The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

Chapter 158 Substitute Sacrifice

"What a patriotic and concerned Minister Ouyang! According to you, the depleted granary and the neglected border defenses are all because I have indulged the gentry and powerful, and corrupted ancestral rules. All the officials in the court are blameless; it is I who are at fault?"

Ouyang Bijin dared to speak out, so he was not afraid of the emperor's wrath. He said calmly, "This is not my intention at all. However, if the deep-seated problems are not eliminated, the national treasury will never be sufficient. Even if I am torn to pieces, I dare not remain silent."

Jiajing's gaze fell on Yan Song: "Ouyang Bijin was someone you recommended. Now that he's saying this, what does Grand Secretary Yan mean?"

The emperor's voice was neither loud nor soft, yet it possessed a strange penetrating power.

Yan Song, without his hat, looked pitiful with his full head of white hair. He struggled to raise his head and slowly said, "Your Majesty, what Minister Ouyang said are all good policies for governing the country. I do not object, but we should proceed slowly and methodically."

Xu Jie said loudly, "Your Excellency, preparation is the key to success, and lack of preparation leads to failure. Is there still time to plan things slowly?"

Your Majesty, I believe that the affairs of the nine border regions are of paramount importance and can be left unresolved for the time being. However, the investigation of land ownership, the rectification of officialdom, and the reform of the salt laws must be implemented immediately.

The land survey and crackdown on corruption targeted the local administration and foundations controlled by Yan's faction, while the reform of the salt laws could further disrupt Yan's most important source of wealth.

If successful, the Qingliu faction will gain fame and recognition, and Xu Jie will truly control the Ministry of Personnel. If unsuccessful, all the blame for the turmoil will be placed on the Ministry of Revenue and the Cabinet, thereby bringing down Yan and replacing him!

Zhu Zaizhen carefully observed everyone's expressions; these were also the kinds of things he would have to face in the future.

Yan Song remained unhurried: "The land survey has been carried out in every dynasty, and each time it touches on the fundamental interests of local powerful families, imperial princes, and noble families."

If Your Majesty decides to implement this, I will do my utmost to carry it out. However, please allow me to speak frankly: once this matter is initiated, it will cause a great upheaval in the court and among the people, and the resistance will be immense. It will not be accomplished in a day.

As for the administration of officials and the salt laws, these were also deeply rooted problems that had not been solved overnight. The salt merchants of Lianghuai and the officials of all ranks in the court were deeply intertwined, and the circulation of salt permits had far-reaching consequences.

If the reform is hasty, and the salt merchants band together to stop paying salt taxes and transporting salt to the border, hundreds of thousands of soldiers stationed along the nine borders will immediately be left without salt or food. Uprisings will inevitably break out one after another. How will they be suppressed then?

In all matters of the world, one should do what is right, but the difference between doing something and acting rashly is just a fine line.

Impatientness began to creep into Jiajing's eyes. Logically, at this hour, he should be taking elixirs and meditating.

Yan Song continued his incessant chatter, but Ouyang Bijin, after glancing at the silent Prince Jing, interrupted the Grand Secretary: "I am willing to resign from my position as Minister of Rites and take charge of re-measuring the land throughout the country."

This statement surprised everyone, as the Minister of Rites was almost always a member of the Grand Secretariat among the six ministries.

Even Jiajing looked at this man seriously and began to believe that he was indeed acting out of public interest.

"Once the actual number of fields has been verified and the fish-scale register has been redrawn, I will return to the capital to report. If the land survey fails, I will accept all punishment."

responsibility."

Resigning from the title of Minister is tantamount to lowering his official rank and cutting off his own escape route. He has staked his life and fortune on the land survey. Even if he succeeds, he will only get what he already has.

Jiajing looked at him and nodded slightly: "Good, the person recommended by Grand Secretary Yan should still be used. I don't need you to resign. Just take up the title of Minister of Revenue to do this job. I will keep your position as Minister of Rites for you."

However, the entire country is quite large, and it's easy for chaos to arise. Therefore, we should first conduct a thorough survey and redraw the fish-scale map in Zhili, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Henan.

"Your Majesty is wise."

Ouyang Bijin remained calm: "I also request an imperial edict that during the land survey, I have the authority to access the Ministry of Revenue and local archives and to dispatch officials from the Ministry of Revenue for all matters involving land and taxes. The Ministry of Revenue and the local provincial administration commissioners shall not shirk their responsibilities."

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"I grant your permission."

"Your Majesty, I thank you."

At his age, what good would joining the cabinet do? He'd just retire in a few years anyway. It would be better for him to actually do something meaningful. He couldn't count on His Majesty, but he believed that Prince Jing would make a big difference because of it.

Zhu Zaizhen gave Ouyang Bijin a deep look, thinking how wonderful it would be if there were more people like him.

Jiajing slowly spoke: "Now that the land survey has been agreed upon, how do you plan to proceed with the administration of officials and the salt administration?"

As the Minister of Personnel, Xu Jie naturally would not relinquish his power: "Your Majesty, regarding the matter of official governance, I believe we should start with the performance evaluation system. Last year, the Cabinet deliberated on the detailed rules of the performance evaluation system, but due to the poor implementation at the local level, the results have been lackluster—"

Xu Jie spoke eloquently, but it was all the same old stuff. At this time, Jiajing was thinking about the salt tax. It wasn't impossible to get silver by sending others, but with officials protecting each other and embezzling, it was hard to say how much silver could actually be brought back to the capital.

What if we send that brat?

Even if he didn't embezzle last time, it's still better to give a little to his son than to an outsider.

However, there was no precedent for sending a prince to Lianghuai to reform the salt administration.

"Alright, you may all leave now. Draft your own memorials and submit them. If things continue like this next year, don't blame me for not giving you another chance."

"promise."

Zhu Zaizhen remained expressionless, simply watching them leave indifferently.

Everyone talks about benefiting the country, but few are truly dedicated to it; everyone discusses reform, but few dare to shake the foundations.

"how?"

Zhu Zaizhen subconsciously replied, "A promising start but a disappointing finish."

Upon hearing this, Jiajing smiled and said, "That's right."

Zhu Zaizhen quickly bowed and said, "Father, please forgive me. I misspoke."

Jiajing leaned back lazily in his chair: "When you were providing disaster relief, what did you think about most?"

"It's hard to get things done."

"Yes, it's difficult to get things done. You see, everyone has their own thoughts and plans. They all seem to be loyal to the country, but in reality, it's hard to say."

"Only after observing this today do I realize the difficulties Father Emperor has faced in governing for decades," Zhu Zaizhen replied softly. "Human hearts are unpredictable, especially when they are all among the most intelligent people."

Emperor Jiajing comforted him, saying, "Don't be afraid. That's all they're capable of. They're clever, but they also fight fiercely among themselves. They can never work together as a team. Just remember, don't listen to or believe in any so-called virtuous or loyal ministers."

"You're the same with Zhang Juzheng; he seems good now, but that might not be the case in the future."

Most people like to teach others, and Zhu Zaizhen's eagerness to learn pleased Jiajing.

"Land tax is the foundation. If Ouyang Bijin wants to do it, let him do it. It is indeed time to investigate the land."

"Xu Jie is in charge of officialdom, but I'm still undecided about the salt tax."

Sending Yan's faction would only lead to their symbiotic relationship with the salt merchants, resulting in increased corruption the more they were investigated. Sending Qingliu faction members would only engage in empty talk about legal principles and launch large-scale impeachments, disrupting the salt field order and forcing the salt merchants to stop production and supply.

"The entire court is filled with officials, but there is no one capable of serving. Last year, the salt tax revenue from Lianghuai amounted to only a little over 500,000 taels of silver."

The Nine Border Regions are the most corrupt, but they rely on others to wage war, so they can't be touched. The land tax is too extensive and is the foundation of the economy, so it can only be dealt with slowly. Only the salt tax is within a controllable harvesting range.

Zhu Zaizhen remained silent for a moment before saying, "Your subject wishes to serve Your Majesty, but due to the established laws of our ancestors, I dare not speak rashly."

"It's good that you have this intention." In fact, Jiajing had not made up his mind.

It's just that this brat did such a good job last time that he's been thinking about it ever since.

The salt merchants of Lianghuai were far more wealthy than those in the capital. If they were allowed to disrupt the salt laws and have their properties confiscated, the amount of silver they offered would be at least double that of the previous tribute.

Six or seven hundred thousand taels of silver would be enough for everything, not to mention the increased revenue every year if the salt tax was improved.

As he pondered this, Jiajing couldn't help but do the math. If things continued like this, his private treasury would be so empty that mice could run away.

After Jiajing made up his mind, the so-called ancestral rules were actually the simplest.

The ancestral rules prohibited princes from leaving the capital without imperial decree, from traveling to other places to make friends with foreign officials, and from interfering in local civil affairs and finances. But what if a prince was first dispatched to perform a sacrificial ceremony by imperial decree?

Nanjing has the mausoleum of Emperor Taizu, and Xingdu has the Xianling Mausoleum. Princes should be sent to offer sacrifices at these places. After the sacrifices are completed, an imperial edict should be issued to supervise the salt administration in Lianghuai.

As Jiajing thought about it, he couldn't help but think of his parents. It had been ten years since he last returned to Xingdu.

Every year on the anniversary of their death, they can only send incense and hold empty rituals. In the end, they are not in control of their own lives. They are high above the throne but trapped in the country. Even returning to their hometown to worship their ancestors has become a luxury.

Since he couldn't go back himself, perhaps he should have sent his son to pay respects to his grandparents and fulfill his filial duty on his behalf.

With this in mind, everything made sense. Jiajing sighed and said, "Your imperial ancestors have not been worshipped for a long time. Would you be willing to make a trip?"

Zhu Zaizhen immediately replied, "Your subject has long had this thought. My mother often mentions the kindness and love of my imperial grandmother, and she grieves and weeps every year on the anniversary of her death."

Upon hearing this, Jiajing was even more pleased. His mother indeed liked Lady Lu, and by extension, she should also want to meet Zaizhen.

"When the Empress Dowager was alive, she was the kindest and most compassionate woman. She was always kind to the women in the harem, and she especially favored your mother. The fact that she has remembered her kindness for so many years shows that she is a filial and virtuous woman."

"In that case, you shall go in my stead. Orderly the mausoleum roads, inventory the mausoleum households, verify the public fields for incense offerings, and then escort the imperial Daoist scriptures and talismans, along with imperial incense and candles, from the Western Garden southward to hold a ritual at the Xianling Mausoleum, fulfilling my filial duty as a child and grandchild."

"Yes." Zhu Zaizhen bowed: "Your subject will respectfully offer sacrifices to comfort the spirits of our imperial ancestors in heaven."

Jiajing suddenly became a bit long-winded: "My mother loved peace and quiet the most when she was alive. When you get there, take a look at the pine and cypress forest around Xianling. If there are any dead ones, replant a few."

And that spirit path in front of the mausoleum—the parts that have fallen into disrepair should be repaired, lest weeds overgrow it.

In reality, how could there be withered trees and weeds? Unless the local officials and the imperial guards were courting death, Zhu Zaizhen knew that this was just his father's way of expressing his longing.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I have remembered."

Zhu Zaizhen thought for a moment and said, "After the ceremony, may I go to the former residence in Xingdu? I would like to see the place where Father Emperor grew up."

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The image of the Prince's Mansion seemed to appear before Jiajing's eyes, which he considered far superior to the Imperial Palace, though the appearances of his father, mother, concubines, and sisters were somewhat blurred.

"Go ahead, you can draw, right? Draw it and bring it back to me."

Emperor Jiajing was in low spirits. With a sullen face, he walked towards the study on his own, and Huang Jin hurriedly followed.

Zhu Zaizhen bowed and slowly stepped out of Yongshou Palace, finally able to leave the capital.