Chapter 448 Gahn
Eventually, though, the results came in.
And then a charter was quickly presented to the emperor.
Zhu Di read the zhang, also had to be surprised at the level of these muddy waters of the Daming elite jinshi.
After weighing carefully again and again, Zhu Di approved red, and then ordered the invention of the decree.
A favorable decree soon left the palace, and then ran to Taipingfu.
The Taiping Mansion, however, remained calm, and it seemed to be a new day for this Taiping Mansion.
In the new day, from the government office to the county office, every day is as usual, there are too many things to take care of.
With the revitalization of all industries, the functions of the government have changed.
Once upon a time in a county, the court only needed to appoint a few officials, who in turn appointed their own civil and military officials to barely maintain law and order and collect grain, and then the job was done.
But nowadays, from investment promotion, to disputes and lawsuits of all sizes, as well as the repair of bridges and roads, and then statistics, school administration, civil affairs, etc., all need to be taken care of.
The structure of society, has become very complex, so complex that the unusual clerical staff, if three months off sick leave, and then go on duty, only to find that there are areas that are no longer understood.
Today, the day dawn, Zhou Hu will get up, and then ate a bowl of porridge with pickles, two sons, has dawdled satchel, and then grinding to go to the school.
Zhou Hu scolded them, “All day long you know how to be lazy, and you don’t study hard, next time Mr. Come back to tell on me, I’ll pick your skins.”
The two children then drooped their heads, but their steps were quickened and they ran off in a huff.
The woman then stepped aside and prepared Zhou Hu’s midday food box, saying on one side, “Curse less, they are still small.”
“Little what?” Zhou Hu’s face grim: “I’m in his age, or barefoot, in the field for people to herd cows, before dawn, have to cut hog grass, where can read! If not thereafter rely on a few points of strength, working in the dock, night to go to the literacy institute to learn some reading and writing skills, then the daytime work, the night but also to practice words, and so stayed down for two years, only in the official test. Look at them again, what a look!”
The woman was then unable to make a sound.
Zhou Hu is now Qixia’s first-class officials, is a sharecropper origin, the former hardships, he is the most vivid memory, and therefore the most dislike, is their two sons like this, clearly life has been a huge improvement, but refused to use the appearance of the study.
The very thought of it made him angry, and his state of mind was not even something that could be understood by an ordinary rich family.
Rich families have been rich for generations, and may not rely on reading and writing to have today, they grew up in the honeypot, so for their own children, always tolerant, think that even if you can’t read, that’s just because the child nature, honesty, and grow up will be fine.
Zhou Hu knows that it is not easy to read, and his ‘success’, from the knowledge of this path, and therefore for his two sons especially harsh.
The woman still couldn’t help but advise, “The two children, whose grades in the academy are no longer bad, are only occasionally naughty, so why scold them like this?”
Zhou Hu said: “You are a woman, how do you know! It’s not like the old days, when there were fewer people who read, and you could read, you had more chances than others. But nowadays, there are fewer people studying in Taipingfu. The government office statistics, school-age teenagers and children enrolled in school has more than 60%, everyone reads, if you can not be harder than others, than other people to learn more skills, in the future to suffer.”
Said Zhou Hu stood up, then said: “also rely on is in Taiping province, change is other places, really do not know what they do. Right, the night I came back late, today may know the hall, to select a few clerical officials to go to Wuhu County in the official work, and ultimately this errand is very likely to fall on my head, you do not have to stay for dinner.”
The woman couldn’t help but complain, “Why is it always you ……”
Zhou Hu laughed, said: “This also can’t be a thing, now things more complicated, manpower is these, this is not enough. After this year’s summer grain harvest, the next will be to prepare the budget, the counties have reported the end of the year and the next year to build and spend the number of money and grain, the government needs to check one by one.”
Said Zhou Hu with a few feelings: “Hey, this thing is nothing? When I was a laborer, it was really hard. However, it’s not as hard as it was before I came to Qixia, and it’s much more comfortable than working as a tenant farmer. Now the House are saying, Wuhu County King to His Majesty made a military order, our Taiping Province of the sea trade to open up the situation, outside the Taiping Province, there are a lot of people on the Wuhu County King of His Royal Highness yin and yang, have been wanting to see His Royal Highness’s jokes, these days of the Di Di newspaper, are in the touting of what the Zhejiang Province Buzhengwei, heh …….”
The woman nudged her mouth in disbelief, “You’re a clerical official, but you worry about big people.”
Zhou Hu did not want to take care of the woman, but did not hold back, but the gas swooshing said: “This is different, not to mention that we up and down can have today, is to get the favor of His Highness the County King. Even if small, Wuhu County King if really want to be those people to the whole, we can get what good? Don’t forget, our family, when we were tenant farmers, can study, can settle down here, all depend on this County King and the new policy.”
Said he coldly snorted and said, “Hum …… in the future I will point to our two children! If you are successful in reading, into the official school academy to go, if you can enter the brocade guards, it would be better, will be those Pili Yangqiu guys, all take.”
With that said, he had already raised his steps and headed out, ready to go on duty.
The woman followed behind to see him out the door, saying on the other hand, “His Highness the Sheriff King has his own skills, it’s not for us peons to worry about.”
Zhou Hu only nodded his head, “But I’m still worried in my heart. Hey, I won’t talk to you.”
When he had said this, he departed to the government office.
This side of the government office, Zhou Hu has not yet entered the duty room, will listen to the sound of people inside, not lively.
Someone cried out, “There is a gracious decree, there is a gracious decree.”
Zhou Hu heard the grace decree, and at first was a little confused, because previously in the Di Di report, there is no such end.
It was only when he entered the hall of the co-conspirators, where he was, that he saw his colleagues here, all of them seething with joy.
Someone pulled Zhou Hu, excitedly said: “The decree has come, His Highness the King of Wuhu County got the decree, and was awarded the title of Shangshu of the Department of Maritime Affairs. Our prefectural magistrate will receive the title of Prince Prince, and his colleagues will be awarded the title of Prince Junior Master, and the magistrates of all counties will be given the titles of Minister of Lectures and Cultivator, and all civil servants will be given an additional grade and their salaries will be raised by one grade each! On top of that, in the prefectures and counties, we will set up a sea government office and create officials.”
Department of Marine Affairs …… This is something unheard of.
However, as a first-class official, Zhou Hu is largely able to smell a hint of a different flavor from the words ‘Ministry’ and ‘Shangshu’.
And as for adding titles, it is actually for serving officials to increase their rank.
For example, the prefectural magistrate was originally of the second rank, but now with the addition of the crown prince, he is of the first rank. As for the magistrates of the counties, originally they were mostly of the sixth rank, but with the addition of the Cultivator and Lecturer, they became either of the sixth rank or of the fifth rank.
Of course, the Hanlin officer’s added title, indeed, is not unusual, which for ordinary magistrates, it is simply smoke from the ancestral tomb.
You should be a Hanlin official.
Even the clerical officials were all given a raise of one grade each, which meant that salaries and entitlements were greatly increased.
Of course, if all the prefectures and counties, are adding new government offices also means that more vacancies will follow.
Like Zhou Hu, he is a first-class official, now added a level, which means that he is considered to be the level of the Secretary, if you can go further, and may even directly serve as the county oracle, the main book, the lieutenant, or into the county under the Yamen, as the chief official.
Zhou Hu now this first class official treatment, in fact, is in accordance with the official position of the Daming from the eighth grade to issue salaries, and now it is positive eight grade, the next …… may be serious, to enter the door of the seventh grade.
This surprise came so suddenly that Zhou Hu felt his body float up.
He couldn’t help but say, “Ministry of Maritime Affairs, what does this mean? Why did the court make this move.”
He didn’t ask about his extra level, which was worthy of congratulations though, and surely he’d have to celebrate with a nice drink back home.
But at this time, he was more concerned about the situation of the Wuhu County King.
He knew the relationship between them and the Wuhu County King better than anyone else. The Wuhu County King was the skin, they were the fur, and everything they fought for was closely related to the Wuhu County King.
As the saying goes, if the skin doesn’t exist, the hair will be attached to it.
“I heard that …… is to preside over the meaning of the world’s sea politics, from the former court six departments, changed into seven departments, now the prefectural magistrate and the counties, have gone to the king’s residence, on the one hand is to celebrate, on the other hand, is also to negotiate this government and counties set up under the sea government Yamen thing.”
Someone lowered his voice: “Sea government Yamen is important, the court this time opened the mouth, I heard in charge of the future of the naval division, sea politics and sea trade matters, now this sea politics is our top priority, this time in the sea government department set up under the sea government Yamen, the duty is not small, if it is not unexpected, alone required to draw officials, may be in the county have to be more than a thousand people, brother Zhou, you are not small seniority. Seniority is not small, this time …… is very likely to be from the Secretary, directly transferred to the sea political Yamen from the seventh grade ZuoGuan.”
Zhou Hu only felt giddy, there was just too much good news, one after another, making him unable to accept it for a moment.
However, when he heard the other party say that he might still be of great use, he acted extremely cautious, and busily pressed down the excitement in his heart, saying, “I don’t dare, whether it’s in terms of ability or seniority, Zhou Mou is really far from the same.”
The entire government office was busy with official business, but at this time, everyone had little heart.
Until someone ran to the co-counselor’s hall and whispered: ”The prefect and co-counselor, as well as Zhaomo, have returned from the county king’s mansion. Alas, they all look radiant. Oh, after returning to the Prefectural Office, they have begun to meet again, but I don’t know what they are discussing.”
Some people privately speculate: “must be to discuss the sea government Yamen candidates, I heard the officials selected Division and the people of the Illuminating Mill said, that side has begun to start to draw the civilian officials of the merit examination situation.”
When everyone heard this, their hearts were lifted up more and more.
Zhou Hu’s mind was only messy and rambling.
He thought of this time the Ministry of Sea Politics, must be the sea trade policy has been determined, the court this is more national policy to do.
And the Sea Deal is closely related to the New Deal, which means that the New Deal is more firmly rooted.
As for the sea government yamen …… government certainly need to set up the Department of the sea government, and the county must also have the sea government, as for the candidate, but I do not know how to select.
He is on official business in the Office of the Tongzhi, and what he does has little to do with the sea trade, although some people say that he is not senior, or there is an opportunity, but when you think about it, the clerical officials who are selected should not be in the Office of the Tongzhi.
This thought was followed by a bitter smile.
He has been promoted to the first rank and is now treated as a Secretary of Department, so what is there to be unaware of?
At that moment, it put away that fickle heart.
It was late, and the lights were on in all the halls and rooms, for it was probable that the princes of the government offices would make everyone go to their lectures, so no one dared to leave at the hour of the day.
After a few more tea hours, but someone came and said to Zhou Hu, “Secretary Zhou, the co-counselor asks you to go to the public room.”
When Zhou Hu heard this, he was appalled.
He had had some contact with the co-conspirator on weekdays, but there were no instances where he was specifically approached to go there.
So at this point, Zhou Hu nodded his head, and then came to the Tongzhi duty room with a little apprehension.
After the briefing, stepped into it, but see Liu Tongzhi at this time is writing something on the paperwork, aside is responsible for Tongzhi affairs of the Secretary of the Department with a few copies of the paperwork in the side waiting.
Zhou Hu withdrew his gaze and saluted, “Greetings, Lord Liu.”
Liu Tongzhi nodded, raised his head up and glanced at Zhou Hu, “Things are already known, right?”
Zhou Hu tried to put on a subdued look and said, “I wonder what Lord Liu is talking about?”
Liu Tong knows: “Now the sea government Yamen lack of people, to transfer a large number of officials to the sea government Yamen, not only the court of the sea government department, is the government of the sea government department, as well as the counties of the sea government, which is up and down, the manpower required do not know how many, the county king his highness means that …… the sea government is related to the important, so these Manpower, all from the original provinces and counties as well as the various departments and bureaus of the officials, and then recruited new civil and military officials to supplement the original Yamen.”
Zhou Hu was thinking in his heart, could it be that this time also intends to let me transfer the sea government offices?
He had quite a few expectations in his heart, but didn’t say much, only waiting for Liu Tongzhi’s next words.
Liu Tongzhi smiled and said, “You are an old official, the selection of the Division and the side of the light mill about your situation, the old man has also seen, in office for seven years, and has been credited twice, well …… counting, you are the backbone of the Tongzhi Hall.”
Zhou Hu humbly said, “The student does not dare to be.”
Liu Tongzhi smiled and said: “I can not afford to transfer you to the sea government Yamaha to go, you these years, responsible for the non-sea trade matters, which do not know anything about it, to go is also a condescending.”
Hearing this, Zhou Hu, who was originally full of expectations, had his heart cooled by half.
In that case, he’s still retained, and only has a chance for promotion if he goes to the Maritime Government Office.
Even though he had prepared for it, when he actually learned the results, he was still inevitably a little lost.
So he tried to pretend to be unconcerned, reluctantly smiled and said, “Students in the Office of the Tongzhi, really errands are used to doing, the sea politics, and really do not understand. Since everything is at the disposal of Lord Liu, I would like to continue to serve in the Tongzhi Hall.”
Liu Tongzhi laughed loudly, he rested his pen on the pen holder before he said, “I would like to keep you in the Tongzhi Hall, but …… not teaching you to go to the Haizheng Yamen is not to say …… that you will not go to other places to call. ”
“This time, when the Tu County bookkeeper, the most likely to enter the government’s Department of the Sea Department of the Division of the Department of the co-conspirator, this person, you know, right?”
Zhou Hu heard, carefully, finger pointed to the beam of the room: “Liu Gong said this master, could it be that His Highness ……”
Liu Gong smiled and said: “You know well, do not have to say too much understanding, he this transfer to the Department of the sea politics, this Dangtu County’s main book is vacant. You also know, now there are too many vacancies, to mobilize so many people to be responsible for the sea government, the government and the county are now short of people, Tongzhi Hall side, not only to choose seven people to go to the sea government, but also need to choose four officials to the counties to fill the vacancies of the zookeeper, not to mention, those first-class officials, second-class officials.”
After a pause, he went on to say: “I’ve checked your situation, you are a stable person, I intend to recommend you to go to Dangtu County to serve as the bookkeeper, how do you think? I can say good, when Tu County may not be more lively than Qixia, you go, may be small family to stay in Qixia, I’m afraid that the wife and children will not be good care.”
When Zhou Hu heard this, he only felt his brain buzzing.
Dangtu County’s chief bookkeeper!
You should know that a county chief book, at least in Taiping Province, is from the seventh rank.
The most important thing is that this is the biggest official in a county, except for the governor and the county magistrate.
It’s not too much of a stretch to say it’s half a party of vassals.
And Zhou Hu in an hour ago, in fact, is still just a first-class officials only, in the twinkling of an eye, shifted, actually became the main book.
You should know that in Daming, outside of Taipingfu, even if you want to serve as a chief bookkeeper, you need to have the merit of a Juren at worst.
But who is Tiger Zhou?
He grew up barefoot, herding cattle and hogging hay for men, and thereafter worked in the docks as a humble minor official.
It can be said that throughout the dynasties, to do any time, like him such a person, it is simply impossible to look forward to serve as the main book, not to mention serve, even if it is to see the main book one side is absolutely impossible.
Seeing Zhou Hu frozen in place, this Liu Tongzhi only looked at him with a smile and did not rush to urge him back.
In fact …… Liu Tongzhi why do not know the mood of Zhou Hu? He this Tongzhi, is not also originally from the former he could not even dream of?
After a good half-long time, seeing Zhou Hu still froze, it looked like he still didn’t know when to return to his soul.
Only then did Liu Tongzhi say, “What, no more talking?”
These words were like an instant pull back to reality for Zhou Hu.
“Students …… students ……” Zhou Hu back to God, just wanted to say something, but suddenly choked, eyes red, holding tears, suddenly puffed, actually cried out.
Liu Tongzhi didn’t show a bit of dislike, only gently said, “Well, well, pay attention to official etiquette.”
Zhou Hu also felt that he was being too rude and busily said, “Yes, yes.”
Zhou Hu took a deep breath and finally calmed down slowly before arching his hand and saying, “My humble servant really doesn’t know how to be grateful.”
Liu Tongzhi laughed, “If you want to thank, thank Your Highness the County King, who else can we thank if people like us can have today?”
Zhou Hu’s body trembled and said with a sincere expression, “Yes. My humble servant will do his best to repay the favor, so as to live up to His Highness the County King.”