Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

"Very well, I will wait for you for three years!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhu Qiyu picked up the book "Sixteen Policies of the Ministry of Revenue on Curb Savings," flipped through it, and suddenly said:

"Minister Jin, there is one of these sixteen strategies that you haven't written down."

Jin Lian was taken aback: "Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."

Zhu Qiyu looked at him and slowly said, "Take a land survey of the entire country."

Jin Lian's pupils contracted slightly.

Land survey.

This is something that Emperor Taizu did during the Hongwu era.

At that time, the war had just ended, and all the land in the country was re-registered. The fish-scale map was revised for more than ten years.

But more than sixty years have passed, and the fish scale illustrations no longer match the records.

How much land has been hidden?

Many fields were seized by powerful and wealthy families.

How much land was owned by wealthy landowners who didn't have to pay a single grain of rice?

This is a real hornet's nest.

It's a hornet's nest bigger than the military settlements, monks' monasteries, and salt and tea farms combined.

Zhu Qiyu looked at Jin Lian's expression and smiled slightly: "No rush."

I am simply telling you that these sixteen strategies are just the beginning.

Once these things are done, there will be many more to do.

Jin Lian bowed deeply: "Your subject will remember."

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand: "Go on, go back and rest first."

Tomorrow at the morning court session, I will formally issue an edict appointing you as Minister of Revenue.

Go back and draft a detailed charter.

Which policy should be implemented first, and which should be implemented later?

The extent to which it has been accomplished and when it is expected to be effective should all be clearly written down.

Give it to me after you've finished writing it.

Jin Lian bowed deeply: "Your subject obeys the decree."

October 18th, the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign.

At Fengtian Gate, civil and military officials had already lined up according to their ranks.

Today's morning assembly is unusual.

The news that the Six Ministries had rejected the order yesterday had spread throughout all government offices.

This is something that has been rare since the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

Some secretly hoped that His Majesty would stop there and that the reform of the imperial clan would be left unresolved.

Some people were uneasy, knowing that a storm was bound to break out today.

Zhu Qiyu's imperial carriage arrived at Fengtian Gate precisely at the hour of Chen (7-9 AM).

"His Majesty has arrived!"

The sounds of Xing'an echoed at Fengtian Gate.

All the officials knelt in worship.

Zhu Qiyu's gaze slowly swept across the area below.

Finally, they lingered for a few moments in the direction of the Sixth Academy.

He knew that the Six Ministries' rejection of his proposals was not just a matter for the Six Ministries.

Other government departments were involved to varying degrees.

"Rise."

All the officials rose and stood with their hands at their sides.

Zhu Qiyu got straight to the point: "Yesterday, the Six Ministries rejected my 'Regulations for the Revision of the Imperial Clan Code.' Li Kan."

Li Kan stepped forward and knelt on the ground: "Your subject is here."

He neither looked up nor apologized.

The word "refute" he wrote yesterday was his own handwriting; he had nothing to say and nothing to plead guilty to.

That was his duty, his responsibility.

Zhu Qiyu looked at him: "Li, the Censor, what regulation did you base your rebuttal on?"

Li Kan kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I have based my answer on the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty'."

The Ancestral Instructions state: All my descendants shall respectfully obey my commands, and shall not act cleverly or disrupt the laws I have established. Not a single word shall be altered.

The system of stipends for members of the imperial clan is recorded in the Ancestral Instructions and will serve as a model for all generations.

The Ministry of Revenue's proposal to reduce salaries and abolish titles is, in effect, a change to ancestral regulations.

My duty is to reject or veto documents; I dare not obey the imperial edict.

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "Not a single word of the Ancestral Instructions can be changed. Then let me ask you, how many ancestral rules did Emperor Taizong change?"

Li Kan's body stiffened.

If the ancestral rules were truly unchangeable, Zhu Di would never have become emperor!

Zhu Qiyu's gaze swept over the assembled officials: "When Emperor Taizu established the Ancestral Instructions, the empire had just been pacified."

The princes guarded the borders to protect the royal family.

What about now?

Princes were enfeoffed, dukes sat idle, and generals and lieutenants had nothing to do.

What else do they do besides receiving their salaries?

When the Oirat invaded, which member of the Oirat clan climbed onto the city wall?

Which member of the clan has ever contributed a single grain of rice?

There was a dead silence in the hall.

Zhu Qiyu continued, "Yesterday, I went to Qingning Palace, and the Empress Dowager said she had no objections."

Upon hearing this, many officials felt a slight tremor on their shoulders.

Many people's eyes quietly drifted towards the direction of the Sixth Corridor.

Li Kan lay on the ground, his shoulders and back trembling slightly.

The censor from the Ministry of Justice behind him suddenly stepped forward and knelt down: "Your Majesty! I dare to ask if the Empress Dowager has issued an imperial edict?"

That's a bold question, and a tricky one at that.

It's one thing for the Empress Dowager not to object, but it's quite another for her to issue an imperial edict.

Without an imperial edict, it is merely "rumor" and cannot be used as the basis for court discussions.

Zhu Qiyu looked at the censor from the Ministry of Justice and suddenly laughed: "You don't trust me?"

The Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice turned deathly pale, his forehead touching the ground as he stammered, "Your Majesty, I dare not! I merely..."

Zhu Qiyu interrupted him: "You just think that I am using the Empress Dowager's name to suppress you."

The Empress Dowager indeed did not issue an imperial edict. Why don't you go to Qingning Palace and ask her?

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty..." The censor of the Ministry of Justice mumbled for a long time, unable to utter a complete sentence.

The hall fell silent once again.

No one dared to speak again.

Who would dare to go to Qingning Palace to inquire?

Whether the Empress Dowager opposes it or not, the person who asks her is doomed for life.

Zhu Qiyu waited a few moments before slowly saying, "I have ordered the cabinet to draft a new version."

The new imperial edict should have been delivered to the Six Ministries yesterday.

Li Jishizhong, give me an answer today!

Okay, that's settled then.

"Xing'an, proclaim the imperial edict."

Xing'an stepped forward and unfolded an imperial edict.

This is another draft submitted by the Cabinet, which was not rejected by the Six Ministries.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

Jin Lian, Minister of Justice, is loyal and diligent in serving the country, and possesses keen insight and wisdom. He is hereby appointed Minister of Revenue, effective immediately.

Jin Lian stepped forward, knelt, and said, "Your subject receives the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude."

Xing'an continued to proclaim the imperial edict: "Cao Yi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, is highly respected for his seniority and diligence. He is hereby promoted to Minister of Personnel."

Cao Yi stepped forward, knelt, and said, "Your subject receives the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude."

This veteran official, who entered officialdom during the Zhengtong era, was promoted by Wang Zhi.

Now that Wang Zhi has retired, his taking over the Ministry of Personnel can be considered a smooth transition.

"Yu Shiyue, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, is of outstanding talent and well-versed in law. He shall be appointed Minister of Justice effective immediately."

Yu Shiyue stepped forward, knelt, and said, "Your subject receives the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude."

When Yu Qian recommended him last time, Zhu Qiyu said that since he had no relatives or friends in Beijing, he should stay at the government office.

Yu Shiyue did the same thing afterwards.

Later, during the city defense battle, he even went up to the city to resist the Oirat army.

Xing'an continued reading a series of appointments:

"Zhang Lun, the Director of the Ceremonial Affairs Department of the Ministry of Rites, was known for his outspokenness and courage in offering advice. He was promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites and continued to manage the affairs of the Ceremonial Affairs Department."

"Li Xian, a secretary in the Ministry of Revenue, was promoted to Vice Minister of the Right in the Ministry of Revenue."

"Shen Yi, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, is promoted to Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue."

"Xuan Ni, the Censor of Fujian Circuit of the Censorate, was promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate and appointed Governor of Zhejiang."

"..."

More than a dozen appointments were made in succession, covering the Six Ministries, the Censorate, and local governors.

Some were normal replacements, while others were newcomers deliberately promoted by Zhu Qiyu.

Especially Zhang Lun, the initiator of the reform of the imperial clan.

After the court session ended, the officials filed out.

Outside the Six Ministries Corridor, several censors surrounded Li Kan: "Li, Chief Censor, what happened today..."

Li Kan ignored them and went straight into the duty room.

He sat at his desk, staring silently at the new imperial edict that had been delivered the day before.

Finally, Li Kan picked up a pen and signed his name on the document.

This also means that the imperial edict can be officially promulgated.