Distracted by the guest commentator, Zhang Juzheng quickly calmed down and the two of them returned to their seats.
Zhang Juzheng said: "Since the emperor has read the "Six Cheap Things" written by me, all the methods of governing the government can be found in it."
Zhu Yijun said: "What is the most urgent thing?"
Zhang Juzhengdao took out a memorial from his sleeve, knelt down and started to read: "This is the first thing I want to do!"
When Zhu Yijun took it over and looked at it, the title of the memorial was written on the letterhead, which was "Please inspect the memorial and examine it according to the matter to revise the actual political affairs." It is what later generations simply called the "Kaocheng Method".
Yeah, beautiful pavilion body.
The entrance examination method was a key policy for Zhang Juzheng to gain fame and had far-reaching influence. In fact, you and I in future generations will be shrouded in the shadow of this law. Although this method is simple, it does touch the surface of cracking the cycle of treating disorder.
To put it simply: whenever the six ministries and the Metropolitan Procuratorate transfer various memorials and imperial edicts to various yamen or localities, the six departments will record them in their accounts and cancel them when due. All official documents and official matters are classified into categories and have prescribed processing time limits. If there is any delay, the reason must be explained during the half-year summary. If it is not completed after the re-assessment, additional investigation will be carried out.
If the governor or inspector is delayed, report it to the Sixth Department; if the Sixth Department or the Procuratorate is delayed, report it to the Sixth Section; if the Sixth Section conceals the accounting results, the cabinet will report it. In this way, an examination system was formed in which the cabinet inspected the six departments, the six departments inspected the six ministries and the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and the Six Ministries and the Metropolitan Procuratorate inspected the governors and inspectors. In the end, "what you say must be true, and what you do can be accomplished."
The key to the success of this examination lies in the "six subjects" created by Emperor Hongwu. Zhu Yuanzhang adhered to the political philosophy of "using small to make big" and established six subjects of "officials, households, etiquette, soldiers, Xing, and Gong". The official position was called Shishi Among them, he assisted the emperor in handling the memorials and correcting the errors in the six departments. He is in the seventh rank, but has great power. He can even refute the imperial edict, but this power is rarely used.
Zhang Juzheng's design of the examination law expanded the power of the six departments to inspect the six ministries and the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and put them under the cabinet, which was also a huge expansion of the power of the prime minister.
Zhu Yijun read Zhang Juzheng's memorial. After the two nonsense sentences at the beginning, there is a famous sentence that will be familiar to later generations: "It is not difficult to legislate the affairs of the world, but it is difficult to implement the law; it is not difficult to listen to what is said, but it is difficult to say it to be effective." It is really inspiring and enlightening. The language is also!
After browsing through it quickly, Zhu Yijun said: "Great kindness! As the saying goes, 'obey the sovereignty, supervise the duties of officials, reward and punish, and give orders'!"
When Zhang Juzheng saw Zhu Yijun summarizing his political philosophy in twelve words, his head felt dizzy. He kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty's words are to the point. He is the true sage!"
Zhu Yijun hurriedly called out and said: "Old sir, didn't you agree last time that the two of us can relax here? Sit down and talk." Zhang Juzheng heard him mention what happened to the left room of Wenhua Palace last time. , my legs were a little weak, so I quickly climbed up and sat upright on the chair.
After Zhang Juzheng returned to his seat, Zhu Yijun asked: "As soon as this method comes out, the first three of the six things can be solved instantly. But how to verify the name and facts, consolidate the foundation of the country, and order the military preparations?"
Zhang Juzheng has been thinking about the great political affairs for many years. At this time, he echoed: "I first talked about consolidating the foundation of the country - I thought that if you succeed in the exam, you can do it for a few years, and you can use it without adding gifts. Wait for the officials to be rectified and punish corruption. If the people and the government are unfavorable, the country will be satisfied." This means that if you spit out the corrupt, every time you pay me the big tax arrears, you will naturally increase the fiscal revenue.
Zhu Yijun listened and did not comment. Seeing this, Zhang Juzheng continued to play: "After the law is completed and the official administration is refreshed, the land can be cleared across the country and the one whip method can be implemented." Afraid that the emperor would not understand what the one whip method was, he followed up by explaining: "One whip is to assign the land tax , corvee and miscellaneous items are all combined into one, and the silver taels are collected together and paid per mu. The common people can stop the local way of extortionate expropriation and increase the silver in Taicang."
Unexpectedly, Zhu Yijun replied: "But the 'tax and levy method' advocated by Duke Wenxiang of Gui?" (Note: The one-whip method was not invented by Zhang Juzheng, but was proposed by Gui E, a scholar of Wuyingdian in the Jiajing Dynasty. However, it was strongly boycotted and was not used in the war. National promotion.)
Zhang Juzheng was surprised when he heard this. He didn't know that Zhu Yijun had not been idle these two days. He used his limited historical knowledge to have people rummage in the study room and found out "Ren Min Kao Shu" by Gui E. , I have finished previewing a long time ago.
Zhang Juzheng was so nagged by Zhu Yijun today that he lost his temper. He prepared a lot of policy explanations and explanations, but they were useless. As the Northeastern saying goes, "the old man is in harmony." As everyone knows, when it comes to who knows him best in the entire Ming Dynasty now, no one except the emperor understands him. Not even Zhang Juzheng's successor, the Wang family, nor his son Zhu Yijun understands him.
After all, Zhang Juzheng's reputation in later generations was so great that he was called "the most capable minister through the ages." Anyone who likes history cannot avoid him.
There are a lot of books on Zhang Juzheng in later generations, "Hundred Schools of Lectures" talks about it again and again, and there are countless documentaries and TV series. Zhu Yijun traveled to Wanli and carefully recalled Zhang Juzheng's various thoughts and policy measures in later generations. Can it not be a good fit?
Zhang Juzheng said: "What the emperor said is true. It was advocated by Duke Wenxiang of Gui." The subject changed: "The emperor asked about the verification of names and facts. The problem of redundant officials and nobles in our dynasty has been accumulated for many years, and it is difficult to solve for a while. I hope that the emperor will be careful about the famous utensils, cherish the titles and rewards, and use people to see whether they have contributed to the country. If they have, they will be rewarded with thousands of gold and the seal of the marquis. Don’t take it lightly either. If this happens, you can correct it slowly.”
Seeing Zhu Yijun nodding, Zhang Juzheng covered his mouth with his sleeves, lowered his head and took a sip of tea, moistened his throat and continued: "As for the final order for military preparation, I hope that the emperor will first make up his mind to rectify the matter, do not seek quick results, do not forget what is going on, and plan well. Review and act.”
Zhu Yijun nodded again, and Zhang Juzheng continued: "I am not worried about the lack of soldiers in China, but I am worried about the lack of elite soldiers and ears. I hope that the emperor can strictly enforce military affairs and try to train them. Every year or every year during the winter farming break, I respectfully invite the emperor to come to review in person. . One is to test the ability of the generals, and the other is to observe the bravery and cowardice of the soldiers. Those who are skilled and skilled will be rewarded separately, and those who are old and weak will be eliminated easily. In this way, elite soldiers can be obtained, and China will have no trouble with captives. "
Zhu Yijun heard the last two points mentioned by Zhang Juzheng, which are already the correct arguments of politicians in agricultural society. He was asked to break through the so-called historical limitations, unless Zhang Juzheng was also a time traveler.
However, if the "Wanli New Deal" in this time and space is implemented in this way, and if I work hard for a few more decades, I may be able to save the Ming Dynasty from decline and create a so-called "Wanli Prosperity". However, a hundred years later, the Ming Dynasty will still fall under the wheel of history. After all, Zhang Juzheng's reforms did not touch on the core issues of the Ming Dynasty.
When Zhang Juzheng signaled that he had finished speaking, Zhu Yijun praised: "Sir, you have broken the great plan, and the world is like a severe drought with clouds appearing. The country is very lucky!"
Seeing Zhang Juzheng about to thank him, Zhu Yijun stopped and said, "I thought about the six points mentioned by Mr. Ran, and found that they do not touch on the major disadvantages of today's world!" Zhang Juzheng was stunned when he heard this, not knowing what Zhu Yijun was going to say.
Zhu Yijun said in his heart that you have finished speaking, and it is my turn to show off. Let's see if the long speech I have prepared in the past two days can refresh the three views of this "most capable minister throughout the ages"!
