I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 345: The Coward Game (please read it on Tuesday)

"What is this? Forcing me? I will never tolerate such arrogant people!" Liu Bian was angry and determined.

"Since they are not willing to serve the country, then there is no need for them! Not only them, but all their descendants will be imprisoned. They are not allowed to be officials or enter the Taixue County School!"

The so-called collective resignation, placed in the current context, is undoubtedly a coward's game for Liu Bian.

If both parties to the conflict have an uncompromising attitude, both parties will inevitably suffer losses. Unless one party chooses to give in at the last minute.

Once the scale of official resignations becomes too large, Liu Bian will not be able to find enough replacements in a short time with the current level of education of the Han people, and chaos will inevitably occur at the grassroots level. But on the other hand, party supervision is something that is actually implemented. If the individuals who make up the officials can survive this rectification of officialdom, there must be something to say. Are these people willing to give up their own future and that of their descendants for the sake of others?

"The Shangshutai and Sangong's Mansion must check the lists of officials who have resigned from various places. Not to mention those who have resigned without reason, those who observe filial piety for their parents, teachers, and those who are unable to perform their duties due to illness... They must send special personnel to check, are they correct? I am really observing my filial piety, I am really sick..."

"Not only that, the governors of the five states, Erqianshi, county magistrates, and county magistrates all ordered them to screen!"

"Send an official document to the governors and supervisors in other states. Pay attention to whether there are imitators in the county and report it in time!"

Liu Bian didn't believe it. It was enough to lean towards the clan between the clan and the country. If they still chose the clan between the family and the clan, were there really many such people?
He won't compromise in this coward's game!
To put it another way, it is not a day or two since the Han Dynasty lost control of the grassroots. Without the township officials to collect taxes and recruit corvees, with the clan as the unit, the people might not be happy to miss Shu!
Liu Bian felt that he could hold on.

Because of Liu Bian's legitimate anger, his edict spread quickly everywhere.

Not only Liu Bian was angry, but there were also many angry people among the courtiers. In the simple Confucian view, the emperor inherited the destiny of heaven and could not be offended.

How dare some humble officials use their reputation to force the emperor? A group of villains who have not accepted the teachings of the saints!

The most angry among them was Kong Rong. He was recalled very early and he hadn’t killed enough yet! After learning about this, Kong Rong immediately requested to go to the local area for detailed investigation.

If Kong Rong could treat all criminals equally at the beginning of the year and treat all criminals harshly instead of being lenient to the learned, then Liu Bian might really consider Kong Rong's request... But there is no if ...Liu Bian had already figured it out when he sent Cai Yong to recall Kong Rong. It was better to let Kong Rong be a big troll in Luoyang!
It also prevents Kong Rong from making a big mistake one day and making his daughter lament that "no eggs are left intact even when the nest is overturned."

The decision had been made, but Liu Bian was unwilling to wait. On this day, he summoned Lu Zhi: "Master Lu, the previously discussed matter of dealing with local private soldiers, Huangfu Gong has sent private soldiers from various wealthy families in Yanzhou. The list. I am determined to come one state at a time.”

Seeing that Lu Zhi was about to speak, Liu Bian said again: "Master Lu, don't worry. I understand that now is not the time to take action. We have to wait until the officials in the five states stop asking for their resignations before Duke Huangfu can take action."

"Furthermore, the news that I am concerned about the private soldiers of various counties has already spread out. Now the powerful people in Yanzhou must have known about it... If he can find his way back, I will not pursue him."

Lu Zhi smiled and said: "Your Majesty is so considerate, I feel relieved."

Liu Bian looked at the wrinkles on Lu Zhi's face. Compared with when he first met him in his memory, his Master Lu had aged much. After making up his mind to ask Hua Tuo to see Lu Zhi often, Liu Bian told Lu Zhi about his other plan: "Now the local officials from the Taixue Ce Examination have performed very well, and the five states in Guandong have performed very well." There is a shortage of officials in the countryside, so I want to imitate the Imperial College's policy examination and set up a policy examination and assessment method in the county. All the people under the rule can participate in the assessment by passing the examination, either coming to the capital or the imperial court. Send envoys to the state to conduct another policy test, and those who pass can be appointed as township officials or even county officials..."

Even if there are not enough replacements for officials, having one counts as one and allowing replacements to surface is always a deterrent.

Moreover, once this method can be implemented, combined with the examination plan of Taixue and the assessment of Lang officials already in the Three Departments - the prototype of the imperial examination will be here!

It can only be said that crises do come with opportunities.

Lu Zhi thought about it for a long time and said: "I have thought about it for a long time. This is not impossible. It can be a temporary choice. However, what I am worried about is that it is easy to select some talented but not virtuous people!"

"Moreover, Taixue students are not ordinary scholars, or they are the children of officials, or they are carefully selected. If the method of conducting examinations is implemented in the county, the imperial examinations must also be modified."

Liu Bian did not ignore Lu Zhi's advice. An elder in a family is like a treasure. In the past, Liu Bian benefited a lot from Lu Zhi's experience.

He promised: "Master Lu, don't worry. The specific implementation method will be left to the Shangshutai to work out and discuss with the ministers. Master Lu and I will talk about this first. I'm just worried that there are some major omissions that I haven't discovered."

Lu Zhi nodded: "Your Majesty's approach is very safe, but there is no need for you to belittle yourself. Your Majesty's talents are known to me, and your love for the people is even more clear. For the sake of the people of the world, even if your Majesty occasionally has radical thoughts, it will not hurt. ”

Liu Bian was very pleased to hear Lu Zhi's compliments, but he was vaguely aware that there was something strange in Lu Zhi's words that he could not explain.

Having said that, in the past few years since Liu Bian ascended the throne, the frequency of Lu Shangshu Shi, represented by Lu Zhi, in Yuntai Hall has become less and less frequent. At first, they came for half a day every day, and then every two or three days. , and finally reached the normal schedule of once every five days, Lu Zhi did not show the slightest tendency to be greedy for power. After Ma Rixi's illness subsided, although he still did it once every five days, the time each time was greatly shortened.

When the Empress Dowager of Liang died during the reign of Emperor Huan, Emperor Huan had no intention of peacefully transferring power with Liang Ji. Emperor Huan's initial attempt was to show his favor to Liang Ji by giving him and his family more food and property, in exchange for Liang Ji's agreement to change the 5-day record-keeping service to the 10-day normal service.

It's a pity that Emperor Huan faced the overly exaggerated Liang Ji, and in the end his overtures ended in failure.

Restraining the desire for power is never easy. Of course, Liu Bian would also summon Lu Zhi from time to time, not just on a certain day.

After communicating with Lu Zhi, Liu Bian forwarded his idea of ​​​​provincial and county implementation strategies to Shangshutai.

At the same time, Liu Bian did not forget to write a private letter, which was regarded as a confidential letter, to Huangfu Song, asking him to pay attention to the current situation of the private soldiers of various major clans in Yanzhou.

As for Man Chong and his subordinates who received Huangfu Song's push, no matter from which point of view, the rewards are as they should be.

(End of this chapter)