If you die, I will be able to inherit your cultivation.

Su Mingyue asked one question after another.

How should the ranks of military merit be divided, and what is the appropriate amount of land property corresponding to each rank?

From the whistleblowing mechanism of the "shīwǔ lǐnxíng" system to prevent local powerful figures from taking advantage of the situation to oppress the people, to how land is distributed after it is nationalized and how to prevent officials from enriching themselves, the discussion covered various aspects.

Su Mingyue asked very detailed questions, each one hitting the nail on the head, some of which were even blind spots that Zhou Ming himself hadn't had time to think about.

Zhou Ming answered each question one by one.

He had already prepared answers to some questions, and could answer them readily.

For example, in terms of the ranks of military merit, he directly adopted the twenty ranks of nobility from Shang Yang's reforms in his previous life, from the lowest "Gongshi" to the highest "Chehou".

Approximate figures are given for the number of farmlands, mansions, and servants at each level.

There are some issues he also needs to stop and think about, such as how the reporting mechanism of mutual responsibility can prevent powerful people from taking the opportunity to oppress the common people.

Zhou Ming proposed embedding a reverse verification procedure into the system of joint liability.

All reports must be supported by physical evidence; those who make false accusations will be punished.

If local powerful figures use collective punishment to suppress dissidents, the Ministry of Justice will directly dispatch an inspector to conduct an independent review.

The two talked from dusk till late at night, and from late at night till dawn.

Five or six cups of tea were changed on the dragon table. Chunlan came in and went out quietly. Only the candlelight and the sound of the water clock accompanied the emperor and his minister.

The two stopped only the next morning when the bell tolled outside the Qianyuan Hall signaling the start of court.

Su Mingyue rubbed her temples, stood up, and instructed Chunlan to "change her clothes."

Then he turned to look at Zhou Ming and said calmly, "You will accompany me to the morning court today."

early morning.

The deep, resonant sound of the bell echoed from the bell tower in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, piercing through the morning mist and completely waking the entire palace from the darkness of night.

Civil and military officials filed into the Hall of Supreme Harmony, lining up on both sides according to their rank. It was the first formal court assembly of the new dynasty, and everyone was waiting to see where the new emperor would set his sights on.

Su Mingyue sat upright on the dragon throne, still wearing the same black armor, and the long sword stuck in the imperial steps in front of the throne had not been removed.

The first decree announced by Su Mingyue was the appointment of the Minister of Justice.

This was the first time the new emperor had appointed and dismissed officials since his ascension to the throne.

In the present Ming Dynasty, almost all positions, from the ministers of the six ministries to the ministers of various courts to the censors, are still vacant.

Despite the court being filled with civil and military officials, Zhou Ming was actually the first person to be formally appointed by Su Mingyue.

Moreover, Su Mingyue's decree was not to solicit opinions or to have the Ministry of Personnel recommend candidates, but to make direct appointments.

There was no discussion, no deliberation, and no room for anyone to offer their opinions.

The hall was silent for a brief moment.

Several elderly ministers with gray hair subconsciously frowned and their lips moved as if they wanted to say something.

But when they heard that Zhou Ming was the one appointed, they swallowed back the words that were already on the tip of their tongues.

They also knew the significance of Su Mingyue's first appointment of officials.

She acted unilaterally without consulting anyone.

This could be a test, or it could be the beginning of a dictatorship.

Historically, it has always been the aristocratic families who jointly govern the country with the emperor. The new emperor has started to make personnel decisions without consulting the aristocratic families.

This is an extremely dangerous sign.

But they dared not, not only because they feared the new emperor, but even more so because they feared Zhou Ming.

In Youzhou, the name Zhou Ming was no longer just a personal name, but a guillotine hanging over the heads of all the powerful families.

The story of calling a deer a horse at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, which happened half a year ago, is still circulating among the people, and storytellers in teahouses have come up with several versions of it in rotation.

Those aristocratic families who did not give him gifts were exterminated and their property confiscated on the grounds of "disobeying the imperial decree." Their family members were exiled, and even the threshold stones of their houses were pried off and taken away.

Which of the officials in the court doesn't remember these things, and which dares to forget them?

The man surnamed Feng stood at the front of the civil officials. Yesterday, he was in the Qianyuan Hall rebuking Zhou Ming for "not performing the rites of kneeling, which is tantamount to treason." Today, he heard that Zhou Ming had been appointed Minister of Justice.

His face turned ashen for a moment, his lips moved, but he ultimately remained silent.

Although he was somewhat unwilling, he knew Zhou Ming's importance in the new emperor's heart.

Yesterday, after dismissing everyone, Su Mingyue kept Zhou Ming alone in the Qian Yuan Hall for a whole night of conversation.

The two of them came out of the Qian Yuan Hall together in the morning, and the implications of that are self-evident.

Su Mingyue's gaze swept down from the steps of the palace, taking in the expressions of everyone in the hall.

No one objected, and no one stood up to say, "I have an objection."

All the court officials bowed and clasped their hands in unison, praising "Your Majesty is wise."

And so, the first personnel appointments and dismissals of the new dynasty were decided silently and without fanfare.

Zhou Ming followed the guards sent by Chunlan through the newly expanded official road of Yongning City and arrived at a three-courtyard house.

The house wasn't luxurious, but it was well-organized.

The building features blue bricks and gray tiles, vermilion-lacquered doorposts, and two small but exquisitely carved stone lions crouching at the entrance.

The plaque above the door has not yet been hung up, leaving space for it.

The color in this location is different from the color in other places, which means that the previous signboard must have just been taken down.

Zhou Ming guessed that this mansion was the one that Su Mingyue had raided a few days ago, and it had now been confiscated.

This place is not far from the palace, only a short walk away, clearly arranged so that he could be summoned by Su Mingyue at any time.

The courtyard is fully equipped.

The front courtyard was used for receiving guests and discussing matters, the main hall was spacious, and the side rooms on both sides could be used as offices for staff.

The central courtyard is the living quarters, with a study, bedroom, and small kitchen arranged in a pleasing and orderly manner.

The backyard housed servants' quarters and storerooms.

The butler's surname was Meng. He was a tall, thin man in his fifties. Zhou Ming knew him; he used to be the manager of Haitang Garden.

He was acquainted with Zhou Ming, but their current statuses were worlds apart.

The maids and guards were all selected from the old staff of the Marquis's mansion.

They were quick and agile, with keen eyesight. Upon seeing their new master enter, they all bowed and greeted him.

Zhou Ming walked around the house for a while, then went straight into the study, sat down at his desk, and began to wait.

As the Minister of Justice, he was naturally not a commander without troops.

After appointing him at the morning court session, Su Mingyue instructed Chunlan to draft the list of candidates for various positions in the Ministry of Justice.

From the Left and Right Vice Ministers to the various department heads, from the Assistant Ministers to the Principal Officers, the entire staff will be appointed today.

Zhou Ming sat in his study waiting for these people to come and pay their respects.

It wasn't that he had any airs of authority; it was mainly that the things he was about to do required a group of absolutely obedient people.

The powerful families of Youzhou have been intertwined for hundreds of years. Among the officials in the imperial court who wear court robes, eight out of ten are related to these powerful families.

The Ministry of Justice is in charge of all criminal laws in the country, and the new law he is about to implement is the one he will be promoting.

Collective punishment of each group, severe punishment for minor offenses, military merit titles, and state ownership of land.

Each of these provisions threatens the very foundation of powerful families. If members of these families infiltrate the Ministry of Justice, the new law will be riddled with holes before it even gets off the ground.

If those newly appointed officials of the Ministry of Justice receive their appointments.

Instead of coming to pay their respects immediately, they ran back to their master's study to discuss the matter. He wouldn't use any of those people.

Not only will they not be used, but they will also be written down, as they will be the first to be dealt with in the future.