Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 251 Setting Military Ranks
Hall of Martial Arts.

The discussion between Zhu Gaoxu, Emperor Qianxi of the Ming Dynasty, and the five Dukes of the Ming Dynasty on reforming the Beijing camp continues.

"Since the ministers and I have reached an agreement on the implementation of the new system and the recruitment of troops, I have another important matter to discuss with you next."

After Zhu Gaoxu said this loudly, he glanced at Kang Ping, who was standing beside him.

Kang Ping understood, and immediately bowed, walked to the imperial table, and took the stack of manuscripts handed to him by Zhu Gaoxu with both hands.

Just when Kang Ping distributed the manuscript to the five princes, Zhu Gaoxu said something.

"Before the founding of the Ming Dynasty, official ranks and official positions were mostly in parallel. Although official ranks and official positions are closely related, those with official ranks may not necessarily have official positions, and conversely, those with official positions may not necessarily have official ranks. That is to say, 'nobles are used to determine superiority and inferiority' "Officials are used to classify duties, ranks are used to describe labor, and honors are used to describe merits." Jue, official, rank, and honors cannot be confused."

There are many ways to describe official rank in historical documents, such as rank, official rank, casual official, official title, etc. The explanations are different in different dynasties.

Generally speaking, those with specific official positions are called "officials" or "officials", while those with no positions but only official ranks are called "casual officials".

Military fans of later generations will know that all active-duty officers have military ranks and actual duties.

In other words, the official rank mentioned by Zhu Gaoxu is equal to the military rank, and the specific position is the official position.

For example, an officer's military rank is colonel. He may hold the position of division commander or deputy division commander, or he may just be a regiment commander.

This is because military ranks in later generations are not linked to positions.

"However, the system of casual officials in the Ming Dynasty is different from that of the Tang, Song and before. During the reign of Emperor Taizu Gao, the system of awarding honors based on officials was established. Official honors and casual ranks no longer have the meaning of describing labor and merit. By passing the three-year examination and passing the examination, the students will be gradually promoted to the casual level, that is, they will be distinguished by initial teaching, promotion, and additional teaching."

In the Ming Dynasty, the casual rank matched the official rank, and there were two types: Wen Sanguan and Wu Sanguan.

Wensan grade is divided into nine grades, eighteen grades and 42 grades, Wusan grade is divided into six grades, twelve grades and thirty grades, Wenxun grade is divided into fifth grade and tenth grade, and Wuxun grade is divided into six grades and twelve grades.

The method of conferring casual officials is that they are first awarded or promoted to a certain grade of official. When they are in charge, they are awarded first-time casual officers. When they are qualified in the initial examination, they are promoted to casual officials. Those who have outstanding merits in the second examination are awarded additional casual officers. Those who are average in assessment. No promotion or promotion will be given to casual officials.

In addition to casual officers, the rank of civilian officials from the first to the fifth rank and the military attache from the first to the sixth rank can be awarded at the same time with reference to the casual rank after reexamination.

"Emperor Taizu used official grades to determine the rank of casual officials. It is clear and simple, and it is clear at a glance and will not cause confusion. But all officials in the world know that casual officials are still casual officials. Although it can be regarded as a supplement to the assessment system, it has nothing to do with the actual salary. It doesn’t matter.”

"In the past, those who passed the Jinshi examination were usually given a casual official position before being appointed to a specific official position, which is what the saying goes, 'entering the stream'. But in fact, it was just in name, with nothing to do, and no salary to receive."

"Since the 15th year of Yongle, imperial documents often no longer refer to an official by his rank or rank, but by his actual official position. It can be seen that rank and rank have become an honorary title and have become a respectable title. It’s a dispensable title.”

"However, as far as I know, in the officialdom, many officials compete for this false title and actually have grudges with each other, which seriously affects the atmosphere of the officialdom.

"Therefore, I plan to reform the system of honorary ranks. The manuscripts distributed to the ministers contain my ideas for reforming the casual ranks and honorary ranks."

Xu Huizu and others were reading the manuscript while listening to Zhu Gaoxu's explanation of the reasons for reforming the casual and honorary ranks.

Although there are not many words in the manuscript, only more than 2000 words.

However, the five princes did not dare to be careless, and they were all very serious when reading. Especially Xu Huizu, who read it word for word three times.

According to Zhu Gaoxu's idea, the ranks of civil and military officials will be unified and changed into medals that can be worn on the chest, and imitating the system of Qin and Han Dynasties, officers with medals will be allowed to erect two pillars on both sides of their residence gates. The one on the left is called "valve". ", the one on the right is called "Yue", collectively called Val Yue, to show merit.

No one raised any objections to this reform. After all, the original ranks were an honor that reflected meritorious service. Replacing them with wearable medals and conspicuous medals would not be a good idea—it would be easier to show off!
As for the reform of civil and military officials, the reform involved a relatively large area, so the five of them did not dare to talk nonsense for a while, and they all thought carefully about it.

The civilian official rank was renamed as official rank, and the official rank was divided into three grades and ten grades, namely provincial official, prefectural official and county official.

The official ranks of provincial officials are divided into four levels from high to low: Ronglu Doctor, Guanglu Doctor, Zishan Doctor, and Zizheng Doctor.

The official ranks of government officials are divided into three levels from high to low: Shangjia Fengqing, Zhongtong Fengqing, and Shaozheng Fengqing.

The official ranks of county officials are divided into three levels from high to low: Jiayi Shangyin, Tongyi Zhongyin, and Zhengyi Shaoyin.

At the same time, in order to encourage grassroots clerks and officials to perform their duties diligently, official titles unique to grassroots officials were specially set up, and were designated as three levels and nine grades. From high to low, they are Zan Yilang, Fengzheng Lang, and Chengwu Lang. The levels are divided into three levels, with the highest being the first level and the lowest being the third level.

Official titles are mainly awarded based on the comprehensive performance and qualifications of civil servants or staff. The better the comprehensive performance and the higher the qualifications of civil servants or staff, the higher the corresponding official title will be awarded.

Since Xu Huizu and others were military commanders, they were unwilling to comment too much on the reform of civil servants.

What's more, Zhu Gaoxu is only consulting with them now, not promulgating it.

The military attache's casual rank was renamed as military rank, and the military rank was divided into three grades and ten grades, namely, officer, school officer and lieutenant.

The rank of generals from high to low is general, hussar general, chariot general, and guard general.

The military ranks of the military officers are, from high to low, the third grade: Colonel Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel Lieutenant of the Junior Division.

The rank of lieutenant officers in descending order is Captain Yunhui, Lieutenant Zhiguo, and Second Lieutenant Peirong.

At the same time, in order to encourage grassroots soldiers to train hard and fight bravely, a military rank unique to grassroots officers, also called a soldier's rank, has been set up. It is divided into three levels and nine levels. From high to low, there are three levels: sharp warrior, warrior, and warrior. Each level is divided into three levels, with the highest being the first level and the lowest being the third level.Military ranks are mainly awarded based on the comprehensive military capabilities and qualifications of generals or soldiers. The higher the comprehensive military capabilities and qualifications of generals or soldiers, the higher the military rank they will be awarded.

Zhu Gaoxu pointed out in the manuscript that military ranks have many functions, the most important of which is to distinguish the relationship between superiors and subordinates. That is, when each other does not know each other's official positions, the one with a higher military rank is the superior, and the one with a lower military rank is the subordinate.

If the military commander in charge of an army is killed or missing during wartime, the highest-ranking officer among the remaining officers of the army should serve as the temporary commander of the army and lead other officers to continue fighting or breakout. .

Zhu Gaoxu believes that high military rank represents seniority, and most soldiers will express their submission to officers with high military rank. In the emergency situation where the general is killed or missing in battle, it is reasonable and more reasonable to determine the command power of the team based on military rank. It can unite the morale of the army.

In addition, the level of official positions that military generals can hold is related to their military ranks, but they are not determined by rank.

For example, a military attache with the rank of major division lieutenant can serve as a sentry commander, deputy sentry commander or captain.

However, under the new organization of the Beijing Camp, the official positions of military chiefs at all levels have a standard military rank.

That is to say, the military attache who holds a certain official position cannot have a military rank beyond the scope of a certain military rank. For example, a military general with the rank of General Guard cannot be allowed to serve as the commander of a camp or the commander of a sentry.

As for the basic military ranks of the military attaches in the Beijing camp, the details are as follows.

The standard military rank of a captain is Peirong Second Lieutenant, and the standard military rank of a captain is Captain Yunhui.

The basic military rank of the sentry commander is the junior division lieutenant, and the basic military rank of the camp commander is the senior military academy lieutenant.

The standard military rank of a Qu Commander is General of Guards, and the standard military rank of a Battalion Commander is General of Chariots and Cavalry.

As for the military minister who is in charge of the first army, the standard military rank is hussar general.

At the same time, Zhu Gaoxu pointed out that after the military recruitment system is implemented in the future, the higher the military rank, the longer the retirement years will be.

In addition, civil servants with official ranks and military attachés with military ranks are issued rank silver according to their rank.

Zhu Gaoxu was ready to attack the private lands of officials all over the world, so in his manuscript, he specifically established a system of silver titles on the grounds that the salaries of officials in the Ming Dynasty were relatively low.

In other words, title silver is a post allowance paid to civil and military officials in addition to salary.

However, he did not go into detail in the manuscript about how much silver each level of military rank and official rank corresponds to. He simply summarized it by saying, "In general, the silver for military attaches is one to two times that of civilians."

"Your Majesty has foresight and foresight, I really admire him very much!"

Qiu Fu stacked the two manuscripts together and put them away. He bowed and bowed, and said respectfully: "If we reform according to this plan and set military ranks, our Ming soldiers will be invincible!"

He clearly expressed his support for Zhu Gaoxu's reform ideas.

Xu Huizu and the other four people did not object after hearing Qiu Fu's words.

They are generally in favor of the reform of the military attache rank system into a military rank system.

Everyone has been in the military for a long time. After understanding the role of military ranks, they all agreed that the establishment of military ranks has extraordinary significance for all officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty.

Among the five Dukes, the founding Duke Chang Jizu and Licheng Duke Sheng Yanyi inherited the title in the middle of Yongle period, not as Duke of the Country, but as Duke of the County.

After Zhu Di and Zhu Gaoxu discussed it, they promulgated and implemented the system of downgrading to nobility and nobility examination. Therefore, after Chang Jizu and Sheng Yanyi passed the riding and archery examinations, they successfully inherited the title of county prince.

The reason why the two men were promoted from county princes to princes was that, firstly, Zhu Di deliberately cultivated them and specially took them to participate in the military expedition to the northern desert, which created opportunities for them to make meritorious deeds; secondly, their own military abilities were not bad either. After many experiences, he really showed his talent as a general.

Of course, Zhu Di deliberately made Chang Jizu, who was in his 30s, the Duke of the country in order to show the emperor's great favor and to check and balance the Mu family who guarded Yunnan.

As for Sheng Yanyi, who is 50 years old this year, he inherited his father Sheng Yong's talent in commanding troops and was highly appreciated by Zhu Di and Zhu Gaoxu.

Even Xu Huizu believed that Sheng Yanyi had made great achievements in military affairs.

"Your Majesty, I have no objection to the reform of casual and honorary ranks."

Xu Huizu put away the manuscript in his hand and expressed his approval.

"The minister has no objection."

The rest of the people echoed.

"That being the case, it is my decree that after the restructuring of the Beijing camp is completed, a military rank system will be trialled among the three armies of the Beijing camp."

Zhu Gaoxu said in a deep voice.

"The ministers obey the order."

Xu Huizu and others said in unison.

(End of this chapter)