The capital of Chang'an is still prosperous, especially after the goods from Guandong were transshipped.
Outside the Weiqiao warehouse transfer yard, Zhou Lang, who was delivering goods from Shaanzhou, cursed: "Beat every day, every month, there are martial artists everywhere. I won't be delivering goods next year."
"I was scared on Thursday." Someone laughed: "Who is willing to come? There are only two vassal towns in Hebei that are willing to offer sacrifices now. In Henan, Xuanwu, Ziqing, Xuanyi, Youguo, and Fengguo are still there.
If you submit the confession and continue the fight, I don’t know if there will be any excuse for it to stop.”
"It's okay to stop. The Shaanzhou Transfer Hospital will close as soon as possible to save us from the corvee."
"You have a pretty good idea. I'll probably send you to Xiashi to build a fort by then, which will exhaust you to death."
"The imperial court seems to be in trouble, and no one is taking it seriously."
The masters were scolding and did not want to come, but scholars from all over the country were still flocking to Chang'an in waves.
Most of them came here last year and have been going around doing rolls and having garden parties.
The purpose of writing papers is to win the favor of high-ranking officials.
The imperial examinations were usually presided over by the Minister of Rites, and sometimes he was the best person to write papers for before the exam. But in fact, few people did this directly. Even if they did, the poetry collection would most likely be returned.
If it's more intense, just throw it out the door.
You have to know how to take detours!
Garden parties are also very important. This is an important step in building momentum. If you say that you write good poems but no one recognizes them, then go to various parties. Reciting poems and writing poems as long as they are of high quality will most likely become an instant hit.
.And as your reputation grows, it may spread to the ears of some powerful person.
Furthermore, some high-ranking officials and dignitaries often attend gatherings among scholars. If we can take the opportunity to get acquainted, that would be great and save a lot of trouble.
Write a hundred and eighty poems before the exam, and then select some of the best ones and find opportunities to write the exam. If you don't know how to do this, you will probably never pass the exam.
"I heard that Prime Minister Du just came back from Bianzhou, passed through Tongzhou, and collected a bunch of papers." Someone in the wine shop said mysteriously.
The people here are basically kunai scholars. They may have some connections in the local area and can pass the examination, but when they get to the capital, there is really nothing they can do, so they are all full of complaints.
It was not that they were really lacking in talent and learning. In fact, it was not that easy to pass the state and county exams. They must have studied hard for many years, and then they were full of confidence and felt that they had two brushes. They happily ran to Chang'an to take the Jinshi exam.
Some people even worked in the feudal shogunate for a long time. After their families had some savings, they went to Chang'an with their money to fulfill their dream of becoming a Jinshi.
The official position in a feudal town is really not a good place to be. Only being named on the golden list, serving as an official in the court, and helping the world are the dreams of these scholars.
"Why are the papers collected in Tongzhou?" Someone asked, puzzled.
"I heard that it was handed over to him by Shao Shude, the king of Lingwu County. Someone wrote the scroll for Taifu Shao. After reading it, he felt that the writing was brilliant, so he gave it to Prime Minister Du. Prime Minister Du also thought it was good and probably wanted to show it to Liu Shilang."
"Shao Shude is a martial artist. What kind of poetry does he know? After so many years, I haven't heard of him having any poems. This is not a running scroll, but a tribute, right?"
Everyone was convinced after hearing this, but there was regret that could not be concealed in their eyes. Why didn't I think of this way?
Taifu Shao conquered the east and west and made great achievements in the war. He recovered the lost land in Helong and conquered the Tibetan people. He also attacked the powerful officials such as Tian Lingzi and Yang Fugong. The year before last, he also sent people to defeat the Jing division and relieved Chang'an from the danger of being invaded and thinning the city. He was very popular among the scholars. The reputation is still very good.
But no matter how regretful I am, I'm afraid it's too late. The exam will be held in less than ten days, and there is no time to rush to Tongzhou and return to Chang'an.
If I had thought of this section earlier and written more flattering poems praising Taifu Shao's illustrious military exploits, I might have been favored and had high school prospects.
"I heard rumors in the capital that Prime Minister Du has lost power. Will Minister Liu be willing to accept the paper he handed over?" someone else asked.
"I'm afraid I have to accept it even if I don't accept it. Prime Minister Du only said that it was handed over by the Prince of Lingwu County, so Liu Shilang didn't dare to say anything."
Liu Shilang was Liu Chongwang. He once followed Zhang Jun in the Western Expedition as a camp judge. After returning from a great defeat, he was sent to supervise the compilation of national history. However, his brother Chonggui became the prime minister, so he soon rose again and was promoted to Minister of Rites. Presided over the scientific examination in late March of the third year of Dashun.
"Prince Lingwu led his army to the east and defeated Zhu Quanzhong. He should be the strongest town in the world. What he said still has weight. If Liu Shilang wants to continue, he will have to give in. The paper handed over , it’s probably impossible to hit them all, but it’s very possible to hit some of them.”
"Really defeat Zhu Quanzhong?"
"How can this be false?"
"Henan soldiers can still fight. It is not an exaggeration to say that the army is the strongest in the world. How can Taifu Shao win?"
Henan is really in trouble!
Not to mention, in the past ten years alone, thieves such as Huang Chao and Qin Zongquan have repeatedly caused harm, and the people have been forced to form strongholds to protect themselves. The martial arts among the people has flourished, turning a place where people gather together into a place full of brave and ruthless people. A place of seniority.
There is no one in the towns in the world who doesn't want to go to Henan to recruit troops. Even Taifu Shao has recruited more than once. It is obvious that he is better at fighting than his people in Shuofang.
"It doesn't matter how he wins. Now that Shaanxi Town has indeed surrendered to him, Zhu Quanzhong is probably really defeated."
"Most of the towns in Guanzhong are already in their hands. If something happens in the future, who can save them?" Someone suddenly raised this question, and everyone who heard it was silent.
Some people were filled with righteous indignation, some were hesitant to speak, and some were thoughtful. Maybe it's not too late to go to Du Gennen's house to write the scroll?
Pick some poems and articles that you are proud of, ask Qiaoer to mount them, bind them, and deliver them to Prime Minister Du's house? It might not be possible in ordinary times, but Prime Minister Du is obviously selecting talents for the King of Lingwu County at this time, so this is an opportunity.
This was the trick Han Tuizhi used when he asked Zheng Yuqing to write documents.
The scholars were discussing again, and at this time, there was another scene in the Du Mansion.
"Zhu Quanzhong seems to be loyal and traitorous, while Shao Shude is ambitious. The two of them are fighting each other, and the government's financial plan is unsustainable. What can be done?" Du Honghui, who serves as the Minister of Household Affairs, also came. When they met, he lamented that he was in charge.
I have money and food.
Du Rangneng remained silent.
"Eldest brother?" Du Honghui talked a lot. Seeing that his brother still didn't reply, he was a little surprised and asked.
"Sanlang, my brother is very likely to be dismissed." After a long time, Du Rangneng sighed and said.
"But Wei Zhaodu is going back to Beijing?" Du Honghui asked after thinking for a while.
Wei Zhaodu was the military governor of Xichuan, but he led tens of thousands of troops to besiege Chengdu and delayed the siege to no avail. At the same time, he was at odds with Zhu Mei, the military governor of Dongchuan. Zhu Mei threatened that if he wanted to mobilize Dongchuan troops to assist Chengdu, he would have to
Only by letting Wei Zhaodu resign.
Zhu Mei's words carry a lot of weight, because he is about to conquer Suizhou Town and ranks first among all the armies in Jiannan.
Qiongnan Jiedu envoy Ximen Wentong covers the territory of four states, and has recently begun to expand eastward, attacking Mei and Jiazhou, and competing with Longjian Jiedu envoy Zhao Jian in the Pengzhou area. The two are ranked second in strength.
, three persons.
Shence generals Li Yuan and Mancun occupied Han, Jian and other places separately. Their strength was so weak that they were not worth mentioning.
The sage has agreed with Wei Zhaodu to return to Beijing. Although he has just left Chengdu, his return to the throne is already a certainty.
Considering that Zheng Yanchang, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, was promoted to the position of Minister of Zhongshu a few months ago, he was responsible for cooperating with Zhang Shi, judging branches, and solving financial problems for the court. Now there are four prime ministers in the court: Liu, Cui, Zheng, and Du.
, if Wei Zhaodu returns to Beijing, one person will definitely have to leave, and this person will most likely be Du Ranneng.
"It's the matter of Wei Zhaodu returning to Beijing to serve as prime minister." Du Rangneng sighed and said somewhat sadly: "I wanted to serve the court and be loyal to the saint, but no, no!"
Among the current prime ministers, Liu Chonggui of Huazhou was a good man. He was good at both calligraphy and painting, and was quite accomplished in poetry and prose. He was also shrewd and experienced in politics. But perhaps he was too shrewd. I felt that he was just messing around recently.
If you don't want to do your best, maybe there's nothing you can do if you want to, so you just play it safe.
I attend literary gatherings from time to time and feel free and easy.
Cui Zhaowei of Beizhou had evil intentions, was extremely power-hungry, and acted recklessly and recklessly, which often made Du Rangneng feel frightened. But the saint still trusted him so much that he really didn't know what to say.
Zheng Yanchang of Zhengzhou, the sage promoted him to solve financial problems, but he didn't know whether he could do a good job.
Du Rangneng is not very optimistic about this. This year, there have been a few fewer vassal towns to offer sacrifices. It is conceivable that there will be fewer and fewer in the future. The sentence of three divisions and the sentence of Duzhi are like a fire pit. Anyone who enters will shorten his life by several years.
"Brother, if things don't go well in the court, it's better to follow Xu Yuzhi's example and go out to the outer vassal." Du Honghui suggested.
"Where can I find it?"
"Lingnan West Road may be possible," Du Honghui replied.
Last year, the imperial court ordered Wuwei Army Jiedushi (former Hunan Observer Envoy) Zhou Yue to move to Lingnan West Road, but Zhou Yue did not arrive at the town and remained in Tanzhou.
Deng Chune, the governor of Shaozhou, and Leiman, the governor of Langzhou, secretly formed an alliance to deal with Zhou Yue together. He should not be able to serve. Then it might be better to let the court re-appoint Commander Yong. This may be an opportunity.
"Are there no other Fangzhens?" Du Rangneng asked expressionlessly.
Du Honghui was startled. His brother was smart and capable, how could he ask such a question?
"Kuixia Li Kan, it is quite inappropriate for one person to be responsible for two towns. Maybe one of them can be appointed as a commander out of the town. However, I think the eldest brother also knows what kind of temperament he has. I don't recommend that he go."
"Du Hong of the Wuchang Army had a rift with Zhao Deqian of Xiangyang, and secretly helped Lei Man, a barbarian from Langzhou. Li Kan hated him deeply. If he wanted to send troops to attack him, he might as well call him into the court as an official, and he might agree. However, a place with chaos and chaos is not a good place to go.
.”
"Zhong Chuan is causing trouble in Jiangxi, and I don't recommend that my brother go."
"The Fujian observation envoy Chen Yan died of illness, and Yan's wife and brother took Fan Hui to the throne and fought with Quanzhou governor Wang Shenchao."
"Eastern Zhejiang, that's all."
Du Honghui said a lot, and the meaning was very clear. In the past two years, the court could appoint military envoys in many southern vassal towns and collect taxes, but now it seems that it is not possible to appoint military envoys and can only collect taxes. Now
In a few years, I'm afraid I won't be able to collect taxes.
Lingnan East, West Erdao, and central Guizhou, these three towns are probably the only vassal towns today where the imperial court can appoint Jiedu envoys. There is nowhere else to go.
In fact, there is one in the north, and that is Wuning Town.
Zhu Quanzhong went to the court again and asked Shi Pu to move to the town. Shi Pu must have been timid, thinking that staying in Xuzhou would be a dead end and the family would not be safe, so he did not want to move to the town because there was no good place to go, so he might as well become an official in the court.
.
The imperial court agreed to Shi Pu's request to enter the court.
But when things came to pass, Shi Pu regretted it again. Because he felt that Zhu Quanzhong was cunning, ruthless and had no faith. Once he left Xuzhou, he might be killed by Zhu Quanzhong, so he decided to stay in Xuzhou and fight to the end.
Zhu Quanzhong is probably a little depressed too. Reputation actually has this effect?
"How about leaving Liangzhou?" Du Renneng suddenly asked.
Du Honghui was stunned for a moment and was about to say something when he suddenly thought of his brother's recent stay in Tongzhou and collected a bunch of papers, and he seemed to have some realization.
Could this move be a way to prepare the shogunate team in advance?
"Brother, how long have you had this thought?"
"Not long ago, the news came that Wei Zhaodu had returned to Beijing." Du Renneng shook his head and said, "There is nothing we can do about it. If there is nothing we can do, it is better to avoid the disaster and leave."
"Shao Shude has great ambitions..." Du Honghui hesitated for a moment and then said.
"The Du family in Jingzhao, which has been the prestige of the county for hundreds of years, cannot be destroyed in my hands." Du Rangneng said: "Today, the three families of Shao, Zhu and Li are the most powerful. Quanzhong lives in the place where the four battles are fought.
With the confinement of Jinyang, Wei Shude and his sword in the pass, we can sweep away all the heroes, defeat all loyalists, and look at the Central Plains. The situation can be said to be the best."
There is no need to say more.
There were Du family in Jingzhao, Du Zhou and Du Ji in the Han Dynasty, Du Yu in the Jin Dynasty, Du Ruhui who went to Lingyan Pavilion in the imperial dynasty, and a total of nine prime ministers. There were also Du Fu and Du Mu in the literary world, which can be said to be a gathering of heroes.
At this time of reform, if we cannot make a difference, we may sink for hundreds of years, which is unbearable.
It is self-evident which one is more important, family or country.
Of course, it is impossible for the Du family to put all their bets on Shao Shude. Just like the Xiao family, there are also people assisting Quanzhong, and they are even optimistic about Wang Chongrong. Xiao Yuan himself served as the military governor of Longyou to serve Shude.
The Du family also has other branch lines. How to choose is their business and has nothing to do with the main line. Everyone just depends on their own abilities.
"Let's wait until the Spring Festival is over and the Ministry of Rites' Spring List is released." Du Rongneng finally said: "Brother has taken a fancy to some talents. If he can take them to Liangzhou, it will be a lot easier."