Chapter 18: Listening to Music by the Qinhuai River
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Chapter 18: Music on the Qinhuai River
Yang Rong suddenly stepped forward. He did not say much, but he completely redirected the discussion. There was no need to keep arguing about ancestral institutions or the absurd question of restoring the office of chancellor. The real issue was simple: would this arrangement benefit the government?
Those words struck a chord with Zhu Di. He truly was being buried beneath a mountain of official business, working from dawn until dusk without a moment to spare. If matters could be sorted into categories and the officials urged to carry out their duties conscientiously, that would be precisely what Zhu Di desired.
As for violating ancestral precedent—if ancestral precedent were truly so important, how could Zhu Di have left Beiping as a vassal prince and ascended the imperial throne?
Ultimately, the reason the Ming had never restored the chancellorship was simply that the Six Ministries were unwilling to be reduced entirely to subordinate offices under a chancellor, and had resisted the idea all along. Later, when the Grand Secretariat gained power, it already possessed the substance of a chancellorship, making it unnecessary to risk violating ancestral precedent by restoring the office.
In short, under the Ming, an ancestral institution that suited everyone's wishes was an ancestral institution. One that did not suit them could only be discarded.
Zhu Di was extremely pleased with Yang Rong's words. When Zhu Di had first sought to enter Yingtian, it had been Yang Rong who advised him to visit the Xiaoling Mausoleum of Zhu Yuanzhang and offer sacrifices there first.
Zhu Di had immediately agreed. He obediently went before Old Zhu's grave and played the part of a dutiful son.
Because of that, Yang Rong—who had only passed the metropolitan examination in the second year of the Jianwen reign—was suddenly promoted to Hanlin Academician. He then went on to oversee the ceremonial arrangements for Zhu Di's enthronement.
He was plainly a rising star among the civil officials.
“Stop quarreling.”
Zhu Di's voice was cold. “I have not been emperor for long, but every day I face a mountain of official business—two or three hundred matters at the least, five or six hundred at the most. I rise before dawn and retire late, constantly vigilant from morning to night, without a moment's rest. I am this busy, and yet so many affairs handed down to the Six Ministries have not even been handled. Truly, you have repaid my favor poorly!”
Zhu Di's gaze settled on Ru Chang, Minister of War.
“Ru Chang, while you were arguing just now, I had someone bring me the memorandum written by Commissioner Xu. I have discovered that your Ministry of War has not carried out a single matter. What exactly is going on?”
Ru Chang's expression changed. He hurriedly replied, “Your Majesty, the Ministry of War deals with matters vital to the empire's military affairs. Among the matters Your Majesty has entrusted to us are adjustments to the commanders of the Nine Frontier Garrisons, rewards for meritorious soldiers, and the registration of additional military households. Each is exceedingly complicated and cannot be completed in a day or two. Therefore, I believe that someone like Commissioner Xu, who has no understanding of the difficulty of administrative work yet presumes to point fingers at will, not only fails to help matters get done but may instead disrupt the government. I beg Your Majesty to judge the matter clearly.”
Zhu Di paused slightly. It did sound reasonable.
At that point, however, Xu Jingchang could no longer bear listening. “Minister Ru, you speak only of the difficulties faced by the Ministry of War. Then allow me to ask you this: are the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Revenue free of difficulties? The Ministry of Works must repair the three great halls and construct government offices in the capital. Was any of that easy? Clearly, your old habits are too deeply rooted. You neglect your duties and muddle through your responsibilities. Now that I have exposed you, you have become angry out of shame.”
Ru Chang's old face turned livid. This young Xu Jingchang truly had a vile way of speaking. Every sentence struck directly at one's weakest point. Moreover, he was indeed an old minister of the Jianwen court, and one of high rank at that.
If Xu Jingchang continued, accusations of outward obedience and inward defiance, sinister intentions, and even an attempt at rebellion would soon follow.
“Commissioner Xu, since you understand that everyone has their own difficulties, why insist on being unconventional and make things even harder for everyone else?”
Xu Jingchang replied bluntly, “That is what I cannot understand. Someone submits a memorial on a matter of state, Your Majesty personally approves it, and then sends it to one of the Six Ministries for implementation. Surely there must at least be some response. Suppose Your Majesty wishes to revise the list of commanders leading the Nine Frontier Garrisons, involving a hundred men or two hundred men. How many have you dealt with? How much has been completed? Where exactly do the difficulties lie? Are there people in the Ministry of War shirking their duties, or does the matter involve other offices and you are unable to move them? There must be an explanation for all this. You cannot simply wait until Your Majesty happens to remember the matter and asks about it, only to discover that nothing has been done while you stand there complaining about your hardships. What kind of logic is that?”
Ru Chang was rendered speechless by the question.
It was true. That was exactly how they had deceived Zhu Yunwen.
If the officials had made even a modest effort, Zhu Yunwen, who possessed the whole realm, would not have been beaten by Zhu Di into abandoning his armor and losing his empire.
By this point in the discussion, the imposing ministers of the Six Ministries had clearly fallen behind.
The creaking machine of the Ming government truly needed another component, and its operating rules clearly needed adjustment.
Xu Jingchang had merely brought the matter to light at precisely the right moment.
Then Yao Guangxiao, who had remained silent until now, spoke. “Your Majesty, I have a few words to offer.”
Zhu Di hurriedly smiled. “Grand Preceptor Yao, whatever advice you have, please speak freely.”
Yao Guangxiao said, “Your Majesty, the situation is this: official business is indeed excessively complicated at present. We must discard the old and establish the new, renewing the foundations of the realm. Take my own case. Your Majesty has ordered me to oversee the compilation of the Veritable Records of the Taizu Emperor. The court ought to be informed of our progress, the difficulties we have encountered, how many men we require, who has rendered outstanding service, and where mistakes have occurred. Your Majesty and the court officials alike must know what is happening. We cannot wait ten or twenty years, only to present the court with the bare conclusion that the work has or has not been completed. That would inevitably give rise to suspicions that official duties had been neglected.”
Yao Guangxiao's words were nearly decisive. He was Zhu Di's chief strategist, the most trusted of all his confidants.
In the past, Yao Guangxiao had simply been unwilling to step forward, leaving room for others. But now that he had come out in support of Xu Jingchang, the situation turned around almost instantly.
The court officials could resist no longer. Jian Yi, Minister of Personnel, was the first to step forward.
“Your Majesty, the Grand Preceptor's words are indeed sound. However, organizing administrative affairs and supervising the Six Ministries is far too great a responsibility to entrust entirely to the Office of Transmission. In my view, Your Majesty ought to retain personal control of the matter.”
Xia Yuanji added, “That is true. Although Commissioner Xu is exceptionally talented and quick-witted, he is still too young. He has only just entered government service and is not yet familiar with the statutes and institutions of the dynasty. He may not fully understand certain administrative matters. I venture to suggest that Your Majesty select another senior minister to handle this responsibility.”
Zhu Di frowned slightly, still pondering the matter.
At that moment, Hanlin Academician Yang Rong stepped forward once more.
“Your Majesty, after the Founding Emperor abolished the Secretariat, he established the Four Assistant Officials to provide counsel. Later, following the institutions of the Tang and Song, he established palace-hall academicians to assist the sovereign and participate in confidential affairs of state. I believe such an arrangement would be more appropriate and would also better honor ancestral precedent.”
Yang Rong did not say much, but every time he stepped forward, he struck at the heart of the matter.
Had Ru Chang and the others not been invoking ancestral precedent?
Now Yang Rong had brought up Zhu Yuanzhang's own example, giving Zhu Di a way to develop it further. Moreover, the so-called palace-hall academicians were generally selected from among Hanlin civil officials well versed in the statutes and institutions of the court.
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This proposal not only blocked the Office of Transmission but also refuted Xia Yuanji's suggestion that a senior minister should be chosen to oversee the government.
Zhu Di considered it briefly, then nodded at once.
At this point, he still had to devote himself to being Old Zhu's dutiful son. Since his imperial father had forbidden the restoration of the chancellorship, he could not restore it. If, as Xia Yuanji had suggested, a senior minister were to supervise the Six Ministries and all the officials, then without question, whoever obtained that position would become the new chancellor.
Nor did Zhu Di feel comfortable handing the matter to the Office of Transmission. Xu Jingchang was simply too fond of stirring things up. How long had it been since his accession? He had already clashed with Qiu Fu and with the entire body of officials. If he were also placed in charge of supervising them, would the court not become as lively as a vegetable market?
To avoid a state of total disorder, Yang Rong's proposal was the safest choice.
“Very well. Select from among the Hanlin civil officials a group of distinguished scholars and bring them forward.”
Zhu Di's decision settled the matter. The officials, who had argued through an entire round of debate, looked at one another. What more could they say?
“His Majesty is wise!”
After leaving the main hall, Xu Jingchang walked briskly ahead. The portly Xia Yuanji hurried a few steps to catch up and blocked his path. Jian Yi followed soon after.
“Commissioner Xu, why don't we sit down and have a talk?”
Xu Jingchang looked at the two of them, his anger blazing. “Talk about what? You saw the Office of Transmission getting the meat and could not stand it, so you had to meddle. Now look what has happened. His Majesty has chosen Hanlin scholars to provide assistance, and a dark cloud is hanging over your heads. Who knows what icy winds and frosty swords may soon descend upon you!
“If this responsibility had gone to the Office of Transmission, I could not have remained Chief Commissioner forever. Once I left, would it not have been you arranging for a suitable successor? I have never seen anyone so foolish.”
With that, Xu Jingchang strode away.
Jian Yi and Xia Yuanji exchanged glances. They, too, sensed that something was wrong, but they had no better solution.
“Commissioner Xu, wait!” Xia Yuanji called after him.
Xu Jingchang snorted. “How can a great Ming be governed properly by a pack of vermin like you? I am going to the Qinhuai River to listen to music!”
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End of Chapter