It was the first day of December in the ninth year of the Xuanli calendar.
Yu Dynasty, Dachao meeting.
Fu Xiaoguan arrived at the square of Chengtian Hall at the end of the Yin hour by carriage.
He got off the carriage and shuddered. It was so damn cold!
He put his hands in his sleeves and stood in a secluded place as he did before, waiting for the Chengtian Hall to open.
In the past, few ministers would come and talk to him, but today was different.
He was clearly standing in the dark, but he was like a bright light in the darkness, which attracted the attention of many ministers. As a result, many ministers walked towards him with smiles on their faces.
"Hello, Master Fu!"
"Good morning, Master Fu!"
"Master Fu, have you eaten yet? I still have two hot buns in my arms!"
"Look at Master Fu's expression, he's been living a really happy life these days!"
“…”
What the hell, in this dark light, you can actually see my expression clearly!
Fu Xiaoguan laughed, bowed, and turned around, "Did you miss me, my lords?"
"We miss you so much! If Lord Fu hadn't been born, the world would have been in darkness forever. Lord Fu's brilliance not only illuminates this eternal night, but also brightens our vision..." The man suddenly smiled slyly and whispered, "If you have time, I will host a banquet tonight. Miss Liu Yan'er is even more charming than last year."
Fu Xiaoguan looked at the man - he was a stranger and didn't recognize him.
The man immediately smiled and clasped his fists in a salute. "I am Li Cai, the son of Li Jindou of Baolong Bank. I used to work in the Ministry of Revenue's Gold Department. I recently filled the position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and continue to work under Minister Dong for a living."
Fu Xiaoguan laughed, then suddenly remembered that he had heard Yu Wenjun mention the name Li Jindou. She said that she asked Queen Shang to bring Li Jindou, the head manager of Baolong Money House, over here - this guy turned out to be Li Jindou's son!
"So it's Lord Li. I've heard a lot about you. Speaking of which... I've long admired your father and have wanted to meet him. How about you take me to see him after the court is over?"
Everyone heard that Fu Xiaoguan wanted to see Li Jindou. What signal did this send?
Baolong Bank was the largest bank in the Yu Dynasty. Li Jindou had been in charge of it for decades and was considered a top figure in Shangjing. However, he was only the head of a bank, without any official title, and in the eyes of these officials, he was ultimately not worthy of being mentioned in public.
But Fu Xiaoguan is different.
He is now a real upstart in Beijing!
Not to mention the new national policies that he single-handedly led, just the backgrounds of his three wives alone were enough to make no one in the court, civil or military, dare to look down on them.
As for his other identity...it's a secret known to everyone, and no one would be so stupid as to bring it up.
Therefore, in the eyes of these cunning ministers, Fu Xiaoguan's words and deeds all represent a certain meaning.
Li Cai was immediately overjoyed and quickly bowed, "It is an honor for the Li family that Master Fu wants to see my father. I will host a banquet at home tonight. How do you think?"
"Then I won't be polite."
Fu Xiaoguan agreed. Many officials glared at Li Cai with disdain, thinking that this guy had taken the initiative.
Shangguan Wenxiu squeezed in tremblingly and laughed heartily, "Master Fu, Dean Li Qingfeng asked me to tell you that you should come to the academy when you have time. If you're happy, you can give a lecture to the students. Is that okay?"
Fu Xiaoguan touched his nose and thought to himself that he had received a salary from the academy for several months, so he really should go to the academy for a walk. So he nodded and agreed, "Just in the next few days, I will definitely go."
"Okay, okay. Also... the seat at the Imperial College is always reserved for you. You should go and have a seat when you have time."
Xu Huaishu stood a little further away, watching quietly, thinking that this young man had finally gained the recognition of the ministers. However, with his status, in the court of the Yu Dynasty, he would probably only be able to reach the level of a fourth-rank counselor.
After all, he was the prince of the Wu Dynasty. How could Emperor Xuan dare to use him!
Further away, Qin Huizhi, the Vice-Minister of the Political Affairs Hall, also gathered his sleeves and occasionally glanced at the bustling scene in that remote place. His face showed neither joy nor sadness, but no one knew what he was thinking.
…
…
Chengtian Hall.
Fu Xiaoguan was still standing at the back.
The only difference from before was that the officials on his left and right were not several meters apart, but were very close to each other, which made him feel a little awkward.
Emperor Xuan Yu Yin majestically ascended the Dragon Platform, lifted his sleeves and sat on the Dragon Throne.
His eyes first fell on Fu Xiaoguan's face, and a smile immediately appeared on his face.
"At today's grand court meeting, I announce three resolutions!"
The hall suddenly became quiet, and everyone pricked up their ears to listen - the so-called determination was naturally a decision, and there was no need for further discussion, the decree would be issued directly.
"First, Fu Xiaoguan has made outstanding contributions to the country of Dayu, and he has been awarded the position of Zhongshu Shilang of the Secretariat, in charge of the reform and implementation of the new policies!"
When this decree came out, except for high-ranking officials such as Yan Beixi, all other ministers were shocked, and then they all turned around to look - a third-rank Secretary of the Central Secretariat, only seventeen years old, and in charge of the new policy... This kid is really soaring to the sky!
Of course, most of the court officials have changed their views on Fu Xiaoguan now.
They may have felt somewhat uncomfortable, after all, Fu Xiaoguan was promoted too quickly, but they still accepted the reward from His Majesty, because Fu Xiaoguan was indeed worthy of the position, and the new policy really needed Fu Xiaoguan to take the helm personally.
But Qin Huizhi's party felt a chill in their hearts and frowned - the next step is the Minister of the Secretariat!
Shang Yuer is already old this year, and he might abdicate in the next two or three years. Then the position of Zhongshu Ling will have to belong to Fu Xiaoguan.
After a while, Emperor Xuan spoke again:
"Secondly, a decree is issued to the world: all merchants in Dayu who establish workshops in pilot counties and prefectures, invest at least 100,000 taels of silver, and employ over 100 workers will be exempted from all taxes for three years."
This was a policy that had been discussed in the court for a long time. Yan Beixi defeated Qin Huizhi in the end, so the announcement of this policy did not cause any sensation. However, these officials had already been considering whether to make the businessmen under their control take action.
"Third, the Yi Kingdom's peace delegation recently arrived in Beijing. The Ministry of Rites is responsible for their reception. The person in charge of these negotiations is... Official Fu!"
The ministers were shocked again. Shouldn't such peace negotiations be carried out by people sent by the Council of State?
Why did Your Majesty directly appoint Fu Xiaoguan from the Secretariat?
Qin Huizhi was startled again. He had originally intended to appoint one of his own, Xue Kailian, son of Xue Zhe, head of the Xue clan and a member of the Imperial Censorate. This assignment was easy enough; once Xue Kailian completed it, he could legitimately be promoted to Imperial Censor. Yet, His Majesty had appointed Fu Xiaoguan without even discussing it with the Council of State. Could this have been the work of that old villain Yan Beixi?
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