The Ming Dynasty's Spokesperson

Nothing could be seen from the outside of the Wang family tonight. It was as low-key as ever. There was not even a large lantern with the Wang family's logo hanging at the gate.

But in the Wang family's inner courtyard, it was filled with a joyous atmosphere, except for the lanterns and festoons.

After the young Situ became the first Situ and the future uncle won the first place in the martial arts test, another happy event happened today.

Wang Xiangmeng, the censor of the Jiangxi Province of the Metropolitan Procuratorate and the acting censor of the West City, seized the opportunity today and successfully provoked the emperor. He was awarded the twenty-twenty imperial staff, adding glory to the family.

At this time, Wang Yushi was so weak that he could only lie down on the soft couch in the inner room. While enduring the severe pain after being beaten, he listened to the sounds of people drinking and drinking outside.

Vaguely, it seemed that someone Lin and his uncle Wang Zhiyou were playing guessing and drinking.

The joys and sorrows inside and outside the curtain are not the same, and this magical atmosphere makes Wang Yushi a bit sad and sad - I learned the word magic from Lin Tailai.

It’s understandable to have a banquet and drink, but can you take care of the mood of the wounded and move the banquet farther away?

"You are so disrespectful to me, a wounded person!" Wang Xiangmeng shouted outside the curtain.

Then I heard Wang Zhiyou reply outside: "We are gathering here to celebrate, because Lin Tailai will be pardoned by the emperor and the case will be wiped out. Why are you anxious?"

Accompanying Wang Yushi was his sister-in-law Wang Shiwu. After carefully questioning what happened in the Wenhua Hall today, she fell silent.

Wang Xiangmeng suddenly felt very happy when he saw that his little aunt who was always giving advice seemed to be depressed today.

"Don't be dissatisfied. Planning and planning are not on the same level. I guess Lin Tai coming to see you is like watching a child playing."

Wang Xiangmeng felt that he was capable again, so he actually provoked his elder Wang Shiwu.

"You want the Wang family to come forward to carry the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder for Lin Tailai, and you also imagine that the Wang family will pay privately to blackmail the Zheng family.

As a result, in Lin Tailai's heart, nothing was needed. He fiddled with the chess pieces a few times, and in the end everyone was happy and everyone gained something.

This gap is not a technical gap, but a gap in the entire realm of life, do you understand? "

Wang Shiwu gently patted Wang Yushi on the back, "You talk too much!"

The Yanguan system is different from other government agencies. Internal promotion depends not only on seniority but also on popularity, and receiving the imperial cane is one of the greatest prestige currently.

Wang Yushi already had three years of experience as an imperial censor, and the imperial cane he received today was at least equivalent to three to six years of experience, with the added bonus of huge popularity.

So if nothing else goes wrong, Wang Xiangmeng will definitely be able to become the censor in charge in the future.

When the three-year term of the censor in charge expires, according to the rules of the officialdom, if you are released to the fourth rank to start, if you go to the sixth rank, you will be a fifth-rank doctor.

In other words, it is likely that Wang Xiangmeng will be promoted from the seventh rank to the fourth rank local official or the fifth rank six ministry official in only four or five years.

Except for cheating, this is basically the top promotion speed.

Wang Xiangmeng added: "Do you know why my uncle invited Lin Tailai over for a drink again? Because there are rumors outside that you made Lin Tailai angry and ran away."

Wang Fifteen sighed, "Now, Lin Tailai helped fight for the chief disciple of the Wang family. Lin Tailai also helped you plan your future as a royal censor. I guarantee that you will be at least a high-ranking official in the future.

This is the greatest kindness in fame and fortune. So what kind of kindness of the same level can the Wang family repay Lin Tailai? If you can't repay, how should you deal with yourself?

All I want from all this effort is for the Wang family to give and repay Lin Tailai, so that the relationship between them will not be unbalanced.

But the matter has come to this, I have tried my best to be kind and righteous, and I don’t care about your men’s affairs!

In the future, the Wang family will become a vassal of the Lin family. Just don't regret it. Anyway, I won't suffer any loss by marrying into the Lin family! "

Although Wang Xiangmeng vaguely felt that his sister-in-law's words made sense, he was currently thinking about his suddenly bright future and could not think deeply about it.

There were no extra people at the wine table outside, only Wang Situ, the Minister of Etiquette, Wang Zhiyou, and Lin Tailai.

They were drinking very relaxedly today. After drinking a bottle of wine, Lin Tailai suddenly said: "I have a dream and I need Da Situ's help to complete it."

Wang Situ said without hesitation: "Why should my family be so polite? What's going on?"

Lin Daguan said boldly: "My dream is to become the overlord of Yangzhou's salt industry!"

Wang Situ: "."

It's not that it's not easy to help, but what Lin Tailai said was completely unexpected, and Wang Situ was not mentally prepared at all.

Even Lin Tailai could understand better than this salt industry overlord who wanted to conquer the northern desert and capture the Great Khan alive.

Lin Tailai continued: "Before coming to the capital, I made some plans in Yangzhou, but in order to go to Beijing to take the exam, I left in a hurry after only half of the layout.

If we return to the south, we will definitely continue to complete the layout, and this will require the help of the Ministry of Household Affairs. "

All salt industry affairs in the world were under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Household Affairs in the imperial court. If Lin Daguan really had the dream of being the overlord of the salt industry, he would definitely have to go to the Ministry of Household Affairs.

Wang Situ said doubtfully: "It's definitely okay to help, but I don't quite understand. What's the use of being the overlord of the Yangzhou salt industry?"

Lin Tailai sighed deeply and said with concern for the country and the people: "I think Yangzhou salt merchants are very profitable, and the city has accumulated hundreds of millions of money.

But this money is of no use to the country or the people, so we must guide it correctly and turn this huge wealth into a tool that benefits the country and the people. It is our duty to do this! "

Wang Situ still couldn't understand Lin Tailai's thoughts, but he was used to it. After all, there are too many times when Lin Tailai is invisible to others, and this time is no different.

"If it can be used by the Household Department, it will be no problem." Wang Situ formally promised.

He didn't even consider whether Lin Tailai could solve the problem. Even if Lin Tailai messed up, he still wanted to help.

Official Lin was very satisfied, and this was the attitude he wanted. Otherwise, wouldn't supporting Wang Situ be in vain?

With the Ministry of Revenue as the backing, it will be much easier to dominate the Yangzhou Salt Industry. Not to mention that Caoliang is also within the business scope of the Household Department, and there is a lot of room for maneuver.

After drinking tonight, Lin Tailai did not stay at Wang's house, but still returned to Shen's residence.

After all the regulations were finalized, in early May, the martial arts palace examination in the 14th year of Wanli was officially held. This was the first martial arts palace examination in the history of the Ming Dynasty.

One day in advance, Honglu Temple summoned the top twenty candidates for the martial arts test, issued robes, and practiced etiquette.

Then the next day, these twenty Wu Jinshi gathered outside the right gate of Chang'an, were led into the palace, and waited outside the Wenhua Hall.

Compared to liberal arts, the martial arts examination was too shabby, but everyone took it for granted and had no objections.

The Liberal Arts Palace Examination is a test for two to three hundred prospective Jinshi outside the Jinluan Hall, and the Palace Examination and roll-call ceremony are held separately. All Jinshi will eventually meet the emperor.

This time, the first martial arts palace examination in the history of the Ming Dynasty was not held in the Jinluan Palace, but only in the Wenhua Palace.

Moreover, only the top twenty in the martial arts test participated and met the emperor, and the palace test and roll call were also held together.

All in all, the main thing is to save trouble.

But no matter how shabby it is, today is the first martial arts examination in the Ming Dynasty, and the first officially recognized martial arts champion is about to be born.

Therefore, the cabinet bachelors, the six ministers, the censor of Zuodu, and the governor of the fifth army governor's office all came to observe.

The regulations for this palace examination were also very simple. All the ink scrolls that the twenty people had written on their previous essays were brought out and presented to the emperor for reading on the spot.

The emperor flipped through it casually, and on the top and thickest test paper, he wrote first place with a red pen.

This exam scene ends here!

The emperor selected the first one, and the other rankings were still ranked according to the previous martial arts test rankings. After all, the main purpose was to save trouble.

However, there is a special situation. Zheng Guotai, who was second in the previous martial arts test, gave up the test due to illness, so he was replaced in order of ranking.

Immediately, the rankings were announced outside the Wenhua Hall and told to the twenty people waiting for the exam. This was considered a roll call, but it was mainly to save trouble.

Then the "freshly baked" Wu Zhuangyuan went to the palace to have an audience with the emperor. This was regarded as an honor for Wu Zhuangyuan, and then the top twenty Wu Jinshi went to the palace to have an audience together.

The Han generals of the Imperial Guard on duty shouted one after another from the Wenhua Hall: "Lin Tailai is the first!"

At this moment, Lin Daguan's heart was calm. This kind of honor, which had been determined in advance, did not deserve to be excited again on the scene.

The other Wu Jinshi didn't have any special reaction. They had no hope for the No. 1 Scholar, so naturally they couldn't be disappointed.

An official in charge of etiquette came forward and guided Lin Tailai to the temple.

After entering the Wenhua Hall, Lin Tailai saw that the civil and military ministers were arranged on both sides, leaving the middle for him.

But no matter how curious he was, he could never stare at the emperor, so he still couldn't figure out what Emperor Wanli looked like.

In fact, for Emperor Wanli, this kind of formality was very boring. He always felt like a puppet on strings.

In this boring process, meeting Lin Tailai may be the only thing of interest today.

When you always hear a person's name at critical moments but have never seen that person, you will be more or less curious.

After the audience ceremony was completed, Lin Tailai heard a voice coming from the throne: "Are you Lin Tailai? You are indeed born majestic."

Lin Tailai quickly replied: "My bravery is due to the emperor's grace."

Then I heard the emperor chuckle a few times on the throne and said, "I have heard your name a lot recently."

Lin Tailai still answered very cautiously: "I'm just afraid that my humble name will taint the ears of the saints."

The emperor asked curiously from the throne: "There are rumors that you can defeat a hundred people by yourself?"

Lin Tailai did not dare to brag and said honestly: "I dare not deceive the emperor. In fact, I cannot defeat the courage of a hundred people, but if the situation is favorable, I may be able to defeat dozens of people."

The emperor exclaimed: "I have never seen such bravery."

Then he said to the left and right with great interest: "Gather fifty people from the nearest inner prison and practice with Wu Zhuangyuan in front of the palace."

Lin Tailai: "."

If I remember correctly, this is obviously the treatment given to Obai, right?

Did the emperor get the wrong dynasty script and want to imitate Kang Mazi in capturing Obei?

Was the emperor's motive to avenge his private life and vent his anger on Zheng Guotai?

Just as official Lin was thinking wildly, Chief Assistant Shen Shixing came out and said:

"Right now it's the roll-call ceremony for the martial arts hall auditions. There are martial arts students waiting outside the hall to see them. It's not appropriate to create additional complications."

There is a rule in the eunuch industry: the closer you are to the emperor, the more promising you are.

The little eunuchs around the emperor might become the eunuchs in charge of the Qianqing Palace or the eunuchs in charge of rituals in the future.

If Lin Tailai beat up these promising young eunuchs, wouldn't he be creating strong enemies in the future?

As if his interest had been interrupted, the emperor's voice suddenly became cold, and he said abruptly:

"I heard that you, Lin Tailai, had a lot of disagreements with Zheng Guotai during the martial arts examination. Now that Zheng Guotai has given up the imperial examination, you, Lin Tailai, easily got the top prize. You must be very happy in your heart?"

To the ears of the ministers on both sides, it felt like this was a proposition, and the obstacle of Zheng Guotai was still in the emperor's heart.

Lin Daguan secretly sighed in his heart, the emperor is the emperor, no matter how weak the emperor is, he is still the emperor, and he has practiced the art of emperor to some extent.

But how come Emperor Wanli, with your sarcastic tone and sudden change of face, are a bit like Emperor Jiajing?

Sometimes you learn from Kang Mazi, and sometimes you imitate Jiajing. Do you have your own style?

Official Lin was complaining in his mind and quickly replied: "I got the first place in the martial arts test because I was able to stand upright in the examination room!

No matter what means Zheng Guotai uses, I only hope to defeat Zheng Guotai openly in the examination room and will not use any means outside the examination room.

Today, Zheng Guotai gave up the exam, which caused the quality of the number one scholar to decline. I deeply regret it, so where does the joy come from? "

Emperor Wanli frowned slightly, feeling that there was something in Lin Tailai's words.

What does "no matter what means Zheng Guotai uses" mean? Could it be that Lin Tailai already knew that Zheng Guotai was looking for someone to take the exam for him?

What does "not know how to use methods outside the examination room" mean? Lin Tailai, a civilian examinee, is at best a retainer of the chief minister. Why would you dare to say "you cannot use methods outside the examination room" to your uncle who is supported by the emperor?

Unless Uncle Guo has something that falls into Lin Tailai's hands, such as taking the exam for him?

In this way, even though Lin Tailai knew that Zheng Guotai had committed fraud, he never revealed it.

From this point of view, Lin Tailai has done his utmost to be benevolent and righteous, and the Zheng family wants to accept Lin Tailai's love.

As an emperor, he couldn't blame Lin Tailai for this issue.

Shen Shoufu and Wang Situ, the two people who knew the inside story best, looked at Lin Tailai with their mouths open.

I originally thought that Lin Tailai was holding Zheng Guotai's excuse for taking the exam and refused to expose it in order to use his trump card to kill Zheng Guotai at the critical moment.

But a few days ago, I didn't expect that "forbearance and silence" could be used to kidnap the Qingliu forces, forcing the Qingliu forces to strongly oppose Zheng Guotai.

Unexpectedly, just a few days later, "holding back" would be used to directly fool the emperor again.

What's even worse is that the emperor actually believed Lin Tailai. He really thought that Lin Tailai was keeping the overall situation in mind and protecting the emperor's face, so he didn't expose Zheng Guotai.

Finally, Emperor Wanli took the initiative to end the topic and said, "I don't blame you for Zheng Guotai's matter. That's it for now. Don't mention it again!"