My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 133 Performance Evaluation System

——[Simulation Start]——

A day later, the memorial entitled "Request to Investigate the Examination of Memorials and Their Results" was sent to the Grand Secretariat. Among the Grand Secretariat ministers, only Zhang Juzheng expressed his support, and the memorial was sent to the palace.

Two days later, the emperor rejected your memorial, which was then circulated among the Six Ministries, infuriating the officials!
Not only the censors and officials in charge of remonstrance, but most officials in the capital submitted memorials in opposition!

The emperor has voluntarily dismissed you from your positions as editor-in-chief of the newspaper and lecturer to the crown prince.

During the imperial examination in March, you were demoted and exiled from the capital.

——[Simulation End]——

Good heavens, Su Ze knew there would be a lot of resistance to this memorial, but he never expected it to be this strong.

The resistance to this memorial was so great that even Gao Gong, who was in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, could not protect him.

[Should I spend 4000 prestige points to force the memorial to pass?]

4000 points!
Su Ze was stunned when he saw this number.

With his official position, he only gets 120 prestige points per month.

4000 points is the amount of prestige that Su Ze would need to accumulate over two years!

If your prestige is insufficient, your memorial will be deducted from your prestige and its execution will be postponed.

Su Ze quickly said, "System, can we abandon the memorial and simulate it again?"

Yes, but this simulation will deduct from your monthly simulation count.

Su Ze gritted his teeth, clearly having no choice but to give up on the memorial.

Deferred execution means that Su Ze will not be able to submit memorials for the next two years and will have to wait until he has accumulated enough prestige points before he can forcibly execute them.

Moreover, the simulation results show that if one submits a memorial to the emperor, one will be demoted, and thus gain less prestige each month.

Who knows when we'll be able to save enough?

Su Ze underestimated the opposition to the performance evaluation system within the entire bureaucracy. Now, he could only cut his losses and revise his memorial.

Su Ze's memorial to the throne this time was actually a direct copy of Zhang Juzheng's assessment and evaluation system.

The so-called performance evaluation system involved the Six Ministries and the Censorate setting deadlines for the tasks that their officials were supposed to perform and recording them in three separate ledgers. The Six Ministries and the Censorate would then conduct monthly checks based on these ledgers.

One copy was kept by the Six Ministries and the Censorate, another by the Six Offices, and the last by the Cabinet. The Six Ministries and the Censorate recorded the transactions according to the ledgers and conducted monthly inspections. Each completed item was recorded, while any omissions were to be reported truthfully, or else punishment would be imposed. The Six Offices could also require the Six Ministries to report on the implementation every six months, with those who violated this rule subject to disciplinary action. Finally, the Cabinet could also verify the auditing work of the Six Offices.

The "Performance Evaluation Law" established a comprehensive system for evaluating officials, with the cabinet leading the supervisory agencies, which in turn supervised the six central ministries, which in turn led all civil and military officials and local officials.

The performance appraisal system was essentially the Ming Dynasty's version of performance evaluation.

To some extent, the performance evaluation system actually strengthened the power of the Six Ministries and the Censorate.

In fact, Su Ze never opposed the censors.

Although the Ming Dynasty's system of censors had its drawbacks, it was, on the whole, the most complete system of its kind in history.

A bureaucratic system without a system of checks and balances is a terrible thing.

Su Ze never regarded the Six Ministries and the Censorate as his enemies.

Su Ze opposes the fact that officials who speak out have become tools for factional struggles, and that supervisory bodies have become tools for persecuting people.

The performance evaluation system in history was introduced when Zhang Juzheng presided over the reform. In Su Ze's view, the performance evaluation system was the core content of Zhang Juzheng's reform, rather than fiscal and tax reforms such as the Single Whip Law.

Su Ze now understands why Zhang Juzheng's reforms began with the performance evaluation system. Only by reforming the bureaucracy could the new laws be implemented; otherwise, they would become nothing more than empty words.

Since his transmigration, Su Ze has been unable to accomplish anything without his cheat-like abilities, hampered by the trolls of the Ming Dynasty. That's why he wants to introduce the Examination and Assessment Law to reform the Ming Dynasty's supervisory system.

Looking at the settlement report, Su Ze sighed: "The complete performance evaluation system seems a bit too advanced."

Su Ze read the settlement report several times and found that this simulation was quite different from the previous ones.

In previous simulations, the emperor was forced to dismiss people due to pressure from the court and the public. This time, the emperor will voluntarily dismiss you from your positions as editor-in-chief of the newspaper and lecturer to the crown prince.

It turned out to be the case.

The performance evaluation system actually strengthened the power of the cabinet, which was tantamount to taking over the power of supervision, thus arousing the emperor's dissatisfaction.

Historically, when Zhang Juzheng implemented the performance evaluation system, Emperor Wanli was still a minor.

After Wanli Emperor assumed personal rule, Shen Shixing's cabinet immediately abolished the performance evaluation system, but the Single Whip Law was partially preserved.

So that’s it!
A failed simulation, yet it yielded useful information; the power of my cheat system was far greater than I had imagined!

With that in mind, Su Ze began to revise the memorial.

First, let's define the scope of the performance evaluation system.

The complete performance evaluation system was a comprehensive assessment system for all officials, from the capital to the local level.

This naturally provoked opposition from the entire bureaucracy.

With the capital inspection imminent, Su Ze could first narrow down the scope of the assessment law to the Six Ministries and the Censorate. If he started with the supervisory organs, wouldn't the resistance be much less?
If the performance evaluation system can change the working atmosphere of the supervisory organs, it will naturally affect the governance of the entire Ming Dynasty, and thus also affect the capital inspection.

The more Su Ze thought about it, the better he felt this method was.

As for how to change it?
Zhang Juzheng's version of the performance evaluation system involved the cabinet supervising the six departments, which in turn supervised the Censorate and the six ministries.

Then let's change it to have the emperor personally supervise the Six Ministries, and then have the Six Ministries supervise the Censorate.

As for the Six Ministries, the Six Offices and the Censorate originally had the responsibility of overseeing the Six Ministries. As long as the Six Offices and the Censorate are arrested, they will naturally keep an eye on the Six Ministries and other government offices.

Secondly, the powers of the Six Ministries and the Censorate should be separated.

The Six Ministries were originally designed to oversee the Six Departments, while the Censorate was divided into thirteen circuits, serving as the central government's local oversight agency.

However, in the course of history, the function of supervising local areas was gradually replaced by the governors and inspectors sent to local areas, and the duties of the Censorate began to overlap with those of the Six Ministries.

Su Ze's version of the performance evaluation system would restore the Six Ministries and the Censorate to their original functions.

The Six Ministries and the Censorate can only exercise their supervisory powers within the scope of their own responsibilities, instead of acting like mad dogs when something happens, creating public pressure to persecute people as before.

Su Ze wrote:

"I humbly believe that the duties of the Censorate are to maintain discipline, and the responsibility of the Censorate is to impeach and punish. However, recently, the channels for free speech have become increasingly lax, and impeachments are mostly based on hearsay rather than factual evidence. Some fabricate stories and use false accusations to frame people, while others make far-fetched connections and use interviews as a pretext to satisfy personal grievances."

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that the Six Ministries and the Censorate be strictly instructed: all impeachments of officials must be based on solid evidence and verified on the grounds. All impeachments must clearly state the date and point out the facts. If it is about money and grain, the records must be examined; if it is about criminal matters, the case files must be checked; and if it is about official conduct, the people's sentiments must be investigated."

“Those who fabricate rumors or concoct charges shall be punished in accordance with the facts if they are found guilty; if there is a reason for the matter but no evidence is found, then the officials of the censorate shall treat it as ‘untrue hearsay.’ In this way, the constitution will be upheld, honest opinions will flourish, official slander will cease, and practical matters will be addressed.”

Su Ze put down his pen with satisfaction.

All previous national policies, whether the Golden Urn lottery or other memorials, were reform measures that Su Ze "referenced" with historical wisdom and were "copying" from others' work.

However, this revision of the performance evaluation system was the first time Su Ze had truly formulated a concrete policy based on the current state of affairs in the court. Su Ze gained a deeper understanding of the saying: "Politics is the art of compromise."

This statement does not mean that politics requires compromise or political collusion.

Rather, for a country, policymakers need sufficient patience to gradually promote reforms at the lowest possible cost, rather than making sudden U-turns and veering left and right, which would lead the entire country into an abyss.

Sometimes, if you don't mess with this state apparatus, it can continue to operate for decades on inertia; but if you do mess with it, it will only perish faster.

Su Ze looked at the [Handheld Ming Dynasty Court]. His cheat system was indeed powerful. In addition to forcibly passing policies, the system could also simulate the reaction after the policies were introduced. This was something that many great politicians dreamed of!
Su Ze finished writing the memorial, which was his own abridged version of the "Assessment and Performance Evaluation Law".

Su Ze's version of the Examination and Assessment Law limited the scope of the assessment to two institutions: the Six Ministries and the Censorate.

The emperor personally supervised the Six Ministries, which in turn supervised the Censorate.

It also stipulated the scope of supervision of the Six Ministries and the Censorate, prohibited rumors and gossip, and required that there be evidence to impeach ministers, and that matters be discussed on a case-by-case basis.

The Six Ministries of the Censorate must also register the cases they are investigating, and they will be punished if they fail to do so on time.

In this way, the power of supervision would nominally belong to the emperor, thus avoiding any suspicion from the imperial authority.

But it's only nominal; any right still needs to be exercised.

With a narrower scope of reforms, the resulting opposition is naturally smaller.

Given the notorious reputation of the Six Ministries and the Censorate in the outer court, many officials actually applauded the performance evaluation system he proposed.

However, Su Ze also left something unsaid.

The Six Ministries and the Censorate have the authority to investigate all officials, so it would be only natural to apply the performance evaluation system to other government departments in the future.

In modern terms, this means first identifying a pilot reform area, and then promoting it nationwide after the reform has proven effective.

Su Ze stuffed the new "Memorial Requesting Inspection of Memorials and Examinations" into the "Portable Ming Dynasty Court" and then a smile appeared on his lips.

——[Simulation Start]——

A day later, the new memorial entitled "Request to Investigate the Examination of Memorials and Their Results" was sent to the Cabinet. Among the cabinet ministers, only Zhang Juzheng expressed his support, and the memorial was sent to the palace.

Two days later, the emperor accepted your memorial, which was then circulated to the Six Ministries, where officials were outraged.

Some officials from the Six Ministries and the Censorate viewed you as an enemy, but others approved of your reforms.

Because of the great controversy in the court and among the public, the emperor kept your memorial and planned to discuss it again after the new year.

Ultimately, your memorial came to nothing.

——[Simulation End]——

[Should we deduct 300 prestige points and execute this memorial?]

[Remaining Prestige: 360 points]

really!

The revised memorial requires significantly less prestige.

Do some officials who criticize the government agree with their own reforms?

That's true. Censors were a group of people. Back then, it was censors who risked their lives to impeach Yan Song and his son. Among the censors, there were naturally those who did not want to become tools of factional struggle and wanted to do things sincerely.

His own performance evaluation system limited the power of the Six Ministries and the Censorate to gather information, but it also gave the censors a direction for their daily work, which was to return to the system established when the Six Ministries and the Censorate were founded:

The Six Departments were responsible for supervising the Censorate and the Six Ministries, while the Censorate returned to its original function of supervising local areas.

This is just the first step in Su Ze's reform direction. Next, Su Ze plans to change the Censorate to a supervisory system similar to the inspection and patrol system of later generations.

Of course, that's a story for later. The first priority was to limit the work of censors to specific practical matters through the performance evaluation system.

"Deduct prestige points."

[Prestige points have been deducted, leaving 60 prestige points. Please complete the memorial in the real world.]

Su Ze picked up the memorial. The newspaper office was already closed today, and the officials from the Ministry of Justice would not be coming over. So he simply took the memorial and headed straight for the Ministry of Justice.
-
Department of General Affairs.

Li Yiyuan, the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, sat in his office, sealed the last memorial of the day into a secret box, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Starting today, most government offices have been locked down, except for a few key departments that require staff to be on duty.

This means that the period from now until the Lantern Festival is a rare time of relaxation for the Office of Transmission.

The Office of Transmission was required to be on duty, but with the Lunar New Year approaching, Li Yiyuan sent most of his subordinates home, since they only needed to take turns on duty during the holiday.

This Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs, known as "Da Yintai," leaned deeply into his armchair. This year had been incredibly difficult for him!
First came the battle of impeaching Xu Jie, followed by several political storms, all of which greatly troubled the Office of Transmission.

Of course, these tasks were handled by lower-level officials.

When Zhu Juntang, a member of the royal family, struck the Dengwen Drum, it greatly frightened Li Yiyuan, the Grand Secretary, who was even preparing to resign and return to his hometown.

The imperial court is too treacherous! I, Li Yiyuan, cannot handle it!
Fortunately, the case of Prince Dai was resolved quickly, which allowed Li Yiyuan to put away his resignation.

In the following months, a series of events, including the Liao King case, occurred, and Li Yiyuan lived in constant fear.

Having finally made it to today, Li Yiyuan picked up the "Yuefu Xinbao" on his desk, ready to relax.

Just then, a subordinate knocked lightly on the door. Li Yiyuan frowned, but still let the subordinate in.

The subordinate was holding a memorial to the throne. Li Yiyuan asked in confusion:

"It's already today, how come there are still memorials? Were they overlooked before?"

The subordinate hurriedly said:
"Reporting to Da Yintai, this memorial has just arrived."

The secret box sent to the cabinet has been sealed. Li Yiyuan said irritably, "The memorial that was sent today? Let's put it aside for now and send it after the Lantern Festival."

But the young subordinate stammered:

"The Grand Silver Terrace, but the one who delivered the memorial said that it must be delivered to the Cabinet today."

Li Yiyuan, his anger subsided, said, "? Do you expect someone else to teach the Office of Transmission how to do things?"

"It is a memorial submitted by Su Ze of the Hanlin Academy."

Upon hearing that it was Su Ze's memorial, Li Yiyuan still frowned, but he still obediently accepted the memorial from his subordinate.

The Commissioner of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices had the function of reviewing and exchanging memorials, which was the starting point of the entire official document circulation system. Therefore, this position was very important, as it allowed him to know important news from the court at the first opportunity.

After Li Yiyuan finished reading the memorial, his face turned deathly pale as he said:

"Oh no, oh no, we're not going to have a good New Year!"

He said to his men, "Quickly recall everyone!"

(End of this chapter)