Chapter 870 959 Feng Bao Torments Lu Shusheng

Zhang Juzheng carried out a major reform in the early Wanli period, which contained many contents.

But for Wei Guangde, he only knows two things, one is the test method, and the other is the whip method.

When I saw the charter sent by Zhang Juzheng, I knew that the chief assistant was planning to do something big and drastic.

Of course, Wei Guangde would not obstruct Zhang Juzheng's actions, and was even happy to support him.

After all, he did not know the specific contents of Zhang Juzheng's reforms, but from the perspective of later generations, Zhang Juzheng's reforms were believed to be very effective in restoring the national power of the Ming Dynasty.

Since it is right, why object?

Continue reading, "I have heard that Yao ordered Shun to inquire about matters and test his words, and the results can be achieved based on his words. Gao Tao's theory of governance said that he should take the initiative to make things happen, and he will succeed after repeated calculations.

It is not difficult to legislate the affairs of the world, but it is difficult to implement the laws; it is not difficult to listen to the words, but it is difficult to ensure that the words are effective.

If one inquires about things without considering the end, and starts things without considering them again and again, there is no clear understanding of the overall situation, and people have the idea of ​​being careless. Even if Yao and Shun were kings, and Yu Gao were assistants, it would still be difficult to achieve success.

If an official proposes a law and the court approves it, and if it is posted and circulated to all directions, then the official's responsibility has been fulfilled, and the consequences of the law are not needed.

When the ministers discussed a shortcoming, the imperial court said, "Yes." If it was sent by post and circulated to all directions, then the responsibility of the ministers was fulfilled, and there was no need to clarify the consequences of the shortcoming.

If a certain crime needs to be questioned, or it may hinder the privacy of the entrustment, it will be postponed; if something needs to be discussed, it may involve an explanation of whether it is possible or not, so it is difficult to report it.

When I was the late emperor, I once wrote in the "Six Things of Cheap Purpose", which contains a section of "Chongzhao Ling". I also tried Qian Qian's words. Following the official title, I wanted all the yamen to set up a collection of documents, and all the affairs were dealt with. Officials all clearly set deadlines and ordered to complete the report. However, I have never heard of anyone actually fulfilling the order as scheduled.

I found a paragraph in the "Da Ming Huidian", "Every day the six departments receive the original memorials from each yamen, and those who have received the imperial edict, each have their own notes and send them to the director of etiquette for delivery; they also set up a booklet and numbered them one after another. The original form will be sent to the prison for collection."

Another paragraph says, "Every government office that has written a memorial to the original form will be accompanied by a written record. Five days later, each government office will have a date of issuance and cancellation, and those who have expired will be suspended."

Another paragraph says, "Every year in the foreign affairs department or the government department, the sales of the six departments in the two capitals will be transferred to the inspection and consolidation, fill in the notebook, and send it to each department for storage for inspection. I hereby express my gratitude."

And I found the case study. If it is in the Sixth Section, it will be in the first and second half of the year, and the transcript will still be paid; if it is in the ministry, it will be in the first and second half of the month, and it will be cancelled.

Please clarify the old chapter from now on. When the six departments inspect the court, when they meet each chapter, they either write a clear edict, or repeat the imperial letter, and transfer to their respective yamen, they will first consider the distance and urgency of the matter, set a schedule, and set the schedule. Keep a record of the document and cancel it at the end of each month."

Wei Guangde read Zhang Juzheng's proposed memorial twice. When he saw that the memorial was blank, he felt itchy in his heart. He picked up a pen and wrote the name of the memorial on it - "Please inspect the memorial and review it with the matter to revise the actual political summary." 》.

To say that this examination method is actually quite simple, but for this era, it still seems a bit troublesome.

Its specific method is to put three books in each yamen, one of which records the affairs of the yamen and serves as a base book to exclude some official matters that are not necessary for inspection.

Then create two identical books, one is placed in the six departments, and one is written off when an official task is performed. If it is not completed on time, it is handed over to the corresponding department in the six departments for processing; the other is in the cabinet, and the other is in the cabinet. Prepare the cabinet for inspection at any time.

Later official documents also had special reading pages, which were generally divided into several columns. Each official who read the official document had to write his comments, signature and leave the time on it. Some even had to specify that it should be handed over to someone for reading. In fact, it was the same as taking an exam. The methods have different approaches but the same effect.

It's just that the division of labor in later generations of government departments was very detailed, and almost every document could be implemented to the handling personnel for questioning, so in the end it became a series of procedures, just to see whether the signatures on it were complete.

If the leaders give their approval, the document will naturally take effect, or it will be discussed at a meeting.

The overpopulation of people in the Ming Dynasty was actually just a later saying. In fact, the number of officials in the Ming Dynasty was really small.

Even if a group of scribes are added to help in the yamen, due to the small government model, the number of officials in each yamen is actually not very large.

Official documents within the yamen will not be greatly affected, but official documents across yamen will be hard to say.

Kao Chengfa records what the government has to do so that it can be traced and held accountable at any time. It is undoubtedly a way to improve the efficiency of work, especially for some sensitive official documents and when various ministries are passing the buck. It is very easy to have a book with this record. Find the whereabouts and execution status of official documents.

After Zhang Juzheng's death, cabinet minister Shen Shixing and others thought that the method of passing the examination was wrong, but the three things of collecting money and food, capturing thieves, and questioning officials were actually biased.

Taking history as a mirror, the things we encounter in later generations may have been encountered by our predecessors. Therefore, this is why we need to read more history books.

The same goes for Zhang Juzheng's examination method. It was not made out of nothing, and it is not entirely his own. His examination method was also developed based on previous system reforms.

According to the records in the "Book of Rites of Zhou", the Emperor of Zhou would regularly inspect the princes' states to inspect the political performance of each prince, and also required the princes to report on their duties regularly.

After the unification of the six kingdoms, the State of Qin formulated the "Guidelines for Officials", which was a law specifically designed to review and assess officials.

By the Tang Dynasty, the examination system had been very complete. The first chapter of "Tang Ling" was "Examination Order", and the third chapter in the Tang Code was "Official System" about official crimes. It can be seen that the examination of officials has been legalized.

The content of the examination is to investigate the merits and achievements of officials. The promotion and demotion, rewards and punishments, and salaries of officials are related to the examination. It is also an effective way to rectify the administration of officials and encourage officials.

The Song Dynasty had a lot of institutions and redundant personnel. The important reason was that the examination system of the Song Dynasty only valued qualifications, but not political achievements, which made the examination more formal and empty.

The Ming Dynasty learned from the lessons of the Song Dynasty and the examination system became more stringent.

Because of the strengthening of imperial power, the examination system of the Ming Dynasty further maintained the monarchy. The Ministry of Personnel Examination and Merit Office "was in charge of the selection, honors, and examination of officials throughout the country", and the important responsibility of the Chief Censor was "to meet the emperor, examine, and work with the Ministry of Personnel to judge whether they are virtuous or not".

The two institutions complement each other, not only with division of labor and cooperation, but also with mutual supervision.

There are two systems for management assessment: the full-time examination and the inspection. The full-time examination is "internal and external officials are examined once every three years, and again after six years, and promoted and demoted after nine years", which is the so-called "the ancient three-year performance assessment, three-year performance assessment, and promotion and demotion of the Ming Dynasty".

Because the system and content of the full-time examination and the standards for promotion and dismissal will be different according to the region and level of the official.

Zhang Juzheng's performance assessment method originated from the previous examination system. Due to the lack of discipline in the court, bureaucratic corruption occurred frequently.

Zhang Juzheng wrote in the "Six Matters Memorial" during the Longqing period, "In recent years, the discipline has not been strict, the law has not been implemented, and the upper and lower levels have been appeased, and all things have been delegated."

It can be seen that the Ming Dynasty's officialdom was already in ruins by the Longqing period. The main drawback was that officials only conveyed the emperor's edicts, and no one asked about the implementation process and the results of the execution, which made the court's edicts a decoration without any real effect.

Of course, Shen Shixing believed that the Kaocheng Law was a law to collect money and grain. Although it was indeed an important part of the Kaocheng Law, it did play an important role in solving the financial difficulties of the court in the early Wanli period.

The poor financial situation of the country at that time was mainly affected by land annexation and tax collection difficulties.

Farmers borne various taxes in order to annex land, and eventually they could not afford the huge taxes, and even went bankrupt and fled, leaving the people homeless. This is the current economic background.

In addition, due to the increasingly serious phenomenon of private tax arrears, not only the tax business, but also the financial downturn of the entire court.

Therefore, the introduction of the Kaocheng Law in the local area was indeed to collect money and grain.

In the past, when the Ministry of Revenue was in trouble, it would collect the arrears of taxes from the local area, and Zhang Juzheng's Kaocheng Law directly made the officials who owed taxes responsible for this, so naturally they did not dare to indulge the gentry in arrears.

Although some people did go bankrupt or even flee in the process, it is an indisputable fact that after the introduction of the performance evaluation system, the arrears of taxes in the thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty were greatly reduced.

The reason why the Ming Dynasty had arrears of taxes was that ordinary people could not do it, and only local gentry could do it, and it was done in collusion with the government.

Whenever there was a big happy event in the country or a new emperor ascended the throne, there would be a general amnesty, and not only some minor criminals were pardoned, but also these arrears of taxes.

Just imagine, as long as it can be delayed for a few years, the old emperor will die, and the new emperor will ascend the throne, and the tax money will not have to be paid. Who would not want to do such a profitable thing?

Although local officials are temporary officials, they mostly turn a blind eye to this in order to ensure the stability of their rule.

He gave the local gentry a break, and other officials would also show special favor to his family in his hometown. In the end, not everyone benefited, but only the court suffered.

Well, the court was big and powerful, and it would not care about hundreds of thousands of taels of silver.

In fact, the governance of a country is all about finance.

If the court has money, it can provide relief for disasters, and it can also train elite soldiers by issuing enough salary, which is the so-called enriching the country and strengthening the army.

Although scholars boast of their nobleness by treating money as dirt, they really can't do this when they enter the court as officials.

By establishing a system and reasonably collecting appropriate taxes from the people, the national wealth can have a surplus after spending, which can also enrich the country and strengthen the army.

However, generally at the end of the dynasty, heavy taxes and levies led to the people's miserable lives, which forced the people to rise up in resistance and then the dynasty collapsed.

In fact, the reason for this is that the dynasty still knows the importance of money.

However, if the expenditure is too large and there is no other way to supplement the financial resources, it can only attack the common people.

Compared with local gentry, the money of the common people is undoubtedly the easiest to rob.

However, when the money of the common people is robbed, in order to balance the dynasty's finances, they will eventually attack the gentry, and this is the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

In fact, the rebellion of the common people will only lead to instability in the world, and the change of dynasties is more because the gentry are also forced.

They have the ability and connections to unite and gather more powerful forces to rebel.

In the history of dynasties, except for Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who started an uprising from the bottom of society to the top of the class, there is no second person in history.

Other founding emperors who established dynasties were all gentry, or at least a small cadre in the court.

So the old saying that a scholar's rebellion for three years is not successful is also true.

Most of the truly successful rebellions were people from the ruling class who turned against them, and there were almost no successful cases of the ruled class rebelling.

It can be seen from this that Zhang Juzheng's examination method played an important role in the continuation of the Ming Dynasty. It was definitely not as simple as collecting money and food, but it could truly extend the life of the dynasty.

Later, the implementation of a whip method in the world and the clearing of land for this purpose made up for the depleted finances of the Ming Dynasty.

These are what Wei Guangde has figured out since meeting Zhang Juzheng.

Now, Zhang Juzheng is finally going to start his reforms, and Wei Guangde will not only not oppose it, but will also secretly support it.

Yes, he chose to support implicitly rather than express his support clearly.

As the second assistant, although he has to stand with the first assistant, externally, especially to the people in the palace, it is safe to remain at odds with each other.

If he and Zhang Juzheng collude, I am afraid that the black hair on his head will be ruined.

Moreover, Zhang Juzheng's reforms touched the interests of many people in the ruling class, which was also the reason why he was ultimately unable to survive.

Too many people hated him, and if they couldn't do it in life, they would take revenge after death.

Wei Guangde didn't want this. Only by becoming the leader of Zhang Juzheng's opposition could he preserve the achievements of his reforms.

There is no need to tell Zhang Juzheng about this, it just needs to be tacitly understood.

Wei Guangde put away the memorial and shouted outside: "Lu Bu, come in."

After Lu Bu entered the room, Wei Guangde handed Zhang Juzheng's memorial into his hand and ordered, "Send it back."

"Yes, sir."

Lu Bu agreed, but then said tentatively: "Wait a little before sending it over, okay?"

"What's going on?"

Wei Guangdehu asked doubtfully.

"Just now, Mr. Lu, the Minister of Rites, stormed into the first assistant's room in a rage. It shouldn't be a good thing."

Lu Bu replied.

"Do you know what you are angry about?"

Wei Guangde naturally asked why Lu Shusheng was angry. In the past two days, the cabinet had not drafted any memorials that dissatisfied the Ministry of Rites. Even if Lu Shusheng wanted to get angry, he should not direct his fire at the cabinet.

"I asked just now, and someone said that Lu Shangshu was sent to Huiji Gate to receive the order again."

Lu Bu didn't explain it clearly, but Wei Guangde still knew what was going on.

Earlier, Feng Bao wanted to use the position of the Minister of Rites to profit for himself and win over the officials in the court, but Wei Guangde and Zhang Juzheng secretly worked together to sabotage it. In the end, Lu Shusheng became the Minister of Rites.

From then on, Feng Bao had a grudge against Lu Shusheng, thinking that this man must have spent a lot of money to get the recommendation qualifications from Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde.

Well, for such a good thing, it was really abominable that he didn't send any money to him.

Therefore, when Feng Baofan had an edict to the Ministry of Rites, something that could only be done by passing a message or a note in the past, he had to ceremoniously call Lu Shusheng, the Minister of Rites, to Huijimen, and it was serious. deliver an imperial order.

After repeated tossing like this, Lu Shusheng was naturally very dissatisfied.

"Okay, you can send them there after they leave."

Wei Guangde didn't want to get involved in this matter, so he ordered Lu Bu.