Ming Jiajing: Starting from Immortality

Chapter 141: Cabinet battle, rejecting the imperial edict!
When Hu Zongxian arrived at the cabinet.

The chief minister of the cabinet Zhang Juzheng, the second chief minister Gao Gong, and the other ministers of the cabinet Li Chunfang and Chen Yiqin all came to the door to greet him.

When Hu Zongxian entered the front door, all the cabinet members bowed and said, "Greetings, Marquis Jinghai!"

Hu Zongxian was the fourth civil official in the Ming Dynasty to be awarded a title for his military merits, following Wang Ji, the Earl of Jingyuan, Wang Yue, the Earl of Weining, and Wang Shouren, the Earl of Xinjian.

Once granted the title, he would become a marquis, ranking above the three earls with the surname Wang.

There are cabinet ministers every year, but there are only a few civil officials and marquises during the 200 years of the Ming Dynasty. The representative figures of the dynasty's civil and military strategies are addressed with unique titles of marquis instead of the common cabinet minister.

This is the same as addressing the chief and deputy officials. If the chief official is not present, just call them by their official titles without adding "chief" or "deputy". If the chief official is present, choose a title based on the deputy official's concurrent position. However, it is best that the chosen title is not lower than the deputy official's position in terms of position or honor.

The officialdom is a big melting pot.

Hu Zongxian nodded to the cabinet members to show that he had met them, and then said to Zhang Juzheng, Gao Gong, Li Chunfang, and Chen Yiqin, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for a long time. I have something to discuss with you. Please come in and chat."

Zhang, Gao, Li and Chen were all stunned.

I don't understand what Hu Zongxian, the new prime minister who has just joined the cabinet and has no real job except being a grand secretary, has to talk about.

Moreover, Hu Zongxian's naturalness made several people feel a little unconfident, as if the four of them were the senior ministers who had just entered the cabinet and were appointed as prime ministers.

According to the cabinet order.

Zhang Juzheng came first, followed by Gao Gong, then Li Chunfang and Chen Yiqin as the elders, and Hu Zongxian should be the last.

In fact, Gao Gong seemed to be walking side by side with Zhang Juzheng, but Xiao Xi's steps were slightly faster, making it seem that Gao Gong was walking in front.

Zhang Juzheng did not care and invited Hu Zongxian to go with him. Hu Zongxian had no choice but to walk behind Zhang Juzheng and let Li Chunfang and Chen Yiqin walk behind him.

After entering the Cabinet Hall, the most eye-catching thing is the banner hanging on the wall behind the Prime Minister's seat.

"Return power and blessings to the lord, return government affairs to the various departments, and return punishment and reward to public opinion"

The font is elegant and has the style of a great calligrapher.

This was hung up by Zhang Juzheng after he became prime minister after Yan Song's downfall, as a creed for governing the country.

After enduring the long era of Yan Song's rule, the new ruler vowed to return government affairs to the various departments, and to return the use of power, punishment and reward to public opinion. How could the government and the people not be excited?
"Three returns" and "three languages" thus became the "three-language political program."

However, after the emperor executed Yan Song and his son Yan Shifan, he continued to kill people, which diluted the joy of the court and the people.

As soon as Hu Zongxian entered the room, he stared at the banner. Somehow, he always felt that this "three-language political program" did not sound like Zhang Juzheng's words.

As Yan Song's most proud student, Hu Zongxian should be of the same generation as Xu Jie, while Zhang Juzheng is more like a junior.

Hu Zongxian did not like his mentor's factionalism in the court, nor was he willing to participate in factional disputes, but he was familiar with Zhang Juzheng, the most proud student of Xu Jie, a "clean stream of the hostile force" and the best newcomer in the court.

This statement, which ostensibly strengthened the imperial power but actually emphasized that the holy emperor ruled the world with ease, did not sound like something Zhang Juzheng would say, and was more in line with the tone of that old treacherous Xu Jie.

Gao Gong saw Hu Zongxian's reaction and said with a smile: "Ruzhen, what do you think? This "three-language political platform" is shocking enough, isn't it?"

"Not bad." Hu Zongxian agreed.

Instead of sitting down at the desk immediately, Zhang Juzheng resumed his role as the cabinet chief, pointed to the two rows of chairs on the left and right, and motioned the four ministers to take a seat.

The people around were busy pouring tea, and the strangers came and went in a hurry. Gao Gong blew away the floating leaves, smiling as he said, "Isn't Ruzhen curious why there is no signature on these heart-stirring words?"

"Why is that?" Hu Zongxian asked the second prime minister to satisfy his suspenseful question.

Gao Gong looked at Zhang Juzheng and explained in a naughty tone, "This was written by Xu Jie. After the downfall of Yan father and son, Xu Shaohu insisted on giving Taiyue this scroll before leaving Beijing. He also asked that it be hung in the Government Affairs Hall. Taiyue actually obeyed and hung it here." Gao Gong was a man who clearly distinguished between gratitude and resentment. After standing on the opposite side of Xu Jie, he became the number one person in the world who opposed Xu.

But the position in the Government Affairs Hall was within the power scope of the Prime Minister of the Cabinet. Zhang Juzheng could hang whatever he wanted on the throne, and no matter how unhappy others were, there was nothing they could do about it, because he was not the Prime Minister of the Cabinet.

Hu Zongxian smiled knowingly and asked, "Then do the Prime Minister, the Second Prime Minister, Zishi, and Yifu agree or disagree?"

As soon as the words came out.

Zhang Juzheng, Gao Gong, Li Chunfang and Chen Yiqin immediately sensed something unusual.

"Ruzhen, I am not Yan Song, and this is not Yan Song's cabinet. Even the emperor has exempted me from submitting a petition. If you have anything to say, you may as well speak frankly." Zhang Juzheng continued.

Hu Zongxian took out the memorial on the separation of military and political power from his sleeve and said in a low voice: "I am submitting this memorial to Your Majesty, with the intention of separating the military and political power!"

"What?" Gao Gong, Li Chunfang and Chen Yiqin stood up.

Gao Gong looked at Hu Zongxian with hostility and shouted, "Someone come!"

This is going to be a fallout!
Even if my colleagues cannot do it, we must catch this villain who is causing chaos in the country today.

The people around him ran over in response, but before they could enter the door, they heard Zhang Juzheng's order: "From this moment on, the door of the cabinet is closed, the front door and the door of the government hall are all closed, and no one is allowed to approach the government hall."

"Taiyue..."

Gao Gong was anxious, and even his eyes were full of anger when he looked at Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Juzheng did not avoid it, and looked at Gao Gong and said, "Call me Prime Minister!"

Give in again and again.

It doesn't mean that he was afraid of Gao Gong, but there was no need to create disputes over trivial matters or small ceremonies.

But like what happened just now, as the second assistant of the cabinet, Gao Gong wanted to take down a marquis of the Ming Dynasty, a cabinet minister, on the spot. He did not have such power.

Zhang Juzheng, the chief minister of the cabinet, did not have such power either.

The roar of the second phase.

Yuan Fu's scolding.

The people outside hurriedly closed the door of the Government Affairs Hall and retreated a hundred steps away. The door was guarded by Liu Tai, the secretary of the Cabinet, who, in accordance with the order of the Prime Minister, did not allow anyone to approach.

This cabinet was always Zhang Juzheng's cabinet, not Gao Gong's cabinet.

Gao Gong sat down with resentment, and never called out "Prime Minister" in the end.

Zhang Juzheng stopped looking at him and turned his gaze to Hu Zongxian, frowning and saying, "Ruzhen, speak slowly."

Hu Zongxian, who was nearly taken down as soon as he entered the cabinet, was not affected at all and briefly recounted what had happened during his audience with the emperor in Yuxi Palace.

When it came to the emperor's agreement to separate the military and the government, Hu Zongxian opened the memorial and revealed the imperial approval written in red ink, and the cabinet remained silent for a long time.

Zhang Juzheng thought for a moment and said, "Since the emperor has already issued an order, let's act according to it..."

"I don't agree." Gao Gong interrupted.

"So, the Second Prime Minister is going to refute the imperial edict?" Hu Zongxian said in a cold tone, handing out a sharp knife.

Sorry for the long wait. Our transformer has burned out and there have been some problems with electricity these days. I am typing slowly on my mobile phone. The update is now scheduled for 8 pm. I hope my readers will forgive me.

Killing a dragon in the river
2024.9.4
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(End of this chapter)