Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 120 The civil servant Ding worries about time
The advice of the ministers did not change Zhu Youjian's mind.

He was very determined to reform the Dingyou system. Zhu Youjian knew that it would be impossible to adapt to the increasingly rapid changes in the industrial society by staying in mourning for three years. There are even many people in later generations who cannot even spare time for funerals and need to think carefully.

So he said to the ministers:

"What principle does the emperor mourn for twenty-seven days?"

Lai Zongdao, the Minister of Rites, said:

"This is the imperial edict left by Emperor Wen of the former Han Dynasty, and it has been followed by all dynasties."

"Initially, if the mourning period was nine months, it was changed to fifteen days; if the mourning period was five months, it was changed to fourteen days; if the mourning period was three months, it was changed to seven days; a total of thirty-six days."

"Later, it was determined that the day would be changed to the month, and twenty-seven days would be designated as the twenty-seventh day."

Zhu Youjian continued:
"Are Emperor Wen of Han and the emperors after him unfilial?"

"Is observing the rule for twenty-seven days consistent with filial piety?"

These words were too destructive. Of course, the ministers did not dare to say that so many emperors were unfilial. Laizong said:

"The emperor changed the sun to the moon. The twenty-seventh day is the twenty-seventh month. It is certainly not unfilial."

Zhu Youjian said:
"In this case, in the name of the Emperor, I authorize my subjects to exchange the sun for the moon. What do you think?"

The ministers did not expect this, nor did they expect that the emperor would transfer his authority as the emperor downwards. They were both excited and felt the emperor's firmness in their hearts -

Even this privilege of the emperor was authorized to his subjects. It can be seen that the Dingyou system of civil servants must be changed in the emperor's opinion.

Many ministers were actually unwilling to mourn for three years, and they were secretly happy about this. Some people thought it was inappropriate and believed that the emperor should not transfer authority downwards. Yuan Keli said:

"Your Majesty, a country cannot live without a king for a day."

"The emperor exchanges the sun for the moon, which is necessary for national affairs."

"How can a minister compare to the emperor? Your Majesty, please take back this order."

Zhu Youjian was very insistent and said:
"Of course the ministers are not as good as the emperor."

"But the ministers who are in charge of the war at the front are also indispensable."

"Like Zhu Xieyuan, the She'an Rebellion was about to be put down, but things changed because of his resignation."

"As a result, the imperial court has spent millions more on food and money. We don't know how long the battle will last for hundreds of thousands of people, and we don't know how many people will die."

"Therefore, the people who died and the extra money and food consumed will fall on many Ming people."

"Do you think Zhu Xieyuan deserves Ding You?"

Of course, Ding You should not be worried, otherwise the ministers would not agree to seize Zhu Xieyuan's love. Yuan Keli said:
"Such a minister is important, and His Majesty can steal his affection."

"What's more, Your Majesty has appointed an admiral. Even if Governor Ding You leaves office, there will still be an admiral to act."

Zhu Youjian shook his head slightly and said:
"If it were easy to win love, there wouldn't be such a big controversy."

"Zhu Tongmeng's affair is still being impeached by ministers."

"But he has the important responsibility of governor of Yansui. There is already civil unrest in that place. How can he leave his post suddenly?"

"It's not what I want to make a big fuss every time because of the affair of stealing love."

Denying the matter of robbing love, Zhu Youjian said:
"As for the establishment of an admiral, it is just for remedy."

"How can the admiral handle affairs exactly the same as the governor?"

"What's more, shouldn't we take a warning from Zhu Xieyuan and Fu Zonglong's incident with Ding You?"

"If the Governor and the Admiral are worried at the same time, who should replace them?"

"There are also governors with military responsibilities in various places. Are they all worthy of admirals just to prevent them from suddenly worrying?" Yuan Keli was speechless about this. He also felt that the Ming Dynasty was really unlucky. Two people who were capable of solving the She'an Rebellion Ministers were worried one after another, and the court was undecided about the election of successors. As a result, She Chongming and An Bangyan had to fight for several more years to regain their strength.

As a minister who was promoted from the local government to the imperial court, Yuan Keli was not a person who was incapable of adapting to changes, otherwise he would not have agreed to seize the love of Zhu Xieyuan and Fu Zonglong. There was no further objection to the emperor's words.

Moreover, Zhu Youjian's next words almost made him jump, knowing that the change of Ding You's system was inevitable:
"I am also worried that if Ding You's three-year system is continued in the future, there will be traitors who see an opportunity and secretly murder the parents of the minister who is in charge of the war, forcing Ding You to resign."

"In this case, the parents of the minister who is in charge of the war will be in danger."

"Is it consistent with filial piety to put parents in such danger?"

"Generals don't need Ding You, that's why."

"For ministers who have the responsibility of leading troops, their parents are just as dangerous, so their Dingyou should be the same as those of military generals."

This malicious conspiracy theory made many ministers shudder.

Some people even thought about the sudden worries of certain ministers and speculated whether their parents had been murdered.

For a time, those who wanted to object did not dare to speak out. They were worried that if they insisted on Ding You's words, they would be scolded by the emperor for putting their parents in danger.

In this tangled mentality, the Ministry of Civil Affairs Shang Shufang magnificently stood up to smooth things over and said:

"Book of Rites" Zi Xia asked: After three years of mourning, the deceased cried, and there was no solution to the Jin Revolution. How can I respond with rites?

"Kong Yingda Shu: When a person is bereaved by his parents, and after they cry, when the state is engaged in the Jin revolution and war, the emperor and his envoys will do it, and no one dares to say anything."

"Your Majesty said the same thing!"

"A minister who has the responsibility of leading troops really shouldn't be worried."

"As long as His Majesty has your will, they should continue to fight and cannot refuse."

The ministers all agreed and tacitly agreed not to talk about other civil servants, nor did they say that civil servants should not be equated with generals. Instead, they quoted this article in the "Book of Rites" and believed that ministers who have the responsibility of leading troops should not do so as long as the emperor issues a decree. Ding You.

However, they still opposed the emperor's proposal to authorize his subjects to exchange the sun for the moon. It is generally believed that the authority of the emperor should not be transferred downwards. In their view, this was against common principles. The emperor used the sun to change the moon's privileges, and his ministers could not covet them.

In fact, Zhu Youjian did not want to transfer the emperor's privileges down, and even thought of using Ding You's incident to manipulate his ministers in order to drive back some undesirable ministers. However, in order to ensure that the civil servant Ding You, who had the responsibility of leading the army, changed the system, he could only express his views in the most intense manner.

Now after the ministers approved this point, he did not insist on it and expressed his final thoughts:

"I think that my ministers can follow the old practice of Qin Tianjian officials and go to mourning for three months instead of three years, which is called changing the year with months."

"The emperor changes the sun to the moon, and the ministers change the month to the year. These are all contingency changes."

"If any ministers with important positions apply in the future, I will specially grant the title of Qin Tianjian."

"The people are left to their own devices and allowed to change the year by month. As long as they observe the system for more than three months, they cannot be accused of being unfilial."

When this system was decided, the ministers were speechless, but most of them agreed.

The twenty-seventh day is too short. In this era of inconvenient transportation, there is not even enough time to travel. If the ministers agreed to this, they would probably be accused of being unfilial. Everyone present will be criticized.

But three months is a relatively long time, enough to rush back and forth to most places to show your filial piety——

Many ministers actually did not want to observe the three-year mourning period, but they had to show filial piety due to material considerations. They were actually secretly happy with what the emperor had done.

With the emperor's special decree and the old rules of Qin Tianjian officials, even if outsiders criticize, their voices will not be loud. The emperor has already said that he will give a special title to Qin Tianjian, the official attending the funeral. Who can object to Qin Tianjian's old custom of attending funerals?

Zhu Youjian incorporated Qin Tianjian into the inner court, and it showed its effect at this time. Through the title of Qin Tianjian, he mastered the time of civil servant Ding You——

In the future, as long as there are civil servants who want to shorten Ding You's time, they can only seek refuge with the emperor in order to obtain special orders, and Ding You can change years with months.

　"History of the Ming Dynasty": Wei Qintian's supervisor returned to his post in March after attending the funeral.

　　"Da Ming Huidian": Fanqin Tianjian. In the nineteenth year of Hongwu, the order was not followed. Later, he was allowed to attend the funeral for three months.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)