The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 317 Passed the exam
In the early fourth year of the Zhengtong reign, the nineteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty had basically announced the completion of their reforms. From top to bottom, all ministries and government offices in the Ming Dynasty were well-organized, and the power was in the hands of the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet.

The Ming Dynasty was in full swing, encompassing nineteen provinces, one hundred and twenty prefectures, and one thousand eight hundred counties.

Ten thousand scholars are engaged in heated debate amidst the gentle breeze on the river and beside the mountain springs.

The four regents and the five Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, adorned in crimson robes with unicorn motifs, overlooked the myriad streams and mountains.

Suddenly, everything seemed thriving.

Extreme prosperity inevitably leads to decline, and extreme glory inevitably leads to defeat.

First, there were Yang Shiqi and Yang Pu. In Fujian, a postmaster was beaten to death. The postmaster was Yang Pu's fellow townsman. The villagers appealed to the capital, and Yang Pu resented Liao Mo for this and advocated that he be sentenced to death. The provincial judicial commissioner was Yang Shiqi's fellow townsman. Yang Shiqi believed that Liao Mo killed someone in the line of duty and should not be sentenced to death. The two then had a disagreement.

Ultimately, the matter was reported to the Empress Dowager, and Wang Zhen, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, provided a solution: neither death nor punishment. This was Wang Zhen's first involvement in court affairs. By the time Li Xianmu learned of this, the matter had already been resolved.

Although it was a small matter, it made Li Xianmu very alert.

He saw Wang Zhen's rise and the decline of Yang Shiqi and others; the remnants of the old era seemed to be fading from the tide of history.

As Li Xianmu predicted, many people defected to Wang Zhen, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

The immediate cause was a letter of advice from Wang Zhen to the Empress Dowager—

"Now the affairs of the court rely entirely on the five Grand Secretaries, but apart from Lord Shouzheng, the other four Grand Secretaries are all old. How should the affairs of the court be arranged in the future?"

This memorial gave many officials an opportunity.

The cabinet's efforts to consolidate power over the past decade have been very successful, but now, apart from Li Xianmu, the other Grand Secretaries are all in their twilight years.

The imperial court should also consider bringing some new people into the cabinet.

Among those qualified to recommend Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, the Grand Secretary Li Xianmu and the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial were naturally the most confident.

At this critical juncture, all three Yangs in the cabinet failed miserably.

Yang Rong returned to his hometown to pay respects at his ancestors' graves.

Because of his son's situation, Yang Shiqi was unwilling to offend anyone and rarely spoke out. He remained silent in the face of Wang Zhen's attacks.

Yang Pu was a cautious man by nature. He was able to get out of prison unscathed after serving ten years, which speaks volumes. In addition, he had always been in poor health and simply followed the established procedures.

In just four or five years, looking around the cabinet, Li Xianmu discovered that there were no capable people, all of whom were too old to be of any use.

Wang Zhen's suggestion is quite reasonable, and he can't really suppress it.

The only thing we can do is to recommend a few candidates that we think are good enough to establish a baseline.

The minimum requirement for recommendation was the rank of third grade, but those who could actually be selected in the court were all of the second grade. In the central government, it was the ministers of the nineteen ministries, and in the provinces, it was the governors of the nineteen provinces.

But before Li Xianmu could push forward with this matter and engage in an unseen confrontation with Wang Zhen, he was met with devastating news.

Just after the start of the fifth year of the Zhengtong reign, before the snow in the capital had melted and the world was filled with a desolate atmosphere, a messenger arrived by fast horse and fast boat, heading straight for the Li residence.

This brought Li Xianmu some heartbreaking news.

"When Mr. Yang was passing through Hangzhou, he fell seriously ill and passed away that night. This is the last message that Mr. Yang wrote before his death and wanted to give to Mr. Li."

Inside the Li residence.

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this, and their expressions changed slightly as they looked at their fathers and husbands. Everyone knew that Yang Rong was Li Xianmu's right-hand man and close friend.

Li Xianmu immediately snatched the letter, unfolded it, and found that the writing was not as elegant as Yang Rong's usual style, but rather weak and superficial, clearly written when he was seriously ill. In some minor details, Li Xianmu even seemed to see some bloodstains and mess.

"Lord Shouzheng, seeing this letter is like seeing you in person."

Rong is now seriously ill and there is no way to save him. He is already seventy years old, and life and death are trivial matters. He has no fear or regret.

However, considering the current state of affairs in the world, I have some heartfelt words that I wish to share with you.

Since we met in the early years of the Yongle reign, Rong has known that your talent is ten times that of Rong, and your philosophy of mind is quite similar to Rong's. So for the past thirty years, we have watched over and helped each other, until today.

The current situation in the court is five times better than during the Xuande era and ten times better than during the Yongle era. The importance of the Grand Secretariat is reminiscent of the prime minister's office of the previous dynasty.

however.

However, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was coming on strong. Wang Zhen had the ambition of a wolf, but also the appearance of Maitreya. Although the Empress Dowager reprimanded him, she did not really see through him. The Empress Dowager Sun relied on him to check the previous dynasty, and the emperor showed him awe.

The road ahead is long and arduous. I hope that you, Lord Shouzheng, will shoulder the responsibility. The achievements of the cabinet over the past thirty years all rest on your shoulders.

As for the rest, you are exceptionally gifted, and I will not say much. I believe you must have something to rely on.

Thirty years of acquaintance is a great honor for me. May the Ming Dynasty enjoy peace and prosperity forever.

The text is brief, yet it vividly portrays a person deeply concerned about national affairs.

Before his death, Yang Rong had high hopes for the Ming Dynasty and believed that nothing could stop Li Xianmu. His only worry was the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial.

The cabinet held absolute power, standing at the pinnacle of leadership over the civil service in terms of both system and authority. The only thing it overlooked was the inner court, and the only thing it couldn't control was the Directorate of Ceremonial, which even constrained the cabinet.

If the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs were to truly oppose the Cabinet and refuse to grant the Cabinet's approval, then the Cabinet's decrees would not be able to be issued.

This was the basis for the Directorate of Ceremonial to seize power, and it was the power granted to him by the Ming Dynasty system.

Li Xianmu slowly tightened his grip on the power, took a deep breath to calm his troubled emotions, and said, "Assist the Emperor."

Li Fusheng walked up behind Li Xianmu and solemnly said, "Father."

“Choose two people to go and offer condolences on behalf of your father.”

"Yes."

After receiving the order, Li Fusheng turned and left the main hall. The others also left the main hall, leaving only Li Xianmu. He walked down to the hall and looked at the bright moon hanging high in the winter sky.

The moonlight shone on the still-unmelted, glistening snow in the corner of the wall, casting a cool, dazzling white glow.

Li Xianmu also felt unusually cold.

Yang Rong died of illness just like that.

Yang Shiqi and Yang Pu are both seventy years old and probably don't have many years left to live. If the late Emperor Zhu Zhanji hadn't appointed them as regents, they probably would have retired long ago.

Li Xianmu suddenly thought of his senior brother Wang Gen, who was also quite old and probably wouldn't be able to hold on for more than a few years.

By then, almost all the high-ranking officials of his era would have disappeared, leaving only him.

Even Li Xianmu couldn't help but feel a sense of loneliness.

The next moment, he shook his head, shaking off all those emotions. He would stand here forever, until the end of his life.

As long as the Ming Dynasty still needs him!

……

The next day.

When news of Yang Rong's death reached the palace, the Empress Dowager was deeply grieved, and the Emperor also wept in mourning. In accordance with the rites for high-ranking officials, the court suspended its morning court sessions for a day. Yang Rong was already a Junior Tutor of the First Rank during his lifetime, and he was posthumously awarded the titles of Grand Master of the Palace, Left Pillar of State, and Grand Tutor of the First Rank.

He was posthumously granted the title "Wenmin".

Grand Secretary Hu Ying officiated at the funeral, and then dispatched eunuchs from the palace to escort the coffin back to its hometown for burial.

He protected his son Yang Gong, and in accordance with current custom, he bestowed upon his family the hereditary title of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

This honor is undoubtedly profound and perfectly befits the current status of a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet and Yang Rong's role as a regent.

However, Yang Rong's passing has drawn more attention to the four regents appointed by the late emperor, and a fact has been brought up again.

Among the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet in the early years of the Yongle reign, Yang Rong was the youngest, second only to Li Xianmu!
Yang Rong's passing is just the beginning.

The matter of selecting cabinet members, as suggested by Wang Zhen, really needs to be put on the agenda; otherwise, it's possible that Li Xianmu will be the only one left in the cabinet at some point.

After Yang Rong's death, Yang Shiqi and Yang Pu were clearly greatly affected. Although the relationship between the three was rather delicate, they had truly been in the cabinet for thirty years and had known each other for a long time.

People at the time called them the "Three Yangs," and they were later appointed as regents together. Now that Yang Rong has passed away, how can we not feel sorrow for the passing of our fellow villagers?

Although Yang Pu remained in the cabinet, he frequently claimed illness and had to recuperate at his residence, which was practically equivalent to semi-retirement.

Yang Shiqi had previously stated that he was becoming increasingly cautious.

Therefore, among the cabinet members, apart from Li Xianmu who remained in office, Hu Ying was the most important. He was also very experienced, having passed the imperial examination as early as the Jianwen era.

Before the death of the late Emperor Zhu Zhanji, he happened to be in a province, so he was not appointed as a regent. However, he was later appointed by the Empress Dowager. Even Li Xianmu and others did not look down on him, which shows his ability and qualifications.

Li Xianmu and Hu Ying sat in the cabinet, looking at the three empty rooms. Hu Ying smiled bitterly, "Five years ago, when the cabinet did not have its current power, the Wenyuan Pavilion was full of splendor. How come it is so desolate now that the nineteen ministries and nineteen provinces all depend on the cabinet?"

"Man proposes, God disposes; momentum also depends on the hearts of the people," Li Xianmu said calmly.

The cabinet's power lasted too short a time.

Power lies not in the system, but in the people, in the four regents of the cabinet.

Now, of the four regents, one is dead, one is ill, and one is silent. As a result, their influence will dissipate, and the hearts of those who were attached to them will gradually grow cold, leading to the desolation we see today.

But I am still here. Even though three of the four regents have passed away, I am still the chief minister. The whole world should know that the cabinet is still here and the regents are still here!
"Yuan Jie, now that you're capable of managing affairs within the cabinet, it's time to shoulder more responsibility. The next few years will be the most crucial; the last leg of a journey is the hardest, so you absolutely cannot slacken off at the very end."

The passing of Yang Rong left the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet feeling somewhat saddened, as did Hu Ying. Now, hearing Li Xianmu's words, he felt much more at ease.

"Prime Minister, please speak freely if you have any instructions. At this critical juncture of life and death, I understand."

"it is good!"

Li Xianmu said in a deep voice: "In the past few years, the cabinet has consolidated its power to this extent, and has even changed the regulations of the nineteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty. However, it is not just for power, but to use the cabinet to influence the world."

Next comes the ultimate goal of all matters.

Implement the performance evaluation system!

Hu Ying asked with some surprise and uncertainty, "The performance evaluation system?"

From the name, he could roughly tell what kind of thing it was.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty already had a system for evaluating the performance of officials.

This system was called "Jingcha".

According to the system established in the early Ming Dynasty, officials in the capital were subject to a "capital inspection" every six years, while local officials were subject to a "grand assessment" every three years.

Those who were ranked "top" in these assessments were eligible for promotion, which is the origin of the saying that local officials were promoted "every three years apart".

But here is the problem.

These investigations were very perfunctory.

The assessment criteria are flawed; in modern terms, the "performance rules" are incorrect, failing to assess an official's true abilities.

It even became a tool for officials to vie for power. For example, during the "Beijing Inspection," officials would show leniency to their own people while being harsh and persecutive to their political enemies.

The capital inspection was held every six years and was often canceled for various reasons, which made many officials very lax and not take the inspection seriously.

Since the Xuande era, Li Xianmu was aware of these shortcomings of the capital inspection, so he never held a capital inspection.

"Does Lord Shouzheng mean the Capital Inspection?" Hu Ying asked with a hint of realization. "That's Lord Shouzheng's purpose, which is why he reformed the traditional Six Ministries into what they are today."

Under the current system, the responsibilities and powers among the various departments are clearly defined, and there is no room for shirking responsibility. Whether something is good or bad is immediately apparent, which is certainly much better than the previous system of inspections in the capital.

After speaking, Hu Ying hesitated and said, "But is it too much of a waste of resources and manpower to spend several years reforming the central government and the nineteen provinces just for this matter? Is it making a mountain out of a molehill?"

Li Xianmu shook his head, "Of course it's not for the capital inspection, it's just that it's somewhat similar to the capital inspection."

The capital inspection was held once every six years, but the results were not.

The various projects inspected by the Beijing authorities were not examined, and the results were not checked.

The performance evaluation system required regular assessments of officials at all levels and stipulated time limits for completing all tasks assigned to them.

Now the responsibilities of the nineteen ministries are clearly defined. What each ministry is supposed to do is very clear, and the duties of the officials in each ministry are also clear and unambiguous, so no one can shirk their responsibilities.

The Cabinet sets annual targets for the 19 ministries and 19 provinces, such as the tax revenue targets for the 19 provinces and the tasks to be undertaken by the 19 ministries.

The tasks that officials are required to perform are recorded in the ledgers with set deadlines. These tasks are divided into annual, quarterly, and monthly categories.

If the task is not completed by the deadline, a penalty will be imposed. Each completed task must be registered, while any uncompleted task must be truthfully reported, otherwise, the offender will be punished.

The Cabinet Oversight Department oversees nineteen ministries, each of which also maintains its own ledger to verify the tasks assigned to the nineteen provinces and to assess their performance.

There is also a deadline.

This means setting limits for tasks and holding people accountable based on those tasks, so that every task falls on the shoulders of a department or individual.

From the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Bureau to the expansion of the six ministries into nineteen, and even the reorganization of prefectures and counties in nineteen provinces, everything was for this day!

Hu Ying was so shocked her jaw almost dropped.

According to Li Xianmu, the future Ming Dynasty would operate as follows:

The Cabinet oversees the inspection agencies, which in turn supervise the nineteen ministries. These nineteen ministries then supervise the nineteen provinces. Each level has its own superiors for evaluation. If the Cabinet is dissatisfied with any of the nineteen ministries, those ministries will inevitably hold the corresponding provinces accountable.

This……

Hu Ying only needed to think for a moment to imagine what the Ming Dynasty would become in the future!
The basis of the performance evaluation system lies in the cabinet maintaining the power of major policies!

One ring within another.

So exquisite!

(End of this chapter)