Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 44 The Fourth Assistant Minister
When it comes to the empty titles of first- and second-rank officials, few ministers dare to say anything.

These four first- and second-grade official titles are ready-made and have been used during the Hongwu period. They are definitely enough to be used as false titles, but No one dared to mention it.

Because after the Hu Weiyong case in the 13th year of Hongwu, Taizu abolished Zhongshu Province and left his ancestral precepts in the "Huang Ming Ancestor Instructions":

When future descendants become emperors, they are not allowed to establish prime ministers. If the ministers dare to request the establishment of a memorial, the civil and military officials will immediately impeach the criminal, Ling Chi, and the whole family will be executed.

Therefore, no one among the ministers would dare to suggest setting up an official position that was related to the prime minister, not even to have a false title, for fear of being impeached.

Seeing the awkward situation, Zhu Youjian could only suggest:
"After Taizu dismissed the prime minister, he once established four auxiliary officials."

"What do you think about re-establishing the fourth auxiliary officer as a virtual title?"

Huang Liji, the chief minister of the cabinet, said:

"Your Majesty, the Four Auxiliary Officers established by Taizu were abolished soon after and were replaced by Grand Scholars of the Imperial Palace."

"Now that there is a grand master of the palace, there is no need to repeatedly set up four auxiliary officers."

Zhu Youjian said "hmm" and said:

"Of course I know that the Fourth Auxiliary Officer has been abolished long ago, and the current Grand Bachelor of the Palace is the fourth Auxiliary Officer who replaced him."

"But I think the title of Fourth Auxiliary Officer is quite good. Can it be used as a false title for a first- and second-grade official?"

Of course, the cabinet bachelor is unwilling, because the fourth auxiliary officer is the predecessor of the palace bachelor. Using this name as an additional title for first- and second-rank officials will distract the authority of the cabinet.

But other ministers are extremely happy to see this. With the title of Fourth Auxiliary Officer, they can also call themselves "auxiliary ministers". They are also qualified to hold positions related to "auxiliary ministers" in the "Da Ming Huidian".

Lai Zongdao, the Minister of Rites, agreed:

"Your Majesty, when Taizu set up the four auxiliary officers, he said, 'The master rules the world with one body and cannot do without auxiliary ministers'."

"It is very appropriate to reset the Fourth Auxiliary Officer as an additional title. That is, the Fourth Auxiliary Officer only has the third rank and should be reclassified."

The name "Four Auxiliary Officer" was directly given in the words, and the ranking began to be negotiated.

Then other ministers and ministers spoke one after another, and they all acquiesced to the name of the fourth auxiliary officer and directly agreed on the rank.

The four cabinet bachelors were helpless, but unable to object. There are too many first- and second-grade official titles that are related to the prime minister. Once there is any mistake in the name of the false title proposed by oneself, it will be a major crime for the whole family to be executed.

The fourth auxiliary officials had Taizu's decree that it was absolutely safe to re-establish it. They could not propose any other plan, so naturally they could not object.

At this time, they also noticed the changes in the status of the cabinet bachelor and the nine ministers. At least in the standing meeting, the nine ministers can unite to compete with the cabinet. This made them feel slightly uneasy.

Zhu Youjian was happy to see the consequences of Jiu Qing contradicting his cabinet ministers. As an emperor, he does not want the secretarial agency of the cabinet to establish absolute authority or even threaten himself as the emperor. The establishment of the Standing Council and the Four Auxiliary Officers are all decentralizing the powers of the cabinet.

However, seeing the ministers noisily arguing about the ranking of the four auxiliary officers of spring, summer, autumn and winter, he felt bored and said directly what these people wanted to say but dared not say:
"There is no distinction between the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, so there is no need to use this name as the fourth auxiliary officer."

""Shangshu Da Zhuan" says, 'In ancient times, the emperor must have four neighbors. The front was called Yi, the back was called Cheng, the left was called Fu, and the right was called Bi.' These four neighbors were also called Sifu."

"Taizu used the "Shang Shu" to set the titles of the Three Gongs and the Three Gus, and I used the "Shang Shu Da Zhuan" to set the titles of the Four Assistants. What do you think?" Of course the ministers agreed. In fact, they had already thought of "Zuo Fu and You Bi" There are four assistants: "Hou Cheng", "Previous Prime Minister", and "Prime Minister". Yang Jian, who usurped the throne of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, also served as the Great Hou Cheng and the Great Former Prime Minister, which is really taboo. They didn't dare to bring it up themselves, so they could only let the emperor speak.

Even after the emperor proposed it, they had to take the initiative to refuse, saying that they did not dare to use "the former is doubtful and the latter is the prime minister". The Minister of Rites came to Zongdao and asked:

"Da Qian is suspected to be a position held by Duke Zhou, and the ministers dare not take it."

"Your Majesty, please change the name of 'Former Suspicious Hou Cheng'!"

Zhu Youjian followed Shan Ruliu and said:
"'Hucheng' is written as 'Hucheng' in some ancient books. "Shuowen Jiezi" says: 'Cheng, Fengye, Shouye'. It was previously confirmed that the Secretary of Chengzheng was the title of imperial official."

"So I took the word 'Cheng' and appointed ministers to act in accordance with the will, as a second-grade official."

"The Administrative Department also sets up a third-grade Administrative Envoy as a candidate for the Administrative Minister."

"What do you think, gentlemen?"

What else could the ministers say? They could only shout for the sage and recognized the minister in charge as a second-grade official.

Some people even thought of adding a title to the Secretary of Administration who was connected to the Minister of Administration. They felt that the establishment of the Secretary of Administration was the emperor's instruction. The new emperor's scheming was really unfathomable.

Many people looked at Lai Zongdao and felt that the Minister of Rites was in harmony with the emperor and had already surrendered to the emperor. Lai Zongdao had a hat on his back for no apparent reason, but he couldn't explain it. Could he explain to others that everything was a coincidence and that he had never had any private contact with the emperor.

Of course, Zhu Youjian did not have such deep intentions. The name Chengzhengsi was proposed by Lai Zongdao, but it just happened to be connected with the Minister of Government. He conveniently set up the Minister of Government as an alternate Minister of Government. Even if the name is changed, the result will be the same, and it will not affect Zhu Youjian's standardization of titles for officials at all levels.

At this time, Zhu Youjian made changes to the word "previous doubt":
"'Qianyi' is written as 'Qianyi' in some ancient books. This word is related to Mencius's 'righteousness', and it is a good word."

"But the word "yi" can easily be confused with the word "yi" (meaning "yi"), so I changed it to the word 'yi' next to the word 'yi', and set up a minister of political affairs, as a second-rank official with the title."

"Discussion means speech. Discuss means planning. Ministers can discuss important matters of the court and serve as my auxiliary officials."

Seeing the emperor quoting scriptures and already thinking about which words to use, the ministers confirmed their guesses. He believed that the emperor had come prepared and wanted to use the false title of fourth auxiliary officer to change the way senior officials played——

The Minister of Administration and the Minister of Discussion are said to be empty titles, but the emperor said that the Minister of Administration can act according to the will and the Minister of Discussion can discuss important affairs of the court. Who dares to regard them as empty titles?
Some of the courtiers, who were elderly and disliked change, instinctively wanted to object. But on the emperor's side, he has already begun to say "Left Assistant and Right Bi":
"There is no need to change the word "Fu Bi". I will grant the ministers of the first rank to assist the government and the ministers of the first rank to Bi, and award them to the ministers who have made merits to assist me and praise them, so as to bring peace to the people."

"Huang Liji, the chief minister of the cabinet, has served me very well in assisting me and has been promoted to the title of first-level assistant minister."

"Cabinet bachelors Shi Fenglai, Zhang Ruitu, and Li Guopu assisted me with great merit, and I was awarded the title of first-grade minister of government."

"The Prime Minister is above the other ministers and is at the front of the queue!"

Well, even the Grand Master of the Cabinet bought it. The ministers were speechless and had no idea of ​​objection. Being able to obtain the title of first-class official and the title of "Minister of Assistant Affairs" made the chief assistant, as he was called privately, truly become the chief assistant. Huang Liji would risk his life to protect this kind of thing that would leave his name in history, and it was impossible for other people who wanted to be the chief minister to object.

Sure enough, as soon as the emperor's appointment came out, Huang Liji was so excited that he trembled with excitement and hurriedly knelt down to thank him and accepted the title of first-grade assistant minister.

Three bachelors, Shi Fenglai, Zhang Ruitu and Li Guopu, also bowed down and accepted the title of Minister of Political Affairs.

The titles of the fourth auxiliary ministers established by Zhu Youjian were finally decided.

(End of this chapter)