In early spring in February, it turns warm and cold, but it is the real beginning of the year's livelihood. Farmers begin to prepare for spring plowing, merchants begin to prepare to go out, and the canal army begins to move out.
Zhao Shenlu, the governor of Yingtian, was dismissed from his post and set off to return to his hometown. The journey was not far. Everyone knew that he was from the neighboring province of Zhejiang.
It may be a coincidence that after Governor Zhao lost his official position, the public grievances in the Susong area subsided immediately.
Tu Shu Fang Nian, the prefect of Suzhou, sent Zhao Canlu to Wujiang County out of friendship with the same province and camp.
Going further south is beyond the boundary of Suzhou, and Tu Zhifu cannot go further.
Looking at Zhao Shenlu who was still bedridden and with white hair, Magistrate Tu felt sorry for him and sighed: "Don't think about it anymore, I just want to have a good rest after returning home."
Zhao Canlu felt a little resentful. He felt that Magistrate Tu's support for him was insufficient.
Everyone took office together and should have cooperated closely with each other. He has been working hard, but Tu Shufang has been timid.
If the prefect has this attitude, then the counties below will be even more obedient and disobey them, causing the governor's decree to fail.
Tu Shufang said helplessly: "It's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that I don't have the ability to help you. It would be nice if I could try my best to protect myself.
Because I discovered in the government office that even if we officials are gone, there seems to be no impact at all."
"What do you mean by this? Is it an excuse?" Zhao Shenlu asked.
Tu Shufang replied: "What I mean is that even if all our officials disappear, Suzhou City seems to be able to operate as usual without being affected at all.
In other words, Suzhou City does not need officials like us, and our role to the people of Suzhou is insignificant.
Faced with such a situation, how can we superfluous people win in Suzhou? How can I support you?"
As another failed governor, Zhao Shenlu left Suzhou while lying in bed while seriously ill.
Suzhou people have discovered a pattern: failed governors and successful governors have appeared alternately over the years.
After Governor Wei who was dismissed from office, there was the successful Zhao Zhigao, then Governor Li who committed suicide, then the successful Zhou Ji, and then Zhao Canlu who attempted suicide this time.
Since the governor failed this time, he will probably be successful next time.
However, after seeing off Zhao Canlu, Tu Zhifu continued to stay in Wujiang County, the south gate of Suzhou Prefecture.
In official entertainment, in addition to sending off, there is also welcoming.
The Minister of Rites, the Minister of Rites, entered Wenyuan Pavilion and participated in the maintenance of the machine. Zhu Geng, the great scholar of Jiadian Pavilion, set out from his hometown in Shanyin County, Zhejiang Province to take office in the capital, and happened to pass by Suzhou Prefecture.
The etiquette in officialdom has its own set of rules. As a new cabinet minister, Zhu Geng is definitely worthy of being greeted by his superiors at the border of his own government whenever he crosses the border.
Two days after Zhao Shenlu left, Magistrate Tu welcomed Mr. Zhu Ge's boat in Wujiang County.
Magistrate Tu is also from Zhejiang, so he and Mr. Zhu Ge can find something in common so that they won't have nothing to say.
Speaking of which, Zhejiang may be the most divided province in the current imperial court.
Officials in other provinces are generally united and have a sense of solidarity with each other, but this is not the case in Zhejiang at all.
The top leaders of the Qingliu forces, such as Lu Guangzu, Sun Quan, and Chen Younian, were all from Zhejiang. In history, these three people also became ministers of the Ministry of Personnel.
However, Shen Yiguan, who has a good relationship with Shen Shixing, and Zhao Zhigao, who was pushed to the position by Lin Jiuyuan, are also from Zhejiang.
Therefore, it is really difficult to judge the political stance of a Zhejiang official based on his place of origin. It mainly depends on his social circle.
After getting acquainted with each other for a while, Magistrate Tu still wanted to make some insinuations and ask Wang Xijue why he recommended Zhu Geng.
This is a question that most officials are curious about. After all, Wang Xijue and Zhu Geng are obviously incompatible with each other.
However, Mr. Zhu Ge asked first: "Is Lin Jiuyuan in Suzhou City right now?"
Magistrate Tu replied: "I went to Songjiang Prefecture a few days ago, but I stayed in Songjiang Prefecture for two days and then came back. I should be at home in the city now."
After hesitating for a moment, Mr. Zhu Ge asked again: "You should be familiar with Lin Jiuyuan. In your opinion, if my ship docks at Gusu Station, will Lin Jiuyuan come to visit?"
Magistrate Tu couldn't help but be stunned. What is the problem? It seems simple, but it is very strange.
After thinking for a while, Magistrate Tu helplessly replied: "I don't even know, even the lower officials."
If you were a normal serving official and met Mr. Ge passing through the border, you would definitely pay him a visit. This is the most basic official etiquette. Whether or not Mr. Ge will receive you is another matter.
But Lin Tailai is a person who, to put it mildly, is informal, and he mainly does whatever he wants.
No one could guess whether the often arrogant Lin Tailai would visit Mr. Zhu Ge who was passing through the border.
Perhaps in order to prevent the elder Ge from being angry, Magistrate Tu reassured him in advance: "It's a real celebrity who has become a romantic, so even if Lin Jiuyuan doesn't show up, it won't hurt him.
When Yan Song passed through Suzhou, he stopped his boat on the river, and Wen Zhengming, a famous scholar of his generation, did not visit him."
Magistrate Tu speculated that Mr. Zhuge might be worried about losing face.
So the implication behind the words is that if Lin Jiuyuan really doesn't take you as a pavilion boss seriously, don't take it to heart, and don't be as knowledgeable as Lin Jiuyuan. That's not a shame.
Zhu Geng glanced at Magistrate Tu and suddenly said, "What if I want to see Lin Jiuyuan?"
Tu Zhifu: "."
It turns out that what you, Mr. Zhu Ge, are not afraid of being disgraced by Lin Tailai, but that you are afraid of not being able to see Lin Tailai.
Indeed, in terms of etiquette, if you go to visit Lin Tailai as a pavilion elder, it will be too cheap and you will be laughed at by the world.
But if Lin Tailai doesn't take the initiative to visit again, it will really be like two parallel lines, making it difficult to meet.
Therefore, Mr. Zhu Ge's current mentality is that he wants to see Lin Jiuyuan, but he is afraid that Lin Jiuyuan will ignore the official rules and not come to visit.
And the key point is that Zhu Geng and Lin Jiu Yuanlai have nothing to do with each other. They don't even have a suitable middleman, and Magistrate Tu and Lin Tailai don't have such a relationship either.
With the intention of marrying Mr. Zhu Ge, Magistrate Tu thought about it carefully and came up with an idea: "If Mr. Ge is not in a hurry to go north, he can stay in Suzhou for a few more days, and he will definitely meet Lin Jiuyuan, and
No loss of dignity.”
Zhu Geng asked with great interest: "What's the explanation?"
Magistrate Tu replied: "According to reports, Duke Shen Yaoquan, the former Chief Assistant, will arrive in Suzhou City soon, and Lin Jiuyuan will definitely go out of the city to greet him!
After all, when Lin Jiuyuan debuted, he always regarded himself as a disciple of Shen Mansion. Now it is impossible for him not to welcome Duke Yaoquan back home.
If Mr. Ge stayed a few more days and went to Fengqiao to meet Prime Minister Shen, he would naturally be able to meet Lin Jiuyuan.
This will not appear too deliberate, and it will be enough to maintain the dignity of the elder."
"Very good!" Zhu Geng replied without hesitation: "Then stay a few more days until Senior Shen returns to Suzhou."
Magistrate Tu was quite surprised. Most officials hurriedly took office in order to seize power, but Mr. Zhu Ge would rather delay a few more days to meet Lin Jiuyuan.
Zhuge Lao arrived in Suzhou City and stayed at Gusu Station for a few days. As expected, Lin Jiuyuan did not come to visit.
Probably to Lin Jiuyuan, Zhu Geng, the new pavilion boss, was just an insignificant passerby.
After all, he has an iron triangle of "little brothers" like the chief minister, Tianguan, and Da Sima under him, so an ordinary pavilion boss is really just mediocre.
However, others were much more normal. Mr. Zhu Ge would not feel ignored, and Xu Xianqing, who was born in Suzhou in the same year, was always accompanying him.
At that time, they both passed the imperial examination together, were selected as Shujishi in the same academy, and then left the academy together to become editors.
At the end of the seventeenth year of Wanli, after Xu Xianqing was criticized and dismissed from office by the Qingliu forces, he returned to Suzhou and joined the Weaving Industry Office. Anyway, the Xu family in the east of the city was a large weaving industry company and had no worries about food and drink.
However, when Zhu Geng asked Xu Xianqing to help introduce Lin Jiuyuan, Xu Xianqing declined again.
A few days later, flags were fluttering on both sides of the Fengqiao river, gongs and drums were beating loudly, and there were huge crowds of people.
What happened here today may be the largest welcoming ceremony in recent decades.
Needless to say, all the government officials, gentry, rural officials, and scholars came out in droves. There was also a current cabinet minister in attendance, which was enough to raise the level of the ceremony several levels.
Accompanied by Xu Xianqing in the same year, when Mr. Zhu Ge arrived in Fengqiao Town, he saw the core of the crowd at a glance.
The Nine Yuan True Immortal, who was physically superior to others, wore a very low-key green robe and stood casually.
But a group of officials and celebrities automatically surrounded him, listening to his nonsense and praising him according to the rhythm.
"Brother, I'm not exaggerating. Lao Shen has been really bad at what he did these past few years. Whenever I'm not in the capital, something will happen.
In the fifteenth year of Wanli's reign, Lao Shen almost stepped down. Fortunately, I worked hard to save him. Suzhou also lost a good prefect and a good governor.
At the end of the seventeenth year of Wanli's reign, I went back home, and it turned out that Xu Xianqing, the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, a fellow countryman, was killed. It's a pity for Old Xu, there was still hope of joining the cabinet."
Everyone around them laughed in unison, and then looked at Xu Xianqing next to Mr. Zhu Ge, and the atmosphere suddenly became cheerful.
Lin Jiuyuan turned his back to Mr. Zhu Ge and Xu Xianqing. He seemed unaware and continued to talk nonsense.
"In the 18th year of Wanli's reign the year before last, I went to the northwest. As a result, Lao Shen lost the censor of Zuodu, and the officials of the Ministry of Civil Affairs were also in danger!
Not to mention the end of last year, I had only been back to Suzhou for a month or two, and Lao Shen couldn't even protect himself. It was really embarrassing!"
When he said this, Jiuyuan Zhenxian suddenly noticed something, turned around, and said to Xu Xianqing, who had a dark face:
"Old Xu! Why do you, the Textile Industry Office entrenched in the east of the city, go against the trend and suppress the calls of Pingjiang Road industrial and commercial households to establish a municipal management office?
We are all from the Hanlin family, how can you be so shameless? At worst, the territory of Pingjiang Road is divided into 30 and 70, you and I are 70%!"
Zhu Geng: "."
Is this a club member who talks about grabbing territory? Is he really the number one scholar in the imperial court, a minister in the Hanlin Academy, a young minister in Taichang Temple, and a doctor in the three divisions?
Xu Xianqing ignored the negotiation on community affairs initiated by Lin Tailai, pointed at Mr. Zhu Ge, and made an introduction in a somewhat irritable mood.
This was also the first time that Lin Daguan met Zhu Geng. During the years when he was causing trouble in the court, Zhu Geng had always been in his hometown, so he had never interacted with him.
Mr. Zhu Ge had no airs and said to Mr. Lin: "I have been away from the court these years and am very unfamiliar with the current situation. If Lin Jiuyuan has some leisure time, I hope he will give me some advice."
Lin Tailai was a little surprised and asked tentatively: "Senior Zhao, the current chief assistant, is a fellow countryman of yours. It is enough to have his guidance."
Zhu Geng replied: "Brother Zhao wrote a letter saying, don't miss the opportunity to pass by and communicate more with Lin Jiuyuan, you will definitely benefit a lot."
When smart people heard this, they would guess why Wang Xijue recommended Zhu Geng.
It is estimated that Wang Xijue made a deal with his chief assistant Zhao Zhigao and recommended Zhu Geng on Zhao Zhigao's behalf.
Lin Tailai was even more surprised. Zhu Geng had already joined the cabinet, so why did he need to find him?
But after a little guessing, I came up with a direction. Does Zhu Geng want to be the second assistant?
At this time, a government official suddenly greeted him loudly: "Here we come! Here we come!"
Everyone stopped talking and all faced the river, looking to the north.
When Shen Shixing appeared on the bow deck, huge cheers erupted from both sides of the river to welcome the chief minister home after being away from his hometown for decades.
Official Lin kept wondering why the old chief minister looked so radiant compared to last year.
Freed from the shackles, the unofficial and light-weight Shen Shixing disembarked from the boat and landed quickly, frowning at Lin Tailai and saying:
"Why are you still in Suzhou? How can a young man be content with contentment rather than making progress? When you reach my age, you can retire to enjoy the pleasures of forests and springs!"
Lin Daguan replied lazily: "I'm homesick as a wanderer. Why don't you stay at home for a few more months?"
Shen Shixing pointed to the north and said: "I have retreated, but your career is still over there. Aren't you afraid that if you are absent from the government for a long time, you will make mistakes?"
Lin Tailai still said indifferently: "No hurry, no rush! As the saying goes, rushing is not a business. I am waiting for the court to beg me to go back."
Everyone did not dare to disturb the conversation between the old chief assistant and Lin Daguan, but they were all speechless after hearing this.
What does it mean that the court is begging you to go back? What can happen that would make the court beg you?
Shen Shoufu asked again: "How many gardens have you built over the years?"
Lin Tailai answered truthfully: "I haven't done much repairs. I mainly buy ready-made ones so that the old timers can live wherever they want."
Second Master Shen, who was silent beside him: "."
Who is your biological son? I'm standing here, dad, can't you see?
Shen Shixing looked past the second generation of the Shen family and looked at the third generation of the Shen family who had grown up over the years with kind eyes.
"Which one is married to the Lin family?" Shen Shixing asked his son Shen Yongjia.
Shen Yongjia, who finally spoke to his father, pointed to a five or six-year-old daughter, and Shen Shixing picked up the granddaughter.
Then he smiled at everyone and said, "I can finally enjoy the fun of entertaining my grandchildren."
In the eyes of everyone, this series of words and deeds seemed as if Shen Shixing had passed on his position as the leader of the Suzhou Gang to Lin Jiuyuan.
After the grand ceremony on the shore, Shen Shixing returned to the boat and continued to move slowly along the river.
Ge Lao Zhu Geng and Lin Tailai both got on the boat and accompanied Shen Shixing into the city.
"He wants to be the second assistant." Lin Tailai pointed at Zhu Geng and said to Shen Shixing, "The Zhang position you recommend should be placed at the back. Zhang's personality is a bit headstrong and is not suitable for being too prominent."
Zhu Geng: "."
Is this how you, Lin Jiuyuan, always talk to the old chief minister? It seems that not visiting you is not treating yourself lightly.