Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 23 Don't even think about lying down, everyone roll up your sleeves and get to the meeting! Meeting!
After the court assembly, the emperor, as was customary, held a banquet at the Huangji Gate.

A row of banquet tables was set up in the open space. After the civil and military officials took their seats according to their ranks, they immediately began to discuss among themselves.

The reason was simple—this banquet was slightly different from the usual ones; the food presented by the Court of Imperial Sacrifices was actually quite delicious.

The cabinet ministers, however, paid no attention to such trivial matters and even lost their appetite during the meal.

The dramatic events at the morning court session today were truly terrifying for them.

The new emperor's actions were all unexpected.

It is truly frightening that he holds such a high position yet keeps the list of names in his hands.

Such skill and temperament—how could this be the behavior of a seventeen-year-old emperor?
After lunch, the palace servants served tea, and the four cabinet ministers gathered together, but no one spoke for a moment.

It was Grand Secretary Huang Lijie who spoke first. He picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and slowly said, "What do you all think of today's events?"

His tone was as gentle as ever, as if he were talking about something trivial.

The youngest cabinet minister, Li Guopu, still carried a hint of the impetuousness of court life in his brows. He couldn't help but sigh:

"Although Your Majesty is young, you have a keen eye for the world and a calm and composed nature. I think things will gradually improve."

Today, he was praised as "the Wei Zheng of the Emperor" for his outspokenness, and those words still ring in my ears, making me feel somewhat biased.

The second-in-command, Shi Fenglai, who was standing to the side, was a mature and prudent man. Hearing this, he simply nodded and cautiously said, "Your Majesty does indeed have the qualities of a sage ruler, but... his actions are too swift and decisive. We do not know whether this is a blessing or a curse. We, as ministers, must assist you carefully to avoid causing any harm to the affairs of the state."

The last cabinet minister, Zhang Ruitu, was filled with unease at this moment.

He once wrote the inscription for the shrine of Wei Zhongxian. Now that the traitor Wei has fallen from power, he, who "followed the traitor," has been unable to eat or sleep for the past two days.

Although the new emperor has suppressed the matter of corruption, he has remained silent about the matter of colluding with the rebels. What is his true intention?
After listening to his colleagues, he forced a smile and echoed, "What Lord Shi said is absolutely right. We will do our best to share His Majesty's burdens."

Huang Lijie took in the expressions of the three men, smiled inwardly, and was about to say something polite.

Just then, a young eunuch strode in and bowed to the four of them.

"Your Majesty has summoned the four Grand Secretaries to an audience."

The four of them felt a chill and quickly stood up.

Huang Liji gave a simple bow: "Please wait a moment, sir. We will return to our residence to bathe and change before coming to pay our respects."

The audience with the emperor is a grand ceremony for cabinet ministers, and those involved are traditionally required to bathe and change clothes to show respect.

The young eunuch shook his head and respectfully replied, "His Majesty has decreed that there is no need to change clothes. Please, the four Grand Secretaries, come with me immediately."

No need to change clothes?

The four looked at each other, all of them wondering what was going on.

What kind of rule is this?

Filled with doubt, they followed the young eunuch through the palace gates.

The further they walked, the more suspicious they became. This direction was not towards the Yuntai Gate, where they usually held audiences.

Finally, the young eunuch stopped in front of a magnificent palace.

"Grand Secretaries, please. His Majesty is already waiting inside the hall."

The four looked up and saw three large characters on the plaque in front of the hall, which made their hearts skip a beat.

Wuying Hall!
This place was where the emperors of the early Ming Dynasty summoned their ministers to discuss important military and national affairs. Although it was later converted into the location of the Painting Academy, its inherent military and political significance has never disappeared.

I wonder if the new emperor's choice of this location for the audience has any deeper meaning.

It wasn't that the four of them were overthinking things, but rather that the new emperor's words and actions were quite different.

With trepidation, the four men straightened their official robes and stepped into the hall.

The layout inside the hall was completely different from what they had imagined.

The paintings and writing implements that were originally displayed are now nowhere to be seen. In their place are a few simple tables and stools, making the space seem extremely empty.

Zhu Youjian was sitting in the main seat. When they entered, he simply nodded slightly.

"sit."

The four sat down as instructed, but dared not relax in the slightest, sitting upright with their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts.

Zhu Youjian's gaze swept calmly over the four people.

"From now on, the platform's audience will not be held at Yuntai Gate, but at Wuying Hall."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable decisiveness.

The four cabinet ministers were startled again, but none of them dared to raise any objections. They bowed in unison and replied, "Your Majesty, we obey your decree."

Zhu Youjian beckoned to Gao Shiming, the eunuch who was standing to the side.

Gao Shiming understood and immediately ordered two eunuchs to carry a huge screen to the center of the hall, directly facing the four cabinet ministers.

Several lines of large characters have already been written on the screen with ink:
I. Old Military Pay for the Nine Garrisons | Huang Lijie

II. Shandong Flood Disaster Relief and Inventory | Shi Fenglai

III. Liaodong horse grass converted into silver |
IV. List of Officials Involved in Household Affairs During the Tianqi Era | Li Guopu

The four cabinet ministers' pupils constricted slightly as they looked at the words on the screen.

"Today, we will discuss these four matters."

Zhu Youjian paused, his gaze falling on Grand Secretary Huang Liji.

"Prime Minister, let's start with you. What are your plans regarding the old military pay for the Nine Garrisons?"

Huang Liji's heart pounded, but he dared not be negligent. He quickly stood up, bowed, and said:

"Your Majesty, during today's court assembly, I heard Your Majesty's statement that 'the affairs of the four directions are all about the central government, but the key lies in the central government,' which has enlightened me greatly."

"As the chief minister, it is my duty to share Your Majesty's burdens and consider the well-being of the people."

He first skillfully offered a compliment before continuing:

"I intend to first work with Guo Yunhou, the Minister of Revenue, to investigate the portion of the old military pay for the nine border regions that was used for transporting silver to the capital. Within three days, we can submit the accounts to Your Majesty for review."

Zhu Youjian neither agreed nor disagreed, only giving a faint "hmm".

Seeing this, Huang Lijie had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue: "However... there are two difficulties with the matter of the people's movement bank."

"speak."

"Firstly, the civilian movement bank has always been escorted by local governments and counties themselves, and the documents are not reported to the Ministry of Revenue. Therefore, the Ministry of Revenue has no way to check and there are no corresponding documents on file."

"Secondly, if we want to thoroughly investigate this matter, the Ministry of Revenue is currently short-handed, with many positions still vacant, and I'm afraid... it's beyond our capabilities."

Zhu Youjian listened without changing his expression.

“Very good, just solve the problem.” He said decisively.

"The first task is not difficult. I will issue an edict later, ordering the relevant provincial administration offices in the nine border regions to immediately compile all documents related to the civil movement since the Taichang era into a book and submit it to the Ministry of Revenue for filing. We will start with the provinces of Shaanxi, Huguang, Shanxi, Sichuan, and Henan."

He changed the subject and looked at Li Guopu.

"As for the manpower issue... Guopu, let's discuss the fourth matter first."

Li Guopu's spirits lifted, and he immediately stepped forward, saying, "Your subject is here."

"You will take the lead in compiling a list of officials who were demoted or removed from office during the Tianqi era due to factional disputes."

"I will personally review and reinstate a group of capable officials."

Zhu Youjian's gaze returned to Huang Liji, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Wouldn't that solve the problem of manpower for the Ministry of Revenue?"

He then asked Li Guopu, "How many days will this matter take?"

Li Guopu quickly calculated in his mind and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, if we can borrow manpower from the Hanlin Academy to assist us, three days will be enough!"

"Approved." Zhu Youjian nodded, then gestured to Gao Shiming.

Gao Shiming immediately understood, walked to the screen, picked up a pen, and began to take notes on it.

Soon, the writing on the screen changed.

The old military pay for the nine border regions, and the inventory of silver transported to the capital | Huang Lijie | Three days
Investigation of Old Military Funds for the Nine Garrisons and Civil Movement Funds | Huang Lijie | To be determined
List of Officials in Charge of Affairs During the Tianqi Era | Li Guopu | Three Days
……

Looking at the clear "three-day" time limit on the screen, apart from Li Guopu who was still somewhat excited, the other three all felt a great sense of foreboding.

Isn't this just Zhang Taiyue's performance evaluation system?

However, even Zhang Taiyue only presented his memorial once a month; there was no reason for him to do so every three days.

Moreover, the performance evaluation system was designed to evaluate the Nine Ministers and Six Ministries; how could it be used to evaluate these Grand Secretaries? Seeing their displeased expressions, Zhu Youjian simply asked.

"Do any of you cabinet ministers have any questions?"

Huang Lijie was the first to offer a smile, "Your Majesty's move is indeed clear and appropriate, and we have no doubts."

Zhu Youjian nodded and continued, "Alright, let's discuss the disaster relief in Shandong now."

His gaze turned to the Second Assistant Minister, Shi Fenglai.

"Minister Shi, before we discuss this matter, there is something I do not understand."

Shi Fenglai quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please speak."

"When people suffer from disasters and crops fail, why are taxes not directly waived, but instead levied at a discounted rate?"

Zhu Youjian's voice carried a hint of doubt.

"The people have already lost their harvest. If they are then made to exchange their grain for silver to pay taxes, wouldn't that be another layer of exploitation in the process of buying and selling? Can this really be considered a disaster relief method?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Fenglai's opinion of the young emperor rose even higher.

It is truly remarkable that someone in the highest echelons of society could still conceive of the hardships faced by the most ordinary people.

He cupped his hands and explained, “Your Majesty is unaware of the following. The taxes of our dynasty are divided into two categories: in kind and in silver. In kind is the collection of rice in kind; in silver is the conversion of rice into silver into silver.”

"If we collect grain from the local treasury, it can be used directly for military supplies in the capital and border towns."

"However, the local government had to pay the taxes in kind. Often, the transportation cost for one shi of grain from the place of origin to the capital or Liaodong was as high as five or even eight qian of silver. This expense was ultimately borne by the people."

"Therefore, if taxes are levied in kind, the burden on the people is actually heavier. But if they are paid in silver, the cost is much lower."

"Shandong's grain tax has always been used to supply the Liaodong army, so it has always been levied in kind. This time, allowing it to be commuted to kind has indeed reduced the burden on the local area."

After hearing this, Zhu Youjian suddenly realized his mistake and was extremely glad that he hadn't spoken up during the court assembly.

Otherwise, the prestige that has just been built up will be wiped out in the blink of an eye by the idiotic performance of someone who doesn't understand how to handle things.

He assumed that tax exemption was the best option, but he overlooked the ridiculously high logistics costs in ancient times.

Compared to exchanging grain for silver and being exploited once, the high transportation costs were an even more unbearable burden for ordinary people.

"I understand," Zhu Youjian nodded.

"Even so, you still need to send capable people to carefully investigate the disaster relief in Shandong, find out the actual situation of each prefecture and county, and provide relief as needed. You must not use the excuse of 'countless' to get by again."

Shi Fenglai felt a chill run down his spine and bowed, replying, "Your subject obeys the decree."

He glanced at the screen and knew he had to set a deadline as well.

He pondered for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty, I will go to the Censorate shortly to request that an Imperial Censor be dispatched to Shandong. The journey to Shandong will take about ten days by fast horse. Including the task of investigating the local area and urging disaster relief, I estimate that it will take a total of thirty days to complete the report."

Zhu Youjian shook his head: "Thirty days is too long."

He looked at Shi Fenglai and said, "Here's what we'll do. Once the people we send arrive in Shandong and get a general idea of ​​the situation, they should immediately send back a brief report. I'll give you fifteen days to see the first report. Any questions?"

Shi Fenglai's heart tightened, but he still gritted his teeth and agreed: "Your Majesty is merciful, your subject... obeys the decree."

Gao Shiming picked up his brush again and wrote on the screen:

Shandong Flood Relief and Reconstruction | Shi Fenglai | Report within 15 days, completion within 30 days

Zhu Youjian tapped the table and looked around at everyone.

"Now, there's only one last thing left."

His gaze fell on Zhang Ruitu.

"What do you think of the memorial submitted by Huang Yuntai, the governor of Liaodong, requesting that horse fodder be converted into silver?"

Huang Lijie and Shi Fenglai exchanged a glance and wisely chose to remain silent, leaving the opportunity to Zhang Ruitu, the last person to speak.

Zhang Ruitu felt his mouth go dry. He took a deep breath and forced himself to step forward calmly.

"Your Majesty, the troops in Liaodong need 3.6 million bundles of hay during the winter and spring seasons. In the past, we have always gathered merchants in the Jizhou and Yongping Prefecture areas to purchase it."

"However... there are many problems with the procurement. If merchants are forced to pay, they often go bankrupt and suffer greatly. As a result, the amount of horse fodder collected may not be sufficient, and the people also suffer greatly."

"Therefore, Governor Huang suggested that the money for purchasing horse fodder should be sent directly to Liaodong, where they could purchase it locally to prevent corruption."

"We, your humble servants, believe that this proposal may be feasible."

After listening, Zhu Youjian couldn't tell whether the great calligrapher before him was simply naive and foolish in matters of politics, or purely wicked.

He patiently guided the conversation, saying, "The key to this matter is to transport 3.6 million bundles of hay to Liaodong, right?"

The cabinet ministers all nodded.

"In the past, when purchasing goods in Jizhou and Yongping, were the difficulties of transportation and the exploitation by officials all borne by those grass merchants or the people who were forced to pay taxes? Is this what you call 'corruption'?"

Zhang Ruitu hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Zhu Youjian understood immediately upon seeing his expression.

This Zhang Ruitu is probably completely unfamiliar with the local situation in Liaodong; he's likely a simpleton.

He shook his head and continued, "Alright, now that the silver has been given directly to Liaodong, what method will Liaodong use to guarantee that these 3.6 million bundles of hay will grow legs and run to Liaodong on their own?"

"Are merchants carrying the goods themselves because they are driven by profit?"

"But merchants in Ji and Yong were afraid of being exploited, so why were they not afraid when they arrived in Liaodong?"

"I don't understand the intricacies of this matter, and it seems you don't either, Ritu."

Zhu Youjian tried to keep his voice as gentle as possible, "Why don't you go back and find out more before reporting back? I am also very puzzled about this matter."

Zhang Ruitu's face instantly turned bright red, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He stood there blankly, knowing that it was time to give a deadline, but he couldn't think of where to find the answer or how to give a deadline.
Seeing the emperor still waiting on his throne, Zhang Ruitu steeled his resolve and gritted his teeth, saying:
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty will get to the bottom of this matter within three days!"

Three days it is... If it's too bad, I'll just beg for my life!
Zhu Youjian was somewhat surprised, but he still nodded in agreement. "Very well, then I will await your report, my dear minister."

Gao Shiming understood, stepped forward again, and wrote on the screen:
Liaodong horse grass for silver | Zhang Ruitu | Three days
At this point, all four matters discussed have clear timelines and preliminary plans.

Zhu Youjian nodded in satisfaction, stood up, and said, "Then, my dear ministers, let's end here for today."

However, at this moment, Huang Lijie hesitated and took a step forward.

"Your Majesty, there are currently vacancies in the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel, and the Ministry of Justice. Should we... recall the Nine Ministers and the Censorate to fill these positions?"

Zhu Youjian initially wanted to refuse, as he already had ideal candidates in mind for all three positions.

But on second thought, it's not bad to use this incident to glean insights into the personnel logic within the imperial court.

So he nodded: "Alright. After the court selection, present the list to me, and I will take a look before making a decision."

Having said that, he didn't linger any longer, turned around and left, leaving behind only a swift and decisive statement.

"If there's nothing else, let's call it a day and go back to our own business."

Before he finished speaking, he had already disappeared behind the palace.

The four cabinet ministers stood frozen in place, exchanging bewildered glances.

They turned back to look at the huge screen, at the numerous documents written in black and white on it, and at the glaring time limits of "three days" and "fifteen days" behind it.

An unprecedented sense of anxiety instantly gripped them.

The four exchanged a glance, then, disregarding all formalities and pleasantries, hastily bowed and dispersed.

They had to hurry and find people from the Six Ministries, people from the Hanlin Academy, and anyone else they could find to complete the tasks assigned to them.

Soon, the vast Wuying Hall was empty, leaving only the huge screen standing quietly in the hall.
-
Friends, I was so bored that I actually made a "Great Ming Dynasty Salvation Sprint Task Management Board v1.0"

Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter at myself! Please see the bonus chapter.
　[Historical Materials in this Chapter]

　　1. Let me briefly explain the Ming Dynasty's system of paying tribute to the nine border regions.

　　2. First, there are many items such as hay, armor, gunpowder, provisions, salt and vegetables, silver, and military pay. Let's simplify it and keep only military pay and provisions.

　　3. In the Ministry of Revenue's treasury, only military pay, which is silver, is usually distributed.

　　4. However, these troops needed provisions, which typically came from two sources: ① Through civilian transport, with local authorities distributing the provisions. For example, some grain was transported from Sichuan to Shaanxi, or some grain from Shaanxi itself was given to the Shaanxi border troops. ② After receiving their pay, the troops in the Nine Garrisons purchased their own grain from the local grain market (this was usually due to embezzlement by higher authorities or a lack of grain distribution).

　　5. The grain supplies for Liaodong generally came from Jizhou, Yongping, and Shandong (shipped by sea). Sometimes, when the collected grain was insufficient, they would borrow grain from the grain transport system.

　　6. Shaanxi's grain supplies (from civilian transport) generally came from Sichuan, Henan, and Huguang. However, during the Tianqi era, She An rebelled in Yunnan and Guizhou, so some of the tax revenue from Sichuan and Huguang was withheld, which was one of the reasons for Shaanxi's tax arrears.

　　 7. Finally, the Ming Dynasty emperors would hold banquets after court sessions. The standard of the food for the Grand Secretaries was approximately two taels of silver per meal, while the standard for other officials decreased according to their rank. The food wasn't particularly delicious, but it included plenty of meat and fish, and was still quite good. For example, at each banquet following the Imperial Lectures, the Hanlin scholars would bring their largest lunchboxes from home and a family member with them to eat. The original text reads: "No wonder you came so early in the snow; it turns out today is the Imperial Lectures." — Yang Shicong, *Yu Tang Hui Ji*

　　
　
(End of this chapter)