Emperor Chongzhen was resolute in his determination to require the disclosure of personal assets. He was well aware that implementing such a policy would face immense resistance and create a multitude of problems, yet he felt compelled to try regardless of the difficulties. Power without oversight would never benefit the people; it would only lead to unbridled corruption.
For the next half-month, every morning court session was consumed by debates over whether to mandate the disclosure of family assets. The two sides argued fiercely, working behind the scenes to recruit allies and bolster their influence. In the game of politics, the minority bows to the majority; as long as the opposition remained strong, the policy could not be enacted.
Observing the statistics gathered in private, Emperor Chongzhen felt a sense of puzzlement. He asked Qiu Yu, "Why is it that officials of the fourth rank and above are largely in favor of asset disclosure, while those below the fourth rank are overwhelmingly against it?"
Chapter 1342