Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

In the back hall of the Ministry of Revenue, three volumes were spread out in front of Shen Yi.

One volume is a copy of the "Imperial Clan Chapter" of the "Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty".

One volume contains the annual records of the distribution of stipends and rice to the imperial family by the Ministry of Revenue.

One volume was the "Draft of the Revised Regulations of Zonglu" that he had been working on all night.

Shen Yi rubbed his temples.

He knew as soon as he returned from Wenhua Hall yesterday that he couldn't refuse this matter.

Zhu Qiyu was not asking or discussing; he was informing.

He said, "It must be changed."

Shen Yi served in the Ministry of Revenue for twenty-three years, rising from a junior clerk to a vice minister.

He has seen far too many things that "must be changed".

Most of them ended without any resolution.

Even when some changes are made, they are merely superficial alterations, not fundamental changes.

But this time he sensed something different in Zhu Qiyu's eyes.

That wasn't the look of a young emperor acting rashly.

This matter should have been initiated by the Minister of Revenue.

Unfortunately, the position of Minister of Revenue is currently vacant.

Chen Yi, the Left Vice Minister who had only recently been transferred here, returned to the Censorate yesterday after hearing about this matter, citing his busy schedule with other matters.

His appointment to the Ministry of Revenue was originally a concurrent one.

Shen Yi whispered to Chen Ruyan, the clerk beside him, "Invite the doctors from the Shanxi, Shandong, and Henan departments."

The majority of the imperial clan members were concentrated in these three provinces.

Half an hour later, the three doctors gathered in the back hall.

Shen Yi pushed the draft to the table: "His Majesty has decreed that the six ministries shall discuss the matter of revising the Zonglu system within three days."

This is the charter I drafted; please take a look.

The three doctors passed it around in turn.

After a long silence, Zhou Xuan, the Shandong Provincial Magistrate, raised his head: "Minister Shen, this... this is going to change the ancestral system?"

Shen Yi nodded: "Your Majesty's intention is to make changes, not to abolish them."

The titles of the imperial family members remain, but their stipends have been reduced.

Zhou Xuan remained silent.

He was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the eighth year of the Xuande reign and entered the Ministry of Revenue in the sixth year of the Zhengtong reign. His seniority was second only to Shen Yi.

He was certainly aware of the drawbacks of the Zonglu system.

Shandong was an important stronghold of the imperial clan, with the Prince of Lu's residence, more than ten princes, and hundreds of generals and lieutenants.

Every year, 30% of the autumn grain harvest is allocated to Yanzhou Prefecture and distributed to the Lu vassal state.

Previously, Shandong suffered a severe drought, and the people had no harvest, but the Prince of Lu still received a salary of 10,000 shi (a unit of dry measure).

But he couldn't say that he was a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, not a censor or an official in the Censorate.

He only cares about accounting, not politics.

Shen Yi understood his silence.

He turned to Xiao Yan, the Shanxi Provincial Censor: "Minister Xiao, what is the situation of the Shanxi imperial clan?"

Xiao Yan smiled bitterly: "The Prince of Jin has one mansion, twenty-three princes, and more than three hundred and seventy generals and lieutenants."

Half of the annual grain tax revenue of Taiyuan Prefecture was given to the Jin vassal state.

Last year, I was ordered to investigate and found that the Shanxi provincial governor's actual rice rations far exceeded the quota.

Additional taxes were levied on rice, transportation, and carriage fees...

The people are suffering terribly.

He paused for a moment: "I once submitted a memorial requesting a ban on additional taxes, but it was withheld and not issued."

Shen Yi nodded, then looked at Li Xian, the Henan Provincial Department of Justice.

Li Xian was the youngest of the three physicians. He was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the seventh year of the Zhengtong era and was no more than thirty-five years old.

He did not answer immediately, but asked, "Minister Shen."

Does Your Majesty intend to merely reduce the stipends for the imperial clan, or to make changes to the system itself?

Shen Yi looked up at Li Xian.

This is not a doctor who only cares about accounting.

Shen Yi asked, "What makes you say that, Physician Li?"

Li Xian said, "If only the stipends for rice are reduced, the court will save no more than 200,000 to 300,000 taels of silver per year."

Three to five years later, the population of the imperial clan doubled, and the stipend for rice increased again.

This is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has not been bound by trivial matters.

I humbly believe that what His Majesty desires is far more than a mere two or three hundred thousand taels.

Shen Yi knew, of course, that Zhu Qiyu wanted more than just a reduction in salary.

But he couldn't speak of it, nor dared he write it down.

At the very least, the Ministry of Revenue should not be the first to write it.

Therefore, the draft only stated "reform of the salary system".

The terms "demotion" and "removal of title" were not mentioned.

Shen Yi could only reply, "Physician Li, this matter still requires a joint discussion by the six ministries."

The Ministry of Revenue has only drafted a plan for revising the salary system; the rest... awaits Your Majesty's instructions.

Li Xian stopped asking questions and lowered his head to continue reading the draft.

Shen Yi then recalled an incident from twenty years ago when he was still the head of the Ministry of Revenue.

That year, Emperor Xuande, Zhu Zhanji, summoned Guo Zi, the Minister of Revenue.

They inquired about how to deal with the increasing number of imperial relatives and the difficulty in maintaining their stipends.

Guo Zi replied that the ancestral system should not be changed lightly, and that it would be better to increase commercial taxes to make up for the shortfall.

Ultimately, Zhu Zhanji did not adopt this suggestion.

However, there was no progress on the matter of providing stipends for members of the imperial family.

Three years later, Zhu Zhanji passed away, and Guo Zi retired from office.

The issue of Zonglu was left to Zhu Qizhen.

Now it has been left to Zhu Qiyu.

Soon, the Ministry of Revenue's draft was personally sent to the Cabinet by Chen Ruyan, the chief official.

It was also copied to the other five departments.

In the main hall of the Ministry of War, Yu Qian only spent the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.

He said to Chen Ruyan, the chief clerk of the Ministry of Revenue who came to deliver the document, "It is feasible."

Chen Ruyan was taken aback: "Young Master Yu, you...you didn't look closely?"

Yu Qian raised his eyes: "The Ministry of War only has one question: can the silver reduced from Zonglu's salary be used for border defense, military equipment, and pensions?"

Chen Ruyan hurriedly replied, "All the saved silver will be put into the imperial granary for national use, including border troops and military supplies."

Yu Qian nodded: "Then that's feasible."

After saying this, Yu Qian picked up his pen and wrote three words on the copy of the draft: "Ministry of War approves."

Chen Ruyan took it and was momentarily stunned.

He was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the seventh year of the Zhengtong era and had been in office for seven years, but he had never seen a minister like this before.

No shirking responsibility, no delaying, and no haggling.

The only question is whether it benefits the country.

He suddenly understood why Beijing had been able to be defended.

Chen Ruyan bowed deeply: "This humble official takes his leave."

Yu Qian did not look up.

He was reading another document, a report on border military affairs from Yang Hong, the general of Xuanfu.

The remnants of the Oirat Mongols are roaming north of Datong, seemingly intending to plunder the border people.

He must allocate a batch of military equipment and provisions as soon as possible.

The rear hall of the Ministry of Rites.

Hu Ying sat at the desk, his fingers slowly tracing the draft document.

He lived through five dynasties and met four emperors.

He, the young emperor, is only twenty-two years old.

He is three years younger than his youngest grandson.

He recalled the eighteenth year of the Yongle reign.

That year, Emperor Taizong decided to move the capital to Beijing, but his ministers submitted memorials opposing it.

He was then serving as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and accompanied the emperor on his journey north.

When he arrived in Linqing, a minister knocked on his door at night and said, "Your Majesty's actions violate ancestral rules. Lord Hu should lead all officials to remonstrate against it."

He didn't go.

The next day at court, Emperor Taizong asked: Who else opposes moving the capital?

No one spoke.

He often wondered what would have happened if he had gone back then.

He would likely be flogged, demoted, or stripped of his post.

and then?

Beijing will still become the capital.

Ancestral rules are never unchangeable.

Hu Ying snapped out of his thoughts, picked up his brush, and wrote six characters: "The Ministry of Rites seconds this proposal; awaiting Your Majesty's decision."

The back hall of the Ministry of Personnel.

Wang Zhi stared at the draft document, remaining silent for a long time.

Cao Yi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel beside him, whispered, "Your Majesty, I have heard that Your Majesty's intentions may go beyond simply reducing salaries."

Yesterday, a court official conveyed a message that His Majesty intends to allow members of the imperial clan to voluntarily relinquish their titles and enter officialdom through the imperial examinations.

This is not a change in the salary system, but a change in the clan system.

If the clan system is changed, how can the official system remain unchanged?

Wang Zhi finally spoke: "Where did you hear this from?"

Cao Yi said, "The news from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs must be true."

Wang Zhi knew, of course, that this was no exaggeration.

He knew it from Zhu Qiyu's eyes in the Wenhua Hall.

That wasn't the look in his eyes that only wanted to save 320,000 taels of silver.

After a long silence, he slowly said, "The Ministry of Personnel should not speak on this matter first."

Cao Yi understood: "Yes, then this draft?"

Wang Zhi did not answer; he simply shook his head slightly: "Let's wait for the court to discuss this further."

Ministry of Works.

Minister Shi Pu is inspecting the repairs to the city's defenses.

A corner of the arrow tower at Xizhimen was destroyed by Oirat cannon fire.

He personally led the craftsmen to survey the area and estimated that 13,000 taels of silver would be needed.

He was taking measurements on the city wall when the draft from the Ministry of Revenue was delivered to him.

He took the document, glanced at it quickly, and handed it back to the envoy: "Ministry of Works approves."

The envoy was taken aback: "Minister Shi, you...you didn't examine it closely?"

Shi Pu pointed to the city bricks under his feet: "What are you looking at?"

The city walls need to be repaired when they collapse, the weapons need to be patched when they break, and the warships and cargo ships need to be built and repaired.

Money is needed everywhere, so it's a good thing if the Ministry of Revenue can save some.

"As long as you don't deduct from the Ministry of Works' repair funds, you can change it however you like."

After finishing speaking, Shi Pu continued to measure the dimensions.

The envoy stood on the city wall, holding the document in a daze.

Ministry of Justice.

Right Vice Minister Jiang Yuan glanced at the draft and said, "The Ministry of Justice has no objection."

He paused, then added, "If a member of the imperial family who has been stripped of their title and reduced to a commoner commits a crime, can the Ministry of Justice punish them all the same?"

The envoy was taken aback: "This...this is not included in the Ministry of Revenue's draft."

Jiang Yuan nodded: "Understood."

Jin Lian, the current Minister of Justice, is on his way back from Shandong.

According to Zhu Qiyu's previous plan, Jin Lian would be appointed Minister of Revenue after his return.

Currently, the position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice is vacant, and there are also vacancies for officials in other ministries.

It is unlikely that another official will be transferred to serve as Minister of Justice.

He was only one step away from becoming the Minister of Justice, and this was the best opportunity he could have.

As for the reduction of salaries for relatives, what does that have to do with him?