Chapter 269: I Have a Way, Plotting the Path to the World

Emperor Wu of Han's "impoverishing the country and using force" was because of a major survival crisis. The Xiongnu were in an upward phase at the time, and the Great Han was also in an upward phase, which could be called a collision of the strong.

Great Ming's situation is different. The natural endowment of the Northern Lu now is completely inferior to the grassland during the Han dynasty. At this time, the grassland is bitterly cold and simply cannot support anyone's ambition. Altan Khan fought Great Ming for so many years, winning more and losing less, and could even be said to have almost no defeats. But as he fought, the *Wanhu* under him didn't want to fight anymore. The natural endowment is there; they simply don't have the capital to "swallow an elephant."

The Xiongnu envoy dared to humiliate Empress Lü because the Xiongnu were stronger than the Great Han at that time, and Empress Lü had to welcome them with a smiling face. But the Northern Lu envoy, San Niangzi, says all the good things she can every time she enters the capital, caught in the middle between Great Ming and the Northern Lu's war faction, and even planning to sleep on the dragon bed to see if she could have a mixed-blood baby, so that Altan's enfeoffed princely title could continue to be passed down and the tribute market could be maintained.

Zhu Yijun doesn't have to be like Emperor Wu of Han, completely "impoverishing the country and using force." Establishing two cavalry battalions, six thousand people, and leaving behind the seeds of elite cavalry—once Great Ming's national power is invigorated and Great Ming and the Northern Lu cannot complete reconciliation, these six thousand veterans will be enough to hatch fifty thousand or one hundred thousand elite cavalry.

"Master, now the inner treasury has ten million silver, and I intend to invest it all in maritime trade, vigorously promoting shipbuilding, cotton cloth, silk, porcelain, etc., to plot for silver to flow in more quickly and conveniently." Zhu Yijun talked to Zhang Juzheng about the arrangements for royal investment. The inner treasury eunuchs had already given a detailed investment table, and the Imperial Manors would blossom everywhere in these industries.

An investment of ten million silver in the fifth year of Wanli is an extremely terrifying number. This money will be used for the formation of industrial chains, process improvement, training of industrial craftsmen, and infrastructure, etc., to promote the scale and maturity of opening the seas.

Therefore, on the day of the explosion, where would the powerful and wealthy families involved in this matter go to find a specific culprit? They could only wail and accept their defeat, as this great casino was something they themselves had insisted on participating in from the very beginning; they had to accept the outcome of their gamble.

"Ten million?!" Zhang Juzheng suddenly widened his eyes, looking at the Emperor in disbelief, his expression extremely shocked. Was this still the miser he knew?

One shot and it's ten million taels of silver! That was money the Emperor had saved by eating and dressing frugally for five years, wearing only green clothes and not purple robes, and he was going to spend it all in one go?

Zhang Juzheng had also thought that the young Emperor intended to take all the silver he had saved and bury it in the Imperial Tombs, accompanying him for generation after generation.

In Zhang Juzheng's view, the Emperor using silver to build the Imperial Tombs was the same strange behavior as a landlord burying silver in the ground. Gold and silver are currency; they only have value when they circulate. When they don't circulate, they can't be eaten or worn, and have no value at all.

Zhang Juzheng could only say that the young Emperor was truly interesting. He was really frugal, but when he spent, he was really willing to spend. One shot and it was an investment of ten million silver.

"Actually, it's not enough, but I only have this much." Zhu Yijun said with slight helplessness. It was still the poverty causing trouble. After the investment, all the surplus would be invested again. The entire Great Ming maritime opening cause was definitely not enough with ten million or twenty million silver.

Zhu Yijun said very clearly: "Emperor Wu of Han fought the Xiongnu not necessarily for the Hexi Corridor, for the Western Regions, for the Silk Road. Now, because of the existence of the Ottoman Empire, the trade on the Silk Road has declined extremely rapidly, and the sea route has become the new path of the world."

"At that time, Emperor Wu of Han did it for the path of the world; today, I am also doing it for the path of the world."

Emperor Wu of Han's decisive battle with the Xiongnu, his strategy toward the Xiongnu, standing from the perspective of later generations, was definitely the correct choice. The importance of the Hexi Corridor goes without saying. It was the road communicating with the world, the road of commerce, the blood vessel of the world at that time. For example, the Great Han already knew about Rome at that time and called them "Qin people"; for example, the Altai Mountains were rich in gold mines, and after opening the Hexi Corridor, the Han dynasty spent four hundred years mining the gold mines of the Altai Mountains empty.

And now, with the arrival of the Age of Discovery, the path of the world has gradually shifted from land to sea.

Zhu Yijun wanted to thank Qi Jiguang. Qi Jiguang's great victory in Daning Guard and Huining Guard saved Zhu Yijun a large sum of expenses, which could be used for opening the seas instead of maintaining the border defense. The strong Capital Battalion showed powerful strength on the grassland. The westward-advancing Tuman Khan and Altan Khan had to think about the cost of going to war with Great Ming while Qi Jiguang was still alive.

"Let's go in and take a look." Zhu Yijun walked up to a building and went inside, only to walk back out a moment later looking somewhat dejected.

Official factories, tax collection, opening the seas, emphasizing farming and sericulture—these were all the Emperor's New Policies. Administration, land survey, academic administration, and strengthening martial arts were Zhang Juzheng's New Policies. And the Emperor's New Policies and Zhang Juzheng's New Policies together constituted the Wanli New Policies.

The biggest problem with a young ruler and a suspicious state is the absence of imperial power, leading to the failure of Great Ming's institutional operation. The intensity of Wanli's New Policies far exceeded the Jiajing New Policies of that year. This was a rescue and survival of Great Ming when its national situation was declining.

Its momentum was surging, its power was immense.

"Does the Master not intend to return to the Cabinet?" Zhu Yijun frowned, hearing the subtext in Zhang Juzheng's words. This "mourning period" was mourning, but the flavor of returning to seclusion and never coming out again was truly a bit strong.

Zhang Juzheng was also very frank, nodding and saying: "Your Majesty, the subject is very comfortable in the Western Mountains. Those people of the Restoration faction will also set their sights on the subject, not Your Majesty."

During the Jiajing reign, the Daoist Master experienced how many assassination attempts? At least two palace fires, one palace maid assassination. This was a fierce collision between ministerial power and imperial power. And Zhang Juzheng was not in the capital, but in the Western Mountains. Compared to the young Emperor, these enemies of the New Policies hated Zhang Juzheng even more.

Probably only court officials could know the difference between the Emperor's New Policies and Zhang Juzheng. In the eyes of court officials, local officials, and the gentry of the world, all these New Policies were done by Zhang Juzheng.

After Shang Yang died, he was torn apart by five horses. The belief Zhang Juzheng always held was nothing more than that he could be liquidated, but the pace of the New Policies could not stop.

At the beginning, Yang Bo once tried to win over Zhang Juzheng, letting Zhang Juzheng marry his non-existent daughter, from then on merging the Jin and Chu factions, Zhang Juzheng becoming the sole power, directly locking the Emperor in the palace, with political decrees not leaving the Imperial Palace. Zhang Juzheng could do whatever he wanted, right? At that time, Qi Jiguang was still Zhang Juzheng's subordinate. Zhang Juzheng, who mastered military, political, economic, and cultural interpretation rights, was the substantial Emperor, the true "Ming Regent."

Zhang Juzheng never agreed. Kneeling and being a "Grand Secretary" was not Zhang Juzheng's goal. Under the imperial system, even if the Emperor was forced by various winds and public opinion, or because he hated Zhang Juzheng, this Grand Tutor, for being too strict, and wanted to liquidate him, the New Policies could not stop.

"The Master has really been idle for too long." Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "I am the Son of Heaven. If the Master doesn't return to the court, I'll have you tied back!"

"Ah? Oh." Zhang Juzheng was first surprised, and then felt melancholy. He knew his own disciple very well; Zhu Yijun could really do it.

And if the Emperor did this, Zhang Juzheng could only return to the court. This was the Emperor's power. For example, in the sixth year of Jiajing, the Daoist Master issued a decree for Xie Qian to return to the court to serve in the Cabinet. Xie Qian refused, and the Zhejiang Provincial Governor and Provincial Surveillance Commissioner directly tied Xie Qian onto a boat and sent him to the Northern Yamen. The four-dynasty veteran, who was old and had old illnesses, only then returned to the Wenyuan Pavilion.

Zhang Juzheng felt the Emperor was important because after he left the court, everything in the court was operating normally, and the Emperor could control the court situation. While Zhu Yijun felt Zhang Juzheng was important—without the "Old Ancestor" in the Western Mountains suppressing the luck, among the court officials, who had a heart of submission to a young Emperor with no hair on his lips?

Wang Chonggu now feared Zhang Juzheng more than he feared the Emperor.

With Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang, Zhu Yijun was in "simple mode." Without Zhang Juzheng and Qi Jiguang, Zhu Yijun was facing "hell mode."

"The Master once told me that the best situation in this court is nothing more than a wise monarch and good ministers, united in one virtue. Those who hold the state handle follow the constant path, hold straight integrity, and keep themselves clean and far away. Thus, with the power of grinding edges and corners, they achieve the merit of turning heaven and earth, and thus the monarch is respected and the country is complete." Zhu Yijun threw a boomerang, hitting Zhang Juzheng on the head.

This was Zhang Juzheng's original words. Zhang Juzheng told the young Emperor that if the monarch and ministers were separated in heart and virtue, then the monarch's chaotic orders, even if the ministers knew they were wrong, would only be executed and not criticized. The Emperor is a person, not a god who knows everything and makes no mistakes. If professional talents in all aspects refuse to criticize, then even the wisest monarch will become muddled, and even the most virtuous minister will become a treacherous official.

When talking about this, Zhang Juzheng used Cai Jing of the late Northern Song dynasty as an example. The young Cai Jing was also a minister who did not fear the powerful and hated evil, and was even the right-hand man of the wise minister Zhang Dun of the late Northern Song dynasty—that is, Zhang Dun who helped the Great Song attack Western Xia, destroy the Tubo, and develop the southwest. Cai Jing's ability was extremely strong.

But after Emperor Huizong, Zhao Gou, succeeded to the throne, Cai Jing became a treacherous official.

If the monarch and ministers are of one heart and one virtue, then even a mediocre monarch will become wise, and even a treacherous minister will become virtuous. If the monarch and ministers have a common goal, they can achieve the merit of turning heaven and earth, the monarch will become more respected, and the country will become more complete.

Zhang Juzheng was left speechless by this boomerang from Zhu Yijun.

"Who does the Master think can be the Grand Tutor and Grand Secretary of the state?" Zhu Yijun asked directly when he saw Zhang Juzheng not speaking.

Zhuge Liang could still recommend Guo Youzhi, Fei Yi, Dong Yun, Zhang Yi, Jiang Wan, and others. Who did Zhang Juzheng recommend? Shen Shixing, who looked like he had no responsibility and only thought about muddling through? Or Wang Chonggu, who gathered wealth and profit and sought to usurp power? Or Ma Ziqiang, who was stubborn to the point of being obstinate? Or Wang Guoguang, who didn't like strengthening martial arts? Or perhaps the State Duke Zheng, Ma Fang, Ling Yunyi, and others?

Zhang Juzheng actually wanted to say Wang Guoguang. Wang Guoguang didn't like strengthening martial arts, still because strengthening martial arts cost too much, but Wang Guoguang didn't oppose strengthening martial arts, he just didn't like it. Wang Guoguang's political advocacy was for a wealthy nation and strong people.

Zhang Juzheng still didn't say it in the end, because he knew the Emperor was waiting for him to speak, and then boomerang after boomerang would hit him.

For example, "A gentleman is not a vessel."

Wang Guoguang is a "vessel talent," not an "all-around talent."

Don't debate with the Emperor. This is a truth that the Great Ming's imperial censors have practiced with their own faces. A memorial full of nonsense will be refuted by the Emperor until it is completely shattered in front of all the civil and military officials.

This is his own disciple; didn't Zhang Juzheng know the strength of the Great Ming Emperor?

Zhu Yijun chatted with Zhang Juzheng for a long time, talked about the Luzon Governor's Office, and mentioned Chen Chengyi. This was a *juren* who was responsible for mining copper and gold mines in Luzon. Last year, he sent thirty thousand *jin* of copper ore in the first year, and this year he sent nearly sixty thousand *jin*, which could mint ninety million copper coins. And Borneo sent quite a lot of gold.

The Ryukyu envoy sent back Great Ming's conditions, and the Ryukyu King was very hesitant. Great Ming wanted maritime defense inspectors and wanted to station troops in good ports. This was a condition that was relatively difficult for Ryukyu King Shang Jiu to accept. Zhu Yijun was not in a hurry. Once the Ryukyu King completely defected to the Japanese, then the Ryukyu battlefield would be the whetstone for the Great Ming water navy.

And the Nagasaki Governor's Office imported no more than 1.2 million taels of silver this year, and it was expected to reach two to three million taels, becoming a reliable silver import end like the Western galleons. Zhu Yijun talked to Zhang Juzheng about Xu Wei. This person, Xu Wei, had no respect for the Imperial Court, and calling him a rebel was not an exaggeration. But Xu Wei was, after all, a Great Ming person, and he was also a usable person. As long as everyone's aspirations were consistent and the goals were the same, he was a usable talent.

Zhu Yijun saw Zhang Juzheng was a bit tired, so he let Zhang Juzheng rest, and he himself ran to Yanhuichi to chisel ice and catch fish. He played with great interest. The next day, before dawn, Zhu Yijun intended to leave quietly. Zhang Juzheng hadn't rested well the day before yesterday, and after sleeping for a while, he chatted with the Emperor about many state affairs. Who would have thought that as soon as the Emperor got up, he saw Zhang Juzheng had already gotten up and was preparing for the farewell ceremony.

Zhang Juzheng indeed suspected that he was a treacherous official. For that bit of silver, he had tossed and turned for such a big circle, and it wasn't as good as the profit Wang Chonggu had handed over in these few years of gathering wealth and profit.

Zhu Yijun set off, but didn't return to the capital, but went to the Yongding Wool Factory. He began his busy life. Visiting the Yicheng Earl's mansion was more like a short rest in his busy schedule. The time for stealing leisure in his busy schedule was always so short.

The Yongding and Yongsheng wool factories handed over a profit of 3 million silver last year. This number was so terrifying that it made Zhang Juzheng suspect that he was a treacherous official.

During the Jiajing reign, the Imperial Court's annual revenue was converted to 9 million taels of silver, and the Nine Borders expenditure exceeded 5.4 million silver. After the twenty-ninth year of Jiajing, the Nine Borders expenditure increased sharply to over 7 million taels. At that time, the Great Ming Imperial Court couldn't make ends meet, and the total annual expenditure exceeded 13 million taels.

At that time, everyone said Yan Song was a treacherous official. After Yan Song fell, from the fortieth year of Jiajing, until the second year of Longqing, the Imperial Court's revenue continued to decline. Until the second year of Longqing, the Great Ming Imperial Court's revenue converted to silver was no more than 4 million taels. The annual expenditure could only be done until March, and doing it further was meaningless, because it could only be owed.

Owe money—this was the norm for Great Ming.

Yan Song was the "turbid flow," Xu Jie was the "clear flow." In terms of results, neither the clear flow nor the turbid flow could save the Great Ming dynasty.

"This game of 'passing the flower while the drum beats' is indeed a method of gathering wealth." Zhu Yijun arrived at the Yongding Wool Factory and saw Wang Chonggu and Wang Qian, father and son. It was almost New Year, and the two came to the official factory to distribute New Year's gifts, because the profit shared by the Imperial Court was truly too much. Wang Chonggu and Wang Qian were worried, always feeling that they were too fat and the Emperor's guillotine would fall sooner or later, so they began to scatter wealth.

The craftsmen of the official factory were given two taels of silver each for the New Year, which became Wang Chonggu and Wang Qian's method of "using the people to weigh themselves." This was Wang Chonggu and Wang Qian's method of self-protection. Wang Chonggu was truly too good at saving his life.

The Yongding and Yongsheng wool factories had a total of over thirty thousand craftsmen. Two taels of New Year's silver for each person to prepare New Year's goods meant they basically didn't have to worry about the New Year at all. People like Wang Xiangu, Wang Shizhen, and Eunuch were also "using the people to weigh themselves," wrapping up the hundred thousand followers to make the Imperial Court hesitant. And Wang Chonggu was also "using the people to weigh themselves." His method was to distribute money, give craftsmen better treatment, and the result obtained was completely different.

Besides the New Year's silver, there were also "opening work gifts." These two expenditures were entirely paid by the old Wang family. Even so, Wang Chonggu still felt guilty. The Emperor made the decision, and the profit shared by the Imperial Court to his family was truly too much.

Where did the profit come from? Zhu Yijun said it was "passing the flower while the drum beats." The business of fine spinning wool was getting bigger and bigger. The price of one bolt of cloth had risen to twenty taels of silver. This price had completely ignored its use value and only looked at its exchange value.

The official factory made money once by selling fine spinning wool, and the transaction of fine spinning wool had to have another 0.3% transaction tax deducted. This was the business of fine spinning wool, and this game of "passing the flower while the drum beats" was still continuing, and more and more people were participating.

Even if there were a large number of trading houses among the people, Yanxing Tower was still the number one trading house for wool.

"Passing the flower while the drum beats" passes a flower ball. When the drum sounds, the guests pass the flower ball. When the drum stops, whoever has the flower ball must recite a poem, otherwise, they will be punished with wine. This game was carried forward by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji. He was extremely good at it. Once, when Li Longji beat the drum, the unsprouted willow trees began to sprout, making the guests marvel, and everyone called it an auspicious sign.

Now the flower ball is fine spinning wool. Everyone participating in this huge gambling game thinks they are not the one who needs to be punished when they get the ball.

"It might not be a bad thing." Wang Chonggu actually agreed with this game. He looked at Wang Qian; this story of fine spinning wool was told by his son.

Scarcity—there was only that much grassland wool, and that much fine spinning wool. While the quantity was scarce, it was also a symbol of wealth. Portability—the high price of fine spinning wool determined that it was more portable in large-scale trade, and it was not easy for the Imperial Court to detect. Doing some dirty, tiring, and unseen work, it had its uses.

The Imperial Court called it fine spinning wool, which was talking about its usage environment, while the Great Ming gentry and powerful families called it "Great Cloth Currency."

"Oh? What high opinion does the Grand Secretary have?" Zhu Yijun asked with some surprise.

"Your Majesty, the gentry and powerful families' pursuit of wool—the silver they buried in pigsties is flowing back to the market and turning into silver coins. Currency is beginning to circulate. This is the greatest benefit." Wang Chonggu mentioned a benefit of the gentry and powerful families' pursuit of fine spinning wool.

This was mining—mining the mines of the powerful families. The silver they hid was constantly being dug out in this terrifying appreciation and hot trading situation, and exchanged for fine spinning wool.

"The subject can actually understand why the gentry and powerful families are so keen on Great Cloth Currency. They are actually worried about the massive inflow of overseas silver and the depreciation of silver. Great Ming is like a *Taotie*, swallowing the world's silver, seemingly never full."

"But the silver eaten needs to be digested and circulated. A large amount of silver piles up in wealthy places, such as Yingtian, Songjiang, Fujian, the capital, etc. This is silver damming." Wang Chonggu analyzed the reason why the gentry and powerful families, knowing this was a gambling game, still participated in it.

Great Ming's silver was a net inflow. Great Ming possessed absolute commodity advantages. Most of the raw materials that needed to be purchased overseas would not take away silver, but take away goods. The inflow of silver was huge and was beginning to stabilize.

The silver flowing into Great Ming piled up in prosperous places. It took time to pass through circulation to the corners of Great Ming. This digestion process caused silver damming, and silver in local areas began to depreciate.

The place where depreciation was fastest was where wealth was most concentrated: Songjiang, Suzhou, Yingtian, Ningbo and Hangzhou in Zhejiang, Yuegang in Fujian, Dianbai in Guangzhou, etc. As the only million-person capital in the north, silver naturally piled up in the capital. The increase in silver naturally caused the panic of the powerful families about the shrinkage of their assets, thereby pursuing a more stable investment product.

The appearance of fine spinning wool and Great Cloth Currency allowed the gentry and powerful families to find a place to relieve their panic. The popularity of this fine spinning wool became a matter of course.

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Chonggu and nodded continuously, saying: "What the Grand Secretary said is reasonable. You are a minister who assists. Thank you, Grand Secretary, for resolving my confusion."

"The subject dares not accept." Wang Chonggu hurriedly bowed. He was just standing from the perspective of the powerful families and making his own judgment on the fine spinning wool business. The Wang Chonggu family was definitely a "shading household." Not counting their own business, just the Imperial Court's share, it exceeded three hundred and thirty thousand taels a year.

There were three things in front of Wang Chonggu: the first was silver, the second was the seal, and the third was his life.

The Emperor asked Wang Chonggu, of these three things, you can only choose one. If Wang Chonggu chose silver or the seal, he would actually get nothing. But Wang Chonggu chose his own life, and at the same time, he got silver and the seal. When Zhang Juzheng was in mourning, Wang Chonggu galloped back to his hometown under the stars, but was caught back by the Emperor to continue working.

Every time Wang Chonggu faced a test, he would choose his life.

"This fine spinning wool business still has to be red-hot for a few years. If the silver inflow is still so stable, this fine spinning wool business will probably have to continue." Wang Chonggu's expression was extremely strange.

According to the initial estimate of him, Wang Qian, and the Emperor, this fine spinning wool game wouldn't last long before it collapsed. Wang Chonggu judged that it wouldn't be long before these gentry and powerful families would reach out to the common people, splitting the fine spinning wool into several shares of "cloth tickets" to buy, letting the common people who were not qualified to enter the game bear this cost.

But now Wang Chonggu's view had changed a bit.

Zhu Yijun, Wang Chonggu, and Wang Qian had greatly underestimated the potential of Great Ming's powerful families. This "human mine," which had been reclaimed like fishing in a dried-up pond for two years, actually had the business getting bigger and bigger, without any sign of reaching the limit.

Wang Chonggu quietly released one thousand bolts of fine spinning wool to smash the market, but instead of smashing the market down, it helped a wave of growth in fine spinning wool.

This growth gave Wang Chonggu a deeper understanding of this game. This wasn't "adding water when there's too much flour, adding flour when there's too much water." The one thousand bolts of wool he sold were all eaten up by others. Stable supply increased market confidence, while the Lanzhou wool factory's inability to produce fine spinning wool thickened the specialness and scarcity of fine spinning wool.

And the establishment of the Nagasaki Governor's Office and the inflow of Japanese silver increased the panic.

Wang Chonggu explained in detail the reasons. When practice and cognition conflict, practice is the standard.

"Then why not speculate on gold?" Zhu Yijun could understand everything Wang Chonggu said, but what he didn't understand was why it was fine spinning wool. Gold was more value-preserving, and gold's scarcity didn't need stories at all; everyone knew it.

Wang Qian thought for a moment and explained: "Your Majesty, gold does not have stable production. Without stable production, it means that those who enter the game later can only be manipulated by those who enter the game earlier. So gold won't work."

Great Ming lacked gold and silver; this was an objective natural endowment. Gold was mostly in the Imperial Palace, and what was scattered among the people was mostly gold ware. Even the gold sent from overseas could not satisfy the demand at all. This was also the reason why Wang Chonggu rushed his performance at the end of the year and directly released one thousand bolts, and the market reaction was enthusiastic.

Zhu Yijun understood. He had thought he would see countless trading houses on the banks of the Tonghui River and the Qinhuai River go bankrupt this year, and the scene of gentry and powerful families jumping into the river. But Wang Chonggu and Wang Qian judged that this day was still far away, because Great Ming opened the seas, and the inflow of silver changed from passive to active, and the damming phenomenon made the depreciation of silver not a distant fantasy, but the status quo.

"Then why not speculate on land?" Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and asked again.

Wang Chonggu and Wang Qian looked at each other. Wang Chonggu said helplessly: "It's not that the Imperial Court doesn't allow it, right? The Imperial Court is surveying the land, the guillotine is hanging high. Of course they want to speculate on land, but if the hat of 'merging land' is put on them, which individual powerful family can withstand it?"

Xu Jie merged some land and was reported by Sun Keyi. The Songjiang Prefecture Yamen reacted quickly, and the *Tiqi* even came to the door. Facing the Imperial Court, publicly merging land—that wasn't sticking one's neck out and loudly saying to the Emperor: "Come and cut me! Come and cut me!"

One doesn't seek death like that.

Zhu Yijun understood. It wasn't that they didn't want to, but the Imperial Court didn't allow it. To be precise, it was because of the winds and public opinion of the Imperial Court suffering from land merging and the people's suffering, as well as the national policy of land survey and clarifying production materials, that the gentry had to consider the cost. If they continued to merge land and offended Zhang Juzheng, Zhang Juzheng's Zhang Party would really break down doors and destroy households.

"Actually, you can speculate on sea ships, such as three-masted galleons, five-masted ocean-crossing ships. The output is stable and the value is very high." Zhu Yijun thought of another object: sea ships.

This was Ma Ziqiang's memorial, and also his political promise upon entering the Grand Secretariat, except that his declaration was aimed at the Ministry of Personnel.

"The unit price of the three-masted galleon is truly too high." Wang Qian answered the reason why the three-masted galleon was not suitable. The unit price was so high that the risk was too great.

Begging for monthly tickets, Awoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 270 =====

Since the Jiajing era, the officials in the capital and the provinces of the Great Ming were generally divided into two types: the "Clear Stream" and the "Turbid Stream." As time passed, by the Wanli era, they had already been divided into "Competent Officials" and the "Clear Stream."

Those who could get things done were Competent Officials, while those who could not were the Clear Stream. According to Ma Ziqiang's memorial, it was indeed a matter for the Ministry of Rites. To rectify the impropriety of those who should be upright—the current officialdom of the Great Ming was foul and murky—how to rectify this improper atmosphere had become the business of the Ministry of Rites.

The damage that the so-called Clear Stream inflicted upon the Great Ming system was systematic. They filled the officialdom of the Great Ming, holding power but doing nothing, creating a power vacuum. Power does not exist in a vacuum; inevitably, others would steal that power.

When the "Base Confucians" became the majority, the corruption of the civil service became inevitable.

Ma Ziqiang was just a hair's breadth away from calling the Base Confucians ministers who would ruin the country. When Base Confucians took up local posts, they began to slack off, occupying positions without doing their jobs. They were high in rank but lacked dedication; they couldn't get things done, but their ability to stir up trouble was strong. All day long, they knew only how to fight among themselves. If the imperial court offered the slightest admonition, they would lie flat, give up, and take turns crying, making scenes, and threatening suicide. This damage to the civil service was extremely fatal.

The solutions Ma Ziqiang provided were: first, if the performance review for the first year of a new appointment was "inferior," the official would be dismissed and sent back to their home province to await reassignment; second, if the rating was "average" for three consecutive years, they would also be fined their salary and suspended from duty, increasing the power of the Performance Review Law over newly selected officials.

The third was to test them on mathematics; if they failed the test, they would not be given an official post.

There was endless debate in the Great Ming over whether mathematics should be included in the imperial examinations. At the same time, the Revivalist faction was extremely resistant to mathematics, and the Revivalist faction and the Base Confucians overlapped significantly. Therefore, using mathematics for selection could, in the present moment, become one of the bases for judging their political leanings.

Revitalizing mathematics and mastering the sciences was something the Emperor of the Great Ming had promoted with all his might, initiated by the Prince of Zheng, Zhu Zaiyu, using astronomical calendars as an entry point. This was something the Emperor advocated. If they were unwilling to even learn mathematics, or could not learn it well, they could not even speak of "loyalty to the monarch," let alone "serving the country."

Ma Ziqiang's promise upon entering the Grand Secretariat was to rectify the Base Confucians, and the entry standard for newly selected officials was to set a limit on mathematics: one hundred questions, one point per question, with ninety points being the passing grade. Below ninety points, one could not be selected for an official post.

Compared to Sun Piyang's lottery method, Ma Ziqiang's use of mathematics to set limits on civil service could be called a precision strike.

"Issue an edict to the Ministry of Personnel: next year, during the court discussions, when the Ministry of Personnel selects officials, add mathematics. Every elder in the Grand Secretariat of the Great Ming is being cursed, but it is all My fault; I bear the responsibility." Zhu Yijun gave his vermilion approval to Ma Ziqiang's memorial and ordered the Ministry of Personnel to implement it.

After this memorial by Ma Ziqiang entered the Grand Secretariat and was approved, he would likely be carved into a small effigy by thousands of scholars, and they wouldn't feel satisfied even if they stabbed it to death.

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(End of chapter)