Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 63 Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang enter the cabinet
After returning home last night, the Minister of Personnel Ma Wensheng revised the Performance Evaluation System overnight, and then only slept for one shift, but he was still full of energy. The next day, which is today, he rushed to the Ministry of Personnel to work with Jiao Fang and the Ministry of Selection to make the final revisions to the Performance Evaluation System.

The officials of the Ministry of Personnel also actively cooperated with the arrangements of Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang, because they all knew that Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang were about to enter the cabinet. In fact, as long as the original three cabinet ministers retired, Ma Wensheng would become the prime minister.

Ma Wensheng and Jiao Fang also thought so, and were very ambitious. Ma Wensheng even felt that he would definitely become the Prime Minister, breaking the old rule that the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty could only be selected from the Qingliu Hanlin Academy since Li Xian.

In addition, like Ma Wensheng, Minister of War Xu Jin also revised the evaluation method for military officers of the Ministry of War overnight.

Therefore, when the official from the Imperial Household Department came to announce the three people's entry into the palace, the three thought that it must be the resignation memorial of Liu Jian and others in the cabinet that had arrived, and they should go to the palace to listen to the emperor's orders and work in the cabinet, so the three were still very excited.

Zhu Houzhao summoned these three civil servants directly to the Silijian. After all, in the future, the Longzong Gate would not only have the sign of the Silijian but also the sign of the Cabinet.

When Zhu Houzhao saw that the three civil officials were as energetic as generals going to the battlefield, they seemed to be ten years younger. Even Jiao Fang, who had poor emotional control, began to smile, and said:

"Don't be too happy yet. Things are not as simple as we thought. Among the three people, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian, only two submitted their resignations. Li Dongyang did not resign."

Zhu Houzhao's words were like a slap in the face to the three men. They were all shocked, especially the Minister of Personnel Ma Wensheng. He knew that if Li Dongyang did not resign, the position of Prime Minister that he had longed for would still not belong to him.

Jiao Fang, who was always straightforward, snorted: "Why is Li Dongyang so shameless!"

Xu Jin was also very speechless and said: "Your Majesty, it seems that our Li Gechen is waiting for Liu Jian to resign so that he can become the Prime Minister. He is a person who is obsessed with power!"

"This change is unexpected, but it cannot change my determination to make reforms. But before getting rid of Li Dongyang, only two of you three can enter the cabinet, and then it will be you, Lord Ma. You still have to join the cabinet. I can promote you to the position of one of the Three Dukes and issue an edict to let you sit at the head of the cabinet."

Zhu Houzhao was not in the mood to comment on Li Dongyang and only talked about business.

However, Ma Wensheng prostrated himself on the ground, with a tone of determination and regret, and said: "I thank Your Majesty for your kindness. In order not to break the rules, I can sit below Li Binzhi (Li Dongyang's courtesy name is Binzhi)."

Since Ma Wensheng refused, Zhu Houzhao did not say anything more, but looked at Xu Jin and said, "Xu Aiqing, you will not join the cabinet for the time being. The Ministry of War still needs you to take charge. Yang Yiqing will continue to serve as the governor of Shaanxi. After all, the little prince often harasses the Shaanxi area, and there is a need for a capable official there."

Although Xu Jin felt a little disappointed, he was not the kind of person who could not tolerate it. When he heard Emperor Zhu Houzhao say this, he quickly bowed and agreed.

Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao nodded to Xu Jin, then looked at Jiao Fang and said, "Jiao Aiqing, you and Ma Wensheng will still be in the cabinet."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!"

Jiao Fang hurriedly bowed deeply.

Seeing this, Zhu Houzhao looked at Liu Jin and said, "Liu Jin, first approve the resignation of Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, and Xie Qian, the grand secretary of the Dongge, and allow them to resign and return home."

"Yes!"

Liu Jin responded and picked up the red pen to start reviewing the memorial. Liu Jin had been looking forward to this moment, expecting the satisfying feeling of deposing the usually high-handed cabinet ministers with just a stroke of his red pen.

But at this moment, Liu Jin did not feel the slightest pleasure, simply because the number of resignation letters before him was not three but two.

Then, Zhu Houzhao instructed Liu Jin: "Draft an imperial decree to promote Ma Wensheng to the rank of Grand Secretary of Wuying Palace and to serve in the cabinet, and to take charge of the Ministry of Personnel!"

"Draft an imperial decree to appoint Jiao Fang as the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion and Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and to take charge of the Ministry of Revenue!" "Draft an imperial decree to appoint Xu Jin as the Minister of War and the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince!"

"Draft an imperial decree to reinstate Wang Shu as the Minister of Personnel and the Prince's Grand Tutor, and to appoint him to his original position of Junior Tutor and Prince's Grand Tutor. He is to come to the capital and take charge of the Ministry of Personnel immediately!"

Zhu Houzhao sat back after he finished speaking, looked at Ma Wensheng and others and said: "Although Li Dongyang does not want to resign, it does not mean that I can't do anything to him. Now the real power of the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of War is still in your hands, and the reform can still be carried out. When I punish Li Dongyang, he will not be able to resign even if he wants to!"

Zhu Houzhao's tone was very resolute and stern when he said this, and he did this to show his determination to reform.

However, what Zhu Houzhao did not expect was that Ma Wensheng suddenly prostrated himself on the ground and said to Zhu Houzhao in a pleading tone:

"Your Majesty, I dare to ask Your Majesty not to punish the three former cabinet ministers severely! After all, they were cabinet ministers of the dynasty, and their power should not be underestimated. Your Majesty should not destroy the righteousness between the monarch and his subjects unless it is absolutely necessary. I am considering Your Majesty and the Ming Dynasty. I do not want the Zhengde Dynasty to last only eighteen years like the previous emperor!"

Zhu Houming's intention in reporting Bai Ma Wensheng was simply that he hoped he would not be too cruel to Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others, and should be kind-hearted. After all, if the relationship became too strained, it would ultimately be disadvantageous to him, and these scholars would take extreme measures of revenge against him and no longer care about the righteousness between the monarch and his subjects.

Zhu Houzhao was touched that Ma Wensheng could think for him, but he did not think Ma Wensheng was right, so he just said coldly: "But the death of the late emperor cannot be so unclear. If the late emperor died an unnatural death, even the kindness of the late emperor could not make the traitor have a kind heart, why should I treat him with kindness?"

"Then I dare to ask Your Majesty not to launch a large-scale prison before you have found out the solid evidence that Liu Jian, the former chief minister, and others committed regicide!"

Ma Wensheng kowtowed earnestly again.

Xu Jin and Jiao Fang also said the same thing: "Your Majesty, we also beg Your Majesty not to start a big prison unless there is solid evidence of regicide, otherwise it will be detrimental to the great cause of reform!"

"Your Majesty, if they really have evidence of regicide, there is no need for Your Majesty to step in. I am willing to be the vanguard and kill the traitors and rebels in the city for the late emperor!"

Seeing that Zhu Houzhao remained silent, Ma Wensheng decided to compromise again and said that if Liu Jian and others really killed the king, he would be willing to kill Liu Jian and others for Zhu Houzhao.

When Zhu Houzhao heard that Ma Wensheng and others said so, he thought that unless their fundamental interests were touched, civil officials would be unwilling to kill each other. However, Zhu Houzhao also discovered that there was great resistance if he wanted to rashly kill Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others.

"I can promise you! However, from now on, you are only allowed to focus on reforming the civil service and not interfere in the prison. Otherwise, if I find out, I will deal with you first!"

Zhu Houzhao slammed the table and started yelling.

Ma Wensheng and the others hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, we dare not!"

then.

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand and said, "Everyone, leave!"

Ma Wensheng and the others left because of this, and Zhu Houzhao just smiled slightly as he watched them leave his back, thinking:

"You civil officials may not kill each other, but you dare to kill me. In your previous life, Zhu Houzhao didn't kill me, but he still fell into the water? In this life, you want to persuade me to stay safe without using a knife, but who will believe you! Only by drawing the butcher knife can my safety be guaranteed! There is no doubt that the longest-lived emperor of the Ming Dynasty was Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, and he was also the cruelest to civil officials!"

(End of this chapter)