Zhu Yijun said: "Get up and tell me the truth."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Yu Maoxue held back his tears, then stood up and replied: "As your Majesty said, I am indeed having a hard time making a living due to insufficient official salary. However, the assistant ministers are mean and the political laws are strict, which leads to dissatisfaction."
Zhu Yijun nodded: "You don't have to blame yourself. It's because the imperial court owes serious official salaries, which chills the hearts of honest officials. As a result, as soon as the new policy is implemented, official resentments abound."
"Your Majesty said that this was the fault of the Prime Minister."
Zhang Juzheng replied at this time.
Zhu Yijun waved his hand: "Sir, there is no need to say that. I am the emperor, but I have not done well in government. Not only has the inner court suffered a serious deficit, but my salary has been insufficient. Even I myself cannot wear more than eight sets of clothes in four seasons. Therefore, the weavers of the Weaving Bureau would rather go to the Xu family to work for me." Long-term workers do not want to work in the Weaving Bureau, and even more so, I dare not even change my pen. Needless to say, many officials in foreign countries have not received their salaries in full, and the root cause is that the country is not rich. All of them are mine. It’s my fault. The so-called Wan Fang is guilty, but I am the one to blame! I shouldn’t have made my subjects suffer like this.”
Yu Maoxue heard what Zhu Yijun said and said: "Your Majesty's words make me feel ashamed!"
Zhu Yijun looked at him and said: "It is clear that you have made me feel ashamed. Why do you have to say that? However, I also want to ask you. Since you insist on the moral ethics of a scholar, you are ashamed of the power of speech, so it is not easy to speak directly to the official. He is dissatisfied with the insufficient salary and only blames his resentment on the too strict examination. Have you ever thought that although passing the examination is a hardship for hundreds of officials, it benefits the country and the people, which is in line with the moral principles of the world as a public servant. Why is it that you are so concerned about passing the examination? Are you not abiding by scholarly ethics?"
Yu Maoxue was speechless for a moment.
Zhu Yijun asked again: "What do you think of Hai Rui?"
"Our role model."
Yu Mao learned Taoism.
Zhu Yijun said: "Since you regard him as a role model, you should not only learn from him to be honest and upright, but also learn from him to understand the general situation and know that it is difficult for you to be an official. The country is not rich, and it is not because the ministers are mean and the new policy is harsh."
"I am willing to kill you!"
After hearing Zhu Yijun's words, Yu Maoxue fell to the ground in tears again.
"No need!"
Zhu Yijun said something and then looked at Zhang Juzheng: "Sir, how much silver is needed to make up for the official salary arrears and pay them in full?"
Zhang Juzheng said: "To return to Your Majesty, I need more than 1.27 million taels of silver."
After hearing this, Zhu Yijun nodded, turned to look at Zhang Hong, and said: "In addition to making up for the unpaid military pay that was reported yesterday, it is still enough. Then let's make up for it with the internal funds obtained from the confiscation of Feng Bao, so as to avoid this. Things affect the new policy. Yesterday, Mr. Wang said that a king should guide his public and private affairs and manage his yin and yang. I want to believe that the ministers have the intention to serve the public and be honest and dedicated to the king's affairs, but I must also admit that in their hearts, they are too strict in their examinations. Insufficient income leads to resentment towards the new policies.”
"Your Majesty is kind! You can follow Yao and Shun! I thank your Majesty for my colleagues in the world!"
Yu Maoxue suddenly bowed after hearing this.
Zhu Yijun ignored him and just asked Zhang Juzheng: "Also, are there any outstanding candidates who passed the exam this time?"
"Your Majesty, there are some. The civil servants Shen Shixing, Zhang Xueyan, Wang Yongji, Jin Xuezeng, and Ye Mengxiong, as well as the generals Qi Jiguang and Li Chengliang, all achieved good results in the examination. There are also outstanding performers in the other six subjects, such as Hu Keyou, Shi Zhongshi Ying Yue and these."
Zhang Juzheng replied.
Zhu Yijun said: "Then we will reward these people with half a year's salary when they are paid, which is enough! As a reward. In addition, they will all be given an official rank of one level. This will be the case in the future. What do you think, sir?"
"Your Majesty is wise! This is a way to promote his public spirit!"
Zhang Juzheng replied.
Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "This year, because Feng Bao was copied, I could make up for the shortfall and receive a silver reward, but this is not a sustainable method. To completely solve the shortfall, I need your husband to share my worries."
"I should do my best to make the country prosperous and the world prosperous."
Zhang Juzheng cupped his hands and replied.
Zhu Yijun nodded, and then looked at Yu Maoxue: "Although you don't know the general idea, fortunately, you dare to say that you are an honest official, and now that you are on the right platform, you dare to analyze your heart. You think you failed the exam because of insufficient official salary." I am dissatisfied and feel that it is more difficult to be an official, so that I can have a chance to settle my official grudges. Therefore, I will not kill you, nor will I dismiss you. I will still keep you in the household department to ensure that you are honest and upright, but I have to punish you. As a punishment, you and Shi Yingyue will be exchanged. He will be promoted to Dudu, and you will be demoted to Shizhong. But you should reflect on yourself, whether you have always only seen official grievances, not public grievances, and have only been the mouthpiece of your colleagues without doing anything. A mouthpiece for Shengmin?”
"I thank Your Majesty for your kindness! I also bear in mind His Majesty's holy precepts!"
Yu Maoxue was greatly moved and bowed his head.
Zhu Yijun stretched out his hand and said, "Get up."
"Yes! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Yu Maoxue stood up.
Zhu Yijun then said: "In this case, I intend to summon Gao Gong, the former chief minister, to come to the court and ask about his new policies. As my envoy, you will go to Henan for me. By the way, I will inspect the public sentiment in the first year of the implementation of the examination, and pay attention to it. Focus on the people, but don’t just ask about official complaints, but go to the fields to ask farmers, go to markets to ask traders, and ask about people’s sufferings.”
"I obey the decree!"
Yu Maoxue was surprised, but he still replied happily.
"Back off."
Zhu Yijun said.
"I resign!"
After Yu Maoxue raised his hands and said this, he also bowed to Zhang Juzheng.
After Yu Maoxue retreated, Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng: "On a whim, I suddenly felt that since I want to manage the yin and yang of my officials and clarify their public and private affairs, I, the emperor, cannot ignore Gao Gong. When I first came to the throne, I had a relationship with him. There is quite a discord, and even the two palaces have a lot of dissatisfaction with him. However, if these dissatisfactions are ignored, it will inevitably lead to a situation where the emperor is unclear and the ministers are confused, which will affect the new policy and implicate Mr. Gao Gong. Therefore, I decided to summon Gao Gong to the capital for questioning. I wonder what your business is, sir?"
Zhu Yijun did not think of Gao Gong accidentally, but he had long known that Gao Gong was quite capable of reform. He was not influenced by Confucianism and paid great attention to economic development. Whether he was opening up border trade or opening up sea, he showed the foresight of a reformer. This is rare among the scholar-bureaucrat class who are mainly conservative and are ashamed of speaking out.
It's just that Gao Gong blocked Zhang Juzheng's way, and it was historically difficult to play a role in the Wanli Dynasty. However, Zhu Yijun felt that if Gao Gong continued to have the opportunity to discuss politics during the Wanli period, Wanli reforms could be better.
That's why Zhu Yijun suddenly decided to recall Gao Gong at this time.
In fact, he had already had this intention, and was waiting to do so after overthrowing Feng Bao and gaining the power to interfere in government affairs.
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 confirmed to him that Zhang Juzheng might not mind making amends with Gao Gong.
After all, they are all members of the scholar-bureaucrats.
The emperor also needs to eliminate conflicts among politicians to avoid major problems in the future.
What's more, the conflict between cabinet ministers was indeed the main problem during this period.
Historically, Zhang Juzheng did intend to reconcile with Gao Gong later. In the fifth year of Wanli, he went to see Gao Gong when he returned to his hometown, and they had a pleasant conversation.
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 trigger for Wanli's liquidation of Zhang Juzheng after Zhang Juzheng's death.
This may still require the emperor's intervention.
At this time, after Zhang Juzheng heard what Zhu Yijun said, he only raised his hands and said: "Your Majesty is willing to settle the differences with the former chief minister. Naturally, as a monarch, he should be broad-minded. I am ashamed that I did not mention this matter to Your Majesty, but actually asked Your Majesty to do so." Think of it yourself.”
"Sir, you are working hard at everything. It is reasonable for you to be careless occasionally."
After Zhu Yijun came back, he said: "I heard that although Gao Gong is fierce, he is very open-minded and can see into people's hearts. This case of Yu Mao's study revealed that when he passed the exam, he ignored the fact that the officials below him would be dissatisfied due to insufficient official salary. Sir, do you think that if Gao Gong were in court, he would be able to see through it?"
Zhang Juzheng pondered for a moment, nodded and said: "In my humble opinion, Gaoxin Zheng has always dared to talk about justice and benefit. He should be able to see clearly. I think he can be reinstated into the cabinet."
Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "I have no intention of letting him join the cabinet and restricting Sir."
Zhang Juzheng was stunned.
Zhu Yijun said: "I intend to set up a cabinet, and let Gao Gong serve as a retired official in the cabinet. He can discuss the government affairs. I asked you to consult the details, but he has no right to vote or go to the court to discuss the government. He is just checking and filling the vacancies for the new government policy. Or they may just put forward suggestions for the current shortcomings, and whether they are used or not will be reported to the emperor in the six cabinets. It can be regarded as an old horse knowing the way, so that these veteran ministers can exert their residual enthusiasm for the New Deal, and it will be easier to support them in the capital, and they will not be involved in clan affairs in the countryside. Disturbance, or interference with local parents due to temporary anger, resulting in the loss of the evening festival."
"What do you think, sir?"
