My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

The retirement of the Grand Secretary is a major event that shakes the government and the public! It not only signifies a significant adjustment in the core of power, but also triggers a series of personnel changes and political instability.

Who will become the new prime minister?

How will the existing balance of power be disrupted?
These are all questions that everyone present must consider immediately.

Despite the outward appearance of trying to persuade each other to stay, a storm was brewing in everyone's hearts.

Xue Guoguan seemed to have anticipated everyone's reaction. He waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet, and still had that faint smile on his face.

"I appreciate your kind intentions, but time waits for no one, and my mind is made up. I hope you will grant my request."

He changed the subject, his gaze became serious, and his voice rose slightly.

"That is why I am willing to put aside my pride and earnestly request my colleagues today."

He looked around and said, word by word:

"The position of chief examiner for the Guiwei imperial examination is of great importance, as it concerns the future structure of the court's talent pool for the next few years. I would like to volunteer myself to take on this role! I hope that my colleagues can understand my good intentions and not compete with me on this matter."

He took a deep breath, his tone becoming increasingly emotional, even earnest.

"I have spent decades in the officialdom, and although I have not made any great contributions to the country, I have always worked diligently and never dared to slack off in the slightest."

"If I can serve as the chief examiner again before retiring, and select a group of truly talented and learned people for the country, so as to contribute my modest efforts to His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince's future grand plans, then my official career can come to a perfect end, and when I return to the underworld, I can face my ancestors with some peace of mind."

"This can be considered as fulfilling my last wish, and earning a good reputation for 'selecting talent for the country'!"

These words caused silence to fall over the duty room once again.

The cabinet ministers' expressions shifted, and they already understood.

So this is the real reason why Xue Guoguan suddenly proposed retiring! He wanted to use the irrefutable reason that "the Grand Secretary is about to retire" to exchange for this last opportunity to serve as the chief examiner of the imperial examinations!
This is both a political strategy and perhaps a veteran official's final, persistent pursuit of posthumous fame at the end of his career.

Ask yourself honestly, if you were in that situation, would you have the same desire as you were about to leave the center of power?
The answer is almost certainly yes.

This final "seat master" honor, this supreme honor of selecting talent for the country, was far too tempting for an old minister about to retire.

Inside the duty room of Wenyuan Pavilion, the warmth of the charcoal fire intertwined with the turmoil in everyone's hearts.

Grand Secretary Xue Guoguan's words about retiring to his hometown and earnestly requesting to serve as the chief examiner were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples.

The cabinet ministers exchanged glances, their eyes working rapidly together, a complex and indescribable emotion filling the air.

Ultimately, it was Zhang Zhifa, a cabinet minister with relatively more seniority and a more flexible personality, who spoke first, breaking the suffocating silence.

He put on a perfectly timed smile, and his tone was very sincere:
"Grand Secretary Xue, what are you saying? You have devoted yourself to the Ming Dynasty for decades, and your hard work and great achievements are known throughout the land."

"Now I only hope to select a group of virtuous and talented people for our dynasty before I retire. This is a sincere desire to be loyal to the emperor and love the country and to mentor the younger generation. How can it be called a 'request'? This is clearly an inescapable responsibility!"

He raised his voice slightly and turned to his other colleagues:
"In my opinion, Grand Secretary Xue is highly respected and learned. It is most suitable for him to serve as the chief examiner for this year's Guiwei imperial examination! I would like to recommend Grand Secretary Xue first!"

Zhang Zhifa's words were eloquent and appropriate, both praising Xue Guoguan and expressing his stance.

The other cabinet ministers also immediately realized what was going on.

Fan Jingwen stroked his beard and nodded in agreement:

“What Grand Secretary Zhang said is absolutely right. Grand Secretary Xue is the chief minister of our cabinet, the leader of all. Having you preside over this talent selection ceremony will demonstrate the court’s emphasis on the imperial examination system. I have no objection and would like to second the proposal.”

"I second the motion."

I second that opinion.

Immediately, a chorus of approval erupted in the duty room, demonstrating an unusual unity.

Seated at the head of the table, Xue Guoguan took in everyone's reactions. A seemingly gratified smile appeared on his wrinkled face as he nodded repeatedly, saying:
"Thank you all for your understanding, I am deeply grateful."

He cupped his hands in a slight gesture of greeting to those around him, making a very respectful gesture.

However, Xue Guoguan, who had been in officialdom for decades, was as clear-headed as a mirror. How could he not know how much of his colleagues' "support" was genuine?

It was simply because he had already shown signs of "getting off the bus," and it was not good to refute the last bit of face the chief minister had at this time, lest it damage the harmony of officialdom.

After all, they have helped Xue Guoguan, who is about to leave, to make his life better. When they themselves reach the end of their official careers and want a proper ending, those who come after them will naturally follow suit and give them the appropriate respect.

This is the unspoken "kindness" in officialdom, a tacit understanding based on potential exchange. It's nothing more than the saying "one generation plants the trees, another enjoys the shade."

Furthermore, everyone has their own opinion.

Although the selection of the chief examiner must ultimately be made by the emperor, given the almost unanimous recommendation from the cabinet, coupled with Xue Guoguan's status as the emperor's confidant and chief minister, as well as his upcoming retirement, His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince would probably not refuse this request out of both sentiment and reason.

If even this dying wish is not fulfilled, it would seem too harsh and ungrateful, and would easily chill the hearts of veteran officials.

This favor was done smoothly and cost nothing.

And that's how the matter was settled.

And not long after, the relevant memorial was placed on Zhu Cilang's desk.

As evening approached, Zhu Cilang had just finished reviewing several urgent documents regarding disaster relief in Henan. He rubbed his slightly sore brow and picked up the warm ginseng tea beside him.

When he unfolded the memorial from the cabinet, his expression immediately became focused.

After all, the imperial examination was a major national event and the foundation for the court to select and govern talented individuals; it could not be taken lightly in the slightest.

Especially now that he intends to implement a series of new policies, it is even more necessary to use the imperial examination system to attract those scholars who are truly talented, insightful, and can share the same ideals and beliefs with the new dynasty.

"Guiwei Year"

Zhu Cilang silently recited the year in his heart, his thoughts drifting for a moment.

According to the original historical trajectory he vaguely remembered, the chief examiner for this subject should have been Wei Zaode.

However, Wei Zaode in this timeline had already been killed by Zhu Cilang because of his previous misdeeds!

And the top scorer in this subject
Zhu Cilang tried hard to recall, and it seemed to be a person named Yang Tingjian? In the original history, after the fall of the Ming Dynasty, this person briefly surrendered to Li Zicheng and was granted an official position, but after the Jurchens entered the pass, he chose to retire to his hometown and live out his days at home, which can be considered as a peaceful end.

It remains to be seen whether Yang Tingjian, after stirring up a storm with his own "butterfly" persona, will be able to stand out again in this year's Guiwei imperial examination based on his talent.

If he can do that, then it can be considered a skill of his!
Zhu Cilang always held an open attitude towards people with genuine talent and learning, because it was a good thing for people to be of good use to the country.

His thoughts returned, and Zhu Cilang's gaze fell once again on the list of memorials.

The list above includes the candidates recommended by the Cabinet for chief and deputy examiners, all of whom are renowned scholars and ministers with outstanding reputations and profound knowledge in the current court.

The list is well-considered, and the candidates' qualifications and reputations are impeccable.

However, as he looked at it, Zhu Cilang's brows furrowed slightly.

He astutely noticed something unusual: almost all the influential figures on the list of recommendations listed Xue Guoguan as their top choice, their attitudes remarkably consistent! This was rather suspicious.

Zhu Cilang put down the memorial, leaned back in his chair, and unconsciously tapped the smooth rosewood tabletop with his fingers, making a soft tapping sound.

Firstly, Xue Guoguan was capable and efficient, but he had one most prominent characteristic:
The emperor's staunch confidants were the well-known "Imperial Party"!
In the officialdom atmosphere where factional strife had temporarily subsided but its legacy remained, the image of a "lone minister" who closely attached himself to imperial power and sometimes even risked offending his colleagues to carry out the emperor's wishes was often unpopular and might even be secretly despised by the upright officials.

Other ministers may be outwardly respectful to Xue Guoguan, but when it comes to the coveted position of chief examiner of the imperial examinations, which brings immense prestige and connections, how could those self-proclaimed upright officials be so "united" to hand over such a huge benefit to a "party of the emperor" that they might not even respect in their hearts?
Something is wrong!
Something is very wrong!

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation!
Zhu Cilang's first reaction was:
Is there some hidden story behind this that I'm unaware of? Or is it some kind of political deal?

Or even a conspiracy targeting Xue Guoguan?
"It seems we need to find Xue Guoguan and ask him for clarification."

Zhu Cilang made up his mind. He raised his head and was about to instruct the eunuchs outside the palace to summon Xue Guoguan to the palace for an audience.

However, at that moment, his gaze inadvertently drifted to the window.

Before anyone knew it, fine snowflakes began to fall again, dancing and swirling in the dim light of the palace lanterns, covering the ground with a thin layer of silvery white.

A chill seemed to seep in through the cracks in the tightly closed window.

Zhu Cilang thought that Xue Guoguan was old after all, and it was a bit too much trouble to make an old minister brave the wind and snow to come to the palace from his residence in the dead of winter just to satisfy his momentary curiosity.

With this in mind, Zhu Cilang changed his mind.

He withdrew his gaze, called over Ma Bao, and gave him instructions:
"Make preparations, I will be visiting the Xue residence later."

Time flies, and it was already late at night.

Zhu Cilang changed into an ordinary royal blue silk cotton robe, with a black fox fur cloak over it, making him look like a young master from a wealthy family.

Instead of riding in the Crown Prince's special imperial carriage, he ordered someone to prepare a rather ordinary-looking sedan chair with only a blue cloth curtain. Then, accompanied only by Li Hu and a few other plain-dressed Imperial Guards, he quietly left the Eastern Palace and disappeared into the silent snowy night of the capital.

Xue Guoguan's residence was located in the western part of the capital, some distance from the imperial city.

The sedan chair creaked and groaned as it rolled over the snow-covered streets.

Most of the shops on both sides of the street had already closed, with only a few windows showing a few scattered lights.

Occasionally, a watchman would pass by carrying a lantern, his neck hunched, striking his clapper and calling out in a drawn-out voice:

"The weather is dry, so be careful with fire. Stay safe and sound!"

About half an hour later, the sedan chair stopped in front of the Xue family's gate, which was not particularly grand.

The lanterns in front of the Xue mansion swayed in the wind and snow, casting a dim light. The gatekeeper, who was dozing in the gatehouse with his hands in his pockets, peeked out impatiently when he heard the noise.

Upon seeing that it was an ordinary-looking blue cloth sedan chair, he assumed it belonged to some ignorant minor official or a relative who had come to freeload, and immediately frowned, preparing to drive it away.

"Hey! What are you doing? Do you know where you are? This is the residence of Grand Secretary Xue! How dare you park your sedan chair here like this? Get out of here!"

The manager scolded them while waving his hand as if trying to shoo away flies.

Before he could finish speaking, a burly man with sharp eyes stepped forward from beside the sedan chair. Without saying a word, he simply waved a heavy waist token in front of him.

By the dim light of the lantern at the entrance, the steward could vaguely see the ferocious beast pattern and the three small gold characters "Jinyiwei" on the waist badge, and he was immediately terrified.

His arrogance instantly turned to fear, his back bent at a ninety-degree angle, and his voice trembled:

"Oh dear! I was blind! I didn't know it was my superior! I deserve to die! I deserve to die!"

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at the sedan chair, his heart filled with doubt and uncertainty. Why would the Imperial Guards come to see his master in the middle of the night?

Could it be that my husband has gotten into trouble again?
Li Hu remained expressionless, lowered his voice, but his tone carried an undeniable air of authority:
"Go quickly and inform your master that His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived incognito. Tell him to come out and greet him immediately."

Your Highness the Crown Prince?

Upon hearing this, the manager's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

He never imagined that the person sitting in this seemingly inconspicuous blue cloth sedan chair was actually the current Crown Prince!

This is a big deal!
He dared not delay any longer, and scrambled around, practically crawling on his hands and feet as he rushed into the mansion, shouting in a tearful voice as he ran:

"Master! Master! His Highness the Crown Prince! His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

Upon hearing this, not only was Li Hu speechless, but even Zhu Cilang, who was sitting in the sedan chair, was momentarily speechless with annoyance!
That manager is really stupid!
On the other side, Xue Guoguan had just finished his dinner and was sitting in his study, reading through the official reports sent from various places by the light of a bright oil lamp, pondering the specific details of opening up the sea for trade.

Suddenly, he heard a flustered and hurried footstep outside and the steward's altered shouts. He was startled at first, then stood up abruptly.

His Highness the Crown Prince's sudden visit late at night, especially in disguise, is certainly not ordinary!
He didn't bother to change into his official robes; he just grabbed a thick outer robe and put it on before hurriedly leading a few trusted servants toward the gate.

When he arrived at the gate, he saw that Zhu Cilang had already gotten out of the sedan chair and was standing with his hands behind his back under the porch, looking with great interest at the imperial plaque above the Xue family's gate.

Snowflakes fell on his fox fur cloak and melted instantly.

Seeing this, Xue Guoguan's heart tightened even more, and he quickly quickened his pace, shouting:
"This old minister, Xue Guoguan, was unaware of His Highness the Crown Prince's arrival. I have failed to greet you properly and deserve death! I deserve death!"

As he spoke, he began to lift the hem of his robe to perform a full kneeling bow. (End of Chapter)