Ru Chang felt a little uneasy; he thought that things might not be easy for him for the next period of time.
The Ministry of Personnel held a high position and wielded great power; everyone knew that it was in charge of the selection, evaluation, and bestowal of titles and honors for civil officials throughout the country. In the Ming Dynasty, apart from the Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet and the Minister of Personnel, who were recommended by the court or by special decree, all other officials, both inside and outside the capital, were either recommended by the Ministry of Personnel in conjunction with other high-ranking officials or selected by themselves.
Even though many people understood that these selected officials still required the emperor's approval, the power of the Ministry of Personnel was undeniable. Officials in the Ministry of Personnel seemed to enjoy greater prestige than those in other government offices.
The Ministry of Personnel of the Ming Dynasty initially comprised three subordinate departments: the General Office, the Department of Merit Evaluation, and the Department of Performance Evaluation. Later, the Department of Official Seals was added. Before Emperor Hongwu abdicated, he established four departments: the Department of Personnel Selection, the Department of Official Seals Verification, the Department of Merit Evaluation, and the Department of Performance Evaluation, as well as the Office of Official Affairs.
Nowadays, a fifth-rank official in the Examination and Appointment Department generally looks down on a fourth-rank official who has been assigned to a post outside the capital.
Although he appeared incorruptible in the capital, he owned a huge mansion in his hometown, and his relatives served as officials or even government officials in various prefectures and cities.
I had no idea before. If it weren't for the message from the Eastern Depot, I would never have imagined that I had such people abusing their power for personal gain under my command, and that such a bold and reckless person could be hidden beneath that honest and capable exterior.
If you look at it this way, the performance evaluation department is nothing special, but the problems it exposes will implicate a large number of people.
This all falls under the purview of the Performance Evaluation Department, which is responsible for assessing officials' performance. With a stroke of their pen, the Performance Evaluation Department can decide on subsequent rewards and punishments. Previously, who knows if some officials, clearly incompetent, received leniency from the Performance Evaluation Department?
Ru Chang knew he had failed the Emperor's grace. Such a thing had happened right under his nose, and that was no small matter. This was not just about a mere Assistant Director of the Examination and Appointment Department; it also implicated the prefectures and counties below, and Ru Chang had already colluded with some local officials.
If even the Ministry of Personnel cannot guarantee its innocence, and the Ministry itself is riddled with problems, how can it be qualified to evaluate all civil officials in the country?
Especially now that the capital is conducting an inspection, the Ministry of Personnel has failed to rectify the situation, which is an obstacle to His Majesty's grand plan.
Of course, considering that some things have already happened, and may have been causing trouble for a long time, and may have already led to some serious consequences. After all, these things have only been discovered now, and some incompetent officials may have already gotten away with it.
Ru Chang felt a little guilty. Although he was the emperor's confidant, he was well aware of the emperor's ambitions. If he lacked the ability, he would inevitably be abandoned by His Majesty. If he obstructed any of His Majesty's policies, he would be ruthlessly eliminated.
Anyone who obstructs His Majesty from implementing his grand plans is His Majesty's enemy and will be dealt with by His Majesty with an iron fist.
Perhaps because of her guilty conscience, Ru Chang cautiously glanced at the emperor and immediately noticed the meaningful look in his eyes. All of this made Ru Chang even more guilty and less confident.
The reports were being presented in order, and it was almost Ru Chang's turn, which made her even more nervous.
Lian Zining suddenly stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, the Duke of Ying led his army to a victorious return. Although the Five Military Commissions are responsible for verifying military merits, the Verification and Conferment Office is in charge of conferring titles, granting pensions, and bestowing honors. This time, the imperial army went to Goguryeo, and many soldiers died. The imperial court will provide them with compensation.”
Xu Huizu, standing to the side, frowned slightly, feeling that Lian Zining was being a bit nosy. Of course, he also admitted that what Lian Zining said was true, and these were indeed not trivial matters.
After an official's death, the amount of pension and condolence money provided by the imperial court, the burial standards, whether a tombstone could be erected, and what kind of tombstone it should be—all these were matters of great importance. The posthumous honors bestowed upon an official were closely linked to their rank during their lifetime, and these were no small matters, as they were considered the final judgment after death.
Besides these honors, the pensions and other benefits given to officials also concern their lineage and leave a political legacy for their children. This is something that many people would take very seriously, as it is no small matter.
Do not assume that when a large army goes on an expedition, it is only the business of military generals, nor do you assume that only the Five Military Commands can manage affairs.
There would inevitably be some civil officials accompanying the troops, not just military supervisors, but also those responsible for things like the allocation of supplies, the assessment of military merits, and even some clerical work. All of these tasks required the participation of civil officials.
Furthermore, the deaths of soldiers in battle also required the involvement of the Ministry of Personnel in providing compensation. This was especially true for generals who died in battle, for whom the Verification and Conferment Office was responsible – no small matter.
Lian Zining, with a serious expression, said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I have investigated and found that Huang Xing, the Assistant Director of the Bureau of Verification and Conferment of Imperial Decrees, colluded with Han Xun, the heir apparent of the Marquis of Dongping, to make unwarranted decisions regarding the posthumous conferment of imperial decrees. Many of the posthumous honors bestowed upon fallen soldiers are inconsistent with their merits!"
Chang Mao, who was initially uninvolved, suddenly changed his expression, because Han Xun, the heir of the Marquis of Dongping, was about to inherit the title. Han Xun's father, Han Zheng, had submitted to Zhu Yuanzhang in his early years and had followed Xu Da in pacifying Zhang Shicheng and in the Northern Expedition, making him a man of outstanding military achievements.
He was a smart man with foresight. In his early years, Zhu Yuanzhang believed that there were seven people who did not wait and see when the situation in the world was unclear, but took the initiative to submit. Han Zheng was naturally among them.
Han Zheng, who seemed to have always followed Xu Da in his campaigns, was actually a "fence-sitter," and was also close to Li Wenzhong and Tang He. However, he was also a true member of the Chang faction.
Zhu Yunying's expression was cold, and he asked in a deep voice, "My dear minister, do you know the identity of the person you are impeaching?"
Lian Zining knelt down, his voice resolute and firm, "Your Majesty, I know! The Marquis of Dongping has received imperial favor for generations, yet he has no thought of being loyal to the emperor and serving the country."
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