Chapter 91 Questioning the plan
He Xi didn't think Yao Guangxiao was absolutely right. After all, many things look like mountains and peaks when viewed horizontally. Yao Guangxiao's thoughts are too dark and utilitarian. Some things may be extreme. However, He Xi had to analyze what Yao Guangxiao said as one of the reasons.
In fact, the history is also very strange.
That is, few memorials of the ministers during the Hongwu period have been handed down. Especially in the early Hongwu period, many ministers barely mentioned it. Because of the lack of historical data, many events during the Hongwu period have become a low point in research.
It is clear that during the Hongwu period of Ming Dynasty, almost all the regulations of the Ming Dynasty were finalized. But studying the Hongwu period is much more difficult than anything after the Ming Dynasty.
He Xi's thoughts were swirling in her heart and she said, "Mr. Yao, how do you think this matter should be changed and how should it be changed?"
Yao Guangxiao laughed and said: "This is difficult for me. Yao is a counselor, a subordinate of Su Qin, Zhang Yi and Chen Ping, not a minister of the state. It is okay to analyze the situation and make suggestions for you. But this kind of national event is It’s hard to know the bottom line, but you shouldn’t ask me. You should ask yourself.”
"The reason why I recommend myself as your lord's adviser is because I know that your lord is an unparalleled scholar and a minister of the country."
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In the East Palace.
The prince said, "Master Song's imperial examination policy was not popular, but your Majesty believed in He Xi's policy. Do you think He Xi's policy impressed Your Majesty in that aspect?"
Fang Xiaoru pondered for a moment and said, "I think it is pragmatic."
The prince said; "Pragmatic?"
Fang Xiaoru said: "The teacher's strategy and examination methods have only focused on strategy since Wang Anshi. The imperial examination policy in the Song Dynasty has been changed frequently. The teacher followed the imperial examination policy in the Yuan Dynasty and improved it. It is normal that your majesty does not like it. However, your majesty It seems that I prefer to select scholars by subject. Just select scholars by subject, what if I can select a minister who takes charge of the government?"
In Fang Xiaoru's view, scholars should be selected according to their subjects. There are big problems with this idea. The imperial examination is to promote talents for the country. Those selected should all be important officials of the imperial court. People cannot be confined to a certain subject. There were many subjects in the imperial examination in the Tang Dynasty, and it is not without reason that the Jinshi was the only one in the end.
The prince said: "You don't need to think too much about this. It's a good thing that my father has not given up on the imperial examination. Now the people recommended are all of the same kind. There is a shortage of people in the imperial court. There is a shortage of good ministers in various places. No matter what kind of imperial examination. It’s better than recommending.”
"Think about it for yourself and have a good talk with He Xi tomorrow. Remember, the special examination of the Coal and Iron Department is a trivial matter. Just listen to He Xi. How does He Xi want to reform the imperial examination, but you have to do it well Understand, that’s the big deal.”
"Remember, don't reverse priorities."
Fang Xiaoru said: "I understand."
But Fang Xiaoru said this, but he was very unconvinced in his heart.
Although Fang Xiaoru knew that He Xi had unique talents in many aspects. But I still feel that I am above the imperial examination. Or they Confucian officials are more proficient. Although He Xi thought about it, what he produced could no longer be regarded as an imperial examination. But it's not the case here with Fang Xiaoru.
In Fang Xiaoru's opinion, all policies for becoming an official through examination are just imperial examinations, nothing more than a way of playing games.
Fang Xiaoru secretly thought: "He Xi, this time I can really see He Wanzhi's power."
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He Mansion.
He Xi pondered for a long time and decided to be honest. Tell Yao Guangxiao all your thoughts about the future civil service examination.
Including but not limited to, integration of officials and local staff, subject-specific examinations, hundred-point system, and redirected recruitment examinations. They have made their own theories the main content of the examination, adding natural subjects, reducing the meaning of classics, etc. Lots of ideas.
He even told Yao Guangxiao some of his ideas about future civil service examinations under hypothetical circumstances.
Yao Guangxiao was shocked.
Yes, Yao Guangxiao said that He Xi was an unparalleled scholar of the country and a minister of the country. Although it is somewhat sincere, it is more of a flattery. It's not even about patting the horse, talking to his boss. Just a couple of compliments. But he never expected that He Xi would have so many thoughts during the imperial examination.
Many are very novel. But if you taste it carefully, it may not be impossible to achieve.
After a while, Yao Guangxiao came back to his senses and thought to himself: "Who is He Xi? Is it Shang Yang, Dong Zhongshu, Wang Anshi? Or Confucius and Mencius?" He couldn't tell for a while, but he felt it in his heart. A whole new world beckoned to him.
Yao Guangxiao's heart suddenly surged with infinite courage and hope.
Yes, Yao Guangxiao has more negative emotions than positive emotions in his heart. He is more likely to bring harm to the world than to benefit the world.
The nickname "Sick Tiger" is not an empty lie. No matter what kind of tiger it is, it will eat people.
If others listen to what He Xi said, the first thing they think of is, what if it fails? Many of the things He Xi did were groundbreaking. Once it fails, the backlash will be serious. After hearing this, Yao Guangxiao expected to see the policies described by He Xi.
As for the rest.
Sorry, Yao Guangxiao doesn't care.
Yao Guangxiao said; "Sir, many of your ideas are beneficial to the country, but you have to pay attention to the current situation when doing things. Doing the right things at the right time will naturally get twice the result with half the effort, and vice versa. Some of your ideas can be expressed now. Yes. There are some thoughts that must not be spoken out now."
He Xi said, "Please give me some advice from Mr. Yao."
Yao Guangxiao said: "First, officials and officials should be integrated. Your Excellency, you can divide the examinations for civil servants and officials, but you must not let officials and officials be integrated. This is a taboo."
He Xi said: "Why?"
Yao Guangxiao looked at He Xi and said with some doubts: "Your Excellency, you are a great historian, don't you study the history of the previous dynasties, which valued officials and underestimated Confucianism. This is deeply hated by Confucian scholars all over the world. If you want to mention officials as one, you will probably remind many people In the years of the previous dynasty, I will fight you tooth and nail."
"Even His Majesty may not be able to protect you."
He Xi's heart moved and she secretly smiled bitterly. His historiography is false. Every time I give a lecture, I prepare my lessons specially, and all my achievements are taken from later generations. There are some specialized situations that he has studied. But how does he know about some relatively unpopular things?
For example, who knows what the employment system was in the Yuan Dynasty? He Xi only knew that in the Yuan Dynasty, the most important factor in hiring people was their family background. As for the reuse of officials, he didn't know that.
In fact, he didn't know that he was more than just looking down on Confucian officials. Many officials who came from high positions are very arrogant. It was extremely humiliating to many Confucian officials. Now under the great Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang reversed the politics of the Yuan Dynasty and reused Confucian officials, not just important Confucian officials. Mainly using Confucianism to flaunt itself as the orthodoxy of China.
Exaggerate the legitimacy of Ming Dynasty.
The Confucian officials turned over and tried their best to suppress the officials.
Of course, Zhu Yuanzhang did not accept this trick. Ministers who were originally civil servants were still used, and the path from civil servants to officials was preserved. But he soon fell into the lowest ranks. There were many officials who started as civil servants and became high-ranking officials in the Yuan Dynasty, and some in the Ming Dynasty, but there is a trend of becoming fewer and fewer, and Zhang Du is already one of the best.
But now he is just a doctor in the coal and iron industry.
It cannot be compared with the grand occasion of the Yuan Dynasty.
Therefore, the idea of integrating officials and local staff is more irritating to many people's nerves than He Xi's shitting on Confucianism. After all, many so-called Confucian ministers are actually more officials, and the Four Books and Five Classics are just stepping stones. Now that the door has been knocked open. Throw it away long ago.
But the integration of officials and local staff means the infringement of their rights. It even reminds them of the fear of being dominated by petty officials. Naturally, they will strongly oppose it.
As Zhu Yuanzhang said, the Imperial Academy was the Qingshui Yamen. The struggle here is actually quite simple. But it was different in the imperial court. Who can survive Zhu Yuanzhang's butcher's knife is not a big boss with a keen sense of politics.
When they don't take action, they are good gentlemen. It even makes you feel that they are optimistic about your elders. When he really wants to take action, he usually kills him with one blow, making it difficult for Zhu Yuanzhang to save him. I don't even know who did it in the end.
He Xi said: "I know." Then he used a gold pen to cross out the four words "officials and officials". He Xi continued to ask: "Is there anything else that must not be said?"
