King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 796: People are not as good as before
The Spring Examination was held in early February, and it was rare to see students like Song Ziyu arriving in Beijing at the beginning of the first lunar month.

But unlike the students, the heads of the three departments in various places of the Ming Dynasty, especially those whose terms of office had expired, came to the capital early.

It is easy to be an official if you have connections in the court. Those who can sit in high positions have connections in the court. It is normal to take the opportunity to visit the court when reporting on work at the beginning of the year.

Two days passed in a blink of an eye, and it was the tenth day of the first lunar month. On this day, the regular court was held as usual.

The current situation is that a grand court meeting is held on the first day of each month, and regular court meetings are held on the tenth and twentieth days. There are only three court meetings in a month, so the court meeting system is still relatively well maintained.

But even so, since Zhu Jinghong ascended the throne, he has canceled court meetings many times for one reason or another.

By the tenth day of the first lunar month, the officials had already celebrated the New Year, so the regular court was held as usual.

Compared with the grand court meetings, the regular court meetings had much fewer participants, with no more than a hundred civil and military officials combined, so they were held in the Chongzheng Hall.

The court meeting was just a formality, allowing the emperor and ministers to meet and discuss some rather abstract matters, such as the emperor's burial being discussed today.

The Ministry of Works reported that the auspicious site had been completed and they only needed to choose an auspicious day to bury the emperor. Finally, according to the opinion of the Imperial Astronomical Observatory, the date was set on the sixth day of March.

The emperor and the empress had to be buried together. Before this, because the imperial mausoleum had not been completely completed, the empress had to be buried first. Now that the imperial mausoleum has been completed, the empress has to be reburied.

Finally, the date of the reburial was set on March 12.

After these matters were discussed, the court meeting ended and everyone dispersed, except for three cabinet ministers who were left behind.

After everyone had left, Zhu Jinghong said, "My three beloved ministers, please follow me!"

"I will obey your orders!"

A group of four people walked out of the Chongzheng Hall one after another, and then walked along the corridor.

"How old are you, Zhao Qing?"

Being asked about one's age by the emperor was not a good sign, but Zhao Yushan still replied: "Your Majesty, in three months, I will be sixty-eight!"

Sixty-eight is definitely considered a long life in this era, so Zhu Jinghong said: "Mr. Zhao is a blessed man!"

Not only Zhao Yushan was thinking about the emperor's intentions, but the second assistant Zheng Zhiqing and the third assistant Ye Bingwei were also trying to figure out Zhu Jinghong's intentions.

They not only want to squeeze out Zhao Yushan, but also think about the impact of the emperor's attitude on the court and political situation. There are too many things involved.

Who would have thought that the next moment, Zhu Jinghong would ask: "How lively is your New Year?"

The topic changed so quickly that the three of them were all thinking hard, and Zhao Yushan could only answer: "Your Majesty, although not all of my children and grandchildren have come to the capital, they are still living a lively life!"

Zhao Yushan is almost seventy years old. Not to mention grandchildren, he even has great-grandchildren. However, most of them are in his hometown or working as officials outside the capital. There are actually not many people who accompany him in Beijing.

Touching his grown beard, Zhu Jinghong asked, "Your family is not here, and your fellow students from the same hometown don't come to see you?"

Zhao Yushan was very calm about this question, but Zheng Zhiqing and Ye Bingwei were not calm afterwards because they had actually met some people.

"Although I have many old friends from my hometown, I still feel that I don't have enough time to spend with my family, so how can I have the time to see other people!"

Zhao Yushan was already the Prime Minister and Grand Secretary, and he could do as he pleased in terms of social relationships, so during the New Year period, he did not see his students and fellow townsmen, although these people could also be called his "followers."

He now has only one goal, which is to complete the land survey thoroughly during his term of office.
From the eleventh year of Zhengtong to the present, he has been in the position of Prime Minister for nearly ten years, which in itself is a rare achievement.

After all, the Ming Dynasty lasted for more than 300 years, and there were only a few cabinet ministers who served for more than ten years, let alone the chief minister.

Of course, his achievements in the past ten years have been remarkable. Most of the national land survey has been completed, and the court's tax base has been expanded by more than 20%.

During the land survey process, the imperial court strengthened its grasp of local realities, or in the words of textbooks, it strengthened central power.

Although the land surveying process resulted in some people taking advantage of the opportunity to annex land, which even triggered several civil uprisings, Zhao Yushan's contribution was generally invaluable.

Zhu Jinghong stopped and turned around and asked, "Zheng Qing, Ye Qing, how are you?"

During the previous questioning, Zhu Jinghong had his back to the three people, but now that he turned around, his direction was very clear.

Zheng and Ye were both old foxes, so Zheng Zhiqing replied, "Your Majesty, I am not as free as Lord Zhao, and I have indeed met some people in the past few days!"

"Are they all here to wish you a happy new year?" Zhu Jinghong asked with a smile.

Zheng Zhiqing answered honestly: "It's called New Year's greetings, but in fact it's for the future. I have told them many times that as long as they are loyal to Your Majesty and work hard, there is no need for them to work hard for their future!"

Hearing this, Zhu Jinghong laughed and thought to himself that this old guy was indeed quick to react.

Then Ye Bingwei also replied: "The promotion and appointment of officials is decided by your majesty. They are running around for the sake of pursuing trivial matters. I have taught them a lesson many times!"

It would be foolish to deny having met his disciples and old friends at this time. Zheng and Ye would certainly not make such a mistake. What they need to think about is how to interpret these things.

"Even the wisest man can make mistakes. There are so many officials in the world, and I don't know all of them. The selection and appointment of people still depends on you to identify the virtuous ones!"

If an ordinary emperor said this, the three people present would believe it halfway, but whoever believed Zhu Jinghong would be a fool.

The decision-making power over the appointment and removal of senior officials is firmly in the hands of Zhu Jinghong. The virtuous people nominated by the three of them must also pass Zhu Jinghong's test.

"In the past two years, various incidents have occurred both in the imperial court and in various places. This shows that there are inappropriate appointments of officials. Some people should be dealt with!"

This statement is equivalent to a clear indication that the appointments of officials will be adjusted in the future. Combined with what Zhu Jinghong said just now, it is equivalent to a warning to the three cabinet ministers not to always think about placing their own people.

After all, as the emperor, Zhu Jinghong had too few confidants in the six ministries of the cabinet.

"You guys go down and discuss the specifics. Those who should leave should leave, and those who should stay should stay!"

The boundaries of such an arrangement are too vague, and how to deal with it specifically requires a lot of skill.

But no matter what, the most important thing is to agree to it first, and you can change it later if there is any problem with the execution.

"I'm waiting for the order!"

After the meeting, Zhu Jinghong returned to the Qianqing Palace, and then he summoned Zheng Xianlin and He Gujin, who were respectively the assistant ministers of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue.

Their current positions were promoted by the late emperor in the 18th year of Zhengtong, and they have been in the posts for three full years now.

Zhu Xianming made such arrangements in order to pave the way for Zhu Jinghong, allowing these two to go to the most critical Ministry of Personnel and Ministry of Revenue.

Also promoted during the same period was the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Jia Yucun, but he was transferred by Zhu Jinghong to the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works a few years ago and was assigned to Yingtian to preside over the construction of the government office in the secondary capital, while also supervising the affairs of shipyards in various parts of the south.

"Your Majesty, I, Zheng Xianlin (He Gujin), the Minister of Rites, kowtow to you. Long live the emperor!"

In the warm room of the Qianqing Palace, Zheng and He performed a grand ceremony.

Even though they were high-ranking officials of the third rank, it was still a rare opportunity for them to meet the emperor, so they were very respectful and cautious at this moment. "My two beloved ministers, I have known you for... ten years, right?"

Zheng Xianlin immediately turned on the bubble audio and replied, "Your Majesty, in May of the tenth year of Zhengtong, Your Majesty went to Nanjing to suppress the Japanese invaders. I and your subjects had the honor of seeing His Majesty. It has been nearly eleven years since then!"

At that time, Zheng and He, one the governor and the other the provincial judge in Nanjing, were facing a situation from which they could never recover if they made a wrong move.

It was because they met Zhu Jinghong and chose to surrender to him that the two of them were able to survive and even rise to high positions in the future.

Although they are only third-rank officials now, their official rank has long been second-rank. In other words, they can be promoted across levels and can be directly promoted to the position of Shangshu.

He had just summoned the cabinet ministers and released the information that personnel adjustments would be made. Now he summoned Zheng and He, actually to show it to the three cabinet members in order to avoid any misjudgment.

"It's been eleven years, but it seems like just yesterday!" Zhu Jinghong said with a smile.

Then he said: "People always say that new clothes are worse than old ones, and looking at the court... I don't have many old friends!"

Being called an old friend by the emperor and trusted by him is a rare honor for an official.

"Your Majesty, you trust us so much that we are filled with gratitude!" Zheng Xianlin bowed.

After a slight smile, Zhu Jinghong asked again: "How many years have you two been in office?"

Zheng Xianlin replied: "Your Majesty, I was a Jinshi in the second year of Chengping, and I have been an official for thirty-five years!"

He Gujin was three years younger than him, but he had also been in the officialdom for more than thirty years.

"People are not as good as old friends. People always say that old friends are trustworthy, but few people know that this saying has another meaning, which is that old friends can be relied on!"

"After many years of training, you have acquired the experience, ability, and wisdom that are perfect. You are not comparable to newcomers. Do you two deserve my trust and reliance?"

Zheng and He quickly expressed their loyalty and replied, "We are willing to die for your majesty!"

"You are not generals, so you don't have to die for them. The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue are the key centers. If you can manage these two places for me, you will not let me down!"

Although they were both assistant ministers, Zhu Jinghong asked them to manage the affairs of the ministry, which was a clear indication.

The two men who had just stood up knelt down again to thank the emperor for his trust and grace.

Being an official of the Six Ministries and one of the Nine Ministers is also a special honor for an official. The next level up is the Cabinet.

However, both of them are over 60 years old, and there is basically no possibility for them to enter the cabinet. At least, Zheng Xianlin, as the Minister of Personnel, has absolutely no chance of entering the cabinet.

After calling the two again, Zhu Jinghong said: "Since you are already in the central government, in addition to your duties, it is also your responsibility to recommend virtuous people to the court!"

"You two have extensive resumes and have met many people over the years. You can recommend any young people who are loyal and diligent to the court. I will select the best and employ them!"

For Zhu Jinghong, although he could easily suppress court officials, it was impossible for him to do it personally every time, so it was particularly important to cultivate his own confidants.

Of course, this is only for the civilian officials. The powerful people in the military today are basically all his confidants. He can use anyone, but naturally the most capable ones will be preferred.

Zheng and He were deeply involved in the early stage of land surveying and actually offended many people, so they were considered isolated ministers to a certain extent and could only be loyal to the emperor in order to seek protection.

Therefore, helping them to establish a team is actually to expand the emperor's power. After they retire, these people will still rely on the emperor tightly.

These promoted people may not be good people or have strong abilities, but their advantage is that they are loyal to the emperor based on their own interests, which is also the key reason why Zhu Jinghong used them.

"We, the ministers, should select talented people for the country and share your Majesty's worries!"

Zhu Jinghong was very satisfied with this statement. The emperor and his ministers chatted for a while, and then Zheng and He left the Qianqing Palace.

Walking out of the Qianqing Gate, the two elderly men in their sixties obviously quickened their pace, which showed how excited they were.

To have reached this level of officialdom could indeed be considered the pinnacle of officialdom. After all, if a cabinet minister did not have an additional title, he would only be a second-grade official.

Especially Zheng Xianlin, who is about to be promoted to the Minister of Personnel. The say of this position may not be lower than that of a cabinet minister.

As for He Gujin's position as the Minister of Revenue, it was also a very critical position, in charge of the finances and taxation of the entire Ming Dynasty.

"Old He, if we go back ten years and someone told you and me about our current situation, I'm afraid we would never believe it!" Zheng Xianlin sighed.

He Gujin nodded and replied: "This is all due to your majesty's grace. We must live up to your majesty's expectations in the future!"

Along the palace road, there were eunuchs and palace maids coming and going, as well as guards on duty. Among them, there were undoubtedly spies, and they were saying these words to Zhu Jinghong.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Jinghong sat alone behind the imperial desk with several pieces of paper in front of him with a dozen names written on them. This was a plan he had drawn up himself.

Of course, this is the direction of his efforts and a goal that must be achieved.

The reason is that if he always acts arbitrarily, he will become alienated from the court officials. Not following the rules at all is equivalent to having no rules, which is a great destruction to the court system.

The purpose of seizing power is to get things done. If the system is in chaos, there is no way to get things done.

In the blink of an eye, a few days have passed and the Lantern Festival is approaching.

The Chinese New Year is lively enough, and as the Lantern Festival approaches, the capital is decorated with lights and lanterns. A dazzling array of lanterns are hung in every street and alley in the capital.

The largest street in the capital is the "Tianjie", which starts from Yongdingmen in the south, passes through Zhengyangmen, and finally reaches Damingmen.

The width of Tianjie is about thirty meters. Lamp stands have been installed on the left and right sides, and lanterns have been hung up now, waiting for the Lantern Festival to arrive and then the candles will be lit.

This year is the first year of Qiansheng, a year of continuity and renewal. The officials of the Ministry of Works and Shuntian Prefecture have exhausted their efforts to prepare for this celebration as well as possible.

Before nightfall, a large number of civilians, merchants, and envoys had already arrived. As soon as the checkpoint ahead was opened, they would rush to the Daming Gate with all their might.

In order to ensure safety today and avoid accidents, the Imperial Guards and the Beijing Camp have dispatched additional personnel, and have arrived at the designated location to stand guard one day in advance.

Outside the Zhengyang Gate, Feng Yuan was also waiting in the crowd. It was obvious that he was also planning to go to the Daming Gate in a while, hoping to get a chance to see the emperor.

Speaking of which, Feng Yuan had met Zhu Jinghong once, but he was beaten half to death at that time and did not see the appearance of the Thirteenth Master clearly.

But today, even if he could squeeze to the front of the crowd, he would still be more than ten feet away from the Daming Gate, and it was night time so it was impossible to see the emperor's face clearly.

So Feng Yuan knew that if he wanted to truly see the emperor, he had to at least make it to the palace examination, and ultimately he would have to take the imperial examination.

"Brother Feng, it's still early and it's quite lively over there, shall we go over and take a look?"

The voice came from Song Ziyu, who had also come to join in the fun today. There were seven or eight people in their group, all of them were scholars from Jinling.

"Okay!" Feng Yuan replied with a smile.

(End of this chapter)