Chapter 142: There Are Traitors Among Us!

"Let Us see what Our great ministers, the pillars of the Ming, truly think about the realm's gravest ills."

After the young Son of Heaven upon the throne spoke, a brief, stifled stir rippled through the assembled officials in the hall.

A moment later, an aged but steady voice broke the silence.

"Then let this old minister be the first."

The Duke of Ying, Zhang Weixian, rose to his feet, his full head of silver hair starkly bright under the sunlight.

Step by step, he walked toward the screen standing in the hall.

A young eunuch at the entrance bowed and presented three smooth, lustrous red beans.

Zhang Weixian stepped behind the screen; that narrow space, cut off from all eyes, seemed even more silent than outside.

He weighed the warm, glossy beans in his hand, his rough fingertips feeling their heft.

The houses of the merit nobility rose by military achievement, and by military achievement they should also prosper.

Fiscal administration and personnel governance were not paths the merit nobility ought to seek.

He did not ponder long.

One bean he cast for personnel governance — it could be counted as worthy of the title he bore and the Emperor's trust.

The remaining two, without the slightest hesitation, he cast for military administration.

Once he had cast his beans, he turned and walked out from behind the screen, coming face to face with the Duke of Ding, Xu Xigao, and those clouded eyes of his.

The two men merely nodded slightly and passed each other by.

The Emperor was waiting for the result; no one dared linger inside too long.

The voting proceeded very swiftly — civil officials, merit nobles, Hanlin academicians, recalled officials… one figure after another filed in and hurried back out.

When the very last Supervising Secretary had cast the red beans in his hand and stepped out from behind the screen, the great hall once again sank into absolute silence.

Zhu Youjian's gaze shifted to Gao Shiming.

Gao Shiming understood at once, stepped forward, and announced, "Count the votes!"

Several junior eunuchs quickly moved forward and removed the other screens, leaving only one standing in the hall, already pasted with sheets of plain white paper.

Three other eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial, brushes fully saturated with ink in hand, stood solemnly before the paper.

"Open!"

At the command, the red beans from the three bamboo tubes were carefully tipped onto trays and displayed before everyone.

"Personnel governance — one, two, three, four, five. One tally."

The meticulous counting voice rang out, and the counted beans were poured back into the bamboo tubes.

The eunuch wielding the brush wrote stroke after stroke of the tally character on the paper.

"Fiscal administration — two tallies…"

"Military administration — one tally…"

"Personnel governance — three tallies…"

Bean by bean, the red beans were poured back into the tubes; stroke by stroke, the tally marks multiplied across the screen.

At first, the hall remained solemn.

But as time passed, when the tally marks under "fiscal administration" far outstripped those under "personnel governance," a faint, barely perceptible stirring began to spread among the officials.

No one dared whisper to a neighbor, but the glances exchanged, the subtly adjusted postures, the fists unconsciously clenched — all of it let this unease seep through the great hall.

At last, the final red bean was poured back into its bamboo tube.

Gao Shiming descended from the imperial dais, walked around to the front of the screen, and swept his eyes over the paper.

In that single instant, a flash of incredulous astonishment passed through his gaze.

He took the brush a junior eunuch handed him and, using the new method of calculation Zhu Youjian had taught him, rapidly set out the formula to the side and computed the percentages.

A moment later, he turned, faced the throne, and bowed deeply.

"In reply to Your Majesty: one hundred and eighty-two persons present, five hundred and forty-six red beans, all have been cast."

He drew a deep breath, doing his utmost to keep his voice steady.

"Of these, personnel governance received one hundred and two beans, accounting for eighteen percent."

"Military administration received one hundred and fifty-four beans, accounting for twenty-eight percent."

"Fiscal administration received two hundred and ninety beans, accounting for fifty-three percent!"

As his words fell, a strange thing happened.

That stifled stirring within the great hall vanished in an instant, utterly and without a trace, replaced by a deathly stillness.

Every man held his breath; even the sound of heartbeats seemed audible.

They lowered their eyes, waiting for the young emperor upon the throne to speak.

Or rather — to erupt in fury.

Zhu Youjian sat on the throne, his face betraying little expression, only his knuckles unconsciously tapping lightly against the armrest of the dragon throne.

Interesting…

Fiscal administration first, military administration second, personnel governance last.

Was this not exactly what had happened in the original Chongzhen era?

He had not expected that using an anonymous vote for the first time would prove so effective, actually teasing out the inner thoughts of the assembled ministers in one go.

One had to realize, there was no one supervising behind the screen; those who came later could judge the proportion of each vote by sound, or, more boldly, by directly inspecting the bamboo tubes.

So the voting was anonymous, yet the tally was, to a certain extent, public throughout the process.

Thus, the highly counterintuitive result of personnel governance coming last was, in truth, the attitude those one hundred and eighty-two men in the hall were obliquely conveying to him.

— The new policies, they did not like them.

Or rather, the overwhelming majority among them did not like them!

How amusing.

Where profit lies, men will scale even a thousand-fathom cliff — nothing stops them.

How much more so with an anonymous ballot, and a probe under the shelter of "the law cannot punish the multitude"?

I never imagined it would actually hook a little fish!

Very well, since that's how it is, let us stage one more act.

His mind made up, Zhu Youjian spoke in a low, measured voice:

"Interesting. This is rather… not what We expected."

"To carry out new policies, the governance of officials must come first."

"Distant history offers the caution of Wang Jinggong's failed reforms; recent times give us Zhang Taiyue's performance evaluations as precedent — both bear this out."

"We have read the histories, observed the rise and fall of dynasties, and it has always been so."

Zhu Youjian straightened slightly in his seat, and a faint smile even touched his face.

"We did not expect that today, Our own pillars and arms among ministers would teach Us a lesson, and show Us some rather different principles."

He spoke as though genuinely seeking instruction, his gaze sweeping across the assembled officials before settling at last upon the Chief Grand Secretary, Huang Liji.

"Chief Grand Secretary, tell Us. In the Great Ming of today, should fiscal matters truly take first place, military affairs second, and the governance of officials last?"

In an instant, every eye in the hall converged on Huang Liji.

Huang Liji felt his scalp prickle and a cold sweat break out instantly down his back.

This old man cast one bean for governance of officials, one for fiscal matters, and one for military affairs!

How did this black pot land on my head first, of all people!

In decades of navigating the official world, he had never faced a predicament so thorny.

The atmosphere in the great hall was like a boulder poised on the edge of a ten-thousand-zhang cliff, teetering on the brink.

A young Son of Heaven, full of high spirit, yet meeting such near-"betrayal" at the very start of his reign — who could predict what towering waves he might stir up?

The human heart is precarious; the Dao heart is subtle. Be refined, be single-minded, hold fast to the mean.

Applied to this scene, those words were all too apt.

For a moment Huang Liji's mind was a tangled mess, yet he could think of no perfect strategy by which to "hold fast to the mean."

He drew a deep breath, could only steel himself and rise, and at the very least answer the question the Emperor had just put to him.

"In reply to Your Majesty, this old subject believes that the crux of the new policies lies first in the governance of officials. If officials are not upright, then government decrees will not go forth from the central authority, and state policy cannot be carried out in the prefectures and counties. This is a principle unchanging through all ages."

Having spoken, he braced himself inwardly, waiting for the most lethal question that was certain to follow.

— Then why did everyone deem the governance of officials the least important?

"The Chief Grand Secretary also thinks so — We are somewhat relieved."

"We feared We were merely foolish and ignorant, had drawn the wrong lesson from the histories, and committed a grave error."

Huang Liji forced out a smile uglier than a grimace and was about to offer some perfunctory reply.

But Zhu Youjian simply waved a hand. "Chief Grand Secretary, please be seated."

He then turned his gaze to the Second Grand Secretary, Shi Fenglai. "Minister Shi, what is your view?"

"Your subject seconds the Chief Grand Secretary. The new policies should take the governance of officials as first priority."

"Minister Li?"

"Your subject also holds that the governance of officials is the root."

"Duke of Ying?"

"This old subject… seconds the view."

Zhu Youjian called upon them one by one — the ennobled, the Nine Chief Ministers of the Six Ministries, the Vice Ministers, the Supervising Secretaries, the recalled officials, the Hanlin… Not a single person deviated; all loudly echoed the sentiment, every word proclaiming that "the governance of officials comes first."

A few even sought to cite classics and produce an ornate disquisition, but Zhu Youjian cut them off with an impatient wave of his hand each time.

With every repetition of the answer, the atmosphere in the hall grew more congealed, more eerie.

At last, Zhu Youjian stopped calling names, his tone tinged with impatience.

"Calling on each person one by one like this is too troublesome."

He swept his gaze around the hall and said slowly, "Let us do it this way: those who believe the new policies should take the governance of officials as first priority, raise your right hand."

The words had barely fallen.

Though the act of voting by show of hands was somewhat unfamiliar, the multitude of officials grasped it at once.

Shua!

Throughout the great hall, countless arms shot up, vying to be first — like a reed marsh swept by a fierce wind, uniform and orderly, a magnificent spectacle.

"Tsk…"

A soft click of the tongue from Zhu Youjian carried clearly through the hall.

He waved a hand. "Put them down."

Only when everyone had lowered their hands did he speak again, slowly, his tone now laced with a trace of mockery.

"Now this is strange."

"Do you know, the initial documents the Hanlin Academy submitted — regarding the governance of officials — accounted not for half, but for nearly eighty percent."

"It was We who felt the items were too concentrated, and deliberately sent them back for rewriting."

"And yet, you gentlemen… the pillars and arms of the Great Ming"

He paused; the mocking smile at the corner of his mouth grew more pronounced.

"Why did the red beans in your hands produce a result where the governance of officials came last?"

"And why, when raising hands here in person, do you all endorse the governance of officials as first?"

"Which of Our ministers can resolve this question for Us?"

His finger rose, tapping through the air.

Every minister his finger pointed toward felt their scalp prickle and dropped their eyes, terrified of being singled out to answer that soul-piercing question.

Just as the tension reached its breaking point, Zhu Youjian lowered his hand.

The mockery on his face dissolved into a faint, knowing smile.

"Enough. We know why, in truth."

"My ministers, you surely know why as well."

"Everyone knows that official discipline is the foremost priority."

"But to touch official discipline is to implicate people — or to implicate their disciples and old associates."

"Compared to that, touching fiscal policy or military administration is always easier to swallow, is it not?"

Inside the great hall, one could hear a pin drop.

Zhu Youjian's voice rose again, light as air, yet it sent a shudder through every man present.

"There are bad men among us."

At these words, the assembled ministers erupted.

Indignation flared on every face as they looked wildly around, sweeping their colleagues with searching, suspicious eyes, as if each meant to drag that "bad man" into the open.

"Your Majesty!"

Almost in the same instant, Zhang Weixian and Li Guopu rose to their feet, their faces heavy with concern.

Zhu Youjian merely laughed. "Please sit, my two ministers. There is no need for alarm."

The two men exchanged a glance but still refused to sit. Li Guopu cupped his hands. "Your Majesty, the hearts of men are unfathomable, yet—"

"Say no more." Zhu Youjian cut him off with a wave of his hand. "We know what you mean to say. You fear that We have grown disillusioned with men's hearts?"

"We, disillusioned? Far from it!"

His voice rose slightly:

"In this hall stand one hundred and eighty-two men, and a full one hundred and two red beans were cast for official discipline!"

"Look on the bright side, and half of them stand with the Great Ming. Look on the darker side, and still a fifth of these ministers hold the realm in their hearts."

Zhu Youjian smiled faintly, sweeping his gaze across the hundred officials in the hall.

"Is that not enough?"

"In the affairs of the realm, with one man in ten of true heart, a deadlock can be broken. With three in ten, a nation can be strengthened. Now that We have worthy ministers at Our side, why should We worry that the realm's troubles cannot be set right?"

"As for the bad men…"

Zhu Youjian gave a cold laugh, his tone chilling.

"Bad men are like rats in the sunlight. They never dare show their heads; they can only burrow in the dark underground."

He turned back to Li Guopu and nodded with a smile.

"On the day of Our enthronement, We made a promise to the assembled ministers: We would hold a feast where all sashes are forgiven. Did you think We were a man who cannot read the hearts of others?"

"Today's events fall well within expectation. We are neither surprised, nor discouraged, and still less angry."

"In the work ahead, treacherous minister or worthy minister — each shall be judged by his own conduct."

"Under the New Policies, who stands with the Great Ming and who stands with private gain — the realm will render its fair verdict, and We, too, shall watch each of you, one by one."

Having casually finished this opening act, Zhu Youjian gave a light wave of his hand.

"Companion Gao, proceed to the next item."

Only then did the string drawn bowstring-taut throughout the hall finally slacken a fraction.

Countless men silently expelled a long-held breath of foul air.

Minister of Works Xue Fengxiang sat in his chair, his back still ramrod straight.

All three of his red beans had gone to fiscal policy.

The Ministry of Works — that was a nest of rotten accounts!

The renovation of this very Huangji Hall alone — how many entries in the ledgers could not be clearly explained?

Even now, he was still dragging his feet over one hundred and twenty thousand taels of unpaid artisan wages.

On his face he maintained an expression of righteous indignation, but his mind was racing at full speed.

Official discipline had only gotten one hundred and two beans?

He was one of the Six Ministers; his turn to vote came only after the nobles and the Grand Secretaries. At that point, official discipline had been low, but it already had over thirty beans.

Were the men voting after him really that bold? To end up with such a lopsided ratio?

Who else was in the same boat as him?

Could these New Policies really be pushed through in the end? Would the others join forces, openly or covertly, to resist?

Huo Weihua? He had handed over ten thousand taels for the road project — that counted as a pledge of loyalty, didn't it?

But… it was hard to say. The Ministry of War had also been a notorious den of rotten accounts in the past; he couldn't escape it.

Who could know whether His Majesty's feast of forgiven sashes was truly a feast of forgiveness?

And did those three account books that were burned have duplicate copies or not?

Who dared gamble on it? Who could afford to gamble!

Chen Jiuchou?

That fool of a juren background, throwing his doors open to visitors every day with no thought of discretion — he was probably in a panic now himself.

What was he to do?

Had the sum he donated for the road last time been too small? Would there be another chance to donate?

Should he submit a reform memorial? Where should reform begin? What was the matter the Emperor cared about most?

Xue Fengxiang's mind spun at top speed, analyzing every scrap of information he could seize upon.

Questions and schemes surfaced in his mind one after another, only to be pressed back down beneath the water.

His brow furrowed deeply, his face still a mask of concentration, yet his soul had flown off to who knows where.

The storm is coming — who knows where the road lies?

A road to death, a road to life, a road of retreat, or perhaps… a road to heaven?

Gao Shiming, however, paid no mind to the thoughts of those in the hall.

With a wave of his hand, three men stepped forward from the Hanlin Academy, and two more emerged from behind the dais.

He cleared his throat and proclaimed in a ringing voice:

"Junior Compiler Wu Kongjia of the Hanlin Academy, Ni Yuanlu, Qi Xinxiao, Centurion Luo Yangxing of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Imperial Academy student Zhang Zhiji — these five have jointly submitted an official document."

"His Majesty read it and personally inscribed it with the imperial brush, praising it as 'the most powerful essay under heaven'! Thus, on this day, you have all been invited here to hear it read aloud!"

Most of the assembled officials were still reeling from the earlier shock, their thoughts scattered — only the Hanlin Academy contingent stirred slightly.

Xu Xigao, the Duke of Ding, seated in the front row, could not help but glance up when he heard the name "Zhang Zhiji," but he immediately lowered his eyes again and sank back into contemplation.

The five who had stepped forward stood before the assembled ministers, all faintly trembling with excitement.

They exchanged a look, and finally Ni Yuanlu stepped forward.

This young Hanlin looked at the ministers before him, their expressions a study in contrasts, and felt their gazes fixed firmly upon him.

Instantly his mouth went dry, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

He drew a deep breath and said loudly:

"My lords!"

"The title of the document to be read today is —"

Before the words had faded, the junior eunuchs at the sides moved in unison, tearing away the "pie chart" sheets from the screens throughout the hall to reveal the paper beneath.

A line of bold, dripping characters appeared at the same moment as Ni Yuanlu's voice:

"Several Conjectures on the Time of the Great Ming's Demise!"

Those words exploded through the hall like a thunderclap!

Duke Xu's head snapped up.

Xue Fengxiang's eyes went wide, his mouth falling slightly open.

Han Kuang, Sun Chuanting, Bi Ziyan, Huang Liji, Li Guopu, Xue Guoguan…

On every face appeared an expression mingling absurdity, horror, and utter disbelief.

Their gazes swung back to this young Hanlin official.

— What in the world are you saying?!

Have you listened to yourself — do you have any idea what you are saying?!

The scrape of chairs and tables shifting, the rustle of sleeves brushing against robes, the sharp intake of breath — all wove together in that moment into a bizarre symphony.

Yet no one dared speak.

For upon the throne, that young emperor was watching them in silence.

Waiting to see what choice this hall full of high officials would make this time.

The show was about to begin!

Requesting double monthly tickets!