A middle-aged man raised his hand and said: "Your Highness, it was planted by a villain!"
"May I have your name?"
"The villain's name is Yang Du, from Yaozhou!"
Chen Qing asked with a smile: "This must be your first time growing pumpkins! What's the secret to growing them so well?"
The middle-aged man hurriedly said: "Reporting to your highness, I have been growing winter melons for three generations. Each of the winter melons grown by my father weighs forty or fifty kilograms. The folks call him the Winter Melon King. My father taught me some tricks.
The selection of seeds, soil, water amount, fertilization and lighting are all very particular. For example, the soil here is silt dug out from the river, and then the fertilizer is added from chicken manure piles. My father found that poultry fertilizer is more suitable than human and animal manure.
Plant winter melons, sprinkle sulfur powder around to kill insects, etc. There are dozens of tips!”
At this time, Liu Xiangyang said from the side: "Two days ago, a wealthy businessman came to us and wanted to cooperate with us. He provided money and land, and we provided seeds and cultivation techniques to grow high-quality large pumpkins. We can't make the decision, Your Highness.
Do you think this plan is feasible?”
These businessmen were very discerning and immediately sensed a business opportunity. However, Chen Qing would never agree to this business model. It would lead to a monopoly on high-quality seeds and would be detrimental to the imperial court's promotion of high-quality crops to farmers all over the world.
Chen Qing shook his head and said: "Your mission is teaching and research. Any expenses required will be borne by the Internal Affairs Hall. We will be given enough money to conduct research. The results of your research must be handed over to the government, who will promote them to farmers. You must
Letting everyone in the world have enough to eat is our cause, rather than letting some businessmen make profits, do you understand?"
Everyone was ashamed and saluted together: "Your Highness's teachings, we will keep them in mind!"
Chen Qing nodded and asked Yang Du: "Have you taught any students from the Imperial Academy?"
"Yes! I have taught twenty imperial students."
"It's not easy. You are so good at growing melons and you still teach students. Is there any difficulty?"
"Here" Youxue was present, and Yang Du didn't know how to answer.
Chen Qing's eyes turned to Liu Xiangyang, who quickly stepped forward and whispered: "Because he is from a peasant background, we cannot give him an official position and can only hire him as an unofficial professor."
"Who said no?" Chen Qing asked with a deep expression.
"The main reason is that the Department of Civil Affairs cannot get through!"
Chen Qing was really annoyed and said: "Many of my generals are from farmers, and they all control Niu Gao, who is a farmer. Does the military dare to say that Niu Gao has not passed the imperial examination and cannot be given an official position? I have said long ago that if you have the ability, you can do it.
As an official, Professor Yang’s pumpkins are bigger and better than mine. This is your ability, this is your contribution. You should be selected based on your talents, not just the imperial examinations!"
"Your Highness is absolutely right. Many of our professors at Taixue are craftsmen or farmers with special abilities. It is impossible for them to participate in the imperial examination, but the people who participated in the imperial examination do not have such abilities. This matter has always troubled Taixue.
We sincerely request Your Highness to help us resolve this employment issue."
Chen Qing nodded, "I will tell the staff later that the staff will change a lot of rules and regulations recently, and they will also correct your unfair treatment."
Chen Qing returned to the official office, pondered for a moment, and said to Chao Qing: "Go and invite Counselor Zhang from the Department of Civil Affairs!"
Chao Qing left in a hurry, and not long after, Zhang Miao quickly walked into the official room, bowed and said: "See you, Your Highness!"
Chen Qing smiled and waved his hand, "Please sit down!"
Zhang Miao sat down and Chen Qingxiao asked: "How is the drafting of the official reform plan going?"
"It's still being drafted. We may need to discuss it with His Highness and the House of Councilors."
"What needs to be discussed?"
"As for the establishment of state officials, His Highness requested to return to the Tang system. However, the Tang system had a flaw, which was that the court had weak control over local areas. As a result, the local government in the Tang Dynasty was basically controlled by aristocratic families, and it was difficult to implement the imperial decrees. In the Song Dynasty, it was based on Beijing officials
As someone who is in charge of state affairs, it is obvious that the imperial court has strengthened its control over the local area, so I think this can be considered for this humble position."
Chen Qing smiled slightly and said: "The Song Dynasty's control over local areas was not just the appointment of governors. The key was the real power at the road level, and the local government's finances and taxes were taken away by the Transportation Department, so the local government was not as high-ranking as the Tang Dynasty.
Far, they have their mother-in-law in charge, and they use the three ropes of criminal law, finance and taxation, and evaluation to restrain the local government. If the system of serving as an official in another place is implemented, the power of the local powerful families over the government will be greatly reduced. The so-called Beijing officials appointed as magistrates are actually
It’s the same thing as being under the official system in a different place, so don’t worry too much.”
"I understand. I will continue drafting now. I will show the draft to His Highness later."
Zhang Miao was about to get up, but Chen Qing stopped him, "Wait a minute, I have something else to do!"
"Ah! Your Highness, please speak."
Chen Qing told Zhang Miao about today's inspection of Taixue and the matters related to the professorship, and said to Zhang Miao: "I have long proposed meritocracy, but this talent does not refer to reading. It does not mean learning the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. What I mean is talent.
They are people with real skills, blacksmiths who can smelt high-quality refined iron, farmers who can grow high-quality grain, and shipwrights who can build ocean-going ships. These are all talents, and they must be put to good use. See if there are any
How can we reform the regulations governing the appointment of civil servants?”
Zhang Miao thought for a while and said: "Actually, there is a way!"
Chen Qing smiled and said: "I would like to hear the details!"
"Does Your Highness know about the system?"
The system examination is a promotion examination for serving officials and outstanding talents among the people. It can be said to be an upgraded version of the imperial examination, so it is also called a major examination. The content of the examination is not fixed, and the time is not fixed. It is an unconventional examination. Once
After passing the exam, they will usually be highly employed. For example, Su Shi and Qin Hui both made their mark through the system.
The system examination is generally used to select professional talents. For example, Zu'an Bian Ke selects military talents, and the Caiying Wind and Music Department selects musical talents. However, because the system is an unconventional examination, what talents are needed can be determined by the emperor.
It was established by itself, but from the Tang Dynasty to the present, no system in any dynasty has examined subjects such as agriculture and agriculture.
Zhang Miao's solution was to put new wine in old bottles, and use the wine bottle Zhike to solve the official position problem of Taixue's high-level craftsmen and peasants.
Chen Qing understood what Zhang Miao meant and said happily: "Then we will set up a blacksmith and mulberry farming subject, which will not test book knowledge, but only practical ability. In addition, we will open a foot safety and border subject to select outstanding young people below the control level.
general."
"When does Your Highness think the execution will begin?"
Chen Qing thought for a while and said: "Smelter Sang Nongke from this autumn to next autumn, who can smelt the best iron, who can grow the most grain, who can grow the biggest melons, who can spin the best
cloth, who can make the best loom, who can forge the best weapons, who can develop the furthest projectile, etc. Then the selection of outstanding young generals will be held in the spring of next year, and will be held simultaneously with the imperial examination, including the art of war.
There are three exams: weapons exam and riding and shooting exam, and those who pass the exam will be awarded official positions at the same time."
"I understand your humble position, does your Highness have anything else to explain?"
Chen Qing added: "As for the professors of Taixue, they currently do not have official official positions, but they must still be given corresponding official treatment, including salary, welfare and housing."
Zhang Miao is a very pragmatic person. He understands King Yong’s emphasis on industrial, commercial and agricultural talents, and knows that this is the foundation for rejuvenating the country. He nodded, "The humble job will be arranged as soon as possible!"