frightfiction Chapter 3 The Ming Dynasty is truly lacking in officials
Chapter 3 The Ming Dynasty is truly lacking in officials
The transition from the Yuan to the Ming dynasty was quite different from other dynastic changes.
The first is the four-class system.
According to the Yuan Dynasty's system, Han Chinese in Shandong were classified as the third class, below Mongols and Semu people. Many local gentry and wealthy merchants would try every means to obtain Mongol status once they had the opportunity to climb the social ladder.
Secondly, the Yuan Dynasty implemented a tax farming system, which was similar to a bidding process for engineering projects, except that the subject of the bidding was tax revenue.
Simply put, if the imperial court wants to collect a certain tax totaling 10,000 taels of silver in a certain place, the local gentry or wealthy merchants can participate in the bidding. After winning the bid, they first pay a certain deposit, and then go to the local people to collect the tax.
The bidding process did not involve the imperial court collecting 10,000 taels of silver, so the highest bid was 10,000 taels of silver; rather, it could reach 11,000 taels of silver.
So here's the problem: these local gentry and wealthy merchants spent 11,000 taels of silver to bid, but in the end they could only collect 10,000 taels of tax from the common people. Wasn't that a huge loss?
The answer is no, because they can collect 21,000 taels of tax from the people.
Those local gentry and wealthy merchants who collected taxes for the Yuan Dynasty acted as middlemen, ruthlessly exploiting the people in order to earn huge profits from tax farming. When the officials fled first and the rule of the Yuan Dynasty in Shandong collapsed, how could these middlemen, who had become Mongols, possibly stay and wait to be purged?
Therefore, many local gentry and gentry in Shandong fled when the Ming army began its northern expedition. The rest were either killed by the people or simply went into hiding, planning to decide whether to become Han Chinese or continue as Mongols after the situation became clearer.
However, this also shattered Yang Shaofeng's original plan to exploit the local gentry, making it impossible for him to use them to persuade farmers to start farming, let alone restore production.
The problem is, if he really failed to oversee the spring plowing in the first year of Hongwu's reign, would Emperor Zhu Chongba care about horse bones or any actual difficulties you might face?
If it weren't for the fact that resigning his post would likely result in him being caught and beheaded, Yang Shaofeng would have even considered simply running away with his bucket.
Seeing that Yang Shaofeng's expression was constantly shifting between light and dark, Lame Wu couldn't help but ask cautiously, "Is there something troubling you, County Magistrate?"
Yang Shaofeng gave a soft "hmm": "Chang Pingzhang asked me to encourage agriculture and sericulture, to get the people of Ningyang County ready for spring plowing, but now..."
Pointing his finger around the county government office, Yang Shaofeng continued, "The entire Ningyang County government office is in dire need of rebuilding. There are only a dozen or so of us, and most of the brothers are still recovering from their injuries. How can you, Brother Limpy Fifth, and I possibly take care of eight communities?"
Upon hearing the name "Brother Limpy Fifth" from Yang Shaofeng again, Limpy Fifth suddenly blurted out, "Does Your Excellency still remember that before leaving the county office, Your Excellency asked me what I was laughing about?"
Yang Shaofeng nodded: "Of course I remember. I said it was the first time I'd ever heard of conscripting men to be county magistrates, and then you suddenly burst out laughing, Brother Lame Five."
Limpy Wu gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "That's right, I laughed at the time precisely because of what the county magistrate said."
Yang Shaofeng asked curiously, "Is there anything wrong with this statement? Throughout history, there have been instances of conscripting able-bodied men for labor and conscripting scholars to become minor officials, but have you ever heard of conscripting people to become officials?"
Limpy Wu chuckled and said, "That's just the county magistrate being ignorant—in our Great Ming Dynasty, let alone arresting scholars like you to make officials, we've even forcibly conscripted illiterate peasants to be officials before."
Yang Shaofeng stared blankly at Limpy Five: "Really? Brother Limpy Five, are you kidding me?"
“How could I dare to joke with the county magistrate like this?” Lame Wu cried out, “Actually, I have heard more than once that many scholars are shouting that they want to be loyal to the Great Yuan and would rather die than serve as officials of the Great Ming. I have also heard that some scholars have simply run away to the deep mountains and forests to avoid disaster. So our Great Ming is really short of officials.”
"I've also heard that His Majesty has issued edicts more than once to seek out talented people. Even illiterate peasants can be granted official positions as long as they have a good reputation."
"Otherwise, how could you have met Chang Pingzhang, and how could you have become the magistrate of Ningyang County?"
"If you ask me, Chang Pingzhang can make you the magistrate of Ningyang County, so why can't you make someone a minor official in the county?"
After hearing what Limpy Five said, Yang Shaofeng suddenly felt as if the clouds had parted and the sun had shone through. The question that had been weighing on his mind for the past few days was finally answered.
As Limpy Wu said, the original owner was just a poor scholar who had read books. He had no official title, no one to recommend him, and he was young. How could he be personally received by that black-faced Chang Yuchun just because of such a ridiculous reason as "devoting himself to the Ming Dynasty"?
Not to mention that he was granted such an important official position as the Prefect of Ningyang County after just a few simple words and a few questions. Although the Prefect was only a seventh-rank official, his power was boundless. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he was a local tyrant or even a local emperor!
Moreover, what Limpy Five said at the end was very true: if Chang Yuchun, that charcoal-headed man, could forcibly arrest me, Yang, to be an official, then why can't I, Yang, arrest others to be minor officials?
Thinking of this, Yang Shaofeng couldn't help but laugh and patted Limpy Five on the shoulder, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Limpy Five. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would still be having a headache over the lack of manpower."
Limpy Wu chuckled and said, "I only heard it from others. The county magistrate should consider the pros and cons carefully."
Yang Shaofeng was slightly taken aback, then laughed.
It seems that my calling him "Brother Limpy Fifth" wasn't in vain. Otherwise, a seasoned veteran like Limpy Fifth, who had been in the army for many years, wouldn't have risked revealing the embarrassing story of the Ming Dynasty forcibly arresting people to become officials.
Of course, these few shouts of "Brother Limp" were still a bit off; I must put more effort into them in the future.
……
Early the next morning, the eight commune leaders of Ningyang County arrived at the county government office. Under the watchful eyes of more than a dozen yamen runners on both sides of the main hall, they all knelt down before Yang Shaofeng: "Greetings, Your Excellency County Magistrate!"
Yang Shaofeng put down the book in his hand, chuckled, and gestured for them to get up: "Get up, everyone."
After the eight commune leaders slowly stood up, Yang Shaofeng went straight to the point and said, "The Great Yuan Dynasty has been driven out. From now on, Shandong will be under the rule of the Great Ming Dynasty. After you go back, you must explain this clearly to the people of our commune."
The eight club presidents exchanged glances, then bowed in unison and said, "Yes, we have remembered."
Yang Shaofeng hummed in agreement, and then continued, "As the saying goes, a new dynasty brings a new atmosphere. There are a few things that I must explain to you."