Lin Haoran looked at the person who came and was slightly stunned at first, then stood up and said gently: "This official is the new left attendant of the Ministry of Rites Lin Haoran, I don't know what Your Excellency is called?" ”

The person who came was a fair-skinned little old man, but his face was a little less proud, and a hint of jealousy appeared in his eyes, and he bowed his hand very unnaturally and said: "This official is the new right attendant of the household department, Huang Yangmeng!" ”

In fact, when he saw Lin Haoran for the first time, he guessed Lin Haoran's identity. Throughout the Ming Dynasty, there is only Lin Wenkui, who is famous all over the world, a coquettish figure like a demon.

"It turned out to be Huang Shilang, disrespectful and disrespectful!" Lin Haoran suddenly realized this and kept his hand gentle.

Yangzhou and Nanzhili are not far apart, calculate the days, if this right servant of the household department is not delayed by anything, it is estimated that he should indeed go to Beijing at this time.

"The old man thought that he would be in front of Lin Shilang, but he didn't expect that Lin Shilang would be six or seven days earlier than the old man!" Huang Yangmeng unconsciously relied on the old and sold the old, and said with a smile.

After receiving the appointment, he was also worried about the long nights and dreams, so he ignored the greetings of the local officials, even if he did not even sell the face of the governor of Caoyun and the governor of the river.

I rushed day and night, but I didn't expect that I was still far behind Lin Haoran, and it was even more logical for Lin Haoran to take over the military affairs of Tongzhou City, so as to pick up a big bargain.

If he can go to six or seven days sooner, then the military command of Tongzhou City will fall into his hands, and the victory at the north gate of Tongzhou will be a great credit to himself.

Lin Haoran didn't know that the other party had this kind of thought, but he just maintained the fake greeting of officialdom, and responded with neither humility nor arrogance: "The emperor has a decree, and the road is light and simple, and I don't dare to delay!" ”

Although Huang Yangmeng was dissatisfied with Lin Haoran's victory in "robbing" him of the North Gate, he also knew that the status gap between him and Lin Haoran was not small, but he didn't dare to put on a face.

The two didn't know each other well, and now they don't talk much, so they just sit here together without saying a word.

After sitting here for an hour, he didn't see a reply from the palace, so Lin Haoran had enough reason to suspect that Jiajing had been hiding in Xiyuan for more than 20 years and not going to the early dynasty, where was he going to avoid the minister, he obviously wanted to sleep lazy every day.

Today is still a cloudy day, so that it is impossible to tell the time, and after a long appointment, a eunuch finally walked in and said: "The emperor has an edict, Lin Shilang will go to the Wanshou Palace to meet the saint thanks!" ”

Lin Haoran couldn't help but be slightly stunned, he thought that Jiajing didn't even see several Shangshu, and he probably wouldn't meet him, the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, but he didn't want the emperor to let him in.

"What about me, father-in-law?" Huang Yangmeng was also slightly stunned, and hurriedly pointed to his nose and asked.

The eunuch raised his eyes and glanced at him, and said with disdain: "Huang Shilang, please go back!" ”

Huang Yangmeng was like a slap in the head, although he knew that it would be such a result, but everything had to be compared. Why can Lin Haoran face Saint Shane, he can only eat closed-door soup?

"Huang Shilang, I'm out of company!"

Lin Haoran followed Huang Yangmeng to say hello, and followed the little eunuch into the palace to face the saint.

The palace road in Xiyuan is still the same as the original, and it has not been overhauled over the years, so there is a sense of familiarity everywhere. Only when I entered the Wanshou Palace did I faintly notice that the sandalwood here seemed to be much stronger.

Lin Haoran saluted and thanked Jiajing inside through the thick curtains, and expressed some words of self-humility.

"You went south to rectify the salt administration this time, and you lived up to my hopes! I promoted you to the left waiter of the Ministry of Rites, because you have done a good job in managing salt, and I also used this to warn the officials to take you as a model! Jiajing said lightly.

Lin Haoran didn't dare to really be the official position he deserved, so he said loyally: "The minister has received the favor of the Holy Emperor, and he must do his best to do his best not to disappoint the emperor!" ”

It seems that it was this answer that ordered Jiajing to order Huang Jin to open the curtain, and the two monarchs and ministers were able to meet.

Lin Haoran took the opportunity to take a look at Jiajing, and found that Jiajing was less sanctimonious when they first met, and the whole person looked a little older, especially his hair was a lot grayer.

Jiajing also looked at Lin Haoran, and found that Lin Haoran was very mature, and asked casually: "What do you think of the matter of Zongfan Lumi?" ”

Lin Haoran sighed secretly in his heart, these words seemed random, but he had been affected by that rumor, and it faintly revealed his exquisite intentions. If the answer is not correct, his Rite Zuo Lang may not be transferred so quickly, but I am afraid that it is not far away.

He raised his head and looked at Jiajing, and responded as a matter of course: "This matter is decided by the Shengming monarch's father, the cabinet has two virtuous ministers, Xu and Yuan, who are good at governance and ability, and the Ministry of Rites and Li Shangshu are in charge of the overall situation on this matter for the emperor, and the minister has no opinion on this!" ”

"Huh...... You slippery head! ”

Jiajing was worried that Lin Haoran really didn't know how to advance or retreat, but in the face of Lin Haoran's words, he couldn't help laughing. Although he pointed out Lin Haoran's slippery, he did not blame him at all.

Lin Haoran secretly breathed a breath of turbidity in his heart, but responded seriously: "Wechen is not slippery, this is Wechen's heartfelt words!" ”

Seeing the emperor like this, he was even more sure in his heart that this reduction of the sect's rice would never be touched. If Jiajing had this kind of thought, he could still give it a try, but Jiajing didn't have this kind of mind at all.

"You don't have to worry, I just want to hear what you think, but it's okay to say?" Jiajing didn't want to reveal the matter so lightly, but stared at Lin Haoran and asked.

Lin Haoran felt a deep headache, he, who has always slandered the reformists, could not open his eyes and say nonsense, and turned a blind eye to this burden that dragged down the finances of the Ming Dynasty, so he had to bite the bullet and say: "Your Majesty, the minister will say some indifferent views." If we look at the matter of rice from the perspective of the imperial court's finances, the annual grain supply from the local government to the capital is 4 million taels, while the annual cost of the imperial domain is 8 million stones, although the imperial court has withheld it, it is still a very large expense. In the humble opinion of the ministers, the current finances are already stretched, not only the courtiers have to share the emperor's worries, but the clan is also duty-bound, and its rice should be reduced as appropriate. ”

The disadvantages of the Zongfan Lu rice are actually obvious, the finances of the Ming Dynasty simply cannot afford the brocade and jade food of the Zhu family, the royal clansmen, and the most effective means is to reduce the rice of the Zongfan, and even let some of the Zhu family's children use the capital to do business or buy land to live the life of a small landlord.

"What's your money?" Jiajing raised his head and glanced at Lin Haoran contemptuously, but suddenly asked.

Lin Haoran was slightly stunned, and even responded: "Back to the emperor, Weichen is now a third-grade official, and he earns thirty-five stone rice per month according to the routine, but the actual hair does not have this amount. ”

"In this way, you also have more than 300 stone Lu rice a year, why don't you say that you want to cut your 100 officials and Lu to share my worries?" Jiajing's eyes were full of disdain, and he asked in a cold voice.

Lin Haoran didn't expect Jiajing to talk about the hundred officials, so he responded: "If the emperor wants to cut the hundred officials, please ask the emperor to think twice!" Weichen and others are one person to support a family, while everyone in the Lu family can support themselves, but it cannot be compared, this move will only exacerbate the corruption of hundreds of officials. ”

Although he has long since stopped living on earnest, and there are a lot of legitimate subsidies, this does not include the filial piety of the officials below under various excuses. However, it does not include some honest officials, and once the hundreds of officials are really cut, many low-level officials cannot even guarantee the most basic livelihood.

At first glance, he has more than 300 stone rice in name as a third-grade official, which is more than the 200 stone of the lowest-ranking lieutenant Fengguo, but the official not only has to support a family, but the usual expenses are not small.

Not to mention anything else, not everyone has as many houses in Beijing as he does, and many officials can't even afford to rent a decent house with these benefits.

"I naturally know that this move is inappropriate, so you can go down!" Jiajing has been in charge of the Ming Dynasty for forty-two years, so he naturally knows what things he can't touch, so he waved his hand lightly.

"Weichen retires, long live my emperor, long live, long live!" Lin Haoran secretly pinched a handful of sweat, and even saluted.

When leaving, his eyes did not roll, and he secretly observed Jiajing's side. found that in addition to Huang Jin, Chen Hong was also accompanied by him, but he didn't see Feng Bao.

Naturally, he would not show any signs of dealing with the eunuchs, and left the Wanshou Palace without a trace.

It's just that when he went out of the palace gate, facing the cold wind blowing in front of him, he couldn't help but worry in his heart.

Obviously, Jiajing was not enthusiastic about the reduction of Zongfan's rice, but wanted to continue this way of secretly withholding it. In fact, this is also very in line with Jiajing's style of acting, which not only deducts the Lu rice of the clan, but does not have to bear the infamy of violating the ancestral system.

It's just that his situation is very bad, and some people just pushed him into this fire pit, wanting to make him, who has always regarded himself as a reformist, a left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, a big fight.

"Zhang Siwei, the editor of the Xiaguan Hanlin Academy, visited Lin Butang!" Zhang Siwei just went to Wuyi Hall to do business, and in the face of the oncoming Lin Haoran, he also respectfully saluted.

Lin Haoran didn't expect to meet Zhang Siwei here, but he didn't mean to put on a show, so he helped him up and asked Zhang Siwei about his current situation with concern, and then Shi Shiran left.

Zhang Siwei stood in place and watched Lin Haoran leave, just looking at this different demeanor from ordinary people, his eyes could not hide his envy and jealousy.

He was a 32-year-old scholar of Jiajing, who had just been edited in Hanlin, and returned home to guard the system for three years because of the loss of his mother. It's just that when he came back, Lin Haoran had already gone to Guangdong to preside over the opening of the sea, and then, he was still a small Zhengqipin Hanlin editor, but the other party was already a high-ranking Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Rites.

Now he is the editor of the "Yongle Canon", and he will be promoted to one level after the completion of the book revision, but it seems that there is still an unattainable gap with Lin Haoran.

At such a young age, he was already in the left waiter of the Ministry of Rites, standing at the top of the ministers, and it really responded to his poem "There are talented people in the country, and they have led the way for hundreds of years".

Lin Haoran walked out of the palace gate smoothly, and saw from a distance that Huang Yangmeng's carriage was still in place, but he was unwilling to shake his head with a slightly bitter smile, this Huang Shilang's heart seemed to be a little smaller.

It's just that he still has to take office today, watching Lin Fu lead the sedan chair over, even if he gets out of the sedan chair.

The sedan chair left Xiyuan and entered the lively Chang'an Street. In this place of the capital, the most important thing is the official sedan chair, so the sedan chair is not too ostentatious.

The Ministry of Rites Yamen is located on the east side of the Daming Gate, and the important Yamen of the Ministry of Households, the Yamen of the Ministry of Officials and the Zongren Mansion are all sitting in the east and facing west, the Yamen is adjacent to the Dongjiang Rice Lane, and the right side is the Yamen of the Ministry of Household and the Yamen of the Ministry of Officials.

"My lord is the new left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, Lin Haoran, who came to take office today, please hurry up and say goodbye!" Lin Fu gave the reward money to Menzi and instructed them.

It is impossible for officials in the capital to choose auspicious days like local officials, usually after facing the saint and thanks, even if they come to the yamen to report, they pay attention to the speed of the soldiers.

The officials of the Yamen of the Ministry of Rites naturally don't understand anything, in fact, they have already paid close attention to Lin Haoran's movements, and they know that Lin Haoran is quite favored to be entered into the palace to face Saint Thanks.

Menzi had just entered for a moment, and the official of the Sishilang Department dressed in blue rushed in, kneeling respectfully to welcome Lin Haoran out of the sedan chair.

Although the officials of the capital will not pick any auspicious days when they take office, there is only one process and ceremony for taking office.

The layout of the yamen of the Ministry of Rites is similar to that of the county yamen, with the palm seal official in the center and the two auxiliary officials on both sides. It's just that the two sides of the yamen of the Ministry of Rites are not called signatures, but they regard themselves as halls, which is why the waiters are also called the ministry.

There are four divisions under the Ministry of Rites, and the officials of the four divisions are nominally subordinate officials of Lin Haoran, so all of them followed Lin Haoran for the inauguration ceremony, and finally arrived at the government office in the south.

In the main hall, an official seal has been placed in a dignified place.

The official seal is divided into the official seal and the official seal, and the current secretary of the Ministry of Rites, Li Chunfang, is in charge of the official seal of the Ministry of Rites, and many documents must be stamped with this seal to take effect, which is also the concentrated embodiment of his power.

However, in the Ming Dynasty, there was a situation where the main hall and the second official supervised and restrained each other, and some documents needed to be sealed and signed by one of the left and right attendants, so that they could take effect.

The ceremonial officer stood beside him and read the decree of appointment, but he paused slightly, his eyes slowly swept over the officials kneeling in the hall, and then he continued to read in an accentuated tone.

"First appointment, Hanlin Academy revision!"

"Second term, the waiter of the Hanlin Academy!"

"Three terms, the prefect of Leizhou and the promotion of Guangdong City!"

"Fourth, the prefect of Leizhou and the promotion of Boshi in Guangdong City and the preparation of Haibei soldiers."

"Five, the prefect of Guangzhou and the city of Guangdong!"

"Sixth, the prefect of Guangzhou and the deputy envoy of Guangdong Patrol Road!"

"Seventh, Shuntian Mansion Cheng!"

"Eight Ren, Shuntianfu Yin!"

"Nine, the left deputy of the Imperial Palace!"

"Tenth, this position, the left waiter of the Ministry of Rites!"

Sent from the Hanlin Academy to Guangdong, and then returned to the capital Shuntian Mansion, and then went south to Yangzhou to rectify the salt administration, and now came to the Ministry of Rites to serve as the left waiter, which has left an amazing resume.

In terms of age and qualifications, Lin Haoran is indeed not enough to serve as the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites, but if you look at his resume and achievements, he has already rightfully taken over the seal of the left attendant of the Ministry of Rites.

The official of the Ministry of Rites was secretly amazed, and he also abandoned some of his previous prejudices and knelt on the ground more respectfully.

After the ceremonial officer finished reading aloud, he looked proudly at the officials present, and then carried out the final process: "Worship the hall seal!" ”

Lin Haoran bowed to the official seal in a proper manner, and took this heavy hall seal, and officially became the left attendant of the Ming Dynasty's Ministry of Rites. Then he sat upright in the hall and was bowed down one by one by the officials of the Shishiro Office.