Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 172 Notice: The OKR plan submission for the new policies of the first year of Yongchang in Beizhili has begun.
"Minister Yang, I heard that you caught a cold a few days ago. Are you feeling better now?"

In the silence of the hall, this expression of concern stood out all the more clearly.

All eyes, whether open or hidden, were focused on Yang Jingchen.

Yang Jingchen was clearly not expected that the emperor would inquire about his health in such a public setting. He was slightly taken aback at first, and then a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

He stood up, a flush rising on his face, which was over fifty years old, not from illness, but from excitement and pride.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your kind concern." His voice was steady and strong. "It was just a minor ailment. I took some medicine and sweated it out and I'm fine now. I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's concern."

Zhu Youjian nodded in satisfaction, his smile deepening.

"It's good that you're alright. As the Minister of Heaven, Minister Yang is responsible for selecting talents for the country and is a pillar of the nation. I cannot do without you. As winter approaches and the weather gets colder, please take good care of yourself."

He paused, then added, "After the meeting, Yang Qing, please wait a moment. I will have the Imperial Pharmacy prepare some top-quality ginseng for you to take back and nourish your body."

"Your subject...kowtows in gratitude for Heaven's grace!"

Yang Jingchen rose from his seat and bowed, his movements perfectly timed as he finished performing this scene of harmonious relations between ruler and subject.

Zhu Youjian accepted the bow with composure, and gently raised his hand to indicate that he should sit down.

Then, his gaze slowly swept over the assembled officials in the hall.

His behavior just now was extremely deliberate, and even seemed somewhat childish.

But that's exactly what Zhu Youjian wanted—this deliberate effort.

His meaning couldn't be clearer: those who obey me will prosper, those who oppose me will perish.

If you still can't understand something so obvious, and can't find a direction to exert your efforts, then Zhu Youjian is truly out of options.

"Alright." Zhu Youjian gently tapped the table.

"The matters to be discussed next involve multiple departments, so I will not issue orders for each one individually. After the meeting, everyone may go to Gao Shiming to collect their respective orders."

"The order contains rewards and punishments, as well as details of various matters. Today, we will not go into so much detail, but will just give a general overview of the matters."

These words immediately caused a slight commotion among the audience.

Is there more content in the decree?

Everyone turned to look at Lai Zongdao and Qiao Yunsheng, who had already received the orders, their hearts filled with curiosity and speculation.

However, the two ministers sat upright, looking down at their noses and inward, showing no intention of opening the decree on the spot.

The more this is the case, the more itchy everyone's hearts become.

Zhu Youjian took all of this in stride, but ignored it and spoke directly:

"The first priority of the new policies is the selection of personnel."

The hall fell silent instantly.

After dealing with all the issues of people's hearts and minds, is it finally time to use people?

"The key to this personnel management lies in both the capital and the local areas."

"The capital is where the central government is located, and it is the beginning of all policies, so it cannot be taken lightly. However, with the eyes of the Emperor, the ministers, and the people of the world watching over the capital, there is no need to fear making mistakes."

"And local officials, especially those in prefectures and counties, are directly connected to the mandate of heaven and the lives of the people, making them the most crucial figures in the new policies."

Zhu Youjian's tone became serious.

"Why did Wang Anshi's policies fail in the past? The root cause lay in the local areas."

"The central government's plans are excellent in a thousand ways, but when they reach the local level, they turn out to be completely different."

“The central government seeks to enrich the country and strengthen its military, while local officials only care about extorting money and currying favor with the central government.”

"Therefore, the more the new policies are implemented, the faster the nation's vitality is depleted. This is indeed a problem for prefectures and counties."

He raised his eyes and asked, "Do any of you have any objections to what I have said?"

The ministers were filled with awe and raised their right hands, saying in unison, "Your Majesty is wise, and we have no objection."

"very good."

Zhu Youjian nodded.

"Regarding the matter of employing people, historical records offer various opinions, but in my view, it can be simplified to just three things."

"Firstly, it is about selecting people."

"In my eyes, the new policy is a war without bloodshed."

"Beizhili is the starting point of this battle and the beginning of the restoration of the dynasty. It is precisely the time to select good generals, gather them into a fist, and throw them all into this small area."

Zhu Youjian turned his gaze to Yang Jingchen.

"Minister Yang, tell me about the progress at your Ministry of Personnel."

Everyone looked at Yang Jingchen again, but with a hint of inquiry in their eyes.

Instead of "receiving orders," it's "reporting progress"?
This means that Yang Jingchen, the Minister of Personnel, had already begun some unknown preparations under the emperor's instruction.

Yang Jingchen stood up, his expression filled with undisguised pride, and said loudly:

“From the day Your Majesty ascended the throne, I knew that Your Majesty had the ambition to sweep away all obstacles and bring peace to the world. In order not to fail Your Majesty’s trust, I dare not slacken in the slightest.”

"Therefore, starting from the fourth day of the ninth month, I have summoned officials from all departments of the Ministry of Personnel, gathered the performance evaluation files of the principal officials of all prefectures and counties in the country, and rigorously selected them to prepare capable talents for Your Majesty and for the new policies!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a slight murmur rippled through the hall.

September 4th?
Wasn't that the eighth day after His Majesty ascended the throne?

You're moving way too fast, Lord Yang!
Everyone suddenly realized why... why His Majesty favored him so much!
Ignoring his colleagues' astonishment, Yang Jingchen continued his report:
"Of the 1,500 county magistrates and prefects in the empire, we have repeatedly compared their past performance records in areas such as finance, civil administration, and criminal law, and have now preliminarily selected 74 capable officials. They await Your Majesty's decree for their selection and appointment!"

It's hard to say whether he was a capable official, after all, they were thousands of miles apart, and with all the paperwork going back and forth, how could local recommendations be reliable?
But those who are willing to go through all that trouble to be selected are ultimately ambitious people, and that's enough!

Zhu Youjian showed a satisfied expression and waved his hand decisively.

"Order them all to come to the capital and await further instructions."

Then, he looked at the crowd and clearly recited a series of numbers:

"The area of ​​Beizhili covers a radius of a thousand li and is under the jurisdiction of eight prefectures, nineteen states, and one hundred and sixteen counties."

"There are more than 4.26 million registered people, more than 49 million mu of official and civilian land, and more than 600,000 shi of summer tax and autumn grain."

He paused slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone.

"Gentlemen, even today, does anyone still believe that the Northern Zhili region is merely a collection of figures on paper?"

The courtiers remained silent, and no one responded.

“Good.” Zhu Youjian continued, “Since ancient times, in warfare, knowing oneself and knowing the enemy is the key to victory in every battle. The same applies to the new policies.”

"Therefore, my first order regarding the new policies for Beizhili is—"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"By order, the six prefects, eighteen sub-prefects, and one hundred and twelve county magistrates currently in office, as listed in the Ministry of Personnel's official register, shall each submit a detailed report on the current situation of the counties, sub-prefectures, and counties under their jurisdiction!"

"What is the current land and population recorded in the Yellow Register? After serving as officials for several years, what do they think the actual figures are? Who are the local powerful families and gentry? And what is the approximate amount of land and population that are hidden or fraudulently registered?"

"Besides the regular taxes for the people, how much are there in exorbitant levies and miscellaneous taxes? What are the daily levies for each prefecture and county? If they exert themselves in governing, clearing up land records, determining the population, and revising taxes, what goals do they intend to set for next year?"

"All of these things must be reported truthfully! The intentions of the new policy should be implemented from top to bottom, but the goals of the new policy should be determined from bottom to top!"

"Once this order is issued, all prefects, magistrates, and county magistrates shall, after completing their official documents, come to the capital together to report to me in person to the New Policies Committee before November 1st!"

"At that time, the New Policies Committee and the Secretariat will take the lead in selecting fifty Beijing officials with local experience to form a reporting and evaluation group."

"Anyone who is incompetent or has an improper attitude shall be dismissed without exception or leniency."

"The first batch of officials for the new policies in Beizhili will be finalized before November 15th."

"Then we will spend another fifteen days revising, discussing and clarifying the first phase goals of the new policies for each prefecture, state and county in Beizhili, compiling them into a book and publishing it throughout the country."

"This is the first selection of personnel under the new policies in Beizhili!"

"We will not listen to recommendations or investigate past conduct; we will only judge whether someone can truly see through the corruption and whether they dare to confront it directly!"

After he finished speaking, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was stunned by the emperor's earth-shattering plan.

For two thousand years in Chinese history, who has done things this way?
They want to dismiss and replace an entire province's local officials right from the start?!

Zhu Youjian's gaze finally fell on Grand Secretary Huang Liji.

"Prime Minister, this matter involves many departments and is a crucial matter in personnel selection; it cannot be left to you to take the lead. What do you think? Is it possible to accomplish this?"

Huang Lijie had already left his seat. He took a deep breath and suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

The emperor had consulted with him about this matter beforehand, but he was still unclear about some details.

He bowed and said, "This old minister is naturally obliged to share Your Majesty's burdens. But I wonder, how many out of ten will be selected in this assessment?"

This is a question that should be asked, and it is a question asked on behalf of everyone.

There has to be a ratio for selecting the virtuous and capable. Even the selection of new officials is based on quotas, let alone the selection of county officials.
However, Zhu Youjian's answer was beyond his expectations.

"A good question from the Prime Minister!"

"I might as well be frank: this assessment will not have any safety net; it will only consider whether the standards are met!"

"I will discuss and determine the specific standards with you and the other members of the new policy committee."

He looked at the other ministers and slowly said:

"The seventy-four people pre-selected by the Ministry of Personnel and the fifty people selected from the capital are all to fill the gaps left by these people!"

"If even these hundred-odd people aren't enough to fill the quota, I'll add twenty-seven people from the Secretariat and forty-three from the Hanlin Academy!" "The new policies in Beizhili are unlike the palace reforms or the capital reforms. This is a genuine local governance policy, the beginning and model for all future new policies of our Great Ming!"

"The magistrate of this place will become the prefect of Henan in the next year or two, and then the governor of a province!"

"Going forward, when officials are appointed to high positions, those who have no experience in implementing new policies or have any notable achievements are not allowed to take office."

"Therefore, this matter must be handled with utmost care and integrity, bringing together the most elite, honest, and capable generals of our Great Ming Dynasty!"

Huang Lijie had no further questions about the matter and bowed solemnly to the end.

"Your Majesty, I obey! After the meeting, I will immediately join forces with the relevant departments to draft the corresponding documents and submit them to Your Majesty for review."

Zhu Youjian nodded in satisfaction.

Such a practice was an unprecedented and bizarre event in the history of the Ming Dynasty and even the entire Chinese nation.

In the past, when the imperial court wanted to implement new policies, even if it was a pilot project, it would simply appoint a high-ranking official, grant him an imperial sword, and send him to the local area to stage a scene of an honest official beheading a corrupt official.

But now, right under the emperor's nose, in the capital region, the emperor himself is going to personally examine the officials of more than a hundred prefectures and counties in Beizhili, sifting them through one by one like sifting beans.

In a sense, Zhu Youjian was, at this moment, the Governor-General of Beizhili.

These local officials, on the other hand, will have to complete an OKR (Objectives and Key Results) report at the beginning of the year.

First, your goals must be reasonable. Whether they are high or low, you have to make sure there is some room for exaggeration.
If you say that a certain county is in a state of decline and there is no room for improvement, then just replace it with someone who is more willing to make progress.

Second, once you've set your goals, you need to clearly explain your methods. Don't resort to clichés like "clearing accounts and land" or "rest and recuperation." Clearly explain exactly what you're going to do, where you'll start, what difficulties you'll encounter, and what support you'll need—discuss everything in detail.

Third, dispatch the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Secretariat, and the Censors to various places for inspections, to prevent them from overcorrecting and creating unrealistic yields. Otherwise, even if there is no uprising in Shaanxi, there will be one in Beizhili first.

Of course, there are many supporting measures, such as controlling the proportion of officials from the place of origin in the new policy.

Southerners were used to suppress northerners.

For example, there are the gradually expanding radio routes such as the Beijing-Damingfu line, the Beijing-Shanhaiguan line, and the Beijing-Denglai line.

Local unrest can be reported within a day, barring rain.

The dispatched Imperial Guards would also operate in designated areas and report back on the details of governance.

Then there was the inexplicable addition of the "marching drill" regulations to the Yongwei Battalion, which was to some extent a preparation for this.

The plains of northern Zhili were vast, and Zhu Youjian, who held the nuclear weapon of cavalry, was watching with predatory eyes any brave warrior who dared to step forward.

Besides, rewards, incentives, and divisions are still underway, but we'll have to wait and see.

Whether this method would work or not, even Zhu Youjian himself was unsure.

In my previous life, when I was in the workplace, assigning elite personnel to tackle new projects was a good idea, but that's not the same as governing a country.

The closest experience I've had is actually playing the Romance of the Three Kingdoms series of games?!

After all, which player, at the start of the game, doesn't first send all their top talents, such as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Zhuge Liang, to the front-line main city?
Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian couldn't help but smile slightly, but he quickly suppressed it.

He coughed lightly to cover his slight lapse in concentration, and continued speaking.

"Alright, that's about it for the selection of people under the new policy."

"However, after selecting the people, the second thing is even more important."

Zhu Youjian paused for a moment, then said seriously:

"That is to cultivate talent!"

He paused briefly, seemingly organizing his words, but in reality, he was observing the reactions of his ministers.

“In the past, newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) would be sent to various ministries to observe governance before being granted official positions.”

"Among them, the most outstanding were selected to enter the Hanlin Academy, followed the path of integrity, and rose to the position of prime minister."

"How can one become a prime minister without having governed a prefecture or county?"

Upon hearing this, several cabinet ministers and ministers showed a hint of embarrassment on their faces.

Huang Liji coughed lightly, his eyes lowered slightly, while Li Guopu unconsciously adjusted his posture.

Zhu Youjian, however, completely ignored their embarrassment and continued firing:
"Such training is a complete waste of talent!"

"You scholars have studied diligently for many years, spending your lives studying past volumes of 'Jingshi Wenbian' and memorials from various dynasties, yet you still cannot grasp the essence of things."

"And the officials of the Six Ministries were no better off. Many of the memorials I initially received were empty and meaningless, merely forced and poorly arranged; they were truly tedious to read."

Guo Yunhou was also very embarrassed, but at least he got a definite answer.

That's why his ten financial management strategies, once put on hold, remained untouched for over a month.

Just watch as this new emperor clicks through each department, when will he reach his Ministry of Revenue?
Zhu Youjian then said, "Therefore, this method of training needs to be revised and must be more practical."

After he finished speaking, his gaze immediately locked onto Cheng Jiming:
"Chengqing, tell me about your arrangements."

Cheng Jiming quickly stood up and clasped his hands in greeting.

"The Hanlin Academy was responsible for compiling official documents for practical affairs in the past."

Cheng Jiming's voice sounded slightly tense, but his thoughts were clear and organized:

"Although past official documents are not as concise as those for practical matters, we should not waste them as they serve as a lesson from history."

"Your Majesty's decree has instructed me to lead the members of the Hanlin Academy in reviewing all memorials submitted to the throne throughout the dynasty, including those concerning horse administration, salt administration, grain sales, river management, canal transport, and paper money."

"It is essential to analyze how each policy gradually declined and how ministers of successive dynasties made efforts to remedy and salvage the situation."

"Of the various policies implemented, how can we categorize them as good or bad? From now on, every ten days, we will select one topic and give a lecture to Your Majesty."

Cheng Jiming paused, then cupped his hands to the left and right before continuing:

"However, the Hanlin Academy was not familiar with general affairs, so it might not be able to grasp the details of some important policies. Therefore, relevant officials were invited to listen in on each daily lecture."

"For discussions on horse administration, we will invite officials from the Court of Imperial Stud; for discussions on water conservancy, we will invite officials from the Ministry of Works. Anyone else who is interested may also sign up."

"If Your Majesty has any questions, please ask them in court, and we will answer them in court."

"This process was repeated daily, and eventually the documents were compiled into the 'Collection of Official Documents on Statecraft in the Old Ming Dynasty,' which was then published throughout the country."

Zhu Youjian nodded in satisfaction.

The Hanlin Academy had more than forty people, all of whom were exceptionally talented, but none of them had any practical experience.

What does this look like?
Isn't this just like the strategic consultants at Accenture and McKinsey in later years?

First, he would use them as a think tank to analyze the successes and failures of the policies implemented by successive dynasties, and then force all the officials of the Ming Dynasty to study with him.

—So, you just copy the policies of the Horse Administration and the Opening of the Middle School from past memorials and call it a good strategy for governing the country? And you dare to submit a document on practical matters?!
No way! You must thoroughly investigate for me how past policies failed and how new policies should be implemented!

If the Hanlin Academy doesn't speak well and the official doesn't answer clearly, he will start cursing on the spot!

We must teach this every day, how can we only teach the emperor?
All officials in the land must learn from me!
After Cheng Jiming finished speaking, Zhu Youjian added:
"In the first year of Yongchang, officials from the Hanlin Academy and the Secretariat observed the new policies from the perspective of the central government and made up for any shortcomings."

"But in the second year of Yongchang, each of them will have to choose a place to govern!"

Zhu Youjian's gaze swept over the young officials in the secretariat, exchanging glances with one of them.

"The path to purity is severed from this day forward!"

"With the dynasty in decline, if one wishes to rise to the position of prime minister and realize grand ambitions, then the key lies in achieving results!"

After Zhu Youjian emphasized it again, ignoring the eager and excited faces of the secretariat officials, he turned directly to Gao Shiming and said:
"Gao Banban, please continue telling me about your situation."

Gao Shiming bowed and accepted the order, then stepped forward and said:
"The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is in charge of the matter of the 'Handbook for New Policies of Local Officials in the Great Ming Dynasty'."

“Using the practical documents already implemented by Prefect Xue and others as models, and taking fifty officials with local experience selected from the Beijing officials as references.”

“Then, select the best documents from the official documents of the county officials from Beizhili who came to the capital.”

"Finally, this is supplemented by information obtained from the Eastern Depot's investigations and interrogations, such as the ways in which officials in the capital bribe and the corrupt methods of clerks."

"They were jointly compiled into the 'Handbook for the Administration of Prefects, Governors and Magistrates of the Ming Dynasty' for the purpose of implementing the new policies in Beizhili."

"This handbook will be revised every six months, based on the latest official documents on state affairs, the county magistrates selected for the capital, and the pace and experience of implementing the new policies."
Zhu Youjian tapped the table and added:

"I would like to emphasize the matter of official documents for governing the country. All departments must take it seriously."

"In the past, the selection of personnel depended entirely on each person's intelligence and methods."

"The various policies and proposals submitted were not useless, but they failed because they were vague and unclear."

"When it comes to purging troops, some people can sort out the accounts and select and train elite soldiers, while others can only purge out troops in a way that leads to a complete upheaval."

"This is what is meant by 'governance depends on people.' With capable ministers, the government is efficient and the people are harmonious; with mediocre ministers, the people cannot make a living."

Zhu Youjian's tone gradually became serious:
"The advantage of official documents for governing the country is that before an event is governed, its success or failure can be roughly known; after an event is governed, its merits or demerits can be reassessed. By writing one document after another, one can gain insight into the successes and failures of various policies of the country and improve one's wisdom daily."

“If newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) are assigned to serve as county magistrates, there will be a ‘County Magistrate Handbook’, and even a ‘Beizhili County Magistrate Handbook’ and a ‘Shandong County Magistrate Handbook’, etc.”

"If the Ministry of Revenue is assigned, there will be the Salt Administration Manual and the Grand Canal Transport Manual, etc."

"In this way, why would the world need Zhang Liang and Xiao He? Everyone can be Zhang Liang and Xiao He!"

Zhu Youjian's voice was deep and powerful:
"Therefore, starting from November 1st, any memorials submitted that do not use the official document format for practical affairs will not be approved."

"The Six Ministries and Nine Ministers must also make every effort to promote this law within their respective ministries, ensuring that all government affairs of the Ming Dynasty have corresponding manuals to follow, do you understand?"

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment, and then all raised their right hands.

"Now that the selection and training of personnel are settled, only one last thing remains—"

Zhu Youjian glanced at everyone and finally lifted the last ring.

"That is the matter of rewards and punishments!"

(End of this chapter)