Chapter 235: Could There Still Be a Master?

After Yang Bo left, Ge Ge Shouli took up the responsibility of monitoring Zhang Yuanfu; whenever Zhang Yuanfu exerted undue influence over the emperor, Ge Ge Shouli would step forward and rebuke him loudly—even if the emperor approved.

For example, in April of the fifth year of Emperor Wanli, eunuchs from Ciqing Palace and Cining Palace issued an imperial edict ordering the Ministry of Public Works to repair the palaces, as the emperor was preparing for his wedding and wished to renovate the palaces for his son's marriage—yet only the front facades were to be repaired, not the backs, with the eunuchs of the Neiyun Ku estimating the cost at 117,000 taels of silver.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng, accompanied by the Grand Secretariat and Minister of Public Works Guo Guo Chaobin and others, submitted a memorial: "The way to govern a state begins with frugality; the greatest drain on wealth is excessive construction. Both Ciqing and Cining Palaces were already constructed in the second year of Emperor Wanli and completed the previous year. Upon their completion, we respectfully inspected them and found them magnificent and splendid, rivaling heavenly palaces. Now, less than three years later, they remain as splendid as ever—yet you wish to destroy what is already built and add further ornamentation? Is this because the original design was inadequate?"

Zhang Zhang Juzheng opposed repairing the palaces to welcome the emperor's wedding.

Upon hearing this, the two imperial mothers halted the project, but Zhu Zhu Yijun believed funds could be drawn from the inner treasury. Yet Empress Chen and Empress Li ultimately wished to avoid further disturbance and did not approve.

Zhu Zhu Yijun personally visited the two palaces to explain the matter to the empresses; the issue was thus settled. Yet Ge Ge Shouli angrily rebuked Zhang Zhang Juzheng for intimidating the sovereign, arguing that the emperor's wedding was a matter of utmost importance—how could one use the pretext of frugality to block the empresses' repairs?

The Ministry of Revenue submitted funds for the wedding: 80,000 taels of silver, 2,800 taels of pure gold, and 100 taels of 90% gold. Within the Grand Secretariat, Zhang Zhang Juzheng still refused under the pretext of frugality and personally petitioned the emperor, citing Emperor Renzong of Song's aversion to pearls and jade to urge thrift.

Ge Ge Shouli also questioned Zhang Zhang Juzheng's conduct, yet Wang Wang Guoguang still delivered the 80,000 taels of silver and 2,900 taels of gold to the inner treasury.

Now that Zhang Zhang Juzheng had left court, Ge Ge Shouli no longer needed to monitor him. He was old and utterly incapable of handling departmental affairs; the Censorate was a place of constant conflict, and Ge Ge Shouli planned to request retirement and return to his hometown.

"Why not go to Xishan and become a neighbor to the Master?" Zhu Zhu Yijun mentioned a plan of his own.

Turning Xishan into a retirement center for retired ministers, gathering these retired officials there, was essentially the same strategy as Emperor Wu of Han's policy of settling powerful clans near imperial tombs—to prevent local gentry and magnates from growing too strong.

Ge Ge Shouli shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, I am of the Jin Party—I shall not go."

Zhang Zhang Siwei and his allies were sent to the Dissection Institute, and 728 were beheaded; yet the Jin Party remained deeply rooted and endlessly resilient. As its party leader, it was better for him not to remain in the capital and trouble the emperor.

What if the emperor decided to execute Wang Wang Chonggu? Would Ge Ge Shouli, as former party leader, not share in the misfortune?

Zhu Zhu Yijun pondered and agreed with Ge Ge Shouli's reasoning. After long deliberation, he red-penned Ge Ge Shouli's petition for retirement and said with a hint of melancholy: "Ge Gong, returning home in glory—I grant you the privilege of official relay transport back to your hometown."

"Ge Gong, travel slowly."

"Your servant thanks Your Majesty's great grace." Ge Ge Shouli performed another deep bow, rose, and exited Guanghan Palace, turning away.

After leaving Guanghan Palace, Ge Ge Shouli bowed again, lowering his voice: "Your Majesty, your servant takes leave."

Court life is like this: when one comes, another departs. Ge Ge Shouli was still glad he could retire intact.

Zhu Zhu Yijun watched until Ge Ge Shouli's figure vanished between the palace walls; the next news he received of Ge Ge Shouli would likely be a death notice.

The prelude to war between Great Ming and the Tumens Khan continued to grow more evident.

In early April, the Tumens Khan assembled over 60,000 troops and launched another offensive against Danning Wei. While feigning attack on Danning Wei, his forces pressed toward Zhangwu, capturing Daxing, Zhenjing, and Tuanshan Bao. Inspector Hou Hou Yuzhao, leading troops from Daxing Bao, resisted but was defeated and retreated to Zhangwu.

Li Li Chengliang of Liaodong led 2,000 troops to reinforce Zhangwu overnight, then personally moved over 20,000 troops toward Zhangwu.

As Li Li Chengliang had said, Zhangwu was the key to Liaodong—unacceptable to lose. Its geography was extremely strategic and naturally defensible.

With only 1,500 troops, Hou Hou Yuzhao held out until reinforcements arrived at Zhangwu. The Tumens Khan's forces—Tu Men, Su Baha, Qiejin Huang Huang Taiji, Chi Baduer, and Chilike—besieged for three more days, but heavy rain obscured vision, horses could not move, and bows could not be drawn.

The Tumens Khan desperately wanted to retake Zhangwu; otherwise, when winter came and Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang's turn arrived, he feared he would be driven completely out of Liaodong.

Before the Beiliao River swelled, Inspector Hou Hou Yuzhao and Deputy Commander Su Su Chengxun led their 1,500 troops across the river in the rain.

Hou Hou Yuzhao and Su Su Chengxun intended to set an ambush to cut off the enemy's retreat. The Danning Wei Regional Commander Wang Wang Rulong and Liaodong's Regional Commander, Marquis Ningyuan Bo Li Li Chengliang, were advancing. If they could delay the enemy for three days, they could encircle and annihilate them.

Dong Dong Huizi had suffered heavy defeats at Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang's hands. Seeing the rain, he knew disaster loomed. He stormed into the golden tent and demanded the Tumens Khan withdraw immediately; if the Tumens Khan refused to retreat that night, Dong Dong Huizi would leave alone.

Dong Dong Huizi's nose was too sharp—he had survived several encounters with Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang precisely because of this uncanny sense of danger.

After long deliberation, the Tumens Khan followed Dong Dong Huizi's advice and withdrew immediately as the rain eased.

Had the Tumens Khan hesitated even one more day—or half a day—the Ming army would have completed the encirclement.

But Dong Dong Huizi, upon seeing the rain, recalled Li Li Chengliang's earlier request for snow in Liaoyang—and thus the Tumens Khan escaped.

Su Su Chengxun led troops in renewed pursuit, capturing 432 enemy heads at Daxing Bao and retaking the three outer baos of Zhangwu.

The next morning, the court assembly convened as usual, presided over by Chief Grand Secretary Lu Lu Diaoyang. Zhang Zhang Juzheng had taken leave to care for his father; Lu Lu Diaoyang had been chairing all assemblies since.

"The Ministry of War petitions for rewards for the officers and soldiers of Liaodong," Lu Lu Diaoyang announced the first agenda item: rewards, for victory naturally merited commendation.

"I approved it yesterday," Zhu Zhu Yijun said. "Grand Secretary, do we have silver in the state treasury for these rewards?"

Wang Wang Guoguang immediately bowed and said: "Your Majesty, we now have money!"

The inner treasury and state treasury begging from each other was indeed undignified. For the past two years, the state treasury had grown full; Wang Wang Guoguang had not begged from the inner treasury in a long time. Now, the moment the emperor asked, Wang Wang Guoguang immediately declared they had funds—begging would be a loss of face.

Zhu Zhu Yijun nodded: "The inner treasury shall continue its usual practice of rewarding the troops."

"Your Majesty's concern for the troops is Great Ming's fortune—Your Majesty is wise," Lu Lu Diaoyang, Wang Wang Chonggu, and Wang Wang Guoguang conferred briefly and had no intention to oppose. Since the second year of Emperor Wanli, the emperor had been using his own funds to reward soldiers; as he himself said, it had become customary.

"What's Hou Hou Yuzhao doing? A frail scholar—he crossed the river? What chaos is he causing?" Zhu Zhu Yijun studied the battlefield report. Hou Hou Yuzhao holding Zhangwu was one thing—but now he was launching an offensive?

Hou Hou Yuzhao had personally crossed the river—this exceeded Zhu Zhu Yijun's expectations.

Zhu Zhu Yijun knew nothing of warfare, but the Beiliao River and Liu River would surely swell in heavy rain. Once crossed, they could not return.

Crossing the river was meant to block the enemy's retreat. Encirclement tactics usually left one side open. But Hou Hou Yuzhao and Su Su Chengxun's crossing point was directly on the Tumens Khan's retreat route—aiming for total encirclement and annihilation.

This was the most brutal position—war is perilous. Hou Hou Yuzhao, unaware of fear, simply marched with the troops.

"Hou Hou Yuzhao promised the soldiers: 'Where Zhangwu stands, I stand,'" Wan Shihé knew why Hou Hou Yuzhao crossed the river to block the Tumens Khan's retreat.

After reclaiming farmland, Hou Hou Yuzhao had told soldiers and civilians alike: "I shall live and die with Zhangwu." A gentleman honors his word. Hou Hou Yuzhao crossed the river to block the enemy purely to fulfill his promise.

Hai Rui affirmed firmly: "Hou Hou Yuzhao upholds promises, defends righteousness, is loyal to the sovereign and devoted to the state—he possesses integrity and moral backbone."

Court ministers first affirmed that Hou Hou Yuzhao's action stemmed from eliminating the enemy, not seeking fleeting fame—who would risk his life on the battlefield just for glory?

If a mean Confucian dared such a thing, Hai Rui would bow to him and send him off, expelling him from the scholar rolls.

Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang stepped before the map and pointed to the Liu River: "Your Majesty, permit me to explain: Inspector Hou crossed the river to boost morale. Crossing in heavy rain meant the river would swell. These 1,500 troops, leaving the city to set an ambush, cut off their own retreat—facing 60,000 enemy troops desperate to break out—would inevitably shake their spirits. But Hou Hou Yuzhao, long stationed in Zhangwu, crossing with them, made the soldiers know the three-day encirclement was real—and thus they fought fiercely."

"Daxing Bao was opened by Hou Hou Yuzhao himself. If these 1,500 troops launch a surprise attack and hold this position, and Wang Wang Rulong and Li Li Chengliang arrive in time, the Tumens Khan will truly be trapped."

"Too bad—the Tumens Khan sensed it and fled at the first rain. The plan failed."

Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang clarified why Hou Hou Yuzhao had to cross: he was a civil official, long stationed in Zhangwu, and his presence with the troops was vital for morale. Though 1,500 men holding off 60,000 seemed foolish, if they failed once, morale would collapse.

In Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang's view, warfare was not mysterious—it was simple. Sixty thousand men seemed many, but when morale fell, they were less terrifying than sixty thousand pigs, for men worry, fear, turn on each other, despair, and surrender.

But the Tumens Khan was no fool—he saw the rain and knew cavalry would be crippled, and fled immediately.

"Then so be it," Zhu Zhu Yijun said with a smile. "Hou Aiqing has served three years. If the campaign proceeds well, let him return to the capital this year for his report—I wish to meet him. If not, no need. The Ministry of Personnel is informed."

"Your servant obeys," Wan Shihé bowed.

Lu Lu Diaoyang drafted the imperial edict, rewarding the troops and encouraging Hou Hou Yuzhao, Su Su Chengxun, and other civil and military officers, then requested the emperor's seal.

Lu Lu Diaoyang then presented another memorial from Zhang Zhang Xueyan, his expression grave: "Governor of Liaodong Zhang Zhang Xueyan reports: The Tumens Khan covets a royal title and demands enfeoffment. Our soldiers, weary from prolonged warfare, upon hearing the barbarians' words, now harbor hopes of peace. But should we accept their submission? I fear such appeasement will be seen as fawning."

Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang had once planned to seize Quanning Wei in one bold stroke—a classic military gamble.

He feared that the occupation of Danning Wei in the fourth year of Emperor Wanli would be his last campaign beyond the frontier. He saw the Liaodong situation: if the Tumens Khan and the Jianzhou Jurchens allied, they would become a grave threat to Great Ming.

Hearing Zhang Zhang Xueyan's plea, Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang sighed. If the court agreed, the capital troops' campaign this September—even if fully prepared—would be wasted. And if the capital troops moved again, it would be exceedingly difficult.

The court might still decide to enfeoff the Tumens Khan.

With Zhang Zhang Juzheng gone for mourning, Great Ming needed stability. The sentiment to seize Danning Wei and then stop was strong. Border troops, exhausted from battle, also felt peace might not be so bad.

Tan Lun pondered and said: "Your Majesty, the Tumens Khan's demand for a royal title is merely a ruse. He claims himself the rightful khan of the steppe, the sovereign lord, often calling Altan Khan a traitor to the Eternal Heaven. Would he truly kneel and submit? He merely speaks to stir up morale."

Ma Ma Ziqiang shook his head: "Your Majesty, I believe it may be acceptable. With the Grand Tutor gone, stability is paramount. With our army nearby, corrupt ministers will fear to act. One mountain cannot hold two tigers; one steppe cannot bear two kings—they will fight among themselves. Great Ming can rest and wait, gaining the advantage of the fisherman."

Whether to fight or make peace, even the Jin Party was divided. Ge Ge Shouli had visited Wang Wang Chonggu precisely to determine this.

The Ministry of War and Ministry of Revenue favored war; the other three ministries—Ministry of Justice under Wang Wang Chonggu, Ministry of Rites under Ma Ma Ziqiang, Ministry of Public Works under Guo Guo Chaobin, and Chief Grand Secretary Lu Lu Diaoyang—all favored peace, each with ample reason.

Pro-war argued: opportunity lost is lost forever.

Pro-peace argued: with the Grand Tutor gone, the state is unstable. Better to wait. As long as the Tumens Khan does not raid, let each side live in peace.

Lu Lu Diaoyang also felt now was not the time for war. If war was necessary, better to recall Zhang Zhang Juzheng—to stabilize the court, so troops could fight with a secure rear.

As for Minister of Personnel Wan Shihé, expecting him to take a stance before the court's direction was clear was unrealistic—he was all about following the wind.

"What does Marshal Qi think?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang's opinion. The battle was his to fight; military affairs could not be decided by civil officials alone.

"I wish to fight," Qi General Qi Jiguang Jiguang carefully replied, bowing, "but I also believe the Grand Secretary's concerns are valid." He wanted to fight, yet Lu Lu Diaoyang's worries were not without merit.

"Then let's fight," Wan Shihé, having clearly sensed the direction, declared. He smiled: "The Master is in Xishan, only fifty li from the capital—half a day, a day's journey. If anything happens, we can go to Xishan for help."

"But didn't the Battle-Devouring Buddha, escorting the Golden Cicada to fetch scriptures, still call for heavenly aid when trouble arose?"

"You speak foolishly—the Master is not omnipotent," Ma Ma Ziqiang softened slightly but still disagreed.

Lu Lu Diaoyang's eyes lit up: "Minister Wan speaks wisely. The Master's return takes but a day. If the front changes, we can respond easily."

Zhang Zhang Juzheng had not returned to Jiangling—he had gone to Xishan, a round trip of but one day.

Zhu Zhu Yijun finally nodded: "Then we shall not enfeoff him yet. We have not fought enough; the conflict has not fully erupted. So let us fight."

With Zhang Zhang Juzheng's retirement, state affairs now rested with the emperor. The emperor had decided: fight and see.

"Grand Secretary Wang, I have a question," Zhu Zhu Yijun asked Wang Wang Chonggu, Minister of Justice, regarding criminal law. "In the Criminal Code compiled by the Master, it states: 'Those who privately forge seals shall be beheaded.' This law is extremely harsh. Yet throughout history, no leniency has been shown. Why?"

In Great Ming, capital punishment required the emperor's red-penned approval. Zhu Zhu Yijun had noticed a case where someone was beheaded for merely forging an official seal—hence his question about the intent of this law.

"Those who privately forge seals shall be beheaded"—regardless of how many times, or how much profit gained. Any act of forgery merits death. Zhu Zhu Yijun merely felt this punishment too severe.

Wang Wang Chonggu reflected long and said: "Seals are tied to imperial authority, calendars, and official credentials. Hence the law: 'All forgers shall be sentenced to death.' Here, 'seals' refers to official seals. Those punished under this law for forging official seals are rarely innocent. To show mercy under the guise of benevolence risks undermining the state's legal order."

"Then we shall follow precedent," Zhu Zhu Yijun agreed with Wang Wang Chonggu's view.

He asked whether the punishment was too harsh. Wang Wang Chonggu answered: not harsh—and explained clearly: only those who forged official seals were beheaded. He warned that changing this law would damage the state's moral and legal foundations. In this age, all anti-counterfeiting relied on handwriting, seals, and seam stamps. Forging an official seal was equivalent to treason.

"Your servant obeys," Wang Wang Chonggu sighed in relief. The emperor was no man seeking empty fame. To change this law might seem benevolent, but it was petty mercy—damaging the public order and propriety of the realm.

Lu Lu Diaoyang presented another memorial: "Imperial Censor Li Li Xueyi petitions regarding reduction of courier stations: First, verify actual savings to determine station quotas; second, deliberate on actual reductions to relieve civilian hardship; third, inspect actual supply to ease burden on station laborers; fourth, clarify tax collection to relieve arrears."

Minister of War Tan Lun stared at Lu Lu Diaoyang, dumbfounded: "Wait—Li Li Xueyi means to suggest we abolish Great Ming's courier stations?"

"Yes, that's exactly his meaning," Lu Lu Diaoyang handed Li Li Xueyi's memorial to Tan Lun. The memorial lay before them—he merely summarized its gist; it was not his own proposal.

Tan Lun read the memorial, narrowed his eyes, then burst into laughter: "Ha! Hahahaha!"

"Mean Confucian nonsense—unworthy of consideration," Tan Lun gave the Ministry of War's opinion. Li Li Xueyi's argument rested on the premise that every state action multiplies burdens on the people: reduce one courier, save ten shi of grain, cut local taxes by three or four percent—wouldn't that benefit the people?

Courier laborers were a form of corvée, also hereditary military households. Great Ming's courier stations maintained horses and supplied food and drink for passing officials. Li Li Xueyi deemed them burdensome and suggested reducing or abolishing some.

This made Tan Lun laugh outright.

Tan Lun calmed his laughter and shook his head: "He thinks he's helping the common people, believing governors can inspect and let the people benefit? But if courier stations are abolished, how are the couriers—who depend on them for their livelihood—supported? He thinks cutting stations saves money—but does it? Courier stations are like blood vessels in the human body. If you cut them, are you preparing to dismember the Great Ming?"

"This man lacks practical experience. He should be sent to the frontier—Yunnan or Guizhou. There, he'll understand why Great Ming must maintain courier stations."

"Minister Wan, this is your man—what do you think?"

Li Li Xueyi was not only Wan Shihé's student, but also a Censor of the Ministry of Personnel; Tan Lún never interfered in the appointment or dismissal of civil officials—when Wang Wang Chonggu led a group of Jin Party members to impeach Tan Lún for coughing at the Altar of Heaven, Tan Lún did not retaliate.

Indeed, Li Li Xueyi's memorial was utterly absurd.

After reading Li Li Xueyi's memorial, Wan Shihé wiped sweat from his brow and angrily said, "This Li Li Xueyi—I'll properly discipline him!"

"The Grand Minister speaks wisely. Let him be sent to Guizhou. Let him endure real hardship, work diligently for a few years, and then he'll understand the truth. These hollow pen-pushers are most common in the Hanlin Academy and the National University—they think merely being in the Hanlin means they understand the whole world."

"If you don't understand, learn. If you don't know, observe. Why spout nonsense and invite ridicule?"

Lü Diaoyáng, the Grand Secretary, hesitated to pick up his brush, watching the Emperor on the moon terrace, waiting for His Majesty's decision.

The Emperor and Zhang Zhang Juzheng were perfectly in sync—on matters like this, Zhang Zhang Juzheng had already drafted the floating ticket himself. Why would Zhu Zhu Yijun need to decide personally?

The Emperor and Lü Diaoyáng stared at each other for a while, until Lü Diaoyáng finally picked up his brush, drafted the floating ticket, and submitted it to the throne.

The Cabinet's partial decision-making authority derived from these floating tickets; in most cases, the Emperor accepted the Grand Secretary's recommendations and directly approved them with a red annotation—this was the Cabinet's partial authority over state affairs.

Lü Diaoyáng was an excellent Deputy Grand Secretary, but as Chief Grand Secretary, he still lacked sufficient confidence.

"Recently, the Six Registers and One Ledger have encountered some problems," Wang Wang Guoguang said after the Emperor finished red-annotating the proposal to abolish and reduce courier stations. The Six Registers and One Ledger were a sharp blade for Great Ming's finance and administration—used to audit taxes and root out corruption. But Wang Wang Guoguang now began detailing the problems with the Six Registers and One Ledger.

"Our Ming officials truly have top-down decrees and bottom-up countermeasures. The Examination System and the Six Registers and One Ledger have, in the hands of certain officials, become the perfect tools for bureaucratic laziness—specifically, shifting blame and fabricating reports."

"How is blame shifted? Power is not delegated, but responsibility is. How are reports fabricated? The court demands the Six Registers and One Ledger; for every matter, dozens of forms are distributed—whoever signs and seals them bears the blame."

"Our imperial officials adore fabricating reports and shifting blame."

"This spring, Jiangxi suffered a locust plague. A clerk in the document office of Ruichang County, Jiujiang Prefecture, filled out seventeen forms in a single day. Land surveying? Have the clerks fill out forms. Land redistribution? Have the clerks fill out forms. Population verification? Have the clerks fill out forms. Filing grievances? Still have the clerks fill out forms. Altogether, it seemed shifting blame and fabricating reports had become universal solutions—as if they could resolve any problem."

"Ultimately, a logic emerged: under severe punishment, brave men will emerge."

Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Wang Guoguang, frowning, and said, "Grand Minister of Revenue, this is serious. Explain properly."

Wang Wang Guoguang's expression turned grave. "Under severe punishment, brave men will emerge."

"When orders arrive, blame is shifted downward, and responsibility falls on whoever signs and seals. Meanwhile, the officials themselves indulge in wine and courtesans. If responsibility is delegated, shouldn't authority be delegated too? But it isn't—the clerks scratch their heads bald, yet hold no power. What can they accomplish? Pray to heaven, no answer. Pray to earth, no response."

"This severe punishment inevitably leads Ming officials to falsify records and paint a false picture of peace—deceiving for now, and doing nothing but surface work. As a result, when locusts came, last year's warnings about pest control were ignored entirely."

"Under such severe punishment, two things inevitably happen: those above know those below will falsify records, so they deliberately inflate measurements; those below know those above demand inflated figures, so they deliberately falsify records. In this tacit understanding, the Examination System naturally decays, and the Six Registers and One Ledger drown beneath mountains of fraudulent ledgers."

Wang Wang Guoguang criticized his own Six Registers and One Ledger system—and some flaws in the Examination System—based on Governor Pan Pan Jixun's memorial. This was not an indictment of Zhang Zhang Juzheng; Wang Wang Guoguang did not need to be executed for speaking against Mr. Zhang's policies—decrees are decrees.

Every decree is refined through continuous implementation—this conforms to the fundamental law of dialectical development: quantitative change leads to qualitative change.

"Actually, it's quite simple," Wan Shihé said with a smile, watching Wang Wang Guoguang look as if facing a great threat.

"Simple?!" Zhu Zhu Yijun stared at Wan Shihé in astonishment. "Wan Grand Minister, this is no joke. Administration and finance are the core of Mr. Zhang's plan to enrich the state. Don't speak lightly."

Wan Shihé smiled. "Your Majesty, at its root, this issue boils down to one word: power."

"The clerks don't want to be lazy—they need authority to act. But that authority is clutched tightly by imperial officials who spend their days in brothels. Since the clerks lack power, what else can they do but falsify records?"

"It's very simple: when trouble arises, chop the official's head. If trouble occurs in a county, chop the county magistrate's head. In a prefecture, chop the prefect's head. In a province, chop the heads of the Provincial Administration Commissioner and the Provincial Governor. The dilemma resolves itself."

"Huh?" Zhu Zhu Yijun stared at Wan Shihé, eyes wide. All court ministers turned to look at Wan Shihé—could it really… possibly… be that simple?

Wan Shihé elaborated further: "What Grand Minister Wang fears is essentially chaos caused by misdirected accountability—when accountability is not applied to the actual responsible party."

"When trouble arises in a county, blame the clerks. When trouble arises in a prefecture, blame the Six Departments. Since the true governing officials are never held accountable, this is misdirected accountability—and under severe punishment, falsification becomes inevitable."

"When trouble arises, the clerks bear the blame—while the real officials continue visiting brothels."

"How you manage granaries is how you manage falsification and deception."

"If a fire burns the granary, the two Provincial Commissioners lose their heads. If records are falsified, everyone loses their hats—and their heads. You must find the real culprits—either supervise personally, or if you're going to visit brothels, delegate authority to those who actually do the work."

Zhu Zhu Yijun sat upright, staring at Wan Shihé in disbelief, his right hand repeatedly slapping his left, nodding vigorously. "Brilliant! Brilliant! Grand Minister Wan—you are truly a pillar of the state! Your insight cuts to the bone!"

Wan Shihé replied humbly: "Your Majesty overpraises me. I merely repeat others' wisdom. As Minister of Personnel, I admit I don't fully understand the department's affairs—everything is managed by Mr. Zhang. Whenever I encounter problems, I visit the Quanchu Hall to consult him. Over time, I've picked up a few scraps of Mr. Zhang's knowledge—and now I humbly present them."

"Holding the official seal while visiting brothels, receiving delegated tasks yet lacking resources—when accountability falls on those who hold the seal, the dilemma resolves itself."

Wan Shihé had secretly gone to Zhang Zhang Juzheng for tutoring!

This tactic, once explained, was simply the "first-responsibility system": assign a task to the primary official, make him fully responsible. When trouble arises, the court asks only him—not anyone else. This was Wan Shihé's understanding of administration.

Simple—but truly effective.

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(End of Chapter)