My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 56: Prime Minister's Talent
Li Chunfang took over Su Ze's memorial from Zhang Juzheng.

After reading this memorial, Li Chunfang couldn't help but sigh that it was the younger generation that pushed the older generation forward back then, and this memorial was so well written!
Li Chunfang's rise to prominence began when he wrote Qingci for Emperor Jiajing.

But in addition to Qingci, Li Chunfang's own memorials were also written at a very high level.

Politics is, after all, a human art, and there are many things involved if you want others to accept your advice.

The beginning of Su Ze's memorial was quite standard, and it began with quotations from classics as was customary in the Ming Dynasty officialdom.

"I have heard that the Zhou Li mentions the system of 'national sons studying in academies,' and that both the Han and Tang dynasties established 'Yinjian' (Yinjian) to nurture talented individuals. Our holy dynasty reveres Confucianism and Taoism, but the officials in the capital are sometimes thousands of miles away from their hometowns, or have been serving in the imperial court for over ten years. Their children must return to their hometowns to take the examinations, trekking through mountains and rivers for years. I humbly suggest that we follow the example of the Imperial Examination Hall established in Nanjing during the Hongwu reign and allow the children of officials in the capital to take the examinations in accordance with the will of Heaven, thus demonstrating the benevolence of the Holy Lord."

First, Su Ze pointed out that there was a precedent for the children of officials to take the exam in the capital, and it was also the ancestral law.

At the time of Zhu Yuanzhang, the country had just established its capital, the local situation was still unstable, and there were many vacancies in official positions.

Therefore, in the early years of Hongwu, the children of officials were indeed allowed to participate in the Nanzhili provincial examination.

This has found a legal basis for the policy.

After discussing the theoretical feasibility of the policy, the next step is to plan for policy implementation.

"I have three proposals. The first is to set a limit on the number of registered sons. Any civil or military official of high rank in the capital who has served for six years or more is allowed to register one of his sons in Shuntian Prefecture to take the examination. This is similar to the military household registration law during the Jingtai period. Fraudulent registration will be strictly investigated to prevent fraud and abuse, and the Ministry of Justice will investigate it."

"Secondly, establish a quota for the supplementary examination. Each subject will have an additional twenty places in addition to the Shuntian exam, specifically for the official students. Following the example of the second year of the Yongle reign, where the list was divided into the north and south, the word 'official' will be marked in red after the exam papers are sealed. Those who pass the exam will be marked as 'official students'."

"Third, the examination system will be implemented. Candidates who are to be selected for the examination must first have studied at the Imperial Academy for three years. Their behavior and writing will be assessed by the chief academic officer before they are allowed to be listed. This is similar to the system during the Zhengtong period where students were required to have a career in the Imperial Academy, and their moral character and talent will also be assessed."

After reading these three points, Li Chunfang nodded. Su Ze’s plan can be said to be quite safe.

First of all, the scope of the favor should be clarified and the matter should be brought to the table, which will reduce the behind-the-scenes manipulation.

Then, in addition to the original quota for the Shuntian Prefecture provincial examination, the number of official students admitted was increased, which would not conflict with the original admission quota for Shuntian Prefecture, and would also satisfy the local students in Shuntian Prefecture.

Third, let the Imperial College supervise and require these official students to be imprisoned, which also gives the Imperial College power.

Li Chunfang stroked his beard. Only a veteran who had experienced decades of ups and downs in officialdom could come up with such a proper plan. But Su Ze, this guy, wrote such memorials as if it were a piece of cake, and he wrote more than one in a month.

This guy is so scary!
After proving the credibility of the plan, Su Ze began to add his own agenda.

"Taizu established the Imperial College to gather the world's most talented people under his chariot, to observe government and learn etiquette, and to promote the court's outstanding scholars. The Imperial College's tribute students are also disciples of the emperor. I earnestly request that Your Majesty sympathize with the difficulties of these students in their pursuit of education, accept the emperor's favor, and allow the official students to be included in the examination in the capital."

Li Chunfang sneered. After all the talk, the key point was actually the part about pleading for the tribute students of the Imperial College.

Su Ze is making up a scheme out of thin air, tying the tribute students and the children of officials together, forcing them to either take the provincial examination together in Beijing or return to their hometowns to take the provincial examination!

But if it is just this aspect, Li Chunfang thinks Su Ze is a talent worthy of being a Nine Ministers.

But the next sentence gave Li Chunfang a new understanding of Su Ze.

"I have heard that if orders come from a single source, there will be no corruption by scoundrels, and if grace and punishment come from the sovereign, then government affairs will be clear. This method will relieve the ministers from their worries and allow them to focus on the king's affairs."

This sentence elevated the entire memorial to a higher level. Su Ze's reasoning was also very clear. It was not a special thing for the officials' children to participate in the provincial examinations in Beijing. Their ancestors could do it. During the reign of Emperor Jingtai, he also allowed the children of military households in Beijing to participate in the provincial examinations. This was the power of the emperor.

But this favor can only be given by the emperor, and this is the crux of the matter.

The emperor's explicit favors, rather than favoritism and corruption by officials below, are the only way to ensure the stability of the government.

This statement showed the height of a politician, and also catered to the psychology of Emperor Longqing, who had just taken power and wanted to seize power.

Li Chunfang knew that if such a memorial was submitted, there would be absolutely no reason for the emperor to disapprove it.

Since the favor extended to all officials in Beijing, Li Chunfang, as the Prime Minister, naturally had to express his opinion. He wrote down his opinion in favor of Su Ze's memorial on a piece of paper and handed it to Gao Gong beside him.

Gao Gong naturally had no objection, so Su Ze's memorial was delivered to Zhao Zhenji.

Looking at Su Ze's memorial, Zhao Zhenji felt mixed emotions.

The good news was that Su Ze's memorial was submitted to the emperor, and the siege of the Ministry of Rites and the Shuntian Prefecture's education commissioner by the Kedao some time ago disappeared, and the Ministry of Rites would not offend the officials in Beijing.

The sad thing is that this memorial was submitted by Su Ze, and this guy finally got what he asked of me!

Zhao Zhenji felt very upset. He suddenly had a thought: why couldn't he return to Beijing earlier?
If I return to Beijing earlier, I will definitely preside over this year's imperial examination as the Minister of Rites. Then wouldn't Su Ze be my disciple?
How could I have such an idea!?
Zhao Zhenji suppressed this idea and picked up his pen to agree with the opinions of the Chief Minister Li Chunfang and the Second Minister Gao Gong.

Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard and said:
"I will not draft a draft for this memorial."

Li Chunfang nodded. Zhang Juzheng's sons were about to take part in the provincial examinations, and this matter had a vested interest in him, so he naturally had to avoid it.

The official from the Ministry of Public Administration took the draft memorial and walked towards the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
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Li Fang sat in the position of the eunuch in charge of the imperial seal of the Imperial Household Department, pretending to read memorials.

He's a bit annoyed these days.

There were constant disturbances in the outer court. The censors had just finished their visit to the palace when another disturbance arose over the Shuntian Prefecture's provincial examination.

Of course, eunuchs have no offspring, so Li Fang is not worried about his own children.

What Li Fang was worried about was the increasingly fierce impeachment trend against Xu Jie.

The exile of Xu Jie's two sons was like a charge clarion call for the censors who wanted to advance. It was a signal that the emperor wanted to deal with the Xu family!

These days, memorials impeaching Xu Jie from Nanjing have arrived in Beijing one after another, and the imperial court in the capital has also begun to intend to settle accounts with Xu Jie.

Li Fang glanced at Feng Bao standing beside him. Although he was not a member of Xu Jie's party, Xu Jie was the Prime Minister at that time and he was the seal holder of the Imperial Household Department. Naturally, they had some tacit understanding and did a lot of things together.

If the trend of liquidating Xu Jie expands, he will inevitably be implicated.

Li Fang knew that this was inevitable. The cabinet had changed its prime minister. Would those in the Imperial Household Department also want to change their seals?
At this time, an official from the Ministry of Public Administration delivered Su Ze's memorial. Li Fang was a little annoyed because Xu Jie's affairs were all caused by Su Ze, but Li Fang was also curious about what Su Ze was up to.

But after reading Su Ze's memorial, Li Fang narrowed his eyes.

(End of this chapter)