Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 441 The Mystery of the New Policy, Old Zhu's Doubts!
Even the officials in the imperial court were quite satisfied with the implementation of the new policies, and even secretly rejoiced.

First and foremost, the most notable change was that the new policy once again increased their salaries.

Who doesn't want a raise?

Especially those officials who came from humble backgrounds, lived in poverty, and were determined to be honest and upright.

They were unwilling to tarnish their reputation through bribery or to willingly degenerate and drift with the tide.

And then there are those unfortunate people working in insignificant government offices, spending their days tending cold stoves, with no way to earn any extra money.

Zhu Yunwen had already increased their salaries once before, and unlike Zhu Yuanzhang, he did not simply give them a few worthless banknotes as a perfunctory measure.

He showed utmost benevolence and care for these ministers who toiled for the country.

However, things are unpredictable, and prices are now rising like a runaway horse, getting higher every day.

The expenses for living also came in like a flood.

Officials think very differently from ordinary people; they don't simply measure their income by how much rice their salary can buy.

Their pursuits are more refined, and their needs are more complex. The lifestyle commensurate with their status and position has quietly become an invisible pressure.

For example, a full-length mirror made of glass is crystal clear and reflects the whole body.

In the past, a small, blurry bronze mirror was enough for a family.

But nowadays, at least in the official families of Jinling, such items have almost become standard equipment.

Although the price is not cheap, if all the neighboring colleagues have already bought one while your own family is still waiting, the complaints from your wives and concubines will come like a tidal wave, making it impossible for you to have peace.

There are many similar novelties, emerging one after another, dazzling the eye.

For example, a beautifully decorated and fully functional carriage is incredibly comfortable to ride in; one experience is enough to make one's heart flutter and wish they could immediately own it.

For example, bicycles are still quite novel at the moment. They are lightweight and agile, and young men love them at first sight, constantly clamoring for one.

If their families don't agree, they pout and act spoiled, causing their parents a lot of headaches.

There are also many new things that are born on factory assembly lines, a dazzling array of choices.

Once the trend takes hold, officials throughout the city vie to follow suit. If one's own family doesn't keep up with the trend, not only will they lose face, but they will also be unable to hold their heads high among their colleagues.

With all these expenses piling up, even though his salary had increased, the money slipped through his fingers like water, making it difficult to save a single penny.

At the end of each month, the accounts are empty, and it is even necessary to carefully calculate to barely make ends meet.

Officials may appear respectable on the surface, but they often secretly complain about how difficult it is to make a living.

That's why their joy was indescribable when the new government announced another pay rise.

Those adults who usually put on airs and talk about governing the country and ensuring its stability could not hide their excitement at this moment. They smiled broadly and congratulated each other in private.

The increase in salary was like a timely rain, extinguishing the anxiety in their hearts.

It also brought a profound sense of comfort and hope to many loyal and virtuous officials who worked tirelessly for the country.

Furthermore, there is another measure in the new policy that officials applauded.

That is, the imperial court uniformly assigned formal servants to officials going to various places to take up their posts, and the imperial court paid their salaries, so that they no longer needed to recruit their own staff.

The moment this new regulation was promulgated, it caused countless officials to be overjoyed. Some excitedly shouted "Long live the Emperor!" filled with gratitude and excitement.

It's important to understand that in the past, having them "match people" themselves was by no means an easy task; on the contrary, it was a kind of ordeal.

In this society with its strict etiquette, paramount filial piety, and deeply ingrained clan concepts, interpersonal relationships were a thousand times more complex than in later generations.

Turning their backs on you?
That's wishful thinking; almost no one dares to defy public opinion and challenge this invisible shackle.

Parents, siblings, wife and children, relatives and friends...

These relationships form an impenetrable net, tightly covering every official.

Those upright people who harbor lofty ambitions to serve their country and wholeheartedly aspire to be honest and incorruptible officials are often the most helpless.

They could clearly see the greedy glint in the eyes of some of the people who came to them seeking work under their command, wanting to "make a fortune," yet they were powerless to refuse them.

For example, the father walks over with a stern face and says in a low voice, "Your cousin's son wants to work for you. You should make arrangements for him!"

reject?

It's easier said than done!

If you don't nod, you'll be branded as an unfilial son.

How can an unfilial person be worthy of holding a high position in the court and shouldering important responsibilities?

This dilemma is like an iron chain across one's chest, leaving one with nowhere to escape and caught in a dilemma.

Even corrupt officials who harbor selfish motives and plan how to line their own pockets before even taking office are not happy with this situation.

They also do not want to be "kidnapped" or have their hands and feet tied by these scheming and despicable people.

After all, embezzlement is not without rules; it requires a keen political sense and skill.

Knowing when to reach out and when to hold back; when to seek profit and when to lie low—the ability to strike the right balance in these situations is a profound art.

It takes skill to be a corrupt official.

Otherwise, if you act recklessly, you might be greedy today and end up in jail tomorrow.

But those clerks who squeezed in through nepotism were often vulgar and uncouth, only thinking about making money by barging around, and knew nothing about the intricacies of officialdom.
These brutes not only ruined their "good deeds," but also often caused them splitting headaches and made them secretly complain.

Often, even when they greeted them repeatedly, these people would only give a perfunctory reply, without taking it seriously at all.

In order to make more money for themselves, they did not follow their instructions.

There are quite a few people who "scam" others.

Now, with the new policy in effect, all accompanying officials are appointed by the imperial court, and officials are strictly prohibited from bringing their own people to their posts.

This imperial edict was like a timely rain, resolving their long-standing inner conflict.

From then on, they could finally stand tall and confidently refuse those persistent requests, no longer having to worry about losing sleep over declining favors.

Honest officials can preserve their reputation, while corrupt officials can shed their burdens and act according to their own methods.

Regardless of whether they were loyal or treacherous, all these officials breathed a sigh of relief.

The new policies were like a sharp blade, severing the deep-rooted worldly ties that allowed them to move forward unburdened and to excel freely in their official careers.

How could they not be moved to tears by the Emperor's wise decision, feeling such relief?

According to Zhu Yunwen's decree, the selection of these accompanying servants was entrusted to the Ministry of Personnel, and the selection was conducted through open examinations.

In principle, any citizen of the Ming Dynasty, even those who were previously of low social status, can register for the exam as long as they pass the qualification review and have not committed any crimes in the past.

In the past, yamen runners who performed exceptionally well were given priority in recruitment.

Specific requirements vary depending on the position, with each position having its own emphasis.

Some positions have very strict physical requirements, demanding excellent physical fitness, and some even require some martial arts skills. Other positions have relatively high educational requirements.

Some positions do not have these requirements.

However, one fundamental condition is indispensable.

Candidates must be literate, able to read articles in the Da Ming Daily fluently, and also fluent in the common Mandarin.

These two standards are not high. Even if someone is illiterate or does not speak Mandarin, as long as they are willing to work hard and undergo a period of training, they will be able to do the job.

Moreover, when the new policy was implemented, the imperial court also introduced literacy campaigns, which facilitated the process.

Among these accompanying officials were also the "secretaries" whom the officials longed for.

However, Zhu Yunwen changed this title to the more elegant "secretary".

Officials bear a mountain of responsibilities, and some trivial yet indispensable tasks can only be shared by their secretaries.

Without this assistance, officials would likely find it difficult to free up their hands to focus on government affairs.

Zhu Yunwen had a deep understanding of this and quite agreed with it.

Once the accompanying servants were selected, they would accompany the officials to their new posts.

However, if the official is transferred to another place in the future, these constables will not move with him, but will remain in the same place and continue to perform their duties.

When a new official takes up his post in this area, no additional attendants will be assigned to him.

This was the first step Zhu Yunwen took in promoting the standardization of yamen runners.

By transferring officials from other regions, the existing balance of power in the local area is broken, and newly appointed officials can use this to reconcile the forces of all parties without worrying about the risk of their power being undermined.

Regarding the selection of constables, Zhu Yunwen ordered the Ministry of Personnel to take full responsibility, and also instructed the Censorate to strengthen its supervision.

In principle, the selection process should be as rigorous as the imperial examination system for choosing officials.

Because yamen runners were not only the right-hand men of officials, but also the extension of the imperial laws to the local area.

Only when the yamen runners are well-selected and the officials are well-appointed can the local area truly be stable.

Those who were selected through examinations, regardless of their humble origins or previous service, all stood tall because of this job, which also laid the groundwork for future reforms in officialdom.

Other new policies and measures, such as building roads, constructing reservoirs, reinforcing river embankments, vigorously promoting farmland water conservancy construction, and revitalizing education, do not harm the interests of any party, so naturally no one stands up to oppose them.

Overall, many people were uneasy before the new policy was implemented, fearing that their benefits would be reduced.

However, once the new policy was implemented, it unexpectedly satisfied all parties involved.

The root cause lies in the fact that Zhu Yunwen's new policies and reforms were completely different from any other reform in history.

All past reforms, whether it was Shang Yang's iron-fisted reforms, Wang Anshi's reforms to save the world, Zhang Juzheng's Single Whip Law, or even Yongzheng's land tax reform and the requirement for gentry to pay taxes and perform corvée labor, were all, without exception, ultimately a reshuffling of interests.

No matter how grand the guise of these reforms may be, their essence remains unchanged.

The total wealth of society is limited. If it is not distributed to the people, it will fall into the hands of officials and gentry. If the people receive more, the officials and gentry will receive less.

Therefore, whenever there is reform, someone always has to pay the price, and the party whose interests are harmed will inevitably rise up in opposition.

Who would willingly give up their own flesh and blood and hand it over to someone else?

If not, why go to such lengths to implement reforms?
Moreover, historically, most of these reforms were initiated because the imperial court's finances were unsustainable and expenditures exceeded revenues.

When the national treasury is empty, the country needs to extract more money and grain from the people if it wants to become strong.

After a successful reform, the total wealth of society may not increase, but the national treasury will suddenly become full.

Where did these silver coins come from?

It was nothing more than a layer of flesh being forcibly peeled off from officials, gentry, and ordinary people under the sharp edge of change.

This is the true purpose of reforms throughout history.

Astute people understand this principle, and therefore they scoff at reform and resist it to the death.

However, Zhu Yunwen's new policies were unique.

Although it also involves adjustments to the distribution of the "cake," these adjustments are based on an unprecedented premise—that all parties will receive more than ever before!

This is precisely the secret to the new policy's success in satisfying everyone.

Under Zhu Yunwen's rule, the Ming Dynasty, through technological advancements and external expansion, baked an even bigger and sweeter "cake".

The new policy simply redistributes the newly created wealth, making each person's share significantly more substantial than before.

This is a height that no reform in history has ever reached.

The new policy has cleared obstacles and paved the way for further expansion of the "pie".

After the implementation of the new policy, the "cake" of total social wealth rapidly expanded.

In the end, no one was "cut off" by the imperial court!
When officials and gentry find that their wealth has increased rather than decreased, when ordinary people see brand-new schools paving the way for their children and grandchildren, and when merchants are making a fortune because of smooth roads, who can say a word against such a new policy?

This is why the new policy won unprecedented widespread support.

Those who once stood by indifferently to change have to admit: this is not a life-or-death struggle, but a grand celebration for all.

The subjects of the Ming Dynasty, from rural farmers to high-ranking officials, all found their place in this reform.

The new policy has achieved unprecedented success.

……

Time flies, spring blossoms and autumn harvests, and another season has changed in the blink of an eye.

In the inner courtyard deep within the palace, sunlight streams in, creating a warm and tranquil atmosphere.

Old Zhu leaned back in his recliner, squinting as he enjoyed this rare moment of leisure. The years had etched deep lines on his face, but they could not conceal the once-powerful and majestic aura he exuded.

Yoshigaki stood respectfully to the side, holding a stack of secret reports and publications, and read aloud to him the latest intelligence sent by the secret agents and inspectors of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, as well as the important news from the "Da Ming Daily", "Da Ming Economic Daily", "Da Ming Securities Daily", and even selected articles from the court's internal publications.

His voice was steady and clear, with a hint of barely perceptible respect.

"So, the new policy was implemented so smoothly that there was really no fierce opposition from various factions?"

As Old Zhu listened, he suddenly paused, muttering to himself with a hint of doubt and confusion in his voice.

Since the new policy was implemented, he has repeated this sentence countless times, as if it were a spell that lingered in his mind.

He simply couldn't believe that this major reform, which involved the entire government and the public, hadn't caused much of a stir.

This is too unusual, too inconsistent with his political intuition honed over decades of experience.

Old Zhu's thoughts were somewhat disordered.

He turned his head, his gaze passing through the swaying shadows of the trees in the courtyard, and fell into deep thought.

……

(End of this chapter)