I am a temporary worker in Jinyiwei, how did I become a powerful official?

Chapter 38 A Seventh-Rank Imperial Inspector

The thirty-fourth year of the Jiajing reign, the first day of the twelfth lunar month.

Lin Shisan learned three major events from the review stall in South City.

The first major event: Lu Tong, the lieutenant general of East Zhejiang, led two of his old subordinates, Yu Dayou and Tang Kekuan, to defeat the Japanese pirates at Wangjiangjing in Jiaxing Prefecture, beheading 1,900 of them and drowning countless others.

This was later recorded in history as the "Wangjiangjing Victory".

Lin Shisan's life-or-death experience that night was not in vain. He contributed to saving Lu Tong and also contributed to the great cause of resisting the Japanese invaders.

Lu Tong was indeed a famous general in the anti-Japanese war. When he was released from the Ministry of Justice and went to Zhejiang, he could be described as a "tiger out of the cage."

The second major event. Logically speaking, Zhejiang won a great victory against the Japanese invaders. The Governor-General of Zhejiang and the Governor of Zhejiang were both meritorious officials.

However, the Prime Minister Yan Song impeached Governor-General Zhang Jing and Governor Li Tianchong in front of Emperor Jiajing for "nurturing the enemy to benefit themselves."

Yan Song's logic was clear: Why did the Japanese pirates wreak havoc in the southeast for so long, and Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong were helpless? Your Majesty, you sent Zhao Wenhua to the southeast to supervise the army, and he immediately won a great victory?

It is obvious that Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong have been nurturing the enemy for many years! They are plotting evil and intending to rebel!
Yan Song concluded in front of Emperor Jiajing: the credit for the Wangjiangjing victory went entirely to Zhao Wenhua, and a censor named Hu Zongxian also made some contributions; the rampant Japanese pirates in the southeast were all to blame for Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong.

It has to be said that when it comes to bullying, killing, and seizing power, Yan Song is an unrivaled master.

It’s high, really high, even higher than Gao Laozhuang.

It was a pity that Zhang Jing and Li Tianchong, famous ministers who fought against the Japanese invaders, won the battle but lost their heads. The Jinyiwei went to Zhejiang and arrested the two and brought them back to Beijing to be executed.

Zhao Wenhua returned to the court and was promoted to the title of Right Vice-Censor-in-Chief, and was about to take over as Governor-General of Zhejiang.

The third major event was that Lu Tan was again dismissed from his post and punished.

The famous general Lu Tong never thought that he fought a bloody battle against the Japanese pirates to protect the safety of the people in the southeast. After finally winning a great victory, this victory became the reason for the Yan Party to seize power in the southeast.

And Lu Tong became a tool for the Yan party's elite men to seize power.

In the eyes of the Yan Party: the goal of seizing power has been achieved, and the tools should naturally be thrown into the toilet.

A small group of Japanese pirates landed on the coast of eastern Zhejiang and plundered. Yan Dang immediately impeached Lu Tong for "failing to defend against the Japanese pirates and missing military opportunities." Lu Tong lost his official position and military power again.

The Yan Party did not care at all. If Lu Tong had continued to lead the troops, who knows how many people in the southeast would have been spared from the harm of the Japanese pirates.

Lin Shisan was quite sad when he heard about these three things at the review booth. Then he thought: These court affairs are not something that a small lieutenant like me should or can worry about.

Lin Shisan never could have imagined that the second major event was like a huge rock thrown into the water, and the ripples after the event would soon affect him, a small captain.

On this day, Lin Shisan came to the elephant training station to report for duty.

Gao Xiaoqi came forward and said, "You are here! Captain Chang wants you to come over!"

Sun Yue said from the side: "It seems that an official has lost his pet. Let's ask you, Master, to help."

Lin Shisan nodded: "I'll go to the Qianhu duty room now."

Lin Shisan came to Chang Qingyun's duty room.

Chang Qingyun still had the same lazy expression as before.

Lin Shisan knelt down: "Captain Chang."

Chang Qingyun raised his head and glanced at Lin Shisan: "Can you find pigeons?"

Lin Shisan immediately said, "Yes."

Rich families in Beijing often like to raise pigeons, and it is common for pigeons to get lost. There are many tricks to finding pigeons. Lin Shisan is well versed in this.

Chang Qingyun said, "Jiangnan won a victory. A provincial inspector named Hu Zongxian from Zhejiang was awarded and went to Beijing. He brought a top-quality white pigeon as a gift. But the pigeon flew away from the pigeon house the day before yesterday and never came back."

The Inspector General was a seventh-rank official. He was a small official in rank, but his power was greater than the sky.

The imperial court often selected censors from the Censorate to "inspect local areas."

The official system states that "the inspectors are to inspect the vassal ministers, prefecture, state and county officials on behalf of the emperor, and they are to make special accusations and report major events to the emperor for judgment, and minor events for immediate decision."

The five words "Touring on behalf of the emperor" can make the second and third rank local governors respect the seventh rank imperial censor. Chang Qingyun added: "Hu Zongxian's father was my grandfather's former subordinate. In terms of seniority, I have to call him my uncle."

"He came to me for help, so I have to help him. You have to use your talent for courting favors to do this for him."

Lin Shisan said: "I will do my best."

Hu Zongxian was born in the seventh year of Zhengde. His father, Hu Shangren, was an informant sent by the Jinyiwei to Huizhou.

He did not inherit his father's hereditary position, but instead planned to take the imperial examination to enter officialdom and benefit the people.

In the 17th year of Jiajing, Hu Zongxian ranked 188th among the top three and became a Jinshi.

He did not rank high in the imperial examinations, so he was sent to the Ministry of Justice to observe government affairs. "Observer" means an intern in the officialdom.

The top Jinshi candidates in the first and second classes will enter the Hanlin Academy.

The Jinshi who ranked high in the second and third classes were granted the actual post of county magistrate.

Those who ranked at the bottom of the top three in the Jinshi class could only "observe politics."

It was not until two years later that Hu Zongxian was given a real position and was appointed magistrate of Yidu, Shandong.

While serving in Yidu, he led the people to fight locust plagues and eliminate bandits, and his political achievements were remarkable.

But his career as an official was not very prosperous. He remained at the seventh rank for seventeen years.

During the 17 years, he went north to inspect Xuanfu and Datong, rectifying military discipline and strengthening the border; he went south to inspect Huguang and quell the rebellion of the Miao people.
He had made contributions and worked hard, but he just couldn't get promoted. Last year, he was transferred to Zhejiang Province as an inspector, but he was still only a seventh-rank imperial censor.

Lin Shisan didn't know Hu Zongxian's background, he only knew that he was an old friend of Qianhu Chang Qingyun. Naturally, he would do his best to help him find favor.

Lin Shisan asked, "Where does this Censor Hu live?"

Chang Qingyun replied: "I live in Xianliang Temple."

Lin Shisan felt a headache when he heard this.

Xianliang Temple is adjacent to the imperial palace. It was the residence of the princes during the Yongle, Hong and Xuande reigns. Later, it became a temporary residence for local officials who came to Beijing.

When local officials came to Beijing, senior officials lived in Xianliang Temple, while junior officials lived in the guild halls of various provinces in Beijing.

Lin Shisan originally thought that Hu Zongxian was only a seventh-rank official and should live in the Zhejiang Guild Hall.

Who would have thought that he would go beyond his level and live in Xianliang Temple.

Xianliang Temple is next to the Imperial Palace. If the pigeon flies into the Imperial Palace, how can we find it?
As a captain, Lin Shisan couldn't just walk into the palace and say to the big general guarding the gate, "I want to go in and find a pigeon."

It would be strange if the Han general didn't beat the shit out of him.

Helplessly, Lin Shisan had to go to Xianliang Temple to meet Hu Zongxian first.

In a guest hall of Xianliang Temple, the 43-year-old Hu Zongxian was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

Seventeen years of ups and downs in the political arena made him understand a truth: if you want to realize your ambition to govern the country and maintain peace, you have to climb to a high position. To climb to a high position, you must find a big backer.

When Zhao Wenhua went on a tour to the southeast, Hu Zongxian approached Zhao Wenhua.

Zhao Wenhua won the battle and was promoted. He was so happy that he expressed his willingness to take Hu Zongxian to Beijing to meet his godfather, the Prime Minister Yan Song.

It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a seventh-rank inspector to come to Beijing to meet the Prime Minister of the dynasty.

Hu Zongxian made full preparations. Knowing that Yan Song liked to raise pigeons, he almost went bankrupt and borrowed money to buy a top-quality white-feathered bow-tail pigeon for three thousand taels of silver.

This pigeon was his stepping stone to get close to Yan Song.

Such an important stepping stone is now lost. How can he not be anxious?
A young monk entered the guest hall and said, "Donor, a captain of the Jinyiwei named Lin wants to see you."

Hu Zongxian's eyes lit up: "Please, Master, lead him to the living room."

(End of this chapter)