Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 87 A Prime Minister Must Rise from the Local Level (Seeking Monthly Tickets!)

"—So, what does Minister Xue think is the best way to interpret this situation?"

coming!

This is precisely the ultimate question that Xue Guoguan is risking his life and fortune to ask today!
Road construction is merely a minor skill for corrupt officials; governing is the true path to success.

What Xue Guoguan sought was far more than the mere task of repairing roads!

He suppressed his inner elation and excitement, bowed deeply, his voice hoarse from the surge of emotion, yet every word was clear.

"Your Majesty, if we only consider road construction, it is up to human effort."

"Your Majesty only needs to appoint me as the Imperial Inspector of the City and issue another imperial edict, then the Ministry of Works, Shuntian Prefecture, Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Five City Garrison Commands will all be under my command."

"Although the matters are numerous, I am confident that within a few months, the streets of the capital will be completely transformed!"

This was the most direct and effective method he could think of.

With lightning speed, he consolidated power in one person and swiftly resolved the mess.

However, Zhu Youjian simply looked at him quietly, a faint smile playing on his lips, and slowly shook his head.

"You, me, and your subject all know that what we are discussing today has long since gone beyond road construction."

Xue Guoguan struggled to suppress his overwhelming joy and tried to maintain a calm tone as he continued:

"Your Majesty is wise. If you wish to begin with this and reverse the corrupt practices of the government, then you should unify the power of government."

"Your Majesty, I request that you issue an edict to merge the powers of the Ministry of Works' Water Conservancy Department, the Five City Garrison Department, and even the Embroidered Uniform Guard in road construction into the Ministry of Works' Forestry and Transportation Department."

"Your Majesty, I voluntarily request to be appointed as the Director of the Department of Works, to clarify the powers and responsibilities of Your Majesty and to re-establish regulations!"

This involves more than just building roads; it also involves disrupting ancestral systems and merging or downsizing government agencies.

The Ming Dynasty lasted for two hundred years, and the ancestral system was not untouched, but such an operation that encroached on the interests of all parties was truly rare.

Xue Guoguan had already staked his life and future on this matter.

Once he proves his ability in this matter, he will naturally be able to gain more authority and say in future policy reforms!

—As for the new policy?
Even though Zhu Youjian never said a word, any normal person would know that this new emperor would definitely launch new policies, but they just didn't know where to start.

But all he got in return was Zhu Youjian's shake of the head.

The smile was still on his lips, but this time, it had a hint of playfulness.

"The position of Supervising Secretary is a prestigious and respectable one. The next step is to be transferred to a post outside the capital, which is a third-rank position. If one stays in the capital, one will be a fourth-rank official. A mere Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works is only a fifth-rank official."

Zhu Youjian's voice carried a hint of teasing.

"If I were to make such an arrangement, wouldn't the world think that I am harsh and unkind to my subjects?"

Xue Guoguan suddenly looked up and said solemnly, "For the sake of the country, what is there to fear in sacrificing my life! As for mere official rank and grade, I regard them as nothing but fleeting clouds!"

His words were earnest, his gaze intense, as if he wanted to move the king before him with his loyalty.

Zhu Youjian gazed at him, but his mind was clear.

He couldn't see through Xue Guoguan's words; were they truly from the heart, or just another political performance?

But it is not important.

The important thing is that this is not the answer he wants.

Zhu Youjian slowly turned around and walked to the screen, where the large characters he had just written to organize his thoughts were still hanging.

He stretched out his finger and gently ran it across the ink stains.

"The Military Commandery, Shuntian Prefecture, the Ministry of Works' Water Conservancy Department, the Embroidered Uniform Guard..."

He read them aloud one by one, as if talking to himself, or as if testing the ministers behind him.

"Qing Xue, let's set aside the many problems that have accumulated over the past hundred years for now. Let's go back to the beginning of the dynasty, back to where it all started."

His fingers tapped lightly on the screen, making a soft "tap-tap" sound.

"Who do you think should have been the first to repair bridges, mend roads, and clean ditches?"

This problem was completely unexpected by Xue Guoguan.

At the beginning of the dynasty?

His mind raced, and historical records and ancestral rules flashed through his mind.

At the beginning of the dynasty, this matter was assigned to the Ministry of Works' Department of Works and Transport.

But... His Majesty just rejected his suggestion to go to the Ministry of Agriculture, so the answer is obviously not that.

Which department could it be?
His gaze was fixed on the government offices depicted on the screen, like a thirsty student searching for the profound meaning of the sages between the lines.

Military Commandery? That's not right.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard? Chief of investigations? Even less so.

Ministry of Works... Ministry of Works...

His gaze lingered on the words "Ministry of Works" repeatedly, but he still felt something was amiss.

Suddenly, a bright light, like lightning, pierced through the fog in his mind!
His gaze abruptly shifted from the words "Ministry of Works" to the name he had subconsciously ignored from the beginning.

Shuntian Prefecture!
Xue Guoguan's heart skipped a beat, and for the first time he felt that the situation was out of control.

But why? On what grounds?

He looked up and asked softly, in an incredulous, tentative tone:
"Your Majesty... could it be... Shuntian Prefecture?"

Zhu Youjian finally smiled.

He clapped his hands sharply, producing a crisp sound that echoed throughout the hall.

"Indeed! It is Shuntian Prefecture!"

He stared intently at Xue Guoguan, his eyes filled with an admiring confidence.

“Road repair and ditch clearing are local civil affairs. Even in the capital, these matters should belong to the local authorities.”

"If such matters are not handled by the local official—the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture—then who should handle them?"

Zhu Youjian's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable assertion.

"But think about it again, why did this matter, which should have been a local civil affairs issue, end up falling under the jurisdiction of the Six Ministries?"

"Even with the later additions of new institutions and the establishment of new structures, they always remained within the confines of the Six Ministries and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, never able to break free?"

This question is more profound and gets to the heart of the matter than the previous one.

Xue Guoguan stood there, deep in thought, and fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on his forehead.

A series of thoughts flashed through his mind, but he rejected them one by one.

yeah why?
This seems to be a matter of course ever since the founding emperor set the rules.

The capital city, a place of great importance, is right under the emperor's nose. Everything there is directly managed by the Six Ministries. Isn't that much more secure than a mere Shuntian Prefecture?
But... but why would His Majesty ask such a question?
After a long while, he still couldn't figure out the key to it, and could only sigh in despair, bowing and saying, "Your Majesty, the established customs of the dynasty seem to have always been like this. Your Majesty... Your Majesty is dull-witted and cannot figure out the reason for this at the moment."

A cold smile flashed in Zhu Youjian's eyes. Imperial regulations? Zhu Yuanzhang knew nothing of top-level design.

He put his hands behind his back and paced slowly in place. The atmosphere in the hall became increasingly solemn with each step he took.

Suddenly, he spoke, but asked a seemingly unrelated question.

"Minister Xue, Han Feizi once said: 'A prime minister must rise from the local government, and a valiant general must emerge from the ranks of soldiers.' What do you think of this statement?"

Xue Guoguan felt a buzzing in his mind, as if something had been touched, but he couldn't see it clearly through a thick layer of paper.

He could only follow his heart and respectfully reply, "Your Majesty, this is a profound saying on governing the country. Without experiencing the prefectures and counties, one cannot know the hardships of the people's livelihood; without managing the affairs of the ministries, one cannot know the difficulties of national affairs. If one is in the Hanlin Academy and is good at empty talk, once one occupies a high position, one will always be negligent in the details of the affairs of the world."

At this point, he seemed to remember something, and his heart skipped a beat. He looked up at Zhu Youjian in disbelief.

He saw that the emperor's face was wearing a malicious smile that said, "That's exactly right."

Zhu Youjian clapped his hands and laughed loudly, "Isn't that it!"

“At the beginning of the dynasty, the Six Ministries were of utmost importance. Only after serving nine years as a Censor could one be qualified to be promoted to the position of Director of a Ministry. How difficult it was!”

"But why is it that nowadays, in the imperial court, everyone values ​​the refined discussions of the Hanlin scholars and regards the practical affairs of the Six Ministries as corrupt practices?"

"Which of the three Grand Secretaries today did not follow the path of Hanlin scholar - Grand Secretary - Ministry of Rites - Grand Secretary?"
Why is this so? Why does the path of nobility always prevail over the path of practical work?

Zhu Youjian pressed on relentlessly, his series of questions striking Xue Guoguan's heart like heavy hammer blows.

Xue Guoguan stood there, his whole body soaked in cold sweat.

He dared not answer, nor could he answer.

Because he already had a vague premonition that the emperor was about to give a truly shocking answer!

Zhu Youjian did not wait for his reply, nor did he need Xue Guoguan's reply.

He spoke loudly to himself, his voice echoing deafeningly in the empty hall.

"It is precisely because the lecturers and scholars of the Hanlin Academy are close ministers, holding prestigious and respectable positions, that they are able to gain the emperor's favor by being by his side year-round!"

"The Six Ministries, which were actually responsible for handling paperwork and mundane affairs, have instead become corrupt officials that no one cares about!"

"If it's like this in the capital, it's even worse in the provinces! How many officials in the court are willing to be sent to serve in the provinces? And how many don't see being sent to the provinces as a daunting prospect?"

He stopped in his tracks, his gaze sharp as he stared directly at Xue Guoguan.

"I have come to ask you, if it weren't for today's events, as the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, your next promotion would have been nothing more than either a fourth-rank official in the capital or a third-rank official in a remote region."

"—Minister Xue, if you were in my shoes, what would you choose?"

This question is like a sharp knife, dissecting the cruel truth and revealing its raw, unvarnished form.

He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

The answer is self-evident.

Zhu Youjian sighed softly as he looked at his embarrassed appearance.

Human relationships are like water, always flowing with the least resistance.

Top talents flocked to the Hanlin Academy, where they eloquently delivered lectures and won a reputation for being "refined and noble."

Second-rate talents maneuvered among the Six Ministries and the Censorate, seeking a position in the capital.

Only third-rate talents, or those who have failed in their struggles, are sent to local areas as imperial inspectors or governors to accumulate experience, but they always seek to return to the capital.

So, what about the prefects and magistrates who actually govern the people?

What's left are those who failed the imperial examinations, those with mediocre talents who were only third-ranked Jinshi, or those who rose to the rank of Juren through donation.
"If the water is not deep enough, it will not be able to support a large boat."

Zhu Youjian's voice carried a hint of deliberately contrived sorrow.

"But in the Ming Dynasty today, the disasters in remote rural areas far outweigh the problems in the central court!"

Sweat was steaming from Xue Guoguan's forehead.

He finally understood it completely.

He understood what a grand and terrifying scheme lay behind this young king's conversation!

When he entered the palace, all he sought was to use the road construction project as an opportunity to consolidate institutions, centralize authority, and gain the qualifications for promotion.

He even!
He even fantasized that perhaps this new emperor was completely unaware of the intricacies involved!
He might as well just do a half-hearted job.

Who would have thought that what His Majesty was thinking was... to reverse the flow of talent since the founding of the Ming Dynasty and to reshape the political rules of the entire dynasty!

This is an absolutely momentous event!
Zhu Youjian slowly walked back to the screen, picked up his vermilion brush, and drew another circle on the three characters he had already circled.

Shuntian Prefecture.

"Therefore..." Zhu Youjian turned his head, his gaze fixed intently on Xue Guoguan, and said, word by word:

"To govern the capital, we must begin with Shuntian Prefecture!"

"If you want to govern the Ming Dynasty well, you must first cut off this path of privilege and honor, and prioritize practical achievements!"

He strode forward, stretched out his hands, and firmly grasped Xue Guoguan's hands.

Those hands of the young emperor were dry yet warm, carrying an indescribable power.

"Minister Xue, what I just said—that a prime minister must rise from the ranks of a prefectural or provincial governor..."

“Then…” His voice was filled with earnest sincerity and expectation.

"Do you want to be a prime minister like that?"

This statement is blunt and direct, lacking any subtlety. It completely disregards the officialdom rules and the hierarchical order between ruler and subject of that era.

However, Xue Guoguan felt a surge of heat rush from the soles of his feet to his head, burning him so much that he trembled all over and felt dizzy.

He instinctively tried to break free, to kneel, to kowtow, to express his unparalleled loyalty and excitement.

But the emperor's hands were like a pair of iron clamps, holding him firmly and making him unable to move.

He could only try his best to bend down and open his mouth, as if trying to say something.

"Wei Chen..."

When he opened his mouth, the hoarseness and dryness of his voice startled even himself.

He swallowed hard to moisten his throat, then mustered all his strength to continue:
"Your humble servant... dares not aspire to the position of prime minister! I only beg Your Majesty, and the affairs of Shuntian Prefecture! I will certainly govern this hundred-mile stretch of land for Your Majesty, and bring it to a completely new state!"

"it is good!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youjian burst into laughter, his laughter filled with indescribable joy and satisfaction.

"Good! From this day forward, I will finally have my own Bao Longtu!"

He took Xue Guoguan's hand as if he were holding the hand of a long-lost friend, and strode to the imperial desk.

He personally unfolded a brand-new sheet of white paper, looked intently at the ministers before him, and said in a loud voice:
"Then, I request that my first Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture rewrite this 'road construction' proposal for me and for the millions of people in this capital!"

(End of this chapter)