I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 534 Zhang Juzheng's entanglement
The draft reform of the science and technology examination prepared by the Secretariat is similar to what Yang Jinshui said at the preparatory meeting of the Federation of Industry and Commerce.

The provincial examination will be combined with the civil servant recruitment examination and held once a year. The Ministry of Rites will take turns sending personnel to local areas to be the chief examiners, the Censorate will send personnel to supervise, and the provincial governors will assist in the examinations.

The number of recruits was determined by the vacancies of civil servants in the provincial government and the provincial inspection department in the previous year. The joint examination was also held once a year, half a year apart from the provincial examination. Only a certain number of candidates who ranked at the top of the provincial examination in each province were eligible to enter the capital for the joint examination.

Those who passed the imperial examination continued to be called Jinshi, but they were recruited as officials for the six ministries, temples, the Censorate, the Xuanhui Court, and the Law Court. They observed government affairs in the central government for two or three years, and then went down to the counties to serve as county magistrates.

Both the provincial and imperial examinations are divided into two subjects: national politics and legal affairs.

The content of the examination also needs to be greatly changed, abandoning the eight-legged essay, and initially determining the three basic subjects as Chinese, mathematics, and general science.

The Department of National Politics sometimes has policy discussions, and the Department of Law has general knowledge of law. Both also have case analysis.
After reading the draft, Zhang Juzheng thought about it carefully and felt that it was inappropriate and too radical, so he expressed his opposition.

But he didn't want to have a direct conflict with the emperor on this matter.

He had just taken office as Prime Minister and the new policy reform had just begun, but he was already clashing with the Emperor on an important matter. If this matter were to get out, his relatives would be sad and his enemies would be happy!

It will have a great impact on the New Deal reforms, and will seriously undermine the morale of our own side and boost the morale of the old faction.

More than ten days after this draft was sent to the cabinet, Zhang Juzheng kept looking around and looking for excuses to shirk his responsibilities.

Today, the emperor asked him about this matter face to face. Zhang Juzheng knew he could not avoid it and had to make his position clear.

When Zhu Yijun heard Zhang Juzheng express his opposition, he felt a little disappointed, but not surprised.

Although Zhang Juzheng carried out drastic reforms, he was an orthodox disciple of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism.

Historically, in order to suppress the increasingly rampant School of Mind, support the increasingly declining orthodox Neo-Confucianism, and seize the right to train and select talents, Zhang Juzheng even ordered the closure of private academies in various places.

Very contradictory.

But this is the real history.

Zhu Yijun was surprised to find out when he was looking through past documents.

Xu Jie was a disciple of the School of Mind, and Yan Song was a good friend of Wang Yangming.

This is recorded in the past archives of the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

In the third year of Zhengde, Yan Song learned that Wang Yangming was demoted to Guizhou and passed by Fenyi, so he went to greet him and held a welcoming banquet in his own "Lingshan Hall".

After talking for several days, the two became good friends.

When they parted, Wang Yangming wrote the calligraphy "Lingshan Hall" as a farewell gift. Not long after, Yan Song made a plaque with Yangming's calligraphy and hung it up.

In the fifth year of Zhengde, Wang Yangming was appointed magistrate of Luling, Jiangxi Province, and Yan Song went to Luling to visit his old friend.

Talking about the difficulties in officialdom in middle age and his determination to do good, Yan Song couldn't help but burst into tears.

Wang Yangming then explained the theory of "Heavenly Conscience" to Yan Song, and advised him to be a man with conscience in the future. Yan Song was so impressed that he regarded Wang Yangming as his teacher.

In the 14th year of Zhengde, Prince Ning Zhu Chenhao launched a rebellion.

Wang Yangming, the then governor of Nanjian, learned that Yan Song was recuperating at home, so he specially invited him to Ji'an to assist in military affairs and help suppress the rebellion. Yan Song gladly went.

The Ning Wang Rebellion was put down by Wang Yangming in just forty-three days. Yan Song went to Mingyuan Tower in Nanchang with Wang Yangming to compose poems and enjoy the scenery.

Yan Song wrote a poem praising Yangming's achievements: "The embroidered axe avoids the clear frost, and the tower boat opens the green water. The wind and clouds gather for thousands of years, and the unicorns and phoenixes come. He is still summoned after his old age, and he relies on his talent in the current situation. He has always made plans and cleared the dust of war with his letters."

Determined to take Wang Yangming as a role model.

After reading these real records, Zhu Yijun found it incredible.

Yan Song, the person Wang Yangming admired the most and whom he believed would have great prospects in the next twenty years, turned out to be the biggest traitor during the Jiajing reign.

Xu Jie, a disciple of Yangming's philosophy of mind, became the most shrewd bureaucrat in the Jiajing period. He was ruthless and served in the cabinet for twenty years. Although he did not contribute much to the country, he managed to make the Xu family the largest landlord in the Three Wus.

On the contrary, Zhang Juzheng, who made the greatest contribution and had the most profound influence on the Ming Dynasty after Wang Yangming, was not interested in Yangming's philosophy of mind at all.

Zhu Yijun learned from the records of the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard that not only was Zhang Juzheng's teacher Xu Jie a second-generation disciple of Wang Yangming, but most of the followers he associated with and recruited were also disciples of the School of Mind.

But Zhang Juzheng believed that the School of Mind had gone astray.

Zhang Juzheng believed that the widely spread Wang Yangming's philosophy of mind had a huge impact on the academic atmosphere.

Most of the students were no longer down-to-earth, but were keen on making big speeches and pointing fingers at others. The academies gradually became places for scholars to "have idle talks".

After these people entered officialdom, they brought that culture of empty talk into the officialdom.

In the court, people began to judge people by moral standards instead of professional ability; the words in officials' memorials became longer and longer, and the opinions they put forward became more and more fanciful, unrealistic, and impossible to implement.

Of course, they just write to satisfy their own desires and never think about implementing them.

Zhang Juzheng hated this phenomenon deeply.

When he took office as Prime Minister, in his "Memorial on State Affairs", which was similar to a policy outline, he emphasized the importance of "verifying the facts" and "reducing discussions", in order to put an end to the tendency of empty talk.

After reading the records about Yan Song, Xu Jie and Zhang Juzheng, sometimes you will feel that history and facts are so absurd.

But Zhu Yijun thought it was normal because people are full of contradictions.

Ever since Zhang Juzheng became his teacher, Zhu Yijun has been trying hard to study his values, outlook on life and ideas.

Zhu Yijun gradually discovered that Zhang Juzheng not only felt that mainstream philosophy was heading towards empty talk, but also felt that some parts of the philosophy were heading towards a perverse and evil path, such as the "new school" presided over by Li Zhi.

Zhang Juzheng felt that the "new learning" did have advantages in helping the world and the people.

However, they value profit over righteousness, and disrupt laws and order.

If this continued, the Ming Dynasty's emperor became corrupt, the government was declining, national rifts arose frequently, and the people were living in misery. The previous New Deal reforms ended up in vain.

Zhu Yijun has been trying hard to guide Zhang Juzheng, allowing him to get in touch with more new things, broaden his horizons, and break free from the shackles of thought!

After several years, there are indeed some effects.

Zhu Yijun discovered that Zhang Juzheng had a clear understanding of the complete financial and taxation system, which had evolved from land surveying and the Single Whip System to accepting the universal taxation based on the amount of land, similar to the taxation of officials and gentry.

But how easy is it to make a complete change?

Zhang Juzheng had been hesitant in economic development, believing that establishing factories and maritime trade were just a means to increase treasury revenue, a stopgap measure rather than a proper solution.

He believed that the corruption of government officials was due to the abandonment of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, which had led to a change in people's moral character.

As long as everyone follows the moral standards of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, we will be able to revive the government and ensure that officials are clean and honest. We will be able to suppress the powerful and wealthy, and all things will be done well. There will be peace and order, and chaos will not arise.

He practices the things of the Legalists, but rejects the rule of law.

And he is very stubborn.

Who among those who dare to reform is not extremely stubborn?
Shang Yang was a paranoid man, Wang Anshi was called a stubborn prime minister, and Zhang Juzheng was also stubborn and resolute. They insisted on their own ideas and made them as solid as granite, so that they could overcome all difficulties and move forward courageously.

The room remained silent.

Zhang Juzheng felt uneasy.

He knew his student's methods too well.

But he still had hope in his heart.

The reform of the imperial examination was the first difficult issue that caused huge disagreements between the emperor and his ministers.

Zhang Juzheng had his own ideas on how to solve this problem, and he also hoped to see Zhu Yijun's attitude. This was a beginning. If the monarch and his ministers could tacitly solve this problem properly, the subsequent new policy reforms would be very smooth.

Zhu Yijun was also thinking in his mind, he knew that this was a test.

But Zhu Yijun knew that he could not compromise on this matter.

If the imperial examination is not reformed, the channels for selecting and enrolling scholars will still be in the hands of the old school, and subsequent reforms will become increasingly difficult to promote.

In the 41st year of Jiajing, Yang Jinshui went to the southeast and began to train new talents.

Over the years, a large number of talents have been trained. I dare not say they are the most suitable, but they are much better than those moral gentlemen of the old school.

Now we need to find a way to arrange these people into the government and gradually make them the mainstream of the Ming Dynasty's civil servants.

Zhu Yijun was also unable to predict whether Hu Zongxian, Tan Lun, Wang Yi'e and others, whom he had promoted, would still support him and the reforms after the reforms.

These people all came from the official imperial examination system and were orthodox Confucian disciples.

Just like Yan Song was determined to take Wang Yangming as his role model, but he didn't expect to become a treacherous minister in the end.

Will the people you have promoted change their stance when they become powerful and influential?

Only by filling the central and local areas with new talents representing emerging interest groups, and making them equal to the old faction and checking and balancing each other, can we have the confidence to face all changes.

Military power is only the final bottom line.

Simply relying on killing and suppressing with force will ultimately fail and will even backfire.

Zhu Yijun said, "Master Zhang, as long as the imperial examinations are not changed, the selection of candidates will always be in their hands. When the civil service examinations are completed, a group of candidates will be cleared out and they will fill in another group.

Weeds can't be eradicated; they will grow again in the spring breeze."

Zhang Juzheng was delighted. It was a good thing that the emperor was willing to talk.

So he showed his trump card first.

"Your Majesty is wise. I also believe that the new policy reform and the civil service examination are only stopgap measures. What is more important is to clarify the source and sort out the way to select talents and recruit scholars. This is the truth.

However, how to correct the great way still needs careful consideration. Since the founding of the country, the orthodox teachings have been respected and the rationalism has been the foundation. For two hundred years, millions of students have read the classics and learned the imperial texts, and the court has also selected talents based on this.

Now it has suddenly changed beyond all recognition, and millions of students have no way to adapt. I am worried that something serious will happen."

Zhu Yijun said slowly: "Master Zhang said that old and mature people should hold the country accountable. You also agree to change it. So how do you think it should be changed?"

"Your Majesty, I suggest that we restore the old practices of the Tang and Song dynasties. We should divide the provincial and metropolitan examinations into Jinshi, Law, Mathematics, and Broad Studies, and select talents according to different categories.

Since the imperial examinations have been put back on track, I suggest that the civil servant recruitment examinations be abolished and merged into the provincial and metropolitan examinations. I think this is the safest and best policy. "

Zhang Juzheng was very good at calculating. He followed the precedent of the imperial examinations in the pre-Song Dynasty, with the Jinshi subject as the main subject, and the other subjects such as law, mathematics, and extensive studies as miscellaneous subjects.

Regular subjects account for 80% of the quota, and miscellaneous subjects account for 20%. Then a chain of contempt is formed, and the final result is still "the one who sang the top scholar outside Donghua Gate is a good boy, but how can this be a good boy?"

History is returning to its old path again.

But what Zhang Juzheng said makes sense.

Millions of students have been studying the eight-legged essay for decades, and suddenly you tell them that they will no longer be tested on it.

Will you go crazy?

Will there be more Huang Chaos and Hong Xiuquans?
Why did he push Zhang Juzheng to the front to preside over the reform while he himself hid behind the scenes?
First, with him as a buffer, things won't get to the point where there's no room for maneuver.

If I personally rush to the front, what should I do if a major conflict occurs and I am directly killed?
Learn from Brother Crow and flip the table?

He went hungry three times a day and all his men ran away.

Second, he is the emperor of the Ming Dynasty in this life, and he was a senior civil servant in his previous life. His position is completely different from that of officials and scholars, and his feelings and ways of thinking are also different.

Different standpoints lead to different perspectives on issues, and different ways of thinking lead to different concepts.

What they think is a small matter seems earth-shattering to them.

What I think is as heavy as Mount Tai, they think is as light as a feather.

Then Zhang Juzheng became his own radar.

He was both an official and a scholar. If even he strongly opposed his new policies, it would mean that he would hit the lungs of both officials and scholars.

At this time, we need to think of ways to solve the problem in a roundabout way rather than acting recklessly.

He was the number one landlord in the Ming Dynasty, and his class position limited him to the point that it was impossible for him to tear down everything and rebuild high-rise buildings.

However, he had anticipated that his reform of the imperial examination would be opposed, but he did not expect the opposition to be so strong, and he was beaten back by Zhang Juzheng.

Zhu Yijun thought about it and nodded, "Master Zhang, this is a good suggestion.

Let's make one thing clear first. Master Zhang and I have reached the first tacit understanding that the science test must be changed."

Zhang Juzheng immediately replied: "Your Majesty, I agree that the imperial examination must be changed."

“The question now is how to make the change appropriate?”

"Your Majesty is wise."

"Master Zhang, please draft up your ideas for reforming the examinations and submit them to us so that we can discuss them carefully."

Zhu Yijun's words made Zhang Juzheng feel happy but also nervous.

Although the emperor said that he could have a good talk, is he someone who would change his mind so easily?
Perseverance cannot take away your will!

This is what Emperor Shimiao said.

Who knows what tricks the emperor is going to play?
However, the emperor knew the importance of things and understood that political matters must be obtained through political means. If he insisted on forcing it through force, it would only backfire.

That's good!
I'll wait and see.

Oh, my head hurts. I have to fight against those cunning officials and also against the emperor.

"Your Majesty, Hai Rui has arrived." Qi Yan reported at the door.

"Mr. Hai is here, I'm waiting for him." Zhu Yijun turned to Zhang Juzheng and explained, "Mr. Hai is going to Jiangsu to take up his post soon. I want to talk to him, but these few days are both the Dragon Boat Festival and my birthday, and there are congratulations from inside and outside the palace, and the red tape is so complicated that I can't get away.

Today, I will take advantage of my free time to chat with Mr. Hai."

When Zhang Juzheng heard Hai Rui's name, his heart began to tremble.

When he arrived in Jiangsu, the first person he came to see was his mentor.

What should I do then?
Should we lend a helping hand and repay the kindness of teachers and students? Or should we sit back and do nothing and be cursed by the world?
Zhang Juzheng quickly replied: "Jiangsu is an important place for the country's finances, but the local administration has always been corrupt. With Hai Gong as the governor, the cabinet can rest assured."

The cabinet can rest assured, but I am worried to death.

Soon, Hai Rui was waiting at the door to be summoned.

Zhu Yijun glanced at Zhang Juzheng.

It's over, the two of you conspired behind closed doors, your mentor is in danger!

(End of this chapter)