Chapter 563 Zhao Si joins the cabinet! (Please vote for me!)
Anyone who is familiar with Ming history knows that the history of the civil service system in the mid-Ming Dynasty is, in a sense, the history of cabinet struggles.
The cabinet is the cabinet, and the ministry is the six ministries of the outer dynasty. The specific representative is the official minister. In the concept of the Ming Dynasty, the official ministry is higher than the other five ministries.
The struggle for power between the minister of official affairs and the cabinet, the first person in the outer dynasty, ran through the middle of the Ming Dynasty.
In the early years, the Minister of Personnel had to compete with the cabinet for even his position in the court, and he considered himself to be ahead of the cabinet's bachelor.
When the official minister and the cabinet scholar met on the street, whether it was necessary to shelter the scholar's sedan chair was an etiquette issue that the Ming Dynasty repeatedly struggled with.
Of course, the overall trend is that the cabinet is getting stronger and the ministers are getting weaker.
But the officials have always stood at the center of the political stage and have never been absent.
A closer look at the history of the Ming Dynasty will reveal that many political struggles were fought against the backdrop of the "Beijing-Cha".
The main yamen in charge of Beijing inspections are the Ministry of Personnel and the Metropolitan Inspectorate. They conduct inspections of Beijing officials every six years. If they fail to pass the inspection, they will be dismissed.
Until the emergence of non-traditional forces like the Donglin Party and Nine Thousand Years Old, the cabinet dispute, which was hit by dimensionality reduction, became meaningless.
In the traditional concept of party struggle, the power of a chief minister mainly depends on whether he can control the staff.
A chief assistant who has little influence on the staff must be a weak chief assistant.
That's why Yang Wei, the always obedient Minister of Civil Affairs, decided to resign, which made Shen Shoufu's mentality collapse.
Historically, not long after Yang Wei resigned, Shen Shixing decisively left, but that was supposed to be next year.
Lin Tailai originally thought that he would be left hanging until noon at the gate of Shen Mansion.
As a result, not long after it got light, Shen Yongmao, the uncle of Shen Mansion, came over and led him inside.
Lin Tailai couldn't help but sigh to Shen Yongmao: "Your Majesty, you don't even have the energy to compete. Sure enough, there is something wrong with your thinking again.
My father joined the cabinet at the age of forty-five and became the first assistant at the age of forty-nine. After all, he was still too young, and his mental experience was almost meaningless."
Shen Yongmao: "."
After arriving in the study, Lin Tailai said directly to Shen Shoufu: "Although Yang Tianguan is gone, I am still there. Why should the old man give up on himself?"
Yang Wei only came to pay his respects last night, but Lin Tailai, who was far away in Xizhimen, knew immediately and came to the door this morning to discuss the matter.
This is not surprising to Shen Shoufu at all. Without him, the family would be unlucky.
At this time, Shen Shoufu glanced at Lin Tailai and asked, "What? You also want to be a Heavenly Official in the Ministry of Civil Affairs?"
Lin Tailai said a little embarrassedly: "If the seniors can do it, I can't give it a try."
Before he finished the cup of tea, Shen Shoufu choked and said rudely: "If there is nothing else, just step back!"
Lin Tailai immediately got to the point: "Senior, do you really want to retire?"
Shen Shoufu asked, "Does it have anything to do with you?"
Lin Tailai replied: "Junior, I don't want to stop the senior, but I just thought that if the senior really wants to quit, the junior should prepare early."
Shen Shoufu was a little shocked in his heart. Lin Tailai had changed. He didn't persuade him as hard as he did a few times before. Was he going to directly prepare to find a new home?
After all, Shen Shoufu still couldn't restrain his damn curiosity, "How can you prepare in advance?"
Lin Tailai answered honestly: "If the old man retires to Linquan, according to the usual practice, Wang Xijue, the old man of the second pavilion, no, Wang Taicang, who is highly respected, will serve as the chief assistant.
Then I left the Shen Mansion and quickly went to Wang Taicang's Mansion to repair the relationship.
Firstly, Wang Taicang came to power in a hurry and lacked a solid foundation, so he needs the help of a powerful person like me; secondly, since they are all from the same hometown in Suzhou, who can Wang Taicang trust more?"
Shen Shoufu felt a little sour in his heart and asked, "What happens next?"
"Then," Lin Tailai thought for a moment, then continued to answer: "Wang Taicang and the old man are both from the same hometown and in the same ranking. You were the number one scholar, he was the second, and now they are in the cabinet together.
I heard that Wang Taicang has always had a desire to compare in his heart. This time, senior, you stepped down and he stepped up, finally tying you in the career comparison.
The dispute over the country has been in a stalemate for four years, and all parties are exhausted. What if the East Palace issue is resolved in the past two years?
Then Wang Taicang will be the chief assistant who will be able to fix the situation, and senior you will be the one who cannot solve the problem and runs away from the battle.
By that time, Wang Taicang will definitely write letters to you when he has nothing to do, and he will also record it extensively in his personal notes.
When Dong Gong ascends the throne in the future, he will definitely be extremely grateful to Wang Taicang, and may even give him a posthumous gift. Anyway, he should be one level higher than you."
Shen Shixing: "."
Damn it! The sight of Taicang Wang Er, whom he had suppressed for most of his life, suddenly riding on his head was really terrifying!
It doesn't matter if you are worse than anyone else, you just can't be worse than Wang Er from the same hometown and the same ranking!
"So, would you please give me an accurate answer, senior?" Lin Tailai asked back.
Shen Shixing said solemnly: "I am in my prime years, waiting for the emperor to call me back at any time to do my best for the country!"
Lin Tailai then advised again: "Old seniors, you can rest easy. Even without Yang Wei, the staff can still be reorganized like the cabinet, and we can just arrange some obedient people."
Shen Shixing sighed: "The official department has always been the center of attention of the whole court. Whenever there is a political dispute, the official department is even more of the center of attention.
People who are incompetent will not be able to stand in the official department at all, and they can't just obey orders."
Having said this, Shen Shixing suddenly realized a question, "Who do you mean to listen to?"
Lin Tailai said "haha": "It's all the same, it's all the same, why bother fussing over it."
When the court recommended the old man to join the cabinet, one of the only two candidates, Yang Wei, the Minister of Civil Service, suddenly resigned from his post and decided to pack his bags and leave the capital. This immediately caused a shock to the court!
Although in the past two months, the whole court has been shaken a lot, almost all the courtiers were numbed by the shock.
But Yang Tianguan's departure is still worthy of another shock to the public. After all, this is the official minister with real power who can compete with the cabinet.
Others don’t know what they think, but the Qingliu forces fell into a carnival!
This is the most significant good news in the past two months, no, in the past two years!
The Ministry of Personnel immediately became the focus of the entire court's attention, even more so than the recruitment of cabinet ministers.
After all, there is no suspense on the issue of adding cabinet ministers. If Yang Wei leaves, then the only candidate left is Zhao Zhigao. What else can we continue to pay attention to?
On the contrary, the officials are having great "fun" now!
The Minister of the Ministry of Personnel has given up his choice and left, and the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Zuo Shilang, is about to join the cabinet, so the two highest official positions in the Ministry of Personnel will be cleared in an instant!
Two top key positions were revealed at once. In this late spring season, all the officials in the court were almost in a collective rage!
Which second-grade person does not dream of being the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs? Which third-grade person does not covet the Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Civil Affairs?
Anyone who can calm down at this time and not have some daydreams is not a human being.
Against this background, Zhao Zhigao, the 67-year-old left minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, quietly entered the cabinet and almost no one paid any attention to it.
On the towering Xizhimen Gate Tower, the setting sun is like blood.
A tall young man with frowning eyebrows looked at the manuscript paper on the case attentively and fell deeply into thought.
Pang Ba always looked like a little boy, greeting from not far away: "It's time for dinner!"
Lin Tailai, a soldier who was still being dispatched to the army, turned a deaf ear, as if there were difficult problems for him to think about and make decisions.
Mr. Pang came close to him and asked curiously: "What on earth is Mr. Lin writing? Why is he thinking so hard about it?"
Lin Xiaobing replied solemnly: "I'm helping draft the edict of sinners. I'm not very skilled yet. I'm not sure about a few points."
Boss Pang: "."
Is this the answer that he, a small official of the fourth rank and commander of Qianshi Xizhi, can hear?
Damn it! Why did I ask this question so much! Then I heard such an answer that could be fatal!
Suddenly Zhang Wen, the Zuo protector, came up the stairs to the top of the city and reported: "Today the edict is in the hands of Mr. Zhao and Mr. Zhao of Lanxi!"
Lin Tailai put the manuscript paper on the desk, stood up and said: "Let's go! Go to Zhao Mansion to give guidance and congratulations!"
Mr. Pang reminded him: "The new eunuch has already taken office. Mr. Lin is leaving without saying hello?"
Lin Tailai said nonchalantly: "The imperial court's budget is tight, so don't build a new Martyrs' Shrine."
After getting off the city wall, Lin Tailai got on his horse and drove for more than ten miles straight to Zhao Zhigao's mansion!
Old man Zhao will probably enter the inner court tomorrow, so arrangements must be made tonight!
Suddenly, I saw an official's sedan chair and ceremonial guard approaching in front of me. I saw that the ceremonial plaque was Lu Guangzu, the Minister of Punishment.
On the streets of the capital, there is a set of rules when encountering such things. Generally speaking, common people give way to officials, and small officials give way to high officials.
But Lin Tailai hurried on, regardless of these avoidance rules, he immediately mounted his horse and whipped his horse, dashed away from the leader on the opposite side very arrogantly, and passed by the sedan.
Lu Shangshu was so angry that he said to his friends at the banquet: "There are five kinds of strange people in the capital today. They don't know how to wait for authority, they have no respect and inferiority, and they don't avoid the big sedan chair. There are five kinds of people and animals!"
One is a young eunuch, the second is an old woman, the third is an elephant entering the court, the fourth is a commoner, and the fifth one is Lin Tailai who rides on the horse!"
Lin Tailai didn't know that he had become one of the "Five Black Categories", and he didn't get off his horse until he arrived at Zhao Zhigao's residence.
Old man Zhao seemed to know that Lin Tailai would definitely come, so he sat in the front hall and waited.
When he saw Lin Tai coming, he smiled bitterly and said: "Since I took the great scholar as my assistant minister, I'm afraid I have never had such a deserted person enter the cabinet."
When he entered the cabinet this time, he really received no attention at all, which caused a gap in his heart.
On the one hand, it is because there are two big holes in the Ministry of Personnel, and all the attention of all the court officials is on the Ministry of Personnel.
On the other hand, it may be that most people subconsciously feel that they, a 67-year-old newcomer, are a transitional figure.
There is a high probability that I won't be able to work for long and will still be ranked fourth and last, so I don't need to pay too much attention to it.
Lin Tailai consoled him: "This just shows that you are what everyone expects. Everyone has already accepted it, so they are not surprised."
Who knew that this old man could work for ten years without the support of time travellers?
As a twenty-three-year-old young man, after the fifty-six-year-old first assistant, I also have to provide psychological training for a sixty-seven-year-old man, which is tiring.
As he spoke, he casually glanced at the imperial edict for entering the pavilion to study it first.
After receiving this imperial edict, Zhao Zhigao, the Zuo Shilang (actual title) of the Ministry of Personnel, became the Zuo Shilang (virtual title) of the Ministry of Personnel and a bachelor of Dongge. He entered Wenyuan Pavilion to do preparatory work.
"I felt relieved when I saw the words "pre-maintenance maintenance." Lin Tailai said casually.
Zhao Zhigao: "?"
I don’t understand at all. What does this mean? Are there still cabinet bachelors who don’t do maintenance work?
"It doesn't mean anything else! It was just a slip of the tongue!" Lin Tailai said, "From today on, you are the elder of Si Ge, or Zhao Si for short!"
Zhao Zhigao laughed "hehe" a few times. In front of Lin Tailai, Zhao Zhigao had no airs.
Of course, this is also Lin Tailai's most appreciated advantage.
After the congratulations, Lin Tailai pushed the manuscript in his arms to Zhao Zhigao and said: "The draft of the Sinner's Edict has been written for you. You can modify it and use it at your own discretion. As long as the general idea remains unchanged."
Zhao Zhigao was a little surprised. What more could be said about such an official document as the Sin Ji Zhao?
But I still took it, maybe this was Lin Tailai's "loyalty test", there was no need to ask for trouble.
After reading it, Zhao Zhigao said a little uncertainly: "Is it okay to just write about you like this?"
Lin Tailai said calmly: "There's nothing wrong with it. Your Majesty just wants me to be in the limelight. It's okay!"
The next day, Zhao Zhigao got up early, his face seemed to be glowing.
Regardless of whether others pay attention or not, whether they despise or not, he has joined the cabinet anyway! He can also be honored as Prime Minister Zhao!
Looking back five years ago, I was just a low-ranking Hanlin scholar living in Nanjing.
At that time, I never imagined that I would be able to join the cabinet five years later at the age of sixty-seven!
The process of history is important, but Lin Tailai's efforts are even more important.
After passing through Chang'an Right Gate, Chengtian Gate, Duanmen, Meridian Gate, Huiji Gate, Cabinet Courtyard Gate, and Wenyuan Pavilion Gate, we finally entered the dark Wenyuan Pavilion.
Considering that the emperor had his office in the Wenhua Hall, Wenyuan Pavilion is an extremely rare layout with the south facing north, and the main door faces the Wenhua Hall in the north.
Therefore, Wenyuan Pavilion has extremely poor lighting and is dim all year round, and candles are often lit during the day.
Because Shen Da was still at home, only the two elders, Wang Er and Wang San, greeted the new colleague Zhao Si in the middle hall.
In fact, Zhao Zhigao still felt a little inferior to the elders such as Shen Da, Wang Er, and Wang San.
There are two factors in this. First, Zhao Zhigao did not pass the Jinshi examination until he was forty-five years old, while others who applied for admission to the university entered the cabinet at the age of forty-five.
Although Mr. Zhao can be praised for being the top pick, Shen Da is the top pick and Wang Er is the second pick.
Second, although Zhao Zhigao was born in the Imperial Academy, he spent most of his time on the streets and never served as an official for Emperor Wanli. This was a big shortcoming.
And Shen Da, Wang Er, and Wang San all served as lecturers for Emperor Wanli when he was a boy, and they crushed Zhao Zhigao in the chain of contempt within the Imperial Academy.
Others had been frequenting the inner court as officials more than ten years ago, but Zhao Zhigao only came in for the first time when he was more than sixty years old.
So in the middle hall of Wenyuan Pavilion, after Zhao Si, Wang Er and Wang San paid homage to each other, they still felt a little uneasy.
I was so anxious that I didn't know what to say for a moment, for fear of being looked down upon and also afraid of being laughed at.
Subconsciously blurted out: "Lin Tailai asked me to pass on a message, please don't interfere in the affairs of the official department!"
Wang Er: "."
Wang San: "."
Damn it! You, this old man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, are really not a good person. You really look like a traitor from the Lin Party who broke into Wenyuan Pavilion!