In the seventh year of Hongwu, the legitimate eldest grandson of Zhu Yuanzhang, the great ancestor of the Ming Dynasty, was born.
He who resides as the legitimate heir will surely ascend to t...
Zhu Yunying continued reviewing the memorials. As before, many of them concerned trivial matters, but Zhu Yunying had no choice but to handle them patiently.
This further solidified his determination to establish a cabinet; its existence was indeed necessary. Not only would it provide him with secretaries to consult with at any time, but it would also save him a significant amount of time on many minor matters.
The cabinet system was certainly not perfect, but Zhu Yunying was even more aware that there was no such thing as a perfect system. He also knew that it was impossible for every emperor of the Ming Dynasty to be diligent in his duties, or for every emperor of the Ming Dynasty to be wise.
The cabinet could draft and approve proposals, but the final decision-making power still rested with the emperor. There was nothing to say about that, and it was Zhu Yunying's bottom line.
Of course, Joo Yun-young's bottom line was quite low; even Old Zhu found it somewhat unacceptable.
But Old Zhu had no other choice. His precious grandson had made up his mind, so Old Zhu didn't plan to interfere any further. Otherwise, he would just be making things more difficult for himself.
This was probably the tacit understanding between Zhu Yunying and Zhu Yuanzhang. In matters of state, Zhu Yunying would not hide anything from Zhu Yuanzhang and would tell him many things on his own initiative. He was not worried that Zhu Yuanzhang, the retired emperor, would still be well-informed about court affairs and national affairs.
Old Zhu was also very straightforward. Unless Zhu Yunying took the initiative to ask, or if he needed to cooperate with Zhu Yunying's policies, Old Zhu would generally not take the initiative to interfere in court affairs, and would leave them to Zhu Yunying to handle himself.
There are some things that Zhu Yunying is aware of; it's a tacit understanding between him and Lao Zhu. There's no need for them to deliberately bring up many things.
After finishing a day's work, Zhu Yunying breathed a sigh of relief. These tasks certainly needed to be done. Even if a cabinet was to be formed next, it would still need to share some of Zhu Yunying's administrative responsibilities.
But since the cabinet hasn't been formed yet, Zhu Yunying can't just let some political affairs pile up and wait until the cabinet is formed before dealing with them.
Moreover, Zhu Yunying never intended for the cabinet to have decision-making power. The cabinet was merely sharing some of Zhu Yunying's work, which did not mean that Zhu Yunying would do nothing, nor did it mean that the cabinet would begin to shoulder the heavy responsibility of running the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Yunying was in a fairly good mood. In fact, most of the civil and military officials were also in a good mood at this time, feeling that they had been a little too worried a few days ago.
It is all the better that His Majesty is in good health. There is no need to worry about facing the domineering Hongwu Emperor again, nor to consider the turmoil brought about by the change of imperial power.
This is all good news, meaning that officials, both civil and military, can now focus on their duties. While it's still not easy, it's better than the impending storm.
However, at this time, some officials and military officers belatedly realized some things. For example, some people thought that the entire court might have been tricked by the emperor, while others thought that His Majesty's actions must have a deeper meaning.
Understanding the emperor's intentions is a crucial aspect of being an official. Those who hold high positions of power and influence in the imperial court naturally need to be even more adept at understanding the emperor's thoughts.
For example, although Ru Chang had a relatively close relationship with the emperor and was considered by many to be Emperor Ying Shi's number one confidant, his high position and power were self-evident.
At this moment, Ru Chang needed to think more carefully. He was absolutely certain that what His Majesty the Emperor had said to him when he summoned him to the Wuying Hall was not just empty talk.
Because he understood Emperor Ying Shi, because he knew the emperor's character, he was simply unsure of the emperor's thoughts.
Ru Chang couldn't help but think things through. His position as Minister of Personnel was too sensitive, and his identity was also very sensitive. These were all things he should do, given his high position in the imperial court.
Besides Ru Chang, who was currently considering some matters, Minister of Rites Chen Di was also pondering some things. The King of Zhongshan was about to enter the capital, and all arrangements and rituals could not be overlooked. This was his top priority since assuming the position of Minister of Rites, and he absolutely could not be careless.
These are not only his responsibilities, but also the face of the Ming Dynasty. There must be absolutely no oversights in these matters.
Being loyal to one's duties was a basic requirement for officials in the Ming Dynasty, and the emperors of the Ming Dynasty also favored pragmatic officials.
For officials in the Ming Dynasty, becoming an official was no easy task, as both the Hongwu Emperor and the Yingshi Emperor were demanding rulers who tolerated no faults. However, one could also argue that becoming an official was relatively easy; as long as one worked diligently and conscientiously, there wouldn't be too many problems.
Having ability and a proven track record makes it relatively easier to rise in the ranks. The emperors of the Ming Dynasty valued officials' abilities, not their birth. After all, when it comes to birth, could anyone be lower than the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty?
The arrival of the ruler of Zhongshan at the court was no small matter; it was a genuine visit by the ruler of an overseas vassal state, fundamentally different from the visits of Dongri and Fuyue, who had previously been granted fiefdoms. Moreover, the ruler of Zhongshan was also there to apologize.
This situation carries significant meaning, and many things need to be clearly arranged. Everything must be handled separately, and all rules and regulations must be followed. This is the first time since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, and it is essential to make a good start.
Huang Guan couldn't afford to be careless at this time. He had only heard yesterday that the Emperor Emeritus had appointed him as the Prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, and he had been waiting for the imperial edict to be delivered. Today the edict arrived, and Huang Guan naturally needed to receive it and express his gratitude. He not only had to submit a memorial to express his thanks, but he also had to meet with the Emperor in person.
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