My life skills in Daming Liver

Looking at the map, Zhang Juzheng suddenly saw his hometown, Huguang Jiangling.

Zhang Juzheng was startled suddenly, he finally understood why he felt something was wrong!

Huguang is cooked and the world is full. How can I naturally feel that the food from Huguang can be transported to the capital naturally?

Both Zhejiang and Fujian fell into the hands of Su Ze. If Su Ze attacked Jiangxi and cut off the waterway of the Yangtze River, it would be of no use to keep Yangzhou.

Zhang Juzheng immediately called the subordinates of the Nanjing Military Department. He looked around and said, "Quickly send an order to the governor of Nanjiang, Huguang and other divisions, and let them be alert to Soviet thieves!"

Everyone glanced at each other, and finally it was Wang Jiaping from the Nanjing Ministry of War who stood up to the incident and said:

"Zhang Shilang, our Nanjing military department can't control Jiangxi and Huguang."

Everyone turned around, and only then did Zhang Juzheng realize that he was just the Minister of the Nanjing Military Department, and the emperor gave him the jurisdiction over the military affairs of Nanzhili, and Huguang and Jiangxi were not under his management.

Zhang Juzheng said anxiously: "It may be too late to play the imperial court now! First write in the name of the Nanjing Ministry of War to remind Jiangxi Huguang officials to beware of Soviet thieves!"

Wang Jiaping still couldn't help reminding: "Zhang Shilang, this is not in line with the regulations, or it would be better to write in Zhang Shilang's personal name? Besides, the Su thieves may not invade Jiangxi. If the servant's prediction is wrong, There is also room for maneuver.”

Zhang Juzheng was about to explode with anger. Since he took office, no matter whether it was his superiors, colleagues, or subordinates, he was holding back. At this moment, the Nanjing Military Department was still thinking about how to shirk responsibility.

Zhang Juzheng couldn't bear it any longer. He slapped the table and said, "Let's write a dish in the name of the Nanjing Ministry of War! In addition, continue to practice the left and right guards in Nanjing and move the town to Huizhou Prefecture. If Su Ze enters Jiangxi, he will order the left and right guards in Nanjing to enter." Gan support!"

Wang Jiaping and other subordinates saw that Zhang Juzheng was really angry, so they handed over their hands and began to send messages to Jiangxi and Huguang.

Just when Zhang Juzheng was being constrained by many parties in Nanjing, in the low tile-roofed house of the five cabinets in the capital and the cabinet, Wang Xijue, the second place in the new division this year, was yawning boredly while watching the officials busy.

The main responsibility of this department is to transmit official documents between the cabinet and the six departments, five temples and one station.

During the Tang and Song dynasties, Zhongshu Wufang under the door was extremely responsible for official affairs, and the leaders of this department were the chief secretary of the prime minister. For example, when Wang Anshi was reforming, he appointed rising stars of the reform school to hold this position, including Zhang Chun and Cai Que. The backbone of a group of reformists all stepped into the center from this position.

But in the Ming Dynasty, because Zhu Yuanzhang dismissed the appointment of the prime minister, the cabinet and the political affairs hall were still different. In the early days of the cabinet, it was only the emperor's consulting and secretarial agency.

Since the cabinet scholars are all secretaries, there is no reason to appoint a secretary for the secretary. The status of the cabinet secretary and five-room official has dropped sharply. Now this department does not even have official positions. The department, that is, the bureaucrats under the cabinet.

Wang Xijue is a top-notch Jinshi, ranked second in the imperial examination, and was assigned to observe politics in such a department full of officials. It can only be said that the disgusting people of the Ming court have a hand.

The nobles who ranked lower than Wang Xijue in the imperial examination can be arranged to watch politics in the six yamen. He is the second place in the imperial examination, but he is in the low tile-roofed house all day long, watching the group of officials busy. This is such an insult, and ordinary Jinshi should resign and go home when they are treated like this.

But Wang Xijue couldn't resign because Su Ze rebelled.

He is a good friend of Su Ze, and once edited the "Warning News" in Suzhou.

Su Ze's "Appeal to the Court" was published in "Warning News", which has been banned by the court.

Now all the colleagues in the Imperial Academy are trying their best to avoid Wang Xijue.

Although it feels insulting to write Wufang official affairs and observe politics in the cabinet, it is better than being talked about in the Imperial Academy.

My friends rebelled, and I founded and edited the anti-thief's propaganda newspaper. It is already a favor for the court not to kill me.

Wang Xijue also knew that he had no political future, maybe the court would cut off his head someday?

It might as well just lie flat.

Wang Xijue became envious of Xu Shixing, as a grasshopper on a rope, Xu Shixing took an errand to Fuzhou, and now the whole capital is wildly rumoring that the number one scholar followed Su Ze to rebel.

If it wasn't for the fact that Su Ze hadn't rebelled when Xu Shixing went south, it was only a coincidence that Xu Shixing went south. Wang Xijue really suspected that Xu Shixing had deliberately defected to Su Ze to rebel.

The only lucky thing is that Jinke Tanhua Xuguo is also treated the same as himself. Now he is assigned to the eunuch, and he specializes in the horse breeding department to watch politics.

Now Wang Xijue is watched by Jin Yiwei when he goes in and out, and no one in the capital dares to gather with him, life is like being in prison.

But Wang Xijue could not resign because Su Ze rebelled.

"Master Sun, come to the cabinet again to listen to the teaching?"

Wang Xijue looked up, only to see a young official chatting with an old official who was in the cabinet.

This official, Wang Xijue, knew him. He had drank with him when he was just selected as a candidate, and the two of them had a good relationship at that time.

But then the situation changed drastically, and after Su Ze rebelled, the head of the official department named Sun Piyang immediately alienated himself.

Wang Xijue can only sigh with emotion.

Hearing the conversation between Sun Piyang and the old official, he knew that he had come to the cabinet for a meeting.

The Ministry of Officials is the nominal head of the six ministries, and the most important function is naturally the appointment of personnel in the empire.

However, the chief assistants of this dynasty, from Xia Yan to Yan Song, were all very powerful, so the cabinet deprived the officials of many powers, and the power to "promote" that was originally alienated from the officials was gradually captured by the cabinet.

The so-called promotion is naturally arranging a list of officials recommended for promotion.

When the Ministry of Officials was strong, the list of arrangements was directly submitted to the cabinet, and then the cabinet sorted out the opinions and sent them to the emperor for approval.

Now that the Ministry of Officials is weak, it is natural that they cannot bypass the cabinet. There is a head of the Ministry of Officials like Sun Piyang. Before being promoted, he first comes to the cabinet to "listen to the teaching" for a meeting, determine the policy of the cabinet, and then go back to draw up the list.

Even when Yan Song was in power, this list was directly drawn up by the cabinet itself, which was tantamount to completely depriving the Ministry of Officials of the right to recommend personnel, which is why the strict party gained power.

Taking control of the official department that controls the recommendation and assessment of officials, Yan Song can naturally push his own people to high positions and depose those who oppose him into exile.

However, after Xu Jie took office as the chief assistant of the cabinet, his governing slogan was "return the master with prestige, return the government affairs to the ministers, and return public opinion with the sacrifice of punishment and reward".

Now that I have said this, I can no longer use the original method of Yan Song.

Even so, Sun Piyang felt bitter.

He has come to the cabinet three times, and Mr. Xu Ge was dissatisfied with the list every time he reported it, and he failed to finalize the list for promotion this time for a full twenty days.

This is the third time that the list has been drawn up. If Mr. Xu Ge is still not satisfied, he will be reprimanded by his boss again when he goes back.

This time Sun Piyang had no choice but to take out a silver ingot from his sleeve, handed it to the old official and said:

"I would also like to ask Ge Sili to clarify how to draw up this list so that the old man can be satisfied?"

Wang Xijue has seen such a scene many times.

Although there are no officials in the cabinet and Wufang official affairs, and it does not have the prominent status in Tang and Song Dynasties, it does not mean that this department is not important.

These officials go in and out of the cabinet every day, and are also responsible for uploading and distributing the memorials and documents of the cabinet. In fact, they are very close to the core decision-making circle.

It may seem like an inconspicuous position, but in fact there are many ways to do it.

For example, when it is time to submit official documents, each yamen sends official documents. If there is bad news, these officials should be bribed and stuffed in the official documents of good news, or sent when the elders are in a good mood.

If you don’t take care of it, the subordinate staff will definitely be scolded bloody or rejected by the cabinet when the old man is in a bad mood to send the official documents of your department.

There is also Sun Piyang's situation. The cabinet is always dissatisfied with the things he does, but the elders of the cabinet don't say what they are dissatisfied with.

At this time, the only option is to bribe these old officials. They have been working in the cabinet for a long time, but they know the minds of the cabinet elders better than the officials.

Sun Pi raised the money, and the old official surnamed Ge said:

"If you want me to say, it's no wonder that the elder Ge is satisfied with the list drawn up by your official department."

"Su Ze rebelled in Fujian and Zhejiang. The imperial court was magnanimous and did not pursue the officials from Zhejiang and Fujian in the imperial court. But why are there still officials from Zhejiang and Fujian in the list promoted by your official department? This is Xu Ge's old criticism." , the Supervisor of Rituals will not approve of red."

After all, Sun Piyang is young, and he is the head of the Ministry of Officials, so the promotion list drawn up is only small officials below the sixth rank.

He said: "Didn't the cabinet say that the Soviet thieves rebelled and that officials from Fujian and Zhejiang would not be held accountable? Aren't the three friends of the Soviet thieves still staying in the Imperial Academy? We have all inspected the proposed officials this time." Yes, there is absolutely no collusion with Su thief."

The old official immediately said: "It is comforting for the court not to pursue it! Isn't it true that the Su thieves are powerful? The court just didn't pursue it, and didn't say that you will let your officials promote officials from Fujian and Zhejiang!"

"You officials, don't you speculate on His Majesty's wishes? If you still promote Fujian and Zhejiang officials at this time, if they follow Su Ze to rebel, what will your officials do? What about the cabinet? It is better to kill a thousand by mistake than to let go Pass one!"

Sun Piyang finally lowered his head and said: "Then I won't go to visit the old man today, I will go back and change it."

The old official surnamed Ge accepted the money, but he was worthy of the money, and he said:

"Next time, the promotion list should be transcribed with the post of bronzing hairpin flowers, and the format here should be written in the top grid. By the way, this person's name violated the taboo of Xu Ge's grandfather, so don't list him."

"Also, come back in the afternoon next time when your officials are 'asking for advice'. Usually, the cabinet has fewer official duties at that time, and the cabinet boss is in a better mood just after resting. Don't send it early in the morning."

Sun Piyang quickly expressed his gratitude, and then left the cabinet in a hurry.

Wang Xijue felt sick for no reason.

At the same time, Su Ze was listening to the discussions of the officials of the Fuzhou Shipping Department behind the screen of the Fuzhou Shipping Department's meeting hall.

Eunuch Tao has been complaining about illness since he was frightened last time, and now the Fuzhou Shipbuilding Department is just a few young eunuchs discussing with the officials of various departments of the Fuzhou Shipbuilding Department.

Su Ze really didn't have any extra talents under his command, so he let the Fuzhou Shipping Department run like this. Unexpectedly, Fuzhou Shipping Department hadn't made any mistakes during this period of time. Su Ze came to the City Shipping Department to inspect it when he remembered it.

The person who received Su Ze was a young eunuch under Tao Gonggong's command. This young eunuch, surnamed Yan, has been working with Tao Gonggong. Because he is familiar with the work of the Municipal Shipping Department, Su Ze appointed him to be in charge of the Municipal Shipping Department temporarily.

"The Department of Shipping has not made any mistakes these days, and Eunuch Yan has done a good job."

"The chief governor is absurd. The Shibo Department is all thanks to everyone's collective efforts during this period, and Xiao Yanzi dare not take the credit."

"Don't use small words to call yourself in the future, you are all officials of the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion, not slaves of the palace."

Xiaoyan listened too closely.

Su Ze asked curiously: "Collective efforts? How do you do it?"

Eunuch Xiaoyan said: "The Shibo Department will have a meeting soon, and the governor will know if he is interested in listening."

"However, the governor is also invited to listen behind the screen."

Su Ze asked suspiciously, "Why?"

"The governor is present, I am afraid that everyone will not dare to speak."

"This is easy to handle."

Su Ze nodded. He sat behind the screen and did not attend the meeting hall.

The people who participated in the meeting this time were officials from several departments of the Municipal Shipbuilding Department, plus the two battalion commanders in charge of anti-smuggling. Judging by the standards of Ming Dynasty, including the eunuch Xiaoyan, all civil and military officials of high grade were present. No, they are all subordinate officials.

Eunuch Xiaoyan took out a gavel, patted it and said, "Today's topic was notified to everyone yesterday. It is about the businessman in the Ryukyu mission seeking personal gain and helping the Japanese country to smuggle new coins. We still follow the old rules. , Everyone speaks one by one during the time of a stick of incense."

"Let's start with the anti-smuggling department."

An old official stood up and said:

"From last year's random inspection by our anti-smuggling department, we found the problem of the outflow of new coins. The country of Japan was short of money, and Mr. Tao's newly minted Sanxian coins were of excellent quality and were very popular in the country of Japan. So the businessmen of the country of Japan entrusted the Ryukyu Mission to collect more new coins in Fujian. , Our anti-smuggling department has discovered six cases of smuggling copper coins out of the sea."

"The outflow of copper coins has caused a money shortage in Fuzhou. This is a major matter that should be reported to the Governor's Office."

After the old official finished speaking, Eunuch Xiaoyan ordered the next official to speak.

Su Ze was surprised to find that although these officials were not highly educated and had a relatively shallow understanding of the currency economy, under the auspices of Xiaoyan's father-in-law, they gradually discussed this issue clearly.

The problem is very simple, that is, the country of Wa does not have qualified minting technology, so it has been using Ming copper coins.

Since Tao Gonggong cast the three immortal coins, this exquisite copper coin has become popular in the country of Japan. Merchants in the country of Japan paid a lot of money, and some businessmen in the Ryukyu mission saw the profit, so they smuggled copper coins in Fuzhou.

Currency outflow is indeed a thorny issue in the era of mercantilism. These officials took turns to speak, and they even made this issue clear.

Eunuch Xiaoyan presided over the meeting and did not express any opinions on this topic, but maintained the order of the meeting.

For example, when others are speaking, Eunuch Xiaoyan will prevent others from interrupting and let the speaker fully express his point of view.

Or when the content of the discussion deviates from the topic, Eunuch Xiaoyan will also bring back the topic.

In the event of personal attacks and irrelevant quarrels, Xiaoyan will severely reprimand the attacker and suspend off-topic discussions. He will only discuss the topic itself and not discuss the speaker's position or tendency. .

The meeting was very long and took many detours, but the issues were discussed comprehensively, and several departments in charge also put forward their own opinions.

Isn't this the prototype of Robert's procedure?