In the last few days of the year, what came from the capital was not only the news that Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue and Wang Xijue had resigned, but also Zhao Zhigao's letter.
The letter was included in the official documents sent to the county government and was sent through the official delivery system. After the county government saw it, it was delivered to the official Lin.
Although letters sent through this channel are difficult to keep confidential, so confidential matters will not be clearly written on them.
But we are all cultural people, and we can use many metaphors to make the recipient understand it tacitly after reading it.
For example, in this letter, Zhao Zhigao talks about King Zhuang of Chu.
So Lin Daguan understood and Zhao Zhigao hinted that he wanted to play a big role and directly become the first assistant.
After all, the most famous jokes of King Chuzhuang are "Three years of non-flying, one soars into the sky; three years of non-flying, one will become a blockbuster", and "Ask the importance of the Nine Cauldrons".
Official Lin couldn't help but murmur in his heart, why did Mr. Zhao become so radical? Who gave him the courage?
This was not something I instigated. In my own mind, it was enough for Zhao Zhigao to be a secondary assistant.
I don’t know if Old Man Zhao can succeed. I hope that even if he doesn’t succeed, he won’t be successful.
Lin Tailai didn't care whether Zhao Zhigao could become the first assistant, but he was worried that he wouldn't be able to keep his current position.
Just as I was thinking about Zhao Zhigao, I heard a report saying that Master Youqing of the Xu family in Songjiang had arrived.
So Lin Tailai temporarily put down Zhao Zhigao's letter, called his son Lin Jiuyi, and went to Yimen to greet him.
This Xu Youqing is the great-grandson of Xu Jie, the original chief assistant, and he and Lin Tailai have known each other for several years.
Previously, Xu Youqing was a secret official in the capital and was bullied by Xing Shangzhi, the factory steward. Lin Tailai avenged Xu Youqing.
The year before last, Lin Tailai visited Songjiang Prefecture on an eastward tour and made an in-law agreement with the Xu family. He married his eldest son, Lin Jiuyi, to Xu Youqing's daughter, so now Lin Tailai and Xu Youqing are related as sons and daughters.
This time Xu Youqing heard that Lin Tai was coming back to his hometown, and it happened to be the end of the year, so he came to visit relatives.
Lin Tailai met Xu Youqing, then called his six-year-old eldest son Lin Jiuyi to come forward to pay homage, and then went into the hall and took a seat.
Xu Youqing observed his words and asked, "Jiu Yuan seems to have something on his mind?"
Lin Tailai said casually: "The first and second assistants have both resigned, and even I am a little unsure of the next move of the court.
Senior Zhao Lanxi, the fourth assistant, hinted that he wants to surpass the third assistant Wang Jiaping and compete for the position of first assistant."
Xu Youqing: "."
Is he allowed to hear such confidential matters? Or does Lin Jiuyuan no longer treat him as an outsider?
Official Lin explained in detail: "Actually, senior Zhao Lanxi does not need to be so anxious. I am sure that even if Wang Jiaping becomes the first assistant, he will not last long.
After all, Wang Jiaping's camp position was irreconcilable with the emperor's. It was okay for him to be the second and third assistants, but he really couldn't survive as the first assistant.
In any case, the emperor would not be willing to let a person who fully supports the Qingliu forces be the first assistant. Sooner or later he would not be able to stand Wang Jiaping.
So Senior Zhao only needs to sit back and wait until he becomes the first assistant, but Senior Zhao wants to take action now, so he is still anxious."
Xu Youqing could only remain stunned and continued: "Not everyone is as far-sighted as Jiuyuan, let alone others who are still in the game.
In Zhao Lanxi's eyes, this may be one of the few opportunities in his life, so he naturally refuses to miss it."
Lin Tailai said calmly: "Let's not mention these annoying things for now. No matter how the cabinet changes, it doesn't matter."
Xu Youqing, who also had a chief minister in his family, was secretly frightened. When his great-grandfather Xu Jie, the chief minister, resigned, his grandfather Xu Fan was exiled from the army.
Lin Jiuyuan cannot be said to be indifferent to changes in the cabinet or even the replacement of the chief minister, but he does not seem nervous, as if it does not matter who he replaces.
This shows that Lin Jiuyuan has a solid foundation and is so confident that he is not affected by changes in the cabinet.
Lin Tailai pointed to Lin Jiuyi, the eldest son of the concubine, and said to Xu Youqing: "My son has grown up and is about to teach me a lesson. Can you recommend a famous teacher from Songjiang? You are his father-in-law, so please be considerate!"
Xu Youqing wondered why he should look for a teacher specifically from Songjiang Prefecture? Suzhou is full of famous people, so why can't he find a suitable teacher?
Xu Youqing didn’t need to second guess, Lin Tailai explained straightforwardly: “Suzhou is too small to accommodate a bunch of children and grandchildren.
I think Songjiang Prefecture has 5,000 acres of fertile land of my Lin family, 1,000 Suzhou Guards garrison, the business of Xinwu Club, and the seawall project of the General Engineering Bureau of Lin Group.
In the future, I want to give this son a military officer position and divide the family into Songjiang Prefecture, which will also count as my Lin family establishing another branch in Songjiang Prefecture."
Xu Youqing suddenly realized that it was no wonder he wanted to find a teacher from Songjiang for Lin Jiuyi.
This also increases Lin Jiuyi's background strength in Songjiang Prefecture, so it is best for this teacher to come from a famous family in Songjiang Prefecture.
"Yes! I'll look for a suitable one when I get back to Songjiang Mansion." Xu Youqing agreed.
The two sides then had a candid exchange of views on the recent tax resistance movement in Songjiang Prefecture, and the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves greatly.
At this time, Zhang Wen, the Zuo protector, came in and reported: "The governor Zhao Shenlu entered the city today and returned to the procuratorate to settle in."
Lin Tailai said in surprise: "Does he think he can do it again?"
A dying fish that has been thrown on the shore, still wants to flop a few more times?
I don’t know who in the capital will be the chief assistant in the end. The result should be out by now, but the news has not been transmitted yet.
Let's celebrate the New Year first, and at the same time expect the enemy to be lenient, and prepare for the situation in which Zhao Zhigao fails to compete for the first auxiliary position.
Under normal circumstances, unless there is a level of hatred such as the hatred for killing one's father or the hatred for taking away one's wife, it will stop for a while during the Chinese New Year.
The Lin Mansion in Suzhou is having a very lively year, mainly because Lin Tailai is back. A family of three generations and more than a dozen people are reunited, and the whole house is naturally celebrating.
Then, because of Lin Tailai's return, the number of people visiting in person to pay New Year greetings soared. From the two major archways on Jiuyuan Street to the main gate of Lin's mansion, there was always a jam.
The Lin Mansion had no choice but to open the Canglang Pavilion Garden to accommodate visitors.
According to the rules of the Lin Mansion, the first day of the Lunar New Year is the day when relatives come to visit, the second day of the Lunar New Year is the day when members of the Lin Group come to visit, and the third day of the Lunar New Year is the day when local gentry comes to visit.
There was nothing much to talk about in the first two days, but on the third and fourth day of the lunar month, hundreds of Jin gentrymen gathered in the front hall and vestibule of the Lin Mansion, with the intention of turning the front yard of the Lin Mansion into a New Year gathering place for all the literati and officials in the city.
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Mainly because the news spread that two Suzhou natives, the First Assistant and the Second Assistant, had resigned, which shocked the hearts of the gentry and officials in the city. They all needed an occasion to express their feelings.
Everyone is talking about the resignation of the two Suzhou assistant ministers, especially the first assistant Shen Shixing. Will the Suzhou Gang in the court enter a low ebb again?
"Although the imperial court still has the official Wang Tianguan and the Nine Yuan True Immortal, there is still a lack of follow-up personnel."
"Yes, there are no Suzhou people among the current ministers and governors, and there are no Suzhou people among the senior officials of Hanyuan Ci Chen. They obviously lack stamina."
"Previously, there was Prime Minister Shen as the face of Suzhou. Now that Prime Minister Shen has left the country, the problem of no one to follow up has been exposed."
"The reason for this situation is that when Prime Minister Shen was in office, Yan Guan kept an eye on our Suzhou Township Party to cause trouble.
As a result, our Suzhou officials were suspected of forming a clique behind the back of the chief minister, and it has been difficult for them to rise to power. Xu Xianqing, the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, was dismissed from office in this way."
"Isn't there Zhao Yongxian, the left minister of the Ministry of Rites of Changshu County?"
"Don't mention Zhao Yongxian again. He is obviously not following the path of the rural party."
"It's a pity that Wang Tianguan is old and not in good health. I don't know how long he can support it. If Wang Tianguan can't support it anymore, then we in Suzhou will really have no one at the top."
"So now we can only rely on Lin Jiuyuan to support the township party."
Sitting in the middle of the hall, receiving "worships" from the villagers in turn, Lin Daguan suddenly realized that he had become the hope of the whole village without knowing it.
Several fellow village officials unanimously requested that the Immortal Jiuyuan deliver a New Year's speech to everyone on the spot to boost the morale of the whole city.
Lin Tailai declined a few words, but at this moment, a government servant, holding a document, squeezed in under the leadership of Zuo Zuo Zhang Wen.
Lin Tailai opened the document and smiled at everyone: "The third assistant Wang Jiaping also resigned, and our old friend Lanxi Zhao Zhigao from Suzhou became the first assistant."
Suzhou scholar-bureaucrats were still very familiar with the name Zhao Zhigao. After all, Zhao Zhigao had been the governor of Jiangnan for one and a half years in the past few years.
A man who only became the governor of Jiangnan four years ago is now the chief minister?
Lin Tailai then said in public: "You can rest assured, although the chief assistant is no longer from Suzhou, it is still the same as before because I am still here!"
Everyone was convinced and regained confidence in the future. Everyone here knew how Zhao Zhigao became successful.
In fact, Lin Daguan was quite surprised. He didn't expect that Old Man Zhao could overthrow Wang Jiaping within a few days. Did he underestimate Old Man Zhao's fighting power?
But with Old Man Zhao as the chief assistant, I don't have to do anything deliberately anymore, I can just wait for the governor to do it myself.
In the governor's court, Governor Zhao and Tu Shufang, the prefect of Suzhou, sat opposite each other.
Governor Zhao felt that he was being treated as a clown, because among all the officials in Suzhou's yamen, only Magistrate Tu came to wish him New Year greetings.
Not even one of the military attaches from the Suzhou Guard, who were supposed to respect the governor the most, came.
"Is the tax and grain tax collected by the whole government after autumn only 70% of the quota?" Governor Zhao asked coldly.
Magistrate Tu smiled bitterly and said: "Last year there was waterlogging, so 70% of the money and grain is already considered qualified."
Governor Zhao said dissatisfied: "But my order requires 90%!"
Magistrate Tu wanted to say "unrealistic", but for the sake of being in the same camp, he tolerated it for the time being. He just replied: "The following states and counties only have these, no more."
Governor Zhao said bitterly: "Aren't these stupid state and county officials afraid of punishment by this court?"
Even the governor's authority is not taken seriously. This place really needs deep rectification!
The government orders have not been issued to the Procuratorate, so what are you fantasizing about? Magistrate Tu advised: "Don't always keep an eye on Suzhou Prefecture. The situation in Songjiang Prefecture is even more tense."
At this time, the master rushed in and shouted: "Something bad happened! Wang Shanyin also resigned, and Zhao Lanxi became the chief assistant!"
Governor Zhao was stunned for a long time. Could it be that it was not that others saw him as a clown, but that he really looked like a clown?
He had only moved back to the Procuratorate in the city for a few days, and even Wang Jiaping had left?
If I had known earlier, I would have continued to stay in the Snake Temple and not returned to the city!
Magistrate Tu shook his head, stood up and left the Inspectorate.
This governor is completely finished, what more can he say to a dead man?
The people in the territory under his jurisdiction complained a lot, officials at all levels did not listen to orders, and the central court had no support. Everything from public opinion to practical matters was completely out of control. It is not easy for a governor to get to such a point.
To be a local official, one must ultimately focus on government affairs and not fight for the sake of struggle.
Governor Zhao's biggest failure was that he only had eyes for Lin Tailai and completely ignored others, so he ended up being surrounded on all sides.
There was silence in the procuratorate, for fear of disturbing Governor Zhao who was in a daze.
Suddenly, another officer from Camp Biao came to the court to report: "There is someone outside the door paying New Year's greetings."
Governor Zhao gradually came to his senses. Who in Suzhou was so friendly and came to pay New Year greetings at such a time?
The lieutenant general replied: "Sun Long, the weaving eunuch of Suhang, also brought several boxes of silver, saying it was tax money."
"Get out! Let him get out!" Governor Zhao broke the guard.
Originally, he wanted to stir up trouble in the city, and then "the conflict escalated", but now this idea has been extinguished.
There is no one of his own in the cabinet. If he still stirs up trouble, he will commit suicide.
The only thing that can be done is to order the officers and soldiers of Biaoying to guard the Procuratorate and continue to endure like this.
As long as nothing happens, he can keep himself in the procuratorate until the end of his term.
I have to say that Governor Zhao's mentality is like an ostrich burying its head in the soil.
After the first month, the imperial court, which was gradually returning to normal operations, issued an edict to the Suzhou Procuratorate, and strictly ordered Yingtian Governor Zhao Shenlu to go to Songjiang Prefecture to quell the tax resistance within a month.
At the same time, due to the tight transportation capacity this year, five hundred officers and soldiers were allocated from the governor's Biao Camp to escort the white grain used by the palace northward.
The ruling system of the Ming Dynasty has not yet collapsed. If the governor disobeys the edict, he will have to be dismissed and punished.
Governor Zhao could only lead the remaining several hundred soldiers and march eastward along the Wusong River to Songjiang Mansion.
The distance between Suzhou and Songjiang Prefecture is too close. Although Governor Zhao drove slowly along the way, he still entered Songjiang Prefecture two days later.
Now, after two years of opening up and construction, several new river ports have been built on the Wusong River, especially in the newly dredged lower reaches, in order to cater for the coming maritime trade era.
Qinglong Port, not far from the junction of Suzhou and Songjiang Prefecture, is one of them, and it is also a relatively prosperous one.
After Governor Zhao's fleet arrived at Qinglong Port, it was difficult to move forward.
Because there are dozens of boats connected on the river, completely blocking the river.
The road on land was also piled with wood and rocks to form a temporary fortress, completely blocking Governor Zhao's way into the hinterland of Songjiang Prefecture.
After looking at the few hundred soldiers left under his command, Governor Zhao ordered a U-turn and retreated to Suzhou.
But on the way here, at the border of Kunshan County, both waterways and land routes were tightly blocked by angry mobs.
So the governor and his party, hundreds of people, were trapped within a few miles of the junction of the two governments, and were in a dilemma.
After being trapped for several days, the governor committed suicide by jumping into the river, but he was rescued and became seriously ill. Shangshu resigned from his post and could not leave.
The people of Suzhou expressed that their mood was very stable. It was not like they had never seen this kind of drama before, and it was no different from before.
Lin Tailai, who was inspecting the Humble Administrator's Garden, heard the news and asked worriedly: "Where did the governor dance?"
Zhang Wen, the Zuo protector, replied: "The place where the governor jumped into the river was reported to be within Songjiang Prefecture."
Lin Tailai breathed a sigh of relief and said thankfully: "As long as it's not in Suzhou, I'll be relieved. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to explain it clearly if I had the words to speak."
Then he gave instructions: "Send our best doctors from Suzhou to avoid chilling people's hearts."