After the national policy meeting, Gao Zhong looked at Zhu Houcong with a very different look.
I am still in awe, but before it was because of the imperial power, but now it is not.
After reading some books in the inner study hall, he understood what the emperor had done today.
This matter has not been spread out yet, but if this matter can really come true, then your Majesty may not have the merits of governing the country that have convinced all the people in the world, but he will definitely have a far more important identity than this: a great scholar of the world.
Only sixteen years old.
Even if we go one step further and His Majesty's views on knowledge are recognized by scholars all over the world, and the Ming Dynasty really becomes more and more prosperous after ten or twenty years, then His Majesty's status will be directly upgraded to: a sage.
How many emperors have there been throughout the ages? The achievements of emperors are nothing more than civil and military achievements. Even if they are civil servants, they are just the promotion of culture and education and the presence of good ministers in the dynasty.
Which emperor had such achievements in learning that he could be called a sage within the Confucian sect?
But His Majesty didn't seem to take it seriously, and continued to read the two sets of books he had recently read.
One set is Qiu Jun's "Extensions of the University", and the other is Wang Wensu's "Baojian of Mathematics" which has not yet been compiled.
The former was the teacher of everyone, famous ministers, Xie Qian and Liang Chu.
The latter is a commoner and a businessman.
His Majesty spent more time on the "Baojian of Arithmetic Learning", and from time to time he used a pen to do calculations by himself, and even wrote down his thoughts.
Now the eunuchs around Zhu Houcong all know that the emperor has profound arithmetic skills, otherwise how could he come up with that set of accounting methods?
An arithmetic book that allows Your Majesty to study it so carefully is indeed worthy of the name "Treasure Mirror".
Above the court, the Eighteen Arhats would spend one morning every few days arguing over the new law as if they were trying to beat the brains out of a dog, and then they would continue their "frank and intimate" exchanges at the national policy meeting.
But they are all veteran actors, so I don’t think they are sophisticated.
At present, what the emperor can give them is not only the merit of entering the Ancestral Temple, but also the opportunity to enter the Confucius Temple!
The Ancestral Temple, to put it harshly, disappeared after the change of dynasties. And what about the Confucius Temple? In their view, no matter which one you dominate the world, the Confucius Temple will last forever!
By mid-July, Zhu Houcong felt a little headache and had to stop them, who were gradually becoming jealous at the national policy meeting: "There is no rush in this intellectual road! What you need to pay more attention to now is the new law in Guangdong! It was agreed before that the separation of taxes and servitude should be separated. We have unified the disciplines and the purchasing principles for all offices. Now we have to continue to discuss the system of business licenses and business tax sharing."
Yang Tinghe and others angrily stopped arguing about the laws of nature, physics, and human nature, but they were anxious.
These advisers have to perform dramas in court meetings and daily party disputes while discussing new legal steps. They have much less energy to improve His Majesty's New Confucian framework than Wang Shouren!
Should we give up this opportunity for Confucianism to innovate again to Xinxue?
Wang Shouren, who was observing filial piety, went into seclusion. He never expected that he would encounter two major events after coming back.
It was up to the counselors to direct the drama, but he was also greatly shocked by the theory of heaven, physics, and human principles that he received a few days ago.
His experience of studying things back then was unforgettable to him, and he also believed that he had gone astray. Only later did he achieve enlightenment in Longchang.
But now His Majesty said that the study of things to achieve knowledge should be to understand physics, and he does not have a specific method to achieve conscience, and he places too much emphasis on talent.
Wang Shouren thought that His Majesty would be more sympathetic to Xinxue, but he did not expect that His Majesty actually had a higher understanding and wanted to recreate Confucianism based on the strengths of each school.
In my era when the Six Classics was annotated, reforming Confucianism was not a crazy move. Isn’t it because Cheng and Zhu accomplished this that they were called virtuous?
Nowadays, this theory of heavenly principles, physics, and human principles can be said to be compatible with the knowledge of Mohism, Legalism, and many other miscellaneous schools.
After breaking them up, some can be stuffed into physics, and some can be stuffed into human theory...
A new world has opened up in front of us. Everyone in the national policy meeting is very excited now, right?
This may be an opportunity for Confucianism to dominate without forcibly deposing hundreds of schools of thought. It may be an opportunity for Confucianism to truly embrace all schools of thought.
If it is completed, the new law will be guided by New Confucianism. Even if the officials and gentry will be unwilling to suffer the loss of current profits from taxes and servitude, they will not dare to deviate from the foundation on which they can enjoy these benefits.
Thirty to fifty years from now, if New Confucianism has become a great success, their descendants will have to rely on it to study and become officials!
Then there is the law on the treatment of officials that is still under discussion...
At this point in time, the new law may really be called "the monarch and his ministers are united."
The counselors are really motivated.
After Wang Shouren thought quietly, he felt that he did not need to worry about this matter.
Five years before Jiajing, the "new party" and the "old party" will definitely further confront each other on the cultural level. This is the situation that His Majesty needs.
In five years, the world will undergo major changes, and the first thing to be moved will probably be the imperial examination!
…
It's mid-July, and the talents taking part in the provincial examinations from various provinces are rushing to the provincial capitals one after another.
Nineteen-year-old Xu Jie packed his bags and prepared to go to Yingtian Mansion to take his second provincial examination.
"Nie Tiju values you very much. Don't have any inner demons this time." His father warned him, "You will definitely pass high school!"
Xu Jie nodded and looked at another sedan not far from the pier.
Sitting inside was the woman who had been waiting for him for two years.
It was a marriage that I was very proud of when I was selected as a scholar at the age of thirteen, but failed in my first provincial examination at the age of seventeen.
At that time, he had doubts about his talents. If Nie Bao, the magistrate of Huating last year, had not praised him as a "national treasure" and personally taught him knowledge, Xu Jie would have planned to start a family first.
Now he saluted his father and said: "Father, take care of your health. My son will definitely win the exam twice in a row this time and return to the province to get married next year!"
The voice was full of confidence, and he was speaking not only to his father, but also to the mother and daughter in the sedan chair far away.
His father served as county magistrate and was also a poet and calligrapher in Huating.
Seeing their son and the book boy boarding the boat going up the river, the Xu family saw them off and waved goodbye. The sedan curtain was opened a crack, and half of the face was exposed.
The young woman had tears in her eyes. She will be eighteen next year, but the man she loves must welcome her with a glorious background as a Jinshi.
Now, he sets off.
In Guangzhou Prefecture, scholars from various prefectures in Guangdong also arrived one after another.
The Provincial Examination is held in August, and the Ceremony Department Examination is held in February of the following year. This is the year of the great examinations that the scholars take very seriously.
Those who have learned well and have good luck can overcome two hurdles in a row, leave the academic field, and enter the officialdom with the best background.
Otherwise, just like some people with gray hair, they have to fight for their birth status once every three years.
Zhang Fujing, Zhang En, Zhai Luan and Yang Shen did not dare to ignore it.
"There are many hurricanes in July and August." Zhang Fujing seriously reminded Yang Shen, "Eunuch Wei reported that the fleet that left the port in May damaged two large ships when it returned to the port recently. It was due to strong winds and waves on the way. In addition to the rural examination,
Preparations for wind prevention and relief operations are also indispensable.”
"Xiaguan will definitely make arrangements." Yang Shen replied, "Although Xianguan doesn't know the habits of hurricanes, the people of Guangdong have many experiences. Each county will make more notices, so that summer and autumn grain matters will be correct."
Zhang Fujing added: "It is the first time in the Ming Dynasty that two officials from the capital are appointed to take the examination. At this moment, students are gathered together and they must pay more attention to their studies to avoid causing trouble."
Zhai Luan's face was full of confusion: "There are already a lot of discussions."
Zhang En said: "The Chief Envoy only sent out promotions and took the same examination, so there was no problem in preparing for the rural examination. However, although the examination system of the rural examination has not been changed, it does make the students uneasy that the capital officials will take the test."
"It can only be said that the case of Liang Guangda last year shocked the imperial court. It is out of fair considerations for Qiu Wei that Beijing officials are the main candidates." Zhang Fujing said with a serious face, "If someone makes trouble after the results are released, I will take care of myself.
Will find out!"
There was indeed a lot of discussion in Guangzhou at this time.
In the past, the local government was responsible for setting the questions and conducting the examinations in the local rural examinations.
Since local officials serve as examiners, the scholars naturally have an understanding of the examiners' knowledge and preferences, and can even take some steps in advance.
But now, the local government is only preparing for the examination in advance. The two main examinations and the three sub-examinations are all sent by the imperial court and are on their way to Guangdong.
This is a fatal blow to some previously "prepared" candidates.
"There are endless political disputes in the imperial court. Why does Guangdong become the battlefield?" Some scholars in the restaurant were filled with indignation. "There is a test at the age of three. How many three years are there in a life?"
"Again, we are clearing land and land, and using imperial merchants to monopolize the benefits of trade, are we going to cut off the scientific career of Guangdong scholars?"
"The examination system has not been changed. We only appoint officials from the capital to take the examination. Brothers, are you going too far?"
"That's wrong! If we assign an examiner this year, will the examination system be changed next year? Isn't it completely meaningless to study hard for ten years? If this year's examiner asks me to discuss the new law in Guangdong, how will I write?"
"Exactly. The imperial court has been arguing over the new law. Who knows whether the examiner is leaning towards the reform or the old system? How can it be called fair to treat the Guangdong Provincial Examination like this? There are two capitals and thirteen provinces. Only Guangdong Qiuwei is the examiner from Beijing.
Official, how can we call it fair?"
"..."
At this moment, some scholars came to visit Zheng Cunzhong's mansion.
Zheng Cunzhong was already a Juren. Unlike the Song Dynasty, in the Ming Dynasty, as long as he passed the Juren examination and was not expelled from his title, he could always take part in the examination of the Ministry of Rites as a Juren.
Therefore, Zheng Cunzhong does not need to take the provincial examination this year. He can wait for next year's general examination.
Now there are scholars coming to visit him because they know that Zheng Cunzhong had many friends in Beijing during the three previous trials, and they are now well-informed.
"The examiner is Xu Jin, a scholar at the Hanlin Academy. He was a Jinshi in the 18th year of Hongzhi's reign and a disciple of Yang Ge. The other examiner is Fei Ge's nephew, Fei Maozhong, last year's top scholar in the new subject." Zheng Cunzhong sighed repeatedly, "Last year
It’s really a grand event for the First Class to gather in Guangdong.”
Isn't this right? The top candidate is the governor of Guangdong, the second best candidate is the councilor of Guangdong, and now the other examiner in the Guangdong Provincial Examination is their top scorer in the same subject.
But what really made him feel interesting was the origins of these two examiners.
Yang Tinghe has now become the "leader of the new party", while Fei Hong is the leader of the old party.
The scholars looked sad: "This Xu Jin and Fei Maozhong...who will ask the questions? What questions will be asked?"
"I don't know about that." Zheng Cunzhong said with a smile, "In short, the first session of the Four Books and Five Classics, the second session of commentary, are all basic skills. The third session of classics, history, and current affairs policy are the key. I'm afraid the two
Everyone will ask some questions."
After entertaining these scholars, he walked out of the study and looked at the bright sun. Then he asked his housekeeper: "The wind has risen on the sea? Will it turn into a hurricane?"
"Master, this is not certain."
Zheng Cunzhong's eyes flickered, hoping that the storm would be worse.
In the Ming Dynasty, this typhoon was called a hurricane, and such a big storm is indeed brewing above the ocean now.
In this era, there are no weather satellites in the sky, and it is really impossible for people living on the earth to predict whether a typhoon will hit.
Only when the typhoon starts to hit the coast will the situation suddenly change and the rain will pour down.
A few days after Xu Jie left Huating County, the typhoon struck.
On July 25th, "a hurricane broke out, uprooting trees and flying houses, and the tide surged more than ten feet on the ground, drowning countless people. From Changzhou, Songjiang and even Yingtianfu, dozens of counties were affected by the disaster, and the Nanjing River overflowed, suburban communities, mausoleums, and palaces.
, the city walls, ridges, railings and pillars are all broken..."
It was already August when the report was urgently delivered to Beijing.
At the great meeting on the first day of the lunar month, a certain official spoke with incomparable resoluteness: "This celestial phenomenon is a warning, because there are traitors in the court, and the ancestral system is being arbitrarily violated! In the tax-rich south of the Yangtze River, this disaster will occur, all summer grain will be destroyed, fertile fields will be barren, victims will be everywhere, and disasters will occur! I will impeach you
Academicians Yang Tinghe, Jiang Mian, Shi Yun, Mao Ji..."
The fight has become fierce, and some people have indeed begun to lose their minds and come up with the theory of telepathy between heaven and man.
Although the finger is pointed at the "treacherous sycophants" of the New Party, does the emperor want to punish himself for this?
Yang Tinghe came out and said angrily: "In July of the 23rd year of Hongwu, Songjiang Prefecture was hit by a hurricane, and the people survived; in the leap September of the 14th year of Yongle, more than ten thousand houses were destroyed in Songjiang Prefecture; in the ninth year of Zhengtong, and in the fifth year of Tianshun
, the eleventh year of Zhengde..."
He was worthy of being a child prodigy back then. After making some preparations, he opened his mouth to talk about so much data and said: "It is predicted that there will be a natural disaster. How can we say anything about the celestial phenomenon at this time to warn? The top priority is to provide relief to the victims! Your Majesty, this time
Disasters are spreading all over the south of the Yangtze River. Although reports from Fujian and Guangdong have not yet arrived, the fear of disaster cannot be underestimated. Historically, in years when hurricanes occur at sea, there are storms and storms along the coast. I ask you to quickly order the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Industry to discuss major relief matters."
Fei Hong said: "In the past two months, impeachment has become common, and many important positions have been vacant! With the natural disaster coming, people's hearts are even more uneasy! Your Majesty, at this time, it is more important for officials to relieve the victims, and the gentry has come forward to appease the villagers! The debate over the new law,
It cannot be prolonged, otherwise the victims in various places will not be able to be comforted, and disasters will occur everywhere!"
Acting must be performed in full. Although I know that it may be bad to bring this matter into the dispute over the new law through a natural disaster, and I don't know how your Majesty is feeling now, I must bite the bullet and continue to raise this point.
Zhu Houcong was indeed in a bad mood.
Yang Shen's artificial recklessness intensified the contradictions in the new law, so the strategy for this drama was decided at the national policy meeting.
However, natural disasters caused by typhoons are unpredictable. Fei Hong is right. Under the current conditions, local relief is basically inseparable from the support of the gentry.
Now they are quite dissatisfied with the new law that may be implemented nationwide. Will they take the initiative to help this time? That depends on the direction of the court.
"In the current national crisis, officials and gentry have read the books of sages. How can they hesitate to move forward because of whether or not to implement new laws?" Yang Tinghe retorted righteously, "Your Majesty, I would like to ask Jiang Mian and Mao Ji, Governor of Zhejiang Province, to provide disaster relief. Tian Fu
, all matters related to water transportation, ordered the governors of Fujian and Guangdong to strictly investigate the embezzlement of people's fields and concealment of people's households under the pretext of disasters! Every time there is a natural disaster, there will be a man-made disaster, and we have to prevent it!"
He immediately mentioned many previous examples, and Fei Hong could only advise the emperor bitterly to calm the people's minds at this moment.
Zhu Houcong seemed to be furious when he heard this: "If there are any orphaned children, all of them should be adopted to the Huguang Salesian Home in the capital! If there are rich officials, gentry, and wealthy people who take advantage of the disaster to do illegal things, they must be investigated and dealt with! Please allow it to be reported by Mr. Yang Ge."
Let’s quickly discuss the disaster relief strategy!”
Well, this year was indeed a storm, and the first year of Jiajing was not easy.