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

Chapter 303 Cai Jing: Is the pressure mounting?
July 25th, the sixth year of the Xifeng reign.

A document, three zhang in size, was posted at the Meridian Gate, proclaiming its contents to the world.

It contains over a thousand words, which are rather verbose.

Even so, it did not prevent it from spreading with astonishing momentum, from one person to ten, from ten to a hundred.

Nothing more than the thousand-odd words on the document, which clearly recorded the twenty-four meritorious officials of Zhaoxun Pavilion!
Rumors about the emperor's intention to build the Zhaoxun Pavilion had spread throughout the land since the fall of Jiaozhi, and were known to everyone.

However, despite the rumors circulating, no concrete results were ever obtained.

Now that the document has been issued, everything has finally come to an end.

In a century-long reign, only twenty-four people are eligible to join the cabinet.

Those who enter the cabinet not only signify the emperor's approval, but also gain eternal fame.

Its unique significance is truly extraordinary.

Of course, this has no direct relation to the vast majority of scholars and common people.

For most people, the preference is probably more about "watching the drama unfold".

Throughout the century-long reign of the nation, many famous ministers were present. Who were the twenty-four famous ministers?
What is the exact order of these twenty-four ministers?

As a result, people from all walks of life, regardless of social status, were in an uproar.

Zhaowen Hall.

A small wooden table, about ten feet long, held dozens of documents.

Among them, three documents were placed in the center and displayed separately.

However, Jiang Zhao did not pay attention to any of the three documents. Instead, he picked up a newspaper and stared at it intently.

It has been four years since the newspaper was founded.

The corresponding newspaper layout is also quite mature, and it is roughly divided into four major sections.

However, today is different.

This newspaper has no layout; it only contains the text of a document.

[The Emperor decreed:]

I have inherited the blessings of my ancestors and the protection of Heaven and Earth. Since assuming the throne, I have been determined to restore our territory and bring peace to the world.

Thanks to the combined efforts of wise men and the valiant efforts of soldiers, the reforms and innovations have revitalized the nation. The south was pacified and the north was restored, finally unifying the nine provinces. Even the barbarians admired righteousness, and the century-long division has been swept away today!
The Han dynasty had the Ling Pavilion, and the Tang dynasty had the Lingyan Pavilion, both used to record meritorious deeds and ensure their immortality. Now, the great unification of the empire is not solely due to my own efforts, but truly to the support of loyal and virtuous officials. Their achievements should be inscribed on bronze vessels and painted in portraits, to comfort our ancestors and inspire future generations. Hereby, twenty-four meritorious officials have been selected for the Zhaoxun Pavilion, their titles and achievements listed as follows:
Jiang Zhao, who served as Chancellor, Grand Secretary, Privy Councilor, Loyal and Assisting Minister, Pillar of State, Duke of Wei, and Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, reformed the old and established the new, assisted two generations, possessed both literary and military talents, was knowledgeable in both ancient and modern times, saved the common people, laid the foundation for the unification of the country, and made great contributions to the nation. He can be called a prime minister for all ages!

Therefore, Zhao Pu, the Grand Tutor, Chancellor, and Prince of Zhending, supported Emperor Taizu, formulated strategies for the founding of the country, assisted two generations, and planned the administration of the state. Although he did not perform military exploits, he had the strategic vision to establish the state and set an example for future generations. He can be called a founding minister of the state!
Gu Tingye, the Vice Privy Councilor, Commander of the Imperial Guards, a loyal and devoted meritorious official, a Pillar of State, a General of the Army, and the Duke of Yue, expanded the territory five times, was far-sighted and resourceful, loyal and forgiving, and never boasted of his achievements. He was a model of military families and a rare and outstanding minister!
Wang Shao, the Vice Privy Councilor, Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards, Commissioner of the Northern Court of Xuanhui, Grand Pillar of State, Military Governor of Zhennan, and Duke of Dai, is a pillar of the state who has expanded the territory five times. He is benevolent and wise, possesses outstanding intelligence and strategy, is resolute, humble and modest. He is a pillar of the state, a rare talent in a hundred generations!

This is hereby proclaimed so that all may be informed!

"call!"

Jiang Zhao picked up the document, closed his eyes slightly, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Regarding the selection of the twenty-four meritorious officials for the Zhaoxun Pavilion, six Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, five Deputy Privy Councilors, and two imperial brothers-in-law all offered certain "advice".

However, it was merely a suggestion of potential cabinet members.

The specific order of the twenty-four meritorious officials was always determined by the emperor alone.

Therefore, even Jiang Zhao was unaware of the specific order of meritorious officials.

Of course, Jiang Zhao had also made some speculations about the order of meritorious officials.

the first!

This was the outcome Jiang Zhao had anticipated.

As the sole core figure in reforming corrupt practices and driving the unification of the country, the Grand Chancellor's achievements and influence were truly immense.

In terms of the established order, there were very few people qualified to challenge his position.

To be precise, there was only one person.

Zhao Pu, the founding prime minister who possessed the aura of "founding the nation"!

There was no one else besides him.

However, even if Zhao Pu is the one, it is unlikely that he will actually take the top spot.

After all, times have changed!
This is no longer the era of Emperor Taizu's reign, but the era of Emperor Zhao Ceying.

Therefore, the order that Jiang Zhao had anticipated was naturally "first".

Of course, anticipating is one thing, but actually announcing the results is another.

Everything is still unsettled, which inevitably makes people anxious and uneasy.

A hundred-year reign, and the greatest minister!

This label is undeniably heavy.

People live their lives for fame and fortune; even saints are not immune to this.

Jiang Zhao, naturally, couldn't help but feel a little concerned.

Fortunately, the order of meritorious officials has come to an end!

Jiang Zhao picked up the documents, his gaze sweeping over them one by one.

Zhao Pu, second only.

Gu Tingye, second best.

Wang Shao, second only.

Han Zhang, second best.

Cao Bin, second best.

Kou Zhun was next.

Wang Dan was next.

Fan Zhongyan was next.

Lü Duan was second only to Lü Duan.

The above makes a total of nine people.

If you include him, there are exactly ten people.

All ten individuals received pronouncements similar to "for a hundred generations," "for a thousand years," or "founding ministers," to highlight their unique status.

This is what is known as a "founding minister of the state".

This is roughly similar to the twenty-four meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion, all of whom were ranked among the top ten and could be considered the founding ministers of the state.

Those who made it into the top ten were either high-ranking officials who had long held power over the country, those who were honored with a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, or those who had made unparalleled contributions; all of them were irreplaceable.

Conversely, those ranked outside the top ten are considered significantly less important.

Among the twenty-four meritorious officials of Zhaoxun Pavilion, there are also distinctions in rank!
"That's it."

With the order already set, Jiang Zhao no longer paid attention to it.

He then picked up the three separate documents laid out on the wooden table and continued to review them.

These three documents are among the more important documents issued recently.

The document on the left was jointly submitted by the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and the Privy Council.

The main record on it is a summary of the losses incurred during the northward march.

Since May 11th, more than seventy days have passed, and the military's losses have finally been tallied.

Nine million two hundred thousand strings of cash!

Jiang Zhao picked up the document, his eyes flickering slightly.

The cost was truly staggering.

I remember the last time we conquered Jiaozhi, it only cost us a little over 4.5 million strings of cash.

Nine million two hundred thousand strings of cash, more than double that amount.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with this data.

This time, the northward march to Yan and Yun has stretched the battle lines far too thin.

The army marched along five routes: Xihe, Shaanxi, Hedong, Hebei East, and Hebei West, with nearly 300,000 soldiers participating in the battle.

If we include the mobilized laborers and auxiliary soldiers, the actual number of people mobilized could be as high as 500,000 to 600,000.

Compared to the time when the state of Jiaozhi was destroyed, this was much larger in scale.

In addition, there was the dispute over the silver mines in Japan, which involved more than 5,000 soldiers, a considerable scale.

Therefore, the expenditure of 9.2 million guan, while terrifying, was still within Jiang Zhao's expectations.

but……

Jiang Zhao clicked his tongue and shook his head.

No wonder generations of people have no interest in war.

The Treaty of Shanyuan was the root of all evil!

Before the reforms, the annual tax revenue was only forty to fifty million strings of cash.

In other words, a single northward march consumed about one-fifth of the annual tax revenue.

That's no small amount. And it's known that there are fixed expenses associated with collecting taxes annually.

Soldiers' pay, officials' salaries, and the stipends of the imperial family.

These three major expenses alone amount to more than 20 million strings of cash in fixed expenditures.

Thus, the amount of "free money" that can actually be spent in a year is only about two thousand strings of cash.

In the past, if there were indeed 9.2 million strings of cash, it would mean that the Ministry of Revenue would almost certainly run a fiscal deficit.

Moreover, it may take seven or eight years to fill the hole.

The war caused a fiscal deficit for the imperial court!
This is undoubtedly not a worthwhile thing to do.

In comparison, the strategy of spending money to buy peace of mind is not hard to understand.

Jiang Zhao sat upright, leaning on his arm, his eyes fixed on the document in the center.

It contains records about issues concerning Japan.

Not long ago, taking advantage of the war between the three major regimes of Liao, Zhou and Xia, the Fujiwara clan, the main power holders in Japan, harbored some inappropriate greed and prepared to seize the Iwami silver mine.

Unsurprisingly, it was brutally suppressed.

Originally, the matter should have come to an end at this point.

Conventionally speaking, as long as the Fujiwara clan sends someone to pay tribute once or twice, the matter is considered closed.

But to everyone's surprise, the Fujiwara clan was still not satisfied and seemed eager to make a move.

Therefore, Shi Zongyong, the second son of the Marquis of Funing who was in charge of silver refining, submitted a document hoping that the court would make preparations.

"Twenty or thirty thousand people?"

Upon handling the document, Jiang Zhao narrowed his eyes, somewhat surprised.

According to the document, the Fujiwara clan could directly mobilize about 10,000 to 20,000 troops. If they were to command Japan in the name of the King of Wa, the number of troops they could mobilize could reach about 30,000.

Not to be underestimated!

This was somewhat unexpected for Jiang Zhao.

However, after only a few breaths, Jiang Zhao realized what was happening and nodded in understanding.

Given the Fujiwara clan's status, they could indeed mobilize 20,000 to 30,000 troops.

In fact, there are quite a few Japanese people, probably around six or seven million.

In terms of size, it was even larger than Jiaozhi.

The difference lies in the fact that Japan was not unified and its subordinate forces were too scattered and constantly fighting, which made it somewhat inclined to "village fighting".

A typical clan leader might have only a few hundred or a thousand subordinates.

However, the Fujiwara clan was an exception.

As a renowned regent family, the Fujiwara clan has controlled Japan for hundreds of years, accumulating power and influence over time.

Mobilizing 20,000 to 30,000 troops is not impossible.

"Hmm~!"

Jiang Zhao pondered for a moment, then made a decision.

Dongying, also known as Wokou or Japan!
Jiang Zhao had absolutely no liking for this ethnic group.

This is a base and despicable people who have never thought of integrating into the culture of the Central Plains.

On the contrary, the Japanese tend to prefer "swallowing the big with the small".

On one hand, they grovel and fawn, doing everything they can to be subservient and obsequious.

While stealing Central Plains culture, they wait for an opportunity to turn against their master.

This is the usual practice of the Yamato people.

This people cannot be subdued!
If that's the case, then there's only one option—kill!

Kill them before they rise to power, to prevent future troubles!

Jiang Zhao reached out, picked up the vermilion brush, and wrote a few words.

[In the seventh year of the Xifeng reign, an army of 10,000 can be dispatched to question the King of Japan and annihilate the barbarians!]

Jiang Zhao did not immediately mobilize his troops.

On the one hand, July is not a suitable month to cross the sea to Japan.

Large-scale troop movements should prioritize stability.

February and March are the months with the most monsoon season, which is the best time to cross the sea.

On the other hand, war is no small matter.

It would take a considerable amount of time to prepare provisions for 10,000 people.

After finishing his sentence, Jiang Zhao looked at the document on his right.

This is a document submitted by Lü Huiqing, the Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy.

In the past year, with the implementation of semi-free education, official schools have been largely completed.

Each county should establish its own school, each prefecture should establish its own school, and each region should establish its own school.

In this way, with more than 1,200 schools, the framework for semi-free education has been basically established.

The documents mainly concern accounting issues related to the construction of the relevant schools.

170,000 strings of cash!
I glanced at it briefly and there didn't seem to be any major problems.

Generally speaking, building a fairly proper house would cost around twenty strings of cash.

Even a school with ten relatively proper buildings would cost a full two hundred strings of cash.

The construction of 1,200 schools, costing 170,000 strings of cash, was already considered relatively "economical".

Jiang Zhao pondered for a moment, then picked up the vermilion brush, ready to issue his instructions.

"Grand Tutor!"

"Grand Tutor, Shen'er is here!"

A childish call rang out; the voice arrived before the person.

Jiang Zhao looked outside and couldn't help but shake his head.

Prince Zhao Shen of Yan, I'm really stuck with him for life!

……

Jiying Lane, Sheng Mansion.

Shou'an Hall.

"Oh my God!"

"What merit do I possess? What merit do I possess? What merit do I have!"

Wang Ruofu picked up the handkerchief, laughed heartily, her frankness and cheerfulness revealing an undisguised joy.

Even the air seemed to be infected by it, adding a touch of joy.

"Of the three sons-in-law, two have entered the Zhaoxun Pavilion."

Wang Ruofu muttered to herself, looking pleased with her son-in-law: "Oh dear! This is fate!"

Below him sat two women, one smiling gently, the other covering her mouth and chuckling softly.

At a glance, they are clearly Sheng Hualan and Sheng Minglan.

However, Old Madam Sheng missed her granddaughter so much that she summoned the two of them under the pretext of being ill.

Upon hearing the news, the two women immediately returned to their parents' home to visit.

There was no other way; given Old Madam Sheng's age, every meeting was one less opportunity to see her.

It is quite common for someone to fall ill unexpectedly and unfortunately pass away.

As for Sheng Rulan, she went to Dangzhou in Xihe Road.

Her husband, Cai Jing, was a probationary official in the fourth year of the Zhiping era. Last year, he was transferred to Dangzhou as a sub-prefect.

“Zhao-ge’er, second son-in-law, and third son-in-law are all top-notch.”

Grandma Sheng gently put down her teacup and said kindly, "Entering Zhaoxun Pavilion is quite normal."

Wang Ruofu nodded in a seemingly serious manner, but still occasionally whispered:

"My son-in-law deserves to be enshrined in the Hall of Honor!"

Grandma Sheng shook her head and smiled.

If Wang Ruofu were to listen to such advice, she wouldn't be Wang Ruofu!

Dangzhou, Cai Prefecture.

Cai Jing picked up the newspaper, staring at it intently.

After a long pause, he let out a long breath.

Of the three sons-in-law, he was the only one who did not enter the Zhaoxun Pavilion.

The pressure is building!
(End of this chapter)