Wanli Emperor Chapter 87 Part 2 (Patreon)

Chapter 87 Part 2: Appointing Talent According to Ability, a Tacit Understanding

Zhu Yijun did not state his position at once, but asked, "Xu Qing's meaning is that if a recommended person proves incompetent, the superior official should no longer be implicated?"

"If that is the case, I fear that when making recommendations, there will be even less consideration for virtue and talent, would there not?"

Since there was no responsibility for a recommendation, would it not simply become a matter of casually recommending one's own students and former subordinates?

The harm in that might not be any less than the old method; this was the dual nature of things.

Unexpectedly, Xu Jie shook his head. "Your Majesty, since we already have the Law of Evaluation, is not talent plain to see?"

"In your subject's view, the recommendation of a single high minister is perhaps not as valuable as three years of excellent performance evaluations."

Zhu Yijun was taken aback, casting a surprised glance at Xu Jie.

He was all too familiar with this method.

In his previous life, in his pursuit of promotion, these excellent evaluations had tormented him to no end.

He heard Xu Jie continue, "Thus, the term of office would also have a basis. For example, a promotion to the fifth rank would require three years of excellent evaluations, to the third rank five years, and so forth."

"This, combined with the review of the Supervising Secretaries of the Six Offices of Scrutiny, the verification of the Censors, and the deliberation of the Ministry of Personnel, could be gradually perfected."

"By eliminating the trend of forming cliques through recommendations, even minor officials without factional backing would have something to strive for. Would this not be an improvement?"

Zhu Yijun grasped Xu Jie's hand, having him walk abreast.

He said with emotion, "Xu Qing is truly a great talent, a worthy pillar of Our state."

"We shall send this memorial to the Grand Secretariat presently and have them deliberate upon it thoroughly."

Indeed, those who have been caught in the rain are most eager to steal another's umbrella.

The ills and sound strategies Xu Jie spoke of had likely been contemplated by others before.

But at that time, everyone was eating from the same pot. Who could have the heart to smash it? After all, the power of recommendation rested in their own hands.

Now, one Zhang Juzheng wished to remake the Great Ming, creating a Law of Evaluation.

One Xu Jie, forced to become a pure minister, proposed a system of performance evaluation for promotion.

If they could truly make the promotion mechanism transparent, then the stagnant pool of officialdom would likely see some ripples.

Even if the policy died with the man in the future, it would at least provide a direction for posterity to reference.

Of course, the resentment should still fall upon Xu Jie.

Zhu Yijun looked at Xu Jie with satisfaction, a stream of praise flowing from his lips without cost.

It was as if he were not the one who had humiliated the old minister moments before.

He thought for a moment. "Xu Qing, We had originally intended to grant you a title and have you return to Songjiang Prefecture to live out your years. But now, We cannot bear to see such fine jade remain hidden."

It was merely talk. He had originally planned to send Xu Jie to Fujian to oversee the Maritime Trade Supervisorate and sea transport with Yu Dayou.

But now it seemed that with an elder in the house, one possessed a treasure. It was better to keep him in the central government for consultation.

"Xu Qing, remain in the capital!"

"You have rendered meritorious service in the handling of the case in the Southern Directly-Administered Region. But if We were to grant you one of the Three Ducal Ministers posts, this subject fears the Senior Grand Secretary would again say We are roasting you over a fire."

"Thus, the former Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Xu Fan, is also a man of great talent. Let him be appointed by hereditary privilege! Have him relocate to the capital, so you may be reunited."

"There is no need to worry about a residence. There is a vacant mansion in Xila Hutong of Nanxun Fang. We shall bestow it upon Xu Qing."

"However… Xu Qing is, after all, a former Senior Grand Secretary. It would not be proper to grant him a post with real authority. Might We trouble you to accept the post of Head of the New Academy? It happens to be just outside Donghua Gate, along with the residence. What say you?"

Xu Jie stared at Zhu Yijun in astonishment. He had never seen an emperor change demeanor so swiftly!

An unknowing observer—who could have imagined that this sagely ruler had, only months ago, ordered the public execution of Xu Jie's second son, and half an hour ago, had looked as though he wished him dead!?

But this feeling of surprise was not one of disgust. On the contrary, a sense of admiration welled up within him!

This was the potential of a great achiever!

Before the First Emperor of Han had made his fortune, he would attend banquets without offering a gift. Not only that, he would announce at the entrance, "A gift of ten thousand coins," a shameless display.

When the First Emperor of Song was in dire straits, penniless, he passed by a melon shed, sat down, and began to eat. After finishing, he would say he would repay them in the future, utterly shameless.

What shamelessness was this?

But to be shameless in this manner was precisely correct!

This was not the impudence of a common rogue; this was to harbor great ambition, to not be bound by trivialities!

Though His Majesty was still young and did not yet possess such heroic courage, he could already see a faint shadow of it in him.

Given time, he might not be unable to match the two founding emperors of Han and Song.

His Majesty's performance now was even more promising to Xu Jie than his impassioned speech in the hall moments before.

He heard Zhu Yijun continue, "Hereafter, you shall remain in the capital for consultation."

In the moment Xu Jie had been stunned, before he could even agree, His Majesty had already decided the matter, leaving him truly speechless.

The former sighed and said respectfully, "This subject obeys the decree."

He understood that his performance today had been somewhat excessive, making His Majesty, on the basis of sparing his life, now desire that he devote himself to his duty until his death.

But… unexpectedly, he felt no regret.

On the contrary.

Though he understood he could never again enter the core of the central government, this feeling of once again being in contact with the supreme power of the dynasty was truly intoxicating—even if it was merely for consultation.

To return home and live out his years?

To be able to once again glimpse the workings of the central government—that was the finest way to live out his years!

Zhu Yijun glanced at Xu Jie and said without a trace of artifice, "Since you have received your post, why not make some noise in the hall presently, so the court officials will know Xu Qing has returned to the capital."

Xu Jie knew full well His Majesty had a pit for him to fill.

But he was not resistant, taking the initiative to ask, "This subject begs Your Majesty's instruction."

Zhu Yijun shook his head. "It is not that We have an instruction."

"It is that recently, there have been many nobles committing crimes. The speaking officials have impeached them, but their memorials have all been shelved by Our Imperial Mother, who has shielded them. As a son, it is not proper for Us to intervene and persuade her."

"This subject imagines that Xu Qing, with his high virtue and great prestige, will surely be able to persuade Our Imperial Mother."

There was no helping it. The nobles were all related by blood or marriage.

In recent days, his mother, his aunts and their consort commanders, and several dukes had all come to plead for leniency.

Even the emperor could not hold out against them.

Xu Jie also played his part for His Majesty. "Committing crimes!? The nobles must also obey the laws of the Great Ming! Even if they are to plead for leniency, it should be for Your Majesty to invoke the 'Eight Deliberations.' How can the memorials be directly shelved!?"

"This subject begs Your Majesty to inform me—who are these people, and what crimes have they committed!"

On the surface, he spoke with righteous indignation, but in his heart, he was attempting to fathom His Majesty's intentions.

Zhu Yijun did not answer at once.

Instead, he nodded to Zhang Hong.

The latter immediately produced a booklet from his robes.

Zhu Yijun took the booklet and said, "Though We do not meddle in political affairs, Li Zaiting has already reported this to Us. We have made a brief record."

Hearing it was an impeachment from Li Zaiting, Xu Jie immediately understood this was a coordinated performance.

Zhu Yijun opened the booklet, cleared his throat, and began to speak. "Secretary of the Rear Residence, Earl of Huian Zhang Yuanshan, and Earl of Cheng'an Guo Yingqian, incompetent."

"Earl of Nanning Mao Guoqi, subverting the law."

He finished reading the page, moistened his finger, and turned to the next. "Earl of Xiangcheng Li Yingchen, dissolute, perverse, and abusing his authority over the arresting officials."

"Commander of the Red Helmets, Earl of Xincheng Zhao Zuzheng, guilty."

At this point, Zhu Yijun interjected, "In addition, there is also the Duke of Qian, Mu Chaobi, who committed crimes previously and was only imprisoned in Nanjing."

"But… after the new year, when the Yunnan Governor and Investigating Censor inquired about Mu Chaobi's case, they learned that the sister-in-law he had violated had become with child!"

"Now, there is renewed debate over how to deal with this man."

Whether the sister-in-law one had violated had conceived or not made a considerable difference.

One could say this was adding another crime atop the first.

Xu Jie connected these nobles in his mind, running them through his thoughts.

On the surface, he respectfully accepted the matter, but secretly, he was pondering His Majesty's objective.

He heard His Majesty continue, "In addition, there is also the Earl of Zhangwu, Yang Bing, but the facts of his crime are not entirely clear. It is only a possibility."

The moment his voice fell, Xu Jie instantly grasped it!

His Majesty was paving the way for the rectification of the Capital Garrisons!

Mu Chaobi was to be the chicken slaughtered to frighten the monkeys.

The string of nobles before were likely all useless figures from the Capital Guards Military Academy, the Capital Garrisons, and the Chief Military Commissions. But since they were difficult to remove, he was to be the one to shoulder the blame!

And the Earl of Zhangwu, Yang Bing, the former Governor-General of the Capital Garrisons, made it even more obvious!

Zhu Yijun quietly observed Xu Jie, waiting for his reaction.

It was indeed as someone had surmised. This move was for the rectification of the Capital Garrisons.

To survey the land and reform the tax system—how could it be accomplished without the Capital Garrisons?

Xu Jie and these civil officials would deliberately overlook it, but he had always kept it in mind.

In recent days, he had been instructing Gu Huan to rectify the Capital Garrisons, but there had always been some obstruction.

The quality of the military officers in the Capital Garrisons was far too poor!

It was exceedingly rare for the nobility to produce a few useful men.

Men like Gu Huan, who were skilled in both civil and military affairs, or Zhu Xizhong, who was old and cunning, were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

Most were as stupid as pigs, knowing only of brothels and theaters.

The Capital Garrisons were a concentration of such characters.

The harm they caused in the military camps was even greater. Forget training—they would not even permit others to train, gathering military officers to brawl and gamble, corrupting the entire atmosphere of the camp.

He wished to expel all these people, but their roots were deep and extensive.

Gu Huan sent men to their residences to request their presence for roll call, but each time, they were driven away by their parents.

Among them was his own cousin, Li Wenquan.

The rest—dukes, marquises, aunts and their consort commanders—were beyond counting.

In recent days, Gu Huan had been thoroughly reprimanded by the Two Palaces and dared not act rashly.

Zhu Yijun, for his part, could not be expected to reprimand this person and admonish that one every day for such small fry.

In the end, the matter of training had come to nothing.

After some consideration, it was time to arrest some nobles, to slaughter a chicken to frighten the monkeys—the political direction had to be made clear.

Originally, he had prepared to have Zhang Juzheng be the villain, but now that he was not planning to release Xu Jie… that villain had a superior candidate.

Xu Jie glanced at His Majesty, suppressed his emotions, and said, "Your Majesty, to apprehend those who break the law is a duty this subject cannot shirk! This subject shall impeach them in the hall presently!"

After speaking, he paused. "But in your subject's view, with so many generals and secretaries of the rear residence being incompetent, the Ministry of War can hardly escape blame."

To impeach nobles would, at most, displease the Two Palaces and a host of princes and dukes. They did not possess the ability to launch a counterattack. Xu Jie agreed without any psychological burden.

As for the Ministry of War, that was to probe His Majesty's intentions.

As he finished speaking, he saw Zhu Yijun looking at him with astonishment.

To be so perceptive!?

And not only had he discerned his intentions, but in a flash, he had also cast aside the Ministry of War!

Excellent. He truly was a pure minister.

Zhu Yijun said with admiration, "Xu Qing is indeed suited to serve as Our consultant. This act of identifying an oversight, We shall remember it. In the future, We shall grant hereditary privilege to your third son!"

In the future, of course, meant after Xu Jie had truly accomplished the task.

The two had a tacit understanding.

A strange feeling once again arose in Xu Jie's heart—of the several retired Grand Secretaries, it seemed the majority had now been brought forth by this young emperor to devote themselves to their duty until death. Truly, making the utmost use of everything.

A playful glint flashed in Zhu Yijun's eyes as he glanced at Xu Jie without a trace of artifice. This Junior Preceptor was so full of vigor—perhaps he could add a few more burdens to him at the Court Conference presently?

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