jdhmnovel Chapter 430 Exploiting This Official's Wealth?
Chapter 430 Exploiting This Official's Wealth?
Are there more short stories about Zhu Chongba written in Jiangnan?
Hearing Jin'er say that, Yang Shaofeng couldn't help but laugh.
No, what kind of jokes could these literati of the Ming Dynasty possibly come up with?
Surely they can't be more powerful than me, a contestant from hundreds of years in the future?
Seeing Yang Shaofeng's disbelieving look, Jin'er couldn't help but laugh and say, "Husband, do you know what our godfather is called in Jiangnan?"
Yang Shaofeng curled his lip and said, "A stinking beggar? A bald... monk?"
Jin'er shook her head slightly, "These two statements are still considered good."
“In the Jiangnan region, some people even say that the adoptive father was a son-in-law who married into the family.”
Son-in-law?
The image of a certain Guan family dragon king involuntarily surfaced in Yang Shaofeng's mind.
Then, I thought of Zhu Chongba, the character Zhu Laosi dreamed about in the TV series "Ming Dynasty".
You know what, there's actually a bit of something between the two!
Just as Yang Shaofeng's mind was filled with Lao Deng's crooked mouth emoji, Yu'er continued speaking.
“Some people also spread rumors about my adoptive father, saying that it wasn’t up to him to decide which bedroom he would sleep in at night, but rather it was up to my adoptive mother.”
Yang Shaofeng stared blankly at Jin'er and asked, "And then?"
Jin'er smiled and said, "The truth is, it's up to my godmother."
At this point, Jin'er straightened her back with considerable pride and said, "Husband, have you forgotten that I am also a female official with a rank in the palace?"
Speaking of this, Yang Shaofeng couldn't help but feel a little annoyed.
Who would have thought that Jin'er and Yu'er were already fifth-rank female officials before they came to Ningyang County for a matchmaking event!
Yes, it was a fifth-rank official position, specifically the Shanggong (尚宫) of the Shanggong Bureau. The duties included assisting the Empress in managing the affairs of the inner palace and ensuring its order and smooth operation.
What about myself back then?
His official position was that of the magistrate of Ningyang County, a position of the sixth rank.
Their salary and benefits are at least two levels lower than Jin'er's and Yu'er's!
Even before their marriage, when he held the position of Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, he was still only a fifth-rank official, one rank lower than Jin'er and Yu'er.
Ah.
He married two wives, both of whom held higher ranks than him.
Does this make me look like a gigolo?
But then Yang Shaofeng realized something was wrong.
The wife I married was earned through my own abilities; she's not some gigolo.
Besides, so what if I'm a kept man? Zhu Chongba is still a kept man too.
Humph.
At the very least, I can decide whether I want to sleep in Jin'er's room or Yu'er's room.
What about Zhu Chongba?
According to Jin'er, her adoptive father was indeed the emperor, but once he entered the harem, everything was decided by her adoptive mother. Whichever palace her adoptive mother told her adoptive father to go to, he could only obediently go to that palace.
I am superior to Zhu Chongba!
After mentally ranting for a while, Yang Shaofeng turned his attention to the official gazette.
The official gazette is a good thing.
Although it was quite different from the newspapers I was used to, its functions were pretty much the same.
In other words, one could easily have someone write several stories about Zhu Chongba stealing roasted chicken, sausages, and cured meat.
Oh, and there's also donkey meat sandwich, braised pork offal, mutton offal, cured fish, dried chicken, eight-bowl feast, steamed pork belly, braised pork, beggar's chicken, luncheon meat...
Once these short stories are published, the reputation of Ningyang County's specialties will be established.
What should be done about the prefectures and counties like Dezhou and Baoding that have lost their local specialties?
Look at what they're saying. If Ningyang County's specialty products become famous, it's equivalent to Dezhou and Baoding becoming famous.
Speaking of local specialties, Yang Shaofeng suddenly thought of the salt from Dengzhou Prefecture.
It seems, perhaps, or apparently, that Dengzhou in later generations was not famous for its salt production.
It seems that salt fields like Changlu are more famous?
But it doesn't matter, the fame of Dengzhou Saltworks is equivalent to the fame of Changlu Saltworks.
Don't be petty; these are all opportunities.
After pondering it over for a while, Yang Shaofeng suddenly thought of the upcoming imperial examination.
So, how will Zhu Chongba, that old man, settle those students in Ningyang County?
Also, it seems that Zhu Chongba, that old tyrant, would stop the imperial examinations because the students' level was too poor, and that would be for more than ten years.
I wonder what changes will occur this time?
Forget it, these are matters for Zhu Chongba, Li Shanchang, and Liu Bowen to consider, what does it have to do with me?
Right now, spending time with my wife is more important.
……
Yang Shaofeng's good mood didn't last long.
With the conclusion of the imperial examination, the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty was soon shaken by an upheaval.
Or rather, this earthquake was not just targeting the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty.
Even Ningyang and Dengzhou Prefectures, which are far away in Shandong, were affected.
First, Wu Yanhu was transferred from his position as county magistrate of Ningyang County to a county magistrate in a superior county in Jiangnan.
Lü Peng was also transferred to a county in Jiangnan to serve as its magistrate.
In the end, only Chen Mo remained in Ningyang County.
The situation was similar in Dengzhou Prefecture; four out of ten county magistrates were transferred away, and three assistant officials in the Dengzhou Prefecture government were also transferred away.
The seven newly arrived officials were all transferred from various prefectures and counties in Jiangnan.
As for the twenty-six candidates from Ningyang County, they were left in the capital.
Zhu Biao specially sent a letter saying that these twenty-six students would intern in the Six Departments for three months, and would be assigned according to their internship performance after three months.
However, these twenty-six students will most likely be assigned to the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun as county magistrates.
Forget about staying in the capital to become an official.
After all, these twenty-six students were all taught by you, brother-in-law.
No one knows better than you, brother-in-law, how infuriating these people's memorials are.
In any case, what Zhu Biao was implying was that he was worried he couldn't out-argue these twenty-six students, so he had no choice but to send them out to serve as officials.
In addition, candidates from Jiangnan who participated in the palace examination would also go to the Six Ministries for internships. After the internship period, they would all be assigned to Dengzhou Prefecture as officials.
Once the candidates for the next imperial examination have completed their probationary period, new candidates will be arranged to replace them.
Yang Shaofeng stared blankly at the letter in his hand, then looked at Jin'er with a bewildered expression and asked, "So, I've been robbed by His Highness the Crown Prince?"
Jin'er took the letter, glanced at it, and then said with a smile, "Yes, my husband is right. His Highness the Crown Prince is obviously trying to take advantage of you, and also trying to take advantage of Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture."
Yang Shaofeng almost laughed out of anger.
What is this called?
Sustainable short-sighted exploitation?
Well, I finally managed to train some usable people in Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture, and before I even had a chance to exploit them, you little Deng took them away and now you want me to train new cattle and horses for you and old Deng?
It’s really contrary to Tiangang!
I, Yang, have already been very lenient by not taking advantage of you old and young Deng. Now you actually want to take advantage of me?
It seems I haven't given you enough work!