Great Warriors of Sui and Tang Dynasties

Chapter 1257
The emperor looked at the rain curtain outside the hall, and said worriedly, "All over the world, there are reports of rain. This autumn rain is a bit urgent and heavy. It has been held back for several months, and now it wants to come down all at once. It seems that many places are going to have autumn floods." , I don’t know if I can prevent it.”

The eldest grandson Zhaoyi came over with a bowl of dumplings, "The concubine's new leek dumplings."

"Have a heart."

While eating the dumplings, the emperor was a little absent-minded. He was still thinking about the conversation he had with Zhangsun Wuji before.

Changsun Wuji really knew everything and talked endlessly. What he finally talked about was the imperial court's recruitment system, imperial examination system, and enfeoffment system. The most likely result would be redundant soldiers and officials.

Now there are thousands of nobles, big and small. Under the order of enfeoffment, the number of princes of the second generation may increase several times or even ten times in the future. Less other problems.

For example, even if the princes do not hold real positions, their ranks are still high, and they can still be able to shadow their children and become officials with their shadows. If a large number of noble children enter officials with their shadows, it will not only have an impact on the imperial court's selection system, but also Bring the danger of redundant officials.Not to mention, the nobles also enjoy many other privileges, such as a large number of land occupations and so on.

On the other hand, foreign relatives and officials' children can also obtain family yin. Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the way of this yin has become wider and wider, almost making official positions hereditary.Otherwise, once the official position is truly hereditary, the threat to the imperial power will be huge, which is why the Guanlong nobles were so prominent in the past.

It is still only the beginning of the founding of the country, so some problems have not yet emerged, but it is obvious that after two or three generations of emperors, the family privileges of entrusting princes, officials, and relatives will inevitably lead to major problems.

"Guanyin maidservant, I plan to make a detailed regulation of the grace system, what do you think?" Luo Cheng said while dipping the dumplings in the vinegar dish.

"Courts and concubines only know that everything is forewarned and established, and if not forewarned, it will be abandoned. Of course, it is best to establish rules early, so that there will be examples to follow and rules to follow."

After eating the dumplings, Luo Cheng immediately called Wei Zheng over.

"I plan to redraft the door shade system."

"How does Your Majesty plan to change it?" Wei Zheng asked. The door shadow system has a lot to do with it. After all, it involves the interests of nobles, officials, and relatives. If any change is made, it will affect the whole body.

"I also know that this matter is important, but I am the founding king of the country. If I don't reform well, then future generations will be even more constrained and unable to change. It must be changed now, and only now can it be changed." Luo Cheng made up his mind. Determined, "First of all, it is the scope of the door shade. Officials above the ninth rank, honored officials above the fifth rank, all enfeoffed nobles, and relatives of three empresses, four concubines and nine concubines are all included in the door shade."

"In the past, there were a lot of people. One person could have several children from his family, even brothers, uncles and nephews. I thought it was too much, and many children of noble officials' relatives were appointed officials when they were still in their infancy. It was too much. "

Wei Zheng nodded, this is indeed true.

Entrance to officialdom has reached its peak since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and the prime minister can even favor more than a dozen of his brothers and nephews to enter official positions.

"I think that no matter whether it is a prince, a prime minister, or a county magistrate, all can retain the privilege of family yin, but officials below the fifth rank can only have one person, and only the eldest son can inherit the yin, and must be at least 21 years old. It can only be done after the age of Ding."

For these officials' children Cheng Yin to become an official, Luo Cheng made another adjustment. Originally, he was directly conferring officials, but now he changed it to conferring ranks.

Officials of the sixth to ninth ranks, after their eldest son becomes a Ding, can be awarded ranks by inheriting Yin, and the ranks are the ninth rank outside the ranks.

Liuwai ninth class, that is, official positions beyond the thirtieth rank of the ninth rank and eighteen ranks, the ninth rank and eighteen ranks are called Liu Nei, and further down there are Liuwai ranks.

Liuwai, also known as non-inflow, existed in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. The Northern Wei Dynasty called Liuwai Jiudan. In the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Liuwai was called Jiuming, and Liuwai was called Jiuzhi.

After the establishment of the Great Qin Dynasty, there were nine grades for foreign officials, and the first to ninth grades.

An outsider is actually an official, and the ninth rank of an official is not an official, but he can be promoted to an insider if he performs well.

What Luo Cheng meant now was that not all the sons of noble officials were excellent. If they were really excellent, they could definitely become officials through the imperial examination and other channels. Therefore, he advocated that the privileges of family members should be reduced.

Chengyin, the son of an official of the sixth to ninth grade, can only be awarded the ninth rank first, and then selected by the Ministry of Officials. After passing the examination, those who pass the exam will be awarded specific corresponding positions, such as Zuo, Shi, Tingzhang, Zhanggu, etc.

Chengyin, the children of officials of the third to fifth ranks, can be conferred the eighth rank of Liuwai for the first time, and Chengyin, the sons of officials of the first and second ranks, can be conferred the seventh rank of Liuwai for the first time.

Foreign relatives include the three empresses, the empress, the empress dowager, the family of the empress dowager, and the family of the fourth concubine and the nine concubines. Each family is allowed to have only one eldest son. Then you can inherit the shade.They are also first-time outsiders.

After being awarded a rank, one has to pass the official selection examination of the Ministry of Officials. After passing the candidate for office, if one fails to pass, the rank of exile will be retained, but the appointment will not be allowed, and one has to continue to participate in the election. The qualification will naturally be cancelled.

"Is this starting point too low?"

Wei Zheng asked.

In the past, the prime minister could shade seven or eight brothers and nephews, even at the beginning, they were all eight or nine ranks, or even seven ranks.For example, the emperor's original pro-Xunyi three guards, among them the guards are all the sons of the prime minister and prince, and the lowest level is from the seventh rank when they enter.

"Official positions are state instruments and managers, and cannot be hereditary." Luo Cheng insisted.

At that time, there will be a lot of dandies who have no talent and no virtue, but they will get official positions through family shadows. Isn't this a mess?
"Those who are really talented can directly participate in the imperial examinations, and they can also join the army and enter the imperial court's lecture hall. This is also the right way. If there is no talent, I don't even want to give it to the ninth class."

In addition, Luo Cheng simply canceled the permanent shades such as the official shade, the legacy, the suburban sacrifice, the holy festival shade, the Dengji shade, the posthumous shade, etc., and the rest, such as the concubine giving birth, etc. If it is cancelled, there will be only one system left.

Although rank officials, feudal lords, and relatives all retain the privilege of family yin, each person is only allowed to have one son regardless of their position, and they can only be formally awarded the rank after their son has become a man, and there are strict restrictions on the ranks Standards are all out-flowing official ranks.

Only Yin's son is allowed, not Yin's brothers, nephews, grandsons, let alone Yin's family members, doctors and so on.

As for the enfeoffment of the feudal lords, Luo Cheng also readjusted it. It used to be that all sons could be entrusted with enfeoffment, but now Luo Cheng changed it a bit.

No matter how big or small the princes are, only three sons are allowed to inherit in each generation.Among them, the eldest son is not degraded to the hereditary title, and the other two sons are degraded to the second class, and they will be beheaded for the fifth generation.The enfeoffments are divided from generation to generation, and the vassal states that are entrusted will no longer have affiliation. Except for one hereditary title of the first generation, the remaining titles will be inherited by two classes each generation, and they will be passed on to five generations at most. After five generations, they will become common People, unless they can be awarded a title for other meritorious service.

Even the imperial court confiscated land to the princes, and set up counties and counties, and sent officials to manage them, stationed soldiers in the government, and so on.

The biggest privilege and benefit of the princes is that they can own one-third of the two taxes of the fiefdom, which refers to the household tax and land tax, and the rest of the industrial and commercial taxes have nothing to do with the princes.

The children of the princes who have not been entrusted can have priority in entering the Guozijian or the martial arts hall to study and practice martial arts, but they are not given additional background. To become an official, you need to pass the examination on your own ability.

After hearing the emperor's plan, Wei Zheng couldn't help sighing, "The reform is very strong, if it can be implemented, it will be of great benefit to the imperial court in the long run."

Luo Cheng heard what Wei Zheng meant, and he was afraid that this reform would encounter great resistance.

(End of this chapter)