The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Li Chong sighed: "If the officials are governed like this, I don't even want to be an official."

Su Jin said: "Brother Li, is he afraid that he will become that kind of person?"

Li Chongdao: "That's not true. Mr. Bao became an official many years earlier than I was here. It's not like I'm not jealous of evil. It's just that I can't become Mr. Bao. If I can only watch others corrupt the foundation of the court and oppress the people, it is really painful. .”

Bao Zheng put the glass of wine brought to his mouth heavily on the table, and scolded: "What kind of talk is this? Could it be that if someone throws himself into the mountains and forests for it, and sees it, then those things don't exist? Is this true?" Isn't it deceitful?"

Li Chong said in embarrassment: "Master Bao means..."

"What's the point of a man standing between heaven and earth, spending his life with his head shrunk? He must do something for the country and the people, so that he will not be in vain in the world. These corrupt and incompetent officials are a minority. If everyone knows the difficulty Wouldn't it be fueling the flames of others if you retreat?"

After a pause, Bao Zheng continued: "You can't just see the dark side, there are still foundation stones and pillars above the court, how can you let Xiaoxiao's people run rampant, Lord Yan, Lord Fan, Lord Fu, Lord Han, These people are all top-notch people with extraordinary wisdom, and their insight and vision are several times that of my Bao Zheng. It is because of them that I can help my current emperor, the benevolent emperor, to guard the Great Song Dynasty firmly; If there is internal strife, foreign enemies will surely humiliate, and when the time comes, the country will not be protected, and it will be the common people who will suffer."

Su Jin said in his heart: "Master Bao is an open-minded person. These words sound more like slogans, but I'm afraid they are his sincere words."

"It is true that those are far away. Today the world is still peaceful, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. Where is the moth? But what is needed is people like me who catch insects; officials bully the people, and the people are absolutely powerless to fight back." , Just like Brother Su today, with his wealth of family property, in the end, if he is accidentally wronged, his family will be ruined. Only an official can stop this kind of thing. If you, Li Zhaoting, are not an official, I’m afraid that today you don’t have a place in that class, how can you talk about saving people? It’s just empty talk. Or one day disasters will happen to you, as you imagined, everyone fleeing the mountains and wilds, who will save you from the fire and water?”

Bao Zheng's resounding words were deafening. The reason is very simple. To punish corrupt officials, you must be an official yourself. Officials can manage, but the people can only see; the official body is not only a talisman, but also your Although Bao Zheng said it very cryptically, this kind of truth was clearly understood in the ears of everyone present.

"Your Excellency is right, I am confused for the next moment, thank you for your guidance." Li Chong was ashamed, feeling that compared with Bao Zheng's ambition, he could only be compared with Bao Zheng's.

After listening to Bao Zheng's words, Su Jin was silent, and his words were like enlightenment, which completely overturned Su Jin's previous ideas at once.

Su Jin originally wanted to do business wholeheartedly and revitalize the Su family's industry, money is easy to do things, but everything today and Bao Zheng's drunken mantra made Su Jin's thoughts waver.

In the feudal era, it was useless to have money alone, let alone this small city of Luzhou. In the last poetry meeting, his identity as a businessman was laughed at by others, and Li Chong, who was a good friend, also secretly Asking him to give up business and become an official shows how serious the discrimination against occupation is; I didn't pay attention to it before, it was just wishful thinking and feeling good about myself.

At a critical moment, if the magistrate said a word, he might be ransacked and exiled. At that time, wealth would not be a life-saving straw for him, but a noose around his neck.

Thinking of this, Su Jin's heart was shaken, a layer of sweat broke out all over his body, and his face became ugly.

Yan Biyun didn't leave Su Jin's eyes for a moment, and seeing his complexion changed drastically, he hurriedly asked, "What's wrong, Mr. Su? Are you feeling unwell?"

Li Chong also hurriedly asked: "Did those gangsters give you something to eat?"

Su Jin laughed out of surprise, this Li Zhong is also cute, he likes to go to extremes, at this moment he always speculates Zhu Shiyong and others with the worst malice.

As soon as Su Jin was promoted to become an official, he immediately attracted the strong support of Yan Biyun and Li Chong.

"I told you a long time ago that with Mr. Su's talent, he will definitely be able to go to high school, and it is my honor to be an official in the same dynasty as Mr. Su." Li Chong made no secret of his praise for Su Jin.

Su Jin smiled and said: "It's a big deal. I can only make a few crooked poems. When it comes to imperial examinations, I don't know anything about it."

Yan Biyun hurriedly said: "You can learn it. With Mr. Su's literary talents and a little guidance from a famous teacher, you can pass the imperial examination steadily; when I returned to Bianliang a few days ago, I showed some of Mr. Su's poems to my uncle. I highly appreciate it, but regret why you didn't take the imperial examination, and I want to persuade you."

Su Jin firmly believed that the words of the two came from the bottom of his heart, but he was always hesitant. He went to take the imperial examination by himself, not to mention whether he could pass the exam or not. What about family affairs?The game I have set up will not be activated until next spring. The various shops in the house are complicated and the Luzhou Chamber of Commerce is aggressive.

Bao Zheng was quite surprised to hear that Li Chong and Yan Biyun admired Su Jin so much; although Bao Zheng was also born in the imperial examination, he didn't care about those sung words in the streets and alleys. Yushui; the two admired Su Jin so much, it made him look at Su Jin differently.

"It turns out that Su Xiaoguan is so talented in writing that Master Yan can't help but praise you. If this is the case, it would be a pity not to serve the country as an official. Besides, your worries just now are not unreasonable. Being an official has an official position." If you have a talisman, as long as you abide by the law, abide by the law, be upright and love the people, no one will touch your hair; but it seems too selfish to become an official with this purpose. After joining the WTO, you still have to serve the people Do something practical for the court."

Su Jin smiled and said: "We are talking hot here, I don't have the capital to be an official, I don't want to worry about nothing."

Bao Zheng said: "How could it be? Mr. Lu, the secretary of the Luzhou government, is my mentor. If you really want to, I will take you to visit him. After he passes the test, he will give you the status of a scholar. In this way Then you are eligible to enter the imperial examination. If you have a foundation in poetry and prose, you can enroll now, and there are still a few months before the big autumn exam. Isn't it just in time?"

Su Jin hurriedly waved his hand and said: "That's not possible. My Su Ji still has a lot of things to do. Besides, this matter needs to be approved by my mother. I can't decide at this moment."

Li Chong was in a hurry and wanted to intervene, but was stopped by Yan Biyun's wink. Li Chong didn't understand the inside story, so he couldn't understand why Su Jin insisted on doing business, but Yan Biyun knew that Su Ji really couldn't be without a master. Yes, if Su Jin pats his butt and leaves, Su Ji is afraid that half of the sky will collapse.

Bao Zheng didn't force him, he just said: "You should think about it, these officials have been meeting guests at home for the past few days, and they will go to Duanzhou at the end of the month. If you think about it, come to me."

Su Jin hurriedly thanked and agreed, and chatted for a while, Bao Zheng became drunk, and was urged by the teacher outside to go back to rest.

Yan Biyun lost no time in asking Mr. Bao to inscribe calligraphy for them and Fenglou. Su Jin secretly praised Yan Biyun's forward-looking business vision and shrewd calculations.

Bao Zheng was very happy today, and he didn't refuse when he got drunk, so he picked up a pen and wrote an old poem "Flying and Flying Phoenix Dance" and presented it to Yan Biyun.

Poetry:

Purity of heart is the root cause, and straightness is personal strategy.

Xiuqian will eventually become a building, but Jinggang will not make a hook.

Rats and birds are happy, but rabbits and foxes are sad when the grass is exhausted.

The sages have legacy teachings, so those who come will not be ashamed.

After throwing pens and leaving, Su Jin, Li Chong, Yan Biyun and the other three sent them out of the backyard, stood respectfully to send them off, and did not turn back until they could not see Bao Zheng's car.

ps: Bao Zheng's poem was written after he went to Duanzhou. I took the plot into account and moved the time forward a little.This poem perfectly expresses Bao Zheng's ambition, and it is a masterpiece of ambition. The whole poem and its translation are recorded as follows for readers to appreciate.

"Shuduanzhou Junzhai Wall"

Purity of the mind is the root cause, (purity of selfishness is the root of governance)

Straightforward is self-inflicted. (Speaking straight is the purpose of standing up)

Good wood will eventually become a building, (good wood will eventually become a building)

Jing steel does not make hooks. (Good steel is strong and unyielding)

The squirrel is happy when the warehouse is full

The grass is exhausted, the rabbit and the fox are worried. (There are no weeds in the wild, and the rabbit and fox who often eat green grass are worried)

The sages have legacy, (keep in mind the teachings left by the sages)

Don't be ashamed of those who come. (Never let future generations think of me and feel ashamed)