Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 60: The song is too highbrow for the masses?!
Tang He closed his eyes, took a sip of wine, and seemed to savor the sweetness of it before he slowly replied, "What's the difficulty?"

"Your Majesty is the Emperor."

"The emperor can use anyone he wants, right?"

"And when Liu Ji and his men surrendered to Your Majesty, didn't Your Majesty use them directly?"

"Who dares to say no?"

Listening to Tang He's analysis, Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and said, "This won't work."

"That was then, and this is now. Back then, I didn't have so many civil officials and counselors under my command, and it was also the time to use people, so I chose to use them directly."

"It's different now."

"I want to employ Xia Zhibai, but I am afraid to do so. Moreover, if we directly bypass the imperial examination system and hire people, wouldn't the imperial examination system become a mere decoration and a joke?"

"No, no, no."

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head repeatedly, totally refusing to accept Tang He's suggestion. He said, "Besides, you don't know, this kid is very arrogant."

"He doesn't want to be an official, he wants to be the top scholar in the Ming Dynasty."

"He is still the top scholar of Tiance."

"Is this Tian Ce something he could have thought of?"

"It was only because I suppressed my temper at that time, otherwise I would have dragged this bastard out and chopped him to pieces. Why did I allow him to jump up and down in front of me again and again?"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, his temper gradually rising, and a hint of hostility flashed in his eyes.

Tang He's eyelids twitched, and his movements slowed down. He rolled his eyes and said, "Since Your Majesty does not want to bypass the imperial examination, then just take the exam again and add his name in it."

“That’s not difficult.”

Listening to Tang He's constant bad advice, Zhu Yuanzhang rolled his eyes and shook his head, saying, "How can this work?"

"This imperial examination has become a joke because of Xia Zhibai. If we have to retake it, won't it become a joke?"

"And there has to be a reason to retake the exam."

"It is unreasonable for us to make these students retake the exam. Wouldn't that make people question fairness even more? Besides, the scale of this imperial examination is not small."

"Retake the exam. Time is too tight."

Tang He spread his hands and said helplessly: "Your Majesty, you are not good at this or that. How can you ask me to give you advice? I am just a rough man, how can I understand these things?"

"Isn't this embarrassing for me?"

"I do not care."

"Your own business, figure it out yourself."

Tang He also got angry.

He picked up the wine jug on the table and drank it in big gulps, looking very happy and satisfied.

After drinking a pot of wine, he winked at the eunuchs around him, asking them to bring in a few more pots as soon as possible, as if he came to the palace just to get these pots of wine.

See this.

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at him unhappily.

He also knew that even if he asked Tang He about this matter, he would not get any results.

Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his beard, thought carefully, and nodded, saying, "It's time to clean up the mess of the imperial examination and sort it out."

"It is indeed unnecessary to re-examine the imperial examination, but it is possible to re-mark the papers. However, we need to give the students a reasonable reason to do so."

I thought about it.

Zhu Yuanzhang then set down the rules.

Seeing Tang He's greedy look, he snatched the wine pot from Tang He's hand and said, "Tell me again, do we really want to give Xia Zhibai the top prize?"

"Isn't that a bargain for this kid?"

"I don't want to reuse you."

Zhu Yuanzhang never considered himself a generous person, let alone when faced with someone who had offended him many times, he could not be generous.

Tang He picked up a piece of pig head meat, tasted it happily, and said while chewing: "In my opinion, this top scholar is none other than him."

"What do you mean?" Zhu Yuanzhang frowned. Tang He put down his chopsticks, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, and said with a smile: "I have heard something about this imperial examination. It is not easy to handle."

"I just listened to your Majesty's speech and figured out some clues. The problem of the imperial examination lies with Xia Zhibai. As the saying goes, the person who tied the bell can only untie it."

"The only thing we can do is to help Xia Zhibai up."

"The chaos in the imperial examination can only be resolved with a good ending. Besides, didn't this man offer potatoes with a yield of 1,000 kilograms per mu and high-yield rice seedlings to Your Majesty? What a great contribution."

“Is this something that others can compare to?”

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned. Although he agreed with what he said in his heart, he still felt a little reluctant. After all, this would damage his reputation.

Tang He also saw this and said, "Your Majesty, are you worried that this person will not be useful, or that he will become the next Yang Xian or Hu Weiyong?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

Tang He is his own brother.

He did not hide anything and spoke out his true thoughts: "This man is very ambitious, even more ambitious than Yang Xian and Hu Weiyong. We are worried that if we really use him, it will become a disaster for us."

"We don't want to take any chances."

Tang He chuckled, a shrewd look flashed in his eyes, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, your cleverness has backfired. Since Your Majesty does not want to use it, then Your Majesty can just not use it."

"Leave it to His Highness."

"Your Highness has been handling state affairs for a while. Sooner or later, you will have to take over. Just let Your Highness handle the affairs and Your Majesty can just check from behind."

"Isn't this solved?"

"Leave it to Biao'er?" Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned. He thought about it for a while and nodded with satisfaction.

"That's fine."

"It's not convenient for us to use it, but Biao'er can."

"We are watching from behind. If Xia Zhibai dares to do anything, will we let him succeed?"

"That's a good idea."

"That's right. When has there ever been any problem with the suggestions I, Tang He, gave?" Tang He boasted, picked up another piece of pork head and started eating happily.

"Hey." Zhu Yuanzhang was also happy and said, "I praised you and you gasped for breath."

Tang He smiled and said, "Since Your Majesty has used my ideas, we should think more for Your Majesty."

“Isn’t this guy crazy?”

"Then your majesty should praise this man to a higher level. There is a saying that goes, 'the music is too high to be appreciated by the masses'. Praise him to that level."

"This man becomes a lone minister."

"If I am not liked by other officials and am restricted in everything I do, then I will have to rely on Your Highness in the future, right?"

"Then the things in his hands will only fall into the hands of Your Majesty, right?" A cunning and shrewd look flashed in Tang He's eyes.

Just a fleeting moment.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up, he thought for a moment, and nodded with satisfaction.

Since I'm worried.

Then make Xia Zhibai a lone minister.

Without any cliques in the court, how much trouble could he stir up alone? Even if Xia Zhibai really wanted to do so, he could kill him at any time!

And if you are really worried, you can also arrange Xia Zhibai to do some thankless tasks.

Doesn't Xia Zhibai love the people? Let him love the people to his heart's content under the title of loving the people, and even call it a good name and give full play to his strengths.

Zhu Yuanzhang grinned and said with satisfaction: "Fourth brother is really thoughtful. Why didn't I think of such a good idea?"

"Come on, come on, drink."

"We toast to you."

"Today, let's drink happily, brothers."

(End of this chapter)