Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 42: Direct Minister
All the ministers in the hall bowed down. Ding Kuichu's expression suddenly changed. After hesitating for a moment, he had no choice but to bow down.

"I dare not."

All the ministers in the hall bowed and waited until they heard the voice from above asking them to stand up before they sat back in their original seats.

However, the relaxed atmosphere in the field had disappeared, and everyone was sitting upright.
The ministers returned to their seats, but their eyes were all focused on Ding Kuichu, who was standing in front of them with a livid face.

Ding Kuichu's face was gloomy. He hesitated for a moment, then stood up and spoke.

"Your Highness cares about the world and wants to restore the country. This is a blessing for the Ming Dynasty and the world. I, an old minister, should follow you."

"But Your Highness said that Su Guansheng is a wise minister, but I dare not agree with him."

"This Su Guansheng was just a poor student from a poor family. He was on the run when he met the late emperor halfway and tried to please him. The late emperor deceived him and finally let him participate in the enthronement with his sweet talk. He jumped up and suddenly became a minister of the court."

"This Su Guansheng is indeed a flatterer, a traitor who brings disaster to the country. I am ashamed to be associated with such a person. I would rather set sail and sail across the seas than serve in the same palace with such a traitor."

"If Your Highness still wants to employ this treacherous villain, I will resign."

Ding Kuichu had a generous look on his face, and his clear voice echoed throughout the hall.
The ministers in the hall saw Ding Kuichu's serious face and nodded in their hearts. They had studied hard for decades and fought hard in the imperial examinations to get such an official position.

But what about Su Guansheng? He was a scholar from a minor family. He had never taken the provincial or metropolitan examinations. Yet, he happened to meet the late emperor halfway through the exams and was able to join the cabinet to assist in government. If this was possible, then why had they endured so much hardship over the years?
Seeing all the ministers nod, Ding Kuichu's eyes flashed with a gleam of brilliance, staring at the young prince above.

If it were someone else, he would not be able to take action, but Su Guansheng was full of flaws. He did not need to think at all, and he could directly attack his weak points and make the ministers reject him.

He has been an official for more than ten years, and has been promoted to the governor of two provinces. He didn't need to do this before because he had the overall situation in his hands and there was no need to do this. Do you really think he doesn't understand these methods of uniting the party to fight against the dissidents?

Su Guansheng's face suddenly turned red, and he stared at Ding Kuichu beside him, and was about to refute him, saying that he was a treacherous villain. Who was it that dared to raise troops and attack the imperial army after seeing the imperial edict from the King of Gui?

If he is a traitor, then Ding Kuichu is a traitor!
Bah, Su Guansheng is loyal to the King of Gui and the court. He is a loyal and virtuous minister. What a treacherous and treacherous person!

Su Guansheng was about to speak, but he saw the prince's gaze from above, so he stopped talking and had to endure it silently.

The young prince glanced at His Highness and his ministers, his face calm, and said
"No"

"I have said before that the affairs of the court are difficult now and the important officials of the central government are not allowed to resign. I have said this to several adults before. Today, in front of all the officials in the court, I will say it again. The important officials of the central government are not allowed to resign," the young prince said calmly.
"The state is in a difficult situation, so I am recruiting talented people to restore the Ming Dynasty. Lord Ding, Lord Qu, and Lord Lu are already in the court. Lord Chen and Lord He are also on their way and will arrive soon. Lord Su has also arrived with silver."

"Now that all the wise men have come to the court, it is time for everyone to work together to revive the country. How can you leave so easily? Therefore, please do not say goodbye again, Lord Ding."

The young prince looked sincere, but he did not stand up. Instead, he sat upright on his chair and looked meaningfully at Ding Kuichu below.
Ding Kuichu's face changed several times, and he wanted to speak several times, but in the end he did not speak.

Ding Kuichu stood in the hall with a gloomy look, thinking about what the prince had just said, but he felt something was wrong.

The King of Gui seemed to be saying that he was not allowed to resign, but his words clearly hinted that he now had the money and food brought by Su Guansheng, local powerful figures such as Qu Shisi, and ministers of the imperial court such as Chen Zizhuang who were on their way. The forces of various parties in the court had gathered together and had already formed a great trend.

Now that all the wise men have come, wouldn't it be okay if there was one less wise man?

If this is what the King of Gui really meant, then he is not trying to keep him, but is clearly threatening Ding Kuichu.

Ding Kuichu tried to speak several times, but finally fell silent. He didn't dare to gamble. If he really resigned again, the King of Gui might really agree to his request and let him resign and return home. That would be a real problem.
Although the Governor's Office was now full of his people, and the Governor's Office's money, grain, and soldiers were also in the hands of his confidants, the King of Gui had already won over Li Mingzhong and obtained Guangzhou's money and grain, and could now be completely independent of the Governor's Office and maintain its own operations.

The King of Gui had soldiers and food at this time. Even if he had thought about raising his own army, it would not be feasible at this time.
This little thief, the Gui Wang, has become a powerful figure without anyone noticing!
If he really resigned at this time, not only would his achievements in following the emperor be lost, but it would also be unknown whether he could continue to control the military supplies and personnel of Guangdong Province. He really did not dare to take the risk.
The young prince looked at Ding Kuichu, whose expression kept changing, and a gleam of brilliance flashed in his eyes. He knew that Ding Kuichu was afraid.
Ding Kuichu in the hall remained silent for a long time, but the young prince above spoke again.

"As for the matter of Lord Su, it seems that Lord Ding and Lord Su do have deep prejudices against each other. Gentlemen are harmonious but different, and it is inevitable that their actions and views will differ. However, all of you are the backbone of our court and important ministers of the country, so you should get along with each other in harmony. This will be a blessing for the country."

When Ding Kuichu heard that the King of Gui actually compared Su Guansheng to a gentleman, he was instantly furious and was about to refute him again, but before he could open his mouth, the young prince above him spoke again.

"But Lord Ding did nothing wrong today. Lord Ding speaks out when he feels unfair, which shows that he is selfless and a loyal minister," the young prince sighed softly.
Ding Kuichu looked at the sincere young prince above him, with a look of astonishment on his face, his mouth slightly open, but he remained silent for a long time, not knowing how to respond.
Qu Shisi looked at the young prince with a sigh above him and couldn't help but twitch his lips.

Ding Kuichu, a loyal minister?

I'm afraid even Ding Kuichu himself doesn't believe this.
This Gui Wang said one thing to one person and another to another. He was really shameless. Now, in order to protect Su Guansheng, he even lied to himself!
Everyone in the field looked at the prince with a sigh above them, and for a moment they were all speechless. Even Ding Kuichu, the person involved, didn't know how to respond. The field fell into a strange silence.
But before everyone could think of how to respond, the young prince above spoke again.

"It is a coincidence this time. Even if you gentlemen do not come to my house today, I am still ready to invite you to my house to discuss things."

All the ministers looked at the young prince above them, wondering what tricks this prince was going to play.
"I am a member of a distant vassal clan, of low rank and low moral character. I am grateful to you all for not abandoning me and appointing me as regent. The country is in danger now, and you all have repeatedly advised me, so I dare not refuse again."

"But the state is in a difficult situation right now, and the young prince is unfamiliar with government affairs. Now that we are ready to establish a new dynasty, the central government should reach an agreement as soon as possible, so as not to delay state affairs."

When the officials below heard the words of the prince above, their eyes all lit up and their ears perked up. Even Ding Kuichu's face retracted his expression and stared at the young prince above nervously. Everyone knew that the King of Gui was planning to take advantage of this gathering of ministers to discuss the personnel of the new dynasty.
In fact, it is time. It is now the tenth day. In two days, it will be the third time to persuade him to ascend the throne. After the persuasion is completed according to the procedure, he will officially become the regent.
Now is the time to establish the central order. This matter cannot wait until the King of Gui ascends the throne as regent. Otherwise, how should everyone stand at the ceremony of the King of Gui ascending the throne, and who should lead all officials to congratulate?
Everyone stared at the young prince above with piercing eyes. They had traveled thousands of miles just for this opportunity.
"I have lived in Guangxi before, and I am not familiar with the people and affairs of the court, but fortunately there are many experienced and prudent adults in the court, and I dare not take charge of the affairs of the court."

"Minister of the inner court, I want to appoint Wang Kun as the Secretary of Ceremonies. He was the Secretary of Ceremonies during the time of the previous emperor. He is well versed in court affairs and is familiar with all the officials in the court. If he is appointed, there will be no need to get along with the officials."

Ding Kuichu's eyes flashed with brilliance when he heard this. The King of Gui really took the bait. When he was discussing the appointment of ministers, he actually appointed Wang Kun as the chief secretary of the Imperial Household Department. With Wang Kun in the cabinet, the palace would no longer have any secrets from him.
However, Ding Kuichu did not realize that the vassal king above was quietly staring at him below.

When the young prince noticed the hint of joy on Ding Kuichu's face, a meaningful smile flashed across his face.
"Ministers of the outer court, I want Lord Ding to lead the discussion, Lord Qu and Lord Lu to first determine the list of staff for each department of the six ministries' inspection office. When Lord Chen and Lord He arrive in Zhaoqing, if there is no objection, we will proceed accordingly. What do you think?"

The young prince spoke calmly, but everyone below was moved. The meaning of the prince of Gui was very clear. Since Ding Kuichu was the leader, after the establishment of the new dynasty, the chief minister would probably be Ding Kuichu.
With Qu Shisi and Lu Daqi discussing together, it is decided that Qu Shisi and Lu Daqi will be the second assistants. But who will be the assistant this time depends on their own methods.
Let Chen Zizhuang and He Wuzuo review and finalize the list. This is to confirm the status of the two people. I'm afraid these two people will also join the cabinet.

In fact, this is in line with everyone's expectations. Although Ding Kuichu's official reputation is flawed, he is very powerful in Guangdong Province. He controls the manpower and financial resources of the entire province. Today, he summoned thousands of troops under the city with a wave of his hand, which further demonstrated his terrifying influence in Guangdong Province, making the officials of the entire central government tremble.
Now that the imperial court is in Guangdong Province, everyone has already expected this person to be the chief minister.

Qu Shisi is not to mention Lu Daqi. Qu Shisi himself is a powerful figure in Guangxi Province and a real initiator. Naturally, he deserves a position as a second assistant.

Lu Daqi is not bad either. He led the Fujian Provincial Central Committee to Zhaoqing thousands of miles away. With the orthodox justice of Longwu in his hands, he can naturally compete for the position of assistant this time.
Just looking at what the King of Gui said, I am afraid he is more inclined to Qu Shisi, but this is also human nature, after all, who let him be the first minister to initiate it?
It is reasonable for Chen Zizhuang and He Wuzuo to join the cabinet. These two people are the leaders of the scholars in Guangdong Province and have been important officials for many years. Now that the court has established Guangdong Province, it is natural to let them join the cabinet to reassure the people of Guangdong Province.
As for Su Guansheng, His Highness did not even mention him. I think His Highness should know that although this man came to the court with money under pressure, he was still a lucky minister who was born as a student of the Imperial Academy.
Now, among the ministers of Zhaoqing, even if they are reappointed, at least one of them is a Juren. Juren is also a legitimate way to pass the imperial examination. No one will let Su Guansheng enter the cabinet again, so the King of Gui is also very wise not to mention Su Guansheng.
After some thought, everyone felt that the arrangement made by the King of Gui was reasonable and they could not find any fault with it. So they all looked at the people at the top.
If we have to pick the wrong ones, then it has to be those people above.
The faces of the people above were different. Ding Kuichu showed a hint of joy. He had been planning for a long time. Although there were some complications along the way, the position of Prime Minister finally fell into his hands.
Qu Shisi, Lu Daqi and Li Yongmao looked at each other and frowned slightly, but before they could say anything, Ding Kuichu spoke respectfully.

"Your Highness is wise, I obey your command."

Seeing Ding Kuichu speak, one third of the officials below also spoke up, calling out to the King of Gui above:

Seeing this, Qu Shisi and the other two looked gloomy, but in the end they had no choice but to bow down together and say that they obeyed the order.

As Qu Shisi and the other two spoke, the remaining officials in the court finally stopped hesitating, and for a moment the hall was filled with the sound of wise words.

After the incident on the city wall, Qu Shisi and Lu Daqi also saw through Ding Kuichu's true nature. He would do anything to gain power, and he had no bottom line. If such a person were to become the prime minister of the country, there would be many troubles in the court in the future.

However, since all the ministers were present at the court, they had no way to refute it. On the one hand, Ding Kuichu was indeed very powerful and had deep roots in Guangdong Province. Looking at the situation on the field, one third of the people followed his lead.
On the other hand, the King of Gui had already made the decision himself, so it was difficult for them to refute it. Otherwise, no matter how they objected, it would probably be seen by others as them trying to compete with Ding Kuichu for the position of Prime Minister.

Seeing everyone bowing down without objection, Zhu Lang's eyes also flashed with satisfaction.

He glanced at Su Guansheng, who looked a little unhappy, and spoke again.

"There are many ministers from Fujian Province. You have traveled thousands of miles to serve the king. You are truly loyal and righteous ministers of the Ming Dynasty."

"I have heard from people outside the palace that there are too many officials in the city, and the food and wages are insufficient, so that they cannot even get enough food and clothing. How can this be possible?"

"That's why Lord Su was ordered to bring silver to the court overnight to relieve the officials from starvation and hunger, right, Lord Su?"

"Ah, yes. Since I received the order, I have been worried and have not dared to delay for a day. You all are the pillars of our court. How can I let you suffer from hunger and cold?"

"That is why I, this old minister, travelled day and night to escort the autumn silver from the Guangzhou treasury to the court. I was in a hurry and neglected the procedures, causing shock to the court. I deserve death. Please punish me, Your Highness."

Su Guansheng's expression was choked, and he was a little bit unresponsive for a moment. I brought silver to the court to pay these insects. How could I not know?

But Su Guansheng also reacted very quickly. After a slight hesitation, he immediately understood what King Gui meant and agreed directly.

"Lord Su, there are reasons for this incident. You should take it as a warning and don't be so careless in the future. How much autumn silver did Lord Su bring to the court this time?" The young prince waved his hand and asked.

Su Guansheng's eyes turned, his expression remained unchanged, and he said

"This time, I am escorting the Guangzhou treasury to collect silver from the spring and autumn quarters of this year, totaling 20,000 taels of silver."

"In this case, then take out five thousand taels and distribute them to the officials in the city. Make sure that all the officials in the city are well fed and warm, and do not let down the loyal officials of the Ming Dynasty," the young prince sighed and said.
"Yes, I will send the autumn silver to the Ministry of Revenue after I return," Su Guansheng replied immediately.

The ministers below also had a hint of satisfaction in their eyes, and their expressions towards Su Guansheng also became less hostile.

After all, who doesn't like giving out money?
They were able to follow me all the way to Zhaoqing, so they must be quite wealthy, otherwise they would not have been able to reach Zhaoqing so smoothly.

In fact, even without the imperial court's food and salary, it would not affect the elegance of these scholars, but who would complain about having too much silver?
"Your Highness is wise and wise, and we are grateful to you."

So all the ministers below looked at each other, then stood up and bowed, shouting in unison:

Everyone looked at Su Guansheng, who was below Ding Kuichu and the others, with a thoughtful look in their eyes.

Gui Wang Ningyuan threw out 5,000 taels of silver to keep Su Guansheng. It seems that he is really ready to make him his confidant. Although this person cannot enter the cabinet, it is better not to provoke him in the future.
Yes, Zhu Lang threw out five thousand taels of silver at this time to shut up these people in the court. If the people in the court took the silver at this time, then in the future they would not be able to use the fact that Su Guansheng led the army into the court without the imperial order to make trouble again.
If anyone wants to hold on to this matter, let him first take back the five thousand taels of silver that were given to the ministers!
Seeing all the ministers bowing, Ding Kuichu's originally happy expression faded, and his heart sank slightly.
After the two of them sang the same tune, Su Guansheng gained a firm foothold in the court, and it would probably be difficult to expel him from the court in the future.
(End of this chapter)