My father is Jiajing

"Mr. Zhang, please take a seat."

Zhu Zaiqi pointed to the chair next to him and asked calmly, "What do you think about the matter I talked to you about last time?"

A gleam of light flashed in Zhang Juzheng's eyes.

He was indeed hesitant, tormented and excited these days.

Ever since Prince Yu proposed to him the idea of ​​having him take the initiative to petition for the reform of the subordinate relationship between the Grand Secretary position and the Hanlin Academy, Zhang Juzheng had been suffering from sleepless nights.

Zhu Zaigui wanted to laugh when he saw the dark circles under his eyes.

He really could not have imagined that one day his little idea would cause such a smart prodigy like Zhang Juzheng to become so troubled and sleepless.

"Your Majesty, I have already prepared the memorial."

Zhang Juzheng took out a memorial from his sleeve and said carefully, "This matter involves a lot of people, and I'm afraid it will cause strong opposition from officials from the Hanlin Academy."

Zhu Zaigui took the memorial and read it carefully.

In his memorial, Zhang Juzheng pointed out that since the establishment of the cabinet during the Yongle period, the Grand Secretary has evolved from a simple Hanlin Academy official position to an actual prime minister, in charge of state secrets.

However, in the official system, the Grand Secretary was still affiliated with the Hanlin Academy, which was of the fifth rank. This was inconsistent with the name and reality, and hindered the smooth implementation of government policies.

It is suggested that the post of Grand Secretary be separated from the Hanlin Academy system and become an exclusive central post, clarifying the status of the Cabinet as the country's highest administrative center!

Zhu Zaigui read the memorial carefully and closed it at the end.

Then Zhu Zaigui praised Zhang Juzheng again, saying, "Mr. Zhang's memorial is well written. I am very pleased."

Zhu Zaigui then sighed and said, "Since Taizu abolished the position of prime minister, the official system of our dynasty has undergone many changes. Today, the cabinet is powerful, but it still depends on the small office of Hanlin Academy, which is really inappropriate. Mr. Zhang can consider the court and the country so much, which is really a blessing for the world!"

Zhang Juzheng was highly praised by Zhu Zaigui, but he did not dare to be arrogant.

Zhang Juzheng bowed his head slightly: "Your Majesty, you will understand. But this matter involves the ancestral system, I am afraid..."

"What are you afraid of?"

Zhu Zaigui waved his hand nonchalantly, and continued: "The ancestral system was also set by people. If everything is rigidly bound by the law, how can the country progress? Just submit your report, and I will speak for you in front of His Majesty."

Zhu Zaigui's assurance also made Zhang Juzheng feel a little relieved. He was afraid that if he took the lead in the matter, Zhu Zaigui would just stand by and watch.

If this is the case, then he will have no future.

After leaving Wenhua Hall, Zhang Juzheng walked back home, feeling both excited and nervous.

He knew that once this memorial was submitted, it would cause an uproar.

Those officials who came from the Hanlin Academy have controlled the government for many years. How could they give up this position easily?

Even though they knew that the subordinate relationship between the Grand Secretary and the Hanlin Academy had long been a misnomer, this was still an honor that those Hanlin nobles could not give up.

So you can imagine how difficult this is.

A few more days passed.

Zhang Juzheng chose an inconspicuous opportunity and quietly submitted this memorial through the Tongzhengsi Yamen.

After seeing the memorial signed by the Minister of Personnel, the Tongzhengsi did not dare to neglect it.

After all, being able to become the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel means he is one of the best among men.

How could a small Ministry of Public Security control this?

Therefore, this memorial was quickly submitted to the cabinet intact.

As a result, as soon as it arrived at the cabinet, the Zhongshu Sheren who was responsible for classifying memorials saw that it was Zhang Juzheng's memorial, and they naturally put it into the pile sent to Xu Jie.

Xu Jie has been worried these days. He always feels his eyelids twitching and his heart is uneasy.

When he saw this memorial submitted by his most valued disciple, he felt inexplicably comforted.

There have been rumors during this period that His Majesty and Prince Yu are preparing to select new people to join the cabinet. As Zhang Juzheng is Xu Jie's top disciple and has already reached the high position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he is obviously qualified to join the cabinet.

So Xu Jie couldn't help but relax and picked up Zhang Juzheng's memorial, preparing to take a look at the content first, and then give a good draft opinion and forward it to Wenhua Hall.

It also allowed Zhang Juzheng to make his presence felt as much as possible and pave the way for entering the cabinet.

It turned out that this sight almost made Xu Jie faint from high blood pressure!
"Ridiculous! It's absolutely ridiculous!"

Xu Jie slammed the table and stood up in the Wenyuan Pavilion. His gray beard trembled with anger. He shouted loudly, which scared the Deputy Minister Li Chunfang who was working in the office, as well as the other secretaries in the Wenyuan Pavilion.

Li Chunfang put down the pen in his hand, stretched his head to look at Xu Jie, and asked kindly: "What's wrong?"

Xu Jie said angrily: "Zhang Juzheng is a bastard!"

What the hell!

This sentence scared Li Chunfang!
Everyone knows that Zhang Juzheng is Xu Jie's favorite disciple.

Now he actually scolds Zhang Juzheng like this, what on earth is going on?
Li Chunfang walked over curiously, ready to watch the fun.

The other secretaries in the pavilion also pricked up their ears or glanced secretly.

Obviously, they are a bunch of people who like to watch the fun and don't mind making trouble.

"Grand Secretary has been an official position in the Hanlin Academy since the Yongle reign. This is the law passed down by our ancestors! How dare Zhang Juzheng, a mere assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel, propose to change the system!"

Xu Jie continued angrily.

When Li Chunfang heard this, although he found it unbelievable, he could accept it and did not lose his composure like Xu Jie did.

Li Chunfang said slowly and carefully: "Prime Minister, calm down. Although Zhang Shuda's proposal is a bit abrupt, it is not without reason. The power of the cabinet should no longer be constrained by the Imperial Academy."

"Mr. Li Ge!"

Xu Jie turned to Li Chunfang, his eyes burning with anger, "You are also a Hanlin, are you going to destroy your foundation?"

Li Chunfang smiled but said nothing.

As the second assistant who might soon replace Xu Jie, Li Chunfang certainly hoped that his position in the cabinet would be more detached.

But how clever was Li Chunfang? Could he not guess who had instructed Zhang Juzheng to write this memorial?
Moreover, before the emperor's southern tour, Li Chunfang, Hu Zongxian and others had met the emperor in the Wenhua Hall. They had heard that Prince Yu intended to change the unspoken rule that "only Hanlin scholars can enter the cabinet."

Now that Zhang Juzheng has submitted this memorial, it is very likely that Prince Yu is just testing the waters!
Therefore, as the future leader, Li Chunfang would not express his opinion easily, especially when the attitude of Emperor Jiajing was unclear.

The argument between Xu Jie and Li Chunfang soon spread beyond the cabinet and to the entire court.

When officials from the Hanlin Academy heard about this, they all submitted petitions to oppose it and accused Zhang Juzheng of harboring evil intentions, believing that this move violated the ancestral system and undermined the foundation of the country.

Officials who were not from the Hanlin Academy clearly supported it, believing that the position of Grand Secretary belonged to the core of the cabinet and was no longer comparable to the Hanlin Academy, a fifth-rank government office.

So a huge verbal lawsuit started in the court!

The two groups of officials confronted each other vehemently and refused to give in.

Another debate was held in the Wenhua Hall.

As the referee, Zhu Zaigui looked down upon all the ministers in the hall from above.

"Your Majesty!"

Zhao Zhenji, the Minister of Personnel, and Zhang Juzheng were the principal and deputy principal in the same government office. Now that Zhang Juzheng had become the target of public criticism, Zhao Zhenji naturally had no way to escape and he had to have a clear attitude.

Zhao Zhenji stepped out of the line and bowed, saying, "As the Minister of Personnel, I think what the Vice Minister Zhang Juzheng said is absolutely right!"

"Since the position of Grand Secretary is responsible for the state's secrets, it should be in line with the title. Today, the cabinet is powerful, but the position of Grand Secretary is still attached to the Hanlin Academy. It's like a strong man wearing children's clothes. It's really inappropriate!"

"Minister Zhao is wrong!"

Minister of Rites Guo Pu immediately retorted, "The official system of our dynasty emphasizes that prestigious positions should not be granted lightly. If the Grand Secretary leaves the Hanlin Academy system, it will lead to chaos in official positions and endless troubles!"

As one of the candidates for cabinet member, Guo Pu also had an increasingly close relationship with Xu Jie, so naturally he could not make as impassioned speeches as Zhao Zhenji.

He must seize this ancestral rule to fight back, otherwise, if he really enters the cabinet in the future and finds that all the cabinet members around him are not from the Hanlin Academy, won’t he be isolated and helpless?

"Minister Guo's words are alarmist."

The Minister of Justice Zhao Wenhua stood up and sneered at Guo Pu, saying, "Will the sky fall if the Grand Secretaries are no longer under the jurisdiction of the Hanlin Academy? Besides, which Grand Secretaries can the Hanlin Academy control? Tell me what you think."

Guo Pu was so angry when he saw Zhao Wenhua, the damned "traitor". If it weren't for the fact that Zhao Wenhua was an important official promoted by Zhu Zaigui since he became regent, he would have definitely told the story of Zhao Wenhua recognizing Yan Song as his godfather again, and then brought up the matter of Yan Shifan.

But unfortunately he couldn't.

Because he knew too well how serious the consequences would be if he said this!

So Guo Pu directly retorted: "Shangshu Zhao should not be from the Imperial Academy, right? You are now so ostentatious in cheering for Zhang Juzheng, do you think you can enter the cabinet?"

Zhao Wenhua chuckled and said, "Whether I can join the cabinet is entirely up to your majesty. Since I am your majesty's and the prince's minister, I should naturally obey your majesty's and the prince's wishes. Wherever your majesty and the prince think I can be, I will be there. I am a brick of the Ming Dynasty, and I will be moved wherever I am needed!"

Zhao Wenhua's words left Guo Pu speechless, and he could only point his finger at you and say "you you you" angrily.

The argument became more and more intense, and Zhu Zaigui sat in a high seat, listening to their debate with an expressionless face.

Originally, this was the trap set by Zhu Zaigui for them, and now they have all fallen into it.

Zhu Zaigui must also perform this scene well and to the end, and act selflessly!

"All right."

Zhu Zaigui finally spoke, his voice was not loud but the whole hall immediately quieted down, "This matter is of great importance and needs to be carefully considered. Are you making such a fuss about the solution to the problem?"

At this moment, everyone's eyes turned to Zhu Zaigui.

Zhu Zaigui turned his gaze to the "initial culprit" and said to Zhang Juzheng, "Mr. Zhang, please explain it to me."

When Zhang Juzheng heard Zhu Zaigui's name being called, he took a deep breath, stood out from the crowd, and bowed deeply to Zhu Zaigui.

"Your Majesty, I did not do this deliberately to attract public attention. It is because the times have changed and the official system should also keep pace with the times. I think that since the Grand Secretary is actually in charge of the important affairs of the central government, he should no longer be constrained by the Hanlin Academy."

As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar in the court. When those officials who were born in the Hanlin Academy looked at Zhang Juzheng, their eyes seemed to be spitting fire!

In their view, Zhang Juzheng was also a Hanlin scholar, and his actions now were tantamount to betrayal!
But now Prince Yu seemed very satisfied with Zhang Juzheng's answer.

Zhu Zaigui nodded slightly: "In this case, let the Ministry of Personnel draft a regulation for this matter, and then discuss it."

Zhu Zaigui also knew that some things required a process of relaxation and tension.

Now that it has been made clear, let's wait and see if there is any movement behind it.

After the court discussion.

Zhang Juzheng was kept in the Wenhua Hall again.

Zhang Juzheng seemed worried: "Your Majesty, Lord Xu and others will not give up easily. I am worried..."

"worry about what?"

Zhu Zaigui waved his hand disapprovingly and said, "As long as I am here, they can't turn the tables."

Zhang Juzheng hesitated to speak.

He was well aware of the cruelty of the court struggles. As the chief minister of the cabinet, Xu Jie had many students and former officials throughout the court and the country, and was by no means an easy person to deal with.

Moreover, as Xu Jie's disciple, he would certainly be criticized by everyone.

Sure enough, in the following days, the voices of opposition became louder and louder.

Xu Jie asked Guo Pu to contact dozens of officials from the Hanlin Academy to jointly submit a petition, firmly opposing the reform of this system.

The memorial even hinted that Zhang Juzheng's move was to please Prince Yu and had ulterior motives.

After reading this memorial, Zhu Zaigui sneered, "How dare these old bastards make insinuations!"

Although Zhang Juzheng, as the person involved, suffered a lot of grievances and contempt, now that things have come to this, he is no longer as timid as before.

Zhang Juzheng said, "Your Majesty, calm down. The actions of Lord Xu and Minister Guo show that they have no other options but to resort to this last resort."

"Then in your opinion, how should we deal with it?"

Zhu Zaigui looked at Zhang Juzheng with a smile.

Zhang Juzheng's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he whispered: "Your Majesty, I have a plan."

The next day, another court meeting was held in Wenhua Hall.

Emperor Jiajing attended the ceremony in person, which was rare, with Zhu Zaigui standing by.

In addition to the main ministers Xu Jie, Guo Pu, Zhang Juzheng, Zhao Wenhua, Zhao Zhenji, Hu Zongxian and others, other ministers were also present.

Emperor Jiajing looked at these ministers whom he had not seen for a long time.

There were many unfamiliar faces that he had never seen before.

Emperor Jiajing laughed and said, "I heard that you have been arguing endlessly about the reform of the Grand Secretary position, and there is no final conclusion. So I have taken some time out today to listen to what you have to say."

When all the officials heard what Emperor Jiajing said, they all lowered their heads obediently and no one showed up at this time.

Seeing that no one spoke, Emperor Jiajing began to call out names.

"Xu Qing, you are the Prime Minister, so you should speak first."

When Xu Jie heard Emperor Jiajing calling his name, he had no choice but to stand up.

Xu Jie bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please allow me to report this. I believe that the position of Grand Secretary has been an official position of the Hanlin Academy since the Yongle period. This is a law established by our ancestors and cannot be changed lightly. If the Grand Secretary leaves the Hanlin Academy, it will lead to two bad consequences: first, it will destroy the official system; second, it will cause the cabinet to lose its institutional foundation and become a pure power institution."

Emperor Jiajing did not comment and turned to Li Chunfang: "What do you think, Mr. Li?"

Li Chunfang stepped out and bowed: "I think what the Prime Minister said is not without reason. But Minister Zhang's proposal also has its merits. It is better to compromise. The Grand Secretary will still belong to the Hanlin Academy, but will be more independent in terms of power."

"Mr. Li, what you said is wrong."

Zhang Juzheng suddenly spoke up, "If the name is not right, then the words will not flow, and if the words are not flowing, then things will not work. Since the Grand Secretary is actually in charge of the key central principles, the name should match the reality. If he still depends on the Hanlin Academy, it will only cause unclear responsibilities and hinder state affairs."

"Minister Zhang is wrong!"

Xu Jie refuted sharply, "The official system of our dynasty emphasizes governing the country with culture. If the Grand Secretary leaves the Hanlin Academy, he will lose his foundation. How can he assist Your Majesty in governing the country?"

Xu Jie really hated Zhang Juzheng now, he felt like he was blind!
He actually thought that Zhang Juzheng was his successor!

Now Zhang Juzheng turned against him and cut off his resources, which was really despicable!
Zhang Juzheng was not afraid of Xu Jie's rebuttal. He said calmly, "You are confusing the Hanlin Academy with the so-called foundation. Are officials who are not from the Hanlin Academy not the foundation of the Ming Dynasty? Minister Hu is proficient in the art of war, and Minister Zhao is familiar with the law. Are their knowledge and the responsibilities they undertake worse than those of the Hanlin Academy?"

Xu Jie was speechless for a moment.

On this point, Xu Jie really could not argue with Zhang Juzheng.

Zhang Juzheng seized the opportunity and continued, "Your Majesty, I think the most urgent task today is to clarify responsibilities and improve efficiency. The cabinet, as the administrative center of the court, should have a corresponding status and position. The separation of the Grand Secretary from the Hanlin Academy does not mean to deny the value of the Hanlin Academy, but to make each perform its duties and make the state machine run more smoothly."

Emperor Jiajing nodded thoughtfully and looked at Prince Yu who had been silent the whole time: "Prince Yu, you are the regent, what is your opinion?"

Zhu Zaigui took a step forward and said firmly, "Your Majesty, I fully agree with Mr. Zhang's opinion. Times have changed, and the official system should also keep pace with the times. The position of Grand Secretary is independent from the Hanlin Academy system, which is conducive to clarifying responsibilities and improving administrative efficiency. As for the Hanlin Academy, it can still be used as an important institution for cultivating talents and compiling classics. The two are not in conflict."

Emperor Jiajing closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Zhang Juzheng, if your proposal is followed, where will the Hanlin Academy be placed?"

Zhang Juzheng was prepared: "Your Majesty, the Hanlin Academy is still the place where the court reserves talents, responsible for compiling classics, teaching the princes and other matters. It is just that the powers will no longer be confused with the cabinet."

Emperor Jiajing nodded and looked at Xu Jie again: "Lord Xu, do you have anything else to say?"

Xu Jie knew that the situation was hopeless, but he was still unwilling to give in: "Your Majesty, the laws established by our ancestors cannot be easily abolished!"

"The law was established by our ancestors."

Emperor Jiajing repeated softly, and suddenly changed the subject, "Minister Xu, do you remember the original intention of Emperor Chengzu to establish the cabinet during the Yongle period?"

Xu Jie was stunned: "This"

"I am here to tell you that Emperor Chengzu established the cabinet to adapt to the needs of the court's development. Now that more than a hundred years have passed, can't the official system be adjusted again?"

There was silence in the palace. Everyone understood that the emperor had made a decision.

The separation of the position of Grand Secretary and the Imperial Academy is inevitable! No one can stop it!

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