diymy Chapter 109: Let the military generals be tested on the classics?
Chapter 109: Let the military generals be tested on the classics?
Chapter 109: Let the military generals be tested on the classics?
The next morning, the morning bell rang in Chongyuan Hall, and civil and military officials filed in according to their ranks.
Before long, accompanied by the eunuchs' loud greetings, Zhao Kuangyin, dressed in a crimson dragon robe, slowly ascended the throne.
The assembled officials in the hall bowed in unison, shouting, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
"Rise."
Zhao Kuangyin raised his hand, and after the ministers stood up, he went straight to the point: "This morning at court, I have several state affairs to discuss and decide with you all."
He glanced at the assembled officials in the hall and said slowly, "Since the chaos of the Five Dynasties, culture and education have declined and the system of rites has collapsed. I wish to revive Confucianism and stabilize the court."
"Starting today, the Imperial Academy shall be repaired immediately, renowned scholars from across the land shall be invited to give lectures, students shall be admitted, and talents shall be cultivated. In March of next year, the imperial examinations shall be reopened to attract the best talents from across the land and enrich the court."
Upon hearing this, the civil officials in the hall all showed joy and nodded in approval, while the military officers remained indifferent, as matters of education and culture were of little concern to them; they simply listened quietly.
With the world still at peace, no matter how much we promote education, can we really overthrow them?
Seeing that no one objected, Zhao Kuangyin then looked at Zhao Dezhao and Zhao Guangyi below the steps and said in a deep voice:
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"This matter will be entrusted to the Prince of Wugong and the Marquis of Taiyuan for full supervision."
"Your Excellency Zhao Dezhao, Prince of Wugong, is hereby appointed as Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, in charge of the academy's repairs and the selection of students. Your Excellency Zhao Guangyi, Marquis of Taiyuan, is hereby appointed as Academician of the Hanlin Academy, in charge of overseeing the imperial examination regulations. The two of you must work together without shirking your responsibilities."
Zhao Dezhao and Zhao Guangyi stepped forward together, bowed, and received the imperial edict: "Your subjects (brothers) obey the decree! We will certainly not fail in our mission!"
After straightening up, Zhao Guangyi revealed a gentle smile on his face.
There are too many opportunities to manipulate the imperial examination system. One is to take advantage of this opportunity to make some money. After all, he is not Zhao Dezhao, who can earn millions of strings of cash just by going out to fight a battle. The vast Taiyuan County Marquis's Mansion is full of people who need money.
Secondly, and this is what he values most, it's a good opportunity to discover talented people and put them to use.
In terms of winning people's hearts, Zhao Guangyi himself believed that even ten Zhao Dezhaos combined couldn't compare to him.
Zhao Dezhao, on the other hand, remained calm, seemingly oblivious to the matter.
"Furthermore," Zhao Kuangyin continued, "I appoint Lu Duoxun and Tao Gu as the chief examiners for this imperial examination, with Tao Gu as the chief examiner and Lu Duoxun as the deputy examiner. They are in charge of reviewing the examination questions and must perform their duties impartially and without favoritism."
Ludoson and Tao Gu quickly stepped forward to express their gratitude.
Zhao Guangyi glanced at Tao Gu almost imperceptibly, and the latter immediately gave him a grateful look.
The reopening of the imperial examinations and the appointment of examiners, though major events, did not cause much of a stir, and the atmosphere in the hall remained relatively peaceful.
But Zhao Kuangyin's next edict exploded like thunder in the Chongyuan Hall, leaving all the civil and military officials stunned.
"One month from now, I will hold a palace examination. All military officers of the third rank and above must enter the palace to compete in essays, and be tested on their knowledge of classics and etiquette. Those who fail will be severely punished!"
"What?! Did I hear that right?"
The entire court was instantly in an uproar. The military officers, who had been calm, suddenly changed their expressions, whispering among themselves, their eyes filled with astonishment and dissatisfaction.
I'm someone who wields a knife, and you're asking me to wield a pen?
What else do we need to do for the palace examination?
Isn't this asking the impossible?
The civil officials, on the other hand, were overjoyed and their faces lit up with excitement.
The emperor's intention to value education and govern the country through culture is all too clear.
Emphasizing education and culture and governing the country through culture means making good use of these civil officials.
Their spring has arrived!
"His Majesty!"
Just then, a loud petition broke the commotion. Zhao Dezhao strode forward, his tone tinged with displeasure, and deliberately spoke loudly, "Your subject has a petition to submit!"
"Although the world has been initially settled, the surrounding states are still eyeing us covetously. This is the time to rely on military generals and consolidate our border defenses."
"If we force military officers to compete in essays at this time and severely punish those who fail, it will likely demoralize the soldiers and neglect military preparedness. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!"
Seeing that Zhao Dezhao was willing to stand up for so many military officers, all the officers in the court couldn't help but cast grateful glances at him.
Gao Huaide, Murong Yanzhao, and other veteran generals immediately stepped forward. Although they didn't say much, they all bowed and echoed, "We implore Your Majesty to reconsider!"
The atmosphere in the hall instantly became tense. Although the civil officials wanted to refute, they had no choice but to remain silent due to Zhao Dezhao's power and the fact that the emperor had not yet expressed his opinion.
Zhao Kuangyin's expression remained unchanged, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "I am aware of what the Prince of Wugong said. The soldiers have rendered invaluable service in defending the borders and quelling the rebellion. How could I possibly let their spirits be dampened?"
He changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over the generals: "But the world has been exhausted for a long time, and people yearn for stability. Some time ago, many military generals, relying on their bravery, acted arrogantly and disregarded the law, causing chaos in the court."
"I have ordered you ministers to study the classics, not to abolish military preparedness, but to make you understand the great principles of loyalty between ruler and subject, and to be familiar with etiquette and rules."
He paused, then softened his tone and said gently, "I know that you gentlemen have been engaged in war for many years and have neglected your studies. Within a month, you only need to focus on studying the basic classics. The examiners will judge accordingly. Furthermore—"
Zhao Kuangyin's gaze swept over the generals one by one, his tone filled with praise and reassurance: "Prince Wugong, Shi Shouxin, Gao Huaide, Murong Yanzhao, and other ministers have made great contributions in quelling the rebellions of Li Jun and Li Chongjin and consolidating the foundation of the Great Song Dynasty. I will always remember them."
"Although I have already bestowed rewards upon each of you, the Spring Festival is approaching, and you have all worked hard and made great contributions. It is only right and proper that I should show you further consideration. I have already ordered people to prepare the rewards, which will be sent to your respective residences shortly to reward you for your hard work."
Upon hearing this, most of the discontent in the generals' hearts vanished instantly in the face of the gleaming silver.
However, Zhao Dezhao stubbornly bowed and advised, "Father, I believe that the ability of a military general to stabilize the country and bring peace does not lie in literary pursuits. How can we throw the baby out with the bathwater?"
"That's enough!"
The emperor's angry shout abruptly interrupted Zhao Dezhao's next words.
Zhao Kuangyin's face darkened, and he said with obvious disappointment, "As my eldest son, you should set an example and take the lead in obeying my decrees. How can you obstruct me time and time again?"
"If you utter another word, don't blame me for punishing you by confining you to your quarters and stripping you of your authority to oversee the imperial examinations!"
"Your subject—knows his crime."
Zhao Dezhao gritted his teeth and had no choice but to back down.
Seeing this, Shi Shouxin and the others, though still resentful, understood that Zhao Dezhao had done his best and that His Majesty's mind was made up and could not be changed.
But no one noticed that the father and son were exchanging knowing glances.
Zhao Kuangyin, being a seasoned actor, showed no change in expression whatsoever. He merely snorted coldly and then looked at Shen Yilun, saying in a deep voice, "Minister Shen, I hereby appoint you as the supervisor of the construction of the Wen and Wu Temples in the southeast corner of the capital, to enshrine the ancient sages, worthies, and famous generals of past dynasties. The two temples shall be of equal scale and neither shall be neglected."
Although Shen Yilun was slightly taken aback, he quickly accepted the imperial decree: "Your subject obeys!"
Upon hearing this, and considering Zhao Kuangyin's previous edicts, the entire court immediately understood.
The Emperor is going to use both civil and military means!
Although the civil officials were slightly disappointed, they dared not ask for more.
Although the military officers were dissatisfied, they were completely relieved.
Seeing everyone's reactions, Zhao Dezhao couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration.
The emperor's mind and tactics were used by his father to perfection.
After a series of maneuvers, the strategy of "strengthening the country through culture" was clearly demonstrated without making a fuss, and many military generals were appeased, so that neither the civil nor the military could find any fault with it.
In just a few words, a grand drama unfolded!
After the morning court session ended, civil and military officials walked separately on the stone-paved road outside Chongyuan Hall.
The civil officials gathered in small groups, laughing and chatting, discussing the previous imperial edicts, while the military officers had solemn expressions and hurried along. Shi Shouxin, Gao Huaide, Murong Yanzhao, and others simply stopped and signaled their attendants to leave, waiting for Zhao Dezhao to arrive.
As soon as Zhao Dezhao stepped out of the palace gate, he was surrounded by several people.
Shi Shouxin spoke first, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Your Highness, what does His Majesty mean by this? We are all men who have fought on the battlefield; how could we understand the classics and literature? Isn't this palace examination just making things difficult for us?"
The others echoed this sentiment, their expressions anxious.
"well----"
Zhao Dezhao seemed to have anticipated this scene, and naturally shook his head and sighed: "It's not that I'm in a difficult position, although I also—"
There was some disagreement, but on second thought, perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing for my uncles.
"Good news? What do you mean by that?" Shi Shouxin and the others looked puzzled.
Zhao Dezhao said, "Uncles, think about it. Now that the Song Dynasty has quelled the rebellion of the two Lis, things have been initially settled. However, you uncles and your subordinates only know how to fight and do not understand etiquette. It is inevitable that we will repeat the mistakes of the Five Dynasties and invite criticism from the officials."
"The scandals of Wang Yansheng soliciting bribes late at night and Fu Zhaoshou insulting the prime minister in the street have not yet subsided. Now that those civil officials have gained power, they will surely bring up the old issues again."
"Your Majesty may not care about attacking Xu once, but what about twice? What about three times? If this continues, public opinion will be hard to silence, and even if Your Majesty is willing to show favoritism, you will inevitably be in a difficult position."
"By examining the classics, Your Majesty can effectively silence the civil officials and deflect much criticism from you all. Isn't that a good thing?"
Zhao Dezhao paused, then added, "Moreover, my father has already made it clear that all military officers of the third rank and above must participate in this palace examination, including my father and me."
"Uncles, if you just study diligently for a month, there shouldn't be any major problems."
"Even His Majesty and the Prince are going to participate?" The generals were all taken aback, but then most of the remaining resistance in their hearts dissipated.
The eldest prince may not know, but they know better than anyone how learned His Majesty is.
Military strategy? No one can surpass Your Majesty's.
What is the meaning of the scriptures?
Haha, we're all at the same level.
Shi Shouxin breathed a sigh of relief and waved his hand: "I see! Then forget it, it's just an exam to pass."
"Let's go find a restaurant, have a few drinks, and forget about all our troubles for now!"
Gao Huaide and the others echoed his sentiments, their faces breaking into smiles again, completely disregarding the palace examination.
In their view, it was just a formality; given the emperor's personality, he wouldn't really punish the founding heroes severely.
However, Murong Yanzhao, standing to the side, had a grave expression and a furrowed brow. Only after bidding farewell to Zhao Dezhao did he suddenly speak: "Gentlemen, do not be careless. Throughout history, how many times have we seen the saying, 'When the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away'?"
One sentence, like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads, instantly extinguished the enthusiasm of the generals.
Shi Shouxin's smile froze, and Gao Huaide also composed himself. The group exchanged glances, and all saw fear in each other's eyes.
They were all people who had emerged from the flames of war during the Five Dynasties period, so they naturally understood what Murong Yanzhao meant.
Now that the emperor has consolidated his power, he is beginning to promote civil administration and restrain military generals. Perhaps this palace examination truly harbors the intention to influence a few individuals.
"Your Majesty—you shouldn't be that kind of person, right?" Shi Shouxin swallowed hard and said with difficulty.
"Not necessarily, but a warning is probably inevitable," Gao Huaide said confidently after a moment's thought.
These men had all followed Zhao Kuangyin in conquering the world from the very beginning, and had long since become sworn brothers. Naturally, they knew Zhao Kuangyin's character and temperament well.
Since they started following Zhao Kuangyin, he has never treated them unfairly.
If anyone else had said these words to them, they wouldn't have hesitated at all; they would have immediately gone back to reorganize their troops and change the emperor!
But if this person were Zhao Kuangyin, then it would be a completely different story.
The prestige and personal charisma that Zhao Kuangyin had accumulated in the hearts of the people played a crucial role at this moment.
It must be said that all the founding emperors in history had a peculiar characteristic—they were always surrounded by people willing to give their lives for them.
This characteristic is most evident in the Liu family of succubi.
Of course, this also applies to Li Shimin, Zhu Yuanzhang, and others.
Zhao Kuangyin was no exception.
These arrogant and domineering generals, however, willingly stayed by Zhao Kuangyin's side, fighting alongside him to conquer the world, risking their lives without ever hesitating.
Even at this moment, these veterans remain the same.
Shi Shouxin sighed and said in a deep voice, "Brother Murong is absolutely right; we were careless. Forget it, let's not go to the restaurant. Let's all return to our residences and study diligently, making sure we pass this imperial examination!"
Gao Huaide and the others nodded, bowed with helpless expressions, and took their leave, each heading back to their respective homes.
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