"Master, what are you writing?"
Guo Mansion, in the study.
Liu Baiwei noticed that her daughter was holding her tongue and complained to her that their father did not play with them, but was alone in the study, not knowing what to write.
Suddenly, he couldn't help but be full of curiosity and hurriedly came to the study.
Sure enough, his master was lying on the desk for the first time, writing something seriously with a face full of seriousness.
"Develop a hierarchy for craftsmen, and write some good stuff for Tao Yiping and Yang Ting!"
Liu Baiwei lost interest when she heard it was about craftsmen.
She knew that her master valued craftsmen, but having grown up among Confucian classics, she really couldn't value them.
"Han'er and Shen'er complained to me that you don't like them anymore and you won't play with them anymore!"
"These two are so petty!"
Guo An looked angrily, "We are trying our best to train more skilled craftsmen and create more interesting toys for them!
These two brats actually dare to falsely accuse me..."
"Dad, are you telling the truth?"
Before Guo An could finish speaking, two little heads poked out of the door.
Guo An said with a doting look on his face, "When have I ever lied to you two?"
"Mom, let's leave quickly, don't disturb dad!"
"That's right, mother, let's ask dad to train us craftsmen first. After training, we can come to dad to play..."
Guo Han and Guo Shen quickly took Liu Baiwei's arm and walked out.
In the study, Guo An smiled softly and continued to write with his head down.
Two days later.
Guo An took the thick craftsman level plan he had written down to find Zhu Di.
At this moment, Zhu Di was testing Zhu Gaochi's homework.
Seeing Guo An coming, a look of surprise flashed across Zhu Di's face.
"Did Guo Qing come to see us once, but got tired of staying at home?"
As for Zhu Gaochi, his face was overjoyed.
"I've met the teacher!"
Influenced by Guo An, although Zhu Gaochi also liked Confucian classics very much, he was not as obsessed with them as Guo An remembered.
On the contrary, Zhu Gaochi was a lot more naughty and mischievous.
As a result, Zhu Gaochi found it difficult to cope with Zhu Di's test.
"His Royal Highness, didn't you follow those Confucian masters to study Confucian classics?"
In response to Zhu Gaochi's look, Guo An just laughed and did not help him.
However, Zhu Di's face darkened.
"This bastard has become more and more wild since he became a disciple of Guo Qing. He doesn't even bother to meditate. He follows those Confucian masters to study Confucian classics!"
"This is not okay!"
Guo An quickly agreed.
Zhu Gaochi's expression turned anxious, "Teacher, you said that those Confucian Highnesses have no practical value!"
Zhu Di stared closely at Guo An. He already regretted letting his eldest son become Guo An's disciple!
Guo An's expression remained unchanged, he nodded slightly, met Zhu Di's gaze, and said slowly: "Your Highness, I did say this... However, His Highness the Crown Prince obviously did not understand what I meant!"
Zhu Di said: "Guo Qing still needs to explain it carefully!"
"Follow the order!"
Guo An responded quickly and then looked at Zhu Gaochi.
"Your Highness, I have said before that Confucian classics have no practical value. However, they have virtual value!"
"Virtual value?"
Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi suddenly looked puzzled.
Guo An continued: "Although Confucian classics cannot be like craftsmanship in producing various artifacts that are beneficial to the Ming Dynasty, they cannot be like martial arts in charging into battle, expanding territory, and protecting the home and country.
However, Confucian classics allow His Royal Highness to learn many deeds of ancient sages and understand many truths.
Moreover, Confucianism is now the mainstream, and civil servants everywhere are all Confucians.
In the future, after the Yan Palace conquers Goryeo and Japan, a large number of scholars will inevitably be needed to serve as officials.
Then, when debating with those civil servants and great Confucians, His Highness the Crown Prince can quote scriptures and make those great Confucian scholars sincerely convinced by His Highness the Crown Prince!
Otherwise, it would be a bit embarrassing if His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, has read few Confucian classics and cannot quarrel with those civil servants or Confucian people! "
Zhu Gaochi said with a nonchalant expression: "Teacher, if any civil servants or Confucian people quarrel with me, I will directly order them to be beaten!"
"..."
Zhu Di's face turned darker.
Guo An hurriedly said: "Your Highness, a gentleman should talk but never act. Your Majesty should be based on benevolence and righteousness."
Zhu Gaochi said again: "But didn't the teacher say that quarrels are just children's playful words? Whoever listens in the end still needs to see who is stronger and who can beat the other!"
"Shuzi!"
Zhu Di's eyes widened, "If you have only force and no brains, you will die under someone else's conspiracy!"
"I know my mistake, I must study Confucian classics from those masters!"
Seeing Zhu Di's anger, Zhu Gaochi quickly admitted his mistake and his attitude was very sincere.
Guo An on the side narrowed his eyes slightly. How did he feel that Zhu Gaochi did this on purpose?
Zhu Di said angrily: "Tomorrow, we will take the exam again. If your boy's homework is still like this, he will never go out again in two months!"
"Don't worry, dad, my child will definitely learn Confucian classics well and won't lose in a quarrel!" Zhu Gaochi said quickly.
"Shuzi, I asked you to study Confucian classics to enlighten your mind. Who asked you to quarrel?"
"I know, kid!"
Zhu Di's eyes widened, "Shu Zi! Do you want to taste our whip?"
At this time, Zhu Gaochi did not dare to be arrogant anymore, his expression straightened, and he said respectfully: "Dad, I know I'm wrong!"
"snort!"
Zhu Di snorted coldly and looked at Guo An.
"Why did Guo Qing come to see us this time?"
Guo An quickly said with a respectful look on his face: "Your Highness, I am here to write down a hierarchy of craftsman training. Please take a look at it!"
“Artisan training hierarchy?”
Hearing this, Zhu Di couldn't help but be stunned.
"Exactly!"
As Guo An spoke, he took out the pile of paper he had written on and handed it to Zhu Di.
“Your Highness, from now on, there will be more and more craftsmen in the workshops under Prince Yan’s residence.
With so many craftsmen, it is inevitable that there will be some who are lazy, some who fish in troubled waters, and some who work hard but go unnoticed...
Wei Chen wants to develop a level training system for craftsmen. From level one to level five, craftsmen at each level will have different salaries, benefits, and annual rewards...
Even the craftsmen who can enter some workshops require a certain level;
The artifacts that these craftsmen can participate in manufacturing will also be different depending on the level of the craftsman...
For those who are capable, the higher the craftsman level, the more salary they will receive, and the more exquisite artifacts they can make for Prince Yan's Palace..."
When Guo An finished speaking, Zhu Di was still looking at the craftsman level training system written by Guo An seriously.
In fact, since the early Ming Dynasty, the status of craftsmen has also improved than before.
However, because there are relatively few literate craftsmen and all of them have low status, no one can speak to them.
Therefore, even though Lao Zhu attaches great importance to craftsmen, craftsmen are still not on the stage and have a low status, not even as good as farmers.
As Guo An became the right chief historian of Prince Yan's Palace, the status of craftsmen in Prince Yan's Palace began to improve.
Along with this, the status of craftsmen in the entire Beiping Mansion has also improved.
However, in Zhu Di's heart, he only paid a little attention to craftsmen, and the highest-grade craftsmen were the ones responsible for the repair work of the seventh grade.
Even if Guo An wanted to expand the craftsman school, Zhu Di had a dispensable attitude.
But now, seeing Guo An staying at home and writing such a formal remonstrance for the first time, Zhu Di finally became serious.
After reading it, Zhu Di took a long breath and looked at Guo An seriously.
"Guo Qing, are you trying to improve the status of craftsmen in the Ming Dynasty?"
"Your Highness has misunderstood, I have no intention of doing so!"
Guo An was startled and quickly explained.
Just kidding, Lao Zhu is still sitting upright in the capital.
"Your Highness, I really want those craftsmen to give full play to their talents, and use a suitable hierarchy, salary and benefits to encourage them to work hard and not be lazy!"
Zhu Di said slowly: "But the more we look at it, the more we feel that these craftsman assessment systems are like imperial examinations. And the craftsman level is just like those scholars' fame!
The first-level craftsmen are Tongsheng, the second-level craftsmen are scholars, the third-level craftsmen are Juren, the fourth-level craftsmen are guild members, and the fifth-level craftsmen are Jinshi...
As for the master craftsman, he can already teach his disciples alone, open a separate workshop, and study and make utensils on his own, just like the chief officials in various places..."
Guo An jumped up and raised his hands to Zhu Di repeatedly.
"Your Highness, I am timid, so please keep your voice down. Your Highness is very talented and has little knowledge. When formulating these systems for craftsmen, he did draw lessons from the imperial examination.
However, Wei Chen knew that the craftsmen were definitely not as good as the Confucian students, and the craftsmen were only small craftsmen under Prince Yan's palace, and they definitely did not have such extravagant expectations! "
On the side, Zhu Gaochi, who had been silent, suddenly said: "Teacher, I remember that in the Tang Dynasty, there were two people, Yan Lide and Yan Liben, who became official officials with their craftsmanship, and even became ministers of the Ministry of Industry.
If there are outstanding craftsmen in Prince Yan's palace, he can naturally become an official as a craftsman! "
Guo Andao said: "Your Highness, the brothers Yan Lide and Yan Liben are not only highly skilled painters.
They were all born into noble families. They were not only good at painting, crafts, and architecture, but they were also knowledgeable and had political talents.
At the beginning, Yan Lide joined the army as a scholar in the Qin Dynasty, and was in charge of Hejin and the construction of bridges and buildings.
Later, in order to serve the emperor, he created six kinds of clothes, hats, gowns and sedan chairs worn by emperors and princes. They were all elegant and in compliance with etiquette regulations.
As for Yan Liben, the same is true..."
"If you want to appoint craftsmen as officials, even if your majesty now changes the general office to a repair office, with a rank of seven grades, and two chiefs, two deputy chiefs, and two chief ministers, the most skilled craftsmen will be the ones to serve.
Some craftsmen are often appreciated by eunuchs for their technical skills and are directly promoted to serve as officials.
However, it is still out of reach to be recognized by those Confucian officials! "
As he spoke, Guo An had a heavy face and shook his head.
After listening to Guo An's words, Zhu Gaochi was shocked, "Teacher, you actually know both Yan Lide and Yan Liben so clearly?"
This other talented person from the Tang Dynasty who was the minister of the Ministry of Industry was a master of painting skills, and he had just learned it in the past few days.
Guo An nodded slightly, "Not only do we know these two people, but we also know that their father is Yan Bi, the young eunuch of the Sui Dynasty palace, and their mother is the princess of Qingdu.
Their grandfather is Yan Qing, the general manager of Shangzhu State and Ningzhou in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, the Duke of Jue Shibao County, and the owner of thousands of households in the city..."
"Teacher, how do you know so clearly?"
Zhu Gaochi was stunned. In his impression, this teacher seemed to know nothing about those classics except arithmetic and craftsmanship.
(End of chapter)
