The posthumous title is a very special one, as it is the official final judgment on a person's life, and therefore cannot be taken lightly.

Moreover, many civil officials are now acting like they've been injected with adrenaline, seeing an opportunity for advancement. These scholar-officials have been neglected for far too long, and they are eager to regain their rightful place.

Leaving aside other dynasties, the status of civil officials wasn't necessarily that high. It was only after the Song Dynasty that the ambitions of civil officials soared to their peak. The Song Dynasty was truly a paradise for scholar-officials!

Although the Yuan Dynasty didn't seem to offer particularly high treatment to some civil officials, overall it wasn't bad. In the Ming Dynasty up to the present day, the treatment of scholar-officials can be considered the 'bottom line' of all dynasties, with many having 'reached their limit'.

Therefore, Yang Jing's posthumous title was no longer simply that of the Minister of Justice; it also reflected the status and interests of the civil service group.

The debate raged in the court, with many desiring the title 'Wenzheng,' the highest possible posthumous title for a civil official. At least during the Song Dynasty, such a title was the dream of countless civil officials.

To be honest, Yang Jing was not qualified for such a posthumous title; it was too much for him.

The civil officials were more concerned about this matter, while the military elites seemed to be observing indifferently, as it appeared to have little to do with them. Indeed, there was no need for them to take the lead.

Moreover, some people think more deeply, believing that the emperor's grand gesture in bestowing a posthumous title upon Yang Jing is also a signal.

While it may seem like an elevation of the civil officials' status, isn't this also a warning to the military elite? A balance between civil and military officials, with each checking and balancing the other—this is the ideal state in the emperor's eyes.

In the Ming Dynasty, military merit held an extremely high status. Even though many people knew that in the early stages of a dynasty, military merit was inevitably the most important factor. However, the current Ming Dynasty should indeed consider slightly curbing the power of military merit.

This matter cannot be decided overnight. It is estimated that after the court session ends, many people will begin to make better preparations regarding Yang Jing's posthumous title.

Moreover, Yang Jing had indeed died of illness. He was one of the six ministers, the pinnacle of civil officials. Therefore, even if there were disagreements on political matters, it was still necessary to pay respects at such a time.

The emperor seemed to favor Yang Jing and acknowledged his achievements. Such a high-ranking official deserved posthumous honors. His colleagues would have been embarrassed if they hadn't shown any respect.

Zhu Yunying's mood was complicated after the court session. The death of Yang Jing in his prime was indeed a great loss to the court.

Walking slowly toward the Wuying Hall, Zhu Yunying noticed something unusual before even entering the hall, so he quickened his pace slightly.

Zhu Yunying stepped into the Wuying Hall and asked with some curiosity, "Grandpa Emperor, why have you come here?"

"With such things happening in the court, we should come and take a look." Old Zhu put down the memorial in his hand and said to Zhu Yunying, "After reading the memorials you reviewed, it seems you've become quite lazy. Your reviews of these memorials are rather vague."

Zhu Yunying immediately understood what his father meant. It wasn't that Zhu Yunying was just going through the motions when reviewing memorials. It was just that in the past, Zhu Yunying had been meticulous about everything, but now he often just offered some guidance rather than making direct decisions.

Moreover, Old Zhu's personality is that of a true micromanager. With an extremely strong desire for control, Old Zhu is used to doing everything himself, and others only need to execute the orders without having to think too much.

“Grandfather, what we’re doing isn’t a good thing.” Zhu Yunying pulled out a memorial and said, “Look, the people below are afraid to make decisions when faced with problems. A memorial takes several days to get through, and several months at the fastest. By the time we make a decision, it will be too late.”

Old Zhu snorted coldly and said, "If those people below don't even have this much ability, then they are just wasting the court's salary."

Zhu Yunying couldn't help but laugh. Some of Old Zhu's ideas were indeed difficult to change in a short time, and there was no need to change Old Zhu's ideas.

As for Zhu Yunying's intentions, they weren't necessarily entirely correct. He delegated some power, giving some 'lower-level officials' autonomy. However, having many matters entirely in the emperor's hands, or even in the central government, wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Power should be delegated where necessary; the court needs to grasp the big picture. The emperor should be in control of decision-making matters, not micromanage everything, which is clearly not a good thing.

Old Zhu didn't say anything more. Although Zhu Yunying seemed a bit 'lazy,' Old Zhu acknowledged Zhu Yunying's thoughts and ideas. There was nothing wrong with what Zhu Yunying was doing, but if Old Zhu were sitting on the dragon throne, he wouldn't have acted this way.

As long as Xiao Zhu isn't just messing around, that's fine. Besides, Xiao Zhu has been experienced for many years. Old Zhu is very confident in his ability to control the court. Old Zhu is also quite confident in Xiao Zhu's ability to handle affairs, so there's no need to worry too much.

“Yang Jing is gone too, so let’s use Bao Zhao for now,” Old Zhu said. “Bao Zhao is alright. I remember he did a decent job in the Censorate. He was known for his frugality and simple lifestyle.”

Zhu Yunying laughed and said, "This man is honest and upright, which puts his mind at ease. However, our Minister of Justice is ultimately someone who gets things done. The Ministry of Justice is in charge of the penal laws of the entire country, in order to assist the emperor in rectifying the people. I still think Yang Jing is better, but I can't control matters of life and death right now."

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