This question is very difficult to answer!
However, there is no doubt that this is the path Du Ning must take if he wants to cross the threshold of being an important official in the imperial court.
Nowadays, it is no longer a time of turmoil when the imperial court is in ruins after civil engineering. With the emperor ascending the throne, all officials working together, the emperor returning to the court, and the prince leaving the cabinet, the entire Ming Dynasty is getting on the right track day by day.
This also means that the opportunity to get a position first and then be considered for suitability is no longer possible.
Therefore, if Du Ning wants to continue going up, the answer to this question is what he must find.
After thinking about this, Du Ning also understood why Chen Xun said that there was nothing left to teach him.
Because every important official in the court who has reached his level has taken a different path, and it is a path that cannot be copied.
Or to put it more bluntly, they all have their own unique political ideas.
This political concept is the result of their long-term immersion in officialdom and everything they have experienced since entering officialdom.
Therefore, it must be different!
Because of this, Chen Xun would tell him to go out for a walk, go out to watch, and go out to experience.
Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles.
Only when you have experienced many things yourself can you have true feelings. Only when you have done it yourself can you have your own unique experience.
And all of this will be smelted together in the end, accumulated at a certain node, and eventually help him become a real important minister of the court!
You can only walk this road by yourself!
Of course, Du Ning still has no idea what this path is.
However, he is a smart person, and after understanding the answer to the mystery, he generally has several directions.
Originally, if Qingliu had not been suppressed and the cabinet was powerful, then Du Ning would probably join the cabinet first and become the lowest-ranked minister.
Then, during countless years of handling government affairs, he gradually developed the political ability to reconcile internal and external affairs and balance all parties. At the same time, he accumulated enough connections, and then he was promoted step by step in the cabinet until he became the chief minister.
The disadvantage of this path is that it takes a long time to accumulate, but the advantage is that it is one step at a time and is very steady. As long as you are not arrogant or impetuous, and are not overly enthusiastic about your career like a bachelor named Xu, you can persevere through the years.
hopefully.
It should be said that this is the most suitable path for Duning, because for him, his biggest advantage is his youth.
He is only forty-seven years old this year. Even if he stays in the cabinet for twenty years, there is a high chance that he can become the chief minister before taking office.
But it is obvious that this road is no longer feasible.
Not to mention that he had offended Wang Ao, and he would never get any good results if he entered the cabinet. He would not be able to pass the emperor's test alone.
Therefore, his chance can only be local.
Come to think of it, the emperor also had this intention.
However, there is still a key question here, which is, what is the "extreme" that the emperor wants, or in other words, is the "extreme" that the emperor can accept?
The so-called balance between monarch and minister actually refers to this for individuals.
If nothing else, this speech will be his last chance to see the emperor before leaving the capital. When he comes back next time, it will be time to undergo testing.
"Master Du, your Majesty has summoned you, please come!"
The voices of two eunuchs awakened Du Ning from his meditation.
Taking a deep breath, Du Ning strode forward into the Wenhua Hall.
"I am the censor of the capital, Shaanxi, and in charge of Datong. I am in charge of military affairs in Shanxi and other places, Du Ning. I bow to your majesty! Long live my emperor! Long live my emperor!"
From the moment the transfer order from the Ministry of Personnel was issued, Du Ning took office.
Therefore, it is natural to use a new official title when making a speech.
For ministers in the imperial court, many things can be seen from their official positions.
Take Du Ning's official position as an example. In terms of official rank, he belongs to the Metropolitan Procuratorate and is the censor of the right capital.
This point is different from the title of minister of cabinet ministers. The title of cabinet minister only plays a role in demonstrating his rank. To put it bluntly, he only enjoys the treatment of minister.
Their official in charge is a bachelor of a certain palace and a certain pavilion, and he is sent to Zhiwen Yuan Pavilion with his mission.
However, for Du Ning’s official position, the censor of Youdu is the official!
That's why Du Ning was so uneasy when he got this official position.
Theoretically speaking, his current status is that of the chief of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and he has the same power as Chen Yi, the imperial censor of Zuodu.
The so-called governor of Shaanxi, commonly known as the governor of Shaanxi, is actually not an official position, but the same assignment as entering Zhiwen Yuan Pavilion.
Therefore, in a strict sense, Du Ning is now half-stepped into the ranks of important officials in the imperial court.
In terms of the nature of the work, Du Ning's trip to Beijing this time was the same as Jin Lian's.
They all go to local areas to handle specific affairs as second-rank officials of the central court.
It's just that Jin Lian is a temporary matter, while Du Ning's governor's errand is a relatively long-term matter.
This is also the reason why the governor of Shaanxi is often discussed in private as the Qi Qing reserve. To be more precise, the so-called Qi Qing reserve does not refer to the governor of Shaanxi, but to the Youdu Yushi governor of Shaanxi.
Of course, it was the custom of the Ming Dynasty to respect the left, and the seven ministers recognized by the imperial court were generally limited to the sitting officials of the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
So in ordinary times, it seems that there is no difference between this kind of outing and the so-called promotion of title.
But in fact, the difference is huge.
Du Ning's official position is Youdu Yushi, which means that he actually belongs to the imperial censor in the Ming Dynasty.
When he is out as governor, his orders will be issued in the form of a seal of governor. However, if he is in the capital, orders issued in his capacity can be stamped with the seal of the right capital censor and be regarded as the same as the capital procuratorate.
official documents.
This is the so-called title addition, which is impossible to achieve.
To put it bluntly, when the censor of the right capital is vacant, he can directly take charge of the imperial censorship without going through any appointment procedures.
However, adding a title does not have this power.
Jin Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment has been out of Beijing for so long, but no minister with the title of Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment has dared to interfere in the general affairs of the Ministry of Punishment.
That's the difference!
"Get flat!"
The so-called "Your Majesty's Ci" literally means saying farewell to the emperor and going to the place to take up his post.
Generally speaking, this is a ceremonial process.
Of course, as a governor, especially for such an important job as the governor of Shaanxi, the more important thing is to listen to His Majesty the Emperor's entrustment and teachings!
Sitting firmly on the throne, Zhu Qiyu raised his hand and signaled the servants to move the pile, and said with a gentle smile.
"sit down!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Naturally, he had his own considerations in letting Du Ning go to Shaanxi. Therefore, not only Du Ning himself, but also Zhu Qiyu also attached great importance to this speech.
After Du Ning sat down, he pondered for a moment and then spoke.
"Du Qing will take office soon. Before leaving, I have some words to entrust to you."
I don't know if it was his own misunderstanding, but Du Ning always felt that after becoming the new governor of Shaanxi, the emperor's attitude towards him was a little different.
It seems to be more dependent on him!
Of course, for Du Ning himself, he still did not dare to neglect at all. He immediately stood up, raised his hands and said.
"Your Majesty's holy teachings, I am all ears to listen!"
"No need to be so formal, sit down."
Zhu Qiyu raised his hand and pressed it down, not caring about Du Ning's little fear, but asked.
"This time, I appoint Du Qing as the censor of Youdu, who will patrol Shaanxi and take charge of Shaanxi. Datong will organize military affairs. Does Du Qing know my intention?"
At any other time, Du Ning would have refused and said that he did not dare to speculate on the Sacred Heart without permission.
However, the scene at the moment is the speech.
In this situation, the emperor was entrusting him and also testing him. If he hides his clumsiness at this time, he will only cause trouble for himself.
Originally, Du Ning was a little complacent after taking on this job, but after receiving some advice from Chen Xun, he quickly put away all his emotions.
During this period, in addition to going to and from the Yamen on time to hand over the affairs at hand, the rest of the time was spent finding various documents from the Ministry of War regarding military settlements and studying them carefully in the mansion.
For this matter, he even visited Chen Xun specifically to prepare for today.
After sorting out his language a little, Du Ning spoke carefully and said.
"I am stupid and presume to speculate on the Holy Heart. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"According to the usual practice, just the dispatch of the governor of Shaanxi is already an important task. His Majesty sent his ministers out of the capital, and added the post of censor of the right capital. He was also responsible for Shanxi. Datong was responsible for organizing military affairs. I think the two complement each other."
As Du Ning spoke, he quietly looked at the emperor's face. When he saw that the emperor was smiling and there was a hint of approval in his eyes, he felt a little relieved and continued to speak.
"Reorganizing the military garrison is a major policy of the imperial court. It has been implemented so far and has achieved remarkable results. However, there are still many difficulties that need to be overcome."
There is no doubt that when the emperor sent him out of the capital, the first problem to be solved must be to carry out the policy of rectifying the army. However, this point was clearly reflected in the mission. If I just say this, I am afraid I will be regarded as an idiot.
Therefore, Du Ning had to raise more specific questions and challenges. After a short preparation, Du Ning quickly got to the point, saying.
"I believe that the biggest resistance to the reorganization of the army and settlements nowadays is the border generals and the vassal kings. One of them is large in number, and the other is the royal family members. Both of them are extremely troublesome."
"Since the last court meeting, after I was appointed as the governor of Shaanxi, I reviewed the recent correspondence of the Ministry of War. It can be seen that in recent times, Jin Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment has reported to the court a lot of information about various border generals.
He also provided evidence of his crimes and dealt with a group of generals."
"Therefore, I secretly believe that your Majesty's appointment as censor of Youdu is a matter for the border vassal king."
After speaking out his thoughts, Du Ning's slightly nervous mood was obviously relieved and he continued.
"At the beginning, Emperor Taizu established thirteen fortress kings to control the border. Although after Yongle, the kings moved inland, there are still seven kings to this day: King Qin, King Jin, King Dai, King Qing, King Su, and King Shen.
The vassal kings were stationed in Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi and other places."
"As far as the current situation is concerned, these vassal kings are the biggest beneficiaries of the invasion and occupation of the border military villages. Now the king of Dai actively cooperates and submits the land register in the mansion together with the king of Min. This is beneficial to the country and the people.
However, whether it was concealed or not remains to be verified.”
"Among the remaining seven vassal kings, King Qing is in Zhencheng, and King Han is in Pingliang. Previously, Jin Shangshu went to Ganning to investigate the case of Ren Li. He wanted to rectify the invasion and occupation of military garrisons by these vassal kings.
, there is already a strategy.”
"Then, the remaining four palaces of King Qin, King Jin, King Shen, and King Su need to be persuaded to cooperate with the imperial government."
"However, it is easy to talk about Prince Shen's Palace and Prince Su's Palace, but Prince Qin's Palace and Prince Jin's Palace were both first granted in the Hongwu Dynasty. They are deeply rooted in the two places and are difficult for ordinary officials to suppress. The current Prince Qin is also your Majesty's elder and cannot be offended easily."
"Jin Shangshu is in charge of the border rectification. He must stay at the border to prevent changes and cannot leave without permission. Therefore, in Shaanxi and Shanxi, capable ministers need to go to rectify the matter to ensure that the imperial government can carry out its affairs smoothly."
"This is my foolish opinion, please forgive me, Your Majesty!"
Since you have become a reserve member of the Seven Ministers, you must have this awareness and overcome difficulties.
I didn't see Yu Shaobao, who had already left the capital to deal with the vassal kings in various places. It is said that he had just arrived in Henan Prefecture during this period.
The first thing I did when I got there was to go to Prince Yi's mansion to arrest someone. When the news came, Prince Yi, who was grounded in the capital, was very angry. It is said that he scolded him in the mansion for a long time before he stopped.
Since Du Ning was embarking on this errand, he naturally had to be mentally prepared for this.
If you don't even dare to face the two feudal princes, you should give up your career aspirations as soon as possible.
After listening to Du Ning's words, a smile appeared on Zhu Qiyu's face.
It seems that Du Ning has indeed put in a lot of effort.
In fact, this was said euphemistically enough. It was purely to save face for King Qin.
The current King of Qin is named Zhu Zhi. Although he is the fifth generation King of Qin, in terms of seniority, he is the grandson of Zhu Ping, the first King of Qin, and is indeed one generation higher than Zhu Qiyu.
However, seniority is not the most important thing. What is important is that although this King of Qin is not the most domineering among the kings, he is the most confident.
Part of the reason is that, as Du Ning said, the Qin Palace and the Jin Palace have been in Taiyuan and Xi'an since the Hongwu era and have been passed down for several generations.
There is another part, that is, regarding the power of King Sai, the two palaces, especially the palace of Qin, are the most complete.
After Emperor Taizong ascended the throne, he cut down the guards of all the kings. The Prince of Qin's Palace was one of the few vassal princes' palaces that had not been cut down.
Although it is said that after the late emperor ascended the throne, Zhu Zhi took the initiative to hand over control of the three guards, in the end, the late emperor still left the Qin Mansion with one guard.
This point, among so many vassal kings, is not to say unique, at least it is very rare.
Zhu Zhi himself was fond of antiquity and learning, but disliked martial arts, so his reputation among the kings was pretty good. However, because of the huge power of the Qin government, his authority in the local area was also very important.
The most typical incident is that when Chen Yi was inspecting Shaanxi as the censor of Youdu, he had a conflict with the Qin Palace. Zhu Zhi directly sent a report to the court and sent Chen Yi back to the capital for investigation. Although he was later questioned
Later, it was confirmed that it was a lie.
However, the importance of Zhu Zhi, the King of Qin, in the court can also be seen.
In addition, after King Su moved inland, the fiefdom was changed to Lintao Lanzhou, which is also in Shaanxi. In other words, if Ningxia and Gansu, which were only nominally assigned to Shaanxi, were not counted, then Shaanxi now has a total of two vassal kings.
Relatively speaking, King Zhu Zhongxuan of the Jin Dynasty is younger, but when it comes to military settlements, he is probably very difficult to deal with.
Moreover, strictly speaking, Datong also falls within the scope of Shanxi. This means that in Shanxi Province, there are three vassal kings: King Jin, King Shen, and King Dai. Even if King Dai has relaxed,
But if King Jin and King Shen alone join forces, they may not be as easy to deal with as King Qin.
Judging from the current reactions of vassal kings in various places, there is no doubt that the rectification of military settlements has violated one of their core interests.
Therefore, within a limited scope, they will definitely try their best to resist.
The Prince of Qin's Palace and the Prince of Jin's Palace are old royal palaces with huge local power. As soon as Du Ning leaves the capital, he will have to face them. The burden he shoulders is actually not easy...
This chapter has been completed!