Phoenix Cries Return to Court

The group discussed the current policies for evaluating and promoting officials.

Lin Xihe paused as she walked to the carved window frame, instinctively stopping in her tracks.

Today, she was intrigued to hear the opinions of the scions of prominent families in the capital and the younger generation of court officials.

"In my opinion, the evaluation and promotion of officials should be based on nepotism! People from humble backgrounds, without connections, family background, or past favors, will only be eager for quick success and instant benefits if they suddenly find themselves in high positions. They have no ties and are therefore unscrupulous. Once they have power, they are most likely to disrupt the law and undermine the system."

Lin Xi frowned. These remarks must come from a young and impetuous scion of a prominent family.

As he pondered, a clear male voice echoed, "Brother Wang is absolutely right! The saying 'be close to virtuous ministers and keep away from petty men'—the word 'close' here refers to those who are close to you!"

"I don't think that's appropriate."

One person spoke up in rebuttal, saying, "The appointment of officials should prioritize the virtuous and capable. If we blindly appoint relatives and friends, it will only allow those who are incompetent and immoral to hold high positions, embezzle public funds, and oppress the people. In the end, it will damage the foundation of the court and the common people of the world."

"Appointing people based on merit? Easier said than done!"

The loud male voice that had just spoken of nepotism rang out again: "The scions of noble families have received favors for generations, and the honor and disgrace of their families are tied to them. They act with propriety, know the rules, and understand when to advance and retreat. Only by employing them can the court be at peace and the country stable. What is wrong with employing them?"

"But we can't let personal relationships dictate the selection of virtuous individuals, can we?"

"If the court is filled with nepotism, it will only lead to rampant corruption and increasing chaos in the government. If this continues, the country will cease to exist!"

Everyone had their own opinion, and the argument continued.

Lin Xihe leaned against the carved window frame, her brows slightly furrowed.

Such shallow words! It's true that each generation is worse than the last.

Today, everyone in the courtyard is a young master from a prominent family, some of whom even hold important positions in the court, yet they have not even grasped the most basic principles of official appointment.

The core of official evaluation and promotion has never been a choice between "nepotism" or "meritocracy," but rather how to find a balance between the two, so that the incompetent and immoral do not rise to high positions because of their family background, nor do they allow the virtuous and capable to be buried because of their background.

Disappointment and resentment grew heavier in her heart. When she heard someone spouting nonsense, claiming that "scholars from humble backgrounds are all untrustworthy, and only trusted confidants can be chosen to stabilize the court," she finally couldn't hold back and blurted out, "That's wrong!"

The discussions in the council chamber abruptly ceased, and everyone instinctively looked towards the wall next door.

A handsome man dressed in a black robe with red patterns, a jade belt with a coiled dragon around his waist, frowned and stepped forward. He spoke coldly to the courtyard wall, "Who dares to spout nonsense here? How dare a woman presume to discuss state affairs? She truly doesn't know her place!"

This person was none other than the current Crown Prince, Fu Chen.

He was also invited to the banquet today, and as the crown prince, he was naturally the center of attention.

The statement "Scholars from poor families are all untrustworthy, and one should not employ people who are not trusted" just now came from him.

Seeing the Crown Prince's angry expression, the surrounding crowd echoed, "What does a woman know about the appointment of officials? How dare she speak so presumptuously here!"

"She's probably some young lady from a wealthy family, ignorant of manners, just trying to attract attention here!"

Lin Xihe stood beneath the wall, neither humble nor arrogant, and said, "Your Highness, I cannot agree with your words. The appointment of officials concerns the state and the people, and should focus on seeking truth and being pragmatic. It should be based on merit and virtue, and has nothing to do with whether someone is male or female."

"In ancient times, Mu Guiying led troops to defeat the enemy, and Fan Lihua conquered Xi'an. Women can also stabilize the country and bring peace to the nation. So why can't we discuss national affairs?"

Her tone shifted abruptly, her voice rising sharply, "Your Highness, as the Crown Prince, instead of distinguishing right from wrong, and disregarding the pros and cons of national policies, you use the phrase 'women should not interfere in politics' to silence dissent and evade the main issue. Is this your way of governing, prioritizing gender over national affairs and status over reason?"

These words were forceful and to the point, and the council chamber fell silent once again.

Fu Chen's face darkened, his displeasure intensifying. He suppressed his resentment, his tone remaining arrogant, "I, the Crown Prince, ask you: you say I'm wrong, then how should officials be appointed? If you can't give a clear explanation, don't expect to leave unscathed today!"

After speaking, he felt a sense of satisfaction, concluding that the woman was merely being glib and would not be able to offer any practical solutions.

Lin Xihe's voice rose again calmly and unhurriedly, "Since Your Highness has asked, I will dare to speak frankly. The Mozi says in the chapter 'Honoring the Worthy': 'Honoring the worthy is the foundation of governance.' The appointment of officials depends on their ability and virtue. Only by selecting virtuous and capable people can we rectify officialdom, appease the people, and stabilize the court."

"However, I do not advocate appointing people solely based on merit, nor do I agree with appointing people solely based on nepotism. The evaluation and promotion of officials should take into account both merit and kinship, with virtue as the priority and ability as the key, rather than a binary choice between the two."

"Firstly, in selecting and appointing officials, virtue and talent should be the criteria, while social status should be secondary. A clear method of evaluation should be established, based on political achievements, conduct, and ability, without distinction between those from humble or aristocratic families. All should be considered equally, and only the best should be promoted. This is the way to recognize true virtuous people. We should neither deliberately belittle aristocratic families nor unjustifiably despise those from humble backgrounds. Treating everyone equally is the right path."

"Secondly, promotion should be based on merit, with loyalty and integrity as paramount. The term 'kinship' here does not refer to relatives or cronies, but rather to loyal and virtuous individuals who are devoted to the court and concerned for the common people. As stated in the *Zhenguan Zhengyao* (Essentials of Governance in the Zhenguan Era): 'If someone is incompetent, even a relative should not be employed; if someone is talented, even an enemy should not be abandoned.' As the Crown Prince, Your Highness should use this as a standard, remaining impartial and unbiased, balancing the court, and ensuring the stability of the people's hearts."

"Thirdly, to rectify official corruption, we should take the system as the framework and public inspection as the reality. We should establish special departments to conduct performance evaluations and promote or demote officials, open up avenues for advancement for those from humble backgrounds, and impose strict laws on the powerful and wealthy, thus eliminating the extremes of nepotism and empty talk about meritocracy. Only by ensuring that those without virtue or talent have no place to stand, and that talented people are given their proper positions, can we achieve a clean and honest government and a stable and lasting nation."

These words were neither extreme nor incisive, and the council chamber fell silent.

The crown prince's face turned ashen. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He thought to himself, "This woman can explain the principles of appointing officials so clearly. In contrast, my own idea of ​​'not using anyone who is not a close confidant' seems rather shallow and laughable now."

Just as the stalemate was at hand, a clear and steady voice slowly rang out from the table.

"What this young lady said makes sense; it has enlightened us. The appointment of officials should take into account both virtue and kinship, prioritizing morality and ability."

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man in white slowly walk to the side of the Crown Prince. His eyebrows and eyes were cold and his posture was like a pine tree.

Standing there, he seemed to be enveloped in a faint, clear glow. Although he was a noble young master, he possessed an air of otherworldly purity, captivating all who looked at him.

As soon as Lin Xihe spoke, Shen Jueyan felt that the voice was quite familiar. After careful listening, he knew who was behind the wall.

I had initially been observing with a detached eye, but seeing her clear and logical reasoning, I couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

When the Crown Prince saw that even his closest friend was now favoring this stranger, his face darkened, and a sense of frustration and resentment surged within him, making him feel increasingly uncomfortable.

He then spoke up again to argue, "The appointment of officials is a complex matter. You are a woman who has never been involved in the court or in the evaluation and promotion of officials. Your eloquent talk is nothing but empty talk."