Sure enough, on the day after paying homage to Confucius, Zhu Yunwen received nearly twenty memorials opposing the reform of the Imperial College, which he summed up in one sentence:
The study of miscellaneous arts is not worthy of elegance.
Zhu Yunwen looked at these memorials and sighed. They were not necessarily opposing the reform of the Imperial College, but they found an outlet to oppose themselves.
The whip method and the national policy of curbing annexation have indeed won the support of the grassroots, and also made these people hemorrhage.
They cannot oppose national policies, but they can oppose the reform of the Imperial College.
It seems that the introduction of the new salary will only make these officials talk about the emperor's grace, but what to say in private, the roar remains the same.
OK.
Aren’t you against it?
Then let's get something big.
Zhu Yunwen personally drafted the edict and ordered Yan Xubo to read it to the cabinet.
Yu Xin, Zhang Yan and Xie Jin knelt to receive the order.
Yan Xubo cleared his throat and read: "The emperor is entrusted with the destiny of heaven, and the edict says: The Imperial College is the place where the empire educates talents, and it is related to the rise and fall of the country. In the past, there was Xu Jiancheng's "Ten Major Disadvantages of the Imperial College", and later there were hundreds of officials who rebelled against the reform. My mind is hard to decide and I am worried, so now I want to start a debate and listen to what is said from the bottom of my heart."
"A debater will distinguish right from wrong, judge the order of chaos, identify similarities and differences, examine the truth of names and facts, determine the interests and harms, and resolve suspicions. He will imitate the nature of all things and seek comparisons between groups of words; Use names to express facts, use words to express meanings, use words to tell stories, and use words to determine the causes of events.”
"This method will determine whether the Imperial College will be reformed or not. Therefore, I ordered the cabinet to select five people from the Imperial College and the Imperial College to select five people as Party A who opposes the reform. I plan to select five people as Party B who supports the reform. I, all the officials and the Imperial College will all attend. , and use the results of the debate to determine the future of the Imperial College!"
After Xie Jin and others received the order, Yan Xubo went back to resume his duties.
Looking at the content of the imperial edict, Yu Xin laughed and said: "The emperor wants to use debate to decide whether to implement the reform strategy of the Imperial College. This method is quite new. Mr. Xie, what do you think?"
Because Xie Jin supported the reform of the Imperial Academy's curriculum, which was in conflict with Yu Xin and Zhang Yan's views, the two complained and isolated Xie Jin.
Listening to Yu Xin's strange voice, Jie Jin frowned and said, "Mr. Yu Ge, the Imperial College has its shortcomings, so innovation is a matter of course."
Zhang Yan knew that there would be no result if the discussion continued, but instead hurt the harmony, so he said: "Since the emperor wants to decide the outcome through debate, let's have a debate."
"Why, Mr. Zhang Ge still plans to defend himself in person?"
Jie Jin looked at the confident Zhang Yan and asked.
Zhang Yan just smiled easily and said: "The hundreds of officials and the Imperial Academy have many talented people."
If there are too many, why do we need to argue in person? Frankly speaking, the "Ten Major Weaknesses of the Imperial College" does have merits. If other things are to be innovated, Zhang has nothing to say. If the curriculum is to be innovated, farming, business, craftsmanship, medicine, astrology, mathematics, and physical training will all be included. When miscellaneous studies are included in the Imperial College curriculum, the officials will not agree! "
Xie Jin shook his head slightly, straightened out his official uniform, and said, "If the result of the debate is to support miscellaneous students joining the Imperial Academy's curriculum, what will you do?"
"How? Oh, if this is true, it means that we are no longer able to govern the country, and we should give way to the talented."
Yu Xin said bluntly.
Xie Jin sighed and said, "When the time comes, I will prepare some wine for Master Yu to practice."
"Hey, what if you are the one who leaves?"
Yu Xin's face is as frosty.
Xie Jin laughed and said, "I will definitely drink a few more glasses of Mr. Yu's wine."
"Hey, okay, as a cabinet minister, why do you need to do this? The emperor has made a decree, just obey it. As for the result, the Ten Days Imperial College will naturally be separated. We don't want to have any more disputes."
Zhang Yan had a headache.
It's hard to be a peacemaker these days.
Zhu Yunwen didn't care how the courtiers discussed and selected the debaters. Instead, he summoned Yao Guangxiao, the imperial minister, Xia Yuanji, the director-general of agricultural taxation, Yang Shiqi and Li Zhigang, the editors, and Wu Yun, the supervisor of Suixingtang of the Imperial Academy.
"I have learned so far that I am deeply aware of the profound knowledge of state governance. Even if I spend my whole life, I still can't find out its foundation. The empire needs thousands of talents for all kinds of things, but how many talents are available in the Imperial College today?"
Zhu Yunwen looked at the five people in front of him solemnly, and continued: "The way of learning is not only found in the Four Books and Five Classics. Take Xia Shilang as an example, if you only read the Four Books and Five Classics, do not master mathematics, do not understand the tax system, and do not know the farmers. To survive, how does the Ministry of Household Affairs know where our Ming Dynasty money and food come from and where it is used? How can we clarify our expenditures and stabilize our finances?"
"The world's knowledge can be axes, axes, hooks and forks, swords, guns, swords and halberds. It can be salt and iron, rice, grain, cloth, stars, water flows, and mountains. Knowledge is contained in everything. Have you ever thought about why? Birds can fly? But people can't? Why does the wind come from the east in spring and the north in winter?"
"I tell you, relying only on the Four Books and the Five Classics, it is impossible to make the Ming Dynasty a truly prosperous age! Farmers don't need the Four Books and the Five Classics. What they need are better farming tools! Isn't making tools knowledge? Isn't it not meritorious work? Soldiers don't need the Four Books. According to the Five Classics, what they need is powerful fighting methods, tactics and weapons and equipment. Could it be said that these are not knowledge?"
"Scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, among the four peoples, only scholars need the Four Books and Five Classics! But in the court,
, those who opposed the entry of agriculture, industry, commerce and other knowledge into the Imperial College happened to be scholars! I am telling you this today because I hope you understand that knowledge is for use, not for officialdom! Since all the officials opposed the reform of the Imperial College and opposed the entry of agriculture, industry and commerce into the Imperial College, they still used the teachings of Confucius and Mencius to oppose it! "
"Then you use the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, your wisdom and talent, your wisdom and thinking, to argue against them until they are speechless and convinced! Answer me, can you do it?!"
"able!"
Yao Guangxiao, Yang Shiqi and others replied in unison.
"Prepare the materials and prepare for the debate. Yao Guangxiao is the chief debater, Xia Yuanji is the second debater, and Yang Shiqi is the third debater. Li Zhigang and Wu Yun cooperate to seize the loopholes in the other party's remarks and assist the three without defending."
Zhu Yunwen arranged the debate tasks, explained some basic debate skills, and then asked the five people to formulate a debate plan as soon as possible.
At the same time, the officials also received the news, and after secretly mocking the emperor for overestimating his capabilities, they began to select their own personnel.
As officials, there are many people and many mouths. Who wouldn’t want to take this opportunity to leave a name?
As a result, from the Ministry of Rites to the Sixth Ministry, from the ministers at all levels to the seventh-rank officials, and then to the Imperial College, many people signed up enthusiastically, and even people from the Imperial Procuratorate also participated.
But there are only five places, who will come?
Five places?
No, exactly, only three.
Chen Di said that he is the Minister of Rites, and the Imperial College is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of Rites requires a quota, isn't it excessive?
Zhou Ye, the imperial wine engineer at the Imperial Academy, also said that as the top leader of the Imperial Academy, I want a position where I can sit and say a few words. That’s okay, right?
What?
Am I too old?
Okay, then leave it to Zhang Zhi, Secretary of the Imperial College.
There were three spots left, and a group of people were vying for them. There was a lot of chaos. Two days had passed, and the candidates had not yet been finalized. Yao Guangxiao and others have submitted the debate strategy to Zhu Yunwen...
"The Point Guard Is Here"
PS:
Thanks to Brother Can Yue for the reward, and by the way, I recommend Brother Can Yue’s science fiction masterpiece "Interstellar Survival Begins with Invasion".
Wonderful science fiction concepts, mysterious and grand interstellar adventures, exploration of the mysteries of the universe, and humanistic thoughts on interstellar warfare are projected like frames from a movie.
Jingxue is a mystery in "The Three-Body Problem" and also a mystery in "Interstellar Survival Begins with Invasion".
As we bow our heads, ask about history.
As we look up at the stars, ask questions about the universe.
Friends who are interested may wish to read "Interstellar Survival Begins with Invasion", thank you.
