Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 248 Reactions from All Sides, Gu Tingye Returns!

The second day of the second month of the third year of the Xifeng era.

An imperial edict appointing officials was issued from the Secretariat.

In just half a day, everyone, from top to bottom, civil and military officials, was greatly impressed.

There was no other reason than that Jiang Zhao, a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, was appointed as the Envoy of the Southern Court of Xuanhui!
It should be noted that the position of Xuanhui Southern Court Envoy has always been one of the concurrent positions held by the Grand Chancellor and the Grand Preceptor, and it is usually not held by anyone other than the Grand Chancellor and the Grand Preceptor.

Conversely, the occasional one or two exceptions often signify an unusual political trend.

Alternatively, it could be that the emperor is dissatisfied with the actions of the Grand Chancellor and intends to remove him from his position.

Alternatively, this could be the government selecting the next Grand Secretary and intentionally testing public opinion.

Just like in the third year of the Huangyou reign, Fu Bi, the Minister of Personnel, was appointed as the Envoy of the Southern Court of Xuanhui. In essence, this was because the late emperor intended to appoint Fu Bi as the head of all officials, and deliberately released some information to test public opinion.

Ultimately, it turned out that the impact of the Qingli Reforms had gradually faded, public opinion was not strong, and Fu Bi rose to power overnight, becoming the prime minister.

Now, the Emperor has specially appointed Jiang Zhao to concurrently serve as the Commissioner of the Southern Court of Xuanhui, and the implications of this are quite obvious.

Jiang Zhao is the designated successor to the position of Grand Secretary, the head of all officials!

For a time, people from all walks of life, both the common people and the government, expressed their opinions and engaged in endless discussions.

Jiying Lane, Sheng Mansion.

Shou'an Hall.

Old Madam Sheng, Sheng Hong, Sheng Changbai, Wang Ruofu, and Hai Shi all gathered together.

"He took charge of the cabinet and thus became the Grand Secretary!"

Sheng Changbai looked on with admiration and exclaimed, "Brother-in-law, you are a man of extraordinary talent!"

They're both in their thirties, yet the difference between them is like heaven and earth.

Sheng Changbai considered himself to be a person with a talent for studying. He passed the imperial examination in his early twenties and entered officialdom.

A junior scholar in his early twenties is considered a promising young man with great potential, but compared to his brother-in-law, he is incomparable.

At the age of twelve, he was a prodigy in Huaihe River Valley, and his fame spread throughout the land.

In his early twenties, he expanded the territory, donned a purple robe, and governed a region.

Around the age of thirty, he entered the cabinet and became a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion.

At the age of thirty-one, he was a key minister of the state, shouldering the heavy responsibility of reform and concurrently serving as the Commissioner of the Southern Court of Xuanhui.

Such a life experience is simply outrageous. Whether it was his student life before entering officialdom or his official career, it was a first-rate existence.

Some of these gaps, the more you think about them, the more despairing they become.

I can only admire them!

"The Envoy of the Southern Court of Xuanhui!"

Sheng Hong stroked his beard and couldn't help but agree, "Zhao'er is quite capable, and Your Majesty is indeed a man of great courage."

As a scholar-official, Sheng Hong was naturally aware of the meaning of "Envoy of the Southern Court of Xuanhui".

This means ruling the world, it means being the head of all officials!
The last major performance evaluation was in the first year of the Xifeng reign. The performance evaluation was held every three years, and the following year was the fourth year of the Xifeng reign.

This means that if the eldest son-in-law retires next year, the eldest son-in-law can take advantage of the situation and rise to a position second only to the emperor!

However, the eldest son-in-law will be thirty-two years old next year.

To put a 32-year-old in charge of the country is an absolutely bold move.

The Emperor Zhao Ceying truly lives up to his reputation as someone who stood out among the five imperial clan members. He's quite impressive!

“Of course, I have good judgment too,” Sheng Hong quickly added.

The eldest daughter of a sixth-rank official is betrothed to the only disciple of a second-rank official through marriage; this is undoubtedly a way for her to climb the social ladder.

Can you say that I, Master Sheng Hong, didn't contribute to this?
"Hong'er's judgment is certainly not bad," said Old Madam Sheng with a smile, sipping her tea.

As a child who grew up under her care, Sheng Hong was naturally quite capable. Whether it was serving as an official or dealing with people, he was of a superior standard. Apart from the somewhat inherited tendency of "favoring concubines over wives," he had no major flaws.

Even their ability to plan for their children is top-notch.

The Sheng family, consisting of two sons and four daughters, lived quite comfortably, except for Sheng Molan, who had a secret affair with them.

In truth, Sheng Hong did indeed make a significant contribution.

"Ha ha!"

"Mother, you flatter me."

Sheng Hong stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

The Sheng family started out by having the father become a third-ranked scholar in the imperial examinations. Step by step, through the efforts of two generations, they finally became a family with a name and a reputation.

"I wonder when Zhao Ge'er will take office?" Wang Ruofu muttered to himself.

Since my father was carried out of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the old saying "My father deserves to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple" has been forced to stop.

Fortunately, the father couldn't manage, but the son-in-law could.

My son-in-law holds a high-ranking position!
This catchphrase is quite extraordinary, and even more intimidating.

After all, a Grand Secretary is a Grand Secretary, and Grand Secretary Jiang is Grand Secretary Jiang.

With a muttered sound, everyone turned to look at him.

Sheng Hong tugged at his beard, waved his hand, and laughed, "It's still early!"

As a husband, he was well aware of his wife's little thoughts.

If Zhao Ge'er were to take charge of the cabinet, his catchphrase could be "upgraded" to something else entirely.

"With the reforms still undecided, the Grand Chancellor will certainly try his best to maintain control of the overall situation."

Sheng Changbai pondered for a moment and then analyzed, "It's highly unlikely that the eldest son will retire in the next year or two."

"In fact, the reason why Grand Master Han did not step down for so long was not because he was attached to the power he held, but because he wanted to 'protect' his disciple."

"Firstly, if Grand Chancellor Han were in the cabinet, he could secretly support my brother-in-law and ensure that his decrees are implemented without any hindrance."

Secondly, if her brother-in-law's reforms fail, then Grand Chancellor Han, as the head of all officials and a conservative, could at least protect him and give him a chance to make a comeback.

"Therefore, as long as his term of office is not over, Grand Chancellor Han will certainly not retire early," Sheng Changbai said.

Wang Ruofu looked bewildered and nodded repeatedly.

Anyway, I can't understand it!

Hai Chaoyun held the handkerchief, smiling silently.

Cousin, are you already about to become the "first minister"?
Life is getting better and better!
The study in the Han residence.

The window lattice was half-closed, and the fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air.

On a small table about ten feet long, several sheets of paper were spread out. Jiang Zhao and Han Zhang took up their brushes and occasionally wrote words.

"The Grand Chancellor, the ruler of the realm!"

"Are you feeling any pressure?" Han Zhang stroked his beard and asked with a smile.

As the chief minister and the one who spearheaded the reforms, Han Zhang understood his disciples' psychology very well.

There was excitement, pressure, and fear!

The main reason for this is that once one sits in the position of the head of all officials, one has to consider an age-old problem—the struggle between the power of the monarch and the power of the prime minister.

As the head of all officials, he is second only to the emperor and above all others.

However, this does not mean that the position of prime minister is easy to hold.

As the most powerful minister, he was destined to be feared by the emperor.

Throughout history, the struggle between the monarch and the prime minister has been endless.

When the ruler is weak, the ministers are strong; when the ministers are weak, the ruler is strong. This is a pain point unique to the chief minister.

This naturally creates pressure or even fear.

"Ugh!"

Jiang Zhao sighed and frowned, saying, "I wonder how you resolved the conflict between the emperor and the prime minister?"

His need for foresight forced him to carefully consider the issues of imperial power and ministerial power, lest he make a mistake that would lead to eternal regret.

"I don't know." Han Zhang shook his head decisively.

"what?"

Jiang Zhao was taken aback, somewhat surprised.

For eleven years since the third year of the Jiayou reign, such a person did not know how to resolve the conflict between the power of the emperor and the power of the prime minister.
“I am an exception among the prime ministers.” Han Zhang shook his head and said calmly, “Generally speaking, the cabinet system would not allow anyone to rule the country for more than ten years.”

The fact that the prime minister held power over the country for more than ten years means that the power of the prime minister may have surpassed that of the emperor.

Generally speaking, the emperor would not allow such a person to exist.

However, Han Zhang is a special case.

At the beginning of his reign, the previous emperor had no son, and his authority declined; in the middle of his reign, he was involved in the change of monarchical power; and at the end of his reign, he was involved in reforms and innovations.

This reduced the conflict between the power of the emperor and the power of the prime minister, thus creating a "loyal minister type" prime minister who ruled the country for more than ten years.

With the state in turmoil and the emperor having no interest in vying for power, it meant that Han Zhang only needed to consider "suppressing" the officials, and did not need to consider the struggle between imperial power and the power of the prime minister.

Jiang Zhao clicked his tongue and nodded knowingly.

"The position of Grand Secretary is not easy to hold!"

"It's difficult!"

Jiang Zhao shook his head repeatedly and couldn't help but sigh.

The position of Grand Secretary not only involves overseeing the two capitals and fourteen circuits, but also requires consideration of imperial power; it is truly not an easy task!

What's so difficult about it?

Han Zhang shook his head and said with a look of satisfaction, "Zhao'er can even succeed in reforming the law, so the mere struggle for the power of the emperor and the prime minister is naturally not a problem."

As someone who oversaw the Qingli Reforms, Han Zhang was naturally familiar with the relevant stages of the reform: preparation, pilot programs, implementation, consolidation, and conclusion!
This is the standard procedure for reform.

Among them, the "implementation" stage involves the restructuring of the interest structure, which encounters the greatest opposition and the most intense voices of opposition, and the most concentrated outbreak of social conflicts.

Throughout history, 99% of reforms failed at the "implementation" stage.

Even the Qingli Reforms were no exception.

Conversely, if the social contradictions in the "implementation" stage are resolved, the reform will most likely succeed.

Currently, the brilliant move of focusing on heavy industry and commerce has reduced the number of opponents by more than half, and even the land survey can be carried out, which shows that the reform has already achieved considerable success.

Reform is possible!
Even reforms can be accomplished; the power struggle between the emperor and the prime minister is no challenge at all.

Jiang Zhao remained silent.

I reckon we should start by making empty promises to each other, finding common ground, and using the eight-character mantra.

Get the right perspective and the right mindset!
Wenfu.

A gentle breeze blows, and the bamboo forest undulates.

A wooden table, about ten feet long, lay across the room.

Wen Yanbo, a Grand Academician of the Jixian Hall, rose and gazed into the distance with his hands behind his back.

As the most senior Grand Secretary in the Cabinet besides Han Zhang, Wen Yanbo can be described as an evergreen figure in the officialdom.

For someone serving in the officialdom, it would be a lie to say that they have no desire for the position of the head of all officials.

Unfortunately, the emperor was taking sides!
"Ugh!"

With a sigh, Wen Yanbo shook his head.

difficult!
Given Jiang Zichuan's status as a "favored minister" and a key figure in the reform movement, it would be extremely difficult for him to seize the position of Grand Secretary.

If something is impossible, the only option is to avoid it.

but
Wen Yanbo pondered for a moment and said in a low voice, "In the official career, being ahead for a short time doesn't mean anything."

"What matters most is longevity!"

"Just watch as his building rises and falls!"

Indeed, Jiang Zichuan is currently enjoying great favor from the emperor.

However, according to conventional wisdom, even with the strongest imperial favor, one could only hold power for six years before retiring in glory.

He might be able to wait!
Lighten corvée labor, reduce taxes, emphasize the economy, and prioritize agriculture and sericulture!

This is the general layout of the third year of the Xifeng era.

Compared to the previous year, the policies of the third year of the Xifeng reign were mainly "moderate".

In other words, the third year of the Xifeng reign was a year of "stability maintenance," with the main focus being on preserving the achievements of the previous year's reforms.

As a result, since the beginning of February, the cabinet has issued almost no major decrees.

Time flies, and it's already the end of October.

Late October, Bian River.

The river ripples gently, and the large ship floats lightly.

At a glance, there were dozens or even hundreds of large ships with masts standing tall, each over ten feet long.

Judging from their appearance alone, some were cargo ships, some were warships, and some were watercraft.

Grain transport boats, warships used for fighting, and watercraft used for transporting water.

In terms of ship configuration alone, it is absolutely a top-notch large-scale and grand-scale operation.

From time to time, peddlers and ordinary people would stand and gaze into the distance, secretly astonished and staring intently.

"Tie the rope securely!"

With a long shout, the large ship docked at the shore.

On the lead boat, a man holding a long sword stands with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance with a look of reminiscence.

Bianjing!

Wenyuan Pavilion, the public hall.

On a small wooden table, about ten feet long, Jiang Zhao held a letter in his hand, his brows furrowing inwardly.

Wang Shao's letter.

According to Wang Shao, the Liao Kingdom was stockpiling grain and fodder, seemingly intending to move south.

"Late October."

Jiang Zhao weighed the matter and pondered for a moment.

Generally speaking, nomadic peoples' conquests mainly take place in two phases:

March to May and September to November are the two major seasons of spring and autumn.

During the spring and autumn seasons, the grasslands are lush with fat cattle and sheep, and abundant with water and grass, which gives nomadic peoples the means to migrate south.

Otherwise, nomadic peoples simply cannot afford to be drawn into a protracted war of attrition.

In order to have a higher "tolerance for error", nomadic peoples usually start wars in March and September, so that they have a full three months of "abundant water and grass" to supply their campaigns.

Now, the news reported at the end of October that the Liao Kingdom was showing signs of trouble, upon closer examination, suggests that the probability of war actually is not high.

"call!"

Jiang Zhao let out a long breath, stood up, and was about to walk outside.

When it comes to war, even if the odds are low, we must be fully prepared.

With hundreds of thousands of soldiers on the frontier, there's no need to worry about manpower; the real concern is preparing provisions.

And, the selection of the head coach!
Just then, a clerk entered and announced, "Your Excellency, the Marquis of Ningyuan requests an audience."

Ok?
"Who?" Jiang Zhao asked in surprise, stopping in his tracks. "Zhong Huai?"

“General Gu, Marquis of Ningyuan,” the clerk replied.

"Let him in." Jiang Zhao nodded, a hint of expectation flashing in his eyes, and waved his hand.

It has been half a year since Gu Tingye led his troops across the sea.

I wonder if they found any silver?

About ten breaths later, Gu Tingye strode inside.

With a stubble beard and a rugged, resolute demeanor, he has the image of a true tough guy.

“Zhonghuai”.

Jiang Zhao walked over in a few steps and patted Gu Tingye on the shoulder: "You've suffered!"

Leading troops across the sea to explore for minerals in Japan was practically a short-term exile, and it was extremely difficult.

"Not bitter."

Gu Tingye laughed heartily, his face full of excitement: "Zichuan, the ancients were right! Do you know what kind of silver mine I've found?"

"How big is the house?" Jiang Zhao was quite cooperative.

"No, mountains, big mountains!"

Gu Tingye said heavily, "The mountains that are full of silver mines are called the Iwami Silver Mine by the Japanese."

"Sit down and let's talk in detail."

Jiang Zhao waved his hand, and a clerk served him some tea.

One shared, while the other listened silently.

"When the five thousand soldiers crossed the sea, the Japanese were at war. They fought each other in villages, and the fighting was quite fierce."

Gu Tingye drew an analogy: "Anyway, it's somewhat similar to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods."

“One of the weaker villages was almost wiped out by the enemy village. When those people found out that the government troops were crossing the sea to find silver mines, they quickly said that they knew of a silver mine, but the technology was too backward to extract the silver from it.”

"Just like that, the soldiers also wiped out the large village that was hostile to the small village, and then had the people of the small village lead them to find the Iwami Silver Mine."

Jiang Zhao understood and nodded repeatedly.

In fact, most of the time, Japan was a rather weak entity.

With the strength of the Great Zhou Dynasty, five thousand armored soldiers could easily sweep across the islands of Japan.

"They crossed the sea in February, arrived in Japan on February 13th, found the silver mine at the end of March, and began refining it at the end of April, taking a total of about 150 days to refine it."

"Zichuan, guess how much silver the soldiers refined?" Gu Tingye asked, looking quite boastful.

"Ten thousand catties?" Jiang Zhao asked tentatively.

The annual silver extraction volume of the Zhou Dynasty was only about 50,000 catties.

Of course, the silver refining process in Yinshan followed the "20/80 split method," meaning that the government took 20% of the mined silver, while the remaining 80% was sold by the mine owners at their discretion.

In other words, the actual amount mined was over 250,000 jin.

Jiang Zhao's estimate of 10,000 jin is already one-twenty-fifth of the total output from dozens or even hundreds of silver mines in the Great Zhou Dynasty, equivalent to the total output from several silver mines.

One jin in the Zhou Dynasty was sixteen liang, and one liang of silver was about thirty grams.

Ten thousand catties, which is equivalent to 160,000 taels of silver, or roughly 200,000 to 300,000 strings of copper coins.

This time, the cost of 5,000 soldiers crossing the sea, as well as their long-term food and drink, was only about 100,000 strings of cash.

If they could really get their hands on silver equivalent to two or three hundred thousand copper coins, then that trip across the sea to retrieve the silver would be an absolute windfall.

"Why are you so timid?" Gu Tingye teased.

Can there be more?

"I hope Zhonghuai can enlighten me," Jiang Zhao said with a gentle smile.
Gu Tingye reached out and snapped his fingers, then slowly said:
"570,000 jin!"

(End of this chapter)