Chapter 630: The Naturalization Department

Old White Bull: It's raining and thundering again. I'll post one chapter first; the second depends on the situation.

……

Many gazes in the hall, intentionally or not, drifted toward Chi Dacheng. The Grand General was reorganizing the shogunate's various departments, and it seemed the Zhenfusi was being heavily restructured.

Originally, the Zhenfusi oversaw military and civilian discipline, upheld the law, handled military litigation, verified merit records, and recommended outstanding personnel — it held enormous power, combining oversight, adjudication, and personnel functions almost in one body.

Now, the power to recommend outstanding personnel was effectively gone, and a large portion of its personnel authority had been stripped away. The Zhenfusi was essentially being split, with some personnel diverted to the Civil Affairs Department, the Inspectorate, and the Adjudication Department. Henceforth it would only manage military discipline, litigation, merit verification, and related matters.

Faced with the various gazes, Chi Dacheng remained expressionless, revealing nothing of his inner thoughts.

Of course, civil affairs fell under the Civil Affairs Department, and military affairs likewise had their own corresponding institutions. Wang Dou would not allow military personnel authority to fall under the Civil Affairs Department and be managed by civil officials, so he had likewise added the Military Affairs Department.

Henceforth, the appointment, reassignment, and promotion of all officers and soldiers would be handled by the Military Affairs Department, though commanders at each level would likewise retain the right to nominate or make recommendations.

Thus, another batch of people had been diverted from Chi Dacheng's Zhenfusi. However, he still controlled military law and held the power to supervise and adjudicate military personnel — his authority remained considerable. Moreover, many in the newly added departments were his colleagues and former subordinates, so his influence was still outstanding.

"Under the Staff Department, there was formerly the Eastern Route Lecture Hall, now renamed the Xuanzhen Military Academy. Under the newly added Civil Affairs Department, a Civil Affairs Academy will likewise be established…"

Looking at everyone in the hall, Wang Dou said slowly, "The Xuanzhen Civil Affairs Academy will specialize in training civil affairs officials and clerks."

"Its primary recruits will be the sons and brothers of our Eastern Route, as well as literati and clerks from across the Great Ming who are friendly toward us. Retired officers and soldiers with an interest in civil affairs may also be admitted. They may likewise enter and study. Henceforth, all clerks and settlement heads in every tun must pass the academy's assessment!"

"Every tun, every bao, every household workshop, mine, and commercial firm must also accept these trainees for practical internships…"

"As with the original Lecture Hall, this newly added Civil Affairs Academy shall have me personally serve as its Chancellor…"

A roar erupted as the hall buzzed with discussion. People whispered among themselves — the Grand General's ambitions were not small.

Generally speaking, although the commanders all pursued literacy and study, they could fight battles, but managing civil administration was somewhat beyond them. Thus they needed literati to participate in civil governance. However, the Great Ming bureaucracy was growing increasingly wary of the Eastern Route, and absorbing literati in the future might become more and more difficult, especially as their territory expanded.

But once the Civil Affairs Academy was established, it would train countless civil affairs officials in the future. With abundant talent, they could ignore those old bureaucratic literati — it would be tantamount to casting off the shackles that would otherwise be placed on the shogunate.

Moreover, according to the Grand General's introduction, the Civil Affairs Academy would broadly teach Xu Guangqi's Complete Treatise on Agricultural Administration, the Complete Book of Water Conservancy in Wu authored by Yingtian Governor Zhang Guowei, as well as Essential Techniques for the Common People, Essentials of Agriculture and Sericulture, Biographies of Merchants, and other texts. Compared to officials elsewhere in the Great Ming, its future graduates would each be outstanding.

"Silence!"

Seeing the uproar, Chi Dacheng abruptly stood and shouted.

Instantly, not a sound could be heard in the hall.

Everyone present had, to varying degrees, tasted Chi Dacheng's military cudgel and still felt lingering fear toward him.

Wang Dou smiled, glanced at the documents in his hand, and continued, "The Education Department shall oversee the schools in every tun, teaching national language, arithmetic, swordsmanship, industry and commerce, the distinction between Hua and Yi, the sages' classics, and so forth — to enlighten the people. In the future, the shogunate will greatly increase funding, and all school-age children throughout the garrison must attend school…"

He continued, "At the same time, the Education Department shall also serve as the shogunate's brain trust, studying the rise and fall of successive dynasties and the essence of various civilizations, pointing out the path and direction forward for our shogunate. In establishing this department, we must fully absorb the essence of human civilization. Even the smallest states, even the red-haired barbarians from across the seas — wherever their civilizations possess unique merits, we may adopt them!"

These words stirred everyone's hearts to surge with emotion. Though sinister rumors abounded, when people said the Grand General had the aura of a sovereign, it was not said lightly.

Fu Mingqi, the Director of Confucian Studies for Bao'an Department, had long since been appointed Commissioner of the shogunate's Education Department. Gazing at Wang Dou, scenes of their past acquaintance replayed in his mind. Back then, he could never have imagined Wang Dou would possess such vision and depth.

He was a disciple of the Sage and believed in not speaking of strange forces and chaotic spirits. Yet aside from the explanation that Wang Dou was a star deity descended to earth, Fu Mingqi could find no other account.

In the Civil Administration, besides these institutions, a News Department had also been newly added.

Originally, the Eastern Route's propaganda had been handled by the official gazette and the Propaganda Section under the Intelligence Department. It now appeared that this could no longer meet the shogunate's developmental needs, and a separate institution was required.

Thus, Wang Dou established the News Department, set up the position of spokesman, and would also launch a newspaper to publicize Xuanzhen's values and outlook on life, exerting a subtle, gradual ideological influence.

At the same time, it would wage public opinion warfare against all sides, needing to overwhelm all sides in the arena of public discourse.

The official gazette had appeared not only in the Great Ming but as early as the early Western Han. However, due to cost considerations and literacy rates, it was basically hand-copied. In the Great Ming today, small newspapers existed in various places, but their scale was small, they were chaotic, and they were essentially copied gazettes.

By the Great Ming, movable-type printing technology was already very mature. The Eastern Route's widespread literacy also provided a solid foundation for popularization. Thus, Wang Dou planned to publish a newspaper in the sense of later ages, under the purview of the News Department. He had even thought of the name for the first newspaper: "Imperial Ming Xuanfu Garrison News and Current Affairs Journal, abbreviated as: Xuanzhen Times!"

This would be an official newspaper. The military would also have its own newspaper, but it would not be distributed externally.

The Xuanzhen Times would generally be published every five to ten days. To recover costs as much as possible, it would accept advertisements from certain merchants. At the same time, the News Department would also accept applications from private parties to publish newspapers — though, of course, the qualifications of applicants would be strictly reviewed, and relevant regulations would apply.

Rarity makes things precious. After the newspaper launched, Wang Dou did not intend to let just anyone subscribe. Only soldiers, students, officials, and those of outstanding performance in various localities would be permitted to subscribe. Moreover, military households would have priority over civilian households.

This was a subtle psychological tactic — as the saying goes, a wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as a stolen affair, and a stolen affair is not as good as one you cannot steal.

The more something is restricted, the more the common people itch for it, generating a psychology of striving to obtain it. It was like the necktie in later ages, which was once merely the knotting privilege of Western aristocrats. Later, the common folk grew envious and even launched revolutionary riots to win for themselves the same right to knot and hang themselves.

This would invisibly serve as a huge advertisement for the newspaper's emergence, and also give priority subscribers a sense of superiority, making them feel that this newspaper — worth a five-ge grain ticket — was well worth the price. Eventually, amid everyone's striving, it would spread imperceptibly.

The officials listened carefully. From what the Grand General described, this newspaper was rather interesting — seizing the initiative in public discourse and holding it in one's own hands. Everyone usually read the official gazette, and they were all keenly interested in the newspaper's emergence.

Wen Daxing listened in silence. The Grand General had already approved his resignation from the post of commander of the Vanguard Scout Battalion. Although he would henceforth be Deputy Commissioner of the Staff Department, his main energy would still be devoted to managing the Intelligence Department.

Now the Intelligence Department had also been restructured and split. One portion had been transferred to the News Department, and another portion placed under the Staff Department.

For instance, the Vanguard Scout Battalion was now explicitly placed under the Staff Department's management, and there would also be a Military Intelligence Section under the Staff Department.

However, he was not the only one whose department had been restructured and split. And although there had been splits, because the shogunate was in a period of ascent, as territory expanded, everyone's power was still growing, so no one was dissatisfied.

"Next is the Naturalization Department."

Looking at everyone, Wang Dou said, "At present, our Eastern Route still has quite a number of old military households and old civilian households that have not been brought under the shogunate's governance. Once we reach the garrison city, this will be even more the case. At the same time, refugees constantly enter from various parts of the Great Ming, and we also have a certain number of barbarians under our rule. Thus, the shogunate is establishing the Naturalization Department precisely out of consideration for these matters."

He said, "According to the Naturalization Department's regulations, all military and civilian personnel under the shogunate's rule are divided into three grades: first grade, Han registry; second grade, naturalized registry; third grade, barbarian registry."

He explained, "All military households under the shogunate's rule are of Han registry. Military and civilian households outside our rule, refugees, and the like are all of naturalized registry. All barbarians within our rule and the various tribes beyond the frontier are all of barbarian registry."

Wang Dou looked around at everyone: "Under the shogunate's rule, only those of Han registry may serve in the military, hold government office, teach and educate, apply to publish newspapers, and enjoy all welfare benefits under our rule…"

Everyone in the hall smiled knowingly.

As the earliest followers of the Grand General, and those military households who paid grain and taxes, they naturally could not allow others to enjoy the same treatment as themselves. Treating everyone equally was the greatest unfairness. That the Grand General first safeguarded the interests of his own people deeply won their hearts.

Only by taking care of one's own and forming a steadfast core could one, like a rolling snowball, sweep others along and form an ever-larger body.

"Whether one pays grain and taxes according to regulations, and whether one identifies with our shogunate — these are the key methods for determining the three registries. Of course, the three registries are not immutable."

Wang Dou leaned back comfortably in his seat, his gaze intense: "Those of barbarian registry and naturalized registry can rise, continuously transforming their people into Han registry. Those of Han registry can likewise be demoted to naturalized registry, or even barbarian registry. Therefore, everyone under our rule must maintain a heart that reveres the Han."

In Wang Dou's mind, barbarians certainly could not enjoy the same treatment as Han people — otherwise, how would the superiority of the Han be manifested?

Han people outside his rule likewise could not enjoy the same treatment as Han people within his rule — otherwise, how would the superiority of the governed people be manifested?

For the Han nation, the cultural concept is more important; a sense of identity matters most, while bloodline and lineage can be secondary. With a sense of identity, even a blond, blue-eyed person can be recognized as Han. Without it, even someone of pure Han blood can be recognized as a barbarian — take those Shanxi merchants, for instance: do they count as Han?

Therefore, after their public trial, the surviving sons and grandsons of those families would all be demoted to barbarians by Wang Dou and banished beyond the frontier to atone for their crimes. Henceforth, those families would have no right to hold office, serve in the military, or engage in cultural pursuits. Only by painstakingly accumulating merit points generation after generation could they be re-naturalized as Han.

Those Shanxi merchant families, for the sake of their descendants, had painstakingly undermined the nation's foundations. For the sake of their descendants, they could presumably also erupt with formidable drive and effort.

Thus, with elites of various ethnicities continuously naturalized as Han, and the dregs of the nation continuously expelled, the flowing water would never stagnate.

This was Wang Dou's vision of ethnic integration — the method to unite ten thousand peoples into one. (To be continued.)