My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 323 The struggle for the Palm Seal has always been like this.

In early March, a sudden rain fell in the capital.

Despite the continuous spring rain, the capital city remained bustling. Early in the morning, smoke rose from chimneys in the streets and alleys. When Shen Yiguan opened the door, he was greeted by the lively atmosphere of the city.

The capital city is becoming more and more prosperous.

Shen Yiguan had already eaten breakfast at home, but when he reached the street corner, he was still attracted by the street stall selling fried dough sticks.

Youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks) are actually dough balls that are deep-fried in oil until they are fluffy and crispy. They are then taken out, wrapped in a dough sheet, and brushed with sauce. They are now the most popular food in Beijing.

However, this delicacy is only recently available.

The reason is simple: frying dough sticks requires a lot of oil, and oil used to be very expensive. Ordinary people had to use it sparingly when cooking, and would never use it so extravagantly.

The reason for the drop in oil prices is maritime trade.

Palms, native to Luzon, are a crop with a high oil yield, but were originally only used by the local indigenous people.

After Manila and Luzon paid tribute, Manila merchants urgently needed a flagship product that could open up the Ming Dynasty market.

Finally, a Manila merchant discovered the business opportunity and sold palm oil to the Ming Dynasty.

However, palm oil was not popular at first.

This oil lacks the aroma of oilseeds and has a strange taste. People in the capital still prefer sesame oil and animal oil.

However, after the emergence of fried dough sticks, the sales of palm oil increased significantly. Ordinary people found that this oil was cheap and began to try buying it to make fried food at home.

I've heard that Penghu has also started establishing palm plantations, which means that the price of oil is likely to drop further.

Shen Yiguan still bought a pancake with fried dough sticks. The breakfast at home was too healthy and couldn't compare to the aroma of fried food.

The traffic in the capital is getting worse and worse.

Shen Yiguan held an umbrella in one hand and ate a pancake and fried dough stick in the other. Recently, the city had been encouraging officials to walk to the yamen, and Shen Yiguan was responding to the call. Anyway, his home was not far from the Honglu Temple, and he would have to pay extra for fodder if he rode a horse to the yamen.

Shen Yiguan's residence was near the South Government Office. Most of the people living in this alley were officials. As soon as Shen Yiguan stepped into the government office, he was summoned to the public room of Wang Shizhen, the Grand Herald.

"Dr. Shen, you're familiar with Su Zilin's memorial, aren't you?"

Shen Yiguan and Wang Shizhen had a good personal relationship, but they still had to address each other by their official titles in the government office.

“Grand Herald, Su Zilin discussed this matter with me last month, but I don’t know why he delayed submitting his memorial until the beginning of this month.”

Wang Shizhen seemed to be in a good mood, and he even joked:

"It's probably because Su Zilin is the second Su, and he already submitted two memorials last month."

Shen Yiguan thought to himself that Su Ze had indeed submitted two memorials last month: "Preventing the people from speaking is more difficult than preventing a river from overflowing" and "Requesting the dispatch of an imperial censor to investigate the abuses of the Beijing garrison."

After Shen Yiguan finished smiling apologetically, Wang Shizhen said:
"I heard that Minister Zhang lost his temper at the Ministry of Revenue this time."

Wang Shizhen's tone was tinged with schadenfreude.

He originally had a good relationship with Zhang Juzheng. When his father died at home, Wang Shizhen was compiling a collection of his writings and even asked Zhang Juzheng to contribute.

Despite Wang Shizhen's persecution by Yan Xishan's faction, Zhang Juzheng resolutely wrote a memorial for Wang Shizhen. Later, Wang Shizhen was reinstated, and Zhang Juzheng also deserves credit for his recommendation.

However, after Wang Shizhen was promoted to Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, their relationship developed a rift.

After the Court of State Ceremonial obtained diplomatic power from the Ministry of Rites, Wang Shizhen wanted to make a big splash, but he was met with a head-on blow from the Ministry of Revenue right from the start.

"No money."

Even a hero can be brought down by a mere three coins. The Ministry of Revenue was holding back the budget of the Court of State Ceremonies, and Wang Shizhen's several petitions ultimately came to nothing.

In particular, Wang Shizhen pressured North Korea, and although the agreement on Jeju Island had already been reached, the Ministry of Revenue refused to allocate funds, and the matter remains unresolved.

The two had grown increasingly estranged and were now like strangers.

"Grand Herald, are you going to support Su Zilin?"

Wang Shizhen nodded and said:
“Even when Yan Song was in power during the previous dynasty, the expenditures of the Ministry of Revenue had to be discussed and approved by the emperor. Now that Zhang Jiangling has been in charge of the Ministry of Revenue for many years, the officials are arrogant and domineering. It’s long overdue to take action!”

Shen Yiguan never expected that he, the Grand Herald, would harbor such resentment towards the Ministry of Revenue.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Over the years, the Ministry of Revenue has been using the budget to control various government departments, and its authority has almost surpassed that of the Ministry of Personnel. How could it not cause complaints from the other departments?

Furthermore, the recent petition from meritorious officials to completely consume the remaining budget of the Beijing Garrison has further provoked discontent among various government departments.

Yes, since the opening of the sea and the imposition of commercial taxes in two provinces and one prefecture, the imperial court's revenue has increased.

But there are also more places to spend money now.

The Ministry of Personnel is pushing for reform of its personnel system and has recently been calling for improved treatment of grassroots officials, as well as proposing the establishment of a system of "anti-corruption allowances".

The Ministry of Rites was carrying out educational reforms, and it also had to run the preparatory course for the Imperial Academy and be responsible for the civil service examinations.

The Ministry of Works had even more places to spend money. The disputes over the Yellow River management and Grand Canal construction were not yet over, and there was also the project of the Subei Irrigation Main Canal to be contested. In addition, there was the construction of welfare housing for officials in the new-style earthen buildings in the capital.

The Ministry of War is in an even worse situation. While the northern frontier has been pacified, Liaodong and the southwest are not peaceful, and small-scale conflicts on the grasslands are constant. In addition, there are overseas affairs, and both the army and navy within the Ministry of War are vying for funds.

Even the Ministry of Justice has places where money needs to be spent.

If even the Six Ministries are struggling like this, then the Nine Ministers' offices are even less likely to be able to collect money.

Shen Yiguan had not expected that the Ministry of Revenue had accumulated so much dissatisfaction.

Could it be that Su Zilin's memorial will actually be approved?
-
The Imperial Palace, the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Chen Hong returned from his night watch at the emperor's bedroom and happened to run into Li Fang, who had just arrived at the Directorate of Ceremonial.

When the emperor went to bed, he would be accompanied by a senior eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Emperor Longqing treated his eunuchs more leniently than his father. Li Fang was old, so the emperor graciously exempted him from night duty, so Feng Bao and Chen Hong took turns on duty.

It's a tough job; although you can take a nap, you don't sleep well most of the time.

Especially this year, the Longqing Emperor has been feeling unwell and has been unable to sleep soundly at night. At such times, the eunuchs on night duty must immediately get up to attend to him.

However, Feng Bao and Chen Hong were both happy with this and refused to delegate the task to others, never letting their subordinates take over.

At this moment, a young eunuch brought over a charcoal stove and started cooking clear soup noodles on the side of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

The palace is made entirely of wood, and a fire had occurred in the previous dynasty, so there are very strict fire prevention requirements within the palace.

The eunuchs on night duty, whether they were the lowest-ranking eunuchs or high-ranking officials like Li Fang, could only use mud-sealed charcoal stoves to heat their food.

This is a technique of sealing and smoldering charcoal. The advantage is that there is no open flame, but the disadvantage is that it can only heat food, so it can only be used to cook clear soup noodles.

Of course, the clear soup noodles eaten by the heads of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs were different from those eaten by ordinary eunuchs.

The noodle soup was made from chicken broth that had been simmered and frozen outside the palace, seasoned with spices. Although it was a clear soup noodle dish, the taste was just as good.

The eunuch who was cooking noodles left, leaving only two people in the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Chen Hong put down his chopsticks and said:

"Chief Li, what's your opinion on that matter being discussed in the outer court?"

Li Fang looked at Chen Hong, and he understood what Chen Hong meant.

Feng Bao secretly colluded with Zhang Juzheng in the outer court. Although neither of them had any evidence, they were both shrewd and experienced, and could see through it.

The joint petition from the nobility clearly shows that the Ministry of Revenue and the nobility were behind it, and that Zhang Juzheng was undoubtedly behind it.

At Li Fang's level, she herself is a node where information converges, so these problems become clear at a glance.

He also clearly understood what Chen Hong and Feng Bao meant.

He was already old. Regardless of his relationship with the emperor, an old servant could no longer serve him.

The palace isn't an almshouse; if you withdraw early, you can at least leave a legacy for the emperor.

If one waits until one is old and the emperor grows tired of one before leaving, then one's later years will be truly miserable.

Li Fang understood this principle, so he kept asking to resign from his post since the beginning of this year, but Emperor Longqing was reluctant to let him go because of their past relationship.

However, even the emperor's old affections will eventually fade, so it was only a matter of time before Li Fang left.

After he left, Chen Hong and Feng Bao both vied for the position of Director of Ceremonial Affairs that he had left behind.

Feng Bao sought Zhang Juzheng's support in the outer court, but what about Chen Hong?

This was something Li Fang didn't know, but he did know that doing bad things for Zhang Juzheng was doing bad things for Feng Bao, and Chen Hong understood this.

"Su Zilin's memorial?"

Chen Hong probed.

Li Fang understood Chen Hong's meaning, and he nodded and said:
"This memorial is too taboo."

Li Fang, of course, wouldn't hide it any longer. Since he was leaving, he might as well sell out his favors. He said directly:
"Your Majesty is not worried about Su Zilin forming a faction, but is worried about other ministers forming factions because of this."

“The budget is a matter of national importance, and it is indeed inappropriate for the Ministry of Revenue to make decisions unilaterally. However, it seems too radical to require officials of the fifth rank and above to jointly submit a memorial.”

Chen Hong said:

"Actually, I think this collaboration is pretty good."

"When the imperial court needs to spend money, and how to spend it, all the officials have their own ideas, and this is not something to be ashamed of."

“With everyone signing the petition, they are writing their names openly and honestly. Just as Su Zilin said, this is not a private faction but a public one, so Your Majesty has nothing to worry about.”

"In the end, it is His Majesty's decision that matters, not whoever makes the loudest noise."

Li Fang stared intently at Chen Hong, then asked:
"Is this what you said to His Majesty when you were on night duty yesterday?"

Chen Hong nodded and said:

"Chief Li is incredibly insightful, but His Majesty remains noncommittal. What is your opinion, Chief Li?"

Chen Hong had no choice but to risk speaking out yesterday, but the emperor did not respond.

Of the three powerful figures in the palace, only Li Fang had served Emperor Longqing the longest and understood his heart the best.

Feng Bao and Chen Hong are both far inferior, which is why the emperor is still unwilling to let Li Fang leave.

Feeling uneasy, Chen Hong then asked Li Fang for advice.

Li Fang said, "Prepare to have the imperial edict drafted by the palace attendants."

"what?"

Li Fang said calmly:
"Su Zilin's scheme is so insidious that even the Grand Secretaries can't see through it."

"Once this precedent is set, I may not live to see what happens in the future."

As expected, after Li Fang finished eating his noodles, the emperor issued an imperial edict, approving Su Ze's memorial, allowing officials of the fifth rank and above in the capital to jointly submit a memorial to discuss how to spend the extra budget.

At this time, Feng Bao also entered the Directorate of Ceremonial. He heard the news but did not express any objection.

Chen Hong was greatly surprised. He looked at Li Fang, but Li Fang seemed to have expected this.

Li Fang ignored Chen Hong; of the two successor contenders, Feng Bao was indeed the smarter one.

Since the emperor approved Su Ze's memorial, he must have corresponding control measures.

The role of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which controls the Eastern Depot and is responsible for intelligence work in the capital, will be even more significant.

Feng Bao never opposed Su Ze's memorial, and may even have secretly cooperated with Chen Hong to promote this matter.

The biggest beneficiary of strengthening the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot was Feng Bao himself.

As for his ally Zhang Juzheng, allies are meant to be exchanged.

Li Fang sighed slightly. The nobles were too hasty, and Zhang Juzheng had been too domineering before. This time, they had suffered a small loss.

In the struggle for control of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs within the palace, being the first to act does not necessarily guarantee victory.

There's also a power struggle within the cabinet for the position of chief minister. Is the political situation about to descend into chaos again?
Forget it, I'd better resign as soon as possible.
-
It actually passed?
Shen Shixing also found it somewhat unbelievable.

The emperor issued another decree, invalidating the previous petitions submitted by the officials, and allowing officials of the fifth rank and above in the capital to freely discuss and then jointly submit a petition to discuss the allocation of the budget.

This is unprecedented!

Su Ze always manages to do things unexpectedly that ordinary people cannot.

This setback has filled the Ministry of Revenue with righteous indignation, and everyone is condemning Su Ze.

However, the Prime Minister did not express his opinion.

Shen Shixing wasn't worried about Su Ze. In the years Su Ze had been an official, hadn't he offended quite a few people? Yet he still rose through the ranks.

Next up is this budget proposal.

The number of officials of the fifth rank or above in the capital of the Ming Dynasty was neither too many nor too few.

The number of civil officials was approximately four hundred, while the number of military officials and nobles was approximately two hundred.

Thinking about it this way, Su Zilin's method really is a necessity for office work.

Otherwise, the petitions from officials of the fifth rank and above would have overwhelmed the entire Ministry of Justice.

Everyone submitted their own proposals, and it's estimated that even by next year, they still won't be able to figure out the budget.

However, joint deliberation meant that officials could openly form associations to discuss matters, which had the greatest impact on the political ecology of the Ming Dynasty.

As expected, Shen Shixing was soon invited by his colleagues to the Ministry of Revenue the next day to discuss the budget proposal.

Needless to say, this was a consensus meeting organized by Zhang Juzheng.

Similar discussions were taking place in other departments as well, and it seemed the capital was about to become quite lively.

Shen Shixing accepted the invitation from the same year, since he had already refused his mentor once, and it wouldn't be good to refuse again.

On the third day of the third month, the capital was bustling with activity as officials began to travel between various government offices.

Amidst all the commotion, Su Ze retreated to the East Palace.

"Master Su, are you really not going to write a letter?"

Little Fatty Jun looked at Su Ze, he really didn't understand. This joint proposal was Su Ze's idea, so why didn't he go and draft the budget? Instead, he hid in the East Palace to give him a lesson.

Su Ze said:

"Your Highness, I believe that if the ministers discuss this together, they will surely reach a result that satisfies most people, so I will not interfere."

It was just a budget of one million silver dollars, and Su Ze had no intention of participating at all.

Official reform, the new Beijing garrison, the navy, educational reform, water conservancy—which of these is unrelated to him, and which of these is not an issue he initiated?

Both are my flesh and blood, so I'll treat them equally.

Seeing that Su Ze really wasn't interested, Little Fatty Jun said:
"Master Su, about that thing I mentioned last time?"

(End of this chapter)