What Wang Xijue said left Guo Zhengyu speechless.
"So, all this is related to the expansion of imperial examination enrollment."
"It's no wonder that now there are about 200 more Jinshi in each term than in the ancestral dynasty, which is double the number!"
At this time, Censor Wang Ming couldn't help but said to the civil officials present.
After hearing this, Wang Xijue frowned slightly and said: "The fact that scholars are not noble cannot be blamed on the expansion of imperial examinations! Otherwise, the world is thirsty for talents. Is it wrong to increase the number of scholars?"
Because Zhu Yijun's increase in the number of Jinshi, Juren, and students was considered a conspiracy, so the civil servants could not clearly say that this was wrong.
For a moment, Wang Ming was also speechless.
"The expansion of imperial examination enrollment is because more and more people are studying in the world."
"The reason behind this is that the Holy Emperor worked hard to govern, benefit the people, and make the people more prosperous. In addition, he promoted culture and education, so more and more people are studying!"
"Therefore, if the enrollment is not expanded, it will be more difficult for scholars to seek fame than it was in the dynasty of our ancestors! And in order to prevent the scholars in the world from becoming discouraged and even taking risks to cause chaos in the world, Your Majesty has no choice but to expand the enrollment, so that the dynasty will Choose more talents to show your favor."
When Wang Xijue said this, he asked Wang Ming and other officials:
"Having said that, we can't think that His Majesty should work hard to benefit the people of the world, right?"
At this time, Wang Ming had no choice but to say yes: "What Mr. Ge said is right, my subordinate made a mistake! This is a good thing. Studying is to serve the country, to shine on the family lintel, and to fulfill the principles of loyalty and filial piety. How can it be for yourself!"
"That's right!"
"My emperor is as holy and virtuous as heaven. He will forever exempt all the people of the world from corvées. This is good governance that should be praised for ever!"
"For the sake of the future of our own gentry, we cannot prevent the people of the world from getting richer and richer, and we cannot allow them to study and become gentry just because they are getting richer."
Guo Zhengyu also echoed at this time, and handed over to Wang Xijue: "It's my subordinates who are waiting for me!"
Subsequently.
Guo Zhengyu asked Wang Xijue again: "It's just the elder, many people may not be willing to go out and just want to be idle mediocre people. Wouldn't it be more difficult to encourage learning?"
“In the past, when hungry people were everywhere, it was even harder to persuade people to learn!”
"Now that the people in the world have enough food and clothing, we can not only encourage learning with fame and fortune, but also encourage learning with our ambitions. In fact, encouraging learning is easier and more in line with the teachings of saints!"
"As for those who want to be mediocre, if they want to live in poverty and become mediocre, it is their choice and their ambition. It is disrespectful to take it away!"
Wang Xijue retorted.
Guo Zhengyu was speechless again and had no choice but to say yes.
Therefore, Shen Yiguan glanced at Wang Xijue specially, and then silently returned to the courtyard of the official residence with Wang Xijue.
That night.
When his in-law Li Dai, the Minister of Criminal Justice, visited him, Shen Yiguan mentioned the matter to him and said: "With Taicang here, we need to urge our children to aspire to serve the country. Otherwise, they will only have the ambition to study and not dedicate themselves to serving the country." , it cannot be expensive.”
"Quinzi has always been stupid, and he may disappoint Uncle Zong."
Dai Li sighed helplessly and said.
Shen Yiguandao: "It doesn't matter. In today's prosperous world, serving the people is more comfortable than being an official. Living a peaceful life is a good choice, and it saves trouble."
"This time it is not the Duke who joins the cabinet. Shenwu County must have guessed His Majesty's thoughts and recommended Zhang Xinjian."
Dai Li said again.
Shen Guanyi said: "It's the same for everyone!"
"Your Majesty is the Holy Lord and a benevolent king. He does not seek profit from the people, but protects all people. Who dares to seek personal gain?"
"So, in fact, joining the cabinet is just a matter of seeking truth from facts. There is actually not much difference in who becomes a cabinet minister. When a certain time comes, he will serve as an official and return to his hometown, letting the underachievers come up, and he will be happy and free."
"After all, the ambition of a scholar is nothing more than the peace and prosperity of the country and the people. Now it has been realized. Even if it is not realized by oneself, it is still considered complete."
"My lord, you are very considerate!"
"You know, Zhang Xinjian has now set off for North Korea. He has said that there are opportunities to make a name and get rich everywhere in China. The emperor likes to get external profits, and even his official career will be easier. In the future, I am afraid that when Zhang Xinjian comes back, , he will be even more prosperous because he is the cabinet minister who knows the most about the education of foreign vassals."
Dai Li said with a smile.
Shen Guanyi didn't say anything, he just looked out the window silently, where the autumn rain was falling and the sky was overcast.
And Zhang Wei has indeed left for North Korea.
On the way to North Korea, the forest was covered with frost and the autumn mood was strong.
Zhang Wei, on the other hand, visited Shanhaiguan, Guangning, Liaoyang and other places in late autumn and saw the richness of things and people in Liaodong.
This made Zhang Wei very emotional, and he said to Li Song, the cabinet bachelor who was accompanying him:
"Before I became a Jinshi, I traveled to Liaodong. It was late autumn when I came, but Liaodong at that time was not as prosperous as it is now."
"At that time, these places were still very desolate. There were many abandoned people in the military households' fields. Many villages were sparse with only crows flying around. In big cities such as Guangning and Liaoyang, there were many refugees living in shacks."
"Unexpectedly, twenty years after my emperor's rule, the Liao region was filled with cities and towns, brick and tile houses were built one after another, and there were no more refugees outside the big towns."
"Mr. Ge doesn't know that most of the refugees have moved overseas long ago. Now they are all moved overseas, both Han and Yi!"
"Except for farmers, those who remain in Liaodong are traders. Since the imperial court has stationed troops in North Korea, a large number of military stations have been built along the way, and a large number of roads have been added, and business is tax-free and interest-free. Therefore, trade along the way has become more intense. The traffic has become smoother and more prosperous, and now there are more merchants than farmers, and many merchants from Luzhou, Huizhou, and Wenzhou have immigrated here."
Li Song, who had served as governor of Liaodong, smiled and talked to Zhang Wei about the situation in Liaodong.
Zhang Wei sighed after hearing this: "It's all thanks to my emperor that so many people are willing to come to this cold place outside the pass."
Li Song smiled slightly: "What Mr. Ge said is true, but it's really cold outside the pass. It's winter again now, so Mr. Ge and young people will have to work hard."
Zhang Wei smiled helplessly and just said: "It doesn't matter. It is necessary to eat the emperor's salary and be loyal to the emperor."
Having said that, Zhang Wei did not dare to risk his life in this bitterly cold place. He rarely left the carriage or the house in the following days. He only warmed himself by the stove and looked outside through the car window or the cabin window. , if it snows, just find a town to rest for a few days.
Although Zhang Wei didn't go out much, there wasn't much to do outside, because most of the people in Liaodong stayed at home on this day, making the entire Liaodong very quiet and depressed.
After so many stops and starts along the way, Zhang Wei finally entered North Korea at the beginning of the twelfth lunar month in the 20th year of Wanli.
Before entering North Korea, the entire official road was knee-deep in snow. However, after Zhang Wei entered North Korea, he saw that the official road was covered with dry soil and no snow, and the area around the official road suddenly became lively.
That's right.
When Zhang Wei entered North Korea by carriage, he saw many skinny, unkempt people, densely packed like sparrows, flying close to him, all shouting something and making a lot of noise.
Before the soldiers of the Biao Camp were alerted, the North Korean officers and soldiers listed in the guard room on the side wall rushed out, and they hacked and killed these people indiscriminately.
However, even so, there were still people at the back of the crowd shouting at Zhang Wei. Some even raised their children wearing grass tags and shouted at Zhang Wei.
It wasn't until these North Korean officers and soldiers arrived that the shouters left in a hurry.
Zhang Wei, who had only stayed in the Taiping Dynasty and had never seen a bloody scene in the past sixty years, not even seeing a chicken being killed, was stunned on the spot when he saw this scene, and his face was as white as plaster: " How is this going?"
"There is no need to panic, Mr. Ge. These are Goryeo mobs with no fixed abode. They will either surrender to slavery or starve to death in the wilderness. However, surrendering to slavery is not that easy. If you want to surrender to slavery, you have to climb over the border wall. And these The border wall was built because the Li Kingdom did not want to allow non-virtuous people to sneak into our Ming Dynasty and harm our country, and the same is true for sending troops here to guard it."
"And every time our Chinese officials and people pass by here, these Korean mobsters will come and beg to buy themselves or their children. After all, if we are willing to buy, the officials and soldiers of the vassal will not dare to stop us."
Li Song replied.
Zhang Wei nodded after hearing this: "That's it."
At this time, Yang Xun, the observation envoy of North Ping'an Province in North Korea, came outside with a group of officials and gentry of North Ping'an Province. He knelt on the ground and saluted: "Observation envoy Yang Xun led the officials and gentry of North Ping'an Province to greet Mr. Tiancha Ge!"
"Watcher Yang, please wake up!"
Zhang Wei called Yang Xun to him and asked: "Yang Guan, why is there no snow on the official road here, but the soil is all dry?"
"Back to the pavilion, because I heard that the pavilion was coming to inspect, His Highness ordered the vassal officials to organize civilians to clear the snow and sprinkle soil to pave the way."
Yang Xun replied.
Zhang Wei nodded after hearing this: "How many civilians were used?"
"Lao Huige, a total of 50,000 civilians were employed, of which 30,000 were plowing snow and spreading soil, 10,000 were carrying firewood, and 10,000 were left at various military stations to listen to orders."
Yang Xun replied with a flattering smile.
Zhang Wei asked again: "How much silver did you spend?"
"When I returned to the elder, I didn't spend any money. They were all laborers. There was another 36,000 taels of silver difference. This was Xiaofan's filial gift to honor the elder. It has been sealed for the elder. I asked the elder to look at the bill. You can send someone to transport it back."
Yang Xun replied with a smile.
Zhang Wei and Li Song looked at each other, and then looked outside. Suddenly they saw corpses that had not been covered by snow in a ravine far away. There were about a hundred corpses, and they hurriedly asked: "Those are all soldiers?" And die?"
"I don't dare to hide it from the elder. Yes, they died before completing their service. Our Highness is afraid that the elder will blame the vassal for poor hospitality, so he issued an order to ask the vassal to ask the elder how to deal with matters that require punishment of his family members. , So, I wonder if Ge always wants them to be slaves or wants them to pay money?"
Yang Xun asked.
"No need!"
"I don't want them to be slaves, nor do I want them to pay money. I just want to find a place to bury these corpses!"
Zhang Wei loudly rejected Yang Xun's inquiry, threw down the car curtain, and said to Li Song: "If my emperor hadn't been good at governing and caring for the people, wouldn't my Ming Dynasty be in the same situation?"
(End of chapter)
