Just as Chen Lin was thinking about all sorts of possibilities, the eunuch came forward and helped Chen Lin up. With a smile on his face, he said, "Lord Chen, please get up. My subordinates don't know how to do their job and have made Lord Chen suffer."
After being helped up, Chen Lin looked at the eunuch and asked, "How should I address you?"
"I'm Liu Lin of Dongchang!"
The young eunuch said with a smile, "These men really don't know how to do things. Come, Sir Chen, follow me!" He then gestured for Chen Lin to follow him.
After leaving the courtyard, Chen Lin was invited to a carriage by Liu Lin. After passing through a few streets, Chen Lin put down the curtain in his hands. "Is this the capital?"
Liu Lin nodded and said with a smile, "Yes!
My men don't know how to do things. I've frightened you. "
"But don't worry, Sir Chen. I've already asked and they've informed your friends and family. They only know that you're here on official business."
Chen Zhao nodded, but he still hadn't calmed down.
Along the way, Chen Lin had been wondering who had kidnapped him. Could it be an old enemy?
But he didn't expect that he would be kidnapped by people from Dongchang. This was too ridiculous.
"Eunuch, where are you taking me?
Who wants to invite me to the capital? "
Speaking of this, Chen Lin emphasized the word "invite", clearly expressing his dissatisfaction.
Liu Lin said with a smile, "Sir Chen, it's obviously the emperor who made Dongchang invite you. I'm taking you to the place that Dongchang arranged for you. Wash up and rest first. Otherwise, it's not good for you to see the Imperial Majesty in such a dusty state."
Although Chen Lin had already guessed it, he still couldn't figure it out after hearing the news.
If the emperor wanted to see him, he would run over with an imperial edict. Why did he have to kidnap him?
Even if he was going to be imprisoned, there was no need to go through so much trouble!
Looking up at Liu Lin, Chen Zhao planned to get some information from this eunuch.
However, Chen Lin was disappointed. No matter how he asked, the eunuch didn't answer him.
Forbidden City, Wenhua Hall
After receiving the news, Zhu Yijun heaved a sigh of relief and ordered, "Arrange for him to rest for a few days!"
"Yes, Imperial Majesty!" Chen Ju answered respectfully.
Turning his head to look at Chen Ju, Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "We are preparing to merge the Military Bureau into the Division of Armaments. In a few days, someone will come to take over. You should stop working at the Military Bureau and return to the Bureau of Rites!"
"First, hang a pen in the Department of Rites, then come to our side to serve!"
"Zhang Jing has Dongchang. I need someone to serve me."
Chen Ju was stunned. She didn't expect the Imperial Majesty to call her into the palace today for this matter. She quickly replied, "This servant understands."
It had been nine years since he had joined the Military Bureau. While others were doing well, Chen Ju had been suffering in the Military Bureau. This time, he had finally made a name for himself. Among the eunuchs of the same generation, he was the first to enter the Bureau of Rites.
Although he was reluctant to leave the Military Bureau, which had been built up bit by bit, Chen Ju still knew what to do.
Zhu Yijun nodded. "Send the decree to the Cabinet. We will hold a court discussion tomorrow!"
The Cabinet was a bit sensitive to the word court discussion. None of the court discussions during this period of time had been good. They were scolded by the Emperor every time.
However, since the Emperor had called for them, they had no choice but to go. However, everyone's mood was very complicated.
The next morning, the Cabinet Grand Secretary and the Six Ministers all arrived, but their expressions were not very good.
After entering, Zhu Yijun didn't waste too much time. He said directly, "There are a few matters that I would like to discuss with you today. First of all, the officials in charge of the Division of Armaments and the Department of Armaments."
"I would like to have one person in charge of these two yamens and give him the title of assistant minister. However, this person will only be in charge of these two yamens."
Hearing Zhu Yijun's words, everyone present was stunned, but they understood what Zhu Yijun meant.
This was to promote the rank of the officials in charge of the two yamens, and at the same time, to control them.
The original Division of Armaments and the Department of Armaments were only fifth-rank yamens, and the officials in charge were also fifth-rank. Now, they were directly given the title of assistant minister. Although their authority was lower than that of an actual assistant minister, it would definitely not be a problem for them to become assistant ministers.
Originally, everyone wasn't very interested in the positions of the two doctors. After all, they had just killed a bunch of people!
But now it was different. They were assistant ministers. Daming, how many assistant ministers were there?
Seeing that no one objected, Zhu Yijun nodded and said, "Everyone, since you feel that there is no problem, then please recommend someone!
I will say this upfront. I am very interested in these two yamens. There is no need to recommend someone who is mediocre. "
"I recommend Imperial Censorate Imperial Censorate, Li Zhi!"
Zhang Siwei was the first to speak. "Li Zhi is an honest and upright person who abhors evil. The Division of Armaments has just been established, and the Department of Armaments has just been dealt with. We need an honest and upright person to be an official. I feel that Li Zhi is very suitable."
Everyone present knew that Li Zhi was Zhang Siwei's student, and he was also from his hometown. They were all from Shanxi.
Although everyone knew that he would recommend his own people, no one expected him to recommend Li Zhi. Li Zhi's talent was simply not enough. He had been promoted from an imperial censorate to an assistant minister. He had risen too quickly.
Although this assistant minister was only half an assistant minister, it was still an assistant minister!
Zhang Siwei had no choice. He also wanted to promote his own people, but the court was filled with the Jiangling clique. It would not be easy to find a suitable candidate in a short amount of time.
If the news was released for a few days, there would definitely be a suitable candidate.
"I feel that the Minister of Revenue, Chen Qili, is suitable!"
Shen Shixing said. "Chen Qili has been in the Ministry of Revenue for many years. He is a reliable person, and there have never been any problems with the matters he has been in charge of.
The Division of Armaments has just been established, and it is more suitable for an old man to oversee it. "
Shen Shixing also could not stand Zhang Siwei recommending Li Zhi. This was too much.
The others also proposed a few candidates. When they were done, Zhu Yijun shook his head and said, "Not suitable. These people are not suitable. I intend to choose a person of virtue and prestige. I have a suitable candidate in mind."
Everyone sighed. They instantly understood what Zhu Yijun was thinking. Indeed, the Emperor had already thought about it.
"I feel that Nanjing's Minister of Works, Pan Jixun, is very suitable." Zhu Yijun directly proposed the person he wanted to promote.
As for Pan Jixun, Zhu Yijun felt that he had done a great service. Not to mention other things, just his work in managing the Yellow River and the canal was a great contribution.
However, he did not need to manage the river anymore. He had been sent to Nanjing to be the Minister of War.
This was obviously to be taken in when needed and released when not needed.
How could Zhu Yijun let the court put him in Nanjing? Such a talent must be used.
The ministers were all stunned. Then Yu Youding said, "Your Majesty, Pan Jixun used to be the Minister of Justice, and now he is the Minister of War in Nanjing. How can he be the assistant minister of the Ministry of Works?
This is not in line with the rules! "
Zhu Yijun was stunned. Then he nodded and said, "You are right!"
"Then add the title of Minister!"
Then what Zhu Yijun said almost made their jaws drop.
Zhu Yijun ignored them and continued, "Anyway, he is only in charge of the Armaments Department and the Arsenal Department. Since the title of Assistant Minister is not suitable, then add the title of Minister. Anyway, he is now the Minister of War in Nanjing, and he also has the title of Minister."
Seeing that they still wanted to say something, Zhu Yijun said directly, "This matter is settled. Let's talk about the next thing."
Everyone sighed helplessly and looked at each other. They suddenly had a bad feeling in their hearts.
Since the death of Zhang Juzheng, the cabinet had basically become the Emperor's echo.
They did not know how this had happened, but the reality was that they were really going to become echo.
Ceng Shengwu was the one who felt the most. Although it was a court discussion every time, it was done according to the Emperor's wishes every time.
They did not understand what was going on, but Zhu Yijun did. In fact, this was also because of Zhang Juzheng.
The people that Zhang Juzheng had chosen were actually good at getting things done, but they weren't troublemakers.
Those troublemakers had all been driven out by Zhang Juzheng. They had been under Zhang Juzheng for many years and had long been used to listening to Zhang Juzheng.
No matter what happened, they would basically "do as the Minister said", especially in the last few years, this situation was even more serious.
Zhang Juzheng was dead, and among these people, no one could do what Zhang Juzheng did. Naturally, they turned this kind of obedience to the Wanli Emperor.
In addition, the successor that Zhang Juzheng was grooming was the Wanli Emperor, which made them feel that it was only natural.
This was also what Zhu Yijun wanted, and he had been slowly making this change happen. When the change was complete, Zhu Yijun would promote Shen Shixing. In Zhu Yijun's timeline, this was the time when Zhang Siwei's father died.
"When I was reading the memorials, I discovered something, something very troublesome."
"That is the exemption of money and grain in various places. After a student passes the county-level examination, his family will have land exempted from taxes. Then, it will be the same for the juren and the jinshi.
Every time after the imperial examinations, the imperial court has to verify these lands when collecting taxes. It is very troublesome. "
"There is also the problem of corruption and concealment of land. I feel that this is not good. It is too troublesome and wasting manpower and resources."
"I think it is better to turn this tax exemption into a subsidy. Every year, according to the tax exemption of money and grain, it will be given to the scholars, including the Honours. The tax exemption of money and grain will be directly converted into money and added to the salary."
"I feel that this is very suitable. I have even given this money a name, which is' Scholar Nurturing Silver '."
"Back then, didn't Yang Shen shout, 'Daming Scholar Nurturing Silver for 50 Years, Today is the Day of Righteousness?' My Scholar Nurturing Silver was taken from here. What do you think?"
Was this a matter of the name?
The moment Zhu Yijun said it, everyone understood what the Emperor meant.