However, Ren Hengtai's situation is different. Some of his crimes now seem insurmountable. It's just a matter of the severity of the charges and whether the emperor will punish him severely. He will definitely have to relinquish his position as Minister of Rites.
Generally speaking, people regard the Minister of Personnel as the head of the Six Ministries. After all, the main function of the Ministry of Personnel is to manage the appointment, evaluation, conferment, promotion, demotion, and transfer of civil officials throughout the country. Except for officials appointed by the emperor, the promotion and transfer of general officials must go through the Ministry of Personnel, so it is definitely a high-ranking and powerful position.
However, the Ministry of Rites was also known as the Spring Official, and it was in charge of the country's laws and regulations, sacrificial rites, schools, imperial examinations, and foreign affairs.
Although the Ministry of Rites wielded less real power than the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, or even other ministries, the Minister of Rites held the most prestigious position. In the rigidly hierarchical society of ancient times, the Ministry of Rites represented the state's rites and laws, making the Minister of Rites naturally the most exalted among the six ministries.
It wasn't just the Vice Minister of Rites who coveted these positions; even Yan Zhenzhi, the Minister of Works, was eager for a promotion.
Zhu Yunying sat on the dragon throne, watching the civil service group descend into chaos. While attentively listening to their attacks and recommendations, Zhu Yunying also carefully analyzed their motives and categorized some individuals into groups.
The military officers also stood by indifferently, as this matter had almost nothing to do with them.
They knew they couldn't interfere in the affairs of the civil service, otherwise the emperor would definitely be wary. Just like if civil officials wanted to interfere in the affairs of the military officials, not only would the military officials react negatively, but the emperor would also be unhappy to see such a thing happen.
The chaos in the court did not surprise Zhu Yunying at all; he even thought it was perfectly normal.
The current vacancies in the two ministerial positions will naturally attract many people. Furthermore, if Yang Jing is still unable to return to court after some time, some civil officials might start making underhanded moves.
After all, some positions are not easy to open, especially higher positions. If you miss this opportunity, it's hard to say when you'll see any hope again.
After court, Zhu Yunying summoned Li Jinglong to the Wuying Hall. Although he was very dissatisfied with Li Jinglong's actions in history, Li Jinglong was now Zhu Yunying's cousin and extremely loyal. Even disregarding Li Jinglong's own reputation, Zhu Yunying, out of affection for his cousin, had to give Li Jinglong some face.
Li Jinglong never felt neglected. He inherited the title of Duke of Cao and had previously trained troops, serving as the Left Commander of the Right Army Commandery. He had also led expeditions to the northern deserts and fought in various campaigns. The retired emperor gave him many opportunities, and Emperor Yingshi also bestowed upon him many opportunities and honors.
As for why he couldn't lead an army independently, it was mainly because he was Li Wenzhong's son, and it was one thing that relatives of the empress couldn't hold military power for long. The most important thing was that his status as a relative of the empress belonged to the imperial family, and in reality, he was a military supervisor for the imperial family to monitor the Chang and Xu factions.
Otherwise, the emperor would not have entrusted him with such an important task as the construction of the Martial Arts Academy.
Zhu Yunying smiled and said to Li Jinglong, "Cousin, it's been a while since we've had a proper chat."
The emperor could engage in casual conversation to show closeness, but Li Jinglong dared not truly adopt the status of a 'cousin'. Even when his father was alive, he maintained a very proper position. At that time, Li Wenzhong was more of a Duke of Cao than a nephew of the Hongwu Emperor.
“We wouldn’t trust anyone else with the affairs of the Martial Arts Academy. Not only is my cousin knowledgeable in military matters, but my uncle was also familiar with the generals in the court when he was alive,” Zhu Yunying said, without much formality. “Does my cousin have a good understanding of who will be appointed as an instructor at the Martial Arts Academy this time?”
Li Jinglong immediately stood up and said with utmost seriousness, "Your Majesty, since the establishment of the Martial Academy, many veteran generals have expressed their intention to join it. I dare not act on my own initiative and hope that Your Majesty will make the final decision."
"Cousin, you're being too polite," Zhu Yunying said, though he himself felt it was insincere. "Cousin, tell me, who can become an instructor at the Martial Academy, and who can pursue further studies there?"
These things cannot be taken lightly; they must be treated with utmost care!
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