Chapter 312 313. The Dog Emperor is causing trouble again!
"My Yurui and I also got married as childhood sweethearts."
Lei Li became interested when he heard this and started chatting with the young scholar. When the other scholars heard that he seemed to be really gossipy, they also hesitantly started talking about their family matters.
However, they were either unmarried or did not know their wives and children well, so they could not say a few meaningful words and soon fell silent.
On the contrary, Shen Qiqi was trained as a lady from a noble family. She was a little reserved and didn't talk much at first, but as she listened, she started asking questions unconsciously, and then they had a great conversation.
Lei Li, Chen Qiqi, and the young scholar were chattering away, becoming a beautiful sight at the Luming Banquet. Shu Ge'er and Miao Yurui were quiet, but because they were also married, they would be asked about by Lei Li from time to time.
There was a fat scholar who was originally worried about the mixed reputation of the Changning Marquis's Mansion. He knew that if he got close to the Changning Marquis at this time, he would definitely attract everyone's attention. However, he had a lively personality and after holding back for a while, he finally couldn't help but come over to talk.
"I have a wife and children at home, but my wife is fierce and my children are naughty. If they are not disciplined for three days, they will tear off the roof tiles. Sometimes they even gang up on me and fight with me, which really makes me very angry..."
It looked like this fat scholar had suffered a lot. Once he started talking, he would talk non-stop, and even danced with joy when he was excited. His reconstruction of the scene was so vivid that he was so focused that he didn't even notice the other scholars looking at him from time to time.
Lei Li laughed out loud, thinking that this person was quite interesting, and wrote down his name.
Everyone at the Lu Ming Banquet was feeling restless, but overall it was lively and harmonious.
As the banquet drew to a close, the high-ranking officials left first, followed by the others, and the lower-ranking scholars were the last to leave. Everyone had gained something, some good, some bad.
Lei Li was one of the group that left earlier, and he took Miao Yurui, Shu Ge'er and Shen Qiqi with him. The three of them didn't need to rely on the adults, so they naturally didn't have to stay until the end due to etiquette.
Lei Li also spotted a few talented people at the banquet and was thinking about how to poach them to work for him.
The Transportation Department has a lot of talent, but every two years some are sent to other cities for training. Those who perform well are promoted back, while those who don't perform well continue to stay and train honestly. This year, a group of people are being released.
The honest young scholar is very methodical and can be assigned to the shipping department; the fat scholar is lively and talkative and can interact with customers; there is a tall and thin scholar who is good at arithmetic...
There are also Miao Yurui, Shu Ge'er, and Chen Qiqi. Lei Li has also decided where to put them.
But man proposes, God disposes. Just as Lei Li was about to ask the Ministry of Personnel for someone, the appointment personally made by the Emperor came down.
Lei Shengjiang is appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport, and Miao Yurui is appointed as Lei Shengjiang's assistant, a fifth-rank official. Shu Ge'er and Shen Qiqi are admitted to the Hanlin Academy.
besides--
Appoint Lei Li as the Minister of State to travel to Baihui. Appoint Lei Zhouzhou as the Director of the Baihui Prefecture City Sea Department, with Lin Zhong accompanying him as his adjutant. They will depart for Baihui to take up their posts immediately.
Not only were all the nobles and relatives in Beijing shocked, even the Changning Marquisate was surprised. Lei Li's first reaction after receiving the imperial edict was to curse the emperor as a dog in his heart.
Back then, without even a word of warning, he was made to work tirelessly in the Marquis of Changning's mansion until now, and even his two children were exploited. One worked like a cow in Kyoto, and the other worked like a horse in Baihui.
You must be really sick!
No wonder he tricked Zhou Zhou and Lin Zhong into working in the Transportation Department. The dog emperor turned a blind eye. It turned out that he had already planned to let them gain experience in the Transportation Department and then send them out to work for him!
"So wise!"
As soon as the old eunuch who issued the imperial edict left, Lei Li angrily boasted in the mansion, "I've never seen such a wise emperor in my life! Except for the old and young, everyone in my family has a job and earns money!"
What a family of loyal heroes!
Zhou Yi was speechless.
He had read so many history books and had seen absurd emperors before. Others were absurd all the time, or they became absurd suddenly when they grew old and indulged themselves. But Wanqi Xia was absurd in a sudden and unexpected way.
Five years ago, Lei Li was suddenly made the Marquis of Changning, and he instantly became a thorn in the eyes of the entire Kyoto.
Two years ago, he suddenly announced that he and the emperor had a younger brother, and that he wanted to achieve equal rights. He wanted to use the opportunity that both men and women could take the imperial examinations to pave the way for his brother, the crown prince, to become emperor, and let Lei Li take the lead. Suddenly, he became a thorn in the side of the old nobles in Kyoto.
It’s even worse now. Except for the old and the young, everyone in the family has become a thorn in my side.
"When the late emperor was alive, collusion between officials and businessmen was rampant, and the people were living in dire straits."
Zhou Yi said, "After the emperor ascended the throne, he executed a number of corrupt officials and raided the homes of a number of wealthy merchants. This not only served as a warning to others, but also enriched the national treasury. He had money to pay the soldiers' overdue food and wages, and he used this money to do a lot of practical things."
"Then the Sihaisi was established to manage Baihui's maritime trade and prevent merchants from dominating. They also helped the court collect taxes, which amounted to a large sum of silver every year."
"After more than a decade of stability, Baihui's officials began to think again. Maritime trade was a lucrative commodity, and officials from top to bottom, even the petty clerks, wanted to take a bite out of the merchants, not to mention the corruption within the Sihai Division."
"I know these things, too."
Lei Li continued, sighing, "The Sihaisi has gone from being a supervisor to being complicit and even exploiting the merchants. They've exploited not only the merchants but also the fishermen, overcharging and collecting taxes, even repeatedly."
"The Sihai Division has become a rat's nest, filled with rats who prey on the people."
"But this is no reason to send our Zhou Zhou over to clean up the mess, Director of the Sihai Division. If you parachute a commoner over there, even if Zhou Zhou is from the Changning Marquis's family, it will be difficult to convince the public."
"Dog... What on earth is His Majesty thinking?"
"Your Majesty probably originally wanted Yu Rui to go."
Zhou Yi speculated, his brows furrowed, obviously disagreeing with the Dog Emperor's decision this time.
"Although Yu Rui is this year's top scholar, he has been promoted to the third-rank position of Si Hai Si. It's not a problem for him to be promoted too much. The problem is that Yu Rui is quiet and gentle, and it is difficult for him to suppress the officials and people of Si Hai Si."
"Besides, if Yu Rui goes to Bai Hui, Sheng Jiang will definitely follow. He has always been very attached to Yu Rui, and if Sheng Jiang leaves, His Majesty will have one less person to use."
"——The emperor is too partial to our family, which has caused many ministers in the court to be dissatisfied with the emperor, especially those old nobles."
"If His Majesty is determined to rectify the Sihai Division and Baihui, sending anyone else will definitely not work. No one else has the power of our family, and we can't risk offending the many nobles in Kyoto by governing Baihui."
"And those who have this courage and determination are not as efficient as our family."
Baihui lives by the sea and has the longest coastline among the ten major cities in Dayou. Maritime trade is particularly developed, and there are more than a handful of big merchants with a net worth of over 100 million. Even Zhongchuan's family background is not as strong as Baihui's.
It is impossible to say that no one in the court is jealous of such a big piece of fat meat. Even the noble Lord Situ has publicly criticized the maritime merchants for their rampant behavior and said they are sucking the blood and flesh of the people.
Sometimes criticizing is also a form of jealousy.
This also indirectly shows how wealthy the maritime merchants were, and the court officials who could no longer contain themselves made an offer, and the officials and people who were waiting understood and took the bait.
One offered bribes to seek protection, the other accepted gifts to act as a protective umbrella. They manipulated everything, concealing the truth from the emperor, even the dog emperor could have been deceived, otherwise he would not have taken action now to deal with it.
“Tsk.”
Lei Li said dissatisfiedly, "I understand what you mean, you just can't stand dogs... The emperor always exploits our family. Sheng Jiang and Yu Rui stay in Jingdou, Zhou Zhou and Lin Zhong go to Baihui. Who will do my job in the future?"
“……?”
Zhou Yi paused, looking at him with a look of shock and expectation. He shook his head before saying, "It's also because our Zhou Zhou is so outstanding. Although Zhou Zhou is a boy, he is a master of martial arts. If he hadn't refused to participate in the martial arts imperial examination and disliked the limelight, he might have won the first place."
In this way, their family will have both Wenquxing and Wuquxing, the top scholar in both civil and military fields.
Zhou Yi had reasons for saying this, as Lei Zhouzhou had loved wielding swords and guns since he was a child.
When I was one or two years old, I saw my father practicing boxing and I followed him waving my arms and legs cutely. I also learned my father's boxing techniques very early and followed him to exercise, running, frog jumps, push-ups, sit-ups, parallel bars, etc.
When other boys were young, they liked pretty flowers and beautiful butterflies, and they dressed up beautifully.
When Lei Zhouzhou was a child, he liked mighty swords and ferocious tigers. He also wanted to follow his father's example and go up the mountain to hunt wild boars. Unfortunately, no wild boars came to the mountain, so he had to settle for the next best thing and catch snakes and rabbits.
He also didn't like nice and bright clothes because they got dirty easily. Dark clothes like gray and black were very durable. He could just style his hair with a wooden hairpin and a hairband.
Later, he learned martial arts from different martial arts masters, especially his horse riding and archery. While riding on horseback, he could shoot an arrow through the target from a hundred paces away. Even Lin Zhong was no match for him.
He can also wield a broadsword, a spear, a long whip, a dagger, a short bow, and is good at throwing flying knives and darts. His fighting power is the best in the Marquis of Changning's Mansion.
Zhou Yi was once worried that Lei Zhouzhou would grow up to be tall and mighty. If he was 1.89 meters tall and muscular, and still got married because of his brotherly nature, it would be difficult for him to find a husband, and even marry into the family.
Fortunately, Lei Zhouzhou also follows Lei Li in this regard.
Although he is indeed quite tall, taller than the average man, his frame is not big, so he looks tall and long-legged, not strong and powerful.
Lei Zhouzhou's character is extremely upright, and he comes from the Changning Marquis Mansion. After becoming the director of the Sihai Division, it is absolutely impossible for him to collude with people in the court.
"Although it is said that there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests, but..."
Zhou Yi glanced at Lei Li, but Lei Li was the most vindictive person and had a bunch of legal businesses that laid golden eggs under his name. It would be strange if he would collude with these nobles.
After all, money is valuable, but life is more valuable.
"That's what I said."
Lei Li curled his lips and said, "If I don't let Zhou Zhou do these hard and dirty jobs, I might as well let someone else do it. Besides, I don't want to go on business trips either."
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