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

Chapter 330 For the great revival of the Ming Dynasty, please work overtime!
The air inside and outside the main hall seemed to have solidified into glass, heavy and transparent, making it hard to breathe.

Countless gazes, some open, some hidden, some eager, some subtle, converged on the throne, awaiting the emperor's golden words to determine the future of the court.

Everyone assumed that the long-vacant positions of Minister of Personnel, Minister of War, Minister of Works, and Minister of Justice would be filled by those ministers who had not been purged in the past turmoil and were still relatively clean.

For example, a certain vice minister who is known for his competence, or a certain censor who has a good reputation among scholars.

This is both reasonable and in line with the old practice of seniority-based promotion in officialdom.

However, the young emperor on the throne seemed to have taken pleasure in breaking the rules since the day he ascended the throne.

His clear, cold, and undeniable voice slowly rang out, echoing distinctly in everyone's ears:

"Li Banghua, Assistant Minister of Military and Political Affairs and Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War."

The first name, like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, stirred up ripples of astonishment in the hearts of countless people.

Li Banghua!
How could it be him?
For a moment, countless officials inside and outside the hall wore expressions of utter disbelief.

In the capital's officialdom, everyone knows that the Ministry of War is no longer the powerful government office that "oversees all military affairs" it once was.

It's more like a huge shell in name only, a logistics warehouse responsible for going through procedures and storing files.

The emperor had already firmly grasped real military power in his own hands in an unprecedented way.

Sun Chengzong of Liaodong, who commanded the Guan Ning cavalry and was stationed at Shanhaiguan, could send military reports and memorials directly to the emperor. His money, provisions and military equipment were allocated by the emperor through special funds from the imperial treasury and the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of War had no right to interfere.

The Governor-General of Xuanda, Man Gui, commanded the newly trained Xuanda border army, guarding the Great Wall defense line in the north. He only recognized the emperor's edicts and military tallies. Documents issued by the Ministry of War were probably less effective in his hands than a verbal order relayed by a eunuch by the emperor's side.

In the south, Qin Liangyu, the commander of the White-Spear Army, obeyed only the emperor's orders. She would attack wherever the emperor commanded, and the Ministry of War was as if it didn't exist for her.

This is just the commander of a border town.

What terrified those old ministers who adhered to the established rules even more was the emperor's indulgence, no, it should be said that he encouraged local officials to "privately" recruit soldiers!
Lu Xiang-sheng, the governor of Guangdong, was ordered to organize and train the "Tianxiong Army" under the pretext of suppressing bandits. It is said that the number of soldiers has been expanded to 30,000, with sharp firearms and amazing combat power.

Thirty thousand elite troops—what a number that is!
In the past, this would have been considered a local official holding military power and acting as a traitor!
There are also Hong Chengchou of Zhejiang and Sun Chuanting of Yingtian. These regional officials, who were favored by the emperor and promoted beyond the usual ranks, now each of them has their own elite battalion under their command.
These soldiers, fed by the emperor and paid by the emperor, were far from the emperor's reach and appeared to have become the private army of these people.

This is an extremely treasonous act according to ancestral rules!
But ironically, this was something the emperor himself ordered them to do!
But as I said before... not a single official in the entire court dared to stand up and say a single word of "no".

Even the emperor isn't afraid of the world descending into chaos, so what are you, a mere subject, afraid of?
If you dare to jump out and criticize, you might be accused of "sowing discord between the emperor and his ministers and undermining the foundation of the state" the very next day.

Therefore, in the eyes of the public, Li Banghua, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, was nominally "assisting in military and political affairs," but in reality, he was just a figurehead.

He could neither mobilize a single soldier of Sun Chengzong nor manage a single grain or salary of Lu Xiangsheng.

How could someone who hovers outside the core of power and is not favored by the emperor possibly rise to the top and become a high-ranking official?
While everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, Li Banghua, who was the focus of attention, appeared extremely calm.

He slowly emerged from the crowd and arrived at the foot of the steps. His face, which was known for its uprightness and seriousness, showed no surprise or elation, only the calmness that came after weathering many storms.

"Your subject, Li Banghua, is here."

He accompanied the emperor on his southern tour for several months and was one of the few officials from the capital who witnessed firsthand the dramatic changes in Jiangnan.

He wouldn't claim to fully understand the young king's thoughts on the throne, but he could guess a bit more than most people in the hall.

He knew that the emperor never looked at your current position when choosing people, but only at what you could do for him in the future.

Sure enough, Zhu Youjian's voice rang out again, and this time, it was earth-shattering:

“I have heard that ‘rites are the order of heaven and earth.’ I have also heard that ‘the key to governance lies in obtaining the right people.’ The problem with officialdom today is that performance evaluations are unclear and rewards and punishments are not based on any criteria, which leads to mediocre officials in office and capable officials in the countryside.”

Li Banghua, you are known for your integrity and upright character. I hereby appoint you, effective today, as Minister of Personnel, to oversee official conduct, reform performance evaluations, and select virtuous and capable officials to bring peace and order to the realm!

Minister of Personnel!

The "Heavenly Official" who holds the power to appoint officials throughout the land—the Minister of Personnel!
Inside the main hall, it was as if a thunderclap had exploded in the minds of many people!
Many people looked on in disbelief, and their hearts were filled with shock!

This is so unreasonable!
There was no other reason than that Li Banghua's background made him very close to the so-called "Donglin" faction!
Although he was not a radical member of the Donglin Party, his character, reputation, and connections were all inextricably linked to the Donglin faction.

The emperor has purged so many Donglin scholars, yet now he wants to put someone with a Donglin background in charge of the Ministry of Personnel.
What is the intention behind this?
Everyone was puzzled and surprised.

But only Li Banghua himself truly knows the truth.

When the words "Minister of Personnel" reached his ears, even his usually calm heart was stirred by a great wave.

How much suffering he has endured over the past year!
Back then, he was a typical scholar-official, firmly believing that the established laws of the ancestors should not be changed and that the public opinion of the civil service group could rectify the affairs of the country.

However, during the months the emperor traveled south, what he saw and heard firsthand shattered the beliefs he had built up over the past few decades, only to be reshaped by the emperor in a brutal and efficient manner!
He can't deceive himself!

He could not deny the emperor's miraculous achievements over the past year!
As a vice minister of the Ministry of War, he was more impressed by the emperor's overall plan than anyone else.

When he first heard about the grand strategy of "allying with the Mongols to resist the Jin," he thought it was a fantasy that violated the great principle of "distinguishing between Chinese and barbarians."

But the result?

Ligdan Khan's Mongol cavalry became a sharp knife hanging over the back of the Jurchens, making Huang Taiji dare not easily mobilize the entire nation's strength to march south.

He was surprised by the emperor's almost unreserved and boundless trust in Sun Chengzong and Man Gui.

Although the emperor and his ministers were separated by thousands of miles, the emperor dared to entrust the safety of the nation to their hands, providing them with as much money, grain, and military equipment as they needed without any hindrance.

This kind of courage was something he had never seen before in his life.

His initial bewilderment at the emperor's support for Mao Wenlong and the alliance with Korea eventually turned into astonishment.

Pi Island and Korea were like two nails firmly driven into the flanks and rear of the Jurchens, making them restless and uneasy.

Even... even without a decisive battle between the Ming Dynasty and the Jurchens, the Ming Dynasty had already transformed the once invincible Later Jin into a starving dog trapped in a corner of Liaodong, unable to advance or retreat, and only able to eke out a living there through this series of political, military, and economic strangulation!
These techniques are truly miraculous!

As for the territory of the Great Ming Dynasty... it was a scene of carnage and rivers of blood.

When the night is still and quiet, Li Banghua recalls the events of his southern tour, from officials and salt merchants to the mansions of dukes and marquises in Nanjing that were raided, to the Jiangnan gentry who were driven to ruin by the forced taxation system, and even the monks in the temples… He can’t help but feel a chill run down his spine, and can only let out a helpless sigh:
Sir, could it be that you truly have divine assistance?
Li Banghua sometimes even felt that the emperor must be hiding several secret, extraordinary books, whose titles could be roughly:

"The feudal princes, nobles, officials, gentry, and landlords are interesting; killing one of them yields a pile of gold and silver."
Or, as in "One Hundred Turns, I'm Ninety-Five, You Know My Methods," "The Prominent Families of the Ming Dynasty Think the Ming Weekly is a Book of Life and Death," and "Right Turn, Land Distribution for Refugees; Left Turn, Mass Graves for the Jurchens; What's Wrong with Me Taking a Little Money to Buy Your Life?"
In short, Li Banghua had to express his admiration and support for the emperor's memoir of these past few months: "The southward march was full of power and killing intent, and all personal gains were handed over to the emperor!"
How true this is! And how...effective it is!
No matter how little Li Banghua knew about mathematics, he knew that the current national treasury was probably more than the wealth of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Chengzu combined!

What's even more frightening is that with the opening of maritime trade and the implementation of new tax laws, this money and grain are still pouring into the national treasury!
So... Li Banghua, who was originally loyal but had just been struggling to adapt and whose mind was still a bit blocked, completely changed his thinking after witnessing this earth-shattering change.

All talk of Donglin's public opinion and ancestral laws seem so pale and powerless in the face of the undeniable facts that the country is prosperous, the people have food to eat, and the soldiers have their pay.

He, Li Banghua, wholeheartedly and sincerely became a glorious member of the imperial party!

Faced with the emperor's appointment, he suppressed his excitement and performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony before the throne.

"Your subject... Li Banghua, accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!" His voice trembled almost imperceptibly, yet remained utterly resolute. "Your subject will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust. For Your Majesty and for the Great Ming, I will devote myself wholeheartedly, even unto death!"

Beside him, Wen Tiren's face remained calm and composed.

He kept his eyes down, seemingly indifferent to this earth-shattering appointment, but in reality, he saw through the young king's imperial schemes with perfect clarity.

In his view, this appointment was not a simple promotion, but a brilliant move with a series of interconnected steps and flawless planning!
Although Li Banghua had close ties with the Donglin Party, his reputation for "integrity and uprightness" was well-deserved, and he enjoyed great prestige among scholars.

Although His Majesty has purged most of the upright officials in the court, their foundations remain, and public opinion has not subsided.

His Majesty did not choose his own trusted confidants, but instead used Li Banghua as a shield, precisely to use his good reputation to silence public criticism.

Using him was not to win over the masses, but to intimidate them! Moreover, this was an open strategy of "using barbarians to control barbarians and cutting off their fuel supply"!

The emperor's previous swift and decisive purge of the gentry in Jiangnan and his cronies in the court had already instilled fear in scholars throughout the land, and there must have been secret criticisms of him as a "cruel official" and a "tyrant."

At this moment, the appointment of Li Banghua, who has a strong Donglin background, to preside over the most crucial reform of officialdom is a shocking signal.
This is tantamount to clearly announcing to the world: I do not want to be enemies with all scholars. What I want to eliminate are those "rotten flesh" entrenched in the bureaucracy who only know how to talk and are corrupt and incompetent. As for the truly talented and willing "doers", I will not only use them, but also give them important positions!

With Li Banghua, a half-"one of our own," wielding the butcher's knife, who among the remaining upright officials could voice their opinions? And who would dare to voice their opinions?

This move completely separated reform from factional strife, leaving them powerless and helpless as they watched the old order being torn apart piece by piece!

Finally, this is yet another stroke of genius, like the legendary butcher dissecting an ox!

Why did the emperor choose Li Banghua instead of someone else?

This is because he once served as the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, in charge of the laws and regulations of the country!
He knew the bureaucratic framework of this old empire better than anyone else, where the joints were and where the chronic problems lay.

Those intricate networks of vested interests and those unspoken rules that have been followed for centuries are all transparent to him. Wherever his blade strikes, it will be aimed at the vital points of the problem. He is precise, ruthless, and leaves no room for escape!

Wen Tiren inwardly praised the "brilliant" move, but couldn't help feeling a chill rise up his spine.

This young emperor's shrewdness and profound wisdom have long transcended the limitations of his age, inspiring awe and even... fear!
However, Li Banghua on the ground was perfectly clear-headed and felt a heavy sense of mission.

However, everyone underestimated the thoroughness of the reforms the emperor was about to implement!
After Li Banghua thanked the emperor and returned to his post, the emperor did not appoint anyone else, but instead gave a wink to Wang Chengen, the eunuch in charge of writing.

Wang Chengen understood immediately, stepped forward, unfurled a bright yellow imperial edict, and read it aloud in his sharp voice that could echo throughout the entire hall:

"The emperor is destined to be carried by heaven, and the edict says:"

"As the ancients said, 'A gentleman understands righteousness, while a petty person understands profit.' Yet, in the imperial court, many talk about morality, but few actually put it into practice. As a result, the nation faces difficulties and the people suffer. The root of this problem lies in the performance evaluation system, which is merely a formality without any real effect."

The promotion of officials is not determined by their performance in governance, but by their reputation; the demotion or removal of officials is not based on their merits or demerits, but on their faction.

In this way, the superior will not rise, and the inferior will not fall; the nation will cease to exist!

"After much deliberation and tireless work, I have decided to reform the official evaluation system and establish the 'New Performance Evaluation System for Officials of the Great Ming Empire,' which will use merit as the standard and benefits as the incentive, so that the capable will rise, the average will step aside, and the mediocre will be demoted!"

From this day forward, the official hats of all officials shall be determined by the well-being of the people under their jurisdiction and the balance of the national treasury! This law is hereby promulgated, and all officials throughout the land shall abide by it!

Wang Chengen paused, took a deep breath, and began to read aloud the "new law" that made the entire imperial bureaucracy tremble.

Even though Li Banghua had discussed it privately with the emperor and was somewhat prepared, he was still shocked when he heard the full picture of the system!
"Firstly, the assessment body: the Ministry of Personnel has a special 'Assessment and Evaluation Department' which is in charge of assessing the performance of officials throughout the country!"

"Secondly, the sources of the data are: first, the newly established Information Section of the Ministry of Justice, which compiles monthly reports on the flow of trade routes and tax revenue from various provinces; second, the provincial branches of the Imperial Bank of China, which report on the amount of credit and deposits; third, the verification records of the Audit Department of the Ministry of Revenue and the Exploration Department of the Ministry of Works; and fourth, the secret investigation files of the Censorate, the Supervisory Department under the Imperial Capital Prefecture, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Multiple sources are used to corroborate each other, ensuring the accuracy of the data!"

"Thirdly, the assessment cycle: monthly, quarterly, and annually. Monthly reports are submitted to the Emperor for review; quarterly evaluations are conducted by the Ministry of Personnel's Performance Evaluation Department in conjunction with the Cabinet, who conduct 'inquiries before the Emperor' for the three lowest-performing governors and provincial treasurers,' requiring them to explain their shortcomings; and annual comprehensive evaluations determine their promotion, retention, demotion, or dismissal!"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell completely silent.

Everyone pricked up their ears and even held their breath.

They knew that the real danger was yet to come!

Wang Chengen's voice rose again:

"The performance evaluation system is divided into two parts. The first part is called 'Imperial Contribution'! It is used to measure officials' contributions to the nation's 'revenue generation'!"

Below that, several items are listed:

"Firstly, the 'unified grain payment' system and the growth rate of industrial and commercial tax revenue! This is..."

"Secondly, 'economic vitality'! How many acres of newly reclaimed land are there within the jurisdiction?"

"Thirdly, 'National Resource Contribution'! This clause specifically applies to officials from Shanxi, Shaanxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou. Their performance evaluation relies on their cooperation with the Ministry of Works' Exploration Department regarding newly discovered reserves of coal, iron, copper, silver, and other minerals, as well as existing mines, during their tenure."

"Fourthly, 'The quality and quantity of recruited soldiers'! This clause specifically applies to officials from major military-source provinces such as Beizhili, Shandong, and Henan. Their performance evaluation is based on the number of qualified soldiers they send to the Ministry of War's Beijing Garrison or the military garrisons assigned to border towns during their tenure, as well as the 'quality' of these soldiers, including their physique and discipline!"

"The other provinces also have corresponding indicators. For example, coastal provinces use maritime trade tax revenue and the number of ships going to sea as the criteria; provinces that produce silk and porcelain use the quality and quantity of tribute goods as the criteria. Each province has its own emphasis, depending on local conditions!"

With each item Wang Chengen read aloud, the faces of the officials in the hall paled one degree.

This is hardly the behavior of an official.

This is clearly a merchant calculating profits!
They treated these well-read scholars as money-making managers for the emperor!
However, before they could even finish digesting this open-source part, Wang Chengen had already turned to the next page.

"The second part states: 'Improvement of People's Livelihoods'! This is used to measure officials' contributions to 'good governance' in local areas!"

Below that, several items are listed:

"First, the 'infrastructure construction targets'! The most important of these is the construction mileage of the 'Emperor's Road'! Within the jurisdiction, according to the blueprints and standards issued by the Ministry of Works, several additional miles of roads wide enough for four-wheeled carriages to travel side by side must be built."

"Secondly, 'basic education'! What percentage of all school-age children within the jurisdiction, regardless of gender, should attend official or semi-official branches of the 'Academy of Science and Technology' to learn basic arithmetic and simple literacy? Teacher salaries and expenses can be supported by local tax revenue and the 'educational loans' from the central bank! Educating all people is a long-term plan."

"Thirdly, 'integrity and clean governance'! The Ministry of Personnel has newly established the 'Integrity and Clean Governance Bureau,' which, together with the Huangming Andu Prefecture and other government offices, will implement a 'one-vote veto system' for this matter! No matter how high the aforementioned merits are, once a major act of corruption or disregard for human life is verified, all merits will be nullified! Officials will be immediately arrested and handed over to the Ministry of Justice for legal proceedings, without any leniency!"

The phrase "veto power" is like an ice dagger, piercing into the very marrow of everyone!
This means that the path of trying to make money while simultaneously achieving political success has been completely blocked!
Wang Chengen's voice finally carried a hint of excitement at the end:

"To encourage participation, a system of clear rewards and punishments will be implemented! In the annual general evaluation, among the pilot provinces, the prefects and magistrates who rank first in 'merit points' will be promoted exceptionally! They will be personally summoned by the emperor, and their deeds and achievements will be published on the front page of the 'Da Ming Weekly' to announce them to the world and serve as a benchmark!"

"Those ranked last will be demoted three levels at best; at worst... dismissed from office and never to be employed again!"

After the imperial edict was read, Wang Chengen retreated behind the emperor.

The entire Hall of Supreme Harmony, along with the square outside, fell into a deathly silence.

All the officials, regardless of rank, stood still, like clay or wooden sculptures.

They even forgot to express their gratitude and forgot to shout "Long live the Emperor!"

The rules and regulations they had just heard were echoing repeatedly in everyone's minds.

Imperial contributions...improved livelihoods...Emperor's Road...Institute of Science...Veto vote...

These words, when put together, form a vast and intricate web, tightly ensnaring them all.

In the days to come, their every move will be recorded, quantified, and judged by countless nodes on this network!
A layer of cold sweat seeped out from everyone's back.

Holding a position without performing its duties?

Reciting poems and composing couplets?

Sit and discuss?
The elegance and composure of a scholar-official, the unspoken leisure and laxity in officialdom, were utterly shattered at this moment!

A perfectly clear thought emerged in everyone's mind—

This official position is doomed!
From now on... I'm afraid I'll never have a peaceful night's sleep again.

No need for superiors to urge him, no need for censors to impeach him, all for the sake of keeping his official hat, to avoid being demoted or dismissed, and to get a chance to appear in the "Da Ming Weekly"...

Working from dawn till dusk, pulling all-nighters, is probably going to become the norm!

(End of this chapter)