Daming Crazy Emperor

Chapter 316 Imperial Examination Innovation
Time flies, and it is another year in a blink of an eye.

Once the lively New Year's Eve is over, the new year begins again.

According to historical calculations, this year should be the sixth year of Taichang.

However, Taichang did not die in one month. Therefore, the 48th year of Wanli is still the 48th year of Wanli. At this moment, it is still calculated according to the normal replacement, which is the fifth year of Taichang.

If the year is counted according to the heavenly stems and earthly branches, this year is the year of Yichou.

The year of Yichou is the year of the imperial examination and palace examination, that is to say, it is time for the imperial examination to select scholars again.

Taichang had long wanted to reform the imperial examination system, because the original imperial examination system was no longer suitable for the development trend of Ming Dynasty.

What he needs are talents with both liberal arts and science or with a focus on science. The problem is that there is no concept of science at the moment. Those who take the imperial examination are basically liberal arts, and it can be said that there are very few people who study science.

This is definitely not okay, if it is not suitable, it must be changed.

If it doesn't change, Daming's science talents will be rare and hard to find, and the development of Daming will definitely be affected.

So, just after the New Year's Eve, he summoned all the court ministers to the meeting hall of the Wenhua Palace.

At this moment, everyone is still immersed in the cheerful atmosphere of the New Year's Eve.

In the past few years, Daming can be said to be flourishing, becoming more and more powerful. Seeing that a peaceful and prosperous age is about to come again, as participants in creating a prosperous age, they are naturally very happy.

Taichang is actually very happy now, because many cute little lives were born in the palace a few years ago.

The imperial concubine Wu Wan'er gave birth to a little prince, the crown princess Zhang Miaoyun gave birth to a grandson, and the other concubines gave birth to him two little princesses.

Throughout the New Year's Eve, there were endless laughter and laughter in the palace, and he couldn't be happier.

Of course, no matter how happy you are, you still have to say something and do something.

After exchanging greetings with all the court ministers with a smile on his face, he put away his smiling face and said solemnly: "The general examination and palace examination are about to start again, do you think we can select suitable talents by following the old rules? ?"

Ah!
When everyone heard this, they were all dumbfounded.

What does the emperor mean, do you want to change the rules of the imperial examination?

This impact is too great, because the imperial examination is the top priority for scholars in the world!

Scholars all over the world want to get ahead through the imperial examination, can this rule be changed casually?
Last time the emperor just changed a few exam questions, and then a lot of candidates jumped out to make trouble.

This time the emperor even wants to change the rules, will the scholars in the world agree?

The chief assistant of the cabinet Xu Guangqi couldn't help reminding: "Your Majesty, the imperial examination has lasted for a thousand years since the Tang and Song Dynasties, and my Ming Dynasty has set the most comprehensive rules since the Hongwu Dynasty. Scholars all over the world have already regarded the imperial examination as a top priority. , if this rule is changed, I am afraid that most scholars in the world will not agree!"

Zou Weilian, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, also nodded in agreement: "Yes, Your Majesty, scholars have gone through hardships for ten years, just to get ahead by relying on the old rules. If you suddenly change the rules, they may I can't stand it!"

Do I need their consent?

If you can't stand it, don't take the exam!

There are so many scholars in the world, do I still need to accommodate those rotten scholars?

Taichang shook his head slightly, and then said solemnly: "Zixian, Dehui, as scholars, it is understandable for you to consider from the standpoint of scholars.

However, as important ministers of the court, you should consider it from the standpoint of the court.What is the purpose of our imperial examinations to obtain scholars? Is it to abide by the old rules?

That's not the case at all!
The purpose of our imperial examinations is to select talents, and the purpose of our selection of talents is for the prosperity of Ming Dynasty. You don’t know this, right?

What kind of talents does Ming urgently need now?

What Ming urgently needs now are talents who study technology, not rotten Confucians who hold the "Four Books and Five Classics" as treasures.

If we don't change the rules of the imperial examination, you say, where can we find so many talents who study technology?

If there are not enough talents to study technology, how can Ming become strong or invincible?

It can't go on like this!
You also know how tired Menghou and Liangfu are. We need too many technical talents.

Therefore, the rules of the imperial examination must be changed! "

Well, what the emperor said is indeed reasonable.

Question, there are too many scholars in this world!

Scholars are not easy to mess with!
They are also scholars, so they naturally know how important this imperial examination is to scholars.

Xu Guangqi and Zou Weilian were not opposed to Taichang's change of rules, they were afraid that if the rules were changed, all the scholars in the world would be offended.

If a scholar is offended, I don't know how big things will happen.

Xu Guangqi said rather worriedly: "Your Majesty, it's not that I don't think from the standpoint of the imperial court. I'm afraid that scholars will make trouble!"

make trouble?

Taichang couldn't help sneering: "When Donglin or the eunuch party were in power, I was indeed a little afraid of making troubles by reading books, because at that time the court was already in chaos and couldn't be messed up anymore. Now I am still afraid of scholars making troubles? Who dares to make troubles, get rid of them directly Fame, if you make trouble again, drag it out and chop it up!"

this!

Ok.

The emperor holds the world's soldiers and horses in his hands, and the Ming Dynasty is even more powerful than ever, so there is no need to be afraid of scholars making trouble.

Xu Guangqi nodded slightly when he heard the words, and then asked: "Your Majesty, how do you change this rule?"

Is that right?

Don't be afraid of anything, don't be afraid of anything now!
If the rules are not suitable, then change them.

Anyone who dares to chirp will be dealt with!

Taichang said without hesitation: "First of all, we let the scholars study on their own, and we have to take care of them. Isn't the Ministry of Rites just in charge of scholars? "Four Books and Five Classics", there are other things to learn. We can discuss what else to learn specifically, in short, scholars can't just read "Four Books and Five Classics."

Zou Weilian heard the words, thought about it carefully, and then asked: "Your Majesty, does the academy we opened take care of food and lodging?"

This one.

Taichang pondered for a while, then gritted his teeth and nodded: "No matter, we will take care of food and lodging as long as you get the honor and enter the academy opened by the Ministry of Rites."

This so-called scholar who has the lowest degree of fame is a scholar. Although there are many scholars in the world, there are only so many scholars and candidates.

If calculated according to the approximate promotion ratio of the imperial examinations at all levels, the total number of scholars and candidates in the world is at most one hundred thousand.

At this moment, the imperial court's taxes have increased by several million taels, and the food and lodging of such a small number of people can still be managed.

Zou Weilian couldn't help nodding when he heard the words, "It's easier to handle if we take care of food and lodging."

Because most of the scholars who have obtained fame are scholars.

The so-called poor scholars and poor scholars, in fact, many scholars' lives are not very good. If the imperial court can manage their food and lodging, and provide them with education, it would be a good thing for them.

However, it would not be a good thing for the imperial court to manage food and housing all the time until old age and death.

Thinking of this, Zou Weilian quickly asked: "Your Majesty, do we always take care of their food and lodging? What if some people can't be admitted to Juren or Jinshi for decades?"

Just kidding, I don't run a nursing home!
Taichang heard the words, thought for a while, and said decisively: "Whether it is a scholar or a candidate, we only take three terms. If they fail to advance after three examinations, it proves that they have no hope of advancing. The Ministry of Rites can set a rule. If you don’t land for three times, you don’t need to take the test, and the official department will arrange errands for them and let them support themselves.”

this!

Well, although this is not fair to some people, it is still fair to most readers.

How can things in this world go as everyone wishes?

Zou Weilian nodded thoughtfully when he heard the words.

This means that he has no opinion.

Just because he doesn't have an opinion doesn't mean other people don't have an opinion.

Wen Zhenmeng, a cabinet bachelor, cupped his hands carefully and said: "Your Majesty, I dare to say, can you let people pass the exam forever? After all, sometimes it may not be a matter of ability. Of course, considering the imperial court's expenses, we It can be stipulated that no board and lodging will be provided after the third failure, and no one will be allowed to stay in the academy."

The reason why he said this is related to his experience in the imperial examination, because he participated in nine full examinations and finally won the first prize.

This is indeed not a problem of his ability. If there is a problem with his ability, it is impossible for him to be the top pick in high school.

The reason why he was admitted to the number one scholar after taking part in nine examinations had a lot to do with the infighting in the imperial court at that time.

Because the years when he participated in the examination were the times when the Qi, Chu, and Zhejiang Party and Dong Lin fought fiercely. It was easy for people to punish him for not taking sides like him.

There are actually a lot of tricks in the imperial examination.

If you want to push someone who couldn't pass the exam, it may be a bit difficult, because that's cheating.

It is very difficult for people without connections to cheat, but even for people with connections, it is very risky to cheat.

If you want to punish a person who was originally admitted, then it is not called cheating.

Moreover, this kind of thing is quite simple.

Just pick a bone in an egg, pick a thorn at will, and shoot people to death.

Historically, Liu Ruozai, the number one scholar in the first year of Chongzhen, was shot to death in this way.

In fact, in the fifth year of the Apocalypse, he was the first in the test, but at that time, the eunuch party was in full swing, and he didn't want to be Wei Zhongxian's running dog.

Therefore, Wei Zhongxian picked a thorn for him.

Wei Zhongxian didn't know where he found out that Liu Ruozai's ancestral home was from Shuibo Liangshan, but he even slandered Tianqi, saying that this kid came from a den of thieves, and he was born rebellious, which is not advisable!
As a result, Tianqi asked Liu Ruozai a question during the palace examination: "Your ancestral home is Shuibo Liangshan?"

Liu Ruozai knew that he was cheated by the eunuchs, but he did not deceive the emperor. He replied honestly: "Back to the emperor, the student's ancestral home is Shuibo Liangshan, but since the student's father's generation, he moved to Anqing, Nanzhili. The student was born in Anqing Mansion, grew up in Nanzhili, and never went to Shuibo Liangshan.”

He has explained it very tactfully.

In the end, Tianqi still brushed him off, and didn't even let him on the gold list.

He is also the only tribute in history who has not been on the gold list.

I have to say that Tianqi is really confused.

What's wrong with the family's ancestral home being in Shuibo Liangshan?
In the Ming Dynasty for more than two hundred years, so many people were born in Shuibo Liangshan, but no rebels were seen!

He was fooled by Wei Zhongxian and asked such absurd questions during the palace examination, and he actually shot Gong Yuan to death because of an inexplicable water park in Liangshan!

This can also prove that it is too easy to brush off a person during the test.

Taichang also knew about Wen Zhenmeng's experience, so he still had to give Zhuangyuan Lang this face.

He nodded slightly and said, "That's fine. If you still want to take the imperial examination after failing three times, that's fine, but the imperial court will no longer control food and drink."

This is not the focus of this imperial examination reform, and there is no need to worry about it.

What's next is the point.

(End of this chapter)