Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

The Wenyuan Pavilion was the office of the Grand Secretariat, located in the Hanlin Academy, just to the right of the Meridian Gate.

After the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial returned the memorials to the Wenyuan Pavilion, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang, and Xie Qian officially began to process them.

Li Dongyang and Xie Qian were already familiar with each other, and Liu Jian had previously served in the Hanlin Academy, where he was the superior of Li Dongyang and Xie Qian.

Therefore, Li Dongyang and Xie Qian naturally deferred to Liu Jian, recommending him as the Senior Grand Secretary.

"Grand Secretary Liu, do you have suitable candidates for the six ministers?"

Li Dongyang carefully inquired of Liu Jian.

Liu Jian smiled, his tone amiable: "Haha, Binzhi, we are both Grand Secretaries, there's no need to be so formal. Just call me Xixian."

"Currently, there are three vacant ministerial positions: the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Works."

"In my opinion, the position of Minister of Personnel can be given to Wang Shu, the former Minister of War of Southern Zhili."

"Wang Shu initially served as a Left Judge in the Dali Temple, and then successively served as the Administration Commissioner of Ganzhou, the Governor of Yuzhou, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice of Southern Zhili, and the Minister of War of Southern Zhili concurrently holding the title of Left Vice Censor-in-Chief."

"He has held more than ten official positions, and has always been consistent in his integrity and strictness."

"His political achievements are remarkable, and he has a well-deserved reputation. He is not only suitable for the position of Minister of Personnel, but can even be recommended to join the Grand Secretariat."

Xie Qian was somewhat surprised: "Recommend another Grand Secretary?"

The Grand Secretariat currently only consisted of the three of them. If they were to recommend new ministers to join, wouldn't that dilute the power they held?

Liu Jian: "Now is the time when His Majesty needs talented people, so naturally we should recommend more virtuous and wise people to join the Grand Secretariat."

"We are all new to the Grand Secretariat and our foundation is unstable. It is always beneficial to bring more people into the Grand Secretariat."

"Moreover, you two are too young. The Grand Secretariat should have some experienced ministers to better assist His Majesty."

Li Dongyang and Xie Qian exchanged glances. Li Dongyang quickly understood the implications and immediately expressed his position.

"I agree with Xixian's view that we should indeed expand the number of members in the Grand Secretariat."

With both of them agreeing to expand the Grand Secretariat, Xie Qian naturally had nothing to say.

Liu Jian smiled and continued to recommend another ministerial candidate.

"As for the vacancy of Minister of Revenue, I recommend Xu Pu, the Left Vice Minister of Personnel."

"Xu Pu is solemn in nature, meticulous in his work, generous and considerate, and sympathetic to the plight of the people. He has the demeanor of an ancient minister."

"His way of governing, which emphasizes stability and adherence to established laws, is well-suited to the current turbulent situation."

"I not only want to recommend him to join the Grand Secretariat, but also want to recommend him as the Senior Grand Secretary."

"Ah?"

Li Dongyang and Xie Qian were both stunned.

Xie Qian blurted out: "Brother Xixian, we both privately thought of recommending you as the Senior Grand Secretary..."

Liu Jian smiled and shook his head: "My qualifications are still shallow, and I do not yet have the ability to be the Senior Grand Secretary."

Li Dongyang was filled with awe: "Brother Xixian is of noble character, unmoved by fame and fortune, and insists on recommending the worthy. Xixian joining the Grand Secretariat is truly a blessing for the Great Ming."

Xie Qian also felt somewhat emotional: "Brother Xixian is truly a man of great vision. My perspective was narrow, and I have made a fool of myself in front of Brother Xixian."

Liu Jian smiled and cupped his hands: "I eat the Emperor's food and share his worries."

"I am an official of the Great Ming and should naturally be loyal to the country and its people."

"Hahaha."

The three looked at each other and laughed.

It is unknown whether Li Dongyang and Xie Qian, who were only around forty years old, understood Liu Jian's true intentions.

Now that Zhu You樘 has reorganized the Grand Secretariat, their parachuting into the Grand Secretariat makes them rootless duckweeds.

In fact, the Grand Secretariat has lost all its power and has completely become an appendage of Zhu You樘.

If they want to increase the power of the Grand Secretariat, they naturally need to unite and form a party.

The Grand Secretariat must have more veteran ministers to have the capital to negotiate with Zhu You樘.

However, he was unwilling to be the vanguard in the charge, so it was better to leave the position of Senior Grand Secretary to Xu Pu, this veteran minister.

Liu Jian's desire to expand the power of the Grand Secretariat does not mean that Liu Jian has any disloyal intentions towards Zhu You樘.

The power struggle between the imperial power represented by the Emperor and the ministerial power represented by the Grand Secretariat has always been a constant throughout the Ming Dynasty.

This has nothing to do with which person is selected to join the Grand Secretariat, but only with the position one holds.

Any Grand Secretary who joins the Grand Secretariat is committed to expanding the power of the Grand Secretariat.

Therefore, it is not that Zhu You樘 is unable to recognize talent. It would be the same result no matter who Zhu You樘 chooses to join the Grand Secretariat.

The relationship between Zhu You樘 and the Grand Secretariat can only be one of using while fighting.

Zhu You樘 understood this point long ago, but with the Embroidered Uniform Guard in hand, he was not worried that the Grand Secretariat would cause much trouble.

He could dissolve the Grand Secretariat once, and he could dissolve it a second time.

...

While the three Grand Secretaries of the Wenyuan Pavilion were discussing matters of state, the two Empress Dowagers of the inner palace were also contemplating Zhu You樘's affairs of state and family.

"Your Majesty, it's terrible! The deposed Empress Wu has been honored by His Majesty as Empress Dowager."

"His Majesty has also allowed her to act on behalf of the Empress and manage the six palaces and courtyards for His Majesty!"

A young palace maid ran into the Cining Palace and came to Empress Wang, the rightful Empress of Emperor Xianzong and now Empress Dowager, and whispered.

The scope of the palace purge last night was very wide, and even the Cining Palace heard the unusual sounds from outside the palace.

So early in the morning, Empress Dowager Wang asked her palace maid to go outside to inquire about what had happened last night.

But she did not expect that such a serious thing had happened last night.

Empress Dowager Wang, who had been closing her eyes and chanting Buddhist scriptures, suddenly opened her eyes and frowned.

"Wu is ennobled as Empress... Dowager? Shouldn't Grand Empress Dowager Zhou be in charge of the palace now?"

"Your Majesty, last night... His Majesty stripped Grand Empress Dowager Zhou of her title and sent her to Qingning Palace."

"What?!" Wang was shocked, and the Buddhist scriptures in her hand fell to the ground.

"Tell me in detail, tell me everything you know."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

So, the palace maid told Empress Dowager Wang everything she had inquired about.

Zhu You樘 did not deliberately block the news of last night, so the eunuchs and palace maids in the palace knew more or less about what happened last night.

After listening, Wang was silent for a long time, and suddenly let out a chuckle.

Then the laughter grew louder and louder, and the palace maids and eunuchs who served on the left and right were a little at a loss, and knelt down in fear and trepidation.

Wang felt extremely comfortable, with a sense of finally getting ahead.

Wang and Wu entered the Eastern Palace at the same time.

Before his death, Emperor Yingzong personally selected Wu to become Emperor Xianzong's Crown Princess, and then she smoothly became Empress.

But for some reason, Wu was ordered to be deposed by Emperor Xianzong one month after becoming Empress, and then Wang was made Empress.

Although Emperor Xianzong made Wang Empress, Wang did not bear any children for Emperor Xianzong.

But Emperor Xianzong had fourteen princes and six princesses.

The only explanation is that Emperor Xianzong simply did not touch her.

But whether Wu was Empress or Wang was Empress, they did not truly control the power of the inner palace.

The power was firmly in the hands of Empress Dowager Zhou.

Now that Grand Empress Dowager Zhou has been sent to Qingning Palace, the great mountain that has been pressing on her for more than twenty years is finally gone.