Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 304 New People, New Policies
Xu Shu's strategy was quite insightful, and he saw the essence of the matter.

What wealthy and powerful families care about is not ancestral laws, but monopolizing official positions.

They didn't care about the debate between 'recommendation' and 'examination'.

They simply wanted to control official power, ensure their families remained officials for generations, and maintain control over more power so that privileges and real authority would not fall into other hands.

Let's give them a chance first, allowing various regions to establish 'state schools' under the name of Jixia Academy branches, and opening up the qualification for the provincial examinations to these schools.

Whoever controls the state school will become the state's "academic tyrant"—in the future, all officials from the state will have to be considered his protégés.

This is much better than the quota system of filial piety and incorruptibility that requires mutual compromise, and it is also much more convenient than appointing scholars after one has become a high-ranking official.

It's actually difficult for any single institution to become dominant in the recommendation system, but controlling the prefectural school and securing the qualification for the provincial examinations is a real possibility, and it doesn't require monopolizing classical studies.

At the same time, the powerful families were not monolithic. In order to compete for the qualification to open a state school or to own it, the powerful families had to fight among themselves in the state first.

This gave the "local powerful families," a class that was neither high nor low, the best opportunity.

This would allow powerful but previously low-ranking local warlords to quickly become monopolistic academic powers within their respective states.

In this situation, it was fair for established families, prominent clans, local tycoons, and warlords to all run schools, and whoever had the most power could control the state school—meaning that all families above the level of local tycoons were eligible to compete.

Prestigious families may have a reputation, but their fists may not be bigger than those of the nouveau riche.

Li Qian was a typical nouveau riche. Before, he had no official title and couldn't even get a government position, but no one in the entire Yanzhou dared to guarantee that they could defeat the Li family...

The powerful families who were originally used as pawns by the prestigious families will see a path to advancement because of the opening of state schools—they will regard 'controlling the qualification for the examination' as a better way than recommendation.

Apart from those prestigious families and existing celebrities, other powerful families would not oppose the policy of appointing people based solely on their talents.

As long as the powerful local lords do not rebel, this decree can be issued.

Even if prominent families and noble clans were to collude with each other, local tyrants and warlords would still interfere with them.

After all, if they had a choice, not all the wealthy would turn against the imperial court and become rebels.

This is both a way to get the enemy to accept the imperial decrees and a way to divide the enemy.

Of course, for this to succeed, Liu Bei would indeed have to allow scholars from the state academy to become officials through the examination, that is, first let the sons of powerful families benefit from the examination.

The imperial court cannot break its promises. Liu Bei may deceive the enemy, but the imperial court's decrees must never be deceived.

However, who to appoint as an official was not a big problem for Liu Bei, because he could dismiss someone at any time.

After all, with Liu Xie here, the final say lies with Liu Bei.

Moreover, Liu Bei was very good at finding incriminating evidence against people...

People's strengths are often also their weaknesses—even if an official from a powerful family has no personal flaws, his family will always have some problems. The larger the family, the more flaws they have... just like Zhang He's family members who joined Wang Fen in his rebellion.

"Yuanzhi's strategy resonates deeply with me..."

Liu Bei nodded, then asked his second question: "However, how exactly should we proceed?"

"First, we should promote state schools in states that are under our control. Governor Tao of Xuzhou once led his army to pacify Qingzhou. I think Governor Tao should be willing to help the general implement this policy in Xuzhou."

Xu Shu didn't think about it for too long this time; he had probably already considered the problem: "If it works in Xuzhou, it can be extended to You and Ji... Once the four prefectures are successful, it can be implemented throughout the country. This strategy requires several years of effort and cannot be accomplished overnight." "Yuanzhi is talented... However, this is only half the strategy. If we want to achieve complete success, we must eventually bring the prefectural schools under the control of the imperial court. Otherwise, the powerful local magnates in each prefecture will become too powerful and may cause them to split up and rebel."

Liu Bei pressed on, determined to squeeze every last drop out of Xu Shu: "Yuanzhi, do you have a second half of your plan?"

"Once the establishment of the state school is completed, the powerful families in each state will inevitably compete with each other. General, you can take the initiative to support capable people and constantly instigate infighting to eliminate the stubborn pests."

Xu Shu's answers became increasingly fluent: "As long as the infighting among the states continues, it will not be difficult for you, General, to return the power of the academies to the court... However, there will likely be many deaths and injuries among the states due to their struggle for power. But if you, General, want to implement reforms, there will inevitably be rebellions and struggles, and deaths and injuries are unavoidable."

"Yuanzhi, you shall first join me in military and political affairs... However, since you have registered for the examination under the name Xu Shu, it is not appropriate to change it back to your original name..."

Liu Bei stood up, grasped Xu Shu's hand, and smiled: "I will ask the Emperor to grant you a pardon for your crimes. Quickly send someone to bring your mother over. You will first move into the East Pavilion and serve as the East Pavilion Minister... You will be in charge of the examination and selection of officials."

The Dongge Pushe (東阁仆射) was equivalent to the Minister of Personnel in the shogunate, and the Pushe was the actual head of the department.

Xu Shu was taken aback: "Me, preside over? This... I am young and inexperienced..."

“In the past, Jia Yi also became a high-ranking official at a young age. We are committed to appointing people based on their talents. Those who are talented should be employed, regardless of age or seniority. However, after the examination, you need to first serve as a staff member to test your political abilities. Otherwise, I would directly appoint you as the Chief Clerk of the Ministry of Personnel.”

Liu Bei smiled and said, "Isn't being young better?"

(Note: Jia Yi was a famous minister of the Western Han Dynasty and the author of "On the Faults of Qin". He was appointed as a chief official by Wu Gong, the governor of Henan Commandery, at the age of 18; entered the court as a scholar at 21; became a Grand Master of the Palace at 22; and served as tutor to a prince at 24. He consistently delivered insightful memorials in various positions, but unfortunately died at the young age of 33. Jia Yi's son, Jia Fan, died young, and Jia Yi himself had no direct descendants. The Wei state's claim that Jia Xu was a descendant of Jia Yi was actually an attempt to elevate Jia Xu's social standing, much like how Cao Cao was said to be a descendant of Cao Can—it was a deliberate attempt to fabricate a connection… because when the Nine-Rank System was established, Jia Xu was the Grand Commandant.)
Xu Shu was indeed young at this time, only twenty-one years old, but he was certainly not inexperienced...

Moreover, Xu Shu truly understood Liu Bei—Xu Shu's experiences in the previous years were very similar to Liu Bei's.

Xu Shu himself was from a poor family, meaning he came from a humble background. Like Liu Bei, he lost his father at a young age and had to leave his clan to live separately, without any family background to rely on.

When he was a teenager, Xu Shu, who was then called Xu Fu, was also chivalrous and martial. He got involved in the underworld and formed a small gang.

His mother also sent him to a government school, but he, like Liu Bei back then, wandered around aimlessly.

At the beginning of the year, Xu Shu's friend acted chivalrously but was killed by a powerful local tyrant.

Xu Shu sought revenge for his friend, and killed someone in the street with his sword.

After committing the crime, the government issued a warrant for Xu Fu's arrest and even described his physical appearance.

Xu Shu smeared white ash on his face and let his hair down, intending to run away, but he failed and was still caught by the officials.

When the official asked Xu Shu his name, Xu Shu didn't say a word. So the official tied Xu Shu to a pillar and beat a drum to call out to the people in the street to identify him, but no one recognized him.

Fortunately, Xu Shu was loyal, and so was his gang. Together, they rescued him and helped him escape from Yingchuan.

After being wanted, Xu Shu felt that there was no future in wielding swords, being a wandering knight, or being a gangster. Upon learning that the Jixia Academy was being rebuilt, he changed his name from Xu Fu to Xu Shu and went to Qingzhou to study diligently, so as not to implicate his family and friends.

They shared the same background, the same sense of justice, the same desire to avenge their friends, and the same journey from wandering knights to accomplished individuals…

Indeed, he and Liu Bei had a lot in common.

Xu Shu's mother was picked up by soldiers in Yingchuan, and Xu Shu, having just passed the civil service exam, began working overtime every day.

Hmm... I heard it's voluntary overtime.

(End of this chapter)