Wang Xijue and Li Tingji felt a little awkward about Xiao Ruxun's request.
Xiao Ruxun only said that he wanted to select officials and let them choose as they see fit, but did not specify the specific criteria. This made Wang Xijue and Li Tingji feel very awkward.
They knew that this was Xiao Ruxun's test for them. He wanted to see if they could take up the high position in this transitional period. If they made him unhappy, it would be hard to say what would happen in the future.
"Jing Shigong, in my opinion, we should not recommend people who are related to Shen Yicheng. We should recommend people who are rejected by Shen Yicheng. Moreover, it is better not to recommend people who are from Shen Yicheng's hometown."
Li Tingji gave such a view.
Ye Xianggao and Han Jin looked at each other and did not say anything.
Wang Xijue sat on the chair and hesitated for a while before saying, "Southern Zhili, Zhejiang, and Fujian provinces, other than the current officials under His Majesty, do not recommend anyone else for the time being. Officials from other places can be selected according to the circumstances. Those who are honest and clean and do not have much land in their families are the best choice."
Li Tingji did not say anything.
Han Jin looked at Li Tingji.
How many scholar-bureaucrats in this day and age did not have much land in their families? Since they could be exempted from taxes, of course, there were all kinds of tricks to take in tenant farmers and accept land donations. There were too few people who did not buy land in their hometown after becoming a provincial official.
It was unknown how many people had been killed in the three southeastern provinces. It was unknown whether Xiao Ruxun would stop this terrible action. In any case, Han Jin felt that the possibility was very low. Because Xiao Ruxun had said that he would protect his family, at least in Guangdong, it would be difficult to protect them.
Selecting officials at this juncture, at this time when morality was getting worse day by day, was really …
At this moment, Han Jin suddenly understood why Xiao Ruxun did this.
At this time, the intense factional strife in the Imperial Court and Shen Yicheng's coup d 'état had caused many knowledgeable people, like Li Tingji, to find a chance to flee the capital and return to their hometowns before Shen Yicheng tightened the lockdown around the capital. Thus, there were still quite a few people in the wilderness.
There was no need to even think about the three southeastern provinces. They were already under Xiao Ruxun's complete control, and it was estimated that not many people would be able to survive. Whether it was wise people like Wang Xijue and Ye Xianggao, or poor people like Li Tingji, there were too few of them. There weren't many people who would be willing to give up their wealth to survive.
"Then let's recommend some. Hmm, it's best if they're from the wilderness."
Wang Xijue looked at Li Tingji, and Li Tingji nodded silently.
"Yu Keyuan is from Shandong. He resigned in the 19th year of Wanli and has been at home for more than seven years. He has nothing to do with the imperial court. Perhaps you can recommend him?"
Wang Xijue asked Li Tingji.
Li Tingji said awkwardly, "He has a lot of land in his family. If the land reform affects him, will he … agree to it?"
Wang Xijue was silent for a while.
"Write it down first. I still agree with Yu Keyuan's character. As for the land, leave it to His Majesty to think about it!"
Li Tingji nodded.
Then Wang Xijue said, "Li Sancai is from Shaanxi and now lives in Shun Tian Prefecture. He is talented. Can you recommend him?"
Li Tingji said, "He became an official under Shen Yicheng. Can His Majesty accept him?"
"But he is indeed talented."
Wang Xijue said again.
"Then write it down."
Li Tingji did not object.
Then Li Tingji also chose a person.
"Zhao Nanxing has been at home for many years and has a great reputation. He …"
Li Tingji suddenly remembered that in the Jingcha incident five years ago, it was because of the conflict between the cabinet and the six ministries that Zhao Nanxing was fired. And at that time, of course, Wang Xijue also worked hard to make Zhao Nanxing leave.
Li Tingji looked at Wang Xijue's face.
He found that Wang Xijue looked a little worried.
"Although Zhao Nanxing has a great reputation, he is good friends with Li Hualong. Li Hualong has led troops to resist His Majesty. His Majesty may not like Zhao Nanxing."
Wang Xijue did not mention himself, but used Li Hualong as an excuse.
"Li Hualong has repeatedly insulted His Majesty and has been beheaded. It is better not to recommend Zhao Nanxing."
Han Qian could not help but remind these two.
Li Tingji swallowed his saliva, nodded, and threw Zhao Nanxing's dossier aside.
"Gu Xiancheng … Forget it, forget it."
Li Tingji threw Gu Xiancheng's file aside. After thinking about it, he still felt worried, so he ordered Han Qian to burn the file.
There was no other reason. Wang Xijue had already told him what happened in Wuxi.
After peacefully dealing with the Wang family in Taicang Prefecture, the next target was the strategic city of Wuxi. Wuxi gathered a large number of scholars, and because of the reconstruction of Donglin Academy, it had become famous. Xiao Ruxun had long since pointed it out as a key target.
This was not because of the Donglin clique. Xiao Ruxun did not care about the Donglin clique at all. Before Chong Zhen, the Donglin clique was just a bunch of mad dogs talking big.
The reason the Donglin clique was so famous was because of the efforts of the eunuch clique. Just like how the eunuch clique was famous, the efforts of the Donglin clique were also important. It was just business flattery. The more the other party was exaggerated, the better it was for one's own side.
For example, the big boss behind the scenes, Gu Xiancheng, controlled the state affairs and treated the Grand Secretary like a baby. For example, the Nine Thousand Year Old Wei Zhongxian's henchmen were making money everywhere. He was in cahoots with Madam Ke and made the emperor a cuckold.
In any case, slandering didn't cost money, so of course they would throw it all at the other party.
A bunch of immoral scoundrels! Jackals of the same tribe!
However, this was related to the comprehensive reform of education. Xiao Ruxun wanted to abolish the private academies in the world and return the right to education to the central government. He wanted to separate education from politics. He would no longer allow officials to give private lectures and make teachers purely teachers.
The first to strike was the academies in the three southeastern provinces. The first to be named was the Donglin Academy.
Previously, Xie He's successful land reform and the "magnificent feat" of breaking up the Wang Family caused many of the surrounding aristocrats to tremble in fear. They had no choice but to abandon their family businesses and flee to Wuxi. They planned to gather under the banner of the Donglin Academy and verbally attack.
They believed that under the banner of the extremely famous Donglin Academy, Xiao Ruxun would not dare to act recklessly. Otherwise, it would be a crime against the world.
In fact, Xiao Ruxun had always been very interested in their arrogance of comparing the hundreds of thousands of scholars to the whole world.
Was the world the world of scholars?
If they were to be represented by you every day, the world would also have opinions.
Of course, this was a very hard bone. Many aristocratic families contributed money and people to unite together, but Xie He did not care at all. He first asked Wang Xijue to write a letter to persuade them to surrender, and then he received a letter of refusal.
Thinking about it, it was easy to understand that Wang Xijue had more or less considered some things for Zhu Yijun. These people were political enemies. Wang Xijue's dismissal was inevitably hindered by these people. They scolded Wang Xijue as a spineless coward, expressing that he would rather die than submit. They scolded Xiao Ruxun as the greatest thief since ancient times and should be cut into pieces.
Xie He was furious. He personally led people to Wuxi to carry out the land reform. Facing the resistance of the motley group of scholars in Wuxi, Zheng Ying led a thousand cannoneers and three thousand cavalrymen of Ji Town and easily destroyed them. They easily captured Wuxi and led troops into Wuxi to arrest those who resisted.
Gu Xiancheng, Gao Panlong, and the others who took the lead in resisting were used as examples. They were paraded on the streets and criticized, completely disgracing them. In order to destroy their hearts, Xie He even ordered the Donglin Academy to be completely razed to the ground. The magistrate of Changzhou and the magistrate of Wuxi who supported them were executed.
In the face of swords, spears, and cannons, the resistance of words was extremely weak. Those aristocratic families who had gathered together collapsed. They wanted to escape, but failed. They were surrounded by Zheng Ying and his troops. None of them could escape. They were all labeled as the accomplices of the traitor Shen Yicheng. Some were beheaded, some were beheaded, and some had their properties confiscated.
Needless to say, these people were also quite rich.
The pillar of resistance was destroyed. After hearing the news, all the aristocratic families were so depressed that they wanted to die. They lost the confidence to resist. In order to save their lives, many of them took the initiative to find Xie He and asked to donate their land and property to save their lives. Xie He announced Xiao Ruxun's lenient policy and welcomed them to come forward to donate their land and property.
Then, he secretly divided these people. He accepted a small portion of them, but did not let the rest go. He continued doing what he was supposed to do. He would never give them a chance to rise again.
Now, Xie He and the others were even more dedicated than what Xiao Ruxun had ordered them to do. They all wanted to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots. Moreover, these surviving aristocratic families were to be sent to the capital region in the future. They were not allowed to stay there. They were cutting off the soil from which they could survive.
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