Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 174 Reform and Innovation
In the eyes of Zhu Youjian and Sun Chengzong, this upheaval in Liaodong that stirred up the court and the public was as swift as the tide.

However, in those eyes atop the Forbidden City, what was revealed after the tide receded was not a calm beach, but a riverbed whose disguise and silt had been washed away, revealing its true landscape.

Some people are like a rock, their hearts remain unchanged no matter how the wind and waves blow.

Some people are like duckweed, rootless and adrift, seemingly harmless, yet most likely to clog the waterways.

Many more are like venomous dragons and crocodiles lurking beneath the surface, disguised as rocks, only opening their ferocious jaws when they smell blood.

Now, Zhu Youjian has seen it clearly.

The time finally came ripe in the bitter cold.

Winter, with its supreme majesty, sealed off the world, and the war drums beyond the pass and the plowshares of the plains fell silent.

This great stillness in the world was not a time for Zhu Youjian to rest and recuperate, but rather the best cover for launching an internal war.

Like the most skilled predator, it only reveals its sharpest claws when all is quiet.

The capital, the heart of the empire, was now in his hands, beating at his will.

Although the three deep, bone-revealing wounds in Liaodong, Xuanda, and Shaanxi had not yet healed, he had forcibly stitched them up with his imperial power and money, stopping the bleeding that was heading towards death.

The pent-up energy, like a dragon lurking in the abyss, has finally gathered enough power to stir up the winds and clouds.

Zhu Youjian knew from the beginning that true change could not rely solely on violence and money; it required a fundamental reshaping of the empire's ideology and soul.

The first thunderclap of this storm that is about to sweep across the world will not fall on the border battlefields, nor on the streets and alleys.

The target of the attack was the Ministry of Rites, which was regarded by scholars across the land as a spiritual temple and maintained the last shred of dignity for the empire!
……

At 9:00 AM, in the West Warm Pavilion of Qianqing Palace.

The earthen lamp burned extremely brightly, and the fragrant incense emanating from the gilded beast-head incense burner filled the entire warm pavilion with a cozy warmth, isolating it from the harsh cold outside that could freeze even the hardest rocks.

Wen Tiren, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, stood in the hall, but a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

This was not the first time he had been urgently summoned to the palace since the beginning of winter, but this time, his anxiety far exceeded any previous time.

He originally thought that something unexpected had happened in Liaodong that he was unaware of, or that the embers of that turmoil were finally going to burn him.

Although he performed almost perfectly during that turmoil, neither blindly attacking nor excessively praising, he always maintained the demeanor of a loyal minister concerned about the affairs of the country.

But Wen Tiren knew better than anyone that the young emperor sitting on the throne was no longer the boy who needed to rely on the checks and balances of his court officials to stabilize his throne when he first ascended the throne.

For Wen Tiren, the past few months have been a long and painful cognitive collapse.

He was once the top player in the old system. He was an expert in political maneuvering, knew how to exploit the conflicts among court officials, how to provoke the censors, and how to fathom the emperor's intentions, so that he could seize benefits for himself in one unseen confrontation after another.

He viewed the imperial court as a chessboard and his colleagues as chess pieces, considering himself one of the most skilled players.

However, the emperor shattered everything he was so proud of with a series of inexplicable actions.

When the emperor bypassed the Ministry of War and directly transported massive amounts of money and grain to Liaodong, he realized that the so-called checks and balances between ministries and departments were nothing but a joke when the emperor himself intervened.

When the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot worked in perfect harmony, presenting countless supposedly secret collusion and private discussions to the emperor in the form of confidential reports, he realized that the so-called public opinion in the court and among the people was nothing more than a thin sheet of paper that could be torn apart at any time in the face of the emperor's violent fist.

When the official gazette called "Da Ming Yue Bao" began to circulate in the capital, telling the story of the bloody battle in Liaodong in the most popular and straightforward language, praising Man Gui's loyalty and bravery, and even subtly criticizing some scholars who only knew how to talk big and did not understand the difficulties of the times, Wen Tiren felt a chill to the bone.

He was horrified to discover that the emperor was building a weapon he had never seen before—public opinion.

An ideology that is not dependent on the opinions of scholars and is directly instilled into the people by imperial power.

The old rules of magic tricks have been abolished.

The chessboard was overturned, the players were stripped naked, and thrown into a brand new jungle full of traps.

The sole king of this jungle watched with great interest as these former masters panicked and disoriented like headless flies.

Having spent his life immersed in officialdom, Wen Tiren had long since ingrained in his very being an ironclad rule: when fate turns and the world is in upheaval, any attachment to the old order is tantamount to digging one's own grave.

Only by bowing down first and completely binding one's life and fortune to the mighty power of heaven can one not only find a way to survive under the overwhelming waves, but also take advantage of the momentum to ascend to heaven!

……

"Lord Wen."

On the throne, the emperor's voice rang out, calm yet seemingly carrying a strange power that instantly captured Wen Tiren's entire mind.

"I have summoned you today because I have important matters to discuss." The voice from the throne rang out calmly, yet it made the air in the entire warm pavilion suddenly tighten. "But before we discuss the important matters, I would like to ask you a question first."

Upon hearing this, Wen Tiren's heart skipped a beat, and his back instantly tensed.

He knew that the young emperor before him, who was decisive and never did anything pointless, would never summon a subject into the palace just for idle chatter.

Every word the emperor uttered was either a stepping stone to the center of power or an abyss of no return.

In any case, Wen Tiren must seize this opportunity today!

Wen Tiren bowed deeply, lowering his head even further, his posture extremely humble: "Your Majesty, please speak. I am all ears and will answer with utmost sincerity."

Zhu Youjian didn't look at him; his gaze seemed to pierce through the walls of the warm pavilion, looking towards the sky: "Tell me, what is the soul of my Great Ming?"

This question left Wen Tiren momentarily stunned.

It's too big, and too empty.

Wen Tiren's mind spun at an unprecedented speed in an instant.

Is this a trap? A test? Or... a pledge of allegiance that could mean life or death?
If the late emperor asked, he would answer without hesitation, "It is the fundamental principles, the rites and laws, and the established laws of our ancestors."

If any other cabinet minister were to ask him, he would answer "the will of the people" or "the fate of the nation," depending on the other person's faction.

These are all universally applicable answers that will never go wrong.

But when faced with this unfathomable young emperor, any standard answer could be a death sentence for his career!

After careful consideration, Wen Tiren lingered on his tongue for a moment before finally replying with a deeply sorrowful and earnest tone: "Your Majesty, I am foolish. In the past, the soul of the Ming Dynasty might have resided in the court or among the scholars. But now... the nation is in dire straits, beset by powerful enemies abroad and plagued by internal strife. I believe the soul of the Ming Dynasty lies not elsewhere, but solely in Your Majesty's heart!"

"With my heart?" Zhu Youjian repeated softly, a faint, cold smile playing on his lips, a smile as thin as a knife. "What a fine phrase, 'with my heart.' But how can my heart alone make the soldiers and civilians of the world feel the same way? How can I make the soldiers on the nine borders willing to fight to the death for me? And how can I make the gentry of Jiangnan willing to pay taxes for me?"

The emperor whirled around, his eyes flashing like lightning. His gaze was no longer fixed on the clear sky, but pierced Wen Tiren's heart like two red-hot awls: "What I want is not empty words of self-deception! What I want is a sharp blade! A blade that can sever old ills and deep-seated problems, that allows my will to flow freely, that can reunite the scattered hearts of the people… supreme authority!" "I will reshape the 'soul' of the Ming Dynasty!"

"Therefore, I intend to completely reform the Ministry of Rites!"

Wen Tiren swallowed hard, feeling a blank in his mind, as if the blood in his body had been frozen at that moment and then ignited by raging fire in the next instant.

Reforming and reforming the Ministry of Rites?!

This prestigious place, which oversees education and the imperial examinations and is regarded as the spiritual temple of scholars, is about to be destroyed.
This is tantamount to declaring war on all scholars in the world!
Wen Tiren instinctively wanted to offer some advice, but before he could finish speaking, he saw the emperor's eyes.

Calm, cold, and filled with unquestionable decisiveness.

In the depths of those eyes, Wen Tiren saw not inquiry, not discussion, but a decree that had been laid down, an overwhelming force that could not be defied.

As for Wen Tiren, he either went with the flow or was crushed into dust by this trend.

There is no third way!

In that instant, fear, hesitation, and even the so-called scholar-official's integrity were all cast to the winds. Replaced by the ravenous joy of a hungry wolf spotting its prey! This was an opportunity! His only chance to rise to the top!

"Thump!" A muffled sound.

Without the slightest hesitation, Wen Tiren knelt heavily on both knees, prostrating himself with his entire body pressed tightly against the gold brick.

"Your Majesty is wise! This action is a great undertaking to restore order and rebuild the world! Your subject... would gladly die for it!"

His voice was hoarse and urgent, filled with undisguised longing. Then, without waiting for the emperor's reaction, he raised his head and looked up at the emperor on the throne with almost pleading eyes, asking:
"May I ask Your Majesty how you intend to reform the Ministry of Rites? I am dull-witted, but I still possess a heart full of courage and valor. I am willing to serve as Your Majesty's vanguard, clearing obstacles for Your Majesty's new policies, even at the cost of my life!"

Zhu Youjian looked at Wen Tiren, who had quickly changed his attitude and even started to take advantage of the situation by volunteering, without any surprise on his face.

well.

What we need are not those so-called upright scholars who cherish their reputation and engage in empty talk about righteousness.

What he wanted was a powerful minister, even a treacherous minister, like Wen Tiren, who could fathom the emperor's intentions, stop at nothing, and bite people, do things for the emperor, and bear the infamy for all eternity!

"Stand up and answer." Zhu Youjian's voice was calm, yet it carried a satisfied authority.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wen Tiren stood up respectfully, but his back remained bent at a ninety-degree angle, as if listening to a sacred instruction.

Zhu Youjian stood up and paced around in the warm pavilion.

"I will not establish a new government office; what I want is for the Ministry of Rites to be completely transformed!"

Wen Tiren's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Reverse the functions!" the Emperor declared resolutely. "From this day forward, the Ministry of Rites' authority over the imperial examinations, the Imperial Academy, and the education of the entire nation will be elevated to its primary responsibility! As for sacrifices, court ceremonies, and diplomatic receptions, these will all be relegated to secondary importance and handled by a separate department! I intend to transform the Ministry of Rites from a mere ceremonial office into a central hub controlling the nation's education and public opinion!"

"Your subject... obeys the decree!" A terrifying light flashed in Wen Tiren's eyes.

"The Great Ming Monthly!" The emperor's tone suddenly became more forceful.

"Previously, it was managed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I've seen it, and they could only produce one report a month. They only had the sharpness of a knife, but not the warmth of a pen, and certainly not the speed that the mouthpiece of the court should have!"

He stared at Wen Tiren and said, enunciating each word clearly, "I now order your Ministry of Rites to take over! This newspaper will be changed from a monthly to a daily publication!!"

"The newly established Propaganda Department of the Ministry of Rites will be in charge, publishing it daily in the simplest vernacular! It must be delivered to the capital region every day! Then, starting from the capital, it will be rolled out to all prefectures and counties throughout the country! I want the news of the war in Liaodong to reach the teahouses of Jiangnan within a few days! Once my new policy is promulgated, the people on the borders must also know its ins and outs as soon as possible and understand its benefits to all people!"

Zhu Youjian's voice grew increasingly impassioned:
"From now on, the Ministry of Rites will be in charge of winning hearts and minds; the Embroidered Uniform Guard will be in charge of clearing the way! Your pen must ensure that the old farmers in the fields and the peddlers in the city know why we are fighting on the frontier and why we are fighting in the court! Most importantly, you must let them know what my decree is!!"

"Your Majesty, I understand!" Wen Tiren replied excitedly. "This is not a newspaper, but His Majesty's decree, the clarion call of the court! The great victory in Liaodong must be written down! Let all the soldiers in the world know what an honor it is to fight to the death for the country!"

The principle of officials and gentry paying taxes together must be clearly written! The people of the land must see this clearly: only when the gentry pay taxes can the national treasury be full, the court have funds for disaster relief and military strengthening, and ultimately, the burden on the people can be reduced! This immense benefit should be written out in the open, and those who still dare to resist taxes should have their names and misdeeds published in the newspapers, so they can never hold their heads high in their hometowns again, leaving a lasting stain on their reputation!

A hint of approval flashed in Zhu Youjian's eyes before he continued, "Reform the imperial examination system! Starting with the provincial examinations next year, add 'mathematics' and 'investigation of things' to the test! I want all scholars in the land to know that being good at the eight-legged essay won't earn you a single grain of rice or build a single cannon! What I need are pragmatic ministers who can serve the country and its people and expand our territory!"

Wen Tiren trembled all over. What he saw was not a reform, but a feast of power!

He took another sudden step forward, bowed deeply to Zhu Youjian, and said in a firm voice:
"Your Majesty! I request to be appointed Minister of Rites to implement your new policies!"

"I know that if this matter is implemented, the scholars of the world will regard me as a literary traitor and a cruel official! My good reputation will be ruined in an instant!"

“But,” Wen Tiren raised his head, the morbid excitement in his eyes now transformed into resolute loyalty, “I am willing to stand at the forefront for Your Majesty, becoming a giant shield to draw all the arrows of criticism! I am willing to be Your Majesty’s vicious dog, tearing apart all the stubborn obstructors of the new policies! To clear the way for Your Majesty’s eternal great cause!”

"Your Majesty, please grant me permission... I would gladly die for it!"

The warm pavilion fell completely silent, with only the occasional soft crackling of charcoal embers from the incense burner.

Zhu Youjian quietly looked at Wen Tiren, who was kneeling on the ground, at this clever man who understood all his intentions and even took the initiative to do the dirty work.

After a long while, a cold, approving smile finally appeared on Zhu Youjian's face.

"it is good!"

A single word, as if divine decree had descended.

"This is exactly the kind of Minister of Rites I want!"

He stepped forward and personally helped Wen Tiren up.

"Very well. Since you are willing to stand at the forefront for me, then I will not hesitate to use this sharp blade!"

The emperor said coldly, "I grant you the power of personnel appointments! All officials in the new Ministry of Rites, from the Vice Minister to the Principal, will be nominated by you, and I will make the final decisions. I want there to be no useless person hindering you in your ministry!"

Wen Tiren's breathing suddenly quickened, and then his knees buckled, unable to support him any longer, and he knelt heavily. This time, his forehead pressed tightly against the gold brick, and his voice held a hint of the extreme tremor of triumph:

"Your subject... Wen Tiren, kowtows in gratitude to Your Majesty for your divine grace! I would gladly sacrifice myself!"

"Rise," the emperor's voice carried an oppressive chill, "Tomorrow morning at court, I will announce this matter before all the officials. At that time, all eyes will be on you. Be prepared."

"Sir, obey the order!"

Wen Tiren slowly stood up, this time with his back ramrod straight.

The moment Wen Tiren stepped out of the warm pavilion, the glaring midday sun outside hit him, making it almost impossible for him to open his eyes.

But instead of feeling hot, he felt more comfortable than ever before, as if all the blood in his body was boiling under the clear sky!
(End of this chapter)