Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5034 The Essence of Power
Fang Jun frowned. He personally brought Zhang Zizhou to the Ministry of Works, thinking of asking Yan Liben to keep him in the Ministry of Works directly. Such a talent is most suitable for building. Otherwise, when the Ministry of Personnel selects officials, he will be sent to some remote place and left there to waste his time, and it is called training in hardship... Why don't your son go out to experience hardship and training?
But Yan Liben directly promised him the position of Yuanwailang, which was a bit too much.

Moreover, the negative side of human nature is most evident in the officialdom. If Zhang Zizhou were a deputy minister of the Ministry of Works, his peers who had passed the imperial examinations in the same year would certainly be jealous. As the saying goes, "If the pile is higher than the bank, the current will rush down", this may not be a good thing...

Yan Liben knew what Fang Jun was thinking from his expression, and said with a smile: "Don't worry, Taiwei. You have also served as the Minister of Works. You should know that the Ministry of Works is different from other ministries. It still needs more professional talents. Your words 'Professional matters should be left to professionals' have almost become the creed of the Ministry of Works. In the Ministry of Works, I dare not say that there is no seniority system. After all, various crafts need to be passed down from master to apprentice, and the seniority cannot be messed up. But as long as you have the ability, there is absolutely no limit such as age and qualifications. The capable ones will be promoted and the mediocre ones will be demoted!"

Fang Jun sighed and said to Zhang Zizhou, "Why don't you thank Minister Yan?"

Zhang Zizhou suppressed his excitement, took a step forward, and bowed to the ground: "Thank you, Minister Yan, for promoting me! I am a student with limited talent and knowledge, and I have been asking for advice from time to time. I hope Minister Yan will be generous in giving me guidance."

After all, he is the son of an official family. Even if he has never been involved in officialdom, he knows what he should do through the influence of his surroundings. As soon as he opens his mouth, he makes his position clear - you promoted me, and from today on, I am yours!

In the officialdom, ability is important, but stance is more important.

Yan Liben was a well-known person all over the world, and he had a very good relationship with Fang Jun, and they were obviously in the same camp. As he had just entered the officialdom and was able to get close to such a big shot, he must stand firm and never waver.

Fang Jun felt that this boy was a good candidate for officialdom, and since the two families had a close relationship, he gave him some advice: "Minister Yan favored you and promoted you out of turn. You should remember this kindness, but don't be proud of it. I think your starting point in your official career has surpassed most of your peers, but this temporary smoothness does not mean a smooth life. When you enter the officialdom, you should first learn how to do things and then how to be a person. Don't learn the ways of monopolizing. Accumulate solid political achievements for yourself and lay a solid foundation for your progress. On this basis, everything will go smoothly and naturally."

Yan Liben said with emotion: "This is good advice, you should always keep it in mind! Although the country seems to be peaceful and the people are at peace, it is actually a time of great contention. Anyone with talent will have the opportunity to shine. You should work hard to become a useful person for the country, rather than a bureaucrat who only knows how to get promoted and make money. If you don't forget your original intention, restrain yourself and return to propriety, you will naturally have a bright future."

Zhang Zizhou looked solemn and bowed again.

He naturally knew how rare the opportunity was.

Jinshi were usually appointed to local county offices, either as county lieutenants or county magistrates. However, even the county magistrates in Jingzhao, Henan, and Taiyuan were only of the eighth rank. His father had traveled thousands of miles to be an official and had fought hard for half his life, but he was only a fifth-rank "Xiazhou" Beijia. If he could enter the officialdom, he would be a sixth-rank Gongbu Yuanwailang, which would only be two ranks lower than his father...

Yan Liben ignored him and said to Fang Jun, "Logically, my brother is the most suitable person for this project, but the imperial edict case involves far-reaching consequences. Although most of the corruption occurred after my brother left office, he is still implicated. Fortunately, Your Majesty has forgiven him and did not punish him. He ordered an inspection inside and outside, and an overhaul from top to bottom, so my brother dared not leave Jiuyi Mountain for a moment."

He paused, looked at Fang Jun and said, "My brother is currently working as the Supervisor of the Imperial Household. Although he has a calm personality and indulges in pleasure, he has been smart and quick-witted since he was young. He has learned as much as my two brothers. I recommend him to be in charge of the excavation of Dayuling. What do you think?"

Zhang Zizhou was stunned for a moment, then he suddenly understood.

Although this matter was mentioned by them father and son, and they had conducted investigations for many years and done a lot of work in advance, it was impossible for them to preside over this matter given their status and power.

At present, Fang Jun has become the initiator of the Dayuling project, and Fang Jun endorses them and their son.

Therefore, even if Fang Jun does not participate in person, the success or failure is related to Fang Jun's interests. Whoever presides over the project naturally needs Fang Jun's permission.

If the project goes smoothly, after it is completed, the first credit will go to Fang Jun, because he has assumed the political risk. The second credit will go to the specific person in charge of the project, and then to Zhang father and son.

Even so, Zhang Zizhou was already satisfied.

Such a huge project must be led by a prime minister, otherwise the court would be jealous of such an achievement, and in the end, not only would they not get the political achievements they deserve, but they would be chewed up and swallowed up without leaving any bones...

Fang Jun asked curiously, "What position does your brother hold in the Ministry of the Imperial Household?"

The Yan brothers were famous throughout the world, talented, and skilled. The most rare thing was that they had no desire to monopolize officialdom. They did not flatter their superiors, bully their subordinates, covet money, or seek power. They were pure to the extreme, a clear stream in the officialdom. Everyone knew about their family's profound learning, but few heard that there was a third brother...

Speaking of his younger brother, Yan Liben looked uncomfortable and said with disdain, "He is currently the Junior Secretary of the Ministry of Works, but he is very stubborn. He only knows how to work and study hard, and he doesn't understand the ways of the world. He offends his superiors and subordinates, and is almost not tolerated by the Ministry of Works. This time, digging Dayuling Mountain is an extremely difficult task no matter how well prepared it is. People like my brother are more likely to calm down and focus on work. If he does a good job, I beg Your Majesty to transfer him to the Ministry of Works. Otherwise, if he is allowed to stay in the Ministry of Works, he will not have a good ending."

In the officialdom, you can choose not to seek personal gain or flatter your superiors, but you must understand the ways of the world. Otherwise, you will be rejected, face obstacles at every step, and be stabbed in the back. If you are not careful, you will be pushed down by everyone.

Fang Jun smiled and nodded: "I will disappear. You just need to take full charge of this project. If there are any difficulties during the construction in Shaozhou, you can contact Lai Ji, the head of the Guangzhou Maritime Customs, at any time, and let him use the power of the navy to put pressure on the Feng family."

As long as Feng Ang had no rebellious intentions, he would never hinder the excavation of Dayuling Mountain. Without Feng Ang's obstruction, the project of excavating Dayuling Mountain would surely be successful.

Yan Liben was full of confidence: "With the support of the Grand Commandant, this will surely succeed! Digging through the Five Ridges and connecting the north and the south has been the extravagant dream of emperors since ancient times and the ardent hope of the people of the world. Once it is accomplished, it will surely go down in history!"

Fang Jun said: "The excavation of Dayuling will play a vital role in cultural exchange, economic exchanges, military deterrence, and even political development. We must study it carefully and seek evidence from many sources. No matter how much manpower, material resources and financial resources are spent, we must succeed!"

*****
When I got home, it was already dusk.

After bathing and changing clothes, he sat in the hall drinking tea. Mrs. Lu came over and asked, "Have you taken care of your son?"

Fang Jun nodded and reported the whole process in detail without any impatience.

Mrs. Lu was sitting next to Fang Jun. When she heard that Zhang Zizhou had been offered a position as a deputy minister of the Ministry of Works, she was immediately delighted. She held her son's hand and taught him, "I know that you have always been against the aristocratic families in the court. I was afraid that you would go to extremes. Now it seems that it is not a big deal. Your mother was born into an aristocratic family, your father was born into an aristocratic family, and you are also born into an aristocratic family. Don't you know what an aristocratic family is? There are no aristocratic families in the world, but when the country has been at peace for a long time, aristocratic families will appear."

This was said with great flair, worthy of the daughter of Fanyang Lu. Fang Jun gave a thumbs up.

"If a man does not work for himself, he will be punished by heaven and earth." Everyone has selfish desires. It is fine in turbulent times. There are many cases where a whole family is wiped out overnight. However, in peaceful years, some people gain power and wealth, and naturally find ways to pass it on, and aristocratic families come into being.

A century-old dynasty empire and a thousand-year-old aristocratic family.

The "Great General of the Universe" slaughtered the aristocratic families at will, which completely shook the foundation of the aristocratic families and made them no longer as prosperous as they used to be. Huang Chao failed in the imperial examinations many times and was resentful. He also witnessed the corruption of the Tang Dynasty with his own eyes. He gathered people to rise up and attack Chang'an. "The bones of the nobles were trampled on the streets", almost completely destroying the aristocratic families. When they arrived at the "White Horse Post", Zhu Wen killed more than 30 ministers of the high-ranking families and threw them into the Yellow River. The last glory of the aristocratic families was all washed away by the muddy current, and the thousand-year heritage was completely annihilated.

However, after the demise of the aristocratic families, are there no more aristocratic families in the world?

No.

When the aristocratic families that "passed down their rank from generation to generation" disappeared, they were replaced by the scholar-official group that "became farmers in the morning and ascended to the throne in the evening". The emperor and the scholar-official group "co-ruled the world". When the scholar-official group sank under the iron hoof of the Hu people, the Ming Dynasty regained its territory, and the inheritance of power hatched the "gentry landlord group"...

The performance is constantly changing, but the essence remains the same.

Power shifts between various forms, but never disappears...

Therefore, aristocratic families can only be weakened but not eliminated.

What's the point of eliminating it? As long as any class seizes power, they will do everything they can to pass it on. The aristocratic families will become literati, the literati will become gentry... This is not only human nature, but also a common feature of society.

From this point of view, there is actually no difference between humans and beasts, except that animal nature is very direct, while human nature is mostly concealed.

Fang Jun smiled gently and patted the back of Lu's hand: "Don't worry, mother. Since she is your old relative, how can I not do her a favor? No matter how principled I am, I will never act so ruthless in front of you. In one's life, one should take care of the elderly, enjoy the company of others, raise children, and pass on the bloodline. That's all."

Mrs. Lu was very happy. She reached out and stroked her son's cheek, saying happily, "That's right. No matter what kind of hero you are, the most important thing is to live a good life. Family harmony and marital harmony are the most important. You can manage your family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world. If you can't even handle your family affairs, how can you talk about other things?"