In the small hall next to the Bai manor's reception hall was Zhang Changyi, and to his side was the newly appointed assistant minister of the Ministry of Appointments, Jiang Lin.
Because the two brothers, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, were now Wu Zetian's empress and imperial concubine, the Zhang family's status had risen. Their youngest cousin, Zhang Changyi, was appointed as the magistrate of Luoyang at a young age, and was in charge of important areas in the capital.
Zhang Changyi himself had a high position of power, and his two cousins were the most influential people in the Emperor's presence. Naturally, there was an endless stream of people trying to curry favor with Zhang Changyi. Among the Zhang brothers, Zhang Changyi was the most greedy for money, and thus the most people who came to him to seek official positions.
Two days ago, there was an official surnamed Xue who waited for an opportunity to visit Zhang Changyi. He presented him with fifty taels of gold and asked him to help him find a job. This person surnamed Xue was an official surnamed Xue and had the qualifications to become an official. However, because of the limited number of official positions, when there were no vacancies, he could only be a substitute. Once there were vacancies, a group of officials would fight over them. It was not uncommon for people without any background to be a substitute for their entire lives.
Zhang Changyi accepted the gold and agreed to that person's request. When he returned, he informed the assistant minister of the Ministry of Appointments, Jiang Lin. Jiang Lin had relied on the recommendation of the two brothers, Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, to obtain the position of assistant minister. Naturally, he would follow the Zhang family's lead. However, the problem was that when Zhang Changyi informed him of this matter, it was just before the morning court.
After attending court for the entire morning, when Jiang Lin returned to the Ministry of Appointments, he discovered that he had forgotten the name of the person surnamed Xue whom Zhang Changyi had asked him to arrange an official position for. Jiang Lin was extremely embarrassed, but he could not tell Zhang Changyi directly. Coincidentally, Bai Yishou was hosting a banquet today, and he was also invited. When he arrived at the Bai manor and saw Zhang Changyi, he invited him to the small hall to ask for forgiveness.
Jiang Lin originally thought that with the festive atmosphere of the banquet and the fact that they were in someone else's residence, even if Zhang Changyi was displeased, he wouldn't be too angry. She would just tell him her name. Who knew that Zhang Changyi would fly into a rage when he heard this, "How dare you treat the matter that I have entrusted to you with such contempt. You don't even put me in your eyes!"
Jiang Lin lowered her voice and said, "Your magistrate's words are too serious. It's not that I want to be negligent, but I'm getting old and my memory isn't good. When I heard your magistrate say that person's name, I went to court. In the end, I was so busy with all the memorials in court that I forgot that person's name after the court meeting."
Zhang Changyi smiled coldly and said, "You're so forgetful. I think you're really getting old. Since you can't even remember such a small thing, how can you still serve the imperial court? Why don't you retire early and return to your hometown? "
Jiang Lin was shocked and hurriedly said, "Please forgive me! Please give me a chance to redeem myself. I also ask your magistrate to tell me this person's name again. I will do it as soon as I return! "
Zhang Changyi raged, "Bastard! There are so many people looking for me to do things every day, how could I possibly know all of them? How could I possibly remember their names? Now you're asking me, where should I go to find that person? "
Jiang Lin stood at the side and said, "This … What should we do? Otherwise … After this year's official selection ends, if that person fails, he will definitely come again. At that time, your magistrate can tell your school his name, and when your school selects officials again, he will be the first to be appointed. He will only have to wait for a year, and next year, arrange a high-class prefecture for him as compensation. I believe he will also be willing. "
Zhang Changyi said resolutely, "No! He is willing, but I, this Zhang, am not! Now that he has asked to be my, this Zhang's, disciple, if he fails in the official selection this time, heh! If this matter spreads, how will others look at me, this Zhang? This Zhang's reputation will be ruined by you. Doesn't that mean that no one will be able to ask to be my disciple for at least a year? "
Jiang Lin frowned and said, "Then … Then what should we do?"
Zhang Changyi thought for a moment and asked, "How many people with the surname Xue are there in this year's official selection?"
Jiang Lin said, "There are a total of fourteen people with the surname Xue in this year's official selection. Your school has taken out the names of these fourteen people and checked them repeatedly. I really can't remember which one of them is the one you asked to be your magistrate's disciple. Otherwise … Your Magistrate can take a look, perhaps you will have some impression?"
As Jiang Lin said this, she took out a slip of paper from her sleeve. Zhang Changyi didn't even take it and said, "If you can't even remember the person doing the work, how can I remember? Now that I want to remedy this, there is only one way. Among this batch of officials, as long as they have the surname Xue, give them an official position! "
Jiang Lin was shocked and said, "Your Magistrate, you must not! There are as many officials as there are carps in the river, but there are limited vacancies in the imperial court. This time, there are not many vacancies in the various prefectures and the two capitals, so we have to take care of all aspects and the people who have been waiting for many years. If all the people with the surname Xue are selected, they will occupy a large number of vacancies, and it will be difficult for your school to make arrangements. "
Zhang Changyi pointed at his nose and said, "You messed up this matter, so naturally you will think of a solution! It's decided then, give him an official position for all the people with the surname Xue, don't ruin my reputation! "
At this moment, Zhang Tongxiu laughed loudly in the reception pavilion and shouted, "Changyi, come quickly, General Yang is here!"
Zhang Changyi said coldly, "Do as you see fit. Either all fourteen people with the surname Xue are officials, or you, Jiang Lin, resign and scram!" With that said, he flung his sleeve and walked towards the reception pavilion. Jiang Lin stood there in a daze for a long time before letting out a long sigh, "How can I not lower my head when under someone else's roof?"
In order to protect his future, he had to agree to Zhang Changyi's request. This way, he would have to overturn his original arrangements, but the election of an elected official was always the focus of attention of the court and the public, involving the interests and relationships of all sides. Every time he moved a person, he had to consider the reactions of the relevant parties, not to mention moving so many people at once.
How could he still have the mood to drink wine, he had to return to the yamen to make new arrangements. Therefore, Jiang Lin did not go to the reception pavilion, but directly left through the small hall's main door, called over a servant of the Bai residence, told him to inform Bai Yishou, then hurriedly returned to the yamen of the Ministry of Appointments and arranged for all the people with the surname Xue to be officials according to Zhang Changyi's request.
It was unknown whether it was because the ancestor surnamed Xue had displayed his divine might in the heavens, but the people with the surname Xue were all waiting for this year's' good rain '. From ancient times until now, such a case had only happened in the Wu and Zhou dynasties.
…
Accompanied by Bai Yishou, Yang Fan entered the reception pavilion, who introduced him to the guests one by one. Zhang Tongxiu and the other Zhang brothers, some of whom Yang Fan had met before, some of whom were new to him. Due to Second Zhang's favoritism, these noble young masters, who were usually somewhat arrogant, were very friendly to Yang Fan.
Next were the members of Second Zhang's faction, many of whom were the sons of the capital's aristocratic families. Currently, there were officials with high positions, such as Zong Chuke and Zong Jinqing, as well as the Renhuang of the Phoenix Pavilion, Li Chongxiu. There was originally an assistant minister of the Ministry of Appointments, Jiang Lin, but she had already returned to the Ministry of Appointments to clean up the mess.
These people were also very friendly to Yang Fan. Many of them had a higher position than Yang Fan, but they were so polite to Yang Fan. This was not very in line with the Zhang faction's usual arrogant and domineering style. This made Yang Fan feel a little strange, but he quickly understood the reason behind it. To be polite to others, it was not because they had a request, but because they had a plan.
Now that he thought about it, Zhang Yizhi's placement of Lu Maofeng into the Thousand Riders was only his first step, and also a test. Now that Yang Fan was so cooperative, it made him think that it was not impossible to recruit Yang Fan. Today, this group of nobles were so polite to Yang Fan, it was probably because they already knew Second Zhang's plan. This Zhang Yizhi's appetite was getting bigger and bigger. He actually wanted to swallow up the Thousand Riders and make it his power.
Yang Fan secretly made plans in his heart and exchanged pleasantries with the guests. As they were talking, someone came to report that the Zhang brothers had arrived. Bai Yishou and Bai Yiding quickly got up. Bai Yishou was the first to raise his voice and order, "Come, invite Old Madame and Madame to the front door to welcome them!"
Yang Fan was secretly surprised. This Bai Yishou was, after all, a third-rank high official. Wasn't it a little too disgraceful to curry favor with him like this? Why did he need a woman to come out to greet the Zhang brothers, especially his wife, but he actually needed his old mother to come out to greet them.
In a short while, Madame Zhang came out with her white-haired mother-in-law. Everyone hurriedly greeted Old Madame and Madame. Seeing that this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were both dressed splendidly, they must have already prepared and were waiting at the back of the residence to welcome the guests together.
Subsequently, the Bai brothers, Zhang Tongxiu, Li Jingxiu, Zong Chuke and the others, plus Bai Yishou's mother and Madame, came out to welcome the guests. Naturally, Yang Fan was also among them. When the group arrived at the front of the residence, they saw three ox carts in front of the door, and dozens of servants in bright clothes and vigorous horses lined up respectfully on both sides.
Bai Yishou and his brother were the first to laugh and welcome them, "Wulang, Wulang, I, Brother Bai, am late to welcome you. My apologies, my apologies!"
However, the Second Zhang did not enter the door. Zhang Yizhi turned around and bowed slightly to the first carriage with a curtain hanging from it. He said respectfully, "Mother, we've arrived at the Bai residence!"
Yang Fan then understood, "No wonder Bai Yishou dragged both Madame and Madame out to welcome the guests together. It's not that he's shameless, it turns out that Zhang Yizhi's mother has also arrived."
The curtain was lifted, and a young maidservant with picturesque features came out with a woman in a brocade dress. Before they could see the woman's appearance clearly, Bai Yishou and his brother bowed deeply and said, "Greetings to Old Madame!"
Bai Yishou was now in his fifties, but Zhang Yizhi was a teenager. Zhang Yizhi's mother was not even in her forties, much younger than him. However, he considered himself to be under the Second Zhang's tutelage, so he naturally addressed Zhang Yizhi's mother as Old Madame.
Yang Fan fixed his gaze on the middle-aged woman that Zhang Yizhi was supporting. Although she was a middle-aged woman, she still retained her charm. To be able to give birth to such a handsome young man like Zhang Yizhi, how could his mother's appearance be poor? Moreover, this woman came from a prestigious family and was well-educated, so her movements were naturally elegant.
Zhang Yizhi helped his mother down the carriage before smiling at the crowd, "Yizhi serves in the palace, so I can't always serve Mother, so I feel very uneasy. Now that I have the opportunity to leave the palace, I can't bear to let Mother sit at home. However, there's a group of good friends here that I haven't seen for a long time, so I'm in a difficult situation. Fortunately, Brother Bai is considerate and invited Mother to come along, so that we can go out and relax."
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