Chapter 80 Selecting Officials Through Exams, Cutting Costs

Chapter 80: Examinations for Office, Boosting Revenue and Cutting Costs

"No one speaks of themselves that way," Xie Daoyun said with a hint of exasperation.

Yet, the previously solemn atmosphere instantly dissipated with Wang Shen'ai’s remark.

Technically, her words were not incorrect.

A ruler could never satisfy everyone’s moral standards. To allow oneself to be constrained by others’ rules would be to tie one’s own hands. While subjects might try to align with the Emperor’s preferences, they must never presume too much in speculating about the sovereign’s intentions…

"Then, may I ask, Your Majesty, what method do you intend to use for this examination?"

Wang Shen’ai smiled. "By asking this, does it mean you are willing to formally accept the position of Prime Minister?"

Xie Daoyun bowed in assent. "Since Your Majesty entrusts me with such a heavy responsibility, how dare I not devote my utmost to Great Ying!"

Wang Shen’ai stopped her. "There’s no need to speak of 'serving until death' just yet—at least not until we’ve sent all our enemies to their graves! As for the examination method—"

"You’ll know once you’ve helped me finish preparing the questions."

***

The scholars of Jing Province had gathered, with Yin Zhongwen at the forefront, having just received urgent dispatches from Jiankang.

Nearly fifteen days had passed since the Emperor’s triumphant return, during which she had passed through Jing Province.

In these two weeks, few officials in Jing Province had slept well. Those like Yin Zhongwen, who had a history of misdeeds, now sported prominent dark circles under their eyes.

The crowd watched as he took a shaky step forward, his legs trembling, and only managed to steady himself with the support of his subordinates.

"Are you…?"

"I’m fine, perfectly fine!" Yin Zhongwen insisted, though his voice betrayed him.

But he was far from fine. He was very worried.

Due to his marital ties with the Huan clan, he had received news from the capital earlier than others—and it had terrified him.

Jiankang had become a bloodbath!

The Emperor had truly gone wild with killing!

Of the thirty-seven families implicated in the rebellion, all but a few had been executed, their lineages purged according to their genealogies.

Their estates and private assets were confiscated.

Private soldiers were registered as state troops and allocated temporary land for easier supervision and control.

Like an unstoppable avalanche, the purge surged forward with immense force, sweeping through Jiankang and beyond.

Even more horrifying was that these once-luxurious noble families, who had lived in extravagance in Jiankang, now had not even graves to their names. Their corpses, along with those of other rebels, were burned outside the city walls, their ashes scattered in the fields.

And it wasn’t just them.

All distant relatives of these families, unless they had explicitly declared their allegiance beforehand, were likewise purged, and the same applied to their in-laws.

Thus, as the news reached Jing Province, so too did the imperial troops tasked with carrying out the purge.

The nobles of Jiankang also had influence extending into Jing Province.

Yin Zhongwen shivered, not daring to imagine who would be next—whether even teachers, students, or friends with whom he had corresponded might be implicated in the purge.

Other emperors might issue blanket pardons after a victory, showing leniency to criminals. But this one, emboldened by triumph, only grew more ruthless.

So what fate awaited the officials of Jing Province?

After all, they had once stood with the "rebels." In the battle for Luoyang, they had little to show in terms of convincing merit…

"I truly don’t understand what you’re afraid of," someone in the crowd suddenly spoke up. "Didn’t Her Majesty already declare that past actions would be forgiven? Unless… you actually conspired with the rebels?"

"Absolutely not!" Yin Zhongwen blurted out without thinking, terrified that any hesitation would brand him a traitor in their eyes. "I just—"

"Do you wish for our current Emperor to be like Sima Yao—capable of great deeds but choosing instead to avoid duty and indulge in pleasure?" Another scoffed mockingly. "Personally, I find it far better to reward merit and punish faults."

Even if both reactions seemed extreme—or, as some might say, lacking in moderation—for scholars like them with little backing, this was precisely the mark of a competent ruler.

Amid the news anxiously reported by Yin Zhongwen, they had keenly noticed several key points.

***

The people of Luoyang, who died defending the land, deserved honor and remembrance. The people of Jiankang, who remained loyal to the Emperor and guarded the capital, likewise deserved commendation—and the gratitude of Great Ying’s citizens.

Just as in Luoyang, a new monument was erected near Shitoucheng outside Jiankang. The names inscribed upon it seemed to watch forever upon the city they had protected.

Like the monument in Hedong, this newly erected one was named the "People's Monument."

The names of fallen soldiers were listed not by rank but by the strokes of their surnames. Yet upon her return to Jiankang, Emperor Yong'an personally penned a eulogy, along with a decree granting Huan Qian the posthumous title of Governor of Luozhou, and sent both to Luoyang in recognition of his contributions there.

The complicated backstory need not be recounted. What mattered was ensuring the people knew that those who died serving their country would never be forgotten.

This was honor for the dead.

And for the living, it was time for rewards.

The urgent message to Jing Province had already outlined part of Jiankang’s government reforms.

This was not just sent to Jing Province—similar notices had been dispatched to every province.

The "Three Departments and Six Ministries" system was officially established.

The Department of State Affairs, which had emerged in the Later Han, along with the Secretariat and Chancellery—established during the Three Kingdoms to balance its power—were now officially designated as the Three Departments.

The Jin Dynasty’s six ministries—Personnel, Palace Affairs, Military, Agriculture, Revenue, and Civil Affairs—were renamed the Ministries of Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, and Works, all under the Department of State Affairs.

Though the changes in authority were not drastic, and the system largely built upon its predecessors, for these scholars, it was a monumental decree—one that would inevitably stir upheaval.

Many of these titles subtly matched those mentioned in the heavenly visions.

For instance, Liu Muzhi had already been appointed Minister of Revenue—just as in the heavenly visions. Whether Emperor Yong'an had long planned this or was influenced by the visions remained unclear.

Additionally, beneath the Secretariat—responsible for policymaking—besides Xie Daoyun’s appointment as Chief Secretary and head of the cabinet, there was a special institution: the People's Representative Assembly.

Just as the monument for Luoyang’s fallen was called the People's Monument, this body was named the People's Representative Assembly.

How exactly it would function was not detailed in the brief document, but its purpose was clear: to gather input from the "people."

Yet what excited the scholars most was not the government reorganization itself, but the endless openings it created!

So many open positions! So many jobs up for grabs!

Those who harbored rebellious thoughts likely never anticipated that Emperor Yong'an's decision to eliminate them root and branch would be made so decisively and executed so strictly, leaving noble families unable to preserve their lineages through bribery.

Thus, not only did they themselves perish and get removed from the official registers, but their descendants also lost the eligibility to compete for official positions.

Everyone knows the dead can't serve in office.

Therefore, the vacancies in various ministries and offices could only be filled through two sources.

One was selecting from current local officials and low-ranking clerks, at least to cultivate a competent group for immediate assignment. The other was identifying suitable candidates through this new examination.

The latter had already been logically proposed by the Emperor.

"To be honest, His Majesty might truly be born with divine wisdom. Otherwise, how could she dispatch the most suitable candidates to both the Luoyang and Jiankang battlefields and now innovate with such groundbreaking changes?"

Someone joked at his expense, "Even if you say that, His Majesty won’t promote you out of turn just for being pragmatic."

The speaker turned and saw it was Yin Zhongwen, who'd been anxious earlier, and couldn’t help but give him a strange look.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Yin Zhongwen straightened his back. "I do fear His Majesty’s thunderous methods, but seeing how eager you all are to sign up for the examination, I realize there’s no need to worry myself sick over nothing."

"You still have to compete fiercely across the narrow bridge of the exam to even be listed as potential candidates, while I’m already on the government payroll. If I don’t seize this prime opportunity to distinguish myself and earn a promotion, I’ll soon be competing with latecomers like you!"

At this thought, Yin Zhongwen shook off his earlier fears.

What’s the worst that could happen? Another round of purges? Big deal!

Those preparing for the exam are incredibly lucky. Unlike the Jiankang officials who took the previous test, they come from throughout the empire, closer to the "imperial examinations" mentioned in the Heavenly Scroll, and more deserving of being called the first generation of the Emperor’s protégés.

Once these examinees enter officialdom, bearing such a title, they will inevitably become local exemplars, unburdened by the compromises of current officials. And when promotions and demotions come into play, who’s to say they won’t receive preferential treatment?

He must quickly prove his worth to secure his position, not wallow in fear of some purge.

"…" Several scholars nearly rolled their eyes at Yin Zhongwen’s epiphany, but with the looming exam, their priority was to hit the books.

Scheduled for the end of March and named the "Spring Imperial Exams," it was now only two months away!

Undoubtedly, this would be a standardized examination, not some open-ended composition!

Their performance would determine their fate for years—perhaps even their entire lives.

After the gathering dispersed, a scholar from Jingzhou hurried home and broke the important news to his family.

Finishing his account, he solemnly told his wife, "For the next two months, I’ll need you to run the household while I focus on my studies. Once I pass the exam, I can secure a better future for us."

But when he looked up, her gaze wasn’t on him—it was fixed on the study materials he had gathered.

Suddenly, she asked, "Earlier, you said His Majesty imposed no limitations on who could take this exam?"

Hesitantly, he replied, "None."

Whether Han, Xianbei, or Xiongnu, anyone within the Ying Dynasty’s borders could participate—so long as they hadn’t committed treason, they were qualified for government posts.

Gender was no barrier either. Given the impressive performance of female soldiers and officials in Luoyang and Jiankang, all exam papers would be graded impartially, with the best selected.

"…You said that under Emperor Yong'an’s decree, when executing rebels, no female family members were spared or enslaved—they were executed without distinction. So, in examinations and official appointments, there should likewise be no gender distinction."

"By that logic, I could take the exam too, couldn’t I? Why are you only asking me to manage the household while you aim for glory?"

Wasn’t this contrary to the Emperor’s intent?

The scholar choked on his words before blurting, "That's ridiculous! Our situations are different."

His wife scoffed. "Are you saying I can only read and write, unlike you, who wastes days lounging in academies and teahouses, composing poetry and painting? Unlike you, who’s never done a day's work, free to sit and study the classics? If so, then yes—our situations are indeed different."

"I—"

Before he could finish, she cut in, "Besides, didn’t you say passing Emperor Yong'an’s exam only requires honesty, practicality, and clear expression? If it’s that simple, I’m confident I can do it."

So why couldn’t she take it?

With female officials already setting an example, she might even outperform expectations and make the honor roll…

"…I suppose that makes sense?"

This shift wasn’t unique to Jingzhou. The Heavenly Scroll's prophecies had planted the seeds earlier, and now, with the examination’s announcement spreading, the idea exploded into popular demand.

Having lost one batch of talent but soon to gain another, Emperor Yong'an was delighted. As she strode through the winter chill into the Ministry of Revenue, a slight smile played on her lips.

Unfortunately, Minister of Revenue Liu Muzhi looked anything but amused.

He suspected the Heavenly Scroll’s claim—that he lived to his eighties despite frail health—was only because his duties were overwhelming. Otherwise, he could’ve robustly reached that age.

Confiscated lands and assets had to be carefully inventoried, leaving no room for embezzlement.

Thankfully, the Emperor’s soldiers policed each other, preventing graft.

But this alone wasn’t Liu Muzhi’s biggest headache. The real challenges lay ahead.

The Ministry of Revenue’s duties extended far beyond counting new income.

Due to the Ying Dynasty’s tumultuous founding and immediate wars, many fundamental tasks—like census and taxation, the foundation of administration—had been postponed.

Second, regardless of the upcoming exams, current officials’ salaries and the new salary grades under the Three Departments and Six Ministries system fell under his purview.

Third, as the treasury’s overseer, the Ministry of Revenue wielded immense power, intersecting with other departments and creating endless complications.

For instance, General Liu Yu’s troops still needed regular food supplies to the front lines—a task still managed by Liu Muzhi.

Or the Ministry of Works’ repairs to Jiankang’s walls and irrigation systems—all expenditures required his approval.

Emperor Wang Shen’ai, bursting with ideas, marched in and asked, "Many homes outside Jiankang are damaged and unlivable in winter. If we dispatch a team to rebuild them, how much extra funding is needed?"

"Also, Minister Huan approached me yesterday about fortifying defenses between Jingzhou and Yizhou to deter Qiao Zong’s rebels in Shu from attacking while we’re vulnerable. I’ll have him submit detailed proposals soon—have your staff review them."

"Oh, and one more thing."

Wang Shen’ai counted on her fingers earnestly. "General Sun asked whether we should still send envoys to Yizhou Island. The Heavenly Scroll suggested that introducing farming tools and a small demonstration team could win the locals’ loyalty. We should act soon, but shipbuilding and supplies mean more expenses. Still, it’s necessary—and gives Sun En and Sun Tai something to do."

"And also—"

"Your Majesty!" Liu Muzhi finally sighed heavily. "Our coffers aren’t limitless. We must prioritize—at least determine what's urgent versus important."

Thank the ancients for inventing the abacus, but even he wasn’t a perpetual machine!

Wang Shen’ai cleared her throat. "So it’s a lack of funds, not manpower?"

"Is there a difference?"

"Of course!" Her briefly subdued manner instantly revived. "If that’s the case, then you’ve miscalculated. Minister Liu—"

Liu Muzhi was taken aback when Wang Shen’ai said:

"Revenue generation is my responsibility, while yours is cost control. But this doesn't mean simply calculating what can be done based on the treasury's current funds—it means ensuring no funds are wasted along the nation's path of development! As long as we have enough manpower, every matter I mentioned earlier must be accounted for clearly."

She also returned to her earlier point, which had been interrupted.

"And one more thing—first, plan a merit-based awards ceremony. Keep the ceremony simple, but ensure those who come for the examinations get the message—"

Her words rang with conviction: "As long as one serves the country and fulfills their duty, they will receive the rewards they deserve here."