I studied in modern times

Chapter 1006 Han Wei Asks for a Answer
Logically speaking, Wen Yanbo, the Grand Tutor, should have known about the imperial examination system for selecting officials.

however……

The truth is, Wen Yanbo really didn't know.

He wasn't the only one like this.

Zhang Fangping and Feng Jing, two veterans in Beijing, were also unaware of this.

It was not only because they hadn't sent anyone to inquire, but also because they dared not know.

no way!
Sima Yi's wisdom alone instilled fear in all the old ministers of later generations.

And the older you get, the more afraid you become!
They were terrified that a single misstep could arouse suspicion and lead to the extinction of their entire family!
Even with Emperor Taizong's martial prowess, he still harbored suspicions about Li Weigong in his later years.

Let alone others?
The Song Dynasty today governs the country together with its scholar-officials, and its rulers are lenient and its ministers are virtuous; it can be said that the court is filled with upright officials.

However, Wen Yanbo was a veteran of four reigns and had already been honored as Grand Tutor and appointed as the Grand Councilor of Military and State Affairs, a position above that of the prime minister.

How similar is he to Sima Yi?

Therefore, despite Wen Yanbo's haughty demeanor outside, he loved to put on airs even more when he was in the capital.

But he has always been very honest and upright.

Without an imperial decree, he neither inquired about nor cared about anything.

If the emperor issues an edict, then we shall act in accordance with it.

Therefore, let alone the imperial examinations, Wen Yanbo actually didn't care much about the government affairs.

He knew very well that some things, whether weighed two ounces or a thousand pounds, were impossible to control.

Therefore, do not leave any possibility for others to step on the scale.

Therefore, as early as the first month of this year, Wen Yanbo, Zhang Fangping, and Feng Jing had already begun to close their doors to visitors.

It wasn't until the day of the provincial examination that he was ordered to accompany the emperor to Yujin Garden.

That was the first time Wen Yanbo had gone out in more than three months.

His caution stemmed from the fact that he had served three different emperors of the Zhao family.

We know all too well the nature of the Zhao officials!

How can the present day be an exception?
Therefore, Wen Yanbo always displayed his authority in trivial matters, but in important matters such as court politics and national policies, he would pretend to be mute, deaf, and blind unless he had an imperial decree.

It was clearly a message to the palace: "This old minister is just a brick in Your Majesty's work; whatever Your Majesty wants this old minister to do, this old minister will do."

Apart from this, this old minister knows nothing and asks nothing else.

Without this wisdom, Wen Yanbo would not have achieved his current status, nor would he have lived this long.

Wen Jifu was actually somewhat puzzled by his father's caution.

But he has one good quality – he is filial.

He did whatever his father told him to do.

Therefore, in recent days, Wen Jifu had inquired about the provincial examination and asked more than one person about the specific details.

However, Wen Yanbo had previously given an order that no one was allowed to mention the imperial examinations or discuss state affairs in front of him.

Therefore, he has always pretended not to know.

Upon hearing Wen Yanbo's question, Wen Jifu immediately pretended to be Bao Cheng and recounted the situation and details of this year's provincial examination to Wen Yanbo in detail.

After hearing this, Wen Yanbo narrowed his old eyes.

"The Emperor is indeed going to make a big move against the imperial examination system!"

This point was actually noticed by some people when the Kaifeng Prefecture was holding its civil service examinations for officials.

After all, they're not fools.

If the system of civil service examinations for officials is slightly modified, isn't it just the imperial examination system?

Therefore, some people started preparing for this year's imperial examination as early as three years in advance.

For example, the families of officials from the traditionally strong imperial examination regions—Jiangnan West Road, Jiangnan East Road, and Liangzhe Road—had already sent people to the capital in the first year of the Yuanyou era to retrieve the examination papers and questions from the Kaifeng Prefecture officials that year and begin studying them.

This is like ducks knowing first when the river warms in spring.

It is also a reflection of the reality that King Chu loved slender waists, and many in the palace starved to death.

Therefore, when Wang Anshi returned to public life, he began lecturing again, using Baoning Temple in Jiangning as his base.

For a time, children from both the New Party and the Old Party flocked to Jiangning.

They won't leave no matter how hard you try to get rid of them!
Do you really think it's because of Wang Anshi's great personal charisma?

People already knew that the current emperor was going to take action against the science and technology sector and make a fuss about it.

I already knew that the emperor was fond of divination, practical matters, and the ingenious tricks of the Mohists.

Wang Anshi's public lectures, which focused on practical matters and mathematical calculations, were tantamount to openly telling the world – "I like this kind of talent!"
Officials and their families, though they had some reservations and private opinions, also had their share of criticisms.

Because many people in these families have been engrossed in studying classical texts for the past ten years or so.

They are finding it difficult to adapt to the sudden changes in the imperial court.

However, a family contains not only the elderly, but also the young.

Those who have studied the scriptures for more than ten years may find it difficult to adapt to the new format in a short time.

But young people are different.

This gives them the opportunity and possibility to overtake others on a curve.

Therefore, everyone praised the emperor's wisdom!
After all, this is about fame and fortune!

This year's imperial examinations, held for scholars from poor families and farmers, seem quite out of place.

But this applies to families of officials and scholars.

However, this was something that had been prepared for and anticipated.

Fortunately, the emperor still knew the importance of things and did not completely change the basic approach to selecting officials since the Xining era.

It still focuses on classical texts, but strengthens its coverage of current affairs and historical analysis, emphasizing practical needs.

For example, the history essay question directly asked about the Two-Tax System reform in the mid-Tang Dynasty, and required candidates to give their own views on the advantages and disadvantages of the Two-Tax System.

This is practically giving away points.

Because in the Song Dynasty, there was no scholar who did not study the Two-Tax System.

Current affairs strategies, on the other hand, simply focus on real-world issues.

The questions were all about events that had occurred in Bianjing, Luoyang, Yangzhou, Jiangning and other places in recent years.

Then, candidates are asked to answer based on this.

Anyone who has ever cared about the nation and its people can give a few points. It's just...

Wen Yanbo pondered for a long time, then sighed softly, "In this way, wouldn't the imperial examination system favor officials and powerful families while neglecting commoners from humble backgrounds?"

As a veteran of four reigns, Wen Yanbo personally witnessed the reforms of the imperial examination system in the Song Dynasty.

From the beginning of the Qingli Reforms until the late emperor established the system of selecting officials based on Confucian classics.

He was well aware that the reform of the imperial examination system in the Song Dynasty over the past few decades had always focused on fairness.

We should do our best to ensure that children from official families, powerful and wealthy families, merchants, small landlords, and even ordinary people start on the same footing.

Therefore, they abandoned poetry and prose and instead used classical texts.

Therefore, the old and new parties worked together to promote the imperial examination reform in the second year of the Xining era and agreed to the three-stage selection method.

why?
This is because if the civil service examinations were based on poetry and prose, children from small and medium-sized landowners, merchants, and peasant families would have virtually no chance unless they were exceptionally gifted.

After all, poetry and prose require talent, a good teacher, and accumulated knowledge.

Poetry and prose are things that ordinary families' children can't afford to play with.

Without talent, without the guidance of a renowned teacher, and without profound experience and accumulation.

The poems and essays he wrote were rarely outstanding.

In the imperial examinations, poetry and prose cannot stand out, cannot attract attention, and cannot evoke resonance.

It's basically equivalent to being deposed.

In this situation, how can children from ordinary families play with people educated in official families?

The meaning of the scriptures is different.

As long as one thoroughly studies the classics and dedicates ten or twenty years to their studies, even a child from an ordinary family has the opportunity to outperform children from wealthy and powerful families in the imperial examinations.

Yan Jidao is the best example.

If the selection of officials still relied on poetry and prose, Yan Jidao would have passed the imperial examination long ago, given his talent in poetry and prose.

Now, the emperor values ​​practical matters, enjoys calculations, and loves ingenious things.

The same principle applies.

Are these things that ordinary families' children can afford to play with?
even……

You could say that even if they have the talent, where would they get the resources to play these games?
Let's take practical examples.

If they didn't have an official father or a grandfather in the court, how would they know about officialdom if they didn't go there to get hands-on experience?
The children of the powerful and wealthy are different.

They really did have a father or brother who was a prefect/transport commissioner, and they were exposed to these things from a young age.

I've read the official gazette countless times.

With a little effort, even children from ordinary families can never catch up to him in their entire lives.

Wen Yanbo shook his head slightly as he thought about these things.

However, his greatest strength is that he knows how to adapt to changing circumstances.

Unlike some people, I won't deliberately try to upset people in the palace.

He leaned back in his chair and said to Wen Jifu, "What I have said to you today, do not tell anyone else!"

"promise!"

……

Unlike Wen Yanbo.

On the third day after the provincial examination ended, the 16th day of the third month, Guihai.

Zhao Xu received a memorial from the Ministry of Rites regarding the Fuyan Road—the Western Xia had sent envoys, with Tian Huairong, the official in charge of the Spring Festival, as the chief envoy and Wei Minglingge, the official in charge of the Lüze Court, as the deputy envoy, to pay homage to the Great Song Dynasty. They had now arrived at Mizhi Village on the border and requested permission to enter the court for an audience.

Clearly, the Tanguts have come to lodge a complaint.

But Zhao Xu couldn't refuse, after all, they had brought gifts—a full five hundred horses!
You can't hit someone who's smiling, so Zhao Xu had no choice but to agree.

At worst, we'll make Lü Huiqing drink three cups of wine as a punishment.

Having just reviewed the Ministry of Rites' memorial, I now appear before Zhang Shuye, the Palace Attendant on duty for today.

"Is there something you need, Zhang Qing?" Zhao Xu asked as he saw Zhang Shuye being led to him by Tong Guan.

Zhang Shuye bowed respectfully, then took out a letter from his robes and presented it to his hand: "Your Majesty... I, Wei Fang, the Grand Master of the Three Departments, Governor of Beijing, and Prefect of Daming, have just arrived at the Inner East Gate and submitted a letter requesting an audience!"

"Why has Prime Minister Han come?" Zhao Xu took the letter, a shadow passing over his brow.

Since Han Jiang fell seriously ill, Han Wei, as his younger brother, naturally could no longer stay in Daming Prefecture.

Therefore, in early March, he wrote a letter requesting to return to the capital.

The court naturally agreed, so Han Wei returned to Bianjing on the seventh day of the third month (Jia Yin day). He first went to the palace and paid his respects to Zhao Xu and the two empresses.

Then he stayed in the Han family's ancestral home, presiding over all affairs inside and outside the Han residence.

Therefore, Zhao Xu was naturally somewhat worried about Han Jiang's health.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that it seems to be related to the provincial examination..." Zhang Shuye reported from the side.

"Oh!" Zhao Xu was finally relieved.

It's good that Han Jiang didn't reach the end of his life!

If that were the case, Zhao Xu would have to hurry and prepare to leave the palace to see the prime minister one last time at Han Jiang's residence.

He leaned back slightly in his chair, holding Han Wei's letter, and muttered to himself, "The provincial examination?"

"Does Prime Minister Han have objections to the provincial examination?"

"Right!"

"Lord Han contributed greatly to the reform of the imperial examination system during the Xining era!"

The change in the imperial examination system during the Xining era from selecting officials based on poetry and prose to selecting officials based on classical texts was the result of the joint efforts of the old and new parties.

Han Wei's role in this was immeasurable.

In a sense, selecting officials based on classical texts was a measure of his political achievements.

And it was a very important political achievement!
In the future, a hundred years after Han Wei's death, both his deeds and his epitaph will extensively recount this event.

Naturally, the imperial court's reform of the imperial examination system directly affected his personal interests.

Thinking this, Zhao Xu said, "Zhang Sheren, go and invite the Prime Minister to come to the East Pavilion of Funing Palace to meet me!"

"Speaking of which, I haven't even had a heart-to-heart talk with the Prime Minister yet!"

(End of this chapter)