"Your Majesty, Tianqi's four-year examination has ended. The examiners are grading the papers nervously. Because this year's examination adopted new marking standards, the examiners are not used to it yet. Zhang Yicheng, the examiner this time, applied for an extension of the marking time.

.”

"How long does it need to be extended?"

"Uh, Jun Yi means, half a month."

"Hey, my Mr. Zhang is always full of care for talents. Back in Fangshan, he treated the old students who had failed the exam with great care and guidance... However, although he wanted to be cautious and not miss anything,

The mood of the talented person is understandable. However, I can only give him five more days at most. It should be noted that this fine-tuning of the imperial examination has caused dissatisfaction among many candidates. If the marking time is too long, there will be more and more rumors.

.”

"Yes, I understand. I will go to the examination room in person later to inform the examiners to work overtime to complete the marking as soon as possible."

The current Minister of Rites, the soft-spoken Wu Daonan just sat down after saying this, and suddenly stood up: "Your Majesty, I still have one more thing that I need to attend the meeting."

"speak."

"Regarding the enfeoffment of Luzon, Mindanao and their affiliated islands, the Ministry of Rites has received applications from twenty-three princes..."

"ah?"

As soon as Wu Daonan said these words, all the ministers in the meeting were slightly shocked.

It has been more than 200 years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. In addition to the five princes who were granted the throne today, there are still 28 princes. Among them, the four kings of Zhou, Tang, Fu, and Gui have been entrusted overseas. In this way, that is to say

, all but one of the remaining twenty-four princes are willing to go to Luzon to become king? Is that kind of overseas wild land really so good?

After thinking about it carefully, I think it's understandable: they have to be enfeoffed anyway. If you go out early, you can still get a densely populated state. If you go out late, you really have to become the king of the barbarians.

Besides, haven't you seen that the four kings of Zhou, Tang, Fu and Gui are living a comfortable life now? The king with real power! In addition to diplomatic power and national defense power, he has a lot of other powers. Although with great power comes great responsibility,

There are a lot more things to do. But it’s better than being raised as a pig and left to eat and wait to die, right?

So, there are no real fools in this world. Some people may be a little slow to react, but now that everyone has understood it, why don’t they still fight tooth and nail?

Except for the line of Shu kings who have been assigned to Burma, the other 23 princes are eyeing Luzon this time: the geographical location is so good, as long as it is developed properly, commerce and trade will be prosperous. And the current population is not included.

Few, the key is, among the permanent residents, Han people account for a high proportion!

If you can't get Luzon, you can only go to Mindanao, which is obviously a lot worse. As for Java, Timor, etc. that the Ming Dynasty has recently won, the princes really have little interest.

This has resulted in the cabinet and various ministers being harassed very much by the princes recently. Even in Zhu Youdong's backyard, his queen and concubines, many people came to express their opinions.

It's a pity that the current emperor sticks to his word. He doesn't say anything. Others don't know which prince the emperor is interested in, so no one dares to accept the huge bribes sent by the princes: If the money is accepted, if things don't work out

After all, the emperor will not let himself go lightly after the news spreads!

Most of the ministers who can sit in the State Council came from the Wanli era, and some even experienced the Longqing era. They know very well that in the past ten years, the Ming Empire has developed best since the death of Zhang Juzheng

For more than ten years. No, it has developed even better than when Zhang Taiyue was in office! Under the leadership of the emperor, this cabinet has embraced North Korea, cut Japan, tore Siam apart, established the Governor-General's Palace in Central and South Asia, and shocked East Asia.

Its momentum even surpassed that of the founding period. Internally, people's livelihood has been greatly improved, and many chronic diseases in the country are gradually getting better or even cured.

In such a good situation, wouldn't it be good for everyone to maintain it safely until they reach their official positions, and then leave their names in history? Why should we risk our own and even our whole family's futures for a prince?

Therefore, during this period, representatives of the princes were running around the capital, but the big bosses were unable to respond.

"Dong, dong, dong." After knocking on the table for a while, Zhu Youdong smiled: "Everyone is excited about wanting to join the vassal overseas. This is a good thing. But so many princes want to go to Luzon, don't say you are in trouble.

It’s difficult for me too. We are all relatives, and if I seal one of them, the other 22 families will ask why it’s not him. So, I think it’s better to summon the princes of these 23 families to Beijing and also hold a policy examination. Let them write their own papers.

What are you going to do if you go to Luzon to become the king? Then the six ministers and cabinet ministers will conduct closed-book scoring. The one with the highest score will go to Luzon to become the king." "Hey, the emperor's method is good. Alas, it's a pity that time

I have already taken up my official position, so I can no longer see the spectacular scene of many princes taking exams."

"Hahaha, eldest uncle, what else do you want? I have been the Minister of Rites for eleven years. Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty by Taizu, which eldest uncle has been doing this for as long as you?"

"Humph, isn't it the same with Grand Sima? The eleven-year-old Minister of War is unprecedented!"

"Hey, after decades of ups and downs in the officialdom, these ten years have been the most enjoyable. In ten years, so many things have been accomplished! The military yellow books have been cleaned up, and the livelihood problems of the army town soldiers and guardsmen have been solved... I

I have no regrets at all.”

Regarding the issue of cabinet change, Zhu Youdong has actually had full communication with the important ministers a long time ago. Although official positions are something that most people are really reluctant to give up all of a sudden. But the important ministers of this term all know in their hearts: Although they are doing things under the leadership of today,

It's very pleasant, but our tenure is really too long. If we don't want the monarch and his ministers to be suspicious or even fratricidal, then it's better for everyone not to fall in love with each other at this time.

In short, this is the last state affairs meeting held by the current cabinet since Zhu Youdong took office and established the supervisory team.

"My lords, I have worked together for more than ten years and have accomplished many things together with you. You are reluctant to give up, and I am not willing to give up either. But as the saying goes, if the door hinge is not beetrooted, the running water is not rotten. The imperial court is a progressive and progressive society.

Therefore, adjustments are necessary. Of course, in order to express my gratitude for the outstanding work results of this cabinet, I also take into account that this cabinet has done too many things in the past eleven years and has offended many people. Therefore, I

It is decided that after this cabinet adjustment, all those who have fully completed their official duties will be given 10,000 silver dollars per year as a pension, and at the same time, a general banner will be assigned from the Royal Horse Supervisor for personal protection."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."

…

At the end of February 1622, the Ming Dynasty completed the adjustment of the new cabinet ministers. After the reorganization, the new important ministers were:

Cabinet: First Assistant, Wen Tiren. Second Assistant, Yuan Keli. Third Assistant, Li Dai.

Official Secretary: Sun Chengzong.

Secretary of the Ministry of Household Affairs: Wang Shaozheng (Governor of Yingtian when Zhu Youdong left Nanjing, and was appointed Governor of Shuntian after Zhu Youdong returned to Beijing, a great eunuch in the historical realm).

Minister of Rites: Zhang Yicheng.

Minister of the Ministry of War: Yang Hao (the functions of the Ministry of War have been greatly weakened).

Minister of the Ministry of Punishment: Xiong Tingbi.

Minister of the Ministry of Industry: Xu Guangqi.

The censor of Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate: Zhao Yan.

Governor of Shuntian: Gu Bingqian.

Governor Yingtian: Li Biao.

Chief Envoy of Guangdong: Cheng Jiming.

Chief envoy of Fujian: Sun Chuanting.

Chief envoy of Yunnan: Hong Chengchou.

Governor-General of Central and South China: Chen Shiji...

Along with the announcement of the adjustment list of cabinet ministers and some local officials, there are also new decisions on the reform of the imperial examination system.

The imperial court decided that the fine-tuned imperial examination system would not make any changes in the next two examinations. Nine years later, that is, starting from the 13th year of the Apocalypse, major changes will be made in the examination: poetry, songs, and verses will be combined with classics and meanings. It is one, accounting for 10% of the score in the imperial examination. Policy theory accounts for 50%. In addition, a new administrative professional ability test is added, accounting for 40%. Since the joint examination will change in nine years, so since the twelfth year of the Apocalypse All prefectural and rural examinations that have been launched must be changed before the national examination.

In other words, if the scholars of the Ming Dynasty have not succeeded in becoming an official in the next seven or eight years, then if they want to continue to be an official, they must either adapt to the new examination system or go to overseas vassals to see their luck. .

Of course, Zhu Youdong knew that although scholars could not rebel, as a whole, it was best not to provoke them too much. Therefore, along with this notice, there were also the general scope of the practical examinations and the information for students studying in official schools in various places. , give away free books related to improving test scores.
Chapter completed!