Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 360: We will drink from the golden cup and fight each other with swords!
Just when Zhu Biao was at a loss, Zhu Yuanzhang took out a memorial from under him and handed it to Zhu Biao. Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment, then took the memorial in his hands. After reading the contents, his pupils couldn't help but shrink.

"Father, what is this?"

Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes and said, "This is what Li Shanchang talked about with Xia Zhibai earlier."

Zhu Biao nodded subconsciously, then suddenly looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, and then seemed to have thought of something, smiled bitterly, and nodded: "Father, what do you think of the abolition of the official life tenure system mentioned by Xia Zhibai?"

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered and said with a smile: "What can we think? As long as our subordinates don't rebel, we are content. How can we expect anything else?"

Zhu Biao's mouth twitched.

He couldn't believe what Zhu Yuanzhang said.

If he really had no idea, how could he have kept this memorial and specifically kept it for himself to read?
However, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't care much about this little interest. He pondered for a moment and said slowly, "I think this is a very appropriate move. As the saying goes, people go to higher places and water flows to lower places. Some officials are in good health and stay in the court for decades. Especially those who are selected through the imperial examinations are young. If they stay in the court for a few more decades, even if they were powerless, they will probably become powerful."

"By controlling the time limit, officials can enter and exit in an orderly manner, which can also improve the mobility of officials and keep the court in an efficient state at all times."

"I think this is good."

"It's just that." Zhu Biao then shook his head again, his face showing a trace of solemnity, and said: "Officials have different physical conditions, different ages, different times of promotion, and different lengths of time in the court. If this is forced to be implemented, I'm afraid it will cause a lot of officials in the court to be in an uproar."

"Besides."

"The court can never be sure of one thing."

"Whether these officials will suddenly fall ill, die suddenly, or break the law and be punished, or whether they will enter the court when the officials are sure. If the court intends to suppress some officials from entering the court, these people will inevitably have resentment, and when they enter the court, they will probably have a lot of resentment."

"At the same time, if these officials died of illness right after entering the court, wouldn't it mean that the court wasted its talents in vain?"

Zhu Biao pondered for a while, then sighed and shook his head.

It's a good idea, but people's ages are not uniform nowadays. Some die young, some live long. If we lump them all together, I don't know how much conflict it will cause. Moreover, placing these young geniuses directly in local areas will also make them smooth and round. Once interests are involved, they may have different intentions in governing the country.

Although he roughly guessed it.

This might be consistent with the advice Xia Zhibai gave himself.

But his East Palace was only his personal team after all, and he would not restrict the promotion of officials too much. The abolition of the life-long system would be a big blow to the enthusiasm of officials, unless the Ming Dynasty could increase the life expectancy per capita and allow the age of local officials to increase as well.

Or.
Survival of the fittest, and dying young means having no chance of being in the imperial court and being a person without blessings. Moreover, since one can die early in the local area, it proves that he is unlucky, and it makes no difference whether he comes to the imperial court or not. This is more like another screening of officials.

Hard life!!!

Only those who survive are the strong ones.

Zhu Biao's eyes flickered, and he roughly understood Zhu Yuanzhang's thoughts.

What he thought later was probably what his father was thinking. He just cut it off with one cut. If he died before reaching the age, he would die. If he went to the court, he might not survive. The court could not expect a person who died young to build the country. Moreover, all the talented people in the world were under the rule of the Ming Dynasty. How could the Ming Dynasty be short of people?

If the fate of the Ming Dynasty really hangs on one person, it means that the Ming Dynasty has come to an end.

Zhu Biao looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and asked tentatively, "Father, do you intend to promote this policy?"

Zhu Yuanzhang just smiled and said nothing.

Zhu Biao understood.

Zhu Biao added: "There are many old generals in the court now. They are old and should go back to recuperate and hug their grandchildren. However, these officials may not be willing to retire. They have been loyal to my father for many years. I am worried."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "We know." "We won't force them."

"Moreover."

"I am still strong enough to survive them. But if one of them brings it up, that would be great. I am not in a hurry. I have time. I can wait."

Zhu Yuanzhang's tone was calm, but it was full of strong unquestionable force.

Zhu Biao was startled.

The emperor has made up his mind, but he has not yet decided when to say it. In other words, he wants an old minister to say it on his own initiative. If no one takes the initiative, given the emperor's character, he might take some actions in private to force some officials to take the initiative.

Zhu Biao didn't think there was anything wrong.

There is no such thing as harmony and kindness in politics.

It's all about calculation and struggle.

It is better to let these old ministers retire with dignity than to let them be killed.

At least they were saved.

It also left a glorious legacy.

In his heart, he even hoped that it could be realized sooner. He knew his father's character. He had a violent temper. If he got really emotional, he could do anything. Not to mention the old ministers who had followed him for many years, even his adopted sons and nephews, and even the princes, would be dealt with.

These rules are to save other lives.

Zhu Biao asked, "Do you need me to give some instructions to the old officials?"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and said in a cold voice: "Since this idea was proposed by Xia Zhibai and Li Shanchang, then we will wait. When the day comes that Li Shanchang feels that he has had enough of the court and wants to retire to the mountains, he will write a letter to report to us. We know this old friend of ours inside and out."

"Just like him, he knows us very well."

"We hope that he can continue to be our Xiao He at the end of his life."

"We believe him."

Zhu Biao smiled bitterly and nodded helplessly.

The emperor not only wants Li Shanchang to step down voluntarily, but also wants him to force others to step down, or at least submit this memorial to "abolish the lifelong system". However, Li Shanchang is actually a very cautious person, and nowadays he seldom gets himself into trouble easily.

I want Li Shanchang to take the lead.
I am afraid that my father will target Li Shanchang intentionally or unintentionally in secret.

This forced Li Shanchang to take the initiative.

Although he knew it in his heart, Zhu Biao had nothing to say. Although it was a bit unkind, when he thought of his father's methods, this way of dealing with it was relatively mild. Otherwise, he would have been drinking from a golden cup and ruthlessly fighting with a sword.

Zhu Biao cupped his hands and said, "Father, your majesty is wise."

Zhu Yuanzhang closed his eyes slightly and said, "Go find Xia Zhibai in a few days. Since Xia Zhibai has given you these ideas, it is impossible that he has not thought about money. Go and ask him if there is any other way to get some money. But we must make it clear that he cannot affect the local people's livelihood."

"Don't even think about making things easy for him!"

(End of this chapter)