You already told me the correct answer, why are you asking me?
Kong Zheng was helpless, secretly complaining about Su Yonglin's tyranny, but he had to stand up and answer Su Yonglin's questions.
"What your Majesty said is true. Governing a country is not just what the Five Classics can do. There are many things that are needed to govern a country."
"That's right, running a country requires talents from all aspects. Let's not talk about anything else. How much knowledge is needed for the national policy of regulating the Yellow River that Ming Dynasty is currently promoting? Just building a dam requires a thorough knowledge of engineering, understanding of weather, geography, and knowledge. Can arithmetic, just the Five Classics, help me select talents to regulate the Yellow River?"
Su Yonglin slammed the table and said angrily: "You haven't considered any of this! You only think about yourself! You only worry about whether your children can pass the imperial examination and become officials! You don't care about the overall situation of the country at all!"
Su Yonglin suddenly became angry. All the officials in the Ministry of Rites were frightened and trembled, and they quickly asked Su Yonglin for forgiveness.
Su Yonglin snorted coldly.
"Ruling a country requires talents from all aspects. The imperial examination is an examination to select talents from all aspects. How can we only rely on the Five Classics to select scholars? Xunzi is not enough! What I mean is to restore the imperial examination system of the Tang Dynasty to select scholars. Completely depose Wang Anshi for his actions."
The officials of the Ministry of Rites looked at each other, and for a moment they didn't know how to express their inner feelings.
They only felt that their hearts were like a prairie. Normally the grass and trees were lush and green, and it was full of vitality. However, Su Yonglin's few words were like ten thousand grass and mud horses galloping past, completely ruining their hearts.
"Your Majesty, this... is a big matter, should we postpone it? The Jinshi examination has been implemented for ninety years since the fourth year of Xining in the previous dynasty. Scholars all over the world have long been accustomed to the Jinshi examination. The sudden change is probably very unusual. Easy."
Zhou Jiang quickly spoke up, hoping to use this reason to stop Su Yonglin's "rash" move.
Su Yonglin said coldly: "When Wang Anshi carried out the reform, the selection of scholars by subject had been implemented for more than 300 years. Wasn't the opposition of scholars at that time more fierce than now? But didn't he also change? I just changed it back. That's all, what? He, Wang Anshi, has changed, but I, Su Yonglin, cannot change?"
Su Yonglin stared at Zhou Jiang. Zhou Jiang was so stressed that he didn't dare to look up at all.
But he still didn't want to compromise.
Once the compromise is made and the model of the imperial examination is changed, no one knows how many subjects Su Yonglin will create to obtain scholars. Then for their children, the advantages in the short term will be greatly reduced. They hope to use the imperial examination to introduce scholars in the short term. The idea of a large number of Shandong scholars to protect the interests of the group will be in vain.
Although in the long run, they who have the most educational resources can still have an advantage in obtaining academic qualifications in different subjects, they cannot consolidate their advantages now. How long will it take in the long run?
This is not in their interests.
So he bit the bullet and said: "Your Majesty, I know this is not impossible, but... the regulations for the ceremony to select talents for the country have suddenly changed. Not only is there not enough time, but I am afraid that there is not enough manpower and material resources..."
“It doesn’t mean it’s not possible, it’s OK.”
Su Yonglin shook his head: "Since Wang Anshi was able to do this back then, if I couldn't do it, wouldn't it mean that I am not even as good as Wang Anshi? Although I have many shortcomings, I am not willing to admit that I am not as good as Wang Anshi."
Is the emperor of a country inferior to his ministers?
Who dares to admit such heart-wrenching remarks?
Seeing that Su Yonglin raised the issue to this level, Zhou Jiang became silent and stopped, not daring to say anything more.
Kong Zheng saw Zhou Jiang retreating obediently and lost all his thoughts. He simply broke the jar and stopped arguing.
Turn to discuss practical issues with Su Yonglin——
If you can handle it, then we admire you, but if you make the request but can't provide enough manpower and material resources, then you really can't blame us, can you?
Before Wang Anshi's reform, he had many exchanges of interests or desperate struggles with stakeholders related to the imperial examination. During this period, countless stakeholders were promoted or demoted. The whole process lasted for several years before it was finally settled.
And now it is only five months before the imperial examination in the second year of Hongwu.
In five months, His Majesty the Emperor can complete the entire reform process?
Kong Zheng really didn’t believe it.
Even according to the old imperial examination rules, there are still three rounds of examinations to select the final Jinshi. Your Majesty, the emperor, does not care about anything and wants to change the content of the imperial examination. So how can you cope with these three rounds of selection examinations?
It is not enough to just make changes at the central level. Full changes must be carried out starting from local universities. The time required for this is measured in years. During this period, there will be varying degrees of backlash in various localities until the dust finally settles. Only then can it become a reality.
Wang Anshi's reform of the imperial examination was implemented for more than ten years. When he fell, it was changed back. It was only later that the reformists came to power again to restore his rules. Only then did they become permanent rules. His Majesty the Emperor planned to change the world easily. Human thoughts?
I'm afraid it won't be easy, right?
"Your Majesty, at this moment, there are only five months left before the imperial examination in the second year of Hongwu. It is almost impossible to complete the comprehensive transformation from the central to the local governments within five months.
I am not opposed to His Majesty's innovation, but it seems to take some time. Not only do the scholars need time to accept it, but the court also needs time to accept it and rearrange it. "
Kong Zheng spoke again.
What he said was a real problem, so Su Yonglin did not refute him, but nodded.
"Kong Qing is right. There is indeed a very serious problem, so I decided to cancel the local examination for the imperial examination in the second year of Hongwu. Scholars from all over the country who are willing to take the examination will come directly to Zhongdu and directly take the imperial examination in the second year of Hongwu. , one test will determine victory or defeat.”
Su Yonglin gave the most simple, easy and cost-effective strategy for the court, and this undoubtedly hit the officials of the Ministry of Rites as hard as a spark hitting the earth.
"Your Majesty, this..."
“Submit authority when urgent matters arise.”
Su Yonglin stopped Kong Zheng from continuing to speak and said: "Content reform is the most important thing. Everything else can be put aside for the time being. Local exams are also exams, and high school exams are also exams. They are all exams anyway. It's just a matter of changing the place. It's just a matter of time." Come on, no matter how far the distance is, can’t we reach it in five months? So this doesn’t hinder the overall situation.”
Su Yonglin talked about this matter very lightly, as if it could be easily solved by just doing what he said.
Everyone in the Ministry of Rites wanted to continue to dissuade him, but Su Yonglin refused and forcibly passed the resolution, requiring the Ministry of Rites to be responsible for its implementation.
The officials of the Ministry of Rites had no choice but to accept Su Yonglin's request.
This aspect of the content ended here, Su Yonglin then began to discuss with them the idea of selecting scholars by subject.
According to Su Yonglin, the Confucian classics examination is only a foundation. In addition to the basics, there are also some special examinations, just like the Tang Dynasty imperial examinations such as Ming Jing Ming Calculation and Ming Zi.
Moreover, he did not simply want to restore the Tang Dynasty's imperial examinations, but wanted to make some improvements on the basis of the Tang Dynasty's imperial examinations and make some more detailed selection of scholars by subject.
For example, he wants to promote engineering scholarships.
"During the march, I deeply felt the importance of craftsmen to the country. The ancients said that before the three armies are moved, food and grass go first. Therefore, the first priority during the march and campaign is food and grass. When it comes to state affairs, that is agriculture as the foundation of the country. This cannot be Change.
But in addition, there are many things to worry about when marching and fighting, such as military utensils. These are not produced by the army itself. Everything that exists does not need to be made by craftsmen.
Whether it is a long sword, a shield, armor, a crossbow, an arrow, a military tent, or a cart, everything is inseparable from the craftsman. Let’s not talk about marching, let’s talk about daily life. , is there a shortage of craftsmen?
Cities need the guidance of craftsmen to repair, farm tools need the guidance of craftsmen to make, dams need the guidance of craftsmen to repair, and roads need the guidance of craftsmen to lay. We don’t understand these things, but we can’t do without these things, so we can’t do without craftsmen. "
Su Yonglin stood up and walked slowly in the palace with his hands behind his back, speaking his "heartfelt words" while walking.
