Qing Yao

Chapter 143 Lord Zhao's Underground Passage!
While Zhao An was waiting in Jiangyin for the Ministry of Personnel staff to come and complete the formalities, the Ministry of Rites issued a document to all official schools across the country, including the Imperial Academy.

The relevant documents were sent directly to the Jiangsu Provincial Education Commissioner's Office. However, since the position of Provincial Education Commissioner was vacant and the Governor in charge of education affairs had gone to Jiangning, the Provincial Education Commissioner's Office sent the documents to Commissioner Zhao, who was staying at the guesthouse.

The same mistake must not be repeated.

"You can discuss the matters of the Education Bureau yourselves. As for any instructions from above, you can handle them accordingly. Although I have been appointed by the Emperor as the Provincial Education Supervisor to assist in the administration of education in this province, it is only a temporary appointment. You do not need to consult me ​​on every matter."

Zhao An politely declined, citing his lack of actual authority, but under strong pressure from the other officials, he pretended to be troubled and began to look at the documents.

Then I felt refreshed.

The document contained only one clause, requiring all local government schools to display the ten characters "Born in Wenhua Hall, Died in Ziguang Pavilion" as their school motto in the most prominent place on campus.

Who came up with these ten words?
Isn't that Zhao Youlu?

I thought my attempt to flatter him had backfired, but it turns out the old man still remembers it.

Tsk tsk, if these ten words are promoted nationwide, wouldn't that confirm that Zhao Youlu is as loyal as can be?

If anyone dares to report him, Committee Member Zhao, in the future, that would be a great disloyalty to the old man!

Because the old man wouldn't misjudge people!
If you say that Committee Member Zhao is disloyal, aren't you just saying that the old man is blind?

Having successfully seized the moral high ground, Zhao An pondered for a moment before handing the document to Zheng Xueguan of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics: "Take a look at it too."

Zheng Xueguan took the document and carefully examined it. After reading it, he was somewhat incredulous but dared not express his opinion. Instead, he handed the document to the other Xueguans.

Teacher Lou wasn't there because his wife seemed to be nearing the end of her life.

The elderly couple had been together for a lifetime, and he was determined to accompany his wife on her final journey.

Since it is inconvenient for Zhao An to visit Madam Lou now, he plans to complete the formalities for assuming office and then lead a group of colleagues from the Education Bureau to visit her as a member of the Education Commission, which would appear more formal.

If Madam Lou cannot wait, then on behalf of the Education Bureau, we will personally deliver the funeral couplets and offer condolences. In short, we must give Teacher Lou as much face as possible.

If possible, Zhao An also planned to submit a memorial to the old man, to promote Teacher Lou, who had persisted in taking the imperial examinations for over fifty years, and see if he could awaken the old man's sympathy and arrange for Teacher Lou to be given a powerful official position.

Teacher Lou didn't actually have any ambitions; he just wanted to become a county magistrate before he died, and Zhao An had to fulfill this small request.

Since he was in charge of supervising education and assisting in the administration of education in Jiangsu, it was only his duty to report to the old man on one or two outstanding staff members in the education field.

The expressions on the faces of the several academic officials who had read the Ministry of Rites' official document were quite amusing; one could say they all looked rather strange.

Zhao An expressed his understanding, saying that the slogan was indeed a bit excessive.

The old man was only eighty years old. Even if he were seventy, he wouldn't be so confused as to want all the schools in the country to use this slogan.

It should be noted that the official schools in various places were also the locations of local temples and monasteries.

What is a school temple?
A school temple is an academy, or more simply, a temple dedicated to Confucius, where great Confucian scholars and sages are worshipped.

No dynasty or era dared to randomly display slogans in the Confucian temple, but when it came to the Qianlong era, ten characters appeared in a flash.

Does this mean that you, Emperor Qianlong, are more outstanding than the great Confucian scholars and sages of the past, or that you, Emperor Qianlong, will become a saint in the future?

Anyway, decent people think this is a pretty shameless thing to do.

However, since the old man had already accepted the title of "Perfect Old Man," there seemed to be no point in trying to reason with him.

Zhao An was naturally pleased to see this promoted nationwide, but he also estimated that the storm of the education industry's commercialization was coming soon.

It is unknown what impact this will have on future generations.

On second thought, this was something done in later generations, so it doesn't seem to have any impact.

"Since it is a request from the imperial court, you should pass it on to your subordinates for processing."

Zhao An really wanted to show off in front of the academic officials, to tell them that those ten words were the ones he had suggested to the old man. Besides that slogan, there was also the college entrance examination sprint ceremony of loyalty to the emperor and loyalty to the Qing Dynasty. After thinking about it, he decided to hold back his smugness.

It's better to be low-key in life.

The officials dared not disobey, and no sooner had they left than the letter of appointment that Zhao An had been waiting for for several days finally arrived.

The official appointment of Zhao An was made through two channels: a clerk from the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department and a scribe from the Ministry of Rites. No officials from Jiangsu province accompanied him, as the educational officials were independent of the provincial bureaucracy.

If Zhao An were to serve as a prefect or county magistrate, then upon receiving the transfer order, he would first have to report to the provincial administration office and the governor's office, and then the province would send someone to accompany him to his new post.

This measure is to prevent impersonation.

This has happened before.

Baitanga was an official in charge of various government offices in Beijing without a rank, equivalent to a clerk, but this position was only available to Manchus.

Along with the Manchu translation department and the scribe, it was known as one of the three major positions for Chinese officials, and the promotion speed was faster than that of Han officials.

However, compared to the guards, they were nothing.

If the Qing Dynasty had 100,000 officials, then at least 80,000 of them were Chinese citizens.

The ratio is eight to two.

This ratio was not broken until the Xianfeng and Tongzhi periods.

Because the Taiping army was truly killing.

Therefore, saying that the Qing Dynasty was a Manchu dynasty and had nothing to do with the Han people is not a matter of discrimination or prejudice against the dynasty, but a fact.

The Ministry of Personnel Selection was very powerful. This department-level unit was responsible for the allocation, promotion, and transfer of civil officials nationwide. However, it was limited to appointing officials below the fourth rank. Officials above the fourth rank were directly managed by the Manchu and Han ministers.

The number of official positions sold each year was also determined by the Ministry of Personnel.

Offending someone in the Selection Office, or being unable to get through to them, can wear down an official to the point of losing all his temper.

The Baitanga from the Wenxuan Division was named Sodi, and he looked to be under thirty years old.

The clerk in the Ministry of Rites was named Minglu, and he was in his early twenties.

The last time Zhao An was promoted to professor of Yangzhou Prefectural School by the old master, it was the Ministry of Personnel who came to his workplace to "hand over" him. This time, the Ministry of Rites also sent someone over, because Zhao An was rewarded by the old master with the position of supervisor of education.

The inspectors are essentially imperial envoys, so it's understandable that both ministries attach great importance to them.

But unlike last time, this time it seems much more formal.

We need to take a picture of Committee Member Zhao!
It wasn't a real photograph, but a detailed description of Zhao An's appearance on his official document, including whether his face was dark or fair, whether he had a lot or little hair, whether he had a mole, and whether he had a high hooked nose or a flat, short nose.

There are three copies of the official appointment letter: one is given to the person in charge, one is kept by the Ministry of Personnel, and one is sent to the Ministry of Rites for filing.

If it is a local official, a copy must also be sent to the provincial governor's office.

After everything was completed, Zhao An received his appointment letter as a committee member.

The ink on the hastily added portrait panel is very fresh.

As was customary, staff members received red envelopes containing one hundred taels of silver each, while attendants received red envelopes containing thirty taels of silver each.

Zhao An deviated from the usual practice and gave Suo Di and Cao Anyi 300 taels each, while the attendants they brought each received 100 taels.

"Committee Member Zhao is truly authentic!"

Suodi, who was of Manchu origin, spoke fluent Beijing dialect and naturally tucked the silver note into his sleeve.

The clerk named Minglu, representing the Ministry of Rites, walked up to Zhao An with a smile and whispered, "Lord Zhao, someone wishes to see you. I wonder if you are able to spare the time now?"

"Oh, who is it?"

Zhao An was puzzled as to why someone wanted to see him when he had just received his certificate.

Minglu said softly, "It's Lord Quan Dequan, a bondservant officer from the Imperial Household Department. He's waiting for you at the post station."

The position of "Baoyi Zuoling" was a fourth-rank official.

The fact that a fourth-rank official had traveled all the way from the capital to Jiangyin to see him sent a strong political signal, so strong that Zhao An dared not delay for a moment and went with Minglu to see this Commander Quan.

(End of this chapter)