Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 143 There are bad guys among us!

Chapter 143 There are bad guys among us!
"Let me see what the most important ministers of my Great Ming Dynasty think about this great scourge of the world."

After the young emperor finished speaking, a brief but suppressed commotion arose among the officials in the hall.

A moment later, an old but steady voice broke the silence.

"Then let this old minister be the first."

Duke Zhang Weixian of England stood up, his full head of silver hair dazzling in the sunlight.

He walked step by step toward the screen in the hall.

At the entrance, a young eunuch bowed and offered three plump red beans.

Zhang Weixian stepped behind the screen; the narrow space blocked out all sightlines and seemed even quieter than the outside.

He weighed the warm, moist red bean in his hand, his rough fingertips able to feel its weight.

Families of meritorious officials rose to prominence through military achievements, and should also prosper through military achievements.

Finance and taxation, and good governance are not the paths that nobles should seek.

He didn't think about it for long.

By casting a vote towards improving governance, he could be considered to have lived up to his title and the emperor's trust.

The remaining two were unhesitatingly cast into the military and political spheres.

After throwing in the beans, he turned around and stepped out from behind the screen, meeting the cloudy eyes of Duke Dingguo, Xu Xigao.

The two nodded slightly and then passed each other.

The emperor was waiting for the results, and no one dared to linger inside for too long.

The voting proceeded very quickly. Civil officials, nobles, scholars, and reinstated officials... one after another filed in and hurried out.

When the last official finished casting his red bean and stepped out from behind the screen, the entire hall fell into absolute silence once again.

Zhu Youjian turned his gaze to Gao Shiming.

Gao Shiming understood immediately and stepped forward, "Count the votes!"

Several eunuchs quickly stepped forward and removed several screens, leaving only one screen that had already been covered with plain white Xuan paper standing in the hall.

Three other eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs stood solemnly before the Xuan paper, each holding a brush dipped in ink.

"open!"

At a command, the red beans from the three bamboo tubes were carefully poured onto a tray and displayed to everyone.

"Governance of officials, one, two, three, four, five, the first is correct."

The soft sound of counting votes filled the air, and the red beans that had been counted were poured back into the bamboo tube.

The eunuch holding the brush wrote each tally mark on the Xuan paper.

"Finance and taxation, second-in-command..."

"Military and political affairs, one is correct..."

"Governance of officials, the three righteousnesses..."

……

One by one, the red beans were poured back into the bamboo tube, and one tally mark after another was added to the screen.

At first, the hall was solemn.

However, as time went on, when the issue of "finance and taxation" far outweighed that of "official governance," a subtle but noticeable restlessness began to emerge among the officials.

No one dared to whisper, but the exchanged glances, the slight adjustments in posture, and the unconsciously clenched fists all contributed to the uneasy atmosphere that permeated the hall.

Finally, the last red bean was poured back into the bamboo tube.

Gao Shiming stepped down from the imperial steps, walked around to the front of the screen, and glanced at the Xuan paper.

In an instant, a look of disbelief and amazement flashed in his eyes.

He took the brush from the young eunuch and, following the new algorithm taught to him by Zhu Youjian, quickly wrote out the formula and calculated the percentage.

A moment later, he turned to face the throne and bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty, there are 182 people present, and 546 red beans have all been cast."

He took a deep breath and tried his best to keep his voice steady.

"Of these, 102 were related to official corruption, accounting for 18%."

"Military and political cadres number 154, accounting for 28%."

"Finance and tax revenue accounts for 290, or 53%!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a strange scene unfolded.

The oppressive restlessness in the main hall vanished without a trace in an instant, replaced by a deathly silence.

Everyone held their breath; you could almost hear their own heartbeats.

They lowered their eyes, waiting for the young emperor on the throne to speak.

Or rather—get angry.

Zhu Youjian sat on the throne, his face expressionless, his knuckles unconsciously tapping lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne.

interesting……

Finance and taxation come first, military and political affairs second, and officialdom last.

Isn't this exactly what happened during the Chongzhen era?

Unexpectedly, anonymous voting was so effective on its first use, revealing the thoughts of the court officials in an instant.

It's important to know that there was no one supervising inside the screen. Later generations could judge the proportion of each vote by sound, or, if they were bold, by directly looking at the bamboo tubes.

Therefore, the voting is anonymous, but the vote count is public to some extent throughout the process.

Therefore, the seemingly illogical act of being at the bottom of the official hierarchy actually represents the attitude that the 182 people in the palace are subtly expressing to him.

They don't like the new policies.

Or rather, most of them don't like it!
That's interesting.

Where there is profit, one will go even to the highest mountain.

Moreover, what about anonymous voting and the test of "the law does not punish the masses"?

I can't believe I actually caught a small fish!

Well then, since that's the case, let's add another scene.

Having made up his mind, Zhu Youjian spoke softly:
“Interesting, this is… beyond my expectations.”

"To implement new policies, the improvement of the bureaucracy should be the first priority."

“The lessons of Wang Anshi’s failed governance in the distant past and Zhang Taiyue’s practice of prioritizing performance evaluation in recent times can both serve as evidence.”

“When I read history books, I see that the rise and fall of dynasties has always been the same.”

Zhu Youjian straightened up slightly, even with a slight smile on his face.

"I never expected that my trusted ministers would teach me a lesson today, showing me some different truths."

He seemed to be genuinely seeking advice, his gaze sweeping across the assembled officials before finally settling on Grand Secretary Huang Liji.

"Prime Minister, you tell us. Does the Ming Dynasty truly intend to prioritize finance and taxation, followed by military and political affairs, and lastly, governance?"

In an instant, everyone's eyes were focused on Huang Liji.

Huang Liji felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

I have pledged my allegiance to the administration of officials, to finance and taxation, and to the military and government!

Why did I have to be the first one blamed?
Having navigated the officialdom for decades, he had never encountered such a difficult situation.

The atmosphere of the entire hall was like a boulder hanging precariously on the edge of a precipice.

The young emperor, full of vigor and ambition, encountered such a scene that was almost "betrayal" at the beginning of his reign. Who could have predicted what kind of monstrous waves he would stir up?
Human nature is perilous, the Way is subtle; only by being refined and unified can one truly grasp the mean.

This statement is incredibly accurate in this context.

Huang Lijie was in a state of confusion, but could not think of any perfect solution that could "maintain the middle way".

He took a deep breath and had no choice but to stand up, at least to answer the emperor's immediate question.

"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the key to the new policies lies first and foremost in the governance of officials. If officials are corrupt, then government orders will not be able to pass through the central government, and national policies will be difficult to implement in the prefectures and counties. This is an immutable principle."

After saying that, he clenched his fist, waiting for the most fatal question that would inevitably follow.

—Then why does everyone think that the administration is the worst?

"Since the Grand Secretary thinks so too, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

"I thought I was just stupid and ignorant, that I had misread the principles in the history books and made a big mistake."

Huang Li forced out a smile that looked worse than a grimace, and was about to say something casually.

Zhu Youjian waved his hand dismissively: "Please sit down, Grand Secretary."

He then turned his gaze to the Vice Minister Shi Fenglai: "Minister Shi, what do you think?"

"Your Majesty, I second your opinion that the new policies should prioritize improving the administration."

"Li Qing?"

"I also believe that good governance is fundamental."

"The British Duke?"

"This old minister...seconds the motion."

Zhu Youjian went down the list, nobility, ministers of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, vice ministers, censors, reinstated officials, Hanlin scholars... Without exception, everyone who was called out loudly echoed, saying that "good governance is the priority."

A few people even tried to quote classical texts and write a beautiful essay, but Zhu Youjian impatiently waved them off.

The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly tense and eerie with each repeated answer.

Finally, Zhu Youjian stopped calling roll, his tone tinged with impatience.

"Taking roll call one by one is too troublesome."

He looked around and slowly said, "Well then, those who believe that the new policies should prioritize improving the administration, raise your right hand."

The voice just fell.

Even though the act of raising hands to vote was somewhat unfamiliar, many officials understood it immediately.

"Shh!"

Inside the main hall, countless arms shot up in a flurry of motion, like a field of reeds swept by a strong wind, perfectly aligned and a magnificent sight. "Tsk..."

Zhu Youjian clicked his tongue softly, a sound that clearly echoed throughout the palace.

He waved his hand: "Put it down."

After everyone put their hands down, he slowly spoke again, but his tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

"That's weird."

"Do you know that the initial official documents submitted by the Hanlin Academy were not half, but nearly 80% related to official governance?"

"It was because I felt the number of matters was too concentrated that I deliberately sent it back and asked them to rewrite it."

"However, gentlemen... the pillars of the Ming Dynasty..."

He paused, the mocking smile on his lips becoming even more pronounced.

"Why did the red beans in my hand lead to the worst outcome in officialdom?"

"Why did everyone raise their hands and agree that good governance should be the priority?"

"Which of you, my esteemed minister, can answer this question for me?"

He raised his finger and pointed it in the air.

The ministers he pointed to all felt their scalps tingle and lowered their eyes, fearing they would be chosen to answer this piercing question.

Just as the tense atmosphere reached its peak, Zhu Youjian lowered his hand again.

The mockery on his face turned into a knowing smile.

"Alright, I actually know why."

"My dear ministers, you must know why."

"Everyone knows that good governance is the most important thing."

"But if we want to reform the bureaucracy, some people will be implicated, or their students and former associates will be implicated."

"Compared to this, adjusting the fiscal and tax system and the military and government is generally easier to accept, right?"

Inside the main hall, you could hear a pin drop.

Zhu Youjian's voice rang out again, light and airy, yet it sent a shiver down everyone's spine.

“There are bad people among us.”

As soon as this statement came out, the officials were in an uproar.

Everyone's face showed indignation. They looked around and scrutinized their colleagues with a critical and suspicious gaze, as if they wanted to find out who the "bad guy" was.

"His Majesty!"

Almost simultaneously, Zhang Weixian and Li Guopu stood up, their faces full of worry.

Zhu Youjian laughed and said, "Please sit down, my two ministers. There's no need to worry."

The two exchanged a glance, still unwilling to sit down. Li Guopu cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the human heart is unpredictable, however..."

"No need to say anything more." Zhu Youjian waved his hand to interrupt him. "I know what you're going to say. Are you worried that I'm disappointed in the people?"

"How could I be disappointed!"

His voice suddenly rose slightly:

"Of the 182 people in the hall, a full 102 red beans were thrown at the administration of officials!"

"To be optimistic, 50% of the people are on the side of the Ming Dynasty; to be pessimistic, at least 20% of the ministers are concerned about the fate of the nation."

Zhu Youjian smiled slightly and glanced at the officials in the hall.

"Isn't this enough?"

"In matters of the world, if one person is of one mind, the situation can be resolved; if three people are of one mind, the country can be strengthened. Now that I have wise ministers by my side, why should I worry about not being able to resolve the affairs of the world?"

"As for bad people..."

Zhu Youjian gave a cold laugh, his tone chilling.

"Bad people are like rats in the sunlight; they never dare to show their faces, only daring to dig holes in the dark underground."

He then looked at Li Guopu and nodded with a smile.

"When I ascended the throne, I promised my ministers that I would hold a banquet to sever the tassels of their hats. How could I be someone who doesn't understand people's hearts?"

"What happened today is within reason. I am not surprised, nor am I discouraged or angry."

"From now on, whether a person is a treacherous or virtuous official will be determined by their performance."

"Under the new policies, the world will judge who stands with the Ming Dynasty and who stands with their own interests. I will also be watching you all closely."

After casually finishing this prelude, Zhu Youjian waved his hand lightly.

"Gao Banban, let's move on to the next step."

Only then did the tension in the hall finally ease slightly.

Countless people simultaneously exhaled a sigh of relief.

Minister of Works Xue Fengxiang sat in his chair, his back still ramrod straight.

He donated all three of his red beans to the tax and finance departments.

The Ministry of Works is a complete mess of debts!

The cost of repairing the Hall of Supreme Harmony alone is so high that it's impossible to know or explain it all.

He still owes 1.2 million taels of silver to artisans.

He maintained an indignant expression on his face, but his mind was racing with calculations.

There are only 102 good officials?

He was the Minister of the Six Ministries, and his voting order was only after that of the nobles and cabinet ministers. Although there were few officials at the time, there were still more than thirty.

Were those people behind him really that bold? How could they possibly cast such a huge disparity in votes in the end?

Who else is like him?
Will this new policy actually be able to be implemented? Will others work together, both openly and covertly, to push for its implementation?
Huo Weihua? He paid ten thousand taels for the road construction; consider that a pledge of loyalty?

But... it's hard to say. The Ministry of War used to be a major source of bad debts, so he can't avoid it.

Who knows if His Majesty's "Banquet of Severed Tassels" was truly a banquet where tassels were severed?

Did those three burned booklets actually have a copy?

Who dares to gamble? Who can afford to gamble?
Chen Jiuchou?
That fool who was once a scholar has been entertaining guests every day without restraint. He must be feeling quite flustered right now.

How do we do this?

Was the money donated for the last road repair too little? Are there any more opportunities to donate?
Should we issue a reform document? Where should we start? What are the issues that the emperor cares about most?
Xue Fengxiang's mind raced as he analyzed every piece of information he could think of.

Questions and solutions surfaced in his mind, only to be suppressed again.

His brows were furrowed deeply, and his face remained focused, but his soul seemed to have wandered off somewhere else.

A storm is coming; who knows where the road leads?
A dead end, a way out, a way out, or... a path to heaven?

……

Gao Shiming, however, paid no attention to the thoughts of the people in the hall.

With a wave of his hand, three people from the Hanlin Academy stepped forward, followed by two more from the rear.

He cleared his throat and said loudly:

"Five people, including Wu Kongjia, Ni Yuanlu, Qi Xinxiao, compilers of the Hanlin Academy, Luo Yangxing, commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Zhang Zhiji, a student of the Imperial Academy, jointly submitted an official document."

"After reading it, His Majesty personally praised it as 'the most magnificent piece of writing under heaven'! Therefore, today, we have invited you all to come and listen to this lecture!"

Most of the officials were still immersed in the shock they had just experienced, each with their own thoughts, except for the Hanlin Academy, which was a little agitated.

When Xu Xigao, the Duke of Dingguo, who was sitting in the front row, heard the name "Zhang Zhiji," he couldn't help but look up at him, but then lowered his eyes again and fell into thought once more.

The five men who stepped forward stood before the esteemed officials, all slightly excited.

They exchanged a glance, and finally Ni Yuanlu stepped forward.

The young scholar looked at the ministers with their varied expressions and felt that their gazes were all fixed on him.

Suddenly, I felt my mouth was dry and my heart was pounding wildly in my chest.

He took a deep breath and shouted:

"My lords!"

The title of the official document we will discuss today is—

Before the words were even finished, the eunuchs around them all started tearing off the "cake picture" paper from the screens in various parts of the hall, revealing the next sheet of paper.

The large, vivid characters above and Ni Yuanlu's voice appeared simultaneously.

"Some Speculations on the Timing of the Fall of the Ming Dynasty!"

The sound was like a thunderclap that exploded in the hall!

The Duke of Dingguo suddenly raised his head.

Xue Fengxiang's eyes widened and his mouth slightly open.

Han Kuang, Sun Chuanting, Bi Ziyan, Huang Lijie, Li Guopu, Xue Guoguan...

A mixture of absurdity, horror, and disbelief appeared on everyone's face.

Their gaze returned to the young Hanlin official.

—No, what are you talking about?!

Why don't you listen to what you're saying for yourself?!

The sounds of tables and chairs being moved, the rustling of clothes, and gasps of cold air intertwined to create an eerie symphony.

But no one dared to speak.