Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 219 Errand Kak and Nightmare

"Yes." Tang Zhong had some concerns, but he didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he honestly wrote down his godfather's orders.

Wang An nodded and asked, "How is the verification and statistics of redundant staff and unpaid salaries going?"

Institutional palace revenue is difficult to increase in a short period of time, but palace expenditure can be effectively reduced in a short period of time by laying off redundant staff and clearing up unpaid salaries.

The last large-scale purge of the imperial court was in the tenth year of the Jiajing reign, ninety years ago. At that time, the Jiajing Emperor, whose power was already completely secure, ordered the Imperial Household Department to investigate and investigate redundant officials in the inner court.

Surviving archives reveal that, in the area of ​​craftsmanship alone, over 15,000 individuals, including the elderly, the disabled, and those with no official positions, were dismissed. The purges of the 10th year of the Jiajing reign were the largest reduction of internal government offices since the founding of the Hongwu reign. However, after the Jiajing Emperor relocated to the Western Garden, the number of inner court personnel swelled again.

The inflation eased somewhat during Zhang Juzheng's regency, but when the Grand Tutor died and the emperor took power, the palace's redundant staff and unused salaries began to grow explosively, starting with the Cining Palace and the Qianqing Palace. Every government office, including the Imperial Household Department, was filled with unnecessary personnel, placing a huge burden on the palace finances.

"." Tang Zhong lowered his head, his eyes somewhat evasive.

"Godfather is asking you a question, why don't you answer?" Cao Huachun asked in a slightly dissatisfied tone.

Tang Zhong sighed and smiled bitterly, "To answer Godfather and Senior Brother, the verification and statistics of redundant staff and unpaid salaries are not going smoothly."

"Why?" Wang An's tone was still so steady, without any urgency or slowness in his voice.

Tang Zhong scratched his chin and said, "There are many reasons. Please allow me to explain it slowly, godfather."

"Things aren't going smoothly, but it's good to be able to find the problem." Wang An raised his head slightly. "Just tell me."

"Godfather, wait a moment." Tang Zhong bowed and walked to a wooden shelf filled with documents. His eyes wandered around the shelf, and soon he accurately pulled out a fairly thick booklet.

Tang Zhong returned to Wang An and opened the book he had found. Using the candlelight held by his senior brother, he showed it to Wang An and said, "Godfather, this is one of the remaining records from the completion of the Imperial Court Review in the tenth year of the Jiajing reign. Of course, this is a rubbing."

Wang An looked at the book and asked in a puzzled tone, "One of them?"

Tang Zhong nodded heavily and confirmed, "To be precise, this is the ledger compiled by the Imperial Household Department regarding the Scripture Factory. This ledger only records the craftsmen in the Scripture Factory who specialize in engraving and publishing books. I won't read the specific items here, but just give the total. During the ten years of the Commendation Period, the Imperial Household Department's Scripture Factory had a total of 62 papermakers, 293 book-back mounters, 189 folding and matching craftsmen, and 80 calendar cutters, for a total of 1,275 people. However, currently, the Scripture Factory has a total of 2,162 craftsmen. That's 887 more people than the original."

"Hasn't this been found out?" Cao Huachun said.

"Brother, it's not that simple," Tang Zhong explained. "The artisans in the palace are all hereditary. Logically, as long as we can determine the lineage of a current artisan, we can determine whether they should be retained. Or to put it more clearly, as long as a current artisan can trace his lineage back to a named artisan in this register, he can continue to work at the workshop." Tang Zhong paused, shook his head, and said, "But there's no way to find out. Aside from the pen makers and printers, the vast majority of artisans can't read a single word. Knowing their grandfather's name is a blessing. There's simply no solid evidence to prove who their ancestor was ninety years ago."

"This is just the ledger of the Jingchang government office. The number of craftsmen in many government offices, such as the Imperial Workshop, the Imperial Household Department, the Armoury Bureau, the Silver Bureau, the Hat and Scarf Bureau, the Needlework Bureau, the Internal Weaving and Dyeing Bureau, and the Wine, Vinegar and Flour Bureau, is much greater than that of the Jingchang government office. It's impossible to investigate further." Tang Zhong wanted to hand the ledger to Wang An, but Wang An waved his hand and refused to take it, so Tang Zhong had to put the ledger back to its original place.

"Next." Wang An's brows were already wrinkled. He began to think about something instead of just listening.

"Yes." Tang Zhong smiled wearily. "The second question is the recent purge launched by the East Factory."

Wang An pondered for a moment, "What are the actions of the East Depot?"

Tang Zhong nodded and said, "Godfather, I understand. When the redundancy was eliminated in the tenth year of the Jiajing reign, each government office compiled and submitted its own records. The Imperial Household Department was only responsible for the overall management and random inspections. This means that each government office's records were kept in its own archives. The East Factory's purge impacted the top officials of various departments and yamen in the inner court. They didn't know who to contact when they wanted to cooperate with the investigation. And this does not include the cases where the records were lost or burned."

"Is there no archive in the Imperial Archives?" Wang An asked.

"Neither the Wenyuan Pavilion nor the Imperial Archives have kept any records," Tang Zhong added, reflecting. "Also, the situation in the tenth year of the Jiajing reign isn't exactly the same as it is now; it's quite different. Speaking of craftsmen, many government offices have added new artisans due to new tasks. For example, after Matteo Ricci presented the clock, the late Emperor ordered the addition of clockmakers to manufacture and repair self-sounding clocks. The palace has no ready-made records of these new artisans created by these new tasks to serve as a precedent for elimination. We can only start from scratch."

"What else?" The wrinkles between Wang An's brows tightened.

"Not enough manpower," Tang Zhong said with a wry smile. While the Liancaifang's affairs weren't as numerous as those of the main government offices, which constantly needed to receive accounts from the outer court, they were still quite a lot.

"Didn't I transfer a dozen smart kids from the inner study hall to you?" Cao Huachun said.

"Yes, twelve eunuchs were transferred here. However, the new accounting method taught in the Inner Book Hall is difficult to integrate with the old accounting method. The new accounting method is certainly useful, but it is incompatible with the old account books." Tang Zhong explained: "When processing the accounts, we usually need to spend a lot of time and energy transcribing the Chinese characters into Western numbers and re-creating the books. And even after the transcription is completed, there is still not enough manpower. The books and information from various sources are too much and too complicated."

After the successful pilot program at the Western Factory Inspection Office, the emperor issued an edict ordering the full implementation of Arabic numerals and double-entry bookkeeping throughout the inner court. Consequently, the curriculum and assessment standards for junior eunuchs at the Inner Academy also included mathematics and accounting.

"Then there's nothing we can do. Our department is also short of staff, and there are no more young men in the inner study hall who can go out to do work. If we want more people, we can only ask the cabinet for them." Cao Huachun spread his hands helplessly.

In the Ming Dynasty, only the inner court could investigate the outer court. Don't even think about transferring people from the outer court to investigate the inner court's accounts.

Tang Zhong looked at Wang An helplessly and said, "Godfather, if we post the notice tomorrow, then the staff of the Integrity Materials Office will definitely be diverted to collecting the embezzled money. In this way, whether it is cutting redundant staff or calculating the salary expenses after the layoffs, they will have to be put on the back burner."

"Do you have any suggestions?" Wang An's brows were furrowed into a "川" shape. Just as his subordinates were reluctant to report to him the messed-up tasks and delayed progress, he also didn't want to say the three words "not yet" when the emperor asked a question.

"My son's suggestion is that we continue with the way things were done in the tenth year of the Jiajing reign, with each government office compiling its own registers and submitting their own applications, with the Imperial Household Department solely responsible for overall management and random checks. We just need to fill in the gaps in each government office as quickly as possible," Tang Zhong suggested. "No. The flaws in this approach are obvious. Having each department conduct its own checks and the Imperial Household Department conduct random checks would save a lot of trouble. But the paperwork would be unclear and inconsistent, making it difficult to access the registers, and even more likely to cause them to be lost." Wang An flatly rejected the suggestion, saying, "I'd better ask His Majesty for permission. You two should complete the tasks I assigned you."

"Chun'er, quickly identify and report the candidates for each vacancy. Be very detailed, including details about their parents, godfather, and how much money they made in their previous positions. Which are acceptable under the old system, as well as regular gifts and filial piety, and which are embezzled public funds. It's best not to use those who are not suitable for embezzlement. If you must use them, please clearly state the reasons. Your Majesty will review each one."

"Zhong'er, send out the first notice. Announce that, within three days of the announcement's publication, all eunuchs of the fifth rank and above can declare their previously embezzled funds to the Integrity Bureau. As long as they declare and turn in the full amount, without concealing anything, no penalty will be imposed, regardless of how they obtained it. Any funds lost after the expiration date will be void."

This money must be returned according to a certain ratio, but let’s not talk about that for now, let’s just talk about declaration and collection.

"Yes." The two of them bowed and accepted the order at the same time.

------

Mi Mengshang had a terrible dream. She dreamed she was holding the sword the emperor had given her. The sword had become blunt, and before her lay a sea of ​​blood and corpses, piled high with wounds and wounds, and those who had hanged themselves, their eyes wide open.

She is a typical example of someone who dreams about something at night while thinking about it during the day.

Although the East Depot and the Imperial Household Department were solely responsible for the purges and punishments of the inner court, the West Depot only dispatched inspectors from the External Inspection Office to monitor and record the East Depot's interrogations and confiscations, Mi Mengshang knew full well that the evidence used by the East Depot to arrest and torture people was entirely fabricated by the West Depot, or rather, by her own team.

Mi Mengshang had never been to the Ministry of Justice to watch an execution. The emperor had issued strict orders to the two factories, forbidding her to go. But the inspectors from the Ministry of External Audit who came back inevitably brought her enough horrific news. Mi Mengshang knew that the matter would become a big deal, but she didn't expect it to be so big and bloody. The entire inner court, except for the Imperial Household Department and the East and West Factories, was all put on the list. Many inspectors from the Ministry of External Audit who went to the Ministry of Justice of the East Factory to jury were frightened by the horrific methods of Cui Yuan, the chief of the Ministry of Justice who returned to Beijing, and had nightmares all night long. There was even a young eunuch with a weak psychological endurance who was directly scared crazy. Mi Mengshang compiled this information into a book and reported it, but the responses from the West Factory headquarters and the Imperial Household Department were surprisingly consistent, all of which were "knowing".

Since her family was captured by the Imperial Guards six years ago, Mi Mengshang has directly experienced the bloodiness and cruelty of the rulers. But when she herself became a part of it, she was not willing to accept it.

Mi Mengshang was awakened by a dream filled with blood and gore, but it was still far from dawn. The emperor, contented with the erotic skills she had learned last night through the "non-material learning method" in the brothels of the Jiaofangsi, now lay quietly beside her, soundly asleep. His breathing was weak and steady, indicating a sound sleep.

The two of them shared a blanket, tucked in tightly to keep out the cold wind. Mi Mengshang wanted to hug the emperor's strong arms for comfort, but she was afraid of waking him up.

At first, Mi Mengshang tried to force herself back to sleep. She still had a lot of work to do, and a poor night's rest would hamper her efficiency the next day. But as soon as she closed her eyes, her mind would conjure up images of unseen yet terrifying scenes. She hesitated, then finally used her left index finger to break through the barrier between them. Carefully, Mi Mengshang groped her way, and soon found the emperor's right hand. She placed her palm in the emperor's and fell asleep peacefully.

When she woke up again, Mi Mengshang found herself wrapped in warmth. She opened her eyes and found herself in the emperor's arms.

"Your Majesty." She was stunned at first, then turned her head away shyly.

Zhu Changluo exerted a little force with his right hand and said, "Why are you embarrassed? You were the one who grabbed me first. Is it necessary to hold me so tightly? I'm sweating."

"I, I just..." Mi Mengshang felt even more embarrassed.

"Are you having a nightmare?" Zhu Changluo let her go and stretched out two fingers to lift the messy hair that was stuck to Mi Mengshang's forehead by her sweat.

"Yeah." Mi Mengshang nodded in response.

"Do you remember what you dreamed about? If you do, you can tell me about it. Maybe I can interpret your dream like Zhou Gong." Zhu Changluo stopped teasing her and lifted the quilt, took off his light blue silk pajamas, and reached for his casual clothes hanging on the hanger.

"I'm here to help His Majesty change his clothes." Mi Mengshang also stood up. She was slender, with fair skin, and wore nothing but a light purple-pink, thin nightgown.

Zhu Changluo raised his eyebrows at the elusive beauty. However, he didn't want to waste too much energy so early in the morning, so he withdrew his gaze without leaving a trace and said lightly, "First, you should understand how to serve yourself."

"Should I keep this cicada-wing silk shirt here or take it back?" Mi Mengshang was no longer as shy as she was when she first had sex, showing her naked body in front of her man.

"Whatever you like." Zhu Changluo chuckled.

"Does the Emperor like it?" Mi Mengshang took off her pink and purple cicada-wing shirt and quickly dressed herself. She walked barefoot to the Emperor and began to tie his clothesline. She knew the rules well and only teased when it was appropriate.

"It's pretty good. It turns you into a ball of seductive fire." Zhu Changluo had to admit the aesthetic level of the Shangyi Bureau.

"Then leave it here. Wear it next time." Mi Mengshang put the jade belt around the emperor's waist. She knew that the emperor didn't like others to help him put on his hat, so she stepped aside and stood.

"What did you dream about?" Zhu Changluo straightened his Yishan hat in front of the mirror and asked again.

"I can't remember it anymore." Mi Mengshang lied.

She remembered the dream vividly. She spoke this way because she was certain the Emperor wouldn't listen to such complaints. After all, the order for a strict arrest and trial had come from the Emperor himself. While the Emperor appeared affectionate and humorous in his chambers, his aura immediately became solemn and dignified once he left.

Mi Mengshang didn't care whether she liked it or not, but if the emperor asked her to do it, she would do it, even if her hands were stained with blood and she had nightmares. She knew that the emperor didn't value her beauty. If she lost the emperor's trust, she would lose everything she had. Even her father and brother, who had been exonerated and were enjoying a new life in Nanjing, might be recaptured by the Jinyiwei.

Mi Mengshang suddenly felt a chill. Before the emperor could turn around, she stood on tiptoe, put her arm around his shoulders, and leaned against his chest, pleading with a faint sob in her voice, "I'm afraid. But as long as Your Majesty keeps me by your side, I won't be afraid."

(End of this chapter)