Wanli Xinming

Chapter 399 Ting Tui ([-])

On October 15, 29th year of Wanli, Zhang Siwei's first great dynasty after leaving Beijing.With the cooperation of the impeachment censor, Pan Sheng, who was acting as the prime minister, led the ministers to line up their shifts.

After going to the Imperial Palace, all the ministers saluted like a ritual.At the end of the ceremony, he looked at the ministers and said: "Mr. Feng Pan praised his hard work, loyalty and dedication, but he had to resign because of his weak health. The day before yesterday, Mr. Shu'an had reached his age, and the previous book reminded me to allow him to take office—— Already approved."

"Now that the cabinet is suddenly short of two people, and there is no leader in charge, the state affairs cannot be delayed. Well, please discuss these two matters, I'm listening."

After hearing this, all the ministers looked at each other in blank dismay.Pan Sheng bowed back and said: "Your Majesty, the "Reform Edict" stipulates that the prime minister shall be nominated by the emperor, recommended by the court, and then appointed or dismissed by His Majesty. Now His Majesty does not nominate and discusses with the court." Speaking of this, He stumbled involuntarily.

The emperor interrupted with a smile: "Didn't the "Dazhao" say that no discussion is allowed before the emperor's nomination?"

Pan Sheng stumbled again, thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty said yes. As for the selection of additional cabinet members, I thought that the prime minister and ministers should be selected before the court pushes. Previously, the king of Zhongxing County had ordered the cabinet members to nominate two. All the ministers above rank will enter the cabinet, and His Majesty will delineate them before the court pushes them—I think this method is very good, so there is no need to discuss it any further."

After hearing this, Zhu Yijun groaned and did not answer.Shen Shixing on the side hurriedly said: "I think Mr. Shui Lian's proposal is inappropriate. After I became Emperor Xianzong, the system of court promotion was complete." After saying this, Zhu Yijun immediately knew that this guy was going to move the ancestral system.

Sure enough, Shen Shixing continued: "The "Hui Dian" stipulates that all ministers, ministers, capital censors, general political envoys, and Dali ministers are missing, all officials of the sixth department, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the Department of General Affairs, and the third rank of Dali Temple will be ordered to come to the court for promotion. ; and the selection of the cabinet members, the Ministry of Officials, and the Ministry of War, all use "edict push", that is, the emperor "orders the court to push".

"In the past, the king of Zhongxing County led the cabinet to recommend candidates first, and then pay the court to recommend them. He used the power of the cabinet to replace the emperor's imperial election-Gein County King was seriously ill, and he just followed the power. The minister thought that it should not be done. In addition, Zhongxing When the county king was around, most officials below Shangshu were recommended by the Ministry of Officials and decided by the cabinet, and the court discussion was just a formality, and the ministers' intentions cannot continue like this."

After Shen Shixing finished speaking, all the cabinet ministers were secretly annoyed, and all the ministers below the Shangshu were rejoicing.Although some people think that Zhang Juzheng's method of letting cabinet members nominate cabinet members may not be an expedient measure when he is seriously ill, but everyone likes to see that Shen Shixing took the appointment right below ministers from the cabinet to the official court selection.So when he finished speaking, the hall was full of voices of agreement.

After hearing this, Zhu Yijun had no expression on his face, but his heart was full of mixed feelings.The Tingtui system first started in Yongle and Tianshun, and was basically completed during the Xianzong period. By the Hongzhi and Jiajing periods, the rules had been fully prepared—it was the result of continuous compromises between the monarchy and the civil officials.

After Zhu Yijun crossed over, he and Zhang Juzheng carried out the great cause of reform together. In order to achieve the effect of unifying powers, the detailed regulations of the court were useless when the "Chu Party" occupied the court.After Zhang Juzheng passed away and Zhang Siwei took over, the cabinet’s nominations below ministers were not rejected by the court—in fact, because Zhang Siwei was willing to be a minister, for Zhu Yijun personally, the nomination of the cabinet reflected his His own will, so he didn't change it.

Today, Shen Shixing proposes that according to the provisions of the "Reform Edict", the return of the court proceedings to the imperial court and the imperial edicts is very complicated: First, Shen Shixing clearly opposes the cabinet's law of electing cabinet ministers and transfers power to the government. For the emperor, although there are reasons for sticking to the ancestral system, the more intention is to weaken the power of the prime minister; secondly, the power of appointing ministers and ministers is stripped from the cabinet. On the surface, the power of the cabinet is weakened, but in fact it is beneficial to the cabinet ministers. Forming a party——It is completely consistent with Zhang Juzheng's judgment on him at the beginning.

After pondering for a while, Zhu Yijun waited for someone to refute the drawbacks contained in Shen Shixing's point of view.However, although the faces of several cabinet ministers were sinking like water, no one in the hall spoke out to refute.Below Shangshu, there are a few who came out to support Shen Shixing, seeing that this court meeting is about to reach an agreement.

Among the remaining cabinet ministers, Pan Sheng thought to himself that if the emperor wanted him to be the prime minister, there would be no need to make such an announcement—after Zhang Siwei and Wang Guoguang retired, he was already No. 1, and the emperor could nominate him directly .Since there is no hope of reaching the top, why bother to make people angry during the remaining five years of his term?

Xu Guo spent the past two years with bullets and bullets. If the emperor hadn't kept them, he would have been fired long ago. Therefore, he also knew that he had no hope of reaching the top, so he didn't want to go into troubled waters.Moreover, Shen Shixing's speech was full of legal principles, and he couldn't think of any words to refute for a while.

The remaining two are Liang Menglong and Luo Wanhua, Zhu Yijun's secret favorite candidates.Both of them were expressionless and bowed their heads in silence.Zhu Yijun looked at the two of them, and said in his heart: "If the person who is going to be the prime minister can't see that Shen Shi does what he wants, then he is politically unqualified; if he dare not beat the gong face to face, then he will not You don’t have the courage to lead the ministers—in this way, it’s not bad to use Shen Shixing as an exam question.”

After waiting for a while, the two remained motionless.Zhu Yijun was secretly disappointed in his heart, and thought: "It seems that none of Mr. Zhang's skills are there." With a half-smile expression on his face, he said: "From this point of view, everyone thinks what Mr. Yaoquan said is reasonable. , then do this?"

As soon as the words fell, Liang Menglong and Luo Wanhua came out of the class at the same time and said: "I have something to say."

Zhu Yijun was taken aback, and looked at the two of them.Liang Menglong and Luo Wanhua were also taken aback at the same time, looking at each other.Luo Wanhua pondered for a moment, bowed to Liang Menglong and said, "Mr. Mingquan, let's talk first."

Liang Menglong was not polite when he heard the words, and bowed and said: "Your Majesty, I think Mr. Yaoquan's words are inappropriate. There are serious disadvantages in the court's push!"

Zhu Yijun lifted his spirits when he heard the words, nodded slowly and said, "Mr. Mingquan is playing."

"Yes. My imperial court's push began with court discussions. The court's discussions began in the 24th year of Hongwu. Taizu's decree: "In the future, in the Beijing Yamen, there will be an example of issuing orders by order and the most important matter, and many officials must be discussed. Stop and do it.'”

"There are eleven items for court discussion, and the 'Minister of Discussion' has been around for a long time. But when the announcement was made, the selection of materials was mostly based on the method of recommendation. The Jiuqing recommended important ministers, and the emperor selected the best ones to use-if the recommended minister committed a crime, the recommender would even sit down. !"

"At that time, the people were in full bloom, and the national power of our Ming Dynasty was at its peak, which was closely related to the law of recommendation. However, in Chenghua, Emperor Xianzong surrendered his clothes and ruled the world quietly. Troubled, the law of recommending important ministers is gradually abolished. There is also Xichang who is arrogant, stealing prestige, and making judgments like the Xianzong. Although he realizes it after a long time, the flaws of the ruler and the wall are enough to tarnish the emperor's virtue!"

When everyone listened to his comment on Xianzong, they were almost outspoken, and they were all dumbfounded. They all thought to themselves: "Liang Mingquan is so courageous!"

Zhu Yijun's mind was also shocked by Liang Menglong's words, with a serious face, he sat and listened quietly.Liang Menglong's face flushed slightly, and he continued: "After Xianzong, Emperor Xiaozong denounced lewdness, eliminated redundancy, stopped collecting offerings, stopped passing on promotions, replaced warehouses, and was drawing points. A group of sages gather together, make appropriate appointments, and discuss with the warm court, which is especially acceptable. In order to avoid unworthy future generations, it is necessary to re-establish the law of "will push" and make the provisions detailed. Chen—In fact, I think that it is only to seek the best of the material, and to get the best of it."

"So when Wuzong and Shizong were born, although they were wise and wise, there were Liu Jin, Yan Song and others, and the loyal and upright people might not be able to get through. Of course, the state affairs can be seen, and it is left to the former emperor and His Majesty to make things right, and those who can do a lot," Ting Tui 'The merit is obvious."

Everyone heard Liang Menglong first talk about recommending Lianzuo, thinking that he was going to restore the ancestral system until Chengzu.Unexpectedly, he changed the subject and talked about the Zhengde and Jiajing dynasties again, saying that the two consecutive rulers were indifferent, but the state affairs were not completely over, thanks to the support of the system of court push.

Zhu Yijun listened to his comments on the Ming Dynasty, and connected its rise and fall, honor and disgrace with the method of selecting materials-although it is a family opinion, it is not unreasonable.It sounds exciting.Can't help but comment on Liang Menglong in his heart: "This person is really knowledgeable, generous and outspoken!"

After Liang Menglong commented on Zhengde and Emperor Jiajing, his voice became higher and higher: "However, it doesn't matter whether it's 'Ting Tui' or 'Recommended to even sit', if the saints of later generations can look up to ministers like Your Majesty, open up the way, and use your lover sparingly, the prosperous age will be prosperous." Here! If not, why did the government push and recommend to prevent the preaching and the treachery?"

After saying this, Liang Menglong couldn't contain his excitement, and he said loudly: "Since your Majesty practiced extremes, those who are close have sung praises for joy, and those who are far away have fallen for him! Diligent government and love for the people, good virtues shine on the sky, and leaks from the bottom!" Spring. People all over the world call the prosperity of Wanli, although it is written in Chinese and Song Ren, how can it be added! "

After hearing this, all the ministers fell down.Zhu Yijun's face was slightly red, and he thought to himself: "This guy's flattering is too good." Although he was secretly happy, he still sat upright and tried his best to hold back the smile that appeared.

After Liang Menglong flattered the emperor fiercely, he threw out his own argument: "The ruler of the country is the first to win people. The method of recommending consecutive sittings is beneficial because the recommenders dare not take the risk of 'connecting sittings' to risk inhumaneness, and the disadvantage is that Yi Sheng' Disadvantages of being a master and being a member of the sect; those who are pushed by the court can easily get popular talents, but the disadvantage is that they may form cliques for personal gain—why not combine the two?"

"The minister thinks that in order to achieve the effect of unifying the power of receiving affairs, the prime minister can be used to appoint the cabinet members, and the cabinet members to be in charge of the ministers, and the ministers should be appointed as the ministers of the headquarters, and the court will recommend them in parallel. And so on, according to the degree of seriousness, the method of walking and sitting together!"

"If the minister is guilty, he will not be elected as the minister; if the minister is guilty, he will be exempted from the cabinet member; if the cabinet member is guilty, the prime minister will resign!"

"Sometimes, if someone dares to form a party for personal gain, harm state affairs, etc. like Yan Song's story, will your majesty just sit back and watch?"

"As for the prime minister, please let your majesty be arbitrary!"

(End of this chapter)