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

Chapter 25 I must know where every single penny of mine goes!
Qian Qianyi stood at the head of all the officials, seemingly calm and composed, but in reality, all his attention was focused on that young figure.

Although this young emperor was diligent in his duties, he always had a lingering sense of anxiety and irritability between his brows. When faced with his ministers' debates, which were full of classical allusions, he would often become impatient and even rudely interrupt them.

It was a youthful impulse, an eagerness to achieve quick success.

This impulse is exactly what these veteran officials are most happy to see.

Because impulsiveness means being prone to making mistakes, as long as the emperor makes a mistake, they have the opportunity to use the most powerful weapon, "ancestral laws," to "correct" him and make him understand that the emperor must also act within the rules.

However, today, as with the recent court sessions, the emperor was unusually quiet.

He simply listened quietly, listening to Zhang Kai's impassioned speech and the officials who seconded him, expressing their deep sorrow and indignation.

His face showed no emotion; his young face was somewhat blurred under the shadow of the crown, yet it exuded a composure that was unsettling for his age.

A sense of unease arose in Qian Qianyi's heart once again.

He originally thought that Zhu Chunchen's downfall was a violent but reckless emotional outburst by the young emperor after being suppressed for a long time. He thought that he would be like all young monarchs who have just tasted the power, full of pride and eager to show his authority.

What they had to do was use the "minor" incident of the Lanyang breach to extinguish his smugness like a bucket of cold water.

The emperor needed to understand that governing the country was not as simple as killing a few people or confiscating the property of a few families; it required compromise and balance.

However, the emperor's calmness disrupted his prediction.

This doesn't sound like a young man who has just won a battle; it sounds more like an experienced chess player, coldly observing his opponent and making a move that was expected.

Sure enough, after the debate in the hall about "who should be held responsible" lasted for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the emperor finally spoke.

"Minister of Revenue Wang Yongguang, Minister of Works Li Congxin."

His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the entire hall.

The two ministers whose names were called immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your subject is here."

"The Lanyang dike has breached. How much money and grain should be used for disaster relief and dike repair? Do you have a plan?" the emperor asked.

Wang Yongguang, the Minister of Revenue, was an old bureaucrat. He immediately pleaded poverty, saying, "Your Majesty, the national treasury is empty, and there are places in the country where money is needed. The military pay for the nine border regions has been overdue for more than two months. I am extremely anxious about the disaster in Lanyang, but we are really... in dire straits! I believe that the local areas should raise funds on their own first, and then the court can provide subsidies as appropriate."

This is typical bureaucratic rhetoric, passing the buck back to the local authorities.

Minister of Works Li Congxin added, "Your Majesty, the repair of the dikes is extremely costly. To completely eradicate the problem, at least 100,000 taels of silver would be needed. Given the current state of the national treasury, I dare not speak rashly."

He then passed the ball back to the Ministry of Revenue.

The officials inside the hall all smiled knowingly.

See, things have come full circle. This is the power of the bureaucratic system; it can drag any specific matter into an endless quagmire with countless "procedures" and "difficulties."

They were all waiting to see how the emperor would get angry and how he would make his judgment.

……

Zhu Youjian watched the performance of the two ministers below without any emotion.

He said in a completely emotionless tone:
"I don't want to hear who's right or wrong, nor do I want to hear how difficult it is. I now want you two to do three things."

He held up a finger.

"First, I need a 'budget proposal'."

"Budget proposal?" This new term left everyone in the hall looking at each other in bewilderment.

Zhu Youjian ignored their doubts and explained to himself, "The Ministry of Revenue must provide me with a detailed disaster relief budget within three days. I don't want a vague figure. I want to see how much it costs to buy rice, how much it costs to buy medicine, how much it costs to hire laborers, and how much it costs to transport these supplies along the way. Every penny must have a source and a detailed breakdown. I want to know exactly where every copper coin of mine has gone!" Minister of Revenue Wang Yongguang's forehead instantly broke out in a fine layer of sweat.

Detailed budget?

Do I need to list the details?
This...this has never been a rule since ancient times!

The allocation of funds has always been a fixed total amount. As for how it is spent, how much "waste" there is, and how much "profit and loss" there is, those are all matters that are kept secret.

Zhu Youjian didn't give him time to think and extended his second finger.

"Secondly, I need a 'feasibility report'."

"Feasibility report?" This is another term I've never heard of before.

Zhu Youjian turned his gaze to the Minister of Works: "The Ministry of Works, likewise, must provide me with a detailed plan for repairing the dike within three days. I need to know what materials you intend to use—rammed earth or stone masonry? How many laborers are needed? How long will the construction take? Who will be in charge of supervising the work? What problems might arise during construction, such as rain or plague, and how do you plan to deal with them? I don't want to hear empty words like '100,000 taels of silver.' I want to see a detailed and thorough plan that can be implemented!"

Even Li Congxin, the Minister of Works, whose face had always been calm, began to change color slightly.

Is this... are they being treated like craftsmen?
They are high-ranking officials in the imperial court, responsible for planning matters of national importance. When do they need to concern themselves with such "trivial details"?

Aren't these the kinds of jobs that the lower-level staff should be doing?

Zhu Youjian seemed to see through their thoughts, and his tone became cold.

"What? Do the two ministers find this matter difficult?"

He slowly extended his third finger.

This finger is like a drawn sword, gleaming with cold light.

"Third, I want to establish a 'performance accountability system'."

"Performance...accountability system?"

This word is even more unfamiliar and more... terrifying than the previous two.

Zhu Youjian's voice echoed in the empty hall, each word like a piece of ice, striking the hearts of the officials.

"I will personally review the budget proposal and feasibility report. Once approved, I will announce it to the world. Then, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works will jointly elect a chief person in charge. This person in charge must sign a pledge before me! The budget and the construction period will be clearly written down in black and white. If it can be completed on time, with quality, and within budget, I will reward him handsomely! But if... it exceeds the budget, delays the construction period, or if any 'shoddy' problems arise after the river embankment is completed..."

He paused, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping across the entire room.

"Then, this person in charge, and all the officials who signed the report, from the Minister to the Chief Clerk, I will punish them all! At best, they will be dismissed from their posts and never be employed again! At worst... there are still many vacancies in the imperial prison of my Great Ming!"

"boom--"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding loudly within the Hall of Supreme Harmony!
The entire hall fell into an instant silence, a silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.

All the officials were stunned.

Their eyes widened and their mouths gaped open, like a flock of ducks with their throats choked, unable to utter a sound.

Their minds were blank, with only one thought echoing wildly:
The Emperor… what is he saying?
Budget proposal? Feasibility report? Performance accountability system?
What are all these things? What strange tales and absurd theories come from some foreign land?

They felt as if they were listening to a foreign language.

This is no longer a discussion about disaster relief.

This is revolutionary!
What the emperor wanted was no longer "virtuous ministers," but "capable officials"!
His standard for judging an official was no longer how well you wrote moral essays or how noble your reputation was, but whether you could get things done for me!
(End of this chapter)