I Can Control My Ancestors-Chapter 374 - 1: Kaihuang’s Governance, the Li Family’s Second Son
What the Emperor desires is not merely "loyalty."
"Loyalty" is just the foundation the Emperor seeks; what he truly desires is the unique power belonging exclusively to the Emperor.
This is what it means to be Emperor!
For the Gu Clan, and for his core Guanlong Group, Yang Jian will show no mercy.
Indeed, the Guanlong Group.
Even though history has changed significantly.
Yet amidst years of chaos, under the influence of the times, the Guanlong Group inevitably emerged.
Its influence remains undiminished.
During the period of the Northern and Later Han, the Guanlong Group could sway imperial power.
Now that the world is unified.
Yang Jian certainly cannot tolerate the existence of the Guanlong Group anymore.
His extraordinary foresight is evident.
Before unification, he knew he was an Emperor chosen by the Guanlong Group, even willing to share power with them.
But now—things are different.
He absolutely will not tolerate the Guanlong Group controlling the military and official positions.
The appearance of "Gu Clan entering the court" and the southerners is the best opportunity for him.
The grand reform begins with the newly rising dynasty of the Great Sui.
—Yang Jian is indeed a formidable hero.
His wisdom and means live up to this title.
The first thing he wants to fully restore is the examination system.
The world has been chaotic to this day.
Initially, various systems were not chaotic, including during the time of Liu Yu and Liu He, the examination system was the most effective way to win over people’s hearts in the Northern and Later Han.
But as time went on.
The examination system gradually developed to a point where it was just a shell.
This is also the inevitability of the chaotic times.
The aristocratic families control most of the power; those in power must make some compromises to gain their support.
The reason Yang Jian was able to rule the world so quickly.
The root cause is that the Northern and Later Han have rotted to the core.
An examination system that is merely a shadow;
The annexation by powerful families;
Disorganized bureaucratic administration;
A chaotic world with no end in sight.
The long-term chaos has naturally led to these situations.
What Yang Jian needs to do now is to re-establish all this, to let the people in the world see the determination of the court!
Of course, doing so is bound to cause internal turmoil.
But when the big picture is established.
Ultimately, none of this can affect the big picture.
Yang Jian is a very decisive person, just as when he decided to take that step, he had already made comprehensive preparations.
He first rectified the administration in all directions;
Then, in the eleventh year of Kaihuang, he officially established the examination regulations.
Not only fully inheriting the policies of the Yan Han period.
In this,
He also made a series of adjustments according to the situation, the most significant being the assessment of officials.
This is the key.
To completely resolve the current internal turmoil of the Sui Dynasty.
This is what he must do.
Besides, there is also the reform of the official system.
In fact, over the years,
As the situation in the world became more turbulent, the court formats in the Northern and Later Han had already diverged.
Yang Jian reformed again on this basis.
He decided to implement a system of five ministries and six departments.
Redistribute all power to strengthen centralization.
The five departments include the Inner History Department, Chancellery, Ministry of Personnel, Secretariat, and Imperial Secretariat.
Among them—
The Secretariat manages books and calendars; the Imperial Secretariat is an institution of court eunuchs; the Inner History Department is a decision-making body responsible for drafting edicts; the Chancellery audits edicts and has the right to dispute; the Ministry of Personnel is the highest administrative institution responsible for executing decrees.
Six departments are then established.
The six departments are the Ministry of Personnel, Finance, Ministry of Rites, Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Works.
The Ministry of Personnel is responsible for the selection and assessment of officials; Finance, previously called the Ministry of Revenue, manages finance and household registers; the Ministry of Rites deals with rituals, education, and foreign affairs; the Ministry of War controls the military; the Ministry of Justice, previously called the Judicial Department handles justice and legal affairs; the Ministry of Works manages construction and crafts.
This step not only redefines power distribution but also improves the operating efficiency of the entire court.
A clear bureaucratic system.
And it avoids too much individual power affecting the imperial authority.
In addition—of course, there is military power.
The current situation under the heavens seems to have returned somewhat to the chaotic times of the Later Han, where aristocratic families have control of military power.
What Yang Jian must do now is to reclaim all power.
He also proposed reforms to the Government Military System.
Transforming the Government Military System from "separation of military and civilian" to "integration of military and civilian," ordering all soldiers’ household registers to be incorporated into the prefectures and counties, under the same state control as civilians, severing the private ties between generals and soldiers.
Establishing twelve guardhouses, with commanders directly appointed and frequently rotated by the Emperor, preventing military nobles from long-term military command.
These successive major reforms will naturally cause chaos.
When these decrees were issued, rebellions erupted in various places.
But what of it?
The smartest aspect of Yang Jian’s actions is that he is winning people’s hearts!
Whether by welcoming back the Gu Clan or restoring the examination system, including previously reshaping currency, all these helped him win countless hearts!
This is the ultimate move!
When people eager for a stable life feel the changes from the court.
The people’s hearts become unshakable.
Facing the chaos on all sides, Yang Jian hesitates not even for a moment to act.
He magnificently displays the iron-blooded ruthlessness of an Emperor.
Regardless of the great merits achieved before, or how deep the ties with the Guanlong Group are.
If rebellion arises—it’s a dead end.
With the support of the people’s hearts, the foundation of the Great Sui cannot be shaken, rebellions on all sides are successively quelled, and forces all around are eradicated.
