Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

The next day.

Dengshikou, Yan Mansion.

"The son congratulates his father, who has finally achieved his wish and entered the cabinet as prime minister."

As soon as Yan Song returned to his residence, Yan Shifan congratulated his father.

Since the death of Second Grand Secretary Gu Dingchen and the promotion of Third Grand Secretary Zhai Luan to Second Grand Secretary, the position of the three Grand Secretaries in the Cabinet has remained vacant.

According to custom, the emperor should select another high-ranking official from the court to join the cabinet.

As for the candidates, they were the six ministers.

Although occasionally vice ministers, Hanlin scholars, and high-ranking officials were promoted to the cabinet, these were exceptions and extremely rare.

Over 90% of the Grand Secretaries in the Ming Dynasty were selected from the ministers of the Six Ministries.

The court assembly had just ended when someone came to congratulate Yan Shifan, who was on duty at the Imperial Seal Office.

It is said that His Highness Prince Ying ordered Yan Song to join the cabinet as Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall during a court assembly.

"Even your father didn't expect Your Highness to make such a big move at court today!"

Yan Song sat down in the official's chair, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

"Yesterday, Xia Yan and Zhai Luan each recommended different candidates to succeed the Governor-General of Xuanfu, Datong and Shanxi in the draft proposal."

Contrary to his usual practice of approving draft proposals over the past two years by simply writing "approved" or "unapproved," His Highness instead ordered "to be discussed at court tomorrow."

Although this matter was somewhat unexpected and exceeded the authority His Majesty granted His Highness two years ago, it was, after all, a matter of great importance to the nation and was therefore reasonable.

But no one expected that His Highness had already made a plan and played a grand scheme during the court assembly.

Shortly after the court session, His Highness requested the ministers to recommend a successor to the position of Governor-General of Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi, in order to quell Zhang Yin's rebellion.

Some ministers supported Xia Yan and recommended Mao Bowen, while others supported Liu Tianhe, recommended by Zhai Luan. Of course, there were also several other qualified candidates.

However, he had far fewer supporters than Mao Bowen and Liu Tianhe.

I originally thought that Your Highness would eventually choose between the two of them, but unexpectedly, things changed again soon.

Wang Chong, a supervising secretary in the Ministry of War, suggested that Guo Xun, the Duke of Yi, should continue to be in charge of the Beijing Garrison, be in charge of military affairs, and be appointed as the commander-in-chief of Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi.

"Why would anyone recommend Guo Xun?"

Yan Shifan looked incredulous.

"The Great Ming Dynasty clearly has an ancestral system of dukes and marquises leading troops as commanders, but Guo Xun's status is too special. It was he who recommended Duan Chaoyong to His Majesty!"

The assassin who attempted to assassinate Prince Ying was brought into the Wuding Marquis's residence by Duan Chaoyong and his apprentice. It has been confirmed that Duan Chaoyong is a traitor.

Although Duan Chaoyong and his apprentice were killed by Guo Xun and the Marquis's personal guards that night, and His Highness Prince Ying was not seriously injured by the assassin, this matter can be considered as making amends.

His Highness may not pursue Guo Xun's case, but what about His Majesty?

Recommending a traitor to refine elixirs for His Majesty is a crime of deceiving the emperor!

Moreover, Duan Chaoyong's accomplices assassinated Prince Ying at the Marquis of Wuding's residence and the palace maid murdered the emperor in the Western Garden almost simultaneously.

Although the Empress has identified Consort Cao and Consort Wang as the masterminds behind the regicide, and has already executed all the palace maids and concubines involved in the case.

But many people would probably not believe that there is no connection between the two.

After all, Duan Chaoyong and his apprentice had been refining elixirs at the Thunder Altar in the Western Garden for a long time, which was only a few hundred steps away from Renshou Palace, giving them the opportunity to come into contact with the palace maids who had murdered the emperor.

After His Majesty wakes up, he will surely order a secret investigation.

The fact that Guo Xun has not yet been convicted is simply because His Majesty has not yet awakened.

How could someone with such a sensitive background be appointed as the Governor-General of Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi?

"I originally thought that Wang Chong had just lost his mind and that no one would care about what he said."

Yan Song shook his head.

"Unexpectedly, His Highness Prince Ying actually wants Guo Xun to go to Shuozhou to succeed as governor!"

After these words were spoken, the entire court fell silent for a long while.

Then, Xia Yan was the first to object, and Zhai Luan followed suit. Most of the influential ministers in the court echoed his opinion.

The others simply remained silent; apart from Wang Chong, who recommended Guo Xun, no one dared to voice their support!

But as a father, I reacted quickly.

From yesterday's request for the court to discuss the successor to the governor-general, His Highness has already been playing a long game.

His Highness's purpose is to use this appointment of the commander-in-chief to suppress the rebellion to transform himself from a regent prince with only the power of approval into a regent prince who truly exercises imperial power.

His Majesty is currently in a coma; who knows when he will wake up?

To be frank, will His Majesty ever wake up? And if he does, will he still be able to govern?

In fact, all the officials in the court had this doubt in their hearts, but no one dared to say it out loud.

The world cannot be without a ruler; how can we keep waiting like this?

The Crown Prince is only seven years old. Apart from His Highness Prince Ying, who else is qualified to shoulder the responsibility of the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty?

Your Highness's actions are perfectly justified.

Moreover, you and I, father and son, already know that His Highness Prince Ying is actually His Majesty's eldest son, and the position of Crown Prince should have originally belonged to His Highness.

Even if His Majesty wakes up, he will not blame Your Highness for this.

As the father, I acted decisively and publicly expressed my support for His Highness's decision to appoint Guo Xun as the new Governor-General of Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi.

"Father's move was truly wise."

Yan Shifan praised it,

"At a time when His Highness needs the support of his senior ministers the most, Father's statement is like sending charcoal in snowy weather."

"Donglou, that's what I thought too!"

Yan Song stroked his long beard.

"However, something else happened soon after."

Guo Xun stepped forward and, citing his advanced age and frail health, requested to resign from his post before His Highness the Prince of Ying.

Not only did he resign from his appointment as Governor-General of Xuanfu, Datong and Shanxi, but he also resigned from the title of Duke of Yiguo and passed on the hereditary title of Marquis of Wuding to his third son, Guo Shoulu, so that he could live out his old age in peace.

His Highness readily agreed and asked Guo Xun to recommend a successor to the governor-general.

Guo Xun did not avoid suspicion and recommended Zhai Peng, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, which was opposed by Xia Yan.

Zhai Peng served as the governor of Ningxia and oversaw military affairs and finances in the capital region, Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong. He was known for his integrity and uprightness and was called "Zhai Qingtian" by the people of Henan.

In terms of seniority, Zhai Peng was a third-rank official, while Mao Bowen and Liu Tianhe were both second-rank officials. Zhai Peng was indeed slightly inferior, but only slightly. It was not considered an exceptional promotion for a third-rank official, such as the Vice Minister of War, to be given the title of Minister and appointed as Governor-General.

I know the real reason why Xia Yan opposes this.

Because Zhai Peng was one of the very few high-ranking officials in the court who was unwilling to curry favor with Xia Yan, it is said that he never gave Xia Yan a single gift.

This is something even a father wouldn't dare to do, but Zhai Peng did.

His Highness ignored Xia Yan's objections and directly summoned Zhai Peng, asking him if he was willing to serve as the Governor-General of Xuanda and Shanxi, preside over the military affairs of the three towns, and quell the Maitreya Rebellion.

Zhai Peng was indeed willing to take on the task; after a brief consideration, he agreed.

"To appoint a high-ranking official, I'm afraid Your Highness alone isn't enough, is it?"

Yan Shifan thought for a moment,

"My son works in the Imperial Seal Office and knows the procedures for using the seal. Without the draft of the Cabinet and the imperial edict copied by the Six Ministries, one cannot request the use of the seal."

Your Highness is not the emperor after all. Even if you wanted to bypass the cabinet and issue an imperial edict directly with your private seal, I'm afraid it wouldn't work.

If Xia Yan and Zhai Luan refuse to draft the proposal...

"His Highness has naturally considered this."

Yan Song burst into laughter.

"Aren't the positions of the three Grand Secretaries in the Cabinet always vacant?"

"Wouldn't it solve everything if we simply selected one of the six ministers who was willing to obey His Highness's orders without questioning the reasons?"