Zhu Mou's voice was calm, but there was always a sense of indifference in it.
At this time, another person arrived.
He has a dignified appearance, dark skin and a square face, and he seems to have a sense of righteousness. Even though he is just an ordinary cloth robe, it feels like he is wearing a righteousness.
This person is the current Minister of Punishment, Yan Yingyuan.
At the beginning, this person served as the Shuntian Prefecture Yin. Later, the Shuntian Prefecture Yin was promoted from the third rank to the second rank, and he was smoothly promoted to the Minister of Organization Department.
Later, the emperor carried out reforms and merged the Organization Department into the Ministry of Personnel, so that the Ministry of Personnel was once again in charge of the subordinate officials' official positions, and he served as the left minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
After a few years, his qualifications have been enough. Last year, he was promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Justice. This can be regarded as a prosperous official career. He will join the cabinet in a few years.
"Yan Budang is here, sit down quickly."
Zhu Mou was very polite to Yan Yingyuan, and the arrogance on his face was restrained unconsciously.
Zhang Tongchang, the minister of the Ministry of Industry on the side, looked worried, but he did not have an attack.
Zhao Langxing, the right servant of the Ministry of Personnel, did not change his expression.
"Your Majesty, this matter is a forced party fight."
Yan Yingyuan has been an official for many years and has always been known for his courage in taking office. He was a local official and had a deep understanding of the civil society, so he was deeply trusted by the emperor.
"Party fight?" Zhu Mou said softly: "Some things cannot be done without fighting. If you don't want to fight, the people behind will push you to fight."
Yan Yingyuan shook his head, feeling quite embarrassed about Zhu Mou's refusal to listen to dissuasion.
He knew that the reason why Zhu Mou was able to compete with the chief minister in the cabinet as a member of the clan relied on the emperor's favor.
Therefore, among the many cabinet ministers, Zhu Mou has always been aloof. He has never cared much about fame, fame, wealth, wine, sex, and wealth.
After all, as long as the emperor's favor is there, it will be done.
It is precisely because of this that there is a sense of arrogance in his heart, which is quite frank.
If you make friends with others, you will definitely be a top-notch good friend.
But this is an officialdom. It is normal to test and compromise with each other. Even if an arrogant person has outstanding kindness, it will not last long.
Yan Yingyuan heard that Yan Chongxin, the first assistant, would retire at the end of the year to take care of himself.
In this way, Zhu Mou, who is the second assistant, will naturally be promoted to the first assistant, which will further increase his arrogance.
Therefore, among the four cabinet ministers, Yan Chongxin, the chief assistant, was the most polite to Zhu Mou, and the other group assistants, Feng Xianzong and Du Yinzhen, were not false to him.
According to legend, when Yan Chongxin married his daughter, several members of the cabinet were exposed, and they hurried back.
Although the time was short, since they still met and were chatting, suddenly Mr. Zhu Ge seemed to have bumped into a friend and left without even saying hello.
The two pavilion elders were placed there, so embarrassed.
From then on, conflicts within the cabinet suddenly arose, and there was no longer the harmony of the past.
Moreover, there are rumors in official circles that the cabinet will be expanded from four to five people this time. In other words, even if Zhu Mou is the chief assistant, two more people will be added to the cabinet.
If the two people who are promoted do not want to see him, even if Zhu Mou takes the position of chief assistant, it will be difficult for him to last.
"Zhongtang, Your Majesty seems to think that the party strife is serious now and is determined to put an end to the strife. You cannot be stubborn at this time."
Yan Yingyuan hurriedly advised.
Zhu Mou said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty does not want to see Old Man Yan this time."
"Lao Yan wants to become an official, and the cabinet needs to add two people. If there is no fight at this time, can I still be the chief minister?"
As soon as these words came out, the three of them instantly felt happy.
It turns out that he wanted to prepare for a rainy day!
From this point of view, the rumors are true, and Yan Chongxin's official appointment is a done deal.
In this way, the right few people came.
Who doesn’t want to sit in the cabinet?
Although theoretically the Minister of Civil Affairs is the first candidate, the unspoken rule of who puts the imperial power at the top is nothing at all.
The eight ministers, local governors, as long as they are high-ranking officials of third rank or above, there is a slight possibility, even if the possibility is not high.
Zhang Tongchang instantly put on a genuine yet enthusiastic smile. As Minister of Industry, he had great opportunities.
Zhao Langxing on the side was also inexplicably excited.
This time there was a big upheaval in the officialdom. As the right minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he had a good chance to move up a step and serve as the left minister of the Eight Ministries, or become the governor of a province or the official of a feudal frontier.
Only Yan Yingyuan remained deep in thought.
He has a holy family and is on good terms with Zhu Mou, so he has a good chance of entering the cabinet.
Moreover, he believed that after joining the cabinet, he would not be able to do much more than the current Minister of Justice.
He understood that Zhu Mou was trapped in an unsolvable situation at this time.
The emperor was always very suspicious, even Zhu Mou was no exception.
Therefore, the chief minister of the cabinet does not have an absolute say in the candidates for the cabinet. Two candidates can only plan one.
But how qualified can the new cabinet assistant be?
Feng Xianzong had followed the emperor from Luoyang, Henan, and Du Yinzhen was a civil servant who submitted to the Huguang shogunate. In addition, he had been in the cabinet for many years, so he not only had seniority but also had a wide network of contacts.
Ministers who join the cabinet can only be used as decorations for a short period of time.
This also means that Zhu Mou will be restrained for a long time.
This is extremely difficult for him to accept because of his arrogance.
So he wanted to control the cabinet from the beginning. He didn't just keep his word, but he also had to be stronger than Yan Chongxin.
Once the candidates for the cabinet are planned, they will inevitably fall into party disputes.
The official position is a carrot and a pit.
Being the chief assistant does not mean that there is no need to arrange manpower in the eight departments and localities.
"The saints in the middle hall are very prosperous, and now every movement is worse than silence."
Yan Chongyuan persuaded again: "The emperor has always known the cabinet and will definitely make appropriate arrangements..."
There was a trace of anger in Zhu Mou's eyebrows, but he quickly covered it up and said in a deep voice: "The situation is compelling and we have to do something."
Zhang Tongchang said: "Yes, this matter must be fought for. If we take one step back, others will take two or three steps forward."
"Feng Zhongtang and Du Zhongtang will not sit idly by."
As the minister, Zhao Langxing wanted to say a few words, but when he saw Yan Yingyuan frowning, he immediately stopped talking.
When Zhu Mou heard this, he praised: "As expected of Grand Master Zhang, he really knows the way of power."
Zhang Tongchang smiled, feeling very annoyed.
Although his grandfather Zhang Juzheng was rehabilitated in the Shaowu Dynasty, his reputation among the government and the public was not good.
It is undeniable that everyone recognized the power of the whip method, but they were deeply criticized for Zhang Juzheng's monopolization of power and his ability to become a unique powerful minister in the Ming Dynasty.
Therefore, when Zhang Juzheng is praised for his reforms, New Deal, etc., he will be happy, but once the words touch the power, it is tantamount to scratching his sore spot.
Yan Yingyuan shook his head.
It would be fine if he was an ordinary person, but Zhu Mou had recruited Zhang Tongchang for many years and had known Zhang Tongchang for many years. How could he make such a small mistake?
Although Zhu Mou was a bit arrogant before, he was straightforward, informal and generous, and he won a lot of good reputation, but a lot has changed in the past two years.
Zhao Langxing also sighed in his heart, why did Zhu Zhongtang become so fast?
Afterwards, Zhu Mou didn't say much. He just said that he would fight without breaking up and fight for the master secretly.
Specific measures were not stated.
This made several people sigh inwardly.
"Among the three of us, the one Zhu Mou can push to the top most is probably Yan Yingyuan."
After getting on the carriage, Zhang Tongchang frowned: "I'm afraid I, a minister, may not take it seriously, and it's impossible for him to occupy both places."
"So, if you can't find a job in the cabinet, then go to a good place."
In the court, the cabinet commanded the eight ministries.
But the eight parts are not equal in name only. All have their own order.
Among them, the Ministry of Personnel is the first, and he is respected as the Heavenly Official. Even ordinary ministers in the cabinet must treat him kindly and not dare to speak falsely.
Therefore, starting from the Song Dynasty, the Minister of Civil Affairs has always been the first candidate for prime minister.
Even Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Personnel was the first replacement candidate for ministers of various ministries.
The Zuo Shilang of the main department is less likely to advance than the Zuo Shilang of the official department.
The second ranked one is naturally the Ministry of Household Affairs.
Nowadays, the Ministry of Household Affairs has been reduced to three, the Ministry of Finance collects taxes, the Ministry of Civil Affairs is in charge of household registration and land, and the Ministry of Household Affairs can only be reduced to storage.
But the Ministry of Household Affairs still jumped to second place, just because it has the money bag and the budget power in its hands.
The top priority for all ministers every year is to compete for budget quotas. Otherwise, the next whole year will be difficult.
The Ministry of Rites is the imperial examination and culture and education, ranking third.
Then there are the Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Civil Affairs.
What determines their status is naturally the amount of power in their hands.
As the sixth-ranked minister, once you reach the rank of minister of the Ministry of Personnel, it is no less than entering the cabinet.
The Minister of Rites was the second choice.
Finally, there is the household department.
"Zhu Mou is unreliable. Your Majesty has already tried to discredit the mountain, but he is still stubborn. Even if he becomes the chief minister, life will be difficult in the future..."
Zhang Tongchang thought carefully.
In the end, he didn't decide to leave the team.
After all, with the support of the chief assistant, it will be a great help whether it is fighting for the budget or running the department.
A few days later, when the grandson was one month old, the drama began at Yuquan Villa.
"Visiting relatives and scolding each other" and "The Empty City Strategy" are all rewarded by the emperor.
As for Water Margin's "The Robbery of Time", the actor's writhing, falling, and silent martial arts skills made the queen, who was not very fond of drama, but very knowledgeable about drama, almost unable to sit still on the throne, and even gave her a reward. .
The big axis came on stage, it was getting dark, and countless red candles as thick as arms and bright-angled palace lanterns were lit brightly.
Although Lu Su and Kong Ming were both good at winning, it was Zhou Yu who was highly praised by the emperor.
One look at him in disguise reveals that he is not only handsome and handsome, but also has a unique sense of style with every move he makes and raises his hands. When he opens his mouth, he is pure and unconventional. When he turns his eyes and dances with his feathers, he actually paints a vivid picture of the scornful Gong Jin back then. .
"What is a Confucian general? This is it!"
Zhu Yixi sighed deeply.
At this time, the moon and stars were already dim, and the grandson couldn't hold on anymore. He went back to nurse and sleep, leaving only the emperor and a group of concubines.
Of course, the princes were no exception, and they all enjoyed the show.
The younger princes and princesses watched puppet shows and shadow puppet shows, which performed mythical stories such as Journey to the West.
Especially when I saw the shadow puppet of Sun Wukong coming out, it was handsome and majestic, which made the children shout non-stop.
The emperor's ears twitched and he turned his head to look, with an unconscious smile on his lips.
This Sun Wukong was dictated by him himself. It lacks the ugliness of the old version and has a bit more of the Monkey King's spirit.
"Fourth child."
"My son is here."
King Liao was stunned, patted his butt and trotted over.
"Perhaps Journey to the West will be performed in your theater?"
"Back to my father, although some props are needed, drama has been around for hundreds of years, and ghosts and gods can all perform. But isn't this a banned book?"
King Liao said cautiously.
"Are you still afraid of these?" Zhu Yixi glanced sideways at him: "What's the use of banning these? The more banned they become, the more popular they become."
"Just start it and put on a performance of Journey to the West."
"Didn't you see that Water Margin was playing out before my eyes?"
"Yes, my father is wise."
"For Journey to the West, you can't copy it mechanically. It's too dark. You need to change it so that people like it."
Zhu Yixi said casually, and suddenly laughed again: "You are the expert, and I am actually doing it in my own way!"
"My son is not an expert at all. He is just out of interest and not as good as my father."
"Okay, let's do it!"
After talking about this, I saw that the emperor was in a good mood and the atmosphere in the palace became more and more harmonious.
The next day, the emperor was reading the memorials and drafts submitted by the cabinet, reading ten lines at a time.
As long as there was something in his mind that was in line with his wishes, he would draw a circle and approve it. If something was not in line with his heart, he would send it back and redo it.
Tian Ren on the side only felt that his palm print eunuch was useless.
But there is no other way. When encountering a strong emperor, the inner court can only take action.
Of course, he could still explain something that the emperor didn't understand, and he became a real secretary.
He rubbed his temples and stood up.
"What did the elders do last night?"
"When I return home, the first assistant will close the door to thank guests as if he is practicing calligraphy. Zhu Cifu goes home to entertain guests. Yan Yingyuan, the Minister of Punishment, Zhang Tongchang, the Minister of Works, and Zhao Langxing, the right minister of the Ministry of Official Affairs, are there..."
Wei Cheng, the admiral of Dongchang, said softly.
"Duge Lao met a few foreign guests and took a rest early."
"Mr. Feng Ge is also like this. He fell asleep after seeing a few relatives and friends..."
"Second Assistant is quite interested."
When he heard the names and official positions of several people, he didn't take it seriously.
Partisans are normal and an extension of power.
After the aristocratic families came to an end, bloodlines were no longer viable in the officialdom, and progress could only be achieved by forming cliques.
But the key to it all is power.
Once power is lost, so-called parties cease to exist.
The emperor is the one who holds the power.
"kindness!"
"Go down and continue to inquire. Don't disturb them."
Zhu Yixi stood up, thinking about the court.
The cabinet is the brain. Trust is important, but so are capabilities and suitability.
In his mind, Zhu Mou was already fifty-three years old, so he would be the first assistant, and Feng Xianzong would be the second assistant.
As the position of power changes, the administration of the cabinet will naturally change, causing minor turmoil in the central government.
If someone goes up, someone will go down.
In a place that has been stable for six or seven years, many new people will inevitably emerge.
However, the replacement candidates for the cabinet are a headache.
Yan Yingyuan must be the one to join the cabinet. Regardless of his ability or loyalty, he is the best choice.
Moreover, he still followed Zhu Mou, which was conducive to taking charge of the cabinet.
But the other person thought carefully.
(End of chapter)
