My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Chapter 251: Resurrecting the Han Dynasty and Resisting the Southern Invasion of the Hu People! Liu Bei not only wanted to unify the world, but also to exterminate the gentry!

"Shi Zai!"

Xiao He summoned Deng Ai and ordered him to return to his residence immediately to retrieve the scroll containing the method for selecting officials.

Liu Bei was in high spirits and summoned Pang Tong and Lu Xun, who had just arrived in Xiapi, along with other strategists.

When everyone heard that Xiao He had created a method for selecting officials, and that Liu Bei planned to implement it in the State of Chu, they were all filled with curiosity.

A moment.

Deng Ai returned and presented a scroll to Liu for record-keeping.

Liu Bei rubbed his hands together, took a deep breath, and carefully unrolled the scroll.

The imperial examination system!
The three large characters were the first thing that caught my eye.

Liu Bei and Pang Tong exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion and unfamiliarity, clearly having never heard of these three words before.

Liu Bei then simply asked Pang Tong to read it aloud to everyone.

"The so-called imperial examination was a method of selecting virtuous and capable individuals through examinations, hence the name 'imperial examination'..."

Pang Tong then read aloud the outline of the imperial examination system.

Xiao He sipped his tea leisurely, subtly observing the expressions on everyone's faces, which gradually shifted from curiosity to surprise.

Clearly, Liu, the Duke of Chu, and Pang Tong and other elites of the Chu state had all grasped the essence of the imperial examination system.

In short, it boils down to two words:
examination.

Your Nine-Rank System recommends officials based on family background, talent, and virtue.

There are no standards for judging ability or moral character; it all depends on the personal likes and dislikes of the so-called "Zhongzheng" officials.

In the end, what's being rolled up all along is still family background.

My imperial examination system is simple; I don't test anything else, I only test the exam.

Whether you were born into a noble family, a wealthy clan, a poor illegitimate son, or a common laborer...

No matter who your father is, if you want to become an official, you have to take the exam.

The Five Classics, astronomy, geography, policy essays…

What you're tested on isn't important; even if it's just theoretical, it doesn't matter. As long as you can say something meaningful, it proves you have knowledge and have truly studied diligently.

In this way, at least you can be considered a talented person and have the qualifications to become an official.

Even if it's just theoretical talk, you can still get the chance to hone your skills gradually, and one day you'll grow into a practical talent.

The talents selected through these examinations are at least a hundred times better than those privileged but empty-headed playboys.

The biggest hidden danger of the Nine-Rank System was that the imperial examination system firmly placed the power to select officials in the hands of the emperor, rather than in the hands of powerful families.

This would prevent the aristocratic families from monopolizing the power to select officials, thus avoiding a situation where there are no aristocratic families in the lower ranks and no commoners in the upper ranks, which would lead to the loss of imperial power and the emperor becoming a puppet figurehead of the aristocratic families.

Even though most of the world's talents come from scholar-official families, and the talents selected by the imperial examination system are mostly from scholar-official families, it has not blocked the upward mobility of children from poor families.

As long as you have lofty aspirations, you will have the opportunity to achieve academic success and rise above your station.

Moreover, the final stage of the imperial examination, the palace examination, was personally presided over by the emperor in the capital city, who then personally selected the top candidate.

The monarch is both the ruler and the teacher, holding a dual role. How could the talented scholars who emerge from this examination not be loyal to the monarch and vow to serve the country to the death?
"A law for all ages! The imperial examination system created by the strategist is truly a law for all ages!"

Having seen the brilliance of the imperial examination system, Liu Bei was overjoyed and exclaimed in praise:
"Bowen, your imperial examination system is indeed superior to the Nine-Rank System and far superior to the recommendation system!"

Liu Bei was overjoyed, and his advisors were in an uproar.

"Using examinations to select officials and choose virtuous and capable people for the country?"

"Hmm, this method is unheard of, but it is practical. The selected scholars will at least have the ability to talk about war on paper, rather than being useless fools who are all show and no substance."

"Lord Chu, strategist, this civil service examination system is indeed much more practical than the recommendation system for selecting filial and incorruptible individuals. I believe it is feasible."

Pang Tong praised him highly.

Although this young phoenix came from a prominent family in Jingxiang, he was arrogant and looked down on those scholars who were all show and no substance. In his life, he valued practicality most in his affairs and military campaigns.

Compared to the recommendation system, which judged candidates based on filial piety, the imperial examination system was obviously much more practical and naturally suited his taste.

Lu Xun nodded slightly and praised:
"Although our great Han Dynasty values ​​filial piety, in these chaotic times, what the Duke of Chu needs most is a truly talented and virtuous person who can help him restore the Han Dynasty and eliminate treacherous villains."

"Using filial piety to recommend officials is indeed outdated, and this recommendation system has long been riddled with problems. Of those recommended for filial piety, how many were truly recommended based on filial piety?"

"Your subject agrees with what Shi Yuan said. Military Advisor Xiao's imperial examination system, which uses the results of the examinations to evaluate the merits of talents, is indeed more practical than the recommendation system. Your subject also believes it is feasible."

Although Lu Xun also came from a scholarly family, his integrity and character were still evident. He did not abuse his power for personal gain, nor did he prioritize the interests of the scholarly family over the greater good of the nation.

Clearly, in his view, even those from scholar-official families should earn their place under Liu Bei through their own abilities, rather than simply relying on their family background to fill a position.

Even if you are a member of the Lu family, if you have no ability, you should just stay in the family and loaf around. Don't try to use the name of the Lu family to become an official and harm the country.

The advisors were engaged in heated discussions, with most praising Xiao He's proposed imperial examination system.

Even if some individuals saw that the imperial examination system was detrimental to the interests of scholar-official families, they dared not stand up and openly oppose it.

This is the biggest difference between the states of Chu and Wei.

The Chu state was based in the south, and the strength and resources of the powerful clans and aristocratic families in the south were far inferior to those of the northern clans.

In particular, after Liu Bei and Sun Ce swept through Jing and Yang provinces, top-tier clans like the Yang clan of Hongnong and the Xun clan of Yingchuan, which could influence national policy, no longer existed.

Furthermore, the implementation of the Fubing system and the Juntian system suppressed the trend of powerful clans annexing land and secretly raising retainers and private soldiers, thus subtly weakening the hard power of the aristocratic families.

Therefore, in the present state of Chu, the greatest advantage of the aristocratic families is only their profound family traditions and academic heritage—a soft power.

The only way to monetize this soft power is to serve as an official and fulfill one's duties to the Great Chu.

The imperial examination system provided them with a clear path to officialdom, which naturally won the support of the majority of them.

Seeing that most people were giving their full support, Liu Bei naturally had no more worries and gladly said:
"Master Bowen's imperial examination system is indeed a law for all ages. Not to mention that it can be implemented for a thousand years, I believe it can last for ten thousand years!"

"Once this method is introduced, I'll see how Cao Cao tries to compete with me for the hearts of the world's most talented people!"

"Strategist, after I return to the capital, you and Kongming should discuss and come up with specific details as soon as possible so that I can promulgate and implement them promptly."

Seeing Old Liu's ecstatic joy, Xiao He sighed inwardly.

Throughout history, has there ever been a country that has never been destroyed, or a law that can last for ten thousand years?

This imperial examination system is only superior to the recommendation system and Chen Qun's Nine-Rank System at present.

Didn't the imperial examination system, after a thousand years of implementation, also encounter an "unprecedented change in three thousand years," becoming a remnant of the old era and a stumbling block to the country's progress?

However, that's all a thousand years from now. No matter how far-sighted Xiao He is, he can't worry about that far ahead.

Looking at the present, the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Qiang, and Di peoples, like bloodsucking leeches, have taken hold of the ailing body of the Han Dynasty from all directions, and are growing stronger at a visible rate.

The Nine-Rank System, which led to the decline of imperial power and the rise of powerful aristocratic families, only plunged China into endless internal strife, giving the nomadic peoples the opportunity to rise and rule the Central Plains.

At such a critical juncture, only a dynasty with a stable imperial power and the emperor holding absolute authority would have a chance to resist this wave of southward migration from the nomadic tribes.

The imperial examination system was a prescription Xiao He devised for this goal, a remedy that allowed the Han Dynasty to rise from the ashes and shake off the leeches of the barbarians that had been sucking its blood.

The officials accepted the order and all took their leave. Xiao He, however, stayed behind, took out another scroll of silk from his bosom, and presented it to Liu Bei once more.

“Bowen, this is…”

Liu Bei looked puzzled.

Xiao He unfolded the silk scroll and laid it out in front of Liu Bei:
"Although the imperial examination system could put the power of selecting officials in the hands of the monarch, the vast majority of those who could enter officialdom through the imperial examinations were still from scholarly families with profound learning and cultural heritage."

"Over time, even though aristocratic families and powerful clans have no right to select officials, the country will still face a situation where there are no poor families among the upper ranks and no aristocratic families among the lower ranks."

"In this case, there is still a possibility that the monarch's power will fall into the wrong hands and that the aristocratic families will become too powerful and uncontrollable."

"The purpose of this offering is to eliminate this last remaining possibility for the Duke of Chu."

A glint flashed in Liu Bei's eyes, and his interest was piqued again. He quickly lowered his head to take a closer look, filled with curiosity.

"Bamboo paper manufacturing technique..."

Liu Bei's curiosity turned into confusion again, and he looked up at Xiao He with a puzzled expression.

He originally thought that Xiao He would present some new system as a supplement to the imperial examination system.

Who would have thought they would offer something like this?

Bamboo paper making technique... what kind of approach is this?
"Why do scholars and powerful families have a long history of learning and are well-versed in poetry and literature? It's because they learned it from books."

"Military strategies, the Four Books and Five Classics, the Hundred Schools of Thought... the wisdom left to us by our ancestors must all be recorded and passed down through books."

"These books of sages and worthies were mostly made of bamboo and wooden slips. Although there was also Cai Hou paper that could be used for writing, Cai Hou paper was rough, easily decayed, and expensive, making it unsuitable for the general public."

"As for these bamboo slips, their cost is also considerable. Even a moderately wealthy family with a hundred acres of fertile land might not be able to afford them."

"If one cannot afford bamboo slips, one will naturally not be able to study the teachings of sages. How can a commoner, who is illiterate, pass the imperial examinations and become an official?"

"In this way, the imperial examination system remains irrelevant to ordinary people, and is essentially set up only for aristocratic and wealthy families."

Changing the subject, Xiao He pointed to the silk scroll on the table:
"My technique for making bamboo paper is an improvement on Cai Hou's hemp paper. It uses bamboo, which is readily available in the south, as raw material. Its cost is less than one-tenth of Cai Hou's hemp paper, and it is far lower than that of bamboo slips."

"Moreover, the bamboo paper made by this technique is white and smooth, uniform and flexible, dries easily after writing, the ink does not fade, and it is not easily damaged by insects. Its quality is far superior to that of Cai Hou paper."

"This kind of high-quality paper, which is inexpensive to produce, is naturally conducive to large-scale production and can replace bamboo slips and be promoted throughout the world."

"In this way, even if you are a commoner, as long as you have a little spare money, you can afford to buy paper and read the books of sages."

"Before long, when bamboo paper becomes widespread, the way of the sages will no longer be monopolized by the wealthy and powerful, and the imperial examination system will no longer be exclusively for the wealthy and powerful."

"Only then will all the talents in the world belong to Duke Chu!"

Xiao He spoke eloquently, explaining to Liu Bei his motives for offering up the bamboo paper-making technique.

Liu Bei suddenly realized.

Xiao Hezhi's purpose, to put it bluntly, was to make education affordable for commoners, so as to prevent knowledge from being monopolized by the powerful aristocracy, and thus from monopolizing the path to officialdom through the imperial examinations.

"That's it, that's it..."

"If it weren't for your reminder, Bowen, I would never have imagined that such a thin piece of paper could be as heavy as Mount Tai and possess such great power..."

Liu Bei examined the scroll in his hand, his gaze filled with admiration as he looked at Xiao He, clicking his tongue in admiration:

"Bowen, the vision of me and my ministers can only see ten steps ahead, but you can see a hundred steps ahead, a thousand steps ahead!"

"In terms of profound foresight, you, Xiao Bowen, are unparalleled in history, unmatched before or since!"

Old Liu's praise made Xiao He a little embarrassed.

Having foresight and a vision that extends a thousand steps ahead... these are essentially the basic qualities of a time traveler who knows the future.

However, this basic quality is indeed a trump card in an era where illiteracy is common.

At least Xiao He can guarantee that Lao Liu will avoid taking decades of detours and falling into fewer pitfalls.

"You flatter me, Lord Chu. Even if I were to have the most profound and far-sighted plans, I would still need a wise ruler like you who would readily accept my advice and listen to my ramblings."

Xiao He also seized the opportunity to pat Lao Liu on the back.

Liu Bei laughed heartily.

Then he leaped up and said happily:

"Qing and Xu have been pacified. It's about time to return to the capital to report to the Emperor and promote your imperial examination system and bamboo paper technology!"

The grand plan was thus decided.

Three days later, after leaving Lu Xun, Gan Ning, Zhu Huan and others to guard the two provinces of Qing and Xu, Liu Bei set off south to return to Yingtian.

...

Ye City, Chen Mansion.

Chen Qun sat high above, his face solemn and stern.

The hall was filled with distinguished guests, including Zhong Yao, Gao Rou, Du Xi, Xin Pi, Sima Yi, Tian Yu…

Led by those from Yingchuan, as well as many important officials, gentry and celebrities from Hebei and Hedong who were in Ye City, all gathered together.

The news that Liu Bei had refused Cao Cao's peace offer after Chen Qun's return from his mission to the State of Chu had already spread like wildfire throughout the city.

The reason these distinguished scholars and important officials have come today is to inquire with Chen Qun about the details of his mission to the State of Chu.

"Everyone!"

Seeing that the guests were all seated, Chen Qun spoke loudly.

The laughter and chatter in the hall ceased, and everyone fell silent, gathering around Chen Qun.

Chen Qun gave his son, Chen Tai, a meaningful look.

Chen Tai understood and ordered his servants to place the scrolls of silk in front of everyone.

This inexplicable action left everyone except Sima Yi bewildered.

"The Nine-Rank System?"

When everyone opened the scroll in front of the table, another wave of surprised exclamations rose and fell in the hall.

"Changwen, what do you mean by this?"

Zhong Yao spoke first, looking blankly at Chen Qun.

Chen Qun took a deep breath and said with a solemn expression:

"This mission of the group to the puppet state of Chu has thoroughly tested Liu Bei's ambitions."

"Liu Bei's ambition was not only to unify the world, but he also wanted to continue his perverse policies and implement his equal-field system and militia system in the north."

"Gentlemen, our gentry and noble families are now facing a life-or-death crisis. We can no longer sit idly by and wait for our demise!"

"I would like to ask you all to join me in submitting a petition to the Duke of Wei, requesting that he implement the Nine-Rank System in our Great Wei, so that we can unite the scholars of the land to resist Liu Bei!"

P.S.: The book title might be changed tomorrow. The new title should be: "Three Kingdoms: The Military Immortal of Shu Han Begins with the Surprise Attack on Xiangyang". Brothers, remember this title so you can find it later.

(End of this chapter)