Chapter 63 063 Your subject awaits.
No matter what she thought in her heart, she couldn't admit it aloud. Xie Lanzhao met Zhao Jialing's angry gaze and only said, "I'm innocent." She already knew what His Majesty might do when he lost his mind, so Xie Lanzhao didn't provoke her too much. Although the eunuch had gone far away, the pavilion with its gentle breeze was still a public place.
There are many ways to distract His Majesty, usually the little cat. But for some reason, His Majesty ordered the servants to "clear the area" before coming to the Forbidden Garden, forbidding the cat from approaching. Xie Lanzhao's mind was in turmoil. A faint smile played on her lips as she poured a cup of tea and handed it to Zhao Jialing, asking, "Is Your Majesty thirsty?"
Zhao Jialing snorted, "My heart has been empty for ten days." Xie Lanzhao didn't answer; she knew those words were mocking her. Was she really so barren that she couldn't even talk about "personal feelings"? Who was she looking down on! "I will make you look at me with new eyes," Zhao Jialing said confidently.
"Your Majesty—" Xie Lanzhao glanced meaningfully at Zhao Jialing, chuckled, and said, "We shall wait and see."
After Xie Lanzhao left the palace, Zhao Jialing returned to his palace to read. But after only turning a few pages, steam rose up like boiling water.
Zhao Jialing complained to the system: "She actually looks down on me."
Wise Ruler System: [The host just doesn't dare to say it.]
If it were merely silence, it wouldn't be so bad. The problem is that Xie Lanzhao heard that extremely arrogant inner voice. This subtle shift in tone, one overt and one covert, clearly indicates a difference in their actions. A giant in his heart, a dwarf in his deeds.
Zhao Jialing said seriously, "[You don't understand. I cannot disrupt the balance between the emperor and the prime minister. It's fine if she agrees, but if she's heartless, it will be very awkward for both of us. If the court officials are involved, the consequences will be unimaginable.]"
[Our careers have only just begun. Am I to coerce her into giving me a title at this point?]
Wise Ruler System: [。] This is still far from being settled, and the host has already been fantasizing about "status"? Indeed, only fantasy is unrestrained.
[I remember when you first arrived, you said that if I started to seize wealth through trickery and force, it would ultimately lead to a lose-lose situation. And now? Is it still the same?]
Before the enlightened ruler system could reply, Zhao Jialing said again: "Forget it, I don't want to know. I won't do that, so what's the point of asking for the result?"
What is this loyalty testing device? What is it used for?
You can actually guess what it is just by its name. Zhao Jialing had been keeping it to himself, but now that he wanted to do something, he took the initiative to learn about this new thing.
[This system can detect the loyalty of court officials and vassal lords to the Great Yong Dynasty. It divides them into four categories: A, B, C, and D. Categories A and B are undoubtedly loyal ministers; Category C consists of scoundrels; and Category D represents treacherous villains with wolfish ambitions.] The Wise Ruler System explained to Zhao Jialing.
The "Loyalty Detector" has no physical form; it's essentially a system scanner. It's also linked to the system's "Thought Amplification" function. The "Thought Amplification" function visually identifies official rank, and secondly, it helps eliminate unsuitable candidates. Back then, the host didn't receive this reward and could only passively utilize it. Now it's different; they can actively identify treacherous individuals.
Zhao Jialing was greatly astonished; this was truly the work of a divine being.
"Then I should scan everyone in the palace immediately."
The Wise Ruler System said quietly: [This applies to the Great Yong Dynasty, not to the host. If the host is a foolish ruler, and a palace maid tries to smother the host for the sake of long-term peace and stability, the identification device won't recognize her as a "traitor." The closer the host is to the wise ruler, the more aligned they are with the "nation," and only then will the loyalty rating truly reflect the host's loyalty.]
Zhao Jialing: "..." A slight downgrade, but still not bad. She might still be a bit far from being a wise and benevolent ruler, but the label of "tyrant" should have been left behind long ago, right? Touching her neck in front of the mirror, Zhao Jialing sighed with lingering fear, "I'm not a wicked villain indulging in wine and women, so there's no need for me to ask, 'Who chopped off my good head?'"
Yin'e, who was serving nearby, was already used to His Majesty's unpredictable expressions, attributing them to the unfathomable power of Heaven. But upon hearing that soft murmur, her heart pounded wildly, and she fell to her knees with a thud.
"What are you doing?" Zhao Jialing was startled by Yin'e's actions. Looking at her pale face, he belatedly realized that he had spoken his mind. She said, "Get up. I was just thinking about the stories of the previous dynasty and wanted to learn from them."
The next day's court meeting.
Zhao Jialing calmly urged the system to scan the area. Those attending the regular court session were officials of the fifth rank and above, as well as court officials, assistant ministers, censors, and doctors of the Imperial Academy. Xie Lanzhao, who was at the forefront, was undoubtedly of the highest rank. As for the other ministers, they were either below the highest rank or at least of the lowest.
However, the remaining large group was less satisfactory. There were no truly wicked or treacherous individuals, but nearly half were classified as "Category C"—what the system called "slackers." These people loudly proclaimed their loyalty to the emperor and their country, but according to the system's standard of "unity of knowledge and action," they didn't qualify as "patriots." They weren't exactly heinous criminals either, and couldn't be removed from the list of those guilty of any crime. But these "lazy and incompetent" slackers were truly intolerable to Zhao Jialing, and her expression suddenly turned cold.
The imperial majesty he had cultivated over the past few days had not been for nothing; his aura suddenly surged, and his stern gaze seemed to carry a chilling aura as it swept over the bowing officials, instantly conveying the emperor's displeasure to their hearts. No one uttered a sound; not only the officials, but even Xie Lanzhao couldn't understand where this sudden silence came from.
When the emperor is in a bad mood, it's time for the censors to step in. If they can divert His Majesty's anger, it's considered a meritorious deed. The Palace Attendant Censor was the first to speak. These censors, in charge of the palace's rituals, impeach anyone who misbehaves during court. And so, they immediately impeached the Vice Minister of Works. This Vice Minister of Works was old; how could he possibly hold up for court at dawn? He was only yawning before the censor dragged him out.
Zhao Jialing was usually lenient towards such breaches of etiquette, mostly just punishing them with a salary deduction. However, upon hearing the censor's reprimand, her eyes flickered, and she had already made up her mind. According to the laws of the Great Yong Dynasty, officials over seventy years of age should retire. Those of the fifth rank and above should submit a memorial requesting retirement, while those below the sixth rank were handled by the Ministry of Personnel, but few were actually implemented. High-ranking officials who reached retirement age but did not submit a memorial requesting retirement were not questioned about when they would retire. It was those who were not yet of retirement age who sometimes resigned due to various pressures.
“Respecting age and valuing seniority is an example set by the late king; returning to one's post and resigning from office demonstrates the integrity of court officials.” Zhao Jialing looked at the Vice Minister of Works and said, “I have humbly received the throne and keep the intention of caring for the elderly in mind. Although an old steed may still have the desire to gallop far and the diligence to rise early and retire late, its strength is waning, yet it still shows courtesy and deference, which is commendable.”
Having said all that, who could possibly misunderstand? The court officials were startled; this meant that all civil and military officials were to retire due to old age. According to the Dayong Decree, all officials were to retire at the age of seventy, but during Emperor Taizong's reign, there was a separate edict stating, "Those over seventy years of age should retire; if their strength has not yet declined, they may also continue their duties."② But who decided whether they were "over seventy" or not? After all, there was also a provision stating, "Those who, though young in age, appear old in appearance, may also retire."③
Upon hearing the impeachment, the Vice Minister of Works knew things were going badly, and upon hearing the imperial edict, his heart sank even further. He bowed to the Emperor and said in a trembling voice, "Your subject is old and begs to retire to his hometown." He was no prime minister, and besides, the Ministry of Works was a leisurely position; the Emperor would not force him to stay. To insist on keeping him in the court would only make things worse.
Zhao Jialing was quite satisfied with the Vice Minister of Works's pragmatism. In fact, according to the system's assessment, the Vice Minister of Works hadn't yet degenerated into a "scoundrel," but he was indeed getting on in years, and staying on would likely lead to his death from overwork. Zhao Jialing didn't try to persuade him to stay and directly approved his resignation. Her target wasn't the Vice Minister of Works, but rather some old scoundrels.
Xie Lanzhao's mind was racing. Seeing His Majesty suddenly open a door, she naturally had to follow suit. Looking at the documents from the Ministry of Personnel, on the one hand, countless officials were waiting to be selected, only to waste their time in waiting; on the other hand, officials who had reached the required age were unwilling to retire, making everything stagnant.
She said, "It is clearly stipulated in the rites and laws that one should retire at the age of seventy." She paused, then continued, "However, many officials die of old age or illness while on official journeys, unable to return to their hometowns in life. Some even have their coffins kept away for years, unable to rest in peace, which saddens all who hear of it. I believe that one should retire at the age of sixty, so that one can return to one's hometown and enjoy the family happiness of being surrounded by one's children and grandchildren."
When Xie Lanzhao spoke, he pushed back the retirement age by ten years, causing an uproar in the court.
Xiang Yanyi, the Minister of Revenue, said in a deep voice: "The average lifespan of officials in our Great Yong is less than sixty years. If we limit it to sixty, I'm afraid they will still die of old age while traveling in officialdom."
The courtiers who wanted to protest choked back their words, a different kind of displeasure now stirring within them. The thought of dying in the official guesthouse, their remains scattered in a foreign land, filled them with dread. But what if they could remain in Chang'an and not be relegated to a local post? This internal struggle between worldly achievements and posthumous affairs silenced the assembled officials for a moment.
Zhao Jialing pondered for a moment and said, "Sixty-five is the limit. Those who are old or sick are allowed to plead guilty in advance. Officials of the ninth rank and above who have not retired by the age of sixty-five can be impeached by the Censorate. After verification, their descendants will not be allowed to be appointed through hereditary privilege."
When he said this, Zhao Jialing used the long-unused, somewhat useless phrase, "the majesty of the ruler." He was about to force him to retire; he had to choose between his own future and the future of his descendants. During the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, only officials of the fifth rank and above received half their salary upon retirement. During the reign of the previous emperor, the national treasury was full, so everyone, regardless of rank, could receive half their salary—a fairly decent treatment.
The courtiers readily agreed.
However, issuing an order does not solve everything; the detailed measures still need to be discussed.
After the morning court session ended, the ministers remained in the Zichen Hall to discuss matters.
The Minister of Revenue had previously agreed to the retirement, but now that only a few people were present, she slowly expressed her concerns.
Of course, it all comes down to money. In times of financial strain, not only can retired officials not be paid, but even the salaries of all officials cannot be paid. Now, the task of purging older officials and replacing them with younger ones will undoubtedly place a heavy financial burden on the government.
They weren't exactly strapped for cash yet, but they had to think about the future. Fortunately, His Majesty hadn't misused the national treasury for personal gain, and had even used the imperial treasury to subsidize various construction projects, but just thinking about the numbers in the accounts gave Xiang Yanyi a headache.
"But if one receives not a penny after retirement, it would be disheartening." Reducing official salaries would be impossible without emptying the national treasury; it directly affects the interests of all officials. Who doesn't grow old? Who wants to return to their hometown to farm after retirement?
Xiang Yan sighed; she understood this principle. Those who remained in office didn't receive a salary, but those who retired did. From a financial perspective, delaying retirement was actually a more economical solution.
"They occupy those positions but create no value, making officialdom stagnant, which is not a good thing," Zhao Jialing said bluntly. She really didn't want to pay those "lazybones" half their salary, but considering various factors, she couldn't act according to her own preferences.
Xiang Yanyi pursed her lips, offering no further rebuttal. Her brows furrowed slightly as she added, "The envoys are still in the capital." When envoys arrive in Chang'an, they are all accommodated and provided for by the Court of State Ceremonies. Originally, their numbers should have been limited in their localities, but some county governments dared not make a decision, ultimately allowing more envoys to enter Chang'an than permitted. Even if the number of tribute envoys exceeded the limit, they should have returned home after the banquet. However, some chose to linger in Chang'an, eating and drinking for free, and the Court of State Ceremonies couldn't easily control them. In previous years, they would have gradually returned by this time, but now there's been no sign of any envoys.
"Nearly a thousand tribute envoys and foreign guests are staying in Chang'an, and the Court of Ceremonies is paying them nearly ten thousand strings of cash every month." People need to be paid for their food, clothing, and daily necessities, and even the animals they ride need to be fed. The longer these people stay, the more Xiang Yanyi's anger rises.
Zhao Jialing frowned and asked, "What's the reason?"
Xie Lanzhao calmly replied, "I am dissatisfied with the return gifts." Officials would return gifts of equivalent value based on the estimated worth of the tribute. However, during the previous emperor's reign, to demonstrate the grandeur of the Great Yong Dynasty or to win over smaller states, the initial principle of equivalence was often disregarded, resulting in rather generous returns. After Zhao Jialing ascended the throne, Xie Lanzhao, in the emperor's name, issued an edict to the tribute envoys from the Western Regions, curbing the return of useless items such as "dwarfs, beauties, short-legged ponies, and exotic animals." Return gifts were also made to adhere to the principle of "equivalence" as much as possible. The tribute envoys, profiting little from this, naturally harbored resentment.
The imperial court spends money everywhere; how can it be wasted? Zhao Jialing originally wanted the ministers to find a way to send the envoys back to their countries, but then he suddenly remembered the "Loyalty Assessment Instrument." The system said it also worked on envoys. Who else could see through the unfriendly intentions on the border? "This matter can be discussed later. We will choose an auspicious day to hold a banquet in the Linde Hall to entertain the envoys from various countries," Zhao Jialing said.
[Congratulations, host, on beginning a new chapter. The main quest, "Unifying the World and Attracting Tribute from All Nations," has commenced.]
[Achieve the "Pretending to be something you're not" achievement; the reward is "A Thousand Gold Remedy for Discontinuing Disease".]
Zhao Jialing: "?"
Although there is a reward, she hasn't done anything yet, so how did she get this kind of achievement that makes people angry?
Wise Ruler System: [The course of events is continuous; everything proceeded according to precedent. Therefore, it's not unfair for the host to receive this achievement.]
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