Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 756 Grand Secretary Zhang

Regardless of whether Xu Pu agrees or not, Liu Jian's entry into the cabinet is at least in line with the current interests of the civil officials.

Xu Pu didn't have as much of an opinion about Zhang Luan occupying a position without doing his job as others might have imagined. After all, the emperor had already laid the groundwork for Zhang Luan's entry into the cabinet many times, mentioning it both before and after the New Year. Zhang Luan's entry into the cabinet was also directly linked to the outcome of the war in the Northwest.

When Li Rong and Xiao Jing came out of the cabinet office, Li Rong seemed to be in a very good mood.

"Are we going to see Zhang Guozhang next?"

Xiao Jing inquired.

"No need."

Li Rong waved his hand and said, "His Majesty will have Eunuch Qin communicate with Zhang Guozhang... Alas, in terms of relationship, we are still a bit distant."

Xiao Jing nodded to indicate that he understood.

Inform Xu Pu that finding Qin Ji, who is introverted and likes to play the good guy, is not very suitable, because Qin Ji is easily manipulated by Xu Pu.

Li Rongqiang's strength lies in his tough attitude; he can directly challenge Xu Pu.

This is probably why the emperor sent him here.

However, if the emperor wanted to inform his father-in-law to join the cabinet, he only needed to find a kind-hearted person to visit and inform him. The two of them could sit down and chat, perhaps even getting to know each other better... This kind of task was not currently available to Li Rong or Xiao Jing.

Xiao Jing said, "Eunuch Li, you see so many people in the court oppose Zhang Guozhang's entry into the cabinet. When they find out, won't this cause a major dispute during the court meeting tomorrow?"

Li Rong laughed and said, "This is where our Emperor is wise, or rather, where our vision is inferior to His Majesty's."

"Let Scholar Zhang join the cabinet, but don't interfere in cabinet affairs. This can temporarily dispel the doubts of the people in the court... When the cabinet really encounters something difficult that no one else can handle, then we can go to that 'Grand Secretary Zhang' to put out the fire... Tell me, after a few times like that, who will still care whether it's legitimate or not?"

“That makes sense,” Xiao Jing said. “What kind of matter could only be handled by Grand Tutor Zhang, while Grand Secretary Xu and Scholar Liu are unable to accomplish it?”

Li Rong waved his hand with a smile: "There are too many such cases. Just think about it, what are the abilities and connections of our Eunuch Huai? There are many things he can't accomplish! But our Father-in-law Zhang goes to great lengths to help his relatives, regardless of the cost. Who in the court can do that?"

Xiao Jingdao said, "The ministers in the court are mostly just doing their jobs for a salary, lacking sufficient motivation... but they are loyal to the Ming Dynasty..."

Li Rong nodded and said, "Can a parent's true feelings for their child be compared to their loyalty? For their own flesh and blood, sometimes they would go through fire and water, even risk their lives, without hesitation."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jing shook his head and smiled bitterly.

We're two people with no roots, and we're here discussing the true feelings parents have for their children?

Isn't that a bit far-fetched?

How deep is your understanding?

Li Rong said, "Let's hurry and report back to His Majesty, telling him the truth about the situation here. Based on my understanding of that Grand Secretary Xu, he will definitely help His Majesty persuade the people in the court to accept this arrangement... because only in this way can we best balance the power of all parties in the court at present."

Xiao Jing nodded in agreement.

He thought the best outcome for their relationship would be a court without Liu Ji. In the future, it would probably be a conflict between the powerful relatives of the empress, represented by Zhang Luan, and the Hanlin scholars who came from the Eastern Palace.

As for the traditional civil officials represented by Wang Shu and Ma Wensheng, who are the mainstays of the court, they will act as a buffer between the two sides for a considerable period of time.

It looks like...

The disputes within and outside the court will continue.

……

……

Zhang Luan met Qin Ji at his home and learned from him that he was about to enter the cabinet.

He was considered an honorary elder.

However, Zhang Luan was quite satisfied with this. He looked at his youngest son beside him and said with a smile, "Yanling, you see, His Majesty is still very considerate of me. He knows that I cannot go to the government office to manage state affairs at any time, so he made an exception. He allowed me to enter the cabinet, which preserved my face, and I can still have the leisure to stay at home and recuperate."

Qin Ji hurriedly said, "Mr. Zhang, you cannot slack off. With Eunuch Huai away from court, His Majesty desperately needs your assistance."

Zhang Luan waved his hand and said, "What can an old fellow like me, who came from a scholar background, do to His Majesty? At most, I can peek into the secrets of the heavens from home and give him some advice. Affairs in the court cannot be accomplished overnight; they require years of experience to maintain. I am not capable of this, so I will not try to be presumptuous."

Qin Ji exclaimed in surprise, "You are truly magnanimous!"

"That's not called being open-minded, that's called being incompetent."

Zhang Luan said self-deprecatingly, "I may not be good at much else, but I am self-aware, and then... I can take everything lightly. Eunuch Qin, this applies to you as well."

"what?"

Qin Ji was momentarily stunned.

I was thinking, what do you mean by this?
What I mean is, I am neither capable nor qualified to be the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, so I should resign before His Majesty formally appoints me to head the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Seeing that Qin Ji's expression was uncertain, Zhang Yanling knew what he was thinking and quickly explained on behalf of his father: "Please forgive me, Eunuch Qin, my father did not mean that."

Zhang Luan, however, was unmoved and said, "My son, what kind of talk is that? What do you mean by 'not that'? I know, you're deliberately trying to confuse the issue here, aren't you?"

“My meaning is very simple. Both Eunuch Qin and I want to be idle. At worst, we can retire at home and live a carefree life, drinking tea and chatting. When His Majesty needs us, we will serve him. What else could it be?”

"hehe."

Qin Ji smiled.

He greatly admired and envied the way the father and son interacted and spoke.

“Sir and Second Young Master are both men of strong character, so you can speak your mind directly,” Qin Ji said with a smile. “I have nothing of value, so it would be best for me to be an idle person, like Mr. Zhang.”

“Yanling, look at me, I’m on the same side as Eunuch Qin. You scheming brat, don’t get involved in our old folks’ business.”

Zhang Luan rolled his eyes at his son, and after speaking, he secretly glanced at Qin Ji's legs, seemingly pondering the question of whether he had "long possessions" or "short possessions".

……

……

After seeing Qin Ji off, Zhang Luan was in high spirits and insisted on having a feast at home.

Zhang Yanling said, "My father, do you feel bored and restless now that Li Zisheng has left, and you won't have a chance to drink and fool around anymore, so you plan to hold a banquet at home to entertain yourself?"

Zhang Luan glared at his son and said, "Are you really thinking about your father like that? I just feel that nothing will change from now on, so it's worth celebrating. Haha."

Seeing his father's "open-minded" attitude, Zhang Yanling was angry at his father's lack of ambition, but he could understand it.

For Zhang Luan, enjoying life is more important than anything else.

Being able to take things so lightly and live a peaceful life—isn't that a kind of happiness?

it's a pity……

Zhang Yanling thought to himself, "You're still being used as a pawn, so you can't afford to slack off in the slightest."

Zhang Yanling said, "Father, you will soon face the wrath of the court officials."

"what?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Luan frowned, immediately feeling an urge to clamp his legs together to prevent any draft. "Why does that sound so creepy?"

Zhang Yanling said earnestly, "Father, now that you've sent Li Zisheng out of the capital, you've become Li Zisheng's spokesperson in the court. Others will direct all their anger towards Li Zisheng at you. Who told you to enter the cabinet, occupy the position of second-in-command, and gain your brother-in-law's deep trust, becoming an absolute powerful minister in our Great Ming Dynasty?"

Zhang Luan said, "I've been hiding at home, practically shutting myself off from visitors and not leaving the house. Is this what you call a powerful minister?"

"If it's not called that, how can it be called that?"

Zhang Yanling asked with a smile.

Zhang Luan pondered for a moment and muttered, "Where's my title? Didn't your brother-in-law keep saying he'd bestow a title upon me? He's even offering me the position of Grand Secretary, but there's still no sign of the title!"

Zhang Yanling said, "If I give you a title, will you be able to focus on your duties at the Governor's Office?"

"Cough cough."

Zhang Luan felt terrible; even his condition seemed to have worsened.

But Zhang Yanling knew that the old man was faking it.

Zhang Yanling sighed, "It's no use. Even if I give you a title, appoint you to the Five Military Commands, or have you resign from the court, people will still think you're a powerful minister... You have too much contact with His Majesty, and with your influence, you'll still affect the political landscape of the Ming Dynasty..."

"What, you think I can't run away?"

Zhang Luan was greatly surprised and asked, "So, is it only when I die that I can completely avoid the attacks from the court officials?"

"It's almost impossible to escape the court's infighting! After all, even if you die, I'll still be there. They'll think I'm your poison in the court and will direct their anger at you onto me!"

Zhang Yanling laughed. Zhang Luan was both amused and exasperated, shaking his head and saying, "You're quite optimistic, aren't you... Speaking of which, don't all the remaining ministers in the court seem kind? The wicked and evil ones are all gone! With Liu Ji gone, isn't the court now more peaceful?"

Zhang Yanling said helplessly, "Do you think it's because you're a loyal and upright official that others are targeting you? Wake up, my father."

"So, because I'm a treacherous official, I've gotten in their way?" Zhang Luan looked troubled. "But... how am I treacherous? What have I done to make them think that way?"

Zhang Yanling shook his head and said, "You don't need to do anything. All they need to do is label you as a relative of the empress who is interfering in politics. They don't care whether what you do is beneficial or harmful to the Ming Dynasty. In short... even if you want to be upright now, you can't. No one will recognize you."

Zhang Luan gritted his teeth and said, "Fine then. Since I'm destined not to be an upright minister in the eyes of others, being a treacherous minister isn't so bad. As long as I have a clear conscience, that's enough."

"Okay, Dad, that's a good attitude, but remember to bring more people with you when you go out in the future."

Zhang Yanling warned, "Be careful not to be assassinated in the street under the pretext of eliminating treacherous officials, or be surrounded and attacked by uninformed people. Even when you sleep, you must keep one eye open."

"Get lost! You're just trying to scare your father!"

Zhang Luan said, "Hmph, I'm skipping the family dinner! I have some business to attend to! Don't worry, I won't drink anymore! One cup of wine at Li Zi Provincial Government cured my lifelong drinking addiction! Hey, what did I do to deserve this?"

"Father, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Will you not attend court tomorrow?"

Zhang Yanling immediately blocked the person.

"Do I still have to attend court?"

Zhang Luan was surprised, "Knowing that I would become the target of everyone's criticism, why would I go and invite that trouble?"

Zhang Yanling said, "Now that you've become a cabinet minister, you must face everything with composure, and you must also display the demeanor of a cabinet minister. Regarding the Xishan coal mine matter, if you don't explain it to the ministers, do you expect me to engage in a verbal battle with a group of scholars? Do you think they'll listen to me? And when it comes to raising funds and supplies for the Yellow River project, you must provide a detailed explanation."

"I……"

Zhang Luanda felt like he had been pushed onto a pirate ship.

The pirate ship was quite safe to sit on, but the problem is that now that we're at sea, can it withstand the ravages of strong winds and waves?
Zhang Yanling continued, "You still have to explain to your colleagues in the court that entering the cabinet was not your original intention, but there are too many things in the court that need your attention, so you have no choice but to take the lead."

"..."

Zhang Luan was speechless at first, then said with a bitter face, "I am a man who cares about his reputation... Not only have you made your father lose face, but you also want to make him lose face in front of those who are hostile to us? My son, your father can't afford to lose face like this!"

……

……

Fengtian Temple.

The scene of the morning assembly.

Zhu Youcheng ordered Tan Ji to publicly announce the imperial edict appointing Zhang Luan to the cabinet.

Effective immediately, Zhang Luan will serve concurrently as a Grand Secretary and participate in state affairs, holding the position of Hanlin Academician.

Zhang Luan stood in the crowd, and upon hearing this, he stepped forward, standing there like a straight pine tree, to be judged by the ministers present. At this moment, he was filled with great trepidation.

Fortunately, the officials in the main hall did not directly confront him. As if by prior agreement, they tacitly accepted the emperor's belated decision to "strongly promote his father-in-law to the cabinet."

What was supposed to be Zhang Luan's address to the assembled court officials about the coal mining in Xishan was that he ultimately chose to remain silent... giving the impression that he didn't want to provoke them if they didn't bother him.

He was clearly at the eye of the storm, yet he insisted on distancing himself and adopting an attitude of indifference.

Because the imperial edict for his entry into the cabinet clearly stated that his father-in-law was only nominally entering the cabinet and would not immediately join the cabinet to manage state affairs, it was tantamount to telling the officials present that, in addition to Zhang Luan, there would be at least one more spot for entering the cabinet.

As expected, Xu Pu stepped forward and suggested to the emperor that one or two people be selected from the current Hanlin Academy to join the cabinet and assist in handling state affairs.

Zhu Youcheng expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation of the ministers present and said with a smile: "Grand Secretary Liu has presided over state affairs for many years and made outstanding contributions. However, after the late emperor passed away, he was overwhelmed with grief and his health quickly deteriorated. He asked to resign many times. I originally wanted to keep him in the court, but he said that he was willing but unable and that forcing him to stay in the court would only hinder the administration. I had no choice but to let him return to his hometown to live out his remaining years."

The ministers present all knew what was going on and cooperated fully; some even stood up to speak well of Liu Ji.

As the saying goes, when you, Liu Ji, were in power, nobody took you seriously, but when you left, everyone still gave you some face.

At least Liu Ji's exit was much better than that of his predecessor, Wan An. When the new emperor ascended the throne, who cared about a powerful minister with a bad reputation? There wasn't even a single person who spoke well of him!

Zhu Youcheng continued, "When I was in the Eastern Palace, all the gentlemen gave me a lot of guidance. Now that the affairs of the court are on Mr. Xu's shoulders alone, I feel very bad about it."

"Because my father-in-law has only been in the court for a short time and has no experience working in the cabinet, I have considered this carefully and decided to let him continue to serve in the Ministry of Revenue to assist in the Yellow River construction project, and also to lay some groundwork for this year's inventory of the Ministry of Revenue's treasury."

This was a blatant declaration to everyone present that he intended to thoroughly investigate the finances of the Ming Dynasty.

During the Chenghua reign, the imperial treasury of the Ming Dynasty effectively became the emperor's private treasury. The emperor could directly order Wan An and Liu Ji to siphon money into his own pockets, which led to a huge deficit in the imperial treasury.

Although Emperor Chenghua had the idea of ​​cleaning up the financial problems of the Ming Dynasty before his death, the case was too big and involved too many officials. In the end, only Liang Fang and his accomplices were investigated and punished, which was considered to give an explanation to the people.

Actually, everyone knows that this is the best way to end things.

It's better to pin all the blame on Liang Fang than to let the world know that the real culprit behind the calamity of the Ming Dynasty was Emperor Chenghua himself.

However, Zhu Youcheng at the moment was intolerant of any wrongdoing. He wanted to investigate thoroughly. Who said that my father-in-law, as an honorary Grand Secretary, couldn't do things for the court?
He doesn't directly participate in drafting proposals, but that doesn't mean he can't make decisions on important matters of the court. Right now, he's going to use his position as a cabinet minister and the Vice Minister of Revenue to thoroughly investigate all the mess left by the late emperor and restore order to the court.

I ask those people who have dirty hands, aren't you afraid?
Xu Pu said, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue has long been plagued by corruption, which has implicated many retired officials over the years. Is it really necessary to investigate this thoroughly?"

In fact, he didn't want the emperor to be too troublesome.

It wasn't that Xu Pu was afraid Zhang Luan would find out something, but rather that he felt it was unnecessary for the emperor to go to such lengths just to enhance his father-in-law's prestige in court and gain recognition as "Grand Secretary Zhang."

Isn't it enough that we acknowledge his status as a Grand Secretary and recognize his position?

Let's stop making trouble, okay?
Zhu Youcheng said, "The late emperor also hoped that the financial hole could be found out, which would be another way for me to answer to his spirit in heaven. Moreover, I clearly told my father-in-law that the case should not be expanded, but mainly to find out the unclear parts of the accounts from the late emperor's time and make up for the deficit. Gentlemen, isn't this what you have been advocating before?"

The ministers present originally thought that the emperor intended to use this investigation of bad debts or anti-corruption efforts to demonstrate imperial power and give Zhang Luan an opportunity to establish his authority.

Upon hearing this, they suddenly realized that something was wrong.

What do we advocate?
and many more!

The emperor's implication was that we had previously used the method of bringing up old grievances to cause trouble for Li Zisheng, leading the emperor to exile Li Zisheng, the meritorious official who had won the victory in the northwest, from the capital, and to attribute the Yellow River project to Li Zisheng alone.
Therefore, the emperor did not reach a reconciliation with us on the issue of Lizi Province at all.

It's more like... they're just trying to spite us?

Zhu Youcheng continued, "Even if some veteran officials have retired from the court, they still have to take responsibility for the mistakes they have made. This is because the court's expenditures have been enormous in recent years, and this year's budgets for various departments cannot be guaranteed. The court has been tightening its belt, and the salaries of all the ministers have not been paid in full for the past two years. Shouldn't some changes be made for this?"

Listen!

Was the emperor doing this for himself?

They are advocating for our interests...

The purpose of bringing up old grievances is not to retaliate against your attack on Lizi Province, but to ensure that we can receive our salaries smoothly and that everyone can live a good life!

It is said that the officials of the Ming Dynasty were only incorruptible in appearance.

How many people actually live solely on their salaries?
It's probably only those who have just entered the court and have little power, or those who are just getting by in low-paying departments like the Hanlin Academy, who would go hungry and unable to support their families because their salaries aren't being paid.

Most officials live a carefree life even if you never pay them a salary.

Zhu Youcheng said, "Father-in-law, thank you for your hard work."

Zhang Luan had already retreated back to the court and was wondering if he should find a place to sit down and rest, as attending court was just too tiring...

While he was lost in thought, the emperor suddenly called out his name.

He noticed many eyes were fixed on him, so he had no choice but to step forward, raise his scepter, and say, "This old minister obeys the order."

Xie Qian chuckled and teased, "Grand Secretary Zhang, when did you become an old minister?"

These words sounded inappropriate and seemed to be mocking Zhang Luan, but Zhang Luan was not annoyed at all; on the contrary, he found them very endearing.

Since the emperor promoted him to Grand Secretary, Xie Qian was the first among the traditional Confucian officials in the court to address him as "Grand Secretary," even if it was a joke, it was still a form of recognition.

Zhang Luan said, "I am old and frail, and my strength is failing me. What else could I be but an old minister?"

Xie Qian smiled but remained silent.

Everyone was wondering, Xie Qian, why did you suddenly attack Zhang Luan? Was it because you were dissatisfied with Zhang Luan and complained that you hadn't been accepted into the cabinet?

Why make fun of Zhang Luan's self-designation in front of the emperor?

Zhu Youcheng ignored the minor incident and said, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard will fully cooperate with the investigation of the treasury. Zhu Ji, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has been temporarily transferred to another post. Currently, Mu Bin is in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

The emperor's public announcement of the changes to the important duties of the secret police and imperial guards surprised the officials present.

Liu Ji's retirement wouldn't cause much of a stir in the court, but Zhu Ji, as the former head of the Imperial Guard and the most trusted eunuch of the Chenghua Emperor, was also retiring this time...

Some might wonder if it's because His Majesty discovered that Zhu Ji had an ambiguous relationship with Wan An and Liu Ji, who were cabinet ministers during the reign of the late emperor.
After Li Zisheng's first imprisonment, many people believed that Mu Bin, having offended Zhang Luan, would have little chance of being promoted to a higher position.

Who would have thought that, in the blink of an eye, the person who replaced Zhu Ji was still Mu Bin!
(End of this chapter)