Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 173 Black Crow and White Crow

As soon as Zhu Youjian finished speaking, the assembled officials felt a chill run down their spines.

Rewards and punishments?

Here it comes; all that was just setup. This is the real highlight of the day.

Zhu Youjian spoke calmly, but his words were thunderous.

"Since the founding of our dynasty, nearly three hundred years have passed. Laws, when applied for too long, breed corruption; power, when applied for too long, breeds weariness. I observe that in today's officialdom, nine out of ten are corrupt."

"If this is the case for the generals on the nine borders, then it is even more so for the civil officials in the capital."

"Among the many annual expenditures of the dynasty, the border military pay is a matter that the court keeps a close eye on. The officials in the capital are still relatively respectable in their actions and restrained in their spending."

“When the old salaries from Yansui, Xuanfu and other places were sent out of the capital, and the revenue was distributed among various levels of government, about 80% of it would end up in the border towns.”

"The new salary is the most important thing. Liaodong can get 100% of it, and Jizhen, Dongjiang and other places can get 90% of it."

"However, once the pay reached the officers, it was like boiling water being poured on snow."

“The generals first swindled 20% or 40% of the profits, then used the soldiers for smuggling, embezzlement, and misappropriation, resorting to any means necessary.”

"The officers had already skimmed off their share of the profits, and through various means such as military merit evaluations, officer selection examinations, and inspections by the imperial inspectors, the bribes flowed back in a steady stream, ultimately ending up in the pockets of certain high-ranking officials in the capital."

"In this way, the officials in the capital may appear not to have taken any action, but they have still taken action."

Zhu Youjian paused, his gaze sweeping over the officials from the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions below the steps, whose heads were bowed even lower.

His gaze then turned to the civil officials.

“Aside from the border allowance, it’s not so elegant to reach out for other things.”

“Each department and office in the capital has its own established practices. Whether a sum of money leaves the treasury and is distributed to the recipient in a 40/60 split or a 20/80 split depends entirely on the appetite of the person handling it.”

"As for local officials, there are very few honest ones and many corrupt ones. Those who simply follow the usual practices and do not actively exploit the people can be considered 'top-notch honest officials'."

"And the money they embezzled flowed back to the hands of officials in the capital in large sums through the channels of performance evaluation, job reporting, and transfer."

As Zhu Youjian spoke, a faint, ambiguous smile appeared on his lips.

"Such manipulation, layer upon layer of exploitation, is just like the tax system of our Great Ming Dynasty, proceeding from the bottom up in an orderly manner. Gentlemen, how can such a scene not be described as 'brilliant'?"

"For three hundred years, the dynasty has supported scholars, and officials at all levels have been vying for personal gain. Each official has used his salary to cultivate relationships, and corruption has long been rampant!"

The ministers all lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound.

However, no one was afraid.

People have become somewhat accustomed to the new emperor's tactics. Since he has made such an open announcement, the focus is not on the present, but on the future and the policies the new emperor intends to implement.

The most peculiar reaction came from Duke Zhang Weixian of England. He felt his face burning and was even somewhat ashamed.

Without him...

The phrase "nurturing scholars for three hundred years" was originally something he said privately to the emperor.

He couldn't tell whether the emperor was using this as an excuse to mock him.

He subconsciously looked up, trying to discern something from the emperor's face, but all he saw was an unfathomable calm.

"My views here are based on the advice of more than a hundred border generals and instructors, as well as seventeen official documents related to governance."

Zhu Youjian's voice rang out again, breaking the silence.

"It was through this that I was able to glimpse the current state of my Great Ming Dynasty."

He surveyed the crowd, his gaze piercing: "My lords, is there any error in what I have said? Or have I been misled by treacherous and wicked men?"

No one answered.

"Those who think I am wrong, and that corruption in the world is not as widespread as eight or nine out of ten, may raise their hands."

The ministers shifted almost imperceptibly, but none of them had the courage to raise their hands.

But they all pricked up their ears, waiting to hear the new emperor's proposed method.

The aforementioned techniques of manipulating people's hearts could be said to be innate to the imperial family and nobility.

But such matters of governance are complex and multifaceted; if one is not a seasoned official who has been immersed in them for many years, how can one find the thread?
Zhu Youjian waited a moment, and seeing that no one raised their hand, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Indeed, it seems that everyone in the hall today is a loyal and upright person."

He abruptly changed the subject and burst into laughter, instantly easing the oppressive atmosphere in the hall.

"You are no longer so eager to advise me to act rashly, which shows that you have some confidence in me."

His gaze fell on Li Guopu, and he pointed at him:
"What Minister Li said in the palace that day, though it belittled me, was indeed reasonable."

"The nation is critically ill. If we use strong medicine too soon, it will damage its vital energy and there is a risk of sudden death."

"Therefore, today I will tell you my method for purifying the bureaucracy."

Zhu Youjian's smile faded, and his expression turned serious.

"In reality, among the people of this world, so-called sages are one in ten thousand, and wicked people are only one in a thousand. Most people are just going with the flow and following the trend."

"When the wind blows, the grass bends; what the superiors do, the inferiors follow. The decline of morality is not a recent phenomenon; it has accumulated over time, leading to the current state of deep-seated problems that are difficult to reverse."

“When a newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) is assigned to a county as a magistrate, the local clerks will present him with thousands of customary fees as soon as he takes office.”

"If he doesn't take this money, how will the prefect, governor, and provincial treasurer take it? If he doesn't take it, how will he manage when he goes to the capital for the imperial examinations? And how will the censors who inspect the local areas deal with him?"

"The intricacies of human relationships here are so complex that a single move can have far-reaching consequences. I am fully aware of them all."

"So, how do we break this situation where everyone is equally corrupt?"

"I have ordered an anti-corruption campaign? How many people can it actually target? If all the officials are corrupt, then corruption is nothing more than a pretext for factional infighting."

"No matter how many times they change the system and replace the people, they still get what they deserve, without any change whatsoever."

"To break this deadlock, the only solution I can think of is to start from scratch!"

"Since all crows under heaven are equally black, then I will first find a group of 'white crows'!"

The moment the words "white crow" were uttered, the hall fell silent, and the ministers instantly understood.

New policy! It's a new policy!

Sure enough, Zhu Youjian continued speaking:
"From now on, anyone involved in the new policies will be a follower of this 'White Crow'!"

"As for the others, as long as they don't go too far, I can temporarily live in harmony with them."

"Only those involved in the new policies are people I cannot tolerate even the slightest bit of negligence in my eyes!"

At this point, Zhu Youjian directly called out names.

"Minister Li, please rise and tell your colleagues about the matters you are in charge of."

Second Grand Secretary Li Guopu slowly stood up, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and stood with a solemn expression.

"Your subject is in charge of the new policies to combat corruption."

"All those involved in the new policies who submit memorials impeaching corruption or reports of investigations by the secret police shall first be submitted to me, and I will jointly investigate them with the Censorate, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Ministry of Justice."

"The so-called 'people involved in the new policies' include the New Policies Committee, the Secretariat, the officials of the New Policies in the capital under the leadership of Prefect Xue, as well as officials of all levels who later joined the New Policies in Beizhili through examinations. In total, there are about two hundred people, which is about one-hundredth of the officials in the country."

Li Guopu's voice was clear and steady as he began to read out the pre-prepared charter.

"There are four parallel regulations for this anti-corruption matter."

"Firstly, it is said: Exempt past offenses."

"From the day an official is included in the list of officials under the new policy, he shall abide by His Majesty's words and discard all past transgressions."

"As long as we donate silver to help the country according to past circumstances, all past matters will be overlooked."

"Going forward, we will only see whether he is honest and upright in his work under the new policies."

Upon hearing this, the assembled officials were immediately thrown into turmoil.

Minister of Works Xue Fengxiang instinctively clenched his fist, his fingertips instantly sinking into his palm, bringing a sharp pain.

Donating one's salary is tantamount to being put on the blacklist, registered with the emperor, and always leaving a trace of disgrace.

Is this... really going to work?

However, if one does not donate and is not included in this list, it is tantamount to cutting oneself off from the new policies, and one's career in government would probably be cut off.

The words the emperor uttered when he held the Banquet of Severed Tassels and burned those three books have already been dug up and studied repeatedly.

His Majesty spoke of abandoning the past, but he never said that he had never read those three books!
Li Guopu ignored the reactions of the crowd and continued:

"Secondly, it is said: increase salaries to encourage integrity."

"All officials under the new policy will receive an additional allowance for integrity maintenance in addition to their regular salary. The amount of this allowance is still under discussion and will be publicly announced later."

"But as Your Majesty said before, the purpose is to ensure that low-ranking officials maintain their dignity, mid-ranking officials maintain their comfort, and high-ranking officials ensure that their families can pass on wealth and honor without worry."

"This silver will be provided by His Majesty's private treasury. I will coordinate with the eunuch Zheng Zhihui of the Imperial Household Department to open an account and review and distribute the funds quarterly."

Li Guopu paused for a moment, then offered a specific figure for reference. "Among them, officials of the seventh rank will, for the time being, receive an additional twenty taels of silver as a stipend for maintaining integrity each year."

Twenty taels?
There was another slight commotion in the hall.

For the young officials in the Secretariat who came from the ranks of Xingrensi and Zhongshu Sheren and had few ways to make money, this sum of money was not insignificant.

After all, the regular annual salary of a seventh-rank official, plus monthly rice, silver, donations, firewood silver, and hall silver, amounted to about thirty taels of silver, which was more than half of the original amount.

However, for officials who had access to "customary practices" and ways to make money, such as the Six Ministries of Censors and the Thirteen Circuits of Censors, a mere twenty taels was simply not enough.

When county magistrates were selected through examinations in the capital, the number of people sent to the capital was generally in the thousands.

These officials in key positions, holding the rank of seventh grade, could receive five hundred to a thousand taels of silver in various forms of tribute each year.

If it's a crucial department like the Ministry of Personnel or the Ministry of War, three or five thousand taels a year is not out of the question.

Zhu Youjian seemed to see through everyone's thoughts. He tapped on the imperial desk and added:

"Gentlemen, this salary increase is just the beginning. Further increases will be made in the future."

"In my mind, the ideal salary for a seventh-rank official in the capital should be one hundred taels of gold per year."

He sighed, his tone becoming earnest.

“Living in the capital is not easy. For an eight-person family to live decently without taking out large loans, they need to spend around fifty taels a year to avoid being in dire straits.”

"And officials in the capital, once they reach a certain rank, are always busy with welcoming and sending off guests, seasonal rituals, and social obligations. If they don't earn a hundred taels of silver a year, they will be in dire straits."

"If you want to live a luxurious life, then five hundred or six hundred gold coins is not too much."

Zhu Youjian paused, then asked, "I heard this story in the marketplace; is there any bias in my account?"

The officials all shook their heads, and the chief minister Huang Liji cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty has a clear vision and can understand the plight of the people. This is truly a blessing for the country."

"Then I am relieved." Zhu Youjian nodded. "The main purpose of this salary increase is to preserve the dignity of the people, so that officials under the new policies can maintain their official status without taking bribes. As for the extravagance and wealth, that depends on the effectiveness of the new policies."

“I am not a greedy person. I live in the deep palace and am supported by the people. I have no use for this money.”

"However, the nine border regions have been in arrears for years, and the national treasury is running a deficit. Before the new policies show results, it is really impossible to increase them too much."

"Next year, the first phase of the new policies in Beizhili will be completed. I will determine another increase in salaries based on the results. In the future, salaries will be adjusted every time the new policies are implemented."

"In short, with the nation's finances and taxes abundant, the salaries of all officials are naturally generous. We, the emperor and his ministers, should work together to restore salaries to the levels during the reign of Emperor Taizu Gao, and then we can discuss other matters!"

Zhu Youjian painted a huge picture, and without waiting for the reactions of his ministers, he waved his hand, signaling Li Guopu to continue.

His mind, however, was perfectly clear.

Emperor Taizu Gaozu was probably the end of his salary increase.

High salaries to prevent corruption?

They can't be raised.

This method is only suitable for small countries with small populations. As long as the benefits of power far exceed the income from a salary, officials will inevitably try to seek rent through their power; this is human nature and unavoidable.

Moreover, the Ming Dynasty also had a system of concubines and servants.

Officials in the capital were better off, but local officials, once they took office, would bring their families, staff, and servants, often numbering over a hundred.

The pomp and circumstance of a seventh-rank county magistrate was greater than that of a high-ranking official in later generations.

How much would it take to raise salaries to support over a hundred people?

As the Ming dynasty scholars themselves aptly put it, the decline of the scholarly ethos stemmed from extravagance.

Once extravagance takes hold, even if salaries are paid out in astronomical amounts, corruption cannot be stopped.

At this stage, we are simply using the "fast track to promotion" and "high-pressure supervision" as whips to suppress their desires.

Li Guopu, having received a signal, took a deep breath and uttered the most chilling third point.

Thirdly, it is said: strengthen supervision and impose severe punishments!

"To quell chaos, severe punishments are necessary!" Li Guopu's voice rose slightly, carrying a chilling aura.

"His Majesty once said that impeaching those who implement the new policies requires detailed evidence. However, he did not specify how to punish them once their crimes are proven. Today, we will clarify this."

"Any official found guilty of corruption under the new policies will be punished severely!"

"For ordinary officials, those who deserve to be punished with green (a form of disciplinary action), will be punished with three green lines (another form of disciplinary action)!"

"Ordinary officials who deserve to be dismissed from office for their crimes, as well as officials under the new policies, will be stripped of their official status and reduced to commoners!"

"Ordinary officials who deserve to be punished with penance, but officials under the new policies, will be beheaded and their heads displayed to the public!"

With each word Li Guopu spoke, the expressions of the officials in the hall grew more serious.

When the words "beheading and public display" were uttered, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.

With such severe punishments, what does the extra salary amount to?
Many people turned their attention to the faces of the officials already under the new policies, wanting to see their reactions.

However, a group of ministers, led by the New Policies Committee, mostly remained expressionless, clearly having already discussed the matter.

The young secretariat officials standing in the back row showed no fear on their faces; instead, their eyes shone with a fervent longing.

Kill them! Kill them! If you don't kill them and I don't kill them, when will the prime minister ever come to my house!

Whether idealists or ambitious individuals, they all sensed a rare opportunity in this!

Zhu Youjian took all of this into view.

He deliberated on this for a long time and debated repeatedly with his ministers about where the line for anti-corruption should be drawn.

After much discussion, it turned out that at the national level, the only acceptable approach was to draw a "zero-tolerance" red line.

As for more detailed bottom lines, such as how many taels of silver constitute the warning line, how many taels constitute the dismissal line, and how many taels constitute the execution line, these cannot be explicitly stated and can only be gradually revealed in future case precedents.

—It's impossible that the emperor himself promised that as long as one doesn't embezzle more than 10 taels, everything will be fine, right? Then why not just give him an extra 10 taels?

The bottom line is the bottom line; there is no room for compromise.

In practice, adjustments can be made gradually based on the situation and pace.

Li Guopu paused for a moment, then dropped another bombshell.

Fourthly, it is said: rewards are given for reporting.

"All officials of the Censorate who can verify major cases of corruption and despicable acts by officials of the new administration, and whose evidence is conclusive, will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver for each case, and will be given an additional 'red' mark in their performance evaluation, to demonstrate their integrity in bringing justice to the people!"

"His Majesty is generous in rewarding and promoting those who are impeached. Whether they wish to join the new administration or not, it is up to them."

"The above four examples are a summary of the new anti-corruption policies. Detailed rules will be posted at Chengtianmen within the month."

After saying this, Li Guopu bowed deeply and returned to his original position.

Zhu Youjian nodded and turned his gaze to Fang Zhuangli, the Left Censor-in-Chief.

"Minister Fang, you in the Censorate must also keep a close eye on this matter."

"The duty of the Chief Censor is to purify the atmosphere and rectify the court, not to be a pawn in factional strife. Do your job well and don't disappoint me again."

Fang Zhuangli quickly stood up, his old face flushed red, and bowed, saying:

"Your Majesty, I will certainly reorganize the troops, eliminate the lazy, and cleanse the world for Your Majesty, even at the cost of my life!"

Zhu Youjian casually remarked, but did not have high expectations for him.

What kind of tough guy could someone who rose to the high position of Left Censor-in-Chief during the eunuch faction era?

He was just a transitional figure.

If Fang Zhuangli doesn't do a good job, it's a good opportunity to replace him with a tough guy like Liu Zongzhou, which can also help balance the power in the court.

Among the people from Donglin, there were quite a few who were suitable for the supervisory route.

By this point, two out of the three phases of the "new policy expressway" he had created for officials across the land had been completed.

Salary is high (slightly high), supervision is strict (very strict), and promotion is fast (really fast).

However, only true warriors and geniuses are qualified to embark on this path.

Alternatively, like the upcoming selection of officials in Beizhili, they can stand out based on their genuine talent for practical application of knowledge.

Alternatively, one could take the supervisory route, using a keen eye to expose the bad apples and pave one's own path to promotion with the remains of these "black crows."

Zhu Youjian's gaze slowly swept over the officials in the hall.

The matter of salary has been explained.

The matter of supervision has also been explained.

The most tempting and crucial factor, "rapid promotion," remained elusive, like the moon in the clouds, never explicitly stated.

It's time for everyone to see this carrot dangling in front of them clearly.

(End of this chapter)