On the fifteenth day of the third month, Jinghe Year Sixteen, the Crown Prince issued a decree.
The Eastern Palace would appoint one military intelligence officer to enter the Ministry of War, assist in handling military intelligence, and inspect frontier reports, thereby clearing the blockages that delayed their passage.
The appointee: Xie Lin, Reader-in-Waiting of the Directorate of Classical Studies.
Xie Lin was the Third-Rank Palace Graduate of Jinghe Year Ten, former prefect of Suzhou, an official banished to Guilin, a disciple of Chancellor Shen, and the Crown Prince's Reader-in-Waiting.
When the decree came down, Court and country alike said, "Just the man we expected."
On the fifteenth day of the third month, there were no major matters for the Regent, and no court assembly was convened.
Only a Cabinet Council was held to approve documents on important matters, which would then be passed to the Crown Prince for review and implementation.
"Grand Secretaries."
The memorial drafts for the tiresome business had barely been submitted when Song Yue spoke first, his face livid.
"At today's Cabinet Council, there is something I must get off my chest."
"I expect you both already know that the Eastern Palace's decree has named its appointee."
"A civil official, a Reader-in-Waiting, with not a single day's experience in military affairs, is to enter my Ministry of War and assist with military intelligence!" Song Yue's voice grew heavier with every word.
"How critical is military intelligence?
Frontier reports, territorial maps, beacon towers, grain routes!!
In which of these would a single wrong word not cost lives?!"
"Has this Xie Lin ever read a military treatise? Been to the Frontier Wall? Seen a cavalry saber?!"
"What precedent supports this? How does it accord with the statutes?!"
"Tell me, Grand Secretaries, once this precedent is set, will