Huangming

Chapter 40: Six Departments Reject, A Storm is Brewing

The Six Ministries were a significant political force in the Ming Dynasty.

By the first year of the Taichang era, the number of officials had reached more than thirty. Although the number was small, the officials in the Ke Yuan (科垣) wielded considerable power.

Having the power to reject or veto imperial edicts and cabinet proposals allows for the review of any documents that do not comply with regulations, and these documents can be rejected and vetoed.

Secondly, it has the power of oversight, including the authority to supervise the administration of the six ministries and impeach officials for dereliction of duty.

They have the right to participate in court discussions and lectures, thus influencing policy-making.

Although each official in the Ministry of Personnel is only a seventh-rank official, and even lower in rank, the power of this position is much greater than that of officials several ranks higher, and it carries a very high level of authority.

The Six Ministries Corridor is located next to the Meridian Gate. To the east are the Ministries of Personnel, Revenue, and Rites, and to the west are the Ministries of War, Justice, and Works, forming an internal and external correspondence with the Six Ministries (located inside the Meridian Gate).

Personnel appointments and removals fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel, and the imperial edict was quickly sent to the Ministry of Personnel's office in the East Corridor.

Zhou Chaorui, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel, held the Emperor's decree and the Grand Secretariat's draft proposals, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He had been informed by Han Kuang and Liu Yizhu beforehand, but when this hot potato was in his hands, he was still somewhat apprehensive.

The Left Censor of the Ministry of Personnel stepped forward and asked, "Should we reject the cabinet's proposal immediately?"

"No!"

Zhou Chaorui shook his head and said, "Our Ministry of Personnel is too weak to speak up. Let's go to the council chamber of the Six Ministries and ask them to jointly review this matter!"

Zhou Chaorui certainly had the right to reject the emperor's decree.

But
Even the cabinet had approved the imperial edict, yet Zhou Chaorui came to reject it?
He didn't have that much power, nor could he withstand the emperor's wrath.

The new emperor's personality is still unclear; rashly angering him could lead to a repeat of the Jiajing Emperor's story.

Zhou Chaorui could be flogged in court, but only if he wasn't flogged to death.

When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out; what use is a reputation for integrity then?

The central government's directives are of paramount importance.

The six chief censors quickly arrived at the council hall of the six departments in the middle of the east and west corridors.

"Gentlemen, His Majesty has decreed that the matter be rejected or copied?" After everyone had settled down, Zhou Chaorui posed the question.

Yang Lian, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of War, wore a scarlet official robe, the cloud and wild goose pattern embroidered on the robe swaying slightly with his movements.

At this moment, his face was dark, his brows were furrowed into a deep frown, his hands were clenched into fists, and his knuckles turned slightly white from the force. He immediately stepped forward and said loudly, "How can an act that violates ancestral rules be copied? The cabinet should reject it!"

Wei Dazhong, Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice; Hou Zhenyang, Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue; and Hui Shiyang, Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Works, all said, "We second that proposal!"

Qi Shijiao, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Rites, was dressed in the same official robes as everyone else, but at this moment he turned slightly to the side, with a look of indifference on his face.

He shook his head slightly, a faint, mocking smile playing on his lips, and said slowly, "The cabinet has already drafted the proposal, and Ke Yuan still wants to stop it? Besides, Zhou Linqing decided to reject it without even informing him of the contents of His Majesty's decree. Isn't that a bit ridiculous?"

Yang Lian snorted coldly and said, "Why should I know the contents of rules that violate ancestral regulations?"

Zhou Chaorui waved his hand and said, "It was my oversight. The imperial edict was His Majesty's reply to Xiong Tingbi's memorial requesting to resign, and it did not approve Xiong Tingbi's request to resign."

"It's just a memorial regarding personnel appointments and removals in Liaodong, not a matter of national importance. Why make such a fuss? We might as well just copy it down!"

Qi Shijiao was the leader of the Qi faction and had long disliked the Donglin Party.

These days, the Donglin Party members have been trying to promote Yuan Yingtai to the position of Liaodong Military Commissioner.

Now that they've been humiliated, how could Qi Shijiao not try to sabotage them?

Yang Lian disagreed and immediately said, "The Grand Secretariat drafts the proposals, the Directorate of Ceremonial approves them, and the Six Ministries sign the cases. This is the established practice of the 'Collected Statutes of the Great Ming Dynasty.' The ancestral rules cannot be violated. Upright officials should join me in signing the rejections."

The implication of this statement is that those who do not sign their names are not upright individuals.

It seemed to imply that not sharing it meant you weren't Chinese. Qi Shijiao turned and left, saying, "I won't join in this commotion."

He then left the Sixth Department Council Hall on his own.

Just as he was about to step out the door, he suddenly stopped, turned to look at the people in the hall, and said meaningfully, "His Majesty's wrath is unpredictable. Do you gentlemen not know the current fate of the Left Censor-in-Chief?"

Having said this, Qi Shijiao left the place quite happily.

The group was left staring at each other in the council chamber of the Six Departments.

"Gentlemen, there is no need to listen to Qi Shijiao's words. He is trying to incite the army. It is inappropriate for Brother Zuo to be dismissed from his post, but we are strictly following the ancestral rules. What is there to fear if we are in the right? I am willing to be the first to sign the document rejecting the imperial decree. Is there anyone who is not afraid of death?"

Yang Lian looked around at the crowd, and many people lowered their heads slightly as their eyes swept over them.

Zhou Chaorui immediately said, "How magnificent is our Great Ming Dynasty! It still has ministers willing to die for their country. I, Rui, will follow Wenru!"

Zhou Chaorui dared not face the emperor's wrath alone, but with others standing in front of him, and with many people around, things were different.

D.

Is Your Majesty capable of killing all those officials from the Imperial Academy?
The others were still hesitating.

After all, Zuo Guangdou has not yet been reinstated, so they are naturally worried that they will follow in his footsteps.

and
We have not yet figured out what kind of temperament the current emperor is.

If they were like the late emperor, they would naturally dare to refute, and refute at will.

But what if the current emperor is like Emperor Shizong?

Moreover, Qi Shijiao's words are correct. Although His Majesty has issued an imperial edict, this is not a matter concerning the foundation of the nation, so why make such a fuss?

"Enough, enough! Let me, Yang, use my blood to defend the ancestral system of my Great Ming Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Dazhong, Hui Shiyang, and Hou Zhenyang knew that they could not back down either.

"Since things have come to this, we are willing to sign our names!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Lian finally smiled.

"Your Majesty's sudden imperial edict, though seemingly a minor matter, reveals a larger truth. Your Majesty has rejected all of our loyal and patriotic requests and refuted the edict. We urge Your Majesty to dismiss the prime minister so that the Ming court may be thoroughly cleansed!"

Zhou Chaorui also said, "If all the supervising secretaries could be assigned their names, that would be the best, so that His Majesty would know our determination."

There is strength in numbers.

Even if one's strength is not great, one can still withstand His Majesty's wrath when taking the blame.

Everyone immediately nodded in agreement.

A dead Taoist friend is not a poor Taoist.

They're all about to charge into battle, how can you, fellow Daoist, stand aside?

The imperial edict was rejected by the Six Ministries and quickly sent to the Cabinet.

Fang Congzhe looked at the six official seals and refutations in his hand and was secretly astonished.

Of the thirty-six officials in the Six Ministries, twenty-one signed their names.

Among these twenty-one people were not only members of the Donglin Party, but also members of the Qi-Chu-Zhe Party.

It can be said that the minister's intentions were fierce.

(End of this chapter)