Guiyi Fei Tang

Chapter 524 The Second Year of Hongwu
“Since ancient times, noble families have kept their books privately and refused to share them with the common people; now the court has confiscated the books of the rebels, distributed their land and houses to help the common people, and obtained their documents to distribute to the whole country, so that all the people may be bathed in the holy influence.”

"Today, there are 1,622 counties in the country. Each circuit has a Provincial Education Commissioner, who is in charge of the affairs and is assisted by two deputy commissioners, who supervise the education of the circuit."

“Each prefecture shall have one school director and two deputy school directors, and one university each shall be established in the east and west.”

“Each county shall have one instructor and two deputy instructors, and establish one primary school in the east and one in the west.”

“Each township shall have one instructor and one township school.”

“Anyone aged ten or above and under twenty years old who lives near the village is allowed to enroll and study.”

"Official schools exempt students from tuition and miscellaneous fees, but students are required to provide their own paper, pens, and food; those who complete the course are selected as students and are allowed to take the imperial examinations."

"This policy was promulgated on the first day of the first month of the third year of Hongwu's reign. All officials and commoners throughout the land should be aware of it and not miss this opportunity..."

In mid-October of the first year of the Hongwu reign, with several light rains falling in the north after the onset of autumn, the previously uncontrollable drought was finally brought under control.

Under such circumstances, the imperial court issued a decree to establish official schools, which undoubtedly caused a stir among the people of all the states.

"Can my eldest son also go and learn?"

What is a student?

Will there be an official school at the conference?

In a village in a certain prefecture of Henan Province, farmers wearing padded coats with willow catkins gathered at the village entrance, where the village head and the clerk sent by the county government to post notices stood in front of a wooden sign.

The official, looking at the group of farmers who had surrounded him from horseback, explained to them again with slight impatience:
"All people under heaven can attend school. Being a student is the qualification to participate in the imperial examination. There will be official schools in the Grand Township and all townships, but remember to bring your own paper, pen, inkstone, and food."

"If you can't afford paper, brushes, inkstones, and ink, at the very least you should prepare a wooden board, a brush, and an ink stick."

The official explained that he had been working in the county for two years and naturally understood the local dialect.

Seeing that the villagers still wanted to ask, the village head took the initiative to step forward and asked, "May I ask, sir, will it begin in the first month of the year after next?"

“That’s right, it’s still early. If you don’t understand, just ask around. I need to get to Daye Village, so I won’t stay any longer.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he shook the reins and spurred his horse to break through the villagers' encirclement. As the villagers saw him leave, they all turned their gazes to the village head.

Seeing this, the village head explained in detail to the villagers, and their eyes lit up as they listened. He couldn't help but say:
"So, all the young men in the village can go to school?"

"It's not that easy." Muramasa shook his head and said to everyone:

"Let alone preparing paper, brush, inkstone and ink, even just preparing wooden boards, ink sticks and brushes, as the county official just mentioned, would cost several hundred coins a year."

“You work the land all year round, and after paying the land tax, you only have about 24 or 25 shi of grain left. After leaving enough for your own family to eat and drink, you're lucky if you can save 2,000 or 3,000 coins.”

“If we really support my son to study at an official school, I’m afraid the whole family will have to eat wild grass to fill their stomachs.”

The price of paper, brushes, inkstones, and ink was prohibitive for ordinary people. Even though the imperial court had exempted ordinary students from the most difficult tuition fees, only a minority of people could still afford to study.

The villagers looked troubled by what the village head said, and some gritted their teeth and said:
"I will work hard for seven or eight years, and then I will support my son's studies. If he can graduate, even a job as a shop assistant or accountant in the county would be a remarkable one."

The waiters in the city's taverns may seem ordinary, but they need to be able to write down the names of the dishes and memorize the entire menu in order to earn the seven or eight strings of cash they earn each year.

The wages are so low nowadays, after all, the country has just been settled, and although land has been distributed equally, there are just too many people who want to find work during the off-season.

However, if one is literate and good at arithmetic, one can easily find a job as an accountant in the county with a salary of thirteen or fourteen strings of cash.

For these people who toil in the fields all year and can only save two or three strings of cash after deducting food and drink, having an accountant who provides food and lodging is simply a life in heaven.

By gritting their teeth and providing an accountant, the family, though not necessarily wealthy, could gradually accumulate wealth and transform from poor peasants to rich peasants.

Many villagers were tempted by this idea, but the village head shook his head.

Before experiencing hardship, one naturally thinks they can endure it. But when the time comes to actually endure hardship, if they discover that their child doesn't have the talent, then all those years of hard work will have been for nothing.

Thinking of this, Muramasa breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he still had some savings and it wouldn't be difficult to choose a talented child from among the families to raise.

But these people in the village...

Muramasa shook his head, turned and walked past the villagers who were discussing animatedly, preparing to go home and make some plans.

There were many people like him who could perceive the difficulty of official education, and therefore many people showed their mockery.

This kind of mockery can be heard almost anywhere you enter a tavern, from Hebei to the south of the Yangtze River.

"Can the poor also attend school with people like you and me?"

"The court today is not the court of the past. Everyone in my family says that we must go to the official school. Consider it a loss for us."

"Heh, how many of those poor people could afford paper, pens, inkstones, and ink? They're just passing through."

"You should leave in the same way you came with joy."

"Wasn't it the same with the official schools back then? But in the end, didn't some of them still end up in high positions..."

In a tavern in the eastern part of Hongzhou, several students chatted in their thick local accents, their tone full of disdain.

In the private room next to theirs, Qian Liu was sitting quietly with several officials, drinking and listening to their conversation.

No one raised any objection to what they had just said, after all, official schools originated in the pre-Qin period and only gradually entered the public consciousness during the Tang Dynasty.

While inheriting the official school system of the Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty also ordered the establishment of official schools such as the Imperial Academy, the National Academy, and the Four Gates Academy in Chang'an. However, it was not easy to get admitted, as there were not only class restrictions but also a limited number of places.

Although schools were later established in prefectures and counties, they were mostly Confucian schools, and only aristocratic and powerful families could enroll, making it impossible for ordinary people to even dream of attending.

After Wu Zetian came to power, the court emphasized the imperial examination system while neglecting schools, and official schools began to decline.

It wasn't until the Kaiyuan era that official schools received the support of the imperial court and were restored and developed. The system was further improved, a more appropriate scale was determined, and the hierarchical relationship between local official schools and those in the capital was clarified.

Unfortunately, after the An Lushan Rebellion, the imperial court's expenditures suddenly increased, leaving it unable to cope with its own situation. The survival of local government schools depended entirely on the attitude of their officials.

The literary style of the country gradually shifted from Henan to the Jianghuai region and further south to Jiangnan, simply because these places were far from the warlord wars and the officials in charge could allocate more money and grain to maintain official schools.

Even so, local government schools were still not places that ordinary people could enter.

"Let's go!"

Qian Liu slowly stood up and gestured to the others, who quickly followed. They then got off the tavern and rode in a carriage with Qian Liu back to the yamen.

Although Hongzhou suffered from war, after nearly two years of recovery, coupled with Qian Liu's excellent ability to employ people, it has now returned to its pre-war prosperity.

Looking at the bustling scene outside the window, the official in the red robe inside the carriage said to Qian Liu, "My lord, the court has always attached great importance to official learning, so this matter cannot be taken lightly."

His words won nods of agreement from those around him, since although they were all local officials from Jiangnan, there were quite a few officials in the yamen who came from the Guanzhong region's official schools.

Although those officials were not good at classical texts or memorials, they were surprisingly capable in practical matters.

The new dynasty has only been in power for less than a year, yet it has already announced a series of policies that benefit the people.

The fact that the imperial court established official schools in prefectures, counties, and villages, and exempted students from tuition fees, gave many wealthy farmers hope.

Even poor farmers, if they grit their teeth and persevere, can raise a student with the full support of their entire family.

Even if it's not possible for one household to do it, the whole village can support several talented students.

Several people could think of this, let alone Qian Liu, who was the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan West Circuit.

Qian Liu looked at the group and nodded slightly: "This matter cannot be taken lightly. Moreover, based on my understanding of His Majesty's recent edicts, His Majesty is probably planning something even more important."

"You all need to be careful while you're working in the government office, so that no one can find any fault with you."

"Yes!" The others in the car nodded in agreement, and Qian Liu slowly closed his eyes.

While they were talking, the whole country was in turmoil as the imperial court continued to issue decrees.

While there are many mediocre scions of powerful and wealthy families, there are also quite a few exceptionally talented ones.

They could all foresee that once the imperial court established official schools, something even more turbulent would follow.

As it turned out, they were right, because as the imperial court announced the establishment of official schools, Liu Jilong, who was far away in Luoyang, also summoned his ministers at this time.

"I have decided to restore the six subjects, change the Xiucai subject to the Minggong subject, and revise the Jinshi and other subjects."

Inside the Zhenguan Hall in Luoyang, Liu Jilong summoned the three prime ministers, Li Shangyin, Liu Zhan, and Xiao Gou, as well as officials from the Six Ministries, Nine Temples, and the Censorate, including Han Zhengke and Yang Xin.

Nearly twenty officials sat in the hall, listening to Liu Jilong's words, and couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment, none of them knowing the contents of the Ming Dynasty's Ministry of Works.

"Your humble servant, Li Shangyin, the Chancellor, is foolish and dull. I dare to ask Your Majesty for guidance: what are the differences between the engineering discipline and other disciplines?"

Li Shangyin asked the question, which reassured the officials somewhat. Liu Jilong explained, "Officials in various fields, such as shipbuilding, cannon casting, and gunpowder manufacturing, can enter the court as officials if they possess enlightened skills."

As soon as Liu Jilong finished speaking, the assembled officials understood what this so-called Ming Ministry of Works was all about.

Although the imperial examination system of the Han Dynasty was never held again, it mainly continued the Tang system, which was roughly divided into two types: regular examinations and special examinations.

The examinations typically consisted of six subjects: Jinshi (进士), Xiucai (秀才), Mingjing (明经), Mingfa (明法), Mingshu (明书), and Mingsuan (明算), with Xiucai and Jinshi being the most important.

The Xiucai examination was the most difficult subject in the imperial examinations during the Sui and Tang dynasties. It required candidates to be proficient in five strategies and policies, and those who were proficient in all of them were considered to be of the highest rank.

Because the exams are extremely difficult, it is often difficult to admit even one person, resulting in fewer and fewer applicants.

Throughout the entire Tang Dynasty, there were only twenty-nine scholars who passed the imperial examinations, which is why the system was eventually abolished during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang.

After the Xiucai examination, the second most difficult examination was the Jinshi examination.

The Jinshi examination mainly consisted of three parts: the first was the examination of classical texts, the second was miscellaneous essays, and the third was policy questions.

The policy questions are usually five questions on current affairs, which examine the candidate's understanding of the court's policies and their strategies for dealing with current political issues.

The Xiucai and Jinshi examinations were usually the highest in status among the six examinations, and also had the highest upper limit.

Below the second category was the Mingjing category, which differed from the regular imperial examinations.

The Mingjing exam is somewhat like a series of challenges; you can only take the next exam after passing the first one.

The first test is on the classics, the second test is on the meaning of the text, and the third test is on policy essays.

Only after passing the three tests and being examined by the Ministry of Personnel can one be granted an official position.

Although it seems difficult, the exams are relatively lenient, the acceptance rate is high, and the career ceiling is low, far less than that of the Xiucai and Jinshi exams.

Below these three subjects are the Legal Studies Subject, the Character Studies Subject, and the Mathematical Studies Subject.

The Mingfa (明法) exam primarily tested legal knowledge and selected judicial personnel; the Mingzi (明字) exam primarily tested linguistic theory and calligraphy skills; and the Mingsuan (明算) exam primarily tested mathematical and astronomical knowledge.

These three subjects were considered "miscellaneous talents entering the ranks," and many of them held technical official positions in the Imperial Observatory, the Court of Judicial Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Rites.

The newly established Ming Engineering Department by Liu Jilong was similar to the "miscellaneous entry" of the latter three departments.

"Your humble servant, Zheng Tian, ​​Minister of Personnel, is dull-witted and does not know how the Ming Dynasty's engineering examination should be conducted. I humbly request Your Majesty's instruction."

Zheng Tian, ​​who had recently returned to Luoyang from Henan, was now serving as the Minister of Personnel in the imperial court. Since the selection of officials was the responsibility of the Ministry of Personnel, he naturally wanted to find out the details.

Since the Ming Dynasty's engineering discipline mainly focuses on various craftsmanship skills, how should the examination papers be designed?
His question prompted the assembled officials to nod in agreement, and Liu Jilong explained:
“Craftsmen such as carpenters, stonemasons, hydraulic engineers, blacksmiths, shipwrights, and physicians each have their own skills, but these skills are largely similar. Therefore, it is possible to have renowned craftsmen compile examinations to select officials.”

"In the future, many universities will establish engineering programs, where students can study arithmetic, chemistry, physics and other scientific research to create new things. Those who benefit the people will be given official positions, and those who are not useful will be encouraged."

Compared to the other five subjects, the situation of the Ming Engineering subject was unpredictable, and even seemed somewhat like a joke, but it was the imperial examination that Liu Jilong most needed to add.

Now that the Han Dynasty has mastered artillery, the next step is to further improve iron smelting techniques and produce items such as matchlock guns and flintlock guns.

Once a navy is assembled and sails to the Americas to the east, and subsequently acquires a variety of crops and rubber, then research into steam engines can begin.

The establishment of the Ming Engineering Department and the opening of engineering schools were all part of his efforts to lay the foundation for the Han people's future entry into industry.

"This……"

Faced with Liu Jilong's mention of engineering, the officials in the Zhenguan Hall, apart from the scholars from Guanzhong, such as Zheng Tian, ​​Wang Shi, Liu Zhan, and Xiao Gou, all showed hesitation.

However, after seeing Li Shangyin and others remain silent, they all chose to keep quiet.

Seeing their reaction, Liu Jilong continued, “For the other five subjects, I intend to reduce the content on classical texts and sutras, and increase the content on general knowledge such as law, economics, engineering, literature and history in the miscellaneous essays.”

Setting up the Minggong Department was the beginning, while allowing those who aspired to take the imperial examinations and had high expectations to understand these complex subjects was an auxiliary measure.

Those who don't work naturally don't know how tiring it is to work, so what Liu Jilong needs to do is get them to start by getting to know each other.

While classical texts and their meanings cannot be discarded, Liu Jilong could create his own examination papers, removing the dross and retaining the essence.

As he was thinking this, Zheng Tian suddenly bowed to Liu Jilong and said, "Your Majesty, the new dynasty is nearly halfway through its term, and now the imperial examination system has been drastically reformed. I wonder when the imperial examinations will be reinstated?"

"Your Majesty, the new dynasty has a sufficient number of officials, and I believe that there is no need to hold the imperial examination for the time being."

Seeing Zheng Tian speak up, Li Shangyin took the initiative to step forward and share the burden with Liu Jilong.

Upon seeing this, a hint of relief flashed in Liu Jilong's eyes.

He had already discussed the imperial examination system with Liu Jilong.

The imperial examinations of the new dynasty certainly cannot still be dominated by powerful and wealthy families; instead, they must support the common people.

The commoner's academic style in Kansai goes without saying, but classical texts and policy essays are not their strengths. Moreover, the country needs a sufficient number of teachers, so the role of Kansai students, in addition to maintaining the system of officials and bureaucrats in the court, also has to support the official school system.

If the imperial examination were to actually begin, Liu Jilong would have no choice but to alter the examination papers beyond recognition, which would certainly cause dissatisfaction among students from Guandong and Jiangnan.

This is why Liu Jilong chose to establish official schools throughout the country and planned to announce to the people the content of the future imperial examinations, with the content taught in the official schools serving as the standard.

This was done to prepare students from Guandong and Jiangnan, allowing them to learn about and join the official education system in advance.

The new official schools added many instructors, and the curriculum also began to expand after students entered university.

In their discussion, Liu Jilong and Li Shangyin decided that the imperial examinations of the new dynasty should not be held for at least five or even ten years, so that commoners and sons of powerful families could compete on the same stage.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong said, "What Prime Minister Li said is very true."

"Minister Zheng should know that if the curriculum of the Guanzhong Imperial Academy is changed now and the examination is conducted again, it will inevitably cause students across the country to say that the court is unfair."

"I have decided to first announce the changes to the content of the imperial examinations to the world, so that all scholars may know and learn about them, and only then will I be able to convince them."

He didn't give Zheng Tian a chance to speak again, but instead looked directly at Li Gunshi, who was the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy.

"Have the Imperial Academy and relevant officials reached a consensus on the matter of official schools?"

When asked, Li Gunshi bowed and said, "I have discussed with the ministers of various departments that since there are five subjects, the primary school should have fifteen teachers and the village school should have five teachers who will take turns teaching."

"However, despite this, there are more than 10,457 townships and 1,622 counties in the country."

"With so many townships and counties, more than 100,900 teachers are needed, but the Imperial Academy currently has more than 26,800 teachers, leaving a shortage of more than 70,000."

"If we recruit so many instructors, the annual expenditure will likely be no less than two million strings of cash..."

Li Gunshi and the others hesitated, but Liu Jilong spoke up: "The affairs of official schools cannot be taken lightly. Although two million strings of cash is a lot, the court can still allocate the funds."

"Moreover, there are many foolish people in the world. Even if a student has the desire to learn from his hometown, his foolish family in the countryside may not allow it."

Two million taels of silver is a lot, but when Liu Jilong was in Guanzhong, he directly supplied books, paper, pens, inkstones and inkstones to urgently train a group of officials.

Now, only books and teachers are supplied, while paper, pens, inkstones, and inkstones are abolished, resulting in a surplus of millions in expenditures.

However, after the imperial court stopped providing paper, brushes, inkstones, and rations to students, the enrollment rate of many official schools in Guanzhong also dropped significantly.

The school used to enroll 50,000 to 60,000 students a year, but now there are only about 20,000.

As a result, many official schools in Kansai had redundant teaching staff, and at least 5,000 of the original 26,000 or so teachers could be transferred to Kanto to teach.

Considering the scale of official schools under the jurisdiction of the nearly ten million people in Kansai, the ten thousand people mentioned by Li Gunshi were definitely an overstatement.

In Liu Jilong's view, more than 80,000 instructors is enough, and it covers all the instructors needed from enrollment to graduation.

Liu Jilong didn't think this was a huge issue, because Kansai is expected to graduate about 50,000 students every year for the next three years.

This situation will end in three years, because Liu Jilong announced the cessation of students' food rations and the provision of paper, pens, and ink two years ago, and the number of students enrolling was greatly reduced at that time.

All I need to do is arrange for the students who have studied for the past three years to become clerks, village officials, patrol officers, and military officers. Solving their employment problem will be enough. Although the south is now under the control of the imperial court, most of the local government offices are still staffed by local powerful families and officials left over from the old Tang Dynasty.

After these three years, these officials should be swept away by the tides of time and leave the government, allowing new forces to take over the reins.

"How is the disarmament being implemented by the Five Military Commissions?"

Liu Jilong took the initiative to ask, and Shang Duoluo, who came as a representative of the Five Military Commands, bowed to Liu Jilong and said:

"Your Majesty, I, Shang Duoluo, the Left Grand Commander of the Central Army Commandery, report that, except for the Lingnan Circuit, all other armies have been reduced or eliminated in accordance with the court's quota."

"The Lingnan Circuit should have been equipped with 45,000 soldiers. Although the number of soldiers has been reduced several times, there are still more than 66,000 combat soldiers. Moreover, such a large number of combat soldiers have adapted to the situation in Lingnan."

"In addition, there are 82,000 troops stationed in Lingnan Circuit. All of them are established in accordance with the system of military settlements and military farms set up by His Majesty. Sixty-one military settlements and military farms have been set up in Lingxi, Lingdong and Annam."

"However, the land allocated by the military agricultural settlements is insufficient, and it will take several more years of reclamation to meet the demand. Governor Li Yangchun submitted a memorial to the court, hoping that the court would exempt Lingnan from five years of grain tax."

After Shang Duoluo finished speaking, the ministers fell silent, while Liu Jilong was deep in thought.

The military settlement system he established was an enhanced version of the garrison system. After being modified by him a few months ago, the current system is that each military settlement has a quota of 1,350 households, with each household contributing one person as a garrison soldier.

Ordinary garrison soldiers received eight strings of cash annually, fifty mu of farmland, and enjoyed a tax rate of one-tenth of the total tax.

Each prefecture selects 400 soldiers to be responsible for apprehending bandits and defending the territory within the prefecture. They receive 8 strings of cash annually, an additional 6 shi of grain, and 50 mu of farmland, and enjoy a tax rate of 1/10.

In addition, a martial arts academy was set up in Zhechong Prefecture, where the children of garrison soldiers could study for free, with their own paper and pens, and could participate in the imperial examinations.

In the early days of the empire's unification, military settlements and military farms were still highly sought after.

After all, the powerful forces had been dealt with by the regular army, so they only needed to deal with small groups of bandits and assist the regular army in defensive operations.

Therefore, recruiting soldiers in Lingnan was not difficult, especially with the influx of large numbers of northern immigrants.

The sixty-one military settlements were scattered across Lingxi, Annam, and Lingdong. They appeared to number only 80,000, but when you include their families and relatives who accompanied them, the number reached 300,000 to 400,000.

With the influx of three to four hundred thousand people, the imperial court's control over Lingnan Circuit is increasing at a visible rate.

The dozens of local barbarian prefectures that once existed in Lingxi have now been mostly eliminated by the Han army. The others either continue to hold their ground, express their submission, or choose to flee to the northern part of Lingxi, which is unsuitable for farming.

If we can continue for another twenty or thirty years, then we can abolish these military settlements in Lingnan. With farmland and family property as their means of support, these soldiers will naturally not choose to flee Lingnan, where they have adapted for twenty or thirty years.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong said to Shang Duoluo, "Reimburse the Lingnan Circuit's military settlements for five years. In addition, order Li Yangchun to continue recruiting military settlements in Lingnan and Lingxi."

"Among the rebels exiled to various localities, those whose crimes are relatively minor can be placed in various military settlements, and the number will be determined by the Five Military Commissions."

"Your subject accepts the decree." Shang Duoluo bowed upon receiving the decree, and Liu Jilong then continued to look at the crowd.

Seeing this, Shang Duoluo continued, "Your Majesty, at Chenshi today, the Hebei Provincial Governor's Office sent a report of victory. Our army recovered the lost territory of Yingzhou on September 12th, and all four thousand Khitan soldiers stationed in Yingzhou were killed."

Liu Jilong was not surprised by this, after all, the Han army in Hebei and Hedong had artillery.

Although the number was small, it was still easy to take over Yingzhou, which was occupied by the Khitan.

"To reward meritorious service, five thousand soldiers were stationed in Yingzhou, and several military settlements were set up between Pingzhou and Yingzhou, with regular troops and military settlements forming a mutually supportive force."

"I have heard that there is a long road outside Yuguan Pass, but it is all coastal mudflats and is not easy for troops to march on."

"If we establish several military settlements and garrison posts, fill the mudflats with rocks and soil, build dikes and pump out water to turn them into fertile fields, it will be much more convenient for the court to travel to Liaodong in the future."

Based on his memory, he recalled that the Liaoxi Corridor took shape in the early Northern Song Dynasty, and now it has been less than a hundred years since then.

If nothing unexpected happens, due to global cooling and seawater receding, the Liaoxi Corridor has degenerated from the seabed into coastal mudflats.

As long as we follow the example of the Liao and Jin dynasties in filling the sea with silt, even if we cannot repair the Liaoxi Corridor to be as wide as it was during the Ming and Qing dynasties, it will still be no problem for our troops to travel to Liaodong.

"I obey the decree..."

Upon hearing Liu Jilong's arrangements, Shang Duoluo, who was not very familiar with western Liaoning, did not raise any questions.

He could have easily posed this question to Husi Guang and Luo Yin, who were in Hebei, instead of relying on his imagination from a thousand miles away.

Although he was not as good at leading troops as An Pohu and Li Yangchun, he knew that chaotic command on the battlefield could lead to death.

For this reason, he liked to consult local officials before doing anything. This way, it was not easy to gain merit, but it also prevented him from making mistakes.

With his current hereditary title of Prince and Grand Commander, as long as he doesn't make any mistakes, he's already doing meritorious service.

If he hadn't been able to figure things out, he wouldn't have retired so quickly after Liu Jilong recovered Guanzhong and gone into military logistics.

Do any of you gentlemen still have any questions?

Seeing that Shang Duoluo had agreed, Liu Jilong's gaze swept across the hall.

Seeing that the officials remained silent, he slowly rose, and the officials, led by Li Shangyin and Liu Zhan, bowed and left the Zhenguan Hall.

As they left the Zhenguan Hall, the many policies discussed by the emperor and his ministers began to spread throughout the land by fast horse.

Although the old-school scholars in Guandong and Jiangnan scoffed at the new policy of reforming the imperial examination system, they had to become officials in order to advance their families' careers.

Therefore, no matter how unhappy they were, they were still prepared to study at the official school.

Construction of official schools began in counties and townships across the country, while the imperial court's water conservancy projects, such as dredging the Yellow River and the Grand Canal in the Guandong region, greatly alleviated the pressure brought by the severe drought.

As long as there is food to eat, the people will not rebel. In the first year of Hongwu's reign, the people survived the eighth year of the severe drought in Northeast China under such a turbulent situation.

"Crackling..."

As the sound of firecrackers echoed across the Central Plains, the New Year's Day of the second year of the Hongwu reign arrived as scheduled.

Although the past year has been very difficult, it is still much better than the days when we had to hide from soldiers during the turmoil and worry about being kidnapped, slaughtered, and sold as meat.

After the imperial court continuously dispatched officials eastward and southward to measure the land and distribute it equally among the people, Liu Jilong finally obtained a complete register of cultivated land throughout the country before the summer harvest began in May of the second year of Hongwu.

"In that year, the total cultivated land in the country was 2,452,913,760 qing, and the tax levied on cultivated land was approximately 45 million shi."

"The people have suffered for too long. I wish to reduce taxes to help them recover."

In mid-May, dozens of ministers gathered again in the Zhenguan Hall. Among them, Feng Bangyan, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward and hoped to reduce the tax rate across the country.

Feng Bangyan wasn't the only one who thought this way; many ministers in the palace shared the same opinion.

According to the imperial court's policy of paying two-tenths of the tax, the total cultivated land area of ​​the country, which is now over 240 million mu, pays at least 45 million shi of taxes annually.

Of course, this is a rough estimate of income after classifying farmland into three grades: superior, medium, and inferior. The actual income is not that high.

Even in the first year of the Hongwu reign, the imperial court only managed to collect 27 million shi of land tax, mainly because it exempted 58 disaster-stricken prefectures from taxes.

Even so, the land tax, when divided among the people, was almost equivalent to seven dou (a unit of dry measure) per person, which was considered quite high by many officials.

Such a tax amount wouldn't have been a problem in the late Tang Dynasty and during times of chaos, since it was necessary to maintain military preparedness at that time. But now that the world is at peace, it seems that it should be reduced.

Liu Jilong didn't know whether they were truly acting for the people or for themselves, but he leaned more towards the latter.

Therefore, in response to their advice, Liu Jilong simply said: "Although the court's fixed tax rate is high, it is taken from the people and used for the people."

"If the tax rate were not so high, how could the court provide relief from the severe drought in the northern regions? How could it possibly substitute public works for relief?"

"Although the imperial court set a tax rate of 20%, the provinces and prefectures frequently suffered from natural disasters, and the local officials would retain 30% of the taxes, so less than 70% of the taxes were actually paid into the national treasury."

“If the authorities do not retain enough funds, the prefectures and counties will surely impose heavy taxes on the people.”

"Therefore, taxes are needed to support the government's supervisory offices in the prefectures and counties, and taxes are also needed to support the people in order to achieve stability."

"In the past, the Qin dynasty levied taxes on most of the people, but Emperor Gaozu of Han took the Qin dynasty's demise as a lesson, so he reduced taxes and corvée labor to one-fifteenth of the taxes."

“However, when the national treasury is insufficient, additional taxes must be levied on the prefectures and counties; the prefectures and counties cannot bear the burden, so they impose heavy and miscellaneous taxes, making the people even more impoverished.”

"The world is not yet at peace. In order to restore people's livelihood, we must impose heavy taxes and develop water conservancy and agriculture."

"Only when crops flourish can the people find peace and stability..."

Liu Jilong's remarks differed from those of the conservative court officials.

The court officials felt that the taxes were too heavy, and that reducing taxes would alleviate the burden on the people and allow them to live a better life.

However, Liu Jilong believed that by first imposing heavy taxes on the people, the tax revenue could be concentrated on building water conservancy projects and various projects that benefit the people. As long as these water conservancy projects were successful, more land could be cultivated, and the water resources brought by the water conservancy projects could also lead to higher grain yields.

To put it simply, Liu Jilong wanted to expand the pie of means of production.

People who earned ten coins a year were taxed two coins by the imperial court, leaving them with only eight coins to live on. Naturally, their lives became difficult and arduous.

However, if the people's annual income is twenty coins, and the court collects four coins, the people can use sixteen coins.

The proportions seem fine, but the income has actually increased, so the latter are naturally better off than the former.

As for whether prices will change, leading to currency devaluation?
That would require the imperial court to take control from a macro perspective, transporting grain from grain-rich areas to grain-deficient areas, and circulating various resources.

This theory of nationwide economic circulation has existed in every dynasty, but it is too difficult to do so, and the losses incurred are enough to cause many dynasties a great deal of trouble.

Liu Jilong dared to propose this nationwide economic model mainly because the number of scholars and literacy rates in the Han Dynasty were far higher than in previous dynasties, and the Han Dynasty had a considerable number of state-run industries.

This set of rules is at least in Liu Jilong's hands without any problems, because there is no one who dares to oppose him, form cliques, or challenge him.

"Your Majesty's holy instruction is well received..."

Feng Bangyan was ashamed; he truly hadn't expected his emperor to dare use the entire sky as a chessboard.

However, he ultimately underestimated Liu Jilong. What Liu Jilong needed was not just the existing "world," but a world that extended further into the future.

Japan's silver and gold, the forestry resources of Northeast China, spices from Southeast Asia, copper mines from Southwest China, crops from the Americas...

He knew these resources better than anyone else. If he mobilized the power of the world to explore them, the Han dynasty could have gathered all kinds of resources from the Age of Exploration hundreds of years ahead of schedule.

As long as resources are discovered and recorded, even if the imperial court lacks the motivation, the people will definitely be inspired.

Once the people spontaneously form gathering places, the imperial court can take over them.

Thinking of this, Liu Jilong looked at Dou Bin, who was serving as the Minister of Works: "How many seagoing ships can the three major shipyards build now?"

"Your Majesty, the ship blueprints issued by the court have already been used to build and launch ships of 1,000 liang each. In another two or three years, we will be able to develop Fujian ships and other ships of 3,000 liang each."

Dou Bin reported respectfully, and the ship he mentioned was a sailing warship painted by Liu Jilong in imitation of the appearance of Western ships in the sailing era.

A warship with a displacement of 1,000 liao (a unit of weight) would have a displacement of over 300 tons after conversion, which is roughly twice the size of the Mayflower during the Age of Exploration.

However, traveling from East Asia to the Americas is much more difficult than traveling from Europe to the Americas, so Liu Jilong naturally hoped to build warships with larger tonnages.

But before that, he needed to figure out the shipping route, so he took the initiative to speak:

"Order the officials to build thirty thousand-ton warships for sea travel, and supplement them with sixty large two-thousand-ton ships to form a navy, to explore the sea routes from Dengzhou and Laizhou to Liaodong, Silla, Hangzhou to Japan, Guangzhou to Annam, Annam to Srivijaya, Kalinga (Java), Kedah (Mala Peninsula), etc., to spread the teachings of the Celestial Empire."

Although this move will accelerate the decline of the Northwest Silk Road, it is something that cannot be avoided.

Moreover, this process would take at least several decades, and several decades would be enough time for those exiled by the imperial court to take root and flourish in the Western Regions.

"I obey the decree..."

Dou Bin respectfully accepted the matter. Upon seeing this, Liu Jilong glanced at the assembled officials, clearly inquiring whether they had any further memorials to submit.

Seeing this, Ma Cheng, who was on duty today, stepped forward on behalf of the Five Military Commands and bowed, saying: "Your Majesty, since Li Keyong of the Shatuo usurped the title of Tang ruler, he and Li Guochang of the Dangxiang went north to pacify the various Tatar tribes. Now the two tribes occupy the grassland on the west side of Shiwei Mountain (Greater Khingan Mountains) and have built a city on the south side of Julun Lake (Hulun Lake), which they call Dadu."

"I believe that once the disasters in the Central Plains have subsided, we should send a large army to conquer this minister in order to ensure peace on the border."

Ma Cheng spoke respectfully, clearly indicating that many generals from the Five Military Commands were eager to join in.

The court has been at peace for more than three years. Apart from some minor skirmishes and skirmishes in the southwest and northern border regions, the court has not taken any military action.

This was certainly unbearable for most of the young officers who needed to be promoted based on military merit.

Ma Cheng was there on their behalf to probe the situation. Upon hearing this, Liu Jilong nodded slightly and said:

"Once the disasters in all the regions have subsided, we will naturally send troops to quell the rebellious tribes."

"I have heard that many soldiers remaining in the capital region are living comfortably. You should all be vigilant and remind the troops of the regional military governors and commanderies."
"One should practice martial arts in one's spare time, rather than indulging in leisure and comfort."

"Those who indulge in pleasure and comfort will inevitably perish, while those who are mindful of danger even in times of peace can remain at peace."

"The state employs people as if they were vehicles; if there is any discrepancy, they will be transferred to another vehicle... You should all take heed."

Liu Jilong spoke in a very formal and literary style. Although Ma Cheng was a little confused, he understood the hint in Liu Jilong's words and quickly returned the greeting: "Your subject accepts the instruction."

Seeing that he seemed to understand but not quite, Liu Jilong could only explain in plain language:

"The soldiers you command are mostly brave and fierce warriors of the Han people, born in the chaos of war. Therefore, with proper training, they will all become elite soldiers."

"Now that the world is at peace and the border areas are relatively stable, people will naturally not want to join the army and receive pay if they live in peace and contentment."

"Even if soldiers are recruited, most of them are idle, lazy and slippery people."

"When you train these soldiers, you must strictly enforce orders to unify them, so that they will fight to the death when facing the enemy."

"However, most of those newly promoted to military positions do not know the methods of training, so I intend to establish military academies and military examinations in various regions."

"Students for the military examinations can be selected from primary schools in various regions. Each military school has fifty instructors who teach students archery and horsemanship, military training, military strategy, astronomy, geography, and firearms attack techniques."

"Martial arts training lasts for five years. Subjects such as naval warfare and sea battles can be added for coastal areas."

Now that official schools have started, primary school is the foundation, while university and martial arts are the advanced levels.

The existing teaching materials for martial arts are almost all the ones that Liu Jilong compiled when he was in Longyou, such as the books on firearms and training.

With just a little time, Liu Jilong could break down the content and use it as teaching material for martial arts students.

These teaching materials were created by him in imitation of Qi Jiguang's "New Book of Military Efficiency" and "Records of Military Training". They are written in plain language, easy to understand, and not difficult to learn.

Anyone who has studied his teaching materials even briefly can at least become a qualified squad leader or brigade commander, and commanding dozens or even hundreds of people is not a problem.

If one can thoroughly understand it, one can serve as a lieutenant general or captain, commanding thousands or tens of thousands of troops.

"I obey the decree..."

Ma Cheng had no choice but to accept, while Liu Jilong only slowly rose after confirming that all the officials were alright.

"We, your humble servants, respectfully withdraw!"

Seeing Liu Jilong stand up, the officials all withdrew from Zhenguan Hall. As Liu Jilong watched them leave, his gaze couldn't help but fall on Jing Xiang, who had just been promoted to Junior Supervisor of the Hall.

"It seems they all think I'm acting too hastily."

Liu Jilong sighed slightly, while Jing Xiang bowed and said, "We are all ordinary people; how could we possibly know Your Majesty's worries?"

"Although I am also puzzled, I know that Your Majesty is not a ruler who exploits the people."

After receiving comforting words from Jing Xiang, Liu Jilong felt a little better and tried to step down from the platform. However, after taking two steps, he seemed to remember something and turned back to ask, "Has the Crown Prince already set off for Anxi?"

“Your Majesty,” Jing Xiang paused, then continued, “Judging from the time, we have probably been in Kucha for two months.”

"In addition, Deputy Protector-General Zhang has been in Anxi for two months. It is likely that the Prince of Jiaohe has received His Majesty's decree and is on his way back to Luoyang to report on his duties."

Zhang, the deputy governor, was Zhang Yanhui. Liu Jilong transferred him back to Anxi so that Zhang Huaishen could return to Luoyang to report on his duties, discuss matters of the Western Regions with him, and at the same time, let him meet Zhang Yichao.

"How is the Prince of Dunhuang's health?"

Liu Jilong asked in a hoarse voice, his tone tinged with bitterness.

Upon hearing this, Jing Xiang paused slightly, but still answered truthfully: "After all, he is too old. Today, we received news that he can only sit in a wooden wheelchair and can no longer stand up."

Upon learning that Zhang Yichao didn't even have the strength to stand up, a hint of sadness flashed in Liu Jilong's eyes.

The air inside the hall remained silent for several breaths. Finally, Liu Jilong continued walking down the golden platform, but his tone changed from bitter to sorrowful.

"Let's go..."

(End of this chapter)