The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 30 Provincial Quotas
The story of Marquis Jingning Ye Sheng spread far and wide in a very short time, and the emperor's involvement was obvious.

After returning to the princess's residence, Li Qi splashed cold water on his face.

"Was Ye Sheng's affair the work of the Imperial Son-in-Law?"

Li Qi paused, "Yes."

"Then my third sister can rest in peace."

Princess Lin'an wrung out the water from the silk and then carefully wiped the water droplets from Li Qi's temples.

"If Father Emperor wants to take this opportunity to eliminate the Duke of Liang's faction, then in the near future, the court will likely be filled with bloodshed."

"It will pass quickly."

A few words, a light touch.

There was a moment of silence between the couple, and then Princess Lin'an said softly, "Mu'er is clamoring to study for the imperial examinations. The imperial examinations are difficult, and the classics are as vast as the sea. It's very grueling."

He is still too young. As the saying goes, excessive intelligence can be a curse, and I am truly worried.

Li Xianmu is only one and a half years old, but his mental age is already over ten. His intelligence is far beyond that of his two older brothers. Every time they see their third brother, Li Fang and Li Mao fall into self-doubt, wondering if they were born to the same parents.

Lin'an was both delighted by his son's intelligence and worried that his excessive intelligence might lead him to become like other young talents such as Cao Chong, Li He, and Wang Bo, who were envied by the heavens and had their lives cut short.

"Father, Mother."

Before Li Qi could speak, Li Xianmu's voice rang out from outside, and then a small figure ran in from the outer room.

Li Xianmu was born with exceptional talent and intelligence, his brows brimming with a spiritual aura. Looking at him, one could sense his ethereal clarity and wisdom, clearly indicating that he was an extremely intelligent child.

Li Qi picked Li Xianmu up in one arm and asked, "Did you hear what your mother said just now?"

“I heard everything.”

"What do you think?"

"A mother has a heart full of love for her child, but the child is born extraordinary and different from ordinary people. How can we be bound by rigid rules or give up eating because of a minor setback?"

Although I am young, I know that our family is in decline. How can I waste my talent and indulge my childish heart?

Princess Lin'an patted Li Xianmu's round head, sighed deeply, and could no longer speak.

"Since that's the case, from this day forward, I, your father, will personally teach you the only way to govern the country and bring peace to the world!"

The youngest Juren (successful candidate in the provincial examination) in Ming Dynasty history was Yang Tinghe, who passed the provincial examination at the age of twelve. The youngest Jinshi (successful candidate in the imperial examination) was Wang Chen, who passed the imperial examination at the age of sixteen.

But Li Qi believes that from the moment Li Xianmu came into this world, all these honors will belong to his son.

What he wanted to teach Li Xianmu was not only Confucianism, but also practical wisdom for future generations.

In the tidy study, Li Qi sat upright in a grand chair, while Li Xianmu stood solemnly in front of him.

"From this day forward, I will not only be your father, but also your teacher. Before you become my disciple, you must first recite the general principles, the four lines of Master Hengqu. Do you know them?"

Li Xianmu's small face showed seriousness, and he said in a childish voice, "Father, I understand."

These are the four lines: "To establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, to establish a destiny for the people, to continue the lost learning of past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations."

Li Qi said solemnly, "These four sentences are the general guidelines for my teachings. I do not require you to reflect on everything you do, otherwise the world may not tolerate you."

But you must keep it in your heart, like a blazing fire, like the sun shining brightly, guarding a clear light within. With a bright heart, nothing will go wrong.

When Li Qi said this, he thought of Zhang Juzheng. He liked a passage from "Those Things of the Ming Dynasty" very much: "You are still very young. In the future, you will meet many people, experience many things, gain a lot, and lose a lot. But no matter what, there are two things you must never abandon: one is conscience, and the other is ideals."

As Li Qi finished speaking, he saw a faint golden light shining through Li Xianmu's eyes. He was stunned for a moment, and then suddenly remembered that among the five characteristics of Li Xianmu, there was one called "righteousness," and its effect was that one's heart was as hard as iron and one would never fall into any trap.

Li Xianmu was born never to lose his true self!
Li Qi, who had also used a Tier 1 item, was momentarily silent.

"The way of the sages is so readily available."

……

[Marquis Jingning, Ye Sheng, is dead. Achievement value +50.] Ye Sheng died in front of Li Qi, his blood splattering everywhere, his body torn to pieces. Li Qi was Ye Sheng's executioner.

This could be considered a gift from Zhu Yuanzhang to Li Qi, after all, what could be more joyful than watching your enemy die in front of you?

Not to mention, the death of your enemy can also grant you achievement points, making it double the fun.

Li Qi's cheerful mood continued until he reached the Fengtian Hall, where he had come to report on the execution and to present a major matter to the emperor.

After the emperor and his minister briefly discussed Ye Sheng's death, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Li Qi, we're planning to appoint you as the chief examiner for this year's provincial examination in Yingtian Prefecture. What do you think?"

By appointing Li Qi, a leading figure among northern literati, as the chief examiner in Yingtianfu, one of the major centers of southern scholars, Zhu Yuanzhang clearly knew how to play the game.

But Li Qi knew that being the chief examiner of Yingtian Prefecture was just a pretext; Zhu Yuanzhang actually wanted him to be the chief examiner for next year's imperial examination!

Throughout history, which learned scholar has not served as the chief examiner for at least one imperial examination?

This is a great thing for increasing your reputation!
As Zhu Yuanzhang grew older, he would surely make arrangements for Li Qi as soon as possible, so Li Qi would inevitably become the chief examiner in the twenty-seventh year of Hongwu's reign.

Li Qi agreed without hesitation, then cupped his hands and said solemnly, "Your subject has some immature ideas about the imperial examinations, which I wish to present to Your Majesty for a decision."

"Just tell me."

"Today, Confucianism is most flourishing in Yingtian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi. Therefore, the number of successful candidates in each imperial examination is the highest in these three places, while there are very few from the north. This is because the academic atmosphere in these three places has been flourishing since the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, while Confucianism has declined due to the chaos and turmoil in the north over the generations."

Although there are reasons for this, I believe it is a path to chaos!
If most of the officials in the imperial court come from the Jiangnan region, then officials from the north and remote border regions will find it difficult to gain a foothold.

The Ming Dynasty's territory far surpasses that of the Song Dynasty, reaching all corners of the world. Therefore, officials in the imperial court should come from all corners of the country, not just from the Jiangnan region!

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang first closed his eyes and then suddenly opened them again. Some things, once weighed on a scale, cannot be stopped by a thousand pounds.

Just like if there hadn't been the North-South Examination Scandal in the previous life, there might never have been separate examinations, but the fact that it happened indicates a serious problem.

"Since you've brought this up, you must already have a solution. Tell me about it."

“If we divide the candidates by province, for example, if we need to select 300 candidates this time, and we don’t have time to review them all, we can first determine the quota for each province, and then allocate the candidates according to the quota. This will surely ensure a balanced distribution of candidates from all over the country.”

As soon as Li Qi finished speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up. He knew immediately how wonderful this method was.

If this method is implemented, only Zhejiang, Zhili, and Jiangxi will be dissatisfied, while the other provinces will be satisfied.

It could balance the interests of the scholars in the court with almost no cost.

"Excellent!"

Zhu Yuanzhang first praised him, then glanced at Li Qi and said, "You, as the leader of the northern scholars, are truly dedicated to your duty. With this strategy, scholars from the three provinces south of the Yangtze River will all regard you as the Confucian master and be grateful to you!"

Li Qi broke out in a cold sweat almost immediately. He knelt on the ground and said, "Father, you flatter me. To list all the virtuous ministers, one must have the trust of the monarch to be able to fully display their talents."

Your son, a sinful child, should be reborn in the Yellow Springs, wandering the River of Oblivion, living by the grace of Heaven, and even being entrusted with the duties of a scholar.

Your son, a man of mere literary talent, is neither capable of commanding armies to defend the nation nor of governing to assist in its stability. He can only serve His Majesty with utmost humility and sincerity, offering his heart and soul to repay the Emperor's kindness!

The phrase "son of a sinner, a Grand Secretary of the fifth rank" subtly reveals Li Qi's background and limited power.

He was neither capable of commanding troops nor of governing, which means he had no ability to rebel; he was just a mere scholar.

Zhu Yuanzhang's doubts were completely dispelled.

"Tomorrow, send Lin'an and Mu'er to the palace. We haven't seen them for several days."

"Yes, Father."

Watching Li Qi's departing figure, Zhu Yuanzhang pondered slowly, "Scholars have no military power, and a rebellion will fail within three years. After abolishing the prime minister, we lost the head of the court. Therefore, it is most stable for scholars to rule the country. Military power must always be in the hands of the emperor, so we cannot allow nobles to gain merit. Those nobles..."

A slight chill permeated the air.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The long-standing imperial examination system experienced a significant resurgence during the Ming Dynasty, continuing to this day. This author recounts eight major reforms in the history of the Ming Dynasty's imperial examination system, including eight systemic changes with far-reaching impact. The first was the "provincial quota system" proposed by Li Qi. From then on, the imperial examination system shifted from a nationwide competitive examination to a largely provincial one, even further contributing to the Ming Dynasty's subsequent policies of "reorganizing various ministries into provinces and replacing native chieftains with appointed officials." — *Cultural History*

(End of this chapter)