[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties":3,"chapter-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-983":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I Really Am Not Neglecting My Duties",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2364252,4622,"Chapter 983: The Ninth Hundred and Ninety-First Chapter: What Is Yours, None Can Take Away","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-983",983,"\u003Cp>\"There is no objection; Minister Yang, just devote yourself to your duties.\" Zhu Yijun granted Yang Junmin's request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun disliked Yang Bo because Yang Bo was disloyal; what made it worse was that Yang Bo was fully aware of his wrongdoing yet chose to persist in it anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, Yang Bo chose to retire gracefully at the height of his career, supported the Examination and Evaluation Law, and returned to his hometown, thereby preserving the final dignity of the relationship between ruler and minister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the early Wanli years, when the emperor was young and the nation fraught with uncertainty, amidst a state trembling like a boat in a storm, this final act of dignity was no small feat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, Zhu Yijun would not target Yang Junmin, nor would he deliberately suppress him; past events are all in the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not that Yang Junmin was incompetent; unlike Shen Yiguan, Wang Yi'e, or Wang Xiyuan, he simply lacked support after the Jin Faction collapsed, which made his situation so difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun granted the Vice Prefect of Shuntian a special privilege: like other court officials, he could request an audience at Tonghe Palace at any time. Ostensibly for discussing state affairs, this was actually intended to allow the Vice Prefect to seek help, yet Yang Junmin had never once used this privilege.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was not surprising; Yang Bo must have left specific instructions before his death, and moreover, Yang Junmin could not gauge the Emperor's attitude toward Yang Bo. Fearing he might be turned away at Tonghe Palace, he worried that such a rejection would embolden the Six Offices to walk all over him as the Vice Prefect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to come to Tonghe Palace,\" Zhu Yijun added specifically, urging Yang Junmin not to overthink things; even the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, proud and high-spirited as he was, knew to seek help when facing insurmountable obstacles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human hearts are easily swayed; having reigned for so many years, Zhu Yijun naturally understood that Yang Junmin was somewhat anxious about gains and losses and overburdened by excessive worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the support of the official factories this time, requesting further imperial favor was actually Yang Junmin's way of testing the Emperor's attitude toward him; the Emperor's response gave him great reassurance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Junmin was quite surprised, suddenly realizing that His Majesty was truly not a complicated person; those who diligently serve the dynasty and uphold justice for all people under heaven can indeed earn His Majesty's approval.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subject kowtows to thank Your Majesty for your boundless grace.\" The heavy stone in Yang Junmin's heart finally settled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun realized that at this stage, the relationship between ruler and minister was not as complicated as he had imagined; it was exactly as Mencius said: \"If a ruler treats his ministers as his hands and feet, then the ministers will treat the ruler as their heart and soul.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because behind him stood one hundred thousand elite troops of the Beijing Garrison, capable of cooling the ambitions of power-hungry individuals, the relationship between ruler and minister became simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without these one hundred thousand elite troops of the Beijing Garrison, the relationship between ruler and minister would have been far, far more complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The morning court session continued; Zhu Yijun approved numerous memorials, such as authorizing the publication of land reclamation plans for Liaodong, further defining pasture boundaries in the Suiyuan region, specifying the scale of population relocation in Shaanxi-Gansu-Sui, and implementing further tax reductions due to this year's droughts and floods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A censor submitted a memorial requesting a halt to imported grain from overseas, citing seemingly valid reasons: cheap imported grain harms local farmers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The price of imported grain was two qian of silver per shi upon arrival in Guangzhou and only three qian in Songjiang Prefecture; these prices were generally lower than domestic Ming grain prices, causing everyone to buy imported grain instead of local produce, forcing local farmers to lower their prices, thus harming agriculture through cheap grain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If farming becomes unprofitable, merchants will abandon the land, and farmers will do the same; gradually, the stability and security of the Great Ming's food supply would become overly dependent on imported grain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, this logic did not hold water with Zhu Yijun, because Zhu Yijun himself was a farmer; while he dared not claim to know more than the scholar-officials on other matters, when it came to farming, Zhu Yijun surpassed most of his ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how cheap imported grain became, farmers would absolutely never abandon their fields; in the eyes of scholar-officials who could not distinguish the five grains and never labored with their own hands, grain was merely a tradable commodity, something that grew on shelves and could be bought anytime at a rice shop with silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the hearts of farmers, grain is life itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grain is different from beef; one can survive without eating beef, but if one cannot afford grain, one will surely starve to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this point, Zhu Yijun was absolutely certain; having farmed for nineteen years, evolving from someone who could even kill a potted pothos plant to becoming half a doctoral expert in agronomy, and having personally interacted with at least three thousand farming households, he knew farmers would never stop cultivating the land simply because grain prices were low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the ninth year of Wanli, Zhu Yijun had handled a land dispute case in Wanping County where, over just three fen of land, four people from the old Liu and old Li families of Qiu Village died; in the countryside, having more children meant more confidence and more labor force, making such land disputes a matter of survival advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If grain prices were low, farmers could simply choose not to sell and keep it for their own consumption; in those days, grain production had not yet reached a level sufficient for free circulation and trade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially outside Songjiang Prefecture, other regions of the Great Ming had not yet undergone the transformation to a commodity economy, and the Ming transportation network consisted of only a sparse few imperial highways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During famines, silver could not buy life-saving grain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The farming households Zhu Yijun encountered in the capital were mostly middle-class families; they typically did not have three years' worth of savings, with some having at most two and a half years, others only half a year, and some having no savings at all, occasionally facing food shortages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least during the Wanli era, this basic reality would not change significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grand Tutor, if farming could actually make money, would it still be left for farmers to do?\" Zhu Yijun's tone was very calm, but Feng Bao sensed that His Majesty was angry—not at the censorial official, but out of helplessness regarding this issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If farming were profitable, farmers would be dispossessed until not a single mu of land remained to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mainstay of the Great Ming's economy was still small-scale peasant farming, whose greatest characteristic was isolation; since agricultural output and surplus could not be smoothly exchanged, land annexation had not yet intensified to the point where the common people were left with no way out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the process of transforming toward a commodity economy, if farming were profitable, the local gentry and landed elites would not leave farmers with a single mu of land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, it would not be left to them,\" Zhang Juzheng answered this question with absolute certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, regarding this claim that 'cheap grain harms farmers,' exactly who is being harmed?\" Zhu Yijun asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The local gentry and landed elites,\" Zhang Juzheng replied without hesitation, answering the question quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stamp this memorial from Censor Chen with a reprimand seal,\" Zhu Yijun decided; he did not lose his temper with the censorial official but chose to issue a formal reprimand, instructing the Grand Secretariat to scold him so that censors would understand the actual situation better before writing memorials; after all, even Lin Fucheng knew to visit the grasslands in person when discussing steppe issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subject obeys your decree,\" Zhang Juzheng bowed his head to accept the order; issuing a Grand Secretariat edict to reprimand an official under the seal of 'frivolous speech' was already a quite severe punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the final matter of the court deliberation; this insignificant issue served merely as a concluding formality. Zhu Yijun signaled to Feng Bao, who flicked his fly-whisk, stepped forward, and proclaimed: \"Those with matters to report, step forward early; those with none, let the curtains be rolled up and the court dismissed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We, your subjects, respectfully bid farewell to Your Majesty,\" the assembled officials all rose to pay their respects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun glanced back; fortunately, he was a well-trained emperor, otherwise he might have burst out laughing, as Shen Shixing hurriedly stood up while holding onto the table; suffering from foot pain, he could only support himself with one hand on the table while bowing, looking somewhat comical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sprained ankle truly caused Shen Shixing to lose all face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After resting briefly in the rear hall, Zhu Yijun received a report from Feng Bao that Shen Li requested a private audience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Li wished to discuss two matters: first, he intended to recommend Gao Qiyu for the position of Minister of Rites, which would make Gao Qiyu the rightful and titled Vice Minister of Rites rather than merely a Left Vice Minister managing the Ministry's affairs, a situation that was somewhat irregular and unjustified;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secondly, Shen Li had recently gained new insights from studying history and wished to share them with His Majesty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grand Minister of Rites, accompany me to Tonghe Palace to discuss this in detail,\" Zhu Yijun invited Shen Li to board the small train together; the little train whistled \"woo-woo-woo\" and chugged away with a rhythmic \"dong-ci-da-ci.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need for formalities, please sit, sit, sit.\" Zhu Yijun offered Feng Bao a fine cup of tea before asking, \"The Minister of Rites has proposed Gao Qiyu for the position of Minister of Rites; do you approve, Sir?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Replying to Your Majesty, your subject does not know,\" Shen Li stated very clearly: \"While your subject serves in the Wenyuan Pavilion, the Vice Minister of Rites has been managing the Ministry of Rites for a long time; as the saying goes, 'if the name is not correct, the words will not be smooth.' The recent signing of the Huantai Commercial Alliance charter encountered some complications, so your subject still believes it would be better for the Vice Minister to hold the title that matches his responsibilities.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then let me explain this matter to the Grand Tutor; you, Grand Minister of Rites, should proceed with the recommendation,\" Zhu Yijun understood Shen Li's concerns; this matter truly required the Emperor's personal intervention, as Zhang Juzheng was not someone to be trifled with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the many merits Gao Qiyu had established, if he continued to pretend ignorance while knowing the truth, the officials within the Ministry of Rites would likely begin to harbor doubts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Li took out a memorial and presented it to His Majesty, saying, \"Your Majesty, while your subject recently studied historical records, I discovered a peculiar matter concerning Qin's unification of the six states.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since Jia Yi of the Han Dynasty wrote in his 'Over Qin Theory': 'When it came to Qin Shi Huang, he carried forward the legacy of six generations,' scholars and poets throughout the ages have invariably believed that Qin's unification of the six states and its eastern expansion strategy were the beneficial legacy left by six generations of rulers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, after recently studying 'On Contradiction' and the 'Records of the Grand Historian,' your subject believes this is not the case.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh?\" Zhu Yijun picked up the memorial and read it for a long time; 'On Contradiction' discusses contradictions, and in Shen Li's view, when Qin Shi Huang inherited the throne of Qin, the state did not appear poised to unify the world but was instead plagued by internal troubles and external threats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Shi Huang's father, King Zhuangxiang of Qin (Yiren), reigned as King of Qin for only three years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the third year of King Zhuangxiang's reign, he sent Meng Ao to conquer Gaodu and Ji in Wei, as well as Yuci, Xincheng, and Langmeng in Zhao, while ordering Wang He to attack the Shangdang Commandery and establish the Taiyuan Commandery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the states of Wei and Zhao did not surrender willingly; Lord Xinling of Wei formed a vertical alliance, uniting the armies of Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, and Chu to counterattack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The allied forces defeated the Qin army south of the Yellow River; Meng Ao retreated, and the allies pursued victoriously as far as Hangu Pass, forcing the Qin army to remain behind closed gates; after this battle, Lord Xinling's fame shook the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This constituted the external threat, while the internal trouble was the uncertainty surrounding a young ruler and a fragile state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Shi Huang was only thirteen years old when he ascended the throne; Lu Buwei, acting as his \"Second Father,\" controlled the court, while Queen Dowager Zhao and Lao Ai caused chaos within the palace; Lao Ai even presumed to act as a \"false father,\" while Qin Shi Huang's younger brother, the Lord of Chang'an Chengjiao, rebelled, and Lao Ai subsequently launched the military coup at Qinian Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each and every one of these incidents proves that Qin Shi Huang's early years were far from easy, with internal troubles proving even more severe than external threats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, Lao Ai was by no means a mere clown capable of spinning wheels; during Qin Shi Huang's youth, Lao Ai represented a powerful force in Qin second only to Lu Buwei, one capable even of launching a rebellion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, Grand Minister of Rites, are you suggesting that before Qin Shi Huang, the State of Qin was fundamentally incapable of swallowing the world whole?\" After finishing Shen Li's memorial, Zhu Yijun felt a sense of surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his memorial, Shen Li had outlined a detailed timeline, including Meng Ao's defeat, the death of King Zhuangxiang, Lu Buwei's administration of state affairs, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is merely your subject's personal opinion, inspired by reading 'On Contradiction,'\" Shen Li did not claim to be absolutely right; after nearly two thousand years, he possessed no concrete evidence, it was simply his perspective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he could assert with certainty that when Qin Shi Huang ascended the throne, the State of Qin absolutely did not possess the strength to swallow the world whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because in the sixth year of King Zheng of Qin, the Zhao general Pang Nuan led a coalition army of Zhao, Wei, Han, Yan, and Chu, which once breached Hangu Pass and advanced to Zui, merely eighty li from Xianyang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had it not been for the old Qin people fighting to the death, combined with the fact that the five-state coalition was discordant and each member harbored ulterior motives, whether Qin would have survived would have been another matter entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Li had personally experienced the Gengxu Incident, when Altan Khan breached Gubeikou and marched south, plundering the capital region; that sense of panic remained vividly etched in Shen Li's memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the second year of Longqing, upon hearing that the northern barbarians under Altan Khan were marching south again, Tan Lun stayed awake for seven days and seven nights organizing defenses, which directly exacerbated his illness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Shen Li's view, in the sixth year of King Zheng of Qin, the Qin state had its very doors kicked open by the five-state coalition, yet by the seventeenth year of King Zheng, it began unifying the world; within merely ten years, Qi was destroyed, the world returned to Qin, and he was proclaimed Qin Shi Huang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This process was absolutely not as simple as merely inheriting the legacy of ancestors; Qin Shi Huang's personal struggle was an indispensable factor that cannot be ignored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The phrase \"carrying forward the legacy of six generations\" somewhat distorts the role Qin Shi Huang personally played in the unification of the six states.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Translating this to the Wanli era, although the early Wanli years also faced various problems, there were at least no issues with powerful consort clans or military rebellions; during the Wanli era, neither northern barbarians nor Japanese pirates had kicked open the gates of the capital to attack beneath the city walls, and even the regent and chief grand secretary Zhang Juzheng never had the Emperor address him as \"Second Father.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know what the Grand Minister of Rites intends to say,\" Zhu Yijun said with a smile after concluding his conversation with Shen Li: \"Having inherited the throne, I will naturally devote myself wholeheartedly; the current state of affairs was not easily achieved, so I will naturally prioritize the stability of the realm and live up to the expectations of the myriad people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun felt that Shen Li was speaking indirectly, admonishing him to be a good emperor and not become arrogant due to some achievements; looking at the formidable Qin Shi Huang, who went from having his doors kicked open in the sixth year of King Zheng to unifying the world by the twenty-sixth year, all within merely twenty years, served as a powerful example.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty is wise,\" Shen Li, seeing that His Majesty truly understood the indirect message he intended to convey, immediately spoke with utmost respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Using copper as a mirror allows one to straighten one's cap and gown; using history as a mirror allows one to understand the rise and fall of dynasties; using people as a mirror allows one to recognize one's gains and losses.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Publish this memorial in the Court Gazette; Qin Shi Huang was truly remarkable, facing circumstances far more adverse than mine, and his achievements over twenty years were indeed monumental,\" Zhu Yijun wrote his vermilion rescript on Shen Li's memorial, ordering its publication in the Court Gazette as a source of self-encouragement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subject is deeply humbled; since ancient times, when officials perform their duties, they inevitably tend to speak in accordance with prevailing winds and imperial wishes; wishing to offer a word of advice, one fears the ruler may not listen; wishing to remonstrate on a matter, one fears the ruler may not tolerate it! That Your Majesty graciously accepts good words is a great fortune for our dynasty,\" Shen Li said with sincere conviction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reaching the position of a Grand Secretary essentially marks the pinnacle of an official's career; he could have simply followed the prevailing winds to conduct affairs, yet deep down, Shen Li remained an upright and principled minister, so when he had insights, he was still willing to share them with His Majesty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crucial point is that His Majesty was willing to listen and even willing to proclaim it to the world, which is exceedingly rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After nearly twenty years, although the Wanli Reforms can be described as brilliant with signs of a prosperous age, His Majesty remains as willing as ever to accept remonstrance and encourage self-improvement; in Shen Li's view, this perseverance is a fortunate event for the dynasty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your subject takes his leave,\" Shen Li bowed again and departed from the Imperial Study of Tonghe Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun stood by the window, watching Shen Li until he exited the main gate of Tonghe Palace; gazing at Shen Li's retreating figure while holding the memorial, the Emperor remarked with emotion: \"Truly, throughout the Han realm, every generation produces loyal and virtuous men; although the Grand Minister of Rites has already reached the highest position as a Grand Secretary entering the cabinet, he still dares to speak and is willing to speak, reminding me not to become arrogant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, his expectations of me are somewhat too high.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using the story of Qin Shi Huang to remonstrate with the emperor represents an exceptionally high expectation indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Qin Shi Huang, feudal lords stood in opposition; after Qin Shi Huang, all subsequent dynasties adopted the Qin system, establishing a new unified imperial structure; just achieving a unified world with standardized axle widths, unified script, and standardized weights and measures would be enough for Zhu Yijun to pursue for a lifetime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bring me the memorial,\" Zhu Yijun said after watching Shen Li depart, then began processing today's batch of memorials; getting used to this grinding work actually makes it manageable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Li had already prepared the memorial recommending Gao Qiyu as Minister of Rites; after Zhang Juzheng reviewed it, he wrote a floating ticket attaching his comments, sent it to the Banjian Room of the Directorate of Ceremonial, which then presented it to the Imperial Presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Zhang Juzheng did not oppose Gao Qiyu becoming Minister of Rites; instead, citing that \"without a leader, dragons are directionless, causing affairs to proceed smoothly and tasks to remain incomplete,\" he endorsed Shen Li's recommendation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rivalry is one thing and mischief another, but state affairs are no child's play; replacing him would allow Gao Qiyu, even by doing nothing, to sideline his successor, leaving the ministry leaderless and dysfunctional, which would undermine imperial decorum; therefore, Zhang Juzheng endorsed Shen Li's recommendation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One must strive for oneself; as long as one strives, what belongs to you cannot be taken away by anyone, not even by the Chief Grand Secretary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor issued his vermilion rescript, the Grand Secretariat drafted the edict, and Xu Jue received the imperial decree to go forth and proclaim it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qiyu was at home recovering from illness; his sickness was very strange; previously, he had dismissed Yan Shixuan's theory about offending superiors as nonsense, but now he truly believed it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, the imperial physicians had diagnosed that he would recover within just two or three days, but around noon, his condition suddenly worsened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Jue arrived at the Gao residence to proclaim the edict; after Gao Qiyu received the decree according to ritual protocol, two young eunuchs unfurled the imperial scroll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Imperial edicts carried on brocade silk always signify matters of great importance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor issues this edict:\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I, upon Heaven’s mandate, inherit the great legacy of my ancestors, hold the reins of power, and govern all under heaven. The flourishing of governance depends on securing virtuous men to share rule; the spread of our civilization and authority relies on envoys to proclaim our might.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now, the Left Vice Minister of Rites, Gao Qi, possesses broad vision and refined talent, unafraid of distant dangers, sailing ten thousand li, braving oceanic storms to reach remote lands, bearing the imperial scepter to establish ties with foreign realms. He has made the western chieftains recognize the majesty of our Celestial Court and the splendor of our culture—this is his first merit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Japanese pirates have been reckless, coveting our tributary states, stirring unrest upon the seas and plunging the realm into turmoil. You again received my command, crossing the vast ocean, wielding the court’s resolute strategy to intimidate the Eastern Isles at the banquet table, ultimately forcing their leaders to bow their heads, swear oaths, and conclude the Treaty of Kyoto—this is your second merit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Most commendable is your insight into the times, acting in accordance with circumstance, proposing the grand vision of the Pacific Trade Alliance, uniting the commerce of myriad barbarian states, facilitating the exchange of goods across nations. You established customs posts to ease travel and set regulations to ensure fair benefit—not merely a temporary advantage, but the very foundation of eternal peace—this is your third merit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Past deeds are set aside; henceforth, I promote you to Minister of Rites, add the title Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, bestow upon you the Dou-Niu robe and the front-fastening crane cloak, and grant you one thousand taels of silver and twenty bolts of silk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You shall continue to oversee all affairs of the Pacific Trade Alliance, concurrently manage the Office of Barbarian Affairs, and supervise all rituals of foreign relations and the reform and development of the trade alliance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I earnestly hope you will diligently fulfill your duties, strengthen your loyalty, proclaim my virtue and intent, harmonize the myriad states, and bring about a unity of inner and outer realms, sharing in lasting peace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This decree, in accordance with the established statutes of past dynasties, proclaims virtue and bestows grace upon all under heaven, to be widely known.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thus decreed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant kneels to thank Your Majesty’s boundless grace. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!\" Gao Qi performed the grand ceremony and received the imperial edict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Vice Minister of Rites, once you’ve recovered, go to the Ministry of Personnel to collect your seals, robes, and insignia—the Grand Secretary has also approved. The Ministry of Rites cannot remain without leadership. I congratulate you on your promotion,\" Xu Jue said with a smile as he handed over the edict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qi coughed lightly twice and whispered, \"Thank you, thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xu Jue departed, the young eunuch whispered to the gatekeeper, who silently passed him a small square box. The eunuch rolled up his sleeve and concealed the bribe—it was meant for Xu Jue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Certain things must never be accepted, but such “congratulatory gifts” upon promotion must be received; otherwise, Gao Qi might suspect he had offended some powerful palace eunuch without knowing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Gao Qi did not give it himself—the gatekeeper did. Xu Jue did not take it—the young eunuch did. This was merely to preserve mutual dignity; if the Anti-Corruption Office truly investigated, this would be bribery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qi gave little—only two hundred taels in silver notes. Such a sum was too trivial for the Anti-Corruption Office to even glance at.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing also received the imperial order. He had no intention of making things difficult for Gao Qi; instead, he immediately provided all the clerks requested by Yao Guang and Yan Shixuan, and within three days, sent both men out of the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strangely enough, the moment Yan Shixuan left the capital, Gao Qi’s illness immediately improved, and the next day he was able to attend court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To serve under Yan Shixuan, one must first be physically robust, secondly blessed with deep fortune; otherwise, it truly seemed perilous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Shixuan’s reputation as a “cleric who overpowers superiors” was a vague superstition, for most incidents were mere coincidences—but the number of coincidences was too frequent to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qi stared at Shen Shixing’s legs; Shen Shixing stared at Gao Qi’s sallow, post-illness face. Both felt a lingering dread, as if they had narrowly escaped death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Yao Tai, I’ve been absent from court these days, and there’s something I don’t understand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The policy of transferring resident craftsmen into clerks strikes at the heart of the powerful; how did it pass court deliberation and get implemented? Recently, I heard that the Shuntian Prefecture yamen has undergone a complete overhaul—all clerks and constables have been replaced.\" After collecting his seals and insignia, Gao Qi did not leave but inquired about court developments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logically, this policy directly targeted the powerful—how could they simply accept it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No hidden currents, merely calm surface?\" Gao Qi asked softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are no hidden currents—it’s already done. The clerks of Shuntian Prefecture have been replaced,\" Shen Shixing shook his head. \"The powerful dare not stir trouble. This was Qi Jiguang’s idea, Master Zhang’s memorial, and the Emperor’s vermilion approval—who dares oppose it? Even if you ignore that, angering the craftsmen would be a major matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The craftsmen recently descended from the mountains and truly angered the imperial workshops. Wang Ji, the chief administrator of the Western Hills Coal Workshop, is no one to be trifled with.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Jiguang, Zhang Juzheng, and the Emperor—these three titans conceived this plan. Oppose it? Would you oppose with your nine clans?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The tide cannot be stopped,\" Shen Shixing added another perspective: economic status determines political status. The imperial workshops control vast means of production and the distribution of surplus. Once they gain economic power, seeking political power becomes inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Add to this the turmoil surrounding Wang Chonggu’s funeral—now the craftsmen understand the power they hold. After the establishment of the shareholding system and the Artisans’ Alliance, can they still be bullied?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Qi agreed wholeheartedly: \"True. I recall that in the last Shuntian provincial examination, resident craftsmen accounted for three-tenths of the juren; in the metropolitan and palace examinations, they made up over one-tenth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wish the day would come when all craftsmen under heaven could enjoy the status of resident craftsmen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resident craftsmen and ordinary craftsmen belong to entirely different social classes; resident craftsmen hold shares in the imperial workshops, whereas common workshop craftsmen possess nothing. Common workshop craftsmen are not even counted among the four traditional occupations—they are merely poor laborers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing chuckled and said, \"Vice Minister of Rites, you truly dare to dream—even Master Zhang wouldn’t dare think this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Looking back now at the rise and fall of the Yongle-era shipyards, one understands why local gentry and scholar-officials were so determined to block imperial shipbuilding and trade—not merely for the profits of maritime commerce. Back then, the Longjiang and Qingjiang shipyards alone employed over 120,000 resident craftsmen—twelve Battalion Commander.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The upheaval in Shuntian Prefecture’s six departments finally made Shen Shixing understand why, after Yongle, several shipyards declined: the Emperor neglected them, the court opposed them, and local gentry seized the chance to destroy them—otherwise, resident craftsmen might truly replace them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Songjiang and Nanjing Prefectures must also replace their clerks—with shipyard craftsmen,\" Shen Shixing told Gao Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the future, imperial examination graduates should be evenly divided: three-tenths from civilian, three-tenths from military, three-tenths from artisanal backgrounds—only then will the system be stable,\" Gao Qi said after a moment’s thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ming selection system had flaws: military backgrounds held three-tenths, civilian backgrounds nearly seven-tenths. The trend of promoting literature and suppressing martial affairs was natural—but now the balance had shifted. With military, civilian, and artisanal backgrounds equally represented, the court would finally achieve true equilibrium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm, you’re right,\" Shen Shixing sat upright suddenly, his eyes gleaming. He spoke gravely: \"Vice Minister of Rites, allow me time to reflect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Military aristocrats, whose martial talent does not inherit genetically, typically cease commanding after one or two generations. Thus, the proportion of civil and military backgrounds in the court becomes especially critical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every three years, the imperial examinations are a feast for power distribution. With the imperial workshops as a new variable, the court’s structure will be fundamentally transformed into a stable equilibrium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now I understand,\" Shen Shixing suddenly recalled a detail. \"Master Zhang once told the Emperor that if one day he must choose between himself and Wang Chonggu for posthumous honor, he asked the Emperor to choose Wang Chonggu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, Shen Shixing found it strange—based on his understanding of Zhang Juzheng, he was not such a magnanimous man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now Shen Shixing understood: the imperial workshop system was a variable—a tremendous one—the material pillar of Wanli’s reforms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did the Emperor say?\" Gao Qi asked curiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing’s expression turned peculiar. \"The Emperor said: ‘Of course, I want them all.’\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor had the power to want them all.\u003C\u002Fp>",5203,"2026-06-21T07:56:02.219Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","8a784633e09b62df5fc884b0195e67c3dbe7f427a8a22cfd36e0fabb6b03b6be","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-984","i-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-chapter-982",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-really-am-not-neglecting-my-duties-cover.jpg"]