The eunuch institution of the Ming Dynasty was a huge administrative system. Its organization was as rigorous as the bureaucracy of the foreign court, and its power was no less than that of the cabinet and officials of the previous dynasty. But no matter what, they were the emperor's domestic slaves, even if they were The appointment and dismissal of the eunuchs in charge of the ceremonial department was just a matter of a word from the emperor.
This is why Zhu Houzhao was able to uproot Liu Jin in a moment, and Zhu Youjian was able to immediately deal with the powerful Wei Zhongxian after he ascended the throne.
The list Zhu Jianshen looked at was the large number of Ming Dynasty supervisors, mine supervisors, and tomb-guarding eunuchs in various places at this time.
The most sensitive ones are the supervisors of Jiubian, the supervisors of North Korea, and the newly appointed supervisors of Annan. These are the most sensitive positions.
There were tens of thousands of eunuchs in the local supervisory army, but the three most powerful positions were the garrison eunuchs of Nanjing, the garrison eunuchs of Fengyang, and the garrison eunuchs of Tianshou Mountain.
They can directly participate in the management of local military affairs, and also manage the imperial tombs. After the local military supervisor expires, there is a high chance that they will enter the ceremonial supervisor and have a good ranking.
At the same time, the power of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, and even the entire eunuch institution, also depends on the emperor. When the emperor is working hard to govern, the power of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, and even the entire eunuch institution, will be lower.
This is also a temptation that no emperor can resist. The loyalty and dependence of eunuchs on the emperor cannot be exceeded by any official. The most important thing is that no matter how big a power network the eunuchs have formed in the local area, as long as they make a mistake, the emperor wants to Dealing with him is effortless.
The supervisory troops in various places and the eunuchs supervising the mines are a manifestation of the power struggle among the ceremonial supervisors at this time.
The previous supervisors in various places were almost all arranged by Zhang Bao, and Zhu Jianshen seldom intervened. But after Zhang Bao left, there was no one in the Li Supervisor who could control the situation. Not to mention Zhao Huanong, Gao Yi secretly There were discords, overt and covert fights, and even the other eunuchs in charge and eunuchs wanted to get a share of the pie. After Zhang Bao's death, many of them, except for the eunuchs in sensitive areas, were replaced by Zhao Huanong.
For people who were arranged out of a power struggle, their character is no longer the criterion for assessment, relationships are.
After Zhu Jianshen read the list, he put it down, and then looked at Gao Yi beside him. This fat man who looked harmless to humans and animals also inherited most of Zhang Baozhai's connections in a short period of time.
"From now on, I will oversee the army in various places, the eunuchs who guard the mausoleums, the eunuchs responsible for guarding the ships, the eunuchs who supervise the warehouses, the tax envoys, the mine supervisors, the purchasing, weaving and burning eunuchs, and the guard eunuchs. Consider setting up two days every month to specifically assess these dispatched personnel. Please arrange it." M.biQuge.biZ
The behavior of the Nanjing garrison eunuch this time reminded Zhu Jianshen of a famous saying in later generations, "During the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty, the emperor was fatuous, eunuchs were rampant, the officials were corrupt, and the people were miserable."
This is a drawback that emerged after the eunuch system developed for decades.
But at this time, the Ming Dynasty could not do without this special model. In order to prevent these eunuchs from going to the place and harming the people, Zhu Jianshen could only increase his workload.
After listening to Zhu Jianshen's words, Gao Yi understood in his heart that this was the emperor's dissatisfaction with him and Zhao Huanong. He quickly responded: "Your Majesty, I obey your order."
Most of the ministers outside did not understand what was happening inside the palace.
They are still busy with the ancestor worship ceremony two days later.
Mausoleum sacrifices were an important part of the national sacrificial system of the Ming Dynasty. Under the sentiment of integrating the family and the country, the emperor's ancestors were regarded as the ancestors of the country and had deified characteristics. Especially in the Ming Dynasty, successive emperors were treated The importance attached to the mausoleum is the highest in history.
In the imperial mausoleums in various places, each mausoleum has a prison, and each prison has a eunuch to hold the seal, a number of officials such as the secretary, the administrator, the secretary of incense, and the chief envoy. The main responsibilities are to burn incense, sweep the offerings, hold the keys to the cemetery, maintain the security of the cemetery, and manage the imperial estate outside the tombs.
Every time the emperor came to worship his ancestors in person, he spent at least 200,000 taels of silver, not including the ministers' expenses along the way. Even if the emperor sent his ministers to come, it would still cost 70,000 to 80,000 taels of silver.
Although so much money was spent, the emperor was still happy with it, because ancestor worship not only expressed the filial piety inherited by the sons of the Han family and respected the ancestors, but also strengthened the imperial power and demonstrated the legitimacy of the emperor's throne.
Xu Youzhen, the Minister of Rites, was involved in every aspect of this ancestor worship. Early the next morning, he took the plan and came to the palace to meet the saint.
After entering Qianqing Palace, Zhu Jianshen was reading a book.
"Your Majesty, I bow to your Majesty, Your Majesty..."
"Get up, someone, please give Xu Du Yushi a seat."
After Zhao Huanong heard this, he hurriedly went down the jade steps, personally brought a chair and placed it under Xu Youzhen.
"Thank you, your majesty. This is your majesty's plan for the ancestor worship tomorrow. Please take a look at it..." After saying that, Xu Youzhen held up the plan in his hands.
Zhao Huanong, who put down his chair, took down the plan and put it respectfully into Zhu Jianshen's hands.
Zhu Jianshen opened it and read it in detail.
It was not much different from the process of worshiping ancestors in Fengyang. He had experienced a lot, so he had some experience.
When Zhu Jianshen was looking at the plan, Xu Youzhen on the side said weakly: "Your Majesty, I have something that I don't know whether to say or not..."
"What's the matter..."
"This time for the ancestor worship, will the Supreme Emperor accompany His Majesty? If so, will it be as an accompanying sacrificial officer or as the Supreme Emperor?" After Xu Youzhen finished speaking, he felt quite uneasy. The Supreme Emperor followed the emperor. It is no secret that His Majesty has left Beijing, but only a few people know that Zhu Qizhen is in Nanjing.
According to the rules, since the Supreme Emperor is here, he must be going to worship his ancestors, but in what capacity he should go, which is a big problem. If he hides his true identity by accompanying the priest, then he is deceiving his ancestors. No matter what, He said that he was also the Supreme Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, a descendant of Taizu Taizong, and the father of His Majesty.
After Zhu Jianshen heard Xu Youzhen's words, he put down the plan in his hand, looked at Xu Youzhen, paused for a long time and then said: "Tell me about it, whether you are the Supreme Emperor or the accompanying priest..."
"Your Majesty, I don't dare to speak nonsense. Your Majesty still needs to make a decision." Xu Youzhen said quickly.
He used the word "decision" to imply that a decision should be made earlier, because at noon, the sacrificial team will deliver the sacrificial sign to the imperial mausoleum. The emperor's name must be written on the sign, which is a kind of greeting card. Emperor Taizu Gao, your descendants have come to see you.
Because this sign was given to Zhu Yuanzhang, the great emperor of Taizu. Once it was handed over, it could not be changed. Even the emperor could not add people temporarily.
"My father is coming to the palace soon. I can only make up my mind after I see my father. However, my father is a descendant of Taizu. If he is allowed to go as an accompanying priest, I would prefer it." And revealing his identity..."
Biquge
