Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 580 Yangjia New Policies
In the sixth year of Yangjia,

Liu Baozhang has grown into a strong and healthy adult.

His classmates had also reached the age where they could enter officialdom.

then,

He began to consolidate the forces at his disposal—

He reigned for six years.

Under the long-standing influence of the "Mandate of Heaven" of the Han Dynasty,

Naturally, some officials would gather around the emperor's identity and become loyal ministers and generals of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Bao's talent was evident.
This even led some wavering aristocratic families to choose his side.

"But that's not enough."

When the emperor and his ministers are summoned for an audience,

Zhang Heng, who had successively served as the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy in the early Yuan Dynasty, the Grand Historian of the Han Dynasty, and the Attendant-in-Ordinary, and was now promoted to Minister of Revenue, said the following to the emperor:
"The greatest ill of the world lies with powerful families."

"Now that the recommendation system has been in use for a hundred years, it has become a practice of recommending relatives and friends, which has led to many talented people being overlooked in the countryside, while the court is filled with mediocre people."

"As for land, there's even more consolidation!"

"Among the common people, there is also a lot of superstition about prophecies and celestial phenomena."

"The other day, His Majesty consulted his ministers about the ills of the world today. He spoke of the inappropriateness of eunuchs and close advisors, and the lack of discernment in selecting and appointing virtuous people. However, these words are nothing more than treating the symptoms rather than the root cause of the problem when it comes to governing the world and resolving the abuses of the government."

The root cause of the illness has not yet been addressed.

Even if relieving headaches and foot pain can bring temporary relief to those suffering from chronic illnesses, relapse is inevitable in the future.

Zhang Heng managed the Household Affairs Bureau, which was responsible for national taxation, and he had a very clear understanding of certain things.

The world is bustling with activity, all driven by the pursuit of profit.

Therefore, the money in the treasury
The reserves in ordinary people's homes
The stockpiling of goods in aristocratic manors

It won't lie.

The emperor nodded and said, "I understand this principle."

At the beginning of his reign,
He then followed the example of his grandfather, Emperor He, and had someone explain historical stories to him, and also obtained memorials from the reigns of Emperors Zhang, He, and An to read.

Being young does not mean that the emperor is ignorant.

He just lacks experience.

Having read extensively about the past, and gained a basic understanding of the country's general situation over the past fifty years,
It is not difficult to understand the deeper meaning in Zhang Heng's words.

But many things,
Knowing something doesn't solve the problem.

Many people can point out problems, but how many can actually solve them?

"We still need to find ways to get people to read more books."

The emperor stood up and strolled with the elder Zhang Heng in the imperial garden.

Only a few close attendants followed at a distance, not to eavesdrop on the conversation between the emperor and the ministers, and to obey the emperor's orders to drive away any newcomers who wanted to enter the imperial garden.

A youthful voice then rang out in this quiet area:
"Just like you said,"

"There are so many people in the world. If they have enough wisdom, more talented people will emerge from among them."

During the pre-Qin period, the feudal lords were able to find talented people among the barbarians and wild men.
What's more, after promoting schools and enlightening the people?
Only by possessing enough talented individuals and gathering sufficient strength can one contend with powerful clans.

Going it alone

No matter how beautiful the wish, it will never come true.

"I should take over what Emperor He and my grandmother did not finish and continue it well."

Thinking of Empress Dowager Deng,
The various actions of his biological father, and the lingering effects that have yet to be resolved.
The emperor then fell silent and let out a sigh.

"Come with me to enjoy the meal!"

Finally, he greeted Zhang Heng.

By the time Zhang Heng bid farewell to the emperor and left the palace, it was already getting dark.

Even after finishing a day's work, the emperor still did not rest.

He changed into casual clothes and accompanied Empress Liang Na for a stroll in the palace.

The empress, a few years younger than him, followed gently behind, occasionally pointing to a certain place in the palace and asking in confusion:
The palace is just too big.

Even after entering the palace and becoming a concubine and then an empress, Liang Na was still somewhat unfamiliar with this place.

but,

The emperor was the same.

He could answer some of the questions the Empress was curious about, but not others.

The "Royal Palace" was indeed his home.
But there are always corners he will neither pass by nor see.

He had many ideas and a far-reaching vision, but he couldn't possibly dedicate them to exploring the imperial palace, this small corner of the world.

Fortunately, the eunuch Cao Teng was able to provide an answer for the emperor.

He was a royal servant who often ran around in this vast complex and knew more than his master.

Upon hearing this, the emperor and empress appreciated Cao Teng's thoughtfulness even more, considering him a wise and virtuous eunuch for his meticulousness.

A gentle breeze blew by, and the leaves rustled softly.

Suddenly, the Emperor, on a whim, pointed to a vacant corner in the Imperial Garden and said to Empress Liang Na:
I've heard it said: "It takes ten years to grow a tree, but a hundred years to cultivate a person."

"The country is currently cultivating talent for the future, so why not plant a tree here today?"

"Perhaps when talented people emerge in the future, the trees that you and I planted will also be lush and green, bringing shade to this land."

Liang Na naturally wouldn't refuse.

So, taking the meaning of "phoenix perching on the parasol tree", Cao Teng personally carried a small parasol tree sapling.

The emperor, accompanied by his men, dug a pit in a corner he had chosen and placed the sapling inside.

Liang Na filled the soil and watered it.

quickly,

A small tree appeared in the Luoyang Imperial Palace.

Looking at the sapling, which wasn't even as tall as herself, Liang Na suddenly felt curious. While wiping the dirt from the emperor's hands, she asked him:
"Your Majesty is worried about talent, but is the population of the world so large that it is not enough?"

The emperor shook his head and said, "The standard for 'talent' is also set by people."

In other words,
What some people consider "talented" may not be recognized by the emperor.

Then Liang Na asked, "If the Han Dynasty doesn't have enough talent, can they recruit from Xinxia and Xihai?"

"The Xia people enjoy the land of nine provinces, and the descendants of the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor together number in the hundreds of millions... Could it be that there are no talented people there?"

Discussing the entire Chinese civilization,

It is also possible to view it as an enlarged version of the Zhou Dynasty.

During the Zhou Dynasty
The frequency of talent mobility between countries is extremely high.

Liang Na had previously heard about the Song envoy and knew that the newly established Song dynasty in the Western Sea harbored bold ideas about the unparalleled title of "Son of Heaven".

So she thought:
If we could bring all the talented people of the State of Song to the Central Plains to serve the Han Dynasty, the State of Song would not be able to become powerful, and its ruler's wild ideas would naturally become nothing but empty talk. What a wonderful thing that would be!

But the emperor's laughter shattered her beautiful fantasy.

"The Great Nine Provinces of the Xia Dynasty, though similar to the Small Nine Provinces of the Zhou Dynasty, are in a different era."

People in the pre-Qin period could come and go freely.

However, this is not common nowadays.

Moreover, the Western Sea and the New Xia are extremely far from the Central Plains, and it is incredibly difficult for people from those places to come here.

"Moreover, no one can predict whether the people who come will be talented."

A fine horse is common, but a discerning eye is rare.

Filial piety and integrity can be faked.
Can't other things be disguised?

"Even Your Majesty, with your wisdom and insight, cannot make a judgment?" Liang Na asked.

The emperor said, "I only have one pair of eyes, and it's not enough to select talents from the Central Plains, let alone those from other places."

"Furthermore, it's always more reassuring to rely on one's own people when it comes to family matters." "If there's no interdependent relationship between superiors and subordinates, and if there's no trustworthy credential between the rulers and the ruled, how can one feel at ease letting outsiders govern the country?"

Unless the original ruler was not of one mind with the people.

They can't stand together, they can't sit together.
He was muttering about things outside.

Their behavior also tends to resemble that of outsiders.
in this way,

Naturally, they didn't mind employing outsiders extensively to oppress the people under their rule.

The emperor recalled the stories of the Yan Kingdom in Liaodong that he had recently read and felt a pang of emotion.

Sixty years of national life,

The time it takes to raise three generations

A territory spanning thousands of miles,
In the end, they were destroyed, and that was that.

There is no one in the country who wants to restore it, nor any of its former rulers.

When the last Duke of Yan was living out his retirement in Luoyang, he said with genuine emotion, "I am quite happy here and do not miss Yan."

From the perspective of the Han Dynasty,
Such conduct is certainly worthy of high praise.

But from the ruler's perspective
However, we should be wary of the past events of the Yan state.

Even the nobles and officials of Yan, who grew up under the sweet pear tree and were selected and elected by the people of the state to enter the imperial court, could do such things.

If even the officials in charge of the Han Dynasty become outsiders, then when the time comes for its demise, it will be even more ugly and miserable than the Yan Kingdom.

Liang Na listened and nodded as if she understood, "So, only those you are close to are worth trusting."

The emperor didn't say anything more to her, but simply clapped his hands, left the sapling behind him, and went to other places.

Shortly thereafter,

The emperor adopted the suggestions he approved and implemented the new policies:
He imposed stricter restrictions on the selection process, allowing only those over forty years of age to be selected and prohibiting relatives and friends of court attendants from participating.

The wealth of these people has already benefited their family members; if this were to be extended further, it would only create new powerful clans.

This went against Emperor Guangwu's original intention of sidelining the Three Dukes and replacing them with lower-ranking ministers in charge of the central government.

It would also add unnecessary burdens to the emperor who wanted to weaken the power of the aristocratic families.

Close ministers such as the Minister of Personnel and the Palace Attendant
All they needed to do was stay close to the emperor and contribute their strength to him.

For the examinations for selecting officials,

The emperor further raised the requirements and added subjects such as policy essays, economics, and mathematics.

Other than that,

The emperor then ordered the confiscation of the property of corrupt officials, and the land and property seized from their homes were used to provide relief to the poor in the local areas.

Among those who were confiscated and punished were not only those who had colluded with the Yan family back then, but also Song E, the Lady of Shanyang, who helped the emperor ascend the throne and seize power.

When news came that Song E had followed in Wang Shenglao's footsteps and accepted bribes from officials to seek personal gain, the emperor successively showed expressions of shock, grief, disappointment, and resolute determination before announcing the confiscation of Song E's property and her exile.

He then remarked to the ministers:
“Song E is my nanny, and she is very close to me.”

"If such a person would actually defy the imperial decrees and do things that I find repulsive, what about the other officials who are even more distant from me?"

Taking advantage of the situation, he issued an order to assess the performance of officials and sent envoys to local areas to punish those officials who neglected their duties and were corrupt and incompetent.

of course,

What was most admired by the people was the emperor's decree to establish more schools in local areas and to promote the new printing technology.

former,
It upholds the Han Dynasty's long-standing emphasis on education and can be used to praise the monarch's virtue, but it is not enough to make scholars cheer with joy.

Only the skills that enable the printing of more books and make knowledge cheaper and more readily available are worthy of humble scholars shedding tears of gratitude as they face Luoyang and offer their thanks to the emperor.

Developed by Zhang Heng, this printing technique, which uses clay and wood carving to imitate the engraving of seals and allows for flexible combinations, was ultimately used to replicate the printing of many books.

It was used by the emperor to demonstrate the beauty of the study of things and to win over poor scholars who had long suffered from the monopoly of classical studies by aristocratic families, making it difficult for them to purchase books, increase their knowledge, and thus improve their own status.

original,

Zhang Heng had already developed this technique several years ago.

However, at that time, he had many complex affairs to manage, and the people were also suffering from floods and droughts, which needed to be alleviated by repairing water conservancy projects.
He had no choice but to put the skill aside for the time being.

After all, knowledge cannot be eliminated even if it is shelved.

It also takes time for things to decay and be infested by insects.

When we have the time and energy, we can tidy it up and present it to the world, inspiring others.

However, damage to farmland that prevents a harvest can determine the fate of a family within a year.

Zhang Heng was unwilling to let the people suffer.
This means that all those aspiring to learn will have to wait.

After all, the future of scholars is important.
Are the lives of ordinary people unimportant?
……

"The printed books are still a bit blurry and not refined enough."

Among the newly established county schools,
The teachers had just received the books wholesale from the imperial court, and before they could even appreciate and study them, they were stolen by the omnipresent God.

"It still seems to be quite different from our tabloids."

The contents of the book,

He Bo had already seen this before; in fact, some of the authors of those books were working under his wing.

So He Bo simply flipped through the book to get a feel for the results of Zhang Heng's "movable type printing" before putting the book back in its original place.

of course,

God, who is always quick to criticize, did not forget to comment on this.

Wang Jing, who was close to Zhang Heng and already regarded him as a disciple, couldn't help but say:
"To be so busy, it's already quite impressive that you've managed to develop such skills."

"The living can't have the leisure of the dead."

Zhang Heng possessed both sufficient ability and virtuous character, which earned him the emperor's trust.

And the importance attached to it by the leadership

It is often accompanied by a lot of work.

Once he assumes a position like Minister of Revenue, which requires a thorough understanding of the nation's finances,
Zhang Heng was extremely busy.

Given the constant threat of overwork and death, shouldn't we encourage Zhang Heng's ability to point out the technology of "movable type printing"?

"you're right."

God readily agreed and immediately changed his mind, saying, "Then I will tell him these things in detail after he dies."

Wang Jing waved his hand and said, "Let's forget about it, let this kid get some rest!"

During the reign of Emperor He of Han,
The young Zhang Heng worked in civil engineering in Luoyang.

During the reign of Empress Dowager Deng,
In his prime, Zhang Heng worked in civil engineering in Jiangnan.

Although we no longer need to expose ourselves to the sun...

But I still ended up working as a clerk.

They haven't had a moment's rest.

After Wang Jing finished controlling the river, he also took care of his grandmother at home for quite some time!

He Bo laughed when he saw his arrogant demeanor followed by his obsequious attitude.

Then he said:
"It's a pity that these books cannot be read and enjoyed by everyone in the world."

It's the same principle—

Cultivating both farming and studying is no easy task.

Ordinary people spend their entire lives farming, yet they still can't guarantee they'll have enough to eat and wear.
Not to mention devoting even half of their energy to studying.

It is true that people from humble backgrounds are looked down upon by the aristocratic families.
At least there's a "door".

The land and spacious courtyards of their homes remain an unattainable dream for ordinary people.

"Take your time."

Sun En, who had also come out with God to stroll around the county school, laughed and said, "Water flows downwards, first to the aristocratic families, then to the poor families, and then naturally to the common people."

"We'll have to wait a while!"

He Bo smacked his lips as he thought of how much effort and how many years Ximen Bao, a man from a humble background, had spent to become a high-ranking official in the State of Wei, a position he couldn't even guarantee for the well-being of his descendants.

(End of this chapter)