#244 - Ming 30: A Last Luminous Gloaming
The History of China
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The Emperor's Secretariat - The Grand Secretary
As grand secretary, Zhang Juejiang had no power to initiate imperial policy or directly give orders. But he circumvented this constraint through private contacts. He wrote long letters to his lieutenants, urging them to put forth proposals that he favored. Then, as chief counselor to the throne, he drafted rescripts on the emperor's behalf. It was just about the only way to get the Ming system to function properly as it was designed.
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