The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 353: Governing the World from Today

"First and foremost, it's the local officials."

"First, let's talk about the criteria for promotion, recall, and revocation."

"This is what I consider to be the performance evaluation standard, and this is the standard that can be used for promotion at the discretion of the government."

Zhong Hui had a thick stack of documents spread out in front of Xun Xi. Zhong Hui and Xun Xi did not get along well.

The two had often slandered each other in the past. Zhong Hui thought Xun Yi was all show and no substance, while Xun Yi thought Zhong Hui was just a boaster.

But now, with the combination of many factors, these two people are actually starting to work together to do big things.

Xun Yi was very upset about this, but he couldn't let personal grudges ruin the big plan, so he could only hold back his anger and listen to Zhong Hui's ideas.

Zhong Hui was never idle for a moment. In a very short period of time, he came up with a set of specific rules and regulations on the promotion and appointment of officials. This set of methods fully absorbed the experience of the Han Dynasty and added some unique ideas that belonged only to the Wei and Jin Dynasties.

With this set of rules and regulations, there will be something to follow when promoting and appointing local officials in the future.

It will no longer be completely dominated by county magistrates and prefects. If these people want to promote their own confidants, they must submit a petition to the court, provide reasons and political achievements, and can only be implemented after verification by the Ministry of Personnel.

This will undoubtedly increase the burden on the Ministry of Personnel, but it can solve many problems.

The "two monarchs" system that has existed since the Han Dynasty will suffer great damage. Although Cao Pi implemented the Zhongzheng system, local officials still have the power to recruit and promote subordinates and lower-ranking officials. Those who are promoted and recruited by them will automatically become disciples and old officials, and they will be regarded as the main monarch.

This was an era when even the county magistrate could be called the county lord.

At the same time, such an approach can, to a certain extent, prevent good-for-nothings from rising to power, promote people who can really get things done, and effectively improve the overall level of officials in the Wei Dynasty.

Xun Xi could still accept it. Not all members of aristocratic families were mediocre. The survival of the fittest was now only taking place within aristocratic families, and Xun Xi had no objection.

The good-for-nothings who were beaten down were from wealthy families, and so were the ones who were promoted.

The only difference is talent or not.

Xun Yi also felt that it was time to urge the younger generations. The children of many wealthy families were becoming increasingly useless. They thought they had the blessing of their fathers and grandfathers, so they gave up on themselves, drank and did things all day long, and did not do their work.

Even the Xun family is like this. After the great Xunzi, there are actually few of his descendants who can study "Xunzi". Only a few can barely make do, and there is no one to succeed him in the future.

Of course, he never mentioned the gap between himself and his father.

What’s interesting is that the young scholars and officials of the Wei and Jin dynasties had an inexplicable fanaticism. They were very pessimistic about the future and very contemptuous of the past.

They looked down on the wise men of the past. Many scholars publicly belittled the many talented people at the end of the Han Dynasty, believing that there were no heroes like them at that time, which allowed people with little ability to become famous.

They always feel that they were born at the wrong time and their talents are not appreciated. At the same time, they feel that the future will definitely be worse. They never think that there is anything wrong with them.

In Xun Yi's opinion, it is not impossible to spur these young people.

Many of the policies here have actually been verified during the Han Dynasty. Zhong Hui used a lot of wisdom from his ancestors to integrate them.

These include preventing officials from serving in their hometowns or the hometowns of their in-laws, setting time limits for the promotion of officials to different positions, and submitting petitions for approval. These are all policies that have appeared in the past.

Of course, after all, it was compiled by Zhong Hui, and there are also some of Zhong Hui's own opinions.

"Mr. Zhong, I can understand other things, but isn't it a little inappropriate to deny a promotion because of this unattractive appearance?"

Zhong Hui waved his hand and said, "Those who have accomplished great things since ancient times must have extraordinary appearances. If one's appearance is not right, then his mind is not right, and he is not worthy of being entrusted with great tasks!"

Although judging people by their appearance was very popular in the Later Han Dynasty, there was no rule in the Later Han Dynasty that prohibited people from becoming officials if they were not good-looking.

Xun Yi just felt a headache. Zhong Hui came up with a lot of things, targeting many different positions, and some of them were simply copied from the previous system without any changes.

After all, this is just a draft, not something to be shown to the emperor.

Xun Xi and Zhong Hui negotiated in the mansion for nearly four hours. Zhong Hui was fine, as he was young and could handle it, but Xun Xi was not. At the end of the conversation, he was dizzy and could not speak clearly.

The words placed in front of him seemed to be jumping at this moment, emitting a vague light, and could not be seen clearly.

"Let's stop here for today."

Xun Yi said in a low voice. Zhong Hui did not refute him and immediately stood up. "Okay, I'll come back tomorrow."

Xun Yi wanted to say something, but hesitated.

Just after Zhong Hui left, Xun Yi was about to get up and rest, but another person came into the mansion.

"Mr. Xun!"

The visitor bowed and saluted.

"The Grand Commandant asked me to inquire about the progress of the Taicang incident."

Xun Yi was stunned for a moment, then looked at the pile of memorials in the study.

At this moment, Xun Yi couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"Ugh"

In the Taiji Hall, Zhong Hui sat in front of Cao Mao and told him about what happened on Xun Yi's side.

"This old thief refuses to surrender easily." "Four whole hours, he's more powerful than I thought. But he won't hold out for much longer!"

Zhong Hui said very confidently.

This was the strategy Cao Mao and Zhong Hui used to deal with Xun Yi.

Commonly known as the old man tactics.

It is Cao Mao's core strategy for governing the world and is generally not passed on to others.

Cao Mao wanted to appoint Chen Tai as the Right Prime Minister of the Secretariat, but there was one thing: in the eyes of Xun Yi and others, Chen Tai was a latecomer and a member of the Sima family.

The Secretariat is very important, and I am afraid that the ministers will not give up the position of Pushe easily.

If it is forced through, a situation like Guo Zhang's will inevitably happen again.

After careful consideration, Cao Mao decided to ask Zhong Hui to come and help him to wait for the old man.

Xun Yi is not bad, but he is definitely not strong either.

The Shangshu Ling is a person who does not do his job. He is equivalent to the leader of the Shangshu Tai. Many matters of the Shangshu Tai have to be handed over to this person to handle. That's easy to do. Increase his workload and create difficulties for him if there are no difficulties.

With Xun Yi's talent, he would not be able to manage the Secretariat alone even when he was in his prime, let alone at his current age?

Sooner or later he will feel overwhelmed and seek help.

And who else can come forward to help him?
It was not just Cao Mao who had no one available. The same was true for Xun Xi. The children of aristocratic families were getting worse and worse with each generation, and there were fewer and fewer elites. It was not so easy for Xun Xi to find a right servant from his own people.

Among the suitable candidates was Cui Zan, but Cui Zan was too close to Cao Mao.

If Xun Xi wants to find someone else to make do, that's fine. They'll be the ones to handle the job anyway, and if they don't do it well, they'll be beheaded.
Zhong Hui believed that as long as the pressure and intensity were sufficient, Xun Yi would beg Chen Tailai to help him.

The emperor and his minister talked about the affairs of the Secretariat, smiled at each other, and were in a very good mood.

"Your Majesty, although the affairs of the temple are important, the most important thing is the affairs of the local area."

"Since we've started drafting rules and regulations and mentioned the issue of officials, we should act promptly. This kind of thing can't be delayed."

Zhong Hui said seriously, "Your Majesty can send people to various parts of the Wei Dynasty to check on the situation of local officials, record their situation truthfully, and then dismiss corrupt officials and rectify the administration!"

"General, well, the court did this once before, when Your Majesty had just ascended the throne."

Sima Shi did this once when Cao Mao ascended the throne, because Sima Shi also found that the local officials had become so rotten that they could no longer be ignored.

The situation in the Cao Wei court was actually not that bad, mainly because the ministers in the court were generally older.

Strictly speaking, they were born in a normal era, and the madness of the Wei and Jin dynasties began with their sons' generation.

Moreover, the government is the highest in the world, and it will not allow someone who has absolutely no ability to climb to such a position.

But the situation is different in other places. Not to mention the provincial governors, even the prefects with salaries below 2,000 stones are the hardest hit areas.

These people are younger and were born in a crazy era. They talk nonsense, take medicine, do nothing, and drink too much.

Their idols are He Yan, Xiahou Xuan, and Sima Shi in his immature state.

What they pursue is the unrestrained behavior of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.

Sima Shi realized this problem and immediately sent people to various places in the name of the emperor to investigate the situation of officials and dismiss those who were incompetent.

Cao Mao knew about this. He stroked his chin and said, "I remember that when the general sent people to do this, there was not much effect."

Zhong Hui sighed immediately, "Your Majesty asked General Wei to take charge of this matter. What results could it have achieved?"

"General Wei handed this matter over to Xun Xu. How could Xun Xu really offend the powerful families? He simply went around Luoyang and monitored local officials. Not a single official was dismissed, and many were promoted instead."

“This is a problem of employing the wrong people.”

"Therefore, I believe that the first step in governing the world is to start with people."

"Now that Your Majesty has ministers around him, there is no need to worry about recruiting talented people, nor do you need to worry about having no one available. You only need to focus on rectifying the administration of the country."

Cao Mao was silenced by these words.

"What Shiji said makes sense. Who is suitable to do this?"

"Your Majesty, if you are going to do this, you must do it to the best of your ability. Otherwise, what difference will it make if you don't do it at all? Your Majesty should issue an edict to the Censorate."

"Let Guanqiu Dian take charge of this matter personally."

"We can send a capable person to each of Hebei and Henan to take charge. Wei Shu can go to Hebei, and Man Changwu can go to Henan."

"Besides that, Cui Zan's son and the two young men from the Xun family are both strong-willed and upright people, and they can all do this."

"We can let them assist Guanqiu Dian."

"At the same time, send people to all prefectures and counties to investigate the traitors and eliminate the infestations!"

(End of this chapter)