After reaching an agreement with Lu Gongshu, the next thing is very simple. The next day, Su Shi was chasing after the officials in high spirits, but Zuo Xiang Lu Gong unhurriedly made a twist and turn, interrupting Su Shi's enthusiasm. In the compromise, he said that the imperial court had heavy government affairs, and he was old and lacking energy, so he reminded the court that it was time to choose the right minister.

Compared with the glittering right phase position, the departure and stay of the mere eight-rank official is not enough to worry about. Suddenly, the focus of attention inside and outside the government and the opposition shifted to the candidate of Shang Shu's right servant. In just three days, the Empress Dowager's book case was overwhelmed by various pieces recommending candidates for the right minister. Summing up the voting results of the court, there are five people with the highest voices: Lu Dafang, Fan Chunren, Liu Zhi, Su Shi, and Cheng Yi, among them, Cheng Yi has the most students and the most popular. These five people are all handsome for a while, and it is difficult for the Queen Mother to make a decision.

At a time when there was a lot of discussion inside and outside the government and the opposition, a new issue of the "Bianjing Times" was published again. To everyone's surprise, the "Bianjing Times," which has always been concerned about state affairs, did not take a clear stance on which candidate it supported this time, but only spent five pages listing the resumes and political achievements of the five most popular candidates one by one for the world to review and evaluate.

Stand tall!

The first to be out was Cheng Yi, the leader of the Los Angeles Party. He has never entered the imperial examination, but he was born as a jinshi in Jiayou for four years, and his political experience is lackluster except for a term as a Ruzhou regimental training officer, and most of his life is spent in receiving apprentices and lecturing. Evaluation: Let professionals continue to do the work of professionals!

The second out is Liu Zhi, the leader of the Shuo Party. Although Liu Zhi has rich political experience and a beautiful resume, it is a pity that he is seven years older than Su Shi and entered the imperial examination in Jiayou for four years, four years later than Su Shi. Not to mention that Su Shi once took the middle school examination in Jiayou in the sixth year and entered the third class, which was the first in a century.

"In this way, Master Lu and Master Fan both entered the imperial examination and have capable and experienced political achievements, why did Brother Ma support Master Su wholeheartedly?" In the Jinlin Building, a young man dressed as a student asked curiously. And Brother Ma, who was sitting opposite him, was Ma Juan, a student who was rewarded by the imperial court for raising his arms outside the palace gate.

Because of the arrangement of "The Complete Biography of Yue" during the Zhengdan period, Jinlin Tower, which opposed the imperial court's cession of Wuqi, was also famous. Today, the Jinlin Building, which was originally only visited at night, is also overcrowded in the morning, and many young scholars have become accustomed to drinking tea and reading newspapers in the Jinlin Building, discussing state affairs, and increasing their knowledge. Among these students who are worried about the country and the people and take national affairs as their own responsibility, Ma Juan is undoubtedly one of them. At this time, seeing Ma Juan get up and prepare to answer, the entire hall fell silent.

Ma Juan arched his hand and raised his voice: "Although Lord Lu and Master Fan have profound qualifications and rich experience in governance, they are both born in the fifth year of the Heavenly Sage, and now they are in the year of the sixtieth year, and their energy is inevitably low. Brother Lin, don't forget, Lu Xianggong asked for the right minister to be the original hope that someone would share the heavy government affairs of the court with him. ”

The student surnamed Lin, who asked the question, immediately made a Daigo empowerment and said sincerely: "I have been taught!" "Su Shi is only in the year when he knows the destiny of heaven, and he is in the prime of life, and if he wants to share government affairs, he is indeed more powerful than Lu Dafang and Fan Chunren. What's more, even if it is just an officialdom reserve, there will also be a dream of taking the stage early to worship the prime minister and reach the peak of life!

In a certain wing room on the second floor of Jinlin Building, Zhuge Zheng raised his hand to refill a cup of tea for Murong Fu, and said with a smile: "Akashi's hand is really good, it seems that the position of this right phase is bound to be won by Master Su." After a pause, he sighed again. If you could have had this newspaper and this resume at the beginning of the reform, how could you ......?"

Murong Fu shook his head and said softly: "The first emperor insisted on changing the law to become strong, but the princes of the court only wanted to be safe and secure, and the use of Wang Jinggong was originally in the hands of the first emperor and no one was available. "The Great Song Dynasty has been in a state of redundancy for a hundred years, with redundant officials, redundant soldiers, and redundant expenses, and he is already critically ill. There was a new deal in Qingli in the past, and there was a change in Xining after the law, which was not that the officials of the Great Song Dynasty loved to toss, but it was really to the point where it could not be changed. However, the first thing that the change of the law harms is the interests of the scholars, so how can they support the change? As the emperor, Emperor Shenzong's courtiers didn't mind changing the emperor's allegiance, but he couldn't help but mind that he would be replaced, so he had no choice but to use Wang Anshi, who had an extreme temperament. As a result, due to improper management, it made people angry and resentful, and even caused the Great Song Dynasty to live for a few years.

Zhuge Zheng and I are not pedantic, and I also know that although Wang Anshi's change is a mess, the "change" itself is understandable. I saw that he was silent for a while, and then reminded: "Once Master Su performs his duties, can he have reliable talents in his hands?" Now that the situation is sinister, we must be more cautious, and don't follow the mistakes of Wang Jinggong. ”

Murong Fu smiled proudly, and said in a relaxed tone: "Brother Mai has prepared fifty accounting talents for his father's transfer/teaching, and he will go to Beijing in the near future." As for the DPRK, there are Lu Tao, Shangguan Jun, Huang Tingjian and others, so there is no need to worry. ”

"What about politics?" Zhuge Zheng asked me again.

"What political affairs?" Murong Fu was at a loss, "The teacher is the right servant, and the political affairs are naturally handled by the teacher and Lu Xianggong." Lu Xiangming can stabilize the situation, and the teacher is good at organization and planning, as long as he keeps an eye on the implementation link, the government will inevitably improve. ”

Zhuge Zheng nodded and said, "Yes, with Master Su as the right minister, there is no need to worry about political affairs." The bachelor is good at planning for the state but not for himself, and it is up to you to clear the obstacles for him. ”

"The teacher has integrity and selflessness in the world, and it is inevitable that he is not good at seeking his own body, so he can only serve his disciples if he has something to do." Murong Fu also sighed, but looking at his expression, he was not very regretful, but he felt a little "sweet burden".

Zhuge Zheng, I had long been accustomed to Murong Fu's brainless mentality, and turned a blind eye to his happy expression, and only reminded him wholeheartedly: "It's okay if you don't plan for yourself, since you want to be the right minister, you must always deserve it, but you can't be lightly set aside." Just like this time, I don't know how many officials and scholars inside and outside the government and the opposition advocate for Cheng Yi, if it weren't for your newspaper, his call to be the right minister would have been the highest. But on Mr. Su's side, there are only a handful of officials who even speak for him. ”

When Murong Fu heard this, he immediately raised his eyebrows and smiled: "The Great Commander, is this teaching me to form a party and be self-respecting?" Don't worry, I've already made arrangements. When I left Beijing, the villa I bought on the outskirts of the city was left to the teacher as a other job. In the future, a small banquet in March and a big banquet in May, every New Year's festival invited court officials, celebrities, scholars and sons to talk about poetry and painting, Taoism and politics. For a long time, not the party is the party. Commander, do you think that's the truth? ”

"The Grand Commander doesn't like to hear this!" Zhuge Zheng glared at him angrily, and said. "Lord Murong, I have been awarded the title of the Great Commander of the Six Gates, and it is my duty to supervise the hundred officials. Although he received the favor of the Shu Party in the future, if the members of the Shu Party were corrupt and bent the law in the future, they would handle it impartially in the next place, which was the first thing to say. ”

Zhuge was so solemn with me, and Murong Fu also bowed his hand and said calmly: "That's right!" Although you and I have personal relations, the law of the land cannot be trampled on. The commander is in an important position, and he should be responsible for the official family and the people of the world. ”

The two reached a consensus again, couldn't help but smile at each other, and at the same time raised their glasses and drank the tea in front of them.

The comments of the people and scholars on the candidates for the right minister were soon heard by the ministers of the court, and the Empress Dowager Gao privately left Wen Yanbo and Lu Gongzhu behind to discuss the matter of worshipping the right minister.

"Before, the city was full of wind and rain for the sake of worshipping the prime minister, as if he didn't worship Cheng Yi as the prime minister, this great Song Guozuo would be cut off. Now it seems that although Cheng Fuzi has a good reputation, he is not good at practice, so there is no need to mention it again. As for the other four adults, each has the same talents and virtues, I don't know what the two Aiqing think? The Empress Dowager asked refreshedly with a copy of the "Bianjing Times" in her hand.

Since Cheng Yi took up the post of storyteller in Chongzheng Palace, he has always regarded himself as a teacher, not only restraining the little emperor, but also pointing fingers at the Empress Dowager Gao, thinking that the Empress Dowager Gao could not go to the court alone to ask politics when the little emperor was sick. Then, he opened his mouth to criticize the regulations and system of the Guozijian, and made gossip about the affairs of the court and the officials of various ministries, which offended the whole Manchu court. Now seeing Cheng Yi out, not only the Empress Dowager Gao is happy, almost everyone in the court feels that a fresh breeze has blown in their hearts.

Empress Dowager Gao asked this question, and Wen Yanbo and Lu Gongzhu immediately understood that Empress Dowager Gao was planning to make a decision. Wen Yanbo is a military official in Pingzhang, and he is highly respected, so naturally he is the first to speak. I saw him groan for a while, and said slowly: "Empress Dowager, Wei Zhong and Yaofu are both old people who seek the country, Zizhan has outstanding talents, outstanding political achievements, and is also handsome. As for Liu Zhi, Wen Yanbo heard that he has been quite close to Yushi Yang Wei recently. Although Yang Wei is talented and eloquent, he is fond of vertical and horizontal learning, and he is accustomed to seeing the wind and making the rudder, and he is famous and rich, and Wen Yanbo is quite disdainful.

In Wen Yanbo's status, his failure to make an evaluation is already an evaluation. Empress Dowager Gao nodded, and turned her gaze to Lu Gongzhu again.

Lu Gongzhu took a step forward and said categorically: "Empress Dowager, according to Weichen's opinion, Su Zizhan is more suitable. ”

Empress Dowager Gao knew that Lu Gongshu was silent, but her words must be true, so she couldn't help but sit up straight, and asked with a straight face: "Why?" ”

"The minister is old, Wei Zhong and Yaofu are also sixty years old, even if these two are the same, it must not be long before they work. Rather than letting a group of elderly people occupy important positions, it is better to promote new talents early and cultivate them carefully. Su Zizhan is learning and doing, and the ministers are guiding from the side, so as to avoid the talent gap in the future. Lu Gong said in a deep voice.

As soon as Duke Lu said this, Wen Yanbo also changed color, and hurriedly bowed down and said: "Empress Dowager, what Lu Xiang said is very true!" Today, we will cultivate Su Zizhan, and in the future, Su Zizhan will cultivate others. It stretches so endlessly, and it is the avenue. Lu Gong's words actually reveal an extremely important truth, that is, the construction of talent echelon. Only when there is an endless stream of talented people at all levels can we ensure that political affairs are carried out from beginning to end and that no one dies in government. At this moment, Wen Yanbo couldn't help but think of his old friend Han Qi. Former Prime Minister Han Qi was the prime minister of the three dynasties, set up two emperors, and he has achieved the ultimate as a courtier. But on the other hand, it is precisely because of his strength that many promising courtiers have no experience in the future. When he resigned, the young Emperor Shenzong had no one to use, and he worshipped Wang Anshi as his deputy prime minister, so that the government was in a miasma.

With Wen Yanbo's remind, Empress Dowager Gao also understood, and said with admiration: "It is a blessing for the country that Lu Xianggong is far-sighted. ”

Lu Gongzhu hurriedly bowed and saluted, not daring to even say that he didn't dare. In fact, if it weren't for Murong Fu's reminder, he wouldn't have thought of the problem of talent echelon construction. Murong Fu is so old and spicy in government affairs, and the new prime minister he will be trained by Su Zizhan must be his student. It's just that Murong Fu is so young, who should take over in the middle? Thinking of this, Lu Gongzhu couldn't help but feel worried, seeing Murong Fu's vision and strategy, and then looking at the princes of the court, he couldn't help but feel that talents were rare. Thinking about it again, this should be Murong Fu's own concern, he couldn't help but smile to himself, and said in his heart: The back waves of the Yangtze River push the front waves!

A few days later, the imperial court issued an edict to worship Su Shi as the right servant of Shangshu. Since then, Su Shi has created an unprecedented miracle, and in just two years, he has risen from an unstaffed deputy militia captain to the prime minister of a country. The post of right minister fell to Su Shi is really an upset, not only Liu Zhi, who has great influence in the DPRK and China, can't believe it, Cheng Yi, who is very famous in Shilin, can't believe it, even Su Shi himself can't believe it. Su Shi knew that his foundation in the DPRK and China was unstable, and he could not tolerate the new party or the old party, and he couldn't understand why he finally won the position of right minister. He thanked the official family and the Empress Dowager in confusion, returned home to share the news with his family and students, and couldn't wait to confide in his doubts.

His wife, Wang Yanzhi, was only gentle and did not get carried away because her husband suddenly became a high position. Regardless of whether Su Shi is proud in the officialdom or not, this will not affect her deep affection for her husband.

The younger brother Su Zhe really didn't worry about Su Shi's big mouth, and once again took the trouble to remind: "Since my brother is the right minister, he should be more cautious in his words and deeds in the future." ”

Su Shi made a helpless and obedient expression, and turned his head to look at his several disciples. The four scholars of Sumen gathered in Murong Mansion today, they had been with Murong Fu for a long time, gradually understood his strength and believed in his ability, and they had faintly regarded this little junior brother as the head of the horse in their hearts, and at this time, they also looked at him together, waiting for his answer.

Murong Fu said with a smile: "Teacher, back then, Duke Jing decided to change the law, disregarded public opinion, and left endless disasters; And Wen Gong's ambition to abolish the new law is also disregarding public opinion, and everyone in the world opposes it. Now that the imperial court worships the teacher as the right minister, I think it is already understood that governing a big country is like cooking a small fresh, and it should change slowly without being impatient. ”

"Not bad! How can there be a system without drawbacks in this world? The key is to see how to implement it! Su Shi said with emotion.

"Since the teacher has paid homage to the prime minister, he should take the world as his own responsibility. Whether it is Jing Gong's law or Wen Gong's opinion, we should choose those who are good and change them from those who are not good. To Jun Yao Shun, and then make the people pure. Murong Fu said again.

Su Shi instantly straightened his chest and said generously: "As a teacher, you should help the people in the world, and do your best!" ”

Seeing this, Qin Guan helplessly glanced at Zhang Lei beside him, and said softly: "I said it earlier, it is still Akashi who can make the teacher happy the most." A few words made him forget to delve into how this prime minister came to be.

Zhang Lei's mouth was half open, half a moment, and nodded stiffly. Subsequently, Huang Tingjian and Chao Buzhi also nodded silently.

But Su Shi was still unsatisfied, and asked about Murong Fu's whereabouts again. "I heard that the new order of the Ministry of Officials has come down?"

"Exactly," Murong replied, "just as he was about to return to the teacher, the student will soon leave for Xiping to take up his post." The student is not in the capital, and the teacher's stay in the Murong Mansion will inevitably be talked about, but fortunately, the teacher's mansion has been renovated, and the teacher can move in at any time. As for my mansion, ......" he looked around at the four students of Sumen, "Senior brothers, it's okay to live, it's just that Senior Brother Huang will take care of me for one or two." ”

The housing prices in the capital are high, and Huang Tingjian and the other four people are unwilling to accept the mansion donated by Murong Fu, so they still live in Murong Mansion. Murong Fu had this small request, and Huang Tingjian immediately said, "Senior brother, don't worry. ”

But Su Shi hurriedly said: "Why is Xiping?" I'm talking about Shanghai! "Xiping is located in the west of Lanzhou, and has been under the rule of Western Xia for many years. It was not until Li Xian recovered Lanzhou in the fifth year of Yuanfeng that it was difficult for the Xia army to defend Xiping, so he retreated to Xiliangfu. However, Xiping is located in a remote area adjacent to the Xia Kingdom and Tubo, and there are many different ethnic areas in the local area, and this place has not been restored in the Great Song Dynasty. And Murong Fu set the stronghold of his shipping business in Shanghai, Su Shi thought that only by going there would he return to the sea like a fish in water.

It was my own intention to go to the Xixia defense line, but sending me to Xiping should be Liu Zhi, who lost his position as the right minister, to vent his anger. Murong Fu smiled lightly and only said, "Teacher, since Xiping has returned to the rule of the Great Song Dynasty, it is only right for students to go to work." Teachers should no longer quarrel with their students, lest the world criticize teachers for abusing their private rights and cronyism. ”

As soon as Su Shi came up with this thought, he was dispelled by Murong Fu, and he couldn't help but be stunned, and he couldn't speak for a while.

Instead, Murong Fu said calmly: "The student's official position is low, and it is not enough to stay in the court." If you don't leave Beijing to take up your post, you will make a place prosperous and prosperous. Then, from small to large, gradually implement the teacher's policy to improve the lives of the people. At that time, the teacher will live inside and the students will live outside, and the inside and outside will echo, and great things can be done! ”

Murong Fu said this, Su Shi was irrefutable, and after a long time, Fang sighed: "After all, it was the teacher who affected you." Although Su Shi disdains the conspiracy and revenge of the party, he is really not a stupid person.

"Why did the teacher say that?" Murong Fu said sincerely, "If it weren't for the teacher, the students would still be wasting their time in a mess. In the future, if a student has some merit in the local area, it will be because of the teacher's good teaching. The only regret is that it will be months late to read the teacher's new work in the future......"

"Speaking of which, I wrote a new poem yesterday......" Murong Fu sighed, and Su Shi mentioned his latest work with excitement on his face.

Seeing that the conversation after that had entered garbage time, the four scholars of Sumen, who had left a great name in history, couldn't help but glance at each other, laughed miserably, and said in their hearts: It seems that I will never have to fight for the position of the most favored disciple of the teacher......