Chapter 161 Ancient Farmer (End)

After nearly a year of calm and indifferent, Lin Shiheng passed the imperial examination very smoothly.

He did not take the first place, but got the second place.

However, as a farmer's son, being able to take the second place in the exam was also very impressive. Lin Shiheng gave the little emperor a lot of advice this year to help him regain his power bit by bit, but this ranking was earned by himself, and it had nothing to do with opening h0u'me:n.

During the palace examination, the little emperor unexpectedly selected him as the top scholar.

During this year, as he followed Lin Shiheng's strategy and gradually took control of the court, he became more and more sure that he had really picked up a treasure, and he had already decided in his heart to value Lin Shiheng.

He could not trust his younger brothers and those powerful ministers, but he trusted Lin Shiheng, the new top scholar who was so smart that he was almost a demon.

There were naturally many reasons.

First, he has no royal bloodline, and can't even be called a descendant of an official. There is no one behind him except the emperor. As long as the emperor wants, Lin Shiheng can fall from his high position at any time.

Second, it is similar to the first one. Everyone knows that Lord Lin, who is most trusted by His Majesty, is a lovelorn seed. He only has his first wife at home. Since he gradually emerged in the capital, many people want to please him, and some people specially send well-trained beauties. But every time, Lord Lin will refuse with righteous words, repeating that he has a virtuous wife at home, not concubines.

Lin Shiheng's wife Li was also born in an ordinary family. Although she had an imperial decree because of her husband, her family was just an ordinary farmer. Lin Shiheng insisted on not taking concubines, so he was cut off from the way of marriage with other officials.

As for when his children grow up and want to marry court officials in the future, the emperor will be so old by then. If he still can't control the court, it's better to commit suicide.

Because of these factors, and the fact that the old officials in the court were angry and didn't listen to him because of their age, the emperor made no secret of his appreciation for Lin Shiheng. He first kept him by his side as a Beijing official for two years, and when the court was a little more stable, he reluctantly approved him to serve as an official in other places after Lin Shiheng's several active requests.

He was also afraid that his beloved minister without a backer would suffer a loss when he was sent abroad without his supervision. Beijing officials were supposed to be promoted when they were sent abroad, so the emperor simply promoted them three levels at a time. In just two years, Lin Shiheng was promoted from an ordinary champion to a third-rank official.

He did not disappoint the emperor's expectations. At first, the emperor wanted to send his trusted ministers to a rich place, but Lin Shiheng asked for a poor place.

The emperor was puzzled, so he said seriously: "As a minister, I should help your majesty solve problems. It is easy for rich places to become richer, but it is difficult for poor areas to become rich. If I only want to find a simple world, how can I be your minister?"

This moved the emperor, who was very angry about the report on poverty he received in the court.

If all the ministers in the court cared about him like Lin Aiqing, he would not have to suffer so much every day that he couldn't even have a good dream when he slept.

However, what the emperor didn't know was that Lin Aiqing, who was not greedy for power, wealth, and was determined to face challenges, went home and explained to his wife:

"Those wealthy places have been rich for too many years, and there are many local tyrants, and most of the local officials are involved with them, just like a century-old tree, thinking that they are moving a small root, but in fact there is a huge monster above."

"There are also various people involved in poor areas, but most of the officials in such places have no background, otherwise they would not be sent there. Even if they have something dirty, I can suppress it."

Said , Lin Shiheng chuckled: "Besides, since I entered the Guanchang, His Majesty has always valued me, and on the surface I have no actual political achievements. If I can transform that poor area into a prosperous place, it can be regarded as a political achievement that can be remembered."

Since entering the Guanchang, Lin Shiheng has to discuss with Li Lanlan before doing anything. Even if he calculated someone, tripped someone, or someone tried to attack him but was counterattacked, he would tell them clearly without any cover-up. Even if she didn't understand at first, she heard more and knew the major events of the court and various forces.

Compared with these thrilling events, the various trivial matters in the house could not make her fluctuate much.

When she socialized with the ladies of various families, even if she didn't deliberately bring it out, her gradually mature and indifferent temperament and the appearance of being able to handle anything calmly still made some ladies who originally thought she was a farmer's daughter and had never seen the world look at her with new eyes, and even secretly admire her.

No wonder Lord Lin refused to take a concubine. With such a beautiful lady who could help him manage the household affairs, why would he need a concubine?

Lin Shiheng finished explaining the reason for leaving. Although Li Lanlan was reluctant, she nodded sensibly, "Okay, I'll go pack your things for you. After you leave, I'll also take care of my parents' house."

Yes, Li Lanlan couldn't follow her husband to his post.

She got pregnant and gave birth to their eldest son last year. Now the child is just one year old, and it is time for her to stay at home. In addition, Lin's father and mother are getting older. Although Lin Shiheng bought maids to serve as soon as he had money, and has been pampered and well-fed in the past two years, he dare not let them take the risk of traveling with him.

After the couple discussed it, they decided that Lin Shiheng would take a few servants to the post, and Li Lanlan would take care of her parents and children at home.

For her who is more dependent on her husband, this is really difficult.

Lin Shiheng also understood this. Before leaving, he hugged his fat son and said seriously to his wife who was seeing him off: "I promise, just this time."

"When I have political achievements, I can do what I want even if I stay in Beijing in the future. This time, I will be back soon."

Li Lanlan nodded seriously, and her face became more and more beautiful as she stopped doing farm work. Her eyes looked at her husband with trust.

"I'll wait for you."

Lin Shiheng did fulfill his promise, and the emperor deserves credit for this.

How could he not respect and give more power to an official who started to develop the economy and tried to relieve the pressure on the national treasury after taking office?

With the emperor's support, Lin Shiheng had no scruples and began to make achievements in his post.

He was a cheat, and the emperor was very powerful. In just one year, he turned the originally poor place into a famous tourist destination that generated countless income for the national treasury.

Many officials were puzzled. How could Lord Lin become so rich in such a poor place in just one year?

They were curious and checked it out. After checking it out, they were immediately convinced.

The land in that place was not good, and the harvest of crops was not good. Lin Shiheng changed to planting fruit trees. Before the fruits grew, he made candied fruits with the previous fruits, and then used some marketing methods to promote the delicious candied fruits to the sky.

He was also shameless. For this reason, he wrote a letter back to the emperor in Beijing, which directly stated that he wanted to create a market for the candied fruit. He asked His Majesty to help him act as a guarantor and praise the deliciousness. He could then use the name of His Majesty's favorite fruit to sell candied fruit and generate income.

If it were any other official, the emperor might be unhappy. I am the superior and you are the subordinate. How dare you use me?

But when it came to Lin Shiheng, he was so happy to cooperate. Not only did he say in public that the candied fruit sent by Lin Aiqing was delicious, he also ordered that the candied fruit be included in the tribute and sent to Beijing every year.

That was the emperor!

How could something he liked not be good? !

The candied fruit sold like crazy at the time, but Lin Shiheng, who was so black-hearted, even gave the candied fruit different grades. The third grade made more money, and the ninth grade also made more money. Naturally, all the money earned went into the national treasury.

He himself came back clean, but His Majesty couldn't bear to see his caring and powerful beloved minister become poor. Since he returned to the capital, he has been rewarded again and again, making the eyes of the whole capital red.

But his political achievements are real, even if they are envious and jealous, they can't say a word that Lord Lin is unworthy.

As the most proud person in front of the emperor, Lin Shiheng naturally has political enemies. It's not a personal grudge, but a different standpoint. They admire Lin Shiheng, but also hate him. Sometimes when they see his smug look, they think in their hearts that seeing how popular he is, the first bird to stick out will be shot, and sooner or later something will happen.

They waited and waited, and waited until Lin Shiheng was forty years old, and he was sitting in the position of Shangshu, who didn't know how stable it was.

The most annoying thing is that he retired.

The old minister who was sixty years old was still active in the front line of the court. He retired at the age of forty, so the emperor must keep him. However, Lin Shiheng was determined. The emperor tried to keep him several times, but failed.

It was so honorable to be kept by the emperor so many times. This can be written directly in history books for future generations to see.

Since Lin Shiheng retired, some old ministers who insisted on standing in the court always felt that the emperor sitting on the dragon throne looked at them with a wrong look. Sometimes it was full of pity, and sometimes it was full of regret, as if he was remembering the thoughtful and powerful Lin Aiqing through them.

The emperor did think so. He wanted to work with Lin Aiqing until his death, but he didn't expect Lin Aiqing to retreat at such a young age.

Fortunately, Lin Aiqing's only son was as capable as his father, and he looked very similar to Lin Aiqing. Looking at him, the emperor seemed to be looking at Lin Aiqing who helped the treasury to generate income in the past, and himself who worked hard to govern the country.

This child is like the continuation of Lin Aiqing.

Even if he left, he still left this child to take care of the country for him and solve his problems.

Really considerate.

So, he put his love for Lin Shiheng on Lin Shiheng's son.

Lin Shiheng's political enemies: "..."

***

And Lin Shiheng, who retired and returned to his hometown, lived a very carefree and happy life.

He retired as a minister, and the local government wanted to hold him in their hands and support him devoutly. How could he let him suffer any grievances? He fished and raised flowers all day long and was very happy.

When Widow Zhang couldn't help but propose a divorce, Li's father seemed to be stimulated and became a monk, chanting in the temple every day.

The two families next door lived a dull life, neither good nor bad.

There was a small episode. When Lin Shiheng was shopping with his wife, a woman younger than them rushed in and said pitifully that her husband killed her father-in-law and asked him to make the decision.

Lin Shiheng directly transferred the person to the government office.

After checking, it turned out that the woman was dissatisfied with her husband's son-in-law and still looking for a woman, so she planned this murder and framed him.

As for why she rushed to Lin Shiheng.

It may be related to the fact that although he is old, he is still handsome.

One day, Lin Shiheng and his wife Li Lanlan passed away together.

***

[Ding! Mission completed, please choose: 1, vacation, 2, continue mission]

[Vacation, find someone who can support you. ]

Lin Shiheng opened his eyes.

Closed them again.

Opened them again.

Then, he looked at the furry creature in front of him and fell into deep thought.