At the end of the year, the capital seemed very peaceful.
After Zhang Zhou was promoted to Minister of War, the ministers were initially uncomfortable with it. They felt that Zhang Zhou's appearance had broken the official system of seniority and seniority.
However, after Zhang Zhou was promoted to minister, he did not care about most matters in the court, which also made the ministers feel that Zhang Zhou's aggressiveness was not that strong. Even if Zhang Zhou could interfere in more aspects, he would still be in the Ministry of War and the Governor. It seems that Zhang Zhou has not directly provoked any serious conflict with them in the one-third acre of land in the mansion.
The ninth day of the first lunar month.
On this day, Zhu Youtang summoned three cabinet members in the inner court, but did not meet Zhang Zhou.
In the first summons after the year, Zhu Youtang mentioned to the three cabinet members the matter of adding one person to the cabinet. It was only in the discussion stage and he wanted to listen to the opinions of Liu Jian and the others.
Standing next to him was Li Rong. Although Li Rong was now just the eunuch Bingbi, the eunuch responsible for etiquette, due to his supervision of the East Factory and his extremely high seniority in the palace, he had become vaguely the most trusted eunuch around the emperor. .
"...His Majesty's intention is to share some of the pressure on the three pavilion elders. The specific person to be appointed will also depend on the recommendation of the three pavilion elders and the ministers of Hanyuan. Your Majesty will consider it as appropriate."
Li Ronglai's words will be twisted one level and appear more tactful.
Liu Jian and the others had felt before that the emperor wanted to promote Wang Hao to the cabinet. Even if it wasn't Wang Hao, it might be Cheng Minzheng.
The emperor said that he wanted to discuss with them, but he just said it in a nice way.
Liu Jiandao: "Your Majesty, I am old and unable to take up the errands in the cabinet. Please allow me to return to my hometown to take care of myself."
Resigning when encountering problems is not only the habit of the three cabinet members, but also the ministers of the DPRK and China.
From the mid-Ming Dynasty to the middle of the Ming Dynasty, officials, especially those who reached the level of Zhengqing or Minister, generally resigned even if they were promoted to official positions. After making mistakes, they were rarely directly investigated and punished. Until the Jiajing period, this kind of "harmony" between monarchs and ministers continued can be maintained.
It has become a routine for ministers to submit petitions to resign when they are impeached, in order not to embarrass the emperor. It is not only to test the emperor's intentions, but also to find a way out for themselves.
Zhu Youtang said: "There are some bad rumors outside. It is said that I only want to use Jin Cheng, especially the matter of me using Bing Kuan. I don't know what the intentions of those people are. Even Zongfan is following. Heckles. I have said a long time ago that I will use whoever has the ability. Bingkuan’s achievements should be obvious to all, right?"
Liu Jiandao: "I don't mean to target anyone, it's just that I am old and frail..."
Zhu Youtang waved his hand and said: "There is no need to say anything about your resignation. If Mr. Liu Ge is really ill and unable to bear the responsibilities of the court, I will allow you to return to your hometown and give you more rewards. Thank you for your service to the court. There are so many things. But now is not the time to retreat. There is one more cabinet minister. I will not listen to the opinions of anyone except you and Hanyuan... Take your heart back and just state your position. See if there is a need to increase the number, or No matter who you add it to, I will accept it."
…
…
The three members of the cabinet thought that there was something else important, but when they were summoned by the inner court, they only talked about increasing the number of cabinet ministers.
Moreover, the emperor seemed to care about them very much and had no intention of forcing them.
After the three returned to the cabinet for duty, Xie Qian sat by the stove, used iron tongs to clamp a piece of new briquettes into the iron stove, and said with a smile: "This thing is really useful, it won't go out no matter how much you burn it!" warm."
Liu Jiandao: "If you have anything, just tell me."
Xie Qian smiled and said nothing.
Li Dongyang seemed to be adding on behalf of Xie Qian: "Your Majesty said that he would listen to the opinions of Hanyuan ministers, but Zhang Bingkuan is also a Hanyuan minister."
In one sentence, it seems that the most critical point of the problem has been pointed out.
Zhang Zhou is still a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy. If the emperor proposes to find someone to join the cabinet, other than Wang Hao and Cheng Minzheng, it is likely that he wants Zhang Zhou to "take on multiple positions." Anyway, Zhang Zhou has already served as a Hanlin scholar before. The position of bachelor, turning Hanlin bachelor into "big bachelor", does not seem to have changed much.
The listening area is also valuable, and the cabinet is also valuable. Which value is not valuable?
Liu Jian thought for a long time and sighed: "Will your Majesty be so biased towards Zhang Bingkuan?"
The implication is that we are all on guard against Wang Hao and Cheng Minzheng, and we are also guarding against others seeing Zhang Zhou’s rise and moving closer to Zhang Zhou’s camp.
Now you actually think that the emperor wants Zhang Zhou to join the cabinet?
Then why does Your Majesty still show such an attentive side? Wouldn't it be nice to say it directly?
Xie Qian rubbed his hands in front of the stove and said, "I think what Binzhi means is that His Majesty will listen to Zhang Bingkuan's opinion on who to choose, and it does not necessarily mean that Zhang Bingkuan will be appointed to the cabinet, right?"
"Yeah." Li Dongyang nodded.
Liu Jian did not explicitly say that he wanted Zhang Zhou to join the cabinet, saying that the emperor was biased. It could also be said that the emperor accepted Zhang Zhou's opinions too much.
Xie Qian added: "Zhang Bingkuan prophesied that there will be an earthquake in Shaanxi. It seems to be quite serious. Eight or nine days have passed, but there is still no movement at all?"
Li Dongyang said: "If it happens in Shaanxi, or if it takes two or three days to sort out the disaster, a detailed report will be reported. It is estimated that it will be reported in another two or three days. Your Majesty did not make a big deal about this matter, but he didn't know that the local authorities How to deal with it, one after another, I am afraid that the people will admire Zhang Bingkuan even more."
Xie Qian said with a smile: "That's right, it's all true now. If he really wants to use the issue of disaster in the future to make something happen out of nothing, who can question it? Doesn't it mean that the Zhang family from Longhu Mountain is going to Beijing? Why is there no news yet?”
"almost."
Liu Jian sat down. On his desk, there were many memorials waiting to be drafted.
But he seemed unable to calm down. He said: "Bin, if you have free time in the past two days, go to Hanyuan for a walk and express your Majesty's intention to promote people to the cabinet. Let Hanyuan discuss the candidates for cabinet first." . The three of us don’t have any opinions and just follow the mainstream opinions. We will report to His Majesty whoever they recommend. This is the best.”
The emperor said to listen to our opinions.
We don't express our opinions either. We just convey your Majesty's wishes and let the people in the Hanlin Academy system discuss it on their own to see who is more "moral and respectable".
Xie Qian said: "Aren't you afraid of hearing about candidates we don't want to hear?"
Liu Jian sighed: "I'm afraid that these candidates are exactly what His Majesty wants, so it would be better to let the officials in the Hanlin Academy do what they want. If the power is beyond your control, why bother to force it?"
We have already left everything to "public opinion". If the Hanlin Academy wants to recommend people we don't want to hear, it means that the emperor and Zhang Zhou's goal has been achieved. They have penetrated our private territory, which is the Hanlin Academy system. It’s reached the point where we can’t choose anyone we like.
What's the point of forcing it?
It was as if he was lying down, waiting for heavy fire from his political opponents.
Li Dongyang said: "I didn't expect it to be like this. I have my own opinion."
…
…
Zhang Zhou has been very relaxed recently.
During the period after the year, although the affairs of the Ministry of War were quite busy, Xiong Chong and Xiong Xiu handled the affairs properly. The Shangting Office was currently only responsible for border military affairs. The two temporarily added members of the Shangting Office were One is Wang Qiong, the left minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and the other is Zhu Hui, the Duke of Baoguo. The two of them do not need to go in and out of the palace often. Like Zhang Zhou, they both regard the errands of the Shangting Department as part-time jobs.
Wang Qiong's appointment was originally proposed by the emperor, while Zhu Hui was "selected" by the Governor's Mansion. It was Zhang Mao who was originally appointed, but Zhang Mao always liked to rely on his elders when he had nothing to do, let alone the emperor. , even the ministers were a little displeased with him, so in the anonymous recommendation from the Governor's Mansion, Zhu Hui was the winner in the end.
The recommendation of Zhu Hui to the Shangyu Department also set a precedent for "secret voting".
The general meaning is that those who are qualified to nominate do not need to let others know who they are nominating, and there is no need to announce the number of votes obtained by each person during the final count. The emperor serves as the referee, which can be regarded as ensuring fairness to the greatest extent.
Zhang Mao originally thought that no matter how lazy he was, others would still regard him as the number one martial artist. However, he was defeated in a selection among the ministers. Naturally, he felt dissatisfied.
He was depressed at home for several days. After the Chinese New Year, many people came to visit his house, but he turned them away.
"Father, after the Lantern Festival, my son will enter the Yanwu Hall to further his studies. What else do you have for me?"
Zhang Rui seems to be a healthy person recently. He has done a good job in horseback riding and archery recovery training. This time, he was among the first batch to sign up for Yanwu Hall.
In addition to Zhang Rui, there is also Zhang Rui's son Zhang Lun.
The father and son want to study together in Yanwu Hall.
Zhang Mao said angrily: "If this continues, all the power of my Zhang family will be gone. Are you going to learn your true skills and make achievements in the future, or are you going to form a clique?"
Zhang Rui said: "My son doesn't quite understand what his father means."
Zhang Mao said angrily: "If you also join Zhang Bingkuan, then our Zhang family will be completely ruined!"
One sentence revealed Old Man Zhang's true state of mind.
He now regards Zhang Zhou as his enemy... It is no longer like when Zhang Zhou first rose up, he still wanted to use his reputation and connections to win over Zhang Zhou, and even get along with Zhang Zhou on an equal footing. He even used methods such as detaining Jiang Dezhong to force him to Zhang Zhou cooperated with him.
"Father, why don't you leave?" Zhang Rui asked for instructions.
"If I don't go, will the result be better?" Zhang Mao sat there, as if he was sulking, "Do you want to blame me, the Zhang family, for having no one? Or do you blame Zhang Bingkuan for rising too fast? Is this a father's jealousy of talents? Nowadays, Even the soldiers in the capital camp are alienated from my father... I have been assigned to a high-ranking position, when will it be the turn of Baoguo Gongjia?"
Only then did Zhang Rui understand.
The father felt so sorry for himself because he was robbed by Zhu Hui because of the errand at the Shangting Department.
From Zhang Rui's point of view, perhaps Zhang Mao had thought that even if there was Zhang Bingkuan, at least in the Governor's Mansion, he, Zhang Mao, would be the most respected in terms of morality... But this time he was slapped in the face by reality.
It seemed that everyone in the governor's office took the opportunity to express their previous dissatisfaction with the British Duke.
Zhang Rui said: "If my father is interested in serving the imperial court, he should take the initiative to propose it to His Majesty and then recommend himself."
"My father doesn't have that face." Zhang Mao said, "Now that the matter is over, you can continue to go to the Yanwu Hall. You must remember that if you can't return home after completing your studies, the British Duke's reputation may not be preserved! If there is anything to charge into the battle, you But there must be no shirk..."
When Zhang Rui heard this, father, you are so cowardly that you actually encourage your son to be cannon fodder?
Zhang Mao said: "As a father, I have no other choice. After you train at the Yanwu Hall, my father will help you find a military position in a border town in front of His Majesty, so that you can have the opportunity to practice! But I am afraid of this boy Zhang Bingkuan." To get in the way..."
"Father, Cai Guogong should not be like this." Zhang Rui still trusts Zhang Zhou.
"Do you believe in your father or me, or do you believe in outsiders?" Zhang Mao was also annoyed.
I said Zhang Bingkuan is a bad guy, do you still think of him as a good guy? Elbows turned out?
Zhang Rui could only lower his head.
"Damn it." Zhang Mao lost his patience and started scolding, "Who is Zhang Bingkuan! Even if he doesn't let you have the opportunity to make contributions, I will let you follow Wang Bo'an to fight... Nothing else will work. I am like this in court. After years of trying to find a position as a pioneer officer for my son, is it no longer enough? Your Majesty, can you not give me such honor?"
Only then did Zhang Rui realize that his father, for the sake of the British government's reputation, actually asked him to go into battle or even die.
Zhang Rui is also thinking about it.
Father, what major blow have you suffered? Am I not your biological son? After so many tortures... you are trying to torture me to death!
…
…
Li Dongyang went to the Hanlin Academy.
He went to see a person, Wang Hua, who had just been promoted by the emperor to be a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy.
Wang Hua's promotion was all due to his son Wang Shouren's achievements in the northwest... That's what many people want to say. Although the words are ugly, Wang Hua doesn't care, just like what he taught Wang Shouren back then... follow his own path. , let others speak.
"Your Majesty wants to transfer someone to the cabinet. Dehui, who do you think has the qualifications?" Li Dongyang said bluntly.
Please recommend someone to me.
Wang Hua was beating a drum in his heart.
He knew very well that in the Hanlin Academy system, there were many people with higher qualifications than him, Wang Hua. Not to mention people like Wang Hao, Jiao Fang, and Li Jie, but among the rising stars, Yang Tinghe and Liang Chu had both been appointed to the cabinet. After all, when there was a vacancy for Hanlin bachelors before, Liu Jian and the others recommended Yang Tinghe and Liang Chu first.
If Zhang Yuanzhen and Zhang Zhou are added to the list, Wang Hua knows very well that among the people who have not been appointed to the Imperial Academy, he is close to the tenth in terms of status...
If you choose someone to join the cabinet, will it be my turn?
To push it a step further, you, Li Dongyang, are looking for candidates, why don’t you ask me?
Wang Huadao said: "Wang Jizhi has been giving lectures in the East Palace for more than a year, and has been the foreman during banquets. With his talents, it is expected that he will be the most suitable person to join the cabinet to assist in government affairs."
Since I, the king, know that you are not interested in drinking, I will recommend the most suitable candidate in my opinion.
Anyway, I'm not afraid of retaliation.
And the Wang Hao he recommended... was obviously the unpopular candidate that Liu Jian and the others had mentioned before.
Li Dongyang smiled and said: "Why do you want Dehui to belittle yourself? Not long after your son entered the court, he has already taken charge of military affairs. If you join the cabinet, you can help father and son both inside and outside. It will be a good story in the court. So... you are better than anyone else." They are all suitable for joining the cabinet!”
(End of chapter)
