Volume 1, Chapter 39: Establishing the Cabinet in Advance, the God of War of the Ming!

Zhu Yuanzhang looked blank, clearly failing to grasp the meaning of Jiang Lin’s words. Though he felt deep regret over the premature death of his great-grandson, the sage and martial emperor, he could not fathom how anyone could possibly pin that tragedy on him.

Faced with the old emperor’s bewildered expression, a faint smile curled at the corners of Jiang Lin’s lips. "Your Majesty, surely you are about to make your move against Hu Weiyong?"

At these words, Zhu Yuanzhang stiffened, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes. Clearly, Jiang Lin had struck a nerve. However, reflecting for a moment, he realized that Jiang Lin was a man from the future who had studied the history books; it was only natural for him to know such things.

"In the thirteenth year of the Hongwu era, Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang executed Chancellor Hu Weiyong and his entire clan on charges of 'plotting treason,' while also putting to death Censor-in-Chief Chen Ning, Vice Censor-in-Chief Tu Jie, and several others. After removing Hu Weiyong, Zhu Yuanzhang abolished the positions of Left and Right Chancellor, dismantled the Central Secretariat, and placed all administrative affairs under the Six Ministries. Later, he established the post of Grand Secretary to serve as an advisor to the Emperor. Zhu Yuanzhang ended the Chancellor system in China and solidified the autocratic imperial power!"

Listening to Jiang Lin, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a surge of excitement and joy. It seemed his plan against Hu Weiyong had been successful, and the office of the Chancellor was finally gone for good.

Jiang Lin looked at him and challenged, "Your Majesty, your intention to remove the Chancellor because you feared the power of the premiership would threaten the imperial throne was well-founded. But have you considered the drawbacks of highly centralized power? It leaves the Emperor without assistance, forcing him to handle every single state affair alone. Even if you have the stamina for it, what about the energy of future emperors?"

"To look no further than the recent past, the reason your son, the Crown Prince, died young was due to immense psychological stress coupled with physical overwork."

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned. What did he mean? Was he suggesting that his plan to abolish the Chancellor was a mistake? That not only had it failed to protect future Ming monarchs from the threat of ministerial power, but it had indirectly harmed his beloved heir, Biao? Initially, the old emperor had thought his plan was brilliant—an unprecedented elevation of imperial power. Now, hearing the consequences described by Jiang Lin, his resolve wavered. What should he do? Should he stop now before it was too late? If this truly impacted the life of his son, it would be an outcome he could never accept. His heart grew heavy with distress.

Seeing the frown on Zhu Yuanzhang’s face, Jiang Lin roughly guessed his thoughts. "Your Majesty, as I said, your decision to remove the Chancellor was correct; I have never denied that. However, you should distribute the Chancellor’s responsibilities among other officials rather than hoarding them all for yourself. Concentrating everything does strengthen the throne, but it also wears out many emperors. This includes the Crown Prince, whom you view as your successor."

"Hmm, there is logic in what you say!" The old emperor nodded, falling into deep thought. The idea of distributing the Chancellor’s power among other officials was sound. After all, the Chancellor was the leader of the civil bureaucracy, and his removal would surely stir discontent. If, however, those duties were spread among other civil officials, they would not only refrain from opposing the move but might even support it enthusiastically. The civil service clique appeared monolithic, but in reality, they were each driven by their own agendas. Why not eliminate a Chancellor if it meant increasing their own influence? This move would not only resolve the issue of ministerial power but also successfully divide the civil bureaucracy. But… how could such a thing be achieved?

He turned to Jiang Lin and asked, "Since you brought this up, does that mean there is a better solution from the future?" He looked at Jiang Lin expectantly, hoping for a viable plan. After all, this concerned the life of his son Biao; if not handled correctly, Zhu Biao might repeat the same tragic path of dying from overwork.

Jiang Lin nodded confidently. "Your Majesty, it is actually quite simple. You need only establish a Cabinet."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "What is a Cabinet?"

"Simply put, this Cabinet exists to assist the Emperor in managing state affairs. Composed of three to five members, their daily work is to help the Emperor process memorials, draft suggestions, and propose solutions. The Emperor, however, retains the final decision-making power. As for the officials serving in the Cabinet, I suggest they be drawn from the Grand Secretaries of the various halls, with a rank of around the fifth or sixth grade. Appoint one Senior Grand Secretary, one Junior Grand Secretary, and two or three Cabinet ministers, with a rotation every three to five years. Most importantly, Cabinet members cannot hold other concurrent posts; they must resign from all other duties before serving. In other words, while the Cabinet functions as the highest executive organ of the state, it remains firmly under the Emperor’s control, always appearing as a temporary body."

Jiang Lin’s words drifted into the ears of Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Biao, and Zhu Di. The three men were startled, their faces reflecting excitement and thoughtful contemplation. A temporary body with no fixed personnel? They had to admit, this "Cabinet" was a brilliant institution. Such an arrangement meant there was no need to fear members gaining enough power to become like a Chancellor, thus posing no threat to the imperial throne.

Zhu Yuanzhang beamed. "I must say, this future method you described is perfect. It not only secures the imperial power but also greatly reduces the Emperor's workload."

"Actually, this method isn't too far in the future," Jiang Lin said, shaking his head. He looked at Zhu Di and continued, "Prince of Yan, this Cabinet system is exactly what you will implement after you ascend the throne!"

"Me?" Zhu Di was taken aback, then began to preen with self-satisfaction. He never expected his future self to come up with such a clever idea. Was he truly that brilliant?

"Well done, fourth son. I underestimated you. A solution that never even occurred to me, and you were the one to think of it!" Zhu Yuanzhang patted Zhu Di’s shoulder with satisfaction, then turned back to Jiang Lin. "Continue. After my great-grandson died, how did the next emperor fare?"

"In the first month of the tenth year of the Xuande era, Zhu Zhanji passed away at the age of thirty-six, leaving his nine-year-old son, Zhu Qizhen, to ascend the throne. The reign title was Zhengtong. The government was assisted by the three Yangs of the Cabinet, with Empress Dowager Zhang acting from behind the scenes."

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang’s expression turned grim. A child emperor taking the throne—had any dynasty ever seen that end well? Where would the Great Ming go from here? What would happen next? A sense of foreboding grew in his heart.

Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, and the siblings Zhu Yourong all stared intently at Jiang Lin. Under their collective gaze, Jiang Lin spoke slowly: "Zhu Qizhen was the sixth emperor of the Ming Dynasty; in later history, he is known as the God of War of the Great Ming!"