"This general, Ma Wo, will guard Liaodong forever!"
In the Fifth Army Camp, Li Quanli and the group of military generals who came to participate in the competition had finished their meeting. Now it was time for each military general and his assistant general to meet with the new recruits under his command.
The time is already night.
The light of the torch swayed on the faces of the more than 400 soldiers standing in the open space of the camp room, and Mavo looked at them.
A general does not know a soldier, and a soldier does not know a general. Three months later, he will rely on these people to help him advance to the next round.
The Emperor actually gave them all a difficult problem, and Mavo knew it.
If you train your troops slowly, you can always train better than you are now. But you only have three months to compete with others. These three months really test the general's personal charm and ability.
Mavo got straight to the point and told them his name.
What's next? Which ones? Eat together, sleep together, practice together?
Ma Wo thought for a while and just said: "Your Majesty's grace has given me the horse flag. After three months, if you are not among the top ten, you will be a weak brigade in the fifth army camp, and I will also be a weak general! After three months
In front of the emperor, I will eat and live with you during these three months."
The man who was assisting him couldn't help but look at him: If you just say this, is it useful?
In another camp, there is now good wine and good meat.
"Did you see that? The year before last when the Tatars invaded the border, I chopped down more than ten Tatars and got the scars from being attacked by others! Damn you! I even hacked three of them to death later on!"
In the camp, there was a strong man holding a wine bowl, clinking glasses with everyone, and making a lot of noise.
He gestured to the scar on his chest with one hand, and his heroic spirit suddenly appeared.
The soldiers looked at the ferocious scars and couldn't help but be intoxicated by his story about the Northwest War.
"One of my brothers was killed!" The strong man sighed, "But! I first gave the Tatar three lives for one life, and then he fought with the officials! The money for the pension cannot be short of my soldiers! You guys are now
You are not qualified to be my soldier! No matter how you say it, I am just a thousand households. In Shaanxi, I guard a city with tens of thousands of people!"
The former commander-in-chief who assisted him also looked at the scar: What? I am just a commander-in-chief in Beijing Camp for the time being, have I wronged you?
It was quiet in another camp.
There was no banquet or lecture.
Their new "boss" was lying on the bed, still looking at the flag he could see outside the window.
Three months, strange partners, strange soldiers, and strange assessment items.
Although many colleagues who thought it was just a quiet test of martial arts were misunderstood, this question was actually very difficult.
Before thinking clearly, messing around may be futile.
The soldiers are new, and so are we.
He thought about what Li Quanli said about the parade in separate columns and the ten-mile march, with bows and guns, and suddenly sat up.
After walking out of his barracks, he knocked on the door not far away: "Brother Pang, are you asleep?"
Those who can be selected for the recruit camp must be at least of good quality, right?
If you want to be in the top ten, I'm afraid that the first person you should establish a good relationship with is the original boss who helps you.
Starting from this night, the generals who come to Beijing for the competition must show their personal charm, communication skills and military training strength.
Few people are thinking about the actual combat exercises in a few months at this moment - only the top ten are qualified, and at this level, it is almost one out of ten.
But some people are indeed studying actual combat exercises.
Li Quanli made it very clear that this actual combat exercise really included pre-war planning, troop marching, and close combat.
The subject of the exercise is: rushing to the aid of the Xuanfu.
Xuanfu is the gateway to the northwest of Beijing.
If Xuanfu is defeated, the enemy troops will march directly to the capital.
The exercise subject was actually to rush to the aid of the Xuan Mansion.
With these thoughts in mind, the general looked at the map of the border town all night long.
After finishing the meeting with his generals, Li Quanli and Qiu Luan gathered in the general's tent of the fifth army camp.
Li Quanli is almost Qiu Luan's father, but now, the two have been classified as rivals by the emperor.
Qiu Luan toasted in a low-key manner: "Director Li, don't let your nephew lose embarrassingly."
Li Quanli just smiled and said: "Your Majesty did not say that the new camp must win. The troops in the Beijing camp are recruited and drilled so rigorously that no army in the world can match them. The Marquis of Xianning has veterans and generals in his hands, and he has taken advantage of the location. Please give these places to the Beijing University."
Show a little color to the powerful generals in the competition, let them know that the sky of Ming Dynasty is high and high."
Today, the emperor personally came to give instructions and flags, and in the evening he allowed a banquet to boost morale.
The two of them drank wine, but their thoughts were different.
Qiu Luan came into Zhu Houcong's sight together with Guo Xun, while Li Quanli came into the emperor's sight because of his effectiveness in killing officials and bandits in the southeast. Their situations were different.
Now, Li Quanli's official position is higher, but Qiu Luan's title is higher and he is younger.
Li Quanli looked at the young Qiu Luan, but he only had one thought in his mind: If he lost to him, was there a gap in strength between his "general commander" and the soldiers, or was there a gap in the talents of the two generals?
Can't lose!
Zhu Houcong went to the Fifth Army Camp to meet and confer flags, leaving the camp full of thoughts and ideas.
After he returned to the palace, he didn't argue with himself. He took a very comfortable bath first, put on cool clothes, and went to the room where ice cubes were placed.
It is not easy to use ice in this palace.
The Inner Palace Supervisor, the Ministry of Rites, the Jinyiwei, the Ministry of Households, and the Ministry of Works are jointly responsible for the ice required for the palace and sacrifices. Nowadays, the imperial court has "20 ice-cutting areas", and only the soldiers in the Beijing ice cellar must use the Jinyiwei Banner School 2
More than one hundred and seventy people have only one goal: to make the summer in the palace cooler.
Zhu Houcong finished injecting chicken blood at the Fifth Military Camp, but after returning to the palace, he focused on another thing.
"How is the chain going?"
"Your Majesty, I'm already waiting for your review."
While Huang Jin was talking, he just led him to the courtyard where the Li Supervisory Factory was.
Zhang Lun also arrived here.
The emperor followed up the printing press with another drawing, and this new project was already receiving much attention.
But Zhu Houcong really did it just for personal enjoyment this time, and at the same time he wanted to see if he could inspire them.
Over there, another group of machines has appeared.
"Go up and let His Majesty have a look!"
Zhu Houcong's eyes were only fixed on the chain connected between the bicycle gear and the "human-powered fan" gear.
It already has this taste. As long as there is a clear idea and according to the current technical level, many things can still be done decently.
After the printing press, gears are nothing new. Between the gears, there is no need for the gears to engage with each other for driving. Instead, it is driven by a chain with a slot. This is just a small change.
But now as a young eunuch stepped on the "bicycle seat" and stepped on the curved rod with his foot to drive the gear, causing the fan over there to start rotating, Zhu Houcong was still happy to feel the wind blowing against his face.
In the comfort of the human-powered fan, Zhu Houcong just looked at Zhang Lun: "Mr. British, do you understand?"
Zhang Lun:???
Zhu Houcong was helpless, but he still said patiently: "Does the British public think that I just want to enjoy it? Now that this thing is available, does the British public not think that this thing can be used in more things?"
Zhang Lun:???
"...Carriage!" Zhu Houcong was convinced, "Horses and livestock are expensive and rare! Since this gear chain can make the fan blades rotate, can't it also make the wheels rotate? It can be driven by human power. If a new kind of vehicle can appear, it can carry goods.
Carrying people, wouldn’t it be infinitely useful?”
Under today's conditions, Zhu Houcong doesn't think about internal combustion engines or trains, but can't he also think about bicycles and tricycles?
Zhang Lun thought about it carefully, suddenly enlightened, and then exclaimed: "Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
Zhu Houcong tolerated this foolishness because of the great achievements of his ancestor Zhang Fu.
"Let Tongyi Bureau and Huangmingji think about it." Zhu Houcong enjoyed his fan first, "Make some more and send them to the palaces."
This should be considered as his palace purchase to first let the craftsmen become more familiar with the technology. There must be many problems, such as the durability of the gear chain.
But more importantly, it is to open your mind.
And more importantly: from a material perspective, iron products have too many advantages. Iron farm tools, iron gears, iron chains, iron...
Iron!
China has already entered the Iron Age, but the scale of iron utilization was still an important indicator in Zhu Houcong's memory during his last lifetime.
Large-scale iron smelting seems to be inseparable from chemistry.
Therefore, Zhang Lun and others only saw the emperor standing comfortably at the downdraft of the "fan" for a while, then stood up with a sad face and said: "Go to Qin'an Palace!"
…
Among the eight eyes, four are said to be old, sick, sick, and careless.
It is very common among Nanjing officials to take a leave of absence because they are old or unwell.
Now that Beijing is under investigation, are you still asking for leave?
"When will days like this end!"
A certain official looked up at the sky and sighed before going out.
His wife didn't say much, but asked: "If that doesn't work, just visit a friend and be transferred out of Nanjing as soon as possible."
"...Women's opinion!" The official glanced at him and continued to sigh, "How can he be transferred during the inspection in Beijing? Promotions and demotions will have to wait until after the inspection in Beijing! This delay will last for several months!"
He thought it would be a few months, but he didn't know that Yang Tinghe thought half a year or even longer would be fine.
But during the Beijing inspection, personnel were frozen, this is certain.
In the second half of the fifth year of Jiajing, officials in both capitals felt the pressure that their official positions might not be guaranteed.
From the fourth grade and above, there is more space. Although one can determine one's merits and demerits based on Chen Shuli, one cannot always talk nonsense about oneself. Is there no other corroborating material for the imperial court to arrange all this?
After much deliberation, smart people know that the only way is to push things forward in these few months.
The superior officials are urging me, the officials of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Science and Education are making suggestions and consultations, and those who are in the fifth rank and below are trembling with fear every day.
Current things must be done well and past troubles must be resolved.
For the officials in Nanjing, the biggest warning from the police in front of them is of course this: do not interfere in the government reform of the counties in southern Zhili.
The levels of Nanzhili and Nanjing will not be changed, which does not mean that the prefectures and counties will not be changed either.
Therefore, with the two major events of clearing land and government offices this year, Nanjing's "independent power" in southern Zhili and even the three provinces of Huguang, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang has come under increasing "provocation."
"Thank you, Mr. Nanjing. Nanjing is the foundation of the country! Now that there is a big war, all the officials are panicking. You are of high moral character and high prestige. Can't you give your Majesty a piece of advice?"
In a large house in Yuyao County, Shaoxing Prefecture, Zhejiang Province, the elderly man seemed not to have heard these words.
"Thank you sir?"
"Um?"
"Xie Gong, my foolish nephew said that now that the Beijing police and the Nanjing Kedao officials are seizing the opportunity to criticize, all the officials in Nanjing are panic-stricken. This is not a good thing for the country!"
"...My dear nephew was promoted this year from Wailang of the Vehicle and Driving Department of the Ministry of War to Doctor of the Nanjing Ministry of War. This is the first time he has returned to my house."
"...It's because my foolish nephew is busy with official duties and is rude."
"Li Gongmou, Liu Gongdan, and Xie Gongyou talked a lot." The old man laughed and said, "My nephew came to visit today, and the humble house is full of glory. I am old and dim, deaf and blind. What did my nephew just say? You are my uncle.
, I can’t stop talking now! How is Xixian’s health now?”
"...I thank you for your concern. My father's body and bones are not as good as before."
The seventy-eight-year-old man was none other than Xie Qian, who was famous in both the government and the public during the early years of Zhengde.
But this young man was Liu Dong, the son of Liu Jian who was as famous as Xie Qian and Li Dongyang.
Born as a Jinshi, he first became a member of the Chariot and Driving Department of the Ministry of War. After Liu Jian became an official, he has been wasting his time in the Ministry of War. Until now, even the Chariot and Driving Department of the Ministry of War has transferred a lot of power and assets to Natongyi Bureau. Liu Dong
He was also "promoted" and placed in Nanjing as a doctor in a certain department of the Ministry of War.
But the doctor is of the fifth rank, and is one of the "court examiners" in Beijing.
Now, he, a doctor in the Nanjing Ministry of War, somehow managed to find his way to Zhejiang and arrived at Xie Qian's home.
Xie Qian, who was seventy-eight, pretended to be deaf and dumb, and Liu Dong fell silent.
Although my father is still here, he may not be able to survive these two years.
Although there is a policy of "seizing love", Liu Dong has wasted so many years and no longer has higher hopes for his official career.
With the influence of my father, if I can accumulate some connections and friends in Nanjing, I might as well wait for my descendants to have a bright future.
But Jingcha disrupted everything for him.
Now, he ventured to Zhejiang to visit Xie Qian, but all he got was this attitude.
"My brother died young, and my father's heart was broken. My foolish nephew is ashamed, and so far he has only been promoted to the fifth rank and the idle position." Liu Dong made up his mind and spoke more straightforwardly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, forge ahead with determination, and you are a sincere and wise king. However,
Jiangnan is a tax-heavy land and the foundation of the Nanjing dynasty. It is not a good thing for the country to go to war at this time. I am a foolish nephew who speaks softly. Why don't Mr. Xie speak impartially and tell your Majesty the interests and harms, and never touch the ancestral system of the two capitals? "
Xie Qian seemed to be too old. He took a sip of tea with the support and service of his servant, and then just asked: "What?"
Liu Dong felt very depressed when he saw Xie Qian like this, but he couldn't break out.
But the purpose still needs to be expressed.
In the end, Xie Qian still said: "Two-capital ancestral system? Good! Set up a governor according to heaven, good!"
If the words are not speculative, Liu Dong returns without success.
After he left, Xie Qian felt much more energetic. How could he be an old guy who still needed support and tea?
His younger brother Xie Di, a Jinshi in the twelfth year of Hongzhi, is now the right counselor of Jiangxi, working under Yang Tinghe’s younger brother Yang Tingyi!
His eldest son Xie Zheng is now a member of the Ministry of Rites in Beijing!
His second son Xie Pi, who passed the provincial examination in Yuan Dynasty, was a Tanhualang in the 18th year of Hongzhi, and is now the editor of the Hanlin Academy!
His third son, Xie Dou, was appointed to the Dali Temple in Beijing.
His fourth son, Xie Gen, passed on to his younger brother and now also serves in the Military Affairs Bureau of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion.
His five and six sons were all officials in Shandong and were under the control of "Zhang Shatou"!
What kind of mistake did Liu Jian's son have in his head? He wanted to encourage himself to jump out and make irresponsible remarks on His Majesty's strategy?
Are you crazy to leave your post and come to Zhejiang during this Beijing-Inspection season? How many department officials are staring at them, afraid that their suggestions for Beijing-Inspection will have no content?
Of course I have to meet him! If there is no movement after the meeting, it will not be a loss of old friendship, nor will it make His Majesty have any thoughts about the Xie family.
Xie Qian, who was seventy-eight years old, was famous for his "ability to talk". What was reflected behind this was his ability to speak human words when seeing people and tell ghosts when seeing ghosts.
After Liu Dong left, he only said: "I will be eighty next year, so go to Yan Dutai first and get an invitation."
There have been a lot of private rumors in Hangzhou about the reorganization of the Zhejiang Shipping Department and it has not yet been decided. That versatile Yan Song will probably think more about it after seeing his post.
This disciple of Yang Tinghe still doesn’t know how deep the water in Jiangnan is!
So what if he was born in Jiangxi? He rose too fast!
Xie Qian had his plans for his descendants, so Liu Dong could only return without success.
The officials in Nanjing who are on the hot pot of Beijing and Chaocha, except for the ridiculous reasons of not wanting to leave behind "old age, illness, or lack of caution" in this special period, seem to be quite calm now.
No one is arguing that Nanjing is the foundation of the country.
What is the foundation of Nanjing? If Beijing is gone, Nanjing is the retreat.
Who wants to curse that Beijing will not be able to survive because of His Majesty’s outstanding talent and decisiveness?
Let’s take a look in Beijing. Why does it affect the foundation of Nanjing?
However, the prosecutors of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the other officials of the Six Sections of Nanjing who were released by Xia Yan were not making trouble. Since they could not be spared from the "court trial", it was natural to make meritorious service first.
Guo Xun has been in Nanjing for a long time, and now there are many guests in his house.
"Brother Guo, there is nothing illegal for us to settle down in Nanjing. But now, the officials in Nanjing are like wild horses running wild, and brothers are really worried! Your Majesty has set up Huangmingji and various enterprises, and we have nothing to say about it!"
Next to Guo Xun is Xu Pengju, Duke of Wei, who has lived in Nanjing for a long time.
It was not Xu Pengju who spoke, but he who answered: "Boss and uncles, you seem to have a lot of leverage."
"...What's the matter!"
Guo Xun smiled happily.
The River Transport Bureau and the Maritime Transport Bureau were established, and the governors of South Zhili were divided into one group.
Zhenwu camp was recruiting troops, and the remaining people didn't know where to go - other provinces began recruiting troops and restructuring at the provincial level, but Southern Zhili did not.
But now that there is a Jingchao, what are Nanjing Xunchen worried about?
There is no other reason, because there are many low-grade civil servants in Nanjing who are actually their sons-in-law, niece-in-law, grandson-in-law...
Now, Guo Xun only said: "If you live in peace, live in peace! Why don't you worry less about the affairs of Jingying and Zhenwuying? Your Majesty has already said that if you want to do business, you can do business, and if you want to make contributions, you can do it! You and I both
I know. What are you afraid of? Is there anything else I don’t know?"
Let you invite people to drink again and send them to the new camps in the two capitals!
What are you afraid of? Are you afraid that your daughter, niece, and granddaughter will not live well, or are you afraid that His Majesty has other motives for investigating the Nanjing ancestors?
The ants on the hot pot were acting randomly, and the enthusiastic soldiers began to train new recruits in the camp on the outskirts of Beijing.
In August, a memorial letter from the Right Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs in Nanjing finally arrived in Beijing.
He impeached Jia Yong, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing, and Xia Yan, the censor of the Right Capital of the Nanjing Metropolitan Procuratorate. In the name of the Imperial Examination, they connived with the officials of the Ministry of Personnel and the officials of the Department of Science and Technology to criticize and threaten Nanjing officials, causing the affairs of various ministries in Nanjing to stagnate.
There is nothing to say about the importance of Nanjing’s national foundation.
He is the Right Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs in Nanjing, not the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs in Nanjing.
But Beijing only gave one opinion: Governor Ying Tian Yang Tinghe should find out the truth and report it to Beijing.
Yang Tinghe does not have the power to directly govern the six bureaucracies in Nanjing, but he now has the sacred mandate to hold a coordination meeting.
"Beijing inspection is not a new thing, and the official consultation of the Ministry of Science and Technology does not violate the regulations. Why are the affairs of various ministries stagnant?" Yang Tinghe looked at the Minister of the Ministry of War in Nanjing, "I heard that Liu Dong, a doctor in the Ministry of War, took leave for nearly half a month due to illness.
However, Yuyao mentioned Liu Dong's visit in his letter from Duke Qiao. You should know what Duke Xie means by this letter. The stagnation of various ministries and ministries in Nanjing is not related to this. What is the reason for this?"
What does Xie Qian mean by writing a letter to Yang Tinghe? Tell Yang Tinghe: I will not get involved in this matter. By the way, I want to tell you that there are dishonest officials in Nanjing.
Adding insult to injury or laying a hidden agenda? There is no such thing. He is an old man who has become an official and a former court official. The wording in the letter is definitely exquisite, as if he is just reminiscing about old times and chatting.
However, Yang Tinghe directly used Xie Qian's words as evidence on this occasion. After Xie Qian knew this, apart from the national curse that lingered in his heart for a moment, he could only sigh: Yang Tinghe and you are not the Yang Tinghe he used to be.
Now, it is difficult for the Nanjing government officials at the coordination meeting to answer questions.
As directors of nursing homes, most of them no longer have any expectations for their career in this life.
Some people below them make their own decisions, and they can't make the decision - you don't have much real power yourself, so why do you care about the people below you?
Yes, it's because I have other thoughts - does His Majesty have any intention of abolishing the various administrative offices in Nanjing? If he does, where will he go?
Yang Tinghe sighed: "It's just a routine inspection in the capital, why should there be so many troubles? I'm about to retire, and I hope you will allow me to relax for two years."
There was a silent slander in the audience: Which important official of the imperial court served as the first governor of Yingtian before taking office?
You have no good intentions when you come to Nanjing!
Information is always asymmetrical. Yang Tinghe finally took the initiative after coming to Nanjing. He looked into the eyes of the Nanjing government officials and said slowly: "The goal of the Jingchao is always to promote the loyal and the virtuous. Your Majesty works hard to govern, even if
How could Nanjing officials lose their focus on official duties when the police in Beijing disturbed them?"
What little fish and shrimp do has little impact, and Nanjing does not have much power to really affect the national economy and people's livelihood.
The main targets of the Nanjing Jingchao have always been senior officials with red robes from the fourth rank and above who have the right to "self-report", especially the second and third rank officials in Nanjing's ministries and bureaucracies.
"Promote the loyal and virtuous" comes out as follows: Loyalty comes first and virtuous people follow.
No one here is stupid.
Sure enough, it is to eliminate dissidents!
However, it is not the courtiers who are purging the dissidents, it is the emperor who is purging the dissidents!
Nanjing is no longer obstructing the new law! Who else is the dissident?
Xia Yan, the "party", was also present, and he was learning Yang Tinghe's words and strategies.
What is loyalty?
Even if you don't know what the emperor wants to do, if you obey him, you are loyal!
Now there are people down there who are delaying "ministry affairs" because of the Beijing Police. Who has the nerve to complain and go to the capital to blame the Beijing Police?
Yang Tinghe first threw out the evidence that Liu Dong "neglected his duties" and went to Zhejiang to visit Xie Qian after complaining of illness, and then proposed soul torture.
What's new in Jingcha? Is Nanjing Kedao Yanguan acting outrageous?
Xia Yan stated with emotion: "I have repeatedly told the imperial censors in the Imperial Court not to interfere with official business during consultations. I don't know where this criticism and threat come from!"
The Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs has the rarest real power among the Nanjing ministries. At this moment, the right servant replied forcefully: "How many practical things need to be done to clear the land, subsidize iron farm tools, etc.? Nowadays, every official in our Ministry of Household Affairs is under the command of the Ministry of Finance almost every day."
After asking everyone, who still has the truth?"
Xia Yan chuckled: "I can count the total number of Ke Dao Yan officials in Nanjing. The interview slip is printed by the Examination Department of the Ministry of Rites. The Ke Dao Yan official's interview slip is the one for every Ke Dao Yan official."
Ask around and you can calculate how much time it will take in total. There are twelve hours in a day, how many hours are you on duty? How many hours are you on duty in total in a month? It turns out that without so much time, the Nanjing ministries will not be able to do practical things?
Do you want me to present this statement to Your Majesty?"
Yang Tinghe couldn't help but look at him: The officials in Nanjing have a lot of energy. Zhang Fujing started, is this boy Xia Yan so brave?
Jia Yong gave a wry smile: "Everyone, people's hearts are indeed uncertain during the Beijing inspection. It is just a matter of Beijing inspection, but it is also a practical matter. All the links that should be included are indispensable. Now that this matter has been brought before His Majesty, we cannot relieve your worries.
Why can't I bear it? We should all go back to appease the officials and do our work with peace of mind."
Yang Tinghe spread his hands: "There is no complaint, but it has been a long time since the Beijing inspection, and some newcomers in Nanjing occasionally complain. The household affairs are heavy, and I am afraid of being delayed by the Beijing inspection. What do you think of this report?"
The right minister of household affairs in Nanjing felt his heart sink: Does that mean I am a clown in vain?
He looked at his boss: Didn't you say that there was a lot of excitement and all the ministries gathered to follow the scene?