I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 783 I, Uncle Zhang, support you in becoming a Heavenly Official
Zeng Shengwu and Zhang Xueyan thought silently.

The Governor of Hunan, the Governor of Jiangsu, the Governor of Jinghai, the Governor of Liaohe, as well as the Governors of Henan, Shandong and Anhui.

The first four are the targets that Zhang Xiang hopes to choose from, and the last three are just extras. Zhang Xiang probably doesn't want to serve there.

According to what the emperor had said at the practical meeting on cabinet official system reform some time ago, the governor-general will soon be appointed as the second rank, and the provincial governor will be appointed as the third rank.

The Tongzhengshi and the Cabinet Chief Secretary were both of the third rank, and if they were promoted one level, they should seek to become the Governor.

However, Jinghai and Liaohe are border areas, and serving there is called supporting the border areas. The treatment is preferential, and there will be priority for promotion after the term of office.

But the conditions there are too harsh, and there are not many officials willing to take up the post.

If he took the initiative to apply for the position, and Zhang Xiang made some arrangements, with his qualifications, talents and abilities, it would not be a problem for him to directly become a governor.

Hunan, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong and Anhui are hinterland provinces. They do not receive any preferential treatment and must start as provincial governors step by step.

The meaning of Zhang Xiang’s words was very clear, but what these four official positions meant required careful consideration.

The Governor of Hunan was one of the major rear bases for the Yunnan and Guizhou policy of reforming the native system.

In Sichuan, another major rear base, there were still a series of chieftains in the border areas that needed to be pacified and reformed, so there was not much spare energy to support Yunnan and Guizhou, so the heavy burden fell on Hunan.

It was easy for the Hunan Provincial Governor to get a share of the rewards from military merit, and the better he performed, the more he would get.

Hu Xi was a conservative man who was good at maintaining the status quo. He was transferred to the post of Governor of Hunan Province by sheer luck. Moreover, he was old and in poor health. It was estimated that he would retire and return to Beijing to retire in the Constitutional Council after two years.

At that time, the Hunan Provincial Governor would naturally take over as the Hunan Governor.

In order to be promoted to Governor-General, according to common practice, one must return to the capital and serve in the Cabinet as a Vice Minister or Junior Minister for another term of office before one has the qualifications and opportunity.

A term of experience lasts at least three years.

This natural succession took three to five years less time.

In career, time is future!

Three to five years less time for progress means much less distance to go than colleagues!
There is no need to talk about the Jiangsu Provincial Governor. Lord Hai and Mr. Xiao laid a very solid foundation for it. In recent years, he has made many achievements in politics and can reap the benefits in the future.

Cai Maochun was able to serve as the governor of Jiangsu because he worked hard and devoted all his energy to changing the direction of public opinion at home and abroad and cleaning up the remnants of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism when he was the chief minister of the Taichang Temple.

It was precisely because of his outstanding contributions that the emperor sent him to Jiangsu to gain experience as the governor, so as to fill the gaps in his resume in local offices. After three to five years, when he returns to Beijing, he will at least be the Minister of Rites, and maybe even the Left or Right Prime Minister.

If you serve as the governor of Jiangsu Province and do your job well, you will definitely become the governor-general in three to five years. If you can take over as the governor-general of Jiangsu Province, you will make a fortune.

As for the governors of Liaohe and Jinghai, needless to say, in frontier provinces, the conditions are difficult and the trivial matters are complicated, but as long as you are willing to work hard and work hard, it is easy to achieve results.

Moreover, he would be promoted to governor right from the start. If he did well, he might be promoted to governor-general of Liang Liao or Guangdong Guangxi, or he might go to Beijing to serve as a minister. At the very least, he could be a left vice minister, and his future would be limitless.

As for the three provincial governors of Henan, Shandong and Anhui, they were not challenging at all and were only suitable for a stable transition, not for someone as ambitious as himself.

Just skip it.

But which of these four positions should he choose, the provincial governors of Hunan and Jiangsu, and the governors of Liaohe and Jinghai?
Zeng Shengwu and Zhang Xueyan looked hesitant.

Zhang Juzheng observed quietly, and the hesitation on the two men's faces was reflected in his eyes one by one.

These two people are younger generations whom he values ​​and are also candidates to inherit his political ideas.

In recent years, Zhang Juzheng felt that his body was rapidly declining due to his hard work day and night, especially his fistula, which became more serious after sitting for long periods of time. He often bled and sometimes had to change his underwear three or four times a day.

Zhang Juzheng didn't know how many years he could hold on, but he knew very well that in three to five years, his health would deteriorate to the extreme, the symptoms would completely break out, the emperor would dismiss him from the post of prime minister, and he would retire to the Constitutional Council to recuperate.

I'm unwilling to give up. The Wanli New Deal has just started to get on track. There are so many things to do.

His lifelong ambition of making the country strong and the people prosperous is right before his eyes. He only needs to work hard for a few more years and he will see a completely different Ming Dynasty being born in his hands.

How can you retreat halfway and become a deserter?
Zhang Juzheng gritted his teeth and persisted, even ignoring the persuasion of his family and Zhang Tong, and refused to go to the Beijing General Hospital and the Imperial Hospital for treatment. He was worried that if his condition was leaked and the emperor knew about it, he would definitely ask him to rest.

How can I rest?
ten thousand years is too long, fight for now!
What the emperor said was very good. I must seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and help the emperor change the ship for the Ming Dynasty in this thousand-year change.

Build a brand new ship to replace the old and dilapidated ship, and then turn the rudder to a bright and smooth path.

But Zhang Juzheng was afraid that he would suddenly collapse halfway, and all his life's efforts would be wasted.

Therefore, he planned early and selected a successor so that he could take over the banner of the Zhang Party in case of any emergency.

Originally, Zhang Juzheng's first choice of successor was the Minister of Rites Pan Sheng and Pan Siming.

Unfortunately, he has never caught the emperor's eye.

The emperor believed that Pan Siming had more talent than courage and was only suitable to be a deputy, not to lead the overall work.

Last time Zhang Juzheng recommended Pan Sheng as the left chancellor of the cabinet, the emperor disagreed.

He had no choice but to take a step back and recommended him as Right Prime Minister, but the emperor still disagreed, so he could only continue to stay in the position of Minister of Rites.

What made Zhang Juzheng upset was that his chosen successor, Pan Sheng, was not only looked down upon by the emperor, but also disliked by the core members of his own party.

Not to mention Wang Chonggu, Wang Guoguang and Fang Fengshi, they didn't recognize him at all.

Zeng Shengwu, Zhang Xueyan and others were also dissatisfied.

If Pan Sheng is not suitable, then who should we choose?
Wang Chonggu?
No way.

He was not only his follower, but also his ally. He was originally quite powerful, but the Jin Party suffered a heavy blow that year, and he was implicated and injured, so he had no choice but to form an alliance with him.

In recent years, they have already had the strength to establish their own business.

If I'm not qualified to be the leader of a faction, why should I be your successor?
However, apart from Wang Chonggu, Zhang Juzheng found that none of his important followers could take on the responsibility. In addition to their abilities, what was more important was that they did not receive the emperor's respect and trust.

After much deliberation, Zhang Juzheng turned his attention to Zeng Shengwu and Zhang Xueyan.

Especially Zeng Xingwu, who was not only his fellow townsman but also his student. Zhang Juzheng hoped that his political ideas could be passed on by him, that he could enter the cabinet and continue to lead the promotion of the Wanli New Deal.

As for Zhang Xueyan, Zhang Juzheng knew that he was extremely talented, capable of both military and political affairs, familiar with border affairs, and good at mental arithmetic.

Once, the Ministry of Revenue submitted several account books. Zhang Xueyan, in his capacity as the chief secretary of the Cabinet, took a look over them first and unexpectedly found several errors among the numerous figures.

But Zhang Juzheng felt that he had no control over him!

Zhang Xueyan and Wang Yi'e were not only fellow townsmen from neighboring counties, but they also took the same imperial examination in the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign, so they had a special relationship.

However, Wang Yi'e was extremely lucky. While serving as a military official in Nanjing, he encountered a mutiny caused by a reduction in military pay. He rode his horse alone into the camp, explained the pros and cons to the soldiers, and quelled the mutiny, thus rising to fame.

Later he was promoted to the prefect of Jianning in Fujian. When the city was attacked by Japanese pirates, he defended the city effectively and also launched a surprise attack on the pirates, beheading hundreds of them. From then on, he embarked on the road to success and rose rapidly.

Zhang Xueyan did not have such an opportunity, and he was promoted step by step. Twenty years later, he served in many positions and was well-known in the court as a capable official.

Zhang Juzheng didn't know how to keep such a talent.

Zhang Juzheng was full of thoughts. He inadvertently saw Zhang Xueyan raise his head and wanted to say something, but when his eyes saw Zeng Shengwu who was still in deep thought, he immediately lowered his head and pretended to continue thinking.

Zhang Juzheng's eyes flashed, he coughed, and said, "Sansheng, Ziyu, have you thought about it?"

Zhang Xueyan smiled slightly and motioned Zeng Shengwu to speak first.

Zeng Xingwu hesitated for a moment and said, "Teacher, I want to go to Jiangsu."

Zhang Juzheng felt a little disappointed, but nodded calmly, "Jiangsu is also a good place, it is easy to achieve political achievements.

Zi Yu, what about you? "

"Prime Minister Zhang, I want to go to Liaohe or Jinghai. Both are fine."

"Liaohe and Jinghai? They are thousands of miles apart. Ziyu, you are really putting up with them."

Zhang Xueyan smiled and replied, "In reply to Prime Minister Zhang, I am not giving in, but both Liaohe and Jinghai want to go, and both are welcome to go, so I am undecided."

Zhang Juzheng's eyes were shining, and he stared at Zhang Xueyan intently. After a while, he said, "Zi Yu, go to Jinghai."

"Okay, Prime Minister Zhang. I will go to Jinghai."

After chatting for a few more words, Zhang Xueyan made an excuse to leave.

Only Zhang Juzheng and Zeng Shengwu were left in the room.

Zeng Xingwu said with shame on his face: "Teacher, I have let you down."

Zhang Juzheng smiled and waved his hand, "If I were to choose a teacher from among the three provinces, I would choose Jiangsu. You are like me, not good at border affairs and military administration, so it's better to be safe."

Zeng Xingwu was relieved and couldn't help asking, "Teacher, why do you suggest Ziyu go to Jinghai?"

"The Jinghai Governor not only manages Jinghai, but also manages the newly incorporated Rinan Provincial Government. He is called the Governor, but in reality he is the Governor-General of Hainan. But this position is not easy to do.

In various places in Jinghai, as well as in the dense forests of the steep mountains of Nanzhan in the west, there are still many remnants of the Li, Mo, Ruan and Zheng families, who often harass counties and prefectures.

The emperor appointed a governor for Jinghai and transferred the famous general Hu Shouren to the south to take charge of the military preparations of Jinghai and Rinnan provinces, indicating his determination to vigorously rectify and clean up the local area.

Yang Lingde, the governor of Jinghai, was good at governing and pacifying the people, but he was not good at military affairs and border affairs. The emperor found a reason to transfer him back to Beijing, in fact, he wanted to select a capable official who was familiar with military affairs and border affairs to serve as the governor of Jinghai, and work with Hu Shouren to pacify the two provinces of Hainan.

So it is not appropriate for you to go as the Jinghai Governor, but for Zhang Ziyu, it is a great opportunity. "

Zeng Shengwu's mind raced and he quickly figured out the key.

"Teacher, could it be that Zhang Ziyu has already planned to go to Jinghai for training?"

"You're not stupid."

“But why did he put the Liao River in the front?”

"He's testing my attitude."

"What's the teacher's attitude?"

"Are you trying to find out if I have any ideas about Jinghai? Do you want to send your favorite students or capable people there to gain experience? I am the Prime Minister and the top-ranked Grand Secretary.

If I strongly oppose it, Zhang Ziyu will probably end up with nothing."

Zeng Xingwu understood what Zhang Juzheng meant and asked hesitantly, "Teacher, will Zhang Ziyu consult with Wang Zijian?"

There was a hint of disappointment in Zhang Juzheng's eyes, but he remained calm on the surface and did not directly answer Zeng Shengwu's question. Instead, he started talking about another matter.

"Sansheng, go to Shuntian Prefecture immediately."

"Shuntian Prefecture? Teacher, do you want to see Prefect Pan?"

"Yes, Pan Fengwu should still be in Shuntian Prefecture Office reviewing papers. Go and tell him that my uncle Zhang supports him to be the Minister of Personnel!"

"What!?"

Zeng Shengwu was shocked.

(End of this chapter)