Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 84 The Human Heart is Perilous, the Dao Heart is Subtle (Bonus Chapter for 4K Views! Requesting Monthly Tickets!)
……

Back in the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Youjian drank a few sips of tea before feeling his turbulent emotions calm down a little.

Power is the ability to control based on advantage.

Giving a speech is also a battle; you need to adjust your speaking strategy and theme according to the emotions and pace of the audience.

Today's summons from the award recipients was truly unexpected, so much so that he had to adjust his pace several times during the event.

For example, there was originally a point where they were supposed to be told, "You are the sun of the Ming Dynasty at dawn!"

However, the atmosphere was too intense, and after hesitating for a long time, he still didn't dare to say it, for fear of upsetting them.

Let's save this line for next year when we give a speech to the newly appointed scholars.

Or perhaps they originally intended to tell them to be less handsy, but in the end they simply brushed it off.

On the one hand, the emotional atmosphere was not suitable for saying this.

On the other hand, I suddenly thought, so what if the reward team embezzled 10 taels? (An exaggeration, they didn't take the lion's share.)

He would be willing to pay the information fee as long as the actual situation in various places could be transmitted in the end.

Zhu Youjian sighed softly as he thought of this.

Intelligence is of utmost importance.

If you count on your fingers, he has already dispatched seven teams to Shaanxi alone.

The Eastern Depot's search for Li Zicheng is one approach; setting aside the perverse interest in historical figures, the perspective of a lowly post station worker offers another.

The officers and vanguard of the Nine Border Elite Teams are considered as one group, representing the perspective of elite soldiers.

The story of the later famous military general, Karuhe Renlong, is told from the perspective of a mid-level officer.

For a local civil official like Hong Chengchou to enter the capital is considered a different path, representing the perspective of a mid-level civil official.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards sent by Tian Ergeng to investigate the Nine Border Regions were one such group, representing the perspective of the Imperial Guards.

Among the Donglin Party members who were to be reinstated, those from Shaanxi province represent a group from the perspective of the Qingliu civil officials.

In addition, today's last wave of reward recipients is the final one, and can be considered from the perspective of the young imperial envoys in the capital.

He has already played all the cards in his hand to the extent he can.

The goal is to thoroughly understand the current situation in Shaanxi, this powder keg.

Was there a drought this year? Why did the local governor only report the shortfall in salaries and not the drought? What level of assistance would be needed for disaster relief?
Is the local situation, including people's livelihoods and military affairs, really any more exaggerated than what we just saw in Zhenyang County, Henan?
How much harm have these domesticated pigs, known as "Fanwang," caused to the local area? What are the locals' opinions of them? If slaughtering is to be carried out, how should public opinion be managed?

None of these things can be done without intelligence.

We can't exactly stage a scene where the Heavenly Emperor is possessed and claims to have dreamt of an impending drought in Shaanxi, then frantically allocates grain...

Even if those civil officials were forced to carry out the orders, they would certainly resist passively because their actions lacked legitimacy.

Zhu Youjian pondered for a moment and felt that this matter was so thorough in every aspect that it had already reached the limit of his ability.

He immediately felt relieved, turned to look at Gao Shiming who was standing to the side, and asked, "How were these people selected?"

Gao Shiming cupped his hands in reply:
"Your Majesty, it was all done according to your instructions last time. First, we narrowed down the candidates by following the rule of 'investigating matters related to people from the same place of origin'."

"Then, we will select candidates based on reputation first, family background second, and age last."

"Among them, the list of the envoys was determined by Yang Lun, the director of the envoys' office; the list of the secretaries of the central government was jointly drafted by several cabinet ministers; and the list of the Embroidered Uniform Guards was determined by Tian Ergeng, the commander."

"After receiving the list, I, along with Wang Tiqian, carefully examined the past experiences of these people, adjusted several unsuitable individuals, and finally finalized this list."

Zhu Youjian nodded in satisfaction; no wonder it worked so well.

There were very few seasoned veterans in the hall; almost all of them were greenhorns.

Surprisingly, the older ones seemed to be even more headstrong.

In his later years at the company, he held similar mobilization meetings and pre-job training sessions at least eighty or a hundred times.

The audience included young people fresh out of school and middle-aged people who had been working for many years, but never before had there been such an exaggerated scene.

That kind of resentment of being suppressed at the bottom and having one's talents go unrecognized (regardless of whether one is truly talented).

The excitement of finally seeing the emperor and being entrusted with an important task.

That kind of resolute determination—"a scholar will die for one who understands him"—

The sheer power unleashed by this intertwined mix of emotions is truly awe-inspiring.

The hearts of the people are united, and the mountains move.

In this classical era, while there were no grand dreams like those of later generations, there were dreams of peace unique to this time.

This kind of thought, passed down from generation to generation and engraved in the Chinese nation, is in some ways far more noble than those Western ideologies.

This nation and this country have never lacked people full of passion and willing to dedicate themselves to their ideals.

Reform requires hotheads, while maintaining balance requires seasoned veterans. Indeed, indeed!

"My dear ministers, you have worked very hard." Zhu Youjian couldn't help but praise, "I am very satisfied."

He pondered for a moment, then said to Gao Shiming, "Inform the Princess Consort to include the names of Yang Lun, the Director of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Guo Yunhou, the Minister of Revenue, Tian Ergeng, the Commander, and Wang Tiqian of the Eastern Depot in the list of festival gifts. From now on, the rewards will be distributed together for all festivals."

After saying that, he chuckled and added, "Remember to make up for the crabs too."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Gao Shiming replied with a smile and turned to give instructions to the eunuch.

……

Not long after, a young eunuch hurried over and handed over two notebooks.

Gao Shiming took a look and stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, the new list of candidates recommended by the court for the Minister of War and Xue Guoguan's memorial on the road construction in the capital have been submitted together."

Zhu Youjian reached out and took it, first opening the memorial containing the list of Ministers of War.

The list contained three names:
Wang Yongguang, Sun Chengzong, Zhang Heming.

A satisfied smile involuntarily appeared on Zhu Youjian's lips.

Han Feizi said: "If the ruler does not see what he desires, then the ministers will embellish it themselves."

That's absolutely true.

The imperial decree ordering Wang Yongguang and Sun Chengzong to be transferred to the capital had only been issued a few days prior, yet the list of candidates recommended by the court immediately reflected his preferences.

In this feudal empire, the emperor, who held all power, was constantly scrutinized by the people of the world for his every move and word.

But for him, this was actually a good thing.

If all the civil and military officials in the world could truly cater to his preferences in everything they did and satisfy him in everything they did, then why would the world not be well-governed?

However, he already knew about Wang Yongguang and Sun Chengzong.

But who is this third person, Zhang Heming? What merits does he possess to be ranked alongside these two?

Zhu Youjian, with a hint of curiosity, read on intently.

Then, he was struck by lightning at the opening ceremony!

Zhang Heming was from Fengyang Prefecture in Southern Zhili. He was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the 20th year of the Wanli reign and came from a military background.

He's seventy-six years old now?!

Zhu Youjian had a mouthful of saliva stuck in his throat, with nowhere to spit it out.

Good heavens! Has the Ming Dynasty really become a place where "old men enjoy themselves"?
Qiao Yunsheng, the Minister of Justice, is likely to lose his title as the champion of longevity.

He composed himself and patiently read on.

Leaving aside Zhang Heming's relatively good resume in the first half of his life, the experience that best defines him is actually in Liaodong. In the first year of the Tianqi reign, he served as Minister of War and became enemies with Xiong Tingbi, the Liaodong military commissioner at the time. He withheld 200,000 taels of military pay and forcibly promoted his confidant Wang Huazhen to the position.

As a result, Wang Huazhen abandoned the city and fled during the Battle of Guangning, leading to the loss of the Liaoxi Corridor.

To atone for his sins, Zhang Heming volunteered to go to Liaodong to clean up the mess.

As a result, he dawdled and took seventeen days to reach Shanhaiguan after setting off from the capital.

Then, Zhang Heming stopped at Shanhaiguan and stayed there for several months before submitting a memorial to retire and return to his hometown. Wang Zaijin took over his position.

Zhu Youjian was dumbfounded and speechless.

What kind of insect is this? Is it from the Longevity brand?

Even if you eunuchs are desperate and grasping at straws to protect yourselves, there's no need for you to recommend such a dog to me, is there?
Among your smuggled men, is there not a single one who is even remotely capable of fighting?

He suppressed his anger and continued reading.

During Wei Zhongxian's reign, Zhang Heming was reinstated.

First he served as the governor of Pianyuan, and then...

He was then appointed Governor-General of Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Huguang, and also Governor-General of military affairs?!
Zhu Youjian's heart skipped a beat.

That damned Wei Zhongxian!

Is this how you treat state affairs?
As long as someone is subservient to you and kneels down to be your dog, can any kind of trash be given important responsibilities?

In the Sichuan-Guizhou region, the rebellion of the Shuixi chieftain was an extremely important and dangerous military matter!

You sent this 76-year-old old man who deserted the battlefield in Liaodong, stayed put, and became the governor-general?

Zhu Youjian let out a long sigh, utterly speechless at the methods and means by which this eunuch ruled the country.

Fortunately... fortunately, he had seen the existence of this formidable man, Zhu Xieyuan, in his memories from his later life and made arrangements in advance.

Otherwise, this Sichuan-Guizhou affair, in the hands of such scoundrels, might very well have deteriorated into a second Liaodong!
He touched his chin, forcing himself to calm down, and after thinking for a moment, he said to Gao Shiming.

"This list will be kept secret for now. We'll discuss it with Mr. Sun when he arrives, and then make a decision."

He then pointed to Zhang Heming's name on the list.

"As for this old man, now that Zhu Xieyuan has passed away, let him return to his hometown to live out his days in peace."

After dealing with this troublesome matter, Zhu Youjian picked up Xue Guoguan's memorial again.

Upon opening it, a strong sense of the Ming Dynasty's era immediately comes to mind.

Although it did indeed shift from the "Ten Policies for the Capital" to the "Ten Policies for Road Construction".

But it still doesn't fit his aesthetic standards for official documents.

The entire memorial is beautifully written, with perfect parallelism, quotations from classical texts, and thousands of words in total.

However, upon closer inspection, the crucial details regarding money, people, and goods remain vague.

Zhu Youjian shook his head, showing no anger.

We can take it slow. Reforming official documents will face much less resistance than launching some classical literature movement or promoting new ideas.

How bureaucrats write articles has always been a matter of "what the superiors like, the subordinates will do even more".

However, they do need a truly excellent model essay so that they can figure out their own preferences.

If they can't see my preferences, how can they improve themselves?

Having made up his mind, Zhu Youjian closed the memorial and instructed Gao Shiming, "Summon Xue Guoguan to the palace for an audience now."

Gao Shiming went off to do his work, but that's another story.

A wicked smile crept onto Zhu Youjian's lips.

Let me, the Emperor, properly instruct these officials of the Ming Dynasty on how exactly to write this "excellent plan."

If, after the training is complete, they still present me with these fancy "Ten Strategies for Governing the Country" articles, I'll turn them all green!
……

After Zhu Youjian left the Wuying Hall.

Numerous pedestrians and imperial secretaries filed out of the Wuying Hall.

Everyone's face still bore the lingering flush and excitement.

They unconsciously gathered in twos and threes, according to their usual closeness or distance, and talked excitedly in hushed tones.

"By the way, His Majesty just said that there is an ancient saying: 'When a ruler understands the feelings of his subjects, the government is well-governed; when he does not, the government is in chaos.' This statement is truly a wake-up call!"

"Indeed! But... I wonder which ancient book it comes from? I am of limited knowledge and have never heard of it before."

"Ah? You haven't heard of it either, brother? I thought I was the only one who was ignorant. I didn't dare to ask any questions in the hall just now."

"Could it be... that His Majesty fabricated this himself?"

"Silence! Stop talking nonsense. I heard that His Majesty was always reading when he was in the Prince of Xin's residence. Otherwise, where do you think he learned these stories about Cao Cao burning books and erasing the past? We have never heard of them, so they must not be from the Four Books and Five Classics."

The crowd was in an uproar, discussing the matter incessantly.

After passing through the Meridian Gate, the staff of the Secretariat bowed and bid farewell before turning into the main office of the Secretariat.

The remaining pedestrians then continued through Chengtian Gate to return to the Pedestrian Affairs Office.

As the number of people dwindled, the chatter gradually subsided, and the procession quieted down, leaving only the uneven sound of footsteps echoing in the empty palace corridor.

Sudden.

Yuan Jixian, who was walking in the middle of the group, turned his head to the side.

He stopped and tugged at Ma Maocai, saying earnestly, "Brother Qingjiang, I'm afraid I won't be able to repay the money I borrowed from you until my wife goes to the capital."

Upon hearing this, Ma Maocai turned around and saw that Yuan Jixian had a serious and earnest expression, with clear eyes, and did not seem to be faking it.

A thought struck him, and after a moment's reflection, he understood the other person's implied meaning.

This was a way of revealing her true feelings to him and also a test of his attitude—she would never take ill-gotten gains when she went to distribute the rewards.

Even Yuan Jixian was actually asking, "Brother Ma, are you really on the same side as me?"

In the past, he would never have touched upon such a topic that involved deep conversations with someone he barely knew.

In officialdom, the most taboo thing is to guess what others are thinking. It's better to do less than more, and keeping your mouth shut is the way to long-term success.

But today, whether it was because His Majesty's words were too inspiring, or because Yuan Jixian's youthful spirit was too rare, he inexplicably spoke up.

"Ji Tong's words are perhaps... a bit too righteous."

Ma Maocai's voice was extremely low, as if it were being squeezed out of his throat, carrying a hint of helplessness.

"Water that is too clear has no fish, and a person who is too discerning has no followers."

"As you and I both know, after His Majesty summoned us, this trip to the nine border regions was ostensibly for distributing rewards, but in reality, it was for investigation."

"If you are truly incorruptible and take nothing, do you think those local officials and military officers will respect you or fear you?"

He paused for a moment, and out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Yuan Jixian's brows were tightly furrowed, as if he was thinking about his words, so he spoke a few more words in an even lower voice.

"If they fear you, they will be wary of you and distance themselves from you. At that point, you and I will be blind and deaf, unable to see or hear anything. How then can we fulfill His Majesty's entrustment?"

"Some rules are not respectable, and may even be a bit sordid, but you can't ignore them. If you take what you 'deserve,' you're one of us; if you don't, you're an outsider."

"Outsiders can never see the inner workings of the universe."

(End of this chapter)