At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty

At present, the top few poor families in the Wei Empire are constantly developing and growing by relying on their in-law relationship with Guo Peng.

He continued to occupy positions among the staff desk, minister desk, censor desk and the cabinet, and the momentum was quite good.

In the central government, the number of officials from poor families is increasing, and there are no more concessions at the local level. In the entire Liangzhou prefecture, more than half of the subordinate officials are from poor families, including the very important positions of legal counselors.

As far as Mao Jie knew, scholars and officials mostly served as chief officials of a locality, while positions other than chief officials were mostly held by children from poor families, which was very common in the officialdom of Wei State.

Some scholars believe that this is Guo Peng's move to limit the power of scholars, but this view is not common.

Mao Jie didn't see it that way, and he had no intention and power to change the situation.

What's more, compared to this situation, he cares more about whether he can return to the central government from the local government, take a position in the central government that he likes, and start to take over the power of the world.

He has already achieved the ultimate level of local officials, and if he goes up, he must be a central position.

Only by holding power at the center can we turn the clouds and rains upside down. Most of the power of the Wei Empire is at the center, and as the head of the central government office, can we really hold power, instead of dancing in shackles at the local level.

To be a real boss, Mao Jie had to go to the central government.

But once this incident breaks out without his knowledge, it will seriously affect his career prospects. For this reason, he must preemptively strike and seize the opportunity.

So while Mao Jie sent his cronies to understand the matter, he also found Zhao Xian, the person in charge of Facao, and had a secret discussion with him to explain the matter clearly.

"What? Such a thing happened?!"

Zhao Xian turned pale with shock.

He was busy with other cases, and he never expected that there was a landmine buried deep in the ground that he hadn't found.

"If someone hadn't told me, I wouldn't have imagined that such a thing would happen."

Mao Jie looked nervous: "I haven't told Chen Gongtai about this, if Chen Gongtai found out, he would probably be very angry."

Zhao Xian took a deep breath.

"The most important thing now seems not to be this matter, but the most important thing now should be that Zhuge Liang?"

Mao Jie was surprised that Zhao Xian found the key point of this matter so quickly.

It will take time to deal with this matter, and it will take even more time to press it down.

If during this period, Zhuge Liang brought this matter to Luoyang and was found out by the third division, they would have to face some serious consequences.

Both Mao Jie's subordinates and Zhao Xian's subordinates may be involved in the case, and it just so happens that both of them are currently striving to enter the central government.

Mao Jie wanted to enter a certain department of Shangshutai to take up a major position.

And Zhao Xian also wanted to enter the Central Criminal Department to take up an important position, or he could be in the Sili Xiaowei Department or the Yushitai, anyway, he was good at both.

Both of them belong to the kind of people who prefer power to money.

There are two types of corrupt officials, one is greedy for money, which belongs to the relatively low-level corrupt officials, and the other is greedy for power, which belongs to the relatively high-level corrupt officials.

The two of them are relatively high-level corrupt officials.

The time when they are interested in money has long passed, and they have left the boring low-level interests. What they are greedy for is more advanced power and status.

The feeling of standing on the top and calling the wind and rain.

The pleasure of pointing the country.

Only those who have experienced it will understand the wonderful feeling of having power.

So why do men pursue money?

Are you afraid of not having enough material enjoyment when you have power?

In the Great Wei Empire, money was a slave to power.

If you don't enter Luoyang City to be a high-ranking official, you can't be considered a real high-ranking official.

Even if the local bureaucracy is higher than that of the central government, it doesn't count.

Both of them have clear goals.

So it is even more intolerable for this kind of thing to happen.

Once this kind of thing happens, doesn't it just show their incompetence?

If this kind of thing is remembered by the emperor, it will be difficult to say whether they can enter the central government in the future, or even whether they can keep their current positions.

In the future, it may not be required to retire early and abdicate to the virtuous as a punishment.

How can this be accepted?

So Zhao Xian's idea is also Mao Jie's idea.

"You are right, the most troublesome thing now is not those bastards, but that Zhuge Liang. This matter can be suppressed as long as a few excessive bastards are caught and severely punished, but once Zhuge Liang stabs them to Luoyang, it will be troublesome." .”

Mao Jie pursed his lips: "I still don't know what kind of person this Zhuge Liang is. I plan to summon him once to find out his tone and see how he thinks about this matter."

"He has a backstage?"

Zhao Xian squinted his eyes and asked: "Is there any person in the court who even Xiaoxian finds it embarrassing?"

"Zhuge Jin, the right servant of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, is his elder brother. Zhang Zhao, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, has a close relationship with Zhuge Jin. Zhuge Jin was promoted to this position by Zhang Zhao.

Zhuge Liang himself is a member of the cabinet and an old official of His Majesty. He came to Liangzhou as a county magistrate and was released from the cabinet. It can be said that he has attracted a lot of attention, and some methods in private may not be convenient to use. "

When Mao Jie said this, Zhao Xian became even more worried.

"This person can't be solved simply. If his goal is to return to Luoyang for meritorious service...then it will be a big problem, and he can also get through the joints of the Minister of the Ministry of Officials. Xiaoxian, your future, my future, The opinion of the Minister of the Ministry of Officials is indispensable."

Mao Jie nodded.

"I know, that's why I want to find out what he has to say first. If nothing else, I will at least buy you some time. If Zhuge Liang has a big picture, it's fine. If not, you can solve the problem as soon as possible.

Not to mention finishing everything, at least strive for an initiative, we must take the initiative to do it, put aside the relationship between us and them, the most important thing right now is not to allow Zhuge Liang to magnify the problem.

If those Xuzhou people are allowed to hold on to the handle, the consequences will be unpredictable. The incident that happened in the court before caused serious losses to both Cheng Lingjun and Tian Pushe, but these Xuzhou people took advantage of it! "

Zhao Xian also nodded.

"Okay, I will deal with it as soon as possible. Why do I have to fight for an initiative... Those bastards! Let me know who did it, I will never spare them!"

Zhao Xian was very angry, angry that these bastards did not abide by the laws of the country, so that they would implicate him and affect his future.

Of course, I was also angry that Zhuge Liang was looking for trouble for nothing, and the dog meddled with the mouse.

If a person who came from Luoyang to practice in the local area does not know what is good and what is bad, and is rewarded for his meritorious service, they will be really troublesome.

This is because no means can be used casually, otherwise, if the central government is aware of it, their problems will be even greater.

After some discussion, Mao Jie decided to work separately with Zhao Xian, work together, and use his advantages in resources and manpower to compete with Zhuge Liang for time.

Zhao Xian returned to Facao and began to gather manpower, give full play to his shrewd and capable work qualities, and began to conduct an all-round investigation on this matter.

Mao Jie sent his confidantes to carry a large number of files to support Zhao Xian's affairs, and at the same time sent people to Dunhuang County to summon Zhuge Liang, and asked Zhuge Liang to visit Mao Jie in Guzang County.

When Zhuge Liang learned about this, he was sorting out the information in his hands. He was going to clarify the matter before reporting it to the central government, letting the third division know, and participating in punishing corrupt officials.

He didn't know why Mao Jie summoned him suddenly.

Mao Jie is the governor of a state, a high-ranking official with [-] shi, and if he wants to summon him, he is also summoning the prefect of the county, so it shouldn't have much to do with him, right?

But thinking that there might be some other problems, he had to go. He could only entrust the government affairs to the county magistrate, let the county magistrate manage the county affairs on his behalf, and got up and went to Guzang County, Wuwei County, where the capital of Liangzhou is located.

PS: Authors who are still working hard on May Day, don’t they deserve the encouragement of your votes? (crazy hint)

chapter 1057 one thousand and sixty-seven

The original Liangzhou capital was in Hanyang County.

But because the emperor felt that it was too far away from the four counties in Hexi, which was not conducive to the development of the four counties in Hexi, he ordered to move the capital of Liangzhou to Guzang County, Wuwei County.

In this way, it will be convenient for the governor of Liangzhou to supervise the construction of the four counties in Hexi nearby.

It happened that Zhuge Liang could also save a little distance.

Guzang County, as the new capital, naturally received great support for its development and construction. Therefore, when Zhuge Liang, who had stayed in a small place for a while, saw Guzang County, he couldn't help but imagine when he would be able to build Dunhuang County. Same as Guzang County.

After all, it is also the capital of a county, isn't it?

After entering Dunhuang County from Yumenguan and Yangguan, the place that must be visited must be Dunhuang County.

Business travelers from various countries in the Western Regions had to pass through Dunhuang County and cross the four Hexi counties before entering Guanzhong to do business. Dunhuang County was also the west gate of the Han Empire in a sense.

Zhuge Liang has only been in office for a few months, but he has been silently thinking about how to build Dunhuang County into a moderately developed county, so as to serve as the face of Dunhuang County.

After entering Guzang County, Zhuge Liang was quickly arranged to enter the official post station of Guzang County. He was entertained with delicious food and drink, saying that Mao Jie was a little busy and would summon him soon.

Zhuge Liang waited for a day and a night, but before the news of Mao Jie came, he was a little anxious. After repeated inquiries, a person who claimed to be an official working beside Mao Jie came.

He said that Mao Jie was arranging the distribution of a new batch of supplies, and asked Zhuge Liang to wait a little longer, and Mao Jie would find time to see him soon.

"May I ask Your Excellency, why did Mr. Mao want to see me? I am just a county magistrate of Dunhuang. Mr. Mao wants to summon me. Is there any special and important matter to explain?"

Zhuge Liang stopped the official and refused to let him go.

The official looked helpless.

"Mao Shijun wants to see Your Excellency, it's not for us people around us to ask. You can wait a little while and read books. Mao Shijun will summon Your Excellency soon."

So Zhuge Liang could only continue to read the pile of specially sent bamboo slips, which was part of "The Analects of Confucius", which seemed quite boring to Zhuge Liang.

He prefers to read some works on agriculture and water conservancy to help him enrich his professional skills as an administrative official.

Or stay on the land and watch the farmers under your jurisdiction work hard to reclaim the wasteland, which is better than watching Laoshizi's "The Analects of Confucius" here.

There are no family classics in his family, what books to read, this is the case in Jingzhou, and it is even more so after joining the Guowei Group in Jizhou.

Now there is only one volume of "The Analects of Confucius", which is really boring.

But he really couldn't leave, and really didn't know what to do.

Waiting anxiously, waiting, waiting for another two days, finally got Mao Jie's interview.

Zhuge Liang couldn't wait to go to the governor's mansion, but he sat in the reception hall of the governor's mansion all morning, and was treated to a free lunch, which made Zhuge Liang very depressed.

In the afternoon, Zhuge Liang, who was about to collapse after drinking water, was finally notified that Mao Jie was going to formally meet Zhuge Liang, so he brought Zhuge Liang, who was amnesty, to the place where Mao Jie was located, and Zhuge Liang finally met Mao Jie after more than ten days. .

"My lower official, Zhuge Liang, pay my respects to Mr. Mao."

Zhuge Liang quickly stepped forward to salute, showing his respect to Shangguan.

When seeing Mao Jie, Zhuge Liang found that Mao Jie was bowing his head and writing vigorously.

Seems to be really busy.

Seeing Zhuge Liang coming, Mao Jie put down his pen and raised his head, then smiled.

"Zhuge Kongming, hahaha, I'm really sorry, I have too many things to do, so I delayed your time, I hope you don't blame me."

Mao Jie stood up and walked to Zhuge Liang, and helped Zhuge Liang up with his own hands.

"I don't dare, I just have doubts. I'm just a county magistrate, and I haven't done anything earth-shattering. How can I let Mr. Mao take time out of his busy schedule to meet him?"

Zhuge Liang straightened up and asked softly.

Mao Jie laughed, let Zhuge Liang sit down first, and then sat down himself.

"I have this habit. For some important places, I don't ask the county guards, only the county magistrates, and even some township and village heads. There is something wrong."

Mao Jie made some explanations, which Zhuge Liang found quite interesting.

"So, Mr. Mao summoned the officials here, not for anything else, but to test the officials and see if they are competent?"

"Yes, that's it."

Mao Jie nodded: "Before you, I have tested more than 100 local officials in this way, from the head of a village to the head of a county, I have questioned them all, and you are not a special case.

Some competent officials were promoted by me, and some incompetent officials were dismissed by me, and even accused. This is one of my means of governing the state. "

"So that's the case. Does Mr. Mao have anything to test the subordinates? Although the subordinates have no talent, they consider themselves to be dedicated to their duties."

Zhuge Liang has strong confidence in this, and believes that he can definitely pass the test of Mao Jie.

And he didn't want to spend too much time here, not only had normal government affairs to do, but also many things to investigate, Zhuge Liang was really busy.

Mao Jie smiled and began to ask questions slowly.

For example, the number of household registrations in Dunhuang County, how many households, how many people, how many men, how many women, how many strong men, how many strong women, how much land is available, how much land is planned to be reclaimed, and so on.