prosperous age

After Wei Guangde received the order from the Ministry of Rites, the family suddenly became lively.

Not only his fellow countrymen of the same year in Beijing, but all the officials who had dealt with in the officialdom came to the door with gifts, and the reason was naturally to celebrate his entry into the cabinet.

The 30-year-old cabinet minister, at this age, many students are still studying hard, just to pass the exam and jump into the dragon gate.

As for those businessmen who were doing business in Beijing, not only those from Jiujiang Mansion, but all Jiangxi merchants came, bringing rich gifts to their door.

Joining the cabinet means that Wei Guangde's influence on the court is expanding infinitely, and he can already make decisions on many matters.

When Wei Guangde was in the Ministry of Officials, he was able to do a lot of things.

It's just that his time in the Ministry of Officials was short, and he arrived in the Ministry of Rites in less than a year.

Although the Ministry of Rites is noble to the officials, it has less power after all, that is to say, the businessmen are still willing to continue to curry favor. After all, the Ministry of Rites still manages the local imperial examinations.

In fact, businessmen all know that no amount of money is useless, as long as there is no official in the family, everything is just a castle in the air.

Therefore, businessmen actually attach great importance to the careers of the family's children. Even if there are scholars and scholars in the family, they have never stopped fawning on officials.

They have come into contact with many officials, so they naturally know that even if they are admitted to Jinshi, even if they are the number one scholar or second place in the list, they will only be at the bottom in the first few years, and they will only have to work hard.

Rights, for the Xinke Scholars, that is something out of reach.

If you want to be promoted, you have to have someone above you.

Since we all need people, why not keep taking care of them and maintain a good relationship.

Therefore, in fact, many businessmen not only take the initiative to cling to high-ranking officials, but also start investing in the early stages of Jinshi's official career.

Wei Guangde, as the biography of Jiajing in the 35th year, was specially selected by the emperor to enter the Hanlin Academy. Naturally, he has been sought after by countless businessmen. He only needs to hand out an olive branch at will, and countless people will flock to him .

Their investment is now finally paying off.

This reward is not real, but the family has always maintained a good relationship with the court elders. In this era, it is a strategic level of deterrence, so that anyone who covets their family wealth has to think carefully.

And the last category of people, of course, is Xungui in the capital.

Although the birth of a cabinet minister would be a courtesy gift in the Jingxungui family, but this time the situation is a little different.

As for Yin Shizhen, naturally, according to the usual practice, he sent his housekeeper to bring gifts to the door, while in Wei Mansion, Ding Guogong personally came to the door to congratulate, and the British Duke and Cheng Guogong also sent their eldest sons or outstanding children with richer gifts. Gifts come to your door.

The threshold has been broken. Although it is not that exaggerated, it is also very close to the truth.

There are too many people visiting the door these days, of course Wei Guangde can't see all of them, even if he is exhausted he can't do it.

Among the officials, that is, the old team members of Yu Wang's department, he met once, and there were colleagues and students who were more optimistic in the officialdom.

Businessmen, that is to say, some powerful businessmen he had contacted, many of them were too weak to be in his eyes.

As for the nobles, of course the top wealthy families had to meet in person, except for Dingguo Duke Xu Wenbi, the sons of the British Duke and Chengguo Duke's family, the sons of the Marquis of Linhuai and so on.

For the rest, Zhang Ji, the housekeeper, was naturally sent to deal with it. Even the need to expand the warehouse at home was arranged by his wife Xu Jianglan.

Because at this time, Wei Guangde also encountered the biggest trouble since he joined the cabinet.

"It seems that what Shan Loan and Yi Fu are worried about is right, brother Li. Of the two, one accidentally fell into the water, and the other committed suicide in shame and indignation. Now there is no proof of death."

Li Chunfang held a note from the palace in his hand, which was an urgent official document from Jin Yiwei from Shanxi.

Even if they didn't stop after receiving the order, they were still a step behind.

Originally, he wanted to talk about the brothers of the Li family, but when the words came to his lips, he suddenly felt that he couldn't say anything.

According to the testimonials brought by Jin Yiwei, the so-called Li Liangyu was indeed a daughter.

When the official document was transferred to Wei Guangde's hands, he glanced briefly, just sighed, and shook his head, "Li Liangyu's transformation into a girl" was "concluded".

"Song Xun is not stupid, it's just that the handling is still not proper, so there is such a big mistake."

Wei Guangde said lightly.

If what he said before, it was nothing more than a complaint about an official's ability, but now, it has been regarded as a mediocre hat for him, and his future promotion will of course be affected.

As for why Wei Guangde said that, naturally, two days after Song Xun reported the matter, he might have figured out something was wrong, and hurriedly sent people to Jingle County to fetch the person, and wanted to take away the owner's certificate from Jingle County, and take him with him. Back to Taiyuan Mansion.

Then, the news came back from the Jinyiwei newspaper, none of the important witnesses were left behind, and all of them were suppressed, and this matter became an unsolved case.

Let's call it an unsolved case. After all, it is impossible to determine whether the woman is really Li Liangyu herself.

And so far, all the files that can be produced are only the testimony left when Jingle County Magistrate interrogated the case, nothing else.

"Look, I found out from unannounced visits to places that Li Liangyu suffered from occasional abdominal pain in the first month of the first year of Longqing, which would stop from time to time. On the ninth day of February in the second year, the pain continued. By April, the kidney sac had retracted into the abdomen unknowingly. , into a woman's body. The next menstrual water is also OK, began to change women's makeup, at the age of 28.

People have spread the word, Jin Yiwei can find out these things, I wonder, this Li Liangyu's abdominal pain is so painful, and her kidney capsule has shrunk and turned into a girl, such a big change, the magistrate of Jingle County didn't even ask if there was a doctor at that time, Which doctor showed it.

Jingshui is also fine, he (she) knows to change the female makeup, it is nonsense, such things can also be recorded in the file. "

Wei Guangde was really angry at the moment, he was surprisingly angry at the incompetence of Jingle county magistrate.

He knew that if someone in future generations talked about this matter, with such a detailed statement, the false would also come true.

Look at the record, it's like seeing it with your own eyes.

Ordinarily, such a private matter, the parties are generally extinct and unwilling to talk about it, and the date is actually remembered so accurately.

Only oral testimony, no circumstantial evidence.

"Now we have to consider how to deal with this matter. There is still a lot of discussion in the market recently, and the rumors can no longer be passed on."

Li Chunfang frowned, he didn't know these things, what could be done, what he wanted to do now was to calm down.

After listening to Lord Shoufu's words, several people in the cabinet were frowning and couldn't think of a way to break the situation, but at this time Wei Guangde's voice sounded again.

"Without him, this matter is determined to be false rumors to confuse the public. Factory guards, yamen servants, and school lieutenants are patrolling the streets. Anyone who dares to spread rumors and fabricate rumors will be arrested by the judicial office. All files in Shanxi will be transferred to the Ministry of Criminal Justice for sealing."

Wei Guangde originally wanted to say that he should deal with it coldly, and there is no way to deal with such a thing even in later generations.

Although Fangmin's mouth is stronger than Fangchuan's, but at this time, he doesn't care too much.

Later generations say that the memory of netizens is only three days. In fact, it is similar in any era. The common people need to go around for three meals a day, so the time for gossip is very short. Let's talk about it.

Then, it will be covered by various memories and become a dusty memory.

"I heard that many famous doctors in the capital are also very interested in this matter, and they made an appointment to go to Shanxi."

At this time, Chen Yiqin suddenly spoke.

Well, now Chen Yiqin is the medicine jar of the cabinet, and he deals with doctors in Beijing, so he has a better understanding of the trends in the medical field in Beijing.

"These people ignore him."

Wei Guangde replied.

He knew well that the doctor of this era, that is, the doctor, was more pragmatic, and generally would not easily believe such nonsense.

As for the Li Liangyu incident in Shanxi, they may as well check it out, but at most they will record it in their notes, and then there will be nothing else.

There have been many legends about gods and ghosts in China since ancient times, and who has really seen gods and ghosts.

Those capable and skilled people in ancient China generally regarded it as an inheritance and would only pass it on in the family.

These records may not exist for a long time, and wait for another ten years or so, who will remember this matter.

It's just that Wei Guangde didn't expect that a famous doctor in this era actually recorded this matter, and then engraved it and published it without being buried, which also makes this rumor can still be found in later generations.

He is Li Shizhen, who wrote the medical book "Compendium of Materia Medica".

"Oh, there is no other way but this."

Zhang Juzheng echoed at this time.

The government is the most difficult to deal with this kind of rumors that are spreading among the people. They know that there is something strange in it, but there is no evidence.

What's more, the common people also like to believe in such things as gods and ghosts.

"I think that's the only way to go."

Chen Yiqin looked at Li Chunfang and said the same thing.

Under Chen Yiqin's gaze, Li Chunfang nodded slightly, and then looked at Yin Shizhen.

Of course Yin Shizhen noticed that Li Chunfang was looking at him, but he couldn't think of a way to deal with this matter. Now if he issued a report to frame the White Lotus Sect, there would be no witnesses.

If Li Liangyu is in hand, no matter whether the matter is true or not, she (he) can make her (he) say so.

But the person is dead, so this method will naturally not work.

"It can only be this way."

Yin Shizhen lowered his head and stopped thinking about this matter, because he couldn't think of a way at all.

This is a dead end, everything has been arranged long ago, and there is no room for you to make a comeback.

"At that moment, we will enter the palace to see His Majesty and tell him how to deal with this matter?"

Li Chunfang spoke again.

"Dictation, there is no need to leave any documents, all previous documents are sealed."

Wei Guangde answered.

In the afternoon, Wei Guangde left the palace, got on a sedan chair and returned to his mansion.

Today, in a bad mood, Commander Zhu Xixiao of Jinyiwei was scolded by Emperor Longqing for a long time in the morning. After Li Chunfang and other cabinet ministers had an audience, he was of course dissatisfied with their handling methods.

But after Chen Yiqin and Wei Guangde explained that this was a last resort, Emperor Longqing finally calmed down.

He also knows something about the character of the common people.

It is best not to announce this kind of thing through the government, let them just treat it as a rumor, if it is really announced, no matter what it is said, this matter will be confirmed, and then the impact will be great, even irreversible.

Although he wasn't scolded like Zhu Xixiao, Emperor Longqing didn't give them a good look at his cabinet ministers.

"Master, you're home."

At this time, the guard's voice came from outside the car, and then the car curtain was pulled open.

The eight-carrier sedan chair that Xu Jianglan built for Wei Guangde, to be honest, was really stable to sit on, without any bumps at all, and even when the sedan chair stopped, the occupants could hardly notice it.

Wei Guangde slightly bent down and got out of the sedan chair, and stepped into the gate of the mansion. Zhang Ji who greeted him at the gate followed him into the mansion.

"Master, Governor Liu Guangji of Jiangxi has a letter from Master Liu."

Behind Wei Guangde, Zhang Ji whispered.

"Well, send it to the study."

Wei Guangde replied casually, "By the way, are there any important guests today?"

This is the most frequently asked question by Wei Guangde when he returns home these days. Ordinary guests will be dismissed by Zhang Ji, but important guests still have to meet.

The relationship is mutual. If someone else comes to the door and treats it coldly for a long time, it is easy for people to have bad thoughts after a long time, and then switch to another house.

An hour later, after seeing several guests, Wei Guangde finally relaxed and returned to the study.

There was a letter on the table in the study. Wei Guangde knew it was from Liu Guangji. Although it was a bit strange, he picked it up to check the seal, and then tore it open to remove the letter paper.

Looking at the beginning, Wei Guangde smiled.

Liu Guangji probably didn't know about his entry into the cabinet yet, so he still called him "Master", otherwise he should be called "Ge Lao".

However, looking closely at the following content, in addition to the usual greetings, he said that he has traveled all over Jiangxi to find out the truth in the past few months, and found that many gentry and common people in Jiangxi want to restore the "one whip".

"No wonder."

Wei Guangde muttered something, and continued to read the letter.

The letter Liu Guangji gave him was a bit thick, and when he took it out earlier, he was still suspicious, thinking that something serious had happened.

Seven or eight pages, the letter is actually only three pages, and the remaining few pages are the first draft of a memorial he made, of course, for the purpose of going to the emperor and restoring the "one whip method" in Jiangxi.

After all, stopping the "one-whip law" was the decree of the Ministry of Households, the emperor's permission and the declaration of the world. If he hadn't played the emperor's decree in advance, a hat of disobedience to the decree would be enough to make Liu Guangji doomed.

Jiangxi is a large province with a large population and large land. If the tax and labor in the past is followed, it will be too much work for the government. The common people do not understand taxes and labor. "It was a unanimous call from top to bottom.

Even if this method is adopted, it will not fundamentally reduce the tax and labor they need to pay, and they also find it easier.

You must know that if this method is not followed, although the money and food handed in each time seems to be much less, but it is paid several times a month. For farmers who rely on farming for a living, they don't have such leisure time.

You set the tax to be collected at one time, they only pay the tax once, and the rest of the time goes home to take care of the fields, isn't it good?

Anyway, the emperor and the government will not waive these taxes.

After reading the first draft of the memorial, Wei Guangde nodded.

He vaguely knew why Jiangxi people hoped to use the "one-whip method" from top to bottom, and now Liu Guangji just reconfirmed this matter after his visit.

The direction was set, Wei Guangde immediately found out the letter paper and spread it out, and returned a letter to Jiangxi.

At this time, the news that Yin Shizhen entered the cabinet as a scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion and Wei Guangde as a scholar of Dong Pavilion had spread to Nanjing and all over Ming Dynasty through the residence newspaper.