The Sword Master God's Journey to Face Slapping

Frowning slightly, Xuan Yuan raised his hand and gently rubbed his eyebrows. After reviewing the original owner's memory, he couldn't help but frowned and said in a light tone: "No need to send it in." After a slight pause, Xuan Yuan said again in a cold tone, "I don't want to hear such unruly things in the future."

Although Xuan Yuan's main purpose this time was to see 0617's joke, but compared to seeing its joke, Xuan Yuan hated some people with strange values ​​​​showing up in front of him more. Although he wanted to see the joke, it didn't mean that Xuan Yuan had to help Aunt An and her daughter.

It seemed that he didn't expect the master's reaction to be like this. This abnormal situation made the long-serving servant outside stunned for a moment, but after all, he was a long-serving servant who could serve in the study, so he would not lose his composure. He immediately restrained his emotions and said solemnly: "Yes, master."

There was no other sound outside the study. After Xuan Yuan roughly read Sheng Tinghong's memory, he already understood the situation of the Sheng Mansion. Sheng Tinghong was busy with official duties and didn't have much time to spend in the inner court. Although Liu was cold and had a bad relationship with him, Sheng Tinghong didn't care as long as Liu could manage the Sheng Mansion.

Picking up the documents on the table in front of him and flipping through them, Xuanyuan couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly, showing some interest. It turned out that the documents on the desk were all memorials drafted by the original owner, but he was very troubled and hesitant in his heart, not knowing whether he should report to the emperor.

The focus of these documents was only one, but it was just around the word "imperial examination". When the Yan Dynasty was first established, there was a shortage of talents. In order to select talents for the court, as early as when Taizu was in power, the imperial examination that had been suspended due to the wars in the last years of the previous dynasty was reconvened.

Although the imperial examination was reopened, it was not so easy to cultivate talents. To pass the imperial examination, one must first be enlightened, take the examination for a student, then take the examination for a scholar, and then take the examination for a juren. After that, there is the joint examination every three years. Only if one passes the imperial examination and is a jinshi, will he be granted an official position by the court and officially enter the officialdom and be used by the court. It takes many years.

No matter how talented and intelligent one is, one must be in his twenties to pass the imperial examination. Even if some child prodigies can pass the examination at the age of more than ten, they are rare creatures, and there may not be one in a dynasty. Most of the imperial examinations are old juren who continue to take the imperial examinations with gray hair.

But they are so old, so what if they pass the examination at such an old age? The imperial court held the imperial examination to select people to serve as officials, not to select some old pedants. But there are few young jinshi. The Central Plains has only been truly stable for twenty years. How many talents can be cultivated? Most people's families have not yet escaped the plight of poverty.

For these reasons, the results of the imperial examinations are often unsatisfactory. The current emperor is very worried about this matter and often worries about it. He also ordered the cabinet to come up with ways to improve it. He can't let the court end up in an embarrassing situation where no one is available.

For this matter, the original owner actually came up with several strategies to solve it. Sheng Tinghong's entry into the cabinet is indeed related to his family background and his relationship with the emperor, but if it were only based on these, he would have been attacked many times. The Sheng family is a family of scholars with a deep foundation. The original owner has never been an embroidered pillow, but has real talent and knowledge.

The original owner came up with two solutions: First, in the name of the country, open elementary schools in various states, prefectures, counties, and towns, and open them for free to those who are interested in entering the school. As for whether they intend to continue to study after opening the door, or give up studying because they know they have no talent, it is up to them. But by casting a wide net, the number of talented students willing to study will increase.

However, although this method sounds good, there are also many problems and troubles. The first one is that... the court does not have so much money o(╯□╰)o. The Yan Dynasty was founded only 20 years ago. After suffering from the chaos of the previous dynasty, the entire Central Plains was in a state of recuperation. The people lived a tight life, and the court was not very rich. After all, the tax was reduced when the country was founded...

In addition to having no money, there is another more serious problem... there is no one. To open schools in various places, I don’t know how many knowledgeable scholars are needed. Even if we can use Tongsheng and Xiucai, after the war, nine out of ten houses in the Central Plains are empty, and it is really impossible to gather so many scholars.

The first method is not feasible.

The second method is somewhat possible, but Sheng Tinghong is not very willing to report it to the emperor because Sheng Tinghong is a Confucian scholar. This method is actually to recommend talented people to the court. It does not necessarily have to be a scholar who has read the Four Books and Five Classics. As long as they can do practical things, they are all talents and deserve official positions.

This method is not impossible to implement in the early years of the founding of the country, but if so, it is inevitable that disciples of other schools will be mixed in the court, which makes it difficult for Sheng Tinghong, who comes from a Confucian background, to make up his mind. Reporting this method to the emperor is loyal, but it is against the interests of Confucianism, which makes Sheng Tinghong difficult to choose.

However, these are not a big problem in Xuanyuan's view. Is he the kind of person who would be entangled in this for Confucianism? Obviously not. One side is good for the world, and the other side is only for the benefit of Confucianism. Xuanyuan knows very well which side he should choose. He brushed his sleeves and said loudly: "Prepare the sedan chair. I want to go to the palace to meet His Majesty."

With Sheng Tinghong's status and his relationship with the Holy Emperor, it would be easy for him to enter the palace to have an audience. Although he was having a bath today, there was no reason for His Majesty not to receive him. The steward of the Dingbei Hou Mansion flashed the signal at the palace gate. After entering the palace, Xuan Yuan was received by the current emperor Yan Ming.

Emperor Yan Ming met with Xuan Yuan in the imperial study. Although he was not going to court today, Emperor Yan Ming was an enterprising emperor and did not like extravagance and enjoyment. Even on a rare free day like today, he still stayed in the imperial study to handle official duties. He can be regarded as a wise king with the world in mind.

"Xuanzhi, why did you suddenly come to the palace today? Could it be that there is something important?" Emperor Yan Ming had great trust in Sheng Tinghong, and the two had a deep friendship between emperor and minister. Therefore, as soon as Xuan Yuan entered the imperial study, before he could salute, Emperor Yan Ming had already taken the initiative. He asked, with a friendly smile on his lips.

After casting an illusion to make Emperor Yan Ming think that he was bowing properly, Xuan Yuan just took out a booklet from the sleeves of his wide official robe, presented it with both hands, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty was worried about something before. I thought of two stupid ways that are not good at all, and I came here to show them to Your Majesty today to see if they are feasible."

Emperor Yan Ming chuckled, waved his hand to the servant to take the fold from Xuan Yuan's hand, and said jokingly: "Why is Xuan Zhi so humble? If even you can only come up with two stupid ways, then I can't There is no one to rely on." He pointed to the chair in the study and motioned for Xuan Yuan to sit down.

The chamberlains in the imperial study were all shrewd people. They knew that Sheng Tinghong was a trusted minister of His Majesty's confidant, so someone had already brewed Sheng Tinghong's favorite tea and brought it to him. Xuan Yuan held a cup of tea and sipped it slowly. He showed no signs of nervousness or anxiety at all, and looked calm and calm, as if this was not the royal study but his own study.

Emperor Yan Ming finally finished reading the memorial presented by Xuan Yuan, his eyes were full of brilliance, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Xuan Yuan, sighed meaningfully, and said in a hoarse voice: "In the end, it is better for you to understand my feelings, Xuanzhi." , you are the only one with a loyal heart who dares to be the first to deliver this book."

"Haha." He shook his head and sneered twice. Emperor Yan Ming looked unpredictable. He and Sheng Tinghong had always had a very close relationship, and he had no intention of hiding anything in front of him at this time. He said in a slightly sarcastic tone, "I have it for a long time. They showed their intention to do so, but they all saw my plan one by one, but no one was willing to cooperate! "

Gritting his teeth and bulging his cheeks slightly, it was obvious that he was extremely angry. Emperor Yan Ming snorted coldly: "These people are eating the salary I gave them, but they are doing it in disguise... It is really hateful! If there were not too few people available now, I would I really don’t want to tolerate those stubborn old academics in the court anymore.”

Putting down the teacup in his hand casually, Xuan Yuan's eyes were calm and he slowly said: "Confucianism has monopolized the court for a long time. To give the court to scholars from other schools is tantamount to cutting off their flesh and blood. Naturally, they will not Willing to do so.”

"The reason why these gentlemen are reluctant is simply because they don't want to see Confucianism weak. As Confucian students, we naturally hope that Confucianism will be reused by the Holy One. This is human nature. Please don't be too harsh on your majesty. After all..." He shook his head. Shaking his head, "You adults are too old, why do you have to force them to set this precedent?"

As they get older, it’s time to gain fame. If Confucian experts like them stand up and recruit scholars from other schools to join the court, they will be scolded and resented by Confucian scholars all over the world. These old people in the court and cabinet cherish their reputation. Even if you know that what you are doing is not in line with His Majesty's wishes, you will not be the first to do so.

Emperor Yan Ming snorted coldly, but said: "Don't you understand this truth, but you are the first to stand up. It can be seen that it is not me who makes things difficult for them, but these people are not loyal enough!"

He looked at Xuan Yuan with soft eyes, full of relief and trust. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, as expected, the people who came after him were not trustworthy, but the people who followed him from the beginning were trustworthy. With all the ministers in the court, I can How many people can you trust wholeheartedly?

Thinking of this, Emperor Yan Ming suddenly said: "I have something to tell you. You should be a tutor to the second and third princes."