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

Xue Guoguan took a deep breath, calming his breathing which was somewhat rapid from excitement, before solemnly replying:

"Your Highness's concerns are something this old minister has also pondered repeatedly. Regarding the successor, this old minister does have someone in mind who may be capable of taking on this role."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang immediately became interested and leaned forward slightly.

"Who is it? Please speak freely, Your Excellency."

Xue Guoguan clearly uttered three words:
"Hong-Cheng-Chou!"

"Hong Chengchou?"

Zhu Cilang raised an eyebrow, a clear look of surprise flashing across his face.

This answer was indeed somewhat unexpected, especially coming from Xue Guoguan, which made it even more unusual.

According to the intelligence he possessed regarding the Embroidered Uniform Guard, although Xue Guoguan and Hong Chengchou had served in the same court for many years, they belonged to different systems and did not interact closely; in fact, they were somewhat estranged and could not be considered political allies or close friends.

Why would you suddenly recommend him?

Moreover, the thought that Xue Guoguan actually wanted Hong Chengchou to serve as the Grand Secretary made Zhu Cilang feel extremely awkward.

In another timeline of history, this important official of the late Ming Dynasty was ultimately defeated, captured, and surrendered, becoming an important guide and strategist for the Jurchens' entry into China, making him one of the "gravediggers" of the Ming Dynasty.

If he had heard Xue Guoguan recommend Hong Chengchou to succeed him as chief minister when he had just transmigrated and was not yet settled, he would probably have immediately suspected that the old man was up to no good and wanted to dig a big pit for him.

But times have changed. Hong Chengchou's history has been rewritten. He not only did not suffer a defeat at Songjin, but with his support, he stabilized the situation in Liaodong and made many military achievements. Now he is a highly respected and influential military commander.

Hong Chengchou, who surrendered to the Jurchens, no longer exists in this time and space.

Moreover, he had previously promised Hong Chengchou that he would summon Hong Chengchou to the cabinet once the situation in Liaodong was completely stabilized.

Zhu Cilang's words certainly carried weight, but at that time he had no intention of appointing Xue Guoguan as the Grand Secretary!

Zhu Cilang suppressed the turmoil in his heart and asked with great interest:
"Hong Chengchou? Why does the Grand Secretary believe he is capable of serving as the Grand Secretary? I would like to hear the details."

Xue Guoguan seemed to have anticipated the Crown Prince's question and calmly analyzed the situation:

“Your Highness, there are three reasons. First, in terms of seniority and promotion, Hong Chengchou was a Jinshi in the 44th year of the Wanli reign. He came from the orthodox path of the imperial examination and has sufficient seniority.”

"His career advancement was far faster than his peers. This was certainly due to his outstanding talent, but more importantly, it was thanks to His Majesty's exceptional promotion and His Highness's strong support."

"In the eyes of many, he has long been a member of the 'Imperial Party,' and his body is deeply marked by His Majesty and His Highness, which is his greatest foundation."

He paused and continued:

"Secondly, in terms of ability and prestige, Hong Chengchou was decisive and good at overall planning. He had the talent to govern local areas as a governor and the talent to command military affairs as a general. He had been on the battlefield for a long time and had made outstanding achievements."

"He enjoys great prestige both in and out of office, and appointing him as the chief minister would be enough to win over the people."

“His intelligence and resourcefulness far surpass those of this old minister. This old minister himself admits that his ability to handle complex military and national affairs is far inferior to that of Hong Chengchou.”

"The third and most important point,"

Xue Guoguan looked intently at Zhu Cilang:
"His Highness had already stated that once the Liaodong matter was settled, he would summon Hong Chengchou to the cabinet. This move has already shown the world His Highness's trust in Hong Chengchou. Regardless of whether Hong Chengchou himself deliberately proclaims himself as an 'imperial party member,' in the eyes of others, he is already someone His Highness has in his pocket."

"In that case, why not go with the flow and make it live up to its name? With its abilities and Your Highness's trust, it will surely become a sharp sword in Your Highness's hands, helping Your Highness to sweep away the accumulated evils and create a prosperous era."

"Therefore, this old minister believes that Hong Chengchou is the most suitable candidate to succeed as Grand Secretary at present."

After listening to Xue Guoguan's reasoned and insightful analysis, Zhu Cilang couldn't help but nod in approval.
It must be admitted that Xue Guoguan had a very keen eye for people.

He stripped away personal likes and dislikes and historical prejudices, and analyzed Hong Chengchou's advantages and exploitable aspects entirely from the perspective of real political needs.

Indeed, according to Xue Guoguan's logic, Hong Chengchou was almost the best candidate to succeed as Grand Secretary at this stage, and he could not seem to find any strong reason to oppose him.

Zhu Cilang pondered for a moment, tapped his fingers lightly on the back of the chair a few times, and finally made a decision.

He looked at Xue Guoguan and said with certainty:

"Your Excellency's thoughts are thorough and your analysis is insightful. I also believe that Hong Chengchou is indeed a suitable candidate. Since we have come to this point, I will grant your request to retire and return to your hometown."

Xue Guoguan's face immediately showed gratitude, and he was about to speak when Zhu Cilang raised his hand to stop him, changing the subject:
"However, this matter needs to be handled step by step and cannot be accomplished overnight. The Grand Secretary needs to remain in office for a while longer."

Seeing Xue Guoguan's slightly puzzled look, Zhu Cilang explained:
"Although Hong Chengchou has made outstanding contributions, he has been stationed in the border region for a long time and still needs to familiarize himself with the central government affairs, especially the operation of the cabinet."

“Even if I summon him to the cabinet, he will need time to accumulate experience and reputation and get to know his colleagues before he can smoothly take over the power of the chief minister. If I hastily put him in the position of chief minister, I am afraid it will be difficult to win the support of the people and may even backfire.”

"Therefore, I need you to remain in office to stabilize the court and pave the way for Hong Chengchou's smooth succession and ensure a smooth transition."

He paused, then gave a clear timeline:
"I promise you, it will be one year at the shortest and three years at the longest. When Hong Chengchou has established himself in the cabinet and is capable of taking on important responsibilities, that will be the day you retire with honor and return to your hometown."

"When the time comes, I will send you off from the capital in great style and grant you all the honors that a civil official can enjoy!"

Zhu Cilang's words were both an arrangement and a promise.

The so-called "all the honors of civil officials" refers to those who hold the highest official rank during their lifetime, are posthumously awarded the title of Shangzhuguo, and receive the highest posthumous title, such as "Wenzhen" or "Wenzhong," and may even have the opportunity to obtain "Wenzheng" and be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

This is the ultimate dream pursued by countless civil officials throughout their lives.

Xue Guoguan was incredibly clever, and he immediately understood Zhu Cilang's subtext.

In an instant, his whole body trembled violently, and an unbelievable light burst forth in his originally tired and cloudy eyes. He was so excited that his beard trembled slightly.

He rose from his seat again, prostrated himself as if a mountain of gold and jade were collapsing, his voice choked with emotion, tears streaming down his face, and said:
"Your Highness! Your Highness's kindness is so great. What virtue or ability do I have to deserve such trust and respect from Your Highness!"

"Even if this old minister were to die immediately, it would be worth it! This old minister kowtows to thank Your Highness for your divine grace!"

Seeing Xue Guoguan's excited and uncontrollable appearance, Zhu Cilang was also slightly moved.

He rose again and gently helped Xue Guoguan up, comforting him:

"Your Excellency, please rise. I have said that I will never mistreat anyone who is loyal to the Ming Dynasty, to my father, or to me. You have worked diligently for decades, especially in recent years, assisting my father in stabilizing the country. Your contributions are invaluable. These honors are well-deserved."

Xue Guoguan wiped away his tears with his sleeve, nodded repeatedly, and choked up, unable to utter a complete sentence:

"This old minister understands. I will certainly do my utmost to serve Your Highness until the very end."

Afterwards, the emperor and his minister chatted casually for a while, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Seeing that it was late at night, Zhu Cilang got up to take his leave. Xue Guoguan, on the other hand, led his entire family to escort the Crown Prince to the gate, expressing their deepest gratitude until the Crown Prince's palanquin disappeared at the end of the snow-covered street before returning to his residence.

On the way back to the Eastern Palace, Zhu Cilang sat in the slightly swaying sedan chair, his mood gradually becoming more relaxed.

Although he was about to lose Xue Guoguan, a veteran official familiar with government affairs, if he could replace him with Hong Chengchou, a more capable and adaptable newcomer, to take charge of the central government, it might be more beneficial in the long run for promoting his reform blueprint.

As for whether Hong Chengchou willingly became a member of the "Emperor's Party".
Zhu Cilang's lips curled into a meaningful smile.

He had plenty of means and strategies to gradually mold Hong Chengchou into a "lone minister" who could only rely on imperial power and had to closely follow his lead, through institutional design, checks and balances of power, and the binding of interests.

By then, whether he was a "partisan of the emperor" or not was no longer up to him to choose.

Thinking that the future political situation might be revitalized by this adjustment, Zhu Cilang felt much more at ease.

When the sedan chair arrived at the East Palace, it was nearly midnight.

Zhu Cilang alighted from the sedan chair and walked towards his bedchamber under the cool moonlight and through the thin snow.

From afar, he could see that the palace was still brightly lit, and two slender figures were reflected in the windows.

He gently pushed the door open and entered, a warm feeling mixed with a faint fragrance of perfume wafting towards him.

Zheng Xiaomei and Qiqige were sitting around a warm couch with a small bronze hand warmer on it. They seemed to be talking quietly, with faint smiles on their faces.

The candlelight softly bathed them; Zheng Xiaomei was gentle and quiet, while Qiqige possessed a touch of the hearty spirit of the grassland people. The scene was exceptionally warm and peaceful on the winter night.

Zhu Cilang was momentarily stunned by what he saw.

He suddenly noticed that Qiqige seemed to have grown up quite a bit since she first came to the capital. She had shed some of her girlish naiveté and gained a sense of composure and elegance. Under the lamplight, she had a unique and captivating charm.

"Your Highness, you are back."

Zheng Xiaomei was the first to spot Zhu Cilang standing at the door. She quickly got up and came to greet him with a concerned smile on her face.

Qiqige also stood up immediately, and her gaze toward Zhu Cilang was less distant and wary than before, and more gentle and grateful.

Zhu Cilang nodded, walked to the table and sat down, took the hot tea handed to him by Zheng Xiaomei, and casually asked:

"What are you talking about so late? You seem to be having a good time."

Zheng Xiaomei replied with a smile:

"Your Highness, we didn't talk about anything important. We were just talking about the scenery of our respective hometowns. I mentioned the graceful beauty of Jiangnan, with its small bridges and flowing water. Qiqige said she had never seen it before and was very curious."

"I told her that I would definitely take her to see Jiangnan when I had the chance in the future, and she was very happy."

Jiangnan
Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of embarrassment flashed across Zhu Cilang's face.

He suddenly remembered that since marrying into the Eastern Palace, Zheng Xiaomei had never returned to her hometown in Fujian. She spent most of her time living in the Eastern Palace, and her range of activities was very limited.

I've been so busy with official duties that I seem to have neglected her homesickness.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a sense of shame and pity.

But he quickly remembered the planned southern tour, his eyes lit up, and he looked at Zheng Xiaomei, asking gently:

"Little sister, would you like to go back to your hometown in Fujian for a visit?"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Xiaomei's eyes widened instantly, sparkling with surprise, and she almost blurted out:

"Your Highness! Are you telling the truth? Of course I want to!"

She was so excited that she became somewhat incoherent.

"Since I left home, I have missed the mountains, rivers, and family of my hometown every moment."

Seeing her undisguised excitement, Zhu Cilang couldn't help but smile and said confidently:
"It is true, of course. Next spring, after the weather warms up, Father and I will be on a southern tour of Jiangnan, and we will definitely pass through Fujian on our journey."

"If you wish to go, I will take you with me, so you can return to your hometown to visit your family."

"That's wonderful! I'm willing! Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness!"

Zheng Xiaomei was so happy she almost jumped for joy, her face beaming with happiness.

Seeing Zheng Xiaomei's heartfelt joy, Zhu Cilang also felt a sense of relief. After all, she was the closest person to him, and he should cherish and care for her more.

Just then, Zheng Xiaomei suddenly remembered something, turned around, grabbed Qiqige's hand, and said enthusiastically:

"Qiqige, aren't you also very curious about Jiangnan? This is a perfect opportunity. Why don't you come with us on our southern tour? We can keep each other company on the road!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of longing flashed in Qiqige's eyes, but she then looked at Zhu Cilang with some hesitation.

She was well aware of her identity. Although she was living a relatively comfortable life in the Eastern Palace, she was essentially still a "hostage" used by the Ming Dynasty to control the Mongol tribes.

Whether or not one could accompany the emperor on such an important royal tour was entirely up to Zhu Cilang, not Zheng Xiaomei.

Seeing Qiqige's questioning look, Zhu Cilang immediately laughed heartily:
"Then let's go together! It'll be more lively with more people, and along the way you can see the prosperity and scenery of the south of our Great Ming."

Zheng Xiaomei was even happier to see Zhu Cilang agree, and shook Qiqige's hand, saying:

"See! His Highness has agreed! We can go to Fujian together, and to Jiangnan together!"

Qiqige finally broke into a bright smile and gave Zhu Cilang a Mongolian salute:
"Thank you for your permission, Your Highness."

To be honest, although she had relatively free movement in the capital, her daily activities were ultimately limited.

If she had the opportunity to leave the capital and see a wider world, to experience the southern scenery so different from the grasslands, it would undoubtedly be extremely attractive to her.

Thus, two more women quietly joined the southern tour group, which was originally focused on political and military purposes.

Although the core mission of the southern tour was to deter southern forces, reorganize the military and government, and implement new policies, rather than to enjoy sightseeing, Zhu Cilang saw no problem in bringing along the Crown Princess and a Mongolian noblewoman of special status.

After all, according to royal protocol, when Emperor Chongzhen made his southern tour, the entourage of his concubines, palace maids, and eunuchs would have been a huge one.

In comparison, it was perfectly normal for Zhu Cilang to bring two more people.

This little incident added a touch of warmth to the upcoming long southern tour.

Outside the window, the snow had stopped sometime ago, and a clear, cold moon hung high in the sky, foreshadowing a new beginning for the coming year. (End of Chapter)