Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 238: Chongzhen Dynasty’s Great Ceremony?
After walking out of the palace with a lot of worries, Cao Sicheng decided to go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs first to handle the matter of Ni Yuanlu acting as Taichang Temple Prime Minister, and took him to work together——

If there is any trouble, we should shoulder it together, and we should not let ourselves carry it alone.

The Libu Yamen is just outside Chengtian Gate, just a few steps away from the palace gate.

Cao Sicheng has worked in the civil service department for more than ten years and has many acquaintances. He had no idea of ​​being embarrassed to meet acquaintances after being demoted, so he went directly to Yang Jingchen.

Seeing Cao Sicheng coming, Yang Jingchen didn't dare to neglect. No matter what, Cao Sicheng was his boss, and when he came to work in the Ministry of Personnel, he had to give him face.

After hearing what Cao Sicheng said about Ni Yuanlu, Yang Jingchen agreed. Let alone the emperor's order in this matter, even if there was not, Cao Sicheng still had to give face.

The selection, appointment and removal of the subordinates of the Nine Ministers are done by the Ministry of Personnel and do not need to be recommended in the court.

As the special supervisor in charge of the Literature and Selection Department, Yang Jingchen was promoted to the title of Minister. He decided on such official functions in one word and did not need to discuss with other people.

However, Yang Jingchen did not agree to Cao Sicheng's proposal to completely transfer Ni Yuanlu to Taichang Temple and actually serve as the temple's prime minister.

The emperor asked Ni Yuanlu to act as the Prime Minister of Taichang Temple. It was obvious that he had some ideas. He could not go against the emperor's wishes and transfer Ni Yuanlu from the Hanlin Academy to Taichang Temple.

Therefore, Yang Jingchen excused himself to Cao Sicheng:
"According to the previously established grinding and surveying method, the Jinshi grinding and surveying period is four years."

"Ni Yuanlu, the sixth-rank minister, wants to be promoted to the fifth-rank temple prime minister. He still has eight years of hard work."

"So he can only act as an agent and cannot be promoted."

Cao Sicheng wanted to find someone to share the responsibility and was unwilling to give up easily. He poured out his bitterness to Yang Jingchen and told many of the troublesome things the emperor had arranged for him. And said:
"If the Mokan method is completely followed, Ni Yuanlu, who was a seventh-grade editor before, should not be promoted to a sixth-grade lecturer all at once."

"Now that he is out as an official of the Hanlin Academy, why not be promoted to another rank?"

"You and I both know that the Imperial Academy officials are the prime ministers and should receive some preferential treatment."

"In the past, if the editor of the seventh rank was outsourced, it would not matter if he was moved to the deputy envoy of the fourth rank, let alone the chief minister of the fifth rank?"

"Taichang Temple has a lot of things going on right now. Brother Yang, please help me and transfer him here!"

Yang Jingchen shook his head at this and said:
"Then was then, and the present is now."

"Ni Yuanlu's promotion from Editor to Assistant Lecturer is in accordance with previous practice. This is His Majesty's order. The latest transfer is based on the old method to avoid disadvantages."

"Furthermore, Ni Yuanlu was a Jinshi in the second year of Tianqi's reign. She has been an official for five years now. She also has the credit of presiding over the Jiangxi Provincial Examination. It's time for her to be promoted to the imperial examination."

"But if you continue to be promoted, it would be inappropriate. Even if you are transferred from the Hanlin Academy, you can't add grades at will now."

Yang Jingchen clearly understands the importance that the current emperor places on rank. In addition, he knew that the emperor had other ideas for asking Ni Yuanlu to act as Si Cheng. Of course, he could not completely transfer Ni Yuanlu to Taichang Temple as Cao Sicheng wanted.

Cao Sicheng tried hard but couldn't change Yang Jingchen's mind. He could only give up this plan and go to Ni Yuanlu to discuss the emperor's arrangements.

After Cao Sicheng left, Yang Jingchen thought about it and went to look for Fang Guiwei.

After relaying the news he heard from Cao Sicheng to Fang Zhuangwei, Yang Jingchen asked him what the emperor's thoughts were, and that he wanted to correct the sacrificial canon not long after he ascended the throne:
"It was also in the ninth year of Jiajing when Emperor Shizong and Jiajing established the official sacrificial ceremony."

"Why did His Majesty do this just after he ascended to the throne?"

Fang Zhuangwei was very satisfied with Yang Jingchen's attitude. He knew that Yang Jingchen recommended him as the Minister of Civil Affairs to the emperor in order to help him in this position. Even though he, the Minister of Civil Affairs, was a puppet, he basically had no say in the matter of promotion and literary selection that Yang Jingchen was responsible for. This situation is not normal, but Fang Zhuangli doesn't care. He is now older and has no intention of taking over power. He even actively requested to leave office in another year.

As long as his appearance was acceptable, he had no problem with Yang Jingchen, and even gave some advice, leaving a good relationship——

The reason why he was recommended to the emperor by Yang Jingchen as Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was because of the good fortune left behind by his guidance.
Now that Yang Jingchen asked him for advice again, Fang Zhuangwei thought in his mind and answered slowly and logically:
"The Zhengsi Ceremony was established in the ninth year of Jiajing, but the great ceremony began in the sixteenth year of Zhengde."

"Your Majesty does not have any great gifts to argue about now, so he will advance the matter of correcting the ceremony."

Suddenly, Yang Jingchen said:
"The old gentleman is saying that His Majesty's rectification of the sacrificial rituals and the system of gods has the same intention as Emperor Jiajing's initiation of the Great Ceremony Conference."

"So we can't stop this."

Out of his own heart, he did not want to get involved in these troublesome matters, and he did not want the emperor to rebuild the Martial Temple.

But Fang Zhuanghui compared this matter to a grand ceremony, and he immediately understood that this matter could not be stopped, and it was impossible to stop it——

The emperor wanted to use this matter to see if there were any opponents in the court and who would support him.

If he, the emperor's confidant, dares to stop him, he will be captured immediately.

Fang Guiwei, who had been an official for many years, saw through this at a glance and pointed it out to Yang Jingchen:
"Not only cannot we stop it, we must also fully support it."

"Zhang Fujing had just passed the Jinshi examination. The reason why he fell into the eyes of Emperor Shizong Jiajing was because he was the first to support him."

"If you want to be the Zhang Fujing of this dynasty, you must quote scriptures and support this matter."

"If it can be like Zhang Fujing's memorial, it will not be easy for the saint to rise again, then it will be a great achievement!"

Zhang Fujing's Shang Shu at that time was described by Yang Yiqing as "Zhang Sheng's discussion cannot be changed when the saint comes back", and Wang Shouren also "felt very happy with what he said".

In addition to the strong support of Emperor Jiajing, he was able to reverse the situation of the Dali Conference as a mere Jinshi of Guanzheng, relying on his proficiency in etiquette.

It is precisely because of the detailed theoretical basis that "Minglun Dadian" did not become a joke like "Three Dynasties Yaodian".

If Yang Jingchen could write such an article, he would certainly be able to make a great contribution and let the emperor see his ability.

Thinking about this matter in his mind, Yang Jingchen also thought about Cao Sicheng's special visit to the Ministry of Personnel to tell him about this matter, and he also understood his intention.

It seems that Cao Sicheng also saw this, so he gave him credit and left a good deed.

As the first person to get the news, of course Yang Jingchen had to prepare well and live up to his intentions.

Yang Jingchen, who was born in the Hanlin Academy and participated in the compilation of "Three Dynasties Essential Codes", felt no pressure at all to write such an article.

Before, he just didn't want to see the emperor rebuild the martial arts temple out of civil servant instinct, and he didn't want the emperor to get close to Buddhism and Taoism. But after changing his mind, Yang Jingchen quickly realized from the bottom of his heart that it was necessary to rebuild the martial temple, and the system of immortals did need to be rectified, and Buddhism and Taoism could not be canonized indiscriminately——

Confucian scholars must take the initiative in this matter and reshape the immortal system.

(End of this chapter)