Lin Tailai didn't want to keep a useless idler at home, so he followed Shen Yongmao to the Shen Mansion to visit the chief minister, even though it was already dark at this time.
After all, there are only three things to do. If you don't go, it will be too disrespectful. In the next two or three years, you will have to rely on Shen Shoufu to block the fire from the front.
There are only two intersections between the two houses, so I walked there.
Shen Yongmao looked at the dozens of burly men surrounding him and said helplessly to Lin Tai:
"You're just visiting our Shen family, why would you bring so many thugs with you? In fact, the custom of the Ming Dynasty is that beating and killing is not popular."
Lin Tailai replied: "The last time I was in the capital, I made many enemies, including nobles, relatives, and factory guards, all of whom were accustomed to acting roughly.
Now that I have been seriously injured on my right shoulder, I am afraid that someone may have malicious intentions and take the opportunity to take revenge. Therefore, I have to be careful and bring more people to ensure safety."
Shen Yongmao had to admit that it felt quite safe to be defended by dozens of big men. According to rumors, these big men were all real elites who fought in every battle.
While walking, he asked casually: "After the officials of the capital settle down in the capital, it would be too troublesome if all the people in the family were from the countryside. All kinds of costs would be high, and there would be many inconveniences.
Therefore, most of them hired or purchased some domestic slaves and maids from the local area or surrounding areas, and then dismissed these people when they left Beijing.
It's rare to see people like you who bring people from your hometown. You have fifty or sixty thugs in your house now, right? They can stay in the capital with you for a long time and don't want to go back to Suzhou?"
At this time, Shen Yongmao had already acquiesced that Lin Tailai would definitely become a Jinshi and become an official, and then he would stay in the capital for a long time.
Lin Tailai didn't think this was a problem, and said nonchalantly: "It doesn't matter! Our Lin family has enough manpower. There are hundreds of thugs of this level in Suzhou!
If I really want to settle in the capital, I will make regular rotations with Suzhou, and the thugs from Suzhou will take turns to stay in the capital, changing every two years."
Shen Yongmao directly felt Lin Tailai's amazing momentum and abundant human resources.
A few hundred may not sound like a lot, but these are elites with rich combat experience, not tenant farmers and hired laborers who make up the numbers. According to Lin Tailai, these few hundred are still ready for full-time work.
What kind of family can support hundreds of off-the-job standing "armies" who are so strong and capable of fighting?
In fact, once Shen Yongmao returned to Suzhou, he understood that it was not necessarily the people from the Lin Group who could fight, but the people in Suzhou who could fight had taken the initiative to defect to the Lin Group in the past two years.
But Shen Yongmao still understands. This may be one of the reasons why his father is very tolerant of Lin Tailai even though he is the chief assistant, right?
After all, sooner or later, my father will retire and return to Suzhou to take care of his old age, and the descendants of the Shen family will also live in Suzhou.
However, Shen Yongmao felt that something was wrong, but he didn't think about it for a moment. He took two more steps before he realized it!
Damn it! Lin Tailai asked the thugs to take turns going to Beijing. Isn't this similar to the imperial court's squad system?
Officers and soldiers from various garrison stations in the north take turns to go to Beijing for drills and duty, which is called the Beijing Exercise Squad Army.
Thinking of this, Shen Yongmao stopped. There is no need to think so much as a human being.
There was no need to announce after entering the Shen Mansion. Shen Yongmao took Lin Tailai and went straight to the study room in the inner courtyard.
Lin Tailai asked profusely: "There's no need to be in such a hurry, right? You should let me sit in the concierge for an hour first."
Shen Shixing wore very casual home clothes and received Lin Tailai in a very informal manner, and even asked Lin Tailai to sit down and talk.
After letting the servant serve tea, he said in an approachable manner: "I invite you to come here so that we can have an honest and heart-to-heart talk, so as to avoid any estrangement from now on."
Lin Tailai was very surprised and replied: "What are you talking about, Mr. Ge? There has been nothing special recently, so why should we worry about estrangement?"
Shen Shoufu sighed: "I know that some of the previous things will inevitably make you resentful.
For example, I did not support the dredging of the old channel of Wusong River, and even rejected your petition."
Lin Tailai looked very natural and replied: "It's normal. The boss of the pavilion takes charge of the overall situation and has to take into account all aspects of the situation. He is more cautious than a late student.
Therefore, it is human nature to have different opinions from Wansheng on specific matters. How can we feel resentful because of this?"
These words are so sensible, and being sensible completely does not fit the stereotype of Lin Tailai on others.
Shen Shixing added: "Also, I asked Huang Hongxian to tell you that I can't guarantee that you will become a Jinshi. I will definitely make you resentful."
Lin Tailai responded without hesitation: "No, there is no resentment at all. Mr. Ge is worrying too much."
Shen Shoufu waved his hand, "Can we be honest and honest with each other today? So don't say that kind of false talk. It's normal for you to have grievances."
"This really doesn't happen." Lin Tailai answered very sincerely.
Shen Shixing said generously: "It's possible, it's human nature, I definitely don't blame you."
Shen Yongmao, who was accompanying the guest next to him, couldn't say anything. Listening to the old man and the young man constantly tugging at each other, he was so bored that he fell asleep.
He just felt that there was something wrong with his father. Why did he have to think that Lin Tailai was resentful?
Lin Tailai said more sincerely: "Wan Sheng understands one truth very well - no matter what is in the world, Mr. Ge, you can give it to me, but I can't force it from Wan Sheng."
Shen Shixing: ""
Who made this up? But it sounds very subtle.
Sincerity is the greatest nirvana. Lin Tailai ended these rounds of tugging with just one of the most sincere words!
"Let me ask you one last time, do you really have no resentment in your heart?" Shen Shixing said hesitantly.
If it were anyone else, he would have believed it when he said it, but Lin Tailai has a domineering personality and a twisted mind.
Lin Tailai said boldly: "I can solve those problems myself, and I don't need to bother you, so why should I be resentful?
You see, the problem of passing the Jinshi examination is now close to being solved, right? There is no need for Mr. Ge to step in!
As for the matter of Wu Songjiang’s old story, I told him that it has nothing to do with Mr. Ge, and there is no need for Mr. Ge to worry about it, so Mr. Ge doesn’t have to worry about it!”
Shen Shixing, who had an extremely delicate mind, suddenly felt a sense of crisis: If I am not needed for anything, then why should I, the chief assistant, be used?
So Shen Shoufu added: "Actually, as a Jinshi, you are not necessarily sure of success."
Lin Tailai: "???"
Shen Shangshu has already agreed, so why is there anything unstable? Do you, Shen Shoufu, still want to show your spirit of creating difficulties even when there are no difficulties?
Shen Shixing reminded: "The examiner who finally decided on the admission list is Xu Guo after all. He has great opinions on you."
Lin Tailai said calmly: "So what I just said is that it is close to a solution, that is, taking into account the variable of Xu Guo."
"Even if Shen Li tries to persuade him, he may not be able to persuade him," the chief assistant said. The subtext is that he still has to rely on him to take action to be sure.
Lin Tailai, who was short of a feather fan scarf, talked and laughed calmly and said: "I have already prepared, Xu Guo has nothing to worry about!
When I came to the capital this time, I brought with me more than 20 stewards of the Xin'an Guild Hall in Suzhou, as well as a joint letter from 13 people headed by the Wang family in Yangzhou and the salt merchants in Xu Guotong County!
The main content of the letter is to persuade Mr. Xu Ge to put aside his grudges and select scholars fairly.
More than 30 fellow villagers have been trying to persuade me, so Mr. Xu Ge must be willing to follow the good advice."
Shen Shixing: "???"
It's not surprising that people from the Xin'an Guild Hall in Suzhou would write this kind of letter. Why would the Yangzhou Huizhou salt merchant who has a bitter feud with you, Lin Tailai, also write this kind of letter?
Lin Tailai explained: "They are probably afraid that I will return to Jiangzuo after failing the exam and then stay in Yangzhou for a long time."
Shen Shixing: ""
The resources that Lin Tailai could mobilize were a bit beyond his imagination. In some aspects, he could do things that his first assistant could not.
Before I knew it, I was already chatting to death. If I continued talking, I would be burning paper.
There were some things that Shen Shoufu couldn't say directly, so he looked at his eldest son.
Shen Yongmao understood and quickly said to his father: "There is nothing unusual about an ordinary Jinshi. Why not help Lin Tailai to get a Huiyuan?"
Shen Shixing nodded and said thoughtfully, "That makes sense."
Huiyuan is not just a name, but it has many potential benefits compared to ordinary Chinese moves.
Generally speaking, Huiyuan's rankings in the palace examination are not low. As long as he can be a good person, it is not a big problem to be selected as a Shujishi and then enter the Imperial Academy. The treatment is much higher than that of ordinary Jinshi.
Lin Tailai said half-truthfully: "I don't need this Huiyuan."
Shen Yongmao directly interrupted Lin Tailai's polite refusal and said enthusiastically: "Lin Tailai, you don't have to be polite! Just based on your relationship with our Shen family, you are still Erlang's in-law, who will help you if I don't help you?"
In fact, to be honest, Lin Tailai is not that obsessed with his ranking in the imperial examination. As long as he has a Jinshi background, connections are more important than ranking.
Of course, if someone wants to give it to him, he will not refuse the kindness.
"Then thank you in advance!" Lin Tailai thanked him symbolically, and then left quickly and said: "The night is already late, Mr. Ge, you should rest in peace, and I won't disturb you any more."
Then he got up and walked out, about to slip out of the study.
Looking at Lin Tailai's back, Shen Shixing suddenly came to his senses. He called Lin Tailai today. What did he want to talk about?
"Wait a minute! Stay! Don't leave!" Shen Shoufu shouted, can he still let you take Huiyuan and run away?
To be continued...