Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 63: Targeting the Eunuchs
On the second day of September, the court was very busy.

The imperial edict was announced in the morning, and the Minister of Rites Yu Jideng was specially summoned to join the cabinet to work that day.

After he entered the cabinet, the first thing the cabinet did was to ask the Ministry of Personnel to take charge and recommend a new Minister of Rites.

The ceremony of enthroning the crown prince has been completed, and there will be more ceremonies to come, and the Minister of Rites cannot be absent.

The imperial recommendation requires the Ministry of Personnel to work together with the nine great ministers, the third-rank vice ministers, the six-department secretary, the Right Censor-in-Chief, the Left and Right Deputy Censors-in-Chief, the Left and Right Assistant Censors-in-Chief, the Imperial College Chief Academician and others to select two to three people for the emperor to choose.

Yu Jideng has already entered the cabinet, and the chain reaction brought about by the addition of an additional ministerial position is of great significance.

So even if other people are easy to gather, we still have to wait for Tian Le.

At the cabinet side, Yu Jideng has already reported in.

Special matters should be handled specially, and then naturally the title of Grand Secretary and other titles should be formally awarded.

"Shiyong has entered the cabinet now, so he needs to take good care of himself."

Shen Yikuan talked to him first.

One is seventy years old, and the other is only fifty-seven.

Yu Jideng's face was full of red. "Thank you very much, Yuanfu. I was a little sick in the spring, but now I am getting better."

"That's good."

Shen Yikuan nodded with a smile, and hoped that he would stand by his side and suppress Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue in the cabinet, who had left the court for many years and might become seriously ill again at any time.

"It won't take much time to write the two imperial edicts." Shen Yiguan walked slowly to the window in Wenyuan Pavilion and looked east. He said in a low voice, "Shiyong, you don't know that Tian Xizhi has entered the palace before you and has not returned from Ciqing Palace yet."

Yu Jideng was stunned for a moment, then his expression became serious: "What do you think the successor emperor wants him to do to make a statement?"

"Last year there was a tax rebellion in Linqing, and this year there was a civil uprising in Shanhaiguan." Shen Yi Guan's eyes were deep, "The edict drafted by the successor monarch focused a lot on financial planning. How to increase revenue and reduce expenditure is what the successor monarch thinks about the most. Among all the ministers, the head of the military department was summoned. Shi Yong, a storm is coming."

"... Yuanfu, are you worrying too much?"

"Let's wait and see." Shen Yi Guan turned and stared at him. "At the turn of the year, it is better to be cautious. I am already seventy years old, and I can't stay in the cabinet for two years. The same is true for Lord Shen and Lord Wang. The Ministry of Personnel should protect the overall situation first. What do you think?"

"The Prime Minister is still strong even at old age. Why are you saying that?" Yu Jideng thought for a moment and nodded. "It is better to be cautious. That is true. There is no need to rush."

Shen Yi Guan laughed: "It's great that Shi Yong thinks so too."

The two of them exchanged their opinions on the court promotion in a subtle way.

Yu Jideng has already entered the cabinet. Whether he can still use Shen Yikuan as the main force to exclude Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue as he promised before needs to be confirmed again.

After all, things are different now.

So the test is whether the people whom Yu Jideng can influence more in the court can support Xiao Daheng and the people who will subsequently fill the position of Minister of Justice and other positions.

The two of them are bound to share.

One said that the position of the future Prime Minister would be yours, and the other expressed gratitude for Shen Yikuan's support and reliance on Shen Yikuan's "loyalty" to fight against Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue.

Shen Yiquan's expression became more solemn when he realized that it was already noon and Tian Le had not yet come out of Ciqing Palace.

Will there be food provided?
If the most favored foreign minister of the new dynasty were to be the Minister of War, many people would be uneasy.

At Ciqing Palace, Tian Le was declining.

"If Your Highness is only concerned about military affairs and asks me about military affairs on all frontiers, it is not wrong to spend more time." Tian Le stood there and bowed, "From today onwards, Your Highness will summon me once a day, so that I will not be embarrassed. I have a clean record and am not afraid of criticism. Although Your Highness was talented before, he was difficult to make decisions, and the ministers can only guess Your Highness's temperament first. However, this matter is of great importance. If Your Highness keeps me for too long, I am afraid that it will do more harm than good."

Zhu Changluo talked with him for a long time and benefited a lot from it.

Seeing that he was about to take his leave, he said, "I grant you a silver seal, and you can report the matter in secret."

"I cannot join the cabinet, as this will also arouse suspicion among the other ministers. I am only brave enough to make some decisions. There are many virtuous people in the court and the country. Why does Your Highness need to promote me to the cabinet to assert your authority?" Tian Le declined again, "Your Highness has pointed out the key point. Only if the cabinet situation changes, Your Highness will not force the cabinet to submit. The court officials know Your Highness's ability."

"What about a special military affairs office?"

"That will only make the public more excited. Bozhou has just been pacified, and the internal and external troubles are nothing. Why do we need to set up a special military affairs office? Since I understand your highness's ambition, I hope your highness will accept my opinion and take your time to make plans. First, wait for all the ministers to be intimidated, and then ascend the throne as a strong ruler. After the imperial edict is issued to the world, everyone in the court and the public will know that your highness will be a wise ruler and a good mentor. Why worry about the lack of good horses?"

Zhu Changluo nodded and said, "Okay! Cheng Jing, you will specially transfer Tian Ergeng to the palace to accompany the emperor! After the imperial court recommends who is recommended by the Grand Marshal, let Tian Ergeng send a message in."

"Your Highness..." Tian Le still wanted to persuade.

"If I am so restrained, do I have to consider them in everything?" Zhu Changluo resolutely rejected him this time. "I was the first one to summon you to make a report. Why can't I show you a favor? I have just ascended the throne, so what's wrong with tightening the military power? If anyone impeaches you for this, I will question you directly!"

After laughing, Zhu Changluo said, "Anyway, Lord Shen made a mistake by using an excuse to ask for a replacement. If I show you more favor, he will think more. You can just bear some criticism first, but as long as I am here, you will be fine."

Tian Le sighed when he heard this, and bowed again: "Since Your Highness said so, then I would like to thank you for your grace. This is true. Zhang Gelao is not Your Highness, and he is even more restricted. Since I am willing to fulfill Your Highness's wish, I will be the vanguard. Why should I fear the rain of guns and arrows?" "I know you are not afraid. Don't worry, they know the news of the Shanhaiguan uprising, and Shen and Wang will soon enter the capital, they can't sit still. Who made them not know that I can see so clearly and think so deeply?"

"Every sip and every bite is destined by heaven. Your Highness lives in seclusion in the deep palace, and it is said that he has always been weak and timid. Who could have thought of that? The subsequent changes, the ministers and envoys will change according to the situation, there will not be any major changes." Tian Le laughed, "Then I will take my leave first."

Tian Le bowed and left, and Zhu Changluo saw him off outside the palace.

Looking at his receding back, Zhu Changluo breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wanhua, Sigong, you should start by producing more detailed resumes of those brave generals and wise ministers that the Grand Marshal mentioned."

"The slaves obey."

"In the afternoon, I will summon the Minister of Revenue, Chen Qi."

After the enthronement ceremony of the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty, he immediately began to diligently learn about state affairs.

Starting from September 2nd, a minister was summoned every morning and afternoon.

As for the Ministry of Rites, the only Right Vice Minister Zhu Guozuo was summoned.

The Ministry of Personnel always has vacancies in its imperial recommendation for the position of Minister of Rites, so it cannot be held directly.

Behind them are the Censorate and the Six Ministries’ Censors!
Although they were given more time to communicate privately and canvass for votes, as time went by, Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue were getting closer and closer to Beijing.

The journey from Suzhou to Beijing was mainly by boat, so it was not too bumpy.

So even though the two old prime ministers are old, they can try to travel as much as possible every day.

During this period, news of the Shanhaiguan uprising had already reached the capital.

However, important officials like Xiao Daheng heard another thing: Tian Le's son Tian Ergeng was transferred to the Jinyi Uniform.

In addition to the two major pacification offices in the north and south, there are also many thousand-household offices in the Jinyiwei. Among them, the five offices of front, back, center, left and right are the first five thousand-household offices, but the Jinyiwei, as a special existence, later added the thousand-household offices of center left, center right, center front, center back, center center, back back, elephant training, and horse army.

After several evolutions, the current Jinyizhong is responsible for ceremonial work such as the Luanyusi, Shanshousi, and Qinggaisi.

Tian Ergeng was transferred to the Imperial Court to serve as a centurion. It was not a big deal to be promoted two levels at once. The key point was how close he was to the future emperor?
Shen Yikuan was thinking about how Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue were getting closer and closer but the imperial recommendation still could not be held. He was also thinking about the imperial edict that was overturned by the successor emperor and the implicit statement about Zhang Juzheng and the favor to Tian Le. Finally, he could not wait and made some arrangements.

There are two very busy places in the capital today.

One place is inside the Censorate.

One is the relatively independent entrance of the Criminal Department located to the west of Chengtian Gate. Today is the day when Cao Xuecheng was finally released from prison after a little recuperation.

Tian Le also arrived at the door of the Ministry of Justice and welcomed Cao Xuecheng out of prison surrounded by some officials and scholars.

Cao Xuecheng's second son, Cao Zhengru, bowed deeply to Tian Lelian and said, "If it weren't for the Grand Marshal's initiative, I don't know when my father would be able to see the light of day again."

Tian Le quickly helped him up and said, "This is what the public officials have said. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sympathizes with your filial piety. Your Majesty, please show mercy."

Although he did not take credit for it, the fact that Crown Prince Gong founded the Yan Dynasty on behalf of the emperor and Tian Le was the first to mention Cao Xuecheng cannot be erased.

After saying this, many officials and scholars still praised the prince and Tian Le the most.

When Xiao Daheng and his men helped the emaciated Cao Xuecheng out, a burst of wailing suddenly broke out on the street outside the Ministry of Justice.

Half of them were happy because he was finally acquitted, and half of them were sad because he was suffering in prison.

"Mr. Tian is here in person, why didn't you send someone to inform him?" Xiao Daheng greeted him with mixed feelings.

"It's hard to refuse, so I have to come together to welcome him, and let the court and the people know that there will be more grace from now on." Tian Le shook his head, "I'm busy with ministry affairs, I'll go back to the government office now, why bother you?"

"I haven't congratulated you yet, Grand Marshal. Your son will be by your side from now on and will have a bright future."

"I am ashamed. I tried to refuse in every possible way, but I am afraid that I will be impeached." Tian Le smiled bitterly, "Your Highness insisted on doing this, I really don't know why. Now the officials in the court are united, and the ceremony is about to take place, but Your Highness is very concerned about the loyalty of the officers and soldiers. The Grand Secretary of Justice should also remember this matter."

Xiao Daheng was shocked that the heir apparent was worried about the issue of military power.

There is no sign of instability in the throne now. Could it be that Tian Le is trying to hint at something?
Tian Le said goodbye and left. After thinking about it carefully, Xiao Daheng's face changed.

"Go and call Mr. Xie over!"

In the official hall of the Ministry of Justice, Xiao Daheng was walking back and forth.

The impeachment of the sent eunuchs, which has been brewing for several days, is not known to what extent it has developed.

(End of this chapter)