Chaos of the Three Kingdoms Summons

Chapter 2679 The Three Ministers Test Each Other at the Banquet
To be fair, the Northern Song Dynasty's emphasis on civil administration over military affairs, and its use of civil officials to control the military, really had little to do with Emperor Taizu! As for who was to blame, history will have its own judgment.

As for the various conspiracy theories about the civil service group in the Ming Dynasty, those from the mid-to-late Ming period are one thing, but even the early Ming Dynasty during the reigns of Hongwu and Yongle can be fabricated. Even the short-lived lives of the Zhu family, from Zhu Biao and Zhu Xiong Ying to Zhu Dapang and Zhu Ququ, have started to be linked to conspiracy theories.

Isn't this nonsense?

Do you really think that Old Zhu and Zhu Xiaosi are incapable of wielding knives? No matter how capable a civil official is, can they handle these things under these two?
Even the Tumu Fortress incident involved interference from civil officials. How many civil officials died at Tumu Fortress? Did these civil officials really sacrifice themselves for the sake of the rise of the entire civil official group?

More than 8,000 people participated in the imperial examination, but only 71 were admitted. On average, less than one in a hundred people were admitted, which is less than one percent. Is this a high admission rate?

In fact, this acceptance rate is not high, but it is definitely not low either.

The success rate of the imperial examinations during the Tang and Song dynasties remained at around this level.

In Shilin Garden, there is a small pavilion by the lake with excellent scenery. Emperor Li Xiang is not wearing his dragon robe today, but is dressed in casual clothes. He sits in the main seat and looks more approachable than he does in court.

Minister of Personnel Wang Meng, Minister of Revenue Zhang Juzheng, and Minister of Justice Xiao He sat to one side, gently waving feather fans and smiling warmly. Exquisite dishes and fruits were laid out on the table, but few people had the appetite to touch them.

Sometimes, the emperor might test the students' talents on the spot during a banquet. If the emperor was satisfied, he would not hold a separate palace examination. Therefore, several ministers would be left behind as witnesses.

Originally, in principle, Fang Xuanling, the Minister of Rites, should not have been absent from the imperial examination. However, his son was currently at the top of the list and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, would become the new top scholar. Therefore, he did not appear to avoid suspicion.

The ranking in the provincial examination was not the final ranking. Only after the palace examination would the rankings of the first, second, and third class be confirmed.

After National Day last year, Di Renjie, the former Minister of Justice, officially retired to his hometown, after all, he was indeed over sixty years old.

After that, Xiao He returned to the central government and took over the position of Minister. As for Xiao He's original post as governor, it was given to Li Guangyi.

In the Northern War, Li Guangyi did manage to persuade the entire Zhao Defang group to surrender, allowing the Great Jin to gain tens of thousands of troops, as well as civil and military officials such as Tian Dan, Zhao Pu, Zhao Gongming, and Bi Han, without bloodshed.

For this merit, in addition to the title, some should be promoted. Otherwise, what officials will work hard for you in the future?
As for Li Guangyi, the "God of the Chariots" of Gaoliang River, although his military skills were somewhat criticized, he certainly had the ability to govern domestic affairs.

He is certainly qualified to be a prefect.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere had livened up a bit. Li Xiang put down his glass, his gaze sweeping over the faces—young, mature, or aged—but all almost identical, filled with anticipation. He spoke, his voice low, yet it instantly silenced the entire pavilion:

"Distinguished newly appointed scholars, your success in passing the imperial examinations is a cause for celebration. Today, I have invited you all to this garden for two reasons: first, to share this joy with my subjects, and second, to hear your insightful opinions on two crucial matters concerning the foundation of our new dynasty."

Li Xiang paused, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, before continuing.

"The first thing is the matter of Southeast Asia." "After three years of great war, our Great Jin has finally taken over those territories south of Jiaozhou. But that place is hot! There are many mosquitoes! And the forests are dense! The local chieftains and warlords are outwardly submissive, but it's hard to say what they really think."

"There was a language barrier, different customs, rampant malaria, and pirates who would occasionally cause trouble. Some of the princes and officials sent down to the provinces suffered from acclimatization problems, while others were sidelined by local powers."

"Tell me, how can we truly make these new territories our Great Jin's stable backyard? How can we make those Southeast Asians willingly become our Great Jin's subjects, instead of always thinking about rebellion or being coerced by pirates?"

In any given place, problems will only gradually come to light once governance begins. It's impossible to anticipate all the problems through mere imagination before practical experience is available.

And so, as Southeast Asia officially began to address the issue of piracy, the problem came to the fore.

Further south in Southeast Asia, the region is dotted with islands and archipelagos, making piracy a rampant problem.

Currently, the first source of capital for Nan Chu's rise in Southeast Asia was obtained through piracy.

Even without investigation, Li Xiang knew that these pirates were supported by some Southeast Asian nobles, or by some of the defeated Southeast Asians who had been defeated by Chang Yuchun.

As soon as the question was posed, the newly appointed scholars looked at each other, some frowning in thought, others eager to try.

A scholar from Jiangdong spoke first, speaking with a distinctive Jiangnan accent, "Your Majesty, I believe that to truly control the South Seas, we should implement two strategies."

"First, build a strong army! Have each vassal king establish a strong army, and immediately suppress any unrest among the local natives! Also, select high ground and control ports to build fortified camps and station elite troops! If pirates dare to come, then fight them back!"

"Secondly, open markets! Set up markets in the ports we control! Trade spices, refined salt, sugar, gems, and rice fairly, and levy taxes reasonably! Let the local natives know that following the imperial court brings benefits, which is better than being a pirate and causing trouble! And use this to attract pirates to join us!"

“Your Majesty, in my opinion, military force alone is not enough to pacify a region! Only by combining kindness and severity can we achieve lasting peace!” another scholar spoke up.

This time, it was Chen Qun's son, Chen Tai, from the Yingchuan Chen family, a typical aristocratic family.

"I believe that schools should be established! All officials in Southeast Asia and their children should be forced to learn Chinese! They don't need to be very proficient, just enough to understand proclamations and laws! The medical officers sent by the court should also treat the local people! People are all made of flesh and blood, and a combination of kindness and severity will ensure long-term success!"

Li Xiang didn't speak, but picked up his teacup, took a sip, and gestured to the scholars below to continue.

"And another thing! Don't just think about heavy taxes! Taxes should be appropriate and benefit the locals! If their lives are better, and they live better under the rule of the Great Jin than before, they won't have the mind to cause trouble! The prestige of the court doesn't rely on official seals, but on real benefits and force!" A scholar added.

Those who can pass the three-level exam and stand out among countless students are mostly quite capable.

Everyone had their own ideas, which came together and complemented each other's thoughts. They even brought up aspects that hadn't been considered before.