Chapter 177: Performing a Ritual Inside a Snail Shell, Growing Increment in a Stock Market (Bonus Chapter — Monthly Tickets Requested

Since his enthronement, he had deliberately ignored and disregarded the noble houses.

The Valiant Guard Camp had no place for them, and the new policies had no place for them either.

During the palace purge, he had even threatened them against further prying into the inner palace's affairs.

Keeping them suppressed in this way was a deliberate tactic of holding back before letting loose.

After all, every promotion and favor actually rests on one fundamental logic —

at the table of power, exactly how many bargaining chips of interest can the Emperor offer?

The favors, co-optation, personnel adjustments, and balancing acts since Zhu Youjian's enthronement — if one sets aside the dimensions of fame, power, and profit — can in fact be divided into two types.

The first is the "loss aversion" type.

Some in the eunuch faction who formerly held high positions, such as Wang Tiqian, Tian Ergeng, and Xue Fengxiang, belong to this category.

What he gave them was not actually an increment, but the preservation of your current stock of power and your future political life.

But this kind of threat, at the cost of "loss," can only be used for a time; it is difficult to sustain for a lifetime.

This was also one of the reasons he absolutely had to kill Wei Zhongxian.

Having controlled the court for barely three years, Wei's clan already held three noble titles; the Marquis of Fengcheng, Li Chengzuo, even submitted a memorial requesting the Nine Bestowments for Wei Zhongxian and enfeoffment as Prince of Wei.

What more could he, Zhu Youjian, possibly grant? What more could he bestow?

If he truly granted and bestowed those things, how could the moral climate of the realm ever be reversed?

Could he still stand on the moral high ground?

The second type is the genuine provision of "increment."

The secretariat of the new policies, the Shuntian Prefecture faction, and even the Northern Zhili local officials soon to be selected through examination — all belong to this type.

Precisely because their status was lowly, there was room for the Zhu imperial house to promote, reward, and appoint them.

From this perspective, if Wang Tiqian, Tian Ergeng, and even Huang Liji and Li Guopu fail to produce major results in the next two or three years, they will certainly be replaced by newcomers.

Because the cost-effectiveness of rewarding newcomers is far higher than that of rewarding old hands.

Employing men is like piling firewood — those who come later end up on top.

This holds true in all times and all places.

However, when these two logics are applied to the noble houses, both exhibit varying degrees of failure.

Loss aversion?

The noble houses fall under the Eight Deliberations; no matter how poorly they perform, the worst that can happen is suspension of stipend or suspension of office — can one really strip a title of nobility simply because they refuse to fall in line?

The Duke of Ying has fallen in line; if the Duke of Ding does not, can he, Zhu Youjian, truly do anything to the Duke of Ding? Impossible.

As for room for increment, one cannot say there is none, only that it is far too small.

When civil officials and military officers seek promotion, with red and green endorsements added, the great path lies open.

But the requirements for noble promotion are higher, and the things they can do are fewer; the incentive of this incremental space is truly far too meager.

The dynasty has over thirty noble houses in the capital, yet the official powers they hold are but a handful.

The Duke of Ying, Zhang Weixian, and the Duke of Ding, Xu Xigao, stand at the head of the ranks.

In ordinary times, when the Six Ministries and Nine Chief Ministers deliberate on affairs, they can participate — but that is all.

Further down, the Marquis of Baoding, Liang Dingxun, commands the Capital Camps; the Earl of Xiangcheng, Li Shouqi, commands the Han General Guard; the Marquis of Lingbi, Tang Guozuo, commands the Red Helmet Guard; the Imperial Son-in-law Commandant, Hou Gongchen, administers the Imperial Clan Court.

... The remaining noble houses either rotate through the Five Chief Military Commissions or merely serve in the imperial bodyguard.

From the matter of corruption, one can glimpse even more clearly the awkwardness of the noble houses' narrow official powers.

In the Great Ming, after all, how much power one holds determines how much money one can embezzle — it is openly priced and ironclad.

A Supervising Secretary, though only of the seventh rank, holds a humble post with heavy authority, and can earn three to five thousand taels of gold a year.

In the past, figures like Chief Grand Secretary Feng Quan and Tian Ergeng took bribes by the tens of thousands of taels.

But when it comes to the noble houses, the picture is bleak.

The case Wei Zhongxian uncovered last year of the Capital Camps monopolizing the procurement of bows, arrows, grain, and funds is right before our eyes.

Chen Liangbi, the Marquis of Taining, who was Governor-General of the Capital Camps, took one thousand six hundred taels and still had to share five hundred taels with Wu Ruyin, the Marquis of Gongshun.

Yet a mere Bureau Director of the Bureau of Forestry and Crafts in the Ministry of Works walked away with a full one thousand five hundred taels from this affair, and the Ministry of Works Bureau Secretary below him also had three hundred taels to divide.

Even so, Governor-General of the Capital Camps was already the fattest post the capital's noble houses could angle for.

Therefore, most of the noble houses' energy remained focused on their own fields, shops, and mines.

Petitioning for salt certificates, land, and mining rights was what they pursued with tireless zeal.

The coal and stone mines of Fangshan and Zhuozhou were all sites of their encroachment and illicit digging.

Thus, the Northern Zhili reforms cut most deeply into the interests of precisely these noble houses.

Because the largest landowner in Northern Zhili is the Emperor, next come the noble houses, and only after them do the local gentry enter the picture.

In undertaking any reform, one must clearly distinguish where the interests lie.

Among the potential opposing forces in the Northern Zhili reforms, the landed civil officials must be set aside for the moment — it is these noble houses who will suffer the most severe damage!

This is also why he moved to the Hall of Earnest Reflection in the Western Park.

For no other reason than that the left and right are narrow, making it simple to manage; with only a few hundred trusted guards to win over, the approaches can be sealed watertight.

Moreover, it borders the lake, so if a fire breaks out, putting it out is simple too.

After this meeting concludes, the palace must be purged once more...

Zhu Youjian recited this silently in his heart, but on his face a gentle smile had already emerged, and he spoke:

"The noble houses share their fortunes with the state. In this matter of the Great Ming's restoration, you naturally cannot be excluded. Do you not agree, my lords?"

A single sentence stirred a faint ripple through the silent ranks of the noble houses.

Since the new sovereign's enthronement, all they had felt was indifference and disregard; the Emperor's proactive inquiry at this moment was nothing short of heavenly music.

Several nobles exchanged glances, and in the end it was the Duke of Ying, Zhang Weixian, at the head of the ranks, who rose, bowed, and replied: "Your Majesty is sagely wise. Your subjects have for generations received the state's grace and eaten the court's stipend; for the cause of the new policies and the restoration, we would go through fire and water and die a thousand deaths without flinching! We await Your Majesty's command."

Zhu Youjian nodded with satisfaction.

"We have several matters that require you, the nobles, to carry out."

"First: all nobles of the realm, whether in the Two Capitals or elsewhere, shall have a share in the new policies. Each of you is to submit a memorial on them."

"Given your noble ranks and the offices you hold, what is your true view of the state of the world?"

"If you wish to do things, then walk the path of doing things. If you do not wish to do things, you must at least speak plainly with Us about the affairs of the realm."

"This is not difficult, is it?"

Zhang Weixian furrowed his brow, thinking the matter far too simple, but he still answered at once: "It is not difficult."

Zhu Youjian continued: "Second: We have heard that the Earl of Xiangcheng seeks to take charge of the Capital Camps."

He spoke with a faint, ambiguous smile, his gaze sweeping the crowd — and sure enough, he caught the flash of embarrassment on the Earl of Xiangcheng, Li Shouqi, and the instant tightening of distress on the Marquis of Baoding, Liang Dingxun's face.

"No need to go around pulling strings." Zhu Youjian paused, then went on. "The two of you shall each submit to Us a statecraft paper on reorganizing the Capital Camps. Whichever is better, We shall use that man."

Li Shouqi and Liang Dingxun rose together, their hearts a tangle of emotions, yet they could only solemnly accept the command: "Your subjects obey the decree."

Zhu Youjian looked around at the remaining nobles present. "If any among you also wish to take charge of the Capital Camps, you may submit a paper as well. The deadline is the first day of the eleventh month."

"We shall select men solely by the quality of their essays, disregarding past affairs and disregarding the height of their noble rank."

At these words, a stir ran through the nobles, and flames of burning ambition kindled in many eyes.

—This was a lie.

True growth would have to wait until the steam engine, foreign conquests, and the expansion of maritime trade took hold before it could bring real increase to the Great Ming.

Before that, no matter how thoroughly one audited the fields or fought corruption, it was all merely a redistribution of benefits within a zero-sum market.

But even a zero-sum market, looked at from another angle, could yield growth.

Simply take things from some people and give them to others.

Therefore, no matter how well the Marquis of Baoding, Liang Dingxun, wrote his statecraft paper, he was destined to lose the post of Superintendent of the Capital Camps.

Because among the nobles, the cake that Zhu Youjian could redistribute was simply too small — and the Capital Camps were the single largest piece.

If Liang Dingxun did not step down, how could the other nobles rise?!

Zhu Youjian continued:

"Third: the matter of the Mounted Attendants. This matter shall be led by the Duke of Ding."

The Duke of Ding, Xu Xigao, rose at these words.

"Select from the sons and younger brothers of dukes, marquises, and earls in the Two Capitals and across the realm those aged fifteen and above."

"Those who can ride, shoot, and handle a horse, who can pass the military examination standard, and who intend to pursue a military career shall be Military Attendants. Those who can write statecraft essays and intend to reform current abuses shall submit a paper and become Civil Attendants."

"We shall personally examine each one. Those who prove their valor or statecraft talent shall, as appropriate, be assigned to the Valiant Guard Camp or the Secretariat for service."

"There is no quota. Selection shall be based solely on merit."

At these words, every noble's face lit up with delight; they glanced left and right, exchanging excited looks.

The Duke of Ding, Xu Xigao, bowed low at once to accept the command.

This was not merely a post — it was a signal, a signal that they were being drawn back into the core of power!

The Secretariat especially — that was now the single hottest place in the entire court!

In a sense, it meant the nobles' authority had tentatively edged one small step outward.

Though the Secretariat now merely reviewed statecraft papers, what of the future?

The Leopard Quarter of the Zhengde era, the Direct Lodge of the Jiajing era — they stood before their very eyes. Who could not guess how the Secretariat's powers would swell in time to come?

On the civil officials' side, there was evident unease. Several censors furrowed their brows by instinct, but all were wise enough to keep silent.

The Emperor's selection of Mounted Attendants was his own household affair, and he was choosing sons of the nobility — on what grounds could they block it?

Whatever grounds they used, it would look like driving a wedge between the sovereign and his trusted men.

What truly made them wary was, rather, the Secretariat itself.

But the Emperor had not said they would enter directly; by reason, they still had to be examined on statecraft papers.

The precedent of Zhang Zhiji, son of the Duke of Ying, was right before them. To challenge this matter, they would still need to find the right angle.

More crucially — would this Emperor even listen if they spoke?

Zhu Youjian sensed the civil officials' unease, but it did not matter. He still had one last move.

The growth of power and influence — it could be shifted not only between different people.

It could also be shifted between different spans of time.

Promising future power was also a form of incremental supply.

Zhu Youjian spoke again, laying out the fourth matter of the day.

"Fourth: the matter of the Front Guard of the Palace Army."

"By the established custom of our dynasty, the Front Guard of the Palace Army recruits young soldiers to serve as the heir apparent's personal guard."

"Yet now the Front Guard of the Palace Army is riddled with vacancies and neglect, reduced nearly to nothing. This matter shall be undertaken by the Duke of Ying."

"By custom, select those aged fifteen and below, ten and above."

"Choose those of sound development, who have begun martial training and are literate, and reestablish the Front Guard of the Palace Army."

"Select three hundred from the hereditary lines of nobles across the realm, three hundred from the sons of civil officials, three hundred from the sons of officers on the Nine Frontiers, three hundred from guard stations across the realm, and three hundred from the sons of officers who have fallen in battle. Assemble a force of fifteen hundred and reestablish this guard!"

At these words, the entire hall was stunned!

The heir apparent!

Those two words struck like a thunderclap, exploding in every man's heart.

This was no longer an exchange of interests — it was an unmistakable political pledge!

A pledge concerning the future of the dynasty!

This Emperor was using this method to make a promise to the civil and military nobles about the next transfer of power.

Although… at present, this new sovereign has not a single son.

But he will have sons eventually, won't he?!

This signal carried more weight than any bestowal of titles or rewards!

The Duke of Ying, Zhang Weixian, his expression solemn, lifted his robes and knelt, performing a grave kowtow: "This old subject… receives the decree!"

Zhu Youjian raised a hand, and only after the duke had risen did he add:

"There is no need to rush the matter of the Front Guard of the Palace Army. The authorized strength is an upper limit, not a short-term fixed quota."

"This is a measure to prepare for a rainy day. In selecting men, quality must take precedence over quantity. Take it slowly."

"This subject understands." Zhang Weixian cupped his hands in salute, his voice steady.

Zhu Youjian nodded, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the merit-nobility, taking in every expression, before finally turning to address the entire assembly.

"The various matters of the new governance shall proceed from within outward, step by step, according to the principle of self-cultivation, family regulation, state ordering, and world pacification."

"Though the capital and Northern Zhili are important, that does not mean we shall truly leave the rest of the realm unattended next year."

"It is simply that matters beyond Northern Zhili will proceed at a slower, more measured pace, without the same intensity as here in Northern Zhili."

"Therefore, what we shall discuss next are the remaining affairs."

Zhu Youjian gestured with a finger — they had finally reached the last two items on the day's agenda.

—The Nine Frontiers, and matters of finance and taxation!

"Huo Weihua, Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, report on the progress from your side."