Chapter 538 Is Yan Shaoting the real young cabinet minister?

Look at the central ministers in front of you.

Zhu Zaigui's heartbeat was slowly speeding up.

Although many days have passed since he ascended the throne, the feeling of holding power still stirs in his heart.

That's why.

The young emperor began to declare his voice and will as the supreme ruler of this old empire in front of everyone.

"Yan Shifan, the son of the Earl of Changping and the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, was a veteran in the chores and worked tirelessly to take charge of the Ministry of Justice. He was well versed in criminal law, reduced the number of wrongly convicted people, and brought peace to the four regions. He worked hard but refused to take credit. However, the country has its own merits and demerits, and rewards and punishments are clear. Mistakes must be punished, and merits must be rewarded. I established the Longqing era, inherited the family lineage, continued the will of the previous emperor, and continued the new policies of Jialong. Now I am discussing the cabinet ministers and promoting the virtuous and capable. The Ministry of Justice has a heavy task and cannot be left without a leader. I want to promote him and make him the head of the Ministry of Justice, and add the title of Prince's Junior Guardian. The cabinet and the Ministry of Personnel will act according to my instructions."

Yan Shifan was promoted to the position of Minister of Punishments and given the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince.

The new emperor's meaning was clearly heard by everyone.

Today, the court discussion of new cabinet members has quietly turned into the new emperor's first round of rewarding people for their merits after taking office.

Guo Pu, who was in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, naturally had no objection.

After all, since Yan Shifan transferred from the Ministry of Works to the Ministry of Justice, although he still holds the position of Left Vice Minister, he has already completely taken charge of the Ministry of Justice.

What's more crucial is that Yan Shifan has done a really good job since he was transferred to the Ministry of Justice. The new emperor said that after he took charge of the Ministry of Justice, the country's criminal law was well understood and the local areas were peaceful, which is indeed true.

Guo Pu immediately nodded and saluted: "I obey your command."

Next up is Gao Gong.

Although he was reluctant to see the Yan family's official status in the court continue to rise.

But he also understood that if he rejected Yan Shifan's promotion to the position of Minister of Justice and Prince's Guardian, he might not be able to accomplish his goal of pushing Gao Yi into the cabinet today.

Ever since.

After thinking it through, Gao Gong also bowed his head and clasped his fists: "I obey your command."

Yan Shifan bowed his head even more, his eyes widened. When he looked up again, his eyes were red, and he prostrated himself on the ground again.

"Your Majesty, I, Yan Shifan, bow my head and beg for mercy. I cannot ask for more. I will serve you wholeheartedly and sacrifice my life for you."

Zhu Zaigui just smiled and waved his hand: "The Ministry of Justice is in charge of laws, criminal laws, prison sentences, and the review of prohibitions. It is the place where all the prohibitions in the world are. Yan Qing is loyal and capable of this task. I am relieved."

Yan Shifan bowed again to thank the emperor for his grace.

From today on, he was truly promoted to one of the Nine Ministers of the Ming Dynasty. He was no longer the acting head of the Ministry of Justice, but the real official in charge of the Ministry of Justice. His position was now legitimate.

Zhu Zaigui just smiled slightly, then looked around at everyone and continued to speak softly, "The Crown Prince's guest, the Left Vice-Chief Censor of the Censorate, the Junior Secretary of the Imperial Household, and the Attending Scholar of the Hanlin Academy, Yan Shaoting. He is a talented person in the court, young and promising, and he is second to none in the economic field. He is familiar with the way of governing the people. In the forty years of the previous emperor's reign, he promoted the planting of mulberry trees and the production of silk in Zhejiang Province, which brought in tens of millions of yuan in annual income. He also promoted the policy of opening up the sea, offset the deficit, and increased fiscal revenue. He maintained peace and security, opened academies, built factories, established agricultural agreements, promoted agricultural work, and offered sweet potatoes. He also proposed the system of recommending students to be officials. He is a leader among the people in the court."

When Yan Shifan was promoted to Minister of Justice by the new emperor in public, the new emperor began to mention Yan Shaoting, another member of the Yan family.

Everyone in the Wenhua Hall fell silent, but their hearts were filled with mixed feelings.

This is the first time the new emperor has been distributing rewards based on merit. Will it all be about the Yan family?
There is dissatisfaction and resentment, but more of it is envy.

after all.

Everyone hates and denounces those who hold power, but everyone wants to be the one who holds the reins.

Zhu Zaigui observed the reactions of the people present and continued with a smile, "Before this, Yan Shaoting followed the order of the late emperor and was stationed in Nanjing. He was in charge of the money and grain storage in Nanzhili, Zhongdu, Huguang, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong, and was also the commander of Nanjing military affairs and local inspections. In Jiangnan, there was a trend of investigating hidden farmland at that time, and the gentry and wealthy families volunteered to clear out their farmland, which greatly increased the land tax in the southeast and strengthened the foundation of the country. This time, he also followed the order of the late emperor to lead the troops back to Beijing. He was loyal and brave, and returned in the snow without any complaints. Now that you have stepped down from the southern affairs, you should transfer to the central government to take on the important task."

obviously.

When the new emperor wanted to reuse Yan Shaoting, he said more than when he promoted Yan Shifan to the position of Minister of Justice.

Then the result is clear.

Yan Shaoting's transfer to the central government this time will definitely entail a heavy responsibility, and it will be a key position.

The emperor did not keep everyone waiting for too long before he spoke again.

"Yan Shaoting used to be the tutor of the prince in the Qiandi Palace, and now he is in the Imperial Academy and the Imperial Household. I have ascended the throne, but the prince cannot stop studying, and he must marry when the time comes. Tingqing is very talented and should not be shirked. I want to make him a Hanlin scholar, the Imperial Household Secretary, and the Imperial College Priest. I will still use him as the Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, promote him to the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War to assist in the military affairs of the Beijing Camp, and add him to the position of Acting Assistant Minister of the Cabinet. During this period, he will work with the Marquis of Zhenyuan and the Admiral of the Beijing Camp, Gu Huan, to rectify the Beijing Camp, eliminate old and wounded soldiers, select new soldiers, reorganize and train them, strengthen the Beijing Army, and benefit the border towns."

in the hall.

The emperor's voice slowly spread.

Everyone was completely silent.

Even Yan Shifan was extremely surprised.

If Yan Shaoting was really promoted as the new emperor said.

So from now on, if Yan Shaoting is strictly referred to as the Guest of the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty, the Left Vice-Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, the Secretary of the Chancellery, the Hanlin Academician, the Chief Academician of the Imperial College, the Assistant Manager of the Military Affairs of the Beijing Camp, and the Walking Vice-President of the Cabinet.

Assisting in the military affairs of the Beijing camp and serving as an advisor to the cabinet were Yan Shaoting's main duties in the future.

The series of official positions mentioned above reflected his status in the court.

Although there was almost no one in the court who held a more prominent position than Yan Shaoting.

But among the series of rewards bestowed by the emperor today, there was one that was the most inconspicuous, yet the most abrupt, which made everyone frown.

Walking into the cabinet.

This is an unprecedented task.

The words "zou xing" and "can zhi" are not new creations. Similar official positions have existed since ancient times.

But if these two things are added together and placed in the cabinet, the meaning will be different.

This means that from now on Yan Shaoting can still work outside the cabinet room and even participate in and know about various affairs in the cabinet.

Although he did not have the decision-making power like cabinet ministers, nor the power to draft various memorials from the central government and local governments, he did have the right to know.

Many people present felt mixed emotions for a moment.

Some people even found it funny.

In the past, Yan Song was the chief minister of the cabinet and was in charge of the core. At that time, the Yan family was in great power and Yan Shifan was also called the Little Cabinet Elder.

Of course this was a joke, more of a mockery of Yan Shifan.

But now.

After the new emperor bestowed a series of rewards on Yan Shaoting, he also added a position of Walking Advisor to the Cabinet. Doesn't this truly confirm that Yan Shaoting is the one who deserves the title of Junior Cabinet Minister!
After all, Yan Shifan was called a junior cabinet minister at the beginning, but he did not have the power to assist the cabinet. But now Yan Shaoting has been given this title, so he has naturally become a formal junior cabinet minister.

Everyone was at a loss for words when faced with the new emperor's sudden move.

Zhu Zaigui just looked at the stunned crowd and smiled slightly.

I just wanted to give Yan Shaoting a position in the cabinet.

Even though Yan Shaoting's age and experience were not enough for him to enter the cabinet directly, he had paved a way for him to enter the cabinet in the future. But this is what the emperor thought.

But the ministers before him did not think so.

Gao Gong immediately frowned and said, "Your Majesty, Yan Shaoting is very talented and has made many contributions. If Your Majesty wants to use him in the central government, we, the ministers, should know your Majesty's intention and dare not object. However, in the past 200 years, the system of our ancestors has never allowed the position of the Minister of the Cabinet as Your Majesty said today. If you use Yan Shaoting now, wouldn't it be a joke? If Your Majesty wants to use him, he is also in the capital. After a few more years, when he is older and has more experience, Your Majesty can decide for himself and let him enter the cabinet directly to take charge of all matters."

The Prime Minister said a lot.

But it can be summed up in a very short sentence.

Emperor, you are anxious.

Even if he wanted to reuse Yan Shaoting, he shouldn't do it in such a hurry, so as not to be so impatient as to specially give him a so-called walking assistant cabinet position.

It looks so ugly.

However, Zhu Zaigui rarely listened to the advice of his teacher. Instead, he smiled and shook his head, saying, "I know what Yuanfu said. It's just that Yuanfu said that the position of the Minister of the Cabinet was not in the system of our ancestors, but at that time, did Emperor Taizu Gao have a cabinet?"

A word from the new emperor.

Gao Gong, the Prime Minister, completely shut his mouth.

Gao Gong knew that if he continued to speak, the existence of the cabinet would probably be questioned as to whether it violated the ancestral system.

In response to Gao Gong's silence and bowing of his head, Zhu Zaigui just smiled slightly.

Although his teacher when he was in the palace wanted to do things and reform the world, he never thought that even if he was his student, how could he let him dominate the court and control the center.

And since Yan Shaoting can serve as a minister in the cabinet, he can also use this opportunity to arrange someone in the cabinet but not a member of the cabinet, so as to supervise and inspect the cabinet.

Zhu Zaigui savored it silently.

I feel that perhaps when the late emperor was alive, his actions to balance the officials in the court were probably based on this principle.

At this time, even the Prime Minister Gao Gong was unable to persuade the emperor, and the others simply chose to remain silent.

However, after Yan Shaoting and Yan Shifan, father and son, were promoted on the same day, Zhu Zaigui did not continue to promote anyone else, but only signaled Gao Gong that he could continue to discuss the new members of the cabinet.

Of course, Yan Shifan was excluded from that very intentional list.

In fact, the entire court meeting was just a formality.

Even long ago, when the late emperor was still alive, he had rejected the cabinet's selection and should not be based on the order of names on the nomination list.

But most of the time, this unspoken rule is still followed.

On today's nomination list, Hu Zongxian ranks first, followed by the Minister of Rites Gao Yi.

Instead, the Minister of Personnel Guo Pu ranked third.

With this ranking, one can tell at a glance who are the people who can really enter the cabinet.

no doubt.

There was no ripples either.

Hu Zongxian and Gao Yi entered the cabinet on the same day.

Hu Zongxian was promoted to Grand Secretary of Wuying Palace, and was in charge of the cabinet and the Ministry of War. He suddenly became the superior of Yang Bo, the gloomy-faced Minister of War.

Gao Yi continued to serve as the Minister of Rites and was appointed as the Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion, with active involvement in the cabinet.

After a court discussion, everything was settled.

With both the father and son of the Yan family being promoted on the same day, people were not very happy. Moreover, Yang Bo, who had lost his position in the cabinet, had a gloomy face and was filled with resentment.

As the court meeting ended, everyone bowed and left.

After leaving Wenhua Hall, Gao Gong and others naturally returned directly to the cabinet.

As for people like Hu Zongxian and Gao Yi, although they successfully joined the cabinet today, they still have to return to their respective departments to complete their tasks. It will probably be tomorrow before they officially join the cabinet and start their work.

That's why.

A group of people in red robes walked out of the imperial city.

Only then did everyone begin to congratulate Hu Zongxian and Gao Yi.

Even Yang Bo was reluctant in his heart due to the respectability of officialdom. He congratulated Hu Zongxian and Gao Yi for a few words, and then quietly fell to the back of the team.

Yan Shifan, who had been officially promoted to the Minister of Justice, had been silently observing Yang Bo's reaction.

There are many people talking at this moment.

He did not have time to talk more with Hu Zongxian, but deliberately walked slower. Soon he was walking side by side with Yang Bo, walking behind everyone.

Yang Bo looked at Yan Shifan who was obviously walking with him on purpose, and forced a smile on his face: "Congratulations, Dong Lou, you finally got what you wanted today and were promoted to the position of Grand Sikou."

Yan Shifan waved his hand and said, "Brother Weiyue, you are too kind. I am not worthy of being the Grand Sikou. But Brother Weiyue has been serving as the Grand Marshal in the court for a long time and is in charge of the Ministry of War. He is what I think is a capable minister of the country."

Yang Bo's face turned a little colder.

Combined with today's court discussion in Wenhua Hall, he felt that Yan Shifan's words at this moment were more sarcastic and mocking.

Yan Shifan seemed to be unable to see Yang Bo's expression, but glanced at Gao Yi who was walking in front and being surrounded and flattered by the crowd, and whispered: "Brother Wei Yue, do you know who drafted the list of candidates for today's court meeting?"

Yang Bo said with a cold face: "Isn't it the cabinet elders who discussed it together?"

Yan Shifan shook his head mysteriously, and then whispered more quietly: "I don't know the mystery, but I do know one thing. There is a copy of the list with my name on it on it, on the desk of Lord Li."

Yang Bo immediately glanced over. Yan Shifan's words had so much meaning!

He immediately asked, "How did Donglou know?"

Yan Shifan did not answer, but changed the subject and said: "Whether it was the Prime Minister who obstructed or the Lord Li who made trouble, I don't know, but I still think that among the civil and military officials of this dynasty, only Brother Yue's talent is superior to others."

After finishing speaking.

Yan Shifan did not give Yang Bo any explanation, but chased after the people in front who were gradually walking away with a smile on his face.

Yang Bo, who was left behind, frowned and looked at Yan Shifan and the people in front of him with complicated eyes.

In the end, it was Gao Gong who was secretly obstructing.

It was Li Chunfang who was causing trouble.

For a moment, this became a dark cloud hanging over the heart of the Minister of War, who had failed to enter the cabinet today.

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(End of this chapter)