Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 191 The meeting in Chang'an

Li Zhi has always been concerned about the imperial examination. He does not know the details, but he also knows that the statistics of candidates from various states in the world will be released in these days.

Seeing that Chen Qingsi was like this, he didn't even have a memorial. It seemed that he had just received the news and noticed something was wrong, so he rushed to report it. He had calculated everything, but it only took half a day.

It only took half a day to figure out a solution.

This ability to adapt to problems and solve problems is exactly what you need.

Chen Qingsi spoke out all the possible problems that came to his mind.

"It is best to arrange some more manpower. I will try my best to plan ahead and prepare for various situations in advance. However, it is inevitable that there will be omissions and some help will be needed for emergency purposes."

Li Zhi listened carefully and said: "I have approved all the requirements. If you have any other needs, you can explain them one by one. You are still young and have no experience in handling many things. You can come to the palace and talk to me. I will help you. Support me. No matter who dares to stand in front of Aiqing, I will help you solve it. In short, this trend has arisen, then seize the opportunity and follow the wind."

Chen Qingsi looked at the young emperor in front of him and said loudly: "I obey the decree."

Li Zhi's methods were a bit extreme, he acted unruly and did not follow common sense, which seemed a bit unreliable.But as long as you follow his wishes and do things that are beneficial to Datang, the support he gives is not just a casual talk.

This can be seen from the fact that Xu Jingzong directly killed the Minister of Rites like a child's play.

With Li Zhi's character, let alone the minister, he would not even blink an eye.

Chen Qingsi was about to resign when something came to mind and she quickly said: "Your Majesty, there are nearly 2 candidates for the examination this time. Can we expand the number of places? Selecting a dozen or 20 people from [-] people is too few."

Li Zhi straightened up. In the past, the number of candidates for the imperial examination ranged from one thousand to two thousand, and around 20 people were selected for each imperial examination.Now there are 2 people, and choosing a dozen or 20 people is indeed a bit excessive.

"How many people do you think Aiqing should control?"

Li Zhi looked at Chen Qingsi with interest.

Chen Qingsi thought for a while and said: "A hundred people is better."

Li Zhi frowned and said, "Why is this?"

He felt that the number of people was a bit small. If more people were selected, more officials would be selected, so that the share of gentry and subordinate officials who could recommend each other to become officials could be reduced as much as possible.

Chen Qingsi said: "The imperial examination does not happen overnight, it is a long-term matter. If there are too many places in each imperial examination, you may not be able to see it in two or three years, but over time, there will be the danger of redundant personnel and officials. On the contrary, it is not good for the court."

The lessons of the Song Dynasty were bloody in history.

In order to feed its huge group of bureaucrats and scholar-bureaucrats, the people of the Song Dynasty paid a huge price.

Li Zhi said with emotion: "I love you like Ma Zhongshu!"

Ma Zhongshu talks about Ma Zhou and praises Chen Qingsi for being upright and a straight minister.

As for why we don't talk about Wei Zheng, it's because Wei Zheng was indeed an example for direct ministers in later generations.However, in the hearts of Li Zhi and even Li Shimin, Wei Zheng may not really be worthy of the title of direct minister.

There is no doubt about Wei Zheng's ability and learning, but before he died, he showed Chu Suiliang his speeches and asked him to record them in the history books. Because he was the crown prince's assistant to Li Chengqian, he also recommended Hou Junji and others. Du Zhenglun was the prime minister. As a result, one of the two participated in the rebellion, and the other was also involved in the case, and was suspected of forming a clique for personal gain.

The two things happened together, and Li Shimin was so angry that he knocked down Wei Zheng's tombstone and canceled the engagement between Princess Hengshan and Wei Shuyu.

Although Li Shimin later raised Wei Zheng's tombstone, in the hearts of the father and son, Wei Zheng was not necessarily a direct minister.

On the contrary, Ma Zhou was no less talented and capable than Wei Zheng. Before his death, he specially asked for a large set of letters and official seals from him and burned them with his own hands. He did not seek fame after his death or let future generations talk about him. The loss of the above.In Li Zhi's eyes, such ministers are truly direct ministers.

The more scholars who are selected for the imperial examination, it will be of certain benefit to the examiner.But for the sake of the future, Chen Qingsi refused to take this benefit.

Li Zhi obviously listened, but...

"Then 150 people!"

Just don't listen.

Li Zhi's impatient and step-by-step approach is not in line with his style.

If Chen Qingsi hadn't recruited 100 people and explained his reasons, he would have chosen 300 people.

Chen Qingsi would not compete with Li Zhi for the fifty spots, so she accepted the order and retreated.

With Li Zhi's full support, Chen Qingsi's actions became much easier.

The first thing to solve is the examination room problem.

It is not easy to command [-] intelligent scholars.

Chen Qingsi was self-aware, so he separated the candidates from different places.

He selected four examination rooms around the imperial city, including the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Industry, and Taichang Temple, to ensure that candidates in adjacent examination rooms were not from the same state.

The Ministry of Personnel itself had its own examination room. The top ministers and ministers of the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Industry, and Taichang Temple gave the green light to pass without any hesitation when facing Chen Qingsi's request to requisition their venues.

With the cooperation of all officials, Chen Qingsi’s various measures to deal with nearly [-] candidates were implemented.

As spring approaches, all kinds of scholars can be seen in the streets and alleys of Chang'an.

Some of them were dressed in colorful clothes, and they were in groups, dressed as noble men, while some were dusty, their Confucian gowns were patched or even starched and faded, but their eyes were full of hope for the future.

Baqiao, East Gate of Chang'an.

Since Chen Qingsi's song "Farewell Liu Da", Baqiao has become the most famous place to visit in Chang'an.

This is where guests are welcomed and sent off, so there is a huge flow of people and it is extremely crowded.

A 27-year-old young Confucian scholar led a thin horse and followed the crowded flow of people to the center of Baqiao, looking left and right.

"Brother Huaiying!"

The young man heard someone calling him and waved.

There was also a young Confucian scholar opposite, younger, in his early twenties, wearing white Confucian uniform, high-spirited. He faced the flow of people, came to the young Confucian scholar, and gave him a hug: "Brother Huaiying, can you let me Just wait! I have already told my friends that this is where you and I should stay. Heyang is so small that it cannot accommodate you and me."

The young Confucian scholar named Huaiying was very mature and steady. He looked at Chang'an in the distance and said with a smile: "Just come and see the world."

The Confucian scholar in white said: "Brother Huaiying, you still look down on yourself so much..."

The young Confucian scholar said: "This is a noble man who knows himself. I studied hard in my early years and concentrated on my studies. I thought that all the saints and virtues are in books, and the vulgar things in the world are not worth mentioning. Later, I became an official with my father. , traveled south and north, the sage and virtuous man just now was caught up in vulgar things, but he neglected his studies and dropped his homework. He was not as good as Brother Shi Ning, who was the number one scholar in his early twenties and did not dare to compete with the world's heroes."

The two of us walked towards the glorious city of Chang'an with a word to each other.

(End of this chapter)