My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 240 No More Pretense, Su Ze Makes His Move
That evening, at Gao Gong's home.

Wenxuan Lang Zhang Siwei sat in his study, looking at the tall arch behind his desk.

"Prime Minister, the list of additional cabinet ministers has been sent to the palace."

Gao Gong nodded slightly.

Zhang Siwei quickly asked:
"Prime Minister, which official do you think His Majesty will appoint to the cabinet?"

Although Zhang Siwei was a candidate for the imperial examination, the Ministry of Personnel could only compile a list of qualified officials and send it to the palace when it came to the important matter of recommending important officials for the cabinet.

Those in the study today are all Gao Gong's disciples, but Gao Gong would not call Su Ze over on such occasions.

This is not because Gao Gong does not value Su Ze; on the contrary, it is a way of protecting Su Ze.

In Gao Gong's view, Su Ze is almost certain to enter the cabinet and will inevitably inherit his political legacy in the future.

Moreover, Su Ze has a good relationship with the other Grand Secretaries and has already established a persona of "selflessness in public service".

In this situation, there's no need to involve Su Ze in these political conspiracies and tarnish his reputation.

Gao Gong said, "Given Your Majesty's wisdom, Yin Shidan has the greatest chance of being admitted to the cabinet."

"Master!"

Zhang Siwei spoke first, saying that Yin Shidan and Gao Gong had a bad relationship, which was the worst possible outcome among the three popular candidates.

Yin Shidan was politically conservative, academically friendly with former Grand Secretary Xu Jie, and quite disdainful of the practical learning advocated by Gao Gong.

Gao Gong said:

“Yin Shidan is also a former member of the Prince’s household. He has taught His Majesty. His Majesty is a ruler who cherishes the past.”

“Yin Shidan has done a good job in educating the Crown Prince, and he has no faults in his position as Vice Minister of Rites.”

"Most importantly, he has little connection with any of us four regents."

“Wang Shizhen and Grand Secretary Zhang are close friends, and Li Yiyuan and I have a long-standing friendship.”

Zhang Siwei quickly understood Gao Gong's meaning.

As Gao Gong said, the emperor agreed to fill the cabinet with people, but did not want the cabinet to become unbalanced.

In terms of merit, Li Yiyuan and Wang Shizhen are both above Yin Shidan.

However, both men had connections with two cabinet ministers, so the emperor was more likely to choose Yin Shidan, who had no connection with the cabinet ministers.

Gao Gong continued:
"However, Yin Shidan and Grand Secretary Xu have a past relationship, so you can try submitting your petition from here."

Everyone present quickly understood Gao Gong's intention.

Yin Shidan shared the same academic views as the former Grand Secretary Xu Jie, and the two also had private interactions.

Now that the emperor dislikes Grand Secretary Xu, attacking Yin Shidan on this point might change the emperor's mind.

The same secret meeting also took place at Zhang Juzheng's home.

Zhang Juzheng's strategy was to have the censors question Li Yiyuan's qualifications.

Li Yiyuan had only been serving as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice for a little over six months, and the first draft of the "Civil Law of the Great Ming Dynasty" was only completed. He was not suited to join the cabinet at this time.

Yin Shidan only disagreed with Zhang Juzheng on political matters, but he also had academic disputes with Gao Gong.

Therefore, for Zhang Juzheng, Yin Shidan's entry into the cabinet was the second worst option, since Gao Gong, who controlled the Ministry of Personnel, was the most powerful cabinet minister under Grand Secretary Li Chunfang.

Even if Yin Shidan's entry into the cabinet would be detrimental to him, Zhang Juzheng could accept it as long as Li Yiyuan was not allowed to enter the cabinet.

Zhao Zhenji's attitude was even clearer. He and Yin Shidan were like-minded followers of the School of Mind, so he naturally supported Yin Shidan's entry into the cabinet.
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The underground casinos in the capital have already opened betting odds, but the odds for the three are about the same.

Throughout the streets and alleys of the capital, the important matter of appointing new Grand Secretaries was being discussed, and the attention surrounding this event had overshadowed the previous disputes over the Ministry of Works' management of the Yellow River and the repair of the canal.

After all, for the scholars in the capital, neither the Yellow River nor the Grand Canal was far away from them.

The changes in the important officials in the court are the best topics of conversation.

Imperial College.

The Imperial College, which was originally unpopular, became increasingly lively during its several expansions in the third year of the Longqing reign.

First, students of the Imperial Academy were allowed to participate in the provincial examinations for officials in Shuntian Prefecture, which motivated many students to study in the academy.

Secondly, the Civil Service Examination Class and the Society for Research in Architecture also moved into the Imperial College, increasing its popularity.

Meanwhile, the Military Academy was also under construction next to the Imperial College.

Although the Imperial Academy is not as prosperous as it was at its peak, it is still much more bustling than in the previous dynasty.

With more scholars, there were also more shops and facilities.

Zhang Chun sat in a modern teahouse.

This teahouse is different from ordinary teahouses. It has specially partitioned off private rooms with wooden boards. Although the soundproofing is not very good, at least you can have a private space.

The tea served here is also different from the strong, bitter tea served in ordinary teahouses. This teahouse offers mild black tea, and if you pay a little more, you can add some cane sugar from Koi to enhance the flavor.

Sitting opposite Zhang Chun was a peer dressed in a modern official's uniform.

The young man's name was Zhang Mingyuan, and he was a distant relative of Zhang Chun.

Zhang Mingyuan participated in the civil service examination and was assigned to Fangshan County, near the capital, as the Registrar of Household Affairs. Today, he stole half a day of leisure while working in the city and came to this teahouse near the Imperial College to invite his cousin Zhang Chun to dinner.

Zhang Chun looked at Zhang Mingyuan's new official uniform with some envy.

In the past, officials of the Ming Dynasty had to wear special black robes, which were used to indicate their lowly status.

After Su Ze petitioned for the holding of the civil service examination, the Ministry of Personnel also reformed the service of the officials in Shuntian Prefecture.

The humiliating black-colored official robes were no longer used; instead, the same unpatched official robes as those worn by low-ranking civil officials were adopted, along with matching official boots and hats.

This outfit clearly boosted the new official's sense of pride.

Of course, changing the public's perception of officials is definitely not something that can be achieved simply by changing their clothes.

But at least it has a fresh new look.

After taking their seats, Zhang Mingyuan said to Zhang Chun:

"Brother, if it weren't for your encouragement to take the civil service exam, I don't know where I would be wasting my time right now."

Zhang Mingyuan was the kind of student who failed the imperial examinations repeatedly. He couldn't even pass the county-level examination, let alone become a scholar, and he didn't even have the opportunity to teach at a private school.

However, Zhang Mingyuan, who had studied for a few years, was unwilling to stay at home and farm, so he secretly ran away from his hometown in Shandong to the capital and made a living as a sycophantic scholar.

After hearing about the civil service examination, Zhang Chun decisively sent his cousin to try it out. The competition for the first civil service examination was not fierce, as many local scholars in Shuntian Prefecture disdained to become officials, which gave Shandong candidates a great opportunity.

Zhang Mingyuan passed the exam on his first attempt. While studying at the Imperial College, he received tutoring from Zhang Chun and passed the graduation exam.

Zhang Chun is a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial civil service examination). If he can pass the Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the spring next year, he will rise to the top and become an official.

Therefore, whether considering past favors or future prospects, Zhang Mingyuan held Zhang Chun in the highest esteem.

Zhang Mingyuan recounted the interesting stories that had happened since he took office in Fangshan County. Then he talked about the secrets of the county government, saying, "The county magistrate is a protégé of Grand Secretary Zhang. He sent me to the Shuntian Prefecture government office to inquire about the new Grand Secretary." Zhang Mingyuan looked at Zhang Chun.

He had known this fellow townsman for a long time and also knew that Zhang Chun was an interviewer for the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper.

Su Ze often went to the Imperial College to give lectures to these students who had passed the imperial examinations, so he was considered their teacher.

Therefore, Zhang Mingyuan hoped to get information about Su Ze from Zhang Chun.

Looking at his fellow villager, Zhang Chun thought, "No wonder people say that government offices are a cesspool. This fellow villager was an honest man when he first entered government service, but now he's learned to use indirect methods."

However, Zhang Chun still frankly stated:

“Recently, Hanlin Su has been busy with official duties and has not come to the Imperial Academy to give lectures.”

Zhang Mingyuan was slightly disappointed, but he also knew that even if Su Ze were to give a lecture, he would not discuss important matters of the court with scholars like Zhang Chun who had not yet become officials.

Zhang Mingyuan said, "Su Hanlin is a celestial being. With just one memorial, he was appointed as a cabinet minister, and the people of Fangshan all knew that the court had produced another young Grand Secretary Su."

Zhang Chun frowned. The previous Grand Secretary was Yan Shifan, who was executed by the Jiajing Emperor. Clearly, this was not an auspicious word.

Zhang Mingyuan, observing Zhang Chun's expression, knew that Zhang Chun probably didn't like this topic, so he continued:
"I heard from my colleague who works in Shuntian Prefecture that the most important item for the assessment of each county this year is the collection of commercial taxes. The county magistrate is so worried about this that he can't sleep every day. But Fangshan is not a rich county. Where can he collect so much commercial tax?"

Zhang Mingyuan looked at Zhang Chun. Besides being a junior official, Su Ze was also revered as a god of wealth by merchants in the capital.

Everyone knows that the shops in the Eastern Palace that make a fortune every day are all thanks to Su Hanlin's ability to turn stones into gold.

Not to mention that Su Ze petitioned to open the port and requested the opening of the Jiubian Horse Market. Even the Datong merchants who passed through Fangshan County spoke of Su Ze with great admiration.

Zhang Mingyuan and his fellow students in the civil service examination class studied together at the Imperial Academy for three months. After graduation, it is unknown who suggested it, but they followed the example of the successful candidates and compiled a "Record of Fellow Graduates".

These officials were distributed throughout the capital region, and in the prefectural and county offices of Shuntian Prefecture, just as Su Ze had predicted, they naturally formed a new group of officials.

Although these new officials could not yet defeat the old families of officials who held sway in the local area, they were able to gain a foothold in the county government because the officials in charge trusted them more and because they had acquired the skills they needed.

Moreover, these new officials have more room for advancement than the old ones, which aligns with the performance-oriented officials who are more eager to achieve results in their localities.

The magistrate of Fangshan County was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and a protégé of Zhang Juzheng, a Grand Secretary of the current dynasty. Now that Grand Secretary Zhang was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue and overseeing the commercial taxes of Shuntian Prefecture, the magistrate of Fangshan County naturally had to make some achievements for his mentor and increase his own standing within the faction.

The new officials, including Zhang Mingyuan, shared the same goal as the county magistrate. They came to Shuntian Prefecture to gather information and also to ask Zhang Chun about his methods for making money.

Zhang Chun was an interviewer for the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper, and he could often see that Hanlin Su, so he could probably get some of his wealth.

However, Zhang Chun had indeed considered these things, and he said:
"Relying solely on taxes levied by itinerant and stationary merchants, and relying on this meager commercial tax revenue, it would be very difficult for your Fangshan County to stand out in Shuntian Prefecture."

Zhang Mingyuan was somewhat dejected. He had no connections in the court and couldn't be assigned to a better county in Shuntian Prefecture. Compared to his classmates who were directly assigned to Shuntian Prefecture, he was far behind.

But Zhang Chun also said:
"Fangshan County cannot achieve anything by relying solely on these methods; it must develop its industries and industries."

"Developing industry and agriculture?"

Zhang Chun nodded and said:

"This is something I heard Su Hanlin and Luo Hanlin talk about."

Upon hearing the name Su Hanlin, Zhang Mingyuan immediately perked up. The other Hanlin, Luo, must be Luo Wanhua, the current editor-in-chief of Yuefu Xinbao and the top scholar of the second year of the Longqing reign.

The conversation between these two must be very important news.

Zhang Chun continued:

"Merchants are not simply those who buy and sell. Are the merchants of Datong as wealthy as those of Jiangnan?"

Zhang Mingyuan immediately shook his head.

Although Shanxi merchants were wealthy, they still couldn't compare to the merchants from Jiangnan.

Zhang Chun said:

"The most important thing is to develop industry and agriculture. Your Fangshan County is not a transportation hub. Even if you collect all the merchants, can you collect as much as a single city gate in the capital?"

"Therefore, we still need to develop industries and set up workshops."

After listening, Zhang Mingyuan felt as if he had been enlightened, and he continued to ask:

"In your opinion, what kind of workshops should Fangshan County open?"

Zhang Chun said:

"According to Su Hanlin, then we must adapt to local conditions."

"Adapt to local conditions?"

Zhang Chun said:

"Even a clever cook can't cook without rice. The development of industry is also about making a living off the land and water. What industries can your Fangshan County develop?"

Zhang Mingyuan thought for a moment and said:

“We have charcoal kilns and iron mines in Fangshan.”

Zhang Chun shook his head and said, "The capital is a place where resources gather, and coal and iron cannot be sold at a good price."

Zhang Mingyuan nodded regretfully, and then said:
"We also have Liulichang in Fangshan. The dragon-shaped roof tiles in the Forbidden City were all produced by the official kilns in Fangshan!"

Zhang Chun shook his head and said:

"The emperor doesn't like building palaces now, so these glazed tiles won't sell."

"Wait, Liuli!"

Zhang Mingyuan looked at Zhang Chun with a puzzled expression, only to hear Zhang Chun say:

"I heard Su Hanlin say that, in fact, colored glaze and Western glass are the same thing, only the firing process is different."

"Since you have official kilns in Fangshan that produce glazed tiles, why don't you try making glass?"

"Ever since Su Hanlin published the glassmaking method in the newspaper, the glass in the Eastern Palace shops has been in short supply. Government offices and private residences all want to replace their paper windows with glass."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Mingyuan quickly wrote it down.

If it really works out and Fangshan can produce glass, then this year's commercial tax target will definitely be met!
After Zhang Mingyuan left, Zhang Chun abandoned his lazy thoughts and rushed back to the Imperial Academy to study.

I am fortunate to have such favorable conditions and receive guidance from Shen Li and Su Ze, so I should study hard and pass the imperial examination as soon as possible.

Having witnessed the rapid changes in the capital, and having read many historical books, Zhang Chun understood that such an era of great change was also a golden age for personal advancement.

Just like Zhang Mingyuan, a fellow villager who has devoted himself to this great era, there are opportunities everywhere in this era. As long as you are willing to work hard, you will have a chance to get ahead.

Zhang Chun admonished himself to study hard and pass the imperial examination as soon as possible.
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Just as the people of the capital were placing heavy bets on the selection of the new cabinet ministers, the five city patrol censors, along with the police, busted several underground casinos, but the problem persisted.

Yang Sizhong, the Director of the Court of State Affairs, saw the memorial submitted by Su Ze, which was sent by his subordinates.

"Memorial Requesting the Establishment of a Minister in Charge of the Grand Canal"
After looking through it, Yang Sizhong's expression changed drastically.

Good grief, Su Ze, you're not pretending anymore, are you? Directly interfering in the selection of cabinet ministers?

(End of this chapter)