Qianqing Palace, Imperial Study Room.
Zhu Gaoxu summoned the ministers of the court.
Chen Ji's death hit him hard, especially the old gentleman's last instructions.
Why did the imperial courts of all dynasties have to test the Four Books and Five Classics, and why did they only test the Four Books and Five Classics?
Zhu Gaoxu could not understand it at first, and even scorned it, so he decisively ordered Xie Jin, the Minister of Academic Affairs, to start the reform.
But after listening to Chen Ji's words, he finally realized it and almost broke into a cold sweat.
In fact, it is easy to understand. There have been so many talented officials and countless talented ministers in the past dynasties. Couldn't they see the shortcomings of this scientific examination?
But even so, this malady has persisted for so long, so there is a reason for its existence.
It’s not that the imperial court didn’t want to take practical exams and policy theory exams, or that it didn’t want to screen out truly talented officials, not some nerds who only know how to study the Four Books and Five Classics!
But the problem is that this is simply impossible, or it violates the fairness of the imperial examination!
How to take practical exams and how to formulate policy questions are all issues facing us.
This is simply bad news for those poor children!
They have no extra money to buy other books, and can only buy some of the most widely circulated and cheapest Four Books and Five Classics.
They don't have any help to understand the general trend of the world and the political situation of the court!
In this era of poor information, poor children can only study hard at home with the cheapest and most popular facts. This is also their confidence to take the scientific examination, and this is their only chance to change their own destiny!
And which books are the cheapest and most common?
There are only the Four Books and the Five Classics, and they can only be the Four Books and the Five Classics!
Once he, Zhu Gaoxu, directly changes this content, the poor children in the world will never be able to get ahead again!
The entire Ming Dynasty will become a hunting ground for the gentry!
They have plenty of money to buy those new books!
They have many connections to gain insight into the political situation in the court and the general trend of the world!
It turned out that Zhu Gaoxu was really wrong, and he was so wrong!
With these thoughts in mind, Zhu Gaoxu looked at all the important officials in the court.
"Okay, let's talk about it. What should we do about the imperial examination...?"
Zhu Gaoxu sighed and took the initiative to drink it softly.
"I didn't think well before, so something went wrong."
"Nowadays, official schools and academies everywhere are teaching and explaining new learning. After so many years, the content of the scientific examination has always been mainly based on the Four Books and Five Classics, which is indeed not appropriate."
When the officials heard this, they were immediately shocked.
what's the situation?
Is His Majesty the Emperor taking the initiative to admit his mistake?
Jian Yi and Xia Yuanji looked at each other, and both could see the joy in each other's eyes.
It’s not easy!
The two of them took the risk of being severely punished by His Majesty the Emperor and asked Mr. Chen Ji for help, and finally persuaded His Majesty the Emperor to come back.
"I have only one request: find a way to change this situation. The Four Books and Five Classics cannot be the main content of the scientific examination!"
Zhu Gaoxu spoke in a deep voice, directly stating his purpose.
The Four Books and Five Classics, the sage words of the sages, are indeed the foundation of Chinese culture and are worthy of studying and remembering by students all over the world.
But the imperial examination is the imperial court's talent promotion ceremony. It is specially used to select talented officials for the imperial court, not just groups of nerds!
"You must also know that most of the new scholars selected by the imperial examination in the past are nerds who are not knowledgeable in practical matters."
"To put it nicely, they are called reserve officials, but to put it harshly, they are nerds who have become stupid in reading. The outstanding first-, second-, and second-grade Jinshi are directly allowed to enter the Hanlin Academy or the Seventh Department to study politics. Three years, and then they really start to serve as officials, but those who are at the bottom of the second class and the third class are also Jinshi, and they are directly transferred to a county to be the chief official of a county. This is extremely irresponsible to the people of the world!"
Zhu Gaoxu took a sip of tea and said in a deep voice: "These officials just quote scriptures when they open their mouths. They have no experience in managing government affairs and no practical knowledge reserves. When faced with the problems of the prefectures, counties and counties, they suddenly become mute. I’m speechless and can’t even come up with the most basic solution!”
"Coupled with the fact that the local gentry is powerful and powerful, these new county magistrates either choose to join in the tyranny of the gentry, or are emptied of their power by the powerful gentry, or even have to be humiliated at the hands of subordinate officials. Isn't this the biggest problem in the dynasty? Sad?"
Speaking of which, Zhu Gaoxu also had a reason for this matter.
When he was supervising the country's governance, he felt deeply that these new scholars were all nerds, so he kicked them all out of the capital and sent them to local county offices as officials.
The results prove that the ideal is full and the reality is very skinny!
Except for a few outstanding talents, such as Yu Qian, Chen Xun, Chen Ding and others, the rest of the new scholars have completely disgraced the court!
Either they were fooled around by the subordinate officials in the yamen, or they were deprived of their power by the powerful gentry and reduced to a mascot. Some people even directly collaborated with the local gentry and plundered the people's wealth together.
All in all, the effect of Zhu Gaoxu's attempt was very bad, even extremely bad!
After that, the imperial court restored the previous system. The first-class Jinshi entered the Hanlin Academy, the second-class Jinshi entered the Seventh Ministry and Hundreds of Secretaries to observe government, and the third-class Jinshi at the end of the crane were sent to other places to serve as officials.
When the ministers heard this, they all lowered their heads.
What do they not understand about what His Majesty the Emperor just said?
After all, many of them had climbed up from the grassroots step by step!
But the problem is, even if we know that there are shortcomings in the imperial examination, what can we do?
Is it possible that, as His Majesty thought before, it is enough to replace the content of the main examination with the Four Books and Five Classics?
The problem does exist, but it cannot be changed!
Because once the Four Books and Five Classics were changed, the people who really benefited were the gentry, while the people who suffered were the poor people!
Xie Jin naturally understands this truth.
After thinking for a long time, he came up with two plans.
"Your Majesty, you cannot act rashly on the Four Books and Five Classics right now!"
Xie Jin said in a deep voice: "As for the fact that the new Jinshi is not knowledgeable in practical matters, other measures can be taken to make up for it."
"For example, new scholars can go through a practical assessment through the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Only those who pass the assessment can directly serve as officials. Those who fail the assessment will be demoted to the assistant and second officers of the prefecture and county offices, following the previous prefecture and county magistrate to learn. The ability to handle government affairs and accumulation of practical experience can be used to take over the official position after the expiration of the term."
"At the same time, the imperial court should increase financial support for education, publish new textbooks, and set up free academies to ensure that children from poorer families have books to study and attend. When these free schools are built in all state capitals around the world, schools If Lin Xiangxu is full of people, we will change the content of the scientific examination at that time!"
There is no doubt that this is the most appropriate approach at the moment.
First run free schools, thoroughly disseminate new knowledge, and ensure that even poor children can learn this knowledge, and then reform the content of the imperial examination!
Zhu Gaoxu thought for a long time after hearing this, and finally nodded.
"Okay, let's do it like this, Xia Yuanji is ready to pay!"
"No matter how poor we are, we cannot afford education, and no matter how hard it is, our children cannot suffer. This education allocation is earmarked for special use, and no one except the school department is allowed to interfere!"
"Your Majesty? Why does my household department provide the money?" Xia Yuanji was stunned.
Zhu Gaoxu was stunned when he heard this, and then yelled: "Xia Yuanji, running this school is for people's livelihood! You don't want me to pay for it out of my own pocket, do you?"
"But the treasury has too much money to spend. Your Majesty, your internal funds are used to benefit from long-distance trade, so you can't bear more..."
"Xia Yuanji!"
"Your Majesty, tell me!"
"Get out!"
"..."
