It sounds drastic, but in essence, Zhu Yixi's reforms are very feasible.
The first is the cabinet. As a department without a temporary establishment, it can only be ravaged by the emperor.
As for the Hanlin Academy, not to mention, the concubines had just joined the academy a few months ago, and they were in a humble position and had no say at all.
In a sense, the six-part solid system is equivalent to increasing the establishment. For the middle and lower-level officials, this is a benefit.
Step by step is the best way to change.
In contrast, the Reform Movement of 1898 during the Guangxu period was immature from the beginning.
It abolished the eight-legged essay in the imperial examination from the very beginning. Wouldn’t it mean that scholars who have studied hard for decades in a poor family have studied in vain?
The intention to cut redundant officials in large numbers was good, but it was reckless. In the capital alone, nearly 10,000 people were dismissed without any way out. Doesn't this force people to rebel?
There are also some things that have not been published, such as cutting off hair and changing clothes, moving the capital to Shanghai, respecting Confucius as the state religion, etc., which are too radical and full of childishness and fantasy.
When Emperor Shaowu's reform charter was first announced, the Hanlin Academy was the first to explode.
But it's useless, the influence is too small.
Many people are talking a lot, expressing fear about the decline in the value of the Hanlin Academy, and at the same time being confused about the future.
Suffering from qualifications has become a thing of the past, so where should we go in the future?
"Damu, aren't you nervous?"
When Huang Zongxi saw the calm Zheng Sen, he immediately became curious and couldn't help but ask.
“There’s still a year and a half until the museum closes!”
Zheng Sen shook his head and said helplessly: "And we have been staying in the Hanlin Academy for almost half a year. We have been attending lectures on ministers and ministers for more than ten days. I guess it won't be long before Guan Zheng comes down."
"You're saying that when the government comes down, all this noise will dissipate?"
Huang Zongxi came to his senses and smiled knowingly: "Watching government is better than studying in the Hanlin Academy every day."
Sure enough, in less than two days, the Hanlin Academy issued a list of officials.
However, what is more novel is the job rotation system.
That is to say, the positions of the government official this time are the living minister and the secretary of the cabinet, and everyone rotates between the two positions.
There are only two people required for daily life, so every two people serve as one, one term for one month, and the rest of the time they are Zhongshu Sheren.
After the cycle reaches two years, the school will be disbanded (originally three years), and it will no longer serve as the local examiner, but will serve in the local area.
"Where did you hear that?" Huang Zongxi was stunned.
"Money can make the world go round." Zheng Sen said confidently: "Besides, my mentor is the leader of Donglin, so I still have some connections."
Huang Zongxi was startled and felt a little suffocated.
"Are you a living man?"
"Are you also a living man?"
The two looked at each other and smiled. They never thought that the first rotation would be the same. It was destined!
The next day, the two of them entered the palace. The former living minister, the imperial minister, who was probably dissatisfied with losing his position, taught him with a straight face:
"The Commentary on Living Life originated from the "Living Commentary on Forbidden Periods" during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, but it was compiled by the inner palace and has no credibility. It was not until the Jin Dynasty that the Commentary on Living Life was compiled by a dedicated person..."
"When I came to this dynasty, I served as a Hanlin scholar, lecturer, and banquet lecturer. Now, Your Majesty has appointed you and other common people to serve as officials. It can be said to be groundbreaking..."
"Zheng Sen, do you know what the daily living notes involve?"
The attendant asked directly with a straight face.
Zheng Sen hurriedly raised his hands and said: "First of all, we should record the emperor's ceremonial notes or whereabouts, such as offering sacrifices to heaven, offering sacrifices to the ancestral temple, etc.
Then write the emperor's imperial edict.
Then write memorials and title books for each part.
Finally, there are memorials from officials in various places."
"And among similar matters, they are recorded in order of importance."
"That's right." The attendant raised his eyebrows, complimented, and still scolded: "But it's still not enough. Except for the emperor's private affairs, everything else must be recorded and must not be omitted."
Zheng Sen hesitated to speak and could only bow.
He was not stupid enough to ask what were the emperor's private matters.
For example, the establishment of a prince, or the emperor's visit to the harem, etc. In the eyes of scholars, the emperor's family has no private affairs.
"Huang Zongxi, why do you set up the living notes?"
"The gains and losses of Emperor Kuang arouse the fear of today."
"Okay -" the attendant clapped his hands happily: "Yes, that's it."
"Gaining gains and losses leads to fear, and it is difficult for ministers to make appointments with the king. We can only take notes and use them as materials for future generations to compile history, so that the king will be taboo and not dare to act recklessly."
"Remember, there are two major taboos in daily life notes. One is that it is only true and not false, and the other is that the current owner is not allowed to read it. If you violate one of these rules, your future will be ruined and you will be infamy for thousands of years."
At that time, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty forced Chu Suiliang to read the daily notes, but Chu Suiliang was forced to delete them before he dared to submit them.
Since the Daily Notes are the main reference part of history books, the history of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty was labeled as untrustworthy.
The two of them naturally knew the taboos and quickly agreed.
"Huang Zongxi is responsible for recording words, while Zheng Sen is responsible for recording events."
After the explanation, he left.
Immediately, after a while, a eunuch guided the two of them to take office.
"I will bow to your Majesty——"
"Get up!"
As soon as they raised their heads, they saw the emperor's face with an inexplicable smile.
I felt an inexplicable chill in my heart, so I could only get up and go to the table to bury my head.
After a while, Zhu Mou, the Minister of Household Affairs, came to see him.
Zheng Sen had bad eyesight and quick hands, so he wrote directly: In the first year of Shaowu, on the Gengxu day of the Guihai month, the emperor summoned Zhu Mou, the Minister of Household Affairs, to ask him about the autumn grain.
Huang Zongxi took his time, listened for a while, and then wrote in Cai Shu: In the first year of Shaowu, on the day of Gengxu in the month of Guihai, the emperor summoned Zhu Mou and sighed:
The days are long and it is not long before the autumn harvest comes again. Now that I have returned to the northern capital, I am very short of money and food. I wonder what your family can teach me?
Zhu Mou bowed and said: I trust in the blessing of my ancestors and your majesty's kindness. This summer, the southern country will have good weather...
"Oh?" A hint of surprise appeared on the emperor's face and he said:
"How much autumn food can we have?"
"It's much more than the summer tax."
Zhu Mou thought for a while and said: "The military camps in Huguang are on the right track. The autumn harvest can bring in millions of stones. Fujian will also send grain and grass this autumn, totaling more than 1.7 million."
"As for the silver coins, the canal's tax card is gradually operating, plus the shipping company and local tax cards, Huaiyan, this autumn will increase to five million taels."
Summer taxes are collected in June, and there are only four months left in October, so they collect five million taels.
And you have to remember that the summer tax lasts for seven or eight months and is only five million taels, which shows how huge the increase is.
"Silver dollars are barely enough, only food and grass!"
As he spoke, Zhu Mou sighed.
In order to rebuild the city of Beijing and the imperial palace, a million taels of silver were spent at once.
As for grain and grass, it’s the big one.
"The people of Shandong are in dire straits and are scraping the ground to get money and grain. After the autumn harvest, there will be another famine."
"Shanxi is no less generous, but Northern Zhili is plagued by plagues and military disasters. The people are in dire straits and it is difficult to protect themselves. How can they supply grain and grass to the city of Beijing?"
Speaking of this, Zhu Yixi felt that the mess in the north was too difficult for people to live in: "The intruders in the northwest heard that they went to fight the Heshuote people. They must have raised troops again and had to station troops again."