I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 29: Preparing for Lessons and Teaching History! Shen Nian, who avoided six years of detours
There is a saying: Men are afraid of August, and women are afraid of December.

Around August of the third year of the Wanli reign was the busy farming season.

Rice, sorghum, cotton, soybeans, dates, etc. in the north and south of the Ming Dynasty were harvested during this period.

The poor tenant farmers would arrive at the fields almost at four o'clock in the morning, sweating profusely, and would not return until the moon rose.

On the ridge of the field.

Children as young as seven or eight have already picked up farm tools, while white-haired old men and women still have to work hard.

present.

Due to the annexation of land, unfair taxation, corvee labor and private rent exploitation, the lower-class people lived a very miserable life.

Farming is simply not enough to provide a family with enough food and clothing.

The so-called "people's livelihood depends on diligence, and diligence will not lead to poverty" has become an empty talk to deceive the people.

The diligent one is the poor tenant, and the rich one is the landowner.

Some poor tenant families had no savings after the harvest, and some even had to sell their children and borrow money at high interest rates to make ends meet.

There is a ballad that goes:
"Every year, the old rent is paid and the new rent is due. I also sell yellow calves in the city. Each calf is valued at a thousand coins at any time. The creditor only counts the interest and not the mother. Don't be sad if you have a calf to sell. Your neighbor is selling his calf and the child as well..."

Gradually, the people realized that hard work was useless and turned from farmers into vagrants, troublemakers, and some even became anti-people.

Compared with the suffering of the lower-class farmers, people with achievements are much happier.

Low taxes and levies, and a high status.

For people like Shen Nian, who call himself a "Hanlin cattle and horses", the quality of life now actually surpasses that of 99.999% of the people in the Ming Dynasty.

……

On August 11, a major event occurred in the court.

There are new members in the cabinet!

Zhang Juzheng submitted a memorial, saying: The cabinet ministers have heavy responsibilities and numerous tasks, and their talents and abilities are limited. I implore the emperor to seek out wise men and talents to add more members to the cabinet.

There were only two people in the cabinet, Zhang Juzheng and Lu Diaoyang.

Lu Diaoyang is already sixty years old.

Two people were required to draft memorials, issue imperial edicts, give lectures at imperial lectures, and edit books.

I'm really too busy.

Young Wanli was very smart. When Zhang Juzheng asked him to make a decision, he naturally couldn't make one. He immediately pushed the question back and ordered Zhang Juzheng to recommend someone.

immediately.

Zhang Juzheng recommended three people.

Zhang Siwei, the Minister of Rites, Ma Ziqiang, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and Hanlin Academician, and Shen Shixing, the Junior Secretary of the Chancellery and Hanlin Academy Academician.

In fact, this is just a process.

Whoever Zhang Juzheng puts in front is that person.

At the beginning of this year, the officials in the capital could see that if anyone was to enter the cabinet, it would definitely be the Minister of Rites Zhang Siwei.

soon.

Zhang Siwei then received an imperial decree and officially joined the cabinet as the Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion.

Little Wanli has a very high emotional intelligence.

He made a special note on the memorial: "I am ordered to work in the cabinet with the Prime Minister and others."

What it means is: Although you have entered the cabinet, you still have to listen to Zhang Juzheng in everything.

Zhang Siwei was only one year younger than Zhang Juzheng.

But his relationship with Zhang Juzheng was more like the relationship between Zhang Juzheng and his teacher, former Prime Minister Xu Jie, respectful and close.

Zhang Juzheng recommended Zhang Siwei to join the cabinet.

On the one hand, Zhang Siwei has outstanding abilities, and on the other hand, Zhang Siwei is currently actively advocating the implementation of new policies.

Enter the cabinet.

It is like a shop owner becoming the boss, and from a high-level employee to one of the masters of the Ming Dynasty.

in the future.

All affairs of the Ming Dynasty were controlled by these three people.

……

It was hot and humid in the afternoon of August 12th.

In the Review Hall of the Hanlin Academy, the ice container is still there, with several large blocks of ice inside.

Shen Nian sat at the table, reviewing and organizing the contents of his recent daily notes.

recently.

Young Wanli was very diligent, studied seriously, and had a proper attitude when attending court.

There is neither too much talk nor any unusual things, which makes the content of the daily records relatively simple.

at this time.

When Shen Nian saw the daily notes written by Wang Jiaping, the editor of the Hanlin Academy when he was on duty last month, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart: He is worthy of being Feng Daban, he deserves to be favored!

This is how the daily records are written.

"The eunuch held up a volume of the Shangshu and showed it to the ministers, saying, 'The emperor studies in the palace, with a daily schedule, and he reads it three or four times until he knows it by heart.'"

"A group of ministers and lecturers said: 'The emperor is so fond of learning that even Confucian scholars cannot match him.'"

This eunuch refers to Feng Bao.

in short.

Feng Bao said that young Wanli was very good at studying, and Zhang Juzheng and others were very satisfied.

Unlike Empress Dowager Li who often punished people to kneel, Zhang Juzheng often shouted, "Your Majesty, you must become a sage king comparable to Yao and Shun."

Feng Bao can be said to have provided the young Wanli with very rich emotional value.

Whenever he saw little Wanli doing something trivial, he would praise him highly.

From this point of view, Shen Nian still has some good feelings towards Feng Bao.

If he hadn't protected the young Wanli.

The Empress Dowager Li's beating and scolding education and Zhang Juzheng's "Wang Di becomes Yao and Shun" education, the little emperor's heart may have been deformed long ago.

……

Just then, Ma Ziqiang strode over.

As soon as he entered the review room, he looked at Shen Nian and smiled brightly.

"Master Ma!" All the reviewers stood up and bowed.

Ma Ziqiang nodded, then looked at Shen Nian and said, "Shen Jiantao, from now on, you will explain the "Imperial Mirror Illustrated Explanation" to His Majesty every day. As for which section to explain, someone will tell you later."

The five reviewers, including Shen Nian, were all dumbfounded.

Since when can a seventh-rank Hanlin reviewer serve as a daily lecturer?
In general.

The lowest-ranking daily lecturer must be a sixth-rank Hanlin editor.

The seventh-rank Hanlin editors also mostly served as display officers during the daily lectures at the imperial lectures.

There was no chance at all to lecture to the emperor in front of a group of university scholars.

Ma Ziqiang explained, "Last month, Ding Xueshi (also known as Ding Shimei) returned home for mourning, and editor Wang Jiaping filled the position of daily lecturer. There happened to be a vacancy for a historical lecturer, and Shen Jiantao happened to be on duty that day recording the daily records. The cabinet decided to give him a chance. If he performs well, he might be allowed to become a daily lecturer as an exception. If he doesn't perform well, this might be his only exception!"

vacancy?

How could there be a vacancy in the emperor’s daily lecturer position?

A bunch of people in the Revision Office and Compilation Office next door are looking forward to becoming daily lecturers!
The cabinet's selection of Shen Nian, a seventh-rank reviewer, was obviously at the behest of Zhang Juzheng.

"Shen, please prepare early and place the lecture notes on my desk before noon tomorrow."

After saying that, Ma Ziqiang turned and left.

"I understand. I will do my best!" Shen Nian bowed.

aside.

Liu Chuxian couldn't help but sigh, "Ziheng, this time, you've at least saved six years of detours compared to us!"

It was very difficult for middle and low-level officials in the Ming Dynasty to be promoted.

There are many people who are still working in the same position after eight or nine years.

Even for those reviewers who came from the Shujishi in the Hanlin Academy, it would take at least six years to be promoted to the editor.

Shen Nian now suddenly has the qualifications to serve as a daily lecturer.

If you can complete the task successfully, your career will be bright and you will be promoted exceptionally.

It seems that I have taken six years less detour than them.

Zhao Yongxian and others were envious when they reviewed their work. In less than half a year, the gap between them and Shen Nian became wider and wider.

……

Note: On July 18th, Wang Jiaping, the official who wrote the imperial lectures and the editor of the Hanlin Academy, was appointed as the daily lecturer - this comes from the "Wanli Diary".

　Thanks to my book friend Yueyue Huoying for the reward, thank you very much!
　　In addition, what was said at the beginning of this chapter is all about the current situation in the late Ming Dynasty. For details, please see Chen Baoliang's "History of Social Life in the Ming Dynasty". There is absolutely no other allusion. If readers have other associations, it has nothing to do with this book!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)