Chapter 176: Regarding the Techniques of Shen Buhai and Han Fei, in Truth, We Also… Have a Smattering of Knowledge

Zhu Youjian looked at the assembly and smiled faintly, breaking the silence in the hall.

"Since Our ascension, We have repeatedly spoken of 'red marks' and 'green marks.' In your hearts, my ministers, you have likely all had your guesses, have you not?"

"In truth, it was not that We deliberately concealed anything; it was simply that the plans We were devising had never reached a final draft, and so Our words were vague."

"But now, at last, there is a preliminary draft. Though the time for a final version has not yet come, We can still share the general idea with you, my beloved ministers, in advance."

He did not explain it himself, but instead turned his gaze to Gao Shiming, who stood with hands lowered at his side.

"Companion Gao, you explain it."

"As commanded."

Gao Shiming answered and stepped forward, producing a document from his hands.

He walked to the center of the hall, first bowed deeply toward the throne, and then turned to face the assembled officials and spoke in a clear voice.

"By His Majesty's decree, this slave was put in charge of the New Policies merit evaluation. Together with Second Grand Secretary Li Guopu of the Grand Secretariat and Minister of Personnel Yang Jingchen, we have been trialing and discussing this red-and-green method. After more than a month of refinement, we have only now arrived at this preliminary draft."

He paused briefly, allowing the crowd time to digest this opening statement.

"The so-called New Policies merit evaluation differs from the past merit evaluations of the Ministry of Personnel; it is a parallel system."

"What does parallel mean? It means the New Policies evaluation and the Ministry of Personnel evaluation will run on two separate tracks!"

Gao Shiming raised his head and swept his gaze across the assembly.

"To give an example: if an official receives a 'Superior' rating in the Ministry of Personnel's annual evaluation, under the old system, he could be promoted to a rank-four post."

"If he also carries five red marks, then on that basis, he can be directly promoted to the upper tier of rank three."

"If he carries ten red marks, he can be directly promoted to the upper tier of rank two!"

"Thus, ten red marks offset one full rank of office."

Gao Shiming glanced at the crowd and smiled faintly.

"In His Majesty's words: the dynasty is in decline and decay; this is precisely the moment to employ men of talent. Those who can carry out the New Policies must be incorruptible, brave, and resolute, men who serve the state wholeheartedly. They must not be left to languish forever in lowly posts; they must be enabled to stand out from the rest."

The moment these words fell, it was like a drop of cold water falling into a wok of boiling oil — the entire Wuying Hall instantly erupted in commotion.

Ten red marks offset one full rank of office!

What a terrifying speed of promotion!

In a sense, this meant that the promotion speed of those within the New Policies system would be twice, perhaps even three times, that of others!

The assembled officials in the hall instinctively turned their gazes toward those who already bore "red names."

The first to bear the brunt of those stares was Second Grand Secretary Li Guopu of the Grand Secretariat, who had received one red mark for his remonstrance at the enthronement.

Then there was Minister of Revenue Guo Yunhou, who had received one red mark during the deliberations in Wuying Hall.

These two, however, might be difficult to use as benchmarks.

At that time, His Majesty had only just ascended the throne, and perhaps had not yet thought through the red-and-green rewards and punishments so clearly.

But immediately following them were the faction of Prefect Xue Guoguan of Shuntian Prefecture, who were implementing the New Policies in the capital, and men like Tian Ergeng and Cao Huachun, who were reorganizing the inner palace and the Depot and Guard — these were people concretely and truly bound to the New Policies.

Luo Yangxing sat on his low stool, feeling his heart pound wildly in his chest.

He stared fixedly at Gao Shiming, his palms long since soaked with sweat.

He had almost forgotten that he had submitted a memorial on the capital's bandits.

That was the matter of the five red marks, posted in yellow paper and red characters on the Gate of Bearing Heaven, with a reward written in the Imperial brush!

But His Majesty had said at the time that the matter was not yet ripe, and must be set aside for later…

So when exactly would it be ripe?

He was now in the Secretariat; when the time came, would this matter still be his to handle?

If not, could the statecraft memorials he had submitted earn him a few marks?

A chaotic jumble of thoughts surged into Luo Yangxing's mind in an instant.

In that single moment, he found himself beset by both hope and fear.

Gao Shiming took in every expression of the crowd, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, and then tossed out an even more explosive piece of news.

"The reward of red marks is intended as an incentive. However, for someone like Grand Secretary Huang, who has already reached the pinnacle of officialdom, how should red marks be counted toward his merit?"

This question was precisely the doubt lingering in many minds.

Huang Liji was already the Second Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat; there was no higher post left for him to be promoted to.

Could these be exchanged for the honorary titles of the Three Dukes or the Three Solitaries?

That would be a little too weak.

But if it were a noble title…

That probably could not be considered much of a reward either.

Gao Shiming did not leave them guessing for long.

"His Majesty has decreed: the red marks borne by any official under the New Policies shall each be deducted upon promotion."

"However, the cumulative total of red marks they have earned shall be recorded one by one in the archives of the Directorate of Ceremonial, never to be erased."

"What, then, is the use of this cumulative merit?"

He cleared his throat, and only then spoke, deliberately and emphatically.

"One who accumulates ten red marks may convert them into one 'gold stripe'!"

"And one who accumulates ten gold stripes…"

Gao Shiming paused briefly, and his voice suddenly rose.

"…may enter the ranks of those considered for noble titles!"

"They need only perform one further great deed, and at the very least, they shall be rewarded with an earldom!"

"One who accumulates one hundred gold stripes shall assuredly be rewarded with a dukedom or marquisate!"

"Wha—!"

If the "accelerated promotion" just moments ago had only stirred the officials, then this "deliberating titles and enfeoffing marquises" had utterly detonated the entire hall!

Yet this stir carried a strange quality.

Those civil officials and ennobled dignitaries standing at the pinnacle of power now furrowed their brows one after another.

The ennobled dignitaries' resistance was plain to see.

The positions of real authority that the Great Ming's ennobled dignitaries could hold were but a handful of countable posts; if new ennobled dignitaries flooded in en masse, their own grip on power would surely weaken further.

The civil officials' reaction, however, was far more complex.

Ennoblement was, admittedly, a supreme glory.

Yet once ennobled, one must transfer into the ennobled dignitaries' ranks, and the substantive posts one concurrently held — Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat, Minister of the Six Ministries, and the like — must all be relinquished.

To give up the authority in one's hands, power enough to sway the court and the realm, for the sake of an earldom that might only be a non-hereditary title — no matter how one reckoned it, the bargain seemed unprofitable.

After all, having reached the pinnacle of a civil career, with all the various honorary titles and concurrent salaries, one's emoluments were in truth not far off from an earl's.

For a moment, the atmosphere within the hall grew exceedingly subtle.

Gao Shiming, as if blind to the varied expressions of the assembly, continued unhurriedly:

"His Majesty is also aware of the concerns weighing on Your Excellencies' minds. He therefore made a point of clarifying that these so-called rewards of earldoms and dukedoms are merely a measure of merit."

"When merit is deliberated, if Your Excellency wishes to take the title, then take the title. If not, it may also be commuted to an equivalent salary, or used as a credential for deliberation on enshrinement in the Confucian Temple, or deliberation on a ranking in the Pavilion of Soaring Mist!"

At these words, the tightly knit brows of those top-ranking civil officials instantly relaxed.

Enshrinement in the Confucian Temple! A name left in the Pavilion of Soaring Mist!

To them, this held a far greater allure than an insubstantial title of nobility!

Li Guopu could not help but raise his head and cast a deep look at the young emperor on the throne, whose expression remained utterly composed.

Ten gold stripes…

He thought of the single red stripe he himself bore, and could not help but find it somewhat laughable.

Well, so be it. So be it.

For me, whether the Confucian Temple or the Pavilion of Soaring Mist — what have they to do with me?

With such a sage sovereign above, and these earth-shaking new policies, my name, Li Guopu, is already destined to leave a bold and brilliant stroke upon the pages of history!

His heart opened clear; he lowered his eyes once more, his mind still as water.

"The rewards have been spoken of; now we must speak of the punishments."

Gao Shiming's voice turned cold.

"Those who receive red or gold are rewarded. Correspondingly, those who receive green are punished."

"Unlike the red stripes, all matters of adding red or gold apply only to officials under the new policies."

"But the punishment of adding green shall apply throughout our Great Ming, to all officials under heaven!"

The assembled ministers felt a chill in their hearts.

"Should one bear a green stripe, the only way to offset it is to enter the new policies and perform deeds that earn red stripes."

"One green stripe: promotion suspended for one year. Three green stripes: demoted one grade and reassigned. Five green stripes: stripped of office and sash, retired at leisure."

"Ten green stripes… stripped of one's examination rank and scholarly status!"

"Not only that — if after bearing a green stripe one still shows no thought of striving forward, then in the second year, two green stripes shall be automatically added; in the third year, four green stripes automatically added; and so on by this progression, until dismissal from office!"

"This is a policy specifically devised to cure indolence and sloth in governance!"

This time, not a sound stirred within the hall.

Compared to the blood-stirring rewards that had come before, this punishment was far more merciless, and its reach far wider.

That line in particular — "shall apply to all officials under heaven" — sent a chill down the spines of those officials who had imagined they could stand aloof from the matter.

Zhu Youjian tapped the imperial desk lightly, feeling that his knuckles had rapped it too many times today and were already somewhat sore.

It seemed that next time he held court, he ought to bring a small wooden mallet.

Only when he saw that everyone's gaze had converged upon him did he slowly begin to speak.

"Regarding the red and green stripes, We have two further remarks to add."

"Since ancient times, there have often been sayings such as 'the sagely heart is deep as an abyss' and 'the sovereign's mind is unfathomable.'"

"Those who gained the emperor's favor rose straight to the clouds, able to enter the Grand Secretariat and become Chancellor within a few years. Those who offended the sovereign were dismissed from office and stripped of rank, never to be restored for the rest of their lives."

"We, however, have no wish to practice such Legalist arts of Shen Buhai and Han Fei."

Zhu Youjian rose to his feet, his gaze calm yet forceful.

"All that We do and say is open and forthright. So it is with the matters of the new policies, and so it is with these matters of favor, reward, and punishment."

"All red and green stripes are assigned not by Our personal likes and dislikes, but solely by the results achieved for the state."

He spoke deliberately, each word distinct, looking out at the assembled ministers.

"We do not wish to determine the careers of a myriad officials by the likes and dislikes of one man alone; We wish only to take the rise and fall of the realm as the yardstick for the public instrument of all under heaven!"

"These so-called rewards and punishments are not Our rewards and punishments — they are, in truth, the rewards and punishments of the state!"

As his words fell, a deathly silence filled the hall.

Countless officials, especially those pure-stream remonstrators of Hanlin origin, now showed expressions of deep emotion on their faces.

To strip the sovereign's personal likes and dislikes out of the state's system of reward and punishment.

What breadth of mind! What grandeur of spirit!

Yet just as the assembly's hearts surged with emotion, Zhu Youjian abruptly shifted tack, the corner of his mouth curling into that familiar, faintly mischievous smile.

"Of course, this matter is but an expedient measure for when the dynasty breaks through its impasse — not a law for all eternity. My ministers, We do hope you will not make difficulties for Us."

He paused, then added unhurriedly:

"Of course, if any truly wish to make difficulties for Us — submitting memorials that expound upon matters of ancestral institutions — that is, in fact, also permissible."

"We are not, after all, absolutely bound to implement this red-and-green method…"

"After all, when it comes to the methods of Shen Buhai and Han Fei, I too am… somewhat versed in them."

The moment these words were spoken, the stirring emotion and fervor that had just risen in the hall instantly froze.

A chill quietly crept up from the depths of many hearts.

The Emperor's meaning was perfectly clear.

I have given you a great path of open and aboveboard strategy, with rules to follow. You had best accept it.

If you insist on forcing my hand, then I can also play the game of dark schemes and intrigue with you — but when that time comes, your life and death, your honor and disgrace, will truly rest upon nothing more than a single thought of mine.

"Your Majesty!"

As the words fell, Li Guopu and the Duke of Ying, Zhang Weixian, rose to their feet at the same time.

The two exchanged a glance, but Li Guopu was a step quicker, bowing deeply toward the imperial throne.

"This subject begs Your Majesty to retract those words! The sovereign is the source."

"If the source is clear, the stream runs clear; if the source is muddy, the stream runs muddy. For Your Majesty to exercise reward and punishment with a public heart is a blessing for the altars of state and a boon for all under Heaven. Why must you compare yourself to Shen Buhai and Han Fei, and so diminish the august name of a sage sovereign?"

The Duke of Ying, Zhang Weixian, opened his mouth, then inwardly congratulated himself for yielding the chance to remonstrate to Li Guopu.

The literary grace of this Hanlin official was truly something else.

He nodded and said, "This subject's meaning is the same."

With that, he too bowed deeply toward the imperial throne.

The smile on Zhu Youjian's face instantly vanished. He looked at the two white-haired old ministers below the dais, then rose to his feet as well and returned the salute with solemnity.

"What you two ministers say is correct. We spoke amiss, and humbly receive your instruction."

A small storm thus subsided.

As if nothing had happened, Zhu Youjian sat back down and spoke:

"The personnel matters for the Northern Zhili new policies are thus settled. However, there remain two supporting matters."

Zhu Youjian pointed a finger and said:

"Minister of Revenue Guo Yunhou, Nanjing Minister of Revenue Bi Ziyan, and Minister of Works Xue Fengxiang — rise and receive your orders."

The three men rose together and cupped their hands.

The current Nanjing Minister of Revenue was, in fact, Zhang Pu.

This Nanjing Ministry of Revenue post that Bi Ziyan held was a supernumerary appointment.

A supernumerary appointment is an additional post outside the regular establishment.

At present, many of the officials recalled to service held supernumerary posts — meaning they drew salaries but had no specific duties.

Zhu Youjian's arrangement for them was, on the one hand, to fill gaps in the new policies, but on the other hand, that was a matter for later discussion.

Zhu Youjian looked at them and said:

"For the Northern Zhili new policies, personnel matters must be handled as special cases, and administrative matters must also be handled as special cases."

"Within the Ministry of Revenue, the finances and taxes of Northern Zhili shall be separated out. Bi Ziyan shall be given the concurrent title of Minister of Revenue, with sole charge of the financial and tax affairs of the Northern Zhili new policies, equal in rank to the Vice Minister supervising the Liaodong levy and the Minister supervising the granaries."

"Minister Guo, you are to assign Bi Ziyan all the personnel he requires. Is that understood?"

Guo Yunhou's expression was bitter, but he could only cup his hands together with Bi Ziyan and accept the order. "Your subjects obey the imperial will."

Your Majesty, you refused to give me the accounting personnel for the civilian-transport silver, and now you are splitting off an entire department.

Has Your Majesty forgotten that I too have a red mark against my name?

Zhu Youjian nodded with satisfaction, then turned to Xue Fengxiang and said:

"The Northern Zhili new policies cannot be separated from water conservancy and repairs."

"Although the personnel and objectives of the new policies still require discussion, the Ministry of Works' water conservancy matters should begin preparation in advance."

"The very first item in the Hanlin Academy's compilation of old statecraft documents is this matter of water conservancy and farmland in Northern Zhili. The Ministry of Works is to cooperate fully, draw up a plan, and present it to us."

Xue Fengxiang's face was expressionless, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief. At last, there was work to do. He cupped his hands and accepted the order. "This subject obeys the imperial will."

Zhu Youjian nodded and began to wrap up the matter of the Northern Zhili new policies:

"In addition, there are two further personnel appointments that require you ministers to recommend candidates."

The assembled officials immediately collected their thoughts and listened intently.

"The first is the addition of Grand Secretaries."

"At present, within the Grand Secretariat, there are only the Chief Grand Secretary and Minister Li. The Chief Grand Secretary must concurrently oversee the selection of personnel for the new policies, and Minister Li must concurrently oversee the performance evaluation for the new policies — they are truly stretched too thin."

"Yesterday, the two Grand Secretaries submitted a memorial requesting the addition of Grand Secretaries. We have approved it."

"We hereby order the Nine Ministers of the Six Ministries, together with the Censorate, to jointly recommend candidates, settle upon a list of ten names, and submit it before the throne."

"We have only one requirement: among these ten names, only those with practical experience may be selected."

Hearing this, everyone's thoughts diverged, and they immediately began to calculate.

The Minister of Justice, Qiao Yunsheng, pondered for a moment, then rose and bowed, asking, "May this subject inquire of Your Majesty, what constitutes practical experience?"

Zhu Youjian swept a glance at him and instantly understood what these people were thinking.

They probably had some candidates in mind who had always followed the path of pure reputation.

Was it Han Kuang? Or Liu Hongxun?

He sneered inwardly, considered briefly, and decided to yield just a little ground on the matter of Grand Secretariat candidates.

"Those who have served in the provinces as Prefect, Provincial Administration Commissioner, Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, or the like, or who have done substantive work within the Six Ministries — all may be counted in this category."

"Your subjects understand." Qiao Yunsheng saluted and sat down.

Zhu Youjian nodded and continued.

"The second is the matter of a Governor-General for the Northern Zhili new policies."

"Of the eight prefectures of Northern Zhili, Shuntian Prefecture is no ordinary case and shall be separately administered by Minister Xue."

"The remaining seven prefectures also require a Governor-General to coordinate overall civil affairs and oversight."

"This matter shall likewise be entrusted to the Six Ministries and the Nine Chief Ministers to nominate. Draw up a list of ten names and submit it to Us for final decision."

"The requirements for this list shall be somewhat stricter. Only those who have served as Governor, or have held office in prefectures and counties, shall be eligible. The rest — men such as Regional Inspectors and Censors — shall not count."

Governor-General of the New Policies for Northern Zhili!

This was no mere selection of a Governor-General — this was plainly the selection of a future Grand Secretary.

With a record of New Policies service to his name, this future Grand Secretary's speed of promotion and degree of trust would likely far surpass everyone else!

In that instant, nearly every minister present began mentally tallying the men in their own pockets.

The atmosphere in the great hall grew subtly fervent once more.

Having casually tossed out two weighty bones, Zhu Youjian had no intention of watching the civil officials any further.

Only when the list of their nominations was submitted would it be time for him to turn his attention back to this distribution of power.

For now, he had already set in motion the many initial tasks for the New Policies in Northern Zhili.

Yet one most critical piece was still missing.

Zhu Youjian shifted his gaze to the other side — to the military nobles, who had remained silent the entire time.

The faction whose presence, since this conference began, had been as negligible as ever.