Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 760 Reports and Approvals for Imperial Examinations
Inside the South Study of the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Zhu Changluo was leaning on his throne, reading through the daily reports presented by the Directorate of Ceremonial.

As the sun rose higher outside the window and the temperature climbed, several eunuchs quietly carried a copper basin filled with ice into the main hall and poured it into the ice chest. A cool breeze quietly spread, slightly dispelling the rising heat of the early summer morning.

Just then, Shi Fuming, the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, carrying a sealed petition, stepped across the threshold of the Southern Study and came to the emperor's desk: "Your Majesty, this is Grand Secretary Fang's secret petition."

"Give it to me." Zhu Changluo didn't even lift his eyelids, only extending one hand.

"Yes!" Shi Fuming quickly removed the sealing wax, broke the seal, and presented the acknowledgment.

Zhu Changluo took the invitation, unfolded it, and glanced at it. Sure enough, it was still about the Marquis of Wuqing—

question:
Your Majesty's Wise Consideration. This morning, I received several memorials from the Censorate and the Imperial Secretariat, all concerning the case of Marquis Wuqing. The language was sharp and the momentum was overwhelming. I have carefully examined the memorials submitted by Hui Shiyang and others. Although their language was excessive, the list of crimes they enumerated was largely based on evidence. The charges of smuggling ironware, embezzling Liaodong military funds, protecting corrupt officials, and spreading disinformation are all matters of national law and discipline, and are not ordinary offenses.

However, I am well aware of Your Majesty's earnest desire to protect the relatives of the Marquis of Wuqing. The lineage of the Marquis of Wuqing is descended from the Empress Dowager, and Your Majesty, deeply devoted to kinship, wishes to bestow extraordinary favor upon them—this is truly the intention of a benevolent ruler. But now that the matter has been exposed, opinions are rife. If we forcefully suppress public opinion, it may incite further criticism and ultimately damage Your Majesty's virtue.

Your Majesty, I have pondered this day and night, and have come up with a foolish idea, which I dare to defer to Your Majesty: Could we temporarily strip the Marquis of Wuqing of his title and place him under house arrest, waiting until public opinion has calmed down before granting him leniency? In this way, the laws of the land would be upheld, the channels of communication would be closed, and Your Majesty's familial favor would be preserved. If you grant him an immediate pardon, I fear the righteous officials will be enraged, and the situation will escalate further. Not only would the Marquis of Wuqing be unable to maintain his position, but it would also damage Your Majesty's reputation.

Furthermore, the fact that the imperial edict was known to the court before it was issued raises serious concerns about the potential for information leaks.

I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's favor and hold the position of Prime Minister. I am solely concerned with the safety and well-being of the nation and its people, and dare not harbor any selfish thoughts. If my words are inappropriate, I humbly beg Your Majesty's forgiveness.

Your subject respectfully submits this confidential report and awaits Your Majesty's instructions.

The court is in uproar, all hoping Your Majesty will make a decisive decision. I am old and fear I cannot remain in this post for long. I only wish Your Majesty would resolve this matter swiftly to appease the people.

Zhu Changluo gave a soft snort, a barely perceptible upward curve to the corner of his mouth. Then, he casually tossed Fang Congzhe's secret report into a small basket beside his desk like trash. The basket was already piled high with several memorials, all sent by the Ministry of Justice that morning. He hadn't read a single one, nor had he approved a single one.

"This servant takes her leave." Shi Fuming bowed slightly, head bowed. Seeing that the emperor made no response, she turned around and prepared to retreat back to the Qianqing Gate.

"Stop!" The emperor's voice followed Shi Fuming as he took half a step.

Shi Fuming immediately turned around: "What are your orders, Master?"

"Wang An." Zhu Changluo raised his hand and gestured for him to move aside and not block the way.

“This servant is here.” Wang An immediately stopped what she was doing and looked at the emperor.

Zhu Changluo bypassed Shi Fuming and looked at Wang An: "Send another note to the cabinet. Ask them if they have drafted the decree to pardon the Marquis of Wuqing?"

"Yes." Wang An understood and immediately took out a piece of white paper to begin writing.

"In addition," Zhu Changluo casually picked out two memorials from the small basket and handed them to Shi Fuming beside him. "These two people are to be demoted by imperial decree."

Wang An took the two memorials from Shi Fuming, but a look of confusion appeared on his face. "Demotion?"

"Just add some firewood," Zhu Changluo smiled. "To make the fire burn even brighter."

"Yes. This servant understands." Wang An nodded and continued writing the letter to the cabinet. Shi Fuming moved to Wang An's side and waited for him quietly.

Zhu Changluo put down the briefing and, as usual, picked up the top one from the pile of memorials he had on hand. He opened it and saw that it was a memorial from Shen Guangzuo, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, reporting a disaster.

Your humble servant, Shen Guangzuo, Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, respectfully reports: Due to the severe flooding in Miyun County, I earnestly request Your Majesty's swift provision of relief and aid to help the affected people.

According to a report from Hua Gun, the Prefect of Changping Prefecture, since May 29th, Miyun County under the jurisdiction of Changping Prefecture has been experiencing continuous torrential rains, causing flash floods. The Chaohe and Baihe Rivers have overflowed their banks, inundating homes. Preliminary investigations by the county indicate that 72 people have drowned, 237 are missing, and over 300 hectares of farmland have been submerged. In the height of summer, the victims are sleeping in the open, crying out in hunger and cold; their plight is truly tragic.

Upon hearing the news, I was heartbroken. In Miyun County alone, the registered farmland is only about 2,000 hectares, and now 15% of it has been submerged—a truly devastating disaster. Although the county has opened its granaries to provide relief, the supplies are limited, and the people's suffering is profound. I have ordered Prefectural Assistant Yao Shishen to immediately lead an official team to the Chang and Mi areas to conduct an on-site investigation of the disaster and to strictly supervise three matters:
First, verify the actual number of disaster victims and calculate the required funds and supplies.

Secondly, monitor local grain prices and strictly prevent unscrupulous merchants from hoarding and speculating.
Thirdly, we urged the replanting of autumn grain and mobilized seeds and agricultural tools from neighboring counties to ensure that no fields were left uncultivated.

They were further instructed to take strict precautions and suppress any acts of looting or inciting the people during the chaos.

I humbly acknowledge that this is a vital region where the lives of its people are at stake. The disaster victims are now in dire need of food. In addition to having already instructed local authorities to exert their utmost in providing relief, I earnestly request Your Majesty to:

First, an imperial edict was issued to the Ministry of Revenue, ordering the immediate allocation of grain from the capital granaries and silver from the imperial warehouses to be delivered to the relief efforts overnight.

Second, by special imperial decree, the summer tax for Miyun County this year is waived;
Third, dispatch a simple officer to re-investigate the disaster situation in order to request further repairs to the dikes.

Your Majesty has already issued strict orders to all subordinates that any treacherous individuals who attempt to cause trouble after the disaster be apprehended and severely punished. I humbly beseech Your Majesty's mercy to issue this decree swiftly, so that all living beings may benefit from Your Majesty's benevolence!
Your subject is filled with trepidation and awaits your orders; I respectfully submit this memorial.

Zhu Changluo's eyebrows twitched slightly, but he remained unmoved. The world was vast, and he received several such reports every month. He picked up his vermilion brush and wrote simply:
I have read your memorial. The floods in Miyun have deeply troubled me. I hereby order the Ministry of Revenue to provide relief in accordance with regulations, and grant the county's summer tax exemption for this year. I agree to the rest. I also order the Shuntian Prefecture to strictly instruct its subordinate jurisdictions to pacify and relocate the disaster victims, ensuring they are not left homeless.

After finishing writing, he seemed to suddenly remember something, reached for the copy of the Directorate of Ceremonial Daily that he had just tossed aside, and quickly flipped to the section recording the private activities of officials. His fingertips slid across the page, soon stopping at a line: "In the middle of the day, Shen Guangzuo, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, entered the residence of Grand Secretary Shen by carriage and returned home at night."

Zhu Changluo's gaze lingered on that line of text for a moment. Then, he used his vermilion pen to place a red dot below the record, indicating that he had taken note of it.

"Shi Fuming." Zhu Changlu closed the daily newspaper and tossed it back onto the desk.

"Yes, sir." Shi Fuming immediately moved back to the emperor's side, and the other eunuchs also quietly turned their attention over.

Zhu Changluo picked up the disaster report and handed it to Shi Fuming: "This is the disaster report for Miyun. It's been approved. Send it out now." "Yes, sir." Shi Fuming took the report, turned, and jogged to the door, beckoning a eunuch. He gave him a few instructions...
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At five-quarters past 9 AM, the sun was rising higher and the heat was beginning to intensify. Zhao Shiyong, a supervising secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, was hurrying through the narrow alleyway separating the Ministry of Revenue from the Ministry of Personnel, his head bowed to avoid the sunlight. Little did he know that he was about to follow in Zhang Sixiu's footsteps and be "demoted" by the emperor to Xuwen.

Turning his head, Zhao Shiyong entered the alleyway running from north to south. Suddenly, he heard a series of neat footsteps and the creaking of sedan chair poles coming from the south alleyway. Looking up, he saw a small sedan chair with a blue curtain carried by four people slowly making its way towards the Ministry of Revenue.

Zhao Shiyong didn't pay much attention at first, after all, there were many government offices in the capital and officials came and went like a never-ending stream. Zhao Shiyong continued walking forward at his own pace, but just as he was about to reach the Ministry of Revenue, the sedan chair beat him to it and landed steadily at the entrance of the Ministry of Revenue.

The sedan curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged eunuch with a white face and no beard, wearing a black gauze hat, a rhinoceros horn belt, and a dark brown sunflower-patterned collared shirt, stepped out. This was Gao Shiming, the branch manager of the Zhengyangmen branch of the Sun and Moon Bank. As soon as Gao Shiming stopped, his gaze swept over Zhao Shiyong, but he only glanced at Zhao Shiyong indifferently out of the corner of his eye. He straightened his robes and walked straight towards the gate of the Ministry of Revenue.

Gao Shiming walked up to the Ministry of Revenue. Without waiting for the guards to ask any questions, he took out a gleaming silver waist badge from his pocket, showed it to the guards, and said with a smile, "I am Gao Shiming from the Sun and Moon Bank. I suppose Minister Wang has already informed you."

The guards on duty, seeing his eunuch attire and extraordinary bearing, were already somewhat intimidated. At this moment, Gao Shiming took out his waist token, and Gao Shiming, not daring to look closely, put on a fawning face and quickly stepped aside, saying, "Oh! Yes, yes, yes! Eunuch Gao, please come in! Minister Wang is waiting for you in the meeting hall of the second hall."

Gao Shiming nodded slightly and said no more, then strode confidently over the high threshold in front of the household registration department.

At this moment, Zhao Shiyong quickened his pace and arrived at the gate. As a supervising secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, he frequently visited the Ministry on official business and was already familiar with the guards at the gate. Upon seeing him arrive, the guards simply bowed and greeted him as "Supervising Secretary Zhao," before stepping aside to invite him in.

Zhao Shi nodded in acknowledgment, and without stopping, followed Gao Shiming's back into the yamen. Seeing Gao Shiming walking unhurriedly ahead, he hesitated for a moment, then quickly caught up, calling out from behind, "Eunuch Gao!"

Gao Shiming stopped at the sound, slowly turning around with a perfectly measured expression of confusion. He had clearly heard the gatekeeper's greeting, but still raised an eyebrow slightly, feigning ignorance as he asked, "And who are you, sir?"

“I am Zhao Shiyong, a junior official in the Ministry of Revenue,” Zhao Shiyong stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, “Greetings, Eunuch Gao.”

"So it's Censor Zhao. My apologies." Gao Shiming then realized and solemnly returned the greeting, then took the opportunity to inquire, "Censor Zhao, were you also summoned by Minister Wang?"

Zhao Shiyong shook his head, took out the copy of the imperial examination report from his pocket, and said, "I'm here to deliver the imperial examination report."

After the Grand Secretariat drafted a proposal for handling the memorial, it was submitted to the Emperor for final approval, thus forming a decision. The memorial after the Emperor's approval was called the "Red Book." Afterward, the Red Book would be sent to the Six Ministries outside the Meridian Gate for review. According to the Hongwu ancestral system, during the review period, the Six Ministries had the right to "seal back" the memorial, refuse to copy it, and raise objections.

If there are no objections, the document is copied and sent for execution. This is called "Ke Chao" (科抄), and the copied document is called "Chaoben" (抄本) or simply "Ke Chao" (科抄). Afterwards, the "Duty Officer" of the Six Ministries, that is, the Duty Censor, would personally deliver the "Ke Chao" to the executing department and assist and supervise its execution to a certain extent.

"Oh, I see." Gao Shiming's interest in Zhao Shiyong waned considerably, and he even became instinctively wary.

Zhao Shiyong asked, "I didn't know that Eunuch Gao had come to the Ministry of Revenue."

"Of course it's a meeting of officials." Gao Shiming blinked slightly, interrupting the other man: "Zhao, what is the matter being discussed in this memorial?"

“Miyun is suffering from flooding.” Zhao Shiyong sighed, his face grave. “The Chao and Bai rivers have overflowed, inundating more than 300 hectares of farmland and killing many people.”

Gao Shiming was from Fangshan County and had no personal experience of the disaster in Miyun. However, he still put on a compassionate appearance and shook his head and sighed, "Alas, heaven and earth are heartless, what have the common people done wrong?" After saying that, he stopped talking and turned to walk towards the Ministry of Revenue.

Zhao Shiyong caught up with Gao Shiming and walked alongside him, asking directly, "Eunuch Gao, what did Minister Wang invite you to the Ministry of Revenue to discuss?"

Gao Shiming rolled his eyes inwardly; these censors were truly as annoying as flies. He didn't want to reveal too much and create unnecessary complications, but he also didn't want to offend these remonstrating officials who could directly report to the emperor and were prone to launching group attacks. So, he turned his head and asked with a smile, "What does Remonstrating Censor Zhao think?"

Zhao Shiyong actually guessed: "Is it because of the circulation of banknotes and the reform of tax collection?"

Gao Shiming shook his head, adopting a guessing expression, and slowly said, "Perhaps." After saying that, Gao Shiming took a step to the side, paused slightly, and cupped his hands, saying, "Farewell, Zhao Gejian, I will not go to the main hall."

Zhao Shiyong was naturally dissatisfied with Gao Shiming's answer, but he couldn't force the other party to say anything to him, so he could only hold the imperial examination paper and return the courtesy, saying, "Goodbye."

Gao Shiming nodded and turned around. The moment his back was to Zhao Shiyong, the smile on Gao Shiming's face turned into an eye roll that seemed to go skyward.

Before long, Zhao Shiyong arrived at the Ministry of Revenue's main hall with the official documents. The head official was still nowhere to be seen; only the Left Vice Minister, Wang Ji, was writing something with his head bowed.

"Ahem." Zhao Shi coughed lightly, and Wang Ji immediately looked up: "Ah. It's Zhao Shijian, you're here again."

Zhao Shi paused in his tracks. "Oh? Does Vice Minister Wang look down on me so much?"

"Heh heh. Not at all." Wang Ji waved his hand with a smile, then looked at Zhao Shi and asked, "What is it this time?"

Zhao Shiyong stepped forward, first performing a proper greeting, and then placing the official document in front of Wang Ji: "The Shuntian Prefecture has submitted a memorial stating that Miyun has been hit by floods and requests the Ministry of Revenue to provide relief in the form of grain and silver."

Wang Ji was about to reach for it when he heard Zhao Shiyong's words and his hand froze in mid-air: "The memorial from Shuntian Prefecture?"

“That’s right.” Zhao Shiyong nodded. “Miyun belongs to Changping, and Changping belongs to Shuntian. Shuntian is directly under the jurisdiction of the northern capital.” In the Ming Dynasty, after a disaster report from a county was reported to the prefecture level, it would have to go through the provincial administration and even the governor before reaching the emperor. However, the counties under Shuntian Prefecture, due to their special status as “directly under the jurisdiction of the capital region,” could reach the emperor directly in a short time.

"Hmm," Wang Ji took the copy, flipped through it, and handed it back.

"What's wrong?" Zhao Shi asked, puzzled.

“Go directly to the second hall,” Wang Ji said, pointing to the side door Gao Shiming had just passed through. “Minister Wang and Prefect Shen are both there.”

(End of this chapter)