eldest son of Ming dynasty

Chapter 831 Yang Tinghe and his son

Speaking of which, this was also the first time that Zai Yan entered Shu. When he was still young, he always heard his father talk about the great potential of this land of abundance. The data reported by the Ministry of Household Affairs also reflected the situation in Sichuan. Every year gets better.

But seeing it with your own eyes is still different.

There are mountains everywhere along the way, but only in Chengdu can you see thousands of acres of fertile land. Chengdu stands like a majestic city in the south of the Yangtze River, and the market in the city is also prosperous.

This is how peace will prevail and people's livelihood will be stable.

It is said that after Sichuan Governor Yao Yulin gave him a gentle warning, he immediately became more honest.

The next day, Yao Yulin came to visit Zai Yan, and Zai Yan also met him according to the rules.

But he didn’t say a few more words.

His so-called instruction to supervise the creation of the Fish Scale Atlas only requires that he complete the matter on the surface.

So he wrote an order in handwriting and handed it to Yao Yulin, and said: "Yao Zhongcheng, this is the order from the king of this county. From today on, you will follow this order to pursue the request from the Sichuan Chief Envoy, the Inspector General and the 10 prefectures under your jurisdiction. Fish scale atlas, come see me again in 20 days and tell me where there are still delays in handing it over. At that time, you and the three envoys from Sichuan will go to these places with me."

Yao Yulin was not surprised by this. He said with a smile: "I have written down what His Highness the Second Highness said. However, the main reason I came here today is to reassure His Highness. In the past six months, more than half of the people in Sichuan have The prefecture and county have handed over the fish scale atlas."

Zai Yan said seriously, "So, Yao Zhongcheng has done a good job."

"They are all relying on the Emperor Hongfu. His Highness is personally in charge of the overall situation. A subordinate official will not deserve the credit."

"Well, then... you will pass on another order. In two days, the king of this county will randomly check the atlas of 8 counties and go to see it on the spot. You will also make it clear to the magistrates and field chiefs in each place. If it is true, It’s not that I don’t believe in their way of serving as ministers, nor that I deliberately embarrass them, it’s just that the procedures stipulated by the imperial court should be followed, and it is absolutely necessary.”

Yao Yulin paused for a moment and then smiled, "His Second Highness obeys the orders and no one dissents."

"Okay." Zai Yan sat upright with a strong posture, "Is there anything else?"

"No, I wonder if His Highness has any other instructions?"

"No, Yao Zhongcheng is going to have a hard time recently. My father is very urgent and takes this matter very seriously. There should be no delay at all. Please remember this."

"The official understands, the official understands."

Zai Yan didn't come here for this matter, but he still had to wait for news about his real affairs. When the news came, he would not be so leisurely.

So he had to seize the next few days to do another thing.

After Yao Yulin left, Zai Yan immediately started to change clothes, called Leershan over, and said, "Have you heard about what I asked you to inquire about?"

The guard was hesitant, but he still said, "I've heard about it, but Your Highness, do you really want to go?"

"Go. We've already arrived in Chengdu, why not go?"

Soon after, a carriage and horses came out of the carriage and headed towards Xindu County.

……

……

In the governor's Yamen, Yao Yulin also received such news.

He happened to have at his disposal his own confidants as well as Sichuan's chief envoy and inspector.

"Xindu County?" Yao Yulin frowned, his eyes gradually filled with surprise, "Is it that person?"

The Chief Envoy of Sichuan was a small man, but he seemed to have a bright mind. "There is no mistake. The one worthy of a personal visit by the majestic prince must be Yang Tinghe."

Yang Tinghe was a native of Xindu County, Chengdu Prefecture. Historically, he died of illness in his hometown of Xindu County after becoming an official.

Yao Yulin still couldn't believe it, "This man has been away from the court for almost ten years, why are you still visiting him?"

"Not only that, Yang Jiefu offended Long Yan, and not only was he sent to prison by the Ministry of Punishment, but even after many people took turns to plead for mercy, His Majesty still did not agree to use it, which shows that he hates him deeply in his heart. His Highness, the Second Highness, was out of Beijing on official business this time, but he went to visit If such a person is known to His Majesty, it may not be a good thing."

"We're not going to bring this person out to fight against Mr. Zhang Ge, right?"

"Probably not. Your Highness also seems to be a smart person. So many people begged for mercy back then, but it was useless. Now that Yang Jiefu is old and frail, it is even more impossible. It is probably the human nature of young people... to act impulsively."

Even so, Yao Yulin did not dare to accuse the prince just like that. If you try to sow discord between father and son, wouldn't that make you look embarrassed?

But if he doesn't complain, it doesn't necessarily mean that some of the lower officials can't.

Yao Yulin felt relaxed, "I was shocked. I thought some great person was coming."

……

……

The reason why Zai Yan wanted to visit Yang Tinghe was actually for his elder brother.

Zaihe was surrounded by a group of noble people, and Yang Tinghe tried to persuade the emperor about Jiangnan. Although he failed, he was regarded by some people as a scholar with great integrity and character.

Especially those who suffered the disaster that year had a favorable impression of Yang Tinghe.

Even though he had helped the emperor do many things that were against the right path, this incident was enough to 'clear his name'.

Zhu Houzhao also fulfilled these people. If you want a name, then I will give you a name. Officer, don’t think about it. You cannot get both fame and fortune. It is equivalent to another form of being an official but not getting rich, getting rich but not being an official.

I don't know since when, officials began to superstitiously practice a practice called "raising hope", which is to retire and live in seclusion to accumulate reputation. Some people even refused to be awarded official positions by the imperial court to show that they did not value this so-called secular official position.

In this way, when your reputation is high and the time is right, you will be able to rise to the top immediately.

It's a pity that in the past ten years, the court has always been indifferent to these people.

At that time, Zhu Houzhao issued an order. Anyone who resigned from office and recommended him to serve as an official in the court should firstly vouch for the recommender and explain the reasons; secondly, the officials should not make any arbitrary decisions regarding such changes in officials. , and the emperor must be informed.

In the 20th year of Zhengde's reign, the scope of this edict was expanded. Anyone who refused to be appointed by the imperial court had to go through the same procedures if he was appointed again.

Zhu Houzhao is not saying that he does not value talents, he does, but he comes with an attitude of being responsible to the court and the people. Since a person is not very concerned about official position, how can the official weapons of the imperial court be handed over to such a person? Woolen cloth?

Is this a joke?

You don’t want to be, but some people want to be.

After this edict, the phenomenon of officials across the country frequently resigning has been curbed, but that is not to say that it has never happened, and some still want to resign.

This is no problem. As long as there is no crime and the person is willing to return to the mountains to be a savage, Zhu Houzhao will naturally not trouble him.

He just wants to make this matter a little more pure. If you want to live in a temple, then don't threaten anyone with resignation. You want to be a hermit and an expert. That's fine. Now, in the 20th year of Zhengde's reign, regardless of this part Whether a person is subjective or not, he has to realize that he is "far away".

This is really uncomfortable for people who are pretending to be secretive. Not only do they have to pretend, but they also have to do all kinds of tricks. But in fact, the emperor above is very strict about it. Unless you really tell the reason, he will not agree.

so what?

An important person like Yang Yiqing was driven away, and Ming Dynasty was still prospering.

And if you really need someone, then agree.

In short, everything is in Zhu Houzhao's hands.

As for those people who really regard worldly fame and fortune as passing smoke,

Zhu Houzhao also thinks it's good. At least the folk customs are much purer. More people like this scattered around can provide healthier guidance.

It saves a bunch of opportunistic and ambitious people, pretending to be masters, but actually bringing out some profit-minded disciples.

Among these experts, there is also one in Xindu County.

That is Yang Tinghe's son, Yang Shen.

Because his father was suddenly deposed, Yang Shen's temperament also changed. The emperor's attendant whom he was originally proud of was actually a matter of the emperor's whim.

After he returned to his hometown to live, he wrote many poems and was a famous literati in this area.

In addition to their father and son, there are many other people in the Yang family who have achieved fame, and some have obtained official status through the three-level examination. Moreover, Yang Tinghe has been a pavilion elder for many years and has accumulated a lot of "special salary". As long as he does not squander it, his life is actually pretty good. Can.

So Yang Shen no longer has material constraints, and now he is really obsessed with poetry.

The ancestral residence of the Yang Mansion does not appear to be very luxurious in the local area. It is just a circle of gray tile walls. In front of the main entrance is a simple word "Yang Mansion". It is very simple and has almost no unnecessary decorations.

In recent years, not many people from the government came to visit, and only a few people were willing to risk offending Zhang Cong, the elder of the court.

Yang Shen makes more friends with like-minded interests.

However, the prince's recent visit even alarmed Yang Tinghe.

After Yang Tinghe was dismissed from office, although his reputation was extremely high, he never said anything against the emperor on any occasion. Instead, he defended the emperor everywhere and took the blame for himself, because he himself knew best what kind of person Emperor Zhengde was.

Zai Yan entered the gate and soon met the aging Yang Tinghe and the more mature Yang Shen, "I vaguely remember that Jiefu Gonghai taught me how to study in college. More than ten years have passed. This time I went to Chengdu to study. I just wanted to pay a visit to Mr. Jie on the way here."

Yang Tinghe felt that he was deeply favored by the emperor, so he was very polite to Zai Yan, "His Second Highness's visit is really a blessing that I, the Yang family, cannot afford."

Yang Shen also saluted him, "Your Highness, in this situation... you really shouldn't have come."

"Everyone else is afraid of Zhang Bingyong. I am a prince, am I afraid of him? As for my father, I know his ambitions. He is definitely not a stingy person. It makes sense that I come to visit my former teacher."

Zai Yan spoke so confidently that the Yang family and his son felt relieved, so they invited him into the main room and sent someone to make tea for him.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty...How is Your Majesty doing lately?" As soon as he sat down, Yang Tinghe couldn't help but ask this question.

Zaiyan said: "Father, Emperor Long is in good health."

"That's good, that's good." Yang Tinghe said with some memories on his face, "Your Majesty has worked hard for twenty years, and the Ming Dynasty has finally achieved its great glory today. To have an emperor like your Majesty, it is really blessed by God and our ancestors."

"My father's achievements can naturally be compared to those of the sages and emperors of ancient times. What I have seen along the way is that there are crops everywhere, villages are filled with smoke, and business travelers are constantly coming and going. It seems that the land of abundance that my father said has become a reality."

Yang Tinghe was slightly silent after hearing this and didn't say much.

However, Yang Shen still has a straightforward temper. "It's a pity that Zhang Bingyong is not good at employing people. Since Xie Yizhong changed the governor of Sichuan to the governor of Huguang two years ago, the new governor Yao has become much more courageous."

"Use Xiu, don't discuss state affairs. Your Majesty, the Holy Ming Zhuzhao, and His Highness, the Second Highness, are extremely intelligent. Why do you need to say more here?"

After hearing this, Zai Yan became interested and said, "Mr. Jiefu, what you said is inappropriate. If you still remember your father's kindness back then, you should let Master Ling continue what you said and explain it clearly. The so-called "listening to both sides will make it clear." If you listen to others, you will be in the dark. I am new to this place, so some things may not be completely clear to me."

Yang Shen had a close relationship with the emperor. He said: "Father, don't blame me. My son still feels that as long as it is beneficial to the court, I should still say it."

Zai Yan clapped her legs excitedly, "Okay! With your words, it is worthy of my father's concern for you and his son Yang!"

(End of this chapter)