Chapter 557: T-shaped plan, means

It was already the third quarter of the Lunar New Year when Feng Ziying arrived at Qi Yongtai's house.

During this period of time, he didn't dare to run around. He knew that big bosses from all parties might summon him at any time, especially the Wenyuan Pavilion people, but he didn't want to see anyone, especially those who came to send posts all day long. It's cumbersome.

 Wizi Teng and Niu Jizong were also very active. Feng Ziying did not know whether they had anything to do with the **** named Dai.

However, he quickly found out the details of the chamberlain named Dai. He was Dai Pang, the direct nephew of Dai Quan, the minister of the Ming Dynasty.

It is rare to find uncles and nephews working as chamberlains, but it is said that Dai Pang actually became a chamberlain after he got married and had children. It is probably because of Dai Quan's influence that he admires power, so he would rather go. Entering the palace.

 Dai Pang was the chamberlain in charge of the Yanshou Palace, and he was considered a powerful figure.

The Dai family was originally from Jinling, and it should be said that they had some connections with the four major families. However, with the abdication of Emperor Yuanxi, it was difficult for Feng Ziying to judge what role the Dai family would play here.

There has been a lot of commotion in Beijing during this period, involving a series of spring personnel changes in the DPRK and Central China that are about to begin, and many officials dormant in Beijing have also begun to become active.

 In addition, when it comes to opening up the sea, some new yamen will definitely be established, such as several major shipping departments, and whether the yamen that handle the debt financing for the sea opening will be newly established or have new officials, this will affect the hearts of everyone.

As for the wealthy businessmen from the south of the Yangtze River, there are countless of them. With such huge interests involved, no one can ignore it.

 So Feng Ziying would try not to go out if she could, and she would try not to see guests if she could.

The Hanlin Academy no longer had any requirements for him. Huang Ruliang specially approved that he could work at home, so he had very little time to go to the Hanlin Academy. However, people like Fang Youdu, Fan Jingwen, and He Fengsheng frequently visited Feng's house.

Seeing Feng Ziying enter the door, Qi Yongtai directly waved his hand to indicate that he should take a seat.

“Huang Ruliang passed your proposal to the cabinet. The cabinet discussed it today and there were huge differences. How did you think about it? Why did you involve the Dongfang incident?”

To get straight to the point, Qi Yongtai also knows that several members of the cabinet have been discussing compromises with each other for a long time, and each has to discuss with people in his own camp. After such a long time, the general direction has been almost finalized, but the next step is to involve specific operations.

"Qi Shi, but it is difficult to put it under the Ministry of Revenue?" Feng Ziying had long expected that with the idiots in the cabinet, it would be impossible to place the affairs of opening sea debts in a certain ministry, whether it was the Ministry of Household or the Ministry of Revenue. The Ministry of War, or the Ministry of Industry, although it seems that the Ministry of Household Affairs should be the leader.

But looking at the current situation of the Ministry of Revenue, Shangshu Zheng Jizhi is from Huguang and Cui Jingrong is from Henan. Even if he is transferred to the Ministry of Personnel, the official who takes over is Ying Zhen, who is from Huguang. The relationship between the Huguang faction and northern scholars is getting closer. , I am afraid that Ye Xianggao and Fang Congzhe will find it difficult to tolerate the power of the household department reaching a situation that is difficult for them to control.

Balance is a basic element in the operation of the Zhou court. Both the emperor and the scholars and civil servants know this very well. Once it is broken, it will cause great shocks and greatly hinder the operation of the court. Therefore, whether it is Ye Xianggao or Fang Congzhe, , neither Qi Yongtai wanted to see such a situation.

“Placing it under any one ministry will make it difficult to convince the public, will cause great disputes, and will not be conducive to the stability of the structure of each ministry.” Qi Yongtai looked at Feng Ziying, “What suggestions do you have?”

"How about Zhongshu Ke?" After Qi Yongtai saw through it, Feng Ziying was not polite and directly expressed her opinion, "Zhong Shu Ke was originally the link between the emperor and the cabinet, but since the Tang Dynasty, it has become useless. It is said that the Central Committee There are also rumors that he wants to reward the people of Zhongshushe in order to appease the children of civil servants, and may even increase the number of people in Zhongshushe on a large scale. Wouldn’t it mean that he would become the second in the Yinjian of the Imperial Academy?"

 Qi Yongtai frowned.

Zhongshuke is indeed a useless place. After the Tang Dynasty, it was used as a leisure place during the Song and Ming Dynasties. In fact, it was used as a place slightly higher than the Imperial Academy.

After all, Zhongshu Sheren was also a seventh-rank official, and it made sense to give comfort to the children of civil servants who became officials. Therefore, the seventh-rank position of Zhongshusheren was originally limited to twenty people, but was later reduced to seven. It has expanded to more than ten people in Dazhou now.

Basically, when Ge Lao and Liubu Shangshu become officials, they can give their children the special favor of a Zhongshu Sheren, which is similar to arranging a sinecure for Wu Xun's children in the Longjingwei, except that the Zhongshusheren are civil servants and nobles. , nominally writing edicts, edicts, silver books, iron coupons, etc. for the emperor.

Qi Yongtai, who is also the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, is naturally aware of this proposal. In fact, this proposal was proposed when Shen Guan became an official. However, Emperor Yonglong did not accept it at the time. However, as Xiao Daheng and Zheng Jizhi both faced the official appointment one after another, this issue It was also put on the agenda.

Should Zhongshuke continue to maintain its status quo and serve as a comfort to the children of civil servants and ministers who have become officials, or should the responsibilities of Zhongshuke be reformed and adjusted as suggested by Feng Ziying, and become a yamen placed under the emperor and the cabinet and connecting the six ministries?

 Qi Yongtai frowned at first, then slowly relaxed his brows, finding this suggestion very interesting.

If a new institution were to be established, it would be self-evidently complex, and the various resistances it would face would also be huge. This would mean dividing the powers of various departments. However, the Chinese Calligraphy Department itself existed, but the original powers had changed since the Tang Dynasty. , now explicitly customized again, at least with much less resistance.

“Zhongshu Ke is now an empty shell, and the people in Zhongshu are only from the seventh grade. How can we assume this responsibility?”

"Master Qi, this is actually very simple. Mr. Huang can take charge of the academic affairs as the right minister of the Ministry of Rites and the bachelor of the Hanlin Academy. Can't he be in charge of the affairs of the academy as the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Industry, or even the Ministry of War? It's nothing more than borrowing a person. It's just in name, and you also know very well that the debt-raising and even the eastward expansion were not the scope of the original Zhongshuke's responsibilities. The original affairs of the Zhongshuke were not comparable to the Kaihai strategy. But if we want to establish a new yamen, it will be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and complicated, and it will be much simpler to redefine the duties and responsibilities of the Zhongshu Department."

Feng Ziying further said: "And from the students' point of view, the original responsibilities of the Chinese Book Department overlapped with that of the Hanlin Academy. It would either be abolished or start a new one. Now is the time to catch such an opportunity, and the number of people in the Chinese Book School itself is not fixed." The compilation and even the anecdotes can be flexibly controlled..."

Feng Ziying's words made Qi Yongtai fall into deep thought. He had to say that his disciple was really unusually minded and could always consider problems from different angles. Zhongshu Department itself was an institution that he originally thought should be abolished, but now it seems that it should be retained. It is obviously more suitable to keep it for new use.

It’s just that it takes some effort to convince Ye Xianggao and Fang Congzhe, and there will inevitably be some discussions and compromises.

“Do you mean that this Zhongshu Department is specially designed for opening up the sea?” Qi Yongtai felt that if this was the case, some people might have objections to this.

"Not necessarily. The strategy of opening up the sea will definitely be complicated in the early stage because it involves several departments. But after it gradually gets on the right track, it will be more like a coordinating agency. Of course, it also has its specific responsibilities. How to do it specifically depends on the division. Your idea at that time is to either establish or expand the Zhongshu Department, the Zhongshu Supervisor and the Zhongshu Province, redefine the positions and responsibilities, and include the strategy of opening up the sea as part of its work scope..."

I was shocked by Feng Ziying's words. Zhongshu Supervisor and Zhongshu Sheng were completely different concepts. In the Cao Wei and Tang Dynasties, they were almost prime ministerial institutions. So where should the cabinet be placed?

 Slowly he shook his head, but Qi Yongtai was already a little shaken in his heart.

Perhaps the current structure of the Cabinet + Six Ministries + Metropolitan Procuratorate + General Affairs Department + Dali Temple is really not suitable for the situation?

Just like this strategy of opening up the sea, both the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of War wanted to reach out, but it was obviously difficult for any of them to accept it. Feng Ziying proposed this temporary plan to use the shell of Zhongshuke as a temporary solution. After all, it is really the best way.

"I'm thinking about this matter. By the way, why are you bringing up the Dongfan incident at this time? Don't you understand the priorities?" Qi Yongtai was a little angry when he thought of this matter. "One more thing means more bonds. Don’t you understand?”

"Master Qi, I also know that this matter should not be brought up in the strategy, but I am worried that if this drags on for a few years, I am afraid that Fulangji and Hongmaofan will take the lead, and I think this Dongfan land It will not involve too much energy from the court, and private forces can be mobilized for development. The court only needs to give it a name, and at the worst, it only needs to be included in the responsibilities of the Zhongshu Department. It is easy to do."

Feng Ziying smiled and looked careless. He had naturally considered the development of Dongfan for a long time. People in this era do not pay much attention to this type of island land and colonization and development. They always think that they are the central country. The land is vast and abundant, and we don’t care about the land that originally belongs to us.

For example, Dongfan was incorporated into China as early as the Three Kingdoms era, and government management was clearly defined during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. However, the extensive management methods of this era made people speechless. Feng Ziying certainly would not allow this situation to continue. Dongfan's fertility , coupled with its special location and significance, also determines that this place must be developed as soon as possible, and it can also attract more people to join its camp.

"Oh?" Qi Yongtai didn't understand that he was a disciple. He immediately heard the hidden meaning in his words, and his eyes became more probing, "Do you have other ideas?"

“Hey, I can’t hide it from Master Qi. I do have some ideas, and the land of Dongfan is completely different from other places. I think it can also be used as an attempt for the imperial court’s foreign affairs strategy.” Feng Ziying nodded.

"Well, in that case, write a statement carefully and let me take a good look at it." Qi Yongtai was relieved, as long as the other party has ideas.

 (End of this chapter)