Amidst the sound of fireworks and firecrackers, the first year of Tianqi finally came to an end. It was an eventful year, a year that everyone talks about. Although it is the Chinese New Year, some people are still happy and some are sad, but this year is finally over.

It's past.

From the first to the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, all the government offices of the Ming Dynasty went to work. No memorials were handed in, and there were no memorials from the ministers. Everything seemed very quiet and peaceful, and it seemed that the world was at peace. Although Emperor Tianqi was anxious, but

Some things cannot be rushed. The women in the harem spent a good year. In addition to occasionally thinking about plans for this year, Emperor Tianqi also took a good rest.

The sixteenth day of the first lunar month is the day of the Great Court Meeting. Although it is the Great Court Meeting, no political affairs are discussed. It is just a ceremony held in the imperial court imitating the Zhou rites, which is the highest etiquette and super ritual.

On this day, the Jin Yiwei will display the formal ceremony, the Jiaofang Department will display the music, the Etiquette Department will display the documents of various countries, congratulations, and tributes. The censor will also set up the censor to inspect the officials and supervise those who like to doze off or doze off after standing for a long time.

They were whispering to each other and chatting privately. When the time came, the emperor ascended to his throne, the drums and music sounded, and all the officials knelt down to congratulate him and performed the courtesy. After the ceremony, the crowd shouted long live, long live.

After the whole set of etiquette, Emperor Tianqi was very tired, but he had to cheer up. After all, after the whole set of etiquette, there was a very important banquet, and the emperor and ministers had to eat together.

However, there were not many who could eat. Some old ministers had fainted during the salute. Those who did not faint were those who were not picked up by SAIC. Most of those who could eat were military attachés, which naturally attracted countless

The disdain of scholars.

After the big court meeting, the entire court returned to laziness, and everyone was still immersed in the atmosphere of the New Year. There was nothing going on in the court, and everyone turned a blind eye.

In the blink of an eye, time entered February, and something actually happened in the first month. The rebellion in Sichuan gained a decisive advantage. After Sun Chuanting led his troops to regain Luzhou, he pursued the victory and captured the two mountain strongholds of Hongyan and Tiantai.

After that, Sun Chuanting decided to divide his troops into two groups. He led the Ming army to continue the frontal advance. The surrendered general Luo Qianxiang secretly attacked Lanzhou City, the last stronghold of She Chongming. Under the attack of two groups of soldiers and horses, Lanzhou City took three days.

It was captured.

She Chongming and his son led the remaining defeated generals into Guizhou, preparing to take refuge with Xi'an Bangyan. By February, the reinforcements led by Yuan Keli and Zhu Xieyuan were only a hundred miles away from Guiyang. Sun Chuanting smashed Lanzhou City to reorganize his army, and was ready to march into Guizhou at any time.

After the imperial court received the excerpt of the battle report, everyone from Emperor Tianqi to the ministers breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, the imperial court also received the excerpt from Zhu Xieyuan, telling the story about the King of Shu.

Although some people had doubts, Emperor Tianqi overcame all opinions and issued an order to praise the King of Shu. Except for this incident, everything was calm.

But when February came, the imperial court was busy with things. There were two main things. The first was the imperial examination. This year was the year of the Great Competition, and the examination would be held in March.

No one dares to neglect such a talent promotion ceremony, but everyone in the imperial court is very experienced in doing this kind of thing, so it is naturally done in an orderly manner. Emperor Tianqi can't get involved. According to the past rules, there are two examiners. Because the examiner

A cabinet bachelor with a Jinshi background should be appointed. The deputy chief examiner should be a civil official below the rank of Shangshu and above the imperial censor of the left deputy capital. This has been the practice for many years.

According to this official, the cabinet recommended two people for Emperor Tianqi. The chief examiner was Sun Shenxing, a bachelor of the cabinet and the minister of the Ministry of Rites. The deputy examiner was Yang He, the censor of Zuodu. Both of them were well-known and well-known in the scholarly literary circles.

prestige.

Emperor Tianqi didn't have any ideas about this matter. Naturally, he let the people below do it. However, an imperial edict from Emperor Tianqi stunned everyone, because it was about the military test. Emperor Tianqi is preparing to do this this year

He personally intervened in the martial arts examination and held the imperial examination in person, using the same method as the civil service examination.

As soon as this news came out, everyone was in an uproar. The Ming Dynasty valued civil service over military affairs, and the military examination was just a place where hereditary nobles were gilded. Emperor Tianqi's approach was opposed by the civil servants, but the reasons for the objection were not sufficient.

, after all, the martial arts competition is held every three years, so it’s not a big deal to improve your status.

However, Emperor Tianqi's actions made one kind of people shine, that is, those nobles with hereditary military positions. If the status of the martial arts examination can really be changed to the same as the literary examination, then their descendants will be able to feel proud. This is an improvement.

Direct approach to military attaché status.

For a time, the court was in a quarrel because of this matter. There had never been such fierce opposition to the reform of the military system in Liaodong. Emperor Tianqi would receive countless memorials every day, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea, and there was no news.

Things reached mid-February, and Emperor Tianqi finally issued this imperial edict. From now on, warriors will also have palace examinations. Everyone knows that this is another reform, and many ministers have already felt that this young emperor will never come.

It ends here, this is just the beginning.

In addition to the uproar caused by the imperial examination, there is another thing that is going on in an orderly manner, and that is the external inspection! The Beijing inspection in the Ming Dynasty was divided into two parts, some were internal inspections who were officials from the capital, and external inspections were local officials. Internal inspections

It ended years ago, but the external inspection has just begun.

In fact, the imperial edict from the Foreign Inspectorate had been issued a long time ago, and after the New Year, people would go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to report on their duties. This day was the third day of February, and a person came to the gate of the capital.

This is a middle-aged man in his thirties, wearing a white silk gown, with a beard hanging on his chest. There is a gentle smile on his face, but there is no sharp light flashing in his eyes. Behind him is an old servant

, holding two horses, looking dusty.

Stopping at the gate of the city, the middle-aged man sighed softly, a complicated expression flashed across his face. He murmured to himself: "Yuan has a good plan, and he must put it into practice this time."

"Master, should we go to the post house to rest? It's getting late!" Seeing the middle-aged man standing there motionless, the old servant seemed a little anxious, walked to the man's side, and said in a respectful tone.

Glancing at the old man, the middle-aged man said softly: "Let's find an inn to stay in! I'm just a seventh-level magistrate, and there won't be any good location in the inn. Let's find a place to live by ourselves!"

There was no surprise on the old servant's face. He knew his young master and had expected him to say this. He just wanted to remind his young master that it was getting late and it was time to go into the city.

As soon as the two people walked into the city gate, a man came up to them, saluted the middle-aged man, and said in a respectful tone: "May I ask you, Mr. Yuan, the magistrate of Zhaowu County? The younger one is the housekeeper of Mr. Yu Shihou's house.

I've been waiting here for a long time!"

Looking at the middle-aged man in front of him, Yuan Chonghuan frowned slightly, and after pondering for a long time, he said with a smile: "It turns out to be Butler Hou. He is getting younger and younger after not seeing him for several years!"

"Master Yuan is joking, I'm already dying! My master asked me to wait here for Master Yuan and invite Master Yuan to live in my house!" Housekeeper Hou's attitude was unusually respectful. He knew that Master Yuan had a close friendship with his master.

, which is truly a good thing for all families.

Smiling and nodding, Yuan Chonghuan stroked his beard and said gratefully: "Brother Hou is so polite, but being respectful is not as good as obeying orders. I'd like to bother Butler Hou to lead the way!"

The group of people followed Butler Hou as they walked through the city. After turning a few streets, they stopped in front of a courtyard. This was a courtyard with three entrances and was very valuable. Very few censors could afford to live in such a courtyard.

House.

This is the residence of Hou Xun, the censor of Shanxi Province. As a gentry family in Henan, the Hou family has been officials for generations and has considerable wealth.

The housekeeper stepped forward to explain a few words, and someone quickly ran in to report. Not long after, a middle-aged man came out.

"Brother Yuan Chonghuan, I haven't seen you for several years, but you still look the same!" This person was Hou Xun, the censor of Shanxi Province. He had already said with a smile before he came to Yuan Chonghuan.

Holding a fist towards Hou Xun, Yuan Chonghuan bowed and said: "Brother Hou, you are so annoying!"

"What did Yuan Yue say? You and I are inseparable. That's the true friendship between families. Let's go in and chat!" Hou Xun pulled Yuan Chonghuan inside with a happy smile on his face.

The two people walked into the hall and saw a little boy of three or four years old there, holding a book in his hand and looking up and down. He looked like a porcelain doll and looked serious. He looked really cute.

.

Looking at the child in surprise, Yuan Chonghuan asked Hou Xun on the side in surprise, "Is this a wise nephew?"

"Well, he is four years old and very naughty!" Although Hou Xun said this, deep love flashed in his eyes.

Walking to the child's side, he slowly squatted down. Yuan Chonghuan took off the jade pendant from his waist and said to the boy with a smile: "This is your first time, uncle. This is a meeting gift for you!" He handed the jade pendant to the boy.

boy.

"I don't dare to refuse this gift, thank you uncle!" The boy smiled at Yuan Chonghuan and took the jade pendant respectfully.

Looking at the boy with shock in his eyes, Yuan Chonghuan looked at Hou Xun and said: "Brother Hou has someone to succeed him! It's very possible that he is better than his predecessor! Does your nephew have a name?"

"Yes, your name is Fang Yu!" Hou Xun looked at his son with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Hou Fangyu, what a name! It must be Uncle Shi's handwriting again!" Yuan Chonghuan looked at Hou Xun and asked with a smile.

Nodding slightly, Hou Xun was a little confused about whether to laugh or cry, but he still said in a deep voice: "It was my father who got the name!" Looking back at the maid, Hou Xun said in a deep voice: "Hold the young master to the back!"

When there was no one in the room, Hou Xun looked at Yuan Chonghuan calmly and said with a serious face: "Three years ago you were sent to Zhaowuzhi County, and I felt very sorry for you. Now that you are back this time, I must write a letter to you."
Chapter completed!