aircannonsinc Chapter 721 People leave and the tea cools down
Chapter 721 People leave and the tea cools down
At early noon, Jiang Youzhen was invited to sit in the backyard of Lord Tao.
Men and women were seated at two tables, separated by a screen. Chen Hu sat at the side, feeling uneasy. He had never been to such an occasion, nor had he ever eaten such exquisite and delicious dishes.
He felt a little nervous, remembering what Fugui said: He would raise his glass if others raised it, and would pick up his chopsticks if others picked up their chopsticks. As long as he didn't eat in an awkward manner, no one at the table would pay attention to him.
But when he saw the prefect opposite him, he was still very nervous.
Jiang Youzhen looked at the table full of delicacies and felt familiar. Aren’t these the dishes from her Fuyun Pavilion?
Crispy duck, Kung Pao chicken, shredded vegetables in chicken soup, and even Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.
You can eat Buddha Jumps Over the Wall here, but the ingredients are not easy to come by.
"This is the dish from Fuyun Pavilion in Tongzhou Prefecture. I specially invited the chef there to make it. Attendant Jiang, you must try it."
Prefect Tao made a gesture of invitation to Jiang Youzhen. Jiang Youzhen found it funny in his heart but did not show it on his face.
"I've tried Fuyun Pavilion's dishes before, and I've always missed them. Luckily, there's also a Fuyun Pavilion in the capital. I didn't expect that you also like their dishes. We really have similar tastes."
"Haha! Then Attendant Jiang should enjoy it."
Magistrate Tao then exchanged some polite words with everyone. He picked up his chopsticks first, and everyone followed suit.
Everyone at the table was reserved except Chen Hu, who couldn't stop eating. It was really a rare opportunity for him to eat such delicious food.
Fortunately, he still remembered the environment he was in and was still somewhat restrained.
After the meal, Jiang Youzhen and others went to the study of Magistrate Tao.
Jiang Youzhen knew that Magistrate Tao must have something to ask. I'm sure that just at that moment, Magistrate Tao must have had countless thoughts in his mind.
"Does Attendant Jiang lecture the emperor every day?" Prefect Tao brought up the topic.
"Not really. On weekdays, the emperor is taught by scholars from the Imperial Academy, and sometimes he also asks children to edit the scriptures."
"Oh! But he is the son of the Dingbei Marquis's family?"
Jiang Youzhen nodded, "That's right! The Tong family's ancestral home is still our Tongzhou Prefecture!"
"Yes, yes, yes! We have three people who passed the imperial examination in Tongzhou Prefecture, and they are the top three in the first class. This has caused a sensation. Nowadays, everyone says that our Tongzhou Prefecture is a Feng Shui treasure land. Even the number of local private schools and academies has increased significantly, and those teachers have income."
Speaking of this, Prefect Tao was very happy. The city was thriving, and this was all due to his political achievements!
"But when the emperor summons me, it's usually to investigate a case."
When Prefect Tao heard this, his heart was moved. "This major case involves many officials. There will definitely be another bloody storm in the court."
There must be a lot of vacancies in the capital! Magistrate Tao narrowed his eyes slightly. He got to where he is today thanks to the support of his mentor.
His mentor was once a third-rank official, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. Officialdom requires connections, otherwise he would not have been promoted to the fourth rank at the age of forty.
But his mentor retired three years ago, so he had to think of other ways out.
If the former prefect Li Anshun had not committed a crime and his performance had not been rated as excellent every year, he would not have been promoted to the prefect of Tongzhou Prefecture.
However, he had to find a way to take the next step.
"Of course, many officials in the court had their homes confiscated and were exiled. Even the officials in Beijing alone numbered fifteen or sixteen."
Jiang Youzhen sighed repeatedly as she spoke. She glanced at Magistrate Tao and saw his eyes flickering, so she knew that he had some thoughts.
"In fact, an official like you who loves the people like his own children, works hard for the court and the people, and is conscientious, diligent, and capable is a role model for me, but..."
Jiang Youzhen was a little hesitant, which made Prefect Tao anxious.
"Just what?"
"We are just staying in Tongzhou Prefecture, which is too small. There is a wider world outside, even in the capital, the center of power, which needs talents like you!" Jiang Youzhen said and sighed again, as if he was very regretful.
Magistrate Tao gripped the armrests of the chair tightly, calmed his pounding heart, and smiled bitterly.
"As a local official, I had no other thoughts except going to the capital to report on my work. However, I will not hide it from Jiang Shidu, in fact, I also wanted to serve the court and seek benefits for the court and all officials.
But it takes a long time for the decision of the court to be notified to the prefecture. Even if I have a different opinion, I can't say nothing. I wrote a memorial to the capital before, but it fell into oblivion. "
He patted the armrest as he spoke, his face full of emotion.
"This Tongzhou Prefecture is still a bit far from the capital."
Jiang Youzhen smiled without saying anything, picked up the teacup and started drinking tea.
Prefect Tao was a little anxious, but he had been in the officialdom for many years, so how could he show it easily?
"Your Excellency has achieved this in less than a year since taking office, which shows that you are very capable. I am also moved by this. Last time, the Emperor lamented that there are too few people in the court who can actually do their job, and the Emperor is also worried about it."
Jiang Youzhen had said this, and she didn't believe that the other party wouldn't be tempted. She knew that Magistrate Tao didn't believe in his ability, so she planned to take a drastic measure.
"But to be honest, the family of this criminal Li Anshun is really a mess. The Left Censor-in-Chief Li Yaojun is also colluding with the rebels. These uncle and nephew are really a family!" Jiang Youzhen suddenly sighed.
Tao Zhifu was immediately moved. Li Yaojun? Li Anshun's uncle, also a fourth-rank official.
He committed a crime, so now the position is vacant? He happened to be promoted to prefect this year, so it would be difficult for him to get promoted, but what if he was transferred horizontally?
Although a fourth-rank official in the capital has much more power than a fourth-rank local official like him, if things go well, he can be transferred to the capital, who would be willing to stay here?
Besides, the Censorate is a good place. It inspects all officials and has considerable power.
But Jiang Youzhen beat around the bush and only reminded him without mentioning the backer behind him.
"Going to the capital is my own selfish desire, and my mentor has been living in the capital since he retired. Sometimes I want to be filial to my mentor, but because of the distance, I can't do it.
Now that I think about it, I feel a little bit unfilial and ashamed. But you also know that my mentor has retired, so even if he wants me to go to the capital to reunite with him, I am powerless. "
When a mentor leaves, he is no longer popular. How can he help me after he retires? Even if he still has some face, he can only help me a little.
"That's actually not that difficult, it just depends on the person who is determined."
Jiang Youzhen pursed his lips and smiled, "If you are interested, you still have to make some achievements. You have to let the emperor see you!"
Upon hearing this, Prefect Tao couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He had thought that Jiang Youzhen had a backer, so he wondered if he could get close to him. Unexpectedly, Jiang Youzhen said this, which meant that he had no intention of taking the exam at all!
When Jiang Youzhen saw the flash of disappointment on Magistrate Tao's face, he understood what he was thinking.
"Ouch!" Jiang Youzhen suddenly cried out.
Prefect Tao looked over and found that Jiang Youzhen did not hold the tea bowl steadily, and the tea spilled out, soaking her sleeves.
Jiang Youzhen quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe it, but when he bent down, something fell out of his arms.