Chapter 225: All of You, Get Cracking

Ni Yuanlu's barbed words, like a basin of ice water dashed over their heads, instantly doused the atmosphere Liu Ruoyu had just kindled in the duty room.

His face was stern, his lips pressed tight, his gaze sweeping over the assembly.

This program had already been communicated to them earlier at the small coordination meeting for the "First Clerk Training."

Liu Ruoyu, being one of Your Majesty's close attendants, naturally had to play the kindly face — to set their aspirations and point out the grand path.

But he himself, in charge of the training and serving as provisional headmaster for the coming month, absolutely had to play the stern face.

As for the talk of eliminating half of them — that was, of course, a bluff.

These hundred men were the kindling for the New Policies' clerk reforms, the benchmarks personally designated by His Majesty's imperial brush.

So long as a man was not truly indolent or hopelessly stupid, the training team would find every way to help him into the saddle.

Yet at this moment, in this scene, no one dared not believe it.

This lord was swift and decisive, truly a man who inspired awe and dread.

Seeing the hall full of new clerks silent as winter cicadas, Ni Yuanlu then continued.

"In this session's clerk examinations, over two thousand sat for it. The total score was one hundred and eighty. Seventeen achieved a perfect score."

"Yet not a single one of them is here now."

"All because of the cheating question in the examination shed — their minds were crooked, and so they were all screened out."

"But precisely because of that, those of you seated here today, though upright in character, are not the cohort with the highest talent."

"At present, the highest score among you is merely one hundred and seventy-eight."

He swept his eyes over them, his tone cold.

"It is good that you have just set your resolve, and as Eunuch Liu said, holding fast from start to finish is also important."

"But what made Yue Wumu the man he was did not rest on resolve and perseverance alone!"

"The Book of Documents says: 'Great achievements rest on resolve; broad accomplishment rests on diligence!'"

"Without diligence, how can accomplishment be broad? Without talent, resolve is nothing but a castle in the air!"

"Since you have set your resolve, you must all the more study hard and train bitterly, to make up for your deficiencies in talent. Only then can you add wings to a tiger, only then can you walk steadily and go far!"

At this, he clapped his hands and called out: "Enter."

Everyone turned toward the doorway.

They saw eight middle-aged men dressed as clerks file in. They varied in build, in age, and in expression.

Ni Yuanlu said: "Introduce yourselves, each of you."

Each man stepped forward in turn, cupping his hands: "My surname is Wang. I am responsible for teaching the classics and expounding the sages' writings, to establish your moral foundations."

"My surname is Li. I am responsible for teaching histories and biographies. Using history as a mirror, one may discern rise and fall, and rectify the human heart."

"My surname is Zhang. I am responsible for teaching law, so that you may know statutes and understand regulations."

"My surname is Chen. I am responsible for teaching official duties, specializing in the detailed procedures for handling prefectural and county affairs."

"My surname is Zhou. I am responsible for teaching arithmetic — money and grain, land and fields, taxes and levies, all are encompassed within."

"My surname is Zhao. I am responsible for teaching astronomy, covering the heavenly stems and earthly branches, the solar terms and the calendar, for use in agriculture."

"My surname is Sun. I am responsible for teaching standards and protocols — from court ritual above to government regulations below, all are to be studied."

The last man stepped forward, a trace of a smile on his face, utterly unlike the solemnity of the others.

"This official's surname is Zheng. I teach you nothing; I am merely responsible for the distribution of your books, the roll call and attendance, the disbursement of your salaries, and sundry matters such as brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones."

The eight finished their introductions and stood quietly to one side.

The newly promoted clerks in the hall looked at one another, a shared sense of ominous foreboding rising in their hearts.

No wonder they actually had seats today. At first, they had thought it was in imitation of the "sitting to discuss the Dao" style that was gradually becoming fashionable in the court.

But now it seemed —

This layout, this whole setup — how exactly did it resemble a village private school lecture hall!

After the introductions were done, Ni Yuanlu continued.

"From tomorrow until the twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month, you will undergo a one-month training period."

"What is meant by 'training'? 'Cultivate' means to heap earth and nurture the root; 'instruct' means to expound and teach."

"During the training period, school begins each day at the hour of the rabbit. There are eight lessons a day, until dismissal at the hour of the rooster."

"On the twenty-ninth day of the eleventh month, a unified grand examination will be held."

"In the grand examination, anyone whose score fails to meet the standard will be directly eliminated!"

"In the grand examination, he who seizes first place will be personally summoned by His Majesty!"

"Is that understood?"

The crowd, dazed by this barrage of explosive news and the seemingly grim prospects, were shaken and distracted.

For a moment, most did not react; only a few scattered voices answered.

Ni Yuanlu's eyes glared wide, and he barked sternly: "Have you never attended school? How can you be so disrespectful! All of you, rise! Answer again!"

Whoosh!

The crowd, terrified into breathless silence, sprang up from their seats as one, the movement uniform and precise.

"Students understand!"

The resounding voices echoed through the duty room.

Ni Yuanlu waved a hand, and they all sat down again, each one ramrod straight, no one daring to whisper anymore.

This group of young and middle-aged clerks, ranging from eighteen to forty-eight, had suddenly rediscovered the fear of being dominated by their private tutor back when they were unenlightened children.

Some could even faintly feel a phantom pain in their palms, as if from the lash of a discipline ruler.

Ni Yuanlu, quite satisfied with this effect, continued.

"After the training grand examination results are announced, His Excellency Xue Guoguan, Governor of Shuntian Prefecture, will come in person to address you."

"After that, you will be assigned to the Shuntian Prefecture yamen and work under the new policies."

"At that point, you will have entered the second stage — the probationary period."

Ni Yuanlu raised three fingers.

"The probationary period lasts three months. Anyone found taking bribes, perverting the law, slacking off, or negligent in their duties will likewise be dismissed!"

"Only once you have passed the probationary period will you truly become officers of the new policies, and only then can you truly, as Eunuch Liu said, pursue achievements like those of Yue Wumu!"

"Do you understand?"

"We understand!"

This time, the crowd answered swiftly and in unison, needing no urging.

Ni Yuanlu nodded and said, "The training period involves many matters. We need to select a class head to handle overall coordination."

"If any issues arise, he will communicate with the various subject instructors or with me. You may put forward your nominations."

At these words, quite a few people seemed eager to step forward.

After their initial shock, the crowd had only grown more certain of this officer track's prospects.

Even though Eunuch Liu and His Excellency Ni had not said a single word about salaries or promotions,

anyone with eyes could see — setting aside an entire month solely for training, then adding another three months of probation — how highly valued this was!

And what was a probationary period, after all? Only officials had such a thing as probation!

Yet whatever those eager few were thinking, the gaze of the majority turned unanimously toward Wu Yanzuo in the back row.

This Young Master Wu came from a wealthy family and was generous and sociable. Barely had he joined the class when he was already on familiar terms with most people.

Having him serve as class head was naturally beyond dispute.

Ni Yuanlu, of course, had also observed everyone's reactions.

Paying no heed to those eager to volunteer, he decided the matter directly. "Then the class head for this first officers' training cohort shall be you."

He looked at Wu Yanzuo. "You — what is your name?"

Wu Yanzuo's expression turned solemn. Not daring to show a trace of his usual indolent manner, he rose to his feet and bowed deeply with the utmost respect.

"In reply to Your Excellency, this student is Wu Yanzuo, courtesy name Mengju, of Daxing County."

Ni Yuanlu nodded. "Good. I have noted it."

"My lecture for today ends here. The various subject instructors will now explain to you, one by one, the course content,

examination essentials, and other such matters."

"Once all the instructors have finished, you may be dismissed early today."

"Tomorrow, before the hour of the rabbit, remember to arrive on time for roll call and class. Also, write down your respective aspirations in advance and have the class head collect and submit them to the palace."

Wu Yanzuo bowed. "This student understands."

Ni Yuanlu gave an "Mm" and said, "The new policies keep me busy. I have another meeting to attend later, so I shall not linger. I leave the remaining matters to the instructors."

With that, he clasped his hands toward the assembly and departed in haste.

The moment Ni Yuanlu left, the nearly suffocating pressure instantly lifted.

But though the tiger had gone far, its lingering authority remained. The crowd looked at one another, and for a time no one dared make a sound.

It was Clerk Zheng, the one among the eight instructors responsible for miscellaneous affairs, who coughed and stepped forward first with a genial smile.

"Everyone, allow me to begin.

I will explain the selection, examination, and salary matters for these new-policy officers. Once I have finished, you will likely have more spirit for listening to the subject instructors."

He looked over the crowd and opened with a dose of encouragement. "You have all truly come at a fortunate time."

He paused, then asked, "How many of you here have heard His Majesty's talk of 'white crows and black crows'? Those who have, please raise your right hand."

As his words fell, a forest of arms rose in the room — nearly everyone raised a hand.

The few who had not heard it hurriedly raised theirs as well, blending in with the majority.

Clerk Zheng waved his hand, signaling everyone to lower their arms, then cupped his hands toward the north, in the direction of the Forbidden City.

"His Majesty is sagely wise, and thanks to the sincere memorials of his ministers, he sees the abuses of the sub-official clerks as clearly as a blazing fire."

"What lies at the root of the sub-official clerks' abuses?"

"It lies in their meager salaries and the complete absence of any path to promotion!"

"When salaries are meager, they are driven to reach out their hands, and once they reach out, their greed knows no bounds. After all, taking one coin is corruption, and taking a thousand coins is also corruption — if one must be corrupt, better to take more than less, no?"

"And with promotion so difficult, good performance leads nowhere, while poor performance brings no demotion either. Thus, most sub-official clerks are greedy and contemptible, despised by all under heaven."

"Yet the more they are despised, the more their salaries are reduced, and the more promotion is denied them. Such is the vicious cycle — like so many of the Great Ming's current ills, they are trapped deep within it, unable to break free."

His voice rang out clearly. "But while they cannot break free, we can establish a separate branch and gradually purge and rectify the system."

"This solution, then, depends on all of you — the 'white crows'!"

"Everyone, do you understand now?"

The assembly cupped their hands in unison and said, "We understand!"

Clerk Zheng nodded. "Since you all understand, I shall waste no more words and proceed directly to lay out the regulations for the new-policy 'white crow' officers."

"First, the method of promotion."

"All new-policy officers are divided into five ranks, namely: Probationary Officer, Fourth-Rank Officer, Third-Rank Officer, Second-Rank Officer, and First-Rank Officer."

"The training period and the probationary period both count as Probationary Officer. If you pass, you will be converted to full status and begin at the lowest rank, Fourth-Rank Officer."

"There will be an annual evaluation, with four assessment grades: Exceptional, Superior, Middling, and Inferior."

"Those rated Exceptional shall be promoted two ranks!"

"Those rated Superior shall be promoted one rank."

"Those rated merely Middling shall neither rise nor fall."

"Those rated Inferior shall likewise neither rise nor fall." He paused. "But if one receives Inferior twice in succession, then one shall be demoted one rank. And if there is no rank left to demote, dismissal is the only path."

No one reacted to this — who would think they'd been graded as Inferior? Every single person was fixated only on that "Special" grade!

Once a year? Two ranks per promotion? Wouldn't that mean reaching the top in just over two years? And after that? Starting from the Junior Ninth Rank?!

As if reading their minds, Clerk Zheng continued, "However, with the new policies just beginning, His Majesty has decreed that in the first year of Yongchang next year, evaluations will accelerate — changing from once a year to once every half year!"

"Thus, for a capable man, two Special grades in a single year would mean four consecutive rank promotions, leaping from Probationary Clerk straight past First-Class Clerk and stepping onto the Junior Ninth Rank!"

The crowd was beside themselves with excitement. Though none dared whisper to their neighbors, each was inwardly stirred — that "capable man"? Need you even ask? It's obviously me!

Junior Ninth Rank might seem low, but that was already an official, not a mere clerk!

The Vice Warden of a Patrol Office, the Vice Director of the various bureaus under the capital's Six Ministries — those were all Junior Ninth Rank!

Clerk Zheng watched their stirred expressions and threw more fuel on the fire.

"The Superior, Middle, and Inferior grades are for routine duty evaluations. But the Special grade requires achievements of heaven-toppling magnitude to be awarded."

"What counts as a great achievement? Either submitting an excellent proposal that renders great service to the new policies' implementation; or cracking a major case, recovering enormous losses for the court; or reporting a colleague's corruption, verified upon investigation — that too is a great achievement!"

When Qian Changle heard this, his expression instantly grew agitated.

But Wu Yanzuo's eyes flickered faintly, a deep, dark glint passing through them.

A fine thing, this Special grade. A fine thing, this great achievement.

The first two — how could they possibly be easy to obtain? It seemed the easiest was still this "reporting a colleague's corruption."

This new sovereign's methods were truly formidable.

Clerk Zheng clapped his hands together and smiled. "Well then, that is the gist of the promotion system. Which is why I said you've all caught a fine moment!"

"In His Majesty's words, the new policies must be swift, must be steady, must tolerate mistakes, and must support reform."

"In times past, how arduous was the path of promotion for a clerk?"

"You must all treasure this dearly. Once the first year of Yongchang passes and the realm's situation improves, such heaven-sent opportunities will never come again!"

Having delivered this rousing pep talk, he cleared his throat and continued, "Now then, let us discuss the matter of salaries."

"In the past, a yamen scribe received an annual salary of seven taels and two mace — that is, a monthly salary of six mace."

"Compared to that, whether the new-policy clerks' salaries are higher or lower is hard to say."

"At the high end, nearly triple; at the low end, not even matching the old system."

He had successfully whetted everyone's appetite before he finally spoke: "The new-policy clerk's salary is divided into two parts: a fixed annual salary, and a bonus annual salary."

"Considering only the fixed annual salary: Fourth-Class Clerk, five mace per month; Third-Class Clerk, seven mace per month; Second-Class Clerk, nine mace per month; First-Class Clerk, one tael and two mace per month."

"That is to say, if one can rise to First-Class Clerk, this portion alone is already nearly double that of the old clerks."

"So, what is the bonus annual salary?"

He looked down, taking in the eagerness in everyone's eyes, before speaking.

"The so-called bonus annual salary is tied to the year-end evaluation."

"If one receives an Inferior evaluation that year, an additional one month's salary is granted."

"If one receives a Middle evaluation that year, an additional two months' salary is granted."

"If one receives a Superior evaluation that year, an additional three months' salary is granted."

"If one receives a Special evaluation that year, an additional six months' salary is granted!"

"Thus, calculated at the lowest — Inferior evaluation plus Fourth-Class Clerk — the annual salary is six taels and five mace, even lower than the old-system subofficial clerks."

"But, calculated at the highest — Special evaluation plus First-Class Clerk — the annual salary is twenty-one taels and six mace!"

"Gentlemen, do you grasp what that means? A court official of the Seventh Rank draws an annual salary of merely thirty taels!"

Deathly silence fell below the dais.

Not a single whisper passed between neighbors.

Every person was inwardly straining to calculate this unprecedented yet maddeningly enticing salary system.

But before they could figure it out, Clerk Zheng slapped the thick stack of booklets on the desk and smiled. "Gentlemen, stop calculating! Every rank's promotion, salary, and subject schedule — it's all in this 'New-Policy Clerk Training Guide'!"

"Come, masters, lend a hand and pass these out!"

At this, the several masters smiled as well, moving the booklets to the very front and passing them back row by row.

Qian Changle sat at the very back. Craning his neck in anticipation, he waited a long while before the booklet, still faintly fragrant with ink, was finally placed in his hands.

He drew a deep breath and, with rising excitement, opened the booklet.

The first section was the discourse on "Aspiration" that Eunuch Liu had delivered earlier.

Qian Changle skimmed ten lines at a glance.

No! Qian Changle did not even look at it. He swept his eyes over the heading and flipped straight to the back.

The second section was the clerk promotion rules — a table right at the front, followed by pages of densely packed detailed explanations.

(Attached image — AI is truly impressive these days)

Qian Changle scanned two lines, lost patience as well, and continued flipping back.

At last!

After turning several more pages.

Before Qian Changle's eyes appeared an incomparably beautiful table.

Every horizontal and vertical line upon it was so exquisitely crafted, so utterly — gleaming with silver!

(Attached image — Great Ming Clerk Salary Ladder Table)

Qian Changle did not dare set his hopes on that illusory, intangible Special-grade annual salary.

He picked only the "Superior" annual salary, which he felt most confident of achieving, and studied it line by line.

Seven taels five mace — ten taels five — thirteen taels five —

He quickly discovered the pattern: under a Superior evaluation, each rise in rank added three taels to the annual salary.

Qian Changle hurriedly flipped back to the promotion section at the front.

Semiannual evaluations — a Superior rating advances you one rank!

He would now train for one month, serve a three-month probationary term, and finish at the end by the second month of next year.

According to the evaluation rules laid out in the booklet, evaluations were held twice a year, in the seventh and first months.

Then at the fastest, by the seventh month of the year after next, he would be a First-Class Clerk!

At that point, with a Superior evaluation, his annual salary — eighteen taels!

Eighteen taels!

Qian Changle felt a surge of hot blood rush straight to the crown of his head, leaving him somewhat dizzy.

With eighteen taels of silver, what sort of life could he not live!

His elder brother could buy a few mu of poor farmland, no longer dragging his sick body through bitter toil, coughing without cease deep into the night!

His sister-in-law would no longer have to go into the city in the dead of winter to wash clothes for others, her hands frozen and covered with cracks!

The Qian family's revival was right before his eyes!

Having carefully read through all the detailed rules, Qian Changle's eyes fixed deathly upon the three words "probationary term."

I must pass the probationary term!

No! I, Qian Changle, will certainly pass the probationary term!

"Cough — cough!"

Clerk Zheng coughed several times in succession before he managed to suppress the clamorous atmosphere in the classroom.

Everyone raised their heads one after another, and the looks they directed at him were already filled entirely with reverence and affection.

Clerk Zheng smiled and said, "Everyone, there is no hurry — you may take this promotion and salary chart home and study it at your leisure."

"Please turn your booklets to page sixteen. Here is the training schedule for the coming month."

"The instructors will also explain to you the teaching content and evaluation essentials for each subject."

"If you do not listen carefully to this and cannot even pass the training, then do not speak of twenty taels or six taels — there will not be a single cash for you!"

Hearing this, everyone hurriedly flipped through their books again, rustling and riffling their way to page sixteen, their expressions turning utterly earnest.

The instructor of classical exegesis, Master Wang, stepped forward and said, "Everyone, during the training period there will be eight lessons each day, for a total of two hundred and forty class hours. The classical exegesis subject I teach comprises twenty class hours. The score weighting — the content covered — the key examination points —"

One by one, each instructor came forward and made their statement.

The classroom fell so silent that only the instructors' voices could be heard. Everyone sat upright and rigid, their gazes fixed intently ahead.

All except one person.

In the very back row of the classroom, Wu Yanzuo did not listen attentively. He merely perused the booklet in fine detail, and only then raised his head to look at the others in the room.

Sitting at the very back, he could not see many of their faces.

But he could see one straight, ramrod back after another.

Wu Yanzuo gently closed the booklet, and a soft sigh rose in his heart.

Father, you were right after all.

Profit is the great pivot of all beneath heaven.

But how exactly did you reach this conclusion so early on?

And where did you find the nerve to place your wager so decisively?

This question — surely you can tell me and Elder Brother the answer when I return home today?