The Fallen Nation System, Turning the Tide - Chapter 90: Removal From The List

Chapter 90: Removal From The List

“The same ‘up-or-out’ regulation applies.”

Prior to the interviews, He Chongguang returned to the capital with his troops and simply combined the victory celebration with the birthday banquet of the Hall of Gathered Talents. He Chongguang, Qing Wang Xu Ge, and Yang Tong brought back the Western Rong Khatun and her son, handed over military power, and left Lu Ang in charge of the Western Rong region.

Xu Lang took the opportunity to return the token for mobilizing the Imperial Guards to Xu Ying, but she did not accept it.

Xu Ying said, “No one makes me feel more at ease than you. Rather than letting others manage it, it’s better to entrust it to family. You should keep it.”

Unable to refuse, Xu Lang temporarily agreed.

This year, a large quantity of citrus was purchased. Some was given to Winter Examination candidates and members of the Hall of Heroes, some was added to the corridor meals to cut through the richness, and a significant portion was also sent to imperial relatives in distant fiefs. Even so, there was still an excess. Everyone in the court received two or three oranges daily, resulting in a sallow complexion from overconsumption.

At the banquet, another plate of oranges was placed before each attendee. Many felt nauseous at the sight of the bright orange color and hurriedly averted their eyes.

Xu Ying enthusiastically gifted several baskets of oranges to her esteemed contributors. “These are this year’s harvest of citrusplump, juicy, and sweet. Please enjoy them. After the banquet, I will have more sent to each of your homes.”

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s generous reward. My family happens to adore citrus,” said Yang Tong, unaware of the context. An imperial gift signified favor, so he expressed profuse gratitude with polite pleasantries. However, the others cast pitying glances his way, leaving him puzzledwere the oranges poisoned?

The next moment, Xu Ying’s eyes lit up with excitement as she declared, “In that case, I’ll send you even more. But remember, waste is absolutely forbidden.”

Yang Tong thought to himself, It’s just some citrus. I can eat ten oranges a day myself. With the whole family partaking, we should easily finish them by winter’s end.

Unaware of the exact quantity implied by Xu Ying’s “some,” Yang Tong bowed in thanks. When he rose and observed the expressions of the officials, he noticed something odd about their faces.

“Is Youzhou so cold? Their faces have turned yellow from the chill…” Yang Tong murmured to himself.

After the rewards for merits were distributed, it was time to celebrate the birthdays of the scholars in the Hall of Gathered Talents. Xu Ying announced an important matter.

“As the year draws to a close, I’ve realized there are issues with the structure of the Hall of Gathered Talents. Some individuals, after gaining entry, merely enjoy the benefits without contributing, as if passing the exam were the ultimate goal, idling their time away without purpose.”

The officials nodded in agreement, while the scholars of the Hall of Gathered Talents hung their heads in shame. Upon first passing the exam, they had been filled with fervor and ambition, but as time passed and they lost sight of their goals, they grew complacent.

Xu Ying stated sternly, “The funds for constructing the palace halls came from the support of every household, from the common people. Allowing you to reside here serves two purposes: to accommodate those from impoverished backgrounds and to constantly remind you that your food, clothing, and shelter are provided by the people. If you only take without giving back, leave immediately and make room for others!”

“Effective today, all members of the Hall of Gathered Talents are granted the title of Academician, without official rank. They will hold corresponding positions from the third to ninth rank based on their proposals and leadership in practical affairs. Those already holding official positions who enter the Hall will retain their original posts but will also be subject to the ‘up-or-out’ regulation. At the year’s end, anyone who has not participated in practical affairs for three consecutive years will be stripped of their title as Academician of the Hall of Gathered Talents.”

Ordinary students like Gao Yun and Zhang Keqian, after passing the examination, needed to find their own positions and secure corresponding official posts. If they failed to be promoted within three years, they would be removedthough only from their titles as Academicians of the Hall of Gathered Talents. Their official positions would remain, and they would merely leave the Hall, no longer enjoying its benefits such as housing.

For those like Liu Xu, who already held official positions, entering the Hall of Gathered Talents merely added the title of Academician. If they were not promoted, they would be removed from the Hall’s roster.

This arrangement made it rather pointless for those already in office. After exhausting themselves to pass the examination, if they failed to secure a promotion within three years, all their efforts would be in vaina sheer waste of time.

Liu Xu grew restless. He had already been appointed as Chancellor, with no higher position to attain. Was he expected to be enfeoffed as a non-imperial clan prince or point his sword at the Emperor?

Xu Ying immediately caught Liu Xu’s gaze and explained, “The Hall of Gathered Talents is an institution linked to the Winter Examination, a place to gather talentnot a power base. If someone fails to accomplish anything beneficial for the people in three years, I would question where their talents truly lie.”

The ministers realized that Xu Ying intended to prevent high-ranking officials like Liu Xu from monopolizing positions in the Hall and blocking communication between powerless scholars and the court. Her goal was to formally integrate those scholars into the bureaucracy, rather than letting them congregate in the Hall as a “mini-court.”

Within the Hall, it was “up or out,” but outside was different. Families who invested great effort to get their children into the Hall would not stand by and watch them leave empty-handed. They would inevitably secure some external post or sinecure for them.

This ensured that truly capable individuals could shine while preventing the institution from becoming bloated with idle officials drawing salaries without contributing. The center of power remained outside the Hall, preserving its integrity as much as possible.

Thunderstruck, Liu Xu nearly choked on his fury.

Xu Ying comforted him, “Chancellor Liu, do not worry. I recall you have yet to receive an honorary first-rank titlethere is still room for advancement.”

Liu Xu’s face darkened. Those titles were typically conferred posthumouslywho could attain a first-rank position while still alive?

After Xu Ying’s announcement, members of the Hall of Gathered Talents preparing to report their achievements grew anxious. They wondered if their proposals would pass, feeling dizzy under the pressure of “up or out.”

“Your Majesty,” one scholar reported, “there are widespread violations of the regulations on taking concubines. Wealthy merchants privately keep over twenty concubines, while officials exploit loopholes, maintaining external mistresses in shocking numbers. Some only bring these women into their households as concubines after they bear children. Worse, unscrupulous men abandon them once their beauty fades. I propose strictly enforcing the rites, cracking down on such misconduct. Those who violate the rulesbe they commoners or officialsshould be warned, and if they persist, punished.”

This proposal caused even greater unease than Xu Ying’s “up or out” policy. With visits to courtesans now forbidden, officials could only socialize at friends’ homes, exchanging concubines as gifts. This bold youth’s suggestion to restrict concubine-taking threatened to strip away their last remaining diversion.

Though resentful, the ministers first glanced furtively at Xu Yingher attitude was what mattered most.

After pondering for a moment, Xu Ying declared, “This is not appropriate.”

The scholar was stunned, while the ministers’ eyes faintly gleamed with relief.

Xu Ying spoke slowly, “Restricting concubinage is ultimately not a fundamental solution. Since repeated prohibitions have failed, imposing heavy taxes would be better. Require annual tax payments for all concubines, with no concealment permitted, and conduct audits every three years. Those caught hiding concubines shall face doubled penalties. Additionally, secretly keeping mistresses outside the household will be treated as concealment and severely punished. If the offender holds public office, they shall be dismissed from their position.”

“There are also many maidservants serving as unofficial concubines,” Xu Lang reminded.

“Maidservants are maidservants. No form of disguising the true relationship is allowed. Intentionally avoiding formal concubinage to evade taxes is prohibited. Moreover, in deep courtyards where such acts can go undetected, the offense is even more severe. Local county magistrates shall be responsible for supervision. For every case discovered, one household shall be confiscated. If county magistrates fail to detect such cases but they are later uncovered by inspectors, the magistrates shall be held jointly liable. Tax-evading parasites must be strictly punished.”

The crowd gasped inwardly. Was it necessary to be so severe?

At this moment, someone adept at currying favor chimed in, “Your Majesty is wise. Virtuous families do not take concubines at all. Only those over forty without heirs might take concubines for the sake of progeny. Many divert energy from public affairs to pleasures of the flesh, which harms the state. This humble official believes that officials should be prohibited from taking concubines to focus wholeheartedly on public duties.”

Hearing his own arguments being preempted, Zhang Yu feared his position might be undermined and hurriedly said, “Well said! The Rites of Zhou established the principles of marital relations, decreeing one husband and one wife with a fixed number of concubines. Virtuous men never take concubines their entire lives. Yet now rituals have collapsedpeople violate regulations to take concubines. If this continues unchecked, won’t it become increasingly rampant, rivaling the imperial harem?”

Liu Xu retorted, “Continuing the family line is a grave matter. Concubines should be taken to expand descendants. Comparing this to the imperial harem is an exaggeration.”

“Expand descendants?” Zhang Yu glanced sideways at Liu Xu. “Expand whose family line? Commoners cannot afford concubinesthis practice thrives among the wealthy. Yet they exploit imperial favors to conceal population counts and evade taxes. Minister Liu, have you reviewed the annual tax records? How much treasury money have they swallowed? Would the Minister care to visit the Ministry of Revenue to see for himself?”

“Many impoverished commoners sell their daughters to wealthy families, while others seeking power would rather offer their daughters as concubines than marry them to commoners. Countless young men of marrying age face the prospect of having no wives. How many additional children has concubinage actually produced?”

“Sophistry!”

One side supported banning concubinage while the other fiercely attacked. Eventually, they reluctantly reached consensus on the taxation approach: following traditional rites, impose heavy taxes on those exceeding permitted numbers.

Essentially, nobles and officials could still take concubines according to regulations, while others would be taxed.

Xu Ying sighed softly, feeling rather pessimistic. The concubine system was a product of unequal human relationshipseven taxation might prove ineffective. Only with the end of feudal society could it be truly eradicated.

Hearing Xu Ying’s sigh, everyone immediately grew tense, recalling whether they had misspoken during the heated debate. Had they failed to achieve Xu Ying’s desired outcome? Was she quietly contemplating punishment?

“Speaking of tax laws, this humble official recalls another matter,” Zhang Yu proposed. “Many wealthy commoners register farmland under temple names to evade taxes through monasteries, or flee to temples to avoid conscription. This humble official believes we should impose mandatory taxation on temples.”

The court had previously attempted to tax temples, but since monasteries existed apart from secular society, collection efforts were abandoned after several failed attempts.

Liu Xu mocked, “If Vice Director Zhang is so capable, why not try going down yourself to see if you can collect the taxes?”

Gao Yun suddenly had an idea. He rose from his seat and stood firmly before speaking: “Your Majesty, this humble official has a proposal. We could impose restrictions on monastic candidatesthey must be literate to qualify for ordination. Additionally, abbots must register with local authorities and obtain proper certification. Any temple failing to comply should be deemed illegitimate and barred from public attendance.”

By raising the threshold for entering monastic life, the number of monks would decrease. Temples would gradually empty and naturally fall into disuse, though this would require coordination across multiple departments.