caoliang is also within the business scope of the Ministry of Revenue, so there is a lot of room for maneuver.
After drinking tonight, Lin Tailai did not stay at Wang's house, but returned to Shen's residence.
After all the regulations were finalized, at the beginning of May, the martial arts palace examination in the 14th year of Wanli was officially held. This was the first martial arts palace examination in the history of the Ming Dynasty.
One day in advance, Honglu Temple summoned the top twenty candidates for the martial arts test, distributed robes, and practiced etiquette.
Then the next day, these twenty Wu Jinshi gathered outside the right gate of Chang'an, were led into the palace, and waited outside the Wenhua Hall.
Compared with liberal arts, the martial arts examination is too shabby, but everyone takes it for granted and has no objection.
The Liberal Arts Palace Examination is a test for two to three hundred prospective Jinshi outside the Jinluan Palace. The Palace Examination and the Roll Call Ceremony are held separately. All Jinshi will eventually have an audience with the emperor.
This time, the first martial arts palace examination in the history of the Ming Dynasty was not held in the Jinluan Palace, but only in the Wenhua Palace.
Moreover, only the top twenty in the martial arts examination participated and met the emperor, and the palace examination and roll call were also held together.
All in all, the main thing is to save trouble.
But no matter how shabby it is, today is the first martial arts examination in the Ming Dynasty, and the first officially recognized martial arts champion is about to be born.
Therefore, the cabinet bachelors, the six ministers, the censor of Zuodu, and the governor of the fifth army governor's office all came to observe.
The regulations for this imperial examination were also very simple. All the ink scrolls that the twenty people had written on their previous essays were brought out and presented to the emperor for reading on the spot.
The emperor flipped through it casually, and on the top and thickest test paper, he wrote first place with a red pen.
This exam scene ends here!
The emperor selected the first one, and the other rankings were still arranged according to the previous martial arts test rankings. After all, the main purpose was to save trouble.
However, there is a special situation that Zheng Guotai, who was second in the previous martial arts test, gave up the test due to illness, so he was replaced in order of ranking.
Immediately, the rankings were announced outside the Wenhua Hall and told to the twenty people waiting for the exam. This was considered a roll call, but it was mainly to save trouble.
Then the "freshly baked" Wu Zhuangyuan went to the palace to have an audience with the emperor. This was regarded as an honor for Wu Zhuangyuan, and then the top twenty Wu Jinshi went to the palace to have an audience together.
The Han generals of the Imperial Guard on duty shouted one after another from the Wenhua Hall: "Lin Tailai is the first!"
At this moment, Lin Daguan's heart was completely calm. This kind of honor, which had been determined in advance, was not worthy of being excited again on the spot.
The other Wu Jinshi didn't have any special reactions. They had no hope for the No. 1 Scholar in the first place, so naturally they couldn't be disappointed.
An official in charge of etiquette came forward and guided Lin Tailai to the temple.
After entering the Wenhua Hall, Lin Tailai saw that the civil and military ministers were arranged on both sides, leaving the middle open for him.
But no matter how curious he was, he could never stare at the emperor, so he still couldn't figure out what Emperor Wanli looked like.
In fact, for Emperor Wanli, this kind of formality was very boring. He always felt like a puppet on strings.
In this boring process, meeting Lin Tailai may be the only thing of interest today.
When you always hear a person's name at critical moments but have never seen that person, you will be more or less curious.
After the audience ceremony was completed, Lin Tailai heard a voice from the throne: "Are you Lin Tailai? You are indeed born majestic."
Lin Tailai quickly replied: "My bravery is the result of bathing in the emperor's grace."
Then I heard the emperor chuckle a few times on the throne and said: "I have heard your name a lot recently."
Lin Tailai still answered very cautiously: "I'm just afraid that my humble name will taint the ears of the saints."
The emperor asked curiously from the throne: "There are rumors that you can defeat a hundred people by yourself?"
Lin Tailai did not dare to brag, and said honestly: "I dare not deceive the emperor. In fact, I cannot defeat the courage of a hundred people, but if the situation is favorable, I may be able to defeat dozens of people."
The emperor exclaimed: "I have never seen such bravery."
Then he said to the left and right with great interest: "Gather fifty people from the nearest inner prison and practice with Wu Zhuangyuan in front of the palace."
Lin Tailai: "."
If I remember correctly, this is obviously the treatment given to Obai, right?
Did the emperor get the wrong dynasty script and want to imitate Kang Mazi in capturing Obei?
Was the emperor's motive to avenge his private life and vent his anger on Zheng Guotai?
Just when Lin Daguan was thinking wildly, Chief Assistant Shen Shixing came out and said:
"Right now it's the roll-call ceremony for the martial arts hall auditions. There are martial arts students waiting outside the hall to see them. It's not appropriate to create additional complications."
There is a rule in the eunuch industry: the closer you are to the emperor, the more promising you are.
The little eunuchs around the emperor might become the eunuchs in charge of the Qianqing Palace or the eunuchs in charge of rituals in the future.
If Lin Tailai beat up these promising young eunuchs, wouldn't he be creating strong enemies in the future?
As if his interest had been interrupted, the emperor's voice suddenly became cold, and he said abruptly:
"I heard that you, Lin Tailai, had a lot of disagreements with Zheng Guotai during the martial arts examination. Now that Zheng Guotai has given up the examination, you, Lin Tailai, easily got the top prize. You must be very happy in your heart?"
To the ears of the ministers on both sides, it felt like this was a proposition, and the obstacle of Zheng Guotai was still in the emperor's heart.
Lin Daguan secretly sighed in his heart, the emperor is the emperor, no matter how weak the emperor is, he is still the emperor, and he has to some extent practiced the imperial arts.
But Emperor Wanli, with your sarcastic tone and sudden change of face, how come you are imitating Emperor Jiajing?
Sometimes you learn from Kang Mazi, and sometimes you imitate Jiajing. Do you have your own style?
Official Lin complained in his mind and quickly replied: "I got the first place in the martial arts test because I was upright in the examination room!
No matter what methods Zheng Guotai uses, I only hope to defeat Zheng Guotai in an upright manner in the examination room and will not use any means outside the examination room.
Today Zheng Guotai gave up the exam, causing the quality of the number one scholar to decline. I feel deeply regretful, so where does the joy come from?"
Emperor Wanli frowned slightly, feeling that there was something in Lin Tailai's words.
What does "no matter what means Zheng Guotai uses" mean? Did Lin Tailai already know that Zheng Guotai found someone to take the exam for him?
What does "not know how to use methods outside the examination room" mean? Lin Tailai, a civilian examinee, is at best a retainer of the chief minister. Why would you dare to say "you cannot use methods outside the examination room" to your uncle who is supported by the emperor?
Unless Uncle Guo has something that falls into Lin Tailai's hands, such as taking the exam for him?
In this way, even though Lin Tailai knew that Zheng Guotai had committed fraud, he never revealed it.
From this point of view, Lin Tailai has done his utmost to be benevolent and righteous, and the Zheng family wants to accept Lin Tailai's love.
And as an emperor, it is hard for me to blame Lin Tailai for this issue.
Shen Shoufu and Wang Situ, the two people who knew the inside story best, both looked at Lin Tailai with their mouths open.
I originally thought that Lin Tailai was holding Zheng Guotai's excuse for taking the exam and had refused to expose it, so that he could use his trump card to kill Zheng Guotai at the critical moment.
But a few days ago, I didn't expect that "forbearance and silence" could be used to kidnap the Qingliu forces, forcing the Qingliu forces to strongly oppose Zheng Guotai.
Unexpectedly, just a few days later, "holding back" would be used to directly fool the emperor again.
What's even worse is that the emperor actually believed Lin Tailai. He really thought that Lin Tailai was taking care of the overall situation and protecting the emperor's face, so he didn't expose Zheng Guotai.
Finally, Emperor Wanli took the initiative to end the topic and said: "About Zheng Guotai, I don't blame you. That's it for now. Don't mention it again!"