Chapter 922: The Fifth Year of Yuanhuang (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Shen Tang quickly divided the cake into pieces.

She suddenly remembered something and added a sentence.

“Speaking of which, Yuanliang was once my mentor, the teacher of the king, and deserves the title of ‘Grand Tutor’.” She added another honorary title to Qishan.

The Grand Tutor is one of the Three Dukes.

Shen Tang gave it away generously for two reasons.

Firstly, Qi Shan has so many enemies; if he doesn't give him some leverage, Shen Tang worries he won't be able to control the situation—although the possibility is slim, it's better to be safe than sorry. Secondly, from the perspective of the Gods' Council, Shen Tang is a puppet ruler manipulated by Qi Shan, obeying his every word. Now that the pie is being divided, even if Qi Yuanliang doesn't get the top prize, he should at least receive special treatment. Everyone had no objection to their lord's decision; Qi Yuanliang's special status had already been proven too many times.

Moreover, Qishan is worthy of these honors.

Qi Shan stepped forward again to express his gratitude.

Shen Tang's gaze swept past the familiar faces in the front row and landed on the less familiar faces in the back. Their eyes were cautious and respectful, yet tinged with a hint of fervor. She naturally understood what they meant, and following her memory, she called out seven or eight more people.

At this moment, a guard brought over a cup of hot tea.

Shen Tang took a couple of sips of her drink, her brows and eyes showing obvious signs of fatigue. Gu Chi stepped in to offer her a way out, and she took the opportunity to end the meeting by claiming that she was not feeling well. Before getting up to leave, she added, "The heads of the three provinces and the ministers of each department, after you go back, each of you write a list of recommendations for me, recommending the deputy subordinates you think are suitable. Give it to me by this time tomorrow."

After saying that, he left in a hurry.

He had barely left when he regained his energetic spirit.

Where is the weak and tired look from before?

Those left behind exchanged glances, their eyes brimming with tension. They offered each other insincere congratulations while secretly vying for power. Why the competition? Naturally, it was to secure the people! If they didn't seize the opportunity now, what good would it do to manage an empty government office later?

They're vying for talent, and the target group is also getting restless. After all, who wouldn't want to get into their dream institution?

Judging from today's meeting, the least popular departments are those related to the royal family: the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, and the Court of Imperial Stud... Getting into these departments offers little hope for promotion. Who would want to go to an unpopular one when they can get into a more desirable one? And who would want to be a mere assistant minister when they could become a vice-minister?

Not to mention that the position of Minister of Works is vacant, and the position of Right Vice Minister is also vacant.

To maintain a balance of power, the lord will most likely give these two positions to members of aristocratic families, thereby winning their loyalty.

No matter how strained things were before, as long as the interests of the royal families and aristocratic families align, even if they were once bitter enemies, they can become inseparable in the future. Furthermore, with the establishment of the Kang Kingdom, the formation of the court, and the stabilization of the regions, Shen Tang's original manpower was simply insufficient.

Given the monopoly of aristocratic families over education, no matter how she recruits talent, she cannot avoid this group; offering them some incentives is inevitable.

Shen Tang nestled in the main tent and rested for a while.

No sooner had she sat down than Gu Chi came over.

She raised her eyebrows: "Why don't you go and rob some people?"

As the ruler of the country, Shen Tang's delegation of power this time was comparable to releasing a flood, allowing the heads of the three provinces and the ministers of various ministries to choose their own staff. This was a blatant way of telling them that they could choose a few "their own people".

"If someone is promoted, shouldn't they be grateful?"

Whether they establish themselves in the imperial court or manage their own small territories in the future, it will be extremely advantageous. Of course, they can write up the list of recommendations, but whether or not it is approved is up to Shen Tang.

“Our lord has allowed us to promote our subordinates, and we are deeply grateful.” Gu Chi exposed Shen Tang’s trick with a single sentence. The young king in front of him showed no anger. Instead, he handed him a cup of fruity water. Gu Chi took it and smiled, “Let them fight over it themselves. The Censorate will not get involved.”

The Censorate is a special institution; it considers not only ability but also character, background, and family history. Ideally, candidates should have a clean background, no vested interests, and a resolute and outspoken character. Those who oversee officials cannot fear power; they must speak their minds at all times. Gu Chi plans to spend some time carefully selecting candidates. If necessary, he can even examine the legacies of the Xin and Geng kingdoms to see if their Censorsates have any upright and rebellious individuals!

Those who can withstand the pressure from the royal families of both countries and still uphold their original aspirations as officials are definitely promising talents for the Censorate! If we can find a few special censors like Cui Shanxiao to firmly control local institutions, why worry about political corruption and social disharmony?

Shen Tang said, "That's true."

The two of them hid here and drank several cups of fruit tea and water.

Gu Chi noticed a booklet open beside Shen Tang, covered in dense writing, some of which had been revised several times. Shen Tang noticed his gaze, stretched, and rubbed her sore eyes: "This is for the Ministry of Personnel, concerning some rules for the selection and appointment of officials... Some rules need to be established from the beginning to prevent people from exploiting loopholes and turning the place into a sieve later."

Nothing rots overnight.

It often starts quietly from unnoticed corners, and the same is true for a large country. It can rot from top to bottom, or it can spread from bottom to top. If local officials are lazy and cunning, even the best policies cannot be maintained. Similarly, if things go wrong at the top, it will affect those below.

All Shen Tang could do was pay close attention to every detail.

Keep an eye on them and make them a reality.

For example, restrictions on the appointment of officials.

First, avoid contact with relatives.

For example, the two parties cannot be in a hierarchical relationship within the same organization, nor can their positions be related. A typical example is if a relative is taking an exam; the person in charge of the exam process must recuse themselves if they have a relationship with the candidate. Concealing or failing to recuse oneself from such a relationship is a serious crime.

As for fathers and sons/daughters attending court together, Shen Tang allowed it.

Who becomes an official without the sake of their family and future?

Avoiding the issue is for the sake of political transparency, not for making it more murky.

If the presence of an official in the court cuts off the avenues for advancement for other relatives and clansmen, this is considered creating enmity.

Not only would the clansmen of officials be cursed and hated, but even the ruler of the country, Shen Tang, would be overthrown by them. For example, if two families, A and B, are enemies, and family A has a talented offspring, family B, in order to cut off family A's future prospects, would bribe a dissolute member of family A to secure a minor official position, thus completely eliminating any hope of family A entering the court. Is this reasonable? Absolutely not.

Furthermore, Shen Tang also has many relatives in his camp.

For example, Zhao Feng and his daughter, Yun Ce and his fellow disciples, Chu Yao and his apprentice, Xun Zhen and his son... We can't just tear them all apart, can we?

The reason why aristocratic families have become so compliant is partly because they are placing their hopes on the next generation. If you stifle their hopes, no wonder they'll fight you to the death! Shen Tang naturally has to be cautious about this.

In addition to avoiding mentioning relatives, one must also avoid mentioning place of origin.

Officials were not allowed to serve in the prefecture, county, or town where their ancestral home was located; before the end of their term, they could not change their place of service unless they were demoted or otherwise punished; if a direct relative committed a crime, they were not allowed to be evaluated for merit...

Shen Tang glanced at Gu Chi, then suddenly remembered something: "Now that you're here, I've suddenly remembered something else—the Censors of the Censorate must avoid their ancestral home or former place of service..."

With Shen Tang's permission, Gu Chi picked up the unfolded books.

After a quick look, I found that there were no restrictions based on one's background.

He asked, "No restrictions on household registration?"

If someone is born into a merchant family and suddenly obtains an official position, the resulting collusion between wealth and power will lead to endless troubles. It's important to understand that, ostensibly, officials and their immediate family members are prohibited from engaging in any particular trade or activity. Even if there are policies from above and countermeasures from below, those in power can only turn a blind eye. On the surface, they are still abiding by the rules.

If a merchant were to enter officialdom...

How do I calculate this?

Shen Tang shook his head: "After thinking it over, I've decided not to restrict it. Merchants can also enter officialdom, but they must abide by the restrictions imposed on them and cease their business operations. Whether it's transferring ownership or ceasing operations, the restrictions will be more stringent in this case."

A sly glint flashed in her eyes.

Gu Chi asked, "How big?"

Shen Tang smiled and said, "If merchants enter officialdom, the ban on engaging in commerce will not only apply to their direct descendants for three generations, but to their entire clan... What do you think?"

Gu Chi carefully considered these words.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "What a brilliant, open scheme!"

This move, while not restricting merchants from entering officialdom, also allows for the use of this policy to increase commercial taxes—after all, compared to previous dynasties that prohibited merchants from holding official positions, our lord's action can be described as lenient and generous. What's unacceptable about increasing commercial taxes?

What is money compared to one's birth and social status?

However, upon closer examination, a major pitfall will be discovered: the three clans are forbidden from engaging in commerce, which will affect countless families.

This transforms the conflict into an internal conflict among the three clans.

This move could also sever ties between merchants who entered officialdom and their families, thus preventing conflicts and reducing the possibility of future collusion between officials and merchants.

Shen Tang shook her head: "Actually, it's not perfect."

It still comes down to that one sentence—

There are policies from above, and countermeasures from below.

Which official could support a large family and a group of servants on his salary? He would either embezzle or accept bribes, or use his connections or position in the bureaucracy to send his sons into business to make a profit, thus perfectly circumventing the system that prohibited officials from engaging in commerce.

Strictly speaking, there's really no way to deal with this situation.

Shen Tang rubbed her forehead, deciding not to think about these things for the time being.

Starting today, there will be meetings for a long time in a row to improve various systems. Some can be copied directly, while others need to be modified. Just thinking about it gives her a headache. So, she gulped down another cup of fruit tea.

The official system adopted the Three Departments and Six Ministries system.

The military system also needs to be updated.

As Shen Tang was lost in thought about the details, Gu Chi asked her, "How does the lord plan to settle the Ministry of Works? Judging from the sentiments of the people today, they all seem to favor..."

She said, "Did you think I would leave it for aristocratic families?"

Gu Chi nodded: "Mm."

Shen Tang crouched down and rummaged through the messy pile of books and scrolls, pulling out a very thick scroll from a corner. She opened it and glanced at it. Gu Chi recognized the scroll; it detailed the relationships between various powerful families, who was close to whom, and who had a long-standing feud. Shen Tang chatted casually, "Actually, they're not wrong. After slapping them so many times, resorting to violence, they deserve some sweet treats. However, the Minister of Works holds a special position; it's not something that can be easily promised..."

She pointed to two companies above.

Gu Chi took one look and realized, oh, they have a grudge.

They were considered among the top families.

Shen Tang: "Does their family have a suitable person?"

Gu Chi shook his head and sighed, "After all, they are a prestigious family with a deep foundation. Even if their talent is mediocre, they can still make a decent living by investing in their education over a decade or two. Their abilities are acceptable."

My major might not be a perfect match, but it's enough to get by.

Shen Tang said, "Each family will select one person to serve as the Vice Minister of Works. Whoever performs better will be promoted."

Gu Chi: "..."

Our lord still enjoys making empty promises, just like always.

What does "possible promotion" mean?

Doesn't that mean there's a possibility of failing to get promoted?

The ultimate goal was to keep the two families in check and balance each other, while also offering the aristocratic families a taste of success. Furthermore, with the Three Departments and Six Ministries selecting personnel, many from the aristocratic families were chosen—even those of lower rank—but their friendly gestures made it even less likely for them to cause further trouble. Once the lord's power was fully consolidated…

At that time—

Shen Tang rolled her eyes at him: "It's not that bad."

Don't assume she doesn't know what Gu Chi is thinking.

So you're saying she's using them and then discarding them, ruining the powerful families? That's really not the case. At most, she'll weaken them and fleece them a little. She'll only slaughter them when she wants to eat hot pot. Slaughtering them now would just mean the meat will go to waste.

Gu Chi could only scratch his nose.

Qi Shan and his group are very proactive.

The news spread, and everyone was in an uproar.

Shen Tang currently resides in the main camp, and the capital is located not far from it. Those who had previously submitted their resumes to Shen Tang and been accepted live in towns and counties near the capital. When the news spread during the day, families were in an uproar. Those without connections could only sit at home anxiously awaiting orders, while those with influence began making their own moves. That night, many families remained sleepless.

The following afternoon, Shen Tang received the list of recommendations one after another.

"The staff quota isn't even full yet..."

Everyone knows Shen Tang's temperament: he would rather have nothing than something bad.

Each person's list was not full, ranging from twenty or thirty names to only three or five. Each nominee's name was followed by the reason for their nomination. At first glance, there seemed to be no ulterior motives, and of course, it was impossible for them to have many.

Except for a few, the rest are all alone.

Being a lone individual, I naturally handle official business strictly.

Choose the most capable worker!

"Why aren't Ji Shou's and Tu Nan's?"

The guard replied, "It hasn't arrived yet."

Shen Tang teased, "It seems these two were the busiest in their mansion last night. The Kang and Ning families have quite a few in-laws."

She thought the two lists of recommendations would be delayed until the evening or tomorrow, but as if on cue, soldiers brought both lists shortly after. They were remarkably similar: all the names belonged to people from humble backgrounds. There were even overlapping names on the two lists…

Shen Tang's lips twitched.

"There's no need to go to such lengths to avoid suspicion."

While promoting people from humble backgrounds has its advantages, their sudden rise to high positions can easily corrupt their minds. They still need careful refinement and training. After pondering for a moment, Shen Tang picked up his pen, crossed out a few names, and added a few more that he found agreeable.

They were all scions of relatively minor aristocratic families, but all possessed decent talent and character, and were full of passion. The fact that these individuals had passed through the rigorous screening by Gu Chi and Luan Xin made them somewhat credible.

I also carefully reviewed the other lists.

There are basically no problems.

Chu Yao and his group were very thorough in their considerations.

The tacit decision to leave the deputy position vacant suggests a plan to further evaluate the candidate and promote whoever performs best.

She verified the final list with Chu Yao and the other three people several times.

Chu Yao, Qi Shan, Ning Yan, the heads of the three provinces, plus the exceptionally capable Imperial Censor Gu Chi. The five of them discussed the list from day to night before finally stopping.

You can hear a few words of conversation every now and then.

Shen Tang: "Should we bestow additional titles upon you?"

"Need not."

"Can the national treasury really pay out so many salaries?"

"..."

Several candles were replaced.

Until the few small blackboards inside the tent were filled with names.

"Okay, that's about it..."

She stretched.

Seeing that it was getting late, Chu Yao and the others prepared to leave.

Shen Tang asked Chu Yao to stay in the hall.

After the others left, she asked, "Wu Hui, the official system is settled, but the military system is not yet—we've always been unbalanced here, with far more scholars than warriors. I counted, and there really aren't many capable people under my command."

Chu Yao gazed at her with tender eyes.

"I will obey my lord's orders."

Shen Tang said, "Then I also have to consider your feelings. Between Chu Jie and Wei Shou, which one do you prefer?"

|ω`)

There are definitely not enough titles.

(End of this chapter)