My life skills in Daming Liver

The officials of Qintian Prison were all excited by Su Ze's words, "The time has lasted for a thousand years, and the four seas have been unified."

You must know that the calendar is not an ordinary thing, it is a very important thing. Being able to participate in the work of revising the calendar, why wouldn't these Qintian Supervisor officials be excited.

Just when Su Ze was drawing cakes for the officials of Qin Tian Jian, the capital, Qin Tian Jian.

As part of Gao Gong's New Deal, the Qin Tian Jian of the capital also received his own tasks.

That is to revise the "Taun Calendar".

But how can the Qintian Supervisor of the Capital have the ability to revise the calendar?

There are only thirty astronomical officials in the Qintian Prison in the two capitals. Apart from this, there are few people in the entire capital who can revise the calendar.

In order to firmly control the power to interpret astronomical phenomena, Zhu Yuanzhang, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, stipulated that astronomical and calendar judges must be hereditary. If the descendants of these astronomical and calendar judges were unwilling to learn the astronomical calendar, they would be sent to Hainan to be exiled to the army.

Except for the astronomical and calendar judges, private practice of astronomical and calendar among the people is also strictly prohibited.

In other words, all the astronomical and calendar people in the Ming Dynasty were restricted to the Qintian Prison.

In addition, the Ming Dynasty did not have enough arithmetic talents to meet the calculation work of revising the calendar.

What's worse is that when Su Ze left the capital, he packed up all the astronomical observation records in the Qintian Prison and the relevant materials on the revised calendars of the Yuan Dynasty and the early Ming Dynasty.

Zhengzhou Chumei, the imperial eunuch of the capital, felt like crying but had no tears, so he forced himself to organize people to revise the "Datong Calendar".

Why did Gao Gong want to revise the "Grand Unification Calendar"? In addition to the accumulation of errors, which caused the seasons of the Grand Unification Calendar to be very inaccurate, the more important issue was the issue of astronomical prediction.

In the early Ming Dynasty, although the "Datong Calendar" was copied from the "Time Calendar", it was still usable. At least the solar and lunar eclipses were basically accurate.

As for the five-star operation, this thing is originally vaguely defined, and the Yuan Dynasty itself did not clarify it, so accuracy is not that important.

But now, the predictions of solar and lunar eclipses are inaccurate, and there are even cases where the prediction of solar eclipses is off by more than one day.

In this case, Ming Dynasty's "mandate of destiny" was naturally greatly damaged, especially during this confrontation between the north and the south.

Therefore, Gao Gong proposed to revise the calendar in order to prove the "mandate of destiny" of the Ming Dynasty.

Qintian Supervisor Zhengzheng is very aware of Gao Gong's character. These days, by controlling the Beijing Chaos, Gao Gong has deposed more than a dozen officials, many of whom are old officials who have experienced the Jiajing and Longqing dynasties.

If I, the little Qin Tian Supervisor, cannot complete the mission of Gao Ge Lao, I'm afraid it will end badly.

Just when Qin Tianjian was worrying about revising the calendar, Gao Gong's new policy finally saw initial results.

Ten workshops in the capital have been established, and the hospital in the north of the capital has been completed.

Gao Gong enthusiastically visited the hospital and textile workshop, commended the organizing officials, listed them on the spot as middle and upper class during the Beijing inspection, and asked the Ministry of Personnel to promote them by name.

The Jingcha assessment is divided into nine levels, namely upper-upper, upper-middle, upper-lower, middle-upper, middle-middle, middle-lower, lower-upper, lower-middle and lower-lower.

Confucianism pays attention to the golden mean. Under normal circumstances, the upper three grades are not awarded.

If you want to be "higher", are you so perfect as an official? Can you do things without making any mistakes?

If you get the lower third class, you will be demoted or dismissed.

Therefore, the best evaluation is already the middle and upper grades. According to the past inspection regulations of the Ming Dynasty, officials who get the middle and upper grades can be promoted.

Zhao Huizhen, a small director of the Health Department of the Ministry of Industry, worked with Feng Shuo, a small textile department. Under the care of Mr. Gao Ge, Zhao Huizhen was promoted two levels in a row and became a doctor of the Ministry of Industry.

Feng Shuo, a ninth-level employee, was promoted three levels in a row and became the director of the Ministry of Industry.

Officials who completed their tasks received superior promotions, while those who failed to complete their tasks were dismissed directly.

Some officials in the capital were rejoicing, which meant that in the current Ming Dynasty, as long as they seized the opportunity, they could complete promotions that could only be completed in years or even decades in the past.

And some officials have sad faces. They feel melancholy. Gone are the days when they used to hang around and wait for promotion.

Regarding the Ming court's new affairs movement, Shen Mingchen, editor-in-chief of "Jingshi Xinbao", came back from outside.

His current apparent identity is that of the shopkeeper of a bookstore in the north of the capital city.

Seeing his uncle come in, Shen Guanyi put down the brush in his hand.

Shen Mingchen closed the door and said to his nephew:

"Gao Gong is indeed determined to implement the New Deal. Although some workshops are just scratching the surface, the gunpowder workshops and musket factories outside the city are running well, and they are all staffed by capable officials."

"I heard that he has promoted many enterprising officials this time. I am really afraid of Ming Ting's behavior."

The uncles and nephews of the Shen family were all tied to the chariot in the southeast. Shen Mingchen was naturally a little nervous about the changes in the Ming court.

Gao Gong was famous for his integrity. He had great influence on the emperor and was determined to preside over the New Affairs Movement.

Shen has always had a cold personality and rarely smiles even towards his uncle.

Hearing Shen Mingchen's worries, he said calmly:

"Gao Suqing's character is indeed admirable, but the more he forcefully implements the New Deal, he will also lay the foundation for disaster."

Shen Mingchen asked doubtfully: "Why is this?"

Shen Guanyi picked up a book and said, "Has your uncle read this new book by Yan Gong?"

"Mr. Yan? Is it the Eunuch Yan who wrote a book to teach everyone how to hold meetings?"

Shen Guanyi nodded and said: "That's Eunuch Yan. This Eunuch Yan is now a professor at the Nanjing Imperial College. It is said that he is highly regarded by the Governor. This new book is also prefaced by the Governor himself, and the contents of this book are listed as Nanjing Courses at the Imperial College.”

Shen Mingchen immediately said: "Then I want to take a good look at "On Administration"? What is this?"

Looking through it, Shen Mingchen couldn't stand it anymore after reading Su Ze's preface.

The uncle and nephew have completely different preferences for articles.

Shen Mingchen likes books with gorgeous words and vivid content.

Shen Guanyuan, on the other hand, likes books with strong rationality and deep thoughts.

Shen Mingchen closed the book and said, "Tell me why Gao Suqing did something bad."

Shen Guanyi said:

"The first sentence of the preface given by the Governor to Yan Gong's book is: 'Administration is a profound knowledge.'"

"No matter how bad the civil service system is, any dynasty that can be led by civilian officials is a rare stable period in history."

Shen Mingchen nodded. No matter how bad the civil servants' factionalism was, it was much better than the ninth-grade noble family, the eunuchs monopolizing power, and the military chaos.

Shen Guanyi said: "The greatest stability of the civil service system is the hierarchy."

“Only through a top-down hierarchical system can a stable bureaucracy be built.”

“This book by Yan Gong discusses ‘administration’, that is, how the bureaucracy implements government orders from top to bottom.”

Shen Mingchen's face looked a little strange. It was strange for a eunuch to study the civil service system.

Shen always paid no attention to his uncle's expression and continued:

"Hierarchy is the hierarchy, which is what makes the civil service system different from relatives, aristocratic families, and eunuchs. It is also the internal reason for the stability of the civil service system."

"The superiors control and evaluate the work of the subordinates. From the chief minister of the cabinet to the lower-level officials, the officials at each level control the court, just like a precise printing press. Every part moves according to regulations, and finally the newspaper is printed. "

"What does this have to do with the Gao Gong New Deal you mentioned?"

Shen Yiguan said slowly: "Uncle, Yan Gong's book says that the most important part of the entire civil service system is hierarchy."

"Uncle, as officials are promoted, their positions become fewer and fewer."

"Take a county government as an example. There are more than 80 officials in a county government. The largest number are clerks and government servants, followed by the clerk's office, and then the official history office. There are only three officials with high rank in the official history office."

"There are several to a dozen counties in a prefecture, and there is only one prefect."

"Of the eight governments in Fujian, there is only one Chief Envoy."

"There are only a few cabinet ministers in the two capitals and thirteen roads in the country, and there are only six ministers in the six departments."

"Of course, what my nephew said is just a Zhengyin official. There are still many positions in the officialdom."

"But the higher you go up, the fewer the positions. This has always been the case in all dynasties."

Shen Mingchen nodded.

"So in fact, from the perspective of the entire officialdom, most people actually have no chance of promotion."

Shen Mingchen thought for a while, and it seemed that Shen Guanyi was right.

The officialdom is just like the imperial examination. Most officials can only work as low-grade civil servants.

Even if they are Jinshi or even Shujishi, there are still many people who spend their entire lives in the Hanlin Academy.

Shen Guanyi said: "Promotion is difficult. When a prefect is promoted, he cannot recommend all the magistrates under him. At most, he can recommend one or two to the court."

"The county magistrate has been transferred, and at most a few clerks will be promoted to Dianshi."

"The way to be an official is to use these few positions to mobilize all the people under you."

"As the saying goes, two peaches kill three men. This peach is the key to maintaining the operation of the entire system."

Shen Guangyuan's explanation was easy to understand. Shen Mingchen put his hands on his hands and said:

"I must read this book Yan Gong carefully. It is so exquisite! This is the essence of being an official."

Shen Yiguan changed the subject and said:

"And what Gao Gong did was to take away the peach from the subordinates."

"Promotion beyond the highest rank is a taboo in the officialdom. The promoted officials cannot convince the public. Everyone is waiting hard for promotion. Why can you be promoted beyond the rank and be the leader of others for the rest of your life?"

"Furthermore, promotion above the rank of a superior is just an infringement of power."

"Seizing power?"

"Yes, super-grade promotion is equivalent to taking the right to recommend, promote and appoint subordinates into your own hands."

"As I said just now, the grassroots officials can run the yamen by killing three people with two peaches."

"With Taozi around, subordinates can compete and work seriously, and only then can the chief officer be a good official."

"What Gao Gong did is equivalent to taking Taozi away from his hands and taking all the rights of appointment and promotion into his own hands."

"Then if the official doesn't have peaches in his hand, what will the people below do?"

Shen Mingchen was stunned and said, "Don't listen to orders?"

"Yes, the bureaucracy system can be said to be strictly hierarchical and promoted step by step. It is unfair to those particularly talented officials and hinders their development."

"But in this world, most people are ordinary people."

"Ordinary people have mediocre abilities, and most grassroots officials are at about the same level and do similar things. Very few of them can do big things, but they can't make big mistakes."

"Most ordinary people know in their hearts that they cannot eat that peach, but in life, there must always be something to look forward to."

"As for these tasks, big shots cannot see them. Those who know their subordinates' work abilities and work attitudes are often their direct superiors."

"Take a county as an example. If the power of promoting officials and historians in the county is in the hands of the prefect, how can the county magistrate let the scribes work?"

"Then the prefect doesn't go to the county government at all on weekdays. When he promotes Dian Shi, how can he know who does well and who does poorly?"

"The scribes in the county find that it is useless to rely on the county magistrate if they want to be promoted to the position of classics historian. Will they still perform the official duties assigned by the county magistrate well?"

"If every time you promote a Dianshi, your daily work doesn't matter, then why should scribes work hard in the county government? Isn't it a good idea to find ways to curry favor with the people in the government office?"

"Or maybe they are searching for people's wealth and people's anointing. Wouldn't it be better to go to the government office for a walk?"

"If things continue like this, will there be anyone in the entire county government doing a good job?"

Shen Mingchen was horrified.

Shen Guanyi continued:

"By doing this, Gao Gong broke the rules."

"If you promote one person with superior qualities, there will be ten people who are not promoted and hundreds of people will be resentful, and there will be ten people and hundreds of people who are unwilling to do a good job."

"The cabinet minister has usurped the power of the ministry. What should the cabinet minister do?"

"Does the cabinet minister have to be his puppet?"

"It's definitely impossible. If the cabinet ministers are deprived of their ministry rights, they will continue to usurp the rights of the chief envoys and prefectures."

"If the chief envoy's power is usurped, he will cross over the government office to usurp county power."

"Then the entire civil service system will be destroyed, and there will no longer be any rules."

Shen Mingchen didn't expect that a "super promotion" would involve so many things.

He believed in Gao Gong's character, and Gao Gong's promotion should be without selfish motives.

But Gao Gong's character is trustworthy, what about the other officials of the Ming Dynasty?

Shen Mingchen thought that all the chaos in the Ming Dynasty seemed to be related to the "invasion of subordinate power."

Fortunately, I have already voted for Southeast.

Shen Mingchen quickly asked: "Since the Governor has written the preface to this book, what can we do in the southeast?"

Shen Guanyi said: "The Governor has published an article in the "Jingshi Bao", clarifying that all levels of government must have equal powers, and the chief officials at all levels must be 'cautious about their power' and must not usurp the power of subordinates."

"A system for selecting and appointing officials must also be established. In the future, excessive promotion must be resolutely eliminated. Official selection and appointment procedures must be clear and open."

Shen Mingchen thought for a while and said:

"It's difficult! It's really difficult!"

Shen Guanyi said: "It is indeed the most difficult thing in the world to ask those in power to exercise caution."

"Fortunately, there is a great governor."

Shen Mingchen sighed and said, "Fortunately, I have a great governor."