In the past few days, there has been an endless stream of visitors to Wang Yuan's house, and even people had to queue up to send greetings.
Those low-level officials who wanted to seduce Wang Shilang knew that they would not be received, but they always had a sense of luck. They queued at the door for a long time, sent their greetings and then went home to wait, just like buying lottery tickets expecting to win a big prize.
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Gradually, a good reputation began to spread in Beijing, saying that Wang Shilang was strict in running the family and that his disciples were all honest and not greedy for money.
In the official circles, there was also news that the emperor wanted to appoint Wang Yuan to the cabinet!
December 28th is supposed to be close to the New Year, but there are two Decembers this year.
All civil and military officials received orders that they must attend the morning court today. Those who were absent could be fined with a salary or demoted. As a result, a large number of people came to the Forbidden City. The officials were too small and could only stand in the square in front of the palace.
Along the way, officials took the initiative to greet Wang Yuan, but many looked at him rather strangely.
The rites and music were performed, and the emperor was promoted to the palace.
Zhu Houzhao didn't yawn today and seemed to be very energetic. He went to bed very early last night.
Li Xunxue, the Minister of Rites, went out to report: "Your Majesty, according to the calculations of the Qin Tianjian, the tenth day of the first lunar month is the auspicious day of the zodiac. Please agree that on the first day of the first lunar month next year, a great sacrifice to heaven and earth will be held in the southern suburbs."
"Accurate!" Zhu Houzhao said.
Li Xunxue is the new Minister of Rites, who previously served as Minister of Rites in Nanjing. Before the emperor left Beijing to fight the war, he was selected by the imperial court. He was actually a confidant appointed by Zhu Houzhao. As for the previous Minister of Rites, Mao Ji, he was from the line of Yang Tinghe and Liang Chu.
, transferred to take charge of the imperial office.
Historically, Zhu Houzhao decided to go to the border town, but he was afraid that the court would be unstable, so he ordered a discussion on the establishment of a prince.
The official who was ordered to preside over the establishment of the crown prince was Li Xunxue!
But the situation at that time was too complicated, and the matter of establishing the crown prince was disturbed by Liang Chu. Because Qian Ning received the money, he proposed to make Prince Ning the crown prince; Jiang Bin had no relationship with Prince Ning, so he proposed other candidates; the first assistant Liang Chu
None of the three parties were satisfied with this, so the three parties had no choice but to give up.
Now that Zhu Houzhao has a biological son, naturally this will not happen, but Li Xunxue is still placed in the Ministry of Rites by Zhu Houzhao.
After setting the date for the spring sacrifice, Zhu Houzhao suddenly said: "The state affairs are heavy, and I want to expand the cabinet. I plan to enter the Mao Ji Dynasty and be appointed as a bachelor of Dongge University. Li Xunxue, the Minister of Rites, will be awarded a bachelor's degree in Hanlin and will also be in charge of the imperial palace."
This was a political deal, allowing Yang Ting and Mao Ji, the factional leader, to serve as cabinet ministers and letting the emperor's confidant Li Xunxue take charge of the imperial office.
Yang Tinghe neither refused nor agreed: "The important ministers of the cabinet are selected by the court."
Zhu Houzhao added: "Since the court has recommended one person, I will also nominate one person. Wang Yuan, the right minister of the Ministry of War, immediately has countless people and outstanding political achievements. He should be a bachelor of Wenhua Palace. You and others will be recommended together by the court."
Sure enough, when he arrived, all the ministers immediately started talking, and the court hall was buzzing like a vegetable market.
In the past, the cabinet could be appointed directly by the emperor.
But Zhu Houzhao's father, Emperor Xiaozong, was too soft-spoken and could not suppress those civil servants. So in the eighth year of Hongzhi, the appointment of cabinet ministers had to be recommended by court, and the emperor only had the right to make suggestions and nominations, and gradually lost control over cabinet candidates.
However, if the ministers recommended by the court do not satisfy the emperor, the emperor can order re-election. One recommendation, two recommendation, three recommendation, four recommendation... fight with the ministers until the emperor is happy.
Cabinet ministers selected through such exhausting battles, or ministers directly appointed by the emperor, are called "entering the cabinet by decree". For example, Zhang Cong, Gui E, Fang Xianfu, Xia Yan, Xu Jie, Yuan Wei, Yan Na, and Li Chunfang in the Jiajing Dynasty
, all of them were "entered into the cabinet by order", which shows how tense the relationship between Jiajing and the ministers was.
Tingtui?
Haha, the emperor is the referee and has the final right of interpretation.
It's like playing a football game. The referee said there were too many fouls just now and we have to replay. Then we keep replaying the game, which makes the players exhausted. The referee can only decide who loses and who wins.
Seeing Zhu Houzhao smiling all over his face, Yang Tinghe's eyelids twitched immediately. How could he dare to take risks?
Although Zhu Houzhao never messed around in the selection of cabinet candidates, the appointment of the six ministers had been fought many times. For example, when Wang Qiong was appointed minister of the Ministry of War, he was recommended twice in succession. The ministers did not want to recommend a third time, so they had to
According to the emperor, Wang Qiong was elected.
If Wang Yuan cannot be promoted this time, he may be promoted a dozen times. Don’t think about doing anything else!
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!" Yang Tinghe immediately objected.
Zhu Houzhao asked: "Mr. Yang Ge, do you think Wang Shilang is not talented enough, or do you think Wang Shilang's achievements are not enough?"
Yang Tinghe said: "Report to Your Majesty. I believe very much in Shilang Wang's talents and admire Shilang Wang's achievements very much, but you must not set a precedent for anything. Your Majesty is wise and powerful, and Shilang Wang is extremely talented, so there is nothing wrong with it. But in the future of the Ming Dynasty,
If the king and his ministers do not have your majesty’s ability to recognize people, nor the talents of the king’s ministers, but they imitate your majesty and promote ministers to higher levels. What should we do? For the sake of the country and the country of Ming Dynasty, please take back your orders!”
"Your Majesty, please take back your order!"
About two-thirds of the civil servants knelt on the ground to support Yang Tinghe.
It was not that Yang Tinghe had so many party members, but that Zhu Houzhao went too far and forced the civil servants to unite to oppose.
Wang Qiong, the Secretary of the Ministry of War, did not kneel down, but held a wat tablet with an expressionless face.
Lu Wan, the Minister of Civil Affairs, hesitated again and again, but finally stood still. Although he seemed to have restored relations with Yang Tinghe, in fact, they had parted ways politically, so how could he offend the emperor and Wang Yuan again?
Wang Yuan stood quietly and said nothing, neither sad nor happy.
Today's great show, jointly planned by Wang Yuan and Zhu Houzhao, has just begun.
Zhu Houzhao suddenly took out two documents and asked the accompanying eunuch to hand them to Yang Tinghe. He sneered: "Mr. Yang Ge, please take a closer look!"
Yang Tinghe was a little confused and took it over to check on the spot.
The first document is a sealed intermediary complaint from Yan Shun, the adjutant of Prince Ning's palace, which is also a small report written by an official to the emperor. There is nothing more than an accusation of Prince Ning's rebellion. The treasures accumulated by Prince Ning for hundreds of years are all
They were used to make weapons, recruit troops and bribe officials. Moreover, King Ning was still making seals privately, as Yan Shun, the adjutant of Dianbao, saw with his own eyes - the official of Dianbao in the palace was responsible for seals, talismans and other items for the vassal king.
A person of absolute trust.
The second document was clearly an edict drafted by Yang Tinghe. He colluded with the eunuch Lu Ming to obtain the approval of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, and then took it to the imperial edict room to copy and issue it again to restore Prince Ning's palace guards. The edict drafted by Yang Tinghe must be
Leaving behind the original record, because of the cooperation of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, the procedure is completely legal and cannot be called a false edict. If King Ning does not rebel, nothing will happen; once King Ning rebels, Yang Tinghe will not be able to escape his involvement!
Yang Tinghe was sweating on his vest, his hands and feet were instantly cold, and his mouth was dry and he didn't know what to say.
Zhu Houzhao asked: "Teacher, what else do you want to say?"
Yang Tinghe took off his hat, kowtowed solemnly and said: "I have failed the emperor's favor and I have no face to serve in the cabinet anymore. I request that I become an official and return to my hometown to retire."
As soon as this statement came out, all the officials were shocked and didn't know what happened.
Liang Chu also looked at Yang Tinghe stupidly. He was not involved and had nothing to do with this matter. He didn't even know that Yang Tinghe had drafted an imperial edict about King Ning.
Yang Tinghe was so bold that he took advantage of the ninth year of the Zhengde Examination and other cabinet ministers were in the East Pavilion to review the papers, and he drafted the imperial edict on behalf of the cabinet. Then the eunuch Lu Ming took it to the Supervisor of Ceremonies, quickly approved the imperial edict, and then let him
The imperial edict was copied immediately in the production room, and the eunuch sealed it on the spot. Afterwards, he only needed to give the clan official a word of approval.
To this day, other cabinet ministers are still kept in the dark!
"No." Zhu Houzhao said with a smile, showing no sign of anger.
Yang Tinghe cannot be allowed to return home, because Liang Chu is even worse. Yang Yiqing has a stubborn personality and is not suitable to be the first assistant. Jin Gui has been involved in imperial examination fraud cases, and it is difficult to convince the public as the first assistant.
Looking at the important ministers of the Manchu Dynasty, only Yang Tinghe was the best candidate for the first assistant, and he was also the first assistant who was grabbed by the emperor's pigtails.
Yang Tinghe started to speak but stopped, sweating like rain.
Zhu Houzhao asked: "Mr. Yang Ge, do you still oppose Wang Shilang's entry into the cabinet?"
Yang Tinghe closed his eyes and said, "My lord, I have no objection."
"Brother Jiefu, you..." Liang Chu was completely confused.
Other officials were similar and reacted in disbelief to Yang Tinghe. Although they did not know the inside story, Yang Tinghe must have lost a lot of prestige since then and was even regarded as a traitor by some Qingliu people.
Zhu Houzhao said with a smile: "In that case, all the ministers should make preparations and start recommending ministers tomorrow."
"Your Majesty!" Finally it was Wang Yuan's turn.
Zhu Houzhao asked: "What does Erlang want to say?"
Wang Yuan said: "I am willing to give up this reward. I only ask your Majesty to marry the daughter of the Song family."
Wang Yuan is not a fool. Let alone joining the cabinet now, even if he becomes Zuo Shilang, he will be roasted on the fire. Before his wings are full and his qualifications are deep, Wang Yuan will never agree to join the cabinet.
And asking for a marriage and an equal wife is the most ridiculous and most suitable excuse!