Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 515 Opportunity
Cabinet value.

Since Wan'an was expelled from the court, there are only two ministers left in the cabinet, Liu Ji and Xu Pu.

It seems that there is nothing wrong with the combination of the two, because this configuration has been in place for a long time in the late period of Emperor Chenghua. But on this day, Huai'en came to Wenyuan Pavilion, found the two, sat down, and first conveyed the emperor's opinion, which was probably to add a cabinet minister in the near future to ensure that government orders could be approved and dealt with in a timely manner.

"You two can think about who to nominate to meet His Majesty's expectations, so as not to be sent back for reconsideration... I will go back first."

Huai En smiled and nodded, his half-smiley expression seemed to be saying, I don't need to remind you who to nominate, right?

Some things are difficult to say directly and you have to figure them out for yourself.

Anyway, you have to speak up first on this matter, and it cannot be His Majesty who specifies it. You'd better be sensible and avoid embarrassing each other.

……

……

The two of them personally saw Huai En out.

After returning, before he even sat down, Liu Ji said, "Your Majesty's intention to have Zhang Laizhan join the cabinet is obvious."

Xu Pu said in embarrassment: "I'm afraid it's against the rules."

"What are the rules?"

Liu Ji sneered, "This time Zhang Laizhan was resting at home due to his injured legs and feet, but he was still not idle. He did not delay any of the court affairs, and was even ordered to intervene in the Ministry of Justice case. It's really outrageous.

"But up to now, I haven't seen him do a good job in the Ministry of Revenue. This person... can be said to be deeply trusted by His Majesty. That's all."

Xu Pu was very puzzled.

Whenever you, Liu Ji, mentioned Zhang Luan before, weren't you always very respectful, even admiring?
Why are you being sarcastic now?
Could it be that you rose to the top overnight and became the Prime Minister, and began to regard Zhang Luan as a potential political enemy, so you get so excited when you mention him?
Liu Ji said again: "We must not let Zhang Laizhan join the cabinet! It doesn't matter who else joins the cabinet, or it's fine to keep the status quo. Do you think the current task is tiring and someone must share the burden?"

Xu Pu said: "I am still capable of doing the job."

"That's good. If His Majesty brings it up at the court meeting, you should say so." Liu Ji said seriously, "I understand that you want to make a difference. Look at what you have done recently. Have I ever interfered in any of it? But you have to be sensible. No outsiders can be added to the cabinet for the time being. Even if you want to add someone, it can't be Zhang Laizhan. You have to remember that!"

……

……

After Huai En met with the two grand secretaries of the cabinet, he went to see Zhang Luan.

In the name of visiting a patient, he went to Zhang's house in person and asked about the progress of the cases of Liang Fang and Peng Hua.

"Mr. Zhang, Elder Wan has retired and returned to his hometown. The two cabinet ministers are very busy now... If you have time, you might as well go to the cabinet and give them some more advice."

Wynn said with a smile.

Zhang Luan thought, since you are the internal minister, you want to push me to be the external minister so that I can be restrained by you?

I won’t do that!
snort!
Don't try to trick me into joining!

It would be nice for me to be a minister of the Ministry of Revenue or a bachelor of imperial studies, where I just eat and wait for death.

Huai En looked at Zhang Luan meaningfully and asked, "Mr. Zhang, do you know what I am talking about?"

"Ah? I know. I know."

Zhang Luan nodded quickly.

Huai En smiled slightly, and then said in an urging tone: "Your Majesty has read the memorial you submitted, and knows that you have treated all those involved in the case leniently and reduced the crimes of most people. Your Majesty is very pleased to know this. But you have to hurry up with the Liang Fang case. There has been no progress in the past two days..." Zhang Luan said: "I'm working hard."

When Huai En heard this, he thought to himself, why are you so perfunctory?

Did I say something wrong that made you respond in such an irresponsible manner? Or are you such an irresponsible person?
"OK then."

Huai En stood up and said, "I have delivered the message. I hope you will not disappoint His Majesty. I will go first."

"farewell."

Zhang Luan was about to stand up to see him off, but Huai En quickly stopped him and said, "Mr. Zhang, you are recovering from illness, so you don't have to see me off in person... We appreciate your kindness."

Zhang Luan said with emotion: "I also hope to recover soon and share the worries of His Majesty... Goodbye, Eunuch Huai."

……

……

When Zhang Yanling came back from outside later, Zhang Luan immediately called his son to him and told him about Huai En's visit to him.

"Aren't two people in the cabinet enough?"

Zhang Luan shook his head and said, "If it really doesn't work, then find a Hanlin scholar to join the cabinet and help with government affairs. What can I do there?"

Zhang Yanling couldn't help but laugh and joked: "It seems that Dad understands what His Majesty means."

"How stupid do you think I am that I don't even understand such an obvious hint? I'll ask for a place in the cabinet..." Zhang Luan said with a wry smile, "But the problem is that I don't even understand the job I'm doing right now, how can I even think of joining the cabinet... Once I enter the cabinet, I'll have to find someone to learn how to be a good cabinet minister, how to handle government affairs, and how to draft bills to meet the emperor's wishes... I'm an official and learn every day, today in this government office, tomorrow in that government office, how can I have so much free time?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "Dad, you are afraid of the hard work, and you are even more afraid that you will never be able to slack off after entering the cabinet, so you don't want to go, right?"

Zhang Luan's face turned red, and he said, "Even if the truth is like this, my son, please don't expose it, okay?"

"Well." Zhang Yanling said, "Perhaps it is true as you said, being promoted to Hanlin Bachelor and entering the cabinet to participate in confidential matters is not a good thing for you."

In the Ming Dynasty, in principle, one had to enter the cabinet and be promoted from a Hanlin Bachelor to a Grand Secretary, which was considered a true regent.

However, in the middle and late Chenghua period, Peng Hua and Yin Zhi successively entered the cabinet as Hanlin scholars to participate in the affairs of the cabinet, but were not promoted to Grand Secretaries. This also meant that after Emperor Hongzhi ascended the throne in the 23rd year of Chenghua, Liu Jian was still only a Hanlin scholar when he entered the cabinet.

It was not until the fourth year of the Hongzhi reign that Qiu Jun and Liu Jian were given the official status of Grand Secretaries and became regents. It was thought that the court would form a custom based on this. However, in the eighth year of the Hongzhi reign, when Li Dongyang and Xie Qian entered the cabinet, they were still Hanlin academicians and imperial lecturers, which doubled the status of academicians in the Hanlin Academy.

It was not until Emperor Zhengde ascended the throne that it became a custom for grand secretaries to serve in the cabinet. It was also from that time that the power of the cabinet began to slowly approach that of the prime minister.

Zhang Luan was delighted and asked, "Even you, Lian Yanling, think that entering the cabinet is not a good thing, right? Your father has already determined this!

"What the hell is the head of the civil service? I don't want it. Once I enter the cabinet, I have to go to Wenyuan Pavilion every day to review memorials. Isn't that as hard as studying every day? I have suffered from studying all my life. Until now, I have been in the imperial examination hall in my dreams. I often feel suffocated when I stare at the questions."

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "Dad, you are a scholar who has studied since childhood, and you are afraid of studying?"

"Tired."

Zhang Luan said helplessly, "Your father has been running around for the imperial examination for half his life. Don't you think it's tiring? Or do you think that studying only requires writing a few articles? What kind of classics, history, and literature should you learn? Anyway, if you ask me to review memorials and draft bills, I will definitely not do it. It's fine even if I'm busy in the six ministries. Anyway... Hey, what's that look in your eyes?"

Zhang Yanling shook his head and said, "Dad, I understand your desire to be lazy, but what you are facing now is a rare opportunity. If you strive for it, you can become a high-ranking official and establish your own position in the court. If you don't seize the opportunity, you will miss it forever."

Zhang Luan said, "I am just a student. At most, I will be a student who has dropped out of school. I am not even a juren. Do you think I am like you, a government official? Even if it is you, Yanling, to put it bluntly, if you become an official in the future without taking the imperial examination and getting the status of a jinshi, it will be very difficult.

"In any government office in the Ming Dynasty, people are ranked according to their background and seniority. When you become an official in the court like my father, you will know how much you will be looked down upon. At that time, you may also feel like my father, that there is nothing wrong with being an idle person!"

(End of this chapter)