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

Chapter 36 Taking Office! (4k)

Time flows like water.

Newlyweds, the couple, having tasted the sweetness of new love, often indulged in intimate acts, with the woman adding fragrance to their sleeves, arranging their hair, and painting their eyebrows—they were incredibly close.

After that, there was the bride's return visit to her parents' home, and the father-in-law and son-in-law's late-night conversation.

As the newly appointed top scholar, Jiang Zhao needs to take office as soon as possible.

Therefore, on May 12th, the couple officially entered Beijing.

May 27th.

Bianjing, light rain.

Jiang Zhao, holding an oil-paper umbrella, walked to the Hanlin Academy on the west side of Donghua Gate.

He made a special trip to the Hanlin Academy this time, but it was for reporting purposes.

As the top scholar in the imperial examination, Jiang Zhao was one of only three people among this batch of successful candidates to be granted official positions.

The remaining Jinshi and Shujishi had to study in the Hanlin Academy for three years and pass the examination before being appointed to official positions. Those who were not Shujishi were all sent to prefectures and counties, either as junior or senior ninth-rank officials.

Some successful candidates with connections might be promoted to the eighth rank.

The top three scholars were granted official positions, with the top scholar receiving a sixth-rank official position, and the second and third-ranked scholars both receiving a seventh-rank official position!

Dou Bian, who ranked third in the imperial examinations, was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, responsible for compiling history, serving as a lecturer at the imperial lectures, and overseeing document compilation and academic affairs.

This is a position that offers the opportunity to lecture the emperor on history. If one gains the emperor's favor, there is an even greater chance of becoming a lecturer at the Imperial Lectures.

Very promising!
Zhang Heng, who ranked second in the imperial examination, was appointed as a court attendant, responsible for recording the emperor's words and deeds and overseeing the emperor's daily life.

This position mainly involves recording the king's words and deeds, and the recorded content is an important source of information for compiling the king's life story.

This is a top-notch job!

It should be noted that those who kept records of the emperor's daily life had to be with the emperor frequently, appearing before him for at least 300 out of 365 days a year.

What is this concept?
Even though the Imperial Attendant had to silently record the daily activities of the Emperor and rarely had the opportunity to speak, it did not diminish the prestige of this official position.

After all, the daily records of the emperor's activities over three years, spanning more than a thousand days, meant that if one had even one opportunity to shine and catch the emperor's attention, one could easily achieve a smooth and successful career.

In addition, due to the special nature of their duty to record the king's words and deeds, the Imperial Attendants were also able to observe and listen to the affairs of state.

In short, awesome!

Jiang Zhao, the top scholar in the imperial examination, was appointed as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy.

This is an official position that has always been awarded only to the top scholar in the imperial examination.

As an official position exclusively reserved for the top scholars in the imperial examinations, the title of Hanlin Compiler was undoubtedly highly prestigious.

The Hanlin Compiler was one of the core official positions in the Hanlin Academy, and was known as the "ladder to the prime minister". He was responsible for drafting imperial edicts and decrees, serving as an advisor, participating in the compilation of classics, participating in lectures at the Imperial Academy, and serving as an examiner for the imperial examinations.

The so-called drafting of imperial edicts and decrees naturally refers to drafting important documents such as imperial edicts, decrees, sacrificial texts, and inscriptions for the emperor.

These documents also include the appointment of officials, and the promulgation of decrees and policies.

Government decrees and policies can be expressed by important figures, but for them to be truly implemented, they still need to be documented in writing, which requires the Hanlin Academy compilers to draft imperial edicts.

Historically, important matters are handled through small meetings, while minor matters are handled through large meetings.

In recent years, the cabinet has held absolute power, and truly important matters rarely get to be discussed in the plenary session; they are almost always just formalities.

Once the procedures are completed, imperial edicts and decrees must be drafted.

In name, Hanlin Academicians, Hanlin Readers, Hanlin Lecturers, Hanlin Compilers, Hanlin Editors, and Secretariat Drafters all had the responsibility of drafting imperial edicts.

However, the Hanlin Academician, a high-ranking official of the third rank, was simply too old and lacked the energy.

The primary duty of Hanlin Attendants and Hanlin Lecturers was to lecture the emperor.

The Hanlin Compiler was responsible for compiling classic texts, which was also a lot of work.

The Secretariat Drafters were relatively young, but their main responsibility was to draft documents for the Three Departments.

The three departments are busy too!

In comparison, the Hanlin Compilers, being energetic young people, became the main force in drafting imperial edicts.

The Hanlin Compiler was responsible for handling all the cabinet's numerous and confidential decrees!
These are among the few officials, apart from the six Grand Secretaries, who are qualified to regularly and legitimately enter and leave the Cabinet.

He was doing odd jobs, but they were for the cabinet.

At least 70% of the decrees governing the country would fall into his hands.

This is what is known as observing the governance of the world.

By reviewing government orders and observing them regularly, one can naturally gain a comprehensive understanding of the global situation.

Learning to emulate the governance of senior officials and grasping even a fraction of their wisdom is enough to navigate the treacherous waters of officialdom.

The duties of an attendant and advisor are to stand by the king's side and offer advice and solutions when the king is perplexed.

Compared to the Hanlin historians who had to silently annotate the daily records and had little opportunity to speak, and the Hanlin compilers who had the opportunity to lecture the emperor on history, the Hanlin compilers undoubtedly had a much higher profile.

The Hanlin Compilers were responsible for drafting cabinet decrees. If the emperor had any doubts about the cabinet decrees, he would naturally consult the Hanlin Compilers to resolve his doubts.

Of course, the premise is that the ingredients are of high quality.

This position involves the decrees of the monarch and the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, and one must carefully consider one's words.

Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; that's no exaggeration.

The duties of the compiler of classical texts overlapped with those of the compiler of Hanlin Academy.

However, almost all the Hanlin compilers throughout history were merely figureheads and did not actually compile books.

The two duties of drafting imperial edicts and decrees and serving as an advisor already meant that one person had to do the work of three or even four people. Where would they find the time to compile classics?

Lectures at the Imperial Academy, which were essentially lectures given to the emperor, were divided into two categories: daily lectures and imperial academies.

Among them, Hanlin compilers had the opportunity to give daily lectures on the classics.

Of course, the emperor almost never listened to the lectures held during the imperial court sessions.

The emperor would attend the Imperial Lectures, which were lectures given by the Grand Chancellor and the Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet, with the participation of all civil and military officials, and were extremely powerful.

To serve as an examiner for the imperial examinations, that is, to serve as an examiner for the next spring imperial examinations.

It is customary for the top scholar to serve as an examiner for the next imperial examination.

Furthermore, the Hanlin Compiler was the only one among the top three scholars to attend court as an official.

In fact, even the Imperial Attendant could attend court.

However, that was largely due to the need to remember the special nature of the position of the resident official.

Even if the Imperial Diarist attended court, he was not actually qualified to discuss matters and submit memorials; he was more like a ruthless recording machine.

The five major duties of a Hanlin compiler were: drafting imperial edicts and decrees, serving as an advisor, compiling classics, lecturing at imperial lectures, and serving as an examiner for the imperial examinations.

As for the position of Hanlin Compiler, three words are enough to describe it.

busy!
tired!
expensive!
This is a job that requires almost no downtime.

The mere two duties of drafting imperial edicts and decrees, and serving as an advisor, were enough to overwhelm anyone.

For 365 days, for 350 days, I have been assigned a task.

From the first light of dawn to the darkest hour, from spring to the depths of winter, always on standby.

In this process, if one can honestly persevere for three years and constantly learn from government policies, then one will undoubtedly become a great talent for the country.

The difference between the top scholars in the imperial examinations throughout history lies in whether they have the ability to continuously learn extensively and summarize knowledge.

Large quantities and continuously!
This is the current state of drafting imperial edicts.

Many top scholars were able to study with some effort in the early stages, but after a while their minds became exhausted, and they only drafted imperial edicts instead of learning from them.

The gap arose from this!

The growth of a Hanlin Compiler is undeniable, as is the hard work and the noble status.

A light drizzle was falling, quite gentle and soft.

Jiang Zhao looked at the vermilion courtyard wall, let out a long sigh, and strode inside.

Upon entering, a flat stone path stretches forward, flanked by lush green bamboo that sways gently in the breeze, rustling softly.

A little further ahead, there is a clear pond with green water, lotus leaves covering the ground, and pink lotus flowers dotting the water. Willows sway gently by the pond.

After walking a few steps, a civil official responsible for welcoming him recognized him and guided Jiang Zhao toward the statue of the sage.

Traditionally, paying homage to the statue of a saint is an indispensable part of the process. Along the way, the flying eaves, brackets, carved beams and painted rafters, and wooden doors and windows all exude an ancient and rustic atmosphere.

The courtyards are nested within each other, encompassing many halls, pavilions and towers.

To the west of the hall was the reading and lecture hall, which served as the office area for Hanlin Academy readers and lecturers.

The east side is the Compilation and Inspection Hall, which is a collective name for the Compilation Hall and the Review Hall. It was the office area for Hanlin Compilers, Hanlin Reviewers, and dozens of clerks.

The Hall of Compilation, also known as the Hall of Top Scholars, is located inside the gate of the left corridor.

Originally, the Compilation Office had minor officials to help with the paperwork, but due to the confidentiality of some imperial edicts, it was often just one Hanlin Compiler working there.

Inside the right corridor gate are two shrines: the Changli Shrine facing south and the Tugu Shrine facing north.

To the east is Qingmitang, and to the west is Keting.

Qingmi Hall was the office area of ​​a high-ranking official of the third rank, a Hanlin scholar.

After swimming for a short while, the rain stopped and the sun shone brightly.

After paying homage to Confucius, Jiang Zhao hurried to Qingmi Hall to visit Hanlin Academician Hai Chengyan.

Hai Chengyan, courtesy name Mingyuan, sobriquet Yunhe Jushi.

The Hai family, a family of upright officials, produced five generations of scholars!
This man is a representative of the upright officials, and he is quite prestigious in the Shilin faction. He is not a member of the Han faction.

However, he is one of Jiang Zhao's people.

Hai Chengyan, Jiang Zhao's maternal grandfather!

Hai Chengyan is now fifty-seven years old.

If nothing unexpected happens, he will retire in a few years and return to his hometown.

The Hanlin Academician, a third-rank official, was the highest-ranking official in the Hanlin Academy and the superior of all other Hanlin officials.

Visiting one's superior has always been a necessary procedure upon assuming office.

Qingmitang.

Inside, one could see an elderly man with slightly white hair and beard, who was currently sitting at his desk handling official business.

The Hanlin Academy has always been a leisurely place, but this leisure is relative to other government offices. Hai Chengyan was, after all, a third-rank official, and he had quite a few official duties.

“Grandfather!” Jiang Zhao strode in and bowed respectfully.

"Zhao'er?"

"Come on, come on!"

Hai Chengyan laughed heartily and put down his pen: "I received the notification, but I've been waiting for you for quite a while!"

As Jiang Zhao approached, Hai Chengyan looked at his grandson with increasing delight.

In the blink of an eye, he has become a promising young talent who has entered the imperial court!
"How have you been these days?" Hai Chengyan asked with concern.

"The wedding night and the day of passing the imperial examination are the greatest joys in life. It is indeed a wonderful time." Jiang Zhao smiled and said, "There is nothing more joyous in life than this.

As expected, Hai Chengyan offered both encouragement and concern.

Half an hour later.

The two walked to the entrance of the hall.

"Grandson takes his leave." Jiang Zhao bowed politely.

Hai Chengyan nodded, watching his grandson walk away, his eyes filled with eager anticipation.

After a long pause, he smiled.

"The top scholar!"

Around noon, Jiang Zhao handed over his work responsibilities to Zheng Xie, the previous Hanlin Compiler.

There are detailed regulations regarding the format of all cabinet documents.

There were also regulations specifying the format of those decrees, and no mistakes were allowed.

After the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet issues a decree, it must be drafted by the Hanlin Academicians, the Secretariat Drafters, and the Hanlin Compilers, and then sent to the Cabinet for approval by the Grand Secretary before it can be issued to the Six Ministries or local authorities for implementation.

In terms of actual power, the Hanlin Compiler had almost none; he was merely a machine for drafting imperial edicts.

When a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet issues a decree, the prepared document automatically pops up!
After that, Jiang Zhao went to the cabinet.

Fu Bi, Wen Yanbo, Wang Qinruo, Shen Boyuan, Liu Hang, and Pang Ji.

These six people represent the pinnacle of power in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that his words carried divine power.

The cabinet, as a machine for concentrating power.

The Hanlin Compiler was the fuel that kept this power machine running.

Jiang Zhao entered the cabinet and came out with more than a dozen government orders in his hands.

The decrees covered the economy, taxation, selection, evaluation, appointment and removal of officials, and one even involved military affairs.

The drafting of more than a dozen government decrees alone would take at least four or five hours, and that's just the amount for one day.

Jiang Zhao sighed inwardly.

Having passed the imperial examination with top honors, one is bound by this golden headband, no longer an ordinary person, and can no longer indulge in worldly desires.
What can be done?

Let's do it!

As a newly appointed Hanlin Compiler, Jiang Zhao had no choice but to study past government decrees and imitate them in writing his own decrees.

Fortunately, we are currently in the handover phase, and with the help of the previous Hanlin Compiler Zheng Xie, things are not delayed.

Even so, it took the two of them three hours to finish a day's worth of government orders.

As dusk approached, Jiang Zhao slowly walked out of the Compilation Hall and took a long breath.

This intensity is simply incredible!

Jiang Zhao wasn't incapable of holding out for more than three hours.

In fact, he is the kind of person who only needs to sleep for two or three hours a day and still feels energetic.

This means that if he were truly determined, he could spend eight or nine hours a day studying government policies.

However, the thought of living like this for the next three years made Jiang Zhao feel as if a heavy stone was pressing on his chest, making it very difficult to relax.

During his off-duty hours, Jiang Zhaoshun made a trip to the Shuchang Hall.

Unfortunately, we did not see Su Shi, Su Zhe, or anyone else.

The junior scholars (庶吉士) usually pursue advanced studies and have long been paid; they are very valuable!
How could it be as bitter as the top scholar's life?

Late at night, Quyuan Street.

Jiang Zhao sat on the edge of the bed, letting out a long sigh, looking completely relaxed.

At this moment, his feet were soaking in a wooden tub, and Sheng Hualan was kneeling on the bed, gently massaging his shoulders.

"Husband, how is the strength?" Sheng Hualan didn't ask about the Hanlin Academy.

One can tell a thing or two from the young master's weary appearance; how could governing the world be an easy task?
However, the Hanlin Academy is a prestigious and respectable institution!
These four words are enough.

"Excellent!" Jiang Zhao exclaimed with a look of satisfaction.

It's so good to have a wife who loves you!
As he spoke, he simply stretched out his leg, turned around and hugged his wife in his arms, and one hand naturally reached up to her.

Sheng Hualan's pretty face flushed slightly, and she gave a soft hum, her clear eyes seeming to overflow with tears.

These days, as a newlywed, she has truly tasted the sweetness of marriage and is enjoying a lot of indescribable joy.

Nowadays, one can't help but be aroused by a little teasing.

"Husband, the foot bath water hasn't been poured yet!" Sheng Hualan said gently.

"Let's pour it tomorrow!"

Jiang Zhao touched the young woman's flushed cheeks and kissed her deeply.

A kiss, and they flipped over!

The big strings are like a rain, and the small strings are cut like a whisper.

Wonderful!

(End of this chapter)