Dominate the Country

Just in late autumn, September, a piece of news set off the officialdom of Nanjing. Feng Lian, that is, Feng Yinglian who single-handedly killed his first grandson's son-in-law, wrote a letter to resign. The officialdom of Chen Han, which had been stable for several years, also started a huge change.

Feng Lian's position was not critical. He did not enter the cabinet. He was the director of the State Post Bureau.

The power of this position is certainly far from being comparable to the top position of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. You must know that the Post Bureau and the Postal Bank have no direct connection. The fate that the two sides originally shared was constantly divided by the cabinet in the years after the establishment of the Postal Bank. Now they are two completely unrelated units.

However, no matter how much the style of the Post Office is lowered, the level of the Post Office is there. Even if they have been from the second rank for thousands of years, they are still higher than the third rank governors of Zhongyuan, Jiangnan, and Guangdong East.

Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there has never been a period as strict as the current Chen Han.

There is a gap between the third-rank officials and the second-rank officials that can never be crossed, which separates the ranks of the central government from those of the local frontier officials. The gap between the second-rank officials and the first-rank officials is also like a natural chasm, which represents the difference between entering the cabinet and not entering the cabinet. This rule may be changed in the future, as the status of local officials is a bit low, but at this time it is an ironclad rule.

In addition, there are the left and right assistants of the first-rank officials and the first-rank ministers. Chen Ming directly limited the number of first-rank officials, using the scarce number to make the best comment on the lofty status of the first-rank officials.

It has been nearly five years since the establishment of the new dynasty, and that rule has been initially established after five years. The good thing of being directly promoted from a local frontier official to a cabinet minister is almost gone.

The third-rank official, the second-rank official, and then the second-rank official.

Climbing step by step has become the order in the officialdom. That is why the throne of the post office left by Feng Lian is so attractive. If he sits on the throne, he will be a second-rank official. I wonder if he will be among the officials who are selected for the next cabinet?

Although the possibility is very small. But you can't stop the delusion of many frontier officials who are fascinated by the cabinet?

If they don't change their ranks from the third rank to the second rank before the cabinet selection, then there will be absolutely no place for him in the second cabinet. They don't even have a chance to be on the list, and no one can say whether they can still be in office in the next five years.

In addition, Feng Lian's retirement this time has a greater impact on the princes in the palace. The little prince born by his granddaughter is also the first one to announce his withdrawal from the throne.

Perhaps there will be a second or third prince who withdraws from the throne in the Chinese officialdom in the future, but the first one is always so eye-catching. And countless eyes are also watching the Li family's expression!

For the descendants who have announced their bid for the crown prince, the Li family must use the Feng family to show their generosity, which is like a thousand-mile horse bone purchased with a lot of money!

…

Yue Wenhai rode in a carriage to the Russian embassy, ​​but he was still thinking about what his old in-laws had said. He didn't need to think about the position left by Feng Lian. Chen Cong guaranteed him a second-rank official position after the year. But if he wanted to climb up to that position, even though Chen Cong was the designated prime minister, he didn't dare to guarantee it. Because he and Chen Ming had a tacit understanding that after the second cabinet ended, it would be the time for him to retire from the officialdom. According to the meaning revealed in the emperor's words, by the time of the third cabinet, the appointment method seemed to have a major change, and the existence of the review team would definitely no longer exist. The emperor's words meant that there was another way, and he had already conceived it.

The Russian embassy in Nanjing took more than a year to build, not because the Russian embassy occupied a large area, but because the Russians had high requirements. Catherine II regarded this embassy as the face of Russia in the East, and required it to be a pure Russian-style building-it must have a round and full dome, which Russia called a helmet-style dome. The decoration inside also has a pure Slavic flavor, which wastes too much time.

As a result, the Russian ambassador Muravyov opened the embassy for a long time, and the formal embassy was only officially completed now.

Although Muravyov looks rough, with a full beard and a tall stature, he looks like a big bear from a distance. But he is very smart. He keenly grasped this good opportunity and held a grand dinner. He invited the British, French and Dutch people, whose atmosphere has become more and more strange recently, and also sent out invitations to many senior officials in the Chen and Han officialdom.

They are all third- and fourth-rank figures, and they are more or less related behind the scenes.

Muravyov wants to make the "opening ceremony" of his own embassy a big platform for many people to communicate with each other, which will be very beneficial to the situation of the Russian Embassy in China.

China's traditional culture has led to a lack of such large-scale occasions for interaction in Chinese society, and the so-called dance party is really unacceptable to the Chinese people of this era. For example, Muravyov did not mention any dance party, and this was specially marked when the invitation was sent out. Dance parties are mostly played by Westerners in China.

The Russian embassy cost a total of less than one million Chinese dollars. Because it involved diplomacy, Shuntian Mansion also provided great convenience to the construction company of this building. Otherwise, it would have cost less than one million Chinese dollars. , even if you spend another two to three hundred thousand yuan, you won't be able to make a living.

The Zhuri building is a three-story building with a pointed roof and a red outline on the outside. There are sculptures scattered in the yard, as well as a statue of the Virgin with a Child as tall as a person.

Now the Russian embassy is going to become a landmark building in the embassy district. Even though they settled late, they took a long time, and everyone in Nanjing knew it. And the building appearance is very beautiful.

Although the Chinese are given the choice, almost no one will choose Russian architecture. However, no matter how great the cultural differences between nations are, many human aesthetic values ​​are the same. Beauty can transcend ethnicity and culture.

Just like Europeans have been praising the beauty of the Old Summer Palace in recent years. This garden of ten thousand gardens, which Chen Ming had hidden deep in the palace until now, was not open to ordinary people, but it opened its doors to heroes and nobles, and several foreigners also followed in to join in the excitement.

Many people may not know that in the third year of Chengtian, the construction of the Old Summer Palace continued. Some of the naturalizations that had been done during the Qianlong era were brought to Chen Ming's attention thanks to the efforts of Jiang Youren and other Western missionaries. Then he ordered the construction to continue. For example, there is the Yuanyingguan, a high-stage Western bell tower-style hall on the north side of Dashuifa.

When China and the West were discussing the opening of the northern trade port, Robert, Perrier and others all visited Tianjin in person. Naturally, they did not miss the city of Beijing, which was not far away. The Forbidden City, the Great Wall and the Old Summer Palace are the three buildings that have left the most profound impression on them.

Perrier said that the Western Scenic Area of ​​the Old Summer Palace combines beautiful scenery and wonderful interests in one place. It has all the magnificent and strange fountains that people can imagine. The largest of them can be compared with the fountains of the Palace of Versailles and Saint-Claude Church. In the end, he came to a conclusion that made him proud: the Old Summer Palace is the Versailles of China!

Chen Ming just laughed when he heard about it. Do you want to respect the national dignity of an old friend?

Besides, the Palace of Versailles itself is the most beautiful and noble place in Gaul. Perrier compared the most outstanding Palace of Versailles in his country with the Old Summer Palace in China. This in itself is the highest praise for the Old Summer Palace. Don’t forget Perrier’s identity!

The Russians played a good game and made a good advertisement.

Chen Ming doesn't mind at all!

Because the Russian limelight will only excite the British. The French embassy in China is destined to close. Perhaps when the North American War is over, normal diplomatic relations between China and France will quickly resume, but now the French must say goodbye to the Chinese.

Now that August is getting further and further away, Chen Ming is increasingly able to confirm the accuracy of Pierre's information. There is really a possibility that the windmill will get together with the Gallic Rooster. They really relied on every convenience and cover for the French ships.

…

Yue Wenhai's carriage stopped in front of the gate of the Russian Embassy. After getting off the carriage, Yue Wenhai looked at the Russian Embassy in the distance for the first time in the night. This moment really amazed him.

Lights and candles illuminate the entire main building, and the wind lanterns illuminate their corners in the night wind, dotting this beautiful scene at night. There are also lights on the pointed roofs, and light shines through the windows of different sizes.

Yue Wenhai strode into the hall. The gorgeous crystal lamps were dazzling. It is said that the investment in lighting fixtures in the entire embassy exceeded 50,000 Chinese yuan.

Large and small sculptures and large oil paintings were all shipped from Europe and were not included in the entire construction cost. Some people were already sitting on the soft high-back sofa, but when they saw Yue Wenhai's arrival, they all stood up. Many people they knew or didn't know gathered at the door to greet Yue Wenhai.

The businessmen and tycoons of Nanjing's business district gather here, and Chen and Han officials can be seen everywhere, as well as many foreigners. Yue Wenhai was keenly aware of Robert's embarrassment, and the Dutchman's recent performance broke his heart.

Robin Lustig, a Swede holding a bottle of wine, said in a joking tone: "Master Yue, why are you standing here alone? The moonlight today is not beautiful."

The war between the Russians and China ended. The most unhappy people in the world, apart from the defeated Eight Banners soldiers and the Ottomans, were the Swedes.

Even now Sweden still relies on Russia as the starting point to support the armed neutrality alliance.

"Of course theatergoers don't go down to the stage in person. I'm just a spectator tonight!" After clinking glasses with Lustig, Yue Wenhai drank half the glass of wine in his hand with some regret. All.

Lustig didn't know how to look at Yue Wenhai, "Why should you be a spectator? Wouldn't it be better to get it in person?" In Lustig's eyes, Yue Wenhai has political achievements and background, and he can definitely increase that position by himself. Are there still people who think their official position is too small?

Yue Wenhai smiled faintly. How can a foreigner understand the complicated official struggles of the Chinese people?

It is true that Chen Cong has always been in charge of the overall situation of the cabinet and seems to have a high position of power, but this was only carried out smoothly with the support of the emperor. Without the support of the emperor, how many vicious dogs would pounce on Chen Cong and bite him? His identity as a prince has always been an attractor of hatred.

So, in some obvious targets, Chen Cong has to choose to retreat, such as this time. Think about how Yue Wenhai looked after he became the head of the Post Office. He definitely attracted the hateful eyes of countless third-rank officials. It seemed to strengthen the power of Chen Cong's faction, but in fact, it added envy and jealousy to Chen Cong from countless third-rank officials!

Thinking about the gains and losses, Yue Wenhai could only watch from the sidelines.