Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 174 Regarding the art of Shen Han, in fact, I... am somewhat familiar with it.

Zhu Youjian looked at everyone, smiled slightly, and broke the silence in the hall.

"Since my ascension to the throne, I have repeatedly mentioned 'adding red' and 'adding green.' Perhaps you all have your own guesses?"

"Actually, it's not that I intentionally concealed anything; it's just that the plan I was planning hadn't been finalized yet, which is why I was so vague."

"But now, we finally have a draft. Although it is not yet the final version, we can let you all know in advance."

Instead of explaining himself, he turned his gaze to Gao Shiming, who stood beside him with his hands at his sides.

"Gao Banban, you tell us."

"According to the order."

Gao Shiming stepped forward in response, holding a manuscript in his hand.

He walked into the hall, first bowed in the direction of the throne, and then faced the assembled officials, speaking loudly.

"By order of His Majesty, I have been in charge of the new policy assessment. Together with Li Guopu, the Vice Grand Secretary, and Yang Jingchen, the Minister of Personnel, we have been trying out and discussing this red and green system. After more than a month of refinement, we have this preliminary draft today."

He paused, giving everyone time to process his opening remarks.

"The so-called new performance evaluation system is different from the previous performance evaluation system of the Ministry of Personnel. It is a parallel system."

"What does 'parallel implementation' mean? It means that the new policy's performance evaluation and the Ministry of Personnel's performance evaluation are conducted on two parallel tracks!"

Gao Shiming raised his head and scanned the crowd.

"For example, if an official was rated as 'top-notch' in the Ministry of Personnel's examination that year, according to the old system, he could be promoted to the fourth rank."

"If he has five red marks on his body, he can be promoted directly to the third rank."

"If one receives ten red marks, one can be directly promoted to the third rank!"

"Therefore, adding ten red ribbons is equivalent to being a first-rank official."

Gao Shiming glanced at everyone and smiled slightly.

"In Your Majesty's opinion, the nation is in decline and in need of capable people. Those who can implement new policies must be honest, courageous, and dedicated to the country. We must not allow them to remain in lowly positions for long, but rather ensure that they can stand out from the crowd."

These words were like a drop of cold water falling into boiling oil, causing an instant uproar throughout the Wuying Hall.

Adding ten red ribbons is equivalent to being a first-rank official!
What an incredible speed of advancement!

This means that people under the new policy are promoted two or even three times faster than others!
The courtiers in the hall subconsciously turned their gazes to those officials who already bore the "red name" (a negative label).

The first to be affected was Li Guopu, the second-in-command of the cabinet, who was given a red ribbon for his remonstrance when he ascended the throne.

Then, Guo Yunhou, the Minister of Revenue, added a red ribbon during a meeting in the Wuying Hall.

However, these two individuals may be difficult to use as a reference.

At that time, His Majesty had just ascended the throne, and perhaps he hadn't yet fully grasped the concept of rewards and punishments based on merit.

But following closely behind were the faction of Xue Guoguan, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, who implemented the new policies in the capital, and Tian Ergeng, Cao Huachun, and others who reorganized the inner palace and imperial guards. These were people who were truly tied to the new policies.

Luo Yangxing sat on a small stool, feeling his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

He stared intently at Gao Shiming, his palms already soaked with sweat.

He had almost forgotten that he had been listed in the capital's thieves' register.

That was a matter of five rewards, written in red on yellow paper at Chengtian Gate, with an imperial handwriting!
But His Majesty said at the time that it wasn't the right time yet and that it should be postponed...

So when exactly is the right time?
Now that I'm in the secretariat, will I still be the one to do this job?
If not, could he have been assigned to several official documents related to state affairs?
A variety of ideas flooded Luo Yangxing's mind in an instant.

For a fleeting moment, he felt a sense of unease and uncertainty.

Gao Shiming took in everyone's expressions, smiled slightly, and continued to drop even more bombshell news.

"The purpose of awarding red honors is to encourage merit. However, for someone like Grand Secretary Huang, who has already reached the pinnacle of officialdom, how should we recognize his achievements with red honors?"

This is a question that many people have in mind.

Huang Lijie is already the second-highest-ranking official in the cabinet, and there is no higher he can rise.

Are you suggesting we use this to exchange for the additional titles of the Three Dukes and the Three Sovereigns?

That's a bit too weak.

But if it were a noble title...

This probably doesn't count as a reward anymore.

Gao Shiming didn't keep everyone guessing for long.

"His Majesty has decreed that the red embellishments applied to the bodies of all officials under the new policies shall be deducted from their bodies upon promotion."

"However, the bonuses they have accumulated will be recorded in the archives of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, and will never be erased."

"Then, what is the use of all this accumulated effort?"

He cleared his throat before speaking, word by word.

"Those who accumulate ten red lines can convert them into one 'golden line'!"

"And those who have accumulated ten golden patterns..."

Gao Shiming paused slightly, then his voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"He could be included in the list of those to be granted a noble title!"

"Just one more great achievement, and you'll be rewarded with at least the rank of Earl!"

"Those who accumulate a hundred gold patterns will surely be rewarded with the title of duke or marquis!"

"Wow—"

If the "accelerated promotion" just now only stirred up the officials, then the "discussion of titles and conferment of honors" at this moment completely ignited the entire scene!

But this commotion seemed somewhat strange.

Those civil officials and nobles who stood at the top of power all frowned at this moment.

The resistance from the nobles was obvious.

The powerful nobles of the Ming Dynasty could only hold a handful of positions. If a large number of new nobles were to enter the country, their power would certainly be weakened.

The reactions of civil officials, however, were more complex.

Being granted a noble title is certainly a tremendous honor.

However, once a title is conferred, one must join the ranks of the nobility and relinquish all the powerful positions one holds, such as Grand Secretary of the Cabinet and Minister of the Six Ministries.

Giving up a powerful position that could potentially only be a minor earldom seems like a bad deal no matter how you look at it.

After all, once a civil official reaches the pinnacle of his career, with various additional titles and salaries, his actual salary is not much different from that of an earl.

For a moment, the atmosphere inside the hall became incredibly subtle.

Gao Shiming seemed oblivious to the various expressions on everyone's faces, and continued speaking calmly:

"His Majesty is aware of the concerns of you ministers. Therefore, he specifically stated that the so-called rewards of earldom and dukedom are merely a measure of merit."

"If, when discussing merits, you wish to receive a noble title, then so be it. If not, it can be converted into an equivalent salary, or used as grounds for discussion regarding enshrining in the Temple of Confucius or placing your name in the Lingyan Pavilion!"

Upon hearing this, the furrowed brows of those top civil officials instantly relaxed.

To be enshrined in the Temple of Confucius! To have one's name recorded in the Lingyan Pavilion!

For them, this was far more tempting than an empty title!

Li Guopu couldn't help but look up and take a deep look at the young emperor on the throne, whose expression was indifferent.

Ten golden lines...

He recalled the only red mark on his body and couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.

Whatever, whatever.

As far as I'm concerned, what do the Temple of Confucius or the Lingyan Pavilion have to do with me?
With such a wise ruler above us and such a vigorous new policy, my name, Li Guopu, is destined to leave a strong mark in history!

His mind was at peace, and he lowered his eyes again, his heart as still as water.

"The reward has been given; now it is time to discuss the punishment."

Gao Shiming's voice turned cold.

“Adding red or gold signifies reward. Conversely, adding green signifies punishment.”

“Unlike adding red, all the addition of red and gold is only permitted among the new policy officials.”

"And the punishment of adding green to one's official rank is common practice in our Great Ming Dynasty, among all officials throughout the land!"

The ministers felt a chill run down their spines.

"If one has green on their body, the only way to offset it is to join the new government and do things that add red."

"One green light, no promotion for one year. Three green light, demoted one rank and transferred. Five green light, retired with official rank."

"Those who are added to the ten green belts... shall be stripped of their birth and official titles!"

"Not only that, if after being dismissed from office, one still does not strive for progress, then in the second year, two more green lines will be added automatically, in the third year, four more green lines will be added automatically, and so on, until one is dismissed from office!"

"This is a strategy specifically designed to cure incompetent and lazy governance!"

This time, the hall was completely silent.

Compared to the exhilarating rewards, this punishment is far more ruthless and has a wider impact.

The phrase "applicable to all officials throughout the land" in particular sent chills down the spines of those officials who thought they could remain uninvolved.

Zhu Youjian gently tapped the imperial desk, feeling that his knuckles were a little sore from tapping too much today.

It seems I'll have to bring a small wooden mallet to the next meeting. He only spoke slowly when all eyes were on him.

"Regarding the addition of red and green, I would like to add two more points."

"Since ancient times, there have been sayings such as 'the heart of a sage is as deep as an abyss' and 'the heart of a ruler is unfathomable'."

"Those who gain the emperor's favor will rise rapidly in rank and become prime ministers within a few years. Those who offend the emperor will be dismissed from their posts and never be reinstated."

"I do not wish to employ the tactics of Shen Buhai and Han Fei."

Zhu Youjian stood up, his gaze calm yet powerful.

“Everything I do and say is done with openness and honesty. This applies to the new policies as well as to the matters of favor, reward, and punishment.”

"All additions and subtractions of color shall not be based on my personal preferences, but solely on their effectiveness for the country."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, looking at the assembled officials.

"I do not wish to determine the future of thousands of officials based on the likes and dislikes of one person; I only wish to use the rise and fall of the nation as the standard for public affairs!"

"The so-called rewards and punishments are not my personal rewards and punishments, but rather the rewards and punishments of the nation!"

As soon as the words fell, the hall fell into dead silence.

Countless officials, especially those from the Hanlin Academy who were considered upright scholars, showed expressions of deep emotion on their faces at this moment.

This removes the emperor's personal likes and dislikes from the state's reward and punishment system.

What a magnanimous spirit! What a magnificent character!
However, just as everyone was getting excited, Zhu Youjian suddenly changed the subject, a familiar, slightly wicked smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Of course, this is a temporary measure when the dynasty is in a predicament, not a permanent solution. I hope my ministers will not make things difficult for me."

He paused, then added slowly.

"Of course, if you really want to make things difficult for me, you can submit a memorial to discuss some ancestral rules."

"I do not necessarily have to follow this red and green system..."

"After all, I am actually somewhat familiar with the art of Shen Buhai and Han Fei."

Upon hearing this, the emotion and excitement that had just risen in the hall instantly froze.

A chill crept into the hearts of many.

The emperor's meaning was very clear.

I've given you a set of above-board, legitimate, and well-regulated strategies; you'd better accept them.

If you insist on forcing me, then I can play along with your schemes and tricks, but at that time, your life, death, honor, and disgrace will truly be in my hands.

"His Majesty!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Guopu and Duke Zhang Weixian of England stood up at the same time.

The two exchanged a glance, but Li Guopu took the initiative and bowed deeply to the throne.

"Your Majesty, I beg you to retract these words! The ruler is the source."

"A clear source yields a clear stream, while a muddy source yields a muddy stream. Your Majesty's impartial administration of rewards and punishments is a blessing for the nation and the world. Why then compare yourself to Shen Buhai and Han Fei, thus tarnishing the reputation of a sage ruler!"

Duke Zhang Weixian of England opened his mouth, but couldn't help feeling glad that he had given the opportunity to offer advice to Li Guopu.

This Hanlin scholar's literary talent is truly exceptional.

He nodded and said, "That is also my opinion."

After saying this, he bowed deeply to the throne.

Zhu Youjian's smile vanished instantly. He looked at the two white-haired old ministers below him, stood up, and solemnly returned their greeting.

"You two ministers are right. I misspoke. I am grateful for your guidance."

The minor incident was thus resolved.

Zhu Youjian, as if nothing had happened, sat down again and began to speak:

"The personnel matters of the new policy in Beizhili have been agreed upon, but there are still two supporting matters."

Zhu Youjian pointed with his finger and said:
"Minister of Revenue Guo Yunhou, Minister of Revenue of Nanjing Bi Ziyan, Minister of Works Xue Fengxiang, rise to receive the order."

The three of them stood up and clasped their hands in greeting.

The current Minister of Revenue in Nanjing is Zhang Pu.

The position that Bi Ziyan held in the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue was an additional post.

Annotations are added outside the established rules.

Many reinstated officials are currently in positions that are merely supplementary, meaning they only receive a salary but have no specific duties.

Zhu Youjian's arrangements for them were, on the one hand, to fill the gaps in the new policies, but on the other hand, we'll discuss that later.

Zhu Youjian looked at them and said:

"In the new policies of Beizhili, personnel matters should be handled on a case-by-case basis, and political matters should also be handled on a case-by-case basis."

"Within the Ministry of Revenue, the finances and taxes of Beizhili were separated, and Bi Ziyan was given the title of Minister of Revenue, specifically in charge of the finances and taxes of the new policies in Beizhili, on par with the Vice Minister in charge of Liaodong's military supplies and the Minister in charge of granaries,"

"Minister Guo, you must provide all the necessary personnel for Minister Bi, understand?"

Guo Yunhou's face was bitter, but he could only bow and accept the order with Bi Ziyan, saying, "Your subjects obey the decree."

Your Majesty, the promised accounting staff for the Civil Movement Bank is not being provided, and now a portion of it has been split up.

Has Your Majesty forgotten that I also have a red mark on my uniform?

Zhu Youjian nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Xue Fengxiang and said:

"The new policies in Beizhili will certainly be inseparable from water conservancy repairs."

"Although the personnel and goals of the new policy still need to be discussed, the Ministry of Works should start preparing for the water conservancy issue in advance."

"The Hanlin Academy has compiled many old documents on practical affairs. The first one is about water conservancy and farmland in Beizhili. The Ministry of Works should cooperate well and prepare a plan to present to me."

Xue Fengxiang remained expressionless, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he had something to do. He cupped his hands and accepted the order, saying, "Your subject obeys."

Zhu Youjian nodded and began to wrap up the new policies in Beizhili:

"In addition, there are two other personnel appointments that require the nomination of the ministers."

The ministers immediately composed themselves and listened attentively.

"Firstly, it is to add cabinet ministers."

"Currently, there are only two people in the cabinet: the Grand Secretary and Minister Li. The Grand Secretary has to take charge of selecting people for the new policies, and Minister Li has to take charge of evaluating the performance of the new policies. They are really too busy to be in two places at once."

"Yesterday, the two Grand Secretaries submitted a memorial requesting the addition of more Grand Secretaries, which I have granted."

"The emperor shall order the six ministries and nine ministers, together with the Censorate, to jointly recommend and compile a list of ten candidates, which shall be submitted to the emperor."

"I have only one requirement: only those with practical experience can be selected from this list of ten."

Upon hearing this, everyone had different thoughts and immediately began to make plans.

After pondering for a moment, Qiao Yunsheng, the Minister of Justice, stood up, bowed, and asked, "May I ask Your Majesty, what constitutes practical experience?"

Zhu Youjian glanced at him and instantly understood what these people were thinking.

It's likely that some of the candidates being nominated are people who have always maintained a clean and upright image.

Was it Han Kuang? Or Liu Hongxun?
He sneered inwardly, pondered for a moment, and decided to make a slight concession on the cabinet selection.

"Those who have served as prefects, provincial governors, or provincial judges in local areas, or have worked in the Six Ministries, can all be included in this category."

"Your Majesty, we understand." Qiao Yunsheng bowed and sat down.

Zhu Youjian nodded and continued.

"Secondly, there is the matter of the new governor-general of Beizhili."

"Among the eight prefectures of Beizhili, Shuntian Prefecture is different from others, as it is under the exclusive command of Minister Xue."

"The remaining seven prefectures also need a governor-general to oversee all civil affairs and supervision matters."

"In this matter, the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers shall also be ordered to recommend ten candidates and submit them to me for my decision."

"The requirements for this list are stricter. Only those who have served as governors or prefects/counties are eligible. Others, such as imperial inspectors, are not eligible."

Governor-General of the New Policies of Northern Zhili!

This isn't an election for governor-general; it's clearly an election for future cabinet ministers.

With his experience in the new policies, this future cabinet minister's promotion speed and level of trust will likely far exceed that of everyone else!

Almost instantly, all the ministers present began to take stock of the people they had brought along.

The atmosphere in the main hall subtly warmed up again.

Zhu Youjian casually tossed out two heavyweights, but had no intention of paying attention to the civil officials.

Only after their nominated list is submitted will it be time for him to refocus on this power distribution.

He has now arranged for the implementation of many aspects of the new policies in Beizhili.

But it is missing one of the most important parts.

Zhu Youjian turned his gaze to the other side, to the nobles who had remained silent.

This group, whose presence has been consistently minimal since the start of the meeting.

(End of this chapter)