Zhao Hanzhang naturally understood this point as well, so she very much agreed with Zhao Shen’s views. This time, she wanted to deploy troops on a large scale and needed someone who understood her to execute it.
Zhao Shen, at present, was the best candidate.
Zhao Shen suppressed the excitement in his heart and asked, “Will you not rank me?”
Zhao Hanzhang said calmly, “The Nine-Rank System has long been nothing but an empty name under my administration. Before long, it will disappear in name as well.”
Zhao Shen’s heart was filled with indescribable complexity as he asked, “Then what about the Merit Recruitment Examination? Will the Grand General not order me to participate?”
Zhao Hanzhang burst into hearty laughter at this and said to him, “If Cousin Shen wishes to give it a try, you may. I will issue a merit recruitment decree before year’s end, ordering each region to hold a merit recruitment examination in their provincial capitals next spring. After selecting talented individuals, they will be sent to Luoyang for another examination in autumn.”
“However, I believe that with Cousin Shen’s abilities, there’s no need to prove yourself this way. I have already seen your capabilities.”
Zhao Shen’s breathing quickened slightly, his eyes moistening. He rose and bowed deeply to her. “How would Shen dare not comply?”
Zhao Hanzhang’s lips curved slightly upward as she waved her hand. “Cousin Shen, go back and prepare. Once we select an auspicious day, we’ll be ready to relocate to Luoyang.”
Zhao Shen bowed and withdrew. Walking out the main gate, he took a deep breath, feeling refreshed and invigorated. Though it was already deep autumn, he felt as if the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of flowers.
He couldn’t help but break into a grin, swinging his sleeves behind his back as he strode home with large steps.
There were quite a few pedestrians on the road. These two streets were inhabited by high officials and generals, more than half of whom would follow Zhao Hanzhang to Luoyang. Young able-bodied laborers in the city had caught wind of this and all rushed over looking for work.
A row of laborers stood against the wall. Before long, a household servant opened the door, scanned them, clapped his hands and called out, “Need ten laborers to move heavy objects, twenty wen a day. Who’s coming?”
Those squatting by the wall immediately surged forward, raising their hands and shouting “Me, me, me…”
The proud and satisfied Zhao Shen was bumped on the shoulder by someone, staggered a few steps, and was nearly swallowed by the crowd.
His chief attendant Da’an grabbed him and pulled him out while grumbling, “I don’t know what you’re so pleased about. Ever since you came out, your eyes have been looking up at the sky. Common folk like us don’t even enter your sight. With so many people ahead, you still pushed in—weren’t you asking to be bumped?”
Having been rescued, Zhao Shen adjusted his jade crown and stopped Da’an. “Shut your mouth. Keep nagging and I’ll punish you with ten days of silence.”
Da’an immediately closed his mouth, but his facial expressions were extraordinarily rich. Zhao Shen only regretted being too clever, as he could actually read his expressions. He turned his face away without looking at him. “Your face is too noisy. Rein in your expressions too, or I’ll also punish you with ten days of silence.”
Da’an nearly choked on his breath.
Zhao Shen happily went home to tell his father, “Father, I’ve become a Vice Minister.”
Vice Minister of War—he could almost be on equal footing with a provincial governor. Zhao Shen directly removed the “almost,” considering it equivalent to being on equal footing with his father.
Zhao Ming looked up at him and nodded. “Very good. It seems you really do enjoy managing troops. Now you’ll be responsible for provisions and training for all the armies under heaven. You should be happy, right?”
What pleasure was there in managing those mere thousand-odd men?
Zhao Shen snapped back to reality, nearly choking on his breath. His heartfelt joy briefly disappeared, though after a moment he managed to comfort himself.
He couldn’t follow his father’s train of thought deeper. He had to continue with his original line of thinking. “No need to rank, no consideration of family background, but selecting and employing talented people based on ability and virtue—do the aristocratic families under heaven have no objections?”
Zhao Ming said, “The world is in chaos, and the Grand General holds the army. Even if they have objections, they must swallow them.”
“But now the war has ended and the realm is temporarily stable. I’m afraid…” Zhao Shen lowered his voice. “Moreover, with the Emperor still young, struggles for imperial power are inevitable. When that time comes, can the Merit Recruitment Examination completely replace the Nine-Rank System?”
Zhao Ming’s lips curved slightly as he asked, “So you believe the Merit Recruitment Examination is better than the Nine-Rank System?”
Zhao Shen said, “If ranked, given our Zhao family’s background, the highest I could become is a commandery administrator. Father… becoming a major provincial governor would already be exceeding your station.”
That’s how absurd it was. The Nine-Rank System limited the highest position one could reach upon entering office, not because you lacked talent, but because your family background only extended this far.
“If even you think this way, what about others?” Zhao Ming said. “Now, how many scholars under heaven benefit from the Merit Recruitment Examination? That many will oppose returning to the Nine-Rank System.”
He continued, “Those who can be ranked as prime minister and receive first-rank stipends are very few, but scholars who believe themselves to possess heaven-defying talent and can be ennobled as marquis or appointed as prime minister through their abilities are countless. Therefore, even if there are opponents, as long as military power remains primarily in the Grand General’s hands, no one can overrule her.”
After thinking it over, Zhao Shen realized this was true.
From Zhao Hanzhang’s current arrangements, she clearly understood this point, so all the military power she could consolidate, she kept in her own hands.
Zhao Hanzhang not only placed military power in the hands of her own people, but political power as well.
They hadn’t even departed yet, when her edicts—oh no, the edicts she signed on behalf of the young Emperor—came out one after another. She appointed Ming Yu as Director of the Secretariat, Ji Yuan as Attendant of the Chancellery, and with Fu Tinghan as Minister of the Department of State Affairs, the three giants of all officials were all her trusted confidants.
Her dominance exceeded even that of the former Prince Donghai.
When Prince Donghai was in power, although many court ministers became his confidants, there were still ministers like Wang Yan and Gou Xi who had been left by the previous emperor and didn’t completely obey Prince Donghai’s commands.
But now, the court’s previous officials had been purged wave after wave. Those still alive and serving in court could be counted on two hands.
Looking at it now, more than half of the court officials were actually selected and appointed by Zhao Hanzhang, not to mention people like Ji Yuan and Ming Yu, who had been Zhao Hanzhang’s advisors before!
Once the appointment letters went out, even the young Emperor who didn’t much manage affairs was forced to come find Zhao Hanzhang to express his objections.
Zhao Hanzhang casually set aside the memorial she had just approved, reached for a new one with one hand while raising her head to look at him, smiling as she asked, “Who asked Your Majesty to come as a lobbyist?”
The young Emperor nervously clenched his fists and said quietly, “It, it was my own idea. It’s just that Ji Yuan and Ming Yu’s status is too low—they’re merely from humble families, yet suddenly leap to become Director of the Secretariat and Attendant of the Chancellery. I fear the people under heaven will not accept it.”
He added in a low voice, “Moreover, Fu Zhi is the Director of the Secretariat. Although Director Fu is far away in Yongzhou, the previous emperor did not remove his official position.”
Zhao Hanzhang chuckled softly. “Ji Yuan and Ming Yu have followed me through campaigns north and south, achieving immense merit—this is known to all under heaven. How would they not accept it? As for family background, I select talent without regard to family background, only asking about ability and virtue.”
“Director Fu is a good official, but unfortunately he’s entangled with affairs in Yongzhou and truly cannot spare time to handle court matters.” Zhao Hanzhang said lightly, “If Your Majesty doesn’t wish to use Ji Yuan and Ming Yu, that’s fine too. It’s just that with so many memorials, I cannot handle them all. Why not have Your Majesty take some over? As long as we two can handle governmental affairs properly, what does it matter if we don’t establish positions for Director of the Secretariat and Attendant of the Chancellery?”
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