Wanli Youming

Chapter 41 High Arch
Zhu Yijun said: "Get up, tell me the truth."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Yu Maoxue swallowed his tears, stood up and replied after speaking: "As your majesty said, the ministers are indeed struggling to make a living due to insufficient official salaries, but the current assistant ministers are mean and the political laws are strict, so they are dissatisfied."

Zhu Yijun nodded: "You don't have to blame yourself. It is the imperial court who owes the official salary a lot, which chills the hearts of honest and honest officials. As a result, as soon as the new policy of passing the exam is implemented, official grievances abound."

"What Your Majesty said is that this is the fault of the Prime Minister."

Zhang Juzheng replied at this time.

Zhu Yijun waved his hand: "Sir, you don't have to say that. I am the Son of Heaven, and it is because of my bad governance. Not only is the inner court in a serious deficit, my salary is not enough, and I myself can't wear more than eight sets of regular clothes for four seasons. Therefore, the weavers of the Weaving Bureau would rather go to Xu's house to work for me." Long-term workers do not want to work in the weaving bureau, and I dare not even change my brush. Needless to say, many officials in the foreign court have not been paid, and the root cause is that the country is not rich. The so-called sin of all parties is my fault! The subjects should not have to suffer so much."

Yu Maoxue heard what Zhu Yijun said, and said, "Your Majesty's words make me ashamed!"

Zhu Yijun looked at him and said, "It's clear that you made me feel ashamed. Why did you say that. However, I also want to ask you for this reason. Since you insist on literati morality and are ashamed of words, it is not easy to speak directly to officials. Dissatisfied with insufficient salary, he only blamed his resentment on the examination being too strict. Have you ever thought about it, although the examination is hard for all officials, it benefits the country and the people? Is it not abiding by literati morality?"

Yu Maoxue was at a loss for words.

Zhu Yijun asked again: "What do you think of Hai Rui?"

"My role model."

Yu Mao learned Taoism.

Zhu Yijun said: "Since Qing regards him as a model, you should not only learn from him to be honest and upright, but also learn from him in general. You know that it is difficult for you to be an official. It is because the country is not rich, not because the ministers are mean, and the new policy is harsh."

"The minister is willing to be punished!"

After hearing Zhu Yijun's words, Yu Maoxue fell to the ground again with tears in his eyes.

"It's not necessary!"

After Zhu Yijun said something, he looked at Zhang Juzheng: "Sir, how much silver will it take if the officials owe their salary to make up for it and pay the full salary?"

Zhang Juzheng said: "To return to Your Majesty, more than 120 taels of silver are needed."

Zhu Yijun nodded after hearing this, turned his head to look at Zhang Hong, and said: "It is enough to make up for the military pay that was owed yesterday. Then make up for the internal money that Feng Bao got, so as not to suffer from The matter affects the New Deal. Mr. said yesterday that the king should guide his public and private affairs, and manage his yin and yang. I would like to believe that the ministers have the heart to be obedient to the public and to be devoted to the king's affairs, but I also have to admit that they are too strict in their hearts. Insufficient income breeds resentment towards the New Deal."

"Your Majesty is benevolent! You can pursue Yao and Shun! I thank Your Majesty for my colleagues in the world!"

After hearing this, Yu Maoxue bowed suddenly.

Zhu Yijun ignored him, and just asked Zhang Juzheng: "Also, is there anyone who is outstanding in this exam?"

"Returning to Your Majesty, there are some. Civil servants Shen Shixing, Zhang Xueyan, Wang Yongji, Jin Xuezeng, Ye Mengxiong, as well as military generals Qi Jiguang and Li Chengliang all achieved good results in the examinations. There are also excellent performers in the other six subjects, such as Huke Yougeshi Zhongshi Ying Yue these."

Zhang Juzheng replied.

Zhu Yijun said: "Then these people will be rewarded with half a year's salary when they are paid, full of color! As a reward. In addition, they will all have a higher official rank. The same will be the case in the future. What do you think, sir?"

"Your Majesty is a wise man! It's so good to show his public heart!"

Zhang Juzheng replied.

Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "This year, because of the confiscation of Feng Baoke, a reward can be issued to make up for the shortfall, but this is not a sustainable method. It is necessary for the husband to share my worries to completely solve the shortfall."

"The minister should do his best to make the country rich and the world prosperous."

Zhang Juzheng clapped his hands back.

Zhu Yijun nodded, and then looked at Yu Maoxue: "Although you don't know the general heart, but fortunately, you are outspoken, you are an honest official, and now that the platform is right, you dare to analyze your heart. Dissatisfied, I feel that it is more difficult to be an official, so I have a chance to calm down official grievances. Therefore, I will not kill you, nor will you be dismissed. I will punish you and Shi Yingyue to switch. He was promoted to be in charge of affairs, and you were demoted to be in charge of affairs in the right. It's just that you should reflect on yourself, whether you only see official grievances and not people's grievances, but only serve as the mouthpiece of your colleagues and not do it. Shengmin's mouthpiece?"

"I thank Your Majesty for your kindness! I also remember Your Majesty's hadith!"

Yu Maoxue was greatly moved, bowed his head and bowed.

Zhu Yijun stretched out his hand and raised it: "Get up."

"Yes! Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Yu Maoxue stood up.

And Zhu Yijun said again: "In this way, I intend to call the former Chief Assistant Gao Gong to the court and ask him about the new policy. As my envoy, you will go to Henan for me, and by the way, inspect the people's sentiments in the first year of the examination, and pay attention to it. Focus on the people to see, but don't just ask the officials about their grievances, but go to the fields to ask the farmers, go to the market to ask the vendors, and ask about the sufferings of the people."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Yu Maoxue was taken aback, but still replied happily.

"Go back."

Zhu Yijun said.

"I retire!"

After Yu Maoxue bowed his hands and said, he also bowed to Zhang Juzheng.

After Yu Maoxue retired, Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng: "I was on a whim just now, and suddenly felt that since I want to rule out the yin and yang of my officials and understand their public and private interests, then I, the emperor, cannot ignore Gao Gong. At the beginning of my ascension, the relationship between me and him There is quite a quarrel, and even the two palaces have a lot of suspicions against him. However, if these suspicions are ignored, it is inevitable that there will be situations where the ruler does not understand and the ministers do not understand, which will implicate the new policy and implicate the husband. Therefore, I decided to call Gao Gong to Beijing for questioning. I don’t know what to do with it, sir?”

Zhu Yijun didn’t think of Gao Gong by accident, but he knew Gao Gong was quite capable of reform. He was not influenced by Confucianism, and he paid great attention to the consciousness of economic development. Whether it was opening up border trade or opening up the sea, he showed the foresight of a reformer. This is rare in the scholar-bureaucrat class who are mainly conservative and ashamed of speaking out.

It's just that Gao Gong blocked Zhang Juzheng's way. Historically, it was difficult to play a role in the Wanli Dynasty, but Zhu Yijun felt that if Gao Gong continued to have the opportunity to discuss politics during the Wanli period, the Wanli reform could be made better.

That's why Zhu Yijun suddenly decided to recall Gao Gong at this moment.

In fact, he had already intended to do so, and he was waiting to do so after the overthrow of Feng Bao and the power to interfere in the government.

Of course, he still had to take care of Zhang Juzheng's feelings, so he never brought it up, but Zhang Juzheng's words yesterday made him confirm that Zhang Juzheng might not mind reconciling with Gao Gong.

After all, they are all members of the scholar-officials.

It is also necessary for the emperor to eliminate the contradictions among politicians to avoid major problems in the future.

What's more, the rivalry among cabinet ministers was indeed the main problem during this period.

Historically, Zhang Juzheng did intend to repair Gao Gong later on. In the fifth year of Wanli, when he returned to his hometown, he specially went to see Gao Gong, and they had a good talk.

However, Zhang Juzheng's efforts at that time seemed to have no effect. Gao Gong was still quite dissatisfied with him, and the conflict between him and Zhang Juzheng later became the fuse for Wanli to liquidate Zhang Juzheng after Zhang Juzheng's death.

This may still require the emperor to come forward.

At this moment, after hearing what Zhu Yijun said, Zhang Juzheng just cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty is willing to settle the suspicion with the former Chief Assistant. Naturally, you are a ruler. You should be open-minded. I am ashamed. You have not mentioned this matter to Your Majesty, but you need Your Majesty." Remember yourself."

"Sir, you've worked hard on everything, and it's reasonable for you to be careless occasionally."

After Zhu Yijun returned, he said: "And I heard that although Gao Gong is fierce, he is very open-minded and can read people's hearts. This case of Yu Mao's study revealed that when he passed the exam, he ignored the fact that the lower officials would be dissatisfied due to insufficient official salaries. Mister thinks, if Gao Gong is in court, can he see it?"

Zhang Juzheng pondered for a moment, nodded his head and said: "In my humble opinion, Gao Xinzheng has always dared to talk about righteousness and benefit. He should have insight. I think that he can be reinstated to join the cabinet."

Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "I don't intend to let him into the cabinet, but to hinder Mr.

Zhang Juzheng was startled.

Zhu Yijun said: "I intend to set up a council and let Gao Gong enter the council as an idle official. He can discuss the government affairs and let Mr. Ling participate in the details, but he has no right to vote, and he has no right to go to the court to discuss politics. Or it is just to make suggestions for the current disadvantages. Whether it is used or not depends on whether the six cabinets will be played by the emperor. It can also be regarded as an old horse who knows the way, so that these old officials can use their spare energy for the New Deal, and it is easier to support them in Beijing, and they will not be in the countryside. harassing, or because of a momentary mood, interfering with the local parents, resulting in loss of security in the evening."

"What do you think sir?"

(End of this chapter)