By this time, the imperial examination had been completed for less than ten days. Most of the newly promoted jinshi have not yet taken office. Therefore, after asking Emperor Chu Ling for ten days of leave, Xiao Mo returned home with peace of mind, stayed with his family, and enjoyed the joy of reunion.

At the same time, the placement of dozens of teenagers brought by Wang Jirui to the capital, Li Liming's upcoming perfume shop, and Fan Xiang's intelligence network in the capital all require Xiao Mo to be carefully handled and integrated before he officially enters the officialdom.

In addition, Xiao Huan and Fan Guan, because they have not yet found a suitable place to live in the capital, also live in Xiao Mo's new house, and they get along well with each other.

On the evening of the second day after Di Mo resigned from Emperor Chu Ling's position as the weapons supervisor, after greeting several elders, Xiao Mo returned to his study.

In the study, Xiao Huan and Fan Guan had just returned, and they were waiting for Xiao Mo's arrival while arguing here.

After entering the study and seeing the two of them, Xiao Mo asked with a smile: "The two brothers are back, how does it feel to be an official on the first day?" ”

Xiao Huan and Fan Guan were both awarded the official position of "Dr. Taichang" by the Ministry of Officials, which appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period and continued to the current Chu Dynasty.

But this official position was similar to that of the emperor's low-level advisers, and was responsible for the daily ceremonies of the royal family. The office is located in Taichang Temple, which is very close to the imperial palace, and you have the opportunity to contact the emperor from time to time.

Although it is only the eighth grade, I don't know how many people are secretly about Xiao Huan and Fan Guan's official positions.

Because they have returned to the capital, they are different from Xiao Mo, who is still at home, but the two rushed to the Ministry and Taichang Temple early in the morning of this day to report, but on this day, it was the first day that the two of them entered the court as officials.

Xiao Huan and Fan Guan naturally knew why they could be awarded the official position of the eighth rank when they first entered the court, so after hearing Xiao Mo's inquiry, they all looked at Xiao Mo gratefully, and then saw Xiao Huan shaking his head and saying dissatisfied: "The position of Dr. Taichang is glorious, and it is subordinate to Taichang Temple, but except for me and Fan Guan, they are all boring old men, pedantic and old-fashioned, and quite boring. ”

Fan Guan next to him snorted coldly and said, "It's not that people are old-fashioned, but that you are too active." When you first enter the officialdom, you should be low-key and your duty is good, you didn't do anything on this day, you walked everywhere, you just grabbed a person and asked long and short questions, and you didn't care if other people could stand it or not. ”

Xiao Huan retorted: "I'm just familiar with the environment, and where is it like you, I haven't done anything all day..."

Seeing that the two of them were about to quarrel again, Xiao Mo shook his head and smiled, and said: "The reason why the Ministry canonized the two of you as the post of Dr. Taichang this time is actually out of His Majesty's meaning, although the Yamen of Taichang Temple is not valued by the world, but in fact, it is closely related to His Majesty, and they can see each other from time to time. The two brothers should seize more opportunities in the future. ”

After hearing Xiao Mo's words, Xiao Huan and Fan Guan also stopped bickering, and they both nodded yes.

The reason why the two of them were waiting for Xiao Mo in the study. But it was also the first time to be an official, and he was excited and eager to find someone to share, and after talking with Xiao Mo for a while, the two of them left to find their family.

However, as soon as the two left, Zhang Maozong appeared outside the room.

"Mr. Zhang, you're here, it's been really hard these days."

After seeing Zhang Maozong, Xiao Mo welcomed him into the study, and after ordering Deng Shangquan to serve tea, he said with a smile, "Young Master, you are polite, since the old man has taken refuge in your disciples, everything he has done is as it should be." ”

Zhang Maozong has been a master for decades, and he has extremely rich experience in officialdom, but after following Xiao Mo, he has not shown his strengths, but is like a housekeeper, constantly helping Xiao Mo deal with all kinds of cumbersome things, such as the relocation of the Xiao family, the arrangements of the Xiao clan, etc., and his performance is extremely low-key, so he can't help but feel strange when he sees Zhang Maozong suddenly take the initiative to come here to find himself.

After Zhang Maozong sat down, Xiao Mo asked, "I wonder what Mr. Zhang came to look for me at this time?" ”

After hearing Xiao Mo's words, Zhang Maozong hesitated slightly, and then said: "The old man came here this time, but he had some doubts in his heart, and he wanted to ask the young master about it. ”

Xiao Mowen had already guessed Zhang Maozong's thoughts, so he nodded and said, "Mr. Zhang, please ask." ”

After Zhang Maozong hesitated for a moment, he finally asked: "Young Master, I heard that yesterday, Your Majesty wanted to let you take the position of Zhongshu Provincial Residence Yesterday. But he was resigned by the young master, not only that, but the young master also took the initiative to resign from the position of the ordnance department, but is this so? ”

Xiao Mo nodded and said, "That's true. ”

"Do you know why you did this, young master?"

Zhang Maozong asked again.

Xiao Mo sighed slightly, and said: "Mr. Zhang, throughout the ages, there have been many young marquis, but there is no one who enjoys wealth and prosperity until the old and the dead. The pace of promotion is too fast, but I don't want to be too noticeable because of it. ”

Hearing Xiao Mo's explanation, Zhang Maozong couldn't help but be stunned. But he didn't expect Xiao Mo to think of this.

… In fact, even if Zhang Maozong himself has been in officialdom for decades, he has never thought that after all, Zhang Maozong has rich experience. But before, he had only been a master for a state pastor at most, and the pattern in his eyes was still a little smaller.

"The young master has a long-term vision, and he always worships him."

After Zhang Maozong reacted, he got up and bowed to Xiao Mo, however, after straightening up, Zhang Maozong continued: "However, the old man thinks that what the young master is doing at this time is inappropriate. ”

Xiao Mo was slightly stunned, and after motioning for Zhang Mao's family to sit down, he asked, "Why did Mr. Zhang say that?" Can you tell me a little bit about it? ”

Zhang Maozong nodded and said, "Young Master." Well, you already know the responsibilities of the two official positions in the court, the Zhongshu Provincial Inspection and the Chongzheng Palace, right? ”

Xiao Mo nodded and said, "Zhongshu Province is responsible for correcting His Majesty's will, while the Chongzheng Palace Attendant is responsible for giving lectures to His Majesty when he needs it.

Zhang Maozong sighed and said: "Then young master, have you ever thought that these two positions, one can participate in political affairs, and the other can freely meet with Your Majesty and exert influence on Your Majesty. What's more, as long as there is His Majesty's trust, what kind of real power is it, wouldn't it come as soon as he said it? Hearing Zhang Maozong's words, Xiao Mo was stunned, but before, he had never thought of this.

I saw Zhang Maozong continue: "If after the palace examination, young master, you can resign your majesty from the two positions of Zhongshu Provincial Inspector and Chongzheng Palace Attendant appointed by you, then according to what you said, it is not impossible to develop steadily." But since you have accepted these two positions, young master. In the eyes of hundreds of officials, young master, you already have enough influence on the affairs of the court, so why do you continue to shirk the high position? In fact, in the eyes of the world, there is no difference between you and you, young master, whether you are serving as the provincial inspector of Zhongshu or the person of Zhongshu at this time, but for you, young master, the difference between the two is very great. Not to mention the rest, many people who want to take refuge in the young master, because the young master you resigned from His Majesty's reward, and thought about the wrong young master, your ambition, thus breaking the mind of taking refuge, and even more so that the young master Ya was late to establish the opportunity to manage his own power in the court. After a pause, Zhang Maozong said again: "Young master, you said that there are a lot of young marquis, but there is no one who enjoys wealth and prosperity until the old dead, and the old man thinks it is true, I think the young master is worried that he was promoted too quickly when he was young, and now His Majesty is nearly sixty years old, and he can't protect you for too long, young master." Twenty or thirty years later, it will make the new emperor unsealable, causing suspicion, but so? After hearing Zhang Maozong's words, Xiao Mo frowned and secretly thought about Zhang Maozong's words, nodded at the same time, and motioned for Zhang Maozong to continue.

I only heard Zhang Maozong continue: "Young Master, you are low-key, this is a good thing, after all, officialdom is the most taboo. But the old man thinks that now is not the time for you to keep a low profile, young master. Now Your Majesty has great trust in you, Young Master, and you should take this opportunity to expand your strength by all means.

Otherwise, once there is any accident in the future, it is unknown who will succeed the new emperor, if the new emperor's temperament is very different from that of His Majesty today, and the relationship between him and the young master is just average, wouldn't the great opportunity over the years be wasted by you, young master? If you are worried about being promoted too quickly, young master. In the future, it will arouse the suspicion of the new emperor, and he can make elegant remarks after the three grades of official residence in the future, try to slow down the speed of promotion, and keep a low profile, but why rush now? Hearing this, Xiao Mo thought silently for a moment, then suddenly let out a sigh of relief, got up and said to Zhang Maozong: "Thank you, Mr. Zhang, if it weren't for your words today, Zirou would definitely go astray in the future, please accept Taro Rou's worship." As he spoke, Xiao Mo bowed to Zhang Maozong.

Although Xiao Mo was born in the later generations and has a much more long-term vision than ordinary people, he is still a newcomer to officialdom after all. I couldn't understand a lot of things, but when I heard Zhang Maozong's words, I suddenly became enlightened.

And Zhang Maozong hurriedly got up to avoid it, and said: "Since the old man has taken refuge under the wall of your door, young master, he should give advice to you, young master, and he should not be so respectful to you, young master." What's more, young master, the official position of the scholar in your elegant resignation, the old man originally agreed, after all, the young master, you just accepted the reward of His Majesty less than ten days ago, if you move twice in ten days, it will inevitably cause the jealousy and hatred of the ministers, but the old man is worried that the young master is new to the officialdom, and some things have not yet been figured out, so he just reminded him. After the two sides sat down again, Xiao Mo asked: "In Mr. Zhang's opinion, in the future, how should I behave in the DPRK and how should I develop?" "At this time, for the person in front of me, who has only served as the master of the state pastor's mansion. Xiao Mo no longer dared to underestimate it.