OBS Chapter 387: Did they uproot all the gentry of Jiangnan?
Chapter 387: Did they uproot all the gentry of Jiangnan?
Xia Yu came in a hurry and left in a hurry.
After seeing the testimonies of Zhu Shouchun, Zhu Shoujin, and Liu Yuanqing, Emperor Zhu immediately summoned Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen to the palace.
"This is utter bullshit!"
Emperor Zhu waved the confession in his hand and said angrily, "Just because I, Zhu Chongba, don't acknowledge Zhu Xi as my ancestor, they can fabricate a case about an empty seal?"
Li Shanchang also felt that this matter was too absurd.
After a long silence, Li Shanchang finally spoke, "May I ask, Your Excellency, did Zhu Jian interrogate you?"
Emperor Zhu gave a cold laugh and said, "No trial."
“We sent all six hundred officials and two thousand gentry to Dengzhou.”
"Let that bastard handle the interrogation."
"We'd like to see whether these people are better at keeping their mouths shut, or whether that bastard is more capable."
After speaking, Emperor Zhu turned his gaze to Liu Bowen and asked, "What are your thoughts, Mr. Qingtian?"
Liu Bowen wondered, "What the hell do I have to say?"
These gentry from eastern Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Fujian have been doing this kind of shady stuff for quite some time now.
No matter how powerful Yang Dianfeng is, it's useless.
Because those gentry didn't just play with blank seals.
Moreover, you, Emperor Zhu, now trust your good son-in-law, but can you withstand people talking badly about him in your ear every day?
Unless you eliminate all the officials in the imperial court who are from Zhejiang, Fujian, or Jiangxi.
The question is, is it even possible?
If you eliminate them, the Ming Dynasty will come to a complete standstill.
If you don't eliminate them, they will always find a way out.
Besides, you, Emperor Zhu, may be quite powerful, but you'll get old eventually, won't you?
Whether His Highness the Crown Prince can outmaneuver them is another matter entirely!
While pondering this in his mind, Liu Bowen bowed to Emperor Zhu and said, "Your Majesty, I believe the case of the blank seal should be investigated further. After the imperial examinations, some outstanding young talents should be selected to serve as inspectors in the Censorate."
Upon hearing Liu Bowen's words, Li Shanchang couldn't help but curse inwardly, "That old Liu is a real bastard!"
What is meant by a promising young talent?
To put it bluntly, they just pick out some hotheads!
Liu Bowen intends to use the impetuousness of those greenhorns just entering officialdom to deal with officials and gentry from Jiangnan!
That old scoundrel is really becoming more and more inhuman!
Just as Li Shanchang was secretly grumbling to himself, Liu Bowen bowed to Emperor Zhu and said, "Your Majesty, I have another request."
Emperor Zhu gave an "oh" and asked, "I wonder what could be so important that would make Mr. Qingtian say he has something to ask of you?"
Liu Bowen stroked his beard and smiled, saying, "Your Majesty, I would like to request that Your Majesty issue a decree to summon several students from Ningyang County to the Censorate and the Audit Office."
Ok?
Emperor Zhu refused without hesitation: "Ningyang County has a total of twenty-six students who passed the county examination, and we don't even know how many of them will pass the prefectural examination. Where are we going to recruit students from Ningyang County for you?"
Perhaps feeling it wouldn't be right to directly reject Liu Bowen, Emperor Zhu added, "How about this, let's wait and see how many students can pass the prefectural examination."
"As long as they can pass the prefectural examination, we'll send them to study at the Imperial Academy. At the same time, we'll let them gain experience in various ministries, temples, and bureaus. If any of them are willing to go to the Censorate or the Audit Office, we'll transfer them there. What do you think?"
Liu Bowen really wanted to say something like, "Not so good."
The idea of sending students from Ningyang County to study at the Imperial Academy was an absolutely terrible mistake.
Don't you even think about what kind of rubbish is in the Imperial Academy?
Aside from the sons of noble families in Huaixi, the majority were sons of gentry families in Jiangnan.
Letting the students from Ningyang County mingle with them is like sending sheep to the wolves.
What if a few more unworthy students from Ningyang County follow those scoundrels and learn those ways of sleeping with prostitutes...
Liu Bowen's eyes darted around, and he suddenly bowed to Emperor Zhu and said, "Your Majesty, I think it's about time for the school reform that the Imperial Son-in-Law mentioned."
Emperor Zhu was slightly taken aback, then asked with a strange expression, "Didn't Mr. Qingtian say before that the reform of the school was a matter of great importance and should not be rushed?"
Liu Bowen showed no embarrassment whatsoever. Instead, he spoke with an air of injustice but great confidence: "Your Majesty, times have changed."
"I opposed the school reform at the time because the court had too few scholars available and not enough teachers."
"The reason we agree to the reform now is because the higher authorities have issued an edict to strip Hu Yuanshi of his official titles and preferential treatment. Now, a large number of scholars are willing to come out and become officials."
"As more and more scholars are willing to become officials, the school system can naturally begin to be reformed."
After a slight pause, Liu Bowen continued, "I believe that we should first establish community schools in all prefectures and counties of the country. Students in these community schools should study for three years, and then they can take the exams for county schools and prefectural schools. They should study for another three years in county and prefectural schools, and then they can take the exams for prefectural schools. The prefectural schools should also be studied for three years, and then the students should take the exams for the Imperial Academy."
"Students in their third year at the prefectural school and the Imperial Academy should also go to the yamen for internships. Those in their third year at the prefectural school should learn from the clerks of the six departments, while those in their third year at the Imperial Academy should learn from the county magistrate and the registrar."
"Once the school has fully completed its reform, the imperial examination should only be open to students who have completed three years of study at the Imperial Academy. Those who pass the examination will be assigned to the Six Ministries or other government offices for an internship. After a year of internship, they will be appointed to official positions based on their performance evaluation."
"If the court is short of manpower, the imperial examination can even be held once a year."
Zhu Chongba immediately became interested.
If the reforms were carried out according to Liu Bowen's suggestion, the Ming Dynasty would never lack officials again.
After all, anyone who entered the Imperial Academy would inevitably have internship experience in local government offices, and would know the work of the six clerks, as well as the work of the county magistrate and the registrar.
The students in their third year at the Imperial Academy were even more impressive; some of them even had work experience in various ministries, academies, and temples of the imperial court.
If the imperial court truly lacks officials, it can simply seize any student from the Imperial Academy to fill the gap...
Li Shanchang, sitting next to Liu Bowen, was completely bewildered.
No, what exactly is that old scoundrel Liu Bowen trying to do?
He wanted to eradicate the entire Jiangnan gentry.
However, Liu Bowen showed no sign of stopping.
"I believe that the Imperial Academy could also be split up."
"Our Great Ming Dynasty now has Zhili Province plus twelve provinces, and one hundred and twenty prefectures."
"I suggest that the Imperial College be divided into thirteen parts, each set up in a directly governed area and one in a province of twelve provinces."
Emperor Zhu chuckled and said, "Very well, so be it, Mr. Qingtian."