Listening to Chang Lin and his father Sima Yi's conversation, Sima Shi was also confused for a while.
But as he sat among the guests, and gradually unraveled the causes and effects, Sima Shi's gaze shifted from confusion to certainty.
Talking about tests, talking about endurance, if it weren't for He Yan's involvement and the government's suppression, would I really need to return to Wenxian to relax?
A thousand and a hundred are wrong, but they are not my fault!
Endure for a moment, plan for a lifetime!
Sima Shi bowed and said, "Senior Chang's words are like gold and jade, and every word has been engraved in my heart. Returning to the hometown to read and cultivate oneself is indeed an opportunity."
"Not knowing whether the senior has relatives in the rural area of Wenxian who are similar in age to my late childhood, I will be able to go for a walk more often after returning home."
Chang Lin smiled warmly and said, "My eldest grandson, Chang Jian, is now of the same age as you and is also twenty-one years old. He is studying in the village and has not yet entered public service."
"He is likely to go to the Imperial Academy in a few months, and I kindly ask you, Ziyuan, to guide him when he returns to Wenxian."
"Definitely, definitely," Sima Shi replied in succession.
Sima Yi also laughed and said, "Listening to Professor Chang's teaching, I too have gained something."
"To speak frankly, this time the Emperor has restored the Prime Minister's Office, which seems to have the intention to strengthen the authority of the Prime Minister's Office."
"Isn't it already started that the Prime Minister's Office has taken away the powers of the nine ministers?" Chang Lin said softly, "Ever since you and Chen Qun entered the Prime Minister's Office, the powers of the nine ministers have been getting less and less."
Sima Yi's expression became embarrassed as he smiled: "This was not my intention either."
"Hmph," said Chang Lin. "The newly appointed six department secretaries have the same rank as the nine ministers. It seems this time the nine ministers will truly become ornamental."
Sima Yi nodded his hands: "Now the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Civil Service have vacancies, senior Chang, would you like to become a minister for one term?"
Chang Lin pointed to his chest, bitterly smiling, "Zhongda, look at the appearance of the old man. How can I go back to the Prime Minister's Office to do those complicated things?"
Sima Yi said, "Professor Chang is not yet seventy years old. Wei Ji is over seventy and still serving in the Prime Minister's Office..."
Chang Lin raised his hand to stop Sima Yi: "Zhongda, please don't persuade me any more. With age nearing seventy, I am already a person waiting for death. I no longer have the heart and spirit to serve as an official."
But even with age nearing seventy, what can be done?
Sima Yi thought this in his heart, but could only helplessly change the subject and start chatting with Chang Lin about some trivial matters in the court and the Prime Minister's Office.
...
The next day, North Palace, East Pavilion.
Wei Zhen sat behind his own desk, writing something on a large sheet of paper, while Sima Yi stood to the side with his hands behind his back, also looking down at the table.
"If that's the case, the division of the six departments and twenty-five offices will be completed," Wei Zhen said softly. "Master Sima, should we report this proposal to the emperor in the study?"
"Qing wait a moment," Sima Yi said. "I'll read it again carefully."
"Um," Wei Zhen nodded.
A moment later, the study.
Cao Rui carefully read the draft brought by Sima Yi and Wei Zhen several times, and said, "The two of you have no problem with the division of six departments, but this name sounds somewhat awkward."
Sima Yi smiled and said, "Then please, Your Majesty, bestow names upon the six ministries."
"Don't change the name of the civil service department,"
"Change the title of the Minister of Revenue to Minister of People, the Minister of War to Minister of War, the Censorship Office to Minister of Rites, and the Ministry of People to Ministry of Works."
"As for the Ministry of Fields..."
Cao Rui looked up at the two of them and said, "The Ministry of Fields, as its title currently stands, was originally in charge of tuntian and agricultural affairs. It can be transferred to the Ministry of People."
"Let the Minister of Fields, Wei Ji, take the position of Minister of People. This position of Minister of Justice…"
Sima Yi asked in a hurry, "Your Majesty, since the Ministry of Justice has the character 'Xing' (crime), does that mean the duties it oversees are related to criminal justice matters?"
Wei Zhen also looked over.
Cao Rui spoke softly, "The judicial system is handled by the Premier and the Grand Secretariat, so for now, the Ministry of Justice can be responsible for legal affairs and verification."
In an instant, Cao Rui looked up at the two of them and said, "For the position of Minister of Justice, do either of you have a candidate for the two secretaries general?"
While Wei Zhen was still thinking, Sima Yi had already spoken up: "Your Majesty, I do have a suitable candidate."
"Who?"
Sima Yi replied, "The Xu Miao, Xu Jing Shan from the Censorate."
Cao Rui thought for a moment before speaking softly, "As for the position of Minister of Justice, I actually have thoughts on Liu Sha or Lu Yu, who are currently working on the new law."
"But the new law is not yet finished. There are no many trivial affairs in the Ministry of Justice, so it's better for Xu Miao to go and set up the structure of the ministry first."
"Sima Yi will inform Xu Miao after a while," Sima Yi responded with a bow.
Wei Zhen asked in quick succession, "Your Majesty, as for the position of Minister of Civil Service, is there also no one in Your Majesty's mind?"
Cao Rui laughed and said, "Do you have a candidate to recommend to the emperor, Master Wei?"
Wei Zhen shook his head, "It's entirely up to Your Majesty's will."
Cao Rui nodded, "Let's not talk about the Minister of Civil Service for now. I will distribute the six departments to each of you respectively."
Sima Yi and Wei Zhen stood at attention in front of the emperor's table.
The Prime Minister's Office is divided into six departments, with the Right and Left Secretaries General leading each department. They were the first to try this new arrangement.
The current allocation may be related to future changes in the court for decades or even over a hundred years.
Cao Rui lightly tapped his desk with his fingers: "The Minister of Civil Service remains under the leadership of Master Wei."
"The Ministry of People, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Works," Cao Rui looked at Sima Yi, "These three ministries will be under your leadership, Minister Sima. Do you have any objections?"
Sima Yi, without hesitation, responded with a bow: "Your Majesty's enlightened insight, I accept the imperial command."
"Master Wei," Cao Rui turned to look at Wei Zhen again, "the Ministry of Civil Service, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Justice. Master Wei will lead these three ministries. Do you have any questions?"
Wei Zhen also replied decisively, "I accept the imperial command!"
Cao Rui nodded satisfactorily: "Two secretaries general, the six departments of people, war, works, civil service, rites, and justice. All matters of the state are now under the Prime Minister's Office."
"As for the Left and Right Secretaries of the Prime Minister's Office, the Right Secretary General will recommend a Right Secretary, and the Left Secretary General will recommend a Left Secretary. Each of you recommend one person, inform me of their name after deciding, and I will not meddle."
"Your Majesty, I have another matter to ask for Your Majesty's permission," Sima Yi responded with a bow.
"Minister Sima, speak." Cao Rui said.
Sima Yi said, "In fact, since the reign of Emperor Huangchu, the Prime Minister's Office has been gradually encroaching on the powers of the nine ministers. Now with the establishment of the six ministries, I fear that the powers of the nine ministers will be reduced again."
As Sima Yi spoke, a rumble of thunder could be heard outside the study, but there were no raindrops yet.
It was a normal occurrence in June during the summer for there to be more thunderstorms.
Cao Rui suddenly felt a thought arise and asked, "When the heavens are thunderous and the earth is dry, with the upper trembling and the lower being dry, what is this hexagram?"
Sima Yi responded with a bow, "The upper-thunder and lower-dry hexagram is the Magnificent/Proud pattern. The hexagram has two sentences in its divination."
"One of them is that great strength favors uprightness, for greatness is rightfulness."
"Two, a gentleman should not engage in things that are not in accordance with propriety."
Cao Rui nodded, then stood up and walked towards the door of the study with his hands behind his back, looking towards the dark clouds in the sky.
"From the divination of the hexagram, gathering all power in the Prime Minister's Office is right and proper. The Prime Minister's Office must also adhere to its duties and not overstep its bounds."
Sima Yi and Wei Zhen also slowly moved closer.
Cao Rui did not turn around, speaking softly, "The Prime Minister's Office has taken over the powers of the nine ministers. It has been taken, and I agree. But if you two do not manage the Prime Minister's Office well, I will hold you responsible."
"Understood?"
Both replied in unison, "I understand."
Cao Rui said, "As for the Minister of Civil Service, let the Commander of Cavalry Detachments, Yang Ji, take the position. Master Wei, you should take good care to guide him."
"Your Majesty, I understand," Wei Zhen said.
Raindrops had begun to fall from the sky.
As Sima Yi and Wei Zhen were leaving the study to return to the East Pavilion, two palace attendants, aware of the situation, each handed a blue umbrella to the two men.
The raindrops hitting the umbrella made a slight, tinkling sound. Under the dense and interlaced rain, there was a sense of tranquility.
The ephemeral affairs have been settled, the six departments have been allocated, and the court seems to have finally returned to calmness.
Can it truly settle down?
As Sima Yi held the umbrella and walked to the door, he did not enter but stood outside the eaves to listen to the sound of the rain.
At this time, Zi Yuan should have already crossed the Mengjin Pass, and in one or two hours, he will reach Wen County, right?
Wei Zhen put away the umbrella and went inside, glanced at Sima Yi without asking a single question, and then directly went back to the desk to handle official business. With so many things to do, who has the time to watch the rain?
Under the eaves, two different states of mind seem as clear as the waters.
……
On a rainy day, Emperor Cao Rui did not go to the training ground but took a carriage back to the palace's inner quarters.
In the morning, Empress Guo sent palace attendants to inform them that the remaining nine women had been sent to the palace and were waiting for the emperor to come and see them.
The affairs of the court over the past few days have been concluded, and Emperor Cao Rui has also developed some interest in leisure activities.
If we talk seriously about the Northern Palace and the Southern Palace in Luoyang, they are actually two palace cities that occupy a vast area within the city of Luoyang. They are connected by an over-the-air corridor.
Not only do they serve as the residences of the imperial family, but also institutions such as the Prime Minister's Office and the Censorate are located in the Southern Palace.
Since the reigns of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling, the emperor had begun to reside in the Northern Palace in Luoyang. By the time of Huangchu years, Emperor Cao Fu also followed the old custom, and Cao Rui was no exception.
The palace where Empress Guo resides is called Chang Le Palace, and the palace where Dowager Empress Xian lives is called Chang Xin Palace, both located within the Northern Palace.
Emperor Cao Rui is visiting Empress Guo's Chang Le Palace this time.
"Rui has arrived?" Empress Guo, standing up from the main seat in the hall, said in a gentle voice.
"Courtier to Empress Mother," Cao Rui bowed. "Empress Mother summoned the son here, is it to see these newly admitted women of the inner palace together with me?"
"Exactly, exactly."
Empress Guo said, "Mao Concubine is pregnant and will give birth in less than a month. The Empress feels that she should rest in the palace to ensure the safety of the pregnancy, so she will not come."
The twenty women were already kneeling and sitting on the left and right sides of the hall.
Cao Rui quickly scanned the group, noticing that Dai Hu and Guo Yao were among the front row on both sides. After sensing the emperor's gaze, Dai Hu still blinked her eyes with a smile on her face.
Cao Rui slightly pursed his lips and then looked towards Guo Yao's direction.
Unlike Dai Hu, Guo Yao always maintained an inward and respectful demeanor. When Emperor Cao Rui had brought her and Dai Hu together to meet Empress Guo before, Guo Yao had been so nervous that her voice trembled while speaking.
However, in stark contrast to her reserved daytime image, whenever night fell and they were entwined together, Guo Yao's fervent expression in bed was as different as night and day.
The woman from Liangzhou and the woman from Yangzhou, one coming from the northwest and the other from the southeast, not only had contrasting personalities during the day but also did so at night.
Indeed, quite strange. (Chapter complete.)
