I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 799 The Real Big Move

Late at night, in the study of the county magistrate's mansion.

Everyone finished their dinner in silence. Hong'er led the servants to remove the table. Su Yao saw that everyone's emotions had calmed down a little, so he cleared his throat and slowly said:

"Everyone, I have heard all the arguments just now. Everyone has their own opinions and reasons, but in the final analysis, they are all for the sake of this country."

He paused, glanced at everyone, and continued:

"Noble families and poor families, noble families and poor families, all are the pillars of our Han Dynasty, and none of them can be missing."

"The children of aristocratic families have been passed down for generations, and their family learning is profound. They have a deep foundation in classics, history, and government affairs, and have contributed many good policies to the court. Many prosperous times in the past were contributed by the children of aristocratic families. There is no doubt about this."

After hearing Su Yao's words, Sima Lang and Xun You, who had been livid just now, nodded and their expressions eased a little. Then Su Yao said, "However:
"However, Confucius said that there should be no discrimination in education. Our Han Dynasty has respected Confucianism and education for four hundred years, promoted education and enlightened the people, and culture and education flourished. Even humble families can produce noble sons."

"Although these children from poor families come from poor families, they have great ambitions and study hard. Their abilities are no less than those of children from wealthy families. What is even more valuable is that because they come from the common people, they have a personal experience of the people's livelihood. The opinions they put forward are often relevant to the current situation and can bring new ideas and vitality to the governance of the country."

"As an important institution of the imperial court, the Censorate supervises all officials and audits finances. It has a heavy responsibility and needs to recruit talents from all walks of life. It must not stick to the old ways and follow the old ways."

"The general is wise!"

Although they knew Su Yao's next plan, when they heard this, Guo Jia, Wang Ling and others couldn't help but bow and cheer in unison, which was extremely heartwarming.

Xun You and Sima Lang looked at each other, a complicated look flashed in their eyes. They paused and were about to say something else, but Su Yao raised his hand and continued:

"I already know your opinions."

"Indeed, although the Censorate has been plagued by problems for a long time and urgently needs to be rebuilt, it is not a wise move to exclude the entire family because of a few scum."

"What does the general mean?"

After Xun You heard this, he came to his senses. He looked at Su Yao and waited quietly for what to come next.

Su Yao suddenly stood up and said loudly:

"I, Su Yao, have always recruited people based on their talents, regardless of their background. The imperial examination system is to break down the prejudice of family background and allow all the talented people in the world to have a chance to shine."

"This time, for the expansion of the Censorate, I think it would be better for us to hold another exam."

"Exam???" Sima Lang said in a lost voice with his eyes wide open.

"That's right." Su Yao said, "Let's not talk about those senior officials in management positions. This new department will always need people to do the work."

"Whether it's supervising officials in Beijing or going on business trips to other places to supervise and audit the Hedong census, the current number of people is definitely not enough."

At this point, Su Yao's mouth slightly raised, revealing a confident smile:

"For these official vacancies, I have decided to hold a unified examination for recruitment later."

"All the successful candidates in this imperial examination, as well as the talents recommended by noble families, can take part in this exam."

“No matter if you are from a rich or poor family, everyone will compete on the same stage and compete fairly.”

Su Yao looked around and his eyes fell on Xun You and Sima Lang:
"If the children of aristocratic families are truly talented, they should be given important positions regardless of their background. If the children of poor families are outstanding, they should also be promoted and given important positions. In the examinations, regardless of their background, they should be judged by their talent and admitted on the basis of merit."

"What do you think of this method?"

When everyone heard this, they were stunned at first, and then fell into a brief silence.

Xun You stroked his beard and nodded slightly, thinking to himself: This method of examination is actually a fair one.

It not only gives the children of aristocratic families the opportunity to show their talents, but also allows the children of poor families to stand out through their own efforts. In this way, it can not only appease the aristocratic families, but also inspire the poor families, and select truly capable talents to enrich the Censorate, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone. Sima Lang's eyes also flashed. Although he came from a noble family, he also understood the deep meaning of Su Yao's move.

If the superiority and inferiority are determined by examination, the children of the noble families will not necessarily be at a disadvantage in the examination due to their years of family education. In this way, the noble families can maintain their reputation and avoid a complete confrontation with Su Yao. Thinking of this, he cupped his hands and said, "General, this plan is very good. Selecting talents by examination is fair and just. It can select talented people and win the support of the people. Lang thinks it is feasible."

Xun You also agreed: "Gongda is right. This way, all parties can accept it, and the Censorate can also absorb truly capable talents. This is indeed a good strategy."

Seeing that Xun You and Sima Lang both agreed, Guo Jia, Wang Ling and others nodded one after another. Wei Ji also quickly expressed his opinion: "The general is wise. Such an arrangement will definitely give the Censorate a new look and safeguard the implementation of the new policy."

Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus, Su Yao nodded with satisfaction: "Since everyone has no objection, this matter is settled."

The plan was decided, and then everyone delved into the topic, discussing in depth the departmental setup and specific powers and responsibilities of the Statistics Bureau and the new Censorate, as well as other matters related to the upcoming expansion of enrollment examinations.

The more they dug into the matter, the more shocked they became by Su Yao's remarks.

These layers of design were so closely linked to each other that everyone was surprised to find that the general had already drawn up a grand blueprint in his mind.

Su Yao explained clearly that the Statistics Department should set up special population census sections, economic data accounting sections and land resources inventory sections. Each section should have a clear division of labor and cooperate with each other to firmly grasp the basic data of the whole country.

The new Censorate is divided into the Capital Supervision Department, the Local Inspection Department and the Financial Audit Department. Not only do they each perform their own duties, but they can also supervise and check each other.

When Su Yao mentioned other matters concerning the expanded enrollment examination, his eyes were sharp and his words were earnest:
"In addition to classics, history, and miscellaneous works, the exam will also include current affairs and policy discussions, examining candidates' views on current issues such as people's livelihood, economy, and government. Only those who can come up with practical and feasible policies are the talents our Han Dynasty needs."

"At the same time, as a department responsible for supervising discipline, the Censorate must be honest and upright."

"The officials of their department should set an example. If they violate the law or discipline, they will be punished three times more severely!"

When everyone heard Su Yao emphasize the disciplinary requirements for officials of the Censorate in such a decisive manner, their expressions were startled. They understood that this was to eliminate corruption in the supervisory agencies at the root and ensure the fairness of the implementation of the new policy.

Xun You was the first to bow and praise: "The general has far-sighted thoughts. The Censorate has a heavy responsibility. Only if it is honest can it supervise all officials and deter the petty people. In this way, the implementation of the new policy will have more guarantees."

Sima Lang also showed his approval and added:

"But severely punishing those who violate laws and disciplines is one thing. We should also commend those officials who enforce the law impartially and have outstanding achievements. Only by having rewards and punishments can we motivate everyone in the Censorate to serve the public wholeheartedly."

Having said that, the tense atmosphere of the previous argument was long gone.

When Xun You heard Sima Lang say this, he immediately teased him, saying that as an imperial censor, he was here to seek benefits for himself.

Sima Lang also laughed loudly upon hearing this, waved his hand and said:

"Gongda is so ashamed of me!"

"I said this purely for the long-term development of the Censorate."

"If officials who enforce the law impartially are not praised, who will be willing to work hard in the long run? This commendation is not only a recognition of the individual, but also sets an example for my entire Censorate."

Guo Jia gently waved his folding fan and smiled as he continued, "Brother Sima is right. Only by clearly distinguishing rewards and punishments can the Censorate be united. However, the details of the standards for rewards and punishments still need to be carefully considered."

Originally, we should stop talking here and discuss other important matters.

However, who would have thought that Su Yao, who had just been listening to their laughter, would suddenly continue the conversation:

"You all have a point about rewards and punishments. I happen to have a book here. Although it is not perfect yet, it may be feasible as the cornerstone of the reward and punishment system of the Censorate. Please take a look at it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Yao reached into his arms amid everyone's surprised gazes and pulled out a beautifully bound book with three big characters "Kaocheng Fa" inscribed on it.

(End of this chapter)