The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 145 The Philosophy of Mind Heads South
"Li Xianmu, the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, is hereby appointed as the Grand Secretary of the Hall of Literary Glory, promoted to the fourth rank of Junior Grand Secretary of the Eastern Palace, and granted the additional title of Grand Master of the Palace, Assistant Governor, and Governor of Nanjing on behalf of the Emperor, to investigate illegal activities in the three provinces of Southern Zhili, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang!"

"The Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel is hereby appointed to inspect and punish illegal activities involving sorcery in Fujian."

“Wearing…”

"The Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate... Governor of Gansu, is hereby ordered to investigate..."

The majestic and solemn voice resounded throughout the imperial palace, and imperial edicts bearing the imperial seal were sent to the various government offices of the Six Ministries and Five Departments.

The six ministers and grand secretaries of the cabinet walked out of the Hall of Literary Glory, recalling the events that had occurred there, feeling as if they were in a dream.

The earth-shaking sorcery ultimately led to the establishment of the system of imperial governors. How could the emperor and his ministers not know that once the system of imperial governors began, it would never end?

Once this becomes a fixed practice, they will become important ministers.

"In the future, there will probably be one more official above the three provincial offices!"

"The governors of the Han Dynasty eventually became provincial governors."

The ministers of the Six Ministries chatted as they walked, saying, “There’s no need for that. The world is very different now than it was during the Han Dynasty.”

"During the Han Dynasty, local powers were strong, and the prefects, governors, and governors sent by the court had to cooperate with local powerful families and clans in order to maintain control."

"But now, in the provinces of the Ming Dynasty, these are just ordinary families; they cannot possibly disobey the imperial court."

The general public was quite relaxed about the nascent system of provincial governors and had no concerns about any local areas becoming too large.

"This is also a good thing. If I can't become a minister in the future, at least I will still have some high-ranking positions to choose from."

Li Xianmu suddenly spoke.

The crowd was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized that the provincial governor was a high-ranking official of the second rank. If the governorship were to become a fixed system, it would be one rank higher than the second rank, at least the second rank, or even the first rank.

With the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty, more than a dozen new first-rank official positions were created out of nowhere. This was naturally great news for those who could not remain in their positions as ministers of the six ministries indefinitely.

"Mingda has rendered a great service to the people of the world this time, and countless scholars will admire your majesty!"

To be favored by the Emperor is truly the envy of us old men!

"Before even reaching adulthood, he has already been promoted to Junior Chamberlain of the Crown Prince's Palace. His future is truly limitless. I'm afraid that in a few more years, he will be promoted to a second-rank Minister and take charge of the affairs of the realm!"

“Mingda is born with the noble blood of the imperial family and has a sage father. Now he is also favored by the emperor. Whether he pursues literature, martial arts, scholarship, or anything else, all paths to heaven are open to him.”

Compared to the sentiments of the six ministers, everyone was more concerned about the emperor's promotion of Li Xianmu.

"You flatter me greatly. You are the pillars of the nation, far surpassing me."

"The positions in the Crown Prince's Chamberlain's Office have always been held concurrently by high-ranking officials of the second or third rank and dukes and marquises. Now, you are the only exception in the Chamberlain's Office. His Majesty's high regard for you is evident!"

Li Xianmu pursed his lips, no longer showing modesty.

Being promoted directly from a fifth-rank official to a fourth-rank official, a two-level promotion, is not considered anything special.

The position that could be promoted to Junior Chamberlain of the Crown Prince's Palace, which is a concurrent post held by high-ranking officials such as ministers and nobles, is different. The original position of Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet is still retained, which clearly shows that the emperor values ​​Li Xianmu more and more.

What Yang Shiqi and others were concerned about was that Li Xianmu was promoted directly from Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion to Grand Secretary of the Huagai Hall.

During the Yongle era, there was no concept of a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, but the Grand Secretary of the Hall of Literary Glory was ultimately ranked first.

Their status differed among the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet.

And now a young man, not yet twenty, is pressing down on it.

All the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet looked at Li Xianmu with complicated expressions.

The position of Junior Chamberlain of the Crown Prince's Palace was not merely an ordinary fourth-rank official. It was usually an honorary title bestowed upon a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, signifying that the emperor would soon reinstate the person.

Although both were Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, after several events, Li Xianmu had clearly entered a period of rapid career advancement, and the emperor was about to begin to give him important responsibilities.

Of the people selected to inspect all the provinces this time, the rest were all investigating matters of sorcery, but Li Xianmu was the only one who not only inspected three provinces, but also did not specifically mention matters of sorcery.

The emperor clearly had high expectations for Li Xianmu's trip to Jiangnan.

After this, Li Xianmu's political prestige will continue to rise.

Li Xianmu glanced at the eaves of the palace, feeling little excitement. This was under the rule of the Yongle Emperor, where life and death were decided by the emperor alone. Gifts were given today and taken back tomorrow; everything was in the emperor's hands.

All he could do was survive and make it to the end in this political climate.

The affairs of the entire country, once handled by the governor, created a hurricane in the capital.

If it weren't for the fact that disciplinary action was taken against him, there would likely be even more people discussing it.

Ji Gang was a man who committed numerous evils. In the capital, not only did the officials turn pale at the mention of his name, but the common people also hated him. Now that he has fallen from power, there are countless people in the capital who are clapping and cheering.

Meanwhile, Li Xianmu, at the center of the storm, began preparations to travel to Jiangnan, having many things to explain before his departure.

……

"Third brother, you must be careful on your trip to Jiangnan. Since Father, our Li family has twice trampled on Jiangnan, and there are many people who hate our Li family!"

"Eldest brother, there's no need to worry so much. They're just scholars; they won't amount to anything. Third brother's talent far surpasses ours. Since he volunteered to go to Jiangnan, he must have already made thorough preparations!"

Princess Lin'an has become increasingly wealthy and exudes an air of nobility over the years. Listening to her eldest and second sons chattering away, she showed little reaction. Instead, she looked at Li Xianmu and said earnestly, "Mother knows that you have a great ambition to bring peace to the world. So whatever you do, even when you entered the palace to defend the Crown Prince, I will only support you. But Mother has only one request: a son of noble birth should not sit under a dangerous roof. Even if you have to risk your life, it should be in the imperial palace, not in the hands of those lowly people."

"You three brothers have been in officialdom for a long time, but don't forget that my family is different after all; you all have the blood of the imperial family!"

This statement is full of arrogance and pride, completely regarding the Jiangnan literati as lowly people.

Li Fang and Li Mao were both stunned, and then they were speechless with amazement. This was truly amazing. Was this the power that the daughter of the founding emperor and the current emperor's younger sister possessed?

Li Xianmu smiled and said, "Mother, rest assured, your son will never forget that whether it is your father or your son, what we rely on to dominate the world is your noble status. How could we possibly abandon what is near and seek what is far away?"

His elder brothers were too far from the central core to understand the advantages of being the son of a princess, but Li Xianmu was very clear that his ability to stand out among the ministers was only 30% due to his ability and 70% due to his blood relationship.

"Eldest brother, second brother, after I leave the capital, you must not only take good care of Mother, but also keep a close eye on news in the capital. I heard that someone wants to arrange a marriage between our children, so please do not agree to it for now."

When the time is right, Mother, my two brothers and I will discuss it together and select some suitable families for marriage.

These marital relationships are extremely important in building a powerful family; one should never readily agree to marriage simply because of the other party's power and status.

Li Fang and Li Mao both nodded solemnly. Although Li Fang was the head of the family, the one who truly made the decisions was Li Xianmu.

“Especially you, eldest brother. Although you are only a deputy commander now, there is a very high probability that your lineage will inherit the title of duke in the future.”

Li Xianmu said solemnly, "Once one obtains a hereditary dukedom, their future will be very different."

What seems like a prestigious family today might have been of lower social standing than my family back then.

At the founding of the nation, who could have imagined that the noble families would all end up like that?

When choosing a spouse, the most important thing is to look at their future, not their current power.

"When I take charge of the government in the future, I will need your strong support, elder brother. You must not let small matters cause you to lose sight of the bigger picture."

Li Fang blushed instantly and said with shame, "If my family can regain its title in the future, it will be because you, my third brother, have a good relationship with His Majesty and the Crown Prince. It has nothing to do with me. But the title will fall to the eldest branch of the family. There is no such logic in this world. I am truly ashamed. If there is a time for bestowing titles in the future, I am willing to give the title to the third branch of the family!" Li Xianmu shook his head with a smile and said, "Elder brother, there is no need to refuse. Our ancestors had a system that hereditary titles could not be granted without merit for the country and the military. Even if I have a good relationship with His Majesty and the Crown Prince, if our ancestors had never obtained a title, there would be no way for the title to be restored."

Since it is an ancestral title, it should naturally fall into the hands of the eldest son of the main branch; there is no reason for it to be inherited by the third branch.

The character "Li" cannot be written with one stroke; even if the family separates in the future, we, the Li clan, will still be of one blood and one branch!

"Brothers united, their strength can move mountains. If your father were in heaven, he would surely be very pleased."

Seeing the three brothers enjoying themselves, Princess Lin'an, who had been quite domineering just moments before, couldn't help but feel tears welling up in her eyes, and she thought of Li Qi again.

Li Xianmu was taken aback, then felt a strange sensation in his heart. Perhaps his father was really watching this scene from heaven. He couldn't help but look up and float towards the blue sky.

Aside from saying goodbye to his mother and his two elder brothers, Li Xianmu met with the three people who were most important to him in the current political situation.

……

The first one was his senior brother, Wang Gen.

This time, Wang Gen was appointed to go to Shaanxi to investigate the matter of sorcery. After the two brothers sat down together, Wang Gen said excitedly, "Xian Mu has made great contributions this time, and the court and the public are praising him. After he returns from his post as governor of Jiangnan, he will definitely be given an important position. The future looks very promising."

"The most important position in the Ming Dynasty today is none other than the Minister of the Six Ministries. But for me, staying by the Emperor's side makes it easier to influence the affairs of the world. It's just a pity that the cabinet ministers cannot serve indefinitely. They must be transferred to various ministries and even experience different provinces. A prime minister must rise from the prefectures and provinces, and a great general must emerge from the ranks. This is the orthodox path."

Wang Gen agreed, “With your talent, Xianmu, the cabinet’s influence is indeed great, but only by gaining experience in the six ministries can you truly implement policies. Moreover, you will eventually have to go through the experience of high-ranking officials such as Vice Minister and Minister.”

In the year since my brother was transferred to the Ministry of Personnel, although the national affairs he witnessed were different from those he saw when he was in the cabinet, he still managed to handle the promotion and assessment of officials and had quite a network of connections. Such matters within the ministry are indeed quite different from those of a prestigious and virtuous position.

While the cabinet's influence is widespread, it is not profound. To achieve great things, the ministries and departments must go through it!

Although Wang Gen spoke in a cryptic manner, Li Xianmu understood what he meant.

Just like the Minister of Personnel, why is he called the Heavenly Official?

How can one have disciples and former subordinates all over the world?
Is it just about lecturing?
If that's the case, why was his father, Li Qi, initially considered incapable of reaching the top?
The reason is that his father, Li Qi, could not hold a truly high-ranking position. If his father had served as Minister of Personnel, even the emperor would have been uneasy.

By serving as Minister of Personnel, one can quickly consolidate political power through the exchange of official positions for resources.

By serving as Minister of Rites, one could gain an advantage in academic competitions across the land and even change the content of the imperial examinations.

As Minister of Justice, one can uncover major cases and even alter laws and judgments that affect the entire nation.

The abilities and influence of the Six Ministers were immense, far beyond what one might expect.

Li Xianmu wanted to reach the pinnacle of power and serve as a Grand Secretary in the Cabinet. However, this position, which appeared to have immense influence but actually had no real impact on anything, was not suitable.

"Don't worry, senior brother, I understand. However, I cannot give up the position of Grand Secretary of the Cabinet for the time being. If I can participate in the ministry as a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, that would be the best."

With the title of Grand Secretary of the Cabinet and the official positions in the Six Ministries, he was practically a junior prime minister.

Li Xianmu never showed any academic talent because he believed it was not the right time yet; he would wait until Zhu Gaochi died, by which time he would already be a very important minister in the court.

"Senior brother, after your inspection tour, do you intend to continue honing your skills within the Six Ministries, or will you be transferred to a province?"

"There are no opportunities in the Six Ministries, but after this round of sorcery-based rectification, there are actually some vacant official positions in the provinces. I plan to send my brother to a province, and then he can be promoted directly to Vice Minister upon returning to the capital!"

In the Ming Dynasty, there were two paths to official promotion. One was like Wang Gen, who entered the Hanlin Academy and the Grand Secretariat in the capital, and then rose through the ranks in the Six Ministries. This was a prestigious and prestigious path. The other path was to be sent to the provinces, serving as a county magistrate, prefect, governor, or provincial governor, and then entering the Six Ministries as a vice minister, and finally becoming a minister in one of the six ministries.

Most people would choose the path of nobility, which is clear and predictable, with few unexpected situations. Once they have accumulated enough seniority, that's enough. However, once they are sent to a remote area, whether they can return is not always the case.

However, Wang Gen clearly didn't need to worry about this. He was the second-place scholar in the third year of the Yongle reign, had served in the Grand Secretariat, was favored by the Emperor, and had Li Xianmu in the capital to support him. As long as he made achievements in the local area, he would soon be promoted.

Li Xianmu paused for a moment, then asked, "Senior brother, do you intend to take a position in Jiangnan?"

Wang Gen smiled wryly, then sighed, "Nothing can be hidden from my junior brother."

He solemnly said, "The power dynamics in the capital are complex and difficult to understand. I am preparing to take up a post in Zhejiang to break through the Jiangnan region from within, and then develop the philosophy of mind in Jiangnan, where the literary style is most flourishing. I have already communicated with Huang Huai, and he is willing to lend me a hand in eastern Zhejiang!"

Wang Gen's resounding words, though simple in wording, carried a powerful and resolute tone that Li Xianmu sensed.

Even with the help of Huang Huai, a great Confucian scholar from eastern Zhejiang, how easy would it be for someone to go alone to such an important center of Neo-Confucianism as eastern Zhejiang to develop the philosophy of mind!

Li Xianmu sighed deeply, "Senior brother, you really don't need to..."

"There's no need to persuade me any further, brother!"

Wang Gen resolutely blocked the railway.

Wang Gen's intention to take up a post in Zhejiang was due to his unfavorable situation in the capital.

When Li Xianmu finished his mourning period, the two agreed that Wang Gen would raise the banner of the School of Mind to protect Li Xianmu from the storms of life and support him for a few more years.

But now, Li Xianmu has surpassed him, and Wang Gen has no place to use his talents in the capital.

In Wang Gen's view, since Li Xianmu had already firmly established himself in the capital, keeping him there would only be icing on the cake and would not be of any great use.

Traveling to local areas, especially to Jiangnan, a center of Neo-Confucianism, could actually draw attention away from Li Xianmu.

He stirred up trouble in Jiangnan, while Li Xianmu conquered cities and territories in the capital. By the time Jiangnan realized what was happening, the situation was already irreversible.

Li Xianmu wanted to say something to comfort him.

Wang Gen laughed heartily, “As a disciple of my teacher, I should do my part for the study of mind. Although I am not talented, in the eyes of the world, I am still my teacher’s only disciple and therefore have some weight.”

When I arrive in Jiangnan, I will surely be attacked by the masses, but a large number of students will also come to my school. Jiangnan is full of good officials and outstanding people.

For the School of Mind to truly develop, it must draw talent from the Jiangnan region. We cannot continue to bear the banner of northerners, thus confining the School of Mind to regionalism!

These words, though spoken softly, weighed more heavily than a thousand pounds.

Li Xianmu recalled his father's evaluation of his senior fellow apprentice, Wang Gen: "As firm as a mountain and as unyielding as iron, he would rather break than bend, and once he spoke, his word was as good as his bond!"

"In that case, I will no longer try to persuade you, senior brother. This time I will be inspecting Jiangnan, and I will lay a foundation for you there, so as to help you get rid of some difficulties."

"His Majesty sent you to Jiangnan this time because he has important matters to attend to. There is no need for you to waste your energy on such trivial matters as mine."

Li Xianmu didn't say anything more, but simply waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to worry.

"If you don't use your power, it will expire!"

He was never a true saint. Since he had obtained the power to govern Jiangnan and could punish the officials in Jiangnan, why didn't he seek benefits for his own faction?
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

For scholars studying the changes in the political system of the Ming Dynasty, the Yongle period is a crucial time to focus on. During this period, the central government saw the emergence of the far-reaching cabinet system, while the provincial governor system, the precursor to the governor-general system, was introduced in the local areas. Other institutional reforms affecting all aspects of the Ming Dynasty were also implemented, making it a period of profound transformation.

Many scholars attribute this to the change of imperial lineage from the Hongwu to the Yongle period, which led Zhu Di to deliberately alter the various systems established by his father, attributing it to the different emperors' rule.

However, I believe that focusing solely on the Yongle period is insufficient to fully understand the reasons behind its institutional changes.

After reviewing the relevant materials, I found that this institutional reform was actually initiated by Li Qi at the end of the Hongwu reign, and was later carried forward and developed by his son Li Xianmu.

Compared to the short-lived Li Qi, Li Xianmu, the most renowned politician in Ming Dynasty history, served seven emperors and almost single-handedly led all institutional reforms in the early and middle periods of the Ming Dynasty's imperial era!
Rather than using broad terms like "Hongwu Era" or "Yongle Era," I prefer to call it the "Li Qi Reform Period" or the "Li Xianmu Reform Period." —From *The Evolution of the Political System in the Ming Dynasty*

(End of this chapter)