Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 220: How about changing to a tithe?!

The reason why the Veritable Records of Emperor Shenzong took so long to revise was not only because of the political turmoil and overstaffing in the court, but also because many of the people involved in the book were still in the court and held great power.

The historical judgments of these figures could affect their political lives, and historians, constrained by various pressures, found it difficult to record events truthfully. Their only form of resistance was to delay the matter, knowing that nothing lasts forever and these individuals would eventually fall from grace, at which point they would no longer need to conceal the truth from those in power.

Regarding the evaluation of Zhang Juzheng, Zhu Youjian tended to acknowledge his merits while not omitting his faults. However, a definitive assessment of Zhang's achievements and shortcomings was merely the beginning. Zhu Youjian placed greater emphasis on evaluating Zhang's reforms, and this perspective directly influenced the current political situation and policies.

First, I approve of the "performance evaluation system" he implemented. The core of the performance evaluation system is to establish an administrative supervision system of "layered assessment and binding of power and responsibility". It breaks down daily administrative affairs into "task lists" and registers them in "document registers", conducts regular self-inspections and reports, and is tracked by the cabinet. This has significantly improved administrative efficiency, cleared up backlogged documents, and curbed official dereliction of duty.

This was also the beginning of all of Zhang Juzheng's reforms and the foundation for his economic and military reforms.

Indiscriminate killing only plunges officials into fear: some choose to flee, some slack off, and a few, driven by malice, escalate their actions. This is the essence of the saying, "The ruler treats his subjects like dirt, and the subjects treat the ruler like an enemy." The Chinese have never been known for their gentleness and kindness; if this nation is described as "gentle and kind," it's probably because it has been castrated.

The reason Zhu Youjian praised this core reform policy was, of course, because he also wanted to use it. Old Bi had it tough; calculating accounts could be incredibly taxing. Ancient Ministers of Revenue were practically human computers, but Zhu Youjian understood his difficulties. That didn't stop him from being dissatisfied with the old man, but he had no choice but to choose the best among the worst.

Economic talents in ancient times were far rarer than giant pandas; perhaps even Lao Bi (Bi Fujian) would be a better match. Despite his constant criticism of Zhang Juzheng, if Zhang Juzheng were truly resurrected, he would cling to Zhang's coattails, refusing to let go, and would make Zhang a real emperor so he could live a carefree life in the inner palace without worrying about enemies reaching the gates of Beijing!

Old Zhang was a kind man. He took his injuries at the front, allowing Commander Qi to focus on training his troops for ten years! Before this, almost no commander-in-chief of the Jizhou Garrison had served for more than ten years. Famous generals such as Yu Dayou, Tan Lun, Li Chengliang, and Wang Chonggu all served under Old Zhang.

Old Zhang was a bit low-key and didn't write a long essay about himself, but in reality, he was the epitome of "harmony between generals and ministers"!

However, the adage "when a person dies, his policies cease" holds true throughout history. After Zhang Juzheng's death, the performance evaluation system became a mere formality, and corruption and inaction returned. This may be related to his reliance on personal prestige and power to promote reforms, but it doesn't necessarily mean he was blind to the problems; it simply means he was too hasty and didn't have much time left for reform.

As the emperor grew older, he was destined to relinquish power. However, after Zhu Yijun came of age, he did not relinquish power as promised. Later generations could not know whether he craved power or feared his reforms; in any case, he refused the best outcome of becoming a "Duke of Zhou" (a figure of propriety in Chinese history), sowing the seeds of disaster for himself and his family, ultimately bringing ruin upon the Ming Dynasty! Those present were all astute; how could they not understand the emperor's thoughts? The pressure fell on Bi Ziyan: was he capable of implementing the performance evaluation system?!
In fact, his fiscal and tax reforms were flawed from the very beginning. Before completing the reform of the bureaucracy, all reforms were futile. The current situation can truly be described as "lucky." The reason it hasn't collapsed is only because the Ming army's continuous victories have managed to support the court and suppress discontent.

If there were any major defeats in the series, Bi Ziyan would always be forced to take the blame; if he didn't, the emperor would be guilty. How could he possibly repay the emperor's kindness and favor?
Zhang Juzheng's economic reforms consisted of two parts: land survey and tax reform. The core of the tax reform was the so-called "Single Whip Law".

Back then, Zhang Juzheng cleared out 300 million mu of hidden land: During the Hongwu era, there were 900 million mu of land in the country. Before Zhang Juzheng's reforms, it had been reduced to more than 400 million mu, and the amount of land encroached upon was shocking. After his reforms, it was restored to 800 million mu, but it still did not reach the standard of the Hongwu era.
By the Tianqi era, only a little over 600 million mu remained; by the time Zhu Youjian ascended the throne, it had almost fallen below 600 million mu. Bi Ziyan then began a thorough investigation of the land, but despite his efforts, it did not recover to over 700 million mu. Of course, this was also related to the large tracts of land lost in Liaodong.

Returning to the old path of land surveying would only be another cycle, and would face immense resistance. To reduce this resistance, Zhu Youjian took many roundabout approaches, such as retaining some privileges and not suppressing land annexation. He also hoped to guarantee the survival rights of the lower classes by maintaining public land ownership.

He couldn't tear everything down and start over, redistributing land to every citizen. Even if he could, it would only be the beginning of a new cycle.

As for the "Single Whip Law," Zhu Youjian (Emperor Zhu Youjian) deeply abhorred it. It's unclear what considerations led him to ban metal coins, which had been used for thousands of years by previous dynasties, and forcibly promote the use of paper money. As a result, the Ming Dynasty has no way back and can never return to the era of paper money.

When Zhang Juzheng implemented the Single Whip Law, his original intention was to simplify the complex tax system at the time, "simplifying the complex and merging taxes and corvée labor." This is consistent with Zhu Youjian's current policy direction. The more tax items there are, the more they pass through the system, the more waste there will be, and the heavier the burden on the people will be.

The power of the Six Ministries to collect taxes independently must be abolished, and local officials must also be restrained: those who are supposed to do the work should do their work, not worry about money, and stop thinking about generating revenue all the time. Zhu Youjian felt that it was time to make some changes, so in front of several important ministers, he tentatively asked, "I intend to increase the regular taxes and abolish the miscellaneous taxes. What do you all think?!"

Zhu Xieyuan blinked at Zhu Youjian without saying a word. He was thinking, "Your Majesty, are you out of your mind? A large part of these exorbitant taxes and levies are just to support you, the emperor! Every procurement and manufacturing in the inner court—isn't it all extortion and plunder?!"

However, Zhu Youjian and the old man were not yet in sync to that extent. Although he knew the old man was giving him a meaningful look, he did not know what the old man meant. Perhaps he did not support the old man, but the reason was inconvenient to say it to his face.

Bi Ziyan was excited; his Ten Tax Law hadn't even been implemented yet!
(End of this chapter)