I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 291 Cabinet Candidates! Who Doesn't Want to Climb the Ladder? (Happy National Day, Requesting October Monthly Tickets)
On the day.

The contents of the memorials submitted by the three Grand Secretaries were then transmitted to various government offices in the capital.

After Zhang Juzheng proposed that "the responsibilities are heavy and the power is insufficient, so it is advisable to increase the number of cabinet ministers" and the young Wanli Emperor agreed, the officials all felt that a new era of "Zhang Juzheng retiring and the young Wanli Emperor ruling in his own right" was about to arrive.

Upon hearing this news, Shen Nian was initially surprised, but then her mood gradually calmed down.

He was surprised that this happened so suddenly.

Although the Single Whip Law had been implemented nationwide, it was not yet time for Zhang Juzheng to retire. Shen Nian knew best how capable the young Wanli Emperor was.

Without Zhang Juzheng's restraint, he would very likely do many childish and thoughtless things.

As Shen Nian's mood gradually calmed down, she felt that it was not inappropriate for Zhang Juzheng to retire at this time. After serving as regent for nine years, he was indeed exhausted. Retiring at this time might preserve his reputation in his later years and prolong his life.

Zhang Juzheng's suggestion to "add more cabinet ministers" was enough to show that he was determined to leave. Coupled with the nod of the young Wanli Emperor, Shen Nianzhi's advice was useless.

What will happen to the court without Zhang Juzheng? We can only wait and see.

As for whether he can join the cabinet.

Shen Nian wanted to take a step up and believed she was qualified.

He has many new policies he wants to try, and as a cabinet minister, he will have a greater say.

……

On the sixth day of the second lunar month, there will always be a court meeting.

Pan Sheng, Minister of Rites, announced that the Gengji ceremony would be held on February 18 at the Temple of Agriculture, the Tomb Visiting ceremony would be held on March 12, the imperial examinations would proceed as scheduled, but the palace examination would be postponed to March 25 due to the Tomb Visiting ceremony.

At the same time, the young Wanli Emperor ordered his ministers to submit a memorial recommending candidates for the new cabinet ministers.

Currently, there are two main requirements for officials to join the cabinet.

First, one must be a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

There is a popular saying that "only those who have passed the imperial examination can enter the Hanlin Academy, and only those who have passed the Hanlin Academy can enter the Grand Secretariat." This is because many cabinet ministers in recent years, such as Yan Song, Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Gao Yi, Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, and Zhang Siwei, have all had experience as Hanlin Academy officials.

However, during the Jiajing reign, although cabinet ministers such as Yang Yiqing and Gui E were Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), they had no experience serving in the Hanlin Academy.

Yin Zhengmao, the current second-ranking official in the cabinet, was appointed as a supervising secretary of the Ministry of War after passing the imperial examination. He was not a Hanlin official.

Therefore, being a Hanlin official and entering the cabinet is an advantage, but it is not impossible for non-Hanlin officials to enter the cabinet, it is just that the probability is low, while the status of a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) is the minimum requirement.

Secondly, they have experience serving as high-ranking officials in their respective departments.

That is, having held high-ranking positions (left or right vice minister, minister) in important government departments such as the Six Ministries, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate, and having certain qualifications and reputation.

In addition, there are some bonus points.

For example: serving as a lecturer at the emperor's imperial lectures; ranking high in the first or second class of the imperial examinations; being recommended by cabinet ministers, etc.

Currently, there are neither too many nor too few officials who meet these two hard requirements and are qualified to compete for cabinet positions.

The eight officials included Pan Sheng, Minister of Rites; Yan Qing, Minister of Justice; Chen Kai, Left Censor-in-Chief; Wang Xijue, Left Vice Minister of Rites and concurrently Academician of the Hanlin Academy; Yu Youding, Right Vice Minister of Rites and concurrently Academician of the Hanlin Academy; Liang Menglong, Left Vice Minister of War; Liu Sijie, Left Vice Minister of Revenue; and Shen Nian, Right Vice Minister of Revenue and concurrently Academician of the Hanlin Academy.

However, this time, the number of cabinet ministers will only increase by a maximum of two.

Yan Qing and Chen Kai's qualifications and achievements are far inferior to those of Pan Sheng and Wang Xijue, so they can be directly eliminated; in addition, Liu Sijie is old and has already planned to retire, so it is impossible for him to become a cabinet minister.

After excluding these three, the cabinet members became Pan Sheng, Wang Xijue, Yu Youding, Liang Menglong, and Shen Nian.

It could be a choice of one out of five, or it could be a choice of two out of five. The choice is entirely up to the Emperor's will.

In terms of seniority, Pan Sheng and Wang Xijue are the most likely to be admitted to the cabinet; but in terms of contributions to the court, Shen Nian can be said to be the one with the biggest gap in the past five years.

However, Yu Youding is mature and prudent in his work, and Liang Menglong is known for his well-organized administration of the Ministry of War. Both are talented in both civil and military affairs, so it is not impossible for either of them to enter the cabinet.

Among the five, Shen Nian has the advantage of contributing, but also has a huge weakness.

That's because they're too young!

If he were to enter the cabinet at the age of 31 and become a cabinet minister, he would have far fewer protégés, old friends, and colleagues than the other four, making him vulnerable to being sidelined and unable to control the officials below him.

People like Zhang Juzheng could make Qi Jiguang, the general of Jizhou, call himself "my little dog Qi"; people like Yin Zhengmao could keep the Ministry of Revenue's purse strings so tightly that even Feng Bao, the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, would avoid him; people like Shen Shixing, who seemed to be just filling a position in the cabinet, actually had many officials under his command and was the leader of the Qingliu faction. In addition, his status as the top scholar in the imperial examination gave him a strong deterrent advantage over Wang Xijue, the second-place scholar, and Yu Youding, the third-place scholar in the same year.

Shen Nian's weakness lay in the fact that after Zhang Juzheng retired, he was all alone and had no influence whatsoever.

He was like Zhang Juzheng in terms of strategy, but more like Yin Zhengmao in terms of personality.

Because he always did things that benefited the people but harmed the scholars, and because he was too good at debating and showed his sharp tongue in the court, he was actually disliked by many officials.

The officials disliked Shen Nian but couldn't do anything about it because Shen Nian had the support of the three Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet and the young Wanli Emperor.

……

On the seventh day of the second month, officials in the capital began to submit memorials to nominate new cabinet ministers.

at the same time.

Discussions about the selection of the new cabinet minister have become a hot topic in various government offices and even in restaurants and teahouses on the street.

Shen Nian had to admit that there were advantages to having served in officialdom for a long time.

Pan Sheng, Wang Xijue, Yu Youding, and Liang Menglong didn't need any mobilization; their classmates, fellow townsmen, students, and old friends in the capital openly expressed their support for their entry into the cabinet.

Some officials have stated that Pan Sheng, as the second-place scholar in the imperial examination of the 20th year of the Jiajing reign, a veteran of three reigns, and twice serving as Minister of Rites, has made contributions no less than those of Yin Zhengmao and Shen Shixing, and is the only candidate to be appointed to the cabinet at present.

Some officials said that Wang Xijue, as the second-place scholar in the imperial examination of the 41st year of the Jiajing reign, successively served as the director of studies at the Nanjing Imperial Academy, the director of studies at the Beijing Imperial Academy, and the chief minister. He made great contributions in selecting virtuous and capable officials. Moreover, he once offended the former Grand Secretary Gao Gong because of the imperial examination. If he had not been demoted, he should have entered the cabinet earlier than Shen Shixing. He was truly a hidden gem outside the cabinet.

Some officials said that Yu Youding, who was the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examination in the forty-first year of the Jiajing reign, reformed the education system during his tenure as the Chancellor of the Nanjing Imperial Academy. He also served as a lecturer during the reign of the young Wanli Emperor when he was still the Crown Prince. He never boasted about his achievements and was truly the best candidate for a cabinet minister.

Some officials said that Liang Menglong, as a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the thirty-second year of the Jiajing reign, was not only well-versed in literature but also in military affairs, and was a pillar of the Ministry of War. In recent years, the court has attached great importance to military affairs, and Liang Menglong should have a place in the cabinet.

Officials praised the first four cabinet candidates, highlighting their achievements.

But when it comes to Shen Nian, the style changes abruptly.

Some say that Shen Nian was merely a third-class Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), who gained favor through his daily lectures at the Imperial Academy. He was skilled in strategy but not in governing. Furthermore, Shen Nian loved debate, did not conceal his sharp tongue, often spoke rudely, and even liked to resort to violence. He was not a model minister and was not suitable for a position in the cabinet.

The reason why all the comments about Shen Nian are negative is that...

On the one hand, Shen Nian's political achievements were too outstanding, and without criticizing him, it would be difficult for others to rise to power; on the other hand, Shen Nian was too young, which made many officials with more seniority feel that it would be an insult for them to have Shen Nian join the cabinet and for them to bow down and call him Grand Secretary.

Most importantly, many of Shen Nian's strategies were based on the idea of ​​"making officials suffer even more for the sake of the people," which was something that many officials were unwilling to accept.

Of course, there were also those who strongly supported Shen Nian's appointment to the cabinet as a regent. For example, Hanlin officials such as Wang Jiaping, Zhao Yongxian, and Wang Zudi, but their voices were still too weak.

While various government offices in the capital were buzzing with discussions about the selection of cabinet ministers, the streets were also bustling with activity.

Some tabloids printed the achievements of Pan Sheng, Wang Xijue, Yu Youding and others, and they wanted to write down "submitting a memorial of impeachment and seconding a new policy" in order to win the support of the people.

After all, public opinion is also very important.

These actions were most likely not instigated by Pan Sheng, Wang Xijue, Yu Youding, or others, but they must have been carried out by people close to them.

They did this so that if one person attained enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs would benefit.

To be a cabinet minister, personal excellence is not enough; one must also have influence.

On the streets, Shen Nian's advantages became apparent.

Countless ordinary scholars wrote articles in support of Shen Nian's entry into the cabinet. They believed that with Shen Nian's entry, they would be able to enjoy a better life much sooner.

Among the common people on the streets of the capital, the combined support rate for Pan Sheng and the other three was less than that for Shen Nian, a stark contrast to their support rate in the imperial court.

Soon after, Shen Shixing also expressed his opinion.

At present, Shen Shixing's position in the cabinet is lower than that of Yin Zhengmao, but once Zhang Juzheng retires, Shen Shixing will definitely be promoted to Grand Secretary immediately, because there are many official duties that Shen Shixing can do that Yin Zhengmao cannot.

Yin Zhengmao was still able to hold a cabinet position because no one was more capable than him of managing the court's purse strings.

Therefore, his statement is very important.

Shen Shixing publicly recommended Wang Xijue and Yu Youding to join the cabinet.

The reason is that the higher the cooperation between cabinet ministers, the higher the efficiency of cabinet governance. He, Wang Xijue, and Yu Youding were all born in the same year, and the three of them formed the top three scholars in the imperial examination. If all three of them could become cabinet ministers, it would definitely be a great story.

Shen Shixing did not support Shen Nian because the cabinet already had the hot-tempered Yin Zhengmao, and he felt that if there were another Shen Nian, it would be difficult to control.

Shen Nian's ideas are too wild!

When Shen Shixing was still in the Hanlin Academy, Shen Nian once told him some ideas such as "raising the salaries of officials collectively, emphasizing commerce over agriculture, making the imperial family fend for themselves, and valuing industry over scholars." Shen Shixing scoffed at these ideas and could not accept them.

After Shen Shixing made his statement, Yin Zhengmao also made his statement.

When Yin Zhengmao submitted his memorial to the Court of Judicial Review, he said directly in front of many officials: "There is no minister in the court as capable as Shen Ziheng. If he is not allowed to enter the cabinet, who is worthy of entering the cabinet!"

As for Zhang Juzheng, he has already expressed his opinion, but has not publicly stated who he supports.

Officials speculated that Zhang Juzheng would definitely support Shen Nian's entry into the cabinet, since Zhang Juzheng had been grooming Shen Nian as a "young Zhang Juzheng".

……

On the ninth day of the second lunar month, the first imperial examination of the Gengchen year began.

Inside the Wenhua Hall.

As the young Wanli Emperor gazed at the stacks of memorials recommending new cabinet ministers, he couldn't help but feel conflicted.

Among the memorials, the number of officials supporting Pan Sheng and Wang Xijue was the largest, followed by Yu Youding, Shen Nian was second to last, and Liang Menglong was last.

However, the voices of the people on the streets of the capital supporting Shen Nian's appointment to the cabinet completely suppressed the voices supporting other officials.

Emperor Wanli had always favored Shen Nian joining the cabinet.

He even fantasized many times about working with Shen Nian in court to handle state affairs after he assumed power.

In his heart, Shen Nian was both his teacher and friend, and they got along well and comfortably. With Shen Nian's talent, he was sure that she could help him achieve great things.

However, after seeing that many officials opposed Shen Nian's entry into the cabinet, the young Wanli Emperor hesitated.

Based on such approval ratings, there are only two possibilities after Shen Nian enters the cabinet: either he will be sidelined by the officials, or he will subdue them all.

The young Wanli Emperor believed more in the second possibility, but he also disliked it.

He did not want Shen Nian to become the next Zhang Juzheng, nor did he want to have to ask, "What does Grand Secretary Shen think?" even after he had assumed power.

But Shen Nian's abilities and personality seem to be geared towards becoming an even more powerful Zhang Juzheng.

The young Wanli Emperor looked at Feng Bao, who was serving him.

"Master, do you think it's appropriate for Minister Shen to join the cabinet at this time?"

Feng Bao thought for a moment and replied, “Your Majesty, although Scholar Shen is young, his aura is unmatched by ordinary people. If he enters the cabinet, I am afraid that Grand Secretary Shen will not be able to control him, and Grand Secretary Yin will definitely agree with Scholar Shen on everything. This may make Scholar Shen have the power of Grand Secretary without the title of Grand Secretary.”

"This old servant believes that after Your Majesty assumes personal rule, the first thing you should do is to have the ability to make decisions independently and control the entire court. It would be best to wait until you have the power in your hands like Emperor Shizong before appointing Scholar Shen to the cabinet. After all, Scholar Shen is still young and will have plenty of opportunities in the future."

At this moment, Feng Bao was in a state of neither competing nor vying for anything.

He hopes that his future will be smooth sailing.

He knew that Shen Nian's entry into the cabinet would inevitably cause trouble, and might even strip the Directorate of Ceremonial of its political power. In order to live out his old age in peace, he hoped that Shen Nian could enter the cabinet later.

Upon hearing these words, the young Wanli Emperor neither nodded nor shook his head, but instead opened the memorial that Zhang Juzheng had submitted the day before.

Zhang Juzheng strongly recommended Shen Nian to join the cabinet.

He said that if one person were to be admitted to the cabinet, it would be Shen Nian; if two people were to be admitted, then Wang Xijue would be added.

Because the two men were capable of bringing new ideas to the reforms, while Pan Sheng, Yu Youding, and Liang Menglong, who were appointed to the cabinet to assist in governance, only had a defensive posture and no offensive one.

He even claimed that Shen Shixing's appointment as Grand Secretary was merely a transitional step, and that the future Grand Secretary would inevitably be Shen Nian. Only in this way could the Ming Dynasty create a golden age and achieve the goal of ensuring that all the people in the world could have enough to eat.

Little Wanli curled his lips slightly.

Zhang Juzheng's words hurt him somewhat; in Zhang Juzheng's eyes, it seemed that Shen Nian was his most outstanding student.

Emperor Wanli pondered for a full quarter of an hour before looking at Feng Bao.

"Your Excellency, tomorrow's lecture is canceled. Notify Pan, Wang, Yu, Liang, and Shen to come to the Wenhua Hall for an audience tomorrow morning. I want to have a separate talk with each of them." At this moment, the young Wanli Emperor no longer blindly followed Zhang Juzheng's words; he had his own ideas.

"This old servant obeys!" Feng Bao said, bowing.

At this moment, Feng Bao was a little flustered. When he was summoned for an audience, Shen Nian, though young, was definitely more eloquent than the other four. If Shen Nian entered the cabinet, Feng Bao's later years might not be peaceful.

……

Note: According to historical records, Pan Sheng and Yu Youding both entered the cabinet in June of the tenth year of the Wanli reign, Wang Xijue entered the cabinet in the twelfth year of the Wanli reign, and Liang Menglong did not enter the cabinet. Then, in the tenth year of the Wanli reign, he was appointed Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince as Minister of Personnel and was respectfully called Grand Secretary Liang.

(End of this chapter)