Chapter 1738: Chapter 1738: Judging People’s Character (4)
Although the Great Xuan Dynasty resembles the Ming Dynasty in the previous life, the official system is clearly different. Here, the cabinet consists of seven members, collectively referred to as cabinet academicians. However, each has their own specific title. For instance, the most senior of the seven, Hun Shaojun, is the Academician of Hanlin Academy; the next, Han Yun, is the Academician of Donglin Pavilion... They are termed as ’Two Academies, Three Pavilions, Two Palaces’, all of which are first-rank officials, and during court assemblies, they stand in front of all civil and military officials.
The cabinet holds significant power, each member being a close minister to the Emperor. Their main task is to assist the Emperor personally. For example, various local reports are presented in memorials, but with so many memorials, even if the Emperor had three heads and six arms, he couldn’t read them all. Hence, all memorials are first presented to the cabinet for review by the seven members. They then mark them according to the importance and urgency of the content and can add their discussed opinions, serving as a reference for the Emperor before presenting them to him.
Of course, this is just one of their responsibilities; the cabinet handles a myriad of varied tasks.
Besides collectively serving as secretaries to the Emperor, each cabinet member has a multitude of individual affairs.
Take Wenyuan Pavilion, for instance. It’s essentially the library of the Great Xuan Dynasty, housing all royal books and being responsible for compiling and revising various texts.
Next, consider the Hanlin Academy, which is where talented individuals from across the nation gather. This place is tasked with providing strategic advice to the Emperor and is also responsible for educating Princes and royal grandchildren. Shu Xing once served as an Academician of Hanlin Academy.
Therefore, each cabinet member has quite a number of subordinates. For instance, under the Academician of Hanlin Academy, there are positions like Hanlin Scholar and Hanlin Explainer, while under the Academician of Wenyuan Pavilion, there are positions like Wenyuan Pavilion Chancellor and Junior Chancellor. These lower official ranks are about fifth-rank, yet they wield real power.
Thus, cabinet members are generally targets for alliances from various forces.
Currently, cabinet members are all old ministers from the previous Emperor’s time, loyal to the throne, and thus supporters of the Crown Prince. However, since they are getting older, they will gradually retire. When that happens, someone new will fill in their positions, like Guanghua Palace Academician Liu Sankuo, who is already sixty-nine this year, and by next year at the latest, will retire. Then, who will fill in the position becomes a question. Currently, the two highest contenders are Gu Sheng and Minister of Revenue Shen Wanxing.
Therefore, those ambitious Princes are now trying to evaluate others’ judgment.
Qi Jingyun is ambitious, so drawing Gu Sheng close is quite natural. It’s just that Gu Qingheng has also begun to shine, and it seems like he doesn’t want to become their pawn due to this.
No matter what, as long as Qi Jingyun has no ill intentions towards them, Yang Ruxin can relax a bit.
Just as he was pondering this, noises were already coming from outside; they had clearly entered the city gates.
"Prince, we part ways here." Gu Qingheng cupped his fists towards Qi Jingyun.
Qi Jingyun nodded slightly. Gu Qingheng’s General Residence was in the Gluttonous Store, while his own Wang Residence was in the Kylin Store, perfectly one south and one north, making their ways indeed divergent afterwards, so he truly couldn’t force it.
However, over the two-hour journey, that woman hadn’t shown herself even once, which was indeed... inevitably somewhat stifling.
"Prince, let’s head back." Yun Xiu looked at the master, who was still dazed, and couldn’t help but remind him.