Chapter 34: Winning Hearts Through Rewards

"This..." Fang Zhenghua hesitated. "Your Majesty has already promised that once the court situation stabilizes, a portion of the fabric needed by the Nine Frontier Armies will be procured from them. That is already a magnificent bestowal. Now..."

The Chongzhen Emperor waved his hand dismissively. "That is not how the accounts are settled. Trade is trade, but right now, the morale of the people in Beijing is soaring. Giving them further rewards will make them even happier, as it signifies recognition from the Imperial Court."

"If we can play this game in the future, with this precedent set, they will donate again!"

"Let’s do this: among all those who donated, randomly select fifty individuals. As long as any of them has a son who passes the *xiucai* examination, I will grant them a spot at the Imperial Academy. This quota shall not occupy the annual allocation reserved for provincial and county recommendations."

"As for Ruan Kangwen, make him an Ambassador of the Weaving and Dyeing Office, though he shall not be ranked within the official bureaucracy."

Fang Zhenghua hesitated again. "Your Majesty, if that is the case, why not grant a few more spots for *gongsheng* students? After all, one more or one less at the Imperial Academy makes little difference."

Chongzhen waved his hand. "Scarcity creates value. What is easily obtained is rarely appreciated."

"Furthermore, you are wrong about one thing: those who enter the Imperial Academy through this method will have priority over other *gongsheng*. Although I will not say it explicitly, the Ministry of Personnel will certainly prioritize them when appointing officials, for these people have mastered the art of guessing my intentions to perfection!"

"Go find Wang Tiqian and issue the decree immediately. It must be read in a public setting."

"Tell those responsible for the lottery to find a way to favor the commoners; keep the number of gentry and nobles to a minimum."

After receiving the order, Fang Zhenghua headed straight for the Directorate of Ceremonial. For such low-level bestowals, Chongzhen could issue an imperial edict directly; the Grand Secretariat and the Directorate of Ceremonial would have nothing to object to, provided it was filed for the record.

An hour later, an official from the Hanlin Academy, accompanied by two eunuchs and over a dozen Imperial Guards, arrived at the marketplace. The onlookers and those waiting in line to donate silver were struck by curiosity at the sight of this procession.

"Ruan Kangwen, young master of the Wuhu Giant Store, step forward to receive the decree!"

The Hanlin official shouted. Ruan Kangwen, who was patrolling the area, was stunned when he heard the call for him to receive an imperial decree. He froze for a moment, then immediately knelt down. The surrounding crowd followed suit.

"By the grace of the Heavens, the Emperor decrees: Upon my ascension to the throne, Shaanxi is struck by severe drought, leaving the land strewn with the dead. My heart burns with anxiety. I have dispatched grain and generals, fearing the people of Shaanxi cannot sustain themselves. Ruan Kangwen, young master of the Wuhu Giant Store, has shown concern for the realm by donating one hundred thousand taels of silver to help the people weather this crisis. I am deeply gratified. I hereby appoint him as an Ambassador of the Weaving Office. Furthermore, he is granted one quota for a *gongsheng* student at the Imperial Academy. Respect this."

Ruan Kangwen shouted in gratitude, "This humble commoner Ruan Kangwen kowtows and thanks His Majesty for his divine grace!"

He received the imperial edict, feeling overjoyed and inwardly convinced that the one hundred thousand taels were well spent.

Consider the Imperial Academy quota: while all *gongsheng* are *xiucai*, not all *xiucai* are *gongsheng*. A *gongsheng* is an outstanding *xiucai* recommended by a prefecture or county to enter the Imperial Academy. Once they graduate from the Academy, the Ministry of Personnel evaluates them and can appoint them as magistrates, assistant magistrates, or instructors, bypassing the need for further civil service examinations.

The reason the Great Ming has six hundred thousand *xiucai* is because the path to higher ranks is excruciatingly difficult. Some earn the *xiucai* degree at twenty, only to remain *xiucai* well into their fifties or sixties. The difficulty is unimaginable.

A *gongsheng* is like a sapling; if one persists and possesses even a modicum of talent, rising to the rank of prefect can open countless doors for their family descendants to enter officialdom. This is the reason behind families producing seven *jinshi* or five Hanlin scholars in a single generation.

As for the position of Ambassador of the Weaving and Dyeing Office, although it was merely a ninth-rank position and outside the formal civil service, it was still an official rank—a protective talisman. This was different from the "buying of offices" during the reigns of the Yingzong and Daizong Emperors; those were "righteous offices" or "scattered offices"—empty titles that were easily criticized, looked down upon by the bureaucracy, and mocked by the common people, leaving the holder caught between two fires.

The surrounding crowd looked on with envy.

"My good sir, would you do me the honor of having a cup of tea at my humble home?"

Bribing the bearer of an imperial decree was customary, but with so many people watching, he could not simply hand over silver. The official, understanding the situation, declined: "Master Ruan, I must return to the palace to report. We shall speak another time!"

After saying this, he glanced around and shouted, "Furthermore, His Majesty, moved by everyone's contributions to the people of Shaanxi, has decided to select fifty people from the donors. If any of your families produce a *xiucai* in the future, they may enter the Imperial Academy. The specific method for the lottery will be announced and conducted here at noon tomorrow. Please keep your donation receipts safe."

The people cheered. They never expected to be rewarded by the Emperor. Though the chances were slim and they might not have a *xiucai* in their family yet, the offer was valid indefinitely.

"Good! If I am chosen, I will sell everything I have to send my child to school."

"A few taels of silver for a spot at the Imperial Academy—this is a deal worth making."

"When I get back, I’ll burn incense at the ancestral graves. May my ancestors bless me so I am chosen tomorrow!"

...

After the imperial messengers left, several merchants who were on good terms with Ruan Kangwen gathered around.

"Master Ruan, congratulations."

"Brother Ruan, you must treat us at the Chunfeng Pavilion tonight!"

"Kangwen, you are truly lucky. If I had known His Majesty would bestow such rewards, I would have donated two hundred thousand, let alone one hundred thousand."

Ruan Kangwen smiled without answering. He alone understood the intricacies of the situation, but alas, they were not things to be spoken of to outsiders.

At the same time, in an old residence in Suizhou, Guide Prefecture, Henan, thousands of miles away, Fang Wen handed a letter to Yuan Keli.

After a moment, Yuan Keli said calmly, "You may return. Express my gratitude to His Majesty. This old subject is advanced in years and lacks the energy; I fear I shall fail His Majesty's expectations."

"It is exactly as His Majesty anticipated!"

Fang Wen chuckled, then added, "His Majesty also asked me to convey a message to you: 'Pacify the factional strife, recover Guangning!'"

As soon as the words were spoken, Yuan Keli stood up abruptly, his eyes burning as he stared at Fang Wen. Even though Fang Wen was a martial artist, he felt immense pressure under Yuan Keli's gaze.

After a long while, Yuan Keli slowly sat back down, drained his teacup, and said in a deep voice, "Fang Wen, I have a few questions for you. I hope you will answer truthfully, for this concerns my final decision."