Wanli Emperor Chapter 87 Part 1 (Patreon)

Chapter 87 Part 1: Appointing Talent According to Ability, a Tacit Understanding

In the Hall of Longevity, only the sovereign and his subject remained—one kneeling, one standing.

Xu Jie prostrated himself and confessed his guilt, requesting a pardon with forthright candor.

Zhu Yijun remained noncommittal.

He changed the subject abruptly. "Xu Qing, were you born in the ninth month of the sixteenth year of the Hongzhi era (Sept/Oct 1503 CE)?"

Xu Jie, taken aback and uncertain of His Majesty's meaning, hesitated before nodding.

With an inscrutable expression, Zhu Yijun said, "Then you are precisely seventy this year."

Xu Jie added, "By traditional reckoning, Your Majesty. This subject's actual birthday falls on the twentieth day of the ninth month."

Zhu Yijun sighed with emotion. "To live to seventy is a rarity since ancient times. Rise."

Xu Jie rose, perplexed, unable to fathom the meaning behind His Majesty's questions.

Zhu Yijun paid him no mind, instead rapping his knuckles sharply against the imperial desk.

Li Jin, who waited by the hall entrance, heard the sound and hurried into the hall.

At His Majesty's signal, Li Jin produced a congratulatory memorial from his sleeve—titled "A Preface for the Seventieth Birthday of the Junior Preceptor, His Excellency Xu of Cunzhai"—and presented it to Xu Jie.

Stunned, Xu Jie stared at the signature: "Respectfully submitted by your student, Juzheng." He stood at a loss.

Zhu Yijun shook his head. "Xu Qing, the Senior Grand Secretary entrusted this memorial to Us several months ago."

"He said that if you were to be executed in Songjiang Prefecture, he would have the Embroidered Uniform Guard burn it before your remains."

"If, by Our grace, your life was spared, he would have Us present this memorial to you on his behalf."

"The Senior Grand Secretary said he was ashamed to face his honored teacher."

"Xu Qing, if not for the Senior Grand Secretary's plea, you would not have even reached the capital. Yet it is unthinkable that you would disregard his difficulties and go to his residence to trouble him only yesterday."

"Alas…"

Zhu Yijun sighed and made to rise and depart.

He had, for once, allowed sentiment to bend the rules—even an emperor was not immune to the claims of personal relationships.

Though Zhang Juzheng had appeared to distance himself publicly, he had in fact made his position clear months ago—Zhang Juzheng supported the emperor's decision, but he personally hoped that Xu Jie could celebrate his birthday in peace.

With his own teacher having spoken thus, Zhu Yijun had no choice but to accommodate him.

Of course, after meeting Xu Jie in person, his thoughts had changed once more.

Xu Jie's immense talent, coupled with his air of outward submission and inner defiance, only made Zhu Yijun more determined to win his genuine allegiance.

He glanced back at the dazed Xu Jie, then turned and departed.

Xu Jie stood holding the memorial, his expression complex.

Only yesterday, he had thought his disciple cold and unfeeling, but it seemed Zhang Juzheng had pleaded for him long ago.

In contrast, he himself had shown no consideration for his disciple's precarious position, going to Zhang's residence to cause him trouble.

Now, with His Majesty's magnanimity revealed, his feelings were a tangled mass.

A storm of emotion churned within Xu Jie. He slowly opened the memorial and lowered his head to read—"In my youth, when I studied the secret archives, you, my lord, were my teacher…"

What followed were recollections of their time as teacher and student, the transmission of knowledge, and, of course, birthday felicitations.

Though the content was common for such occasions, it had been personally written by the reigning Senior Grand Secretary. The sincerity and depth of reverence were undeniably moving.

Especially when he thought of the disciple who had shown him no quarter yesterday, Xu Jie could sense the man's profound dilemma within the very words and sentences.

He truly was a good disciple.

Xu Jie sighed inwardly and turned to the next page.

"Juzheng has always said: The deeds of a gentleman are to honor the sovereign and protect the people, to establish the classic regulations and bring peace to the state. Some achieve this through their own direct action; others need not act personally, for their Way permeates the world and their grace naturally extends to the common people. I humbly believe that of these two paths, only my teacher has accomplished both…"

Reading to the end, Xu Jie gently closed the memorial.

No wonder Zhang had asked His Majesty to deliver it. He had come to act as a persuader—this was meant to admonish him to "honor the sovereign and protect the people."

Xu Jie sighed.

He naturally had no reason to blame Zhang Juzheng. Though it perhaps underestimated him, Xu Jie had no choice but to accept the sentiment.

But with Zhang Juzheng pleading for him and acting as a persuader, if he, Xu Jie, were to offend His Majesty again in the future, his disciple would likely be implicated, his favor with the throne affected.

This was a debt of gratitude he feared he owed in full.

By the time Xu Jie finished reading the memorial and looked up, His Majesty was no longer in the hall.

He looked toward Li Jin, who stood to the side, his gaze questioning.

Li Jin gestured for Xu Jie to follow and said softly, "Junior Preceptor Xu, His Majesty proceeds to Wenhua Hall. He asks that you accompany him."

Xu Jie, taken aback, fell into contemplation as Li Jin escorted him outside to wait.

Before long, Zhu Yijun emerged from the Hall of Longevity, with Zhang Hong at his side.

He glanced at Xu Jie. "Let us go. We can speak along the way. We are attending the Court Conference today."

There were many matters to be discussed at the Court Conference today; Zhu Yijun had to attend in person.

Especially the exchange of prisoners and the Tumen Khan's demand for rewards. These involved large-scale military affairs, and he had to make his position clear.

There was also the silver Hai Rui had brought back. He and Zhang Juzheng had privately taken half, so he had to lend his support to the Grand Secretariat.

In addition, there were rewards for Hai Rui and the others for their work on the case, and the debate over yesterday's sacrifices to the former Yuan. He had to make an appearance.

So very busy.

As Zhu Yijun lamented inwardly, Xu Jie followed silently behind.

After they had walked some distance, the former handed the latter's "Memorial on the Five Great Ills of the Realm" back to him. A voice, its tone unreadable, sounded: "Since Xu Qing has detailed five great ills, do you have any sound strategies to offer?"

The five ills Xu Jie had detailed—official malfeasance, land annexation, taxation, Wokou pirates, and the Tatars—all struck at the heart of the times. It was truly the work of a man with the talent of a Senior Grand Secretary.

Although it was a desperate bid for survival, it did not prevent Zhu Yijun from wanting to hear Xu Jie's sound strategies.

Xu Jie opened his mouth, about to voice the strategies he had prepared, but suddenly stopped.

He naturally had them, and not just one. Like the high, middle, and low strategies of ancient advisors, all were plausible.

But some strategies were for getting things accomplished, while others were merely for telling people what they wished to hear.

To save his life, Xu Jie had naturally prepared the latter.

But now…

He glanced up at His Majesty's back, thought of their conversation in the hall, and of his disciple's admonition.

The young emperor acted with considerable magnanimity; he had no reason to be outdone.

Furthermore, if His Majesty were to naively trust in strategies that were mere castles in the air, though he, Xu Jie, might win favor, his disciple, who truly had to implement policy, would be the one to suffer.

A thousand thoughts turned in his mind. In the end, he decided to offer a genuine, practical strategy.

Xu Jie spoke, his tone as measured as possible. "This subject dares not deceive Your Majesty. In your subject's opinion, these five ills must be resolved in sequence, and each has its prerequisite."

"To pacify the northern Tatars, your subject has methods. Whether through tribute agreements or relocating the gentry to the frontier, there are always countermeasures. But… the prerequisite is that we must first truly annihilate all the belligerent Tatar tribes before such measures can be implemented. Otherwise, they are nothing but castles in the air."

"As for the Wokou pirates, forgive your subject for being blunt. Even though everyone knows the key lies with the Wokou within our own borders, we must first annihilate the Wokou overseas before we can turn back and slowly cleanse our own house. Otherwise, we will be bled dry."

"Both of these require major wars, and only when our finances are sufficient can we determine victory or defeat."

"Insufficient finances, in turn, are constrained by the state of our farmlands and tax revenues."

"And if Your Majesty truly intends to address the farmlands and tax revenues, you must at least first rectify the state of our officialdom."

If His Majesty were to merely cleanse the salt administration, tea tax, and horse markets, it would be treating the symptoms, not the root cause.

Even if each effort brought in a great sum of silver, it would be like attempting to extinguish a fire by piling more wood upon it.

Only by reforming the tax system and conducting a comprehensive land survey could the fiscal problems be temporarily resolved.

Then, using that window of opportunity to build up the national treasury until it was sufficient to fight several major wars, could there be hope of sweeping away the troubles on the northern and southern borders.

However, to reform the tax system and survey the land would inevitably require officials who could be commanded like an extension of one's own arm.

The reasoning was sound, but the difficulties and obstacles were self-evident.

Moreover, even to reach this step was still only treating the symptoms.

Xu Jie glanced at His Majesty's back, a myriad of thoughts in his mind.

This step was still a hundred thousand li from what His Majesty had spoken of—curbing annexation and resisting the turning of the seasons.

He simply did not know if he would live to see that day.

Hearing Xu Jie's words, a smile flickered across Zhu Yijun's face and vanished. Their approaches, it seemed, were not so different after all.

He turned to glance at Xu Jie. "So, Xu Qing, you feel the Law of Evaluation is not yet enough?"

Since Xu Jie had brought up official malfeasance, he could not simply rehash what was already in place. He had to have his own insights.

Xu Jie nodded. "Your Majesty, the Law of Evaluation can compel officials to act. But two other problems are also great hidden dangers for our dynasty."

Zhu Yijun's eyes signaled him to continue.

Xu Jie chose his words carefully. "First, the tenure of our dynasty's itinerant officials is far too short!"

"Often, after one or two years, they are transferred or promoted. There are even officials who have just arrived at their posts only to receive an edict for their next transfer."

"Take the Shandong Provincial Administration Commissioner for example. From the second month of the fourth year of the Longqing era to the twelfth month of the fifth year, a brief span of one year and ten months, the post of Right Provincial Administration Commissioner of Shandong saw a succession of five men: Chen Zan, Xu Shi, Tao Chengxue, Chen Jiang, and Cao Ke!"

"Each served a term of only a few months. Forget spreading virtue and implementing policy—this subject fears they could not even begin to understand the local situation!"

"The superior officials do not know the conditions of those below, serving only to burnish their records for a few months before moving on. The subordinate officials, meanwhile, are like old, deep-rooted trees that never move. This, too, is one of the reasons the central government is gradually losing control over the localities."

"In addition, there is a second matter."

"In our dynasty, when a superior official recommends a subordinate, if the subordinate proves incompetent, the superior is held jointly responsible."

"Men will always seek advantage and avoid harm, Your Majesty. Once a subordinate truly proves incompetent, it compels the superior to shield him, and the subordinate to pledge his allegiance!"

"Thus, officials form cliques, an endless source of trouble!"

Zhu Yijun's brow furrowed upon hearing this.

He was truly not very clear on this matter. In the past year, he had only been observing governance and had not interfered with the operations of the Six Ministries. As for the tenure of officials, he had paid it little mind.

Only a few months!?

With a term of a few months, one could barely accomplish anything substantial. What kind of provincial governor was that?

As for this joint responsibility for recommendations, he knew something of it, but the details were not particularly clear.

Zhu Yijun suddenly realized that he was in dire need of an old minister, familiar with the dynasty's systems, who could be summoned at any time for consultation.

After all, he had not yet assumed personal rule. He could not be expected to know every detail of the dynasty's operations.

In such a situation, the role of an old minister like Xu Jie became exceedingly important.

He had originally planned to send Xu Jie away, but now he suddenly felt some hesitation.

Zhu Yijun temporarily set this thought aside, bringing his attention back to the present.

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