Chapter 1152: Geng scrolls about court affairs, temples (1)
He was an acquaintance and had a good relationship. The hard look in his brows showed at a glance that he was a difficult person to deal with. Cui Jingrong greeted him from afar.
“Brother Bofu, are you also here to pay a visit to Brother Chengfeng?”
When Sun Ju saw Cui Jingrong, he also stopped and his expression softened, "Zi Qiang, long time no see. I'm here to talk to Brother Chengfeng."
"Oh?" Cui Jingrong looked at Sun Juxiang's expression and felt that this man was probably coming to Qi Yongtai to argue.
He was not surprised either. Sun Juxiang was inherently strong and stubborn. No matter who he faced, he would argue with reason and speak frankly about the issue and not the person.
Although Sun Juxiang is also a Shanxi scholar, he is not satisfied with Qiao Yingjia, the leader of the Shanxi scholars and his former boss. The two often argue, but he is not satisfied with Qi Yongtai, who is a Northern Zhili scholar and the leader of the entire Northern Scholars. Very respectful.
"Brother Bofu is doing well in the Criminal Department, right?" Cui Jingrong laughed, "Brother Chengfeng is not in charge of the Criminal Department, is Brother Bofu going to knock on the door?"
After Sun Juxiang returned from Jiangnan, he was promoted from the Metropolitan Procuratorate to the Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice. This was considered a good promotion, and it was suitable for Sun Juxiang's straightforward and tough character.
"Humph, although Brother Chengfeng is not in charge of the Criminal Department, he is the elder of the cabinet. There are some things that he can say that are more effective than those of us. If I don't ask him, who can I ask for?" Sun Juxiang said firmly: "Zi Qiang, I heard that you Has he been the left minister of the Ministry of Finance for a long time? Is he going to the Ministry of Works to pick up Li Sancai's mess?"
The Minister of Industry has been vacant since Li Sancai resigned. There have been many rumors about who will take over the position of Minister. There are several candidates, and Cui Jingrong is considered one of the more popular candidates.
Sun Ju was also very dissatisfied with Li Sancai, so he spoke very rudely.
Li Sancai's naughtiness and close relationship with the Jiangnan scholars were also the main reasons for Sun Juxiang's resentment. Of course, few northern scholars had a good impression of Li Sancai, and they all felt that he was a traitor in the skin of a northern scholar. However, because of his background as a Northern scholar and his close relationship with Jiangnan scholars, Li Sancai squeezed out Zhang Jingqiu and Zhang Huaichang to join the cabinet. This also made the Northern scholars gnash their teeth.
"Brother Bofu, do you believe these rumors?" Cui Jingrong shook his head, "I have to do the work of the household department well for a day in the household department. Although brother Boxiao is in good health, his energy is a little weak. Well, the court has been slow to decide on the candidate for minister, I want to see how long it will be delayed, it has been so long, and Ye Fang is still arguing, this will delay the war."
The two candidates for the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Hubu have not yet been decided. This is also the result of the internal struggle between the northern scholars and the Jiangnan scholars. On the contrary, the candidates for the ministers of the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Punishment are not so good. It is eye-catching. In addition, the establishment of this round of Ministry of Commerce is also being discussed within the imperial court to see if it should be established on the first day of next year and the candidates have been arranged.
According to convention, this time the officials and household ministers will be Jiangnan scholars, but this makes the people in the north very emotional, so there are rumors that letting Cui Jingrong serve as the minister of the Ministry of Industry can alleviate the northern scholars' opposition to the imperial court. Attitude.
"Self-improvement, I'm afraid this is no longer a rumor." Although Sun Juxiang is a tall and unruly man, he is also a member of the northern scholars. He shook his head, "The rotation mechanism of the two positions of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Household Affairs has already been completed." It’s outdated. Meritocracy is not just a matter of words. Why should the northern scholars resign from office and they should be the Jiangnan scholars? The official affairs minister is of great importance. If I want to see it, the imperial election should be held..."
Cui Jingrong laughed and said, "Brother Bofu, no one has said this, but the court has been in troubled times and turbulent in the past few years. It is not a good time for reform."
Sun Juxiang sighed sadly.
He also has to admit that what Cui Jingrong said is true. Now is not a good time to promote this kind of thing that will obviously cause a new round of turmoil within the court. At least it needs to wait until the internal and external troubles are somewhat calmed down.
But having said that, if peace is truly achieved, who else has the motivation to promote this kind of reform that is obviously beneficial to the long-term but will cause short-term pain?
How big can the world be if he is devoted to serving the public good?
Seeing that Sun Juxiang was silent, but the look on his face said a lot, Cui Jingrong also sighed in his heart. The situation in the court was not good, but there were still endless disputes within the court. Even they could not escape. Sometimes they were in the arena and couldn't help themselves. .
“Let’s go, Brother Bofu, I believe you have made an appointment with Prime Minister Qi.”
According to the practice of the Great Zhou Dynasty, only the first assistant and the second assistant can be called prime ministers. However, whether in the court or among the people, ministers who join the cabinet are more often called prime ministers and ministers, so they are respectfully called prime ministers. It’s not an exaggeration.
As soon as the two arrived, the people who were originally outside the door of Qi Yongtai's mansion automatically made way for them. One was the left minister of the household department, and the other was the right minister of the criminal department. Their status was noble and unusual, and they were also the backbone of the northern scholars. Most of the officials around him were young and middle-aged officials who were ready to meet them. When they saw these two people, they all came forward to salute them.
After a while, the two of them got rid of this common etiquette and entered Qi Yongtai's mansion through the corner gate.
“Brother Bofu is impatient with this kind of thing?” Cui Jingrong said with a smile as he entered the Qi Mansion.
"I can't say. Although I don't like it, I can understand it." The stern-faced Sun Juxiang is not an unsophisticated person. He can understand it, but he is deeply troubled. It does not refer to Qi Yongtai, but to his own mansion. Isn't it the same in front of the door?
Not to mention the donation of officials, not only hundreds of Jinshi become officials every year, but also a larger number of Juren groups also want to become officials. There are only five cabinet ministers in the court, who can build relationships with senior teachers and township parties. How many more are there?
Not to mention the door of the Prime Minister, but also the door of the Six Ministers and Ministers, which one is not constantly busy with traffic every day? Even the two of them themselves had to receive many people who wanted to visit them every day after going to court, and they couldn't refuse them at all.
Recommendations from the country gentry, introductions from classmates in the same year, introductions from former colleagues and even teachers, and even the ties of family elders and relatives. In life, people are inevitably surrounded by emotions and desires. Which of these can be avoided?
Besides, as officials in the DPRK, they are also responsible for recommending and discovering talented people to the court. This kind of meeting and talking is the most important way. Even in the past dynasties, this kind of meeting and talking can win the appreciation of big bosses. There are so many examples that stand out, so it’s no wonder that these scholars and officials flocked to them.
“Master Cui, Master Sun, please come this way, I’m already waiting.”
Cui Jingrong and Sun Juxiang were both stunned. Should they still receive them together?
"The master said that the matters that the two adults came to discuss are official business, and they are related, so they simply discuss it together..." Qi Yongtai's long-term entourage has also been with Qi Yongtai for decades. Cui Jingrong and Sun Juxiang is also familiar with them.
Sun Juxiang and Cui Jingrong looked at each other and smiled, "Zi Qiang, it seems that we are on the same road. I don't know what kind of medicine Brother Chengfeng sells in the gourd. My affairs have nothing to do with your household department."
"I'm also thinking that my affairs have nothing to do with your Ministry of Justice." Cui Jingrong also laughed, "Let's go, we'll find out when we go in."
The slightly square cheeks have become a lot thinner due to hard work, the cheekbones are high, and the eyebrows are frowned. It is obvious that various things during this period have made the third-ranked cabinet minister in the Great Zhou Cabinet a little exhausted. .
"Zi Qiang, Bo Xiao, come and sit down. Just in time, both of you are here. I am too lazy to come and discuss one by one." Seeing the two of them come in, Qi Yongtai stood up and called them into his study. After sitting at the main seat, the servant soon brought the tea and closed the door, leaving a quiet space.
…
"This year's autumn tax looks good, but the court's expenditures are even greater. Shuntian Prefecture has put forward a lot of needs. The five northern counties and prefectures have suffered heavy losses. Many people's houses have been burned to the ground. Chahar and Waikar The people of Karkha obviously have different ideas from the people of Inner Khalkha. They want to deliberately destroy the economy and people’s livelihood in our Gyeonggi region and create trouble and chaos for us..."
When it comes to official duties, Cui Jingrong seems to be a different person. He no longer has the humility and indifference he had in private. Instead, he is focused, persistent and shrewd.
"According to the opening made by Shuntian Mansion, it will cost at least one million taels to survive this winter and next spring. I personally feel that there are some tricks in it, but I am afraid that eight hundred thousand taels are indispensable. Shuntian Mansion itself also needs to find a way to solve it. For part of it, the court estimates that it will need to spend at least 600,000 taels..."
Qi Yongtai shook his head, "To strengthen yourself, 600,000 taels are not enough, you need 800,000 taels."
Cui Jingrong was startled, "Prime Minister Qi, Shuntian Mansion is not as miserable as they showed..."
"I know, you will understand later, the situation may be worse than we imagined." Qi Yongtai was very patient, "This household department must have a clear mind, this is not my responsibility to worry about. , but I have to talk to you first, and then I will also talk to Jin Qing and Zhong Han,..."
Cui Jingrong felt a thump in his heart, feeling that there might be something he didn't know about here, so he could only nod.
"The other thing is that in the south of Zhili, the Japanese pirates are attacking along the river. The Nanjing Ministry of Household Affairs has successively written letters saying that the prefectures along the river have suffered huge losses. I'm afraid this autumn tax collection will have an impact..." Cui Jingrong frowned, "I don't care about this matter. I feel a little strange, but it was reflected in the early stage, and it’s not that serious..."
(End of this chapter)