Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 721 The Dialogue (Part 1)

"It's not even noon yet, and the weather is already unbearably hot." The emperor leaned forward slightly, his gaze sweeping over the fine beads of sweat on the foreheads of the three old ministers, his voice tinged with languor. "Wang An."

“This servant is here.” Wang An, the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who was standing beside the throne and dressed in a bright red python robe, immediately stepped forward and bowed in response.

"Go, bring out three bowls of the chilled white fungus soup from the ice chest to cool them down in the summer heat," the emperor said casually, waving his hand.

"Yes," Wang An replied, and then walked to the corner of the hall.

There stood a half-person-high gilded bronze enamel ice chest, with large chunks of ice faintly visible inside its hollowed-out outer shell, from which wisps of cool air emanated.

Two eunuchs silently stepped forward and together lifted the heavy bronze lid, releasing a cloud of white steam. In the center of the ice chest, a large blue-and-white porcelain bowl rested steadily on a pile of crushed ice, containing a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup, as smooth as jade and garnished with goji berries.

Wang An personally picked up a silver ladle and deftly scooped out the clear, viscous soup from the large bowl, pouring it into three small white porcelain bowls, which were then placed on trays. Following him, Wei Chao and Liu Ruoyu, the Grand Eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial, silently stepped forward, took the trays, bowed their heads, and together with Wang An, presented the three bowls of slightly cool, sweet soup to Fang Congzhe, Ye Xianggao, and Wang Yingjiao.

"Your Majesty, we kowtow in gratitude for your great favor!" The three men said in unison, their voices carrying just the right amount of gratitude and trepidation.

The three men each accepted a small, warm, and delicate white porcelain bowl. The coolness of the bowl instantly dispelled the thin layer of sweat from their palms. Fang Congzhe and Ye Xianggao remained seated, while Wang Yingjiao stood solemnly in place. All three bowed their heads, sipping the soup with reverence. The cool, sweet soup slid down their throats, indeed easing some of the heat and tension in their hearts.

Wang Yingjiao swallowed the last mouthful of sweet soup and was about to return the empty bowl when the emperor's voice floated down from the throne again, casually asking, "Minister Wang, your journey to the capital must have been arduous. Was it a smooth one?"

Wang Yingjiao's heart skipped a beat. He quickly handed over the empty bowl, stood up straight, held his scepter, bowed, and replied, "Thanks to Your Majesty's great blessing, the journey was safe and smooth without any trouble."

The emperor nodded in satisfaction, his smile seeming to become more genuine. He leaned back in his chair, relaxing, and then asked, "I heard that you came to the capital with Zhang Sixiu?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wang Yingjiao's heart tightened, but he did not show any abnormality on his face. He simply bowed even deeper. "I met Editor Zhang by chance at the post station thirty miles outside Yongding Gate the day before yesterday afternoon. We came to the capital together yesterday."

The emperor seemed quite interested. "Are you two still together?"

“Yes,” Wang Yingjiao replied. “I have just arrived in the capital and have not yet found a suitable place to stay, so I am currently staying at an inn. The same is true for Editor Zhang.”

"An inn?" The emperor's lazy smile froze as soon as Wang Yingjiao finished speaking. He straightened up slightly, looked at Wang An, and raised his voice, clearly displeased: "Wang An."

Wang An hurriedly stepped forward, her voice carrying just the right amount of fear. "This servant is here."

"Didn't I issue an edict yesterday, ordering the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs to work with the relevant authorities to return all of the Zhang family's former properties that were confiscated years ago to Zhang Sixiu? Why is it that he still doesn't have a proper place to live?" the emperor asked, frowning.

Wang An lowered his head even further. “Your Majesty, this servant would never dare to neglect Your Majesty’s will. However, the Zhang family’s old property is ancient and has been there for many years. To inventory and verify it is a complex matter. After the confiscation, the Zhang family’s old property was either sold or confiscated, resulting in a lot of complicated files. Even the Ministry of Justice has not yet produced the list of the property confiscated back then.”

"Tsk, indeed." The emperor tapped his finger lightly on the armrest of his throne. "The inventory of assets can be done slowly, but finding the Zhang family's old residence shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

“This,” Wang An said, “shouldn’t be difficult.”

"Alright. Find the Zhang family's old residence as soon as possible, clean it up, and let people move back in. If it has already been sold," the emperor pondered for a moment, "then the palace will pay for its redemption at market price."

"Yes. I'll go and do it right away!" Wang An showed the appropriate eagerness.

"Hmm." The emperor seemed satisfied with the answer; the displeasure on his face quickly faded, and he resumed his slightly languid posture. He stopped looking at Wang An and turned his gaze to the Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe, who had been sitting upright and listening attentively with his head bowed: "Minister Fang."

"Your subject is here!" Fang Congzhe immediately stood up.

"Hehe," the emperor chuckled. "Why are you getting up? Sit down."

"Yes." Fang Congzhe sat back down.

"I examined Zhang Sixiu yesterday. He is a man of profound learning, with a family tradition of scholarship. Having spent a long time on the frontier, he has experienced much of the world and is well aware of the hardships of the common people. It would be a waste of his talents to let him languish in the Hanlin Academy. I intend to promote him to the position of Left Vice Minister of the Left of the Imperial Household Department, to teach the princes the classics and history alongside other scholars, and to enlighten them with the sage's teachings. The Grand Secretariat, together with the Ministry of Personnel, shall draft an edict on this matter as soon as possible," the Emperor ordered.

"Your subject obeys the decree." Fang Congzhe agreed immediately without the slightest hesitation. His mind raced.

The Emperor gave a soft "hmm," his gaze lingering briefly on Fang Congzhe and Ye Xianggao's faces before slowly shifting back to Wang Yingjiao, who stood solemnly between the two embroidered stools. "Zhang Wenzhong served as regent for ten years, reviving the nation from decline, reforming the bureaucracy, surveying land, and implementing the Single Whip Law, thus filling the national treasury and strengthening border defenses. Although he suffered slander from petty men after his death, his influence still extends to this day. The subsequent pacification of Bo Bai, the conquest of Korea, and the pacification of Bozhou were all due to his reforms that enriched the country. Now, the borders are in turmoil, and the national treasury is empty. It is time to carry on his legacy and implement further reforms. Minister Wang, the responsibility you bear upon receiving this appointment is undeniably heavy."

The emperor's voice wasn't loud, but Wang Yingjiao felt an overwhelming pressure pressing down on his shoulders. "Yes. Your subject understands."

"Hmm," the Emperor nodded slightly, "Since you understand the weight of your responsibilities, then speak, in your opinion, what are the current problems plaguing the nation? What are your insights?" Wang Yingjiao took a deep breath, his palms slightly damp as he held his tablet. "Your Majesty, I believe that the problems with the nation's finances are deeply entrenched and difficult to reverse. However, the most serious ones can be summarized in three points: first, the concealment of land ownership, resulting in an unstable tax base; second, rampant corruption and bribery; and third, the lack of commercial tax revenue, with profits flowing into private pockets. If these three problems are not addressed, the imperial granary will be empty, border supplies will be scarce, and ultimately, a major disaster will ensue." His words were clear and concise, condensing his observations and thoughts from the journey.

"Hmm," the emperor frowned slightly. Although his posture remained languid, his tone deepened and his eyes sharpened. "Continue."

"Your Majesty is wise." Wang Yingjiao bowed. "The Records of the Grand Historian says, 'The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is bustling, all for profit. It is human nature to seek profit and avoid harm. Hiding land to avoid taxes has been the case since ancient times. Whether officials, gentry, or common people, all those who own land will try to underreport the amount of land and the number of people in order to evade taxes and corvée labor."

"At the founding of our dynasty, our founding emperor, the Great Ancestor Gao, established the system of compiling the Yellow Registers every ten years, originally intended to clarify land ownership and equalize taxes and corvée labor. However," he paused, his voice heavy, "over the past two hundred years, this system has gradually fallen into disuse. Especially in recent decades, the Ministry of Revenue has suffered from severe vacancies, incessant factional strife in the court, and perfunctory work at the local level, resulting in the Yellow Registers becoming increasingly perfunctory. It is difficult to ascertain the truth or falsehood recorded in the registers."

"Therefore, I dare to speak frankly: the most urgent task is to select capable and competent officials to go to various provinces, prefectures, and counties to thoroughly survey the land throughout the country, rectify the land registers, and recreate the Fish Scale Register and Yellow Register. Only in this way can we get to the root of the problem and solidify the tax base of the country!"

After Wang Yingjiao finished speaking, the hall fell silent for a moment, broken only by the incessant sound of ice chiseling outside. The emperor paused for a moment, then spoke cautiously: "The land survey and the reconstruction of the Fish and Yellow Registers are indeed necessary to rectify the situation and stabilize the foundation of the dynasty. However, such important matters cannot be accomplished overnight. Currently, the war in Liaodong is not yet over, the military pay for the nine border regions is increasing daily, and the Taicang granary is empty. I fear that distant water cannot quench immediate thirst."

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible bitterness flashed across Wang Yingjiao's face: "Your Majesty is absolutely right. A land survey is indeed not something that can be accomplished overnight. But—" His voice suddenly rose a fraction, as if carrying a sense of desperation, "a land survey is an indispensable measure for the revival of our nation! Back then, Lord Zhang Wenzhong overcame all opposition to implement the Single Whip Law. His primary achievement was that, from the sixth to the ninth year of the Wanli reign, he led all officials in a nationwide land survey, uncovering hidden arson and solidifying the tax base! Without this great undertaking, how could we have had such abundant granaries, enough to support the national expenditure for ten years, and such great victories in the three campaigns? Today, if we wish to turn the tide, we must start from the root!"

"Hehe." Zhu Changluo smiled, his face showing appreciation. "Minister Wang seems to have misunderstood me. As early as the end of last year, I summoned the senior ministers of the cabinet to this Hongde Hall to discuss the land survey and the reconstruction of the Fish and Yellow Registers. It can be said that I was waiting for Minister Fang to come to the capital to preside over this matter."

Wang Yingjiao was taken aback at first, then his spirits lifted, and he bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty is wise!"

"Alright. Let's continue with the matter of favoritism, corruption, and rampant embezzlement." Zhu Changluo nodded, raised his hand, pointed to an embroidered stool placed in the corner, and then pointed to Wang Yingjiao.

Wang An paused for a moment, then realized that the emperor was about to offer Wang Yingjiao a seat. He was about to act immediately, but then remembered that the stools given to Fang Congzhe and Ye Xianggao had been brought by servants. Wang An quickly glanced at the emperor and, seeing that the emperor hadn't specifically requested anyone to bring the stool, made the most appropriate choice. He called out, "Sit down!"

The eunuch standing by the embroidered stool had noticed the emperor's actions, but he wasn't sure if it was a gesture of offering a seat. Now that Wang An had called out, he immediately sprang into action, carrying the embroidered stool behind Wang Yingjiao.

Wang Yingjiao, who was about to speak, was immediately excited by this obvious special favor and changed his words to express his gratitude: "Thank you! Your Majesty, for the seat!"

"Continue." Zhu Changluo nodded twice in response.

Wang Yingjiao was still somewhat agitated, but he tried his best to calm himself down: "The state levies taxes and levies corvée labor based on the two registers, Fish and Yellow. In the end, the Fish and Yellow registers were written by officials at all levels, stroke by stroke. Each stroke on the paper is just ink, but when it falls on the people, it may be blood."

"A mere clerk can often reverse the fortunes of a household or even an entire village simply by making minor alterations to records, adding or subtracting numbers, causing good people to lose their fortunes and powerful families to be expelled from the register. Using this power, extorting and accepting bribes and exploiting the people is as easy as turning one's hand! As for the collection and delivery of taxes, it changes hands at each level. It is commonplace for officials to overcharge by a bushel or to pocket a few coins. If we can strictly restrain them and prevent them from acting recklessly, the people's suffering can be alleviated and the national tax revenue will surely increase."

"Then what should we do?" Zhu Changluo leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense.

"Human nature is inherently selfish, like water flowing downwards. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to punishing greed and evil." Wang Yingjiao used an analogy: "Just like on this hot day, even if people do nothing, they will still be drenched in sweat and filth will naturally accumulate. Only by constantly sending capable officials to the localities to clarify, investigate, eliminate, and punish can we cleanse the nation and curb the trend of corruption, just like taking a bath."

Zhu Changluo nodded in deep agreement. "That's very insightful. Just like a few days ago, during the purge of the inner court, even though countless people had already been killed, some people still defied the rules and committed crimes."

Although what the emperor said had nothing to do with the three chief eunuchs present, it still involved the inner court, and they were still quite uneasy listening to it.

"Ye Qing." Zhu Changluo suddenly called on Ye Xianggao, the second assistant minister.

"Your subject is here!" Ye Xianggao responded sternly and stood up.

This time, Zhu Changluo didn't immediately tell Ye Xianggao to sit back down, as he had done with Fang Congzhe earlier. "I previously issued an edict to the cabinet, instructing them to discuss and produce a proposal to reinstate the performance evaluation system. Any progress?"

The reason Zhu Changluo chose him instead of Fang Congzhe was mainly because the person who abolished the Examination and Assessment Law after his death was Shen Shixing, Ye Xianggao's mentor.

"Your Majesty," Ye Xianggao bowed, holding his ceremonial tablet, "the Examination and Assessment System has three key points. First, it restores the functions of the Six Ministries, freeing them from their subservience to the cabinet and returning them to the ranks of the upright officials, in accordance with ancestral regulations. Second, it establishes time limits for performance evaluation and holds individuals accountable based on their performance."

The so-called "setting deadlines for performance evaluation and holding officials accountable based on their performance" means that the Six Ministries and the Censorate set deadlines for the tasks that their subordinate officials should complete and recorded them in three separate ledgers. One ledger was kept by the Six Ministries and the Censorate as a reference, another was sent to the Six Ministries, and the last one was submitted to the Cabinet.

The Six Ministries and the Censorate would register the matters under their jurisdiction according to the ledgers and conduct monthly inspections. Each completed matter had to be recorded, and any unfinished matters had to be reported truthfully, otherwise, they would be punished for violating the law. The Six Offices could also require the Six Ministries to report on the implementation status every six months based on the ledgers, and those who violated this rule would be subject to disciplinary action.

"Thirdly, the six ministries must submit their reports. If any of their reports contain concealment or deception, the cabinet will impeach them. In other words, all reports and memorials must be submitted within a time limit based on their importance and urgency. If the governor or censor fails to meet the deadline, the ministry will impeach them; if the ministry fails to meet the deadline, the ministries will impeach them; if the six ministries fail to meet the deadline, the cabinet will be consulted."

At this point, Ye Xianggao paused, slightly raising his head to look at the emperor. Seeing that the emperor had no intention of speaking, he braced himself and continued, "I believe that the performance evaluation system effectively entrusts the reins of power to the Grand Secretariat. When Your Majesty was young and weak, this system may have been necessary. But now, Your Majesty is in your prime, with exceptional talent and wisdom. If the Grand Secretariat were to continue to oversee the performance evaluation system, it would be overstepping its bounds and abusing its power."

(End of this chapter)