New Policies in Sichuan

Chapter 6, Question 1 of the Morning Assembly

As dawn approached, the lights in the East Palace study were still on.

There were three and a half people who didn't sleep all night.

Meng Xuanzhe is one, Gu Chengyan is one, and Gao Chengli can barely be considered one as well—although he spent half of the night in a wandering state of "wanting to persuade but not daring to, wanting to play dead but not being able to," his eyes were indeed open.

As for the "half", it refers to Shen Bushu.

The old official was summoned by the Crown Prince overnight to fill in the list of attendees at the city gate soup kitchen. His hands trembled as he wrote, and he recalled all the laziness, slips, and feigned ignorance he had ever committed in his life. He felt that if he wrote even one wrong word tonight, he would have to experience the "joy of kneeling on the ground and telling the truth" with the constables tomorrow.

So strictly speaking, he didn't sleep either.

Only half of his soul was asleep.

As dawn broke, the table was already covered with a thick layer of paper.

Meng Xuanzhe stood in front of the desk, holding the newspaper from last night in his hand, his face expressionless.

"According to the old practice, we should report a smaller number of people."

What a familiar precedent.

These ten words contain a wealth of information comparable to an annual self-criticism of local officials.

What is meant by "old precedent"?

It means this isn't the first time this has been done.

What does it mean to report less?

This means that the numbers reported from above are never taken seriously; they're just numbers that look pleasing to the eye.

Gu Chengyan stood aside and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, if it were just a matter of a county or a shed making empty promises, one could say that the people below were confused for a moment. But if even the Chengdu Prefecture is using the term 'old practice' to describe it, it means that this method is not something that anyone came up with on a whim, but rather that everyone knows that this is how it should be done."

Meng Xuanzhe nodded.

That's very true.

It's rotten, and that's not scary at all.

What I fear is that it will become rotten into the norm.

If a place has even developed processes, tacit understandings, scripts, and default templates for falsifying accounts, then the problem is no longer about one person's dishonesty, but rather that the entire system feels: this is no big deal.

That's the most critical part.

Gao Chengli, listening nearby, felt a chill run down his spine and couldn't help but whisper, "Your Highness, since we already know they have problems, it would be better to gather more evidence first. To expose them directly at this morning's court assembly would be far too..."

He paused for a moment after saying this.

"Too much?" Meng Xuanzhe looked at him.

Gao Chengli's lips twitched, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Too unfestive."

The study was quiet.

Gu Chengyan couldn't help but turn his head slightly away.

Shen Bushu stared down at his toes, desperately pretending not to hear.

Meng Xuanzhe smiled.

"Gao Chengli."

"This servant is here."

"That's the most honest thing you've said tonight."

Gao Chengli's heart skipped a beat.

It’s over.

His Highness laughed, which means that those words probably touched on the part he least wanted to hear.

Sure enough, the next moment, Meng Xuanzhe slammed the new report onto the table, his tone indifferent: "Commoners are selling their daughters at the city gates, soldiers with their military tokens can't even get a bowl of porridge, and those below are thinking about how to underreport the numbers to avoid displeasing their superiors. Tell me, if I still show them any leniency at a time like this, then who am I, the Crown Prince, really to?"

Gao Chengli: "..."

This is a critical problem.

Because the answer is obvious. If he dared to say "naturally, it's for the imperial court," then the pot of porridge at the city gate would have been a waste.

He had no choice but to shut up.

Meng Xuanzhe was too lazy to continue nagging him, and turned to Gu Chengyan: "Tell me the list of items you made last night."

Gu Chengyan immediately stepped forward and laid out the several books that had been compared one by one.

"First, the list of people receiving porridge at the city gates does not match the number of refugees reported by the Chengdu Prefecture. The number of people recorded last night is nearly 30% higher than the reported number."

"Secondly, Xinjin, Huayang and other counties reported that rice prices have risen slightly, but judging from the situation at the city gate last night, if it is only a slight increase, it would not be enough to force people to sell their daughters and scramble for porridge."

"Third, the border troops' troop tags are still valid, but the military households' pensions have not been paid; the number of soldiers on the troop register does not match the actual number of garrison troops and their families."

"Fourth," Gu Chengyan paused, looking at the new report, "Chengdu Prefecture clearly knows the numbers are inaccurate, but insists on suppressing the report according to old practice."

His voice was steady and unhurried.

But every word was like nails hammered into the brocade curtain of the imperial court.

After listening, Meng Xuanzhe hummed in agreement: "That's enough."

Gao Chengli was terrified when he heard this.

Is that enough?

Is that enough?

This is enough to turn this morning's court session upside down!

Meng Xuanzhe looked up at the window.

As dawn broke, eunuchs began to move about outside the Eastern Palace, and the voices of the officials urging everyone to enter the court on time could be heard in the distance.

A new day begins.

The court of Later Shu was probably still immersed in the afterglow of the enthronement of the Crown Prince last night, and was preparing to continue to savor that joy, discuss the Crown Prince's ceremonial system, the allocation of officials, and the regulations for official attire, and preferably have another round of beautiful words about "the Crown Prince's wisdom and the eternal stability of the country" to bring last night to a perfect end.

pity.

He has a bad habit.

Seeing a spark always makes me want to dig under the stove.

"Change your clothes," Meng Xuanzhe said.

The eunuchs immediately stepped forward.

Gao Chengli quickly followed and personally helped him adjust his court robes. He put on the crown, belt, and jade ornaments one by one with great efficiency, but his expression looked like that of a farewell official preparing to go to the execution ground.

Meng Xuanzhe was so flustered that he almost laughed.

In my past life, when I worked overtime and attended meetings, I wore a shirt and trousers, and what bothered me most was the collar that choked my neck; in this life, when I attend court, I wear a formal suit that can bind people into strict rules, and there are even more things that choke my neck.

well.

Different eras, the same suffocation.

He adjusted his hat and casually asked Gao Chengli, "What are you afraid of?"

Gao Chengli almost blurted out, "I'm afraid you'll turn this morning's court assembly into a funeral procession."

The words were on the tip of his tongue when he suddenly realized what he was saying and swallowed them back, nearly choking himself to death.

Meng Xuanzhe looked at him and smiled: "Speak up, why are you stopping?"

Gao Chengli's eyes were almost red: "This servant wouldn't dare."

"It's not that you're afraid," Meng Xuanzhe said slowly, adjusting his cuffs. "It's that you're afraid I'll finish them off before they're even truly dead."

Gao Chengli: "..."

Your Highness, you should keep it to yourself; there's no need to say it aloud.

After an incense stick had burned, the Crown Prince left the palace.

The morning light spills onto the palace road. The glittering lights of last night have faded, leaving only the towering palace walls and golden tiles, giving the entire imperial city a different kind of majesty in the daytime.

But as Meng Xuanzhe walked along, only one thing was on his mind:

People tend to think that daytime is more respectable than nighttime.

It was as if the urgent report that had been buried under the congratulatory message last night was no longer a problem once the sun came out.

It was as if the moment the officials stood in the court, the nearly empty pot of porridge by the city gate last night became an illusion.

Unfortunately, a matter is a matter.

Even if you don't mention it, it's still there.

Even if you pretend you can't see it, it won't disappear on its own.

Upon arriving at the imperial court, all the officials were already lined up.

Today was not a grand court assembly, but because the investiture ceremony had just taken place last night, there were more people entering the court than usual. Everyone was neatly dressed in their official robes and sashes, with solemn expressions, as if none of them had drunk much last night.

Meng Xuanzhe silently sighed to himself: indeed, the drinking capacity and the thick skin of a face of feudal officials were two equally important professional skills.

As soon as he entered the classroom, many people around him bowed to him in greeting.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

"Congratulations on Your Highness's ascension to the throne."

"The establishment of the Crown Prince is truly a blessing for the nation."

Meng Xuanzhe returned each greeting with a smile, but in his mind he was automatically interpreting it as—

Whether the nation will be blessed remains to be seen;

I have a rough idea whether you guys will have bad luck today.

Han Chongdu was among them.

The senior official of the Central Secretariat, dressed in a purple robe, stood ramrod straight. Upon seeing Meng Xuanzhe approach, he first smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Highness's words of concern for the country last night have kept this old minister pondering for half the night after I returned home."

Meng Xuanzhe looked at him.

That's a brilliant statement.

The phrase "thought it out for half the night" not only shows that he did not disregard the Crown Prince's words, but also that he is mature and prudent, and will not act rashly based on a momentary remark.

Normally, this would be considered a very neat way to receive a shot.

Unfortunately, Meng Xuanzhe didn't want to accept the pretty girl today.

So he laughed and said, "It's good that Prime Minister Han can think things through. I'm just afraid that someone will think about it all night and only come up with four words in the end—'Act according to the old rules.'"

Han Chongdu's smile paused almost imperceptibly.

He was of course unaware that the original words of that newspaper had already reached the Crown Prince's hands; he simply assumed that the new Crown Prince was using this as an excuse to make a point.

This is very troublesome.

Because the phrase "follow the old precedent" was practically the most common and convenient fig leaf in the officialdom of Later Shu. If things went wrong, follow the old precedent; if accounts were falsified, follow the old precedent; if people starved to death, it was mostly because the old precedent was not comprehensive enough, not because anyone was negligent.

Now that the Crown Prince has brought this up in front of him, it's as if he's lifted a corner of the cloth.

Han Chongdu, being a seasoned veteran, quickly regained his composure: "Old precedents have their uses, and new policies have their difficulties. In the way of governance, the worst thing is to seek quick results."

"Is that so?" Meng Xuanzhe nodded. "Then I would like to ask Prime Minister Han a question—"

"When people are starving, should we prioritize stability or survival?"

Han Chongdu looked at him, his eyes finally becoming serious.

Several officials nearby also heard it, exchanged glances, and the smiles they had exchanged in the morning greetings gradually faded from their faces.

They all realized it.

Today's court assembly is unlikely to be peaceful.

The palace bell rang, signaling Meng Chang's arrival.

All the officials bowed in unison.

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects!"

"Rise."

Meng Chang looked to be in good spirits today. After taking his seat on the throne, he asked a few questions about government affairs as usual. The Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Rites submitted their reports in turn, and the contents were indeed almost exactly what Meng Xuanzhe had guessed.

The Ministry of Works said that all preparations for the renovation of the Eastern Palace were complete.

The Ministry of Rites reported that the investiture ceremony was completed successfully last night, without any breach of etiquette.

The Ministry of Revenue stated that the transfer of money and grain to various places was proceeding in an orderly manner.

All are in order.

well.

If that pot of porridge at the city gate had heard those four words last night, it would probably have been so angry that it overturned itself.

Meng Xuanzhe stood in the court, listening quietly.

I kept hearing the Ministry of War report: "The monthly rations for the border troops in Lizhou are slightly delayed due to some obstacles in the road, but they will be replenished soon."

Again, there was a "slight delay".

In the official language of Later Shu, it is true that everything can be included in a little bit.

Meng Xuanzhe finally raised his head.

"Father."

All eyes in the hall immediately turned to them.

The newly appointed crown prince speaking in court is already a sensitive matter; not to mention, he had already shown his brilliance in the Hanyuan Hall last night.

Meng Chang looked at him, his tone still relatively gentle: "Xuan Zhe, speak your mind."

Meng Xuanzhe stepped forward and bowed.

"Your subject went out of the palace last night and checked on the soup kitchens at the city gate."

In short, it's like a pebble thrown into a pond.

A subtle ripple immediately appeared in the hall.

Some officials' expressions changed slightly, some lowered their heads and remained silent, some frowned, and a few who had probably heard rumors last night did not seem surprised, but clearly did not want to bring this matter to the court meeting.

Meng Chang also paused noticeably.

"You've left the palace?"

"Yes," Meng Xuanzhe readily agreed. "Your subject originally intended to distribute the wine and check the veracity of the urgent report. But upon inspection, it saves the people below the trouble of writing elaborate memorials."

Gao Chengli stood to the side, his heart pounding as he listened.

Your Highness's words were no longer sarcastic.

This is like hitting someone on the head with a hammer.

Meng Chang's expression softened slightly: "How are the city gates?"

Meng Xuanzhe raised his eyes, his voice not loud, but each word was clear.

"The soup kitchens were crowded, the constables demanded money, the widows of soldiers could not get soup despite having their military ID, the number of refugees far exceeded the number of those registered, and women carried their daughters to survive, almost selling their daughters on the spot."

"Your Majesty, I would like to ask you all a question—"

He turned around and looked at the two classes of civil and military officials.

"This is the 'Public Sentiment Report' you submitted?"

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Then, as if a pot had finally had its lid lifted, steam burst out.

An official from the Ministry of Revenue quickly stepped forward: "Your Highness, the distribution of porridge at the city gates is a temporary measure taken by the local authorities. Occasionally, there may be some mishaps, which is not a big deal—"

"Not enough of what?" Meng Xuanzhe interrupted directly. "Not worth mentioning? Not a problem? Or not enough to spoil your joy last night?"

The official was so choked up that his face turned red, and he couldn't respond for a moment.

On the other side, the Vice Minister of War hurriedly said, "What Your Highness sees may not be the whole picture. The border troops' provisions are indeed delayed, but arrangements have been made for the replenishment of monthly rations—"

"Do we have to pay money to receive porridge if we're assigned to a military household's widow?" Meng Xuanzhe asked rhetorically.

Vice Minister of War: "..."

Han Chongdu finally stepped forward, his voice as steady as ever.

"It is good that Your Highness has personally witnessed the people's plight and is concerned about the country and its people. However, the temporary disorder in the prefectures and counties should not be attributed to long-standing problems of the court. If the court is alarmed by a few isolated incidents, it would be a serious oversight."

Again.

"Individual," "temporary," "not to alarm the court."

That's such skillful rhetoric that it makes you want to applaud.

Meng Xuanzhe looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Prime Minister Han says it's an isolated incident. Then I'd like to ask—"

Why are the number of people receiving porridge at the city gates nearly 30% higher than the number of refugees reported by the Chengdu Prefecture?

Han Chongdu's eyes darkened slightly.

Meng Xuanzhe continued:

"Counties like Xinjin and Huayang reported slight increases in rice prices, so why are people selling their daughters near the city gates to survive?"

"The border troops' monthly rations are said to be slightly delayed, so why haven't the widows of military households received a single penny of their military service allowances after three years, even though they have their military service tokens?"

"The Chengdu Prefecture's latest report this morning even consulted the Crown Prince about whether to continue with the old practice of underreporting the number of people."

As he said this, he pulled the newspaper out of his sleeve and waved it.

"Your Majesty, I would like to ask—"

"Is this old practice a tradition of the imperial court, or a tradition of falsifying accounts?"

This really caused an uproar.

Several officials in the court changed color on the spot.

Even Meng Chang sat up straighter, his gaze truly turning serious for the first time: "Where is the newspaper? Bring it here."

Gao Chengli braced himself and accepted the document, presenting it with both hands. He felt that he had probably never run such a thrilling delivery job in his life.

After reading it, Meng Chang's expression turned completely ugly.

Last night, when the Crown Prince presented an urgent report in the palace, he could still think it was just youthful enthusiasm; but this morning, when he presented this document, which was supposed to be "reported less than usual," to the court, it wasn't enthusiasm anymore, but rather that someone below was genuinely treating the court like fools.

No one in the hall dared to speak for a moment.

Meng Xuanzhe, however, did not stop.

Because he knew that what he needed to do today was not simply to hurl insults.

It's easy to curse, but difficult to get things done.

He took out one sheet of paper from the few sheets that Gu Chengyan had prepared the night before and presented it to him with both hands.

"Father, last night I had people roughly compare the accounts from several regions. There are many discrepancies between the number of people distributing porridge at the city gates, the local reports, the granary figures, and the copies of the military registers. I dare not say that the whole situation is ruined, but at least the granary, household, and military accounts in the counties near Chengdu are definitely not what they are reporting now."

"If we continue to only look at the pretty accusations and not the real accounts, I dare not even imagine what the consequences will be in less than three years."

He spoke that last sentence very softly.

But it was more serious than the previous questions.

Within three years.

He certainly couldn't say those four words explicitly as "Later Shu will surely perish," but putting them here was enough to make people's hearts tighten.

Meng Chang looked at the documents on the table, then at his son, his expression complex.

Is this still the same young man who was just appointed last night and should be enjoying the privileges of being a new crown prince?

No.

At least the person standing in the hall at this moment had no trace of the arrogance of a newly rich person, only a clear-headedness that had been forced upon him.

This sobriety is not appealing; it's even a bit harsh.

But it is true.

After a long pause, Meng Chang slowly said, "Xuan Zhe, what do you intend to do?"

finally come.

Meng Xuanzhe made up his mind, stepped out of the ranks, and bowed again.

"Your Majesty, I dare not presume to comment on the nation, nor dare I engage in empty talk about new policies. Your Majesty, I only ask that you—"

"Borrow my county and my granary for three months."

"Add another squad of exhausted soldiers."

"Your subject is willing to use the smallest plot of land, the smallest granary, and the most disorganized troop to investigate the true accounts, stabilize grain prices, and reorganize the army. If the rice price remains unstable, the granary accounts are unclear, and the troop registers are inaccurate within three months, your subject will take full responsibility for the consequences."

"If it succeeds—"

He raised his head and looked straight at the throne.

"I also request that Your Majesty allow me to continue the investigation."

The entire court was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Please provide one county and one warehouse, for three months.

We also need a squad of soldiers.

This was no longer just a momentary outrage on the part of the young crown prince.

This clearly indicates that they intend to target a specific area and let the results speak for themselves.

Han Chongdu's expression finally changed.

Because he knew very well that such a request was not so terrible if it was just empty talk; what was most frightening was that it was very small, so small that it was like a trial run, so small that no one would dare to immediately shut it down.

But once he really makes a name for himself in this county, this warehouse, or this troop of soldiers, the consequences will extend far beyond just this one county.

The hall remained silent for a long time.

Meng Chang lowered his eyes, looking at his son kneeling upright below the platform, and lightly tapped the imperial desk with his fingertips.

a bit.

Two times.

It was like knocking on the heart of the entire court.

Finally, he spoke.

"it is good."

The moment the word was uttered, the entire hall trembled.

"Since you say you want to try," Meng Chang said slowly, "I will lend you a county, a granary, and three months."

"Soldiers—" He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Ministry of War, "I'll give you a squad too."

"But let me make this clear from the start: if all you do is cause trouble and get nothing out of it, you'll have to take responsibility for the disgrace of the Crown Prince and for my own reputation."

Meng Xuanzhe bowed deeply.

"Your subject obeys the decree."

There was a dead silence in the hall.

Some were shocked, some were doubtful, and some had already begun to consider which rotten county to hand over to the crown prince to fill the hole.

Standing among the court officials, Han Chongdu watched the retreating figure bowing and receiving the imperial decree, and suddenly realized very clearly—

Last night, the Crown Prince was officially appointed, and it's likely that more than just one prince will be chosen.

They even set up another person who will truly cause trouble for many people.

Meng Xuanzhe knelt in the hall, listening to his own heartbeat, each beat steadyer than the last.

He knew that the first step had been successful.

It wasn't that they seized some enormous power.

They only managed to get the smallest opening.

One county, one warehouse, one troop of soldiers.

It's so small it couldn't be smaller.

But for many things, especially when it comes to fixing a bad system, the worst thing is never starting from a small point.

The worst thing is not even having a place to start.

Now, the breach has been made.

Next, let's see just how badly this pot is ruined.