ALL NOVEL Chapter 257
Li Zhi expressed his concerns, and Song Zhen replied: "You can't have your cake and eat it too."
"Nowadays, merchants are nameless and can only pursue profits. What if the court gives them a name but cuts their profits?"
Li Zhi was shocked. Yes, this is a good idea.
Limiting the speed at which merchants can make money can give them a vague and false reputation and control them well.
"I suggest that we first cancel one of the articles in the Yonghui Law: Those who participate in the imperial examinations shall not include workers and merchants."
Li Zhi shook his head and denied Song Zhen's statement: "Merchants are profit-oriented by nature. They can do whatever it takes for their own benefit. I cannot give them power."
In the Tang Dynasty, in order to avoid collusion between officials and businessmen, the road to the imperial examinations for merchants was directly blocked.
But in fact, can it really be completely eliminated?
Not at all!
In the Later Tang Dynasty, although it was openly prohibited, merchants could get ashore by buying officials.
The problem is that there is also a group of people in the gentry who are engaged in business. They play the two roles of "scholars and merchants" at the same time, but they maintain the status of gentry on the surface.
Throughout the history of China, only the Tang Dynasty, when the imperial examination system was just established, did not restrict it. Only the Tang Dynasty prohibited the children of merchants from taking the imperial examination to enter the government.
The Song Dynasty did not prohibit it, and even encouraged merchants and their children to enter school and take the exam.
After the Yuan Dynasty resumed the imperial examination, it did not prohibit merchants from taking the exam.
In the Ming Dynasty, in order to encourage the children of merchants to participate in the imperial examination, merchants were even given the right to enter school or attach themselves to other places.
In the Qing Dynasty, not only did it not prohibit it, but also allowed merchants to donate officials.
Why did the Tang Dynasty do this? The fundamental reason is not that merchants value profit, but that the gentry wanted class oppression and knowledge monopoly.
Song Zhen expressed it, Li Zhi closed his eyes, with a headache on his face, and Wu Meiniang hurried to massage him.
"Your Majesty, if you want to break the knowledge monopoly of the gentry, this is the only way."
Merchants have money. Once they can participate in the imperial examination, they will find ways to obtain knowledge from various channels.
In this way, over time, the monopoly of the gentry will be gradually broken.
When the gentry loses the most proud bargaining chip, what will happen to them?
Li Zhi expressed his concerns: "What you said makes sense, but have you ever thought about how to prohibit merchants from bribing examiners and selling official positions with money?"
Song Zhen replied: "It's very simple. The last test of the imperial examination will be changed to the palace test."
"Palace test?" Li Zhi was puzzled.
Song Zhen secretly glanced at Wu Meiniang, thinking to himself, sorry, I stole your set again.
"Palace test, as the name suggests, is an examination in the palace hall. The chief examiner is a saint, and the saint will give a brief comment."
This statement shocked the three people present.
This is an epoch-making idea.
Li Zhi felt that there was something wrong, and he continued to ask: "I am busy with all kinds of affairs, how can I have time to supervise the exam?"
"Your Majesty, the imperial examination can be changed to once every three or four years."
Take two days out of three years to supervise the exam, don't tell me you can't do it!
Li Zhi's eyes lit up, this is a good idea.
Nowadays, the imperial examination in the Tang Dynasty is held once a year, which poses a problem. There are too many candidates who have passed the examination, but there are only so many positions. You can't lay off people over the age of 35, right?
In this way, it can not only alleviate the problem of redundant officials in the Tang Dynasty, but also reflect the importance of the imperial examination.
"Your Majesty, in the early days of the Tang Dynasty, there was a lot of work to be done, and a large number of officials were indeed needed to participate in the construction. Now that the world is peaceful, it is time to make changes."
Li Zhi frowned. In his heart, the imperial examination can be reformed, but merchants... It is debatable.
Song Zhen proposed this idea. In fact, he himself is a businessman, or he wants to be a wealthy businessman.
Since I can't join the great aristocratic families, and you aristocratic families look down on me, then I have to take another path.
Because he planned to buy the "Ganlutang" wine shop for the Fenzhou Song family, he was worried that one day his political enemies in the court would use this to make a fuss.
Song Zhen knew that it was difficult to change Li Zhi's opinion.
Li Zhi had been thinking about Song Zhen's words. He had a scale in his heart to measure the pros and cons of each new policy after implementation.
So, he was a little tired and waved his hand to signal Song Zhen and Li Ji to leave first.
Let's discuss this matter later!
After leaving Dayi Hall, Li Ji looked at Song Zhen seriously and said with a strange expression: "I didn't expect you to have so many tricks."
"Duke Yingguo, you are too kind."
Li Ji smiled: "You should know that His Majesty will not agree, why do you still bring it up?"
Song Zhen said indifferently: "A real man has his own way and his own way. It is the same for a minister."
After that, he bowed to Li Ji and said: "Duke Yingguo, I will take my leave first."
Leaving Li Ji alone in the wind.
DayiInside the palace——
Li Zhi was lying on the bed, and Wu Meiniang gently hugged him from behind.
"Zitong, do you think Song Zhen's suggestion is feasible?"
Wu Meiniang rolled her eyes. She guessed that Li Zhi should be trying to test her.
So she replied, "I don't think it's appropriate."
"Oh?" Li Zhi turned around and looked at her in confusion.
"Your Majesty, merchants value profit, which is the inherent idea of many people. My identity is special, and my father is a wealthy businessman in Bingzhou. Once Your Majesty issues an amnesty for merchants, it will inevitably cause criticism."
Li Zhi's heart warmed. He did have the intention to test, but he didn't expect Wu Meiniang to answer like this.
Her answer was very beautiful, avoiding the important and focusing on the trivial.
Wu Meiniang did not show any selfish thoughts, but put herself in a position to consider the saint, which made people unable to find fault.
But at the same time, she did not completely deny it, leaving room for herself.
After several days and nights of deep deliberation with Wu Meiniang, Li Zhi finally made a decision.
He found Xu Jingzong, the Minister of Rites.
Xu Jingzong's specific position was Shizhong, and he was also the Minister of Rites, Weiweiqing, and Gaoyang County Duke.
"Yanzu, you go and draft an edict. After this year's autumn examination, the imperial examination will be changed to every two years."
Li Zhi chose a compromise approach. He did not adopt Song Zhen's suggestion of every three or four years, nor did he change the last test to a palace test.
At the same time, the series of changes to merchants proposed by Song Zhen were not implemented.
Xu Jingzong was stunned. He asked in confusion: "Your Majesty, why? Why should the imperial examination be changed for no reason?"
Li Zhi frowned: "I want to change it, why are you asking so many questions? Just do it if I tell you to do it."
Xu Jingzong was terrified. He hurriedly bowed and said: "Minister, I obey your order."
After walking out of the Dayi Hall, Xu Jingzong's face darkened.
"You are such a good kid, Song Zhen. You proposed the reform of the imperial examination system, but in the end, I have to bear the infamy of scholars all over the world!"
Scholars all over the world did not know that Song Zhen proposed the sudden reform of the imperial examination system. They only knew that it was announced by the Ministry of Rites.
If they want to scold, they will only scold the Ministry of Rites.
Even if it is revealed, no one will believe that it was Song Zhen who did it. As a minister of the Ministry of Rites, can he have such great power to control the imperial examination? Don't think about it.
In other words, Xu Jingzong lost miserably.
He took the infamy, but the credit went to Song Zhen, and he had nothing to do with it.
As expected, when the Ministry of Rites announced the reform of the imperial examination system.
The world was shocked!
......