Sui and Tang Dynasties: Awakening the Supreme Skills at the Beginning

Chapter 80 Li Yingxue's concerns

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling walked in.

Zhang Mingjiong took a look and found that it was his immediate superior.

He quickly stood up and bowed to Changsun Wuji, "Hello, Lord Changsun, Hello, Lord Fang!"

Below, Chang'an County Magistrate Li Shutong and a group of scholars also paid their respects to the two big men.

Changsun Wuji waved his hand and looked at Li Zhen.

"My dear nephew, haha, I'm really sorry. Yesterday, we came to visit you secretly and had to use a pseudonym. In fact, I am Zhang Sun Wuji, the Minister of Personnel, the Minister of Right, and that old guy is Fang Xuanling, the Minister of Revenue, the Minister of Left."

Li Zhen naturally knew their identities a long time ago, but he was still shocked.

"So you are the Duke of Qi and the Duke of Xing. I pay my respects to the two dukes. I was rude yesterday. I hope Lord Changsun and Lord Fang will not mind it!"

Zhang Sun Wuji waved his hand, "It's okay, ignorance is not a crime! My dear nephew, there is no need to be polite!"

Li Zhen bowed again, and Fang Xuanling returned the greeting.

None of them have a condescending attitude, on the contrary they are all very approachable.

The literati at this time were still relatively polite, unlike the shameless literati in the Song and Ming dynasties.

After everyone greeted each other one by one, Changsun Wuji took out an imperial edict made of a bamboo tube and said.

"Chang'an County, Li Zhen, a villager from Shenxing Town, received the order!"

Li Zhen clasped his fists and bowed, saying, "I, Li Zhen, accept your order."

Unlike later periods, imperial edicts in the Tang Dynasty were relatively simple and were made of bamboo tubes.

Moreover, officials did not need to kneel when receiving the emperor's orders. During this period, officials would generally kneel and kowtow only when the emperor held a grand ceremony.

For example, officials only needed to kneel when the emperor ascended the throne, got married, offered sacrifices to heaven, or passed away.

Like what is shown on TV, when the imperial edict arrives, a large number of ministers kneel down. That was done by Zhu Yuanzhang and his descendants during the Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, before the Song Dynasty, ministers sat on both sides of the hall during court sessions and did not need to kneel. At that time, the emperor was still relatively humane.

Changsun Wuji opened the imperial edict and read it.

"Li Zhen, a villager from Shenxing Village in Chang'an, presented a curved plow and made contributions to the country. I hereby appoint Li Zhen as an inspector of the Ministry of Revenue, a male of Chang'an County, with a fief of 300 households, 500 acres of permanent farmland, a reward of 10,000 gold, 50 dan of rice, 30 bolts of cloth, and an imperial decree to build a baronial palace!"

"My lord, thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."

Li Zhen bowed and took the imperial edict with both hands.

"Congratulations, Lord Li."

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling came over and bowed to congratulate Li Zhen.

Li Zhen quickly returned the greeting and said, "Thank you very much, uncles."

"Haha, yes, it's uncle!"

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling must have been quite satisfied with Li Zhen's change of heart.

There was lively conversation here, but the scholars around were shocked.

Especially the county magistrate Li Shutong.

Although he had long known that the current emperor wanted to promote Li Zhen, Li Shutong had not expected that he would be promoted to a fifth-rank official and be granted the title of Chang'an County Baron.

Men in Chang'an County are also of the fifth rank, and they are the correct fifth rank.

And Li Shutong, the magistrate of Chang'an County, was only a fifth-rank official.

It seems that my junior brother has a bright future!

But what is the curved plow? I seem to have never heard that junior brother talk about it. No, I must make him explain it clearly later.

The students in Chang'an County were even more astounded by Li Zhen's beauty when they looked at him again.

My goodness, being a Doctor of the Imperial College and a ninth-rank official of the Ministry of Rites was not enough, but now he has jumped to an inspector of the Ministry of Revenue and a male of Chang'an County. That is a fifth-rank official position, a height that ordinary people would never be able to reach in their entire lives, and yet Master Li Zhen has achieved it so easily. This is a sign of prosperity!

No, we must hold on to Master Li Zhen, no, Lord Li.

During the Tang Dynasty, those who passed the imperial examinations were generally granted seventh-rank official positions by the Ministry of Personnel. It would take an ordinary Jinshi more than ten or twenty years to reach the fifth rank. Now Li Zhen could be said to have reached the top in one step, which naturally made others envious.

Li Yingxue, who was standing next to him, looked at Li Zhen with a look that was obviously different from usual.

Hmm! This stingy guy actually rose to the fifth rank in one step, and he is so talented. If he were a little more generous, a little more respectful, and a little more sweet-mouthed to me, it would not be impossible for me to marry him!

Thinking of this, Li Yingxue's face suddenly felt hot for no reason. Oh, why am I thinking about these things? It's so embarrassing.

Li Yingxue turned her head and looked around. Fortunately, no one noticed her, and she felt relieved.

"My dear nephew, your uncle Fang and I have already sent the deposit to your house. We will definitely come to your house and get drunk one day. We really miss your delicious food and wine!"

When Changsun Wuji said this, a stream of saliva unconsciously secreted from his mouth. He smacked his lips, as if he was savoring the taste.

"No problem, I'm always here to serve you. Thank you both uncles for the recommendation!"

"Ha ha!"

Changsun Wuji burst into laughter.

Wen Yi, who was standing next to him, was shocked when he saw Li Zhen being conferred a title, but then he felt happy.

Li Zhen took up the post of inspector of the Ministry of Revenue, so naturally Sun Fujia could no longer be the Chengyilang, but he could hold the position concurrently as the doctor of the Imperial College.

Unconsciously, he couldn't help but show a look of joy.

Taking advantage of the time when Li Zhen and Changsun Wuji were talking, Wen Yi stepped forward and bowed to Li Zhen.

"Mr. Li, Lord Li, you can consider my doctor of the Imperial College!"

Before Li Zhen could answer, Fang Xuanling next to him became dissatisfied.

I finally managed to get Li Zhen to the Ministry of Revenue, but before he could even warm up to the position, he was going to be snatched away by Wen Yi? This was intolerable!

"Wen Yi, you old thief, don't take advantage of your age. Others may be afraid of you, but I, Fang Xuanling, am not afraid of you!"

Sun Fujia standing next to him was gloating, "Wen Yi, you old villain, you've suffered a defeat now!"

"Minister Fang, please calm down! Minister Fang, please calm down!"

Wen Yi hurriedly bowed to Fang Xuanling.

Fang Xuanling was a well-known man who protected his own son. Even if he was given ten thousand guts, he would not dare to snatch food from Fang Xuanling's bowl!

"It's not that I want to steal Lord Li's place. Lord Li is really a man of great talent. If he can't pass on his knowledge, it will be a huge loss to the Tang Dynasty. Besides, the doctor of the Imperial Academy doesn't have to report to work every day, and it won't interfere with the work of Minister Fang. As long as Lord Li agrees to work part-time, it will be fine!"

"Oh, so that's the case. Then go and discuss it with my nephew. I won't be in any trouble here!"

Fang Xuanling waved his hand.

"Thank you, Prime Minister Fang!"

Wen Yi bowed to Fang Xuanling.

"Lord Li, please let me see if you can take up the position of Doctor of the Imperial Academy. I am begging you for this!"

As he said this, Wen Yi was about to bow to Li Zhen.

"useless!"

Li Zhen quickly supported Wen Yi, "Senior Wen, I am not worthy of your courtesy."

"So you agree? If you don't agree, I won't get up!"

When Wen Yi saw this, he simply started to act like a rogue.

Li Zhen smiled bitterly, "Well, I've agreed, old senior, please get up quickly!"

Wen Yi cried with joy and bowed towards the direction of the imperial city.