I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 221 Major Cabinet Reshuffle! Shen Nian Gets Five Consecutive Promotions
On the morning of September 21st, at the Huangji Gate, the regular court assembly was held.

Civil and military officials lined up on both sides.

Among them, Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng, wearing a scarlet robe with a python design bestowed by Emperor Wanli, a jade belt around his waist, and a black gauze hat with outstretched wings, stood at the very front.

Zhang Juzheng has been in mourning at home for ten months.

For the next seventeen months (the mourning period), he would only wear plain clothes in private settings, and in all other situations, he would wear official robes.

This was a special permission granted by the young Wanli Emperor.

After all the officials had finished paying their respects, the official on duty from the Office of Transmission stepped forward.

He read aloud two memorials that had been submitted this morning.

One is the retirement memorial of Cabinet Minister Lü Diaoyang, and the other is the retirement memorial of Cabinet Minister Ma Ziqiang.

Both men requested to retire and return to their hometowns, citing "old age, frailty, and illness."

The young Wanli Emperor sat on his throne, looked at Zhang Juzheng, and uttered the words he often used to say.

"What does the Grand Secretary think?"

Zhang Juzheng strode forward, cupped his hands, and said, “Your Majesty, since entering the cabinet, Grand Secretary Lü and Grand Secretary Ma have been dedicated to their duties day and night, and their loyalty and diligence are commendable. They are experienced and capable in handling affairs and are truly pillars of the country. However, their physical strength is declining, and they are willing but unable to continue. It is really not appropriate to force them to stay. I believe that they should be granted the privilege of returning to their hometowns so that they can enjoy their old age.”

The young Wanli Emperor looked around and asked, "Do any of you ministers have any objections?"

All the officials knew that Lü Diaoyang and Ma Ziqiang's retirement was a foregone conclusion, and they all bowed and shouted: "Your Majesty, we have no objection!"

"Approved!" the young Wanli Emperor said decisively.

The young Wanli Emperor disliked the "three refusals and three concessions" etiquette commonly used between emperors and their ministers.

Besides, Lü Diaoyang has submitted at least thirty or fifty memorials requesting retirement in the past two years, so there's no need for him to feign reluctance to stay.

"Thank you for your permission, Your Majesty!" Lü Diaoyang and Ma Ziqiang knelt down and exclaimed.

Neither of them were power-hungry, and given their genuine health conditions and physical limitations, resigning at this time was a relief for them.

Emperor Wanli paused for a moment, then looked at the officials and said, "After the two Grand Secretaries retire, the positions of Grand Secretaries and Minister of Rites should be re-evaluated. I will discuss this with the Grand Secretary, Grand Secretary Yin, and Minister Wang of the Ministry of Personnel, and then decide on a decision in a few days!"

All the ministers bowed.

Important officials such as cabinet ministers and heads of the six ministries were appointed by the emperor and did not need to go through the usual assessment process.

Emperor Wanli paused for a moment, then continued, "Furthermore, after the new cabinet ministers take office, I intend to abolish the Drafting Office. Do any of you have any objections?"

"Your Majesty, I have no objection!" All the ministers bowed.

The Drafting Office was originally a purely administrative department, not a formal office, and had no salary. It was established to reduce the burden on the cabinet.

Now that Zhang Juzheng has returned, there is no longer any need for the Drafting Office.

In fact, the young Wanli Emperor somewhat wanted to retain the existence of the Ticket Office.

Because the Drafting Office could provide him with more options and also enhance imperial power.

But he had to consider Zhang Juzheng's feelings.

With Zhang Juzheng in power, the voice of the Drafting Office will be greatly diminished, and it may even affect administrative efficiency. It would be better to abolish it.

If the official in charge of reviewing the original draft has any objection to the Cabinet's draft, he or she can submit a memorial to the throne to express his or her opinion.

Shen Nian had no objection to this at all.

In his view, this move could be considered a reduction in workload, but some prosecutors felt it was a pity to lose the power to draft bills.

……

The following day, the young Wanli Emperor issued two imperial edicts.

Firstly, Lü Diaoyang was permitted to retire with the title of Junior Tutor, and was rewarded with one hundred taels of silver, four layers of silk fabric, three thousand strings of new banknotes, a bright red brocade jacket with gold trim, and an annual stipend and permission to return home by express courier.

Secondly, Ma Ziqiang was allowed to retire with the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, and his rewards were almost the same as those given to Lü Diaoyang.

After expressing their gratitude, the two will soon set off to return to their hometown.

And this moment.

Officials in the capital's government offices have begun discussing the selection of new cabinet officials and the new Minister of Rites.

Almost everyone agreed that Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue were the most likely candidates for the cabinet, followed by Wang Guoguang, the Minister of Personnel.

Wang Guoguang's advantage lies in his extensive experience in officialdom.

However, its disadvantages are also obvious: it is too old to handle the heavy workload of the cabinet.

Fang Fengshi, the Minister of War, was on patrol at the border. Yan Qing, the Minister of Justice, Li Youzi, the Minister of Works, and Chen Kai, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, were all newly appointed and lacked experience, so it was impossible for them to enter the cabinet.

As for the candidate for Minister of Rites, some speculate that it will be Wang Tang, the Left Vice Minister of Rites, while others speculate that it will be Zhang Siwei, the Minister of Rites in Nanjing.

The officials were in an uproar, each holding their own opinion, all awaiting the imperial decree and appointment.

……

On the morning of September 24th, the first imperial edict appointing officials was issued.

"Pan Sheng, the former Minister of Rites who had retired for two years and was 61 years old at the time, was appointed as the Minister of Rites."

This move surprised countless officials, but upon careful consideration, they found it to be quite reasonable.

Pan Sheng was the second-place scholar in the imperial examinations in the 20th year of the Jiajing reign. He served as the Minister of Rites in the 4th year of the Longqing reign and was the tutor of the young Wanli Emperor when he was the crown prince.

However, after serving for several years, he chose to retire.

He is mature and prudent, and is qualified and capable of serving as Minister of Rites.

The fact that the young Wanli Emperor reinstated this person suggests that Zhang Juzheng had likely already considered this candidate during his period of mourning and had contacted him beforehand; otherwise, he wouldn't have issued an imperial edict to appoint him directly.

Soon, the second imperial edict appointing officials was issued.

“Shen Shixing, who was appointed as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and concurrently Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion, was appointed to participate in state affairs in the cabinet.”

Shen Shixing's entry into the cabinet was within the officials' expectations.

From the moment he took charge of the Hanlin Academy, he had already stepped one foot into the Grand Secretariat.

However, his failure to become a Hanlin Academy scholar puzzled the officials.

"Could it be...could it be...that the imperial court intends to appoint the 29-year-old Hanlin Academy Lecturer Shen Nian as a Hanlin Academy Academician?" an official couldn't help but speculate.

Although the position of Hanlin Academy Academician is only a fifth-rank official, it carries significant weight, and becoming a Hanlin Academy Academician means one could potentially enter the cabinet at any time.

"A 29-year-old Hanlin Academy scholar? I disagree. A Hanlin Academy scholar must be of high moral character and prestige. He hasn't even grown a beard yet. What qualifications does he have to serve as a Hanlin Academy scholar?" An official directly voiced his opposition.

Just then, the third imperial edict appointing officials was issued.

"Wang Xijue, the fourth-rank Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, was appointed as the third-rank Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and concurrently served as a Hanlin Academy Academician."

Some officials who disliked Shen Nian's promotion to Hanlin Academy scholar breathed a sigh of relief.

Many officials felt that Wang Xijue was a worthy candidate for cabinet membership, but he did not, which they could understand.

Wang Xijue's personality was too rigid.

What Zhang Juzheng needed at the moment were cabinet ministers who were physically strong, capable of doing things, and obedient.

Shen Shixing is clearly the best candidate.

Wang Xijue's position means he's practically halfway into the cabinet. It will take him anywhere from six months to three years to secure a cabinet position, provided his performance is satisfactory.

in a blink.

The cabinet then became a three-person cabinet consisting of Zhang Juzheng, Yin Zhengmao, and Shen Shixing.

Just when the officials thought the reshuffling of positions was over, the young Wanli Emperor issued a fourth edict appointing officials.

"Shen Nian, a Hanlin Academician, is appointed concurrently as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, in charge of recording the emperor's daily activities and serving as a lecturer at the Imperial Lectures." He's been promoted directly from the fifth rank to the third rank—a five-step leap in his official career!

This appointment edict left countless officials dumbfounded.

They knew that both the young Wanli Emperor and Zhang Juzheng wanted to promote Shen Nian, but according to the procedure, Shen Nian would at least have to first serve as the head of the Hanlin Academy or be appointed as the fourth-rank Imperial Academy Chancellor before being promoted to the position of Minister of the Six Ministries.

Who would have thought that he would take five big steps in one go and become a prospective Grand Secretary.

This was a smoother path to promotion than that of Xu Jie, Gao Gong, and even Zhang Juzheng back then, and Shen Nian was also much younger.

Xu Jie served as a reader in the Hanlin Academy at the age of thirty-six, as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy at the age of thirty-nine, and as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites at the age of forty.

Gao Gong was appointed Hanlin Academician at the age of forty-seven, Chancellor of the Imperial Academy at the age of forty-eight, and then directly promoted to Minister of Rites at the age of fifty-three.

At the age of forty-two, Zhang Juzheng was appointed as a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy and put in charge of the Hanlin Academy. At the age of forty-three, he was appointed as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and concurrently a scholar in the Hanlin Academy. In the same year, he entered the cabinet.

After these three officials reached the fifth rank, they all served as the fourth-rank Imperial Academy Chancellor or took charge of the Hanlin Academy as a transitional position. However, Shen Nian did not have any transitional position and directly became a ministerial official.

He is a 29-year-old official of the third rank, and it is highly likely that he will be able to enter the cabinet at the age of 30.

Such a rapid promotion is simply unimaginable!
Both the position of Chancellor of the Imperial Academy and Academician of the Hanlin Academy are extremely demanding, but Shen Nian skipped them directly, which was the best shortcut to entering the cabinet.

After the imperial edict appointing him was issued, many officials in the capital were dissatisfied and wrote memorials opposing his special promotion on the grounds that Shen Nian was not yet qualified.

Emperor Wanli had long anticipated that some people would oppose him.

He immediately ordered the Ministry of Personnel to copy Shen Nian's performance evaluation records from the third year of the Wanli reign to the present year and place them in the Office of Transmission.

And they made it clear directly—

"Any official whose performance within three years is 60% comparable to that of Shen Nian, a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, will be directly promoted five ranks!"

After reviewing Shen Nian's achievements over the past three years, all the officials fell silent.

In terms of contributions to the new policies and reforms over the past three years, Shen Nian ranks second, and his contributions are more substantial than those of the third to tenth place combined.

Immediately, Shen Nian became a high-ranking official of the third rank.

However, Emperor Wanli gave special instructions that Shen Nian would continue to primarily serve in the Hanlin Academy, attend daily lectures, and record the emperor's daily activities, while also attending to the emperor.

Then, a system of rotating appointments between two officials was adopted, with each official spending about ten days a month at the Ministry of Revenue to handle its affairs.

This type of office work was not uncommon in the current regime.

Given Shen Nian and Yin Zhengmao's excellent teamwork, there would be no pressure at all in doing it.

at the same time.

Emperor Wanli issued an imperial edict to abolish the Drafting Office and generously rewarded the eighteen Drafting Inspectors for their contributions to the court over the past ten months.

……

September 28th, nightfall.

The last day of Lü Diaoyang and Ma Ziqiang in the capital.

Shen Nian, carrying two treasured Song Dynasty edition books, arrived at Lü Diaoyang's residence first.

Tomorrow morning, all the officials will go to see them off, but Shen Nian has a special relationship with both of them, so he comes to visit them.

Each person will receive two Song Dynasty edition books.

Upon hearing of Shen Nian's visit, Lü Diaoyang immediately ordered someone to bring Shen Nian to his study.

"Student greets esteemed teacher!" Shen Nian bowed deeply.

Lü Diaoyang was Shen Nian's chief instructor when Shen Nian was a probationary official; the two had a teacher-student relationship.

After shedding his official robes, Lü Diaoyang appeared much more amiable.

He grabbed Shen Nian's hand, and before he could say anything, tears began to flow.

"Ziheng, the most embarrassing thing I've ever done in my life is that I misjudged you. You are the best student I've ever met. I am ashamed!"

Back then, Lü Diaoyang's statement, "Shen Nian's entry into the Hanlin Academy was half due to his father's efforts," caused Shen Nian to bear the name "Shen the Half-Scholar," almost making it impossible for him to stay in the Hanlin Academy.

“Teacher, it’s all in the past, it’s all in the past!” Shen Nian comforted her.

"Come, come, come, let's have a drink!" Lu Diaoyang warmly invited. He was genuinely grateful to Shen Nian, treating him even better than his own son.

The two then began to chat.

About half an hour later, Shen Nian stood up.

Holding Shen Nian's hand, Lü Diaoyang gave her his final instructions: "Ziheng, the higher you climb, the colder it gets. Your sharp edge has made you many enemies, and you are likely to be targeted by some officials in the future. Remember what I said: There is only one Zhang Taiyue, the powerful minister who holds power in the Ming Dynasty. You cannot become the second Zhang Taiyue. When His Majesty assumes personal rule, you must hide your sharp edge and completely bow to the imperial power in order to protect yourself and have a good end."

"The student has learned a lot!"

Shen Nian knew that Lü Tiaoyang was doing it for his own good.

However, no matter how his career develops in the future, he will still follow his heart and put the people of the world first, otherwise he will have lived a wasted life.

……

Afterwards, Shen Nian went to Ma Ziqiang's residence.

Compared to Lü Diaoyang, Shen Nian had a better relationship with Ma Ziqiang. After entering the Hanlin Academy, Ma Ziqiang was always his strongest backer.

At the moment, Ma Ziqiang was unwell and unable to drink alcohol, so he and Shen Nian drank tea in the tea room.

The two had a very pleasant chat.

Finally, Ma Ziqiang couldn't resist taking out a bottle of wine and drinking with Shen Nian.

After the two finished a bottle of wine, Ma Ziqiang's words of advice were almost identical to those of Lü Diaoyang.

They all came from the Jiajing era and understood very well the struggle between imperial power and ministerial power. Once the young Wanli Emperor took personal control of the government, the court might become a completely different place.

Furthermore, throughout history, few ministers who initiated reforms and new policies have met a good end. Even if they do, their reputations are tarnished, and no one speaks up for them.

Therefore, he advised Shen Nian to prepare early to avoid a tragic end.

"The student understands!" Shen Nian nodded repeatedly.

Next, Shen Nian entered the upper echelons of the court, and from then on, she would naturally have to think three steps ahead before taking any action.

The two chatted until late at night before Shen Nian finally left.

……

The next day, at dawn, outside Chongwen Gate.

Feng Bao, representing the young Wanli Emperor, and Zhang Juzheng, leading all civil and military officials, saw off Lü Diaoyang and Ma Ziqiang.

This is the prestige of a cabinet minister.

Even after they retired from office, local officials would still bow and clasp their hands in respect when they saw them, addressing them as "Grand Secretary!"
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lü Diaoyang and Ma Ziqiang embarked on their journey home.

Many officials over the age of fifty greatly envy the two of them.

This is a glorious retirement.

To be remembered in history is inevitable.

After returning home, they will have no worries about food and drink. Those with physical strength can take two concubines, while those without physical strength can develop other hobbies, eat, drink, and have fun, and enjoy their old age in peace and happiness.

……

On the last day of September, Zhang Juzheng's mother, Lady Zhao, was brought to the capital.

Emperor Wanli and the two empress dowagers rewarded him handsomely and ordered the imperial physicians to examine his pulse and prescribe some remedies to nourish his body.

They all hoped that Lady Zhao would live to be a hundred years old, so that chaos would not occur again in the Ming Dynasty court.

(End of this chapter)