"Master, what's wrong with you?" Mrs. Meng looked at Meng Hao, who was frowning, and asked with concern.

"Something happened in the yamen. Meng Hao pinched his eyebrows and said in a muffled voice.

"Is it a tricky official business?" Mrs. Meng was a little surprised, on weekdays, Meng Hao almost never returned home with emotions, and today was very strange.

"It's not a specific matter, it's a new county. Meng Hao said very simply, but his tone was somewhat unpleasant.

Meng Hao was not happy because he was robbed of the limelight and popularity by Du Liang, the county Cheng, but because he felt that people's hearts were too elusive, which was really unacceptable.

But he can't control this, after all, people's hearts are separated from their bellies.

"Master, what do you think?" Mrs. Meng didn't show any flustered emotion, but asked calmly.

"I originally just thought that this Du Xiancheng had a bit of a temper, but I never thought that in less than three months after coming, he would win over the people of the whole yamen. I didn't care about it at first, but now I can't control it, and I'm very passive. Although it does not affect normal official duties, it always makes people feel pimples and uncomfortable. ”

Madame Meng listened quietly and just nodded.

"Besides, I have been an official for more than ten years, but I have been depressed, and I have been in the position of Lin'an Zhi County for several years, and now, although it is for the people of this county to barely maintain, it is inevitable to wear out my mind. So, I wanted to ......"

Mrs. Meng said directly: "Are you going to resign?"

Meng Hao was stunned, he didn't expect his wife to be so smart.

Mrs. Meng then asked, "What are you going to do after you resign?"

Meng Hao shook his head slightly and said, "I haven't thought about it yet, everything is just an idea." ”

Mrs. Meng took Meng Hao's hand, squeezed it gently, and said, "Since you are not happy to do it, then you don't have to do it." There is no shortage of your little money in this family. ”

Meng Hao couldn't cry or laugh, stretched out his finger and lightly tapped his wife's white forehead, and laughed: "Bold woman, dare to look down on your husband, be careful of family law." ”

Mrs. Meng chuckled, stretched out her hand and gestured at Meng Hao's waist, Meng Hao was too busy to dodge.

After some fighting, Mrs. Meng took the initiative to mention it and asked, "Do you want to tell Ran'er about it?"

Meng Hao hesitated a little, "No, he's still young, and he doesn't understand these doorways in the officialdom, tell him what to do." ”

"Since you have the idea of resigning, you have to tell him sooner or later, should you wait until you go home to tell him?"

Meng Hao was a little shaken, "Okay, I'll talk to him later." ”

Mrs. Meng has nothing to do.

After dinner, Meng Hao called Meng Ran to the study together and walked on the night breeze.

After the two of them sat down, Meng Hao got straight to the point, "Ran'er, have you heard the "Lantian County Cheng Hall Wall Record" by Han Yu of the former dynasty?"

Meng Ran shook his head, "Father, the child hasn't heard of it. ”

"Okay, let me tell you about this "Lantian County Cheng Hall Wall Record". Meng Hao stood up, put his hands behind his back, and spoke slowly.

The position of county magistrate is used to assist the county order, and there is nothing that should not be asked about the political affairs of a county. Below it are the chief bookkeeper and the county lieutenant, and the chief secretary and the county lieutenant each have full-time jobs. The status of the county chief is higher than that of the chief secretary and the county lieutenant, and he is close to the county order, and as usual, in order to avoid suspicion, he does not make any committal to official affairs. Before the official document was issued, the official Xu took the prepared case file in his arms, went to the county officer, rolled up the previous contents, clamped it with his left hand, took out the signature at the end of the paper with his right hand, swayed in like a goose and a duck, stood upright and squinted, and said to the county officer: "You still want to sign your name." The county clerk took the pen and looked at the place where his name should be signed, and carefully signed his name. He looked up at the little official and asked, "Is it okay?" and the little official said, "That's it." "Then stand back. The county didn't dare to know a little about the content of the official document, and he didn't know what it was at a loss. Although the official position is higher, the real power and power are under the main book and the county lieutenant. Folk proverbs list idle and redundant official positions, and they must mention the county officials, and even regard the county officials as words of mutual abuse. Establish the post of county leader. Is that what it was meant to be?

Cui Sili, a native of Boling, studied hard and practiced hard to accumulate knowledge, his knowledge was inclusive and profound, the realm was broad, and he grew every day, and gradually revealed. In the early years of Zhenyuan, he harbored his skills and competed with others in the capital for literature and art, winning twice and convincing everyone twice. Yuan and early years. He served as a judge in Dali, and was demoted because of the sparse discussion on the gains and losses of the government, and after two relocations, he came here to be a county minister. When he first arrived, he sighed and said, "There are no big or small officials, but I am afraid that my ability will not be competent." In the face of the reality that he could only keep silent and do nothing, he said with emotion: "County Cheng, County Cheng, I am not sorry for the county Cheng, but the county Cheng is sorry for me!" So he completely removed the edges and corners, and all of them followed the old practice and did this county in a mediocre and mediocre manner.

The office of the county was originally engraved with a wall note, but the house was damaged and defaced due to water leakage, and it is no longer possible to read it. Cui Sili changed the rafters for it, painted the walls, and wrote all the names of the former prefectural officials. There are four rows of old acacia in the courtyard, and there are thousands of big bamboos on the south wall, standing tall and upright, as if they do not go down to each other, and the sound of water bubbling around the court steps and singing. Cui Sili cleaned the inside and outside of the hall, planted two pine trees opposite each other, and recited poetry in the court every day. When he was asked, he replied, "I have business to do, so please leave here for the time being." ”

After Meng Hao finished speaking, he sighed silently, "This story was written by Han Yu, the chief intellectual, because it is wonderful, unique, and wonderful, so it has been handed down. ”

"Ran'er, what do you think after listening to this story?" Meng Hao was looking forward to it.

"Me?" Meng Ran was puzzled, "The child doesn't understand much. ”

"It doesn't matter, you just have to say what you think. ”

"The child thinks that this Cui County Cheng is very incompetent, and he is an official, but he can't manage his subordinates, and he only knows how to obey ......."

Before Meng Ran finished speaking, he found that his father Meng Hao's face was faintly darkened, and he didn't dare to say any more.

After a while, Meng Hao coughed lightly twice and asked, "If you were Cui Xiancheng, what would you do?"

Meng Ran looked at his father's expression, and saw that his father had returned to normal, so he said: "It's nothing more than to win over some people, suppress some people, and then reprimand them for profit, and drive people away with power." ”

Meng Hao was a little surprised, "Didn't Mr. Enlightenment only teach you the Confucian classics?"

Meng Ran lowered his head and whispered: "Actually, Mr. also taught me other doctrines of the Hundred Schools of Thought, including "Guiguzi - Vertical and Horizontal Technique", but he just didn't let me tell you. ”

Meng Hao was speechless, and then asked, "Zi said, the gentleman is reserved but not fighting, and the group is not the party." If you want to win over others, isn't that just a clique for personal gain? If you form a clique for personal gain, it will not benefit the country or the people, so how can a gentleman stand up?"

The corners of Meng Ran's mouth grinned, and he said with a smile: "Mr. said that 'a gentleman is a friend but not a party' is a fool's words, how can you not form a party in life." As everyone knows, it is difficult to stand alone, and no matter how powerful one person is, it is difficult to resist the conspiracy of everyone. For example, in the mountains and forests, although the king of beasts is brave, he is also besieged by wolves. The same is true of people. ”

Meng Hao frowned and continued to ask: "Be an official first, and the people come first." Is that wrong?"

There is nothing wrong with that. However, in his position, he must seek his own government. If you just want to be a gentleman who is clean and upright, then don't step into the big dye vat of officialdom. If they enter, they will either go with the world and change their own position, or they will stick to their own principles and be in the crowd but not in the party, and then they will be excluded by everyone and find it difficult to gain a foothold. Meng Ran said eloquently.

"In his position, as long as he does not neglect his work, as long as he works for the well-being of the people in a down-to-earth manner, can't he do it?

Meng Ran was a little flustered and said aggrievedly: "These are all said by Mr. ”

"Oh, what else did your husband say?" Meng Hao asked coldly.

Meng Ran was afraid of his father's anger and did not dare to speak.

"It's okay, just tell me what you've heard. Meng Hao looked at his cowering son and said in a slow tone.

"That's... I'll just say it. Mr. said that you only know how to hold your body, you don't know how to communicate, and you are too straightforward. For so long, it seems that he has a harmonious relationship with his colleagues, but in fact he is sparse. If one day, another person enters the venue, which can bring some benefits to the colleagues, and everyone will change their doors and defect to others. From then on, you will lose your power, at least your prestige, or at worst, you will lose your power and your decrees will not work. Meng Ran said with a wince.

"Anything else?"

Mr. also said that the so-called officialdom is like a battlefield, and it is extremely dangerous, and if you want to be able to navigate it and start and finish well, it is actually a very profound and mysterious knowledge, which can only be done by smart people who see through human nature and know what to advance and retreat. In addition to the necessary knowledge and ability, the most important thing is to be open-minded, and it is a state of mind that can stop no matter good times or bad. ”

Meng Ran paused, looked at his father Tie Qing's face, swallowed his saliva quietly, and said, "Mr. said that you have no talent, you are too upright and rigid, and you don't know how to be flexible. Just blindly do things according to their own moral standards, without taking into account the temperament and feelings of others. If he meets the same gentleman, there is naturally nothing wrong with it, but if he encounters a sinister, cunning, and mercenary person, he will definitely suffer from it. You can't be an official by your own temperament......"

Meng Hao's forehead was bruised, and it seemed that he would be furious in the next moment.

Meng Ran shut up, and then became uneasy.

After a long time, Meng Hao spoke, his voice was a little hoarse, and asked, "If your father is no longer an official, what do you think?"

"Me?" Meng Ran shook his head, "Actually, you and your mother can decide these things, and I will listen to them." ”

Meng Hao continued: "Ran'er, in fact, this is just the idea of me and your mother, since you have heard so much truth, I want to ask your opinion." ”

"I just want to ask, if you don't become an official, what are you going to do?" Meng Ran asked.

Meng Hao smiled dumbly and said, "Your mother and son are really heart-to-heart, and your mother also asked the same question. ”

"Then how did you answer your mother?" Meng Ran asked.

Meng Hao was a little embarrassed, "I said I haven't thought about it yet." ”

Hearing this answer, which was not an answer, Meng Ran covered his mouth and snickered.