Prime Minister

Chapter 1096: Prime Minister from a Poor Family

Chapter 1096: Prime Minister from a Poor Family

The white hemp edict does not need to be sealed, as it is written by the emperor himself. There is no need to seek the prime minister's opinion in advance, and it is not allowed to pass through the two ministries of Zhongshu and Menxia.

This is generally used in the matter of establishing a queen, a crown prince, or a prime minister.

Officials consider it an honor to obtain white hemp throughout their lives.

Shi Deyi handed the white hemp edict in the hemp case to Wang Gui.

Wang Gui took the white hemp edict and unfolded it. Although the edict looked like a thin page, when it was fully unfolded, it was about five feet long and three feet wide, and it had more than ten pages.

Everyone knows that the White Hemp Edict is not very long, but according to the rules, it must be "three parts of the hemp and four parts of the hemp".

That is to say, "Jiangma" (appointing prime minister) has three words in a line, "Bo Ma" (deposing prime minister) has four words in a line, and each word is three words in a line. Each word is as big as a fist, so the entire white hemp edict appears very long.

Wang Gui read the contents of the white hemp edict from beginning to end and said, "I accept the order."

Although it was a white hemp edict, Wang Gui, as prime minister, had the power to reject it. However, as the prime minister of three imperial edicts, Wang Gui never used this power and he never expressed his opinion on the content of the imperial edict.

After reading the imperial edict, Wang Gui handed it to the gatekeeper Zanxuan Sheren.

The Gate of Heavenly Palace moved into the hall and announced the event to all the officials in the court.

This is how the White Hemp Edict was drafted. As a secret order from the emperor, it was kept secret before it was drafted, but once it was read out, it was taken seriously and thousands of officials gathered in the court to hear it.

Emperor Taizu, like Liu Bang, looked down on Confucian scholars. Zhao Kuangyin decided to name the year "Qian De" and asked Zhao Pu for his opinion. Zhao Pu said it was a good name, but later he found out that the reign of Later Shu had used this name. Zhao Kuangyin was furious and used a brush to paint Zhao Pu's face into a big clown. Finally, he sighed, "The prime minister should use a scholar."

From ancient times to the present, the appointment of prime ministers as prime ministers has been ranked on par with ascending the altar to pay homage to generals. It is the highest etiquette for generals and ministers, and it is also the pinnacle that scholars pursue throughout their lives.

In another time and space, Cai Jing served as an official for his entire life. His last suicide poem was "I have served as prime minister five times in the Golden Palace, and I have been an official in the Jade Hall ten times. Recalling the prosperous past, it has become nothing but a dream now."

Before his death, Cai Jing was still obsessed with the scene of Xuanma being appointed prime minister.

All officials are waiting with bated breath to see who will win.

Zhang Yue did not move, his eyes turned away. If it were not for the disastrous defeat ahead, he would have been even happier at this moment.

It is always difficult for people to be perfect, and there will always be regrets.

But then he heard the gatekeeper say, "Master!"

"Holding the talisman and receiving the map, he will continue the great cause of matching the heaven. He will select the people of the time and discuss the truth. He will surely become a minister of the world..."

"Fang Qiao took office. He has learned from the past and is a very fair and loyal minister who has helped to govern the country..."

When Zhang Yue heard this, his heart moved. In addition to the Great Abolition Ceremony, the format of the Xuanma Edict was also very important. Yuanchen had two meanings: important ministers and old ministers. Important ministers could be understood, while old ministers were veterans of three dynasties.

Yuanchen and Yuanlao were used together, but in the Ming Dynasty it was just a nickname for the chief minister.

Fang Qiao is Fang Xuanling, which directly puts the new prime minister on the same level as Fang Xuanling.

As for the meritorious officials who are loyal and assist in the administration, this is equivalent to a format, which is exclusively used for the Prime Minister Jixian. If it is the Prime Minister Zhaowen, it will be "loyal and assist in the administration" and a long list. The longer the words, the more awesome it is.

"Zhang Yue, a loyal and meritorious official who assisted the government, the Vice Prime Minister, the Grand Master of Imperial Households, the Inspector of the Imperial Guards, the Minister of Rites, the Founding Duke of Jian'an County, with a fief of 3,000 households and a fief of 1,000 households."

Hearing his name, Zhang Yue could feel countless eyes in the temple falling on him.

His mood also paused slightly, listening to the words of the gatekeeper Zan Xuan Sheren: "Learning is enough to create the subtleties of a sage. It is enough to understand the changes in the world. It is the result of the selection of talents through the wise. It is the result of the long-term work to achieve success..."

Purple smoke continued to rise from the two copper furnaces in the hall. Zhang Yue's gaze penetrated the hall, as if he was in the northwest desert. The yellow sand rolled up in the sky, blocking his sight. Then, the golden swords and iron horses came into view. Amid the jubilation of countless soldiers, he said to his subordinates on horseback, "If you don't flatten the Helan Mountains, I will not be the prime minister."

Immediately, the strong horse galloped away and the scene changed.

Zhang Yue returned to the mountain road in Jianzhou. Facing the starry sky, Guo Lin said to himself, "Go and see how high the sky is for me, senior brother. If you can do it for the stars and the moon, then do it."

……

Zhang Yue looked at the deep night sky above his head, and the scene before his eyes flashed again and again.

Zhang Yue returned to the dream in his hometown of Pucheng. The old man said to him, "Everything in the world and the heart of a young man are clear and profound in the dream."

……

There are countless bowl lanterns hanging on the ceiling of the hall, just like the lights of thousands of homes in Bianjing city at night.

Life goes through one journey after another.

Zhang Yue felt an inexplicable sense of calm joy in his heart. This was not just the joy of being appointed as a prime minister. After all, emperors and generals are just a handful of yellow earth in the end.

There are no ancients in front of me and no successors behind me. Life is so desolate.

The past cannot be changed, the future is out of reach, only the present moment can be eternal.

"He studied the subtleties of the nine schools of thought. He was also a man of many tools. He served as a close attendant. He was promoted to the highest position in the imperial court. He was sent to the imperial court to serve as a minister. Only when the country summoned him..."

"His reputation is known far and wide. His elegance is known to all the Chinese..."

"Standing in this dynasty, he has a resolute attitude towards the country. He is honest and upright, and has a selfless character..."

"It is to make a decision from my heart. To summon and promote him to the position of prime minister. To increase his fiefdom. To reward him with honors. To encourage his virtuous and hardworking people. To promote great governance. Oh, kid..."

"…he was specially appointed as the Minister of Rites, the co-minister of the Secretariat, the Grand Secretary of the Jixian Hall, and the pillar of the state, with an additional 1,000 households of food and 400 households of actual fiefdom."

Although they knew that it was not an imperial decree written personally, to all officials every word of it sounded as if it were of the highest standard, extremely lenient and honorable.

He is simply second only to God and above everyone else.

Wang Gui and his colleague felt really bad.

Yuan Jiang looked at Zhang Yue's back and couldn't help but think, this Fujian guy.

Cai Que fell into deep thought.

Zhang Dun felt unusually lost.

Zhang Qie was both happy and sad.

General Xu was very happy.

Huang Lu said, Sanlang, you have finally risen from a humble family to become the prime minister.

Cai Jing and Cai Bian, who were also in the hall, had different expressions.

Zhang Yue seemed to wake up from a long dream, with a sense of fulfillment and slight excitement in his heart.

But suddenly, he seemed to see Zhong Yan, Zhang Shouyue and the 100,000 soldiers who died in the king's service. At this moment, they seemed to come alive, standing in front of him in full armor and with lifelike faces.

Seeing this scene, Zhang Yue couldn't help but be shocked.

They seemed to be saying to themselves, Mr. Zhang, please don't forget the hatred we incurred!

They looked at him for a long time, and finally saluted him together and turned away into the distance.

Zhang Yue silently said, I have worn out my golden armor through a hundred battles in the yellow sand, and I will not return until I have conquered Loulan.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yue looked at the official on the throne and nodded slightly to him.

The king and his ministers understood each other's intentions in an instant.

After the imperial edict was read out, all the ministers shouted "Long live the emperor" and then spread the news to all directions!

Amidst the ceremonial music, Wang Gui, Zhang Yue and other ministers left the Daqing Palace. After they walked out of the palace, they suddenly heard the sound of a crane's cry, which sounded like the lingering music of immortals.

As the ministers walked, they looked back and saw two lines of cranes flying in the clouds above the Daqing Gate.

Seeing the cranes dancing in the sky, the ministers could not help but talk. Then they saw two cranes landed on the ridge of the hall, looking back at each other symmetrically, like the gargoyles on the roof of the hall.

The emperor was retreating into the East Pavilion when he heard Shi Deyi's report. He could not help but look at the cranes circling above the roof of the Daqing Palace from inside the pavilion.

Shi Deyi said happily: "There are Chiwen beasts sitting on the main hall, which are meant to avoid fire and protect the palace."

"Today is the day of the Prime Minister's appointment, and the crane has landed on the ridge of the palace again. It really has a very special meaning!"

The emperor looked at the crane as if it was understanding, and it bent its neck and cried loudly, as if congratulating the new prime minister of the Song Dynasty!

The official thought: "Is this a sign that the country will prosper?"

After the officials walked out of the Daqing Gate, the cranes cried out in unison and flapped their wings, as if they were bidding farewell to the new prime minister and then disappeared into the sky.

Zhang Yue accepted the appointment at a critical moment, so he went straight to the Secretariat to take the seal and take up the post. He did not want to waste his time with the congratulations of the officials. Many old friends still had a lot to say, and even if everyone came to congratulate him, he would not be able to say a word.

So Zhang Yue resigned.

All the officials had no choice but to give up and see him off.

"Send Prime Minister Wang!"

"Send Prime Minister Zhang!"

Zhang Yue was not mentally prepared for this sudden change of tone by Mr. Zhang.

He stopped immediately after leaving the palace behind the Daqing Gate and, imitating the actions of his predecessors, more than a thousand officials formed a long line and saluted together. However, he saw no officials in sight under the towering palace gate, and they all faced himself and Wang Gui to pay homage.

The officials in front stood respectfully, and the officials who came later immediately joined in.

Seeing everyone like this, Zhang Yue adapted quickly.

This is also the purpose of Xuan Ma's appointment as prime minister and the announcement in the court. Of course, Xianhe also assisted.

Why was the Ministry of Rites nominally ranked first among the six ministries?

Know the hierarchy!

The imperial court is here to show off for you.

Officials who kept coming out of the palace gate paid homage to the new prime minister. Zhang Yue nodded, then left the Daqing Gate as all the officials saw him off.

Many officials faced Wang Gui, but Zhang Yue still walked away with his back to him, respectfully paying homage.

Then the officials started talking.

What are we talking about?

Auspicious sign from heaven!

The country has found a man! The court has found a prime minister!

Zhang Yue returned to the familiar government hall, but saw hundreds of clerks waiting outside the hall to greet him, as if they had known that Zhang Yue was coming.

Facing the place he had been away from for a long time, Zhang Yue felt a little sad.

"I am Prime Minister He Zhang!"

Dozens of officials were so excited that tears welled up in their eyes. They were all officials who had followed Zhang Yue in the past. They were more excited than anyone else that Zhang Yue would return to the court to be appointed as prime minister.

Zhang Yue was so happy that he could not express it in words and said repeatedly: "Great."

All the officials in the hall knew that Zhang Yue was one of the few ministers who valued feelings, and he always treated people with the attitude of "giving peaches and plums, and receiving jade in return".

Before Zhang Yue arrived in the hall, he took a step and several followers came to support him.

Although Zhang Yue had not yet reached the point where he needed help to walk, he still accepted their kindness.

When I walked into the hall, I saw servants bowing on the ground.

Zhang Yue walked through the servants kneeling on the ground and came to the government hall, looking around. Thinking of the days when Han Jiang was in the hall, he walked to where he sat, his face full of sadness.

Wang Gui knew that Zhang Yue was a sentimental person, so he just sat there silently.

Then Zhang Yue and Wang Gui took their seats, and the servants reentered to pay their respects.

Finally, Yuan Jiang and the fifth room of the Zhongshu went inside to pay their respects.

Zhang Yue and the others in the palace just now all looked at Yuan Jiang's expression. No matter how indifferent he acted in public, the feeling of desolation in his expression could not be hidden from others.

Zhang Yue has been an official for a long time and has seen this kind of expression on the faces of too many people in the officialdom.

Zhang Yue did not show any smugness after his success. It was not a good idea to rub salt into someone's wounds at this time.

In response to Yuan Jiang's difficult words of congratulations, he politely responded with a few words, and then he looked at Cai Jing and others in the fifth room of the Secretariat.

(End of this chapter)