At this time, Huang Kui's Xinxing Gang in the sea was at the end of its rope. Facing Li Changgeng and Zhang Cheng's successive attacks, Huang Kui finally gradually lost confidence.

"Tell me, this... another ship was sunk by the government the day before yesterday. Alas, if this continues, after a year and a half, we will have no ships left!" Huang Kui complained to his subordinates: "

Cai Qian fled Annan, and I don’t know if he can come back. The coast of Zhejiang has always been heavily protected. Even if we want to replenish the gunpowder for the warship, there is no place to go. If this continues, even if I die, I will die like a coward!"

"Gang leader!" At this time, one of Huang Kui's close subordinates also stepped forward and said: "Actually, after we fought with the government the day before yesterday, Li Changgeng sent a subordinate general to quietly find Xiao Xiao and follow Xiao Xiao

Speaking of surrender, I heard what he said, if we surrender, at least the government will... give us a few green camp vacancies and pay us salaries."

"Then...does he have any other conditions?" Huang Kui continued to ask the subordinate, like a drowning man suddenly grabbing a life-saving straw.

"Well... Ruan Yuan and Li Changgeng have already discussed it with the gang leader. It's not too deep. So if the gang leader surrenders, our brothers will all be spared death. But after that, our brothers in the gang will all be separated by the government.

They were placed in various green camps in the mainland, and then they were paid according to the routine of officers and soldiers." said the gang.

"Gang leader, are you really going to surrender?" Another unprepared gang member said in shock: "If we surrender according to their conditions, our brothers will be... or we will be completely separated.

Then let the government slaughter us? You said that we were assigned to other green camps, so the government didn’t just kill us if they said they would kill us? "

"Brother, Ruan Yuan and Li Changgeng made it clear that they want to protect us from death?" said the previous gang member.

"Okay, don't argue." Huang Kui sighed: "Everyone knows our current situation. If we surrender, at least for a year and a half, with Ruan Yuan and Li Changgeng as guarantees, we will be fine.

After a year and a half, it is estimated that the government and the green camp will have long forgotten who we are. At that time, whatever we want to do will be entirely up to our own free will. However, if we continue to stay at sea, will we survive for another year and a half?

,I...I don’t even know?”

"Then...then according to the gang leader's wishes, do we really have to surrender? Gang leader, do you think...you feel so useless?" The gang member who was not well prepared said angrily.

"Coward? Haha, how can I not be a coward?" Huang Kui laughed a few times and said: "Going north, Ruan Yuan and Li Changgeng can treat us as human beings, but going south, Cai Qian will treat us as human beings.

In his heart, Cai Qian, we are just a group of beggars! You said that if you stay at sea, you will not be a coward? Yes, I think there are no capable people like Li Changgeng in Guangdong, but Zheng Yiwu Shier

Can they really take us seriously? Even if I go to them, how much better will it be than being under Cai Qian's nose now? I'm just confused. After Lun Guili died, I still wanted to have a fight with the government.

Chief, but I didn’t expect Cai Qian to expand his power so quickly. If he wants to regret it now, there is no place to regret it. What else can we do? I think now that surrendering to the government is the least bad outcome for us. "

"This... I'm so damn unwilling to give in!" Several members of the gang who were unwilling to give in couldn't help but cursed, but it was not up to them to sigh whether they were willing to accept such a difficult situation.

In March of the 10th year of Jiaqing, Huang Kui finally decided to hand over all the ships, guns and weapons of the Xinxing Gang to Li Changgeng's subordinates, and all members surrendered. Ruan Yuan and Li Changgeng were also overjoyed, and hurriedly drew up the resettlement regulations and transferred Huang Kui's subordinates to Huang Kui's subordinates as they wished.

Those who continued to join the army were deployed in batches to various places inland, far away from the coast, and could no longer resist the government. The Xinxing Gang, which had dominated the East China Sea for many years, was destroyed.

However, the changes in the capital at this time were truly beyond Ruan Yuan's imagination and beyond his ability to change.

"Look, these officers are getting less and less worried about their work now." Jiaqing summoned all the military and aircraft ministers again that day, and also called Tuojin to be present, saying: "Look at this, the official department

Yuanwailang Zheng Minxing was originally just a candidate, but he was temporarily appointed as a Yuanwailang and could walk in the lobby of the Ministry of Civil Affairs? And this, a few small officials in the Ministry of Revenue actually took advantage of being in charge of the copper warehouse to steal the official

Copper is out for sale! Tell me, there is a shortage of copper in the treasury, and people who are not qualified to walk in the official department are walking around at will. Is it really such a difficult thing to do? Then why did Tuojin check clearly?! Or, this department

Within the officialdom, officials have long been protecting each other, and they regard the court regulations as nothing? You and other military ministers must be clear about things. After all, you still have ministry affairs, and you should tell all ministries to strictly abide by the national laws! Tojin, when handling the case this time, you

It is reasonable to discuss the shortcomings that can be eliminated by force. Today I will confer the title of Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs on you, and set a good example for the ignorant officials behind you!"

"Slave, thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!" Tuojin thanked him immediately.

"Well, there is another matter today. Wang Yong has always spoken out and dared to remonstrate in the matter, and this time he has made a new twist." Since Jiaqing took office, he has been encouraging officials to speak out. After many years of encouragement, a number of people have indeed appeared.

In order to maintain this style of advice, Jiaqing would also discuss matters involving major issues with important ministers. Xiao Zhi, who had previously suggested that Zhejiang buy grain, discussed with this person

Wang Yong, who came to admonish for the first time, was a representative of the officials at this time. "Wang Yong said in a compromise here... Well, in the current imperial examinations, when there are three papers to evaluate, most people look at the strategies in the third stage first.

He believed that this was an act of putting the cart before the horse. Since the four-study test was tested in the first exam, it showed that the imperial court placed the study of Confucian classics above policy and theory. However, since the fourth year of Jiaqing to the present, the four-subject examination has been based on policy and theory, which has failed.

The imperial court attaches great importance to learning and can change the method of selecting scholars back to its original state..."

As he talked, Jiaqing couldn't help but hesitate, because what Wang Yong said was a complete denial of the reform of the imperial examination conducted by Ruan Yuan and others six years ago, and returned the imperial examination method to the old one. But Jiaqing heard that that day

When Ruan Yuan talked about reform, he also believed that it would be easier to select people with real talents and practical knowledge through policy and discussion. Therefore, looking at the results of this "active promotion", he couldn't help but feel a little contradictory.

"What do you think?" After a while, Jiaqingfang calmed down and asked the five military ministers.

"Your Majesty, this year's examination is presided over by me and the British Minister. I have made detailed comments on this year's selection strategy. Most of them have something to say, and they are not uneducated. At present, it is natural that within the imperial court,

We need new people who are well versed in classics and history, so I believe that the current method of recruiting scholars does not need to be changed." Dai Quheng was the first to speak.

"Your Majesty, I have also gone through this year's selection of candidates. What Mr. Dai said is true. Moreover, among the candidates selected this year, there are also many people who have become famous before. It can be seen that there is nothing wrong with the selection of candidates." Yinghe also added.

.

"Your Majesty, my views are different from those of the two gentlemen." Dong Gao seemed not interested in the matter of policy theory, saying: "In this matter of imperial examination, whether policy theory or classics, there is actually not much difference in essence, they are just

It is to examine whether the candidates have a basic understanding of knowledge, history, and methods of governing affairs. However, if you only want to rely on these few articles to determine whether the candidates are suitable for office, I think it is just the wishful thinking of a few adults.

Okay. Before I became an official, I had a very high opinion of myself. I thought that if I knew all the classics, techniques, policies and theories clearly, I would not make any mistakes when doing things. However, when I became an official, I realized that there was a big difference. If a new scholar thought he was talented.

, who are unwilling to study ministry affairs carefully, or who have entered the Hanlin Academy, but are faced with the big test as if they are facing a formidable enemy. Can such a Jinshi really become a successful scholar with just one policy essay? I don’t think so. What’s more, the current examiners are all based on

The study of Confucian classics comes to the temple, and those who are proficient in Confucian classics must read the volume of Confucian classics for the first time, and then they can see the first and second skills of the new imperial examination candidates. As for policy theory, there are often some unfamiliar items that the examiner himself does not know clearly.

In this case, the examiner often fails to judge whether the candidates' words are meaningful, and thus selects those who are flashy and unrealistic. Since the current imperial examination method also has its disadvantages, I think there is nothing wrong with returning to the old system."

"Your Majesty, I also agree with Dong Zhongtang's words." Qinggui said: "At present, the Jinshi scholars in the sixth and seventh years of Jiaqing have been studying in Beijing for a long time. But I'll be honest, I don't think they are better than those in the first year of Jiaqing.

The Jinshi in the 60th year of Qianlong's reign have made great progress. On the contrary, there is another disadvantage in the imperial court at present. In the Hanlin Academy, most of the new Jinshi are able to memorize learned knowledge. They do not seek to explain allusions and allusions in old classics and historical books.

I seek more knowledge so that I can show off to the world. I secretly believe that this style of showing off skills will never last long! So I agree with Wang Jishi's words."

"It seems that this is another difficult situation for me to handle..." Seeing that there were two people supporting and opposing the Minister of Military and Aircraft, Jiaqing did not have enough confidence in his heart, and asked Liu Quanzhi again: "Liu Quanzhi, in the fourth year of Jiaqing, what will happen?

This was the first time you reformed the admissions system, and you were also the examiner at the time, so why don’t you share your views?”

At this time, Liu Quanzhi had been promoted to co-organizer of the bachelor's degree, but he was already sixty-six years old and was participating in important decisions. The situation was not as good as before. Seeing that the two bachelors did not agree to continue to maintain the method of selecting scholars with priority on policy and theory, even if he was still

With the support of Yinghe and Dai Quheng, he had no idea in his mind. He could only say: "This... back to the emperor, when I selected the scholars, I also knew that there were many talented people among them. But in the past few years, I also felt that I was a Jinshi in the fourth year of Jiaqing.

, compared with the 60th year of Qianlong and the first year of Jiaqing, there is not much difference. What Qingzhongtang said... is also true. It's just that in recent years, I have used strategies to select scholars, but I feel that there is not much wrongdoing.

I heard that there are many people who can be of great use. So... I really dare not say which of the two methods is better or worse."

"Alas..." Jiaqing saw that Liu Quanzhi was getting older and his words were ambiguous, and he felt unhappy in his heart. He had to continue: "Since you ministers of military aircraft all have your own opinions on this matter, I can't be biased. I will try.

It is also the foundation of the country, so I can’t just listen to your ideas. I’d better make a decision next time when the Grand Scholars and Nine Ministers gather for a meeting.”

However, when the academicians Jiuqing held a meeting later, the situation was even more unfavorable to Ruan Yuan. Most of the senior officials who participated in the speech believed that the old imperial examination system was not inappropriate. The new system introduced by Ruan Yuan and others not only had mediocre results four years after Jiaqing.

, and many examiners are not good at judging policy essay papers, so they are afraid of burying talents. To be on the safe side, the old system should be restored. Seeing that there are many people who oppose the priority of policy essay papers, Jiaqing has no choice but to "follow the public opinion" and will take three examination papers.
Chapter completed!