Chapter 268: Grasping Tallies and Calculations, Wading Deep and Shallow (Last Day of the Monthly Ticket Bonus Event~)

In the official circles of the Great Ming, whenever a new official took up a post, regardless of his rank,

he would never be without a copy of the *Great Ming Unified Civil and Military Government Offices System*.

This book detailed the distribution of the various barbarian tribes along the Nine Frontiers, explained the regulations of every ministry in the capital, and even laid out the local conditions of every prefecture, sub-prefecture, and county across the realm, one by one. Beyond that, it even included exhaustive ceremonial protocols for a new official's arrival: the auspicious and inauspicious divination of the assumption date, the rites for sacrificing to the ancient teacher Confucius, felicitations for the Imperial Birthday, the laws and rituals of the Township Drinking Ceremony, and so on — everything was there, nothing omitted.

So, what did this book have to say about the counties of Northern Zhili?

The most miserable were the two counties right at the capital's feet: Daxing and Wanping.

Ten words laid bare their blood and tears: *Adjoining the seat, affairs complex and corvée heavy, populace mixed and hard to govern. *

The second most miserable were the counties near the frontier guard stations, such as Funing and Luanzhou.

The assessment read: *Near the frontier, overworked and exhausted; military and civilian populations intermingled; land worn out and rife with bandits. *

The demands and levies of the frontier were one part of it, but the real crux was the mutual shielding between military and civilian household registrations, even to the point of masked banditry. In these times, the closer one got to the army, the more bandits there were.

A place like Leting, however — far from the princes, not too close to the frontier, with many great rivers winding through its territory — was truly an excellent posting. The book said of it: *A remote coastal corner, the people simple and the land fertile. *

For a county magistrate seeking a quiet life, such a place was naturally the best of the best.

But for Lu Zhenfei, it was absolute, top-tier torment.

Southeast of Leting county seat, the old Zhang family residence.

Outside, a biting wind howled, but inside this house, the heated flues blazed so hot it was as warm as spring.

In the main hall, delicacies covered the table: a whole fat goose steamed, donkey meat braised in red, a copper pot bubbling with broth, and yellow wine warming fragrantly. Though not as luxurious as in the capital, it was still a first-rate banquet for this remote coastal corner.

Today's feast was the welcoming banquet the Leting county gentry had laid on for the new county magistrate, Lu Zhenfei.

At the seat of honor, Lu Zhenfei wore a plain robe.

To his left and right were the Vice Magistrate Liu Zhengcai, the Constable Wu Kongjia, and the Instructor Chen Dashou.

In the guest seats below sat a full gathering of Leting's most prominent figures.

Liu Boyuan, son of Liu Tingxuan, Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review — a stipendiary government student of the county school.

Zhang Guangyun, son of Zhang Guorui, Administration Commissioner of Shanxi — a stipendiary government student of the county school.

Both these families had officials who had passed the jinshi examination and were still serving; they were naturally the top-tier, super-elite gentry of the area.

Wang Moru, son of Wang Hunran, Prefect of Mahu Prefecture in Sichuan — an expanded-quota government student of the county school.

Cao Simu, a juren of Leting.

Of these two families, the Wangs had once produced a Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, but that was forty years ago.

The current family head, Wang Hunran, had taken up a local post as a juren, and clearly his career prospects were dim.

Naturally, he and Cao Simu could only barely be counted as first-tier gentry.

Still, the Wang family had, after all, held office for some years, so their family fortune was considerably larger than the Cao family's.

Further down were two groups with a large gap in wealth between them.

One group comprised the top-ranking stipendiary students of the county school, such as Chen Xingmen, Zhong Xiumin, Wang Xizai, and Lu Guangyu.

Among them, someone like Chen Xingmen was a relatively young government student, still sprinting for the juren degree.

But men like Lu Guangyu and Zhong Xiumin were old stipendiary students who had been grinding away for nearly a decade and were gradually beginning to abandon their hopes for the examinations.

Yet when it came to family property, most had only a few dozen, perhaps a hundred mu of poor land, and lived in considerable embarrassment.

In food and drink they were comfortably well-off, of course, but once you factored in social entertaining, gift-wrapped farewell presents, or the costs of brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, buying current examination essays, and even the latest publications on the new policies, they were truly quite strapped.

The other group consisted of some second- and third-rate gentry.

Among them were declining official families like the Lius of Liu Qichang and the Lis of Li Chongyi.

Their grandfathers had served as Administration Vice Commissioner of Henan or as Salt Distribution Commissioner of Lianghuai, but no matter how overbearing their former power and wealth had been,

after several successive generations failed to pass the juren or jinshi examinations, they had ultimately and gradually fallen into decline.

The Liu and Li families were actually among the better off in this regard; after all, after several decades, they could still be invited along to keep company.

Many more of the eminent families Leting had once produced had simply been swept away by the great wind, leaving not a trace behind.

Wang Shixing put it well back in the Wanli era:

*Unless an official-gentry household produces examination success generation after generation, wealth and rank are hard to preserve for long. * That is exactly the truth of it.

As for the remaining gentry, they were simply background scenery there to make up the numbers. Whatever their family fortunes, they were mere passersby — A, B, C, D — not even worthy of a name, and need no further mention.

The wine had gone three rounds, the dishes five flavors.

A cartload of pleasantries had been exchanged, and the atmosphere had been stoked to a blazing pitch.

At last, under the subtle prompting of the crowd, the second-rate gentryman Liu Qichang finally cut to the heart of the matter.

"Old Father-Mother above, your student toasts you."

Liu Qichang drained his cup to wet his throat and preface his words.

"Now that the new policies are rising in Northern Zhili, His Majesty's intent to reform is, one might say, known to all and understood by all."

"Your student and the others have also all perused the *Leting County New Policy Implementation Pledge* that Old Father-Mother wrote in the capital. It is truly a grand design to benefit the nation and the people."

"In the matters of cadastral surveys, tax rationalization, population registration, official rectification, water conservancy, and fisheries, every gentleman seated here will surely give full support, without a second word." He swallowed his spittle and, in the end, mustered his courage and threw out the question.

"It is only that your student is dull-witted, and there is one matter he does not understand..."

"If the acreage figure goes up after the survey, then the taxes... what is the plan? Must they also... go up?"

This question was the true crux of tonight's banquet.

Seeing that Liu Qichang had, as agreed, fired the opening salvo, the others immediately chimed in with their agreement.

"Indeed," a third-rate gentryman among them said, cupping his hands in salute. "Old Father-Mother, permit us to explain. Though our humble district bears the name of fertile land, in truth our sufferings are beyond words. The Luan River is temperamental; every summer and autumn flood season, its muddy waves surge skyward, and often overnight, rich, fertile fields are scoured away, leaving only sand across the ground where not a single grain can be planted."

A third-rate gentryman beside him followed closely with his own lament: "It is not only the floods. This Leting is coastal; the land is low and damp, breeding much saline-alkaline soil. The harvest per mu is no more than four or five dou. If grain is levied uniformly by the mu, regardless of fertility, the people's hardship will be immense."

"There is yet another hidden pain," another man interjected with a sigh, his tone even heavier. "Our humble district lies near the frontier. Though we suffer no arrowheads, we bear the toil of transport. The passing army horses, provisions, and military carts — which of these does not require civilian porters? Corvée labor is heavy, and our able-bodied men are exhausted. The fields already lack hands to work them; if taxes are raised further, I fear refugees and death will be upon us at once."

Lu Zhenfei held his wine cup, watching the performance with a faint, ambiguous smile.

Many of the arguments within it were, in fact, entirely true — and entirely false.

The two advisors had arrived more than ten days ahead of Lu Zhenfei and had already made a rough survey of local conditions.

The Luan River floods frequently — the surging waters submerge and ruin good farmland; that much is true. But after the floodwaters recede, the silt left on the riverbed is rich fertilizer, and within two years the land reverts to mature fields.

This very matter was the subject of a concealment and rectification case as recently as the twenty-first year of Wanli — it is plainly recorded in the county gazetteer.

As for the low, damp terrain breeding saline-alkali soil, that is also true. But the root cause is that the local farming and alkali-management methods are inadequate. And as for corvée labor?

Ha… heavy corvée is true enough, but what is Laoting's corvée compared to Daxing or Wan County? What is it compared to Funing or Luanzhou, which lie even closer to Shanhai Pass?

In short, problems do exist, but they are not nearly as severe as portrayed. In the end, it is nothing more than exaggerating the facts to haggle.

This cannot even be called resistance — it is merely a probe.

Lu Zhenfei set down his wine cup and, without making it obvious, glanced over the several first-rank gentry who had remained silent.

"Steward Liu's question is a good one."

"However, this letter of commitment has not actually been finalized."

"His Majesty often says, 'Without investigation, there is no right to speak.'"

"I am newly arrived — I have not even warmed the soil of Laoting under my feet. If I were to set the detailed terms of the commitment letter based solely on the various situation reports I reviewed during a single short month in the capital, would that not be building a cart behind closed doors?"

"Rest assured, the Northern Metropolitan New Policies have a clear charter. This commitment letter is revised once a month and will not be finally settled until after the summer tax collection in the seventh month of next year." "Before then, every measure will be determined by investigation, determined by actual local conditions."

"So, while Steward Liu's question is a good one, I truly cannot answer it at present — not unwilling, but unable." The assembled men looked at one another; this answer was completely beside the point.

Because what Steward Liu had asked about was the overall policy direction — he had not asked about details at all.

Yet Lu Zhenfei's reply seized on the lack of details to dodge the question of direction.

Unwilling to let it go, the men all signaled Liu Qichang with their eyes.

But Liu Qichang had only been forced to speak up in the first place. Having fulfilled his promise and fired the opening shot, he had no intention of continuing to court disaster.

"Your Excellency's words truly part the clouds and let me see the sun — this student feels suddenly enlightened!"

"His Majesty's saying, 'Without investigation, there is no right to speak,' is plain and easy to grasp. It rejects empty talk in policy-making and takes the actual ground as its proof, casting aside the folly of building carts behind closed doors. This is a pragmatic governance that truly feels for the people's condition and strikes at the heart of the matter!"

With an expression of profound admiration, Liu Qichang rose and bowed deeply: "Your Excellency does not rush, but postpones finalizing the terms precisely to avoid inadvertently harming us, the people of Laoting. Such prudent, people-loving solicitude truly moves us to the depths of our hearts!"

The others were half dead with fury at this shameless display, but had no choice but to raise their cups one after another and echo the praise.

Lu Zhenfei beamed, and only then drained his cup in one draught.

Once this question was past, the banquet atmosphere grew somewhat awkward.

The men chatted about inconsequential matters, but no one dared stick his neck out to ask a question.

The gentry might not dare ask, but the government students could not keep their seats.

Taxes and levies, to be honest, had little bearing on them.

Under the dynasty's exemption statutes, a government student was exempt from two adult males' labor service and two piculs of grain — converted to acreage, roughly the yield of a hundred mu, which already basically covered their assets.

As for the further practices of fraudulent registration and commendation…

Heh heh, although juren and government students were both exempt only two males and two piculs, commendation was never a matter of official regulations — it was a matter of power and influence.

Becoming a government student merely meant you did not have to kneel before officials, but becoming a juren meant you were already half an official — could the two be the same?

Thus, a juren's exemption and commendation was customarily calculated on the basis of a thousand mu of production.

What the government students cared about most, from beginning to end, was how to become jinshi or juren more quickly, or even how to secure a place at the Imperial Academy.

These three represented official career prospects from high to low, but even an Imperial Academy student, in theory, had a path to official appointment.

Zhong Xiumin, an old stipendiary student of the county school, raised his cup in toast. Taking up the duty of a county-school senior, he was the first to ask.

"Your Excellency, word has it in the villages that during the capital examination interview for county magistrates, Your Excellency won His Majesty's instant acclaim on the matter of 'government student incentives,' earning a five-circle evaluation. It has become a celebrated tale in the capital."

"Has there been any follow-up? Have detailed regulations been issued by the Northern Metropolitan New Policies command headquarters?"

Hearing this, Lu Zhenfei turned in disbelief toward Wu Kongjia at his side.

But to his surprise, Wu Kongjia was also turning toward him with a questioning look.

Their eyes met, and in that instant, mutual understanding dawned…

So it wasn't you spreading rumors (×2)!

In Laoting County, there was not a single person with genuine high-level connections. News from the capital came wave after wave, by now almost transmuted into storybook tales. But Lu Zhenfei hesitated only a moment before laughing aloud.

"That matter is settled, that matter is settled."

"However, before I left the capital, I did indeed discuss the regulations with Secretary Qi at the command headquarters."

— If being publicly called on at the drill ground and exchanging a few words also counts as discussing regulations.

"What came of it?" the men asked in unison.

Lu Zhenfei shook his head and sighed. "Difficult. The matter is not yet settled so quickly."

"There are two key issues. The first is: how does one define an 'active government student'?"

"Is it one who takes initiative in tasks, cooperating with land surveys and tax rationalization? Or one whose family takes the initiative to survey their own fields? Or one who writes a public document thoroughly analyzing local conditions?"

The government students held their breath, all listening with rapt attention — even the top-tier gentry were no exception.

"The second key issue is how they should be incentivized."

"By increasing the annual tribute quota? By opening special grace tribute? Or by following the Hongzhi precedent and creating merit students, selecting tribute through service? Or by opening the door to purchased tribute?" "And among these, should only one be used, or several in combination?"

At these words, the younger government students remained relatively composed, but the middle-aged and older students were already stirred beyond measure.

After becoming a government student, one could of course take the provincial examinations, sit for juren, sit for jinshi — but how many could truly travel that road to the end? Thus, besides that path, there was the route of selection for tribute, entering the Imperial Academy to study, and then being chosen for office. The annual tribute, grace tribute, tribute student, and purchased tribute mentioned above all referred to this path.

A jinshi began at a rank-seven post; a juren began at assistant county magistrate, registrar, or such subordinate positions; and by the time it came to tribute students, only miscellaneous posts like instructor or constable remained. But so what?

Of the five hundred thousand government students in the realm, barely one in ten could make it through the tribute-selection path!

And even after being selected for tribute and entering the Imperial Academy, how could one be certain of obtaining an official post?

"Four examinations passed, yet a civil post beyond reach; a single office in the realm, none can break through!" — this describes that miserable plight.

First, select tribute students and examine them at court;

Those who pass study at the Imperial Academy, and the Imperial Academy examines them;

Pass, sent to the Ministry of Personnel, where the Ministry of Personnel examined them;

Pass, then sent up to the court, where the court examined them again;

Pass, and only then could one be appointed as an instructor.

This was the Four-Exam King Wen — peerless and unmatched.

And within this, setting aside the Ministry of Personnel's selection queue, the Imperial Academy alone would consume far more than ten years.

In the end, one obtained a post as a county instructor, but by then one was already fifty or sixty, with no further hope of promotion.

This was the one office under Heaven that none could break.

Yet even at so narrow and low a Dragon Gate, the realm's talents still surged forward like carp swimming upstream, vying eagerly with one another.

But Lu Zhenfei's words were not yet finished.

"Furthermore, if the tribute student path can be expanded, then…"

"Can the provincial examination quotas also be expanded?"

As Lu Zhenfei's voice fell, the hall fell utterly silent; for a moment, no one made a sound or moved.

The tribute student path was, after all, a last resort.

Who, at the moment they first began their studies, set their sights on becoming a Four-Exam King Wen?

Who did not dream of their name on the golden roster, of serving sovereign and father, of raking in wealth with a grand sweep of the brush…

But even to try one's luck at the provincial examination — not everyone could go.

In southern locales where literary culture flourished, such as Wu County, Changzhou, and Huating, each session could send fifty or sixty men to sit the provincial examination.

While in a backwater like Leting, each session had only six places…

After a long silence, Wang Moru — son of Wang Hunran, Prefect of Mafu Prefecture and a first-rank gentry — finally spoke, his voice trembling.

"Could the Honored Elder Father be speaking of… the grace quotas for the Dragon Ascension inaugural session…"

"Is that not… something customarily granted?"

The so-called grace quotas were like the quota of one hundred jinshi that His Majesty the Everlasting Prosperity Sovereign had decreed for the coming year.

Only, what Wang Moru referred to here was the provincial examination three years hence, which by precedent should also receive a decree adding a certain number of juren quotas. With juren quotas increased, the "provincial examination participation" quotas distributed to each locality would naturally increase as well.

But from the sound of Lu Zhenfei's words, was he actually proposing to directly increase the local provincial examination quotas?

Lu Zhenfei shook his head with a smile and asked, "Have you read the debate on the human-land conflict?"

Wang Moru strove to calm himself, cupped his hands toward Wu Kongjia, and said, "The Five Masters of Statecraft stand before my very eyes — how could this student not have read that great essay?" Lu Zhenfei looked around at the assembly and asked again, "Have you read the Selected Works of Statecraft? Have you read the Way of Cultivation, Regulation, Governance, and Pacification? Have you read the Way of Surpassing? Have you read the three matters of Obtaining the Method, Applying the Method, and Verifying the Method?"

The assembly answered in unison, "Naturally, we have read them all." Lu Zhenfei leaned back, already perceiving that their interest was stirred, and his mood grew increasingly relaxed.

"Since you have all read them, then you should understand."

"His Majesty sees every ill of the age, one by one. Even if some things escape his sight for now, sooner or later he will see them."

"And these ills will all be reformed, one by one — slowly, gradually — but it is impossible that they will not be reformed."

"Otherwise, how could it be called Surpassing?!"

Lu Zhenfei brought out his map cannon and began bombarding them relentlessly, all the while carefully observing the expressions of those present.

"Five hundred thousand government students across the realm, bleaching their hair white over worn classics, all for a single shot at official rank."

"And among them, all manner of unfilial wretches who conceal corvée obligations, lend money at interest and collect rents, hang out their shingles and check off ledgers, run pawnshops and sit in shops."

"In all affairs of state, far from being of any use, they become a positive scourge!"

"How is this any different from the white crows and black crows of the New Policies? How should it not be reformed?"

"Therefore, in this official's view, the tribute student incentive will certainly come, and the provincial examination quotas may well come too — that is precisely the point!"

At this point, he shifted tack.

"Of course, this official spoke just now of the decline in scholarly morale — that is, in truth, more a southern problem."

"Northern scholars, relatively speaking, are still somewhat more plain and honest."

"However…"

"Is this not precisely the opportunity for northern scholars?"

"After all, His Majesty's Dragon Ascension and the inaugural New Policies have fallen squarely upon Northern Zhili!"

"Beneath the thunder and driving rain, as all things are made new, outstanding talents and heroes will rise to prominence, while the filth and muck will naturally be trampled underfoot." As these words ended, after only a moment's silence, Wang Moru rose impassionedly, drained three cups in succession, and declared loudly:

"The Honored Elder Father speaks with piercing clarity! That the New Policies have fallen upon Northern Zhili is our Northern Zhili's great fortune!"

"That the Honored Elder Father has been appointed to Leting to oversee the New Policies is our Leting's even greater fortune!"

"Though my father is in Sichuan, far away and with letters slow to travel, the Wang family tradition has always been upright and pure."

"There is no need to await my father's reply — I, as his son, can decide with a single word: from this day forward, the Wang family's lands shall begin clearing all privilege-evading fraudulent registrations, and we shall absolutely not cause the Honored Elder Father any trouble!"

"Should there be any petty, treacherous villains who dare oppose the New Policies and obstruct the Great Order, my Wang family shall regard them as mortal foes!"

This declaration stunned everyone present.

Immediately afterward, the super-first-rank gentry, Liu Boyuan and Zhang Guangyun, exchanged a glance and hastily followed suit.

"The Liu family holds the same view! My father's every exhortation, every thought, is of the New Policies — I shall certainly cooperate fully with the Honored Elder Father in governing!"

"The Zhang family likewise — we shall absolutely not make things difficult for the Honored Elder Father."

These few were the weathervanes of Leting County; once they declared their stance, the situation shifted in an instant.

The faces of those declining landlords who had still hoped to wait and see instantly turned ugly.

But none dared utter a word of refusal, yet they were not quite willing either; most merely mumbled a few words, their voices barely audible.

Lu Zhenfei took all of this in, but merely raised his wine cup with a smile.

"No rush, no rush."

"The New Policies Group has set the rules: all progress and problems are to be reported once a month."

"First report to the Command Headquarters, then report to the Committee. If you encounter difficulties truly beyond resolution…"

Lu Zhenfei paused, and his smile turned utterly harmless. "Then it can only go directly before the imperial presence, for His Majesty's judgment."

The heated atmosphere in the room instantly froze.

Everyone felt the murderous chill lurking behind those words.

As expected, Lu Zhenfei continued.

"But His Majesty, after all, grapples with ten thousand affairs daily, and rests but one day a month."

"This official truly does not wish for the matter of Leting to be forced onto His Majesty's desk, troubling His Majesty."

He paused, glanced at the stiff expressions around him, and his smile grew even brighter and gentler.

"I trust none of you gentlemen wish to trouble His Majesty either?"

After a suffocating silence, someone—no one knew who—shouted out first:

"Rest assured, Old Father-Mother! We will not disappoint Old Father-Mother!"

"Yes, yes! We will not disappoint Old Father-Mother!"

The crowd raised their cups one after another, vying to pledge their stance, as if a louder voice could drown out the chill in their hearts.

Lu Zhenfei raised his cup in acknowledgment and drained it in one go.

Yet despite this excellent situation, the taste in his mouth was, like those second- and third-rate gentry, nothing but bitterness.

Leting... was truly a wretched place.

Over a hundred thousand people in the entire county, yet only two jinshi and two juren—and none of them worth much. The hidden registrations and scattered holdings flushed out would likely be meager.

If only this were his previous post in Jingyang County, Shaanxi.

Counting jinshi alone: six serving as officials, eight retired in the countryside, and seven recently deceased.

And juren numbered over fifty.

The hidden registrations and scattered holdings flushed out there—he truly dared not imagine how much that would be.

As for resistance...

Before the four-tier hierarchy of the Northern Metropolitan New Policies—County Magistrate, Committee, Ministry, His Majesty—it was not worth a fart.

The more gentry there were, the greater the resistance, the more achievements he could make, the more he could prove his lofty talent and integrity as a white crow.

Lu Zhenfei's stomach churned with bitterness, but his face remained wreathed in smiles as he raised his cup from time to time in response.

Perhaps... he ought to carry this out even more thoroughly.

Only, before he began, it would be best to first probe the New Policies' bottom line through Wu Kongjia.

Lu Zhenfei stole a glance at Wu Kongjia's face.

He saw that this Constable, who held no official rank, merely held his wine cup, nodding and smiling from time to time, yet in truth remained entirely detached from the banquet, silently observing all along.

Lu Zhenfei quietly swallowed the wine in his cup and murmured inwardly.

Brother Yuanhui, what thoughts occupy your mind?

And that sovereign in the capital, what exactly are his thoughts... concerning you?

Southwest of the city, the Liu residence.

Liu Boyuan dismissed his attendants and personally poured a cup of hot tea for the juren Cao Simu, seated across from him.

Liu Boyuan's mother was Cao Simu's eldest daughter.

The Cao and Liu families were bound by marriage, naturally closer than other households.

The tea was orange-red, its steam curling upward, blurring the expressions on both men's faces.

After a moment of silence, Cao Simu spoke first.

"Worthy grandson... this County Magistrate has not come to make a fortune. He brought only two attendants and two private secretaries with him to his post. This is the posture of a man single-mindedly set on doing great things."

Liu Boyuan raised his teacup and took a sip. "Grandfather, in these times, who among those who can squeeze into the New Policies still fixes their eyes on mere gold and silver? Son of Heaven's disciple, dragon-flight New Policies, red-ribbon promotion, name carved in stone... the New Policies are the great desire of the realm now."

"Anyone still thinking of lining their pockets at this critical juncture is truly a fool beyond enlightenment. This County Magistrate Lu, having no connections, no patronage, yet managing to squeeze into the New Policies, cannot possibly be such a fool."

Cao Simu pondered for a moment, then spoke.

"And this matter of rewarding government students—what does my worthy grandson make of it?"

"I see that Wang Moru is already growing impatient. Should you be more proactive?"

Liu Boyuan gave an awkward smile at these words.

Cao Simu understood at once, and could only feel helpless.

This worthy grandson Liu was adept at reading people and managing the family estate, but when it came to the examinations, his natural talent was truly mediocre.

Even with the dual tutelage of himself and Liu Tingxuan, he had repeatedly failed. In the last two years, he had simply yielded his provincial examination slot to others and devoted himself entirely to household affairs.

Cao Simu was silent for a moment, then continued.

"Then tomorrow I shall arrange for the household to clear up matters of hidden registration and the like."

"Let us hope it is as this County Magistrate's pledge letter stated—that the New Policies' tax increases will surely come with tax reductions."

"Otherwise, the silver from the exemption privileges is one thing, but those relatives and old friends cast out by my clearing will not take it well..."

Liu Boyuan shook his head and said gravely,

"Grandfather, not only hidden registrations—scattered holdings must be cleared too, and even among the servants, those who have broken the law and harmed the people must be rooted out."

"This is what Father urged again and again in his letter. At a time like this, not the slightest misstep can be allowed."

Cao Simu started in alarm and pressed urgently,

"Why such caution? Has something changed in the capital?"

Liu Boyuan rose and paced two steps across the hall, his brow tightly furrowed.

"Of all the things he should not have done, Father should never have used Xu Dahua's connections to secure his restoration to office."

"Since last month's grand court assembly, when Xu Dahua was arrested on charges of corruption, Father's position has become extremely awkward."

Cao Simu frowned and asked, "Has the matter of his provincial posting to Shaanxi run into trouble?"

Liu Boyuan gave a long sigh. "Exactly so."

"Father hesitated at the start, watching and waiting, and missed the best moment. He failed to—"

"Failed to be as shamelessly decisive as Huo Weihua!"

"Later, once the New Policies became clear, he thought to leverage his past experience serving in Shaanxi to gamble on an assignment to the Shaanxi Provincial Administration Commission."

"But now this selection process for the provincial administration commission small groups is practically copied wholesale from the regulations for Northern Zhili county magistrates — the same set of personnel evaluation, reputation, official documents, and interview procedures all over again…"

"Father has barely squeezed into the documents stage. If anything goes wrong on the reputation front, then a hundredfold effort is destroyed in a single moment!" Cao Simu nodded and said, "I understand. Tomorrow I will be thorough in every way and clear out everything that can be cleared."

Liu Boyuan, however, was still somewhat uneasy.

When it came to fraudulent land registration, the great officials at court each differed according to their power, their rank, and their region.

But generally speaking, the proportion of land that officials concealed was usually between two and four times what the dynasty's regulations permitted.

As for juren…

Ha. A juren's tax exemption was the same as a government student's — two adult males and two dan of grain — but in actual practice, it was often ten times that of a government student! Such wealth — his own Liu family could afford to disregard it, but the Cao family, which had yet to take office, might not be able to resist!

He recalled the urgency, the exhortations, even the anxiety in his father's letter, and stressed the point once more.

"Grandfather, at a time like this, you must not, under any circumstances, grow greedy for those yellow-and-white things!"

"Shaanxi is different from the other provinces. It is the only province for which the Secretariat has set up a separate group. This opportunity cannot be overvalued, no matter how much weight you give it! Once you go to Shaanxi and implement the New Policies, it will basically be the same ladder to heaven as the Northern Zhili New Policies!"

Cao Simu, having a junior lecture him to his face over and over, felt his dignity pricked. He could not help but jab back.

"I know, enough talk! I am not some fool! Office and wealth — without office, where does wealth come from!"

"Tomorrow I will personally take the steward, go house by house to settle matters, house by house to return the fields and revise the contracts, and the day after I will compile the register and present it to this Magistrate Lu!"

He had not expected Liu Boyuan to suddenly raise a hand and stop him.

"Grandfather, presenting the register — there is no rush for now!"

Cao Simu stared blankly. "Wasn't it you who said…"

Liu Boyuan sat back down in his chair. "We naturally support His Majesty, and we support the New Policies. On this point there is no doubt — it is absolutely true!" He paused, and his tone turned musing. "But… what about everyone else?"

"That Zhang Youcai in West Village, relying on the power of his clan, has always been overbearing and accustomed to throwing his weight around. He wouldn't even give face to the previous county magistrate. Do you think he will obediently cough up the fields he has swallowed? Won't he likely collude and stir up trouble again?"

"And Li Chengye in North Village, using his status as a military-register Centurion, has always passed off civilian fields as military fields. Whenever anything happens, he likewise agitates and stirs up trouble. Will he submit so easily?"

"And the Chen family — they have controlled the Revenue Office for years. How much of a foundation have they amassed? Can they really offer it up with both hands?"

"As for all the other families — some even operate as bandits in secret, collude with ruffians, practice usury, or trade in illicit salt."

Liu Boyuan gave a cold laugh, his tone utterly indifferent.

"People like them — I'm afraid they don't even know what 'science' is, or what 'don't rush, but be quick' means!"

"They probably still think these New Policies are just going through the motions, the same as in the past."

Liu Boyuan turned his head to look at Cao Simu.

"It's different. This time it's different."

"I have read every official document, every publication, every edict of the new sovereign. They contain all manner of principles."

"But in truth, all those principles, at their very root, come down to just two words: 'devouring men'!"

"This is nothing but a game of loyal ministers devouring treacherous ministers, new men devouring old men!"

Cao Simu was so shaken by this pronouncement that for a moment he could make no sound.

Liu Boyuan, unconcerned whether he could grasp it or not, simply spoke.

"First prepare the name register. Keep it in hand. Don't be in a hurry to hand it over."

"First observe this Magistrate Lu's methods."

"If his methods are good, we follow closely and press forward. Don't be the first, but you can be the second."

"If his methods are poor and he provokes public wrath, my Liu family will take that very chance to help him settle it — make a grand display of it, and see whether we can get our name to appear before His Majesty's desk."

"All matters of the New Policies are reported monthly. Magistrate Lu's words on that point were biased — they can only fool those ignorant fools."

"The regulations state it plainly. It is not only bad things that must be reported — good things must be reported too! When there are effective methods, promoted methods, verified methods, and the like, they must be reported in detail and published!"

Liu Boyuan watched the leaping candle flame, as though admonishing Cao Simu, and as though talking to himself:

"Grandfather, don't rush — but be quick."

"Watch slowly. Watch Magistrate Lu's methods. Watch the methods of the New Policies ministers. And even more, watch this new sovereign's methods…"

"The moment you see clearly, do not hesitate. Stake your entire fortune on it!"

"And besides — Grandfather, have you ever considered one thing…"

Cao Simu, his mind still reeling from the earlier "devouring men" thesis, was still digesting it. He looked up blankly at these words.

"Why is there a Northern Zhili New Policies, and a Thirteen Provinces Provincial Administration Commission New Policies…"

"Yet there is no Southern Zhili New Policies?!"

"Because the wind is not yet fierce enough. Because the men are not yet numerous enough!"

"At a time like this, stop thinking about wealth. Staking your life to scramble aboard the boat — that is the true principle!"

As Liu Boyuan spoke to this point, the ambition blazing fiercely in his eyes could at last no longer be suppressed.

"Now let us see just how much of Hai Gangfeng's mettle this Lu Zhenfei truly possesses!"

"You must understand… the reason Hai Rui was Hai Rui was never merely the word 'incorruptible'!"