Chapter 273 Rising to Prominence
Longcheng County Government Office.
Ouyang Rong's figure had just appeared.
The old county magistrate stepped forward to greet him, winking and making faces at him.
His voice still carries that familiar tone.
Ouyang Rong glanced at him.
“County Magistrate Diao arrived earlier and more urgently than I did.”
Magistrate Diao declared with righteous indignation: "Your Excellency is a role model for us all. Your Excellency's affairs are our affairs. How can we not be anxious?"
Ouyang Rong nodded
Xie Lingjiang, Yan Liulang, and the Li Xian family who had come with them all stopped outside the mansion gate.
They waited with County Magistrate Diao and other county officials, watching the young county magistrate's tall and slender figure disappear into the distance.
Ouyang Rong entered the room alone.
He strode into the county government hall as if going to a meeting alone.
Inside the lobby, a group of people were already waiting, some drinking tea, others sitting upright.
Their official robes were of different colors and accessories. At this moment, as the young county magistrate entered the room, all the officials' eyes fell on him.
Despite the scrutinizing gazes, Ouyang Rong remained composed, quickly categorizing everyone in the hall in his mind.
There were seven or eight officials, most of whom were unfamiliar faces. The rest were officials from the Jiangzhou Prefectural Governor's Office, whom Ouyang Rong recognized quite well. As for the unfamiliar faces, they should all have come from the capital with the imperial envoy from Luoyang.
Surrounded by these officials, some warm and some respectful, at the head of the table was a middle-aged official, dressed in a dark green official robe, with a tall official hat and a fish-shaped pouch at his waist.
The official in green was tall, with a thick beard on his cheeks, deep eyes, and a square face as steady and dignified as a sculpture.
Ouyang Rong noticed that he was holding a brocade book in his hand, and his serious expression and unsmiling demeanor made the atmosphere in the hall solemn as well.
This must be the imperial envoy from Luoyang, the main person in charge today.
Beside this imperial envoy from Luoyang sat a familiar-looking official in blue robes, surnamed Yu, who was in charge of evaluating the officials in Jiangzhou.
At this moment, Ouyang Rong noticed that the gray-haired Yu Sigong was looking at him with a hint of envy, even a touch of jealousy.
"Are you the Magistrate of Longcheng, Ouyang Lianghan?"
Ouyang Rong bowed respectfully, "That is indeed me. May I ask who you are, sir?"
Yu Sigong answered quickly:
"Lord Ouyang, this is Lord Song, the Assistant Director of the Ministry of Personnel. He was specially dispatched by the capital to conduct the selection and appointment of officials."
Ouyang Rong calmly turned around, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Lord Song, I apologize for not greeting you sooner."
The so-called "Heavenly Official" was originally the Ministry of Personnel, but it was renamed by Empress Wei.
Similarly, the Ministry of Revenue was renamed the Ministry of Land, and the remaining four ministries—Rites, War, Justice, and Works—were renamed the four ministries of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
The Secretariat was renamed the Luantai, the Chancellery was renamed the Fengge, and the Ministry of Personnel was renamed the Wenchangtai.
Bored? Yes, but what can you do about it?
The elderly empress who sits high above the Zhou court has been so fond of grand achievements, auspicious omens, and lucky charms in recent years.
In the imperial court, where the nation's most elite intellectual resources flowed, a group of powerful men tried every means to appease and accommodate her.
Ouyang Rong thought to himself, but naturally couldn't say it aloud.
With a serious expression, Assistant Minister Song Hao routinely inquired about local affairs, to which Ouyang Rong answered fluently.
Song Hao noticed that the young man before him spoke with remarkable composure and order. He scanned the upright young magistrate from head to toe, and after a moment, a smile appeared on his square face:
"What a perfect figure, standing tall and graceful, smiling like the bright moon in one's arms... The standards for the selection of officials in the Ministry of Personnel are: four talents and three realities, physical appearance, speech, writing and judgment, all of which are fully met, and even far exceed them."
With a satisfied look in his eyes, he turned to his colleagues and said:
"Those colleagues who had previously assessed Ouyang Lianghan in the capital were right in their praise."
The term "body, speech, writing, and judgment" refers to the fact that scholars who passed the Ministry of Rites examination, became Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examination), or passed the policy examination were not directly appointed to official positions but had to pass the selection process of the Ministry of Personnel.
The term "身" refers to a robust physique; "言" refers to eloquent and righteous speech; "书" refers to beautiful and vigorous calligraphy; and "判" refers to excellent and logical reasoning.
In short, to be a civil official in the Great Qian Dynasty or the Great Zhou Dynasty, one not only needed talent, but also good looks and good temperament, which were also important criteria for selecting officials.
Back in Luoyang, after Ouyang Rong passed the imperial examination, he went to the Ministry of Personnel and went through the selection process. He was recognized as a pretty face in the first year of the Jiushi examination, no, he was the third-ranked scholar.
Moreover, she was personally selected by Empress Wei, a senior member of the "appearance association," at the Apricot Garden Banquet.
In terms of appearance and temperament, Ouyang Rong was naturally in no way inferior, which greatly enhanced his image and made him somewhat arrogant among his peers.
The officials around Song Hao all smiled and chimed in with their agreement:
"At such a young age, Magistrate Ouyang has accomplished so much, governing the county so well. He truly is a rising star."
"Upon seeing him, I was struck by his extraordinary talent and ability to transcend worldly concerns... He is truly a hero and a man of exceptional talent."
Seeing the overwhelming praise, Yu Sigong, who had rushed all the way from Jiangzhou to accompany him, showed a hint of hesitation in his eyes.
He leaned closer and whispered:
"Lord Song, this is the evaluation report written by Lord Wang of Jiangzhou for Magistrate Ouyang. My superior asked me to deliver it to you."
Yu Sigong silently took out a scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Song Hao.
The so-called examination report was actually a routine procedure for determining the promotion of officials. It was an evaluation written by the local officials of each prefecture to assess their subordinates.
Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze fell upon the 'examination report' written by Governor Wang for Ouyang Lianghan.
"Oh? Lord Wang is very thoughtful."
Song Hao glanced sideways at the smirking Yu Sigong, nodded slightly, and accepted the examination certificate.
The middle-aged official in the capital glanced at the document for a while, his expression calm. He then put the examination certificate into his sleeve, turned around, and continued his question-and-answer session with Ouyang Rong.
Yu Sigong, who had been looking down, rolled his eyes and cautiously observed Song Hao chatting and laughing with someone, seemingly unaffected...
Inside the hall, the other accompanying officials also noticed this, but they all tacitly refrained from asking, and the atmosphere continued.
Despite the subtle undercurrents on the field, Ouyang Rong remained oblivious, offering a polite smile. He turned to look at Yu Sigong with a kind and peaceful gaze, to which the latter nodded sheepishly in response.
After some investigation and questioning, Song Hao's previous seriousness lessened, and a more relaxed smile appeared on his face.
Having seemingly asked enough questions, the imperial envoy, specially dispatched by the Heavenly Official, finally opened the brocade document in his hand, which had become the focus of everyone's attention today.
In fact, Song Hao was fully aware of the intentions of Yu Sigong beside him and Governor Wang behind him who had handed over the 'examination certificate'.
But this time, he was just going through the motions and taking the opportunity to make some good connections in advance.
Do you really think he's here to make an on-the-spot assessment? Although that's the official claim, he still needs to come here to complete the final step of the process.
However, after the Heavenly Official issued an edict at the Wenchang Terrace in the Divine Capital's Political Affairs Hall, the fate of this originally minor seventh-rank Longcheng County Magistrate was no longer under the Heavenly Official's control.
There is a benefactor here.
However, the magnificent and unprecedented Broken Wing Canal outside the city... it's hard to say whether it was self-help or the help of a benefactor.
Or rather, in the Great Zhou Dynasty, which still retained the political tradition of aristocratic clans, both were indispensable for those who wanted to rise in rank.
As for who this important person is, whether they are the most important person in the Great Zhou Dynasty in some sense, the Empress Wei, or the high-ranking official in the Council of State Affairs, that remains unknown for the time being.
Song Hao remained calm, glancing down at the screen. After a moment, he looked up and suddenly asked:
"How old is Magistrate Ouyang?"
“After October, it will be the twenty-first,” Ouyang Rong answered truthfully.
"He's only just turned twenty..."
Song Hao sighed, clasped his hands together, pointed at Ouyang Rong, and said to his colleagues:
"A Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate who is only twenty years old must be the youngest in this dynasty!"
The entire audience erupted in uproar.
Even the accompanying officials, who had long suspected that this young county magistrate, who had made a name for himself in flood control, might be promoted and given a higher rank, were astonished.
Censorate, Attendant Censor!
Not to mention his promotion and change of position, he rose from a poor, remote village back to the capital.
Speaking of the censorate alone, it belongs to the pure stream, and it is an extremely noble and prestigious position among the officials in the capital.
The Imperial Censor was a sixth-rank official.
The Censorate was similar to the Discipline Inspection Commission in Ouyang Rong's previous life, wielding the power to supervise officials and rectify discipline.
The chief official was the Grand Censor, and the deputy was the Vice Grand Censor.
Under it, three academies were established: the Courtyard, the Palace Court, and the Inspection Court.
Among them, the highest-ranking institution was the Imperial Censorate, which had four Imperial Censors, whose official rank was the lower sixth grade.
His duties were to correct wrongdoings, appoint officials, and investigate and prosecute legal cases.
These four Imperial Censors were the highest-ranking censors below the Grand Censor and the Vice Censor-in-Chief, and they had immense power to conduct independent investigations.
He rose from a seventh-rank local county magistrate to a sixth-rank imperial censor in the capital.
This step was a true meteoric rise to success.
Inside and outside the county government office, a lively atmosphere prevailed.
But some people remained silent, trembling with fear.
Yu Sigong, who had just reported on his superior, stiffened, buried his head in his tea, and dared not look up at the person.
Ouyang Rong politely responded to the accompanying officials who offered their praise and congratulations.
"Congratulations, Magistrate Ouyang, no, I should say Imperial Censor Ouyang. From now on, we will both be court officials and colleagues."
Song Hao smiled and handed the imperial edict to Ouyang Rong.
Ouyang Rong glanced at the brocade document, silently took it, but did not open it immediately.
Seeing that things were almost done, Song Hao leaned on the armrest and prepared to get up.
"Lord Song, please wait a moment. I am grateful for your long journey, but I have a matter that requires your assistance..."
Song Hao paused, turning his head to look. He saw the promising young magistrate place the unread brocade document on the table, then silently take out a stack of documents from his sleeve and present them to him with both hands.
"This is……"
Song Hao was slightly taken aback, and the other officials in the hall also looked puzzled.
...
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the Longcheng County Government Office.
A group of people gathered around.
Xie Lingjiang, Li Xian's family, along with County Magistrate Diao, Yan Liulang, and other county officials, were waiting anxiously and expectantly.
The main gate of the county government office was wide open. Standing at the entrance and looking inside, one could vaguely see the scene inside the county government office hall.
But since I couldn't hear any specific sound, I couldn't help but feel itchy and curious.
Yan Liulang broke the silence outside the door, his tone expectant:
"Is the Prefect going to be promoted?"
"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Ouyang Lianghan should be promoted."
It was Li Guo'er's clear, melodious voice. She held the butterfly-carrying servant in her arms, stroking its snow-white fur as if reciting a familiar story:
"Since it is said to be an imperial envoy from the Heavenly Official of the Divine Capital, it must have come carrying an imperial edict."
"Imperial edicts are generally divided into two types: one is called a decree, and the other is called an imperial edict. The former is used to handle important matters, while the latter is used to handle the daily affairs of the court."
"Therefore, most imperial edicts were official documents submitted by the ministers of the Council of State Affairs, which His Majesty reviewed and approved with the word 'edict' at the end. The effect of just the word 'edict' was comparable to that of the law."
"In addition, under the current administration, the appointment and removal of officials below the fifth rank only requires the Council of State Affairs or the Ministry of Personnel to draft a list and submit it to His Majesty for approval."
"Moreover, this imperial edict was personally delivered by an official from the Ministry of Personnel, so it must be about personnel promotions and demotions."
“Ouyang Lianghan has made meritorious contributions in building the Zheyi Canal and should be promoted. He will undoubtedly be promoted from the seventh rank to the sixth rank. However, it is unknown what official position he will be assigned. Will he be directly promoted to the prefecture, or will he be promoted to the sixth rank according to the rules, but will he have to serve a term in Lingnan or the frontier?”
The young woman, who had just come of age, spoke with curiosity. She seemed to have a natural interest in the imperial court's system, as if she knew it inside and out.
Xie Lingjiang, Li Xian, Li Dalang, Yan Liulang, and others were delighted to hear this.
However, Li Xian's smile faded slightly, and he frowned as he glanced at the county government hall with a mixture of joy and worry.
I don't know what I was thinking about, but I was quite troubled.
Just then, everyone saw figures jumping and swaying excitedly in the hall, as if it were a happy occasion. Sure enough, a short while later, a minor official who had gone to inquire about the news came running out from the inner hall.
The minor official overjoyed as he addressed County Magistrate Diao and the others:
"By imperial decree from the Ministry of Personnel, Your Excellency, for your meritorious service in flood control, you are hereby promoted directly to Supervising Censor of the Censorate!"
All eyes turned to it.
Outside the mansion gate, the air was briefly still before erupting in excitement, with everyone overjoyed.
"A Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate?" Xie Lingjiang's pretty face showed some surprise.
"What kind of official is this? Is it a good one?" This was the confused Yan Liulang.
"A high-ranking official from the capital!" Li Fusu exclaimed joyfully.
"A sixth-rank official in the capital!" Li Guo'er said in a complicated tone.
"A meteoric rise! Your Excellency, Your Excellency, please take the stage!"
County Magistrate Diao's small eyes widened in shock, and he nearly choked on his breath, his face turning completely red.
"I knew it! I knew it! Lord Ming is no ordinary man! His official career is thriving, and he is blessed with good fortune. He is truly a noble person! I didn't bet on the wrong horse. All my hard work these past few days has been worthwhile! Hahaha, a sixth-rank censor, and a cushy job back in the capital. He's risen to the top in one step, one step to the top in one step!"
County Magistrate Diao jumped up on the spot, looked around, and shouted happily.
Those who didn't know better would have thought he had been promoted, as he seemed even more excited than Ouyang Rong himself, drawing sidelong glances from Xie Lingjiang and others around him.
However, upon closer reflection, it is understandable.
After all, from now on, this old county magistrate has secured a powerful backer and can be considered to have "someone in the court." Moreover, even Ouyang Rong, who made the greatest contribution to the flood control efforts, agreed to such a meteoric rise in rank.
As a second-in-command of the county, he had done his part in flood control, not to mention his minor achievements, and naturally received a considerable reward. The greater Ouyang Rong's reward, the greater his reward became. The two were essentially tied to the same boat, sharing the same fate and relying on each other for wealth and honor.
Currently, Ouyang Rong has not only been rewarded with a promotion in his official rank, rising from the seventh rank to the sixth rank, but has also been given the opportunity to be directly promoted to the capital.
In some people's eyes, the latter is even more difficult than the leap from the seventh rank to the sixth rank.
For officials of the same rank, those in the capital were naturally considered superior to those in local areas.
During the Great Zhou Dynasty, local government offices were extremely bloated. Often, even after several minor promotions, it was as if no promotion had taken place, and the sense of advancement was not strong.
The central government's institutions are relatively vertical, so any promotion to the next level is quite noticeable.
However, this also meant that vacant official positions in the capital were usually highly sought after, with each position filled by a single candidate, leading to fierce competition. As the saying goes, those outside couldn't get in, and those inside found it difficult to get promoted.
Just look at the Hanlin Academy in the capital city; how many "white-haired scholars" have wasted their lives in one position after passing the imperial examination?
For example, when Ouyang Rong offended the Empress in court, he was transferred out of the capital and promoted from a low-ranking official in the Imperial Secretariat to a high-ranking official in the remote Longcheng County.
In the eyes of the entire court, this was a promotion in name only, but a demotion in reality.
It would be better to continue as a low-ranking official in the Imperial Library, a close and noble minister to the emperor.
Even if it takes a lifetime, it's worth it. So what if we grow old together? Besides, as long as we're not stupid, we can still climb the ranks and outlive others with our longevity, aiming for a long and successful official career...
Such scenes are commonplace in central Luoyang.
This clearly demonstrates the high value of the title "Beijing official".
After receiving the imperial decree, Ouyang Rong, a sixth-rank official in the capital, was no less powerful than some fifth-rank officials when he occasionally traveled to prefectures and counties. In fact, he was treated as an honored guest and was a true imperial envoy.
Of course, this situation only applies to officials of lower and middle ranks.
If placed in the officialdom of the fourth rank or above, the rules would be different, after all, being a regional governor doesn't seem so bad.
In short, at this moment, a sixth-rank imperial censor, barely twenty years old, is being born and rising before the eyes of the people outside the door.
Even rising to prominence is nothing more than this.
Brothers, my period came, and it was a commotion all day. Last night, I was forced to drink a shot of baijiu (Chinese liquor) – my first time! I'm feeling dizzy while typing this…
(End of this chapter)
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