Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 161 Birds Return to the Forest (Thanks to the Alliance Leader, Warm Indifference)

The atmosphere on Huangji Gate Square had become extremely tense.

Spying on the inner palace was always something that could be done but not spoken of.

Throughout history, emperors who sought to govern simply resorted to issuing strict palace regulations.

Never before has a new emperor, after just over a month on the throne, somehow managed to uncover nearly a hundred people involved in inside and outside the capital.

Zhu Youjian's gaze slowly swept over the dukes, marquises, earls, and high-ranking officials standing at the forefront, and he shook his head:

Why bother trying to guess what I'm thinking?

“My ambitions are already clearly laid out before you.”

Zhu Youjian walked forward and approached them:
"That is to resolve the conflict between people and land, and save our Ming Dynasty from its perilous situation."

"As for my preferences, you don't need to guess or pry into them. I will tell you clearly today."

Many ministers felt a sudden jolt in their hearts.

They recalled the emperor's earth-shattering "question of the times" in the Wenhua Hall.

Those officials who were fortunate enough to attend the final daily lectures vividly remembered the young emperor's ability to bewitch people.

What will he say today?
Is it to emulate the founding emperor and rebuke all the officials in court?
Or should we promote another Wei Zheng and create yet another historical event?
Just as everyone's thoughts were in turmoil, Zhu Youjian made a move that surprised everyone.

He didn't say a word, but simply strode forward, passing the nobles and high-ranking officials, and walked towards the middle and rear of the formation.

He could feel the burning gazes behind him and imagine their shock and unease.

But he doesn't care.

What gave Wei Zhongxian the ability to intimidate the Ming Dynasty?

Even with Tianqi's backing, how could he possibly unite the civil officials and suppress the various factions?
It's laughable, really, it's just about giving power and money.

As long as you curry favor with him, even if you're just a scholar, Eunuch Wei can get you a high-ranking position in the government.

Zhu Youjian, on the other hand, had far more leverage than Eunuch Wei!

From this day forward, what will determine a person's status will no longer be their family background, their birth year, or even how much they have studied, but rather what they can do for this crumbling empire!
……

Where is the emperor going?
Everyone's eyes unconsciously followed that figure.

The civil and military officials at the front, disregarding their decorum, all twisted their bodies and looked back.

More than 1,600 officials from the capital, like a reed bed swaying in the wind, all turned in the same direction, their figures clad in red, blue, and green official robes.

Zhu Youjian walked all the way to the middle of the line and finally stopped.

He took out a thin piece of paper from his sleeve, looked at it in the dim light, and then tilted his head slightly to determine the direction.

Then, he strode forward and walked straight toward an official in his early thirties, dressed in a blue official robe.

The entire Huangji Gate Square was eerily quiet, with only the fierce north wind blowing.

"Liu Kongjing, the chief clerk of the Ministry of Revenue, is that right?"

The official in the green robe was taken aback at first, then a surge of overwhelming joy rushed to his face, making him blush with excitement.

Before he could think any further, his knees buckled, and he was about to kneel down.

"Your Majesty! It is I, Liu Kongjing!"

"stand up."

Zhu Youjian stepped forward and personally helped him up, preventing him from kneeling.

He looked into Liu Kongjing's eyes with an appreciative smile.

"Your article, 'A Study on Maritime Transport,' is well-written."

"I, along with the ministers of the Secretariat and the Committee, have studied it repeatedly, and it is indeed insightful and penetrating."

Liu Kongjing's body trembled slightly with excitement.

He felt a surge of heat rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a complete word of thanks.

"Your Majesty, I am simply... I am so worried about the affairs of the state that I cannot eat or sleep properly. That is why I... that is why I wish to do my humble best for the Ming Dynasty and for Your Majesty..."

"Haha, a turbulent time reveals true loyalty."

Zhu Youjian laughed heartily and patted his arm.

"But are you afraid? The new policies are different from those of the past."

"Once you join, I will be watching you, the Imperial Guard will be watching you, the Three Judicial Offices will be watching you, and all the officials in the land will be watching you!"

"A single misstep could lead to utter ruin."

Liu Kongjing suddenly raised his head, his eyes burning with fire.

"For Your Majesty, for the new policies, I would gladly die ten thousand deaths!"

"Very well!" Zhu Youjian nodded emphatically. "Then you shall follow behind me!"

After saying that, he turned around and continued walking deeper into the queue.

Liu Kongjing straightened his chest and followed closely behind, feeling that at this moment, he would be willing to die immediately.

The emperor personally selected the generals!
This news quickly stirred up ripples among the civil officials, spreading rapidly through hushed exclamations and whispers.

Zhu Youjian took the paper, checked the location again, crossed several trains, and stopped once more.

This time, Zhu Youjian stopped in the procession of the Imperial Secretary.

—Fair-skinned, with big eyes and a short beard, that must be him.

He looked at a young official in his early twenties, dressed in a blue robe, and asked:
Is that Jiang Sirui?

The young official's expression became incredibly interesting in that instant.

First came ecstasy and disbelief, then confusion, and finally, in an instant, everything turned into indescribable disappointment and embarrassment.

His colleagues were already casting envious or jealous glances at him.

His face flushed red, he cupped his hands in greeting, and was about to step forward to explain.

"Your Majesty, I am here!"

An urgent voice rang out from the third position to his left.

Zhu Youjian turned his head upon hearing the voice, only to realize that he had mistaken the person for someone else.

He laughed it off, not taking it to heart at all, and turned to walk away.

The real Jiang Sirui had already prostrated herself on the ground in excitement.

"It is my fault for being blind; I can only recognize the text, but not the person."

Zhu Youjian helped him up and patted him on the shoulder affectionately.

"Your memorial on the governance of officials throughout the land is excellent. The line 'If one does not act in a down-to-earth manner, one will not do anything of substance' truly speaks to my heart."

He paused, staring intently at the young man.

"Are you willing to join me in restoring order to the world and rebuilding the Ming Dynasty?"

Jiang Sirui had already understood everything and was so excited that she could hardly contain herself. She was about to kneel down again, but Zhu Youjian held her arm firmly.

He could only muster all his strength to suppress his trembling and bow, saying, "Your humble servant dares not disobey!"

Zhu Youjian did not stop.

He moved with the ease of a seasoned hunter through his hunting grounds, accurately calling out one name after another.

"Chen Xianze!"

"Xia Shiheng!"

"Gong Tingxian!"

Each time he called out a name, a suppressed gasp erupted from the crowd.

Some people were overjoyed to be selected, some felt proud to have their friends selected, but many more were plunged into great disappointment and regret because they were not selected.

Those officials who submitted their "state affairs documents" in the past few days were all eagerly anticipating the results, silently reciting their names, hoping that they would be the next lucky one.

Those who were still observing, or who hadn't taken it seriously at all, or who had already written but hadn't had time to submit their work, were now filled with regret, beating their chests and stamping their feet, wishing they could bang their heads on the ground.

"If only I had known! If only I had known!" One of the imperial censors couldn't help but punch himself in the face, his face full of regret.

……

Wang Chengen, who had been standing by the screen, was engrossed in watching when he suddenly felt a chill on his neck.

He subconsciously looked up. The snowflakes, which had started out as just a few scattered dots, grew larger and denser in a short time.

Soon, the white marble railings and the vast square were covered with a thin layer of white.

But none of the more than 1,600 officials in front of the Huangji Gate paid any attention to the long-awaited snowstorm.

Everyone in the queue was intently watching the emperor's figure.

The noble ministers at the forefront all turned around to look at the ever-growing "stream" behind the emperor.

There was no conversation among them, not even a glance exchanged.

Huang Lijie watched all this quietly, and a sense of retreat inevitably arose in his heart.

The emperor's wrath is as powerful as thunder; the emperor's love is as fiery as boiling oil.

Of these young people who are being ignited by divine favor today, how many will not be burned to ashes in this raging inferno?

He slowly withdrew his gaze, lowered his eyes again, as if everything was irrelevant to him.

Let's wait and see...

If he were to beg for retirement, His Majesty would surely not treat him the way Zhang Changgong did.

……

Finally, Zhu Youjian found the last person on the list.

He turned and walked back toward the throne.

As he passed the procession from Shuntian Prefecture, he smiled slightly and looked at the four people at the head of the procession.

"Qing Xue, Qing Li, Qing Wang, Qing Zhang, the four of you, please come along as well."

Xue Guoguan and the other three bowed in unison, their voices loud and clear.

"We, your subjects, dare not disobey your command!"

Zhu Youjian led this personally selected team through a long procession and finally returned to the imperial steps, before the officials.

Only then did he look again at the noble ministers at the forefront, as if he had just remembered something, he patted his forehead and laughed:

"Where was I...?"

Gao Shiming, who had been standing by his side, bowed slightly and respectfully reminded him, "Your Majesty, you just said that your preferences are none of your business to guess or pry into..."

"Oh, yes, yes."

Zhu Youjian nodded in realization. He looked at the officials again, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the nobles, cabinet ministers, and ministers of the Six Ministries and Nine Departments in the front row.

"So now, isn't it obvious?"

He pointed to the new policy team he had selected:

"Those who can point out the ills of the times, those who can serve the country, and those who can work with me to implement new policies are the ones I love!"

He paused slightly, giving everyone a moment to catch their breath and think.

Then, he spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice as clear as metal and stone.

"Anyone who conceals the ills of the nation, anyone who damages the foundation of the country, anyone who holds a position without performing their duties and hinders the new policies—I despise such people!"

"The greatest calamity in the world lies not in the difficulty, but in the inaction. There are thousands who sit and discuss principles, but only one who rises and puts them into practice. There are millions of talented people in the world, but I only seek this one!"

"My likes and dislikes, my rules, are laid out clearly before you!"

"Gentlemen, there is no need to communicate with the inner court officials anymore, nor is there any need to try to find out the emperor's intentions!"

"Go ask yourselves, go ask the people of this world, what can be done to save my Great Ming!"

Having said that, he suddenly flicked his dragon sleeve, turned around, climbed the steps, and ascended the throne again.

The moment he sat down, the entire Huangji Gate Square fell silent.

"Gao Shiming, issue the imperial decree!"

Gao Shiming nodded, took a scroll of imperial edict in yellow silk from the eunuch who was already waiting beside him, stepped forward, and unfolded it.

He cleared his throat and began to read aloud.

"The emperor is destined to be carried by heaven, and the edict says:"

"I have witnessed over a hundred years of peace and prosperity for our nation, with a rapidly growing population. Yet, land has not been cultivated and taxes have not been increased, leading to a growing conflict between people and land, and the very foundation of our nation is in peril. As the ancients said, 'When granaries are full, people know etiquette; when food and clothing are plentiful, people know honor and shame.' With the people's livelihood in such a state, how can we speak of etiquette? This is truly a critical moment of survival. I have been working tirelessly day and night, pondering this matter. Only by reforming the ancestral system and implementing new policies can we turn the tide and save the collapsing edifice."

"A secretariat is hereby established to gather ambitious individuals from all over the world. All articles submitted on state affairs will be reviewed here to determine their feasibility and record the talents of the authors. Ni Yuanlu, Qi Xinxiao, Zhang Zhiji, Sun Chuanting, and twenty-seven others selected today, including Liu Kongjing and Jiang Sirui, are hereby appointed to serve as advisors in the secretariat."

"A new policy committee will be established, headed by a cabinet minister, to handle general affairs. Huang Lijie, Li Guopu, Cheng Jiming, Yang Jingchen, Xue Guoguan, and six others will be appointed as the first batch of members to determine the major plans."

"The above list is not a fixed number. The wise adapt to the times, and the knowledgeable adjust to circumstances. All subjects of the realm who have the will to uphold justice and the talent to save the times may submit their writings on governing the world. The Secretariat will conduct an initial review, and I and the Committee will conduct a final review. Those who are capable of great use may directly enter the Secretariat to assist in state affairs; those who are competent may enter the New Policies Committee to take charge of a specific matter. I do not restrict qualifications, but only appoint people based on their talents."

"The Song dynasty minister Wang Anshi implemented reforms, and his ambition is commendable, and his actions are worthy of emulation. The way to implement new policies should proceed from easy to difficult, from near to far, and should not be accomplished overnight. We should emulate the principles of self-cultivation, family harmony, good governance, and bringing peace to the world in the Great Learning, and proceed gradually."

"Therefore, the new policies should begin in the capital and Beizhili, and only then can they be extended to the whole country."

"From October 1st of the seventh year of the Tianqi reign to January 1st of the first year of the Yongchang reign, all articles on state affairs should focus on the capital and Beizhili regions; those mentioning other places will not be accepted."

"All memorials submitted must be factual, substantive, and address the current problems. Empty talk is of no benefit to the country and is not acceptable to me."

……

The snow fell heavier and heavier, but everyone listened attentively to the new policy edict.

Among them were nobles and relatives of high-ranking officials, cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials, a vigorous new policy team, and experienced veterans who were still observing.

There were disgruntled minor officials in the capital, flag bearers in rusty armor, and eunuchs from the inner study standing quietly beside the screen.

They listened intently to every word, and finally heard the end of the edict.

"...Now that the mandate of heaven has been renewed, and we are pleased to begin anew, all officials, in accordance with my virtue, shall proclaim this to the world, so that all may know."

"Appreciate this."

As soon as Gao Shiming finished speaking, the distinctive, drawn-out greetings of the officials from the Court of State Ceremonial resounded throughout the entire Huangji Gate Square.

"salute--!"

The whip cracked three times, like the roar of a dragon or the howl of a tiger.

On the square, more than a thousand officials, regardless of their inner feelings, all knelt down in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

A roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashed through the swirling snow and soared into the sky.

Zhu Youjian stood on the steps of the imperial palace, looking down at the square below, which was covered with white snow and crowds of people.

He has already played his first card.

This card represents a calculated strategy, an opportunity, and also a test that stands before everyone.

The world will be thrown into turmoil because of this.

Among all the officials and scholars in the court, who will be his friend and who will be his enemy?

Who will become the cornerstone of the new policy, and who will become dust of the times?

Can fame and fortune truly level the small capital city and Beizhili?

Zhu Youjian's gaze was as deep as an abyss, as if he could already see the future clashes of swords and the turbulent waves that were destined to be unleashed.

Without lingering for a moment longer, he abruptly flicked his dragon sleeve and turned to leave.

That bright yellow figure, resolute and determined, disappeared into the depths of the wind and snow.

Only after the imperial procession, representing the emperor's majesty, had completely disappeared into the distance and the somber tolling of the bells had begun, did the officials dare to rise and, guided by the eunuchs, slowly retreat like a tide.

Those newly selected elites, full of vigor, gathered in small groups, discussing their future ambitions.

Those who were not selected, however, were also excited, each seeking out acquaintances to discuss something.

The nobles walked at the front, no one spoke, and the atmosphere was terribly oppressive.

The Huangji Gate Square, which was just a moment ago crowded, quickly became empty.

Snow, bigger.

The heavy snow fell softly, quickly burying the messy footprints on the ground, the few things people had left behind, and all traces of the world.

It's like birds returning to the forest after eating their fill, leaving behind a vast expanse of white, truly clean.

[Volume 1, Chapter 9: The Use of Yellow Oxhide - End]

(End of this chapter)