I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 305 Survival of the Fittest! Shen Nian: There's No Such Thing as a Golden Rice Bowl in the Future Officialdom
The Ministry of Revenue was in charge of the nation's population, land, taxes, official salaries, granaries, and treasury.

With heavy responsibilities and numerous official positions, it was the government office with the largest number of officials among the six ministries.

Before the nationwide land survey began, the Ministry of Revenue had more than 150 officials.

In addition to the Minister and the Left and Right Vice Ministers, the ranks also included the Directors, Assistant Directors, and Principals of the Thirteen Departments of Personnel, the Supervisors and Ambassadors of the Inner and Outer Treasury, the Stewards of the Office of State Affairs, and the Registrants and Inspectors of the Registry, with the lowest rank being the Ninth Rank.

There are now more than 230 officials.

The extra eighty-odd officials were mostly brought in during the nationwide land survey, with officials from the Thirteen Bureaus of Civil Affairs accounting for more than half of them.

According to the original staffing, each department was to have one Langzhong (a fifth-rank official), one Yuanwailang (a fifth-rank official), and two Zhushi (a sixth-rank official), but now the staffing has far exceeded the original staffing.

For example, the Huguang Qingli Division had three assistant directors and six clerks, which far exceeded the original number.

If adjustments are not made in time, it will gradually become customized.

The main purpose of this round of cuts to redundant officials and positions is not to reduce salary expenditures, but to improve the efficiency of various government departments.

Those who were dismissed were either those with poor performance records or those with little administrative influence.

Those with poor abilities are demoted; those with decent abilities but whose official positions have been revoked are sent to the Ministry of Personnel for reassignment; and those who are old or ill retire directly.

Correspondingly, the number of clerks serving these officials will also be reduced.

Currently, every government office has its share of charlatans who can't play the sheng (a traditional Chinese wind instrument), and its share of bad apples who only want to get rich and satisfy their ambitions.

The purpose of this is to identify these types of people.

If the entire court is to propel the great ship of the Ming Dynasty forward, those who are holding it back must be relegated to other positions.

This move is not about abandoning those who have served their purpose, but rather about making various government departments cleaner, more focused, and more driven.

Anyone who has rendered meritorious service to the court and the people will be allowed to retire with dignity, even if they are seventy years old, and will live a carefree and comfortable old age.

But many officials may not think that way.

They might feel that their secure job will become a fragile one, and that the official position they earned after ten years of hard work could be taken away in the blink of an eye, so they band together to oppose it fiercely.

Shen Nian needs to make these officials compromise, understand the court's good intentions, and make them understand the new rules of officialdom.

As the saying goes: survival of the fittest.

Officials who cannot keep up with the pace of the court's new policies must make way for more outstanding and motivated officials.

……

That evening, at the Ministry of Revenue, the weather had cooled considerably.

backyard.

More than two hundred officials from the Ministry of Revenue gathered on an open space outside the Taicang Treasury.

The officials chatted and laughed, unaware of why Grand Secretaries Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian had summoned them here.

at this time.

Minister of Revenue Yin Zhengmao, Vice Minister of Revenue Liu Sijie and Vice Minister of Revenue Shen Nian walked over, followed by several clerks, each carrying stacks of papers.

The officials from the Ministry of Revenue all bowed in unison.

"This humble official pays his respects to Grand Secretary Yin, Grand Secretary Shen, and Left Minister Liu!"

The fact that the two Grand Secretaries served as ministers in the Ministry of Revenue made the officials in the Ministry of Revenue very proud.

"Distribute them!" Yin Zhengmao waved his hand and said to the clerks behind him.

soon.

Several clerks distributed sheets of paper covered with tiny characters to the officials of the Ministry of Revenue in the courtyard.

The document on the paper was Shen Nian's revised version of "A Request to Eliminate Redundant Officials and Positions Throughout the Land," which mainly expressed one idea.

For the sake of the nation, the people, and a prosperous era, the imperial court intends to eliminate redundant officials and positions throughout the country. Officials in all government offices who have poor performance evaluations, are corrupt or accept bribes, are of poor character, are power-hungry and have no merit, are old and should retire, or are simply occupying positions without performing their duties, are all subject to dismissal. Some leisurely official positions will be abolished or merged. Such officials will be reassigned by the Ministry of Personnel.

Yin Zhengmao, Shen Nian, and Liu Sijie stood at the front, carefully observing the expressions of the officials from the Ministry of Revenue.

One official smiled faintly, very confident, clearly certain that he would not be among those to be laid off.

Some officials looked panicked, glancing around nervously after reading the document, and whispering to those around them from time to time.

Other officials had their brows furrowed, their thoughts unreadable.

A moment later, the officials of the Ministry of Revenue had almost finished reading the contents of the papers, and the papers were returned to the clerks.

At this time.

A senior official from the Ministry of Revenue standing at the front looked at Shen Nian and the other two, bowed, and clasped his hands in greeting.

"Grand Secretary Yin, Grand Secretary Shen, and Left Minister Liu, the format of this article is neither a memorial to the throne nor a draft edict, and it does not bear the signature or seal of the Grand Secretariat. Is this... is this something we should discuss?"

It must be said that the officials in the Ministry of Revenue, who were keen on details, were very clever and immediately recognized that this policy was not an official edict.

Shen Nian stepped forward and said, "This plan was drafted by the cabinet. After His Majesty read it, he did not immediately agree, saying that he wanted to hear the opinions of his ministers. If the officials of the Ministry of Revenue support this plan, it is very likely to be implemented!"

Shen Nian was very sincere and told the truth directly.

Upon hearing this, a Ministry of Revenue official at the back of the line shouted, "Grand Secretary Shen, do you think we would support this? Over the past few years, we have worked hard, if not meritorious, to finally complete the nationwide land survey. Now it's time for us to rest, and then the court issues an edict to demote us. Is there any justice in this world? Isn't this like crossing the river and then burning the bridge? His Majesty was right not to agree!"

"Yes! Fellow colleagues, we may be able to keep our positions today, but if this policy is implemented, those who are dismissed today will be us in the future!"

"I don't support it!"

"I don't support it!"

"I don't support it!"

……

Several officials from the Ministry of Revenue shouted at the top of their lungs, their personal careers at stake, and everyone was very agitated.

These reactions were all within Shen Nian's expectations.

Shen Nian looked at each of the Ministry of Revenue officials who spoke up, but did not stop them. Instead, she waited for the opponents to finish speaking before she began to explain.

"Gentlemen, the reason for this round of eliminating redundant officials and positions is not that the court can no longer afford to support the officials of the country, but that the new policies are designed to be more efficient and some officials are no longer able to keep up with the pace of many others."

After saying that, Shen Nian took two steps forward, then walked around the outer edge of the queue, talking as she went.

"Since the court recently implemented the principle of 'people first, then officials, then bureaucrats,' you should all understand that various routines for officials will be gradually abolished, and those who embezzle and pervert the law will be severely punished. Future officials will enjoy high salaries, and upon retirement, they will receive half the salary equivalent to a promotion of one rank. This money will be enough to ensure the basic needs of every official's family, but it will not guarantee wealth and honor. Promotion and wealth will not be the same path." "This time, the court wants to eliminate those officials who, after passing the imperial examinations and obtaining official positions, become greedy for enjoyment and seek to amass wealth and privileges; those officials who are well-read but cannot apply their knowledge and merely fill positions in government offices; those who only care about themselves and lack any sense of national responsibility; those officials who hinder the development of the new policies, fail to implement them effectively, and have poor performance evaluations; and those officials who are vain and greedy for power..."

"The imperial court will not abandon those who have served its purpose, nor will it allow officials who have made great contributions to the court and the people to suffer a miserable old age. The imperial court will only eliminate officials who are not suitable for their current positions!"

……

“Some officials object, perhaps because they feel that after retiring or being reassigned by the Ministry of Personnel, the usual customs will decrease. The tea and wine they used to drink every year will be gone, things that could be done with a word will no longer be possible, and the people who used to fawn over them will be gone. What I want to say is that from now on, these customs and privileges will be acts that violate the law.”

"In the near future, no official will be able to hold a position for many years without merit or demerit; without merit is a major demerit. No official will be able to fish in troubled waters within the government office without being discovered by the court... A new set of rules will be established in the officialdom!"

"Survival of the fittest; there will be no more secure jobs in the future officialdom!"

……

Upon hearing this, all the officials from the Ministry of Revenue gasped in shock.

Shen Nianzhi wasn't trying to scare them; that's just how things are going right now.

Shen Nian paused for a moment, then continued, “Resignation does not mean being abandoned. Most of the officials in our Ministry of Revenue, no matter how bad, are experts in mathematics. Those who are dismissed and want to find new employment can join a mathematics society or go into business. They are guaranteed to earn more money and realize their value more than when they were officials. Those who are reassigned by the Ministry of Personnel can choose where they want to go. The government office they want to go to may not be as good as the Ministry of Revenue, but it will definitely not be as busy. Some positions should be given to more outstanding young officials.”

After speaking, Shen Nian paused for about ten breaths.

He wanted to tell the officials that eliminating redundant officials and positions was a necessary condition for creating a prosperous era.

At this moment, Shen Nian walked to the front of the line.

"Gentlemen, the Ministry of Revenue intends to dismiss about eighty officials this time. The specific criteria will be determined by the Ministry of Personnel based on performance evaluations, and will be finalized by me, Grand Secretary Yin, and Liu Zuotang. This is a difficult task, and there will certainly be many officials across the country who oppose it. However, dismissing redundant officials and positions is an inevitable trend!"

"At this moment, everyone can probably guess who is on the list of those to be dismissed. Here, I would like to ask those officials who believe they are about to be dismissed to voluntarily submit their dismissal documents to Grand Secretary Yin!"

"Why should I ask everyone to do this?"

"Firstly, let all the government offices in the capital see that when our Ministry of Revenue does its job, it is the best among the six ministries, and when it sacrifices itself for the greater good, it is also the best among the six ministries!"

"Secondly, I sincerely hope that everyone can become a supporter of this policy rather than an opponent, because everyone is very clear about what support means for the court and for the common people."

……

"Please!" Shen Nian bowed and cupped his hands in thanks to the officials of the Ministry of Revenue.

At this moment, Yin Zhengmao took a step forward.

"This policy of elimination should have been announced by me, but in recent years, in order to take land surveys across the country, I was the one who created some redundant officials and positions. I have also made mistakes. I agree with what Grand Secretary Shen said: there is no golden rice bowl in officialdom. I agree that future officials will not be able to make a fortune or enjoy special privileges."

Yin Zhengmao turned his head to look ahead.

"Do you see the Taicang Treasury ahead? Our goal as officials of the Ministry of Revenue should be to fill the Taicang Treasury with gold and silver, not to fill our own pockets. The fuller the officials' pockets are, the emptier the Taicang Treasury will become. Regardless of whether there will be any reforms this time, I hope everyone can ask themselves: Do you want to fill your own pockets with gold and silver, or do you want the Taicang Treasury to be fuller?"

"please!"

Yin Zhengmao also bowed to the group of officials from the Ministry of Revenue.

The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, an official who had served in the Ministry for longer than both Yin Zhengmao and Shen Nian, slowly walked out.

"Gentlemen, either make yourselves excellent, or make way for those who are even more excellent, and do your best to maintain some dignity!"

Liu Sijie also bowed to the group of officials from the Ministry of Revenue.

Then, Yin Zhengmao looked at the officials of the Ministry of Revenue and said, "We will not force you. There is no need to express your opinions now. Think about it carefully!"

After saying that, Yin Zhengmao, Shen Nian, and Liu Sijie walked towards the front yard.

The three chose to persuade the officials in the most sincere and gentle way, which was actually more about reassuring the officials who had not been dismissed.

At this moment, all the officials of the Ministry of Revenue remained motionless.

After a short while, an official from the Ministry of Revenue said, "I think the three ministers have already given us enough face. This policy can be enforced. Those who believe they are to be dismissed should voluntarily submit their dismissal documents. This would actually make them appear magnanimous and respectable!"

"If I fail to perform well in the evaluation and lose my drive, I will definitely request a change of appointment or retire early. The current officialdom is very different. If I only think about indulging in the pleasures of being an official and enjoying the privileges that come with it, I will eventually ruin my reputation and even end up in prison or exile!"

"Master Liu, if you are dismissed, what do you plan to do?"

"How could I be laid off? But if I am, I'll become a tutor and teach mathematics. Mathematics is in high demand right now, much better than my current annual salary of only thirty or forty taels of silver. Besides, it's a clean way to earn money, and I can sleep soundly at night!"

"Alas! I certainly won't be dismissed, but it will probably be difficult for me to become an official in the future! Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It's not that being an official has become harder, but rather that it used to be too comfortable. The five Grand Secretaries are working with great enthusiasm, preparing to create a prosperous era and striving to ensure that everyone has enough to eat. His Majesty is also thinking about the rule of Yao and Shun. If we, as ministers, don't have the drive, we will only be eliminated!"

"Gentlemen, almost all of this year's successful candidates are ambitious individuals who are well-versed in the new policies and strategies. If we don't work hard, we will definitely be dragged down by them!"

……

The officials of the Ministry of Revenue were discussing it.

Some officials in the Ministry of Revenue who vaguely sensed that they were being dismissed gradually calmed down from their initial panic.

Since the facts are what they are and they cannot change them, they might as well try to maintain their dignity.

……

The following day, the "Policy to Eliminate Redundant Officials and Positions Throughout the Land" circulated in almost every government office in the capital.

The official version of the news was that this policy was proposed jointly by the five Grand Secretaries, but Emperor Wanli hesitated and was conflicted because he was concerned about the interests of all officials, and had not yet agreed.

This version of the news was naturally sent out by Feng Bao on the orders of the young Wanli Emperor.

Emperor Wanli knew that this strategy would offend many officials, and because he valued his reputation, he pushed out the five Grand Secretaries.

Officials had differing opinions after receiving the news.

Some officials felt that this policy was tantamount to the court undermining its own foundation, which would displease officials across the country and potentially trigger local unrest.

An official angrily denounced the five cabinet ministers for being obsessed with creating a prosperous era, thinking only of making other officials suffer instead of themselves, calling it a foolish and incompetent policy.

Some officials believe this is a necessary measure after the implementation of the Single Whip Law, otherwise many new policies will be difficult to implement.

……

Supporters are mostly officials who are unlikely to be dismissed; opponents are mostly officials who are highly likely to be dismissed.

At the same time, the number of officials who insulted Zhang Juzheng and Shen Nian was the highest.

Because Zhang Juzheng had been working on this in bits and pieces since he became Grand Secretary, and this plan was particularly like the one devised by someone like Shen Nian, who "always made things difficult for officials whenever he had a plan."

Feng Bao did not publicly announce the inner court's support for the policy of reducing redundant officials and positions. He followed the orders of Emperor Wanli and waited for the reaction of the Ministry of Revenue officials.

(End of this chapter)