In the study, Mr. Xiao was playing chess with Zhao Yao while chatting with Zhao Yao.
The two of them analyzed the situation in the DPRK very thoroughly through small talk.
Two of them, one taught in the Wende Hall and the other studied in the Wende Hall, had never been to court, but they both saw the situation in the court clearly. And he can see it more clearly than many ministers in the DPRK.
Speaking of the ministers in the court, Mr. Xiao's face suddenly became solemn. He sighed faintly: "Sigh... Nowadays, the ministers in the court basically come from aristocratic families or official families, and rarely come from poor families. It is still too difficult for students from poor families to get ahead."
"It's much better now than before. At least there are more ministers from poor families in the court." Zhao Yao sat on his knees for a while, his legs were numb, and now he sat cross-legged. If he wasn't facing Mr. Xiao, he would have liked to pick his toes. "In the previous dynasty, the ministers who served in the early dynasty were basically from aristocratic families. It can be said that aristocratic families controlled the court." In this regard, Zhao Yao is very much like Emperor Wu of Zhou.
"When the emperor founded the Great Zhou Dynasty, he specially invited the fourth brother's grandfather to establish the Imperial Academy and recruit students from poor families in order to train officials for the court. Now the Imperial Academy has trained some ministers from poor families for the imperial court, although most of them have not yet If you hold an important position in the court, you will definitely hold an important position in the court in the future. At that time, they will recommend students from poor families to join the court as officials. If this continues, there will be more and more ministers from poor families in the court."
"This is very good, but in the end it treats the symptoms rather than the root cause." Mr. Xiao said with a slight frown, "It is impossible for a noble family to allow more and more ministers from poor families, nor will they allow ministers from poor families to hold important positions in the court and rob them of their Power.”
"This is not something that aristocratic families don't think about." Zhao Yao threw the chess piece into the air and reached out to catch it. "My father will never allow aristocratic families to prevent students from poor families from entering the court and serving as officials."
"In the capital, the emperor can prevent aristocratic families from interfering in the selection of officials, but this is not necessarily the case in the local area." Mr. Xiao sighed, "The place is far away from the capital, and the mountains are high and the emperor is far away. The selection of local officials is not the final say. "
"I heard that in some places, officials are sold at clearly marked prices. Of course, the officials sold are not high-ranking officials, but minor officials."
The court still has the final say for local officials, such as prefects.
The prefect is qualified to recommend officials and to select some officials to serve under him. The officials under him did not have high official positions, and most of them were prefects who had the final say.
Although the officials under the prefect have the final say, they must also be evaluated. However, many places do not require assessment.
On the surface, the prefect did not dare to sell his official position, but privately he still did so.
If nothing else, let’s just say that there are wealthy businessmen everywhere. Although these wealthy businessmen are rich, their status is very low. These wealthy businessmen do not want to stay low and remain small. They also want to be high-ranking officials, but their status makes it impossible for them to become officials in the court.
However, they don't want to stay like this. They themselves can be humble all the time, but their descendants cannot.
Rich businessmen have a lot of money and are also very ambitious. They not only want money, but also power, preferably to develop their family into a noble family.
A wealthy businessman who doesn't want to be a wealthy businessman is not a smart businessman.
Wealthy businessmen knew that they could not go to the capital to serve as officials, but they could serve as officials locally. Even being a small local official would be good. Therefore, wealthy businessmen in many places secretly buy officials.
The imperial court prohibited the buying and selling of official positions, but many places secretly sold their positions because the mountains were high and the emperor was far away.
"This situation has been repeated repeatedly." Mr. Xiao said with a serious expression, "Since ancient times, the methods for selecting officials have not been very good, even the previous Yuedan Review."
Zhao Yao asked: "Sir, what do you think is the best way to select officials?"
Mr. Xiao shook his head: "I don't know. If I could think of a better system for selecting officials, I would have told the emperor long ago." At this point, Mr. Xiao sighed with a distressed look on his face, "I just want more officials to be selected." Students from poor families have the opportunity to join the court as officials, display their ambitions, serve the court, and pray for the people."
"Actually, there is a way to allow more students from poor families to become officials in the court, and at the same time, we can select outstanding students from the many students from poor families."
When Mr. Xiao heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up and he asked eagerly: "What can I do?"
Zhao Yao was just about to speak, but suddenly thought of something and stopped immediately.
When Mr. Xiao saw Zhao Yao suddenly pursed his lips and stopped talking, he asked with surprise and concern: "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
"Sir, it's not time to tell my plan yet." Zhao Yao smiled apologetically at Mr. Xiao, "If I tell him, you will tell my father excitedly, and my father will definitely agree. At that time, it will cause an uproar in Dazhou."
Mr. Xiao was shocked and said: "A huge uproar?"
"More than that." Zhao Yao thought for a while and said, "My method has never been seen before. It will not only cause a huge sensation, but also create history and leave a rich mark in history."
He added, "It's no exaggeration when I say that approach will make my name go down in history."
Hearing what Zhao Yao said, Mr. Xiao had a look of extreme shock on his face. He became more and more curious and asked impatiently: "Your Highness, what is the solution?"
Zhao Yao shook his head and said, "We can't say it yet."
"Your Highness, if it is really as you said, you should not hide it."
"Sir, once I tell you this method, I will be exposed in front of everyone." Zhao Yao also wanted to propose to Emperor Wu of Zhou to hold an imperial examination, but he was still young and could not say it. "At that time, students all over the world will be grateful to me. I, the tenth prince, will become their benefactor. My status in the hearts of literati students all over the world will become very high, and my reputation in the court and among the people will be very high." It’s also going to get really high.”
"This is a good thing for me, but it will also bring danger to me. Maybe I won't be able to survive to adulthood safely." Zhao Yao's face was very serious, "Sir, I am a selfish person. Now I just want to live well and grow up safely and smoothly. When I grow up and become a queen, I will go to the fiefdom. When I get my own fiefdom, I will use this method to select talents and officials."
Mr. Xiao understands Zhao Yao's situation. After hearing his words, Mr. Xiao's heart was filled with pity.
"It seems that the method you mentioned is very good, Your Highness."
"Well, it's very good. Not only can it select talents and officials well, but it can also break the control of aristocratic families on officialdom." Zhao Yao said with a smile, "The most important thing is that it can make noble sons come from poor families, so that there are scholars all over the world. The opportunity to serve as an official also brings new hope to scholars all over the world."
The more Mr. Xiao heard what Zhao Yao said, the more curious he became.
"Your Highness, I'm really curious about what you mean."
"Sir, I can't tell you now." Zhao Yao smiled apologetically, "I can only implement this method after I go to the fiefdom."
Mr. Xiao wanted to know right away, but according to Zhao Yao, he would have to wait for more than ten years. He couldn't wait that long.
"Sir, this is a great kindness. I will not tell others and let others do it." Zhao Yao is not yet so generous. "Sir, you can only wait until I grow up to join the fiefdom."
Mr. Xiao understands and understands Zhao Yao’s concerns. He raised the corner of his mouth and smiled bitterly: "Your Highness, you might as well not tell me. Now you tell me that there is such a good way, but you can't tell me the specifics. This will keep me curious."
"If I were the prince's brother, or the fourth brother, I would immediately suggest it to my father." Zhao Yao shrugged to Mr. Xiao, "It's a pity that I am an unpopular prince and a powerless prince. If I tell anyone about my method, I may lose my life."
"Your Highness, I understand everything you said." Mr. Xiao said, "I'll wait." He could only wait.
"Sir, I won't let you wait in vain. You will be surprised when the time comes." When he went to his fiefdom, he not only had to hold the imperial examination, but also reorganize the official positions and move out the six parts of Zhao Yao's history in his dream. use.
He feels that current official positions are complicated and numerous, making it difficult to remember. He thought the six official positions in Zhao Yao's history were quite good in his dream. They were much simpler and easier to remember than they were now.
"Your Highness said so, so why not wait ten years." Mr. Xiao said this, but in fact he still wanted to know right away.
"Sir, you still want to know right away?"
"That's right, but you didn't say it, Your Highness." Mr. Xiao was very curious, "Your Highness, the method you mentioned must be revealed while the Emperor is still there. Once the Emperor is gone, your method will still be used." Danger."
"This is natural." Zhao Yao said, "When I grow up, my father will still be in his prime and he will not be gone."
Mr. Xiao nodded, and immediately stared at Zhao Yao with burning eyes: "Your Highness, what can you tell me?" He always felt that His Highness still had many things that he had not told him.
"Actually, I have a lot of ideas regarding government affairs. These ideas are all good, but I can't express them at this time." Zhao Yao also wanted to bring out some things from Zhao Yao's world in his dream, and then benefit the world. The people of Zhou Dynasty, but he does not have the ability to bear the consequences of making these things now. "When I become the king and go to my own fiefdom, I will implement these ideas one by one."
"Are there not one or two people who can tell me?" Mr. Xiao felt heartbroken and scratched his lungs.
"Let me think about it." Zhao Yao pinched his chin, thought carefully for a while and said, "There are one or two who can tell."
Mr. Xiao asked with bright eyes: "What? Your Highness, please tell me quickly."
"I can improve farming tools, improve weapons, improve textile machines, and many other things..." Zhao Yao said this, realizing that these things cannot be obtained casually, "It seems that they cannot be obtained at this time."
Mr. Xiao was shocked: "Your Highness, can you improve farming tools?"
"Sir, I have made stirrups before." Zhao Yao said with a proud look on his face, "It's not difficult to improve farming tools and textile machines."
"Your Highness, I didn't expect you to be good at Mohism." Mr. Xiao sighed, "The stirrups you made before are really good things."
Zhao Yao raised his chin and said, "I know a lot of things, but now is not the time to figure them out."
"This is such a pity." I didn't expect His Highness to be proficient in the Mo family. "Your Highness, what else are you proficient in?"
"I know a lot of things, sir, you will know in the future." Zhao Yao deliberately let it slip, "By the way, I have been thinking about something recently."
"what?"
"I feel that the current paper is not very good. I want to improve the paper to make it more usable and cheaper."
Mr. Xiao was shocked: "Your Highness, can you still make paper?"
"I know a little bit. I think paper is a bit expensive now, so books are also expensive." Zhao Yao said seriously, "If books are expensive, people can't afford books, and they can't afford to read. In this way, they can learn No knowledge.”
Mr. Xiao felt that Zhao Yao was right, nodded in agreement and said: "Books are indeed expensive, but they are much cheaper than before."
"In the past, books were expensive because the words were engraved on bamboo slips. Nowadays, books are made of paper, but they are still copied, which is not only slow, but also wasteful of manpower." Zhao Yao looked thoughtful. Si Di said, "I'm thinking about developing printing technology so that books can be printed without people copying them word by word."
"Printing, what is this?" This was the first time Mr. Xiao heard the word "printing".
"Just print the words on the book, and then no one will need to copy them." Movable type printing seemed not difficult to come up with, so he tried to do it this time.
"It would be great if it could really be printed." Although Zhao Yao said it simply, Mr. Xiao could tell that this printing technology was an amazing thing.
"If there is printing, books will become cheaper, and many people will be able to afford books." By the way, the fourth brother said before that he would take him to see how to make paper, but the fourth brother forgot. He will have to remind his fourth brother tomorrow.
"If, Your Highness, you can really develop this printing technology, students all over the world will be grateful."
"Sir, you and I have discussed before that the aristocratic family and the Li family, as well as the Kong family, all have their own collections of books, and they have a lot of books that they don't pass on. The Li family even created the Li family character for this. Sir, do you know the Li family character? ?"
"I don't know. Only the Li family can learn the Li family calligraphy. I am not a Li family."
"I think this is wrong, but you and Fourth Brother both said it has been like this since ancient times, so I have an idea."
Mr. Xiao asked: "What do you think?"
"Actually, the reason why I collect all kinds of books now is not only to bring fiefs to the students in the future, but also to build a library."
"Library?" Mr. Xiao heard this word for the first time and didn't know what it meant.
"It's a place where books are stored. It's actually the same as a bookstore." Zhao Yao said with a smile. "The bookstore sells books, but the library does not. It is open to everyone for free, so everyone can come to the library to borrow books, or directly Reading in the library.”
Mr. Xiao previously learned from Zhao Yao what "free" means. After hearing Zhao Yaojian's idea of a free library, he was shocked.
"Your Highness, you..."
"This way there will be a special place where people can read books for free." Zhao Yao suddenly clenched his right fist and said with enthusiasm, "I want to build a very large library that collects all kinds of books. This way everyone can read whatever books they want.”
"Your Highness, your idea is so great!" Your Highness is only six years old, but his thoughts are more enlightened than many people, even great scholars. His Highness is truly selfless in spreading knowledge.
"I think books must be passed down from generation to generation, otherwise many books will be lost and future generations will not be able to see them. This is a pity." Whether it is an ordinary book or an isolated copy, it is best to pass it on. If lost, the book loses its original value.
Mr. Xiao suddenly stood up, bowed his hands and gave a very solemn salute to Zhao Yao.
"Your Highness, I thank you on behalf of all the students in the world." If everyone can be like Your Highness, then books and knowledge can be passed down from generation to generation.
Zhao Yao was frightened by Mr. Xiao's salute. He quickly stood up and helped Mr. Xiao up.
"Sir, it's too early for you to thank me now. After all, I haven't done anything yet."
"Your Highness, you have such an idea, which is enough to make all the students in the world grateful." There are few people in this world who selflessly spread knowledge like His Highness.
"When I really build the library, sir, you won't be in a hurry to thank me." Zhao Yao said with a smile, "Before I go to the fiefdom, I need to collect more books."
"Your Highness, I will also help you collect books."
"During this period, I will develop the art of printing."
"Your Highness, you must let me see it after you have done it."
"It's natural."
At this time, in Xiang He's mansion.
He Xiang was chatting with Zheng Xilin's three sons.
Just this afternoon, Zheng Xilin's three sons arrived in the capital.
Zheng Xilin's eldest son is named Zheng Rang, who is 18 years old this year. He looks a lot like his father.
The second son's name is Zheng Cheng, who is sixteen years old this year. He looks like their mother, not much like Zheng Xilin.
The youngest son's name is Zheng Qian, he is twelve years old this year. He is very delicate and fair-skinned, making him look like a little girl.
Zheng Rang has loved reading since he was a child. Although he has not reached the level of academic richness, he is full of talents. He received some of the true inheritance from his father, and he was good at making decisions and winning over thousands of miles.
Zheng Cheng has been fond of the Mo family's mechanism skills since he was a child, and he has liked making all kinds of strange things since he was a child.
Zheng Qian is smarter than his two brothers, and even smarter than his father Zheng Xilin, and he is also good at divination. However, because he is too smart, he is very arrogant and thinks that everyone in the world is stupid.
His thoughts, words and deeds are different from ordinary people, and he often says or does some unexpected things.
Zheng Xilin felt that his youngest son was born rebellious, and if he was not taken care of properly, sooner or later he would bring disaster to the country and the people. In order to let his younger son know that there are people outside the world, he specially asked his eldest son and his second son to bring his younger son to the capital.
After an afternoon of contact and interaction, He Xiang had figured out the abilities and temperaments of Zheng Xilin's three sons, and it was exactly what Zheng Xilin said.
He Xiang asked them to rest for two days. After a few days, he will take them to meet some people.
Zheng Qian expressionlessly rejected He Xiang's kindness: "Uncle, I don't need your arrangement."
Seeing what his younger brother said so directly and rudely, Zheng Rang glared at Zheng Qian and shouted warningly: "Xiao Qian!"
He Xiang had already figured out Zheng Qian's temperament and didn't care about his rude tone.
"Xiao Qian, what do you want to do?"
"I made a fortune for myself before coming to the capital. I will meet my lord in the capital." Zheng Qian originally did not want to follow his two brothers to the capital. He felt that the people in the capital were also stupid, but when He calculated that he would meet his lord in the capital, so he changed his mind and followed his two brothers to the capital.
He was looking forward to his future lord.
"Sneeze!" Zhao Yao sneezed unexpectedly.
I was stuck in a traffic jam when I went back to my hometown today. I was stuck in traffic until about 6pm in the afternoon. It usually takes three or four hours to get there, but today it took two or three times as long to get home. I am really speechless.
Only one chapter can be updated today, and normal updates will resume tomorrow, with one update at noon and one update in the evening.
It’s the last two days of the month, keep asking for monthly votes!
(End of chapter)
