In the Ming Dynasty, there was no chancellor, but there was an official equivalent to a chancellor: the Grand Academicians of the Grand and Wen Yuan Pavilions.
The rank of the Grand Academicians of the two pavilions was not high, only fifth rank, senior grade.
In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang abolished the position of Prime Minister to prevent the imperial power from being usurped. However, this meant that all the military and political power of the country was concentrated in the hands of the emperor, making the emperor extremely busy with state affairs and having no one to consult with on important matters.
Therefore, he established the Palace and Pavilion Academies, composed of Grand Academicians. Their responsibility was to provide consultation. At this time, Grand Academicians were merely high-level advisors without real power.
By the time of Emperor Chengzu of Ming, the cabinet ministers gradually began to participate in state affairs and assist in governing the court, slowly forming the cabinet system.
Although they did not hold the title of chancellor, they exercised the power of a chancellor with the fifth rank, senior grade, position.
Li Shimin jumped off the tank and surveyed the Hall of Mental Cultivation before disdainfully remarking.
This dilapidated place, it's that what you call~~
Mid-sentence, he looked at Fang Er and asked, "Kid, what's the name of this emperor?"
Fang Er chuckled, "The reign title is Chongzhen, his name is Zhu Youjian."
Li Shimin shook his head and sighed, "Tsk tsk tsk, sounds like a poor brat. His father wasn't exactly wealthy either."
"Listen to that pathetic name, Zhu Youjian, picking up pig oil. They're so poor they're scavenging for other people's pig oil. No wonder those border troops look like they haven't eaten in three days."
Fang Er was stunned. Was Chongzhen so poor he was selling his trousers because of this reason?
"Good heavens!"
"As expected, an emperor's mind works differently from ordinary people. Their perspective on things is truly unique!"
Li Tai and Li Ke also crawled out of the tank. Their first reaction upon seeing the Hall of Mental Cultivation was to curl their lips.
This thing couldn't compare to the Two Poles Hall at all! It was too damn small!
Fang Er stepped forward and slapped each of them, not hesitating to do so even in front of Li Shimin.
"What do you know? Several hundred years passed between the end of the Tang Dynasty and the establishment of the Ming Dynasty!"
"The country's large, high-quality timber has long been depleted. Timber like that used for the Two Poles Hall and the Taiji Palace is now something money can't buy!"
The two brothers cast wronged glances at Li Shimin, but Old Li ignored them, pondering Fang Er's words in his mind.
After a long while, he said to Li Tai and Li Ke, "When we return, issue a decree to all regions. Whether it's the royal family or the common people, whoever cuts down trees, shall also plant trees!"
"This matter will be noted down for now, and we will discuss it further upon our return!"
"Oh!"
Li Tai reluctantly took out his notebook and wrote down what Li Shimin had just said.
As they spoke, Ge Luoyang also arrived with several special forces soldiers, holding AK47s across their chests and vigilantly observing their surroundings.
"Alright, follow me to meet this impoverished brat!"
Li Shimin waved his hand and walked towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
At this moment, Wang Chengen had already entered the hall and reported the arrival of the group to Zhu Youjian.
The imperial guards outside the hall, upon seeing the AK47s on everyone, even though they didn't know what they were, knew they were weapons since everyone had one.
So, one of them stepped forward to block them.
"Leave your weapons behind!"
Fang Er gave a look to the side.
Ge Luoyang immediately rushed out with three of them and, without a word, charged at the eight guards at the entrance.
The guards were caught off guard and three were taken down in the first exchange.
Ge Luoyang glanced at the special forces soldier who failed to make a move and berated him, "What are you dawdling for? Haven't you eaten?"
The special forces soldier felt ashamed but immediately became fierce, knocking down the guard opposite him in a few swift moves before attacking the next one.
The commotion outside reached the hall, and Zhu Youjian frowned, looking at Cao Huachun.
The clever Wang Chengen, before his lord could speak, proactively walked out to check.
But upon seeing the situation clearly, he was immediately bewildered.
"Didn't they agree to allow entry? Why are they fighting the imperial guards?"
He quickly shouted, "Stop, everyone stop! Let's talk things out, no need for violence!"
Fang Er smiled at him, "My weapons, you dare to take them?"
Wang Chengen repeatedly waved his hands, "No, no, no, don't take them, don't take them. It's a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding. Please stop fighting!"
He had witnessed the scene outside Chengtian Gate firsthand.
Just as the emperor had said before, if these people intended to commit violence, they would have bombarded the imperial city with cannons long ago. How could they be hitting people with fists here!
But as soon as he finished speaking, he looked back and saw that the eight imperial guards had all collapsed on the ground.
He awkwardly said to everyone, "Please, come in. His Majesty is already waiting."
Ge Luoyang led the soldiers who had stepped forward into the Hall of Mental Cultivation first, staring at Zhu Youjian and the Grand Academicians without saying a word.
After Li Shimin entered the hall, he scanned the surroundings and let out a displeased snort.
Ge Luoyang followed his gaze and immediately understood.
He rushed directly towards Zhu Youjian, "Get out of the way! The Emperor of the Great Tang is here, how can you sit on this dragon throne!"
Zhu Youjian, who had been wearing a smile, was suddenly yanked from the dragon throne by Ge Luoyang, his expression instantly turning as black as the bottom of a pot.
"This is too much~!"
He menacingly pointed at everyone and shouted.
"You are merely the tomb keepers of Emperor Taizong. I allowed you to enter the palace out of respect for Emperor Taizong's spirit tablet!"
"What, as soon as you entered this Hall of Mental Cultivation, you've set your sights on my dragon throne?!"
"Is this also Emperor Taizong's posthumous decree?"
Li Shimin was stunned for a long moment. He pointed at his own nose and said to Fang Er.
"He said I am my own tomb keeper?"
"And that he allowed us to enter out of respect for my spirit tablet?"
While seemingly asking Fang Er, he didn't wait for Fang Er's answer and instead pointed at Zhu Youjian's nose and cursed.
"Damn it! I need your respect?"
"You, the pig oil scrounger, are you cursing me, saying no one will guard my tomb after I die?"
"Go to hell!"
With that, he swung his fist and struck Zhu Youjian in the face.
The Grand Academicians were terrified. One of them was about to shout for help when Li Tai punched him in the back of the neck, causing him to collapse to the ground.
Ge Luoyang was also not idle. Together with Li Ke, he led the other special forces soldiers to subdue Cao Huachun, Wang Chengen, and the other three Grand Academicians.
Fang Er shook his head helplessly, turned around, and closed the doors of the Hall of Mental Cultivation from the inside.
Old Li had fought his way out of seas of corpses.
How could Zhu Youjian, who had been raised in captivity since childhood, be his match?
After closing the hall doors, Fang Er leisurely lit a cigarette and sat on the imperial steps, watching the "second emperor's brawl."
Oh, no, it was Emperor Taizong of Tang completely dominating Chongzhen!
"Fight! As long as you don't kill them, crippling them is their own fault!"
"This damned Chongzhen, his suspicious and obstinate nature is even worse than Cao Cao's, yet he doesn't have a tenth of Cao Cao's ability."
Li Shimin cursed as he fought.
"You, you impoverished wretch who eats pig oil! How dare you challenge me!"
"You've squandered the foundation of our ancestors, haven't you?!"
"Useless wretch! You let foreign tribes push you around, what kind of emperor are you!"
"This punch is for the founding emperor of the Great Ming!"
"The border troops are so hungry their eyes are glowing green, what have you been doing?"
"This punch is for those loyal soldiers who died!"
"Since coming from Shanhaiguan, those fleeing civilians haven't disappeared from my sight."
"This punch is for the suffering people of the Nine Provinces!"
~~~~~~~
"Wuwuwuwu~~ Stop hitting!~~ The foundation of the Great Ming wasn't ruined by me~~"
Fang Er froze at the sound.
"Good heavens, Zhu Youjian actually cried from Li Shimin's beating!"