Son of the Most High: you ask me what constitutes a good and effective ruler? The answer is simple: a ruler who is virtuous, trustworthy, and strong. One who commits to the five constant relationships and benevolence will be moral and effective. Confucius speaks of the efficacy of a ruler when “Duke Ai asked, ‘What must I do before the common people will look up to me?’ Confucius answered, ‘Raise the straight and set them over the crooked and the common people will look up to you. Raise the crooked and set them over the straight and the common people will not look up to you’” (Book II.19). What Confucius means is that a ruler must provide the means to correct any wrongs, thus creating a deep-rooted trust. If a ruler were to ignore natural and human wrongs, or even promote them, his subjects would ignore his rule in turn. Trust between a ruler and his subjects is the first of three essentials that produce a strong ruler. A ruler can lose adequate troops to protect his subjects, but still be strong. Adequate food can also be removed from a ruler’s subjects; however, with trust in the ruler to provide necessities regardless of a flux in provisions, the ruler will remain strong. You, Illustrious One, have provided for your people and have met the first requirements.

Confucius further characterizes a virtuous, strong ruler when “Chi K’ang Tzu asked, ‘How can one inculcate in the common people the virtue of reverence, of doing their best and of enthusiasm?’ The Master said, ‘Rule over them with dignity and they will be reverent; treat them with kindness and they will do their best; raise the good and instruct those who are backward and they will be imbued with enthusiasm’” (Book II.20). In his answer, Confucius means that subjects can be virtuous only by virtuous example. “Raise[ing] the good” entails the ruler providing in a similar capacity to “raise[ing] the straight.” If the ruler cultivates himself, leading a life of virtue and decorum, then the subjects will have trust and be loyal. Rather than reaching for material gain, the ruler must adhere to benevolent actions and reach for what is right.

Kindness, which is integral to humanity and benevolence, indicates a good ruler. However, Confucius is not promoting a lax policy. In “treat[ing] them [his subjects] with kindness,” Confucius means that those who follow in their benevolent ruler’s example should be rewarded. Those who violate policy should receive punishment appropriate for their disobedience. A ruler who rewards and punishes appropriately will be effective. Looking at the First Grand Secretary’s example during your early years as emperor, Zhang Juzheng imposed a strict policy. Regardless of the reasons for his resignation, his advice to you, Worthy Emperor, proved effective. However, because he did not possess the Mandate, he was incapable of fully understanding the balance necessary to gain the thread of trust connecting the ruler to his subjects; therefore, he was not favorable as you are. Our current First Grand Secretary has shown a better grasp for the balance in effective praise, punishment, and policy. Appropriately praising and punishing your subjects is simply the yin and yang of being a good, effective ruler.

Illustrious One, I am honored to be charged with defining the constitution of a good, effective ruler. You exemplify qualities such as benevolence, trustworthiness, and virtuosity. Your subjects are loyal due to your benevolence. Not only do you have these qualities, you venerate your ancestors and practice in the honored state functions. Since fully overseeing the rule of your Middle Kingdom, floods and earthquakes have not been as severe as the past; the borders have been more solid. We always will have problems; they are simply part of the balance. Again, the problems we are facing are not as severe as they have been in the past. Thus far, you are a good, effective ruler.