My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 356 The Legend of the Ministry of Personnel, Part Two

Memorial Requesting the Crown Prince to Receive the Younger Brother of the King of Joseon

——[Simulation Start]——

The memorial requesting the Crown Prince to receive the younger brother of the King of Joseon was delivered to the Cabinet.

The cabinet ministers agree with your memorial and also believe that the Crown Prince's political abilities should be developed by having him participate more in such ceremonial activities.

The cabinet ministers also began to worry about the Longqing Emperor's health. This month, the Longqing Emperor has summoned the imperial physicians twice, and the cabinet ministers are deeply concerned about this.

The Longqing Emperor has approved your memorial.

——[Simulation End]——

[Remaining Prestige: 1110.]

The memorial has been approved.

Su Ze looked at the system. Was the Emperor unwell?
Su Ze sighed slightly. With the lifestyle of the Ming emperors, it was really difficult for them to live long lives.

The food in the palace was quite greasy, and Su Ze was reluctant to touch the dishes that were bestowed upon him by the palace. As a result of such heavy eating, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty was basically overweight.

The Longqing Emperor was a fat man.

Being overweight is bad enough, but she also lacks regular exercise and eats a lot of sweets.

If that were all, it wouldn't be so bad. But then Emperor Longqing also liked to concoct elixirs for himself. With heavy metal poisoning, poor diet, and unhealthy lifestyle habits, it would be a miracle if he lived a long life.

Su Ze put aside his worries; the emperor's health was not something he, a fifth-rank official, needed to worry about.

Anyway, he had already fulfilled Xiao Pangjun's request, and now he just had to wait for the Crown Prince of Joseon to arrive in the capital.
-
On September 17, King Gojong's younger brother, Prince Haneung (Yi Jin), arrived in the capital accompanied by the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

This younger brother of the Korean king had already learned etiquette on the way.

The Crown Prince ascended the throne in the Wenhua Hall, wearing a leather cap, a formal dress worn on important occasions.

The emperor's leather cap was custom-made with twelve stitches of five-colored jade on a black gauze leather cap, and was matched with a crimson gauze robe, a plain skirt, and a white jade pendant.

The Crown Prince was demoted to a low-ranking official and sat sideways in the Wenhua Hall, which was regarded as receiving rites on behalf of the Emperor.

The younger brother of the King of Joseon bowed and kowtowed four times to the Crown Prince. Immediately afterwards, the Crown Prince held a banquet in the east corridor of the Wenhua Hall, using silver platters, with civil and military officials of the third rank and above in attendance.

As an official under the Crown Prince, Su Ze also participated in the ceremony. Watching the chubby little Jun on the throne being so serious and meticulous, he put in a lot of effort to watch the show.

The senior ministers and high-ranking officials present all showed expressions of delight.

The Crown Prince is so intelligent and passionate about state affairs; this is a blessing for the Ming Dynasty.

After the banquet, the Crown Prince announced that a theatrical troupe would be set up in the Eastern Palace to perform the most popular play in the capital, "The Peony Pavilion".

The younger brother of the King of Joseon was overjoyed upon hearing this and bowed to the Crown Prince again in gratitude.

After the banquet, the younger brother of the Korean king suddenly stepped forward, knelt before the crown prince, and said:
"I am deeply humbled by the fact that the Crown Prince personally welcomed us. It is truly a blessing that a small and insignificant country like Korea has been able to receive the protection of such a great power!"

Lord Heling, Li Lin, spoke fluent Chinese and showered the little fat Jun with flattery, making him smile from ear to ear.

Li Lin then said, "Before coming to the Celestial Empire, my brother instructed me to pay my respects to His Majesty and personally present the state gifts. Would Your Highness grant me this wish?"

After hearing this, Xiao Pangjun frowned and instinctively looked at Su Ze in the crowd.

Want to see the emperor?

Su Ze recalled the intelligence sent back by the Korean Ministry of State Affairs and instantly understood Li Lin's intentions.

Like the Jiajing Emperor, the King of Joseon inherited the throne because the previous king had no heir.

This Korean king faces the same problem as his predecessor: he has no children to this day.

This is a real headache.

Because the previous king had no heir, the yangban ministers of Korea fought for many years, tearing the entire Korean political situation apart.

Therefore, the courtiers were also afraid of encountering such a situation again, so a faction of ministers in Korea proposed that the King of Korea first appoint Yi Lin as the crown prince.

In this way, if the King of Joseon were to suddenly pass away, there would be no need to fight for the throne again.

Li Lin's mission to the Ming Dynasty to meet with the Longqing Emperor was clearly aimed at obtaining the emperor's endorsement.

If he returns to Korea, he can win over that faction of ministers and solidify his position as the heir to the throne.

Su Ze met Xiao Pangjun's gaze and shook his head slightly.

Little Fatty Jun immediately understood and said:
"Lord Heling requests to see the Emperor. The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies can simply convey this request to the Emperor. Today, I will watch the play with Lord Heling!"

Li Lin had not expected that this young Ming crown prince would be so cautious, giving him no chance at all. He had no choice but to abandon his plan and continue to sit down and chat.

The high-ranking officials present all smiled, for the Crown Prince was so talented in politics; the Ming Dynasty was truly blessed!
-
Next, the group arrived at the East Palace, where Zhang Hong had already directed the craftsmen to set up a stage.

The members of the Chongwenmen Opera Troupe were extremely excited; they never imagined that they would be performing in the Imperial Palace.

The troupe leader glanced at Tang Xianzu in the corner and quickly went over to him, offering words of concern and care:

"Why is Mr. Tang looking so worried? Today's performance at the East Palace is a great opportunity to shine!"

"Mr. Tang was personally summoned by the Crown Prince. He may be invited to a dialogue after the performance. Congratulations, Mr. Tang!"

In the eyes of the troupe leader, Tang Xianzu had struck it lucky.

Tang Xianzu was a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial civil service examination). If he could be valued by the Crown Prince, he could directly become an official. Isn't that better than taking the imperial examination?

In the eyes of the opera troupe members, as long as one becomes an official, one is a master, and there is no difference between a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and a Juren (successful candidate in the provincial imperial examination) becoming an official.

Moreover, those whom the Crown Prince values ​​should be given official positions as early as possible!
Before the troupe leader could say anything more, Tang Xianzu said coldly:
"Honey, shouldn't you prepare some more? We don't want anything to go wrong on stage."

The troupe leader cursed inwardly. The Peking Opera world is full of superstitions. If Tang Xianzu had said these things backstage, an ordinary actor would have been kicked out by the leader long ago.

Because of his status as a scholar, the head of the household dared not offend him.

Tang Xianzu was known for his sharp and sarcastic remarks, and the head of the opera troupe was well aware of this, but no one expected him to throw such a tantrum in the Eastern Palace.

After the master left, Zhang Hong, the eunuch serving the crown prince, hurriedly went backstage:

"Hurry up, His Highness is about to return to the palace!"

The opera troupe's backstage area immediately became busy, leaving only Tang Xianzu sitting in a corner.

Despite being a talented scholar, Tang Xianzu was naturally unruly.

If he hadn't been short of money back then, he wouldn't have sold the script to the opera troupe.

Now that the opera troupe has become famous, Tang Xianzu has also gained considerable wealth, and high-ranking officials and dignitaries have invited him to visit.

However, these high-ranking officials and nobles all regarded themselves as scholars like actors and court jesters, which made Tang Xianzu very angry.

Therefore, Tang Xianzu was not too excited when summoned by the Crown Prince today.

What he wanted was to come to the Eastern Palace to pay homage to the Crown Prince as a high-ranking official of the court, not as a court jester as he was doing now.

Front desk.

At the command of Crown Prince Zhu Yijun, the opera troupe began to perform.

For Xiao Pangjun, this was the first time the East Palace had been so lively. He stared intently at the stage, watching the actors take turns performing "The Peony Pavilion".

Too beautiful!

For Xiao Pangjun, he was the crown prince and had received strict education since childhood, so he dared not do anything that would violate his status.

He studied and practiced calligraphy from a young age, and even when he developed frostbite from practicing calligraphy in the winter, he dared not stop.

As the crown prince, he had lived in the palace since childhood. After being formally enfeoffed, he lived in the Eastern Palace, still within the imperial palace. In the Forbidden City, watching a play was a luxury for Zhu Yijun. He watched the stage intently, listening to the play with great concentration.

At first, Li Lin, the Prince of Heling, was full of ideas about how to get an audience with the Emperor of Ming, but he was soon drawn to the stage and became completely captivated by it.

When Tang Xianzu's Peony Pavilion was introduced to Korea, some Korean opera troupes tried to perform it, but none of them could compare with the Chongwenmen Opera Troupe.

The singing style and melody are like celestial music; it's a pleasure to listen to no matter how you listen to it!
As expected of the Ming Dynasty!

After witnessing the prosperity of the capital, King Yi Lin of Ha-neung suddenly felt that being the ruler of Joseon was meaningless. He preferred to be a wealthy and idle man in the capital of the Ming Dynasty rather than a local tyrant in the countryside.

Li Lin was also immersed in the play, and soon it was time for dinner.

Zhu Yijun, still not satisfied, asked the opera troupe to pause.

At this moment, Li Lin said:
"Your Highness, I have heard that the great scholar Tang, who wrote 'The Peony Pavilion,' is also in the capital. May I have the honor of meeting him?"

Zhu Yijun smiled and said:
"What's so difficult about that! Tang Xianzu is right here in the Eastern Palace today!"

"Zhang Hong, please invite Mr. Tang up."

"As ordered."

A short while later, a young man dressed in a scholar's robe came from backstage of the opera troupe to stand before the prince.

Seeing Tang Xianzu's outstanding demeanor and appearance, Li Lin was even more excited. "Is this the kind of dashing figure of the Ming Dynasty?!"

So this is what China is like!

Tang Xianzu remained remarkably calm, bowing respectfully to the Crown Prince and the distinguished guests.

Yi Lin suddenly said, "Your Highness, I happen to be here today for a grand event. Could you please ask Mr. Tang to compose a piece of music to record this scene? So that when I return to Joseon, I can often recall this moment."

The crown prince waved his hand and said:
"Of course, Mr. Tang, please compose a song to celebrate this day!"

Tang Xianzu frowned slightly.

He always felt that he was full of talent, but the crown prince treated him as a mere lyricist, which made him even more resentful.

So Tang Xianzu thought for a moment and then said:
"A heart full of eloquence goes unappreciated, yet the jade steps are used as a stage for entertainment."

The ink and smoke under the brush turn into rubble, and the powder and ink in front of the palace cover the helmet.

Talent is wasted in the mirror, and the years pass by in the shadow of the imperial steps.

Amidst the resounding music and revelry, who has cast the skilled craftsman as a puppeteer?

Zhu Yijun's literary skills were limited; he only thought the lyrics and music were ornate and applauded.

Li Lin, though not highly proficient in classical Chinese, also found the words and phrases beautiful and praised them as well.

However, the officials present wore strange expressions.

Su Ze frowned and looked at Tang Xianzu. If it was just arrogance, that would be one thing, but to compose such lyrics and music in front of the Crown Prince was a bit provocative.

The first line, "His brilliant mind and eloquent words go unappreciated," is an allusion to the fact that his talent for governing the country goes unrecognized.

The phrase "powdered face covering helmet in front of the palace" is even more offensive.

"Doumou" refers to a military helmet, used metaphorically to represent important responsibilities in the imperial court; "Fenmo" refers to the costumes of actors, implying that truly talented people can only approach the center of power as entertainers.

Su Ze looked at Yang Sizhong, the Minister of Personnel, who was standing behind the Crown Prince. This was a slap in the face to the Grand Chancellor!
Isn't this a blatant admission that the imperial court has problems with its talent selection process?
Su Ze recalled that the talented scholar Yuan Shikong had also been demoted to Xuwen County not long after becoming an official. His words were too offensive.

However, when Su Ze looked at Yang Sizhong, the Minister of Personnel, there was no unusual expression on his face.

As expected of the Grand Chancellor, he doesn't even get angry. Su Ze could only admire Yang Sizhong's composure.

The Crown Prince asked Tang Xianzu many more questions, which Tang Xianzu answered. During the banquet, the Crown Prince invited Tang Xianzu to join him, and even subtly suggested that he wanted to recruit Tang Xianzu as a court attendant.

However, Tang Xianzu still declined the Crown Prince's offer, which made Xiao Pangjun somewhat disappointed. But at this time, Xiao Pangjun was more concerned about watching the play, so he did not continue to invite Tang Xianzu.

The opera continued to be performed at the Crown Prince's Palace that evening, while the high-ranking officials took their leave.

After leaving the Eastern Palace, Yang Sizhong did not return directly to his residence, but went to the Ministry of Personnel.

Although it was already dark, Zhang Siwei, the official in charge of selecting officials, still did not leave. Since the new policies were implemented, the Ministry of Personnel had actually gained the most power.

The additional positions created by the new policy all need to be appointed by the Ministry of Personnel.

Zhang Siwei has been working overtime these days, preparing for the second Shandong civil service examination.

"Grand Secretary, why are you back at the headquarters?"

Zhang Siwei quickly welcomed Yang Sizhong into his official residence.

Yang Sizhong asked casually:
"A few days ago, the Korean Ministry of State Affairs sent a letter. Didn't Chief Feng Xueyan say that there was a shortage of officials?"

Zhang Siwei said with a bitter face:
"I'm sorry to trouble you, Grand Chancellor, for remembering this matter. I'm also struggling with this issue."

"Our Ming Dynasty officials are unwilling to leave the capital, let alone be sent to other countries. The Ministry of Personnel has drafted several candidates, but before they could be announced, people came knocking on our door. We still haven't been able to make a decision."

Then Zhang Siwei looked at Yang Sizhong and asked cautiously:

"Does the Grand Chancellor have someone in mind?"

"Yes, yes."

Yang Sizhong said:

"At the banquet held at the Eastern Palace today, the entire Korean delegation held Tang Xianzu in high esteem. He was a scholar who passed the imperial examination, right? Shouldn't he be eligible for a foreign posting?"

Upon hearing Tang Xianzu's name, Zhang Siwei frowned and said:
"But I've heard that Tang Xianzu is preparing to participate in next year's imperial examination. Surely the court can't dissuade him from his plans?"

Yang Sizhong, however, said:
“That’s easy. Just send Tang Xianzu to Korea first, and then let him come back next year to take the imperial examination.”

Zhang Siwei said:

"Grand Chancellor, isn't this against precedent?"

The officialdom of the Ming Dynasty placed great importance on "origin," and truly high-ranking positions were almost entirely monopolized by those who had passed the imperial examinations.

Even now, academic qualifications have extended to the "Shujishi" (庶吉士).

Only those who repeatedly failed the imperial examinations and saw no hope were willing to be granted official positions, which essentially meant bidding farewell to the imperial examination system.

Yang Sizhong said:

“That’s easy. Just send Tang Xianzu as an unofficial member of the Korean Ministry of State Affairs under the pretext of cultural exchange with Korea.”

Zhang Siwei said in a daze:

"Would Tang Xianzu be willing to go?"

“His merits in Korea can be recognized, and when he passes the imperial examination in the future, he can be spared the hardship of being selected as an official.”

Yang Sizhong patted Zhang Siwei on the shoulder again and said:

"I have high hopes for you."

Upon hearing his superior's words, Zhang Siwei dared not say anything more and could only bow and agree.
-
On September 23, the Korean delegation, having enjoyed themselves immensely, returned to Korea from the capital.

News came from the capital that Tang Xianzu, the author of "The Peony Pavilion," who had recently gained fame, had also been invited to go to Korea.

The Chongwenmen Opera Troupe performed at the East Palace for two days and nights, immediately becoming the most popular troupe in the capital, and the troupe leader was all smiles.

Meanwhile, representatives of officials and gentry from Jiangnan also arrived in Zhigu by boat and would soon travel to the capital.

(End of this chapter)