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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 225: Imperial Examination
Months had passed since the handling of the redundant officials, and while it was a good thing for the greater scheme, it was a real pain for the bureaucratic community, one that could not be compensated by merely increasing salaries.
The Emperor's reputation took a hit as he dealt harshly with officials from the Royal Family, and of course, those like Fang Xuanling, who presided over this matter, faced even more criticism.
Someone had to bear the resentment of the dismissed officials, yet Li Jian Cheng still promoted Fang Xuanling and others. They had done well in their duties, and not only had they offended Guanlong, but they also did not spare their own relatives and old friends.
Such loyal ministers deserved to be rewarded.
Li Jian Cheng could accept that court officials had their factions, but he also needed pure ministers who were solely loyal to him, and they had to occupy a significant proportion as well.
However, there were almost no officials in the court who were not influenced by their backgrounds. Thus, he could only purify his own circle, selecting individuals like Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Liu Wenjing, Wang Yi, and Wei Zheng.
But relying solely on these individuals was still insufficient; it was time to start the Imperial Examination. When fighting for the nation, only those who win the hearts of the people can gain control; when governing a nation, only those who attract talent can secure peace.
In terms of winning public support, Li Jian Cheng was undoubtedly a model. During his rise to power, the troops he commanded were not enough to unify the land so quickly. However, his reputation among the gentry allowed him to secure most of the prefectures through proclamations.
As for attracting talent, it wasn't that the civil and military officials in the court were lacking in excellence; rather, their prominent backgrounds and large families sometimes influenced their decisions at critical moments.
Guanzhong, Shandong, Daibei, and Jiangnan were filled with powerful families. Li Jian Cheng now hoped to introduce some commoners into the court to balance things out.
Although commoners would eventually become part of aristocratic families after gaining prominence, it would take several generations. Who could predict the rise and fall? Moreover, once the Imperial Examination began, as long as the methods were appropriate, there would be a steady stream of commoners.
It was still too early for commoners' gentry offspring to rise to prominence. The knowledge of classics was monopolized by noble families. Commoners could still pass down some traditions and support a few scholars with their family wealth.
However, before launching a grand Imperial Examination, there was still some work to be done. The noble families needed time to recover; after all, striking at their very foundation would leave them unable to retaliate effectively. Even if they couldn't rise again, they could still cause trouble if pushed too far.
Li Jian Cheng himself came from a noble background and understood their mindset well. Recently, his attitude had indeed seemed somewhat targeted at them; starting with a strike against the Royal Family left them with little room to complain.
In the following days, Li Jian Cheng raised the salaries of officials at all ranks. Compared to what was saved from dismissing officials, it wasn't much—but it carried meaning.
He then promoted some representatives from noble families and bestowed upon them treasures received as tribute. More importantly, he ordered them to recommend some young scholars. This somewhat eased their emotions but was still insufficient.
After one morning assembly concluded, Li Jian Cheng did not return to the palace for rest but headed straight to Hongwen Pavilion to summon many distinguished scholars from society.
"Your subjects humbly welcome Your Majesty."
"Mm, you all may rise."
Inside the Hongwen Pavilion, which housed over a hundred thousand volumes, the atmosphere was spacious and bright, filled with the scent of ink and books. Li Jian Cheng entered wearing his usual attire, adorned with the Lu Lu Sword and white jade accessories.
After acknowledging the courtiers, he instructed the scholars to return to their duties, keeping only a few to accompany him. He occasionally inquired about matters concerning the scholarly community, such as the book compilation project of Duke Wen Zhong and Wang Tong.
This would also be an important part of the Imperial Examination. To be examined, one must study; once studied, one must accept the ideas that he wishes to impart to the world. Gradually, this would become a part of natural order.
Once all the scholars had gathered, Li Jian Cheng steered the conversation towards the Imperial Examination. Although established during the Sui Dynasty, it had only been held four or five times, with a total of just over ten individuals selected.
Moreover, the most critical aspect was that participation in the Sui Dynasty's Imperial Examination required special recommendations from officials or governors.
As a result, when the officials of Hongwen Pavilion heard about the Imperial Examination, they did not display much excitement; some even advised, "The court has just dismissed many officials; now to hold an examination for selecting scholars may not be wise."
Li Jian Cheng replied, "I intend to allow those dismissed officials to participate in this Imperial Examination. Those who excel will be personally welcomed back to court by my envoy."
The Duke of Wei had just sent news of victory; the Four Commanderies had been reclaimed, and Tuguhun Monarch Murong Fuyun had been captured by the Western Turkic Khan and was being escorted to Chang'an as a congratulatory gift for me.
The officials of these Four Commanderies will all be selected from this Imperial Examination.
His words sparked lively discussions among the scholars. Although Fang Du had strived for fairness in dismissing officials, there were still many capable individuals among those dismissed for various reasons.
If they could return to court by passing the Imperial Examination, it would indeed be a commendable story.
Thus began a serious consultation on the shortcomings of previous Imperial Examinations. Many present at Hongwen Pavilion had firsthand experience, and figures like Fang Xuanling were even alumni of past examinations.
As they discussed, they discovered numerous issues. Once candidates arrived in the capital after passing their exams, they needed to navigate various connections within and outside the examination halls.
In addition to submitting documents and registering with relevant authorities as routine procedures, there were also scrolls and warm-up exercises involved.
The so-called Scroll refers to the candidates writing their historical talents, poetic skills, and argumentative abilities into a document submitted to the Chief Examiner. The most crucial aspect is to convey their family background to the Chief Examiner.
After several days, a copy of this document is submitted again, known as the Warm Scroll. If anyone can manage to meet the Chief Examiner and present gifts of gold and silk during this process, then...
Under Li Jian Cheng's guidance, Scholar Chu Liang proposed, "When submitting the Warm Scroll, we should implement anonymity. After candidates write their names on the scroll, officials from Tribute Academy will cover their names with paper and seal it. Once the results are determined, the Chief Examiner along with officials from the Imperial Historians' Office and the Dali Temple will supervise the unsealing on-site before announcing the results."
Everyone praised this idea, and then began discussing the biggest issue in Consultation: the difficulty of unifying answers.
Scholar Yao Silian stated, "Setting aside the personal opinions of the Chief Examiner, Zhao Shi Huang burned books and buried scholars, leading to many classical texts being incomplete or lost entirely. Although Confucian scholars in the Han Dynasty attempted to restore them, they remain riddled with gaps. Furthermore, due to continuous wars afterward, textual errors have accumulated. Take the Five Classics as an example; how many versions are currently circulating in the world?"
Du Ruhui nodded in agreement, saying, "The Chief Examiner can be appointed by His Majesty from among those of high virtue and reputation. Additionally, officials from Zhongshu Shangshu and Dali Temple can assist to ensure fairness. However, correcting textual errors cannot be accomplished in just a few days."
Scholar Yan Gu Master added, "In previous generations, due to the North-South divide, each had its own traditions and inherited old theories. During the transmission between masters and disciples, errors inevitably spread. In the Sui era, Liu Zhuo and Liu Xuan pioneered a unified approach to classical studies; unfortunately, due to the short-lived nature of the Sui dynasty, they could not complete this task.
Now that peace is gradually returning to the realm and His Majesty is a ruler of exceptional talent, it is time to unify classical studies."
……………
(End of Chapter)
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