My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 203 "Memorial on the Reform of the Postal Routes"

Yang Sizhong was also numb.

He thought the emperor would punish him, but to his surprise, after approving Su Ze's memorial, the Longqing Emperor thought more and more that the suggestion of another voyage to the Western Ocean was a good one.

Ever since the emperor copied the edict of Emperor Chengzu onto the screen, Emperor Longqing's determination to emulate his ancestor grew stronger.

The Ministry of War submitted another memorial the day before yesterday, stating that four Dongsheng Bastions had been built and the cannons from the Datong Cannon Foundry had been cast and were ready to be transported to the bastions.

Conquering the grasslands and venturing to Southeast Asia, Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di) accomplished only these two major feats in his life, aside from the Jingnan Campaign.

If these two things could be accomplished in this dynasty, wouldn't the emperor be on par with Emperor Chengzu?

Therefore, when the emperor saw the delayed memorials from the Six Ministries and the Censorate, he did not intend to punish Yang Sizhong.

Immediately afterwards, the censors began to impeach Yang Sizhong, but the Office of Transmission did not submit a memorial to defend itself.

After Emperor Longqing summoned Gao Gong, the second-in-command of the Grand Secretariat, and found out why the Office of Transmission had not yet had a chief envoy, he became even more disgusted with these officials who dared to speak out.

It is clearly because you have not done your job properly and have repeatedly rejected the list recommended by the court that the position of Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review has remained vacant until now.

Now they've impeached the Secretary of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices instead?

The emperor simply issued an edict, ordering the Grand Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel to bypass the Six Ministries and directly recommend candidates for the position of Commissioner of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

The list of recommended officials was submitted, and Yang Sizhong was prominently featured. The emperor circled his name without hesitation.

In this way, Yang Sizhong was promoted from Vice Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review to Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, and Pei Qing, the Right Vice Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, was promoted in turn to Vice Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review. Thus, the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review was fully equipped with one commissioner and one vice commissioner.

Yang Sizhong and Pei Qing were both promoted, but neither of them was happy. The Office of Transmission had many duties but little power, making it a truly useless government office.

Yang Sizhong had just been promoted with special approval from the emperor, so it would be inappropriate for him to submit his resignation again. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue working.

However, Yang Sizhong had just received the imperial edict when he met the person he least wanted to see.

Su Ze walked into the Office of General Affairs with the memorial in his hand.
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Su Ze is a grateful person.

Although it is unknown whether Yang Sizhong's request for leave was due to Tongzi's influence, which caused the Ministry of Justice to delay the officials' memorials, Yang Sizhong did indeed help himself.

And this "second voyage to the West" has another surprise in store.

[Using 150 prestige points, the memorial was forcibly approved.]

Seven months later, the Ming Dynasty fleet set sail for the Western Ocean again.

The Ming fleet cruised through Southeast Asia, where the Chinese community warmly welcomed it, and various Southeast Asian nations paid tribute and pledged allegiance.

The fleet arrived in Malacca, where the Ottoman fleet and the Portuguese clashed in the Battle of Malacca, resulting in heavy losses for both sides.

The Ming Dynasty supported the King of Malacca, expelled the Portuguese forces, and regained control of Malacca.

[Ming Dynasty +6]

The dynasty's fortune has increased by 6! Even Su Ze didn't expect such a surprise.
But why would the Ottoman fleet appear in the South Seas?

Su Ze was completely baffled, and thought that he had changed the timeline, which led to this result.

But Su Ze didn't know that the Ottoman expedition to Malacca had indeed happened in the history before his time travel.

The Ottomans and the Portuguese waged a series of wars in an attempt to monopolize the spice trade.

The Portuguese occupied Malacca not only because it was the most important maritime hub in Southeast Asia, but also because there were many spice plantations nearby.
The Malacca Sultanate itself was part of the Mandala system. Located in Southeast Asia, it was influenced by the Ming Dynasty. While paying tribute to the Ming Dynasty, the Malacca Sultanate was also a country that adhered to a certain religion and was also a vassal state of the Ottomans.

When Malacca fell, the king fled to the Ming Dynasty to lodge a complaint, while the prince fled to the Ottoman Empire.

Therefore, the Ottoman Empire also possessed the "claims" of the Malacca Kingdom.

This time, Selim II discovered the amazing Eastern commodity "black tea," which further fueled his desire to open up trade routes to the East.

Su Ze never expected that his suggestion to embark on another voyage to the West would lead to such a favorable outcome, resulting in a mutually destructive conflict between the Portuguese and the Ottomans.

In this way, we can discuss a second trip to the West next year.

Su Ze was a grateful person, so on the last day of July, he brought a "surprise" to the Office of Transmission.

"A memorial on the reform of post roads?"

The Office of Transmission was in charge of "transmitting imperial edicts, communicating the sentiments of the people, controlling the entry and exit of official documents from various departments, reporting suggestions from officials and people from all directions, and handling appeals against grievances or accusations of illegal acts."

The post station system was also controlled by the Office of Communications, so Su Ze produced this "Memorial on the Reform of the Post Station System".

After reading the memorial, Yang Sizhong had an even bigger headache.

As the name suggests, this is a memorial directly addressing the reform of the post station system.

Su Ze clearly stated his purpose, elevating the matter of the post road to a higher level.

"The postal system for transmitting orders is the cornerstone of royal governance; the smooth operation of postal routes is the lifeblood of the nation."

Su Ze's reform of the post station system is actually a recurring issue.

First, we must strictly enforce the system of verification and approval to prevent unauthorized demands.

In his memorial, Su Ze explained that the post stations near the capital had been restored to their original order under the supervision of the Censors of the Censorate.

The number of people received by the post stations decreased significantly, the efficiency of transmitting urgent military intelligence greatly improved, and the situation of irrelevant people occupying the post stations near the capital was greatly reduced.

However, Su Ze also stated in his memorial that "postal services for long distances are also a necessity for the people."

In the past, the official post stations were clogged, partly due to lax management of the postal service, which allowed a large number of unauthorized individuals to occupy the court's resources.

However, this also shows that there was indeed a need for such population movement around the capital.

Simply expelling these people from the official post station will not solve the problem. They are also citizens of the Ming Dynasty. If they sleep on the streets or are robbed by bandits, they are also citizens of the Ming Dynasty who suffer.

Therefore, Su Ze proposed to "establish civilian post stations".

Su Ze suggested that in areas with busy transportation operations, the government could set up "delivery stations".

The delivery station was specifically responsible for transporting merchant goods and could recruit soldiers from local garrisons to escort them.

Private inns could also be established near important official inns, managed by the local judicial office. These inns did not require official documents; all that was needed was an identity certificate issued by the local government for lodging. However, lodging fees had to be paid according to the prevailing rates.

Both the "relay stations" and "civilian post stations" employed recruited laborers, with the government selecting strong men to serve as grooms and servants, and clearly defining their wages and pay, which were paid monthly.

The income of these two institutions, after deducting operating expenses, was used to subsidize the official post stations, with the profits controlled by the provincial judicial commissioner's office, thus alleviating the heavy burden on the official post stations of the Ming Dynasty.

In addition to these two reform measures, Su Ze also proposed several key post road construction plans.

First, stone-paved official roads were laid along the canal, and fast horse stations were set up along the way. News about the canal transport could be quickly reported to the Ministry of Revenue by fast horse, and the imperial court could relieve the pressure on the canal transport in a timely manner based on the situation.

Secondly, a military news line was set up in the northern border region to integrate the post stations along the northern route. The post stations were equipped with military horses, and in case of emergency, the horses were changed but the riders were not, so that the news could be delivered to the capital as quickly as possible.

Thirdly, stone-paved official roads were also laid in Yunnan and Guizhou. Especially during the rainy season when the roads were muddy, these official roads could also send urgent intelligence from Yunnan and Guizhou to the outside world, strengthening the court's control over the southwestern frontier.

Fourth, the post stations for those entering Tibet should be reinstated, following the precedent set during the reign of Emperor Chengzu. Post stations should also be established on the plateau, serving as resting places for envoys from Ü-Tsang to pay tribute and strengthen ties with Ü-Tsang. Fifth, sea post stations should be established, using fast ships to deliver messages. Su Ze suggested that urgent messages from Southern Zhili could be transmitted using both land and sea post stations.

After reading Su Ze's thick memorial, Yang Sizhong finally understood how his old boss felt.

When Li Yiyuan received the emperor's order to revise the Ming Code, he was probably just as desperate.
However, after reading Su Ze's memorial, Yang Sizhong had to admit that Su Ze's reform of the post stations was very thorough. He clearly stated the importance of the post station system and proposed practical improvement measures.

In particular, the plan to relocate several post stations was so effective that even the officials in the Ministry of Communications who were most familiar with the post road system found Su Ze's suggestions to be very effective.

Helpless, Yang Sizhong picked up the official seal of the Ministry of Justice, stamped Su Ze's memorial, and then prepared to personally deliver the memorial to the cabinet.

The newly appointed Vice Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, Pei Qing, chuckled inwardly upon seeing Yang Sizhong's expression, but still feigned regret and said:
"We can only trouble the Grand Secretary to personally deliver Su Hanlin's memorial."

Yang Sizhong glanced at his trusted subordinate. As a seasoned veteran of the officialdom, how could he not see through Pei Qing's thoughts?

Yang Sizhong didn't argue with him for the time being, but instead went to the cabinet with his memorial.

Grand Secretary Li Chunfang took leave again, and the remaining three Grand Secretaries read Su Ze's memorial and wrote down their opinions in agreement.

After the three Grand Secretaries finished reading, Yang Sizhong, the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, said:
"Su Zilin's memorial concerns the Ministry of State Affairs, and I should recuse myself from any appearance of impropriety. However, since Su Zilin has mentioned measures for the reform of the post stations, this still requires a capable minister to oversee it."

Gao Gong and Zhang Juzheng both nodded. The reform measures were good, but there was a possibility that they might be implemented incorrectly at the lower levels.

The post stations are crucial to the flow of official documents throughout the Ming Dynasty. If any problems arise, they will be serious.

Yang Sizhong then said:
"I suggest that we first pilot the establishment of 'relay stations' and 'civilian relay stations' in the vicinity of the capital and southern Zhili, and then have them supervised by the Censorate of the two capitals."

"I suggest that Pei Qing, the Vice Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs, be in charge of the reform of the post stations in the capital region, and that the Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs in Nanjing be in charge of the reform of the post stations in Southern Zhili."

Gao Gong nodded repeatedly, clearly finding Yang Sizhong's suggestion quite reasonable.

So Gao Gong took Su Ze's memorial and wrote this passage on the draft opinion.
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——[Simulation Start]——

The memorial on the reform of the postal routes was sent to the cabinet, and all three cabinet ministers voted in favor of it. The memorial was then sent to the palace.

After reading the memorial, the Longqing Emperor immediately approved it, but according to Gao Gong's suggestion, it should be piloted first in the capital region and the southern Zhili region.

Under the supervision of the Censorate of the Capital and the Censorate of Southern Zhili.

A year later, the pilot programs in the capital region and Southern Zhili were successful. The post stations of the Ming Dynasty were running smoothly, and the "delivery stations" and "civilian post stations" were also profitable, which promoted the development of transportation in the capital and Southern Zhili.

A year later, the "Memorial on the Reform of the Post Roads" was promoted nationwide.

——[Simulation End]——

[Should I spend 100 reputation points to ensure the memorial is fully executed?]

[Remaining Prestige Points: 50]

Su Ze decisively chose no. Starting with the capital region and Southern Zhili was indeed a more prudent approach, and these two regions had the most active supervisory agencies in the Ming Dynasty, making them the most suitable for pilot projects.

As expected, Gao Gong's thinking was very thorough.

Su Ze also secretly reflected that perhaps things had been going too smoothly lately, and he had gradually become impatient for quick success.

When it comes to reforms as significant as those involving post stations, we should follow Gao Gong's approach and steadily advance the reforms while strengthening oversight.

Su Ze kept this lesson in mind and visited Gao Gong again that very night.

In Gao Gong's study, after Su Ze finished explaining his summary of the mistakes of rashness, Gao Gong nodded and said:

"You can reflect on yourself three times a day; Zilin, you have lived up to the sage's words."

"But I dare not take credit for this matter. It was Yang Sizhong, the Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs, who requested that the pilot program be implemented in the capital region and southern Zhili."

Su Ze asked, "Lord Yang?"

Gao Gong nodded and said:
"This newly appointed Grand Secretary is indeed no ordinary person. Over the years, he has been hiding his talents in the court, and I was almost fooled by him. I never knew he had such abilities."

Gao Gong continued:

"The fact that your memorial after the court debate was passed so easily is also thanks to this Lord Yang."

Su Ze quickly replied, "This disciple has learned a great deal. I will always remember Lord Yang's kindness."

Gao Gong waved his hand and said:

"You don't need to worry about this favor; I will remember it."

Su Ze was somewhat touched; Gao Gong had taken the initiative to accept this favor.

After discussing the affairs of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Gao Gong continued:
What are your thoughts on the Shuntian Prefecture Autumn Examination?

The provincial examination was held in autumn, so it was also called the autumn examination.

In the Ming Dynasty, each province set its own examination questions. In other provinces, the provincial education department set the questions and served as the chief examiner, but the Northern and Southern Zhili provinces were the only exceptions.

The chief examiners for the provincial examinations in Shuntian Prefecture, where the capital was located, and in the provincial examinations in Southern Zhili, where Nanjing was located, were both selected by the imperial court from the Hanlin Academy.

Gao Gong originally wanted Su Ze to preside over the Shuntian Prefecture provincial examination.

However, Gao Gong has received some information these days and no longer wants Su Ze to get involved in this mess.

Unexpectedly, Su Ze took the initiative to speak:
“Master, I also wanted to explain this matter to you.”

"The students often give lectures to several students who are also candidates for the Imperial Academy, and they will be participating in the provincial examination in Shuntian Prefecture this year."

"In addition, Xu Wei, a student's retainer, has also registered for this year's Shuntian Prefecture provincial examination."

“If they pass the exam, people will inevitably gossip about the unfairness of the examination system. But if they are rejected, the students will not be able to bear seeing them study so hard for so long.”

After listening, Gao Gong stroked his beard and said with satisfaction:
“As a teacher and friend, this is how it should be. Since that’s the case, I’ll help you resign from this position as chief examiner.”

Then, Gao Gong added:

"Tell your friends in the Hanlin Academy not to seek this position."

Su Ze immediately understood Gao Gong's meaning; there must be some hidden secrets about the Shuntian Prefecture provincial examination that even Gao Gong couldn't easily reveal.

Could it be a clash between the Grand Secretaries?

Could it be a case of corruption in the imperial examinations?
There were many scandals in the imperial examinations during the Ming Dynasty, and each time they implicated a wide range of people.

Su Ze was wary and decided to stay away from this mess.

Then Su Ze also advised his friends, such as Luo Wanhua and Shen Yiguan, who were qualified to compete for the position of chief examiner, to stay away from this mess.

But to Su Ze's surprise, on August 3rd, Shen Yiguan rushed into the newspaper office and told Su Ze some shocking news.

The chief examiner for this year's Shuntian Prefecture Autumn Examination has been selected, and it is none other than Shen Shixing, a good friend of Su Ze.

(End of this chapter)