Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World

The corresponding phrase is something to silently repeat to yourself while you're half asleep: Be content with what you have, know when to stop, and don't be careless. You've already achieved some success, so you should keep a low profile and work steadily.

This serves as a reminder to myself not to be overly ambitious, but to live in the present, act prudently, and take things one step at a time.

In his previous life, he often learned about things through short videos, which made it easy for him to romanticize the difficulty of doing something. Jiang Zhao was worried that he was being too ambitious and falling into unrealistic fantasies, so he came up with this sentence to remind himself.

Silently reciting two sentences has long been a daily routine for Jiang Zhao, a way to reassure himself and stay clear-headed.

After all, those who aspire to great things must be clear-headed!

After washing up, Jiang Zhao slowly walked out.

"Hesheng, where is that painting?" Jiang Zhao asked.

A few days ago, Han Jiayan went to the capital to participate in the spring imperial examination and returned home with the title of second-class Jinshi.

As a top-tier official's son, the fact that he still has the ability to pass the imperial examination with the second-class honors is quite remarkable. This also means that the Han family at least has someone to maintain their family business, which is very worthy of congratulations.

However, Han Zhang was busy with the reinstatement and recall during this period and needed to keep a low profile. He had no intention of making a big fuss, so he specially sent someone to invite Jiang Zhao to have a sumptuous family dinner together.

The teacher had no intention of holding a grand celebration, but the students still felt they had to offer their congratulations in a proper way.

The Jiang family has collected some famous paintings and calligraphy over several generations. Among them is a painting called "Pavilion in the Immortal Mountain" by Li Sixun, a member of the Tang Dynasty imperial family. The painting depicts pavilions, towers, carved beams and painted rafters, showcasing the grandeur of a prosperous era.

Its artistic, historical, and cultural value is considerable, making it a suitable gift.

Yesterday, Jiang Zhao specially took out the painting and instructed Hesheng to find a suitable box to display it so that it could be given away as a gift.

"Young master, it's ready!" He Sheng took out an exquisite nanmu box, its surface with fine texture and a faint woody fragrance.

Jiang Zhao nodded and said, "Then let's go."

Han family.

As expected, Han Jiayan came out to greet people with a triumphant look on his face. More than twenty years of hard study had finally paid off, and anyone would be excited for a while.

"Congratulations!" Jiang Zhao said with a smile, quickly stepping forward to present the painting.

Han Jiayan gladly accepted the gift and entrusted the child to the care of his trusted servant.

The two began to talk, and then walked inside side by side.

Inside the hall, Han Zhang was chatting with a gentle woman.

"Teacher." Jiang Zhao stepped forward and bowed respectfully, then nodded to the gentle woman, "Aunt Cui."

The gentle woman quickly rose to return the greeting and quietly withdrew.

A few years ago, his wife, Cui, passed away due to illness. Han Zhang was heartbroken and never remarried.

Unfortunately, he took many concubines, and someone had to take care of the household affairs. One of the concubines was surnamed Cui, who was quite favored and had a gentle nature, so she tacitly allowed him to take charge of the household affairs.

Therefore, this Aunt Cui was not the legal wife, but merely a concubine who shared the same surname.

However, no matter how much she manages things, she is not officially his wife, so she can't be considered a proper wife.

Han Zhang gestured for the two to sit down.

"How many gifts did Zhao'er send?" Han Zhang suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Jiang Zhao was somewhat surprised when he heard this as soon as he sat down, but then he realized what was going on: "Could it be that there is some other good news?"

"Smart." Han Zhang stroked his beard and smiled. Having such a gifted disciple made chatting much easier.

As he spoke, Han Zhang took out a secret edict and gestured for his beloved disciple to look at it.

Jiang Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly took the secret decree and began to study it carefully.

The secret edict discusses the relationship between the emperor and his subjects throughout, but only the last sentence is truly thrilling:

[The western part of the capital is in disarray, with incompetent officials in charge; Dingzhou, being a frontier region, is plagued by arrogant soldiers and lax military discipline, lacking the discipline expected of a royal army. You, sir, were skilled in military command and governance in your early years. I hereby order you to proceed to the capital immediately for a audience with the Emperor.]

Jiang Zhao let out a long breath, and his body unconsciously warmed up.

We've finally waited for this day!

My esteemed teacher, though he remained in shallow waters for a long time, has finally risen to prominence on the wind!

From then on, his official career was smooth sailing, and he rampaged through the ranks.

I wonder if, if I work hard, I'll have a chance to earn the title of "Junior Grand Secretary" in the future?

"Teacher, you will soon be going to the capital? Judging from the Emperor's intentions, I'm afraid you will be in charge of the Jingxi Circuit or the Dingzhou Circuit." Jiang Zhao calmed himself down and asked.

The government's attitude is very clear.

Now that the official has no son, many people are getting restless.

Fireworks lit up the sky!

It just so happens that Han Zhang is still serving in a local post. The emperor intends to have him travel around to various places to serve as a "firefighter" for a period of time. Once everything is settled, he will be promoted again and go straight to the capital.

This is often the process for a regional official to enter the capital, as he needs to subdue all sides and stabilize the country.

"Exactly." Even Han Zhang couldn't help but show his delight.

The light boat has passed ten thousand mountains!

"Congratulations on your reinstatement, my esteemed teacher!" Jiang Zhao quickly stood up and offered his sincere congratulations.

Han Zhang was overjoyed, stroking his beard and laughing heartily.

After a long while, Han Zhang's smile faded, and he said seriously, "In matters of governance, it is difficult to gain anything without firsthand observation and witnessing. Zhao'er, you will eventually have to take on a position in governance as well."

Han Zhang said earnestly, "The main reason I'm showing you this letter is to ask for your opinion on whether you want to go to Bianjing with me, and then travel to Jingxi Road or Dingzhou, to study literature and observe politics at the same time. After all, even I don't get many opportunities like this to govern a region."

Given Han Zhang's official position, if his career goes smoothly, he will likely take charge of the Six Ministries and become a Grand Secretary again; if his career does not go smoothly, he will retire in glory, and it will be almost impossible for him to become a powerful regional official again.

Allowing his disciples to observe the administration was a result of Han Zhang's careful consideration.

Observe governance, cultivate a broader perspective, and expand your horizons!

A broad perspective and high level of vision can only be cultivated by actually seeing and experiencing things firsthand.

These two things may seem abstract, but they are actually very important.

In the halls of power, there are many people from humble backgrounds who are exceptionally talented in political maneuvering, but their vision and perspective are rarely very broad. They are often petty and narrow-minded, which leads to their defeat in political struggles and puts them in a passive position.

Cultivating a broad perspective and expanding one's horizons are absolutely essential steps for becoming an official; it's just a matter of time.

Of course, if Jiang Zhao had stayed in Yangzhou, given the Jiang family's background, the minimum level of his vision and perspective would not have been low.

But no matter what, it's certainly not as good as watching a regional governor govern and manage his affairs.

The highest-ranking official in charge of a region is the one who governs a specific area; above that are the Six Ministries and the Cabinet, which govern the entire country.

“The student will go.” Jiang Zhao agreed decisively without any hesitation.

"Okay." Han Zhang nodded with satisfaction.

Chapter 9 Five Years!

In the fourth year of the Huangyou reign, in April, Han Zhang entered the capital, and the emperor and his minister had a secret meeting.

In May, he was transferred to the position of Pacification Commissioner of Jingxi Circuit, and was reinstated as a high-ranking official in charge of a region, holding the rank of Second Grade.

In June, Fan Zhongyan passed away.

As a key figure in the Qingli Reforms, Fan Zhongyan suffered terrible political blows, constantly moving between several places and almost always on his way to take up a new post.

It's not surprising that a man in his sixties couldn't hold on any longer and passed away.

Out of respect for the deceased, the emperor personally inscribed the epitaph as "Epitaph for the Virtuous," thus defining the character of this old minister who was embroiled in controversy due to the failure of the new policies at the time.

A wise minister!

Subsequently, he was posthumously awarded the titles of Grand Tutor, Chancellor and Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Wei, with the posthumous title "Wenzheng".

From then on, Fan Zhongyan's political enemies ceased their attacks, allowing his wife, children, and elderly parents to live in peace.

This is also an unspoken rule in Shilin: while they may be ruthless, they always leave room for maneuver and give people the respect they deserve, while ensuring the fruits of victory are secured.

Ultimately, in the turbulent world of officialdom, no one can guarantee they won't lose a single game.

Han Zhang wrote a special letter in remembrance.

Jiang Zhao also specially composed a poem, "Butterfly Loves Flowers - In Memoriam of Fan Zhongyan," to express his condolences.

The story of "Han Men Li Xue" (standing in the snow at Han's door) was praised by Fan Zhongyan, which brought him a lot of attention.

The title "Qilin Talent, Jiang Lang of Huaizuo" thus became widely known.

Now that the elderly gentleman has passed away, and was also a close friend of my mentor, as a junior, I must express my condolences both out of courtesy and reason.

This is also a basic principle for scholars and literati: if others have helped you in the past, then when it is your turn to help others, you must not remain silent.

Jiang Zhao was well-versed in the classics, and when composing the lyrics, he appropriately drew inspiration from Lu You's "Written While Recovering from Illness" from the Southern Song Dynasty. The lyrics mainly praised Fan Zhongyan's great courage and integrity in his determination to reform.

Regardless of success or failure, this determination to reform corrupt practices is undoubtedly commendable.

A piece of lyrics, carefully considered and refined, is undoubtedly of excellent quality.

However, to Jiang Zhao's surprise, his poem caused quite a stir.

The line, "Alas, Lord Wenzheng, a teacher of his generation. Though of humble rank, he never forgot his duty to the country; now that the matter is settled, he awaits his coffin," drew repeated praise from scholars and intellectuals.

This surprised Jiang Zhao greatly.

The poem "Butterfly Loves Flowers - In Memoriam of Fan Zhongyan" is certainly of high quality.

With his extensive knowledge, he meticulously crafted lyrics, drew inspiration from famous poets, and carefully revised them, ensuring that he could always produce a superior piece of poetry.

However, it would be almost impossible to say that this poem is the best among those commemorating Fan Zhongyan.

It should be noted that while his article was of excellent quality, it certainly did not reach the level of a masterpiece.

As a figure who once held a high-ranking position, Fan Zhongyan's memorial poems include many masterpieces by great Confucian scholars, and even the literary leader Ouyang Xiu wrote and engraved his epitaph.

The lyrics of these figures are all of the highest quality. If they are not masterpieces, who would dare to say that they can stand out?

After careful analysis, Jiang Zhao gradually figured out the reason.

Reputation!

His reputation made his poems stand out.

Since the phrase "Han Men Li Xue" (Han Men Li Xue) spread, he has gradually acquired three special labels.

child prodigy!

Respect your teachers!

I am sincerely seeking knowledge!

Whenever the topic of education and reading comes up, or when talking about the younger generation, he is always mentioned.

Scholars often studied diligently for the imperial examinations, leaving them no time for other things.

Even if some outstanding individuals have gained fame, at most they are labeled with tags like "gentlemanly demeanor" or "child prodigy," but none possess the legendary status of Jiang Zhao.

This has given him the implicit label of "the most prestigious person of the younger generation".

There is no first place in literature; such a label is very rare.

Such a label would almost never appear unless one's reputation has reached an unparalleled level.

Once it appears, the owner of the label is destined to become an eye-catching bag!

The more conspicuous one is, the more fame one spreads; the more fame one spreads, the more conspicuous one becomes.

He tiptoed on his left foot and then on his right, gradually rolling it into a snowball, thus elevating the fame brought by the story of "Han Men Li Xue" to a whole new level.

Jiang Zhao's high reputation has made his poems receive a great deal of attention.

It's not surprising that the lyrics of literary leaders and great scholars are of superior quality.

It would be strange if the words of literary leaders and great scholars were not of superior quality.

Jiang Zhao is different.

Since gaining fame, "Butterfly Loves Flowers: A Memorial to Fan Zhongyan" was his first published literary work, which has garnered special attention.

With high attention, excellent lyrics, and the added prestige of the author, it would be strange if this piece of writing didn't become popular.

This is what is known as a snowball effect.

As long as the owner of a reputation doesn't undermine it, the spread of reputation is often a winner-takes-all phenomenon, and it will only continue to grow higher.