I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 923 Zhang Siwei is such a loser
Zhu Yijun raised his head and glanced around. The whispers that had just been heard in the meeting room immediately stopped and the venue became very quiet.

Qi Jiguang's face turned red and he fidgeted in his seat.

Everyone also began to understand why he sat in the first seat to Hai Rui's left.

But this is a serious violation of ancestral rules.
Ancestral system?

Never mention the ancestral system.

This word has no effect in front of the emperor and will only lead to ridicule.

The emperor's ridicule is priceless, and your career will end here.

That's right, although the emperor is a man of great talent and achievements that have surpassed Taizu, he is sometimes narrow-minded and has completely inherited the vindictive nature of his grandfather, Emperor Sejong.

Zhu Yijun took in the various looks from the crowd and spoke slowly.

"That's right. When I made this decision, Qi Jiguang strongly refused. Several other important officials also disagreed and brought up the example of Di Qing of the former Song Dynasty.

But what I want to say is that I am not Song Renzong, and Qi Jiguang is not Di Qing, because they are not even worthy of carrying shoes for us, the emperor and his subjects! "

No one present thought that Zhu Yijun was being arrogant.

Today, the territory of the Ming Dynasty extends to the Xuan River and the Aral Sea in the west, the Arctic Ocean in the north, and the Yanzhou Islands in the south. Together with Dingzhou, Genzhou, and Xunzhou, as well as the overseas territories occupied in the South China Sea, it has exceeded the territory of the previous Yuan Dynasty.

Most of the land territory was conquered by Qi Jiguang and the Ming Army.

If someone compares Song Renzong and Di Qing with Zhu Yijun and Qi Jiguang, that's really a scam!

It's a blatant scam!

Zhu Yijun stretched out his right hand, and Qi Yan, along with two young eunuchs, pulled open the curtain on the wall behind him, revealing the "Map of the Unified Mountains and Seas of the Ming Dynasty".

The thick red border line encloses a large territory on the map, and the yellow overseas territory boundary line occupies almost half of the entire world map.

Zhu Yijun pointed to the map behind him and said, "See? This is such a large territory. How much of it was conquered by Qi Qing and the Ming Army, and how much was occupied by the Ming Navy?
With such an unprecedented contribution, I am unwilling to give up even the title of Grand Councillor. How will the world and future generations evaluate me?
Mean and ungrateful!

Therefore, I must let Qi Jiguang enter the Advisory Bureau as an advisory minister. And I have said here that in five years, the person who will replace Qi Jiguang as an advisory minister will be the chief of the Ming Navy. "

Zhu Yijun glanced at everyone.

Now that I have finished speaking, who agrees and who disagrees?
The meeting place was completely silent, and the only sound in the silence was the gentle breathing of the crowd.

After half a minute, Tan Lun said, "I second your Majesty's will!"

Zhang Juzheng, Hai Rui, and Wang Chonggu spoke up one after another: "I second your Majesty's will!"

The voices of the ministers rang out in succession in the meeting hall: "I second your Majesty's will!"

Zhu Yijun nodded with satisfaction.

Why did the once powerful military generals and nobles suddenly suffer severe damage in the Battle of Tumu during the reign of Emperor Yingzong?
The main reason was that when Emperor Renzong and Emperor Xuanzong focused on improving the inner court and the cabinet, they completely left aside the military generals and nobles. They were gradually excluded from the decision-making circle of military and national affairs.

Daily military and national affairs were drafted by the cabinet and approved by the Imperial Household Department, who handled them jointly, leaving no chance for military generals and nobles.

The consequences of being excluded from the decision-making circle are very serious. You have no say in the appointment of senior generals, the military strategy of the nine frontiers, and you have no say in the rewards and punishments for border battles.
It was completely in passive mode, being ordered around in circles by the civil servants.

In the Battle of Tumu, more than 200,000 troops were deployed within three days.

Even the New Ming Army, which he personally trained and organized, couldn't do it.

Any general with a bit of experience knew very well how much chaos this would cause and what serious consequences it would have. But their opinions had no say, or in other words, no one cared about their voices.

Wang Zhen’s eunuch party cannot take the blame for this.

During the Zhengde period, Liu Jin claimed to have established the emperor, but he was unable to mobilize more than 200,000 troops.

This can only be accomplished by the Cabinet working together with the governor who controls the food, wages, weapons, and power of rewards and punishments for the Beijing troops and border troops.

The Battle of Tumu directly implicated the eunuchs and military generals and nobles, and the blame was put on the fool Wang Zhen.

The emperor is also trapped?
It doesn’t matter, just set up another one.

In order to prevent the civil officials from dominating the country again, Zhu Yijun had to put representatives of military generals and nobles into the Advisory Bureau to allow them to participate in the decision-making of military and national affairs.

They can keep silent, but they cannot be ignorant.

Now is the golden age for Ming Dynasty to expand its territory. Allowing military representatives to enter the Advisory Bureau and become one of the advisory ministers is both a reward and allows many resources of Ming Dynasty to serve it.

After Qi Jiguang was appointed as the Grand Councillor and succeeded Tan Lun, many ministers began to make plans in their minds.

What should Wang Yi'e do?
Where should this newcomer who was appointed as the Chief Military Officer and Political Envoy be placed?
If he were placed in the cabinet, what would happen to Pan Yinglong, who is at the peak of his career?
How does the emperor deal with this matter?
Zhu Yijun's next words gradually cleared up everyone's doubts.

"I was very troubled when considering the new cabinet.

Why are you worried?
It's not that there is no one available, but there are so many talented people, all of whom are capable of being prime ministers, that I don't know who to choose.

Wang Yi'e was a man of resoluteness and courage, knowledgeable and capable, and had made great achievements in both civil and military affairs.

Pan Yinglong was smart and prudent, bold and careful, especially good at economics and had considerable political achievements.

Who should I choose? "

All the ministers could not help but nod their heads. Yes, both of them were equally talented. Whoever succeeded Zhang Juzheng would become a famous prime minister.

"I have been thinking over and over and can't make a decision, so I decided to talk to you two separately, explain my intentions, and ask for their opinions.

Finally, Pan Fengwu said to me, "My qualifications and talents are not as good as Mr. Zijian's. It is Mr. Zijian who should take over as the Prime Minister."

Zhu Yijun nodded in approval, "You are so noble! Fengwu is so noble. I am very pleased to see you being so humble."

The ministers knew that Pan Yinglong might not be so upright and noble, and it was possible that the emperor persuaded him to accept this arrangement.

But the emperor said this to help Pan Yinglong, not only to comfort him for losing the election, but also to make Wang Yi'e owe him a favor.

Favors must be repaid later!
Zhu Yijun made the decision and said, "I have made up my mind. Wang Yi'e will be the Grand Councillor and will replace Master Zhang as the Prime Minister." Everyone calmed down and thought carefully, and this was a good decision.

Although Wang Yi'e was young, only 46 years old, he had been in military service and fought in many battles for more than 20 years. Like Hu Zongxian and Tan Lun, he had old injuries and hidden illnesses.

Hu Zongxian began to suffer frequent illnesses when he was sixty years old. He suffered a stroke in the second year of the Wanli reign and died after lying in the hospital for several years.

Less than two years after Tan Lun took over as Chief Military Officer, his phlegm disease became increasingly serious. Since last year, he has been almost unable to manage affairs.

He is only fifty-six years old.

Wang Yi'e looks strong and brave, but his health is definitely not as good as Pan Yinglong's. His complexion has looked much worse in the past two years.

If he fails to get promoted this time, he will be 56 or 57 years old. It is worrying what his health will be like by then.

Pan Yinglong is two years younger than Wang Yi'e. If he waits another ten years, he will only be 54 years old. With his physique, he is in the prime of his life!
But how does the emperor arrange Pan Yinglong?
Take over Wang Chonggu's position as Right Prime Minister and serve as Wang Yi'e's deputy?

Then the cabinet will be lively!

Zhu Yijun continued, "Mr. Hai often told me that he was not doing a good job as the Chief Censor. Why? He felt aggrieved! We should consider the overall situation and not punish corrupt officials harshly."

The ministers laughed.

Hai Rui had such a personality that when he was the Chief Censor, if an official committed a crime under his control, he would either kill him or at least give him a severe punishment.

But you can't just kill all the officials with one blow.

To learn from past mistakes and prevent future ones, to cure diseases and save lives!
This is the poem written by the Emperor for the Censorate, defining its responsibilities.

In order to restrain this stubborn donkey, the emperor had to put in a lot of effort, which made both the emperor and his ministers very tired.

Taking advantage of the change of power, Hai Rui wanted to step down, and Zhu Yijun was also eager to do so.

"I granted his wish. I dismissed him from his posts as Grand Secretary and Chief Censor and appointed him as Chief Justice of the Dali Temple."

According to the official system of Wanli's New Deal, the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple was not even an advisory scholar, but just an additional title of Chaoyi Doctor.

But he held a high rank.

He was originally ranked as the second rank, but was later promoted by Zhu Yijun to the second rank, on the same level as the left and right chancellors, the left and right ministers, and the chief censor.

Hai Rui was transferred from Chief Censor to Chief Justice of the Dali Temple, with no change in rank, but he had no real power.

However, Hai Rui was very satisfied with this position.

This is because if a corrupt official is investigated and punished by the Censorate, and then transferred to the Procuratorate and the Court to prosecute him in the Supreme Court, it means that his crime is extremely serious and the evidence is solid. Once the case comes to criminal prosecution, he can be sentenced to death.

"I appoint Wang Chonggu as the Grand Secretary of the Advisory Council and replace Duke Hai as the Chief Censor."

Zhu Yijun's decision was expected by all the ministers.

But the subsequent decision shocked and surprised most of the advisors.

"I have appointed Xu Zhenming as the Grand Secretary of the Council of State and the successor of the Left Prime Minister of the Cabinet.

At the same time, the Northwest Development and Construction Committee was established to formulate the development and construction of the three provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu and Kunming, the two Xuanzhengsi of Qinghai and Xiangxiong, and the front and right wings of Mongolia.

Except for Shaanxi and Gansu, the rest are newly expanded territories of the Ming Dynasty, extending to the Xuan River and the Aral Sea in the west and to the Zhangzhung Snow Mountains, the Pamir Mountains and the Yuezhi River in the south.

It occupies almost half of the territory of the Ming Dynasty, and it really needs an important official to preside over its development and construction.

But all the ministers were confused, why was it Xu Zhenming?
Why was the Governor General of Tree Planting appointed as the Grand Councillor and the Left Prime Minister of the Cabinet, the first deputy prime minister after the Prime Minister?
Why?

Is it just because he grows trees well?
Xu Zhenming was also surprised and a little at a loss.

He thought that he was arranged to sit next to Wang Yi'e because the emperor sympathized with his hard work and made great contributions and arranged his seat in the front as a sign of honor.

Unexpectedly, it is not only honorable but also beneficial.

He actually promoted himself to the position of Senior Academician and appointed him as the Left Prime Minister of the Cabinet.

What a surprise!
Zhu Yijun seemed to see what many people were thinking, and said bluntly: "That's right! Xu Zhenming was chosen by me as the Grand Secretary and the Left Prime Minister of the Cabinet because he is good at planting trees.

Xu Rudong governed the Northwest for more than ten years. He worked diligently, developed water conservancy projects, planted trees, and turned thousands of miles of Gobi desert and sand dunes into the Jiangnan area on the Great Wall.

The contribution will last for generations!

I have chosen Xu Rudong as the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Council and the Left Prime Minister of the Cabinet to tell all the officials of the Ming Dynasty that you don’t have to be extremely talented or smart, but as long as you are diligent and willing to work hard, make contributions to the Ming Dynasty and seek benefits for the people of the Ming Dynasty, I will use you!"

Zhang Juzheng and Hai Rui shouted in unison: "Your Majesty is wise!"

The rest of the crowd also shouted: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Zhu Yijun picked up the teacup and drank some tea to moisten his throat, but the atmosphere in the meeting room became a little subtle.

Some of the advisors were exchanging glances with each other.

The Emperor wants to expand the number of Grand Secretaries to five. So who will be the fifth Grand Secretaries?
Pan Yinglong?
Or Pan Sheng?

Or maybe Zhang Siwei who has been jumping around recently.

Thinking of this, everyone turned their heads to look at Zhang Siwei who was sitting next to Qi Jiguang.

It can’t really be him!
Zhang Siwei's expression kept changing, the muscles on his face twitched slightly, and the smile he forced out was a little stiff.

Zhu Yijun put down the teacup and continued.

"I have decided to abolish the Central Steering Committee of the Performance Evaluation System and transfer the relevant powers to the Ministry of Personnel. The relevant personnel will be incorporated into the Ministry of Personnel and the Guanglu Temple.

At the same time, the Spiritual Civilization Construction Committee was renamed the Spiritual Civilization Construction Steering Committee."

Everyone understood immediately!

Zhang Siwei is such a loser!
(End of this chapter)