Chapter 201: 203. Chapter 197: Vast and Vast Heaven, Who Is This Person?

203. Chapter 197: Vast and Vast Heaven, Who Is This Person?

"Asking Wang Chonggu to express his position is out of respect for the seven-year friendship between me and Wang Chonggu. It is not that I am begging him. Regardless of whether he is willing to take the lead, I must take action against the Ministry of War. The position of Minister of War can no longer be left to Shi Mao Hua." Zhu Yijun said this while signaling for Wang Xijue and Wang Zongyi to be seated.

After the Emperor's tour passed through Wen'an County in Wen'an County, they had to return.

The distance of three hundred li was far enough. As for places like Zhuozhou and Jizhou, there was a risk of studying abroad, so it was better not to be too frivolous.

Therefore, more than twenty days after leaving the capital, the Emperor's party passed through Anxin, Wangqingtuo, and boarded the dragon boat to Xianghe County in Tongzhou from Yangcun Station in Wuqing.

After arriving in Xianghe County, they toured back to the capital along Tongzhou.

Half a day after boarding the boat, perhaps because the Emperor had rested enough, he called the Minister of Personnel Wang Xijue and the Minister of Rites Wang Zongyi to the room and held a small meeting.

"Your Majesty, this matter may not necessarily involve Minister Shi. Now discussing dismissing Minister Shi, is it a bit too early?" Wang Zongyi thought for a moment and expressed his opinion.

Since the sacrifice to heaven in the southern suburbs, the Emperor had become increasingly strong. Now that there was no conclusion to the matter, he had decided to dismiss the Minister of War Shi Mao Hua.

Wang Zongyi didn't mind the Emperor taking the power of the Nine Ministers, this was the Emperor's majesty.

However, it was better not to be morally deficient.

Wang Xijue sat on the low stool opposite Wang Zongyi, and followed closely: "I think the Grand Minister is wrong. Even if Shi Mao Hua is not involved, he can't escape the crime of dereliction of duty. It is not inappropriate to let him rest."

Wang Zongyi didn't agree in his heart.

Dereliction of duty is a basket, anyone can put it in. If you talk about it, is Wang Chonggu above Shi Mao Hua also derelict, and is the former Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng also derelict?

But he also knew the Emperor's meaning, and Wang Xijue had said it to this point, so there was no need to argue—the crime of dereliction of duty, at least on the surface, could be justified, and it was barely enough.

Zhu Yijun was reviewing the memorials from the capital, opening and closing them one by one.

Hearing that the two high officials had nothing to say for a while, he didn't look up and replied: "Even if it is because of his old age and illness, Shi Mao Hua should retire. This matter doesn't need to be discussed anymore. Let's talk about the candidate for the Minister of War."

The military power of the Ming Dynasty was divided into two.

One was the Five Chief Military Commissions, which had the power to command troops but not to mobilize them; the other was the Ministry of War, which had the power to mobilize troops but not to command them.

At the beginning of the dynasty, the commanders of the Five Chief Military Commissions could often suppress the Ministry of War—Li Wenzhong, the Grand Commander of the Hongwu period, and Zhang Fu from the Yongle to Hongxi periods, had all fought the world with the Emperor. The generation of nobles who fought the world naturally could not be suppressed by the Ministry of War.

But after the Tumu Crisis, the situation suddenly reversed, and the Ministry of War suddenly rode on top of the Five Chief Military Commissions.

It oversaw all the original powers of the Ministry of War and the Five Chief Military Commissions.

Military decision-making, operational strategies, weapon manufacturing, promotion of military generals, mobilization of troops, national defense... and so on.

Even the power of commanding troops, which was most taboo at first, could be controlled by various Governors, Regional Commanders, and Regional Governors adding the title of Ministry of War official.

The power of the Ministry of War was great. Just looking at the struggle for the Beijing camps that had lasted from the Jiajing period to the present, one could see a glimpse—Gu Huan was in charge of the Beijing camps several times and was dismissed several times, which was a perfect epitome.

It was precisely because the Ministry of War had become increasingly powerful over the past century that Zhu Yijun had never interfered with any intense methods since he ascended the throne.

Instead, he started from the Beijing camps, focused on the Nine Border Governors, and nibbled away until now.

Originally, he planned to wait for a year or two to wait for the Minister Shi Mao Hua and Vice Minister Luo Fengxiang to die, and then naturally take it into his own hands.

But now that he had found an excuse to make a fuss, he took advantage of the situation.

Therefore, regardless of whether Wang Chonggu accepted it or not, regardless of whether Shi Mao Hua really had a problem, after returning to the capital, he would always take advantage of this excuse to make trouble.

The military parade on New Year's Day, wasn't it a perfect side dish for intervening in the Ministry of War?

At that time, the military power of the 600,000 soldiers of the Ming Dynasty would be truly in his hands, and he would have the confidence to slaughter the mountains and rivers, have the prestige to kill and seize, and have the qualifications to compare with the Taizu and Taizong.

Wang Xijue didn't know that the Emperor was fantasizing again, just heard the Emperor talking about the selection of the Minister of War, and felt that he should take the lead in proposing it.

He thought for a moment and said: "Your Majesty, what about the Governor of Guangdong, Ling Yunyi?"

Ling Yunyi had made contributions in Guangdong.

In November of the fourth year of Wanli, he led an army of 100,000 to suppress the rebelling Yao people, and took the meaning of pacifying the Yao people in Luopang Mountain, adding Luoding Prefecture, directly under Guangdong.

Such a great achievement in changing the soil and returning to the flow and stabilizing the territory could be said to be a matter of course for promotion to the Ministry of War hall official.

As for Ling Yunyi being a fellow villager of Taicang... selecting the virtuous without avoiding fellow villagers.

The Emperor hadn't answered yet, but the Minister of Rites Wang Zongyi on the side shook his head first: "Inappropriate, Ling Yunyi has killed too much in Guangdong, and has a reputation for being violent and arbitrary."

This might not be Ling Yunyi's fault. After all, when "the Yao people raised things, killed officials and looted land, and six of the ten prefectures in Guangdong were devastated," Ling Yunyi's ruthless killing and immediate suppression showed his ability.

But the way of being an official, many times, is not just about right and wrong.

Since Ling Yunyi had the reputation of being violent and arbitrary, once he entered the Ministry of War, there would inevitably be criticism from the scholars, disturbance from the Censorate, and even a hat of being unfavorable to the unity of the minority people would be buckled on.

Why look for trouble if you can avoid it.

Wang Xijue wanted to speak but stopped.

He wanted to say a fair word for Ling Yunyi, thought about it, sighed, and didn't speak again.

Zhu Yijun, who was reviewing the memorials, put down the last memorial he reviewed and put it next to the table.

He raised his head and glanced at the two, and his eyes fell on Wang Zongyi, asking: "Does the Grand Minister have a suitable candidate?"

Logically speaking, this kind of thing should be proposed by the Ministry of Personnel, and only when it is put on the court discussion can the Ministry of Rites have room to speak.

But the position of the Nine Ministers is of great importance, so naturally, a consensus should be reached privately, otherwise, if it cannot be passed by a full vote in the court discussion, it will show that this session of court officials is not harmonious enough.

Wang Zongyi pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Your Majesty, I think the Governor of Fujian, Li Zaiting, is suitable."

Li Zaiting was promoted from the Provincial Administration Commissioner to Governor by suppressing the mutiny.

Three years ago, the Governor of Fujian, Wu Shanyan, thought the soldiers' military pay was too high, so he memorialized to cut one-third of the military pay.

Before the central government received the memorial, a mutiny had already been caused in Fujian—camp soldiers Ma Wenying, Liu Tingyong, and others led thousands of well-equipped soldiers to gather at the Governor's office to appeal the military pay.

Wu Shanyan was too lazy to explain, and didn't wait for the central government's approval, and arbitrarily told the common soldiers: "The reduction of military pay has been decided, those who don't want to be soldiers can go home and farm."

The result was obvious.

Thousands of people poured into the Governor's office, the main hall was smashed to pieces, the Governor Wu Shanyan failed to escape, was caught and beaten, and was dying.

If it weren't for Li Zaiting of the neighboring Provincial Administration Office who heard the news and rushed over, making a decisive decision and pacifying it, the Governor Wu would have died if he had been sent to the doctor one step later, and the thousands of soldiers involved in killing the Governor would have had to rebel even if they didn't want to.

After the incident, the paralyzed Wu Shanyan was forced to rest, and Li Zaiting succeeded as the Deputy Hai Yushi-in-Chief of Fujian.

In addition, in the three years since Li Zaiting was promoted to Governor, he had suppressed the minority people and changed the soil and returned to the flow with the Regional Commander Yu Dayou, cleared the islands where the Japanese pirates were hiding, and captured and killed the powerful families who colluded with the Japanese pirates. Last year, he was promoted to Deputy Hai Yushi-in-Chief and Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

Now entering the Ministry of War again, although it was a bit fast, it could be said to be a matter of course.

Wang Xijue thought about it, went through Li Zaiting's resume in his mind, and nodded slightly.

The two looked at the Emperor at the same time.

Unfortunately, this proposal that both of them approved was denied by the Emperor, only to see Zhu Yijun stand up slowly: "The Fujian Shipping Office is at the last step, Li Zaiting is not yet time to return to the capital."

The Emperor stood up, and the two naturally followed.

Wang Zongyi walked behind the Emperor and said respectfully: "I dare to ask, who does Your Majesty intend?"

Saying it was daring, in fact, he asked with peace of mind, because the Emperor would really discuss it well with these people—this was also the most moving thing for him after he was listed as the Nine Ministers.

Zhu Yijun walked to the window of the room and looked at the scenery along the river from the building boat.

"The Governor of Liangguang, Yin Zhengmao, is already on his way to the capital. What do you think of him?"

Yin Zhengmao was a Jinshi in the 27th year of Jiajing, in the same list as Zhang Juzheng, from Shexian, Huizhou Prefecture, and was a fellow villager of Xu Guo.

In terms of merit, he could be said to be "the most great merit in pacifying the two Guangs"; in terms of political spectrum, he was successively reused by Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng, and was a firm member of the New Party; in terms of civil administration, besides his outstanding performance in military affairs, he also showed extraordinary talent in casting coins and changing salt, which could be said to be both civil and military.

Wang Xijue thought for a moment and nodded slowly: "Yin Gong is virtuous and good at cultivation, and his merits are outstanding. He should be in charge of the Ministry of War."

After saying this, he cast his eyes on Wang Zongyi beside him.

Zhu Yijun also turned his head and looked at Wang Zongyi.

But he saw Wang Zongyi's expression was not natural, and he looked like he wanted to speak but stopped.

Both of them knew that Wang Zongyi had some grievances with Yin Zhengmao, so they didn't find it strange.

Around the 27th year of Jiajing, Yin Zhengmao was the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of War, and Wang Zongyi was the Physician of the Ministry of War.

Originally, they were ordinary colleagues, but there was a coincidence. Yin Zhengmao's eldest son was named Yin Zongyi.

This was fine, it was just that the name was thought of together, and everyone avoided it, and that was it.

But Yin Zhengmao didn't understand human feelings, and admired Wang Zongyi in his heart. In order to make friends with him, he kept joking, talking about his eldest son's affairs—just like a primary school student pretending to accidentally step on a beautiful girl's foot.

Wang Minister was a pedantic scholar, how could he stand this? After he couldn't bear it, he directly scolded Yin Zhengmao's office, memorialized to impeach him, and wrote to argue—a whole set of services.

Yin Zhengmao was also a stubborn person, with his neck stiff and refused to admit his mistake, so the grievances and estrangement between the two were planted at this time.

Seeing that the Emperor and the Minister of Personnel were waiting for his opinion, Wang Zongyi turned his face away and said in a low voice: "Your Majesty, Yin Zhengmao is a scholar of the world, and should be in the Ministry of War."

Grievances are grievances, but they are small grievances and cannot affect the judgment of official business.

Zhu Yijun nodded lightly and looked at Wang Xijue: "After returning to the capital, Wang Qing should propose it as soon as possible."

Although Wang Xijue was an empty drop, it was a matter of course to be in charge of the Ministry of Personnel next.

After all, half of the officials in the Ministry of Personnel were the foundation left by Shen Shixing for seven years, and the two were wearing a pair of trousers, so the foundation would inevitably be digested quickly—in history, Wang Xijue was not close to the censors, so Shen Shixing lent his own student censors to Wang Xijue, and it was not an exaggeration to call the two Siamese twins in politics.

Wang Xijue bowed and obeyed.

After saying one thing, Zhu Yijun did not end the conversation.

Instead, he turned and walked out of the room, inviting: "Let's go, follow me out to get some air."

Wang Xijue and Wang Zongyi naturally had no objection and followed the Emperor silently.

Dismissing the eunuchs and guards who intended to follow, Zhu Yijun led the two out of the room and walked down the three-story building boat.

At this time of year, the sky had begun to drift with goose-feather snow.

This was the last half of the winter month when the boat could travel in Shuntian Prefecture in the seventh year of Wanli. When it reached the twelfth lunar month, it would be colder, and the boat could not travel.

Pedestrians on both sides of the river were wrapped in thick clothes, rushing.

From time to time, common people who loved to join in the fun gathered on the shore to look at the dragon boat in the river.

Floating ice could be seen from time to time on the river, and I don't know if it was the result of the boatmen in the river removing the ice.

In front of the dragon boat, there was an opening boat, used for expelling civilian boats and clearing floating ice.

Zhu Yijun stepped down the building boat and said with a complex expression: "If I don't leave the palace, how can I see these poor people."

The two looked down the building boat, and naturally understood what the Emperor meant.

There were not only boatmen breaking ice on the riverbed, but also trackers pulling boats against the biting cold wind when passing upstream.

Wang Zongyi replied from the bottom of his heart: "Your Majesty is benevolent."

At least in his view, the Emperor was a benevolent person who knew and acted as one.

But Zhu Yijun didn't take this praise, smiled self-deprecatingly: "I just move my mouth, and in the end, I am still using the people's fat and ointment. It can only be considered that my conscience is not bad, it cannot be considered benevolent, it is far from it."

He didn't say who he was comparing with, and the two behind him didn't know how to answer, so they had to fall silent.

After walking to the deck, Zhu Yijun took out a memorial from his sleeve.

He turned around and handed the memorial to Wang Zongyi: "Wang Qing, when the cabinet minister and Minister of Rites Ma Ziqiang left the capital, he sent the last memorial, which is about the arrangement of the imperial examination. Qing, help me advise."

Wang Zongyi was filled with respect upon hearing this.

This former Minister of Rites, who had little time left, and it was still a question of whether he could finish this year, was still concerned about the country before leaving, which was truly moving.

Wang Zongyi, with respect, reached out and took the memorial handed by the Emperor respectfully.

When he saw the cover, he paused, the title said—"Welcoming the New Direction of Imperial Examination Work"

The so-called near vermilion is red, near ink is black. The cabinet ministers and the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers who are close to the Emperor have more and more such strange and precise wording in their writing.

He sighed, then collected his thoughts, and opened the memorial to read.

Wang Zongyi was old, no longer like a young man reading ten lines at a glance—his brain could barely keep up, but his eyes couldn't keep up at all.

Of course, reading slowly had its benefits, at least it made the process of his expression changing look obvious.

After a long time, it settled into a locked brow, a stiff expression, and a strange look.

Wang Zongyi slowly closed the memorial, looked at the Emperor and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, forgive me for speaking bluntly, Ma Gong's memorial is a bit too childish."

"The imperial examination is the great ceremony of the country to select talents. If you add some lower-class things like arithmetic and logical causality, I am afraid... it violates the way of the saints."

Lower-class is still better than not entering the class. Wang Zongyi is not completely denying these things.

But if it is placed in the imperial examination, it is a bit inappropriate.

Ma Ziqiang submitted such a memorial, it seems that he is really terminally ill and confused, which is truly regrettable.

Zhu Yijun looked at this pedantic old man.

This is what capable ministers have to face when they reach the position of Nine Ministers—everyone has their own ideas and will not easily be a yes-man.

To this, Zhu Yijun could only explain patiently: "Grand Minister, although this is the case, Ma Gong's words are not unreasonable."

"The imperial examination is to select talents for the country, but it is not to select saints for the country. Besides personal character and integrity, it also needs to be calculated for governance."

"The two go hand in hand, and having both is the only way to be a good official."

Wang Zongyi's expression didn't change much, and he shook his head and refuted: "Your Majesty's words are indeed true, but these things like arithmetic and logical causality, in governance, I am afraid I haven't seen any benefits."

The Emperor's several major hobbies that are known to everyone, fishing, debating scriptures, mathematics.

Wang Zongyi was not surprised by the Emperor's attitude, but he still insisted.

Zhu Yijun sighed and advised from the bottom of his heart: "If you have it, you haven't seen the benefits, if you don't have it, the harm is fully revealed."

"In the early years, many hall officials in the state and prefecture, when collecting taxes, often miscalculated the number of taxes. Now, during the measurement of land and clearing of households, there are even more magistrates and prefects who lack the ability to check, and are deceived by the minor officials under their command in a fog. These are the harms of not knowing arithmetic."

"Logic is the same. Just like when Wu Shanyan was demoted after the mutiny in Fujian, he still spoke arrogantly at home, saying that the opposition of the soldiers just shows that he did the right thing, and the broken legs are the proof of his touching the current ills."

"Not to mention the toad supervising secretary Hu Runing, the throwing away the facts Tan Hai Yushi, these jokes, each one is stupid and doesn't know it, which is truly disgusting."

The Emperor's words were sincere, his tone was sincere, and he explained patiently with Wang Zongyi.

Wang Zongyi seemed to have listened, standing in place changing expressions, looking like he was lost in thought.

Wang Xijue avoided to the side, watching coldly, and didn't intend to mix in this matter.

He saw more clearly than Wang Zongyi, what Ma Ziqiang's memorial? This is clearly the Emperor's own meaning.

Before it was clear, or rather, when it reached the step of court discussion, he didn't want to express his position easily.

After a long time.

Wang Zongyi, who was lost in thought, finally came back to his senses.

Facing the Emperor's expectant gaze, Wang Zongyi paused for a moment, and then shook his head firmly.

Ignoring the Emperor's regretful gaze, he bowed to the Emperor and said seriously: "Your Majesty's words are reasonable, but... the official schools in each province have already taught arithmetic. I think that being roughly proficient in these fur, for the use of governance, is already enough."

"And taking scholars by classic sequence is the foundation of the country, which cannot be shaken, and should not be increased or decreased in ranking. I hope Your Majesty will see clearly which is heavy and which is light."

Wang Zongyi has been an official in the grassroots and central government for so many years, even if he doesn't know why, he can know it by experience.

Once the pros and cons of arithmetic affect the imperial examination ranking, I am afraid that there will be people who are proficient in arithmetic but rough in classics. As time goes on, it is hard to say who is higher and who is lower between classics and arithmetic.

Zhu Yijun hesitated for a moment, nodded heavily: "What Wang Qing said is reasonable."

"Then follow Wang Qing's words!"

"Add a sub-volume for arithmetic taught in official schools, and add another examination, only to be dismissed by arithmetic, without increasing or decreasing the ranking of Jinshi."

He paused: "The subject of the Jinshi examination after the spring is too late, starting from the Jinshi subject in the 11th year of Wanli."

Arithmetic is an elective subject in official schools in each province. Slightly improving the status does not need to be brewed for too long to let people study from scratch.

As for logic, at least wait for another two subjects, after the textbooks and teachers are complete, it will be the time to join the sub-volume.

Of course, it is still the same sentence, no matter how difficult it is to change later, change it slowly first, do as much as you can.

Wang Zongyi paused upon hearing the Emperor's words.

He suddenly realized that the Emperor had misunderstood.

His meaning was that arithmetic, logic, etc., are enough to be electives, and there is no need to list examinations.

But the Emperor only took the saying that it would not increase or decrease the ranking, and wanted to use arithmetic to screen people, um... just as a lower-level threshold, it seems that it really won't increase or decrease the ranking.

Wang Zongyi thought about it, and his brain became a bit chaotic.

Only feeling that the follow-up impact of the Emperor's statement is getting harder and harder to calculate.

Just when he hadn't figured it out, he heard the Emperor speak again.

"It is still Wang Qing who thinks thoroughly. Arithmetic is taught in official schools in each province. If you are dismissed because of the sub-volume, it just shows that your learning attitude is not correct, and you haven't listened well on weekdays, and your character and conduct will not be much better."

Wang Zongyi had a clue, and was about to speak, but hesitated, and swallowed the words that came to his mouth.

It must be said that if it is the difficulty taught by the provincial school, then the Emperor's words are not wrong.

The arithmetic of the official school is simple to the extreme. When he was studying in the Hubei provincial school, he only distracted slightly in one year, and he finished the arithmetic course.

Normally, at least 80% of the candidates will not be stuck at this threshold.

This proportion is no different from doing it for show.

Of course, if even this difficulty of arithmetic is dismissed, it is truly stupid or bad—in the scholar forest, an incorrect learning attitude is a moral corruption.

Wang Zongyi was shaken, this time he didn't refuse decisively, just said reluctantly: "Your Majesty, please allow me to return to the Ministry of Rites to discuss it."

Whether to change or not, how to change, it is not something that can be solved by touching the lips.

This kind of major policy involving the foundation of the country must be discussed for at least half a year before there is a result.

Zhu Yijun nodded with relief: "Qing think about it first, and discuss a statement when you return to the Ministry of Rites."

"In addition, this subject is too late, but the examination for Shujishi in April next year may be able to add an arithmetic subject."

He doesn't need mathematicians to take the Jinshi examination. Using elementary mathematics and basic logic to screen out people who don't have any rational thinking is actually enough.

Of course, the key is to improve the social status of mathematics and logic—for this reason, even if the Ministry of Rites lowers the threshold to the lowest in the first year, and only gives some addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems, letting everyone pass, Zhu Yijun can accept it.

Entering the imperial examination, the status will slowly come up, not to mention the mainstream, it is enough to raise it to the secondary mainstream position.

Of course, in the process, I am afraid that local governments will inevitably manufacture some new auspicious signs, such as a child who failed the private school, suddenly enlightened overnight, and ranked twelfth in the Ming Dynasty mathematics world, etc.

Zhu Yijun thought and thought, and couldn't help shaking his head and laughing.

Although he didn't know what the Emperor was laughing at, Wang Zongyi and Wang Xijue looked at each other and accompanied with two dry laughs.

Just as they were barely grinning, Wang Zongyi suddenly saw Wang Xijue and the Emperor's expressions suddenly stiffen, and the smile stopped abruptly.

Wang Zongyi didn't know why.

"Your Majesty, is there anything wrong..."

Before he finished speaking, his peripheral vision glanced at the river embankment on the shore, and he seemed to see something, and the question also stopped abruptly.

The vision, which was blurred due to old age, gradually became clear.

On the shore was a section of country road with no people.

A piece of coarse cloth was pulled open, and several scholars stood on the shore embankment, pulling one end of the coarse cloth with their left and right hands, waving hard, trying to attract attention to the dragon boat.

Only to see a line of big characters on the coarse cloth moving with the wind—Only the imperial manor is occupied and not measured, only the emperor's relatives hide households and not cleared. Vast and vast heaven, who is this person!?