Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 612 Liu Jin's Selection

After the Lantern Festival, Qin Hong took the initiative to request retirement. This was his third request. If his body could still hold on, he certainly would not request retirement.

However, he was old and his health was getting worse day by day. Zhu Houzhao did not agree with Qin Hong's retirement and found Qin Hong several times to ask him if he was dissatisfied with his governance.

Qin Hong always gently told Zhu Houzhao that he was doing a good job as the crown prince and a good regent as well, and that he had surpassed his father, so he had no complaints.

The reason he wanted to resign was because his health was really failing and he wanted to go home quickly to enjoy his grandchildren and spend his last moments with his family.

Qin Hong worked hard for the Ming Dynasty all his life, so Zhu Houzhao naturally could not continue to force him, so on January 18th of the 18th year of Hongzhi, he agreed to Qin Hong's request to retire.

Inside the Nuan Pavilion.

"Mr. Qin, do you have any recommendations for candidates from the Ministry of Revenue?"

Qin Hong smiled and said, "Your Highness, the six ministers no longer need to be in charge of the affairs of the government offices. Anyone can take on the position. It would be better for Your Highness to choose the candidate you recommend instead of me."

Zhu Houzhao nodded and said, "I understand. If Lord Qin has any needs in the future, just let me know."

"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Qin Hong left the Forbidden City where he had worked for most of his life. After leaving, the first thing he did was to go to Chen Ce's mansion to have tea with Chen Ce.

"It's always so relaxing now that I have no burden on my shoulders."

Qin Hong sat in the middle hall, holding his tea and taking a sip.

Chen Ce sighed: "Time flies so fast, and Lord Qin has also left the court."

Chen Ce had only two good friends in the court, Qin Hong and Xu Guan.

Xu Guan passed away two years ago, and now Qin Hong has also retired. The court is about to be completely renewed.

The old ministers of the Hongzhi Dynasty have gradually withdrawn from the stage of history, and a new batch of ministers are about to take the stage. No one knows whether they will make their debut or hide in the shadows.

"After Lord Qin steps down, who will take charge of the Ministry of Revenue?"

Qin Hong shook his head and said, "This is no longer something I should worry about. Let's see who the Crown Prince lets take the throne."

The candidate for the Newspaper and Periodicals Department has just been selected, and the next one is the Minister of Revenue. Every time a high-ranking official in the court retires, it will be a struggle for power between the imperial power and the civil service group.

"Chun Jian, don't worry about these things. The prince is now showing political wisdom that is no worse than that of the emperor. I believe the prince will have some ideas."

"It's you, Chun Jian, who should take better care of yourself."

"You should train a good emperor for the Ming Dynasty... I guess many people in the court will hate you to death."

"They just want the emperor to be a Confucian emperor and follow Confucian etiquette, but our prince goes against many Confucian practices. How can the civil officials be happy?"

"If you hadn't intervened, after Yang Ting and their education, the current crown prince would have been a Confucian gentleman, governing the Ming Dynasty with Confucianism as the only doctrine."

"But what he is using now is a mixture of the kingly and hegemonic ways of Emperor Wu of Han. How can the civil officials who advocate Confucian culture first be willing to accept this?"

Chen Ce smiled bitterly and said, "But if the Ming Dynasty follows the traditional Confucian path, it won't reach this point."

"Yes!" Qin Hong nodded in agreement and said, "If we follow the ruling policy of Liu Gelao and his people, the Ming Dynasty will still be a country with a small peasant system. But now, the commercial momentum of the Ming Dynasty has completely surpassed agriculture."

"We still have a steady supply of agricultural supplies in the inland areas on the Japanese island."

This was the case with this snow disaster. When there was not enough food in the mainland, the imperial court immediately began to order the transportation of food from Japan, which was enough to ensure that there would be no food crisis in the Ming Dynasty.

These are all Chen Ce's contributions. He set the path for the future of this country. Qin Hong smiled and said, "Okay, I won't brag about you anymore. If I really want to brag about you, I'm afraid it will take three days and three nights to finish."

Qin Hong sat with Chen Ce for a while, then got up and left.

"Mr. Qin, take care of yourself."

Qin Hong turned around and said with a smile: "You too."

……

After the Minister of Revenue retired, many people coveted his position.

Zhu Houzhao found Liu Jin. He did not want to let the six ministries decide the position of the Minister of Revenue, so he said to Liu Jin: "You find a way to get Han Wen to the position."

Han Wen was the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Logically, after Qin Hong stepped down, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue should have taken over.

But the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was not Zhu Houzhao's man. He needed to keep the financial power firmly in his own hands, so he had to choose someone from his own family.

"The civil servants will certainly criticize me for this appointment. I don't want to hear about these things. You find a way."

Liu Jin cupped his hands and said, "I understand."

Since the prince doesn't want to get into trouble, then Liu Jin will have to bear this trouble.

Liu Jin went to the Ministry of Revenue and found Han Wen. He said with a smile, "Sir Han, Sir Qin retired a few days ago. The position of Minister of Revenue is still vacant. His Highness intends to let you take the position."

Han Wen was stunned. He didn't have much hope at first, after all, there was a Zuo Shilang above him. But after hearing Liu Jin's words, he immediately said excitedly: "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Liu Jin waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness, let me observe and see who is suitable to be the Minister of Revenue."

Han Wen's mouth twitched. It was obvious that this guy was here to ask for a bribe.

Han Wen smiled and said, "Eunuch, I understand everything and will not let your hard work go in vain."

"I still have 30,000 acres of land in the suburbs of Gyeonggi, take a look..."

Liu Jin laughed and said, "I have observed Lord Han. Lord Han is very suitable to be the Minister of Revenue!"

"Thank you for your kind words, Eunuch Liu."

Liu Jin left the Ministry of Revenue with several eunuchs from the inner palace in full view of everyone.

He did not avoid suspicion and wanted other officials from the Ministry of Revenue to see that Liu Jin had been there.

After leaving the Ministry of Revenue, Liu Jin sighed deeply. He realized that he had no choice in the world.
No wonder Chen Ce said that when he holds a high position in the future, he will face criticism from many civil servants.

The reason why he solicited bribes so openly this time was to divert the civil servants' attention and make them think that it was Liu Jin who was abusing power, so he promoted Han Wen.

But in fact, these were all the Crown Prince's intentions. He just couldn't let the Crown Prince worry, so he had to let the Crown Prince take all the dirty work and the blame.

"I didn't understand it before, but now I understand. It's not easy to be in a high position!"

If the civil officials ever want to settle accounts in the future, or if the prince wants to sacrifice pawns to save the chariot, I will be the first pawn to be abandoned. As I do more and more evil things, the civil officials will probably want to cut me into pieces!

Chen Ce saw all of this, so he gave himself a life-saving talisman.

Liu Jin took out the jade pendant that Chen Ce handed to him from his arms, rubbed it carefully for a while, and put it on his chest. He carried this jade pendant with him every day and never took it off!
(End of this chapter)