The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

Sima Guang's shout in the Chuigong Hall had a similar force to the "smashing the water jar" incident.

He stood before Jiang Lin like a stubborn, foul-smelling rock.

This is the totem of the conservative faction in the Song Dynasty, a man who could fight with Wang Anshi for a lifetime for the sake of "stability".

"Mr. Jiang, I have three questions."

Sima Guang's gaze was piercing, giving Jiang Lin no chance to catch his breath. He held up one finger and said, "First, you mentioned reducing redundant officials. Although these officials may not be very talented, they are still respectable people who grew up reading the classics."

"You just laid people off with a stroke of your pen, where will they go? They also have wives, children, and elderly parents."

"Are you forcing these tens of thousands of scholars to starve? Or—"

"Are we forcing them to rebel?!"

This is a very pointed question, hitting the nail on the head. The Song Dynasty treated scholar-officials with great respect; this was an ancestral precept.

Jiang Lin laughed, a somewhat cold laugh: "Lord Sima, who says scholars can only become officials and exploit people? With all their strength and ability, where can't they make a living?"

"Dismissed officials can choose to teach at academies if they are literate, work as accountants in businesses if they are good at arithmetic, or become lawyers in the private sector if they are knowledgeable in criminal law. The court can even provide a severance package to encourage them to engage in commerce or agriculture!"

Jiang Lin stepped forward, his voice ringing out: "Instead of supporting a bunch of useless people who just sit in government offices drinking tea and reading newspapers, it's better to let them create value in the private sector. This is called 're-employment after being laid off,' understand?"

"Absurd!" Sima Guang exclaimed, his beard trembling with anger. "Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—you want scholar-officials to engage in commerce and agriculture? This is a disgrace to scholarship!"

"Starving to death is a small matter, but losing one's integrity is a big deal, is that it?" Jiang Lin sneered. "Taking the court's salary and doing nothing of integrity, that's what truly makes one disgraceful!"

"you……"

Sima Guang's square face instantly turned ashen, his eyes widened, and his chest heaved violently.

He stared intently at Jiang Lin, taking a full three breaths before swallowing the anger that had risen to his throat.

"Second question!" Sima Guang's voice trembled slightly as he raised a second finger. "You said to stop the practice of hereditary privilege. For a hundred years since the founding of the Song Dynasty, this system of hereditary privilege has been an ancestral institution used to win over meritorious officials and maintain stability in the court!"

"Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong both used this method, and you want to abolish it? You are shaking the foundation of the nation!"

"Lord Sima, ancestral rules are rigid, but people are flexible."

Jiang Lin pointed to the sky outside the hall, "During the reign of Emperor Taizu, it was to appease the founding heroes. But what about now? Hereditary privilege has become a tool for powerful families to inherit their positions forever! If someone is born an official, who will bother to study hard in the cold winters?"

"I didn't say I wanted to completely abolish it, but rather to 'limit' it. For example, a prime minister can only bestow favors upon one person in his lifetime, and that person must pass an assessment."

"If you were to put a mentally challenged son into the court to govern the country, that would truly shake the very foundation of the nation!"

Sima Guang opened his mouth, but no sound came out. A rebuttal? Did he mean that even a foolish son could govern a country?

His face twitched violently, and he could only grit his teeth and force himself to swallow this bitter pill before unleashing his final trump card:

"Third question! You mentioned regular assessments. Who will conduct these assessments? What standards will be used? If the power to assess falls into the hands of treacherous officials, won't it become a tool for factionalism and eliminating dissent?"

"At that time, the court will be filled with sycophants, and upright gentlemen will be driven out!"

Jiang Lin suppressed his smile and nodded solemnly: "That's a good question."

"Assessment is indeed a double-edged sword. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an independent 'Assessment Department,' which is not subordinate to the Ministry of Personnel but directly under His Majesty."

"The evaluation standards will be publicly posted and subject to public scrutiny. Even the achievements of a seventh-rank county magistrate must be known to the local people!"

"You..." Sima Guang looked at the stubborn young man in front of him and felt powerless.

He took a deep breath, no longer dwelling on the details, and instead posed a thought-provoking question:

"Mr. Jiang, what you've said is too idealistic."

Sima Guang's voice was old and sorrowful. "Do you know why the 'Qingli Reforms' failed? Fan Zhongyan, what a heroic figure he was back then, he also wanted to reduce staff and reform. What was the result? He aroused the anger of officials all over the country, was attacked by the masses, and was eventually demoted and sent to a remote post, where he died in depression."

"The word 'reform' only has sixteen strokes when written, but putting it into practice can cost you your head!"

Sima Guang stared intently at Jiang Lin, his eyes filled with pity and mockery: "You, a commoner, what makes you think you can accomplish what even Fan Zhongyan couldn't? You're gambling the fate of the Song Dynasty with your laughable ideals!"

The main hall was deathly silent.

It must be said that Sima Guang's words, though harsh, were true. The backlash from vested interests is a formidable hurdle that no reform can avoid.

Emperor Renzong, Zhao Zhen, sat on the dragon throne, his eyes dimming slightly. Yes, it was too difficult.

Jiang Lin fell silent.

Just when everyone thought he had been persuaded by Sima Guang and was about to back down, Jiang Lin suddenly raised his head.

At that moment, the light in his eyes was more dazzling than the blazing sun outside the palace.

"Lord Sima is right, reform is indeed difficult, as difficult as ascending to heaven."

Jiang Lin's voice was deep, yet it resounded throughout the hall, "But just because it's difficult, does that mean we shouldn't do it?"

"The three excesses of the Song Dynasty worsen with each passing year. If we don't lay off staff today, the treasury will collapse tomorrow; if we can't pay military salaries the day after, mutinies will break out everywhere; and the day after that…"

Jiang Lin turned around abruptly, pointed north, and shouted sharply:

"The day after tomorrow, it won't be us laying off staff; it'll be the Liao cavalry and the Western Xia scimitars coming to 'layoff' for us!"

"At that time, they will not only strip you of your official positions, but also your heads! And the entire nation of Song!"

boom--!

These words struck like a thunderbolt, hitting everyone hard on the head.

Emperor Renzong, Zhao Zhen, gripped the armrests of the dragon throne tightly, his knuckles turning white. The Liao Kingdom, the Western Xia, the tributes, the border troubles... all the humiliations he had suffered over the years surged into his mind in an instant.

Jiang Lin is right. Dragging this out will only lead to certain death!

Sima Guang opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found his throat as if blocked, unable to utter a single word. Faced with the crisis of national subjugation and racial extinction, any "ancestral system" and "stability" seemed pale and powerless.

Just when the atmosphere had reached its most tense point, Han Qi, who had been silently observing the situation, suddenly smiled.

That was the smile of an old hunter when he saw his prey fall into the net.

"Alright, Sima Qing, you may leave."

Han Qi waved his hand, signaling Sima Guang to stop arguing. He slowly walked up to Jiang Lin, a warm smile on his face, but his eyes were as sharp as an old fox.

"Mr. Jiang's strategy does indeed have some merit. This heated debate has certainly broadened my horizons."

Han Qi paused, then suddenly changed the subject:

"but--"

He stared into Jiang Lin's eyes and said, word by word:

"Mr. Jiang, what you say makes perfect sense, and your plan is practically perfect. But in this world, it's easiest to talk the talk, but hardest to walk the walk."

Han Qi turned and bowed to Emperor Renzong, then said loudly:

"Your Majesty, since Mr. Jiang possesses such extraordinary talent and such a deep concern for the country and its people, wouldn't it be a loss to the Song Dynasty to merely have him serve as a schoolteacher?"

Emperor Renzong was taken aback: "What does Minister Han mean...?"

Han Qi turned around, looked at Jiang Lin, a playful smile curving his lips, and threw out the deadly trap he had prepared long ago:

"Mr. Jiang, since you believe this 'layoff theory' can save the Song Dynasty, would you be willing to enter the court as an official and personally implement your new policies at this critical juncture?"

"Since you're so capable, then you go ahead and do it."