During the Warring States period, in order to ensure the normal operation of the state apparatus and strive to improve administrative efficiency, Zhao implemented a strict evaluation system for officials at all levels. The assessment is under the supervision of the monarch and is specifically responsible for the "Xiang". When describing the duties of "Xiang", "Gou Zi Wang Ba" mentions that one of them is "to spend his merits, talk about his rewards, and serve his success at the end of the year, so as to serve the king." When it is OK, if it is not appropriate, it is wasted. This passage contains the following meanings: the state's evaluation of officials is carried out once a year for a period of "years", and the merits are evaluated according to the quality of their political performance, which is used as the basis for rewards and punishments, and finally the results of the evaluation are reported to the monarch for final review.

At that time, this system had a proper name called "Shangji." The so-called "counting" refers to the "counting book", which contains the population of the area under the jurisdiction of a certain official, the amount of land cultivated, the entry and exit of money and grain, and the litigation of thieves and prisons. At the beginning of the year, the central government made a budget for the situation in various places, compiled it into a book, and held it in the hands of the monarch; At the end of the year, officials in various localities will register and compile a register of the actual completion of their respective jurisdictions and submit them to the central government, which will examine and approve them according to the budget, and those who have completed the predetermined plan are qualified, otherwise they will be derelict in their duties.

According to the results of the "upper calculation", the state rewards and punishes officials, and promotions, galogs, knighthoods, and bounties are all incentives for promising officials, while dismissal, demotion, and punishment are the inevitable fate of incompetent officials. Those officials who have exceeded their tasks undoubtedly deserve special praise.

Under normal circumstances, the central government's budget situation is relatively high, so even if the wealth of Bairen City is generally just over the budget, it cannot be exceeded too much, and therefore, it is somewhat impossible for Wang Rui to be promoted because of this.

Therefore, if an official like Wang Rui who can't wait for him wants to be promoted quickly, he can only rely on military merits.

Zhao Fan took a sip of the wine on the side of his mouth, the thoughts in his mind turned quickly, he put down the wine cup, and said indifferently: "You don't necessarily need to fight to obtain military merits to be promoted, with the talent of Lord Zhang Rui, if you can get the recommendation of the sage, you will definitely get the appreciation of my king." ”

In the Zhao State, and even in the entire Warring States, in addition to the above ways to get promoted, the fastest and most convenient way is to get the recommendation of other officials.

At the beginning, Shang Ying was able to see Qin Xiaogong four times through Qin Xiaogong's favored minister Jingjian, and put forward four monarch strategies: the emperor's road, the royal road, the domineering way, and the way of strengthening the country. And Zhao Hao in history was also recommended by Zhao Sheng, the king of the plains, so that he was reused by King Huiwen.

Hearing this, Zhang Rui's eyes suddenly lit up, but soon dimmed again, and said: "It's a pity that I don't know any officials in the court, and if I want to be promoted through this method, I will be appreciated by my king, and there is no way." ”

Zhao Fan expected him to say this, and he was not in a hurry, his index finger lightly buckled a few cases, and he said unhurriedly: "My lord's words are wrong, this person is far away in the sky, close in front of him." ”

After speaking, Zhao Fan also smiled slightly, looked directly at Wang Rui, and showed a meaningful look in his eyes.

Hearing this, Wang Rui was stunned for a moment, and immediately came back to his senses, his brilliant eyes first swept over Zhao Fan's body, and when he saw the latter shaking his head, he immediately put his eyes on Li Mu again.

However, when Wang Rui saw the former's still somewhat childish face, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart, and was about to look away, when suddenly, a different color flashed in his eyes, and then said: "What are you talking about......"

"Yes, the woman is the county guard of Yunzhong County, that place is often harassed by the Huns, so the conditions for the woman to obtain military merits are extremely easy, as long as you win a few more battles, the woman will definitely be valued by my king and Fengyang Jun Li Dui, when the time comes, with the friendship between the woman and the king, you say ......."

Without waiting for Wang Rui to speak, Zhao Fan went straight in, directly snatched the former's words, and said the latter words in one breath, speaking of the back, he paused, smiled meaningfully, and swallowed the wine in his throat without hurrying.

After listening to Zhao Fan, Wang Rui's eyes also surged with joy, although it was said that it was better to ask for others than for himself, but he had no other way, no matter how he said it, this is also a way out, and it is always good to have a hope.

"Hehe, Zhao Fanxian's nephew is thoughtful, smart, and can be a man, it is really a blessing for Brother Li Feng." Wang Rui lifted the wine jug and poured wine into the cups of Zhao Fan and Li Mu, and he didn't break the words behind him, and several people drank wine with a tacit understanding.

Wang Rui secretly looked at Zhao Fan while drinking wine. Because the young man in front of him, who was less than twenty years old, actually gave him a feeling that he couldn't see through, although he was just a Bai Ren Ling, but the people who had read it had seen a lot of things.

This is the first time Wang Rui has felt this way in such a young person. Humble and imposing, speaking appropriately and to the point, especially the sharp spirit, although it is very hidden, but occasionally reveals a trace, but it makes people not have a little resistance.

"It's a big worm with hidden claws!" Wang Rui said secretly in his heart.

Originally, he also had the idea of taking the former under his command, but after this conversation with Zhao Fan, this idea was immediately accepted, and with this person's insight and bearing, it was completely beyond his control.

"Nephew Li Muxian, when you go to Cloud City this time, please say hello to Ling Zun on my behalf. In addition, the border soldiers are stationed and sentry every day, and the conditions must be extremely difficult, so I will send some cattle and horses over in the next few days to reward the soldiers. ”

Wang Rui made up his mind in his heart, whether it was Zhao Fan or Li Mu's father and son, they would definitely not be easy to match, and his tone of voice at the moment was much better, he pinched a mulberry, handed it into his mouth, and said while eating.

"Lord Zhang Rui is too polite, here, I thank you for your kindness on behalf of my father, and when I go to Cloudsdale with my brother-in-law, I will definitely praise my lord in front of my father." Li Mu is not a simple person, he said politely, but in his words, he quietly accepted those cattle and sheep.

It is also true that if you don't accept it, you won't accept it, and when you see those cattle and sheep, maybe Li Feng is in a good mood, and he won't punish Li Mu for taking Zhao Fan and others to Cloud City.

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell the adults, my father brought someone to tell me that in addition to me, he also wanted to ask his brother-in-law to visit him in Cloudsdale with my sister, I thought, this should be no problem." Li Mu paused and continued.

Hearing this, Wang Rui was stunned, but after a while, he reacted again, he turned his eyes, glanced at Zhao Fan imperceptibly, and saw the former's indifferent face, and couldn't figure out what they meant for a while.

"Oh, this little thing is naturally no problem, if you want to go, you can go with confidence, the matter of Bairen City, I will handle it for the two virtuous nephews."

Although he knew that this was probably not what Li Feng meant, Wang Rui still patted his chest and agreed, after all, it was just a few people, and as a Bai Renling, he could still handle this little thing.

"Hehe, since that's the case, then thank you Lord Wang, tomorrow we will leave for Cloud City, I call Xu Jia, Zhang Zhi and Lin Hu The three of them go with us, after all, the road is far away, and there are many things, with them with us, it should be able to reduce a lot of burden for us."

Li Mu took a sip of wine and said indifferently.

Hearing this, Wang Rui also had to smile bitterly and agreed, anyway, he had already promised two, so why not have a few more.

Zhao Fan saw that the matter was done, and his heart also relaxed, while pushing the cup with Wang Rui to change the lamp, while thinking about going to Cloud City, not long after, the night was late, the two got up to say goodbye, and left Zhang Rui's mansion......

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