xymnovel Chapter 116 Zhao Dezhao's House and Du
Chapter 116 Zhao Dezhao's House and Du
Chapter 116 Zhao Dezhao's House and Du (Part 1)
After clearing the two troublesome people out of the government office, Zhao Dezhao relaxed, stretched lazily, glanced casually at Lu Duoxun beside him, and said with a smile, "With Tao Gu gone, the position of Minister of Rites is now vacant. Although you are still relatively inexperienced, as long as you handle the imperial examination properly, you may well gain the Emperor's favor."
After saying this, he sat up slightly, his languid expression disappearing, and carefully repeated to Lu Duoxun the new civil service examination policy that he had previously agreed upon with Zhao Kuangyin, word by word.
One tree cannot support a forest; to thoroughly implement the new imperial examination system, his efforts alone are ultimately insufficient.
Upon hearing this, Lu Duoxun's expression changed several times. After hesitating for a moment, he gritted his teeth and bowed, saying, "I will obey Your Highness's orders."
"I knew I was right, Lord Lu is the man who will accomplish great things."
Zhao Dezhao nodded slightly, then changed the subject, asking, "There have always been two chief examiners for the imperial examinations. Do you have any suitable candidates to recommend?"
"A suitable candidate—" Lu Duoxun frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, then, as if suddenly remembering something, tentatively replied, "Your Highness, what about Dou Yi, Lord Dou?"
"Dou Yi is naturally the most suitable." Zhao Dezhao nodded slightly, but his tone was hesitant: "It's just that I have no prior relationship with Lord Dou, and I'm afraid that a sudden visit would be disrespectful to him."
As Lu Duoxun said, Dou Yi was one of the few upright officials in the court who dared to step forward and participate in this new civil service examination policy.
This man was always conscientious and outspoken, and his revised "Song Criminal Code" was the first legal code to be published in history.
Of course, Dou Yi is best known for the story of "five sons passing the imperial examination".
He and his brothers Dou Yan, Dou Kan, Dou Cheng, and Dou Xi all passed the imperial examinations and became Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examinations). They were known as the "Five Dragons of the Dou Family" at the time.
Even Zhao Kuangyin exclaimed after Dou Yi's death, "Why did Heaven take my Dou Yi away so quickly!"
How could Zhao Dezhao not be envious of such a virtuous and capable person?
If he could get his help, Zhao Dezhao would feel more confident.
However, his current reputation among the civil officials in the court is extremely poor, and a hasty visit would inevitably provoke Dou Yi's opposition.
This kind of thing requires someone to act as a go-between.
Lu Duoxun was quick-witted and immediately understood Zhao Dezhao's predicament. He hurriedly said, "My father does have some old acquaintance with Lord Dou."
His father, Lu Yi, was a colleague of Dou Yi during the Later Jin and Later Zhou periods, and they co-authored the "Great Zhou Continued Imperial Edicts," so they had some friendship.
He paused, then added firmly, "Your Highness, I am willing to act as your persuader and introduce you to Lord Dou!"
That's exactly what I've been waiting to hear!
Zhao Dezhao's eyes lit up. He stepped forward and patted Lu Duoxun's shoulder heavily, praising loudly, "With Lord Lu's help, I am truly like a tiger with wings!"
This praise made Lu Duoxun beam with joy, and he repeatedly said, "I dare not accept such high praise from Your Highness," but he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.
But then, a worried look appeared on his face, and he carefully said, "It is certainly a good thing that Your Highness is willing to reform the imperial examination system, but the spring examination was just held in the sixth year of Xiande, so the number of students taking the provincial examination this year should not be too many."
According to the old imperial examination system, local students could only go to the capital to participate in the provincial examination organized by the Ministry of Rites if they passed the preliminary examination in August.
The provincial examinations were usually held in February or March, hence the name "Spring Examinations".
Last February, the previous dynasty had just held a spring imperial examination, and most of the students who had obtained their certificates had already taken the exam. Now, with only three months left, naturally very few people are going to take the exam again.
Moreover, many of them may be opportunists taking advantage of the situation.
However, Zhao Dezhao did not consider these issues to be major problems.
"It's alright. I will suggest to my father that a special imperial examination be established, allowing students in the capital to participate in the provincial examination the following year, even if they have no outstanding results."
The so-called "special examination" refers to the emperor's use of the occasion to celebrate important national events, thereby adding additional places for admission outside of the regular examinations, or relaxing the admission and examination standards.
As for the pretext for holding this special imperial examination, Zhao Dezhao has already thought it through.
First, they celebrated the royal army's pacification of Yangzhou, and the Southern Tang Dynasty's submission.
There may not be many students who have passed the imperial examinations, but there must be a considerable number of talented but unappreciated students trapped in poverty within Kaifeng.
Many of them were unable to participate in the provincial examinations normally and could only gather in the capital, hoping to gain the favor of high-ranking officials and become their retainers or advisors, in order to secure a chance to be recommended for officialdom.
Now that Enke has been opened, he has given these people a proper path.
Having made up his mind, Zhao Dezhao was unwilling to delay any longer and immediately said, "I will have to trouble Lord Lu to draft a memorial on the contents of our discussion, which I will personally present to my father."
"Yes," Ludoson said, rising and bowing.
Zhao Kuangyin was always quick to act, no less so than his son.
Just two days after Zhao Dezhao's memorial was submitted, an imperial edict on the new civil service examination policy, personally approved by him, was posted throughout the streets and alleys of Kaifeng.
As the year drew to a close, Kaifeng was already bustling with activity, with people and carriages constantly moving about, and news spreading exceptionally quickly.
Before long, every bulletin board was surrounded by students who had come after hearing the news. The crowd was bustling and the sounds of discussion were endless.
Meanwhile, on the official road outside Kaifeng, a young man of about twenty-five or twenty-six years old was leading a thin horse, looking dusty and weary from his journey, towards the city gate.
He wore a slightly worn blue cloth robe, his face was gentle, and his eyes showed a composure far beyond his years. He walked with ease, and even though he was a little tired from the long journey, his clothes were meticulously made, and his expression remained peaceful, without the slightest sign of anxiety.
"Let's find an inn first, freshen up, and then go visit my brother."
The young man muttered to himself as he stepped into Kaifeng. Visiting someone required meticulous etiquette, and there was no room for carelessness. This was both a rule and a habit he had developed over many years.
But as soon as he stepped through the city gate, the murmurs and discussions that rose and fell in the streets and alleys brought him to a sudden halt.
"Have you heard? The government has issued a new policy for the imperial examinations! The days are coming for us poor students to rise up!"
"New policy? What new policy? Tell me quickly, what's going on!"
"Stop asking, stop asking! Come with me to the notice board, or we won't be able to get in!"
Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible hint of curiosity flashed across the young man's brows.
He was not one to join in the fun; he was always calm and reserved, and he always sought to do things step by step. However, the words "new policy for the imperial examinations" stirred something within him.
"It won't take long anyway, so let's go and see this so-called new policy first, and then visit my brother later."
The young man thought to himself, then took the lead of his skinny horse and followed the flow of people slowly toward the nearest bulletin board.
Although he has now entered officialdom, the new imperial examination policy has little to do with him.
But with the new dynasty newly established, he also wanted to take this opportunity to see the ambition and courage of the current Song emperor, and to see whether the future of this new dynasty was promising or not.
The area around the bulletin board was already packed with people.
The young man was tall and straight, but he was unwilling to compete with others. He patiently waited on the outside of the crowd, and only after the crowd dispersed did he slowly squeeze in. Finally, he stopped in the middle of the crowd, stood on tiptoe, and barely managed to see the imperial edict on the notice board.
"Sealing off, recording, avoiding, abolishing the system of public recommendation, and prohibiting the sons of officials of the fourth rank and above from taking the imperial examinations to enter officialdom —"
The young man read the edict slowly, word by word. His originally calm and composed expression gradually changed, a trace of solemnity flashing in his eyes, followed by a deep shock.
As a descendant of a prestigious family, the young man naturally understood the profound meaning behind these new policies for the imperial examinations, and was also more aware of the obstacles that would be faced in implementing them.
That's why he felt a deep sense of respect for him.
Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, were the drawbacks of the imperial examination system truly unknown to anyone? In fact, not entirely. Ultimately, it all depended on whether the emperor was willing to defy public opinion and resolve to change it!
The obstacles involved are far more complex than they appear on the surface, and only after great chaos can such great order be achieved!
The current emperor is a man of great courage and vision!
Just as the young man was secretly sighing with emotion, a hoarse but powerful voice suddenly came from beside him, causing him to turn his head: "If the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty can implement this new policy for a long time, it will be like a vast mansion with thousands of rooms, sheltering all the poor scholars of the world and bringing them joy!"