Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

The issue of the vouchers spread too quickly; officials in the capital had just begun discussing the changes in the court when this matter caught their attention.

The emperor's swift action in pushing forward this matter after relinquishing power piqued the curiosity of many officials:

"Your Majesty doesn't seem to be neglecting your duties!"

"Did they cause trouble again after delegating authority?"

This is a question that puzzles many officials. They had planned to make great strides after the emperor relinquished power, but unexpectedly, they still had to follow the emperor's orders.

Let's see what the emperor has planned:

Vouchers, Shuntian Prefecture Council, machine-made coins, vassal deposits, and coal and steel joint ventures...

Each and every one of these things is very troublesome.

So these people had doubts in their hearts:

What exactly is the emperor planning?
"What's the idea?"

"Of course, we should make all the officials follow our orders."

"The more power the emperor delegates, the tighter he holds onto major policies."

"We can't just leave everything, big and small, unattended; that would be governing without any real action, wouldn't it?"

The official's words immediately made the confused official understand.

The emperor is just creating trouble for the officials, making them obey his orders.

Just like the Jiajing Emperor, who secluded himself in the deep palace to cultivate Taoism, the major policies of the court never escaped his control.

The current emperor is the same; after assigning power to his ministers, he immediately puts tasks on their agenda.

In every matter, these ministers need to exert their full efforts.

If they handle it well, then it is naturally due to the emperor's wisdom.

If things don't go well, there might be further changes during the August elections and reshuffle.

With this in mind, some officials have begun to consider:
Is it to cooperate with the cabinet in doing these things, or to delay and cause trouble?
"Working in concert with the cabinet could lead to promotions and a better position during the leadership transition."

"But there are only so many positions in the imperial court. Should we create some trouble and force those officials to step down?"

Two ideas came to mind for officials in the capital.

Some people want to get promoted by cooperating with the administration, while others want to use tactics to bring down certain officials.

With the current emperor adjusting the system of bestowing titles and strictly appointing officials according to their positions, the officialdom is now a system where every position is filled by a specific person. Without pulling down those above them, they cannot rise in rank.

There are quite a few officials who share this idea, especially some deputy heads of government offices.

They were already just one step away from promotion, and some of them didn't want to wait any longer.

Of course, there were many more officials cooperating.

After all, the current Grand Secretary Han Kuang can be considered the leader of the Donglin Party.

Although the Donglin Party was forcibly broken up by the emperor, there were still quite a few scholars who came from the Donglin Party and sympathized with it.

They had a good reputation and were very influential in both the court and among the public. Most court officials identified with the Donglin Party.

As for the remnants of the eunuch faction, who were implicitly at odds with the Donglin Party, they also dared not cause trouble in this matter.

Because they were imperial supporters protected by the emperor, they would be ousted without hesitation if they did not carry out the emperor's orders.

Not to mention that Yang Jingchen, the Deputy Grand Secretary in charge of overseeing the implementation, was their leader.

These people dared not shirk their responsibilities when facing the supervisory committee.

"His Majesty's methods have truly improved!"

"The entire court must obey his orders."

Officials who understood this remarked that the emperor had matured into a more sophisticated ruler after several years.

Some even believe that the emperor's apparent inaction was a pretense, a deliberate retreat before moving forward.

"Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; Your Majesty has finally understood!"

"There are always things to do, and getting bogged down in trivial matters is just a waste of energy."

"So the Emperor focuses on the big picture and lets the cabinet handle the details, keeping the major policies in his own hands while leaving the minor ones to the cabinet."

“Unlike before, when we just issued orders without any regard for their implementation.”

The officials who heard this nodded in agreement, thinking that the emperor's suggestion was even better.

In particular, the scheme targets local officials, who are very happy about it.

If local officials fail to implement the plan and are removed from their posts, wouldn't that create an opportunity for them?
After being tormented by the emperor for several years, many officials in the capital no longer objected to serving as officials in local areas.

According to the emperor's requirements, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet was no different from the prime minister.

A Grand Secretary could be a court official, but a Prime Minister needed local experience to make policies more practical.

Many officials from the Hanlin Academy wanted to go to local areas to gain experience in governing a region.
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Wen Zhenmeng was one of the Hanlin scholars who went to serve in local government positions, and even one of the earliest Hanlin scholars to concurrently serve as local officials. Because of his good performance in Zhuolu District, he was awarded the title of Assistant Magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture by the emperor.

This was a fifth-rank position, so he was promoted to Lecturer in the Hanlin Academy.

According to the regulations after the reform of the Hanlin Academy, they were considered reserve academicians. When there were not enough Hanlin academicians, they could independently manage the academy and attend academic council meetings.

At this time, he discussed the position for the next term with his nephew Yao Ximeng.

Yao Ximeng said:

"Uncle, has the candidate for the Grand Secretary been chosen yet?"

Is my uncle on the shortlist?

The rank of the Grand Secretary was the fifth rank, which was half a rank higher than Wen Zhenmeng's current rank.

However, as the Hanlin Academy was a place for cultivating talents, those who were sent out to serve in other places could also hold higher-ranking positions.

Zhang Pu, who was favored by the emperor, was appointed as a sixth-rank compiler and concurrently served as the head of the Suzhou-Songjiang New District.

In particular, after the reform of the Hanlin Academy, it was stipulated that the highest rank a Hanlin scholar who concurrently served as a local official could achieve was to become a lecturer. Only those who consistently worked in the Hanlin Academy could be promoted to Hanlin Academician, and afterwards they could only work in the Ministry of Rites, serving as prestigious and lowly officials.

The number of Hanlin Academicians is still small, and it is possible that Wen Zhenmeng could concurrently serve as a Zhongshu Academician while holding the position of Attendant Academician.

In particular, he has been serving as a fifth-rank official for nearly four years. According to the probationary period system, as a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), his probationary period is four years. By the end of this year, he will be promoted from a minor official to a fifth-rank official, which will be just right for him to take up a fifth-rank position.

Yao Ximeng very much hoped that his uncle could get this opportunity and become a scholar of the Imperial Secretariat.

Wen Zhenmeng stroked his beard and smiled:
"Scholar Qian has already spoken with me, hoping that I will go to the Secretariat to assist him."

"However, the position of Grand Secretary is not easy to hold; many people are vying for it."

Upon hearing the confirmation, Yao Ximeng immediately smiled and said:

“The Secretariat is like a mini-cabinet, so the position of Secretary of the Secretariat can certainly be seen as a junior secretary, and of course there will be competition for it.”

"Given His Majesty's high regard for his uncle, his uncle will surely have an opportunity."

Wen Zhenmeng frowned upon hearing this, but he lacked complete confidence.

He, along with Liu Lishun, Shi Kefa, and Chen Renxi, jointly governed Zhuolu District. After the successful reorganization of Zhuolu District and the establishment of its council, they were all promoted.

After taking over his position, Liu Lishun presided over the Suzhou-Songjiang New Area. After the successful establishment of the new area, he became a recognized capable minister by both the government and the public.

In particular, he proposed a lottery-based election method and implemented it in the Suzhou-Songjiang New Area. The rapid establishment of the Shuntian Prefectural Council was related to this election method.

Although his "serving the people" was quite controversial, Wen Zhenmeng knew that this man was favored by the emperor. It could be said that this former subordinate of his was on a rapid rise and was likely to become a Grand Secretary, or even the Grand Secretary.

Another colleague, Shi Kefa, was a disciple of Zuo Guangdou and a junior whom the Donglin Party was actively cultivating.

Chen Renxi is even more remarkable. He currently serves in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and also oversees the Imperial Guard. He is a talent that the emperor has reserved for the Crown Prince.

Only he, the district head at the time, has now faded into obscurity.

While he was not exactly mediocre in his position as the Assistant Magistrate of the Western Circuit of Shuntian Prefecture, he did not have any notable achievements.

Otherwise, he should have been promoted to the rank of fifth-grade scholar last year.

Now, because of a mere year's difference, even the competition for the position of Grand Secretary is uncertain.

Thinking of this, Wen Zhenmeng couldn't help but sigh deeply:

"I was negligent in my duties at the Western Route Administrative Office and failed to produce any outstanding achievements."

"When His Majesty held the council in Shuntian Prefecture this time, he mentioned Liu Zongzhou and Liu Lishun, but he didn't mention his uncle at all."

"My uncle's position as a Grand Secretary is still a bit precarious!"

He somewhat regrets his silence over the past few years.

After being promoted to Assistant Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, he mainly stayed in the capital and did not pay much attention to the affairs of the Western Route Administrative Office.

This naturally made his achievements less impressive, and he was not awarded any merit when his three-year term ended last year.

Yao Ximeng knew about this matter and also understood his uncle's inner turmoil. He and his uncle had previously thought that the emperor's arrangement of Hanlin Academy members holding concurrent positions was just for show, never expecting it to be so highly regarded. Now, after the reform of the Hanlin Academy, it has been divided into two categories: the noble officials who remain in the Hanlin Academy and the scholar-officials who are sent to serve in other regions.

People like Wen Zhenmeng are better off, at least they have been transferred to a post outside the region and have experience governing a region.

Yao Ximeng was even more unfortunate, because he had been working at the Hanlin Academy and wanted to be promoted according to the old practice.

As a result, he has been accumulating seniority year after year, and he is still a sixth-rank official.

Of course, being sent out to other places was not always smooth sailing. Wen Zhenmeng did not receive any merit awards during his tenure as the Assistant Magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture, which had a significant impact on his future.

Compared to Chen Zizhuang and others who had made numerous contributions, they were clearly lagging behind.

This time, the emperor did not mention him, the assistant prefect, when he was preparing to establish the Shuntian Prefecture Council, which was clearly a sign of his dissatisfaction.

After all, he made contributions to the establishment of the Zhuolu District Council, but now he's being sidelined!

Wen Zhenmeng regretted it as soon as he thought about it, and said to his nephew:

"If I had extended the Zhuolu District Council to the entire Western Route Administrative Office earlier, I would certainly have had a part in organizing this council."

"Even if I were to become a Grand Secretary now, it wouldn't be as good as making a contribution in this matter!"

Yao Ximeng comforted him, saying:
"Uncle, don't be too modest. After all, you were the top scholar in the second year of the Tianqi reign, two years earlier than Liu Lishun, so you have more seniority than him."

"The Emperor is once again giving important positions to officials from the second year of the Tianqi reign. My uncle is a good Grand Secretary, so he will definitely have the opportunity to enter the cabinet."

Wen Zhenmeng shook his head and said:

"Disaster!"

"There are too few cabinet changes now, and many people don't even get a chance to join the cabinet."

"Furthermore, after joining the cabinet, the power varies. Only those with ability can become the chairperson of a committee, while those without ability can only help others draft proposals."

"If he had made contributions in every posting, that would be fine, but with my uncle like this, I'm afraid the emperor will think he's incompetent."

This is the current state of the cabinet: the emperor delegates the power of the Grand Secretaries to draft proposals to the cabinet's subordinate committees, and the Grand Secretaries are not necessarily the chairpersons of these committees.

No one other than the director has the authority to use the seal; they can only draft resolutions based on committee decisions.

Who would want to be a Grand Secretary like that? At least Wen Zhenmeng wouldn't be willing.

However, given his current momentum, let alone the difficulty of entering the cabinet, even if he does enter the cabinet, he will probably only become a Grand Secretary.

Who told him that he didn't have any outstanding achievements during his tenure as the Assistant Magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture?
Yao Ximeng persuaded him:
"The Secretariat has just been established, and the Secretariat scholars will not be fully filled until the reshuffle."

"Uncle still has six months; he can strive to achieve outstanding results in the Western Route Administrative Office."

"As far as I know, the surrounding districts and counties of Zhuolu District are quite envious of Zhuolu District."

“Uncle can extend the policies of Zhuolu District to the surrounding areas.”

Wen Zhenmeng nodded, also believing it to be an opportunity.

The Western Route Administrative Office under his jurisdiction includes three counties and one district: Daxing County, Liangxiang County, Fangshan County, and Zhuolu District. Zhuolu District has already completed its restructuring, so there's no need to worry about anything.

The other three counties were also greatly influenced by Zhuolu District, and were quite active in preparing for the establishment of councils and the land survey. As long as he supervised diligently, there would definitely be no problem in creating a large-scale yellow register and reorganizing the household registration.

In particular, Zhuolu District, as the site where the "Currency Act" was passed, saw a significant amount of subsidiary currency circulate, which then spilled over into the surrounding areas.

These three counties and one district all accept paper money, which is quite advantageous for issuing vouchers.

Wen Zhenmeng has decided to stay in the local area for the next six months to carry out the tasks requested by the emperor one by one.

Whether he is a noble official or a capable one depends on his efforts.

After making the decision, he said to Yao Ximeng:
"Judging from His Majesty's intentions, he will be using capable officials in the future."

"Although in the future only members of the Hanlin Academy will be allowed to enter the cabinet, those who become Hanlin scholars must go through the prefecture and county levels to become Grand Secretaries."

"What are your thoughts? Do you want to work in a local area for a few years?"

Yao Ximeng shook his head with a wry smile and said to his uncle:

"I can't go on. My health has always been poor, and I'm afraid I won't be able to handle the conditions there."

"I'll stay in the Hanlin Academy and be a refined scholar, and then I'll write papers."

Knowing his nephew's health condition, Wen Zhenmeng sighed and said:
"That's good too. There are many famous doctors in the capital now, so it's a good time to take good care of your health."

"Moreover, after the social security fund was established, your medical expenses will be reimbursed by medical insurance, so you don't have to worry about spending money."

"I really hope the vouchers will be issued soon so that social security can operate fully."

Yao Ximeng also praised this, believing that the emperor's support of scholars was truly sincere.

However, he had some criticism of the emperor's dislike of his teacher, Liu Yiju, complaining:

"His Majesty is good in every way, except that he is a little petty."

"Mr. Liu only relinquished the position of Grand Secretary due to illness, yet he has been remembered by him ever since and has had no chance of being reinstated."

"If Mr. Liu were here, the Grand Secretary..."

He shook his head and didn't continue.

After all, Han Kuang was already the Grand Secretary, so if he said Liu Yijuan was the Grand Secretary, it would seem like he was dissatisfied with Han Kuang.

Wen Zhenmeng also expressed his dissatisfaction, saying the same thing:
"Scholar Liu yielded the position of Grand Secretary to Scholar Ye; that was a noble act."

"The Emperor's criticism of him as partisan strife is far too harsh."

"His Majesty is a suspicious and ambitious ruler like Emperor Taizu and Emperor Shizong, and he is not at ease with many things."

"I didn't see the cabinet immediately make arrangements after delegating power."

Yao Ximeng shared the same view. The uncle and nephew complained for a while, but they had no choice but to serve as officials as required by the emperor.

As long as they want to be promoted, they have to follow the emperor's rules.

Yao Ximeng, who was writing articles at the Hanlin Academy, decided that he would spend the next six months helping his uncle implement the court's measures in the Western Route Administrative Office and creating momentum in the newspapers to demonstrate his uncle's abilities to the court. (End of Chapter)