The Prosperous Era of Longwan

After Wei Guangde received the order from the Ministry of Rites, the family suddenly became lively.

Not only his contemporaries and fellow villagers in Beijing, but also all officials who had interacted with him in the officialdom came to visit with gifts. The reason was naturally to celebrate his entry into the cabinet.

A thirty-year-old cabinet minister, at this age, is still studying hard for many exams, just to pass the examination.

As for those businessmen doing business in Beijing, not only Jiujiang Prefecture, but also businessmen from all over Jiangxi came, bringing generous gifts.

Joining the cabinet means that Wei Guangde's influence on the court is infinitely expanding, and he can already make decisions on many matters.

When Wei Guangde was in the Ministry of Personnel, he could already do a lot of things.

It's just that his time in the Ministry of Personnel was still short, and he arrived at the Ministry of Rites in less than a year.

Although the Ministry of Rites is noble to the officials, it has less power after all. That is to say, the businessmen are still willing to continue to fawn over. After all, the Ministry of Rites still manages the local imperial examinations.

Businessmen actually know that no matter how much money they have, it is useless. As long as there is no official in the family, everything is just a castle in the air.

Therefore, businessmen actually attach great importance to the careers of their family members. Even if there are already talented people in the family, they have never stopped fawning over officials.

They have been in contact with many officials, so they naturally know that even if they are admitted to the Jinshi Examination, even if they are the number one or second in the rankings, they will only be at the bottom in the first few years, and they can only work hard.

Rights, for the new scholars, are something out of reach.

If you want to be promoted, you need someone above you.

Since everyone needs people, why not keep taking care of them and maintain a good relationship.

Therefore, many businessmen not only take the initiative to cling to high-ranking officials, but also start investing in the early stages of becoming a Jinshi official.

Wei Guangde, as a descendant of the 35th year of Jiajing, was specially selected by the emperor to be a concubine in the Hanlin Academy. Naturally, he had been sought after by countless businessmen for a long time. He only needed to hand out an olive branch at random, and he would win over countless businessmen. People flock to it like ducks.

Their investment is finally paying off.

This reward is not tangible, but the family has always maintained a good relationship with the current court elder. In this era, it is a strategic level of deterrence, so that anyone who covets their family wealth has to think carefully.

The last category of people is, of course, the nobles in the capital.

Although when a cabinet minister is born, the noble family in Beijing will give him a gift as a courtesy, but this time the situation is a little different.

For Yin Shizhen, it was natural to follow the usual practice of sending the housekeeper to the door with gifts. In the Wei Mansion, Ding Guo Gong personally came to celebrate, and the British Duke and Cheng Guo Gong also sent the eldest son or outstanding son of the family to bring more generous gifts. Gifts are coming to your door.

The threshold has been crossed. Although it is not that exaggerated, it is still very close to the truth.

There are too many people visiting these days, and Wei Guangde cannot of course see them all, even if he is exhausted.

Among the officials, he met all the old members of King Yu's family, as well as his colleagues and disciples who were more promising in the officialdom.

Businessmen, that is, some of the powerful businessmen he had come into contact with, were far less powerful and could no longer be discerned by him.

As for nobles, the top wealthy families must of course meet in person, except for Xu Wenbi, the Duke of Dingguo, the eldest son of Duke Yingying and Chengguo, the children of the Marquis of Linhuai family, etc.

Naturally, the housekeeper Zhang Ji was sent to handle the rest. Even the need to expand the warehouse at home was made by his wife Xu Jianglan.

Because at this time, Wei Guangde also faced his biggest trouble since joining the cabinet.

"It seems that what Shandai and Yifu are worried about is correct. Brother Li, one of them accidentally fell into the water, and the other committed suicide in shame and anger. Now they are dead without any evidence."

Li Chunfang held a note from the palace in her hand. It was an urgent official document sent by Jin Yiwei from Shanxi.

Even though they didn't stop after receiving the order, they were still a step too slow after all.

Originally, he wanted to say something about the Li brothers, but when the words came to his lips, he suddenly felt that he couldn't say them out.

According to the autopsy brought by Jin Yiwei, it was proved that the so-called Li Liangyu was indeed a girl.

When the official document was transferred to Wei Guangde, he glanced at it briefly, sighed, and shook his head. The matter of "Li Liangyu changed into a woman" was finally concluded.

"Song 𫄸 is not stupid, it's just that the handling was still not proper, which is why such a big flaw occurred."

Wei Guangde said calmly.

His words, in the past, were just complaints about an official's ability, but now, they have been labeled as mediocre, and his future promotion will certainly be affected.

As for why Wei Guangde said this, naturally he had to report the matter to Song Dynasty two days later. He might also have figured out that something was wrong and hurriedly sent people to Jingle County to pick up the people. He wanted to take away all the certificates from Jingle County and take them away. Return to Taiyuan Mansion.

Then, the news came back from the Jinyi Guardian. All important witnesses were silenced, and the matter became an unsolved case.

Let's call it an unsolved case. After all, it is impossible to determine whether the woman is really Li Liangyu himself.

And so far, all the files that can be produced are only the testimony left by the Jingle County magistrate when he interrogated the case, and nothing else.

"Look, what I learned during an unannounced visit to the ground is that in the first month of the first year of Longqing's reign, Li Liangyu occasionally suffered from abdominal pain that came and went. On the ninth day of February of the second year, he suffered from severe pain. By April, the kidney sac unknowingly retracted into the abdomen. , turned into a woman's vagina. The water of the next menstruation was also normal, and she began to change her makeup. She was twenty-eight years old.

It has spread among the people. Jin Yiwei was able to find out these things. I was puzzled that this Li Liangyu had severe abdominal pain and that his kidney sac had shrunk and turned into a woman. With such a big change, Jingle County Magistrate did not even ask if he saw a doctor at that time. Which doctor showed it to me.

Menstrual fluid is also ok, so he (she) knows how to change women's makeup. It's really nonsense, such a thing can be recorded in the file. "

Wei Guangde was really angry now, and he was surprisingly angry at the incompetence of the Jingle County Magistrate.

He knew that if someone talked about this matter in the future, with such a detailed explanation, the falsehood would become true.

Look at the record and see it with your own eyes.

Normally, the person involved would never want to talk about such a private matter, and the date was actually remembered so accurately.

Only oral confession, no circumstantial evidence.

"Now we have to consider how to deal with this matter. There has been a lot of discussion in the public recently. We can't let the rumors spread anymore."

Li Chunfang frowned. He didn't know what to do. What he wanted to do now was to calm down.

After hearing the words of the Chief Assistant, several people in the cabinet were all frowning and could not think of a way to break the situation, but at this time Wei Guangde's voice sounded again.

"Without him, this matter is regarded as a rumor to deceive the public. Factory guards, government officials, and school lieutenants patrol the streets. Anyone who dares to spread rumors will be arrested and brought to the judicial office. All files in Shanxi will be transferred to the Ministry of Criminal Justice for sealing."

Wei Guangde originally wanted to deal with it coldly, but he would not be able to do anything about such a thing even in future generations.

Although it is more important to defend the people than to defend the river, there is not much to worry about at this time.

Later generations said that the memory of netizens is only three days. In fact, it is similar in any era. People need to run around for three meals a day, so the time for gossip is very short. That is, the enthusiasm is relatively high in the first two or three days, and then it will quickly cool down. Talk about it again.

Then, it will be covered by various memories and become a dusty memory.

"I heard that many famous doctors in the capital are also interested in this matter and have made an appointment to go to Shanxi."

At this time, Chen Yiqin suddenly spoke.

Well, now Chen Yiqin is the cabinet's medicine pot. He deals with doctors in the capital, so he has a good understanding of the trends in the medical community in the capital.

"These people ignore him."

Wei Guangde replied.

He knew that doctors in this era were relatively pragmatic and would not easily believe such nonsense.

As for the Li Liangyu incident in Shanxi, no matter whether they check it or not, at most they will record it in their own notes, and then nothing will happen.

There have been many legends about gods and ghosts in China since ancient times, but no one has actually seen them.

These capable and skilled people in ancient China generally regarded it as inheritance and would only pass it on within the family.

These records may no longer exist in the near future. Who will still remember this matter in another ten years?

But what Wei Guangde didn't expect was that a famous doctor in this era actually recorded this incident, and then printed it and published it without being buried. This also allowed this rumor to be found in later generations.

He is Li Shizhen, the author of the medical book "Compendium of Materia Medica".

"Oh, there is no other way, this is the only way."

Zhang Juzheng spoke in agreement at this time.

It is most difficult for the government to deal with such rumors spreading among the people. They know that there is something fishy in them, but there is no evidence.

What's more, people also like to believe in such things about gods and ghosts.

"I think this is the only way."

Chen Yiqin looked at Li Chunfang and said the same thing.

Li Chunfang nodded slightly under Chen Yiqin's gaze, and then looked at Yin Shizhen.

Of course, Yin Shizhen noticed that Li Chunfang was looking at him, but he couldn't think of a way to deal with this matter. If he were to issue an accusation to frame the White Lotus Sect, there would be no witnesses.

If Li Liangyu is in charge, he can let her (him) say this regardless of whether the matter is true or false.

But if the person is dead, this method will naturally not work.

"It can only be this way."

Yin Shizhen lowered his head and stopped thinking about this matter, because he couldn't think of a way at all.

This is a dead end. Everything has been arranged long ago, leaving no room for you to make a comeback.

"In a moment, we will go into the palace to see His Majesty and tell him how to deal with this matter?"

Li Chunfang spoke again.

"It's dictated. No documents need to be left behind. All previous documents will be sealed."

Wei Guangde answered.

In the afternoon, Wei Guangde left the palace, got on the sedan and returned to his residence.

I was in a bad mood today. Zhu Xixiao, the commander of the Jinyi Guards, was scolded by Emperor Longqing for a long time in the morning. After Li Chunfang and other cabinet ministers met with him, he was certainly not satisfied with their handling of the matter.

However, after Chen Yiqin and Wei Guangde explained that doing so was a last resort, Emperor Longqing finally calmed down.

He also knows something about the character of ordinary people.

It is best not to announce this kind of thing through the government, and let them just treat it as a rumor. If it is really announced, no matter what it is said, the matter will be confirmed, and then the impact will be great, even irreparable.

Although he was not scolded like Zhu Xixiao, Emperor Longqing did not give these cabinet ministers a good look.

"Master, we're home."

At this time, the guard's voice came from outside the sedan, and then the sedan curtain was opened.

To be honest, the eight-carriage sedan that Xu Jianglan built for Wei Guangde was really stable and not bumpy at all. Even when the sedan stopped, it was not easy for people in the sedan to notice.

Wei Guangde bent slightly and got out of the sedan chair, then walked into the mansion. Zhang Ji, who was waiting at the door to greet him, followed him into the mansion.

"Sir, a letter has arrived from Mr. Liu Guangji, the governor of Jiangxi."

Behind Wei Guangde, Zhang Ji whispered.

"Well, take it to the study."

Wei Guangde replied casually, "By the way, are there any important guests today?"

This is what Wei Guangde asks the most when he returns home these days. Zhang Ji will send ordinary guests away, but important guests still have to meet.

The relationship is mutual. If someone else comes to you and is treated coldly for a long time, it will easily lead to people having bad thoughts over time and then switching to another company.

An hour later, after seeing several guests, Wei Guangde finally relaxed and returned to the study.

There was a letter on the desk in the study. Wei Guangde knew that it was from Liu Guangji. Although it was a little strange, he still picked it up to check the seal, then tore it open and took away the letter paper.

As soon as he saw the beginning, Wei Guangde had a smile on his lips.

Liu Guangji probably didn't know the news about his joining the cabinet yet, so he still addressed him as "Sir", otherwise he should be called "Pavilion Elder".

However, if you look closely at the following content, in addition to the usual greetings, it is said that he has visited various governments in Jiangxi in the past few months to understand the actual situation, and found that many gentry and people in Jiangxi hope to restore the "one whip law".

"No wonder."

Wei Guangde muttered something and continued to read the letter.

Liu Guangji's letter to him was a bit thick. When he took it out earlier, he was still suspicious, thinking that something big had happened.

Of the seven or eight pages, the letter actually only has three pages, and the remaining pages are the first draft of a memorial he wrote. Naturally, he planned to report to the emperor and restore the "one whip method" in Jiangxi.

After all, the suspension of the "one whip method" was the Ministry of Household Affairs' report, the emperor's permission and the decree of the world. If he did not report it to the emperor in advance, a label of disobeying the imperial edict would be enough to make Liu Guangji irrecoverable.

Jiangxi is a large province with a large population and large fields. If the previous taxes and levies were used, the workload would be too much for the government. The common people did not understand taxes and levies. They only felt that the government's taxation was too much and cumbersome, so the "one-whip method" was restored. ” is the unanimous voice.

Even if this method is adopted, it will not fundamentally reduce the taxes they need to pay, and they find it simpler.

You should know that if you don't follow this method, although the money and grain paid each time may seem much less, it will be paid several times a month. For farmers who make a living by farming, how can they have such free time.

You set the taxes to be collected at once, and they only pay the tax once, and the rest of the time goes home to take care of the fields. Isn't it nice?

Anyway, the emperor and the government would not waive these taxes.

After reading the first draft of the memorial, Wei Guangde nodded.

He vaguely knew why Jiangxi people from top to bottom wanted to use the "one whip method". Now Liu Guangji just confirmed the matter again after visiting.

With the direction decided, Wei Guangde immediately found the letter paper, laid it out, and replied to Jiangxi with a letter.

At this time, the news that Yin Shizhen had entered the cabinet as a bachelor of Wenyuange and Wei Guangde as a bachelor of Dongge had spread to Nanjing and other parts of the Ming Dynasty through Di Bao.