Chapter 235 Yan Shaoting's version of the examination method

Administration of officials.

This has always been a problem that troubles all rulers.

Since the Xia and Shang dynasties, there has been a distinction between officials and civilians.

Officials govern the local area and protect the people on behalf of the monarch.

Because people are different, there are distinctions between good and bad, and because of selfishness and desires, there are corrupt officials.

Rectify the administration of officials.

This is not a slogan that was only shouted out during the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty. In the future, there will still be people who shout out the slogan of continuing to rectify the administration of officials.

Existing in the past, present and future.

It was just that when Yan Shaoting was in the main hall of Wanshou Palace, in front of everyone present, he said that there was a way to improve the administration of officials.

Everyone became suspicious.

Even Yan Shifan.

He immediately frowned and said, "Asshole! Who here is not more powerful than you? Who has not served in the court for a long time and is a veteran official who has been immersed in the officialdom for many years? You kid, you have only eaten salt and rice for a few years, and you dare to talk nonsense about official administration!"

Yan Shifan was quite anxious.

Administration of officials.

Rectify the administration of officials.

This is a big deal, not just about money, food and supplies. This kid has obviously become a little too proud of himself recently, and his tail is about to go up to the sky.

The administration of officials concerns the affairs of tens of thousands of officials and hundreds of thousands of clerks in the imperial court.

Money and food.

You can intervene, it doesn't matter.

It's just a matter of one tael of silver less in the east and one tael of silver more in the west.

But the administration of officials is different.

Even if just one person is touched, it is possible that a whole bunch of people and things will be exposed behind the scenes.

There is no need for the Yan family to make any move on this matter.

Anyway, Gao Suqing, this powder keg, has always been shouting about the administration of officials.

Just let him handle this offending matter.

Let Gao Gong do something that offends others, and the Yan family might be able to take advantage of the situation to gain some benefits.

The more Yan Shifan thought about it, the more worried he became, fearing that his son, who had finally been able to gain a leading position in the court, would be ruined because of administrative issues.

He immediately shouted angrily again: "Why don't you apologize to His Majesty! You don't know the rules, you don't know how high the sky is and how deep the earth is!"

As he spoke, Yan Shifan looked at Yan Shaoting sternly.

This kid just lacks experience.

I don't know how deep the water is here.

Can he grasp it?

If he can grasp it, I will take his surname from now on!
When Yan Shifan was anxiously scolding his son.

People like Gao Gong and Yuan Wei also maintained a high level of suspicion.

Gao Gong also said to Yan Shaoting in good faith: "Mr. Yan, official administration is different from economics. You may have made great achievements in economics and have been quite effective in governing the people. But official administration is related to tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people, so it cannot be taken lightly."

Yuan Wei also advised, "Mr. Yan, how to rectify the civil service in the country still needs senior officials like Mr. Yan and Mr. Gao who have a bird's-eye view to master it calmly."

Gao Gong didn't want someone like Yan Shaoting, who got practical work done, to be involved in matters like rectifying the administration of officials.

Yuan Wei was here purely because during the last Holy Court meeting to nominate the Minister of Personnel, the Yan family had pushed Guo Pu to the position, and he kept this incident in mind.

On the contrary, it was Paine and the other two who had originally despised Yan Shaoting's so-called method of governing officials.

But after Gao Gong and Yuan Wei spoke.

Paine said, "Your Majesty, I think that Yan Shidu has made many suggestions and recommendations in the court recently, and has also achieved results in governing the people and enriching the people. Perhaps Yan Shidu really has a good plan."

Minister of Rites Yan Ne also said: "How can the age be used to select people in the imperial court? Today, an older person like Xu Fan, the governor of Shuntian, has committed a heinous crime, while Yan Shidu has always been loyal to the country. I think we can listen to Yan Shidu's policy and method."

After Paine and Yan Ne spoke one after another.

Yan Shifan immediately stared over.

There was a sinister look in his eyes, filled with murderous intent.

These two bastards are really cruel!

however.

Jiajing, who had been watching the ministers quarreling, smiled and said, "Well, I have said before that I will not stop ministers from speaking. Since Yan Shaoting has a method to improve the administration, let him speak it out."

"His Majesty!"

Yan Shifan looked anxious and clasped his hands together.

Jiajing narrowed his eyes and waved his hands: "It's okay! If what your son said is reasonable, the court will use the people who supervise the administration of officials if they want to rectify the administration of officials. If the method you mentioned does have flaws, it is only limited to the Wanshou Palace today."

He naturally knew the meaning behind the noise made by this group of people in front of him.

Finally, Jiajing looked at Yan Shaoting.

I have already built the stage for you and put down the steps for you to come down.

When Yan Shifan heard the emperor say this, he felt relieved.

He immediately looked at Yan Shaoting: "Why don't you thank your Majesty for his magnanimity!"

Yan Shaoting nodded and said, "I thank your Majesty for allowing me to talk about rectifying the administration of officials in front of you."

Seeing the old Taoist priest waving his hand casually.

Yan Shaoting smiled faintly in his heart.

I miss the first day with Lord Xu.

After all, it was Lord Xu who taught him that the big stick of ancestral law was so useful.

"I have observed the policies and laws of our dynasty over the years. In the fifth year of Hongwu, Emperor Taizu Hongwu issued an edict."

Hongwu five years.

It’s almost two hundred years ago!

Everyone in the hall raised their eyebrows.

Yan Shaoting continued, "Emperor Taizu issued an edict: In the future, officials must record the performance of agricultural and sericulture schools when conducting examinations. Those who violate the rules will be punished. This is a new basis established by this dynasty in addition to the basis for evaluating officials' performance based on the payment of taxes and labor service in previous dynasties since the founding of the country."

"Now, how many people in the court have followed the instructions of Emperor Taizu Hongwu, and the officials in charge must include the achievements of the Agricultural and Sericulture School when evaluating their performance?"

Gao Gong raised his eyebrows.

Although he was not clear about the details of this matter, given Emperor Taizu's temperament, he would not be wrong.

Yan Shaoting continued, "After Emperor Taizu issued the decree, Rizhao County Magistrate Ma Liang was good at supervising transportation, but he did not teach agriculture and promote the work of scholars, so he was ordered to be dismissed. This example is also the fact that our dynasty evaluates the performance and ability of officials based on the performance of agricultural and sericulture schools." "In the 18th year of Hongwu, the court re-established the grain chief system. Emperor Taizu ordered that the duty of local officials was to focus on governance, and educating people was the primary task of the officials. All prefecture, state and county officials should prioritize the increase of households and the development of farmland during their tenure. Their deeds should be examined by the Supervisory Censorate and the Censorate, and the actual deeds should be reported to the court for promotion and demotion."

"All of the above can clearly prove that Emperor Taizu put the people's livelihood and education first, and the payment of taxes and labor service was second. People's livelihood came first, and then finance, taxation and labor service."

"I think that if the court is to start rectifying the administration this time, it should follow the name of Emperor Taizu and the opinions of the people. When evaluating the administration, officials at all levels of the court should first evaluate the people's livelihood and then review the finances, taxes and corvée."

Yan Shaoting recited some historical materials, then looked at the old Taoist priest, and then glanced sideways at Gao Gong and others.

Now that we have come to this point today, it seems like we are ready to start rectifying the administration of officials.

I just went with the flow and worked out the performance evaluation method ahead of time.

but.

Compared with the performance evaluation system that Zhang Juzheng later came up with, Yan Shaoting also made some changes.

First, people’s livelihood, then finance, taxation, and corvee labor, and then other things.

Yan Shaoting looked at Gao Gong and asked with a smile, "Lord Gao, I wonder what you think of what I said. Is there anything missing?"

Gao Gong immediately shook his head.

But his brows were slightly frowned.

It’s not that what Yan Shaoting said was not good enough or lacking in something, but that it was too good.

Gao Gong clenched his fists and bowed to look at the emperor.

Although he didn't want to admit it.

But at this moment, Gao Gong had to admit one thing.

"Your Majesty, what Yan Shidu said this time is calm and he must be thinking about it."

"The purpose of the state's rectification of officialdom is to promote people's livelihood, strengthen national strength, enrich the people, and make the people strong."

"The rectification of officialdom is aimed at the common people of the country."

Jiajing also looked at Yan Shaoting with shining eyes and asked softly: "So this is also the basis for your actions in Changping?"

Yan Shaoting clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is wise and can see through my poor skills."

Jiajing nodded: "Go on."

Hearing Gao Gong's praise, the emperor asked him to continue.

Yan Shifan was relieved at first, and now he was smiling.

He couldn't help but feel confused again.

Is my son really a genius?
immediately.

Yan Shifan shook his head with regret.

Pity!
Mr. Xu is not here.

Otherwise, I must let him know today.

Whose son is better?

But there is no need to compare.

I can only pray that Xu Fan, who is probably being held in the imperial prison now, can have the fortitude of a tough guy and withstand the severe torture from those fierce guards.

pity!

pity!

Yan Shifan's face was full of regret, but his heart was already blooming with joy.

Yan Shaoting continued, "The country has been in power for more than 200 years, and even now, when officials throughout the country are promoted after completing their examinations, they must strictly check the rent and taxes they have collected during their tenure, and only when they have collected and paid the full amount will they be allowed to leave and report to the government."

"In the fifth year of this dynasty, the Ministry of Revenue has also advised: For those who have not completed the collection, the amount will be recorded in the register and a limit will be set. Within the limit, all salaries will be suspended and paid on the day of completion. Those who exceed the limit will be arrested and questioned by the inspectors and sent to the capital for demoted employment."

"From then on, the court and the government took the payment of taxes and labor service as the first priority, which affected the official's future."

"This move may temporarily increase the court's taxes and pay the corvée labor. But until now, officials have been pursuing this. Officials are afraid of punishment and extort money, while the people are unable to cope and flee. Isn't this like draining the pond to catch fish?"

"Governors were fined for this, officials were demoted for this, and the common people were left penniless. Old debts could no longer be recovered, and the granary gradually became empty. Year after year, the income became less and less, and the expenditure became more and more."

Yan Shaoting's tone became more solemn and his expression became more ugly.

The court, from top to bottom, only cared about the payment of taxes and labor service as the standard for evaluating officials. In order to keep their official hats, everyone was only concerned with extorting money from the people.

The country has become rich in a short time, but what about the people?

There will always be only so many people.

Every time this official comes today to collect taxes and labor service and fails to meet the required amount, the people will become poorer.

The official will come again tomorrow.

What else can the people do to keep these officials in their official positions?
If this continues, it would be strange if the Ming Dynasty did not perish!
How did the world become filled with refugees and rioters?

That's how it happened.

Rectify the administration of officials.

Imperative.

The performance evaluation method should also be used in advance.

But how to pass the test and how to use it are another matter.

Yan Shaoting looked up at the old Taoist priest who was already lost in deep thought.

And this is the reason why he brought out Emperor Taizu Hongwu as soon as he opened his mouth today and set up a signboard of ancestral laws.

Yan Shaoting sighed with a compassionate tone.

"Your Majesty, the court is not easy, but the people are even more difficult."

"As Mr. Gao said, rectifying the administration of officials is for the benefit of the people of the world, our Ming Dynasty, and our ancestors' foundation."

“How can a country become strong if its people become poorer?”

"How can officials only know how to pay taxes and labor service but not know how to govern the people's livelihood?"

"In the fields, leeks are harvested one after another."

"But what about the people?"

"The dynasties that have been built up over the past few hundred years at most, why?"

"The rectification of the administration of officials is for the benefit of the people of the world."

"I ask Your Majesty to issue an oral order. Regardless of whether the court will start to rectify the administration this time, and regardless of who is in charge of this matter, the order of Emperor Taizu Hongwu must be put first, and the officials at all levels of the court must be evaluated and punished for restoring farmland, opening up new areas, recruiting refugees, and establishing simple folk customs."

…………

Monthly ticket recommendation ticket

(We are the old men here, those who understand will understand!)

(End of this chapter)