Qing Yao

Chapter 307 Zhao Youlu, Can Withstand the Test
Although he failed to bring down Wang Jie or completely bring down Zhu Gui, successfully pushing his "lackey" to the position of acting governor of Anhui was undoubtedly a rare victory for Heshen.

When Ming Antai, a guard who was to deliver documents to the capital and then travel to Anhui to deliver an imperial edict, set off, Heshen summoned him and instructed him: "When you arrive in Anhui and see Zhao Youlu, tell him that if he has done a good job in Anhui, I will arrange for him to come to the capital to meet the Emperor. If he has not done a good job in Anhui, tell him to bring his head to the capital himself."

"Whoo!"

While agreeing, Ming Antai was somewhat envious of Zhao Youlu, because going to the capital for an audience with the emperor was the only opportunity for a local governor to meet the emperor.

At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, the Ming system was followed, which stipulated that the provincial governor and the governor would come to the capital once every three years. However, during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, due to the heavy workload of government affairs, the system of provincial governors coming to the capital to meet the emperor was abolished, and only the governors were allowed to come to the capital.

After the old emperor ascended the throne, he felt that the system of imperial audiences was a bit cumbersome. It was fine for nearby places, but for more distant places, it would take half a year for the governor to travel back and forth, which could easily delay local affairs.

Therefore, it was stipulated that the governors of the four provinces of Zhili, Shanxi, Shandong, and Henan were required to travel to Beijing to meet the emperor once a year, while the governors of other provinces were not allowed to travel to Beijing to meet the emperor unless they received an imperial decree.

Except for officials from the capital who were required to go to the palace to bid farewell, officials transferred to other places were not required to go to the capital to meet the emperor.

This regulation meant that half of the governors of the Qing Dynasty had never seen it.

Therefore, being summoned by the old master was not only an honor for these governors, but it could also elevate their official positions, with some even entering the central government.

Zhao An, acting as the provincial governor, was still a third-rank official, and his main duties remained the two fourth-rank circuit intendants he also held. Therefore, Heshen's intention was clear: as long as Zhao An could resolve the disaster and unrest in Anhui, he would be allowed to go to the capital to meet the Emperor.

If the old master is in a good mood, at least one provincial governor will be appointed. If Heshen gives him a boost, Zhao An might be able to surpass Nian Gengyao and become the youngest governor in the Qing Dynasty.

But if Zhao An fails to straighten out the chaos in Anhui, he will bear the consequences himself. He and the Grand Secretary have already done more than enough. After all, they have only collected 80,000 taels from you, "Zhao Youlu".

After leaving Chengde, Ming Antai immediately rode to the capital, his destination being the Ministry of Personnel.

Upon receiving the documents from Ming Antai regarding the handover of the post of Governor of Anhui, Zhu Gui, to return to Beijing to assume the position of Vice Minister of Rites, and the appointment of Zhao Lu as Acting Governor of Anhui, the Ministry of Personnel, responsible for the organization and personnel of the Qing Dynasty, was in an uproar.

Everyone found it unbelievable and utterly absurd.

It's understandable that Zhu Gui was recalled to the capital for failing to provide effective disaster relief and for concealing the extent of the disaster, but how could he be appointed acting governor again after only ten months as acting provincial governor?
The Manchu and Han officials in the Ministry of Personnel could only shake their heads. In their hearts, they all thought that the emperor was simply acting recklessly. How could the Ministry of Personnel do its job if officials were appointed so casually?

The head of the Ministry of Personnel, the Manchu Minister, was Su Ling'a, a relative by marriage of Heshen. This man was over seventy years old and was originally a muddle-headed person. He only rose to prominence because he had two exceptionally beautiful daughters. Heshen promoted him to the position of Manchu Minister of Personnel, giving him direct control over the appointment and removal of Manchu and Han officials below the fourth rank.

In other words, whether officials below the fourth rank were promoted or demoted was entirely up to Heshen.

Although the appointment and removal of officials of the fourth rank and above had to be reported to the old master, as long as the Ministry of Personnel was controlled by Heshen, it could affect at least half of the officials.

Previously, the position of Minister of Personnel was concurrently held by Grand Councilor Sun Shiyi. After Sun Shiyi took office in Liangjiang, no new Minister of Personnel was appointed.

Liu Yong, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was a strong contender to succeed the Minister of Personnel of the Han Dynasty. However, this appointment was delayed for a long time. Rumors circulated that it was because Heshen did not like Liu Yong. In fact, this matter had nothing to do with Heshen. It was the old master who deliberately suppressed it, wanting to see how Liu Yong would perform when he presided over the imperial examination next year.

If he performs well, Liu Yong will be promoted to Minister; if he performs poorly, he will be put on hold and put to work. In the old master's eyes, the seventy-year-old Liu Yong is still considered a young man.

However, Liu Yong had indeed been careless in his duties over the years. He made no major mistakes, but had a lot of minor faults, which displeased the old man. If it weren't for his father, Liu Tongxun, he would have sent Liu Yong home long ago.

According to relevant procedures, once the Grand Council drafts the emperor's decree into an imperial edict and the emperor approves and seals it, the edict becomes an official personnel appointment "document" and must be sent to the Ministry of Personnel for processing as soon as possible.

In the Ministry of Personnel, although Manchu and Han officials held concurrent positions, the Manchu officials played a leading role. The selection and assessment of officials from the Eight Banners and Manchu and Mongol officials, as well as the transfer of military officers to civil positions, were all handled by the Manchu officials.

The selection and performance evaluation of Han officials, as well as the allocation of official positions to those who passed the imperial examinations, were handled by the Han Ministry of Personnel. However, major matters required the signature of the Ministry of Personnel to take effect.

The appointment and removal of personnel in the Baoyi (包衣) sector were also the responsibility of the Han Shangshu (尚书).

Therefore, after receiving the document sent by Ming Antai to Chengde, the scribes delivered the document to Liu Yong, the Vice Minister who actually exercised the powers of the Han Dynasty's Minister of Personnel.

After reading the document, Liu Yong was a little puzzled. In this dynasty, if a governor left office for some reason and the position became vacant, it was customary for the provincial governor or the provincial judicial commissioner to temporarily take over the position. This was called "acting governor," which meant temporarily replacing the governor.

The second type is the acting governor, which is a short-term position, usually with a probationary period of six months to one year. This type of appointment requires approval from the Ministry of Personnel. If the agent does not commit any offenses during the probationary period, he/she can be officially appointed.

The third type is where the governor-general concurrently holds the position, or the governor of a neighboring province concurrently holds the position across provinces. This situation is uncommon and is more often seen during special periods.

However, the document sent by the Grand Council did not say that Zhao Youlu was to act as governor or to serve as governor; it only said "temporarily".

Should this be handled according to the procedures for a nursing governor or an acting governor?

Unable to make up his mind, Liu Yong had no choice but to take the documents to the office of Minister Su Ling'a for instructions.

Upon arrival, he saw Vice Minister Man Wenfu in the Minister's office, but he was complaining and said with great dissatisfaction: "Zhao Youlu is just a student of the Imperial Academy. Last year he was only a ninth-rank academic official, but this year he has been promoted to a third-rank Circuit Intendant and acting Provincial Governor. It's fine to promote him, but how can he act as Governor after just being acting as Provincial Governor?"

Wenfu was born into the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner. In the 46th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, he passed the imperial examination and became a secretary in the Grand Secretariat. Last year, he was promoted to Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat. At the beginning of the year, he was appointed as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Although he was a Manchu, he was upright and honest, and dared to speak his mind.

“Lord Wen, Zhao Youlu is not a student of the Imperial Academy. He is a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) specially granted by the Emperor. Although such extraordinary treatment violates the current dynasty’s personnel system, it is not without precedent, such as Li Weigong of the previous dynasty. Besides, the previous dynasty also had the practice of temporarily acting as provincial governor. There is nothing to be surprised about.”

Su Ling'a smiled and picked up his teacup. He was the father-in-law of He Shen's younger brother, He Lin, and one of He Shen's confidants. How could he not know that Zhao Youlu was a model promoted and established by He Shen?

Out of respect for Heshen, he couldn't voice any objections. Besides, this was an appointment approved by the Emperor himself, and all he, as the Minister of Personnel, needed to do was sign the relevant documents.

What complaints could there be?

Wenfu knew about Su Ling'a's relationship with his brothers, but he just couldn't understand it. He muttered, "No matter what, it's not appropriate for Zhao Youlu, a Han Chinese, to suddenly rise to such a high position."

Upon hearing this, Su Ling'a couldn't help but laugh and correct him, "Lord Wen is mistaken. This Zhao Youlu is not a Han Chinese, but a bondservant from the Imperial Household Department. If you don't believe me, Lord Wen can see for yourself."

As they spoke, he handed the file folder containing Zhao Youlu's documents, which had been sent by the Ministry of Personnel, to Wenfu. Wenfu took it, opened the folder, and found a "Household Registration Change" form inside, stamped and sealed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

This household registration change form proves that Zhao Youlu was indeed not a Han Chinese, therefore his promotion cannot be simply equated with that of a Han official.

Su Ling looked up and saw Liu Yong outside, so she quickly raised her hand to beckon him in.

Liu Yong smiled and nodded, handing the documents from the Military Affairs Office to Su Ling'a, and asked, "Should we handle this as the Acting Governor or the Acting Governor?"

Su Ling'a glanced at the document, considered for a moment, and said, "Let's proceed as the nursing governor's office first."

"it is good."

Liu Yong nodded, showing no dissatisfaction with the old master's extraordinary promotion of Zhao Youlu, because the old master had told him that Zhao Youlu's incorruptibility was no less than that of the four most incorruptible officials in the early years of the dynasty. This was a blessing for the old master, a blessing for the Qing Dynasty, and a blessing for the people.

With these three positive evaluations, and given that he was someone Heshen had employed, Liu Yong wouldn't dare question, much less oppose, even if he had the guts of a bear and the courage of a leopard.

Wen Fu had no idea about the "Three Blessings" incident. Seeing that Liu Yong had no objection, he couldn't help but say, "Doesn't Lord Liu think this is a bit excessive? If there's one Zhao Youlu, there will be another. If officials are all appointed in this way, what's the point of having our Ministry of Personnel? I think we still need to submit a memorial. Would Lord Liu be willing to sign it with me?"

He actually wanted Liu Yong to join him in submitting a joint memorial to the old master opposing Zhao Youlu's personnel appointments.

Liu Yong was in a bind. The old man already had a lot of complaints about him, so how could he dare to join Wen Fu in submitting a petition? Just as he was stammering, Su Ling'a put down her teacup and said unhappily, "Zhao Youlu's loyalty to the emperor and his dedication to the country are no less than yours or mine. The motto of 'Enter the Wenhua Hall when alive, and enter the Ziguang Pavilion when dead' in the academies across the country was proposed by Zhao Youlu. The emperor greatly praised him for this, saying that Zhao Youlu was unparalleled in loyalty and filial piety. Such a loyal person should be promoted exceptionally, which is not excessive."

If Zhao An were present to translate Su Butang's words, it would be "politically mature and possessing strong official principles."

To expand further, it means having a high political stance, closely following the imperial court, and having a broad perspective.

"Furthermore, Zhao Youlu has been an excellent official since taking office. The Jiangsu Governor Fu Song gave him a top-notch performance evaluation at the end of the year. During his tenure as a professor at the prefectural school, the number of students admitted to the Yangzhou provincial examinations also improved significantly. Last year, Yangzhou ranked second in the province in the number of students admitted to the provincial examinations. During his tenure as the Inspector of Grain Transport, he also investigated a major case of treason by the grain transport gangs."

All of Su Ling'a's claims are verifiable; Zhao An's personnel file contains comments from relevant departments and leaders.

The one who received the highest praise was Fu Song, the governor of Jiangsu.

Logically, the governor should not be in charge of educational officials, but Fu Song was temporarily appointed as the Jiangsu educational commissioner.

At that time, Zhao An, who also served as a member of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee, had his performance evaluations scored by Fu Song.

In other words, Minister Su believed that Zhao Youlu had a strong ability to coordinate and manage the overall situation, was never ambiguous in major matters, had a high level of team cohesion, had a solid professional foundation, and was very clear and decisive in handling problems, making him a typical capable official.

"Furthermore, Zhao Youlu's official conduct was outstanding. Sun Shiyi, the Governor-General of Liangjiang, praised him as the most capable official in Liangjiang, and the people even called him 'Tofu Justice'."

Su Ling'a wasn't just making things up; she casually pulled out a copy of a secret report from Zhao An's pouch.

It was a special memorial submitted to the court by Hanlin Academician Cao Zhenyong and Imperial Guard Moergenge after they secretly visited Jiangning by imperial decree. The original copy was compiled by the Grand Council and sent to the National History Museum for preservation, while a copy was made and archived by the Ministry of Personnel.

This special report proves that Zhao An was indeed extremely honest and incorruptible, and also proves that he went deep into the grassroots and took the initiative to undertake urgent, difficult and dangerous tasks. He not only had an excellent reputation in official circles, but his reputation among the people was even better than ten thousand golden cups.

As long as this special report is not removed from the file, the Ministry of Personnel and even the Ministry's deliberations will use it as a reference in the future.

It could even serve as a reference for granting immunity from punishment under the "Eight Deliberations" system.

Wenfu remained silent, only carefully examining the copy of the special document.

Liu Yong smiled and nodded in agreement with Minister Su from time to time. After finishing, he said with a sigh, "This Zhao Youlu has served as a professor, a committee member, a censor, and a grain commissioner. He is currently acting as the provincial governor. Although his term of office is not long, he has achieved remarkable results in each position and has a good reputation. Anhui is currently suffering from a major disaster. It is not unreasonable for the emperor to give him such an important position. In my opinion, officials like Zhao Youlu are exactly what our Great Qing needs."

In other words, Zhao Youlu has a rich grassroots background, with work experience in the education system, the grain system, and even experience patrolling the canal to combat organized crime. He is young and promising but not arrogant, and now he is on the front line of disaster relief. He is a promising young man who dares to fight and work hard.

The Ministry of Personnel must provide proper support for such promising talents.

After reading the memorial, Wenfu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, saying, "If Zhao Youlu is truly a rare and excellent official, it would be appropriate for His Majesty to promote and appoint him."

The complete change in attitude was mainly due to the fact that Cao Zhenyong's memorial to the old master was too moving, too objective, and too comprehensive.

Zhao Youlu was not the lackey of Heshen as rumored; he was clearly another honest and capable official from the Qing Dynasty.

"That's right."

Seeing that Wenfu had no further objections, Su Ling laughed heartily, picked up a brush, and signed his name on the document sent by the Military Affairs Office, then stamped it with the official seal of the Ministry of Personnel.

He then summoned a scribe to make two copies of the documents from the Grand Council, one for the Office of Selecting Officials and the other for Zhao Youlu's file.

The relevant procedures were handed over to Ming Antai, a guard who was going to Anhui to deliver the imperial edict. The Ministry of Personnel also sent another official to Anhui with Ming Antai to supervise the outgoing governor Zhu Gui and Zhao Youlu in handing over the governor's official seal.

After the handover is completed, Zhu Gui should return to the capital with Ming Antai.

At this moment, Zhu Gui was completely unaware that he had been dismissed from his post as governor and was caught in a dilemma in Mengcheng.

A few days ago, Prince Jia sent a secret letter to his teacher, in which he said that the rumor of "Zhu Gui" was rampant and that some people believed it was a prophecy of "Zhu Ming returning to power" because Zhu Gui's name was similar to "Zhu Gui". Therefore, in order to prevent his teacher from being framed, Prince Jia asked his teacher to take the initiative to resign and avoid the limelight.

This secret letter made Zhu Gui feel as if a heavy stone was pressing on his chest.

(End of this chapter)