The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 365 Wei Wu's Ambition
Cao Mao's sudden summons shocked many ministers.

Did something big happen?

When they saw Xiahou Xian, who was in charge of the central army, appear here, they became more certain of their guess that something big must have happened!
Soon, these important officials appeared in the East Hall.

Their faces were serious as they bowed to the emperor and then sat on both sides.

Cao Mao sat in the upper seat with an equally grim expression.

Wang Chang sat beside him, looking at the important officials in the temple, feeling a little dazed.

Seeing everyone gathered, Cao Mao finally spoke: "Don't worry, gentlemen. This summons is not for any other reason, but because the letter from the General of the Southern Expedition has greatly inspired me, so I have summoned you to discuss this matter."

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on Wang Chang. Is this the guy?

Cao Mao said calmly, "Prince, please inform everyone of your strategy."

Wang Chang looked at everyone and explained his political strategy again.

After hearing these words, the ministers suddenly understood.

Many of these important officials knew about Wang Chang’s policies, after all, they were veteran officials who had served in the government for many years.

Wait until Wang Chang finished talking about his seven political strategies.

Cao Mao had just spoken: "I think that the prince's policy is very sound. What do you think?"

Wang Su nodded and said, "Indeed, he deserves a reward."

Cao Mao waved his hand and said, "I won't reward you!"

"I now wish to implement these policies. Once they are completed, I will reward you according to your performance and corresponding results!"

"I summoned you all here not to discuss how to reward the princes, but to discuss how to implement these policies!"

Cao Mao was unusually tough.

However, the important officials here can all be considered Cao Mao's confidants. Even if they are not his confidants, their stance is biased towards him.

The ministers did not object, but just fell into deep thought.

"Good! That's what we should do!"

Zhong Hui was the first to speak in support.

"First and foremost, we must encourage learning, build schools, and enroll students. This should be handled by the Shangshutai. Every county in the Great Wei should have an institution of higher learning to attract outstanding local students!"

"If the local authorities fail to complete this task, they will be punished!"

Zhong Hui continued, "The examination system should be implemented on a large scale and reformed into a Zhongzheng system so that officials and minor officials can participate."

"The specific subjects of the examination should be closely related to the government affairs of the court, and should include classics, mathematics, art, astronomy, geography, military strategy, etc."

Zhong Hui immediately began to think about the specific implementation methods of these policies.

Cao Mao listened very carefully.

Led by Zhong Hui, the ministers quickly expressed their opinions.

Zhuge Dan said, "As for the problem of minor officials, I do have an idea."

"Your Majesty, the soldiers of the armies of various places, when they are injured or old, must leave the army and return to their hometowns. These are all meritorious people and are loyal to the court."

"Your Majesty, can you please assess these veteran soldiers individually and select the best ones to serve as minor officials in the local area?"

"Today's petty officials are all from local tyrants. They profit for their families, collude with officials, act as accomplices to the evil, and help the tyrants commit atrocities. They have no positive effect. If we count the border troops, the Wei army has more than 500,000 people. And those soldiers who leave the army and return to their hometowns don't live very well."

After Zhuge Dan said this, Cao Mao was attracted to him again.

Zhuge Dan was worthy of his fame for being loving to his soldiers. Historically, after Zhuge Dan's rebellion failed, almost all of his men were killed in the battle, and only a few hundred were captured in Shouchun, who refused to surrender.

Sima Zhao sent people to persuade them to surrender, saying that they could be pardoned. They said, "I have no regrets about dying for Lord Zhuge."

So Sima Zhao had them lined up for execution, and every time he beheaded someone, he would recruit another person to surrender. However, no one surrendered until the last person was killed.

Zhuge Dan's idea was to let retired veterans serve as minor officials in local areas. Although it cannot be said that these retired veterans of the Wei Dynasty are all upright and brave, their overall quality is still slightly higher than that of other groups. Apart from anything else, their obedience and courage alone are unmatched by others.

This method can not only improve the level of local officials, but also win the hearts of the Wei soldiers. The emperor will give you extremely high treatment and arrange a job for you after you retire from the army, allowing you to serve as an official in the local area. This can be regarded as a benevolent policy.

Cao Mao thought what Zhuge Dan said was very good, so he asked Zhang Hua to write it down.

Wang Su then spoke up, "Your Majesty, I believe that the difficulty of the assessment items should be set according to different levels. When recruiting officials, local governments can set up separate assessments for different positions. Only those who pass the assessment can be appointed as officials."

The ministers seemed to have been enlightened, and suddenly, everyone began to express their own ideas. For a moment, the ministers seemed to have forgotten their camps and intrigues, and everyone was expressing his own views.

They themselves did not realize this, not even Cao Mao, who was in a high position.

Only Zhang Hua, who was standing by and recording, noticed this exciting scene.

It was as if time had gone back decades. The Wei Dynasty had returned to the era when Cao Cao sat at the top, with capable ministers on either side offering advice and coordinating strategies to solve major issues under the empire.

It has been a long time since the Wei Dynasty had such an atmosphere. In the past, the ministers were just quarreling, hindering each other, fighting for power and profit, and they had not worked together for the same government affairs for a long time.

Zhong Hui enjoyed this atmosphere very much. He was very excited and first debated with Zhuge Dan about the pros and cons of having soldiers serve as minor officials.

He then discussed the specific examination content with Wang Su, and then discussed whether to set up main examination courses and special examination courses.

Finally, he quarreled with Zheng Mao again, arguing endlessly about how to improve the moral standards of officials.

Even the invisible man Zheng Chong couldn't escape at this moment.

Cao Mao smiled and said, "Duke Zheng, you hold the highest prestige among the ministers. It is you who should be responsible for drafting a code of conduct for all officials. You should provide them with a standard, something they can emulate."

"If they follow this book, they can avoid many mistakes."

Zheng Chong hesitated. He didn't want to speak, but the atmosphere here seemed to infect him.

The long-time transparent Shangshu Ling stammered, "Your Majesty is surrounded by many famous scholars, and scholars all over the world admire them very much."

"If we could motivate them to write articles denouncing unethical behavior, selecting a few officials who have done wrong and failed to act, and publicly criticizing them, and then selecting a few who have acted and complied with the norms, and then writing articles praising them, wouldn't that have a very positive effect?"

"It makes sense!"

Zhong Hui became even more excited. "Just like criticizing the people in the world, let them praise those who do well and criticize those who do not. This will inspire scholars all over the world to follow suit!"

Zhang Hua pursed his lips and picked up the pen to record again.

Even Sikong started to participate.

Wang Chang sat next to Cao Mao and listened carefully to everyone's discussion. He saw that his political strategy was taken so seriously by them and that so many good things were derived from it.

This made Wang Chang very excited. This was the way the government should be run! This was how the world should be governed!
He turned his head and saw Cao Mao sitting in the upper seat. His expression was so serious, sometimes frowning, sometimes laughing, sometimes nodding, and he was fully committed.

I don’t know how much time passed, but it was already dark.

Suddenly, the East Hall fell silent.

The ministers seemed to have just come out of the atmosphere. Thinking of the important matters they had just discussed, they looked at each other in confusion.

But Cao Mao would not let the East Hall remain silent. He smiled and said, "I have been in Luoyang for a long time, but I have never had such an experience before."

"What you are discussing today is an important strategy for governing the world."

"This is what a government that is committed to reviving the nation and supporting the country should look like."

"Gentlemen! The affairs of the world are in our hands, and we must not let them down!"

All the ministers immediately stood up and bowed in agreement.

They came up with many political strategies on this day, and even said things that they had not dared to say in the past.

Starting tomorrow, they will officially take charge of these major events.

Just as Cao Mao said.

The great cause of governing the world began from this day.

At this time, it was impossible for the ministers to stay in the palace, so they said goodbye and left one after another. Only Zhong Hui stayed.

After everyone left, Zhong Hui couldn't help but say, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, on taking over the throne!"

Cao Mao smiled and shook his head, "Wasn't it considered personal rule in the past?"

Zhong Hui sighed, "Even when the great general was alive, the ministers never worked so hard to discuss important matters. They were all pursuing their own interests. Today, I have just learned that even the great general is far inferior to Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, the ruler of Shu is incompetent, and the ruler of Wu is powerless. Isn't this the destiny of our Great Wei?"

Cao Mao has been responsible for praising his ministers and supporting them these days. This is the first time that Zhong Hui has taken the initiative to praising him. Well, this feeling is pretty good. No wonder they all like to be praised.

"Your Majesty, how can we make all the ministers accept this?"

Zhong Hui then talked about the resistance within the court.

"That's why I asked General Xiahou to come along."

"I now command the Central Army, Hebei, Yongliang, Jingxiang, Yuhuai and other regional armies. Do I still need to be wary of these people in the temple?!"

"I am the Emperor of Wei, the ruler of the world. Anyone who disobeys me will be punished for treason and rebellion."

"My great-grandfather was disliked by scholars, but when he was still alive, every official in the court worked hard for the country, and every local official was diligent and diligent. All regions worked together to support the country and overcome the turbulent times. My great-grandfather had an excellent reputation, and scholars still praise him today. But didn't the chaos in the Wei Dynasty start with him?!"

"I'd rather be a ruthless hero like my great-grandfather than a universally praised Saint King like my grandfather!!"

(End of this chapter)