Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Just as Wen Tiren was using Yang Jingchen to seek a position among the Nine Ministers, Qian Qianyi was making the same plan.

Of course, compared to Wen Tiren, who had already become a Grand Secretary, his requirements were not so high.

He only hoped to become one of the Nine Ministers, but he had no ability to appoint others.

If possible, Qian Qianyi hoped to become a co-sponsored Grand Secretary.

Just like Cheng Jiming now, who, as Minister of Rites, concurrently served as Associate Grand Secretary.

However, he knew this would be difficult, because his name might not even make it onto the list of candidates for Grand Secretary:
"The Minister of Rites and the Vice Minister were both included."

"If I had become the Vice Minister of Rites earlier, I would certainly have been included in the list."

Qian Qianyi pondered the list of candidates for Grand Secretary and felt a great sense of regret.

His original position was Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and the title of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites was added when Cheng Jiming concurrently served as Grand Secretary. He has only held this position for one year now.

With Vice Ministers Qian Xiangkun and Li Biao already on the list of candidates, it would be difficult for him, a relatively junior official from the Ministry of Rites, to be included.

This was a major blow to him, as he hoped to join the cabinet and only as a second choice was the position of one of the Nine Ministers.

His student, Qu Shisi, said:

"Teacher, can't you think of a solution?"

"His Majesty values ​​you highly, teacher. Why don't you speak to His Majesty about adding me to the candidate list?"

Qian Qianyi had also thought about this, but after careful consideration, he shook his head and said:
"If I were to plead with His Majesty, I might be able to get on the list of candidates."

"But even if you become a candidate, it's difficult to become a Grand Secretary, so it's better to stay behind and work hard."

Qu Shisi asked, somewhat puzzled:

Why did the teacher say that?

"Even if I can't become a full Grand Secretary, I should be able to become an Associate Grand Secretary, right?"

"In the current court, whose reputation can compare with that of the teacher?"

Qian Qianyi smiled upon hearing this, clearly satisfied with his disciple's explanation.

He also believed that his reputation was unmatched by anyone in the government and the public, but in politics, one cannot obtain a desired official position simply by relying on reputation.

Putting everything else aside, he simply couldn't compete with Lin Yuji. This man had more seniority and the support of people like Yang Jingchen.

Even the emperor admired this Hanlin Academy official who was skilled in financial management. This was precisely the kind of well-rounded talent, proficient in both scholarship and practical skills, that the Hanlin Academy needed to cultivate after its reform.

Qian Qianyi was not confident of winning against him, so he could only compete for the other co-sponsored Grand Secretary.

But this is even more difficult, he said to Qu Shisi:

"The cabinet has two members of the Donglin Party, namely Chief Minister Han and Scholar Cheng, who were also my teachers in the past."

"If I were to become an Associate Grand Secretary, there would be too many party members in the cabinet."

"The emperor will most likely choose a neutral person who can get things done, like Xu Guangqi or Zheng Yiwei."

Qu Shisi was speechless upon hearing this, never expecting that his teacher would be implicated even after leaving Donglin University.

He said to Qian Qianyi:

"Teacher, didn't you already start your own practice?"

"Why do you still need to avoid me?"

Qian Qianyi sighed and said:
"This is not a formal recusal, but the impact is unavoidable."

"If I were qualified, that would be fine, but now even being included in the list of candidates for Grand Secretary is a bit uncertain, so of course His Majesty is unwilling."

"Even if they are barely included in the list, it will be difficult for them to become co-sponsored Grand Secretaries."

This is why he didn't pursue that matter; instead, he planned to aim for the position of Minister of Rites and work hard towards that official post.

If a Grand Secretary were to die unexpectedly or be dismissed from office, he might be appointed as an Associate Grand Secretary, just like Cheng Ji Ming, and thus have the opportunity to become a Grand Secretary.

Qian Qianyi had this plan, but Qu Shisi was still somewhat unwilling. As Qian Qianyi's disciple, he very much hoped that his teacher would become a Grand Secretary, and tentatively inquired:
"Is there really no hope of becoming a Grand Secretary?" "Is becoming Minister Cheng a sure thing?"

Qian Qianyi said matter-of-factly:
"With the support of the Donglin Party, nothing unexpected will happen."

"You know how many people in the court are inclined towards the Donglin Party."

When faced with a choice between the eunuch faction and the Donglin Party, most neutral officials would lean towards the more principled Donglin Party members.

Furthermore, given the number of votes controlled by the Donglin Party, they have a significant advantage in the election and are certain to push Cheng Kee Ming to the top.

The only unexpected thing was that the emperor intervened—

Having established that the chief official has veto power, the current emperor also has the power to veto a proposal.

However, given how much the current emperor values ​​this power, he won't use it for such things.

Qian Qianyi felt that Cheng Jiming's becoming a formal Grand Secretary was a sure thing.

However, Qu Shisi believed that it was still worth fighting for, and said:

"Both Minister Cheng and Chief Minister Han are members of the Donglin Party, and they have not explicitly severed ties."

"According to the Emperor's established system of recusal, the two should not serve in the same institution."

"It was one thing to serve as an Associate Grand Secretary before, but now that he has become a full Grand Secretary, shouldn't one of them recuse himself?"

This statement made Qian Qianyi fall into deep thought, and then he shook his head and said:
"That being said, the Emperor greatly admires Minister Cheng, considering him a capable and upright official."

"Do you know how the Emperor evaluated him? He was politically astute, mindful of the big picture, and understood the bigger picture."

“Cheng Jiming holds a very special place in the Emperor’s heart.”

Qu Shisi pondered this evaluation carefully and felt that it was very profound.

He asked Qian Qianyi:

"What do these nine characters mean? Has His Majesty explained them?"

The other disciples were equally curious and hoped that Qian Qianyi could explain it clearly.

Qian Qianyi said to them:
"The Emperor did not explain, but I think that talking about politics means standing firm on the fundamental principles."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that he was Ye Xianggao's disciple and listed as a member of the Donglin Party. He did not blindly stand on the side of the Donglin Party, but instead suppressed radical members of the Donglin Party."

"Isn't this about politics? First and foremost, it's about loyalty to the emperor."

"Moreover, he maintained the stability of the court, which can be described as considering the overall situation and understanding the big picture."

"It was precisely because of this that His Majesty allowed him to join the cabinet, rather than dismissing him simply because he was listed as a member of the party."

Upon hearing this, Qu Shisi and the others suddenly realized why Qian Qianyi had said that.

The main reason Qian Qianyi parted ways with the Donglin Party, besides academic differences, was that the emperor was only willing to appoint two ministers from the Donglin Party.

Unable to replace Han Kuang and Cheng Jiming, Qian Qianyi had no choice but to establish his own faction and shed his Donglin affiliation if he wanted to be promoted.

Cheng Jiming was able to enter the cabinet just like Han Kuang without leaving the Donglin Party. This shows how highly the emperor valued him, and he even disregarded the need for his fellow party members to avoid him.

Having understood the emperor's attitude, Qu Shisi still did not give up, and said:
"While Minister Cheng may not have always stood on the Donglin Party's side, his membership in the party is beyond doubt."

"His Majesty has revived the rites and music system, and he values ​​the rites and laws most. Once the system has been established, it is impossible for him to violate it."

"That's how the recusal system works. As long as someone raises an objection, whether Minister Cheng can become a Grand Secretary is still uncertain."

“If things take a turn for the worse, the teacher can take the opportunity to discuss with Prime Minister Han and obtain a chance to join the cabinet.”

This idea really appealed to Qian Qianyi, because it was indeed something that could happen:
If Cheng Jiming's entry into the cabinet is blocked, Han Kuang might indeed try to bring him in in order to gain supporters within the cabinet.

Compared to others, Qian Qianyi, who had previously belonged to the Donglin Party, still had some connections with Han Kuang and others. Coupled with his hostile relationship with Wen Tiren, Qian Qianyi had no choice but to align himself with Han Kuang.

Thinking of this, Qian Qianyi suddenly became restless. Deep down, he still hoped to become a Grand Secretary. (End of Chapter)