My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 335 Shooting yourself in the foot
Writing an article in opposition?

He Suxin became excited.

He Xinyin's articles were sharp and satirical, and each publication boosted the sales of the "New Yuefu Daily." It's just a pity that he rarely writes articles himself anymore.

The newspaper's daily operations were also handed over to He Suxin.

He Suxin ground ink for He Xinyin and laid out paper for him. He Xinyin quickly wrote an article after only a brief mental draft.

He Suxin watched from the side, but as she watched, she felt something was wrong.

This isn't an article opposing Su Ze, is it?
This is an article that helps Su Ze refute that submitted letter!

He Suxin became increasingly alarmed as she looked.

All that can be seen is He Xinyin's writing:

"Where do officials' salaries come from?"

"The food and clothing of one commoner support a hundred officials, and the blood and sweat of ten thousand people benefit the entire region."

"The common people till the fields, peddlers hawk their wares in the marketplace, weavers weave at night in their humble dwellings, and merchants suffer hardships on their journeys. They pay taxes and rents to support the nation, and the salaries of the court's officials are all the result of their sweat and blood!"

"Therefore, what officials do is not merely to receive the emperor's salary, but to be entrusted with the important task of governance by the parents of all people, and to benefit from the lifeblood of all their compatriots!"

"How absurd it is that you speak of private matters!"

"How can parents talk about private matters with the children who support them?"

"Since officials' salaries and the foundation of their properties are all derived from the people, the proper and improper use of their wealth, whether it comes or goes, and its sustenance, directly affect the people's hearts and the integrity of the administration. This is not for personal gain, but for the public good!"

"Su Hanlin's method is still insufficient, and its scope is still shallow! He only reports to the censors and officials, and even the act of concealing books is still worrying about the problem of 'underreporting'. This is indeed a cause for concern."

"This newspaper advocates going a step further: all detailed reports on the properties of Beijing officials of the seventh rank and above submitted at the beginning of the year should have their key points selected and published in the newspaper!"

"The people are the water, and officials are the boats; only when the water is clear can the boats sail. The public disclosure of assets is not intended to humiliate scholars and gentlemen, but rather to use the eyes of the common people as a mirror to reflect their honest and upright hearts!"

"Those who dare to acquire property with a clean conscience have nothing to fear in the light of day. They can walk openly in the marketplace with a clear conscience before the people. Only those with ulterior motives, who fear that their vast wealth is of dubious origin, fear the light of day like a demon, and are afraid of the gossip and criticism of the world!"

"His second argument is not about treating prisoners the proper way, but rather about treating scholars the proper way!"

"A loving father and a strict mother, who truly love their children, do not indulge and spoil them, but teach them rules and discipline them with virtue! If children go astray, they will harm themselves and bring shame to their family. The same applies to scholars!"

"To be lenient with those who are corrupt and greedy will lead them to fall into the abyss of desire, end up in prison, and have their families ruined and their reputations destroyed. This is what is meant by 'harming officials'!"

"Establish strict rules, with the eyes of the world as the supervisor, so that no one dares to lightly engage in corruption. Those who live in the city know integrity, those who act know shame, and those who are greedy know fear. With upright conduct and virtuous behavior, one's reputation shines brightly, one's career is stable, and one's family business lasts long. This is the essence of being a nurse!"

"When officials are honest, the people trust them; when the people trust them, the officials are secure. Mutual trust between superiors and subordinates is the cornerstone of the stability of the country."

After He Xinyin finished writing, He Suxin felt that something was wrong with the article.

"One who receives the emperor's bounty must serve the emperor faithfully." This is the traditional saying.

However, He Xinyin linked "the emperor's salary" and "the people's wealth" in his article, equating loyalty to the emperor with love for the people.

Something feels off about this.

What if we follow this line of thought?
He Suxin quickly shook her head; it seemed that something utterly rebellious was hidden in this deduction.

Putting aside these chaotic thoughts, He Suxin looked at her teacher and asked:

"Master He, why are you speaking up for Su Hanlin?"

He Xin smiled and said:

"I'm not speaking on behalf of Su Zilin, but rather on the public opinion. Su Xin, we scholars wield our pens like swords, and when we encounter injustice, we naturally rush to the front lines."

"This letter, the original text of Su Zilin's memorial, and my article will be added to the next issue, with an extra page dedicated to them."
-
"Excuse me!"

Outside the Censorate, a group of newsboys had gathered.

When Su Ze started the newspaper, neither the Six Ministries nor the Censorate subscribed to it because they opposed it.

In the future, in addition to the Yuefu Xinbao, various government departments also began to subscribe to other newspapers, but neither the Six Ministries nor the Censorate had the funds for such subscriptions.

After this incident, officials from the Six Ministries and the Censorate had to buy their own newspapers.

The Six Ministries were located within the Imperial City, and since they were few in number, they usually went to read the newspapers of the neighboring Ministry of Personnel.

With so many people in the Censorate, it was impossible for all the censors to sneak into other government offices to read newspapers, so newsboys saw a business opportunity.

In front of the Censorate, you can buy all the newspapers published in the capital.

From the four major newspapers to all kinds of tabloids, they have it all.

Ma Ji, the censor of Fujian, approached a newsboy and asked, "Do you have the latest issue of the *Xin Yuefu Bao*?"

"Yes, yes, sir, one copper coin."

Ma Ji felt a pang of regret.

One copper coin wasn't much for him, an imperial censor, but with so many newspapers in the capital, ranging from ten issues a month to daily publications, buying them all would cost a lot of money.

Other government officials could read newspapers in their offices and didn't have to buy all of them, but censors couldn't.

As an imperial censor, one must pay attention to the dynamics of public opinion and understand the trends in the court and among the people.

There was no other way; the senior officials would regularly publish articles in the official gazette and express their opinions on major events.

Even if a senior official doesn't publish an article on a hot topic, or doesn't appear in the newspapers for a period of time, people in official circles will speculate whether he has lost power.

News from the public in newspapers was also very important.

Since the advent of newspapers, the government has been unable to remain silent on many matters.

Once public opinion takes hold, the emperor will also see the article. If the Censorate cannot investigate in advance, it will be at a disadvantage when the emperor asks about it.

If it escalates to an incident like the one in Fangshan County, even the relevant censors will be punished.

Ma Ji paid the money and eagerly opened the newspaper, but there was no front page?
That letter and the copy of Su Ze's memorial were sent by Ma Ji to He Xinyin.

Ma Ji originally thought it would be published on the front page, but is it going to be in the next issue?
Given the nature of these newspapers, wouldn't they publish this kind of news immediately?
Ma Ji then noticed that the newspaper was not the right thickness. He flipped to the middle and found that it was a special edition on additional issues!
When there is major news and the front page is not enough, the newspaper will print an extra page, which shows how much importance the Xinlefu Daily attaches to the matter.

Ma Ji prepared to sit in his office and admire his "masterpiece," so he quickly walked into the Censorate.

Ma Ji returned to his official residence.

As an ordinary censor, he could only work in the same office as other censors.

Looking at the private room of the senior censor next door, Ma Ji showed an envious expression.

While his colleagues were still away, Ma Ji took out a newspaper and began to read it carefully.

The Xin Yuefu Daily published his letter and Su Ze's memorial, but in addition to this, there was also a newspaper editorial.

Ma Ji also thought this was a message cheering him on, so he read it even more excitedly.

After Ma Ji finished reading it, his face turned pale. The editorial was sharply written and scathingly refuted the reasons in his letter.

its not right!
Ma Ji chose the "New Yuefu Daily" because the newspaper always had a "rebel" tendency and would always intentionally or unintentionally criticize the court's policies.

Ma Ji had assumed that the *Xin Yuefu Bao* newspaper would side with him and oppose Su Ze's memorial, but he never expected that the newspaper would completely refute his letter.

The key point is that the article is written with clear logic and strong arguments, and Ma Ji could not find any rebuttal points for the time being.

If this were just a debate taking place within the Censorate, it wouldn't be a big deal.

But this is an article published in a newspaper!

It was only when the circulation of the *New Yuefu Daily* was that Ma Ji realized he had made a mistake.

Compared to these major newspapers, he was completely silenced by public opinion, meaning that only the newspapers could criticize him, but he had no way to refute them!
To make matters worse, Ma Ji suddenly realized he had made a fatal mistake!

Among officials, a minority agree with property registration, while the majority oppose it. They can use their numbers to create public opinion!
However, once this topic is brought up in the newspapers, and if it's considered in the broader society, the majority of people actually support the requirement for property registration!

Why did we publish Su Ze's memorial in the newspaper when we clearly had the upper hand?
Ma Ji regretted his foolishness, thinking he had gained the favor of his colleagues in the Censorate and even wanting to publish Su Ze's memorial in the newspaper to severely humiliate him.

Unexpectedly, the Censorate is now in a disadvantageous position!

Ma Ji quickly put the newspaper away and waited anxiously for the situation to develop.

As expected, with more censors arriving at the Censorate, the tide began to turn.

Even a senior censor entered the office and addressed all the censors:
"Have you all read the newspapers? Someone actually leaked official documents from the court to the newspapers. The cabinet has already sent people to inquire about it. The Grand Censor is furious and has assured the cabinet that he will definitely find the person who leaked the information!"

"If any of you have any leads, you may go to the Grand Censor!"

After hearing the senior censor's words, Ma Ji felt as if the sky had fallen.

The Xinlefu Daily published the original text of his letter. He had been in the Censorate for many years, and many of his colleagues were familiar with his writing style.

If someone is determined to investigate, they can quickly find out who they are.

The Censorate is never short of people with good intentions.

Thinking of this, Ma Ji almost collapsed in his seat.

He thought about it carefully for a while, then stood up shakily. Rather than being exposed, he decided to turn himself in to the Left Censor-in-Chief.
-
Grand Secretary Gao Gong was also surprised that Su Ze's memorial had been approved in this way.

The article in the Xinlefu Daily directly refuted the officials who opposed the reporting of real estate properties, leaving them speechless.

Yes, even ordinary people would ask, "You're an official, why don't you even report your properties in the capital? Are you hiding something?"

Next, the Censorate fell silent.

After the newspaper published the article, the Censorate reacted quickly and found that the person who leaked Su Ze's memorial was Ma Ji, the Censor of Fujian Circuit.

The key point is that this memorial was not given to the censors after the emperor had approved it, but rather it was sent to the censors for their opinions.

In other words, this memorial is still circulating in the official document system and is not an imperial edict issued to the world.

In doing so, Ma Ji leaked an official document that was still under discussion in the court, which was already a violation of official rules.

The emperor was furious when he heard this!
The national policies sent to the Science and Technology Bureau for discussion could also be leaked to the People's Daily, and it was a censor who deliberately leaked them!

This also sparked public discussion and put the imperial court in a disadvantageous position.

At this point, the emperor summoned the cabinet again, and Grand Secretary Gao Gong gave his opinion:
"The people in the capital are in an uproar, all saying that the officials who oppose the reporting of real estate are corrupt and wicked. Now the censors and officials have no objections either. I request Your Majesty to approve and promulgate this document."

The Longqing Emperor nodded and said, "The Grand Secretary's words are absolutely right."

Therefore, the emperor issued an edict requiring all officials in the capital to report their properties in the city to the Censorate.

In addition, officials of the fourth rank or above in Beijing, and censors of the Censorate, were required to report their real estate holdings to the Six Ministries.

All cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials were required to submit reports.

Following this, the cabinet ministers took the lead in reporting their own properties.

Gao Gong only had one imperial-bestowed residence in the capital, and he felt no guilt when reporting it.

Zhang Juzheng's residence was also bestowed by the emperor after he ascended the throne.

Zhao Zhenji bought the house himself. The Zhao family is a prominent family in Sichuan. The family originally had an ancestral home in the capital. This house was an expansion of the ancestral home, so there was no problem with it.

Lei Li's house was bestowed by the late emperor, while Yin Shidan simply did not own a house in the capital and had always rented a place.

With the cabinet ministers taking the lead, the officials in the capital also knew that it was useless to oppose, and they could only obediently report it.
-
April 25th, newspaper office.

"Brother Zilin, His Majesty has approved your memorial!"

Luo Wanhua had no idea what kind of luck Su Ze had that made Censor Ma Ji do such a foolish thing.

But Luo Wanhua then asked:

"Brother Zilin, is simply requiring officials to report really effective in preventing corruption?"

Su Ze said:

"Brother Zilin, corruption is a chronic problem that has plagued every dynasty. Emperor Taizu once launched a high-pressure anti-corruption campaign, but was it ultimately effective?"

Luo Wanhua shook his head.

Su Ze said:

"Among all the officials in the world, there are always those who are corrupt and want to embezzle. Such people cannot be restrained by any system; what is needed is the severe punishment of the law."

"But things in this world are never simply black and white. There are always some officials who have the teachings of sages in their hearts, but are often tempted."

"The reporting system is meant to wake up these kinds of officials."

Luo Wanhua then nodded.

Su Ze is right; a mere property registration system cannot effectively prevent corruption.

Su Ze said again:
“Individual corruption is not difficult to deal with; just arrest one or two corrupt officials. What we fear most is the corruption of the social atmosphere.”

"Brother Yifu, if corrupt officials are ostentatiously buying and selling properties in the capital, while honest officials are forced to live in cramped quarters and suffer from the heat and cold, what would you think if you were an honest official?"

"Officials take pride in corruption and pleasure, and feel ashamed of being honest and upright. Everyone who enters officialdom wants to gain benefits."

"Once the atmosphere in officialdom becomes corrupt, it is difficult to reverse it."

"Make them more cautious when they are corrupt, and make it harder for them to spend the silver dollars they have embezzled. Then next time they will think about whether it is worth it."

"If honest officials in the court know that corrupt officials live in constant fear, and that the silver dollars they embezzle cannot be spent legally, then honest officials will be more willing to remain honest."

Luo Wanhua nodded emphatically. So that's what Su Ze was thinking. He was indeed more insightful than he had imagined!
"Brother Zilin, are you going to submit another memorial?"

(End of this chapter)