The Ministry of Officials is having a meeting today. The Minister, the Minister, and the Department of Literature and Selections are concentrating on discussing the vacancies of state and county officials this month and the arrangements for officials.
Of course, like other departments, when it comes to specific business issues, the Selection Department and the Minister mainly speak, and the Minister can only occasionally intervene.
After the list of newly appointed officials with vacancies in various states and counties is finalized, it will be announced at the beginning of next month.
There are more than 300 prefectures and thousands of prefectures and counties in the world. Many positions are vacant every month, and it is up to the officials to figure out how to fill the vacancies.
This is the job of the official department, simple and unpretentious.
Just half an hour into today's ministry meeting, a clerk stood outside the court and reported: "Lin Xiuzan from the Hanlin Academy wants to see the heavenly official."
Yang Wei, the Minister of Civil Affairs, was a little surprised. Why did Lin Tailai pay him a public visit? Ci officials had their own system, and they had no control over the Imperial Academy.
Besides, usually, if something happened to Lin Tailai, he would always greet him through his chief assistant, Shen Shixing, and basically never come to him directly.
After thinking about it, Yang Wei declined politely: "Tell him, there is a ministry meeting going on now, and I can't get away, so I disappeared first."
Among those present, except Zhao Zhigao, the left minister, others such as Chen Younian and Zhao Nanxing from the Selected Literature Department were Lin Tailai's mortal enemies.
The Qingliu forces occupy a near-monopoly among the middle-level officials.
So if Lin Tailai comes in now, it will definitely cause trouble. If there is a fight on the spot, it will be too ugly.
Yang Tianguan is in his seventies and cannot bear too much stimulation.
But the secretary added: "Lin Xiuzhuan also claimed that he came here with official business under the instructions of Master Chen, the head of the academy."
Zhao Nanxing sneered and said: "What kind of official business can there be between the Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Personnel? You might as well come in and discuss it publicly."
He also thought that there was some secret transaction between Lin Tailai and Yang Shangshu, but Yang Shangshu didn't want to make it public, so he just ran away.
The left minister Zhao Zhigao, who didn't talk much, said quickly: "Since we have to give a public opinion, let Lin Xiuzhan come in and talk about it face to face!"
Yang Tianguan stopped talking and just glanced at Zhao Nanxing. Why are you guys so stubborn?
So the secretary went to invite Lin Xiuzhan again. When he walked to the gate, he saw Lin Xiuzhan standing at the second gate, talking to the officers and soldiers guarding the second gate.
"You, the gatekeepers of the Ministry of Personnel, are not aware of your colleagues in the Ministry of Rites. No one will stop me when I enter the Ministry of Rites!"
It's all nonsense. The gatekeepers and soldiers just pretended not to hear it. Can the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites be the same?
There are a lot of officials coming to the Ministry of Personnel Gate every day to do business, and most of them go through the procedures in the front lobby, but who doesn’t want to enter the second gate to camp?
If we could just let people into the Ministry of Civil Affairs at will, I'm afraid hundreds of people would come here every day.
Afterwards, Lin Tailai was taken in by the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel and came to the Shangshu Hall in the inner courtyard.
Lin Tailai quickly glanced around after entering the room and said in surprise: "Even people from the Literature and Selection Department are here for such a thing like me? God is so polite."
Yang Wei, the Minister of Civil Affairs, said helplessly: "We were already having a ministry meeting, but you just happened to be meeting. What official duties do you have?"
Lin Tailai replied: "That's right. If I were to be rewarded based on my merit, the Hanlin Academy would not be able to arrange it.
Therefore, Scholar Chen asked the officials to come forward and select an equal part-time official for me to reward me as a meritorious official of this country."
Hearing the words "hero of the country", Yang Tianguan fell silent. Who doesn't know about you, Lin Tailai, who sacrificed his life for the country?
If you, Lin Tailai, hadn't slept in Sanniang's bed, would you have been able to kill Lai Sanwu in a row, defeat two big bosses, and then escape unscathed?
Moreover, the third lady will help you testify and prove your merits afterwards, blocking the criticism of everyone in the court. If you two are innocent, I am afraid that no one in the civil and military circles will believe it.
Damn it, why didn’t I have such an opportunity to make meritorious deeds when I was young?
Selection of officials is the business of the Literary and Selection Department. Chen Younian, a doctor in the Literary and Selection Department, responded: "You guys have the rules of the literary world, and there is no reason for our official department to help you get promoted in the Imperial Academy."
Lin Tailai then replied: "Probably, Master Chen thought that I was too young and needed more experience outside, so he asked me to seek a part-time job outside Ci Lin."
Zhao Nanxing, a member of the Literary and Selection Department, couldn't help but said: "Your Hanyuanfang Bureau is originally one, even if there is no place in the Hanlin Academy, there is still Zhan Shifu.
As far as I know, there are a lot of vacancies in Chunfang in Zhanshi's mansion, can't they accommodate you?"
Even if you didn't know Zhao Nanxing before, just by hearing these words, you can tell that he is not a good person!
Zhan Shifu was essentially an official subordinate to the prince. It would be set up when there was no prince, but it was just an empty structure. It was usually used for promotions in the Imperial Academy.
Nowadays, the battle over national origin has begun. Zhan Shifu, which was originally empty, will definitely become a sensitive place, and it is not impossible to even become the focus of a storm.
The reason is very simple. Others can keep a low profile on the East Palace issue, but Zhan Shifu, who is nominally an official of the Crown Prince, can't help but express his position, right?
At this time, if you persuade people to take up posts in Zhan Shifu, isn't that just pushing them to the forefront of the struggle over national origin?
Master Chen, the head of the Hanlin Academy, no longer wanted to see Lin Tailai, nor did he arrange for Lin Tailai to work part-time in Zhan Shifu.
"What? Does Lin Xiuzhuan look down on Zhan Shifu, or does he dare not hold the position of Zhan Shifu?" Zhao Nanxing said, half sarcastically, half irritatingly.
It's just a matter of a few words. If Lin Tailai really falls into the trap, wouldn't he make a lot of money?
The smile on Lin Tailai's face disappeared instantly, he snorted coldly and cursed at Zhao Nanxing:
"Are you a beast that cannot understand human language? Or are you saying that what I just said is beyond your intelligence level?"
Damn it! Zhao Nanxing was immediately furious. What if you came to the Ministry of Personnel to seek an official position and were ridiculed a few times? Didn’t others endure it like this?
You, Lin Tailai, are the first one who dares to point and insult an official from the Literature and Selection Department when he comes to ask for an official position!
Yang Tianguan immediately said: "If you have something to say, it's easy to say it! Don't humiliate others!"
Lin Tailai said arrogantly to Zhao Nanxing: "The opinion of our Hanlin Academy is that the rank of Ci officials is too valuable, and one level is worth two or three levels in other places.
It is really inappropriate for a newcomer like me who is only two months old to be promoted to the position of Ci Chen by two levels.
So I need to use the low-end grades of you foreign government agencies to transition first, so as not to be too shocking!
I have to say it so straightforwardly, how can you, a low-end yamen official like you, understand it?"
Yang Tianguan: ""
What is a low-end yamen? If you were prevented from scolding Zhao Nanxing, you would scold the officials together?
Zhao Nanxing was suddenly so angry that his face turned red and his whole body was shaking.
Ever since he became a member of the Literary Selection Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, he has almost stood at the top of the official discrimination chain!
He was always the one scolding others, but when had he ever been scolded by someone in return for a low-end government office or a country official?
Lin Tailai not only scolded Zhao Nanxing, but also included the entire staff, but no one could publicly refute it!
Because in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty, discrimination was encouraged.
In addition to the institutionalized grades, there are also those that are not directly reflected in the regulations, forming a chain of discrimination.
Officials in the Ministry of Personnel and Ke Dao are all top-notch in terms of rank, and can discriminate against all other yamen, and their qualifications are very high.
But above the officials and officials, there are Ci officials! Ci officials are so powerful that even officials and officials can despise them.
Therefore, Lin Tailai, the poet, here denounced the official department as a low-end yamen, which is "reasonable" in the official culture of discrimination.
It's just like civil servants oppressing military attachés, and Jinshi discriminating against Juren. It's very reasonable.
Even if the officials were privately dissatisfied and could even think of ways to retaliate, on the surface they could only listen, and Zhao Nanxing himself could not retaliate.
Since others can't talk back, Lin Xiuzhan's three consecutive outputs are gushing:
"You are a piece of trash that even a bastard cannot choose. Even Zhang Juzheng didn't like you back then!
After working for ten years, I got lucky and got into Shen Li's lap, and I was able to enter the Literary and Selection Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs! As expected, my name is Zhao Nanxing, but I can't find Bei immediately?
Now that your old benefactor Shen Li is gone, why don't you follow him? Why are you still staying in the court?"
Damn it! Zhao Nanxing finally broke through his defense and stood up violently!
Lin Tailai seemed ready to make a move when he saw Zhao Nanxing. He took another big step, walked up to Zhao Nanxing, stretched out his face and shouted:
"By the way, the "Jin Ping Mei" you wrote is really good. Why not go home and write another one!"
Zhao Nanxing looked at the face right in front of him and couldn't help but punch him!
Lin Tailai turned his head to dodge, but Zhao Nanxing's fist still hit Lin Tailai hard in the chest.
After a muffled sound, everyone saw Lin Tailai squatting down in pain, covering his heart.
Yang Tianguan: ""
He knew that if he let Lin Tailai in, such a scene would happen.
Zhao Nanxing wanted to continue fighting, but Chen Younian, a doctor in the literary selection department, rushed forward, hugged Zhao Nanxing tightly, and shouted: "Calm down! Think of Tie Ruyi!"
At last year's Winter Solstice banquet, Zhao Nanxing, who was identified as the author of "Jin Ping Mei", was so angry that he "injured" Lin Tailai with Tie Ruyi, and then the Qingliu forces paid a heavy price for peace.
Seeing the calm Chen Younian, Lin Tailai sighed secretly. It seemed that he would not continue. The second time he used the same move, the effect was almost useless.
Thinking of this, Lin Tailai suddenly discovered that the Qingliu forces and the later Donglin Party were actually a bit like the Five Xiaoqiang.
His slogans are passionate, his actions are brave, and his level is not high at first, so he can't be killed completely.
Putting aside useless thoughts, Lin Tailai stood up and shouted: "The officials of the Literary and Selection Department of the Ministry of Personnel beat the meritorious officials!"
Yang Tianguan said irritably: "Stop barking! Just tell me what to do!"
Lin Tailai pointed at Zhao Nanxing, who had a distorted expression, "He killed someone to pay off debts and money. After he beat me, he gave me his official position. Isn't this reasonable?
After all, my official selection range is from the fifth rank of the six departments, so that it can barely match my Hanlin status.
And Zhao Nanxing’s Yuanwailang is from the fifth rank, isn’t it a coincidence?”
Everyone in the official department: ""
So this is your purpose here, Lin Tailai? You didn’t come to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to elect officials, but you wanted to get involved and stay?
The Wenxuan Department is known as the best department in the world. You, Lin Tailai, only received one punch, and you want to replace him as a member of the Wenxuan Department. This is not called cheating, this is blackmail!
Yang Tianguan vetoed it without even thinking, "Absolutely impossible! According to the current rules of the imperial court, the civil servants and Ci ministers must be separated. Ci ministers cannot concurrently serve as officials, nor can they be directly transferred to the Li ministry!"
Ci ministers belong to the cabinet line. If they are combined with officials from another main line, it will be very inconsistent with the checks and balances principle of the Ming Dynasty officialdom.
Although there are exceptions, they are definitely not the rule. If even the Minister of Civil Affairs does not support it, it is impossible to be an exception.
Although Yang Wei is regarded as a party member of Shen Shixing and usually does things under Shen Shixing's instructions, it does not mean that he does not have his own will.
As an old-school bureaucrat, he would rather tolerate the Qingliu forces entrenched in the official department than let Lin Tailai enter the official department!
The Qingliu forces at least abide by the rules to a certain extent, but Lin Tailai is someone who has no rules at all.
A boy from the sixth grade dared to shoot Ming Dy randomly into his own home!
If a person like this, who has been connived by the chief minister without any bottom line, joins the Ministry of Personnel, then what right does he, a heavenly official, have within the Ministry of Personnel? It is better to resign.
Seeing Yang Wei's attitude, Lin Tailai asked: "If Zhao Nanxing, a member of the Literary and Selection Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, beat me, it was in vain?"
An old bureaucrat is never out of ideas when it comes to operational details. Yang Wei replied without hesitation: "Gu Xiancheng, the foreign minister of the Gong Gong Examination Department, and Ding You, transferred Zhao Nanxing to the Gong Gong Examination Department!"
The merit examination department is slightly worse than the literary selection department, so switching from the literary selection department to the merit examination department is considered a punishment.
Lin Tailai said reluctantly: "Then the literary selection department member Wailang is vacant again?"
"Don't think about this position!" Yang Tianguan said without any doubt, "Unless I am removed from the position of Minister of the Ministry of Personnel!"
Zhao Zhigao sighed, what a sin, even the dignified officials of the Ministry of Civil Affairs could only resign to restrain Lin Tailai.
Lin Tailai said dissatisfied: "Then how to arrange for me? Is there any other position that can be worthy of me?"
Yang Wei was not willing to completely fall out, so he proposed another favorable condition: "You can go to another department and you can choose a genuine fifth-grade one!"
You, Lin Tailai, can be wherever you are. It doesn't matter if I help you run the fifth grade, as long as you are not in the official department!
Lin Tailai thought for a moment and said, "Then there are only full vacancies in the Host and Guest Department of the Etiquette Department right now, right?"
Yang Wei advised: "What's wrong with the Ministry of Rites? It's a noble position, and your ministers' part-time positions are usually in the Ministry of Rites. What's more, your achievements this time are mostly related to the business of the host and guest department.
Therefore, it is indeed legitimate for you to be the official host and guest. All parties in the court have nothing to say, and there is probably no resistance.
Moreover, there is a vacancy in the host and guest department, and you can easily be promoted to the fifth rank, so what else is there to be dissatisfied about?"
Lin Tailai thought about it and decided that it was acceptable to go to the Host and Guest Department, even though he was not as powerful as the Staff Department.
The next many years will be a period of frequent "foreign affairs", with North Korea, Japan, Tusi, and Xifan Hongmao all being active.
So he didn't have to worry about having nothing to do in the host and guest department, and he could even take the opportunity to make a louder voice in the court.
It would be equally satisfying to seize the opportunity to take over foreign trade affairs and capture Matteo Ricci to compile science textbooks.
After completing the psychological construction, Lin Tailai said to Yang Tianguan: "Very good, so how can I become the undisputed doctor of the host and guest?"
Yang Wei said very professionally: "The first step is to draft the candidate; the second step is to obtain the approval of the person in charge of the Ministry of Rites; the third step is to report to the emperor for approval."
Lin Tailai stared at Chen Younian, the doctor in the literature and selection department, "Is there no problem with the nomination of the official department? Otherwise, wouldn't my beating by Zhao Nanxing be in vain?"
Chen Younian remained silent. In order to protect Zhao Nanxing's safety, he did not dare to use his authority to fight.
Lin Tailai took it as acquiescence, turned around and went to the Etiquette Department to continue his work.
Chen Younian said to Zhao Nanxing: "Zhao Jun! Don't be so impulsive next time! We can't lose any more men!"
