Even if he's only a fifth-rank official now, with some experience, he might become a fourth-rank or even a third-rank official. Considering the opportunity to review memorials, he might even rise to the first rank and become one of the six ministers of the Ming Dynasty.
Although the position of Grand Secretary may not seem high, the power they wield is immense, which inevitably makes them the focus of much attention!
As for the period that follows, there will inevitably be plenty of debate. After all, the emperor seems determined to increase the powers of the Grand Secretaries of the Hall of Literary Brilliance, and he is also shamelessly refusing to report this to the Hongwu Emperor.
Even if the position of Grand Secretary still exists, the change in their authority is obvious to all. Zhu Yunying's determination is to allow Grand Secretaries to do things without proper authority, and he seems to be quite at ease with it.
It would be extremely difficult to expect the Hongwu Emperor to know about this matter, since he had already abdicated. The Hongwu Emperor, who had been living in the Qianqing Palace, seemed to have no interest in state affairs. He was too lazy to meet with his officials and nobles, and ignored all the imperial edicts they presented.
Many people even speculated that this might be Emperor Yingshi's deliberate obstruction, preventing Emperor Hongwu from having any contact with his court officials.
It's better if one's name isn't proper and one's words aren't righteous; this is the situation Zhu Yunying needs to see, and this is what Zhu Yunying must do.
Zhu Yunying, who got up early, naturally had to go to court. This was his job, and it wasn't exactly about intrigue or power struggles. He simply governed the country and discussed important national affairs. These were all Zhu Yunying's responsibilities.
Seated on the dragon throne, Zhu Yunying first received Shang Wuning, formally granting him permission to return to Ryukyu, and also ordering officials from the Ministry of Rites to accompany him. After all, such investiture was not only a matter for the Ming Dynasty court, but also required such a ceremony in the Ryukyu Kingdom of Chuzan.
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After all, Zhongshan State had accepted the investiture, and now it needed to fulfill its duties as a vassal state. There were still many ceremonies to be performed in Zhongshan State.
This matter was quite important, but it was a necessary ceremony. After the audience, Shang Wuning naturally couldn't wait to express his gratitude and set off. Although the Ming Dynasty was prosperous, it was not his territory after all.
It would be better to return to Ryukyu; that's what Shang Wuning truly wants to do. He feels uneasy in the Ming Dynasty, always feeling inferior, and is also deeply worried about his own Zhongshan Kingdom. He fears losing his throne so soon after his ascension and is also concerned about attacks from the Shannan Kingdom.
The matter of Shang Wuning was not difficult; in fact, it could be said that these events were all within everyone's expectations. However, no one was surprised either, because ultimately, the Ryukyu Kingdom of Chuzan was too small and had no power to resist the Ming Dynasty.
The Zhongshan Kingdom is entirely bound by the rules of the Ming Dynasty, so these matters are merely icing on the cake. For everyone, everything is indeed under control. There's no need to be alarmed, nor is there any need to worry about Shang Wuning going beyond our control.
After Shang Wuning left the court, everyone realized that the main event in the court was about to begin, and if nothing unexpected happened, the peaceful and harmonious situation that had just been was about to change immediately.
It was still Ru Chang. He didn't care about offending Zhu Yunying. He wanted to do his job as Minister of Personnel. "I hereby submit a memorial to Your Majesty, stating that the reform of the Grand Secretariat is contrary to the regulations of the late Emperor Emeritus."
Seeing that Zhu Yunying remained silent, Ru Chang continued, "In the twenty-eighth year of Hongwu's reign, His Majesty the Retired Emperor issued an edict to all civil and military officials: 'Since ancient times, the Three Dukes have discussed the Way, and the Six Ministers have divided their duties. Since the Qin Dynasty first established the position of Chancellor, it perished almost immediately. The Han, Tang, and Song Dynasties followed this pattern, and although they had wise chancellors, many of those they employed were petty men who monopolized power and caused chaos in the government...'"
With her head bowed, Ru Chang ignored Zhu Yunying's expression and continued, "His Majesty the Retired Emperor previously decreed that the position of Chancellor be abolished and replaced by the Five Offices, Six Ministries, the Censorate, the Office of Transmission, and the Court of Judicial Review, among other government offices, to manage the affairs of the realm. These offices would be mutually supportive and would not dare to overpower each other. All matters would be under the overall control of the court, thus ensuring stability. Future emperors are not permitted to appoint a Chancellor. If any official dares to petition for the appointment of a Chancellor, all civil and military officials will immediately impeach him and impose severe punishment."
At this moment, Chang Mao immediately jumped out and began to argue unreasonably, "Minister Ru, you're exaggerating! His Majesty simply dislikes the current Grand Secretaries. I remember that in the fifteenth year of Hongwu, His Majesty the Retired Emperor established the Grand Secretaries to serve as advisors to the Emperor. Now His Majesty has simply replaced some of them, so what's the harm?"
Seeing Chang Mao's unreasonable and nonsensical arguments, Ru Chang gritted his teeth in anger. Although he knew Chang Mao was rather unruly and seemed somewhat muddle-headed, he was absolutely certain that Chang Mao wasn't completely clueless.
Moreover, even if Chang Mao doesn't understand, there are always military officials in the court who can. The position of Grand Secretary that His Majesty intends to change is completely different from the previous Grand Secretary position!
Indeed, in the fifteenth year of the Hongwu reign, the Ming Dynasty established the position of Grand Secretary of the Hall of Literary Brilliance, following the rules of the Song Dynasty. However, this position was essentially that of an advisor or secretary to the emperor.
These Grand Secretaries were essentially just assistants, mostly doing minor tasks like correcting typos, organizing documents, and categorizing memorials; they had no real power. Their advantage, if anything, was that they had the opportunity to perform well in front of the emperor.
But now, Emperor Ying Shi plans to establish the Grand Secretaries of the Hall of Imperial Sacrifices, who can advise on government affairs. According to Emperor Ying Shi's intention, the Grand Secretaries of the Hall of Imperial Sacrifices can also draft edicts, approve memorials, and discuss government affairs on behalf of the emperor.
Although these people only glanced at the memorials and offered opinions, they didn't actually have any real decision-making power. However, these were things that the prime minister had done before, so what this fifth-rank official did was astonishing.
As for the claim that they lack decision-making power or can only handle minor matters, these are secondary. What Ru Chang and others are trying to do now is to legitimize the position of Grand Secretary and to get the Emperor Emeritus to issue an edict changing the ancestral rule that forbids the existence of a prime minister.
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