Chapter 91: The First Regular Morning Court of the Wanli Era

The bribery behavior of Zhang Siwei and Wang Chonggu was just like a cart crashing into a tree—only when they knew they had to turn did they realize it; it was like having snot flow into one's mouth—only then did they know to shake it off; it was like a little mouse pulling a cat's whiskers and getting pinned down—only then did they know to run.

It's too late!

The year is drawing to a close, and the situation in the imperial court is vastly different from the beginning of the year. If Zhang Siwei continues to stir up trouble, Zhu Yijun will truly let a young eunuch slash his face, ensuring he can never again enter the court as an official.

Either listen obediently to the imperial court, or go back and prepare to rebel, flip the table over, and stop causing so much trouble every single day.

Disgusting!

If he were to rebel, Zhu Yijun would still respect Zhang Siwei as a man.

Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, Hou Yuzhao, the Right Investigating Censor of the Ministry of Justice, submitted a memorial stating: 'The Book of Changes says that when the high and low communicate, their wills are the same; it also says that when Heaven and Earth communicate, there is peace. To summon the harmony of Heaven and Earth, nothing is better than communicating the sentiments of those above and below.'"

"'Now, the ministers of the Cabinet and the Ministries have fixed times for audiences, but face-to-face discussions are infrequent. It is fitting to use the side halls for audiences, summoning them for discussions at times other than the regular ones, or during the leisure of lectures, to consult them and inquire into one or two of the matters memorialized daily. Allow the ministers to fully express their insights and provide detailed reports. In the past, Shu Xiang responded that when high ministers rely on their stipends and do not offer frank remonstrance, and low ministers fear punishment and dare not speak, the sentiments below cannot reach those above—this is the great calamity of the state.'"

"'Hou Yuzhao's meaning is that because Cabinet ministers can see the Emperor, they have become powerful ministers, pursuing private interests and acting without restraint. He requests that after the Emperor reviews memorials, if court officials have inquiries, the Emperor should summon the ministers for an audience.'"

Zhu Yijun had indeed read this memorial. Hou Yuzhao's "Memorial on Favored Officials Seizing Power and Acting Arbitrarily" was over a thousand characters long. The beginning was filled with nonsensical flattery, using terms like the Emperor's "Heavenly Wisdom," while the latter part requested the Emperor to pardon the three censors who had previously impeached Tan Lun, forgive their crimes, and reinstate them.

In the entire memorial, only the passage quoted by Zhang Juzheng could be considered a decent suggestion.

Hou Yuzhao's point was that because Cabinet ministers could see the Emperor, they had become powerful ministers, acting selfishly and recklessly. He requested that after the Emperor issued rescripts on memorials, if court officials had questions, the Emperor should summon them for an audience.

Zhang Juzheng singled out this passage because the Emperor had only lazily and casually marked a cross on the memorial; he was not sure if the Emperor had truly read the content of the memorial carefully.

To be more precise, Hou Yuzhao, as a member of the Jin Party, was impeaching Zhang Juzheng for usurping power and isolating the inner court from the outer court.

Zhu Yijun sat up straight and said, "Each ministry has its deliberations, which are presented to the Cabinet; the Cabinet drafts the rescripts and sends them to the Directorate of Ceremonial; the Directorate of Ceremonial applies the vermilion ink and sends them to the Qianqing Palace to be stamped with the half-seal. This is the established law of our ancestors."

"I do not agree with Hou Yuzhao's words. When court officials hold deliberations, I can hear them, and occasionally when I do not understand, I ask. How is it that in Hou Yuzhao's view, it has become a case of someone isolating the inner court from the outer? Does he have no regard for the Nine Ministers and the twenty-seven court officials? Even Ge Shouli, upon hearing this, did not agree with his words."

Zhu Yijun marked a cross on Hou Yuzhao's memorial, and when Ge Shouli returned, he scolded Hou Yuzhao severely. If one doesn't know what to write, one could just write "Good morning!"

In the matter of opposing the Grand Secretary who "shakes the master's authority," no ammunition is superfluous. Wasting firepower by pointlessly attacking Zhang Juzheng is a waste!

In the process of opposing the Grand Secretary, one must strive to use one's strength on critical matters!

"Your Majesty summoning court officials is the proper thing to do." Zhang Juzheng, however, rather agreed with Hou Yuzhao's words. What kind of situation is it for the Emperor not to see his ministers?

Zhu Yijun still disagreed, saying, "After the new year, I will only be eleven years old and still in my studies. The imperial wedding is at fifteen; let us discuss this matter later."

"How about holding a Grand Morning Court at the Huangji Hall once a month?" Zhang Juzheng chose a compromise.

The young Emperor said he was young, which was a very appropriate reason. Holding a Grand Morning Court once a month should also be done, allowing the officials in the capital to see the living Emperor.

The Ming Emperor not attending morning court and not holding Grand Morning Courts had been the case for a long time. The earliest could be traced back to the Yongle reign, when the Yongle Emperor went out on campaigns, often gone for over a year. The morning courts were held by the Renzong Emperor, Zhu Gaochi, making Zhu Gaochi seem more like the Emperor and Zhu Di more like the Grand General of the Northern Expedition.

The Ming morning court not being regularly held should date back to after the palace coup in the twenty-first year of the Jiajing reign; the Jiajing Emperor never attended morning court again.

That has been over thirty years.

Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng, who was persisting, and understood: this Grand Secretary needed the young Emperor's support! He needed the young Emperor to help him stand his ground.

The Method of Examination began to be promoted nationwide from the capital in the eighth month and encountered many difficulties. The scolding directed at Zhang Juzheng accumulated more and more. Recently, rumors had gradually spread in the capital that Zhang Juzheng wanted to emulate Wang Mang. Naturally, court officials submitted such "Memorials on Favored Officials Seizing Power and Acting Arbitrarily" to attack Zhang Juzheng for usurping power and isolating the inner court from the outer.

If Zhang Juzheng really wanted to emulate Wang Mang, would he still promote the Method of Examination?

And this re-establishment of the regular morning court was Zhang Juzheng's way of dealing with it—bringing the young Emperor out to be seen, saving everyone from saying the young Emperor was being deceived by him.

Zhu Yijun shook his head and waved his small hand, saying, "That will do. They use the heart of a petty person to measure the belly of a gentleman; they do bad things themselves and suspect others of doing bad things every day. If they have nothing to do, they can go plant two mu of land, get some sweet potato seedlings, and study how to let the common people eat their fill!"

A rather ominous feeling rose in Zhang Juzheng's heart, because he remembered the Emperor's words scolding Wan Shihe—each sentence more piercing than the last, wishing he could scold Wan Shihe until he committed suicide.

This time, the court officials insisted on the Emperor coming out to see them and holding a morning court once a month. When the time comes, that scene will likely be very difficult to manage.

Zhang Juzheng hesitated for a moment. He was indeed under great pressure from public opinion, but he could still hold his ground. He bowed his head and said, "Perhaps we should just forget it."

"It is settled!" Zhu Yijun confirmed the arrangement and said, "Summon the expositors and lecturers of the Hanlin Academy to the hall for lectures."

On the twenty-third day of the tenth month of the first year of Wanli, the imperial decree was sent to the six ministries of the Ming capital, announcing that the third day of every month would be the time for the morning court. Because the Emperor was still young, the time was set for one hour.

The regular morning court, which had been suspended for over thirty years, was suddenly settled just like that.

The young Emperor seemed happy to see the court officials, and the officials in the capital were all overjoyed!

During the Zhengtong reign, when the Ming Yingzong Emperor attended morning court, he only discussed eight matters daily, and the people and events were designated. The Ming Yingzong Emperor also held a cheat sheet when he went to the hall. Later, it became a custom, and the court deliberations at the Huangji Hall became increasingly formalistic, with no practical effect.

It was not that the Ming did not have regular morning courts; court deliberations were regular morning courts. Every matter was discussed by the twenty-seven court officials, including the Nine Ministers, before the Emperor was asked to stamp it.

Therefore, these regular morning courts gradually went from once every three days to once every five days, and finally, in the twenty-first year of the Jiajing reign, they were simply not held at all.

The third day of the eleventh month. Auspicious: opening businesses, cleaning, renovations, sacrifices, building livestock pens, paving roads. Inauspicious: weddings, funerals, transactions, courting death.

This eleventh month is the depth of winter. Getting up at the fifth watch is already a torture, and one has to wait outside the Chengtian Gate. After the Chengtian Gate opens, most court officials cannot enter the hall to avoid the wind; only about a hundred people can enter the Huangji Hall.

After the Han Generals sounded the drums and blew the horns, the Chengtian Gate slowly opened. The officials lined up from the Nine-Dragon Dan Steps and entered the hall after being searched.

Zhu Yijun had been waiting, and only after the court officials were all standing did he sit up straight.

"We ministers pay our respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live." The officials kowtowed to pay their respects.

Zhu Yijun waved his small hand and said in a generous, loud voice, "Beloved ministers, you are excused. Rise."

"If you have matters to report, speak; if not, the court is dismissed." Feng Bao flicked his horsetail whisk and announced in a high-pitched voice that the first regular morning court of the Wanli era had begun.

Zhu Yijun held a stack of memorials in his hand, scanned the court officials, and said, "No rush. First, let's talk about Hou Yuzhao's 'Memorial on Favored Officials Seizing Power and Acting Arbitrarily.' Has Hou Yuzhao arrived?"

"This minister is here." Hou Yuzhao hurriedly stepped out and bowed his head.

Zhu Yijun looked at Hou Yuzhao and asked, "You stated in your memorial that there was no snow in the two winters of last year, and little rain and haze this spring and summer; for many days, there was no thunder, the two wheats did not ripen, and the hundred grains were not sown. North of the Great River, there will be a state of a thousand miles of scorched earth. Specifically, where did you say this thousand miles of scorched earth occurred, and where did the drought happen?"

"Specifically, which prefecture, department, or county? I want to see if there were any reports of disaster and tax remissions from the prefectures, departments, and counties this year. The imperial court governs the world with benevolent policies; whenever disasters occur, the two taxes will be remitted."

Hou Yuzhao stood in the center of the Huangji Hall, momentarily at a loss. He was silent for a moment and said, "This minister spoke from experience. There was no snow last year, so there must be a drought this year."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yijun sneered and said, "Has the Assistant Director of the Astronomical Bureau arrived? Was there no snow last year? If there was no snow, according to the ancestral system, I should have fasted for a month to respect Heaven and follow the ancestors, praying that the people would have a continuation for the coming year. Why don't I remember fasting for a month?"

The Assistant Director of the Astronomical Bureau hurriedly stepped out, thought for a moment, and bowed his head, saying, "Reporting to Your Majesty, in the month of Meng Dong last year, there was a snowfall four inches and eight fen thick. After entering winter, there was snow every month. In the twelfth lunar month, there were four snowfalls, and some houses in the capital were destroyed."

"Grand Minister of the Masses." Zhu Yijun looked at the Minister of Revenue, Wang Guoguang. "Grand Minister of the Masses" was an honorific for the Minister of Revenue. Of course, for someone like Wan Shihe, Zhu Yijun wouldn't even call him by his name, at most calling him Minister Wan.

Wang Guoguang stepped out and bowed his head, saying, "This minister is here."

"Grand Minister of the Masses, have there been any reports of a thousand miles of scorched earth and tax remissions in the prefectures, departments, and counties this year?" Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Guoguang and asked with a smile.

Wang Guoguang hurriedly said, "Heaven has unpredictable winds and clouds. Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have been respectful in service and filial in devotion, and the two palaces have been benevolent in benefiting the masses. The people are sincere in serving the ministers. It is fitting that the Heavenly Way follows its track, and rain and sunshine come in time. There have indeed been reports of disaster and tax remissions in prefectures and counties, but it is far from a state of a thousand miles of scorched earth. If it were a thousand miles of scorched earth, the displaced people would have already broken through the prefectures and counties."

When disaster strikes, the common people who cannot wait for relief—where else would they go but where there is food?

Zhu Yijun closed the memorial in his hand, narrowed his eyes, and asked calmly, "Supervising Secretary Hou, is it the Assistant Director of the Astronomical Bureau and the Grand Minister of the Masses who are deceiving me? Or are you deceiving me?"

This was a life-or-death question.

The Minister of Revenue, Wang Guoguang, was a court official, a public figure. To say the Grand Minister of the Masses was deceiving him would mean stepping into the office with the left foot and being dismissed; to say he himself was deceiving the Emperor would mean stepping into the office with the right foot tomorrow and being dismissed.

"This minister... this minister is guilty. I ask Your Majesty to punish me." Hou Yuzhao knelt directly on the ground and kowtowed to plead guilty.

Zhu Yijun looked at Hou Yuzhao and said with slight helplessness, "How are you guilty? How dare I say you are guilty? If I say you are guilty, then tomorrow the censors and officials will run to the Chengtian Gate to kowtow again."

"Last time, regarding the matter of Luo Zun, Jing Song, and others, I just said that forming cliques to exclude others would not end well, and ordered them to return to their hometowns to live in leisure. I hadn't even done anything yet, and well, in front of the Chengtian Gate, there were nearly two hundred people kowtowing."

"You are not guilty. I cannot say you are guilty. If I say you are guilty, it is blocking the path of remonstrance; if I say you are guilty, it is that the Emperor's gate is ten thousand miles away and there is a hidden calamity; if I say you are guilty, it is that the Heavenly Way does not descend to save, and the sentiments below do not reach above; if I say you are guilty, it is that the common people of the world are returning to life, and many are dying young."

"I cannot say you are guilty."

Hou Yuzhao was momentarily speechless. Kneeling on the ground, he said loudly, "This minister deceived the Emperor and ignored the superiors. This minister's crime deserves ten thousand deaths."

"Grand Secretary, in this situation, where a censor submits a false memorial, how should it be handled?" Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng and asked for his opinion on the punishment.

Zhang Juzheng stepped out and bowed his head, saying, "For a censor to speak on matters is his duty. Some exaggeration and empty talk are inevitable. This minister believes that a penalty of half a year's salary is appropriate. If the punishment is too heavy, it will harm the upright spirit of the officials who serve as the eyes and ears."

Zhu Yijun looked at Hou Yuzhao, thought for a moment, and said, "Forget it, no salary penalty either. There wasn't much to begin with, and it has to be converted into paper money, and the paper money is just a pile of waste paper anyway. For a censor to speak on matters is his duty. You did say something of substance, and this regular morning court was established because of your memorial."

"Some exaggeration, let it be exaggeration. Hou Yuzhao, can I discuss a few things with you?"

Upon hearing this, Hou Yuzhao was even more terrified. Trembling, he said, "This minister's crime deserves ten thousand deaths."

"Get up and speak. You are kneeling on the ground to speak; where is the upright spirit? Did Bi Gan kneel to remonstrate with King Zhou? Did Wei Zheng kneel to remonstrate with Emperor Taizong of Tang? Did Grand Censor Hai kneel to remonstrate with the World Temple? Stand up and speak." Zhu Yijun waved his small hand.

He didn't like censors kneeling to remonstrate, nor did he like them saying "crime deserves ten thousand deaths" at every turn. A person only has one life; how can one die ten thousand times? If you cut them ten thousand times, the executioner would have to lose a few hands.

"This minister thanks Your Majesty for your great grace." Hou Yuzhao finally stood up. Kneeling again would be a case of "retreating to advance," coercing the master.

Zhu Yijun saw Hou Yuzhao stand up before he said, "The first thing: Luo Zun, Jing Song, and the others returning to their hometowns to live in leisure was due to forming cliques to exclude others, to stop the trend of party strife. Do I need to explain to Supervising Secretary Hou what the 'Calamity of Party Prohibitions' is and what kind of harm it has? Supervising Secretary Hou is a Jinshi; you should be clearer about the harm of party prohibitions than I am."

"If you want to impeach the Minister of War, find some reliable matters. Coughing at the Altar of the Sun—is that enough to impeach him and send him back to his hometown to live in leisure? Doesn't that make the court's use of personnel look like child's play? If the court treats even knowing people and assigning tasks as child's play, then state affairs are even more like child's play."

Hou Yuzhao swallowed his saliva and bowed his head, saying, "This minister will respectfully follow the holy instruction."

Zhu Yijun nodded and said, "The second thing: in the future, when Supervising Secretary Hou submits a memorial, can you add some punctuation? I have read few books, and reading a memorial requires me to punctuate it myself. I have to punctuate for a long time and then try to understand what it means. There are so many memorials every day. If you have a respectful heart, add some punctuation, and make your words concise. Can you do that?"

"Grand Secretary, please issue a decree to all government offices: memorials should be concise and clear, and it is fitting to use common language and common characters, so that I, a ten-year-old ruler, can read and understand them. Look, I am young and inexperienced; can you accommodate me?"

Hou Yuzhao wanted to kneel again, but the Emperor wouldn't let him. He said tremblingly, "The ruler has a command; the minister dares not disobey."

Zhu Yijun continued, "The 'Analects: Shu Er' says: 'The Master taught four things: culture, conduct, loyalty, and trustworthiness.' What is trustworthiness? It is sincerity, it is the reality of practice, it is the truth of the infinite principles of all things. Less empty talk, more reality of practice. To be more precise, it means saying something true, not engaging in empty talk, and even less being superficial in matters, speaking just for the sake of speaking."

"If you don't know how, you can read the Grand Secretary's 'On Contradiction'."

Hou Yuzhao could only bow his head again and say, "This minister will respectfully follow the holy instruction."

"The establishment of this regular morning court, once on the third of every month, and the twenty-third day for the first month, was established by the Grand Secretary based on your memorial and remonstrance. The Grand Secretary is the minister appointed by the late Emperor before he ascended to the immortals, and he is also the Emperor's teacher. Whether the Grand Secretary has isolated the inner court from the outer, you can judge for yourself. A long road tests the strength of a horse; time reveals a person's heart. Alright, you have seen me; return to your ranks." Zhu Yijun waved his small hand, signaling that Hou Yuzhao, who had been scolded, could return to his ranks.

"This minister obeys the decree." Hou Yuzhao returned to his position and wiped the sweat from his forehead. This young Emperor was truly sharp-tongued; in two or three sentences, he had forced people into a dead end, unable to get out.

"Next one, let me see." Zhu Yijun picked up the second memorial and said, "Has Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, Li Dai, arrived?"

"This minister is here!" Li Dai hurriedly stepped out and bowed his head.

Zhu Yijun said, "You submitted a memorial on four matters regarding the aftermath in Guangdong. The first matter is to clear the tax quotas. When the army moves, grain must follow; extra levies are unavoidable. However, now that the fighting has ceased, one cannot, because of a temporary expedient, cause permanent harm to the common people."

"This point of yours is very good, but the Viceroy of the Two Guangs, Governor Yin Zhengmao, submitted a memorial three months ago saying that the clearing of tax quotas has already been completed. Starting next year, the regular taxes and silver conversions of the Two Guangs will be sent to the capital. Oh, that's right, Viceroy Yin said there are over seventy thousand taels of silver left, which will be escorted back to the capital."

Zhu Yijun looked at Wang Guoguang and asked, "Grand Minister of the Masses, is there such a deliberation? It's been over three months; I don't remember the specific amount."

Wang Guoguang recalled and said, "It is seventy-four thousand six hundred and twenty-three taels of gold-flower silver, which can be entered into the treasury before the new year."

Governor Yin Zhengmao had requested two years of tax quotas for the sake of suppressing the rebellion, meaning the regular taxes of the Two Guangs for two years were used for suppressing bandits and pirates. This matter was almost done. Starting next year, the regular taxes of the Two Guangs would continue to be sent to the capital. What Li Dai was talking about was this matter that had already been completed.

Zhu Yijun looked at the memorial and said, "Supervising Secretary Li, I am a bit strange. Your second matter requests: 'When the bandits are suppressed, the army should be disbanded.' Does this mean that since the pirate troubles in Guangzhou are gradually being suppressed, the brave soldiers recruited to suppress the bandits and pirates should be disbanded?"

"This minister indeed has this intention." Li Dai bowed his head and said, "The bandits and pirates have been suppressed. To keep feeding brave soldiers is to fear the calamity of regional warlords."

Zhu Yijun was a bit unsure and asked again, "Supervising Secretary Li, are you serious? You want to disband the three thousand soldiers recruited?"

"This minister indeed has this intention." Li Dai frowned and bowed his head.

When the birds are gone, the good bow is hidden—isn't this a matter of course?

Zhu Yijun slapped his forehead, looked around, and saw Qi Jiguang standing straight. The young Emperor said, "Commander Qi, can you explain this to Supervising Secretary Li?"

"This minister obeys the decree." Qi Jiguang stepped out, thought for a moment, and said, "Supervising Secretary Li has never led troops and does not quite understand. If these soldiers are disbanded, I fear there will be several harms that will be very difficult to deal with."

"The bandits and thieves in Guangdong have been entrenched for a long time, so the number of soldiers gathered is also very large, at least over three thousand. Once disbanded, they are all brave and fierce men, carrying an arrogant spirit, with no way to make a living, no occupation to make a living, and no land to make a living. To expect them to keep their duty is impossible. The resentment cannot be relieved. If recruited soldiers are disbanded, they become bandits. If we have to suppress them again and recruit new soldiers, how can we suppress them?"

Recruited soldiers cannot be disbanded unless we find a job for them to settle down. Otherwise, once these recruited soldiers are disbanded—using people when facing forward, not using people when facing backward—once resentment arises, they will become bandits, and it will be impossible to suppress them. New soldiers fighting against battle-hardened veterans—it would be strange if they could win.

Disbanding recruited soldiers is creating fierce bandits. Even if we give them food every day to keep them idle, we absolutely cannot disband them on the spot.

Qi Jiguang continued, "The second point is that the bandit troubles in the Two Guangs have not yet been eliminated. Viceroy Yin has won several great victories in succession. This suppression of bandits and pirates is not just about suppressing a few big mountain strongholds with names; that doesn't count as stability. The bandit troubles and pirates that everyone hears about are all gathered together. After destroying the bandit nests, these bandit troubles scatter. If we don't pursue them, it's like the spring breeze blowing on the grass—the dead ashes will burn again."

The Ming's public figures were rolled out by thousands of troops and horses, and the Ming's bandit troubles and pirates were also rolled out.

Bandits are everywhere. The bandits elect a big boss, a martial arts alliance leader, and then start causing trouble. When the imperial court suppresses them, the big boss is killed, and most of the bandits below become small leaders. They just find a mountain nest, and they can gather a batch again.

Between gathering and scattering, this is really difficult to solve. Only by showing compassion to the common people and eliminating the soil where bandit troubles breed can there be long-term peace and stability.

But showing compassion to the common people is much harder than suppressing bandits. It requires the order of rewards and punishments to be clear. If you want the imperial court's rewards and punishments to be effective, you must have a sword; otherwise, who will listen to you?

Qi Jiguang looked at Li Dai and continued, "The public figures have been in the court for a long time. Disbanding these brave men, even if they don't gather to cause trouble, they will run rampant in the countryside, fierce and incomparable, becoming local bullies. The county government cannot control them, and I fear they will become the claws and teeth of the powerful, causing disaster in one area. The people will flee and riot, gathering to become bandits. The bandits will naturally be suppressed more and more, and the more they are suppressed, the more chaotic it will be."

"Suppressing bandits is all about the way of settling the common people."

Qi Jiguang talked about the third danger simply. Once the powerful have claws and teeth, it is the common people who suffer. The tenant farmers who lose their land and the drifters become more and more numerous and cannot be settled. At this point, the soil for bandit troubles will immediately become fertile. Then, the matter of suppressing bandits will be a useless effort, and the situation of more and more suppression will happen constantly. That Gao Gong's student, Li Qian, suppressed bandits more and more.

Qi Jiguang finished answering these three questions and bowed his head to return to his ranks.

Zhu Yijun looked at Li Dai and asked, "Supervising Secretary Li, you say these soldiers—should they be disbanded or not?"

"Don't disband them. Don't disband them." Li Dai hurriedly answered. The bandits were all suppressed, and there were still so many things. Li Dai was a bit confused. The three questions mentioned by Qi Jiguang were problems that had to be considered.

Li Dai's one-size-fits-all method of disbanding soldiers—those who know, know that Li Dai has read books until his brain is confused, thinking about problems too simply. Those who don't know might think Li Dai is a mole sent by the bandits to the court!

"Let me see your third matter, this..." Zhu Yijun held the memorial in his hand, looked at Li Dai, and asked unsurely, "Supervising Secretary Li, do you want me to read it out?"

"No need, no need." Li Dai bowed his head and said, "This minister has reckless words. I ask Your Majesty to punish me."

Li Dai's third matter regarding the aftermath of suppressing bandits and pirates in Guangzhou was simply outrageous—outrageous to the extreme.

Li Dai's good plan for suppressing bandits was to establish town patrols. Since bandit troubles are endless, why not establish town patrols and recruit the bandits into these town patrols? Wouldn't there be no bandit troubles then?

Bandits burning, killing, and looting is illegal; making them legal—wouldn't that be fine?

Even if Li Dai was feigning recruitment, gathering them together to wipe them out in one fell swoop, Zhu Yijun could still say that the scholar was playing dirty. But this third matter of Li Dai's was indeed a bit outrageous.

Zhu Yijun threw Li Dai's memorial aside and said disdainfully, "Read more books, walk more, look more, listen more, and ask more. If you really don't know, read 'On Contradiction,' or read the two military books written by Commander Qi. If you finish reading them, you will absolutely not write such a memorial. In the future, don't just slap your forehead and say, 'Hey, this idea is extremely wonderful,' and then submit it. It just invites ridicule."

"I read it and thought our Great Ming was going to perish tomorrow."

"This minister is guilty." Li Dai swallowed his saliva and bowed his head.

"Sigh, return to your ranks, return to your ranks. Read more books in the future." Zhu Yijun waved his small hand, signaling Li Dai to return to his ranks.

"Let me see the next memorial. This memorial from the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Sun Piyang—I don't quite understand it after reading it. Has Sun Piyang arrived?" Zhu Yijun scanned the court and asked.

The reason Zhu Yijun had to ask was because some people would miss the court, meaning they didn't ask for leave and didn't get up, not coming to attend the morning court. Anyway, the imperial court didn't dare to do anything to them.

This is an extremely bad example. It turns out that even the Grand Morning Court can be missed!

Later, when the Wanli Emperor grew from a young Emperor to an adult, and after Zhang Juzheng left, no one managed the Wanli Emperor anymore, and the Wanli Emperor missed the court for thirty years.

"This minister is here." Sun Piyang hurriedly stepped out and bowed his head.

"What do you mean by this 'lot-drawing method'? Does it mean that when the court assigns tasks, we just put a pot in the court hall, fill it with lots, and whoever draws which lot does which official's job?" Zhu Yijun didn't quite understand Sun Piyang's institutional invention.

The court uses people, and the lot-drawing method decides—what kind of trick is this?

"Yes." Sun Piyang hurriedly explained, "At present, the Grand Secretary's Method of Examination makes the Minister of Personnel just a clerk in the Cabinet. The Ministry of Personnel assesses officials, all based on whether they agree or not. If they agree, it's okay; if they don't, it's not. The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Appointments hold the power, and most of the power is in the Cabinet. This minister is speaking up for the gentlemen."

"Moreover, this court recommendation of Cabinet ministers always causes a lot of trouble. Writing whose name is in the first place requires a lot of arguing. Listing someone who shouldn't be listed leads to reprimands, and not listing someone's name makes their family unhappy. It's very difficult. It's better to draw lots."

How to choose people so that the Emperor, the Cabinet, and the group of ministers don't feel disgusted, don't oppose, don't make people feel like they are forming cliques for private interests, and don't make people feel like they are pushing for their own use, so that everyone is convinced, and everyone feels it is open, fair, and just.

Lot-drawing method—when in doubt, draw lots.

"Minister of Personnel Zhang Han, Minister Zhang, is this method feasible?" Zhu Yijun looked at the repeater Zhang Han. This person's catchphrase was "The Grand Secretary's handling is appropriate," which indeed matched what Sun Piyang said about the Ministry of Personnel's authority all being in the Cabinet.

Zhang Han said concisely, "No, it's just messing around."

Zhang Han felt that Sun Piyang's lot-drawing method was really too unreliable, so he just said it wouldn't work, and the reason was that it was messing around.

Zhu Yijun closed Sun Piyang's memorial, frowned, and said, "Minister Sun, are the servants in your family also chosen by drawing lots to decide who is your confidant? Is your family's driver also chosen by drawing lots to decide who drives for you? Is your family's cook also chosen by drawing lots to decide who is the cook?"

"Minister Sun, after you go home, try the lot-drawing method. You don't need much. If your family is not in chaos by the end of this year, you can submit a memorial again. I have seen it; the court uses people by drawing lots—is it feasible?"

A driver who doesn't want to be a confidant is not a good cook—are you playing games!

The key is that Sun Piyang's lot-drawing method was indeed promoted in the twenty-third year of Wanli after Sun Piyang became the Minister of Personnel, and it was used until the Chongzhen reign. Even Cabinet ministers were decided by the lot-drawing method, making the court hall a mess.

It's not a religious symbol like drawing a reincarnated Living Buddha. Assigning administrative officials by drawing lots—isn't this letting a cook be a driver?

Zhu Yijun threw the memorial aside and said sternly, "Civil officials are lazy, and military officials are playful."

"This minister is guilty." Sun Piyang wiped the sweat from his forehead. Thinking of the scene where the driver in his family was a cook, driving his carriage and running into the moat, he was truly terrified.

"Return to your ranks." Zhu Yijun couldn't be bothered to deal with Sun Piyang. He picked up another memorial, flipped through it, and said, "Supervising Censor Jia Sanjin, has Jia Sanjin arrived?"

No one answered for a long time.

Zhu Yijun asked again with a frown, "Jia Sanjin, has he arrived?"

"Jia Sanjin?" Zhu Yijun's tone became icy. Jia Sanjin had missed the court, meaning he had skipped work and didn't come to attend the morning court.

Zhu Yijun took a deep breath and said sternly, "Commander, go to Jia Sanjin's mansion and bring him here!"

The young Emperor had arrived, and Jia Sanjin dared to miss the court! Last time, when the censors and officials kowtowed to the Heavenly Palace at the Chengtian Gate, this guy was among them!

Zhu Xixiao stepped out, bowed his head to receive the order, and took people to Jia Sanjin's mansion.

Zhu Yijun held back his anger, took out the next memorial, and said, "Has the Hanlin Academy academician Wu Zhongxing arrived?"

"This minister is here." Wu Zhongxing stepped out, terrified.

"This memorial of yours impeaches the Director of the Baogi Division of the Western Garden, Xu Zhenming." Zhu Yijun looked at Wu Zhongxing and said, "The claim of three thousand to five thousand catties of sweet potatoes per mu is rare in the world. It is an act of false reporting to seek rewards. In the past, Zhao Gao pointed at a deer and called it a horse; it is the same today. You should be punished according to the law."

"Do you know that sweet potatoes are calculated by the method of five to one? Do you know why it must be five to one?"

Wu Zhongxing was silent for a moment and said, "This minister does not know."

"Will Grand Censor Ge tell him?" Zhu Yijun looked at Ge Shouli. Wu Zhongxing didn't know, and Ge Shouli didn't know at first either, but Ge Shouli asked if he didn't understand, and Hai Rui told Ge Shouli to calculate by dry weight.

"It is calculated by dry weight!" Ge Shouli stepped out, bowed to pay respects, and then looked at Wu Zhongxing and said quite definitely.

Zhu Yijun watched Wu Zhongxing close the memorial and said calmly, "Academician Wu, your family is wealthy, and you haven't farmed since you were young, nor have you tasted the bitterness of hunger. But when you speak, be a bit more grounded, and clarify the situation before submitting a memorial."

"Since you are in the Hanlin Academy, read more books. If you don't understand, you can ask for advice. In our Great Ming world, there are people who know how to farm everywhere. Just ask anyone, and you will understand. In the future, don't submit such memorials again and invite ridicule."

"The Master said: 'When three people walk together, there must be a teacher among them. I choose the good and follow it, and change the bad.' Not knowing is not a shameful thing. Not knowing and not asking, and not asking but pointing fingers randomly, is the shame."

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhongxing hurriedly pleaded guilty: "This minister is guilty. I ask Your Majesty to punish me."

"The ignorant are not guilty. Dig up the garden in your own home, plant some next year, and see the yield; you will understand it yourself. If you still want to inquire, we can discuss it again. Return to your ranks." Zhu Yijun waved his small hand, signaling Wu Zhongxing to return to his ranks.

Court punishment is the qualification for these clean-stream censors to be promoted; it is their reputation. Zhu Yijun wouldn't easily punish them. He only had three things to do in the morning court today: scold people, scold people, and scold people!

How happy it is to do whatever one wants.

Zhu Xixiao walked in from outside the hall and announced loudly, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Jia Sanjin has been brought."

"Summon him!"

Jia Sanjin actually dared to miss the court!

Wan Shihe was truly a general picked from among the lame—he was the one with the best legs. At least Wan Shihe still had some sense of shame. Zhu Yijun: What kind of smelly fish and rotten shrimp are these? A pile of trash. Please vote for the monthly ticket, Awoo!!!!!!