Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 35 Chang Chao Candidates

After determining the time for going to court, the next step is the location.

Needless to say, the Shuowang Dynasty is still in the Huangji Palace, but the Chang Dynasty that regards the emperor as a court has two types: Chang Chao Yudian Yi and Chang Chao Yumen Yi. The royal palace rituals of the Chang Dynasty are held in Huangji Hall and Zhongji Hall, and the Royal Gate rituals of the Chang Dynasty are held in Huangji Gate.

When Zhu Youjian listened to the so-called royal gate ceremony of Chang Dynasty, he felt that it was very similar to the royal gate listening to politics in Qing palace dramas.

It's just that the emperor of the Qing Dynasty was at the Qianqing Gate, and the Ming Dynasty was at the Huangji Gate.

There is no need for a good palace, so why is it in the open space in front of the door?
Feeling a little confused, Zhu Youjian asked the minister.

Lai Zongdao, Minister of Rites, replied:
"If the royal palace ceremony is in the Zhongji Hall, only those of the fourth rank and above can enter the palace, and those below the fifth rank can be outside."

"If you are in the Huangji Hall, you need to salute in the Zhongji Hall first."

"In the early years of this dynasty, royal palace ceremonies were held, and after that, royal gate ceremonies were usually held."

Zhu Youjian understood now that the Zhongji Hall was too small for courtiers to stand, and the Huangji Hall was too solemn and the etiquette was too complicated. Therefore, the Ming emperors and ministers after Taizu and Chengzu found it inconvenient, so they often held imperial ceremonies.

Guo Yunhou, the Minister of Revenue, also added:
"There are many people in the palace and it is inconvenient to move around. It is more convenient to perform the ceremony at the gate."

"If your Majesty has any questions, you can summon someone directly."

In this way, Zhu Youjian understood better. Looking at the people in the hall in front of him, he knew that those who had been appearing in front of him were familiar officials such as the cabinet and the six ministries. Others were not qualified to come forward at all.

If it is changed to the Royal Gate Ceremony, because the space is larger and the etiquette is more casual, other people can go out and perform things at will, and the emperor can also call people forward at will, which makes it more convenient to handle things.

But even so, Zhu Youjian felt that it was too outrageous to ask ministers to present the facts in an open space, and it could not change the tendency of court meetings to be ritualized. Thinking of his plan to reduce the size of the court meeting and increase the efficiency of discussions, Zhu Youjian said:
"You have a palace that you don't need, but you are performing things in the open space outside. This is not the way to treat a minister."

"The restoration of the three main halls has been completed and will be used in the future. I hope that the next lunar new year's rites will be held in the Huangji Hall. The daily rites of the 369th and 369th will be held in the Zhongji Hall."

"The Zhongji Hall is only a quarter of the size of the Huangji Hall, and the number of people attending the court can also be reduced to a quarter of the Shuowang court ceremony. Everyone, please discuss who is suitable to go to the court."

This change was so big that the ministers discussed it a lot. These people all agreed with the emperor's statement that it was not appropriate to treat ministers in an open space. But they have different attitudes towards reducing the size of the court meeting.

The ministers are naturally willing to do this, and some minor officials who rarely speak at court meetings have no idea. Those petty officials who did not have high official positions but liked to comment on court affairs reacted fiercely to this, believing that the emperor's reduction in the size of the court meeting was not conducive to both listening and reading.

However, their words were refuted by the ministers. Xue Zhen, the Minister of Punishment, said sternly:

"The sound of the audience will be chaotic. If the ministers want to do something, they can just go to the court. Why add chaos to the court meeting?"

"If you really have something to say that you don't want to express, no one will stop you from watching the rituals on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month."

Although these words were strong, they spoke to the hearts of some people. Many petty officials could not speak a few words at court meetings throughout the year, so naturally they were not very enthusiastic about attending court meetings. For them, it is enough to attend more than 20 lunar calendars a year, but they don't like attending more than 20 times.

However, if they could only participate in the Shuo Wang Dynasty, they were also worried that there would be too few opportunities to speak, and if they had any grievances or remarks, they would not be heard by the emperor.

Seemingly understanding their concerns, Zhu Youjian said at this time: "In the future, the functions of the Shuowang Dynasty and the Chang Dynasty will be separated. The ministers who participate in the Chang Dynasty will give the speech of the Shuowang Dynasty to ministers who cannot participate in the Chang Dynasty."

"This is the best of both worlds. We don't have to have many ministers attend every court meeting, but those ministers always speak."

As soon as this statement came out, many petty officials praised him. Although the ministers were a little worried that the junior officials would talk nonsense at the Shuowang Dynasty, they agreed after thinking that they would never attend the Chang Dynasty again.

Only those petty officials who liked to speak and stir up trouble were a little unwilling to do so. It's just that they don't have many people to support them, so they can only stop and secretly plan to perform well in Shuowang Dynasty and strive to control Shuowang Dynasty.

After this was settled, Zhu Youjian continued to discuss with the ministers who should participate in the Chang Dynasty. The first thing to be decided was the nobility. Zhu Youjian ordered Duke Cheng, Ying Guo and Ding Guo in Beijing to participate in the Chang Dynasty. The marquis, uncles, clan members and princes-in-law decided whether to participate according to their positions.

Then it was decided that the cabinet would be composed of bachelors, ministers and assistant ministers of the six departments of Lihu, Libing, Xingonggong, chief ministers and shaoqings of the five temples of Dali Temple, Taichang Temple, Taipu Temple, Guanglu Temple, and Honglu Temple, general affairs envoys Si, and Shun. The chief officials of Tianfu, Zhanshifu, Hanlin Academy, Taiyuan Hospital, Qintianjian, Imperial College and other departments. At least two people from each court department attend the regular court meetings to prevent others from controlling their opinions.

After that, there are the officials of the department. At least two people from each of the six subjects can participate. The left and right censors of the Ducha Yuan, the left and right deputy censors, the left and right censors, and the thirteen supervisory censors can all participate.

Finally, with the addition of civil and military attendants such as Qi Zhuzhu, Shang Baoqing, and Jin Yiwei, the candidates for the Chang Dynasty were roughly decided.

This scale is much smaller than that of the Shuo Wang Dynasty, and there are cabinets, six ministries, and six departments, which can directly issue imperial edicts. Zhu Youjian is quite satisfied with this.

The ministers were also quite satisfied, after all, they could all attend the regular court. Without some petty officials expressing their opinions at will, the variables in the court would be much smaller, which would be conducive to their governance. Especially when the court recommends ministers, there are fewer petty officials to attack at will, which is more conducive to controlling the results.

The officials of the Department of Science and Technology were even more satisfied. After all, the other people who participated in the Chang Dynasty were all department chiefs, but they could almost all participate. What else could they be dissatisfied about?

However, the six ministers, ministers, and principals were generally dissatisfied. Especially those doctors, who are in charge of a Qing official department, and have much greater power than the supervisors of the five temples. How come they can participate in the Chang Dynasty, but they can't?

Seeing that they were about to start a fight, Zhu Youjian added:
"Officials at all levels, including Shaoqing, Qiandu Yushi and above, also participate in the regular court."

"Nanjing officials and local officials entering Beijing will also be treated in the same manner."

This measure suppressed the dissatisfaction of some people, but it still failed to appease the people in the six ministries, but those who were promoted at court were usually officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, and those who were promoted locally were usually governors and governors.

Finally, after thinking about it, Zhu Youjian said:

"The local chief envoys have the third rank to participate in politics and the fourth rank to consult. The imperial general affairs envoys have the fourth rank to handle politics and the fifth rank to consult."

"From now on, the general rank of General Secretary Sizheng will be changed from the fifth rank to the fourth rank, and the third rank will be added to the political council as an additional title."

"Officials who have participated in political affairs from the fourth rank, promoted official affairs from the fourth rank, and participated in political affairs from the third rank and have gained titles can also participate in the regular court."

"The Ministry of Personnel will draw up a plan as soon as possible to give officials with sufficient qualifications and merits the title of Councilor, General Administration, and Political Participation. I have granted permission that this time there is no need to pass the exam, and the imperial edict will be awarded based on the fifth rank or above, and the imperial edicts they deserve will be given directly."

After this, the scope of the Chang Dynasty expanded a bit. Many people thought that they were eligible to receive additional titles to participate in the Chang Dynasty, and they could also directly receive imperial orders, so they finally stopped making trouble. The changes in Chang Chao's candidates were finally finalized.

(End of this chapter)