The Ming Dynasty: The Iron-Blooded Martial Emperor, Who Slaughtered the World

Chapter 44 Your Majesty, when will the execution be carried out?!

"Bring it here."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Standing next to Zhu Houzhao, Liu Jin immediately scurried over to Li Dongyang after Zhu Houzhao gave the order and took the booklet from his hand.

He then returned to Zhu Houzhao and respectfully handed the booklet to him.

Zhu Houzhao took the booklet, opened it, and examined it carefully.

There are seven names in the booklet.

Liu Daxia, Minister of War; Wang Ao, Vice Minister of Personnel; Jiao Fang, Vice Minister of Personnel; Liang Chu, Vice Minister of Rites; Wang Hua, Vice Minister of Rites; Yang Tinghe, Grand Master of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices; and Liu Zhong, Academician of the Hanlin Academy.

The Minister of Personnel was in charge of the promotion and evaluation of officials throughout the country. He was the most powerful official among the Six Ministries and was referred to as the "Heavenly Official" by officials in the capital.

Generally speaking, in order to check the power of the Minister of Personnel, it is not advisable for the Minister of Personnel to join the cabinet.

Therefore, Li Dongyang recommended two vice ministers of the Ministry of Personnel, but did not recommend a minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

However, there are always exceptions. In the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, it became common for the Minister of Personnel to enter the Grand Secretariat or even serve as the Grand Secretary.

Among these people, there were either powerful ministers who held sway over the court or the emperor's closest confidants.

For example, Li Xian, Jiao Fang, Liang Chu, Yang Yiqing, Zhang Juzheng, Gao Gong, and others.

Zhu Houzhao looked at the list in his hand, and seeing some of the familiar names, he had already made up his mind.

He raised his head and his gaze swept over the seven people.

The civil officials in the court all craned their necks, looking at Zhu Houzhao with hopeful eyes, hoping that he would call their names.

"Jiao Fang was promoted to Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, Liang Chu was promoted to Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and Liu Zhonghe and Yang Tinghe were promoted to Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion."

"Effective immediately, proceed with cabinet discussions."

Zhu Houzhao named four people.

The selection of these four individuals was naturally based on different considerations.

Jiao Fang was chosen because he had repeatedly impeached Liu Jian and Xie Qian. Because of Xie Qian, Jiao Fang would often curse people from Yuyao whenever he mentioned them.

Despite offending two Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, Jiao Fang was still able to rise through the ranks and eventually become the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, which shows that he must have received the favor of the late emperor.

This person must be a member of the Imperial Party!

As for Liang Chu, it was because he was in charge of compiling the "Veritable Records of Emperor Xiaozong" at the time, and also because Zhu Houzhao remembered the name Liang Chu, who was somewhat famous in later generations.

Liu Zhong and Yang Tinghe were chosen because they were Zhu Houzhao's teachers when he was the Crown Prince, and they were also former officials.

Moreover, Yang Tinghe's name was simply too famous.

He also has a son who will become the top scholar in the imperial examination, Yang Shen.

Yang Shen, the author of the famous poem "The Mighty Yangtze River Flows Eastward," was not only the son of Yang Tinghe, but also a protégé of Liu Dongyang, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

The reason for not choosing Liu Daxia was that Wang Shouren would take action against the Minister of War after returning to the capital.

Why would a dying man enter a pavilion?

The reason why Wang Hua was not chosen was because Zhu Houzhao intended to recruit Wang Shouren into the cabinet.

If Wang Hua, as Wang Shouren's father, and his son were to both enter the cabinet, the power of the Wang family would be excessive.

As for Wang Ao, Zhu Houzhao didn't have much of an impression of him, so he was left out for now.

Upon hearing their names called, Jiao Fang, Liang Chu, Yang Tinghe, and Liu Zhong immediately stepped forward and knelt respectfully before Zhu Houzhao.

"Your humble servant kowtows in gratitude to Your Majesty, thanking you for your grace!"

The four were overjoyed; only after joining the cabinet did they truly enter the very center of power in the Ming Dynasty.

The power they hold and their status will be incomparable to what they used to be!

Yang Tinghe and Liu Zhong were the most excited.

One of them was the Grand Master of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and the other was a scholar of the Hanlin Academy. Their entry into the cabinet at this time was like a fish leaping over the dragon gate, completing the final transformation on the path of the integration of the Hanlin Academy and the Grand Master of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

Historically, many powerful prime ministers followed this path.

For example, Zhang Juzheng first served as an editor in the Hanlin Academy, then entered the Court of Imperial Sacrifices as the Right Tutor of the Right Spring Palace, and finally entered the Grand Secretariat.

After becoming a Grand Secretary, he then took over the position of Minister of Personnel.

But far too many people have fallen on this path, forever lost in the Hanlin Academy and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

Ultimately, very few people were able to enter the cabinet.

Without a doubt, Yang Tinghe and Liu Zhong were very lucky.

Some were happy while others were sad. Liu Daxia didn't hear his name called, so he frowned deeply and lowered his head even further to hide the dissatisfaction in his eyes.

Just as the four men were bowing in gratitude, a loud voice rang out: "Zhou Jing, Minister of Revenue in Nanjing, has been ordered to come to court for an audience!"

Everyone turned around and saw Zhou Jing walking briskly across the Jinshui Bridge.

After Zhou Jing approached Zhu Houzhao, he knelt down and bowed, saying, "This old minister, Zhou Jing, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

When the civil and military officials in the court saw Zhou Jing, they couldn't help but widen their eyes and show surprise.

What's going on?

Why is the Minister of Revenue from Nanjing here in the capital to attend court?

Zhu Houzhao looked at Zhou Jing, smiled, and nodded with satisfaction: "Good, good, it's good that you're here."

"Upon hearing the imperial decree, Zhou Jing is immediately promoted to Minister of Revenue, granted the title of Grand Secretary of the Hall of Diligent Governance, and appointed to participate in cabinet discussions as the Second Grand Secretary of the Cabinet."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jing was so moved that tears streamed down his face. He bowed his head and kowtowed, saying, "This old minister thanks Your Majesty!"

But that wasn't all. With the atmosphere already built up to this point, Zhu Houzhao simply decided to appoint the Grand Secretary directly.

Besides Lee Tung-yang, there was actually no other candidate for Grand Secretary.

"Li Dongyang was promoted to Grand Secretary of the Hall of Literary Glory, given the title of Junior Tutor, and appointed Grand Secretary of the Cabinet."

"Your humble servant kowtows in gratitude for Your Majesty's grace!"

Li Dongyang stepped out of the line and kowtowed to express his gratitude.

Li Dongyang didn't seem as excited, after all, this was something he had expected.

Within the cabinet, the rank of Grand Secretary also varies.

For example, Li Dongyang's current title of Grand Secretary of the Hall of Literary Glory is the highest-ranking Grand Secretary in the Cabinet, and usually only the Chief Grand Secretary can hold this title.

Another type is the Grand Secretary of the Hall of Diligent Governance, who is usually the second-in-command of the cabinet.

Next are the Grand Secretaries of the Wenhua Hall, followed by the Grand Secretaries of the Wuying Hall, then the Grand Secretaries of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and finally the Grand Secretaries of the Dongge Pavilion.

Different Grand Secretaries held different positions and had different levels of influence within the cabinet. For example, Yang Tinghe and Liu Zhong, who held the title of Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, did not have much say in the cabinet.

Now that you've been promoted, it's time to get to work.

"Zhou Jing, begin compiling the autumn taxes for the eighteenth year of the Hongzhi reign immediately. I need to know every single tax item clearly, understand?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Zhou Jing nodded firmly, his eyes filled with fighting spirit.

He was a former official of the late emperor, and before the late emperor passed away, he had issued a document to revive the Zhou dynasty.

However, before the appointment documents could be issued, the late emperor himself passed away.

Zhou Jing originally thought that his career in politics had come to an end.

Unexpectedly, after the new emperor ascended the throne, he was given another opportunity to serve the country.

At this moment, Zhou Jing wished he could immediately return to the Ministry of Revenue to begin investigating the autumn taxes.

This was for the late emperor, for myself, and even more so to repay Zhu Houzhao's trust and kindness!

Subsequently, Zhu Houzhao resumed handling the affairs of the court.

As the court session was about to end, Shen Lian, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhuge Zhengwo, the commander of the Six Doors, and Cao Zhengchun, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot, came before Zhu Houzhao at the same time, knelt down and asked for his orders.

"Your Majesty, the relatives of Ma Wensheng, Liu Jian, Xie Qian, Zhang Mao, Zhang Heling, Wang Yuan, Zhang Jun, Liu Wentai, Shi Qin, and others, totaling 3,942 people, have all been escorted to the capital!"

"Your Majesty, when will the execution be carried out?!"