To get to the Cabinet from the Ministry of Rites, you have to go around the circle and enter Donghua Gate, which is the Wenyuan Pavilion where the Cabinet works.
Wang Yuan had just passed by the clan mansion when he saw a young eunuch running towards him.
The young eunuch pretended to have met by chance, bowed to Wang Yuan, and suddenly whispered: "Wang Shangshu, Your Majesty fainted and almost fell into the Taiye Pool."
Wang Yuan immediately sped up and headed straight for the Leopard Room, where he unexpectedly met Yang Tinghe on the way.
Obviously, Zhang Yongyong not only sent someone to notify Wang Yuan, but also sent someone to notify Yang Tinghe. This damn eunuch was betting on both ends again, and no one could be offended. Anyway, he was old and just wanted to live in peace and stability until retirement.
Go out of Xihua Gate, pass the Imperial Prison, come to the Taiye Pond, and then cross a bridge to the Leopard Room.
"Stop!"
The guards of the Leopard Room stopped Wang Yuan and Yang Tinghe.
Yang Tinghe said: "Please report to Your Majesty that Yang Tinghe has something important to see you."
The guard in the Leopard Room showed no expression: "Your Majesty said, I won't see anyone today."
Wang Yuan took out the leopard card, handed it over and said, "You'll be fined if you're willing."
The guard in the Leopard Room smiled: "Wang Shangshu, please come back. Your Majesty will not see the foreign ministers today."
Wang Yuan asked again: "When did your Majesty say that?"
The Leopard Room guard replied: "Just now."
Wang Yuan handed over and left. The emperor had already woken up and seemed to be fine. So what else was there to do?
Yang Tinghe also turned around and left, heading to Wenyuan Pavilion with Wang Yuan.
As soon as they arrived at Wenyuan Pavilion, a eunuch who was in charge of rituals followed him in: "Your Majesty has decreed that Wang Yuan, the Minister of Rites, be appointed as the Grand Scholar of Dongge and in charge of the Rites Department."
As soon as these words came out, the five cabinet ministers were all stunned, and even Wang Yuan was confused.
"In charge of the Ceremony Department?" Wang Qiong confirmed.
The eunuch replied: "It's palm, not both."
Yang Tinghe confirmed again: "Zhige?"
The eunuch replied: "Probably...it doesn't count."
The cabinet ministers were silent.
Mao Ji looked at Wang Yuan the same way and asked Yang Tinghe: "It doesn't agree with the system. Do you want to reject it?"
The cabinet has the right to reject the emperor's edict, and the six subjects also have the right.
At first, Emperor Jingtai wanted to change the crown prince, but he was afraid of being rejected by the cabinet. He also went to bribe the cabinet ministers, one hundred taels each for the first and second assistants, and fifty taels each for the other four cabinet ministers. Such a huge amount of money frightened the cabinet ministers.
Already.
"No need." Yang Tinghe shook his head.
Yang Tinghe not only did not reject it, but also drafted the imperial edict himself. He asked the Chief of Ceremonies to send it to the imperial edict for approval, and then took it to the edict making room to write the imperial edict and seal it.
Wang Yuan, a scholar from Dongge University, is in charge of the Ministry of Etiquette. Does it count as joining the cabinet? No one can tell.
The power is roughly like this: Wang Yuan continues to be in charge of the Ministry of Rites. His current position is the Minister of Rites, and he is a part-time bachelor of the cabinet. But he cannot discuss matters in the cabinet? At most, he can only observe in the cabinet.
A real cabinet minister? He is a bachelor of a certain cabinet and a minister of a certain cabinet. A bachelor is a real minister in the cabinet, and a minister is an honorary minister. The key word is "concurrently".
If there are two actual positions at the same time, the word "concurrently in charge" will be used.
And Wang Yuan is now "Zhang". What is followed by the word "Zhang" is actual duty? What is preceded by the word "Zhang" is "virtual duty".
The cabinet title actually became an honorary position. Is this the first time since the founding of the Ming Dynasty? Zhu Houzhao was violating the rules of his ancestors again.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to go to the toilet, Mao Ji said: "I'm afraid your majesty's condition has worsened again? I can't wait to give Wang Ruoxu a bachelor's degree. But I don't want to let Wang Ruoxu take the throne. What do your majesty think?"
Jiang Mian guessed: "Maybe you want to keep suppressing it? Your Majesty is unpredictable? Who can guess?"
"Is Mr. Yang Ge agreeing like this?" Mao Ji was a little unwilling. "There are no cabinet ministers in charge of the six ministries. Yu Zhi can completely reject the emperor's order."
Jiang Mian laughed and said: "Rejecting this will only anger His Majesty and allow Wang Ruoxu to truly take over the throne!"
Just as Jiang Mian said, Yang Tinghe did not dare to object. He was afraid that after he rejected the emperor's order, Zhu Houzhao would be angry and directly carry Wang Yuan into the cabinet. By then, he would no longer be a cabinet minister with a false title.
"Congratulations, Bachelor Wang!" Wang Qiong clasped her fists and smiled.
Wang Yuan couldn't laugh or cry: "Your Majesty's actions are really unbelievable."
If Zhu Houzhao had not issued the imperial order, I am afraid that scholars all over the world would never have dreamed that the title of bachelor would still be empty.
To be honest, Wang Yuan sometimes wanted to split the emperor's head open and study whether the sulcus circuit inside was different from ordinary people.
When Mao Ji and Jiang Mian came back from peeing, Yang Tinghe summoned everyone and said: "Let's discuss the matter of Annan first. According to the news sent back by the Jinyi Haiwei, Annan is not a Zen throne at all. Its fake king Mo Dengyong can be regarded as usurping
Liu Yu and Mo Dengyong of the Southern Dynasty, when the Jin Dynasty established itself, are carrying out reforms in Annan. Many old officials have fled to Laos and are recruiting troops to fight back."
Jiang Miandao: "In this case, it is no longer a matter for Annan alone. If you are not careful, it will trigger the Lao Xuanwei Department."
Yang Yiqing said: "There cannot be chaos in Laos. If there is chaos there, the Yunnan border will also follow. There are two chieftains in Yunnan rebelling now. If Laos is involved again, the corruption may be beyond control."
Although Wang Qiong was a licker of the emperor and Wang Yuan, he had a very tough attitude towards the outside world. He said: "The rebellion of the chieftains in Yunnan can be put down in a short time. The civil strife in Annan is here, which is a great opportunity to recover and establish Jiaozhi Province in one fell swoop!"
Mao Ji sneered: "The rebellion in Guangxi has not been put down for many years, and two chieftains in Yunnan have rebelled. Wang Ge always wants to take back Annan and restore the Chief Secretary of Cochin. Where will you mobilize the troops to fight?"
"Jinyi Haiwei!" Wang Qiong said.
"Absolutely not!" Yang Yiqing immediately objected, "The Jinyiweihai was set up by His Majesty at will. You can ignore whatever misbehavior you do at sea. But if you use the Jinyiweihai to destroy Annan and reset the Chief Secretary of Jiaozhi, then you will let the Jinyiweihai be used in the sea.
Domestic use of force. Once this example is opened, what should we do if the Jinyi Haiwei lands in Guangdong? What should we do if we land in Fujian? What should we do if we land in Tianjin?"
Wang Qiong was speechless.
"Can I say something?" Wang Yuan asked.
Wang Yuan did not have the right to speak in Wenyuan Pavilion, especially since he had just obtained the false title of Dongge University Scholar, so he had to avoid suspicion in Wenyuan Pavilion.
Yang Tinghe smiled and said: "Let's talk, the Ministry of Rites also has the right to discuss this matter."
Wang Yuan said: "Guangxi and Yunnan have been in rebellion one after another, and the imperial court will definitely be unable to regain Annan for the time being. But it cannot make the usurper Mo Dengyong the king of Annan. Why not let the Jinyihaiwei help Annan's old officials recover?"
"How to help?" Yang Tinghe asked.
Wang Yuan said: "Let the Jinyi Haiwei go to Laos to contact the old ministers of Annan and find a clan heir to be King Annan. The Jinyi Haiwei can sell them some firecrackers. If Mo Dengyongruo wins a great victory, he can be crowned king at that time.
Not too late. If the old ministers of Annan win, it will further demonstrate the prestige of the Ming Dynasty, and King Annan will definitely be grateful. It is best for both sides to keep fighting, and no one can win. In this way, Annan will definitely be in chaos for a long time, and it will be impossible to invade the Ming border for decades."
Wang Qiong clapped his hands and praised: "This is a very good plan, with hundreds of benefits and no harm."
Mao Ji asked: "Where did Wang Shangshu's words put the people of Annan? With your words, countless Annan people suffered from war. This is an unkind and unjust policy."
Wang Yuan asked back: "Is Mao Ge always a minister of the Ming Dynasty, or a minister of Annan? I am the minister of the Ming Dynasty, not the minister of Annan. I only care about the life and death of the people of the Ming Dynasty, and I have no control over how many people died in Annan."
Mao Ji said: "Annan is also a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. It used to be the Jiaozhi Province of the Ming Dynasty. The people of Annan were also the people of the Ming Dynasty!"
Wang Yuan immediately retorted: "So, Annan's country is all rebellious ministers and traitors, otherwise why would they betray the Ming Dynasty? If they were not rebellious ministers and traitors, the Ming Dynasty would still have the Chief Secretary of Jiaozhi! Everyone can punish the rebellious ministers and traitors.
, I would be ashamed if I didn’t personally lead the troops to conquer!”
Mao Ji hesitated, not knowing what to say, because there were no loopholes in Wang Yuan's logic.
Yang Tinghe made a decision and said: "Let's do this. Let Jinyi Weihai fund the old ministers of Annan with fire guns, and ask the old ministers of Annan to find a clan and establish a king. Whoever wins the battle will be the true king, and the Ming Dynasty will confer it on him. If he can't win, then he will be the king.
Let them continue to fight, and they will not invade the Ming border."
Wang Yuan smiled and said, "See you, Mr. Yang Ge."
Yang Tinghe added: "What about the Yeerqiang Kingdom?"
Jiang Mian said: "We can make the King of Xiliang and the Yeerqiang Kingdom reconcile, and the two parties agree to never fight again."
"I agree with what Mr. Jiang Ge said." Yang Yiqing and Mao Ji spoke at the same time.
These three people are not speaking for outsiders, but they are worried that the power of Xiliang King Zhu Dangqi will be difficult to control. Once the Yeerqiang Kingdom is destroyed, the Xiliang King may have tens of thousands of troops in the future. Even if Zhu Dangqi does not rebel, he can be guaranteed
Won't his descendants rebel? A serious Ming vassal king has soldiers, food and territory. If something unexpected happens to the court one day, what will Zhu Dangqi's descendants do if they imitate Zhu Di and side with Lord Qing?
Of course Wang Yuan knew their worries: "We can issue an imperial edict and spread it to the northwest frontier army and tribes. If the troops of the King of Xiliang cross Jiayuguan, no matter what the reason is, they will be regarded as rebellion!"
Jiang Mian said: "The imperial decree can be issued, but it is difficult to say what effect it will have. A hundred years later, if the interior is corrupted, and the descendants of the Xiliang King lead tens of thousands of cavalry to block the pass, why don't the generals of Jiayuguan just ask for surrender?
By then, tens of thousands of cavalry from the Western Regions will enter the pass, marching straight in and even reaching the capital!"
Wang Yuan thought to himself, if that situation really happened, the Ming Dynasty monarchs and ministers would seek their own death, so why not let the descendants of the Xiliang King become emperors?
Of course, you can't say this. Wang Yuan smiled and said: "The King of Xiliang was recommended by me. To avoid suspicion, I will not participate in the discussion."
Soon, the cabinet came up with the results of the deliberations, requiring the King of Xiliang and Yeerqiang to cease their troops, provided that the Yeerqiang Kingdom surrendered to the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was short of war horses, and if Yeerqiang paid tribute of two thousand war horses, the court would order
The king of Xiliang is not allowed to start a war.
As for whether the troops can be stopped or not, the court has no control at all. Even if the King of Xiliang wipes out Yeerqiang, can he still send troops out to conquer the King of Xiliang? He will have to acquiesce at that time.
Next, comes the real issue.
"Does Wang Shangshu know "Yi Mian Shu"?" Yang Tinghe asked.
"I know," Wang Yuan suddenly had an idea, "I don't care whether to add cotton classes or not. It's time to change the salt class."
"Change the salt course?"
Everyone was shocked, this was going against heaven.
Wang Yuan sneered: "There are ten lines in the country, and each line has 200,000 jins of salt. Each jin has 300 catties of salt. The nest capital is six cents and four cents, plus tax of three taels of silver. Today, 600 million catties of salt are produced every year.
The salt tax should be more than 13 million taels! But in fact, the salt tax last year was less than 1 million taels. The 12 million taels of salt tax disappeared out of thin air.
where it goes?"
No one answered.
Every year, twelve million taels of salt tax from the imperial court goes missing. Of course, it is swallowed up by eunuchs, nobles, relatives, civil servants, military generals, and businessmen.