Chapter 63 Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang enter the cabinet
Ma Wensheng, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, revised the examination method overnight after returning last night, and then only slept for one update, but he was still full of energy. The next day, today, he rushed to the Ministry of Personnel to jointly select works with Jiao Fang The Department makes the final revisions to the examination law.
The officials in the Ministry of Personnel also actively cooperated with Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang's arrangements, because they all knew that Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang were about to join the cabinet. Even as soon as the three original cabinet ministers retired, Ma Wensheng was about to become the chief minister.
Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang thought so themselves, so they were both very ambitious. Even Ma Wensheng felt that he would definitely become the first assistant, changing the stereotype that since Li Xian in the Ming Dynasty, the first assistant ministers could only come from Qingliu Hanlin.
In addition, Xu Jin, Minister of the Ministry of War, also revised the examination method for military attachés overnight, just like Ma Wensheng.
Therefore, when the official of the Supervisor of Ceremonies came to announce that the three people had entered the palace, the three of them all thought that the resignation notice of Liu Jian and others from the cabinet had arrived. They should have entered the palace to listen to the decree and work in the cabinet, so the three of them still Still very excited.
Zhu Houzhao directly summoned these three civil servants at the Supervisor of Ceremonies. After all, in the future, Long Zongmen would not only have the name of the Supervisor of Ceremonies, but also the name of the cabinet.
As soon as Zhu Houzhao saw that these three civil servants were in high spirits, they seemed to be more than ten years younger than the generals who were about to go to the battlefield. Even Jiao Fang, who had poor emotional control ability, began to smile and said:
"Don't be too happy yet. Things are not as simple as we thought. Only two of Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and Xie Qian resigned from office. Li Dongyang did not resign."
When Zhu Houzhao said these words, it was like a slap in the face of each of the three people. They were all shocked, especially Ma Wensheng, the Minister of Civil Affairs. He knew that Li Dongyang would not resign, and his long-awaited position as chief minister would still be there. It won't belong to you.
Jiao Fang, who has always been straightforward, snorted: "Why is this Li Dongyang so thick-skinned!"
Xu Jin also said speechlessly: "Your Majesty, it seems that our cabinet minister Li is waiting for Liu Jian to resign so that he can become the chief minister. He can be said to be a power-hungry person!"
"This change was unexpected, but it does not change my determination to innovate. But before Li Dongyang is eliminated, only two of the three of you can join the cabinet, and then Ma Aiqing, you still have to If you join the cabinet, I can add you to the position of the Three Dukes, and I will make it clear that you will sit at the top of the cabinet."
Zhu Houzhao was not in the mood to comment on Li Dongyang and only talked about business.
But Ma Wensheng prostrated on the ground, and said with a hint of determination and regret in his tone: "I thank your majesty for your kindness. In order not to mess with the rules, I can sit under Li Binzhi (Li Dongyang's nickname is Binzhi)."
Since Ma Wensheng refused, Zhu Houzhao said no more, but looked at Xu Jin: "Xu Aiqing, you will not join the cabinet for the time being. The Ministry of War still needs you to be responsible. Yang Yiqing continues to be the governor of Shaanxi. After all, the little prince often harasses Shaanxi. This area also needs a capable official to take charge.”
Although Xu Jin was a little disappointed, he was not an intolerable person. When his Majesty the Emperor Zhu Houzhao said this, he hurriedly held his hands in agreement.
Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao nodded to Xu Jin, and then looked at Jiao Fang: "Jiao Aiqing, you and Ma Wensheng are still in the cabinet."
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"
Jiao Fang hurriedly bowed.
Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao looked at Liu Jin: "Liu Jin, please first approve the resignations of Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, and Xie Qian, the bachelor of Dongge University, and allow them to resign and return home."
"Yes!"
Liu Jin responded, then picked up the ink pen and began to criticize the memorial. Originally, Liu Jin had been looking forward to this moment, looking forward to the refreshing feeling of having the usually aloof cabinet ministers deposed as soon as his ink pen was written.
But at this moment, Liu Jin didn't feel the slightest pleasure, just because the resignation memorial before him was not three but two.
Then, Zhu Houzhao ordered Liu Jin: "Draft an edict, ask Ma Wen to be promoted to a bachelor of Wuying Palace to work in the cabinet, and take charge of the affairs of the Ministry of Officials!"
"Draft the edict, write Jiao Fang, add the bachelor of Dongge University, and the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, to take charge of the affairs of the household department!" "Draft the edict, add the Minister of the Ministry of War, Xu Jin, the Prince Shaobao!"
"Draft an edict to restore the king to be the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and to be the Crown Prince's Taibao. The official will be at least Fu and the original position of the Crown Prince and Taifu. He will go to the capital immediately to take charge of the Ministry of Personnel!"
After Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, he sat back, looked at Ma Wensheng and others and said: "Although Li Dongyang does not want to resign, it does not mean that I can't do anything to him. Now the real power of the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Households, and the Ministry of War are still in your hands. After the reform, Things can still go ahead. When I punish him for Li Dongyang’s crime, he won’t be able to resign even if he wants to!”
When Zhu Houzhao said this, his tone was very decisive and stern. He also did this to show his determination to reform.
However, what Zhu Houzhao didn't expect was that Ma Wensheng suddenly knelt on the ground and said to Zhu Houzhao in a pleading tone:
"Your Majesty, I dare to ask Your Majesty not to severely punish the crimes of the three former cabinet ministers! After all, they are ministers of the first dynasty, and their power cannot be underestimated. Unless it is absolutely necessary, Your Majesty should not destroy the righteousness of the monarch and his ministers. I am thinking about your Majesty. It is also for the sake of the Ming Dynasty that I don’t want the Zhengde Dynasty to last only eighteen years like the previous emperor!”
What Zhu Hou said to Baima Wensheng was that he hoped that he would not be too cruel to Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others, and that he should be kind-hearted. After all, if the relationship becomes too tense, it will eventually be detrimental to him and will make these scholar-bureaucrats They take extreme revenge measures against themselves without caring about the justice of the monarch and his ministers.
Zhu Houzhao was very touched that Ma Wensheng could consider himself, but he did not think that Ma Wensheng was right, so he only said coldly: "But the death of the late emperor cannot be so unclear. If the late emperor died unexpectedly, the late emperor's kindness will not make the traitor think. Benevolence and righteousness, why should I respond with benevolence and righteousness?”
"Then I boldly ask your Majesty to refrain from instituting a big prison before you have found out the evidence of regicide by Liu Jian, the former chief minister of the cabinet, and others!"
Ma Wensheng kowtowed sincerely again.
When Xu Jin and Jiao Fang saw this, they both said the same thing: "Your Majesty, I also ask your Majesty not to start a big prison unless you have evidence of regicide, otherwise it will be detrimental to the cause of reform!"
"Your Majesty, if they really have evidence of regicide, there is no need for Your Majesty to come forward. I am willing to be a vanguard and kill the traitors and rebels in the city for the late emperor!"
Seeing that Zhu Houzhao remained silent, Ma Wensheng simply compromised further and expressed that once Liu Jian and others really committed regicide, he would be willing to kill Liu Jian and others for Zhu Houzhao.
Zhu Houzhao saw that Ma Wensheng and others had said this, and thought that unless the fundamental interests were touched, civil servants were still unwilling to kill civilian officials. However, Zhu Houzhao also found that he wanted to kill Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others rashly. It was really possible. A lot of resistance exists.
"I can promise you! However, from now on, you can only devote yourself to reforming the government and are not allowed to interfere in prisons. Otherwise, once I notice, I will deal with you first!"
Zhu Houzhao slapped the table and roared.
Ma Wensheng and others hurriedly raised their hands and said: "Your Majesty, don't worry, I don't dare!"
then.
Zhu Houzhao waved his hand: "Everyone, please step back!"
Ma Wensheng and others therefore left, while Zhu Houzhao looked at their back and just smiled slightly, thinking:
"You civil servants may not put each other to death, but you dare to put me to death. In the previous life, Zhu Houzhao did not kill each other, but he still fell into the water? In this life, you want to persuade me that you can stay safe without using a knife, but who will believe it! Only the butcher's knife can be used to ensure my safety! There is no doubt that the longest-lived emperor of the Ming Dynasty was Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, and he was also the most cruel to civil servants! "
(End of chapter)