The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 800: Post-Polar Era

In the past sixteen years, the series of policies implemented by the time travelers in Liaodong can be summarized as polarism with Liaodong characteristics.

Liaodong's polarization differs markedly from traditional polarization. Developed from military-first ideology, it cloaks itself in the gentle veil of Confucian civilization, emphasizing benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, gentleness, modesty, and courtesy. However, it lacks the illusive notions of universal values like "cultivating oneself from childhood"—at least, it doesn't advertise them.

Using force to override all government offices, using force to control commerce, and using force to restrict individual thoughts to the greatest extent possible - if the people under the rule of the King of Liao still had thoughts - it was an upgraded evolution of traditional warlords and vassal states.

In Liaodong, over the past fifteen or sixteen years, everyone has been subjected to extreme physical and mental pressure. To maintain this pressure, the time traveler has set various goals for everyone. From defeating Nurhaci to eliminating Huang Taiji, from disintegrating the Ming Dynasty's rule in Liaodong to conquering and controlling Liaoxi, from increasing wheat yields from 150 kilograms per mu to 510 kilograms per mu, from mining 500,000 kilograms of coal per year to 5 million kilograms, from increasing the number of artillery pieces from 300 to 30,000...
There are many similar number games.

In fact, one of the secrets of polarization is to constantly weave various digital data. The premise of weaving digital data is to control public opinion, which instructor Mori Ti has done very well.

To put it simply, the King of Liao led Liaodong from one victory to another, small wins, medium wins, and big wins - although this is roughly the case.

However, what about the quality of life of those grassroots farmers and merchants? Have they lived well in the past fifteen years?
The answer may be disappointing.

Not good, and very bad.

Because a large amount of resources (food, cloth, furs) were occupied by the army, the situation of the Liao people was actually not much different from that under the rule of the Ming court and under the rule of Nurhaci.

Of course, there are some differences compared to the Ming and Qing dynasties.

At least in the constant preaching of the instructors, the Liao people firmly believed that they could finally have enough food and clothes - all thanks to the King of Liao - they could have a handful of Ula grass in winter and a warm bed with a wife and children. However, what about those old friends in the interior of the country? Those unfortunate people were still living in dire straits under the oppression of the gentry and the exploitation of the officials...

Whether you say that the time travelers are warmongering or fooling the people, all the imperial ambitions and military campaigns (moving from one victory to another) were built with the bones of the people and the blood and sweat of the people.

Qi Meng was well aware of the tragedy inherent in Liu Zhaosun.

He scoffed at polarism. As a civilized person who grew up in the Yonghe era, Qi Meng had a heartfelt aversion to the polar system.

However, the core of the tragedy is that people watch themselves become what they hate and are powerless to do anything about it.

It would be better to say that the time traveler chose extremism than to say that extremism controlled the time traveler.

A strong sense of crisis catalyzes the advancement of military technology, technological progress affects the development of business and education, and everything ultimately feeds back into military force, forming a closed loop.

Qi Meng tried to break this nightmare countless times, but in vain.

After all, there are enemies on all sides in Liaodong, and if you want to survive, you have to pay a price.

The establishment and development of any system or framework is not a decision made by a time traveler on a whim, but requires a deep environmental foundation.

In the Shura field of Liaodong in the late Ming Dynasty, extremism has the best soil for survival. As long as the time traveler has a little ambition and a little black technology that is ahead of the times, with these nourishments, the seeds of extremism can break through the ground and thrive.

Before entering the pass, Qi Meng discovered that his situation was no different from that of Liu Zhaosun, who died while practicing Taoism, and he had no control over his own situation.

The time traveler was kidnapped by this relentlessly advancing chariot.

~~~~~
Destroying the imperial examination system became the first major issue that needed to be resolved after entering the Pass.

The imperial examination system originated in the Sui Dynasty, flourished in the Tang Dynasty, and became the main way to select officials during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. However, with the implementation of polarization in the north, the imperial examination system was gradually abandoned by the Ming Dynasty court.

As early as September of the first year of the Ming Dynasty, Kang Yingqian petitioned to open the Tongwenguan to recruit students from officials who had passed the imperial examinations to study the Liao King's Quotations.

This proposal was firmly opposed by the upright officials in the court. The censor Wang Shengzao submitted a memorial, saying that in the two hundred years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, he had never heard of the idea of treating the princes as saints. Li Qingyuan of the Hanlin Academy also stood up to oppose it, saying that the imperial examination was the foundation of the dynasty. Emperor Taizu had issued an edict that "all civil officials at home and abroad are promoted through the imperial examination, and those who do not pass the imperial examination are not allowed to hold office." It should not be treated as a joke.

Qi Meng expressed his willingness to speak out everything he knew, allowing everyone to fully express their political opinions.

As a result, the Liaodong forces and the forces in the interior of the country clashed fiercely, arguing over the reform of the imperial examination system. The Liaodong bureaucrats wanted to maintain the purity of the extreme circle.

Their approach to problem-solving is simple: if they can't solve the problem, then solve the person.

As a result, more than ten ministers, including Wang Shengzao and Li Qingyuan, were impeached for "making irresponsible remarks about the new policies and having ulterior motives."

Although the King of Liao wanted to pardon his crime, public opinion was overwhelming, so he finally ordered his arrest and imprisonment, and then beheaded him in public in the downtown area of the capital.

In November of the first year of the Mingqi Emperor, the Mingqi Emperor promulgated the "Strategy for Imperial Examinations" (also known as the "Strategy for Ming Imperial Examinations"), proposing the construction of Youyun University. Chen Zizhuang, an editor of the Hanlin Academy, was the first to point out that "the reason why people's wisdom is not open is that they are all tested with the eight-legged essay", and requested that the imperial examinations be abolished as soon as possible.

A group of Liaodong bureaucrats also ran around and submitted petitions requesting the abolition of the imperial examinations.

On the seventh day of the first month of the second year of the Mingqi reign, Emperor Mingqi announced that starting from the spring examination of the third year of the Mingqi reign, a new special economics course would be opened, with the selection criteria being "loyal and pure ambitions, broad vision, profound knowledge, and a thorough understanding of current affairs at home and abroad." The examination content had to break away from the past "zhihuzheya" and was required to address current issues.

The old eight-legged essay was abolished, and the test was focused on the political history of all dynasties and the political and artistic essays of the Liao King, requiring a thorough explanation; secondly, the previous academies were changed into schools, and students could also obtain fame after graduation; finally, study abroad was rewarded, and there were also rewards for those who paid their own expenses.

On March 19th of the third year of the Mingqi reign, nearly a thousand scholars gathered in the capital without any prior arrangement. Among them were two hundred northern scholars who had participated in this year's spring examination, and even more were scholars and scoundrels from the surrounding areas of the capital.

The scholars, realizing their ten years of hard work had been for nothing, were enraged. Led by several tribute students, thousands stormed the Shuntian government office, smashed the Imperial Examination Hall, and set fire to the streets. Joined by those dissatisfied with the new dynasty, the vast crowd, carrying tablets of Confucius and Mencius, rushed towards the Jinshui Bridge. They specifically demanded the King of Liao come out and confront them.

The King of Liao had received news of the scholars' rebellion in advance, but he had been keeping it to himself.

The situation was critical. Some people who did not know the truth were instigated and involved in the riots. Zhang Chao was very worried.

"General, take action! What do you want us to do? If we let these scholars continue to make trouble, the capital will be in chaos!"

Qi Mengzheng and Kang Yingqian were playing chess leisurely.

It was White's turn to move. He held the white piece in his hand and placed it in an inconspicuous corner.

Lao Kang took a closer look and his face suddenly changed.

The outcome has been decided.

Zhang Chao led his Jinyiwei and waited quietly for orders.

Qi Meng stared at the chessboard for a long time, his face dejected.
"That's all, let's arrest those who need to be arrested and kill those who need to be killed. This game won't end until someone on both sides is dead."

Zhang Chao and others were sharpening their knives and rushed out immediately after hearing this.

"Commander Zhang, please be patient."

Kang Yingqian called out to the spy chief.

"Find out those who participated in the riot and will not be admitted again, for life. As for those scholars who did not cause trouble, make a list and submit it to the King of Liao, and they will be directly admitted this year."

Kang Yingqian turned his gaze back to the chessboard, stroked his beard and smiled:
"The Marshal made a good move. Not allowing these scholars to enter the government is more painful than killing them all."

Qi Meng was silent.

This year's special economic examination selected a total of 127 people of first and second grades, all of whom obeyed the new policy. Those who passed the examination as Juren and Gongsheng were appointed as county magistrates, provincial assistants, etc.

(End of this chapter)