Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 49 I Need Some Peace and Quiet (Today is the day! Please read on, let's make it to the top three!)
"—Lu Xiang-sheng!"

The three words Yang Jingchen uttered completely stunned the smiling Zhu Youjian.

Lu Xiang-sheng?
That Lu Xiang-sheng, the creator of the Tianxiong Army, the one who always led from the front and could wield a hundred-pound broadsword?!
Is he now the prefect of Daming Prefecture?
That's right. Tianxiong Army was originally a military governorship in Hebei during the Tang Dynasty. Where else could it be if it wasn't in Daming Prefecture?

Zhu Youjian almost lost control of his facial expression.

calm down!

Be sure to calm down!

I am the Emperor, the Son of Heaven! Even if Mount Tai collapses before me, my expression will not change; even if a deer runs past on my left, my eyes will not blink!

Lu Xiang-sheng is nothing more than a nobody...

That's nothing!
This is just like when Liu Bei had just set up his straw sandal stall, and Zhao Zilong came to ask what the difference was in the price!
The emperor has a great start, with all the talented people in the world at his fingertips!

Zhu Youjian felt like he had downed a whole bottle of ice-cold orange soda in one go on a sweltering summer day.

That exhilarating feeling surged from the top of my head all the way to my heels; every pore on my body was cheering and jumping for joy!
He tried his best to maintain a gentle smile on his face.

"Since you praise him so highly, this person must be extraordinary."

He gently beckoned, and Gao Shiming, who was standing by, immediately understood and turned around to stand in front of the screen displaying official titles.

Before long, Lu Xiang-sheng's manuscript was respectfully presented to Zhu You-jian.

Zhu Youjian took the thin booklet, and could even feel his fingers trembling slightly.

Lu Xiang-sheng, courtesy name Jian-dou, was a native of Yixing County, Changzhou Prefecture, Southern Zhili Province…

Born in the 28th year of the Wanli reign...

Zhu Youjian's heart skipped a beat.

In the 28th year of the Wanli reign, he was only 27 years old this year!

Lu Xiang-sheng, 27 years old!

Lord Lu, if we work hard together in this life, perhaps we can both hear the roar of the steam engine!
He forced down his excitement and continued reading.

[In the second year of the Tianqi reign (1622), the Renxu year of the imperial examination, he passed the examination with flying colors and became a Jinshi.]

Upon seeing the words "Lianjie," Zhu Youjian's lips involuntarily curled into a slight smile.

The term "connecting successes" refers to passing both the provincial and metropolitan examinations within the same year.

Such a person would have been an absolute genius in the era of the imperial examinations.

It is far more impressive than those who spend years studying diligently and rely on luck to pass the imperial examination.

After passing the imperial examination, he was appointed to observe government affairs at the Ministry of Revenue and later became a Principal Clerk, in charge of managing the granaries.

[During his three years in office, he eliminated long-standing abuses, enforced strict laws and regulations, recovered several thousand in illicit gains, and purged over thirty-one thousand in arrears. His performance in the Ministry of Personnel's evaluations over those three years was consistently rated as top-notch.]

[For his meritorious service, he was appointed Prefect of Daming Prefecture and concurrently held the title of Vice Commissioner of the Shandong Provincial Surveillance Commission, while continuing to manage his previous affairs.]

Upon seeing this, a hint of curiosity flashed in Zhu Youjian's eyes.

This temporary clearing warehouse sounds like nothing more than a warehouse, but its significance is so great that it's even written into the official document.

He raised his head and looked at Yang Jingchen.

"Where is this temporary clearance sale location?"

Yang Jingchen's spirits lifted. He knew that the emperor's question meant that his recommendation was already halfway to success!
He strode to the "Map of the Great Ming Dynasty" hanging in the hall and pointed to a point on the map.

"Your Majesty, Linqing Granary is located in Dongchang Prefecture, Shandong Province, and sits at the throat of the Grand Canal transport of our Great Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Youjian looked in the direction he was pointing, and the location was exactly in the middle of the Grand Canal, a crucial point for north-south transportation.

Yang Jingchen's voice rang out at just the right moment.

"Your Majesty may not know, but the Linqing Granary has been plagued by problems for many years."

"Its duties are threefold: first, to store grain for disaster relief; second, to ensure the smooth flow of grain transport by coordinating the transport of grain ships traveling between the north and south; and third, to collect grain from Shandong and Henan to replenish the granaries."

"This position involves canal transport, warehouses, civil society, and local affairs."

"Among them, officials, soldiers, laborers, and commoners were deeply entrenched and rife with problems!"

"Let alone achieving results, simply being able to stay in office peacefully for three years without causing trouble is already considered being a capable minister!"

"Lu Xiang-sheng, a newly appointed Jinshi, spent three years there and not only swept away the accumulated malpractices of the past years, but also recovered more than 31,000 taels of deficit for the national treasury. His performance in the three years was top-notch!"

Yang Jingchen became more and more excited as he spoke, and his voice grew louder and louder.

"In my opinion, Lu Xiang-sheng is like a precious sword that has concealed its sharpness. Now, after three years of honing, he is unparalleled in his sharpness!"

"Now that this sword is rightfully in His Majesty's hands, the matter of mere horse fodder is nothing more than using a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

Zhu Youjian snapped the scroll shut in his hand.

He took a deep breath, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up in his chest.

well said!
This flattery was truly the best he had ever seen since he transmigrated!

No wonder emperors have always loved treacherous officials; the ancients were right.

He forced himself to calm his turbulent emotions, and looked at Yang Jingchen with an approving expression.

"Your Excellency has a keen eye for talent, which greatly pleases me. However, I am unsure how to best appoint this person?" This was exactly what Yang Jingchen had been waiting for!

Since the last court assembly, he has devoted all his attention to this matter.

For the past three days, he has barely slept or rested, visiting various places and reviewing case files.

After meeting countless people and exhausting countless words, I finally unearthed the name Lu Xiang-sheng from the pile of old documents.

Upon hearing the emperor's inquiry, he almost blurted out the answer.

"Your Majesty! Lu Xiang-sheng is currently the Prefect of Daming Prefecture and the Vice Commissioner of the Shandong Provincial Surveillance Commission, both of which are of the fourth rank."

"I believe that he should be promoted to the position of Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and sent to inspect Ji and Yong provinces to be in charge of horse feed."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked!

Even Huang Lijie, the Grand Secretary who had been sitting calmly on the sidelines, couldn't help but raise his eyelids and glance at Yang Jingchen in surprise.

The prefect or the provincial inspector was merely a local official, and was considered a "corrupt official".

The Censors of the Censorate were the emperor's eyes and ears, reporting matters based on hearsay, and were the most distinguished and respected officials who spoke out against injustice.

Although these two are of the same rank, their status is worlds apart.

Being transferred from a prefectural governor to the position of Left Vice Censor-in-Chief is, in the officialdom, almost equivalent to rising to the top in one step!
Yang Jingchen's recommendation, seemingly reasonable and well-founded, was in fact an astonishingly rapid promotion!
However, Zhu Youjian was completely unaware of this at the time.

His mind was completely occupied with Lu Xiang-sheng; he couldn't care less about the distinction between the pure and the corrupt, or the rules of officialdom.

"Your method is excellent!"

Zhu Youjian made the decision on the spot, his voice carrying an unquestionable resolve.

"The arrangements were very appropriate."

"However, since Lu Xiang-sheng is in Daming Prefecture, it is not far away. We can send an imperial edict first, ordering him to come to the capital."

"After we've agreed on how to proceed with the horse feed issue, it won't be too late to leave the capital to handle other matters."

Yang Jingchen was overjoyed, but maintained a respectful expression and bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty's thoughtful consideration is truly a blessing to the nation."

Zhu Youjian nodded in satisfaction and glanced at the data that had been organized on the screen.

"Let's settle this matter here. Now, let's return to the issue of the old military pay for the Nine Garrisons."

"Prime Minister, you take the lead and speak."

The aged yet steady voice of Grand Secretary Huang Liji began to slowly resound in the hall.

But Yang Jingchen didn't hear a single word.

He sat down in his seat, only to feel a buzzing in his ears.

Become!

It actually happened!

Ever since that day at court, when he witnessed firsthand the new emperor's decisive and efficient methods, he had already begun to have his eye on him.

However, his past as a member of the eunuch faction made him hesitant and indecisive.

His heart could no longer remain calm until the imperial plaque bearing the inscription "Wei Zheng of the Emperor" passed through East Chang'an Street in a grand procession.

Yes, this is just an old story of bestowing favors. What scholar wouldn't understand these imperial schemes?

but……

So what?

So what!
He's only forty-seven this year, why can't he strive for a place in history!
Yang Jingchen subtly turned his gaze to Li Guopu, who was sitting opposite him.

His eyes seemed to be burning with raging flames.

Your Majesty is known as a virtuous minister...

I, Yang Jingchen—am I not virtuous as well!

　I searched for Lu Xiang-sheng and found out that he actually rose to prominence because of his outstanding ability to manage affairs.

　　Wow! This is practically Zhao Zilong reversed; his martial prowess might be 80+, but his political acumen is 99+.

　　And he's so curvy! I like it! He's my type! I want him to control all the armies in the land!

　　His character card is already up, it should be approved in the next couple of days, haha~
　　So I really didn't have any preconceived notions when I wrote this book. Don't be surprised, you were surprised too!
　　-
　　The Linqing granary received over 98,000 shi of grain annually from Shandong and Henan to prepare for disasters and replenish the capital's reserves. — *Ming Shilu* (Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty)

　　-
　　Lu Xiang-sheng: As an official, he was twice as diligent as his subordinates. He would light candles at night, and at cockcrow, after washing and combing his hair, if he received a crucial piece of information, he would get up, put on his clothes, and act immediately. — *Henan General History*

　　-
　　Yang Jingchen was quite an interesting figure. During the Chongzhen era, he was selected to join the cabinet and worked tirelessly: "Chen was upright and honest. For example, he eliminated those who had falsely claimed credit for their contributions in Sichuan, investigated and abolished corrupt officials, and stopped additional levies in Fujian, all silently contributing to the peace and prosperity of the nation. He also once reported on the problem of falsely claiming military positions, stating that soldiers were receiving pay but not training or defending the troops. He suggested that the commanders and inspectors of the Beijing garrison should be held responsible, and the governors and viceroys of the nine border regions should be responsible for a thorough investigation and rectification. The Emperor praised him greatly." — *Jinjiang County Gazetteer, Volume 44, Biographies, Official Achievements 5, Ming Dynasty, Yang Jingchen*

　　-
　　Yes, you read that right, Yang Jingchen is from Jinjiang.

　　-
　　However, he was also timid. Later, he was dismissed from office for compiling the "Essential Records of Three Reigns" and praising the eunuchs. He then fell ill from worry and fear and died at home.

　　P.S. The second update will be tomorrow at 6 PM. I looked up so much information today that my eyes are about to go blind.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)