Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 134 I've heard that His Majesty often reads history books?

Wang Yongguang emerged from the warm pavilion, his face expressionless. He gave a perfunctory bow to Lu Xiangsheng and Cheng Jiming, who were waiting outside, and then left without uttering a word.

He walked past the soldiers who had gradually stopped writing and quickly turned out of the main hall.

Lu Xiang-sheng and Cheng Jiming stood outside the door, silent, each closing their eyes to rest.

After a moment, a young eunuch poked his head out from inside the door and called out in a soft voice, "Lord Cheng, His Majesty summons you to an audience."

Cheng Jiming took a deep breath, straightened his official robes, and stepped inside.

The door opened and then slowly closed, isolating it from the outside world.

Outside the warm pavilion, only Lu Xiang-sheng remained.

He stood there, listening to his own steady heartbeat, then closed his eyes again, mentally reviewing all the problems he might face later.

He was fully confident in the matter of horse feed, and although this memorial was written in only three days, it was already a magnificent piece of writing worthy of being listed on the list of classic works.

But... what about things other than horse feed?

……

Inside the warm pavilion, Cheng Jiming meticulously performed the kowtow ceremony.

"Your subject, Cheng Jiming, pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"

"Rise, Chengqing." Zhu Youjian's voice was gentle, carrying a hint of youthful clarity.
He looked at the old minister, who was nearly seventy years old. His hair was gray, but he was in good spirits and truly deserved the title of "upright and honest minister" given by Fu Ben.

"Chengqing is getting on in years, please sit down and talk."

Cheng Jiming rose to express his gratitude, but did not sit down. He simply bowed slightly and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty summoned me, but I have not uttered a single word. I dare not take a seat."

Zhu Youjian raised an eyebrow, not annoyed at all. Instead, he smiled and went along with the other party's words, "Oh? Then what advice does Chengqing have?"

Cheng Jiming raised his head, took a deep breath, and asked, word by word:

"Does Your Majesty intend to reform the current abuses and implement new policies?"

Zhu Youjian felt a chill run down his spine.

What a ridiculous claim! This is a reversal of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches! This is clearly the question I wanted to ask.

He remained outwardly calm, but his mind was racing with calculations.

Before he could answer, Cheng Jiming continued to press, "Does Your Majesty wish to clean up the bureaucracy, survey the fields, regulate the military and political affairs, and establish new schools?"

People, finances, military, ideology...

Zhu Youjian's new policies were indeed centered around these four aspects.

Aside from one aspect—"productivity"—which was indeed unimaginable to people of this dynasty.

This guy really guessed almost everything he wanted to do.

No, there are some things, such as reorganizing military affairs and measuring fields, that I am still only in the conceptual stage and have never mentioned to anyone.

After all, these are the areas where real conflicts of interest will arise, and his plan was to begin after the fourth lecture.

……

Zhu Youjian's mind raced, and he quickly understood the reason.

That's right! Cheng Jiming wasn't guessed, but deduced.

Throughout history, so-called new policies have invariably revolved around a few core areas: personnel, finance, military, and ideology.

Cheng Jiming was nearly seventy years old, and he had eaten more salt than he had eaten rice, so it's not surprising that he could see this.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian already had a plan in mind.

Instead of denying it, he stood up from his throne and bowed slightly to Cheng Jiming.

"What Chengqing said, though not entirely accurate, is not far off. I have just ascended the throne and see the country gradually declining. I do indeed wish to eliminate all the abuses. May I ask, Chengqing, what advice do you have for me?"

This caused Cheng Jiming to waver slightly.

He came with the idea of ​​"doing one's best and leaving the rest to fate".

Throughout history, young emperors have often been impetuous and impatient, taking world affairs lightly and rarely listening to advice.

He never expected that this young emperor would have such a broad mind.

Cheng Jiming's heart stirred slightly. After tidying himself up a bit, he blurted out the draft he had already prepared.

"Your Majesty, since the Wanli era, the government has been in disarray, and the officialdom has become increasingly corrupt, leading to the suffering of the people and the deterioration of the Liaodong situation. A new policy is indeed urgently needed."

His voice paused slightly, but his tone became increasingly earnest.

"However, the affairs of the world are ruined by haste and succeeded by careful planning; this is an immutable truth. If new policies are implemented too hastily, they may not only be useless, but also become acts of oppression against the people!"

His voice was still slightly trembling as he finished speaking.

This is the anxiety of an old minister advising the country, fearing both that the emperor might make mistakes and that his own words might be too harsh and provoke rebellion.

Zhu Youjian listened quietly, nodded, but didn't speak. He simply raised his hand to signal him to continue.

The emperor's silence is the best encouragement.

Cheng Jiming composed himself and continued, "I have only been in the capital for three days, but I have heard that Your Majesty was always engrossed in reading when you were at the Prince Xin's residence, and that you have unique insights into history. I wonder if Your Majesty has gained any insights from reading about Wang Anshi and Zhang Taiyue?"

"I only know the basics, please explain it to me in detail, Chengqing." Zhu Youjian adopted an extremely humble posture.

"I dare not," Cheng Jiming said, cupping his hands. "In my opinion, the key to the new policies is that the policies themselves are secondary, but the implementation is paramount."

“In the past, during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, Wang Anshi was appointed prime minister in the second year of the Xining era to implement reforms. Within a few years, the Green Sprouts Act, the Labor Service Act, and the Market Exchange Act were implemented throughout the country. However, laws should not be implemented hastily, for haste will harm the people; and progress should not be made too quickly, for haste will lead to failure.”

"At that time, opportunists in the court, seeking personal gain, forcibly imposed levies, increasing them layer by layer, doubling and multiplying them. In the end, laws meant to benefit the people turned into policies that harmed them, causing unrest throughout the land and still being criticized to this day."

Zhu Youjian remained silent, simply watching him quietly.

Cheng Jiming then changed the subject.

"In contrast, Zhang Taiyue, the prime minister during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, started his new policies with the 'Performance Evaluation Law,' which lasted for six years and rectified officialdom, making the court's policies more effective."

"In the sixth year of the Wanli reign, the land survey of the entire country was finally completed. Three years later, based on the successful implementation and verification in several southern provinces, the 'Single Whip Law' was extended to the north."

"When Zhang was in power, although he was criticized for abusing his power and was known for his tyranny, the Wanli New Deal was truly for the sake of national prosperity and the well-being of the people. Comparing the two, the difference in urgency and the difference in success or failure are obvious at a glance."

At this point, he looked up at Zhu Youjian, awaiting the emperor's final decision.

Inside the warm pavilion, only the soft breathing of the two people could be heard for a moment.

After a long silence, Zhu Youjian sighed and said, "I have the same feeling when I read history books."

He finally gave his answer.

"Therefore, my new policies will begin in the capital. Once the capital is well governed, they will be implemented in Beizhili. If Beizhili proves feasible, they will then be extended to Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi."

He stretched out his finger and drew a circle in the air.

"These provinces in North China have a population of tens of millions, enough to be considered the weight of a nation compared to the Han and Tang dynasties. If we can govern this region well, with abundant resources and strong troops, why worry about not being able to pacify Liaodong and the Nine Borders?"

"This also aligns with the principles of self-cultivation, family management, state governance, and world peace in the Great Learning. The capital is my body, Zhili is my family, and North China is the country. Only then can I bring peace to the world."

Upon hearing these words, Cheng Jiming's tense body finally relaxed.

Although the phrase "North China as a country" sounds strange, it has little to do with him being from Zhili.

What he feared most was that this young emperor, unaware of the hardships of the world, would immediately launch a grand and sweeping reform across the country, which would likely lead to a repeat of the fate of Emperor Yang of Sui.

It should be noted that wise emperors have never been lacking throughout history.

However, it is always the wise emperors who bring more calamity to the world.

Therefore, after entering the capital, he witnessed the new emperor's various methods, but unlike others, he was not optimistic. Instead, he always had a lingering sense of worry.

Thankfully, His Majesty is conscious.

But Cheng Jiming was still uneasy and couldn't help but ask again, "Your Majesty, how many years do you intend to take to implement this new policy?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian laughed heartily and waved his hand, saying, "Chengqing, you are mistaken. Laws change with the times, and events change with the world. How could I possibly do something like trying to find a sword by marking the boat?"

He stood up, walked to the window, and stood with his hands behind his back.

"Next year, I plan to first streamline the relationship between the capital and Beizhili."

"If it is effective, that would be best. We can talk about the rest of the land later."

"If it is ineffective or has drawbacks, it is not necessarily bad. We should stop, think of better methods, and then seek ways to promote it."

These words were spoken with utmost sincerity.

Cheng Jiming almost kowtowed on the spot and shouted "Holy Ruler".

But what he didn't know was that Zhu Youjian felt somewhat helpless at that moment.

—This is a lie. The Little Ice Age is like a cold noose hanging over his head, tightening every second.

But this noose was something only he could see.

In this era, he would tell anyone, "The Ming Dynasty will perish in 1644," and that the Ming Dynasty would then face a once-in-a-millennium famine.

Even Gao Shiming would probably think he's gone mad.

Even if he appeared in a dream and prophesied, and his words came true, transforming him into a theocratic emperor, it would still not be a good thing.

For thousands of years, the Chinese people did not believe in gods or ghosts. In the end, he saved the Ming Dynasty, but he actually wanted to drive a nail of the belief in ghosts and gods into Chinese civilization.

Who knew that this nail would suddenly extend its foot at some point in later generations, tripping up Chinese civilization and causing it to stumble badly.

……

Therefore, everyone felt there was no need to rush.

Only he himself knew that he could never, like Zhang Juzheng, calmly plan over several years.

He only had ten years left.

If he couldn't elevate the entire Ming Dynasty's national strength to a new level before the truly devastating famine of 1637, he could simply pack his bags and head to Jiangnan.

Then I can pick a propitious spot, plant three trees in advance, and prepare to hang myself.

……

Ultimately, his words are essentially the same as Yuan Chonghuan's "five-year pacification of Liaodong" in history.

However, Yuan Chonghuan was speaking to Emperor Chongzhen, while he was speaking to all the ministers who were worried about his impetuousness.

"I am anxious and weary; this is just a small comfort to you."

In the blink of an eye, Zhu Youjian turned around, his expression already back to normal.

"You are now aware of my urgency, Chengqing. However, I have another concern that I would like to ask you about."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"Government begins with people, and government is ruined by people. If we want to start a new government, we must use new people. I wonder if Chengqing here can teach me anything?"

After Zhu Youjian finished speaking, he stared intently into Cheng Jiming's eyes, observing every subtle change in his expression.

This is the final test question.

If he were to spout nonsense like Wang Yongguang, saying things like "the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate can handle everything," then he would be nothing more than a mascot.

In the end, they can only be sent to local authorities to supervise tax collection, making use of waste materials.

If he were to follow the recommendation of his disciples and choose Ren Neng's approach, then he would have to be kept in the capital as a target, drawn in the fire, and then slapped away.

So, what answer would you, Cheng Jiming, give?

Cheng Jiming's answer was surprisingly quick, as if he had already prepared it in his mind.

Without the slightest hesitation, he cupped his hands in a salute and said loudly, "Your Majesty, if you wish to establish new policies with capable people, I have a suggestion."

"The Imperial Academy must be reformed!"

"I thought..."

Before Cheng Jiming could finish speaking, Zhu Youjian couldn't help but clap his hands and exclaim, "Brilliant!"

This was the first time since he ascended the throne that someone had mentioned this institution, which was extremely marginalized at the power table.

Cheng Jiming was taken aback, then realized: "Your Majesty... also thought of this?"

Zhu Youjian nodded with a smile.

"The success or failure of the new policies does not lie with the officials in the imperial court, nor with the ministers of the six ministries and nine ministers, but with the local officials."

He looked at Cheng Jiming with intense gaze.

"In the Ming Dynasty, there were more than a thousand prefectures and counties. The number of county magistrates and prefects alone was no less than two thousand. If you add the assistant officials such as county clerks, registrars, assistant prefects, and vice prefects, the number would probably be no less than five thousand."

"Among them, how many are virtuous? How many are greedy? How many are mediocre? Does Chengqing know the answer?"

Cheng Jiming sighed deeply and said dejectedly, "With the corruption of the world, I'm afraid... most of them are not up to much use."

"Exactly!" Zhu Youjian clapped his hands. "However, the court only admits about three hundred people each year through the imperial examinations. How can this possibly fill the vacancies of more than five thousand? This is like adding fuel to the fire!"

"Only the Imperial Academy!" Zhu Youjian's voice was resolute. "Only the Imperial Academy can continuously provide the Ming Dynasty with a sufficient number of new talents to fill the vacancies left by those who have been eliminated!"

Hearing this, Cheng Jiming was finally convinced.

He looked at the young emperor before him, whose gaze was deep, whose thoughts were far-reaching, and whose actions were impeccable. He was not like a seventeen-year-old boy at all; he was simply... simply a born sage ruler.

He bowed deeply and knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty's thoughts and ideas far surpass those of ordinary people. Your subject... Your subject has no other plan to offer."

Zhu Youjian quickly stepped forward, helped him up, and returned the greeting with a solemn expression.

"No one is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. I am still young, and my thoughts may be incomplete, and I may act rashly. In the future, I will need a prudent and experienced minister like Cheng Qing to constantly remind and advise me."

Cheng Jiming hurriedly stepped aside, not daring to accept such a grand gesture, and repeatedly said, "Your Majesty, I will certainly do my utmost to share your burdens."

The emperor and his minister exchanged a smile.

All that needs to be said has been said.

Zhu Youjian then spoke up, "However, Chengqing, compared to the Imperial Academy, I feel there is a more important place at the moment."

Cheng Jiming raised his head, his eyes full of confusion.

Zhu Youjian laughed heartily: "But allow me to keep you in suspense for now. Chengqing, please return to your residence and wait. The decree will be issued shortly."

Although Cheng Jiming was puzzled, he could only kowtow and take his leave.

……

As Cheng Jiming's slightly unsteady figure disappeared outside the door, Zhu Youjian's smile gradually faded, turning into a soft sigh.

The interview went well.

Cheng Jiming supports reform in the general direction, and that's enough.

As for the specific changes, that's open to discussion, compromise, and exchange.

However, despite all its merits, there's one major drawback.

This person is 68 years old this year.

Although Sun Chengzong was old, Zhu Youjian still remembered that he seemed to have lived for more than ten years until he died defending the city during one of the Qing army's invasions.

Apart from that, Zhu Youjian would generally not place people over sixty years old, such as Qiao Yunsheng and Cheng Jiming, in important positions, even if he could not remember them clearly.

Moreover, looking at his past resume, he was mostly a high-ranking official, and he hardly ever did anything of substance.

It would be unreliable to put him in any powerful department now.

Not to mention taking charge of the Imperial Academy, the cradle of future talent for new policies.

In his plan, more than 90% of the implementers of the new policies in the future will come from this highest institution of learning in the Ming Dynasty.

Donglin Party? Eunuch Party? Zhejiang Party? Chu Party?

They'll all have to kneel before me and bow down to the "Imperial Academy Party"!

So... to put it bluntly, Cheng Jiming's greatest value now is only his reputation.

However, it's not a big problem.

Reputation is also a kind of power.

Zhu Youjian quickly made a decision and summoned Gao Shiming, who was standing by.

"Issue my imperial decree."

"Jin Chengji was appointed as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, serving as a lecturer, and concurrently as a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, in charge of the affairs of the Hanlin Academy."

He added, "Also, write a secret memorial for me to Yang Jingchen to appease him."

"It's really too complicated for him to hold both the positions of Minister of Personnel and Director of the Hanlin Academy."

“From now on, his focus should still be on the Ministry of Personnel. I have some really important matters to entrust to him. Tell him not to misunderstand and to wait a while longer.”

"This servant obeys the decree." Gao Shiming bowed and accepted the order.

With the matter settled, Zhu Youjian couldn't help but rub his hands together, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"Alright, now go and call Lu Xiang-sheng in."

(End of this chapter)