I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 162 Where is the Applause? The Birth of the Ming Dynasty's Version of the Labor Law

It was the ninth day of the seventh lunar month, at nightfall.

The Northern Garrison Prison was a prison cell that didn't resemble a prison cell at all.

The prison doors were wide open.

Inside, the candlelight was bright and the floor was clean.

Inside, there were two beds covered with bamboo mats, and outside, there was a desk with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

Near the cell door, in a well-ventilated area, there was a makeshift dining table.

On the table.

Four dishes and a soup, with both meat and vegetables, plus a pot of wine.

Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian, dressed in light clothes embroidered with the character "prisoner," sat facing each other, enjoying their dinner in high spirits.

If it weren't for the fact that the two weren't dressed in prison uniforms, they would have looked like they were staying at an inn.

Imperial Prison, also known as the Royal Private Prison.

It stands above the Three Judicial Offices, a place that fully embodies the emperor's will.

There's no need for the young Wanli Emperor to explain.

Cao Wei, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and concurrently the Commander of the Northern Garrison, knew how to entertain the two men.

After a while.

After Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian finished their dinner, Cao Wei arrived with several Imperial Guards.

"Grand Secretary Yin, Lecturer Shen, are you settling in comfortably? If you need anything, just tell me. Summer nights are hot and humid, with many mosquitoes, so I've brought you ice and incense!"

Cao Wei, who was usually stern and unsmiling, smiled and ordered the Imperial Guards to bring in the ice basin and incense.

Yin Zhengmao stroked his beard.

“Commander Cao, this…this is a bit too extravagant. Ziheng and I are both under investigation. If word gets out, won’t the officials in charge of the censorate impeach you?”

"As long as Grand Secretary Yin and Attendant Shen remain silent, no one will know. His Majesty has instructed that the two of you be allowed to calmly draft policies to care for the people. Breaking a few rules is fine! It's fine!"

After the outburst of anger Xiao Wanli displayed at court today, and the fact that more than ten officials were sunburnt and their skin was peeling, only an official with no brains would dare to cause trouble for Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian again.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian, Cao Wei left.

In front of the desk.

Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian exchanged a smile.

Emperor Wanli imprisoned them in the imperial prison to silence the officials.

One of them murdered an official without authorization, and the other acted as an accomplice; both of them must be punished.

However, as long as the policies for caring for the people that the two wrote were adopted by the court, they could make up for their mistakes, and the young Wanli Emperor would have a reason to punish them leniently.

Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian took this policy of caring for the people very seriously and immediately began to discuss it.

……

The next day, it was nearly noon.

While Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian were discussing policies to alleviate the suffering of the people in the imperial prison, officials from various government offices in the capital also regarded this policy as their top priority.

Whoever's strategy is adopted by the imperial court will have made a great contribution!
Some young officials wanted to prove they were better than Shen Nian, some older officials wanted to prove they were more capable of joining the cabinet than Yin Zhengmao, and some officials simply wanted to see Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian severely punished.

The officials discussed and offered suggestions to each other with great enthusiasm.

In recent years, there has never been a precedent where almost all officials in the capital were so concerned about the same matter.

……

Meanwhile, inside the Cabinet Office.

Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, and Ma Ziqiang were leisurely drinking herbal tea.

In the past, all the solutions to the problems of the court were handled by the cabinet, and Zhang Juzheng often stayed up late into the night.

But this time.

The ministers are all seriously considering ways to care for the people; the cabinet only needs to make selections.

Zhang Juzheng and his two companions believed that Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian would come up with a good plan, because Shen Nian had never disappointed them.

……

July 12th, starting from early morning.

Then, a series of memorials concerning policies to alleviate the suffering of the people were submitted to the Office of Transmission.

The officials of the Office of Transmission selected the duplicate memorials, transcribed them, and sent one copy to the Grand Secretariat and another to the Hall of Literary Glory.

These memorials do not need to be drafted; instead, they should be discussed in the morning court the following day.

……

Night falls, inside the Cabinet Office.

Grand Secretaries Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, and Ma Ziqiang sat together, having already read through all the memorials submitted by the assembled officials.

Apart from the memorials submitted by Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian.

The two men's memorials will be sent through the Northern Garrison Command, one to the Grand Secretariat and the other to the Forbidden City.

Zhang Juzheng had received the news that the two men's memorials were about to be completed.

now.

Zhang Juzheng and the other two were quite satisfied with the contents of some of the memorials on the table.

Some policies aimed at benefiting the people are entirely feasible.

However, these memorials were largely within their expectations and did not bring them any surprises.

at the same time.

Emperor Wanli did not immediately return to his bedchamber, but waited in the Wenhua Hall for the memorials submitted by Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian.

He had an inexplicable trust in the two of them.

I have a feeling that this matter will ultimately have to be resolved by the two of them.

About a quarter of an hour later.

Shen Nian and Yin Zhengmao's joint memorial was presented to the young Wanli Emperor.

After reading it, the young Wanli Emperor was first taken aback, and then couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Haha...haha...it's still Shen Shidu! In the entire Ming Dynasty, only he could come up with such a brilliant strategy!"

After saying this, the young Wanli strode towards his bedchamber.

After reading the memorial, he knew that the situation for tomorrow was resolved and he could sleep soundly tonight.

Meanwhile, inside the Cabinet Office.

After reading the joint memorial signed by Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian, Zhang Juzheng and the other two were all all smiles.

This memorial.

It was exactly the memorial they had been hoping for, one that would bring them a pleasant surprise.

Zhang Juzheng stroked his long beard, which reached his abdomen, and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, once this policy is passed tomorrow, I will host a meal for them, and you two will accompany them. This policy not only speaks of caring for the people but also of new policies; it is of great value!"

"Tomorrow night, I will toast them both!" Lü Diaoyang said excitedly.

“Yes! This strategy deserves a toast from the three of us!” Ma Ziqiang said earnestly.

……

The following morning, at the Huangji Gate.

All civil and military officials gathered together.

Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian were also in the queue.

After the officials had performed the kneeling ceremony, the young Wanli Emperor ordered the officials on duty at the Office of Transmission to begin reading aloud the officials' memorials.

Officials of the Office of Transmission have streamlined the memorials, focusing on the main points and key messages. For those with repetitive content, they only read the better version. Memorials that are nonsensical or useless are simply discarded.

An official proposed "Eight Policies to Relieve the People's Worship".

It mainly explains how to solve the problems of food, clothing, housing, transportation, and funeral arrangements for the laborers in the Grand Canal transport. For example, the imperial court provided durable work clothes, the Grand Canal transport office provided wheat cakes, vegetables, cured meat, summer herbal tea, and winter hot ginger tea. If they died from work-related injuries, the imperial court provided coffins.

An official proposed the "Policy for Equal Labor Service for Canal Transport Workers," which would regulate the monthly wages and working hours of canal transport workers.

They believed that as long as the monthly wages were transparent and sufficient, no one withheld them, and the residents adhered to the prescribed work schedule, the grievances along the canal would naturally be resolved. Other officials also proposed measures to be taken in various unforeseen circumstances.

In case of severe weather such as strong winds, heavy rain, heavy snow, or drought, or if there are tasks such as repairing dams or reinforcing dikes, additional remuneration and time limits should be provided.

Some officials also suggested that special care should be given to the elderly, the infirm, or child laborers, such as reducing their working hours, increasing their monthly wages, and arranging lighter jobs for them.
……

Most of the officials' statements were based on the facts and were indeed intended to help the people.

However, it is rather trivial.

Upon hearing the contents of these memorials, some officials proudly raised their heads, feeling that they had revealed all the best solutions for the relief of the canal transport workers.

If Yin Zhengmao brings it up again with Shen Nian, it will at most be icing on the cake.

After these memorials were read aloud.

"Cough cough!"

Emperor Wanli coughed lightly, and when all the officials looked at him, he said loudly, "Your memorials all have one thing in common: you treat the symptoms but not the cause. Listen carefully to what Grand Secretary Yin and Attendant Shen have to say about their memorials."

Upon hearing this, the officials' expressions turned serious.

Hearing Wanli's words, it seems that he has approved of Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian's memorials and believes that their strategies are much better than his own.

Wang Wei, a supervising secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, and other officials who had been standing in the scorching sun that day all pricked up their ears.

They wanted to hear what was so good about Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian's memorials, and whether there were any obvious flaws that had not been discovered.

immediately.

The Office of Transmission began reading aloud the memorials submitted by Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian.

The two men's memorial was titled "General Strategy for Relieving the People's Worship and Supporting the Workers".

“Caring for the people and supporting the workers is the foundation of a good government.”

"The people on the Grand Canal are now filled with resentment, which is caused by heavy taxes and corvée labor, corrupt officials, and the lawless and unrestrained use of the people."

“These hidden ailments are not unique to canal workers, nor are they limited to those in official or corvée labor categories. Weavers, miners, kiln workers, blacksmiths, lacquerers, embroiderers, stonemasons, carpenters, grooms, watchmen, salt workers, shipbuilders, and others all suffer from exploitation.”

"It is better to support all industries than to support one industry. After the Single Whip Law, all corvée laborers have been converted to hired laborers. It would be better to issue clear regulations and establish provisions that would benefit all industries!"

“When the government hires people, a contract should be drawn up, clearly specifying the work period, wages, medical care, and details of exemption from corvée labor. Medical care should be provided when the person is sick, and the coffin should be taken out when the person dies, so that good people are not reduced to lowly servants.”

“Every industry should have its own detailed rules. For example, miners should be ventilated in deep mines to ensure safety; female textile workers should be given leave to breastfeed in order to reduce the number of drowning female infants; child laborers should be at least twelve years old, and the elderly should be given special care and given one day off per month, which should be paid leave.”

"If government-run businesses receive such preferential treatment, private merchants will surely follow suit. If this continues, all industries in the world will prosper!"

……

In short, this "General Policy for Caring for the People and Promoting Their Livelihood" aims not only to address the widespread complaints of the canal workers, but also to resolve the injustices faced by ordinary people from all walks of life across the country.

All people employed by the imperial court or involved in corvée labor should enjoy the benefits due to their profession.

Their monthly wages, their holidays, their marriage time, and their personal freedom outside of work should all be treated properly.

If the imperial court does this, the owners of private businesses will gradually follow suit.

This is not treating people like animals; it is a manifestation of the court valuing the people above all else.

This is the strategy that Shen Nian came up with specifically to fight for the rights of the common people at the bottom of the Ming Dynasty.

In his mind, this was the Ming Dynasty's version of labor law.

Only when the people feel respected can they give back to the court, see hope, and have more enthusiasm.

The officials were all taken aback when they heard the memorial.

They never expected that while they were racking their brains to figure out how to treat the canal transport workers better, Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian would focus their care on the grassroots people in all walks of life.

Such a comparison.

Their perspective suddenly became narrow.

It's like one person looking at the Ming Dynasty from their own courtyard, and the other looking at the Ming Dynasty from the clouds.

At this moment, an official in charge of the imperial examinations stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, I believe that this plan, though seemingly good, is actually a castle in the air and not worth considering at all."

"There are already millions of laborers in the canal transport industry, and the court has already spent a lot of time, money, and effort to provide them with relief. Now, with the involvement of various industries, the number of laborers is probably in the tens of millions. Holidays, wages, summer and winter allowances, etc., all require money!"

"This measure is extremely costly, and the court simply cannot afford it. If this policy is implemented, the national treasury will be drained of funds, while efficiency will decrease. In the long run, the national treasury will be emptied. I believe this is not a good policy!"

This official was one of those officials who were sunbathing.

At this time.

Led by Wang Wei, a supervising secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, more than ten officials who had been sunbathing carefully considered the matter before stepping forward one after another and shouting, "Your Majesty, I second that proposal!"

Their enthusiasm stemmed from a desire to save face, and they were convinced that the plan was too expensive and absolutely impossible to implement.

Immediately afterwards, Yin Zhengmao stepped forward.

He and Shen Nian had long anticipated that someone would use such a reason to refute them.

"Your Majesty, I believe that the money allocated to support all industries is entirely worthwhile, and the court is capable of providing it!"

"From the seventh year of the Jiajing reign to the fifth year of the Longqing reign, the imperial treasury suffered losses every year, with income failing to cover expenditures (as shown in the figure)."

After the implementation of the new policies, the amount of silver in the imperial granary increased year by year. This year, the grain stored in the capital's granaries can supply the officers and soldiers of the Beijing garrison for six years.

"Why did this change happen? Because of the performance evaluation system to rectify official corruption, because of the Single Whip Law which involved surveying land, unifying taxes and corvée labor, and converting them into silver for collection, because of our strict control over the taxes and grain in border towns, and because of our dynasty's policy of giving equal importance to agriculture and commerce..."

"And how could these changes be accomplished without the participation of ordinary people from all walks of life?"

"As long as the new policies continue, the imperial court will have the funds to provide relief to all industries and the common people!"

"When we tell the people that this policy was implemented because of the success of the new government, and that the government was able to comfort the people because of the new government, how could the people not be grateful to the government and support the new government?"

"Their feedback will enable our new policies to be implemented more efficiently, and it will also guide a positive atmosphere among all sectors of society. Why can't such a mutually beneficial approach be implemented?"

"The mark of a prosperous era is not that the court is rich, but that both the court and the people are rich. Isn't this the pursuit of the ideal of feeding everyone in the world?"

Yin Zhengmao paused for a moment, then uttered a sentence that had deeply moved him.

"The essence of the new policies should be to simultaneously evaluate officials and provide relief to the people. Only in this way can a prosperous era be expected!"

To put it simply, this means—

"If the imperial court is tougher on its officials and kinder to the people, a prosperous era will come."

Yin Zhengmao's words made all the civil and military officials think carefully.

This "General Policy for Caring for the People and Promoting Their Livelihood" is like investing in people from all walks of life. The court has the capital to do so, and what it can be sure of is winning the hearts of the people, implementing the new policies more efficiently, and making the national treasury increasingly abundant. It is a sure-fire way to make money.

The officials were not stupid; they all understood that as long as the imperial court could bear the cost of the compensation, the people of the Ming Dynasty would be united like never before, and many local conflicts between officials and the people would be easily resolved in the future.

This is absolutely a good policy that benefits the new government and revitalizes the Ming Dynasty!
About ten breaths later.

Emperor Wanli looked around below, paying particular attention to Wang Wei and the dozen or so officials who had been sunbathing, and then asked, "My lords, do you have any further objections?"

At the moment when the three cabinet ministers, Zhang Juzheng, Lü Diaoyang, and Ma Ziqiang, bowed their hands.

The officials bowed in unison and said, "Your Majesty, we have no objection!"

The young Wanli Emperor nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Zhang Juzheng and said, "Prime Minister, the specific details need to be drafted by the cabinet before implementation, the sooner the better!"

"I obey your command!" Zhang Juzheng bowed.

Immediately, the young Wanli Emperor glanced at Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian and said, "Grand Secretary Yin, Reader Shen!"

The two men quickly stepped forward, walked among the civil and military officials, and bowed, saying, "Your subject is here."

"Grand Secretary Yin's unauthorized killing of a guilty official is a serious offense and he should be removed from his position as Grand Secretary. Reader Shen knew of his mistake but did not advise against it and should be demoted. However, considering your meritorious advice, I am prepared to punish you leniently."

"I have decided to temporarily suspend Grand Secretary Yin Zhengmao's right to participate in cabinet affairs, but I will not remove him from his position as Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion. If he performs well in the future, his power as Grand Secretary can be restored. If he continues to make mistakes, I will not only remove him from his position as Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, but also severely punish him!"

"As for Shen Nian, a Hanlin Academy lecturer, he was fined six months' salary as a warning to others."

"Your subject accepts the punishment!" Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian bowed simultaneously.

"Do any of you have any objections?" the young Wanli Emperor asked loudly.

The ministers continued to bow, saying, "Your Majesty, we have no objection!"

Some officials uttered these four words through gritted teeth, knowing that their objections were futile, since the two had come up with such a brilliant plan, linking all the new policies together.

After a short while, Chang Chao dispersed.

More than ten officials, including Wang Wei, a supervising secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, who had previously sunbathed to the point of peeling skin and fainting, and who had once again chosen the wrong side, still chose to sunbathe under the Huangji Gate.

If they do not punish themselves, they may be sent away in a few days for some unfounded reason.

(End of this chapter)