Chapter 185 184 Qingci

Wei Guangde, Lao Kan, and Zhu Shilong, who were all fine, went to see the yard together.

To be honest, it is indeed small, but the location advantage is also great. It is really close to Hanlin Academy, only a ten-minute walk away.

Perhaps it was for this reason that I learned from Yaren that the owner of the courtyard refused to let go even if he had to pay 1,500 taels of silver.

Regarding such a high price, Lao Kan, Zhu Shilong and others did not say much, and still let Wei Guangde decide whether to buy it.

It was already afternoon when they returned to the Jiujiang Guild Hall, and Zhang Ke and Xia Kefan also returned from the Rites Yamen.

The two of them were surprised when they returned to the club and saw no one else. When they saw them coming back and asked about them, they found out that they had followed Wei Guangde to look at houses in the inner city.

"House prices in the inner city are not cheap."

Xia Kefan has been in the capital for a long time, so he naturally knows that housing prices in the inner city are several times higher than those in the outer city.

In fact, he had originally planned to buy a house in the outer city, but the cheapest house cost tens of taels of silver, and it was also very remote, making travel inconvenient, and his own financial conditions did not allow it, so he gave up.

Well, now Xia Kefan can't even afford a house in the capital, but this does not affect his envy of Wei Guangde's financial resources.

"Fifteen hundred taels, no counter-offer, but the house is really well-renovated."

Zhu Shilong said from behind.

The Zhu family is rich, but they don’t have the financial resources to buy a house in Beijing.

Of course, the family should be able to scrape together the money if needed, but the family's businesses will definitely be greatly affected.

"By the way, when you got the note, where did you go to watch the government?"

Lao Kan sat down and asked, today these two are going to the Ministry of Rites to get a note, and he is also very concerned about the whereabouts of these two fellow villagers.

"I'm the same as you. The Ministry of Punishment monitors the government. I'll probably be released in half a year."

Xia Kefan shook his head and said, but then he became energetic, looked at Wei Guangde and Lao Kan and chuckled: "Guess where you are going?"

Jinqing is Zhang Jinqing, also known as Zhang Ke.

Hearing what Xia Kefan said, Wei Guangde and Lao Kan both blinked and stared, and Zhu Shilong and others also became interested.

"It's not like the cabinet really watches politics."

Then Lao Kan joked, "Guanzheng college student, hehe. But Jin Qing's calligraphy is really good. If he works harder, he may become a great calligrapher."

Zhang Ke's handwriting is the best among this group of people, but his rankings in the general examination and palace examination are a little low, otherwise he is really one of the strong contenders for the Hanlin Academy's Shujishi.

It's just a pity that the Hanlin Academy is not recruiting people this year, and Wei Guangde doesn't know what kind of bad luck it was that made Emperor Jiajing look at him with admiration and sent him to that place.

"Qing Jin, tell me, where are you going to watch the government?"

Zhu Shilong interjected and asked.

Outside, Wei Guangde, Lao Kan, Zhang Ke and others also wanted to pay homage to the Jinshi master, so naturally they couldn't pretend in front of their fellow villagers.

"It's a bit unexpected. I'm going to the Chinese Book Department."

Zhang Ke didn't beat around the bush and directly told where he was going.

"Zhongshu Ke? I'm a good boy, and I'm from Zhongshu Sheren?"

Zhu Shilong screamed when he heard this.

"Have you really joined the cabinet?"

Lao Kan was also surprised. He didn't expect that he casually said that he would enter the cabinet to observe the government. It seemed that Zhang Ke actually went there.

In the Ming Dynasty, the scholars were divided into those in the Zhongshu Keshe, those in the east room of the Zhiwenhua Palace, those in the west room of the Zhiwuying Palace, those in the Cabinet Imperial Palace, and those in the Cabinet Imperial Palace. 5 types, all from the seventh grade.

It should be noted that the Zhongshu Department is not called a department. To be precise, it should be called the Middle Study Room. However, because it is located outside the Meridian Gate and is associated with the official offices, everyone is used to not calling it the Middle Study Room, but the Middle Study Room. It's called Zhongshu Ke.

The Zhongshu Department has a quota of 20 people, and there is no distinction between big and small. Generally, one person with seniority will make the seal, called "Yinjun", and become the de facto leader of the Zhongshu Department. Their job is to write imperial edicts, make imperial edicts, and make banknotes. Books, iron coupons and other things.

"I will also practice my calligraphy in the future. If I get Jinshi in the future, I might become a colleague of Jinqing."

Zhu Shilong joked.

Wei Guangde also didn't expect that Zhang Ke would go there. Those who deal with him all the year round are the cabinet and the Sixth Section. It is a very important yamen. Most of the documents handed over by the cabinet are written by the Chinese Book Department.

This is a place where you can often see high-ranking officials from the imperial court. If you behave a little better, your future will be promising.

Although Zhang Ke is new here and can't even be considered a member of the Zhongshu Department, he is just a member of the Shushe Department, he will be able to transfer to the Department of Science in the future, making it a good place for a Beijing official.

Wei Guangde didn't expect that a good calligraphy could be so powerful. He directly let Zhang Ke enter this yamen. He could only feel envious in his heart.

Well, he was envious of others who had promulgated official positions, which could take as long as two years or as short as half a year, but he had to stay in the Hanlin Academy for three years before leaving, and then he would be sent abroad. It is still uncertain whether the local people will appoint him as an academic official or he will be appointed to the Hanlin Academy for review.

Wei Guangde's envy was dispelled in the evening. When Lao Kan and others started to play cards, Zhang Ke rarely participated and only said that he was going out for something.

Wei Guangde saw Zhang Ke and his entourage going out with a bulging package at the door of the house.

Everything fell into his eyes, Wei Guangde just blinked, and then shook his head slightly.

If it weren't for Chuan Lu's identity, I'm afraid Wei Guangde himself would be like Zhang Ke.

I just don’t know whose family he went through?

In fact, it is easy to guess that in the capital, the only people Zhang Ke can travel around are Jiangxi fellows. He may not be able to enter the mansions of adults in other provinces.

After watching Zhang Ke leave the small courtyard, Wei Guangde went to Lao Kan's side. There was already a war inside.

Just when Wei Guangde was preparing to go to the Hanlin Academy when the time came, a piece of news instantly petrified him.

On Dingsi in April of the 35th year of the Jiajing reign, a decree came out from Xiyuan: Wu Shan, the left minister of the Ministry of Rites, was promoted to be the minister of the Ministry of Rites and a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, Mao Zan, the right minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was promoted to the left minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Yuan Wei, a minister of the Hanlin Academy, was promoted to the minister of rites. The ministers on the right each serve as former officials.

At the same time, the decree came out that Yan Na should be promoted to the Hanlin Academy as an attendant, and Li Chunfang should be promoted to the Hanlin Academy as a bachelor.

Regarding the promotion of Yan Na and Li Chunfang, Wei Guangde belatedly discovered a little trick for promotion in the Hanlin Academy.

Well, there is something clear in the decree, "Youzhong of Youchunfang allowed Dong Fen to write Xuanwen and Na and others to serve as editors. He specially ordered his assistant ministers to say: Today, officials of both big and small have taken advantage of their private affairs to kill countless people. Your Majesty." One or two ears among thousands of people.

Na and Chunfang were each promoted to bachelor's degree and served in Chongxuan Hall. Naturally, many people who write supplementary articles in the official poetry community give up their duties. They often focus on metaphysical writing in order to improve their use. "

These two people were favored by Emperor Jiajing because they were "one or two among thousands of people who serve", so they got this promotion. As for how they served, they wrote Xuanwen.

The two Hanlin writers wrote xuanwen and were rewarded by the emperor. As for what this xuanwen was, it was naturally Taoist Qingci.

Qing Ci, also known as "Qing Ci", "Green Su", also known as Green Chapter, is a Taoist word that pays tribute to heaven during the Eid al-Fitr Festival. It requires neat form and gorgeous words.

Qingci, as a means for people to pray for blessings, has two functions: one is to pray to God to change the bad celestial phenomena, and the other function is to pray to God to bless oneself in peace and happiness.

For Emperor Jiajing, who was superstitious about Taoism, a good Qingci would naturally please him.

In this emperor's view, once Qing Ci was written, perhaps some god would favor him as the emperor and use means to help him obtain the Taoism he dreamed of and the way to immortality.

In Emperor Jiajing's heart, he was naturally a very loyal minister to those who helped him practice.

At this time, the people who hindered his cultivation were speculators who wanted to bet on the new emperor's way to gain a future. They wished he would die early so that the prince they bet on could ascend the throne.

At this time, Emperor Jiajing was already forty-nine and almost fifty years old. He had achieved nothing in his more than twenty years of monastic life, with no hope of success in sight.

At this time, he had no doubts about Taoist cultivation of immortality or Taoism. He also believed that Taoism was natural and could not be forced, but he still felt anxious.

This anxiety is naturally due to his growing age.

Emperor Jiajing was not confused. How long could emperors in history live?

Long live?

He doesn't have much time left, he must seize the last moment to gain that glimmer of life.

For this reason, as he reached the end of his life, he punished the ministers who advised him to practice more severely.

From not taking things seriously when he was young, now he wants to kill all these people who are interested.

It was just a whim decision to select Wei Guangde as his successor. However, a few days later, when Jin Yiwei sent someone to post a message for Wei Guangde, Emperor Jiajing had other ideas. He wanted to know what the current ministers and ministers were thinking. His thoughts also include his two sons.

Since Wei Guangde failed to catch a big fish, he decided to give it a try.

Wei Guangde naturally didn't know this. He was sending a new guest out at this time.

Back in the house, Wei Guangde sighed, trouble finally came to the door.

What he just sent away was the official record of Prince Jing's Mansion, a ninth-grade official, but the trouble was that he represented Prince Jing.

When Wei Guangde was in Jiangxi, he knew that King Yu and King Jing coexisted in the capital. Although he did not hear that they fought with each other, he thought that these would happen in private and would never be brought to the table.

Now King Jing's Mansion has sent a gift and invited Wei Guangde to visit the King's Mansion when he has time. Wei Guangde doesn't want to wade into this muddy water, but he still has a flattered expression on his face to thank King Jing for his attention.

Looking at the name card on the table, Wei Guangde shook his head. He was really not a competent actor.

He casually picked up the book "Supreme Yellow Urn Dazhai Li Cheng Ritual" lying on the table and continued reading. Ever since he knew that Emperor Jiajing liked to promote Hanlin who could write Qing Ci, Wei Guangde became more active.

Nonsense, who doesn't want to be a high official? Wei Guangde also wants to soar to the sky with Qingci.

With a few days of free vacation, Wei Guangde went to bookstores outside to look for teaching materials on writing Qing Ci, but he couldn't find them. Finally, he saw some Taoist books in a Taoist temple with relevant records.

These books are not cheap. Wei Guangde has not yet decided whether to buy them or not, so he first spends hundreds of taels of money on books to study how Qing Ci is written.

The book he is reading now, "The Initiation Ceremony of the Supreme Huanglu Dazhai", according to the words of the Taoist Immortal, was compiled by Jiang Shuyu of the previous dynasty.

The book is divided into twenty-four sections, and there are many details under each section, detailing various fasting rituals and striving to magnify the ancient Lingbao fasting method. The textual research on the ancient method and the analysis of its origins are rare among all fasting rituals and can be called Huanglu Zhai. The complete book of Dharma is very comprehensive.

A very comprehensive book, with dozens of volumes, and the price is not cheap. This set of books alone is worth hundreds of dollars.

Qingci is actually used in fasting ceremonies to communicate with the gods and let the gods read it, so naturally, it is necessary to have gorgeous words.

Then, Wei Guangde was a little dumbfounded after reading the part about Qingci. He found that it seemed a bit difficult to piece together the things he had to deal with in the imperial examinations to write a Qingci that was pleasing to the eye.

Writing Qingci seems to require a rich imagination and then piling up words, which is different from his original idea of ​​setting a center and then extending it, and finally using words to add and modify it.

Although it is very difficult, Wei Guangde still plans to study the writing skills of Qingci during his time as a Shujishi in the Hanlin Academy. Maybe he can write a work that satisfies the emperor, so that he can rise to prominence, at least one day earlier to throw away the title of Shujishi and wear a real official hat.

Although the book says that writing Qingci should be simple but not flowery, practical but not messy, and the writing should be simple and plain, with mainly parallelism and allusions, Wei Guangde holds the opposite view after reading several circulated Qingci.

Qingci, at least the Qingci that Emperor Jiajing liked, is flattery and boasting, saying that Emperor Jiajing is a good emperor and deserves long live.

Wei Guangde didn't know it before in Jiangxi, but he heard it when he arrived in Beijing. His fellow villager, the chief minister, has a "nickname" called "Qingci Prime Minister" in Beijing.

Well, in fact, there are not only Yan Song who deserves the title of Qingci Prime Minister, but also many others. Xu Jie is also a good writer of Qingci. It is said that he didn't know how to write it before, but now he is very good at it.

So, at this time, Wei Guangde didn't think it was anything when he read the Taoist "Supreme Huanglu Dazhai Lichengyi". He, Xu Jie, should have discovered Emperor Jiajing's hobby and learned it before the battle.

Xu Jie followed the example of his superiors, and he did the same.

But no matter what, when the day came, Wei Guangde had to put down his books, pack up his clothes and report to the Hanlin Academy.

Wei Guangde got up early in the morning and changed into the seventh-rank official uniform he made himself, because only the top scholar had the imperial robe granted by the court. Other new Jinshi from the second place onwards could only find a tailor to make their own official uniforms to go to the government office to observe politics.

Although Shujishi was not an official position, Jinshi had the seventh-rank attribute.

Wei Guangde still left the door of Jiujiang Guild Hall. For that courtyard, Wei Guangde was still instructing Zhang Ji and the pawnshop to talk to the landlord again, hoping to pay less money.

Although Wei Guangde could afford 1,500 taels, he didn't have much money after buying the courtyard.

After passing the Gongshi and Jinshi, he received gifts worth hundreds of taels of silver. He gave them away during his visits during this period, and also paid hundreds of taels in. In addition, he spent a lot of money on buying books.

So far, the courtyard is still not optimistic, and the landlord is stubborn.

After buying the house, Wei Guangde can only have a few hundred taels of silver left.

Yes, although the price of that courtyard is much higher than that of other houses, Wei Guangde really likes it.

As Zhu Shilong said before, the house was built with great care, and it has a bit of the flavor of a Chinese villa in later generations. Wei Guangde feels that the living experience should be very good.

In this period, the land price and labor cost of houses in the capital are not expensive, but the materials and the layout of the courtyard are expensive.

Zhang Ji couldn't see anything about the rockery pool, and Wei Guangde couldn't see anything either. But Lao Kan could see that it was Taihu stone. Stones are not valuable in the place of origin, but it is different when they are transported to the capital.

In addition, the bricks, stones, wood and workmanship used to build the house are not materials that can be used in ordinary houses. There are carved beams and painted buildings, and the full set of furniture in the house is also of extraordinary workmanship. 1,500 taels of silver is really not a rip-off.