high official

Chapter 1098
The five Yang Shiqi were moved to tears, and they all knelt down and said: "The ministers are just doing their duty as ministers. It is your majesty's benevolence, righteousness, loyalty and filial piety, and the fate of destiny, so that they can turn danger into safety and prosperity!"

Zhu Gaochi supported the table and got up, stepped forward to help the five people up one by one, and said with tears: "You are in good faith with me, don't say those outrageous things!" As he said, he tightly squeezed the hands of Yang Shiqi and Yang Pu , "We are called monarchs and ministers, but we are brothers and sisters!"

"Your Majesty..." Yang Shiqi and the others burst into tears, choking with sobs.

The six monarchs and ministers hugged their heads and cried, and when their emotions calmed down, Zhu Gaochi sat back on the throne, looked at Yang Shiqi and said, "I am going to let Dan'an and Jie'an also enter the Wenyuan Pavilion, and the three of you are fellow scholars, and we will assist you together." to me."

Dan'an is Yang Pu's name, and Jie'an is Huanghuai's name.Yang Shiqi immediately expressed his opinion when he heard the words: "Your Majesty is wise! The state affairs are cumbersome and a thousand things are waiting to be done. I have two great talents joining the cabinet. The ministers are very happy!" Yang Rong and Jin Youzi also nodded heavily.

Zhu Gaochi nodded in relief. These five people are young and vigorous, have both ability and political integrity, and more importantly, they can be completely trusted after the cruel test of the Yongle Dynasty.After a pause, he said slowly: "In the future, the military and state affairs will all depend on the cabinet minister, but there is a problem, that is, the non-commissioned officer of the university is only fifth-rank, and it is inevitable that he will be very passive when communicating with the six ministers and local officials."

Hearing Zhu Gaochi's words, Yang Shiqi and the other five were immediately overwhelmed with excitement. The emperor's words pointed directly at the biggest weakness of the cabinet today!At that time, Emperor Taizu abolished Zhongshu and Prime Minister, and directly led six departments and one hundred departments, consolidating great power in one body.However, with the passage of time since the founding of the country, the state affairs have become more and more complicated. Even if Zhu Yuanzhang is super energetic, he can't cope with it, so he can only find someone to help him.

However, Emperor Taizu didn't want the prime minister who had been abolished after so much hard work to reappear, so he thought of a way to achieve both ends, and appointed some officials with both ability and virtue as bachelors to assist him in handling state affairs. His official rank is only fifth rank, which is far lower than the sixth rank officials and local officials. It is naturally impossible to make those second rank officials bow their heads to them.In this way, it is avoided that the great scholar becomes too powerful and becomes a prime minister who is not a prime minister.

Later, in the Jianwen and Yongle dynasties, the cabinet system took shape, and the emperor relied more and more on the cabinet scholars. However, the official rank of the university scholars remained at the fifth rank, which was far from the high officials of the court. It successfully limited the expansion of the power of the university scholars. This is Yang Shiqi The real reason why the others were alone and helpless in the days when King Zhao was in chaos, so they could only ask Wang Xian for help.

Now listening to the emperor's words, it is actually intended to lift the restrictions imposed on the Grand Scholars. How can Yang Shiqi and others not be excited, only to hear Zhu Gaochi slowly say: "So I plan to promote the official rank of the Grand Scholars to the second rank, and the same The six ministers are all imperial censors at the same level." He smiled and looked at Wuren and said, "In this way, you will be more comfortable handling state affairs in the future."

Yang Shiqi and the other five heard the words, but they were not surprised. Yang Rong said: "Your Majesty is so kind, and the ministers are grateful, but the cabinet system was created by Taizu and perfected by Taizong. The non-commissioned officer of the university is only five-rank. Second rank, I am afraid it will cause an uproar in the government and the public!"

"Even if I don't promote you, won't the government and the public be in an uproar?" Zhu Gaochi said slowly: "As soon as the enthronement edict is issued, I don't know how many people are holding back their energy and preparing to oppose me. You say, I am timid and dare not promote you, okay? How about raising you up and helping me even more?" He sighed, and said emphatically, "Don't think that this is an appreciation of merit, and it's a hard job to suffer and be scolded by others to reform the old and build the new together with me. You will still blame me in the future."

"The ministers must work together and help His Majesty with all their hearts and souls!" The five bachelors hurriedly expressed their opinions in a deep voice.

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The next day was the first court meeting after the new king ascended the throne. All the officials, all dressed in court uniforms, lined up outside the Fengtian Gate to welcome His Majesty the Emperor to the throne. I felt that the air above Fengtianmen Square was about to stagnate.

The rain is coming and the wind is all over the building.

When the officials stood up and stood still, Zhu Gaochi glanced at the officials facing down, took a deep breath, and began his first speech in front of the officials after becoming emperor: "I was sheltered by my ancestors, and I was lucky enough to become a great treasure. Knowing talent and lacking morality, trembling with trepidation, and now the country is riddled with holes, the country is uneasy, and it is even more like walking on thin ice." After a pause, he said sincerely: "It is still necessary for all the lords and officials to work together to assist me. We Monarchs and ministers work together to help Daming through the current crisis."

"Your ministers must be ashamed to repay the emperor." All the officials were naturally clichéd.

"Very good." Zhu Gaochi glanced at Xia Yuanji, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and said slowly, "Old Xia Guo, let me tell you about my current situation in Ming Dynasty."

"Follow the order." Xia Yuanji was only in his 60s, but he looked old, and people would believe him when he said he was 80.Everyone knew that his white hair and wrinkles were all the result of worrying about the Ming Dynasty's finances.Everyone understands that without the existence of this supreme financial expert, there would be no great achievements of Yongle Dynasty, and the words from his mouth are naturally the most authoritative.

"Qi Zou the emperor," at this moment, Xia Yuanji's face was full of deep fatigue, and his voice was hoarse: "My Ming Dynasty's current finances are no longer dangerous enough. The treasury is empty, and the debts owed over the years , just don’t eat or drink, if you use the national tax to pay back, it will take a full 20 years..."

"Hiss..." The ministers all gasped, when Emperor Yongle was around, he never said these things to the ministers.So although they all know that the national economy is difficult, they all think that it is just a temporary difficulty, and they will pass it after a while.But without food or drink for 20 years, who can survive? !
"How could this happen?" Ding Guogong couldn't help but asked loudly, "How could the debts be so high?"

"There are many reasons. Over the years, expenditures have been huge, money has been issued indiscriminately, and disasters have been frequent..." Xia Yuanji saw that the eyes of all the officials were staring, and he could only explain slowly: "In short, in the past 20 years, various expenditures have increased sharply. The revenue of the imperial court is far from enough for the country, and it can only maintain various expenditures of the imperial court by issuing banknotes. Make up for it, and further deteriorate the price..."

"To put it bluntly, distributing treasure money indiscriminately is drinking poison to quench thirst. The more poisonous alcohol you drink, the more dangerous it is, but in order to maintain it, you can only drink one cup after another..." Xia Yuanji sighed: "Until the people's resentment boils, the gentry, officials, and gentry Not accepting precious banknotes at all, the imperial court can only borrow from the people, and after a few years, the debt will naturally pile up." After a pause, he said: "In addition to the current domestic disasters, industrial and commercial decline, and the imperial court's tax revenue has shrunk severely, it is still optimistic to pay off the debt in 20 years. estimate."

After Xia Yuanji finished speaking, he retreated to his seat. Zhu Gaochi's eyes slowly swept across the crowd, and he said with deep sorrow: "Everyone, the glory of the past has passed away, and today's Ming Dynasty is so similar to the last years of the previous dynasty. If you don't immediately rein in the precipice and make up your mind If we rectify the finances, I am really worried that we will repeat the mistakes of the Yuan Dynasty!"

"..." The ministers nodded with a heavy heart. After all, they were all dignitaries on the ship, and no one wanted to let the ship sink.

"That's why I decreed to stop purchasing, weaving, and stopping voyages to the West, and try my best to reduce expenses," Zhu Gaochi said earnestly: "Everything is to overcome the immediate crisis, start with me, save national strength, and all the ministers will also give The people set an example!"

"I will obey the emperor's will!" The civil servants stood up and sang loudly, but the general Xungui on the other side had a very ugly expression, and he was sparsely silent.Their thinking is very simple. It is okay to save the country, but don't save it on your own head, let alone cut off your own money!
But these words could not be put on the table, and the generals could only stay there for the time being depressed, not daring to refute the emperor in court.This is also the reason why Zhang Fu refused to talk to the nobles yesterday.Above the court, no matter how obscene thoughts are, they must be covered up with high-sounding words. When the emperor stands firm, he can only wait patiently for the opportunity.

Zhu Gaochi didn't expect the generals to support him sincerely. He was very happy if they didn't make trouble, so he continued: "The state affairs are complicated and complicated. I don't have the ability of Emperor Taizong, so I can only rely on everyone. The Qing family, especially the great scholars in the cabinet." After a pause, the emperor said slowly: "I am going to reset the rank of the great scholars to the second rank, so as to connect with the six ministers, the nine ministers, and the local officials. how?"

As soon as this remark came out, many officials cast envious glances at Yang Shiqi and others. Jian Yi and other high-ranking officials were naturally very upset. It turned out that they, the ministers and the imperial censors, were the top bureaucrats. bigger.However, if the emperor did this, although the university scholars are also the second rank, they have more power and are closer to the emperor, so they are naturally higher than them!
But they also know that this is what they deserve, not to mention objecting at this time will arouse strong resentment from the emperor and the five academicians.

Just when several ministers were peeking at each other, hoping who would come out first to express some different opinions, a rough voice sounded in the square, shaking people's ears buzzing:

"Your Majesty, I'm not relying on the old to sell the old, the university scholar is the fifth grade, but the system established by the late emperor, the bones of the Daxing emperor are not cold, it is not appropriate for you to do this!"

Zhu Gaochi's eyes sank, and he looked at the old thing who kept saying that he would not rely on the old and sell the old, but it was Xue Lu, Marquis of Yangwu!
Yang Shiqi and the others thumped in their hearts, knowing that this could not be better...

(End of this chapter)