As if remembering something, Old Zhu said jokingly, "Minister of Rites, how about giving it to Huang Zicheng? He's also from the Crown Prince's palace, a bit better than Ren Hengtai, and you'll probably find him easier to use."
"He'll still be my Imperial Academy Chancellor," Zhu Xiong Ying said irritably. "If that man gets into one of the Six Ministries, he'll definitely try to get my grandson to reduce the power of the princes. That man has really gone mad from studying too much; he's obsessed with restoring the Zhou rites. My grandson doesn't like these kinds of people."
Old Zhu laughed and said, "You can use that old scoundrel Men Kexin for now and make a good reputation out of him."
Old Zhu looked at Zhu Xiong Ying and continued to ask, "Where is the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?"
Zhu Xiong Ying immediately spoke up, saying that he had also considered these matters, "Using my father-in-law, Lian Zi Ning, would be suitable. There's also that Dali Temple clerk, the current Beiping Provincial Administration Commissioner, Bao Zhao, who is not only honest and frugal but also upright."
Old Zhu nodded and then said, "As for the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, we think Chen Di is quite suitable. He is dashing and ambitious, and his father and grandfather fought alongside us in our conquests."
"As for the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, grandson..."
Old Zhu waved his hand and said to Zhu Xiong Ying, "Don't tell us about the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and we don't want to know about the Court of Imperial Stud, the Court of State Ceremonies, or the Hanlin Academy. Just tell us about the Censorate and the Office of Transmission. If you don't have anyone, we'll arrange a few for you."
With the six ministries now finalized, there's not much to worry about regarding the Nine Ministers; the matter is essentially settled. The grandfather and grandson are well aware of the key officials in the court. Some can be used directly, while others are ready to take over steadily.
In reality, both Emperor Zhu and Emperor Xiao understood that the current situation was merely an ideal one. The positions of these officials could change at any time, perhaps because they were deemed unsuitable, or because they had lost the emperor's favor, or perhaps because other ministers might rise to prominence.
Xu Miaoqing was not surprised at all that the Crown Prince had not returned to the Eastern Palace. There was no need to even think about it; the Crown Prince was definitely staying at the Qianqing Palace. No one could say for sure whether he was trying to please his grandfather or discussing important court matters.
Old Zhu and Young Zhu were quite in sync, chatting until quite late. Then they only needed to take a short nap before it was time to get up for court; they couldn't stay in bed. Old Zhu couldn't be 'recuperating' forever; he had to take charge.
When Zhu Xiong Ying appeared in the court, many civil and military officials quieted down considerably, bowing their heads and becoming meek. These people dared to bargain in front of Zhu Xiong Ying, but before Zhu Xiong Ying, they were completely obedient.
Especially on important matters of the court, once Emperor Zhu made a decision, these civil and military nobles really dared not say much.
When Zhu Yuanzhang brought up the matter of moving the capital, even if many civil and military officials grumbled in their hearts, they remained just that—grumbles. Ultimately, it came down to the majesty of the founding emperor, something most people dared not challenge, especially a domineering emperor like Zhu Yuanzhang.
This also reveals some issues. For example, although Zhu Xiong Ying held a special position, his authority and status among the court officials were incomparable to those of the late Zhu Yuanzhang. Even the former Zhu Yuanzhang could easily suppress the court officials and had excellent control over the court.
Zhu Xiong Ying still needs to grow and continue to control the court; he also needs to continuously enhance his prestige.
After the court session, Zhu Xiong Ying immediately went to the Wenhua Hall. Just as he was about to take a nap, Shuang Quan arrived. This was because he had received an imperial decree ordering Zhu Xiong Ying to return to the East Palace to rest; Old Zhu still doted on his grandson.
Zhu Xiong Ying didn't force himself. He considered himself to be in good physical condition and hadn't lacked exercise over the years. However, Zhu Xiong Ying knew even better that everyone's physical condition was different, and he didn't want to overexert himself. There were too many examples of people who had failed before; health was the foundation of everything, and he absolutely couldn't afford to lose it.
After returning to the Eastern Palace to rest, Zhu Xiong Ying felt he needed to prepare to summon some of his subordinates. Well, not exactly subordinates, but rather the core of the Eastern Palace staff—key advisors he was likely to rely on in the future.
It's time to think about succession and a smooth transition.
Making preparations early is not a bad thing. It avoids being caught off guard and is also for better control of the court. Absolutely no accidents can be tolerated, because Zhu Xiong Ying has many plans ahead.
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