First Prince of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 125

Song Lian stroked his beard and asked, "Your Highness, do you want to hire more northern students?"

Zhu Biao has nothing to hide from his husband: "The north has just been pacified, and the style of writing has not yet changed. I am afraid that there are some deficiencies in the scriptures. It is impossible to catch up with the south in the past ten or twenty years. It will become less and less.”

Song Lian nodded and said: "However, if you are not careful about the imperial examination, you will easily be criticized by scholars all over the world. Your Highness must be cautious."

Zhu Biao nodded slowly and said: "Of course, the selection of scholars in the imperial examination is fair. But some issues have to be considered. Can Master Song do two sets of examination questions, one for the main scriptures and one for the test strategy? Select excellent from the two sets of examination questions."

Song Lian frowned and thought about the pros and cons of this method. Southern scholars read more scriptures, while northern scholars who have been through wars for a long time must have a better understanding of current affairs, so they can choose the best from the two.

Moreover, the main content of the imperial examinations is not static, just like the examinations of the Tang Dynasty, which emphasized poetry and fu, "the first thing to do is to put poetry and fu first." Some people in the Song Dynasty believed that the reason why people in the Tang Dynasty were so good at writing poems was the imperial examinations. trained

"Or ask: Why did Tang poetry surpass our dynasty? The Tang Dynasty used poetry to select scholars, so there were many specialized studies, and the reason why our dynasty was not as good as it."

In the Song Dynasty, poetry and prose began to be gradually abandoned. Wang Anshi once said to Song Shenzong: "Nowadays, when you are young, you should pay attention to the world's righteous principles, but you are studying poetry and prose behind closed doors, and you are not familiar with the world. The law corrupts talents, so that they are not as good as they used to be."

The Song Dynasty began to examine the scriptures and theory, and in the Ming Dynasty, the scriptures and meanings evolved into stereotyped essays, which were severely rigid in both the external style and the internal thinking.

Instead of focusing on the test strategy, the test strategy is actually similar to the "application" in today's civil service examination. Generally, the examiner asks specific questions about current affairs and asks the candidates to express their opinions, so it is also called "policy question". called "countermeasures".The countermeasures are usually thousands of characters, but there are also countermeasures written in tens of thousands of words.

For Zhu Biao, a scholar who has read the Four Books and Five Classics is of no use to him. What he needs is someone who can solve current affairs, understand the current national conditions and have certain ideas, who can assist him in revitalizing Ming Dynasty.

Song Lian was not the kind of rotten Confucian, so he naturally knew that those who could read the scriptures were not necessarily the talents needed by the court, but the emperor had signaled that he should be the chief examiner of the scriptures, so that those scholars should not talk about the government affairs of the country.

Song Lian cupped his hands at Zhu Biao and said, "It is not the Holy Majesty's will to change the imperial examination questions. It doesn't matter what the old officials say. The Holy Majesty means to examine the classics and meanings of the students, and it is best to test the contents of the Four Books and Five Classics."

Zhu Biao frowned. Although the stereotyped writing has not officially started yet, there are already signs of it. This is not good. There are too few talents who can come out of the stereotyped writing.

Zhu Biao said to Song Lian: "I'm going to see my father right now, and I'm sure to persuade my father. Now the imperial examination is not far away. Please ask Master Song to choose some current things. For example, if you want to relocate people on a large scale How to deal with it."

Song Lian looked at Zhu Biao and said softly: "Your Highness told the old ministers to obey, but if His Highness is involved in this matter, it is easy to offend the Holy Majesty, it is better to let the old ministers write a memorial, and then His Highness will take it away. If the Holy Majesty is angry with thunder Let it all fall on the old minister."

Zhu Biao stood up and said, "Master Song, don't worry, I have my own measure."

Then Zhu Biao got up and went to the imperial study. At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang must be still competing with a thick stack of memorials. It was too late at this time. Liu Jin followed Zhu Biao and said, "Master, you have been busy for a long time. You take a rest here, servants go to the imperial dining room to get some food."

Zhu Biao shook his head, and then he had the time to look at the group of people behind him. The eunuchs and guards are okay, but the maids are a little bit shaky when they walk. They are all young girls of fifteen or sixteen. up.

Zhu Biao ordered casually: "Leave a few people, and the rest go back to the East Palace."

Liu Jin naturally understood what Zhu Biao meant, and dismissed the rest of the people, leaving only her godson and two guards who came back with Zhu Biao.

All the way to the Imperial Study Room, Zhu Biao asked someone to tell him, then strode in, and saw that his father was really fighting against the memorial.

Zhu Biao knelt down and saluted: "I will see my father, and my father will live forever."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his son and said, "Get up, you have run around in the past half a day."

Zhu Biao got up and went to the back of his father, and pressed his shoulders. Now he really admires his father for doing so much work every day, and he still has the mind to get rid of the prime minister and add more work for himself.

Zhu Yuanzhang relaxed and enjoyed it for a while and said: "The arrangement is good. It is true that I should be responsible for the board and lodging of the imperial examination candidates, which is also convenient for unified management."

Zhu Biao knew that Zhu Yuanzhang was telling him that he had done a good job, and he didn't care that he used his own money to press the candidates.

In fact, Zhu Biao didn’t know yet that someone among the candidates had already set the pace. It was His Royal Highness who heard that the candidates didn’t even arrange for board and lodging. Wait at the inn, the prince is wise!

Yang Xian is also actively cooperating. The candidates are tearful and feel that they are valued. Now that the master who he is looking forward to can appreciate him has appeared. A good story about meeting and creating a prosperous world together.

Zhu Biao said: "My son and Master Song talked about the imperial examinations. Master Song and others expected that the northern scholars would not even account for a hundred of the new Jinshi. My son thought that the proportion of Jinshi from the north and the south was so unbalanced. Not a good thing."

Zhu Yuanzhang also looked condensed: "Biaoer, you are right. This is our carelessness. We have forgotten such an important matter. No, we have to call Li Shanchang and the others to discuss it."

Zhu Biao hurriedly stopped him: "I have some ideas, please give me some advice."

Zhu Yuanzhang sat back with peace of mind as soon as he heard it: "Biao'er has figured out a solution? Okay, let's listen to my son."

Zhu Biao first asked: "Father, do you want to examine the scriptures?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Well, we don't want those scholars to tell us what to do. If they read a lot of idle books, they will easily have other thoughts. After reading a few miscellaneous books, they dare to criticize the imperial court's policies. What's the matter? system."

Zhu Biao knew that Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to turn scholars into wooden men who only knew how to read sage books, who only read loyal and patriotic books, imprisoned their thoughts, made them lose their ability to judge things by themselves, and selected officials who only obeyed the emperor's orders. , to strengthen the monarchy.

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　I’m sorry, I’ve only finished four chapters after a day of writing, I’m dizzy, (╯﹏╰) Can I write another one tomorrow today during the day?

　　I might die suddenly writing this...

　　thank you all for loving you

　　

　

(End of this chapter)