My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 443 The Correct Use of the System

Su Ze wondered if he could emulate the selection of cabinet ministers if he submitted a petition on education reform.
Or, if the Minister of Education is vacant and the memorial is not approved, can we use our prestige points to make the system "exert its power" and quickly elect a new Minister of Education and Minister of Health and Medical Care?

Thinking of this, Su Ze said to the two of them:

"Luo Kongmu, please organize the selection process. This time, the selection of cabinet ministers will be organized by the five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery."

After the two left, Su Ze picked up a blank memorial.

The content is actually quite simple: it requires all children to be vaccinated against smallpox before entering primary school.

Su Ze quickly finished writing the memorial and then stuffed it into the "Portable Ming Dynasty Imperial Court".

A Guide to Vaccinating Children Against Smallpox

Such a memorial naturally had no chance of failing, and Su Ze indeed got the result he wanted.

——[Simulation Start]——

The memorial requesting that children be vaccinated against smallpox was sent to the Cabinet.

The Cabinet has shelved its memorials concerning education and health care as no new ministerial appointment for the position has been delayed.

Your memorial has been shelved.

——[Simulation End]——

[Remaining Prestige: 4250.]

[To approve your memorial, you need to pay 500 prestige points. Do you wish to pay?]

Sure enough!

Su Ze became excited.

As mentioned in the previous simulation, the appointment of a new cabinet minister was delayed because a suitable candidate could not be recommended for a long time, which is why the memorial was shelved.

So, will those 500 prestige points make it easier for a new cabinet minister to be appointed?

Su Ze decisively chose "yes".

[Ding! Prestige has been deducted. Please submit a memorial in real life. The simulated settlement will be carried out after the memorial is executed!]

[Remaining Prestige: 3750.]

Su Ze looked at the system. According to the timeline, the new cabinet minister should be nominated soon, thanks to the recommendation process organized by the five departments of the Secretariat.
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Ministry of official affairs.

Upon receiving the cabinet's order that the next meeting would be presided over by the five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery, the officials of the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department were furious!

One of the officials walked up to Zhang Siwei, the Imperial Academy official, and said:
"Zhang Xuanlang! This is the Fifth Division of the Secretariat usurping the authority of the Ministry! We, the Selection Division, cannot tolerate this!"

Zhang Siwei's expression was also not good.

Given his composure and shrewdness, he shouldn't have shown it, but this time the power grab by the five branches of the Secretariat was too ruthless.

The power to recommend cabinet ministers is not frequently used; many selected officials never even have the opportunity to do so during their entire term.

However, as the most important department in the Ming Dynasty, the Wenxuan Qingli Si (the Bureau of Personnel Selection) possessed the fundamental power that allowed the Wenxuan Lang (a minor official) to surpass many important positions in the court with a fifth-rank official rank, thus becoming a high-ranking official even though he was not a high-ranking official. This power stemmed from the fact that Wenxuan Lang was able to achieve such a high rank despite not being a high-ranking official.

The Wenxuan Qingli Si (Office of Selecting Officials) has lost the power to appoint and dismiss officials below the seventh rank, and is no longer responsible for recommending cabinet ministers. Just like in "On the Faults of Qin," it is "today it cedes five cities, tomorrow it cedes ten cities." Sooner or later, its powers will be completely usurped by the five departments of the Secretariat and the Chancellery!

As a civil official, Zhang Siwei naturally had to speak up for the interests of his department.

He said:
"I will go and see Minister Yang immediately to explain the crux of this matter!"

But as soon as Zhang Siwei left the public housing, his righteous indignation vanished immediately.

Zhang Siwei knew very well that his righteous indignation was just for show for his subordinates, and that going to Yang Sizhong, the Minister of Personnel, about this matter would be useless!

Yang Sizhong is on the list of cabinet ministers to be nominated, so it's definitely better to avoid trouble.

Yang Sizhong would never risk offending the powerful Five Branches of the Secretariat for the sake of a mere presiding position.

Zhang Siwei naturally assumed that this was Su Ze's scheme.

He secretly marveled at how well Su Ze had chosen his timing!

Now that Su Ze has Gao Gong's full support, given Gao Gong's influence in the Ministry of Personnel, it will be easy to suppress any opposition.

If this meeting is successful, then the selection of cabinet ministers will become the responsibility of the five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery.

Zhang Siwei harbored resentment in his heart.

According to the promotion path of important officials in the Ming Dynasty, his next step as a Wenxuan Lang would be to work in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices or the Hanlin Academy, then be promoted to Vice Minister of the Three Ministries, and then wait for the opportunity to be recommended to the Grand Secretariat.

As long as one can become a cabinet candidate, he will be Gao Gong's political successor and will have access to the second-most resources within the faction.

However, due to Su Ze's appearance, Su Ze has stolen the limelight in the court over the years, and Zhang Siwei has not been able to move up to the position of Wenxuanlang for a long time.

Su Ze's official rank has now surpassed his own, and he has become Gao Gong's successor in the shadows.

Zhang Siwei's heart fluttered again as he thought of the olive branch extended by Zhang Juzheng.

He suppressed this thought, as Zhang Juzheng was the second-in-command of the cabinet and had many disciples.

Even if he were to defect to Zhang Juzheng, Zhang might not be able to offer him a better position than Wenxuanlang.

However, it's advisable to make contact with Zhang Juzheng first; this relationship might come in handy at a crucial moment in the future.

Of course, Zhang Siwei was not one to sit idly by and wait for his fate.

The five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery want to seize the power of the Ministry of Personnel. What if Su Ze messes it up?
The emperor was not satisfied with the results of this meeting. What if the emperor was also not satisfied with the results of the meetings of the five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery?
Zhang Siwei arrived at the official residence of Yang Sizhong, the Minister of Personnel.

Yang Sizhong was also annoyed.

The fact that the emperor rejected the list of candidates indicates that he was not satisfied with any of the three people on the list.

Yang Sizhong has already been nominated twice. If he fails to be elected again this time, he will probably have no hope of joining the cabinet in his lifetime.

At this point, he also began to consider retiring.

Upon hearing that Zhang Siwei was requesting an audience, Yang Sizhong became even more agitated, knowing that Yang Sizhong had come to discuss the matter of the Court of Imperial Appointment.

However, since Xuanlang was his most important subordinate, Yang Sizhong still summoned Zhang Siwei.

Upon seeing Zhang Siwei, Yang Sizhong immediately said:

"If Zhang Xuanlang has come about the matter of the court recommendation, then he should not speak. The cabinet has already made a decision on this matter."

This result was also within Zhang Siwei's expectations, and he immediately said:

"Minister Yang, this is not the reason I came here."

"And what is the reason for that?"

Zhang Siwei said:
"Minister Yang, I was trying to persuade you not to withdraw from the meeting."

Yang Sizhong looked at Zhang Siwei and asked in confusion:
"Why?"

Zhang Siwei said:
"Your Majesty rejected the recommendation, but the recommendation of cabinet ministers also depends on their popularity. Minister Yang is popular and should be admitted to the cabinet."

Yang Sizhong understood what Zhang Siwei meant.

The emperor may reject the proposal, but the proposal is a result of public discussion. If the result is the same several times, it means that the candidate is the popular choice.

At this point, the emperor could naturally overturn the decision and appoint or dismiss cabinet ministers by imperial decree.

However, this would break the tacit understanding between the ruler and his subjects.

Moreover, cabinet ministers appointed by imperial decree are inherently lacking in prestige, and they themselves may not even be willing to accept the imperial decree to join the cabinet.

Therefore, Zhang Siwei's method was simple: if the results of the joint recommendation by the five departments of the Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel were the same as those of the selection of officials, it would cause a dispute between the emperor and the court officials, and Su Ze would be the one whose reputation would be damaged.

What Zhang Siwei needs to do is maintain the original outcome as much as possible. He's somewhat confident about that.

All three on the list have the ambition to join the cabinet. Yang Sizhong and Li Yiyuan are about to get angry. As long as Yang Sizhong refuses to withdraw from the election, Li Yiyuan will not withdraw either.

If Zhang Siwei could persuade Wang Shizhen not to withdraw from the election, he would only need to spread rumors among the nine ministers that the emperor was going to issue an edict to appoint and dismiss cabinet ministers, and the election results would definitely remain unchanged.

When that time comes, Su Ze will be the one who can't back down.

Zhang Siwei served as a civil official for many years, and naturally had a lot of resources at his disposal.

Moreover, for the three of them, if they cannot be recommended for a cabinet position this time, they don't know when they will be able to get one next time.

Zhang Siwei secretly used his connections to work on the three cabinet candidates.

A new undercurrent is brewing.

On that day, the Ministry of Personnel's Selection and Appointment Office relinquished its role in the joint selection process, and the five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery took over.

Su Ze, in the name of the five departments of the Secretariat and the Chancellery, sent invitations to the nine ministers and officials of the censorate, agreeing to gather at the Six Ministries Hall in two days to elect the cabinet ministers.
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The selection of the five departments under the Secretariat was decided to be held in the Sixth Department.

Compared to the previous joint selection by the Ministry of Personnel, this joint selection was held within the Forbidden City, and the participating officials, both high and low, were even more solemn.

This is also the result that Su Ze wanted to achieve.

Since the cabinet intends to wrest the power of joint recommendation from the Ministry of Personnel, the five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery, as extensions of the cabinet's will, naturally have to perform their duties well.

That's how it is when you work for a leader. Problems and difficulties can be raised beforehand, but once the leadership reaches a consensus, the execution team must do it without hesitation.

Otherwise, if you hold a resistant attitude and hesitate, you will often please neither side and be disliked by everyone.

Su Ze also specially decorated the venue for the meeting, printed exquisite gold-embossed ballots, and set up a large red ballot box.

Su Ze then followed the example of later generations, setting up a speaking platform and revising the meeting process.

Since the meeting was to promote the candidates, the candidates also needed to speak. Su Ze limited each candidate participating in the meeting to three minutes to explain their policy platform.

This reform also received the support of the cabinet.

The purpose of the recommendation process is to select virtuous and capable individuals, so it is only right for candidates to introduce themselves. This also shows that recommending cabinet ministers is a rational choice for the nine high-ranking officials.

Li Yiyuan, the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, wearing a vermilion official robe, entered the meeting hall.

He glanced at Yang Sizhong, the Minister of Personnel, who was not far away.

Last night, a friend of the same age came to my door and persuaded Li Yiyuan not to give up on promoting the event.

As the most well-informed official in the Ming Dynasty, Li Yiyuan was certainly aware of the current situation.

The emperor rejected the list recommended by the Nine Ministers, indicating that he was not satisfied with any of the candidates.

If the same list is presented again this time, the emperor will have to consider the opinions of all the officials.

Of course, it could also backfire.

Li Yiyuan sneered. He knew perfectly well who was driving his classmate who came to persuade him yesterday.

It was written by the Ministry of Personnel.

The emperor's rejection of the meeting's decision forced Li Yiyuan to face reality.

Since he was not favored by the emperor, his merits and prestige were not as great as Yang Sizhong's.

Even if three more people are recommended, it won't be his turn to take the position.

Having realized this, Li Yiyuan quickly decided to adjust his strategy.

Since I have no chance to join the cabinet, I can't let Yang Sizhong join!

After careful consideration, Li Yiyuan picked up the manuscript he had prepared.

The five departments of the Secretariat and the Chancellery were arranged so that the nine ministers, both high and low, could take their seats in order.

It must be said that the five departments under the Secretariat and the Chancellery are much more formal than the Ministry of Personnel.

After Su Ze announced the procedures, the next step was for the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies to take the stage and explain his policy agenda.

Wang Shizhen's governing program was also very simple; his proposed educational priority was compiling teaching materials.

Nowadays, many places have established primary schools and preparatory schools, but the content taught is still compiled by the schools themselves, and sometimes teachers even teach it impromptu in class. The teaching level of each primary school varies greatly and is extremely dependent on the individual level of the teachers.

Wang Shizhen, a true literary figure, proposed that the Ministry of Rites compile a special textbook, distribute it to primary schools across the country, and teach according to the textbook's content.

This way, textbooks will be standardized across different regions, ensuring fairness in entrance examinations for preparatory courses.

Wang Shizhen's proposal was met with applause from the audience, as his policy program was deemed practical and feasible.

Next, Yang Sizhong took the stage.

Yang Sizhong worked in the Ministry of Personnel, and his direction for education reform was to establish an evaluation and promotion system for teachers.

Yang Sizhong proposed to emulate the six ranks of officials and classify primary school teachers accordingly, determining their treatment and salary based on their rank.

This system can reward excellent teachers and punish unqualified ones.

This policy agenda also received applause from the audience.

Su Ze nodded secretly. The high-ranking officials in the court were all quite capable. Wasn't Yang Sizhong's proposal just the teacher title in the original timeline?
Finally, Li Yiyuan went on stage. After he came on, he cleared his throat and said:

"Colleagues, I am not knowledgeable enough to fulfill the responsibilities of a cabinet minister and would fail His Majesty and the officials' high expectations. Therefore, I have decided to give up this joint recommendation."

The officials below erupted in uproar, and Li Yiyuan continued:

"I hereby recommend Zhu Dashou, a scholar of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."

After Li Yiyuan finished speaking, the eyes of the nine ministers turned to the high-ranking officials.

The Grand Secretary of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was the second-in-command of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

The position of Grand Master of the Palace was concurrently held by Yin Shidan. Now that Yin Shidan has retired, Zhu Dashou is effectively the head of the Grand Master of the Palace.

In fact, the work of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices has always been overseen by the Grand Masters.

As the de facto heads of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Zhu Dashou was also among the Nine Ministers, both high and low.

Li Yiyuan voluntarily gave up his position and recommended Zhu Dashou. Zhu Dashou was an upright official with a good reputation, and the ministers had no better candidates. So the list of nominees became "Wang Shizhen, Zhu Dashou, and Yang Sizhong".

Once the new list was released, Su Ze immediately took it to the Cabinet, where the three cabinet ministers then asked him to send the list into the palace.

On his way to the palace, Su Ze began to think.

The newly appointed cabinet minister is none other than Zhu Dashou!?
Zhu Dashou was a scholar in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, in charge of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and responsible for the education of the Crown Prince. He was naturally an important official.

He served as the second-in-command of the Hanlin Academy and was a true member of the Hanlin Academy.

Zhu Dashou was qualified to serve as a cabinet minister, but he was very low-key, so he was not selected in the first meeting to recommend cabinet ministers.

But the more Su Ze thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.

Zhu Dashou was a scholar in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and had a close relationship with Xiao Pangjun.

When Emperor Longqing appointed cabinet ministers for this term, he naturally had to consider the issue of succession.

The selection of an official from the Eastern Palace to serve as a cabinet minister naturally carries the implication of entrusting the young emperor with the responsibility of governing.

Zhu Dashou was also a close friend of Yin Shidan, a retired cabinet minister. He was a master of the School of Mind and one of the Ten Talents of Yuezhong, and was also well-known in the literary world.

Finally, Su Ze guessed that Zhu Dashou might be the successor recommended by Yin Shidan when he took his leave.

Yin Shidan's intentions were easy to guess: he wanted to leave another seed of Neo-Confucianism in the cabinet.

(End of this chapter)