I was compiling the daily records during the Wanli reign

Chapter 71: The Shame of the Nation! Disaster Relief Funds in Liaodong
March 18th.

The three judicial officials and the Minister of Revenue Yin Zhengmao thoroughly investigated the corruption and illegal activities of officials within the Ministry of Revenue, and the investigation came to an end.

There were big rats in the subordinate warehouses, including Guangji Warehouse, Smoke and Fines Warehouse, Taicang Silver Warehouse, Chengyun Warehouse, the four major warehouses, and the five warehouses of Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding and Wu.

As many as seventy-eight officials and clerks were demoted, dismissed, beaten in court, or exiled.

No one knows whether there are any fish that have slipped through the net.

But what is certain is that Yin Zhengmao's position as Minister of Revenue is as stable as Mount Tai.

at the same time.

The method of joint support between the inner and outer courts has been approved by the young Wanli.

The imperial edict was issued to all government offices.

The specific details of the joint support have not been announced, it was only said that it will be determined according to the circumstances and will be discussed between the inner and outer courts.

This is a compromise of the inner court, or a compromise of imperial power.

Although the motives are not pure.

However, if the situation arises in the future where "the inner court has money to repair the palace, but the outer court has no money to provide disaster relief to the victims", the officials will have laws to rely on and will be able to make suggestions and argue with reason.

This will be of great benefit to the new policy and to the people of the world.

……

March 20th, Wenhua Hall, during the break of daily lectures.

Young Wanli sat in front of the imperial desk reviewing memorials, Feng Bao stood on the side to serve him, and Shen Nian was on duty to take notes.

Officials in the adjacent side hall were waiting to be summoned.

Since March this year, Empress Dowager Li has not been behind the scenes in the affairs of the previous dynasty except for participating in court meetings.

She reached a consensus with Zhang Juzheng.

One person is in charge of internal affairs, the other is in charge of external affairs, and Feng Bao is always with them, just ensuring that there is someone to look after little Wanli at all times.

At this time.

Little Wanli, who had only spent less than a cup of tea reviewing the memorials, looked at Shen Nian beside him.

"Editor Shen, I'm about to have my hair tied up. Do you have any good ideas for how I can live alone in the Qianqing Palace early without my mother's punishment?"

Shen Nian looked helpless.

This was the fifth "absolutely impossible" question that little Wanli had asked him today.

Young Wanli also knew that some problems were impossible.

It's just to have some fun and eliminate the boredom of reviewing memorials.

Shen Nian said sternly, "I don't have any good ideas at the moment, but the Queen Mother and the Elders may have some!"

Little Wanli gave Shen Nian a blank look, but was not angry.

He quite liked Shen Nian's response.

Feng Bao kept flattering him, while Empress Dowager Li and a group of daily lecturers kept admonishing him, always quoting scriptures and preaching profound principles.

Shen Nian didn't completely obey him, but she wouldn't complain to Empress Dowager Li and Zhang Juzheng, and she would even poke him occasionally.

This made him feel very amused.

He thought for a moment and said, "Editor Shen, Taizu made many incognito visits to observe the people's sentiments. I would like to learn from him. Do you have a way to allow me to go out of the palace incognito to observe the people's sentiments? I don't need a long time, just half a day will do."

"Your Majesty, what do you think?" Shen Nian asked back. It was obvious that the young Wanli had read too many idle books.

Since the Wang Dachen case (disguised as a eunuch and broke into the palace with a knife), it was impossible for the young Wanli to leave the palace in disguise.

Little Wanli smiled awkwardly.

"Then could you please invite a storyteller into the palace and tell me the story?"

Before Shen Nian could answer.

He curled his lips and said, "Forget it, that's naturally not feasible!"

After saying that, young Wanli sighed deeply and began to review memorials again.

Shen Nian let out a long breath.

He felt that little Wanli had been a bit talkative recently and always asked some completely irrelevant questions.

But he can understand it.

Being an emperor is actually quite lonely, especially for a young emperor who has no real power.

Not cattle or horses.

But he is also a canary in a cage, unable to control his own destiny.

……soon.

Young Wanli once again entered a state of concentrating on reviewing memorials.

After a while.

He was furious, and with a flick of his arm, he pulled out several petitions. He then said to Feng Bao, "Approve all these petitions for retirement!"

To ask for retirement means that an official resigns and retires.

Say it.

He shook his head again and said, "Forget it, please ask the Prime Minister to summon me!"

Soon, Zhang Juzheng strode in.

When young Wanli saw Zhang Juzheng, he immediately became obedient and serious.

"Prince, while reviewing the memorials, I discovered that many officials have requested leave of absence for various reasons."

Little Wanli opened the memorial.

"Zhu Guangyu, the Fujian Censor, has requested resignation. Yu Ding, the Nanjing Imperial College's Chief Academician, has requested resignation. Li Chongkui, the Imperial Censor of the Ministry of Rites, has requested resignation. He Weibai, the Left Vice Minister of Personnel, has requested resignation. Wang Tong, the Left Vice Minister of Rites, has requested resignation. Even Grand Secretary Lü (Lü Diaoyang) has requested resignation. He... has requested resignation several times. Did I do something wrong? Or has the court treated them unfairly, causing them to despise government?"

At the beginning of the year, former Minister of Revenue Wang Guoguang resigned repeatedly and finally retired, which made the young Wanli unhappy.

Recently, officials have resigned in droves, making the young Wanli feel frustrated.

Everyone says that the Ming Dynasty has been prosperous in recent years. Shouldn't officials be competing to climb up the ladder?
Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard lightly and said, "Your Majesty, please do not blame yourself. The official's resignation has nothing to do with Your Majesty, nor with the current government affairs. It is simply a common practice in the officialdom."

"Officials seeking leave can be divided into many categories."

"First, officials who have held important positions for a long time are asking for leave. Most of them are forced to do so. If they do not ask for leave, they will be easily impeached by the censors for being 'greedy for power and position'. Your Majesty will not allow this."

"Secondly, if someone requests leave for reasons such as old age, work, illness, or filial piety, the government can handle the matter accordingly. For example, if Grand Secretary Lu requests leave due to illness, the government can send an imperial physician to examine him. For example, if Vice Minister Wang requests leave for illness, the government can refuse him on the grounds that he has not yet completed his work on the compilation of an imperial document."

"Third, if someone resigns in anger after being impeached by a censor, Your Majesty can do his utmost to retain him, using soothing words like 'If you leave today, who will protect the country?'"

……

"Also, if a meritorious minister sincerely requests to resign due to old age or illness, Your Majesty must retain him according to the ritual of three stays and three promotions. Upon approval, you must immediately bestow gifts and rewards to demonstrate your grace."

……

On the side, Shen Nian nodded repeatedly after hearing this.

The scene of "ministers desperately requesting to resign, but the emperor refusing to give them up" that often appeared in the Ming Dynasty is full of profound knowledge and is all about human relationships and social customs.

"Thank you for your explanation, Yuan Fu. I understand!"

The young Wanli rolled his eyes and asked again, "Prince, if an important official in the court suddenly lost his parents, would he prioritize state affairs or return home to observe mourning?"

Hearing this, Shen Nian's eyes suddenly lit up.

This possibility will soon appear in Zhang Juzheng's body, and Shen Nian also wants to hear how Zhang Juzheng will answer.

Zhang Juzheng hesitated for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Of course, filial piety comes first!"

Shen Nian planned to record this conversation in his diary.

He could understand Zhang Juzheng's desire for love.

However, I do not agree with Zhang Juzheng's approach at the time, as there could have been a more gentle and appropriate way of handling the matter.

……

March 29th, near dusk.

The Liaodong Regional Military Commission was the most important of the nine frontier towns of the Ming Dynasty, with its seat in Guangning City.

The residence of Zhang Xueyan, the governor of Liaodong.

In the hall.

Bamboo baskets of documents and account books were piled up together.

The special envoys who inspected Liaodong: the eunuch Wang Zhen of the Imperial Household Department, the deputy commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Cao Wei, the inspector of the Censorate Yu Xiu, and the governor of Liaodong Zhang Xueyan, were all stunned looking at a piece of paper with wet ink.

Yu Xiu's mouth twitched and trembled as he muttered, "150 million dan of disaster relief grain was provided to Liaodong, equivalent to 75 taels of silver. Yet, less than taels were actually used to support the victims. This...this is a national disgrace!"

Liaodong Governor Zhang Xueyan also looked incredulous.

He knew that there were many corrupt officials among him, but he did not expect them to be so crazy.

"My crime is huge! My crime is huge! This is a stain that will go down in history!" Zhang Xueyan shook his head helplessly.

Cao Wei, standing aside, said, "Lord Zhang once said that the most difficult thing in the world isn't making laws, but enforcing them. These low-level officials in the border villages have become so corrupt that it's time to punish them!"

"Everyone, let's report it immediately! Whether this scandal will be suppressed or spread to the world depends entirely on the will of the emperor." The eunuch Wang Zhen of the Imperial Household Department thought for a while and said.

No one would have the courage to conceal or lie about such a scandal.

(End of this chapter)