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

Chapter 259 Reactions from All Sides, A Myriad of Human Reactions!
On the 27th of May, the former prime minister retired.

On June 11, a new prime minister took office.

Phase changes, phase weight transitions.

The news inevitably caused a huge uproar!
Even the newspapers published by the Imperial College saw an unusual "scramble" of copies.

After all, this involves the replacement of the prime minister.

Grand Chancellor!
What is a "宰" (zai)?
Dominate, govern!
What is a physiognomy?
To assist or support!
The Grand Chancellor is a minister who assists the monarch in ruling the world.

The brief title implies absolute power, placing one "second only to the emperor and above all others."

Every word and action contributes to governance and national policy.

Every move they make is a harbinger of the political climate.

Such figures, whose actions concern the fate of the nation and the replacement of officials, naturally attract considerable attention.

In the past, newspapers were not widespread, and news about the political situation was relatively scarce. Ordinary people and minor officials might only know a little bit about things, and even that information might not be accurate.

Nowadays, with the widespread availability of newspapers, even ordinary citizens and minor officials are qualified to know firsthand information about the political situation at the highest levels of government.

This further fueled the discussion about the phase change, sparking widespread discussion and amazement.

The two main points of discussion are:

Firstly, the new prime minister, Jiang Zhao, is only thirty-two years old!

The eldest son is thirty-two years old!

What is this concept?
Even when compared to those famous "young achievers" in history, he is definitely superior!

From the Spring and Autumn Period to the present, there are no more than three famous young people who achieved early success:

Gan Luo, Huo Qubing, and Zhou Yu!
Of the three, Gan Luo was eloquent. At the age of twelve, he traveled to various states to persuade them to open up sixteen cities for Qin. He was then exceptionally appointed as a "high minister" by Lü Buwei.

Thus, the famous story of "Gan Luo becoming prime minister twelve times" came about.

But a high-ranking official is a high-ranking official, and a prime minister is a prime minister!
It is true that he was appointed as a high-ranking official twelve times, but he never actually became a prime minister in his entire life.

Therefore, he may not be comparable to Jiang Da Xiang Gong.

Huo Qubing was skilled in military strategy and was appointed Grand Marshal and General of the Cavalry at the age of twenty-one.

However, in the conventional sense, Huo Qubing was a relative of the emperor's mother!

Furthermore, the rank of General of the Cavalry is significantly lower than that of the Chancellor.

There is certainly a difference between the Prime Minister and the Grand Chancellor, but the difference is not significant.

The terms "Chancellor" and "Grand Chancellor" essentially refer to the central authority in a specific period.

The Chancellor, in essence, was a specific official position that, together with the Grand Commandant and the Imperial Censor, was known as the "Three Dukes," and was the highest administrative official in the central government.

The title "Zaifu Daxianggong" is essentially a title for an official who "assists the monarch, oversees government affairs," and holds central administrative power. It is more of a title than an official position.

This is mainly because the official title of the Grand Chancellor is not actually "Grand Chancellor".

The title "Grand Chancellor" is merely a formality; the actual official position was a combination of the positions of Grand Chancellor, Grand Secretary, and Privy Councilor.

This is the difference between a prime minister and a chief minister.

Aside from the essential difference in official rank and title, there is not much difference.

Therefore, Huo Qubing's rank was lower than that of the Grand Chancellor Jiang Zhao, and he was also a relative of the emperor, which raised suspicions of him being promoted by chance. Naturally, he might not have been able to truly suppress the Grand Chancellor Jiang Zhao.

Zhou Yu of Jiangdong was skilled in both literature and military affairs.

This man was appointed "Central Protector General" at the age of thirty-four.

Jiang Zhao, the Grand Chancellor, became the ruler of the world at the age of thirty-two, while Zhou Yu was far inferior, so let's not mention him.

In conclusion, to become the prime minister at the age of thirty-two is absolutely a first-rate figure throughout history.

Moreover, Jiang Zhao's appointment as prime minister was highly prestigious.

He was renowned throughout the land, expanded the territory, supported the emperor to seize power, pacified and suppressed all sides, and implemented reforms and innovations.
All these factors—reputation, qualifications, political achievements, merits, resume, and overall perspective—are important.
Without exception, they are all almost completely discontinued.

Such a person, rising to the position of Grand Chancellor, is astonishing, yet there is surprisingly no opposition.

Its high gold content is evident!
Besides his early success attracting much attention, the "smooth" succession of his prime ministerial positions and the "smooth" transition of his power also drew the attention of many officials.

Generally speaking, a change of government is accompanied by a certain degree of "political turmoil".

The duration can vary, ranging from a year and a half to as short as thirty to fifty days.

The emergence of this "political turmoil" is due to the conflicting core interests of the new and old prime ministers.

When a former prime minister is about to retire, he will inevitably arrange for his protégés and former subordinates to take up positions of power, hoping to maintain his political influence in this way.

The new prime minister, about to take office, naturally prefers to consolidate his power through personnel appointments and is unwilling to let the old prime minister interfere in personnel appointments.

Therefore, with the old prime minister yet to retire and the new prime minister yet to take office, they were bound to have a struggle.

This battle might last thirty to fifty days, or it might last a year and a half.

Sometimes, a new prime minister takes office the following year, but the two factions might start fighting before the year is even over.

If there are any political grudges, the fighting becomes even more fierce, often leading to political chaos, endless infighting and purges, to the point that there is no governance or social order to speak of.

Occasionally, one or two major ministers will have a relatively stable succession of ministerial positions or a transition of ministerial power, which can be considered an exception.

This phase shift is undoubtedly an exceptional case among exceptional cases.

There's no other reason than that the two Grand Secretaries were one teacher and the other student!
This kind of mentor-student re-election, a "smooth" change of prime minister and transition of power, is an extremely rare political phenomenon.

This meant that the change of prime minister and the transition of power produced almost no political turmoil or any adverse political impact.

Even ordinary people in the city were completely unaware of the impact of the slightest change in phase.

After all, Grand Chancellor Han Zhang was in charge of the country, and the main power holder was his disciple Jiang Zhao.

Despite the change of leadership, Jiang Zhao remains in power.

Is there a difference?

There may be differences, but the one in power is still Prime Minister Jiang, and the reforms that benefit all people will continue.

If that's the case, then there's not much difference.

Two points have sparked heated discussions and continued to spread.

For a time, ordinary people and officials alike were abuzz with discussion!
The sun sets in the west, and the lights flicker.

Jiying Lane, Sheng Mansion.

Shou'an Hall.

Grandma Sheng, Madam Hai, and Wang Ruofu, three generations of mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, gathered together.

Among them, both Old Madam Sheng and Madam Hai were holding teacups and sipping their tea in silence.

Madam Wang Ruofu, however, was somewhat "restless," picking up a handkerchief and holding a newspaper, staring intently at it.

Every now and then, she would get up and walk a few steps, or sit down with her eyes closed in contemplation, or tug at her handkerchief and frown inwardly.

Judging from her constant small gestures, Wang's heart was not at peace.

The root cause of his inner turmoil was the newspaper in his hand!
The three-foot-long newspaper contained several sections, including current affairs, poetry, frontier affairs, anecdotes of literati, and folk tales.

In the current affairs section, the words "Prime Minister Jiang governs the cabinet and controls the world" can be vaguely seen.

"oops!"

"My lord and Bai'er, why haven't they returned yet?"

Wang Ruofu picked up the newspaper and complained, "The Imperial Academy has even published the news, but shouldn't we at least have a servant or a page pass on the message to see if it's true or false?"

"The Imperial College has already published the newspaper, how could it be fake?"

Grandma Sheng, holding her teacup, said with a smile, "Zhao'er entered the cabinet as prime minister at the age of thirty. In the past two years, he has presided over the reform and innovation, which has benefited the country and the people. Now, taking advantage of the triennial performance evaluation, he has made further progress and it is expected that he will take charge of the cabinet."

"Daughter-in-law."

"My daughter-in-law is just a little anxious!"

Wang Ruofu paused for a moment, then said helplessly.

In fact, she knew that the news of Zhao Ge'er becoming prime minister was not false.

However, newspapers are ultimately written text and cannot compare to oral storytelling.

Both her husband and son are high-ranking officials in the imperial court. Perhaps we can learn more detailed information from them?
"My brother-in-law has been promoted to Grand Chancellor, ruling the country. This is truly a joyous occasion."

"When Grand Chancellor Han retires, he will soon return to his hometown to live out his days. He will inevitably have to say goodbye to his students and former officials."

Hai explained softly, "My husband and father-in-law are probably at the Han or Jiang residences!"

"Ugh!"

Wang Ruofu sighed and nodded.

The lamplight flickered, with a stick of incense burning on either side.

"Tap, tap, tap!"

"Changbai, though the Yan and Yun regions have only recently expanded, is an excellent place for governance."

"Governing Yanyun is no hardship; with Zhao'er supporting you, you will certainly have a bright future."

"Father, rest assured!"

The father and son exchanged a quiet conversation.

The footsteps grew heavier and heavier.

Old Mrs. Sheng, Madam Wang, and Madam Hai all turned their gazes toward the doorway.

About ten breaths later, two people entered the hall one after another. Who were they but Sheng Hong and Sheng Changbai? Perhaps because they had drunk some wine, their movements stirred up a faint smell of alcohol.

Even Sheng Changbai, who rarely drinks, was no exception.

Hai Chaoyun was prepared and beckoned to her maid: "Baoxiu, quickly bring me some hangover soup."

"Yes." The maid nodded and retreated a few steps.

Grandma Sheng put down her teacup and smiled kindly.

The eldest grandson's wife, Hai, was indeed a first-rate virtuous and kind woman.

"Mother."

"Grandmother, mother."

Sheng Hong and Sheng Changbai approached and bowed to greet him.

"Please sit down," said Old Mrs. Sheng, nodding.

The father and son sat down on either side of each other.

"How about it?"

"Is Zhao-ge really going to become a great-husband?" Wang asked excitedly, her face full of anticipation.

“Not bad.” Sheng Hong, slightly tipsy, gave an affirmative answer.

"Hi~!"

"Oh my God!"

"My son-in-law is a master?!"

With a soft gasp, Wang Ruofu covered her mouth with her handkerchief, her eyes filled with joy.

In fact, the Imperial College had already reported this news urgently.

However, these words carry a different meaning when spoken by the husband.

"Harmful!"

Sheng Hong stroked his beard, shook his head, and chuckled softly.

The others looked over, all smiling, not surprised at all.

If it were anyone else, such behavior would undoubtedly be considered impolite and lacking in virtuous manners.

But this is Wang Ruofu!

Everyone knew Wang's temperament quite well, so they naturally didn't find it strange.

"Establish a firm belief, establish a firm destiny, continue the lost learning, and usher in an era of peace!"

Sheng Changbai shook his head and sighed, "I'm afraid only my brother-in-law can bear such words of wisdom!"

Zhang Zai, also known as Hengqu, wrote the "Four Sentences of Hengqu," which aimed to establish one's mind, establish one's destiny, continue lost learning, and usher in an era of peace.

These words have a somewhat grandiose and empty meaning. Although they represent the greatest pursuit of outstanding people throughout history, even Confucius himself never achieved them.

But who would have thought that my brother-in-law would actually achieve all of them?

At the age of thirty-two, he became the ruler of the world!
Such an achievement is truly astonishing.

Even the ancient sages might not be able to compare with him.

"Those who have the people in their hearts, are concerned about the country, and cherish the past will surely accept a few words of advice."

Sheng Hong echoed, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes from time to time!

Yes, I was secretly delighted!
Who would have thought that the Sheng family could climb such a high branch?
I, Master Shenghong, have truly brought honor to my ancestors thanks to my discerning eye!
"It is a rare opportunity for me to enter Yanyun. I hope I can catch up with my brother-in-law and even look up to him!" Sheng Changbai sighed with admiration.

He had always aimed to catch up with Jiang Zhao, hoping to also achieve lasting fame.

Looking at it now, one would probably be considered "great talent" if one could even catch up to his silhouette.

"Yan Yun?"

"Has Changbai's destination been decided?"

Grandma Sheng stroked her knees and looked over.

In the third year of the Zhiping era, Sheng Changbai passed the imperial examination and was selected as a probationary official.

It has been six years now.

According to convention, he should be appointed to an official post outside the capital this year.

"I will serve as the Vice Prefect of Yunzhou," Sheng Changbai nodded.

"Today, the Han family is hosting a banquet, and a group of Han officials have gathered."

Sheng Hong looked thoroughly satisfied and couldn't help but say, "That's truly a place where scarlet and purple are everywhere."

"While Zhao'er and Changbai were chatting, they decided on Changbai's destination."

"Yunzhou?" Wang Ruofu exclaimed in surprise, "That's a harsh and cold frontier region!"

"With Zhao Ge'er's abilities, Bai'er can choose any prefecture or county in the world. Why not go to a prosperous place?"

Wang Ruofu looked puzzled.

Yunzhou was newly expanded territory, with few people and many tasks, which was no small amount of hardship.

There is even the danger of invasion by alien races.

"What do you know?"

Sheng Hong shook his head in annoyance and explained, "There are very few officials in Yunzhou. If Bai'er goes to the border, he can train his own students and former subordinates."

"This is a great job."

Wang Ruofu was worried and was about to say something.

Sheng Hong glanced at him and immediately retorted, "Changbai, you'll have to stand on your own two feet someday!"

"this--"

Wang Ruofu frowned, but ultimately said nothing.

"Father-in-law, husband, the hangover soup is here."

Huaizuo, Jiangfu.

Main hall.

Jiang Zhong, Jiang Xiao, and Jiang Xu, father and sons, along with Hai Shi, Su Shi, and Sun Shi, mother and daughter-in-law, gathered together.

"My lord?!"

"My son is the eldest son-in-law?"

Hess held the letter, his face filled with disbelief.

As mothers, we all naturally hope that our children will do better and better and achieve great things.

But to become the ruler of the country at the age of thirty-two, isn't that a bit too extraordinary?

"My dear husband!"

Jiang Zhong stroked his beard, momentarily at a loss for words.

This...ancestral protection?

The key point is, even our ancestors didn't have this ability!

Jiang Xiao and Jiang Xu exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with shock and relief.

In the first year of the Xifeng reign, the emperor established a special imperial examination, with the elder brother Jiang Zhao serving as the chief examiner. The two of them took the "separate examination" together and both passed, earning the title of Jinshi.

Those who were not probationary officials were, by convention, assigned to local posts as officials, and Jiang Xiao and Jiang Xu were no exception.

With connections at higher levels, everything becomes easier. Both men held positions in Huainan, consolidating the Jiang family's power base.

only.
How come after only a few days of consolidating his power, my elder brother has already become second only to the emperor?

The two women, surnamed Su and Sun, were both delighted and shocked.

I was happy, of course, because my uncle had successfully ascended to the throne and was now in charge of the country.

As the saying goes, when one prospers, all prosper; when one suffers, all suffer.

With her uncle taking the position, the future of her husbands, Jiang Xiao and Jiang Xu, was undoubtedly bright.

When a woman marries a man, the more successful her husband is and the more prosperous his family is, the more face and substance her two daughters will have.

The shock came from the speed at which his uncle had been promoted.

The eldest son is thirty-two years old!

Throughout history, this has probably been quite rare, hasn't it?
For a moment, the entire main hall fell silent.

quite a while.

Jiang Zhong snapped out of his daze and waved his hand, "Have someone distribute porridge and money to accumulate blessings for Zhao'er."

"Have someone buy incense; I need to burn incense to worship my ancestors and pay homage to the Jade Emperor!"

If it's not the protection of our ancestors, then it must be the favor of Heaven!

If that's the case, then let's offer sacrifices to the Jade Emperor and pray for our son's well-being.

"Yes."

Jiang Xiao and Jiang Xu nodded quickly.

In an instant, all sorts of people were in a state of mind!
(End of this chapter)