I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 188 Nationwide Land Surveying Obstructed! Young Wanli: Anyone with a good solution will be promoted immediately.
On the seventeenth day of the twelfth lunar month, at the beginning of the fourth month, the winter sun shone bright

Inside the Wenhua Hall, the daily lecture concluded.

Just as Shen Shixing, Zhao Zhimou, Shen Nian and other lecturers stepped out of the palace gate, preparing to return to their respective offices.

not far away.

Sixty-five-year-old Yin Zhengmao walked briskly, skipping like a six or seven-year-old child, his feet feeling like they were on cotton, his face full of smiles.

This demeanor was completely at odds with the scarlet robe she wore and the insignia on her chest.

But Shen Nian and the others could all see that Yin Zhengmao was very happy at this moment.

As Feng Bao walked out of the palace gate, he happened to see this scene. He frowned and said coldly, "How can a cabinet minister of our dynasty behave like this?"

At this moment, Yin Zhengmao saw the crowd walking out of the main hall.

He stopped his brisk pace, stroked his beard, tidied his clothes, and strode towards the palace entrance.

His face was still full of smiles.

Just as he was about ten steps away from Shen Nian and the others, Feng Bao stepped forward and said with displeasure, "Grand Secretary Yin, the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet are role models for all officials. Their words and actions must be in accordance with propriety. They cannot be as casual as they are at home!"

Feng Bao and Yin Zhengmao had always been at odds, a fact known throughout the court.

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was in charge of etiquette in the inner court, and now that Feng Bao had caught Yin Zhengmao behaving improperly in the palace, he would naturally not let go of the opportunity to teach him a lesson.

Yin Zhengmao was indeed inappropriate; if he dared to retort, he would definitely be fined at least a month's salary.

Hearing this, Yin Zhengmao's face remained full of smiles.

He bowed to Feng Bao, a rare occurrence for him, and said, "Eunuch Feng, it was my fault for being impolite. Please inform His Majesty that I have good news to report to him!"

immediately.

Yin Zhengmao looked at Shen Nian and the other lecturers and said with a smile, "You can stay and listen as well."

Feng Bao looked puzzled and waved to the eunuch behind him. He still dared not make things difficult for the cabinet ministers who requested an audience.

……

After a while.

The young Wanli Emperor, who had been drinking tea and eating snacks in a side hall, sat down on the throne again.

Feng Baoju stood to one side, Shen Yiguan, the official in charge of daily life, stood on the other side, and Yin Zhengmao, Shen Shixing, Shen Nian, and other lecturers stood below.

"Grand Secretary Yin, what good news do you have to report?" the young Wanli Emperor asked curiously.

Yin Zhengmao strode forward, holding a memorial in his hand, and raised it high, saying, "Your Majesty, three days ago, Zhou Yi, the Governor of Henan, and Meng Zhong, the Provincial Treasurer of Henan, submitted a new fish-scale map of Henan to the Ministry of Revenue, stating that they had completed the land survey of the entire province within the stipulated time. After the Ministry of Revenue checked Henan's monthly accounts, it was confirmed that Henan had completed the land survey of the entire province, and the cultivated land had increased by a total of 64,324,055 mu compared to the original amount!"

"Has the land survey in Henan been completed on schedule?"

Emperor Wanli's face lit up with elation, and Feng Bao, who was standing nearby, quickly handed the memorial to him.

On the lower side, Shen Nian and the others were also very excited.

At the beginning of last year, under Zhang Juzheng's arrangement, the imperial court issued a death order.

"Taking the Henan Provincial Administration Commission as a pilot, a comprehensive survey of land was conducted, with the survey to be completed and a report submitted within one year."

then.

They faced serious encroachment by privileges held by members of the imperial clan, local gentry, successful candidates in the imperial examinations, and students of the Imperial Academy, as well as various means of influence such as fraudulent transfers, deceptive postings, fictitious registrations, misappropriation, buying out households, false measurements, and false reporting.

At the beginning of its implementation, most people did not believe that it could be completed within a year.

however.

When Yin Zhengmao rectified the imperial clan, the Ministry of Revenue focused its investigation on him, especially after Zhang Juzheng replaced three groups of local officials in Henan, which resulted in astonishing efficiency.

The completion of the land survey in Henan is of great significance.

This means that the imperial court can now fully implement a nationwide land survey.

After reading the memorial, the young Wanli Emperor said "good" three times, and then looked at Yin Zhengmao.

"Grand Secretary Yin, with an additional 60,000 hectares, how many more people can be fed in a year?" The young Wanli Emperor wanted to understand more directly the benefits that these newly added lands could bring.

Yin Zhengmao straightened his chest.

"More than 60,000 hectares, or more than 6 million mu of land, yields about one shi of wheat and millet per mu in the north of our dynasty, and seven dou of beans, sorghum and other miscellaneous grains per mu. Each person consumes about three shi of grain per year... Based on the usual harvest, it can probably feed more than 3 million people every year!"

"More than three million people!"

Upon hearing this number, Emperor Wanli was overjoyed, as it brought him one step closer to the goal of "ensuring that everyone in the world has enough to eat."

"A banquet will be held for the Ministry of Revenue at noon tomorrow. All officials and clerks on duty in the Ministry of Revenue deserve to have a drink!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Yin Zhengmao bowed deeply.

at this time.

Yin Zhengmao pressed his advantage, saying, "Your Majesty, the nationwide land survey can now be put on the agenda!"

The young Wanli Emperor nodded in approval.

……

afternoon.

News of the completion of the land survey in Henan quickly spread to all government offices in the capital.

After being treated to a banquet, the officials of the Ministry of Revenue were all very excited and jointly submitted a memorial requesting that the nationwide land survey be initiated at the beginning of next year.

The reason why the officials of the Ministry of Revenue were so proactive.

This is because the more measurements are taken, the more money the national treasury will have. The more money the national treasury has, the more powerful the Ministry of Revenue will be, making things easier to do in the future, and making it easier for officials in the Ministry of Revenue to be promoted.

Following this trend.

Once the land survey is completed, the Ministry of Revenue will truly be the head of the six ministries.

At the same time, dissenting voices also emerged.

Some officials believe that although the land survey in Henan was completed, the process intensified conflicts between scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants, and many landlords and powerful families were forcefully suppressed by the government, which damaged local commerce and civil affairs.

If land surveys are immediately implemented nationwide, more conflicts will erupt, affecting the stability of the country. It is recommended to continue the pilot program in a certain province.

……

The following day, the voices of opposition suddenly surged.

An official from the Ministry of Personnel stated that if the land survey policy were to be implemented thoroughly, it would inevitably require the dismissal and replacement of many local officials. The Ministry of Personnel would be under immense pressure in the selection, evaluation, appointment, and removal of officials, and suggested that the process be carried out province by province.

An official from the Ministry of Rites stated that when measuring land in Henan, there were various rituals and prayers, such as moving graves, offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, and worshipping the Earth God. The ritual systems varied from place to place, making it extremely difficult for the Ministry of Rites to coordinate them.

An official from the Ministry of War stated that the land survey resulted in numerous conflicts and disputes, especially as surveyors encountered obstacles during on-site measurements. The Ministry of War had to coordinate with local authorities and continuously dispatch troops to maintain stability, leading to a great deal of miscellaneous tasks.

An official from the Ministry of Works stated that if a nationwide survey were to be launched, a great many ropes, markers, and measuring instruments would be needed. The Ministry of Works would not be able to coordinate the entire country in a short period of time. If supervision is not strict, counterfeit measuring instruments would appear in various places, affecting the survey results.

An official from the Ministry of Justice stated that during the land survey process, various localities encountered acts such as concealing land ownership, falsifying data, and obstructing the survey. Due to the large number of violations of laws and regulations during the supervision process, the Ministry of Justice found it difficult to impose penalties in accordance with the Ming Dynasty Code.

……

Officials from the five ministries other than the Ministry of Revenue appeared to be opposing the movement, but their real aim was to claim credit.

All six ministries contributed to the land survey in Henan.

Although the Ministry of Revenue contributed the most, it was the one that received a banquet, while the others received nothing.

However, the situation they described does exist, and they all cited many examples.

Measuring fields is indeed a very difficult task.

In the past, under Zhang Juzheng's leadership, the cabinet controlled the six ministries, and the six ministries controlled the six departments.

However, with Zhang Juzheng not in court and the feedback from the other five ministries not being opposed by the Six Ministries, voices opposing the nationwide land survey gradually rose.

...In the afternoon, in a tea room of the Drafting Office.

Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue, and Shen Nian were having a headache from reviewing the draft bills, so they took a break and went to the tea room to chat.

Wang Xijue curled his lip and said, "His Majesty alone bestowed a banquet upon the Ministry of Revenue, while the other five ministries worked hard without reward. Naturally, they would complain. In addition, everyone was very busy this year to complete the land survey in Henan and offended many people. It is normal for them to oppose the nationwide land survey!"

Shen Shixing nodded in agreement.

"The land survey has the greatest impact on the interests of powerful officials and clans who have annexed land. The land survey in Henan has caused the various princes and nobles to complain of poverty and some wealthy landlords to become impoverished overnight. Most officials in the capital support a large family behind them, and most of them rely on tax-exempt land to make a living. After retiring, those who have no talent for business or who did not save money during their tenure just want to rely on the land they have saved for their retirement. Now that they are being asked to dig their own graves, do you think they will be happy to do so?"

"For the sake of the people, we can only make things difficult for the officials!" Wang Xijue said with a smile, then looked at Shen Nian.

This is Shen Nian's famous quote, and it's also what he loves to do most.

Shen Nian gave an awkward smile.

“That’s true. I can understand why they oppose it, but no matter how much they oppose it, the land still needs to be measured! Otherwise, how can the Single Whip Law be implemented? It’s better to make the officials suffer than to let them starve, but it’s better to make the common people suffer than to let them starve!”

"Ziheng, the current difficulty is how to get all the officials of the six ministries to agree to the nationwide land survey. If they continue to hold the same ideas as in today's memorial, then even if it is enforced, the local implementation will be greatly weakened. Many official documents and policies of the court have been weakened at each level because of this, and eventually become empty words."

"When Grand Secretary Zhang was in power, in addition to suppressing the rebellion with force, he also frequently sent private messages to convey his intentions. However, the three Grand Secretaries at present do not have as many disciples and old friends!"

“With Grand Secretary Zhang absent, I feel that the land survey should be postponed. Otherwise, even if it is carried out, it will likely be a mess. When many problems arise at once, the Six Ministries will be unable to resolve them properly,” Shen Shixing analyzed.

Wang Xijue nodded.

"Actually, there are two difficulties at present. First, to make all the officials of the six ministries willingly cooperate in carrying out the national land survey; second, to reduce the difficulty of implementation at the local level, and it would be best to increase the cooperation of those who have annexed land."

"Both of these are very difficult!" Shen Shixing said helplessly.

For many officials, measuring fields was tantamount to asking them to cut their own flesh with a knife.

In the past, when the policy was piloted in provinces such as Jiangxi, Fujian, and Henan, each province had its own policy. However, if it is to be implemented nationwide, the difficulty will be several times greater.

at this time.

Shen Nian and the other two heard two imperial edicts from the young Wanli Emperor from the Forbidden City.

First, inform the Cabinet and the Drafting Office that all memorials opposing the "nationwide land survey" should be kept in the palace and not issued until the next morning's public discussion.

Secondly, the young Wanli Emperor decided to hold a banquet for the five ministries of War, Revenue, Personnel, Rites, and Works the day after tomorrow, at the same level as the banquet held for the Ministry of Revenue today.

The first oral decree was expected by all three.

Upon hearing the second imperial edict, Shen Nian and the other two couldn't help but laugh.

Emperor Wanli also noticed that the other five ministries had submitted memorials expressing their dissatisfaction. In order to treat everyone fairly and to get the other five ministries to support the national land survey, he therefore granted them all banquets.

However, the three felt that even if a banquet was offered, officials from the other five ministries, apart from the Ministry of Revenue, would find it difficult to agree to immediately implement the nationwide land survey.

There are too many interests involved.

……

As dusk approached, the drafting office was established.

Shen Shixing, Wang Xijue, Wang Jiaping, Chen Jingbang, and Shen Nian are discussing the national land survey.

Emperor Wanli, accompanied by the three Grand Secretaries, suddenly arrived at the Drafting Office and headed straight for the council hall.

Shen Nian and the other four hurriedly came to greet them.

After a while.

The young Wanli Emperor sat on the upper side, while the officials sat on the lower side.

Emperor Wanli (the young emperor) cut to the chase, saying, "My lords, judging from the current response from officials, it is truly difficult to implement the nationwide land survey! I believe there are two main reasons for this difficulty. First, the officials are not very enthusiastic; second, the task is indeed very challenging. Do any of you have any good solutions?"

The young Wanli Emperor looked around, but no one answered.

The difficulty of measuring land across the entire country is far greater than that of measuring land within a single province.

When land is surveyed in a province, the imperial court can pay close attention and formulate a land survey strategy for that province.

For example, the land survey in Fujian focused on the gentry and merchants of Jiangnan, so the court adjusted commercial taxes, suppressing those who needed to be suppressed and promoting those who needed to be promoted, and it took two years to complete. The land survey in Jiangxi was mainly due to the lack of an official in charge of the overall situation, so the court sent Pan Jixun. The land survey in Henan was difficult because of the imperial clansmen, and Yin Zhengmao almost crippled the imperial clansmen before the land survey could proceed normally.

However, with land surveying taking place nationwide, there is no time to treat each case separately, and the problems that would arise simultaneously could be a hundred times greater than those encountered when surveying land in a single province.

In addition, the emergence of problems such as local officials falsely claiming credit, resistance from landlords and powerful families, and intensified class contradictions may cause the country to be shaken.

At this moment, Ma Ziqiang stood up.

"Your Majesty, this afternoon, Minister Wang of the Ministry of Personnel discussed the nationwide land survey with me. Minister Wang believes that if we want to improve the enthusiasm of officials, we should conduct separate assessments for this matter, and promote local officials and officials in the capital who complete this task on a special basis. He is already drafting specific regulations!"

“It’s feasible!” Little Wanli nodded.

"However, if we want the nationwide land survey to be implemented thoroughly and with less difficulty, we need to gain the support of the local gentry and powerful families who have annexed land, but that... that's almost impossible!"

Measuring the land was essentially a way to curb the land grabbing by powerful clans and relieve the people from the suffering caused by the levy of exorbitant grain taxes.

Those gentry and wealthy families would be lucky if they didn't boycott it; how could they possibly support it? It would only lead to their own destruction.

At this time.

The young Wanli Emperor looked at Shen Nian and said, "Minister Shen, do you have a good plan?"

Shen Nian quickly stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, I have not yet come up with a solution."

The young Wanli Emperor looked at the others, and they all lowered their heads.

The only remaining challenge is to get the gentry and wealthy families who have annexed land to voluntarily relinquish it.

Emperor Wanli thought for a moment, then looked at Ma Ziqiang and said, "Grand Secretary Ma, please tell Minister Wang to add a sentence to the separate assessment policy for land measurement: 'When it is difficult for local areas to measure land, anyone who offers a suggestion that can benefit a province and enable land measurement to continue will be promoted one rank immediately. This clause will be valid indefinitely!'"

Upon hearing this, Shen Nian and the others all showed expressions of surprise.

This favor is truly immense.

Many local officials, especially those below the prefectural level, may only be promoted one rank every six or nine years.

Now, the benefits of a single strategy can be equivalent to several years' worth of work, which is undeniably tempting.

The young Wanli Emperor added, "Furthermore, which official in the court has a plan to persuade the gentry and powerful families who have annexed land to cooperate with the government and voluntarily relinquish their illegally acquired land? In such cases, the official will be promoted one rank immediately."

After saying this, the young Wanli Emperor gave Shen Nian a special look before striding away.

After everyone saw Xiao Wanli off, Ma Ziqiang looked at Shen Nian and the others and said, "Everyone, keep up the good work! This is a great opportunity for a special promotion!"

Yin Zhengmao patted Shen Nian on the shoulder before leaving.

Shen Nian at the moment is a lecturer of the sixth rank.

If he were promoted one rank, he would not be able to leave the Hanlin Academy and would inevitably become a highly prestigious fifth-rank lecturer.

Once you become a lecturer.

If Shen Nian makes another great contribution, he will very likely become a third-rank official, serving as a vice minister.

Back then, Zhang Juzheng was a fifth-rank scholar who first took charge of the Hanlin Academy.

The following year, he rose to the rank of Vice Minister of Rites and Academician of the Hanlin Academy, holding the rank of third grade. In the same year, he officially entered the cabinet as Minister of Rites and Grand Academician of the Wuying Hall, holding the rank of second grade.

When Zhang Juzheng entered the cabinet, he was only 43 years old, much younger than Gao Gong, who entered the cabinet at 54, and Xu Jie, who entered the cabinet at 49.

Shen Nian is not yet twenty-eight years old.

If he could become a vice minister of a ministry at the age of twenty-nine, he would likely become the youngest cabinet minister in the Ming Dynasty at the age of thirty.

The opportunity is now in front of Shen Nian; it remains to be seen whether he can seize it.

Of course, other Hanlin Academy officials also had opportunities.

These exceptional promotions break with the conventional practice of seniority-based promotion, allowing the most capable to rise to the top.

(End of this chapter)