Xuanxia

Chapter 578: A New Path
Fu Qingzhou glared at Yun Lu and the other three, with a hint of accusation in his eyes.

Yunlu... together with "Brother Ye" and "Brother Lian", the three debaters also looked a little ashamed.

Fu Qingzhou just made a passionate speech and almost won.

Unexpectedly, Gu Jinchen found a small loophole in their proposal and opened up a new situation!
"How can you talk about the reform of the imperial examination system right at the beginning?!"

Fu Qingzhou sat down and said in a low voice: "Let's start the topic. Put forward your ideas first! When it comes to solutions, you have to put the other party under pressure and leave them speechless before you can speak out!"

The man who proposed the topic sighed and whispered, "It is indeed my fault. I thought that if there was a solution, the argument would be more solid..."

"okay."

Yun Lu gritted her teeth and said, "Now is not the time to talk about this. If we wait any longer, we will lose!"

She slammed the table and stood up, raised her eyebrows, and retorted to Gu Jinchen: "Brother Gu, what you said is wrong! Although the people in the martial arts world are not good at writing, their chivalry and courage are beyond the reach of those people from the aristocratic families who only know how to talk about war on paper! They..."

"No!"

Before she could finish, Gu Jinchen interrupted her and said, "Can you govern a country with your courage? To govern a country, you need a well-thought-out strategy and a long-term vision! A man's courage may be enough to kill enemies and be a brave soldier in the army, but to be an official or a general? It's far from enough!"

"Brother Gu, you really underestimate me!"

Yun Lu refused to give in and said, "They have been around the world and have a wide range of knowledge. Isn't that also a sign of their ability? How can Brother Gu assert that they don't know how to govern the country, the art of war, or how to investigate and interrogate cases? Don't we have to take an exam to find out whether they know anything? If the court doesn't even open the way for them, how can they perform?"

"What Miss Yun said makes sense."

Gu Jinchen said calmly: "But experience and practice are not the same as the ability to govern the country. What the court needs is laws and rules, not scattered experience in the martial arts world... Although chivalrous spirit and courage are valuable, they should not be accepted by the court."

After that, without waiting for Yun Lu to speak, he said leisurely: "Miss Yun, your idea is very good, I understand, but... have you ever thought that the reform of the imperial examination is by no means a one-time thing? The current imperial examination system has been honed for many years and is stable and fair. A hasty reform will cause injustice and chaos, and pave the way for people in the underworld... Have you considered the consequences?"

"The people of Jianghu have different personalities and their styles of doing things are also very different from those of the officials in the court. If we allow them to join the government, wouldn't our Dayan court become a gathering place for the Jianghu ruffians?"

Yun Lu snorted, "Brother Gu is probably worrying too much... Although people in the martial arts world have different personalities, they are not fools. Don't they understand when to say what? Yes, the reform of the imperial examination system is not a one-day job, but why can't we advance it step by step and adjust it in sequence? Hasn't the imperial examination system also undergone many reforms since its development?"

"If our predecessors could change it, why can't we change it?"

Both sides had their own opinions, and the debate, which seemed to be gradually ending, entered a white-hot stage for the second time.

The smile on Zhao Yuan's face faded little by little, his expression became serious, he held his chin with his hand, and seemed to be lost in thought.

Yan Yidong, who was sitting below him, had a blank expression on his face, said nothing, and had deep eyes, revealing what he was thinking.

Yuan Ye, on the other hand, had a smile on his face, and seemed quite satisfied with Gu Jinchen.

On the debate stage, several debaters were focused on each other's remarks, only Fu Qingzhou... was quietly looking at Yuan Ye.

"We are still arguing about this? Why is he so happy?"

Fu Qingzhou narrowed his eyes.

But soon, he realized the problem.

What the aristocratic families want is to preserve their own interests - their interests are in all aspects, and today's debate involves their interests in the imperial examinations and the appointment of officials.

And in this regard, for the aristocratic families... not retreating is progress.

They have controlled the imperial examination channel for a long time and do not care whether some small fish and shrimps will slip through their net. Even if someone like Yan Yidong, who is not from a noble family, becomes the prime minister of the cabinet, it does not matter to them.

The interests of the aristocratic family are not in a certain time or place, but in the long-term control of Dayan. What they want is continuation, for generations!

The imperial examination system is the most important channel for the court to select talents. No matter whether it is a big or small imperial examination, as long as the current system and customs of examinations and disciples are still the same, the influence of the aristocratic families among the officials will not be able to shake the foundation of their power.

This is why Gu Jinchen brought the focus of the debate here.

No matter how much we debate this topic, there will be no conclusion.

Even if a path to reform the imperial examination system was finally opened, it was highly likely that the aristocratic families would voluntarily give in and offer a painless path that would appease the emperor without causing any major problems.

Fu Qingzhou's mind flashed and he suddenly thought of something!
What can truly strike a blow against the power of the aristocratic families is not simply to bring in underworld forces and wash them away.

But...to divide the families.

The reason why the aristocratic families are so powerful now is precisely because they are powerful enough. The children of the aristocratic families are extremely dependent on the clans, which is why they stick together so closely, and the aristocratic families can last for a long time...

"What if we give the children of the noble families another way so that they can quickly advance even if they leave their clans? And then put them on the same track as the people of Jianghu, so that both sides have opportunities?"

"In this way, the noble families may not find any problems in the short term, and they will be pleased because their children have new opportunities for advancement and new powers and responsibilities. The people in the martial arts world will also have opportunities, and Zhao Yuan will be able to take this opportunity to develop his own power."

"In the long run, the children of noble families will no longer have to rely on their clans, but will have to rely more on the judgment of the emperor and the court..."

"But how can we get rid of the control of the family?"

Fu Qingzhou muttered to himself, his brain almost exploding with thought.

On this side, Gu Jinchen and Yun Lu were still debating... Well, not only them, but all the other debaters also joined in, arguing with spit flying and red faces.

Fu Qingzhou gritted his teeth and looked around the field, searching for inspiration.

Just then, he suddenly noticed someone, an acquaintance.

Li Jingzhe...

He doesn't like Li Jingzhe, and Li Jingzhe doesn't like him either.

But it is undeniable that the second-in-command of Mingjian Pavilion... is very independent.

This independence is independent of the aristocratic families and the rest of the official system.

Li Jingzhe's independence does not entirely come from his own or Ning Baimei's abilities, but from the special existence of Mingjian Pavilion.

Moreover, Mingjian Pavilion is absolutely loyal to the emperor and only serves the emperor.

In an instant, a bolt of lightning flashed through Fu Qingzhou's mind!
"Is it going to fall on Mingjian Pavilion again?"

He murmured, "Okay, since you guys are talking nonsense and saying I'm from the Ning family, I'll give you a big life!"

After saying that, he suddenly stood up and said in a shocking voice: "Wait! I have something to say!"

Fu Qingzhou was a skilled debater. As soon as he opened his mouth, he immediately suppressed the voices of the debaters on both sides.

Under everyone's puzzled gaze, he smiled and said leisurely: "Everyone, what do you think... setting up a new department in Mingjian Pavilion, where both the children of aristocratic families and people from the martial arts world can enter, and the selection method will jump out of the framework of the imperial examination... How do you think?"

(End of this chapter)