Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 362 From a humble peasant in the morning to a high-ranking official in the evening

Inside the Funing Palace.

Emperor Zhao Zhen leaned against the imperial couch, his complexion slightly better than in the past few days.

Upon hearing that the Secretariat had submitted the list of successful candidates for official positions, he slightly raised his hand.

Deng Xuanyan, the head of the Imperial Household Department, understood the meaning, stepped forward, took the list, which consisted of more than ten pages, and carefully laid it out on the imperial desk.

Zhao Zhen's gaze slowly swept over the list.

He paused slightly when he saw that the proposed official position for the top scholar Lu Beigu had been changed to "Acting Imperial Censor of the Palace".

This appointment was clearly the result of a power struggle among the prime ministers, but allowing the various forces to check and balance each other within the rules was exactly the kind of imperial strategy he wanted.

However, Lu Beigu's integrity and literary talent were indeed compatible with the duties of the censors.

From a public perspective, placing such a spirited young man in the Censorate might actually have some effect, stirring up the increasingly stagnant court. After all, compared to the Qingli era, the Song Dynasty court is now visibly aging.

The Liao envoy could see this, and Zhao Zhen could naturally see it as well.

However, the government cannot function without fresh blood.

It's not that the lack of fresh blood would cause any problems for the court, but rather that without new people to take over, it would be inconvenient for Zhao Zhen to pose a threat to the old guard.
After reviewing the list, Zhao Zhen took a vermilion brush from the brush holder and wrote a bold "Approved" in the blank space at the end of the list.

This means that the plan for granting official positions to newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) after discussion and approval by the ministers of the Council of State Affairs has officially received the emperor's approval and will have legal effect once the imperial seal is affixed.

Deng Xuanyan carefully blew the ink dry, rolled up the list again, put it in the box, and then went to summon the inner and outer treasurers of the Secretariat.

In the Song Dynasty, there were strict regulations regarding the safekeeping and use of the imperial seal. Normally, the imperial seal was not kept by the emperor, but was stored in the Secretariat.

When the emperor uses the imperial seal, the eunuchs of the Inner Palace must summon the inner and outer seal-bearing officials of the Secretariat. The outer seal-bearing official will present the imperial seal to the emperor in person and clarify the matters to be used according to the emperor's verbal instructions. Then the inner seal-bearing official will present the imperial seal to the emperor to complete the use of the seal.

Soon, this process, which concerned the career paths of hundreds of newly appointed scholars, completed its final formalities in the quiet Forbidden City.

in the afternoon.

Lu Beigu was in the old Lu family residence on Chenzhoumen Inner Street.

He stood in the courtyard, looking at the newly renovated houses, and felt a strong hope to revive his family business.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from the alley entrance. Immediately, a minor official in a green robe and two clerks reined in their horses and stopped in front of the gate, asking loudly, "Is this the residence of the newly appointed top scholar, Master Lu?"

Lu Beigu's heart skipped a beat, and he opened the door to greet him: "Indeed, and who are you?"

The young official in the green robe nimbly dismounted and took out an imperial edict made of exquisite yellow paper from the bag on the side of the horse. It was five inches long and two and a half inches wide.

Imperial edicts were a type of "official document" that served as formal notification of appointment for newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). They would specify the official rank, grade, assignment, location of assignment, and validity period.

If someone was sent to a prefecture or military region, they would also be issued a travel permit, which was a type of "official certificate" used to prove their status as a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) at post stations along the way, thus granting them free food and lodging.

The young official in the green robe presented the imperial edict with both hands, his tone respectful yet tinged with envy: "Congratulations, Lord Lu! The official appointment document has been issued, and I have come to deliver it."

Lu Beigu opened the imperial edict and took a look.

—He will serve as the Assistant Director of the Imperial Academy and the Palace Attendant Censor!

The position of Assistant Director of Works was a sixth-rank official position, which was a fairly high starting point for a career in government.

Difficult to measure?

Simply put, apart from him, none of the other graduates in this year's imperial examinations received an initial official rank of even the seventh rank, let alone the sixth. The second-place graduate, Zhang Heng, was only a Dali Ping Shi, a lower-ranking official.

The first official Lu Beigu met at the beginning of his transmigration, Li Pan, who was then the magistrate of Hejiang County and is now the military judge of Luzhou, had been languishing in officialdom for decades and had only managed to reach the seventh rank.

Well, if Li Pan sees him again, he'll have to address him as "this humble official."

This is the perk of being a top scorer.

If you can fight your way out of the crowd and win first place, then your starting point in your official career will already surpass the career endpoint of 90% of the officials in the Song Dynasty.

However, official rank is only used to measure an official's treatment; what really matters is the assignments he receives.

Different assignments can have vastly different levels of "power."

While the power and influence of the Palace Attendant Censor Li Xing may not be as great as that of the Salt and Iron Commissioner, it is undoubtedly not to be underestimated.

After all, this is the only time a newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) can be assigned to a government official position immediately upon entering officialdom!

Furthermore, the power of impeachment based on hearsay means that if this power is used to its fullest extent, even if the enemy is the prime minister or the privy councilor, it is not impossible to bring them down.

Looking at the imperial edict, in an instant, Song Xiang's previous assertion that "the only way to bring down Jia Changchao is to enter the Censorate," as well as Ouyang Xiu's seemingly casual words at the Qionglin Banquet, flashed through his mind like lightning.

Lu Beigu knew very well that this decision was by no means accidental, but rather the result of a power struggle among various forces within the government.

"Palace Attendant Censor Li Xing"

He silently recited to himself, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him: gratitude for Ouyang Xiu's appreciation, wariness of stepping into the center of the vortex, and a sense of pride that "it suits me perfectly."

Although the Censorate was in the eye of the storm, it was also the best platform for him to eliminate treacherous officials and clear his family's name!
Lu Beigu suppressed his turbulent emotions and bowed to the young official in the green robe and his entourage, saying, "Thank you for your trouble. Please come inside for tea."

The young official in the green robe waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I have to go to deliver documents elsewhere. Time is of the essence, so it is really inconvenient for me to stay any longer."

The other party stopped calling him "sir" and instead addressed him as "your humble servant".

Clearly, the newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) had already assumed official positions after receiving their imperial edicts, even though they had not yet officially reported for duty.

"This is a small token of my appreciation; thank you all for your hard work."

Lu Beigu took out some copper coins and handed them to the young official in the green robe. The official declined a few times but then accepted them, said a few words of congratulations and auspicious words, and then rode away with his accompanying clerk.

Although delivering official documents was a tiring job, it was something that these lower-level officials were eager to do.

According to custom, newly appointed scholars who received the imperial edict from them were expected to give them some money as a blessing. Even if each person gave little, the amount accumulated over the day would amount to a considerable sum of extra income for them.

As the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance, Lu Beigu stood in front of the newly renovated old house, the spring sunlight shining on the newly painted plaque above the door.

In the morning, a peasant; by evening, a courtier in the emperor's palace!
Lu Beigu knew that from this moment on, he was no longer the student who only needed to bury himself in his studies, nor was he the newly appointed top scholar with only dazzling titles.

He was an imperial censor of the Song Dynasty, an official who would soon wield his pen of remonstrance and confront powerful figures directly.

The road ahead was destined to be full of thorns, but at this moment, he felt no fear, only an unwavering determination.

After changing his clothes, Lu Beigu hired a carriage and headed to the Censorate on the west side of the Imperial Street.

Inside the carriage, he appeared to be resting with his eyes closed, but in his mind he had already begun to sort out the structure of the Censorate.

Ouyang Xiu, the newly appointed Vice Censor-in-Chief, is in a position where personnel are needed; the position of Attendant Censor in charge of miscellaneous affairs is vacant; Wu Zhongfu, the Palace Attendant Censor, is known for his uprightness and is a leader of the Qingliu faction; the positions of Supervising Censor and Palace Attendant Censor are currently vacant.

"There are only three people in total, so if I go, I'll be temporarily the third-in-command of the Censorate, right?"

The sudden idea made him laugh.

Overall, the Censorate was severely depleted of personnel due to Liu Hang's self-disclosure before his dismissal as prime minister. It was a time when everything needed to be rebuilt, and he would indeed have more opportunities there than in other overcrowded departments.

The carriage stopped in front of the Censorate.

The Censorate is located west of the Imperial Street. Although its gates are not as prominent as those of the Privy Council or the Secretariat, it still has a solemn atmosphere.

The main gate was tightly closed, with stone lions standing solemnly in front of it. Under the eaves hung a plaque with the three characters "Imperial Censorate," the calligraphy vigorous and powerful, subtly revealing the authority of the censorate.

Lu Beigu straightened his brand-new green robe and adjusted the golden lychee bestowed by the emperor before slowly stepping forward, holding the imperial edict.

Coincidentally, the gatekeeper was the same one who had ignored him when he first came to the Censorate last year to inquire about Zhao Bian's address.

The gatekeeper probably recognized him and had overheard some of the instructions, so he didn't dare to be negligent this time and ran over to greet him.

"Could it be Imperial Censor Lu?"

Lu Beigu presented the imperial edict and said calmly, "Lu Beigu, the newly appointed Palace Attendant Censor, has come to the Censorate to report for duty."

"We've been waiting for you!"

The gatekeeper bowed respectfully and said, "Please follow me. Vice Minister Ouyang is handling official business in the main hall."

The Censorate does not occupy a very large area. Several ancient cypress trees are planted in the front yard, with vigorous branches and leaves, while the main hall of the Censorate is located in the back.

Ouyang Xiu was indeed inside, bent over his desk reviewing documents, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he had encountered some problem.

Hearing footsteps, Ouyang Xiu looked up and saw Lu Beigu. He stood up and said with a smile, "Beigu, you've arrived? Good, good! I've been waiting for you!"

Lu Beigu stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Your humble servant Lu Beigu greets the Censor. I have been granted this post by the imperial court and have come to the Censorate to report for duty and listen to the Censor's teachings."

Although Lu Beigu was quite familiar with Ouyang Xiu, having been selected by him through the imperial examinations, now that he had officially entered officialdom, he couldn't act as casually as he did in private.

After all, when you're at work, you should use your job title.

"Oh, no need for formalities, please sit down."

Ouyang Xiu pointed to the chair next to him, gesturing for him to sit down, while he rubbed his throbbing temples.

"You've come at the perfect time. Right now, the civil service in Taichung is weak and there are many complicated matters. It's the perfect time to have capable people. You are a 'local censor in the Imperial Palace.' Although you are a local censor, your power and responsibilities are no different from those of a regular Imperial Censor. You can report on matters based on hearsay and impeach officials. This concerns the discipline of the court, so your responsibilities are very important!"

"Yes, Your Excellency will certainly perform your duties to the utmost," Lu Beigu replied. Ouyang Xiu nodded, his gaze lingering on Lu Beigu's face for a moment.

Seeing that Lu Beigu was still a bit reserved and uninhibited as it was his first time serving as an official, Ouyang Xiu didn't immediately talk to him about work. Instead, he asked, "Has anyone explained your treatment after you become an official?"

Lu Beigu looked somewhat bewildered.

"Nobody told me that."

"Then I, as your superior, must tell you, first of all, about the money and grain you receive each month."

Ouyang Xiu took the imperial edict and looked at it, saying as he read, "As a sixth-rank official in the Directorate of Works, your regular salary is 55 strings of cash per month, and your stipend is 5 shi of rice per month. Because you don't have a 'position' in the Imperial Academy, you don't receive any official salary, and as a Beijing official, you don't receive any official land allowance. However, since there are fewer people in our Censorate now, you receive a lot of money for food, 20 strings of cash per month."

Under the Song Dynasty system, officials in the capital received a food allowance ranging from 50 strings of cash to 2 strings. Among them, the chief ministers received 50, 35, and 25 strings, while officials in other departments in the capital received between 20 and 2 strings. The specific amount received depended on the total amount of food allowance in their department and the number of officials on duty.

Officials from other regions established official lands precisely because they lacked funds for food. During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, it was stipulated that the amount of grain harvested from the official lands in each prefecture and county would be divided equally among the principal official and the assistant officials and staff. Nowadays, the regulations are more detailed, dividing prefectures and counties into seven grades, and all officials at each level are granted official land ranging from 20 qing to 2 qing.

"Therefore, your current monthly income is 75 strings of cash plus 5 bushels of rice."

How many?

Happiness came a little suddenly, and Lu Beigu hadn't fully reacted yet.

It's important to know that the average monthly income of an ordinary citizen in Kaifeng was only 5 guan. If the rice were converted into cash, his annual salary would be over 1,000 guan.

Of course, his high income is largely due to the current shortage of staff in the Censorate and the care he receives from Ouyang Xiu. As one of the important departments in the capital, the Censorate receives a lot of money for food each month, but now, including him, there are only three people in total. Even if they all receive the maximum allowable amount, the money still cannot be distributed.

Therefore, he received the same level of food allowance as the Three Ministers, which was the highest level below the Prime Minister.

"Thank you for your care, Your Excellency," Lu Beigu said gratefully.

He wasn't stupid. It was obvious that how the Censorate allocated its food allowance was entirely decided by Ouyang Xiu, the chief official. If Ouyang Xiu didn't want to pay more, he could just give him the minimum of 2 strings of cash each month, and there was nothing to say about that.

"Young man, don't feel good about your salary. You'll have plenty of expenses in the future. Hiring servants, getting married and having children, socializing, and helping relatives and friends—all of these require money."

Ouyang Xiu joked, "The time when I was richest was when I first became an official. It's true that my salary increased as I went on, but it was never enough to live on."

Afterwards, Ouyang Xiu introduced him to other benefits and perks of being an official in the Song Dynasty.

Material aids included, but were not limited to, clothing materials such as silk, gauze, and cotton distributed during the spring and winter seasons each year, as well as supplies such as tea, wine, firewood, wormwood, charcoal, and salt distributed during festivals.

Non-material benefits include retirement benefits, benefits for those transferred to official positions, and benefits bestowed upon them by imperial decree.

If one retires with an official rank of the sixth grade or lower, one can receive half of one's regular salary as a pension. Upon retirement, one will also be granted a higher honorary title as a sign of honor, and will have the opportunity to have one's descendants receive hereditary privileges.

Of course, it's just an opportunity. The door to officialdom is now very tight. Only one descendant can be recommended for an official position. Moreover, whether one will succeed, how long the waiting list will be after success, and what official position one will be assigned after waiting in line are all uncertain.

However, this provided a channel for family descendants to enter officialdom outside of the imperial examination, which was the key for scholar-officials to maintain the continuation of their families. Although it could not compare with the imperial examination, it at least ensured that even if their descendants were not successful, they would not starve after their death.

"Work hard, and when you rise from the sixth rank to the fifth rank and wear the crimson robe, you will receive silk and satin as clothing allowances every year, and you will also receive an extra allowance every month, usually 30 strings of cash, 7 shi of rice, 10 shi of flour, and 10 sheep."

Yes, before the Yuanfeng reforms, Song Dynasty civil officials of the third rank and above wore purple, those of the fifth rank and above wore scarlet, those of the seventh rank and above wore green, and those of the ninth rank and above wore blue.

Lu Beigu, whose starting point in officialdom was the sixth rank, was not particularly far from the fifth rank.

After explaining the benefits and perks of being an official to Lu Beigu, Ouyang Xiu began to formally introduce him to the work of the Censorate.

First, according to the system of the dynasty, Lu Beigu, as an imperial censor, was required to submit a memorial to the emperor once a month, which was called "monthly report".

He could write down any relevant information he heard about other officials besides himself in his memorials, which would then be submitted to the emperor by the Censorate. These reports to the emperor did not necessarily have to be based on evidence and were known as "impeaching people based on hearsay."

However, if the accusation is false, he will not be punished.

However, if an imperial censor fails to impeach anyone within 100 days of taking office, he will be fined a large sum of money, enough to bankrupt him. If he still fails to impeach anyone, he will be demoted.

So, it's impossible not to criticize... uh, not to criticize.

After explaining the job responsibilities, Ouyang Xiu said, "You have become famous at a young age, but the position of censor is no small matter. It cannot be filled by talent alone. One must have courage, integrity, and the ability to uphold justice and be incorruptible."

He paused, his tone turning serious: "You must especially know that a single impeachment by a censor can propel someone to great heights or lead to utter ruin. Used properly, it can cleanse the bureaucracy and support the nation; used improperly, it can become a tool for factional strife, only adding to the chaos. As you are new to the censorate, you must observe, listen, and think carefully before acting. Wu Zhongfu is upright and experienced; you can consult him for advice."

"I will heed your teachings, Your Excellency." Lu Beigu kept these words firmly in mind.

Ouyang Xiu's words were both an instruction from his superior and a reflection of his mentor's concern.

"Hmm." Ouyang Xiu stroked his beard with satisfaction, then stood up. "Let's go. I'll show you around the office and introduce you to your colleagues."

Ouyang Xiu led Lu Beigu out of the main hall. In the courtyard behind the hall, there were many old plum trees. Although the flowering season had passed, the branches and leaves were still lush and green, and the environment was very quiet and secluded.

The two first arrived at a row of government offices in the east corridor.

He pointed to one of the rooms and said, "This is where you will be in charge from now on."

Next, Ouyang Xiu took him to visit the archives storage area behind the Censorate, the flower hall where meetings were held, and the tea room where Censorate officials usually rested.

Along the way, Ouyang Xiu introduced Lu Beigu to all the minor officials he encountered from the Censorate.

Everyone was extremely polite to the newly appointed top scholar, who was personally introduced by Ouyang Xiu, the Vice Censor-in-Chief, and who would become their future superior.

But Lu Beigu could also sense the scrutinizing and curious gazes these veteran officials were casting at him.

Finally, they circled back to the courtyard and came to a relatively spacious office on the west side of the courtyard. Ouyang Xiu said in a low voice, "This is Wu Zhongfu's duty room. He should be here today."

Before he finished speaking, the office door opened from the inside, and a person stepped out.

This man was about forty years old, with a thin face and wearing a scarlet official robe. He was none other than Wu Zhongfu, the Palace Attendant Censor and the Censor of Remonstrance.

When Wu Zhongfu saw Ouyang Xiu, he nodded slightly: "Your Excellency."

His gaze immediately fell on Lu Beigu, and he asked, "Is this the top scholar, Lu?"

Lu Beigu hurriedly bowed and said, "This humble official, Lu Beigu, greets Imperial Censor Wu."

Wu Zhongfu sized him up a few times: "Hmm, the name of Scholar Lu is renowned. Now that you have entered the Censorate, I hope you can uphold public interest, prioritize national affairs, and live up to the name of 'Censor'."

Lu Beigu sensed the upright temperament emanating from the other party and knew that this was the censor who had impeached and dismissed two prime ministers in succession, so he dared not be negligent.

"I will certainly take Imperial Censor Wu as my role model and do my utmost."

Wu Zhongfu said no more and said to Ouyang Xiu, "Your Excellency, I still need to go to the Court of Judicial Review, so I will take my leave now."

After saying this, he bowed respectfully and strode away.

Ouyang Xiu watched his retreating figure and said to Lu Beigu, "Zhongshu is just like that; he doesn't talk much, but every word he says makes sense. You'll understand eventually. Alright, that's the general situation in the Imperial Secretariat. Settle down today and familiarize yourself with the paperwork. Tomorrow morning, come with us to court."

"Attend court?" Lu Beigu was slightly taken aback.

Although he was appointed to a court official position, he did not expect that he would have to face the emperor and all the civil and military officials so soon.

Ouyang Xiu noticed his surprise and smiled, "The Palace Attendant Censor, though a 'local official,' is responsible for correcting the conduct of officials. According to regulations, he must go to the Waiting Hall to await the court every day, and can also speak in court on important matters. What, are you scared?"

Lu Beigu immediately composed himself and solemnly said, "This humble official dares not, but I feel a great responsibility and will certainly be cautious in my words and deeds."

"Ah, I still have to say something to you. When I was young and just entered officialdom, I was fortunate to be taken care of by Qian Weiyan, the garrison commander of Xijing. Since then, I have developed a carefree and easy-going personality. I am serious when I need to be, but I don't need to be so reserved in ordinary times."

Ouyang Xiu patted him on the shoulder: "Go on, the clerk assigned to you should already be waiting at the government office. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

Lu Beigu watched Ouyang Xiu leave before turning around and walking to his own office on the east side of the courtyard.

Pushing open the door, he saw a clerk in his thirties, dressed in the clothes of a minor official, already waiting inside. Upon seeing him enter, the clerk quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "This humble one is Zhang Mao, greetings to Imperial Censor Lu."

"From now on, I will assist the censor in handling official documents and copying case files."

Lu Beigu nodded and said gently, "Thank you for your trouble. I am new to this place and not yet familiar with the Censorate. I hope you can give me a detailed introduction."

Seeing how humble the young scholar was, Zhang Mao felt somewhat relieved, as he was also afraid of encountering a difficult person to serve.

After all, as a clerk, no matter how many connections he has or how capable he is, he is still just a clerk.

There is a world of difference between officials and clerks!

Therefore, he was unwilling to have conflicts with his direct superior.

Zhang Mao hurriedly replied, "Imperial Censor Lu, you flatter me. This is merely my duty."

He then began to explain to Lu Beigu the details of the daily operation of the Censorate, the document formats, and the procedures for accessing archives. His explanations were clear and logical, showing that he was a seasoned official familiar with official business.

Lu Beigu listened attentively, occasionally asking questions.

In fact, these seemingly trivial rules and procedures were the foundation for his smooth exercise of power in the future.

As the sunlight slanted through the window, it bathed the office in a warm yellow glow.

After Zhang Mao left, Lu Beigu stroked the cold desk and glanced at the empty bookshelf.

This was the true starting point of his career.

The glory of the imperial examination is now a thing of the past, and the clamor outside Donghua Gate has subsided. What follows is the intrigue and power struggle within the imperial court, fraught with hidden dangers.

(End of this chapter)