I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

Lu Yuan placed the academy's charter on the scroll and circled the five characters "assign positions according to the director's position" with his pen.

What he wanted to argue in this debate was to ensure that truly capable people wouldn't have to kneel outside the gates of Confucian classics for their entire lives.

Over three days, Su Mingli finalized the items for the subject-specific assessments, and Young Master Liu copied the admission regulations three times.

The Imperial College invited several renowned scholars to post the topic at the main gate.

On the third day, Lu Yuan, dressed in a black and gold python robe and carrying only a scroll of regulations, ascended the three-foot-high platform in front of the Imperial Academy.

There were no armored soldiers behind him.

Thousands of Confucian scholars filled the long street, officials who came to listen crowded to the audience on the side of the stage, and ordinary people stood on stools to look inside.

Young Master Liu was so jostled that his shoes almost fell off. He protected Zhang Cheng in his arms and tried to push forward.

Su Mingli grabbed him.

"Halt! Today, Your Highness must rely on yourself."

Kong Xiuyuan raised his hand to stop the noise and placed the two treaties on the table.

"If Your Highness wins, those with miscellaneous knowledge can enter officialdom; if you lose, the academy will temporarily suspend the appointment of officials. All of you are witnesses."

Lu Yuan pressed down on the agreement, saying, "Not a single word can be renege."

Before Kong Xiuyuan could speak, the white-bearded doctor next to him stood up.

The old man's surname was Xu. He taught at the Imperial Academy for thirty years, and dozens of his students became prefects or county magistrates.

He held the whisk horizontally in his palm, pointing at the regulations that Lu Yuan had brought.

"Your Highness has made manufacturing and commerce the main subjects of your studies. May I ask what you use to cultivate your character?"

"When those who pursue profit control the money and grain, and those who are cunning wield the power of law, how can this not lead to utter chaos in the social order?"

The learned scholar beside him immediately chimed in, discussing everything from the relationship between ruler and subject to that between father and son, and from propriety to social status.

Every sentence quotes scriptures, and every point is supported by evidence.

The cheers from the audience rose and fell, but Young Master Liu couldn't understand them. However, he felt that his chances of entering the academy were in jeopardy again.

Seeing that Lu Yuan did not answer for a long time, Dr. Xu took another step forward.

"It is only natural for each profession to fulfill its duties. Why force oneself to don official robes and infiltrate the imperial court?"

Lu Yuan opened the charter and handed it directly to him.

"Who says that someone who knows how to build canals can also be in charge of criminal justice?"

Dr. Xu was taken aback.

Lu Yuan continued, "Those in water conservancy are assigned water conservancy positions, and those in finance are tested on their knowledge of money and grain. After the assessment, there is a trial period, and those who do not perform well are dismissed."

"As for cultivating virtue, both the law and the scriptures are essential studies."

"You haven't even read the rules, yet you've already nurtured a nest of treacherous officials for me?"

Someone on the side of the stage couldn't help but laugh.

Another scholar reached out to stop the proceedings, pointing to the student roster on the first page.

"The first batch consists entirely of sons of noble families. His Highness claims it's based on merit, but who knows if they'll end up buying official positions with money?"

The cheers from the audience turned into questions.

This is what many scholars from poor families hate the most.

What they fear is that they'll work themselves to old age while someone else can sit on their head simply because of their surname.

Lu Yuan looked straight down at the audience.

"Young Master Liu, what should we do if we fail the exam?"

Young Master Liu shrank back, all the luck he had gained from copying the regulations completely gone.

"You shall not be appointed to any official post; you shall return to your studies."

"It's no use anyone pleading for you, remember that!"

Lu Yuan turned back to the great Confucian scholar.

"The next round of open recruitment is open to ordinary citizens as well. If you are worried about the authenticity of the results, you are welcome to come and proctor the exam. The results will be posted publicly!"

"As for you... I must correct one of your problems!"

"Please enlighten me, Your Highness!"

The scholar asked in an annoyed tone.

Lu Yuan said in a serious tone: "An official's duty is to be loyal to the emperor and to help the people. An official position is a responsibility, not an honor."

"You have studied hard for years and finally entered officialdom, not to bring glory to your ancestors or improve your lives, but to make life better for all people in the world."

"To ensure that children are cared for and the elderly are supported."

"But how can we improve people's lives?"

"To ensure that people have enough to eat, we must improve the land, seeds, and farming tools."

"To ensure that people have surplus wealth, we must vigorously develop industry and commerce."

"To prevent people from freezing to death in winter, we must find alternative fuels to firewood."

"To enable everyone to read and write, we must reduce paper costs and increase production."

"And are these things mentioned in the Four Books and Five Classics?"

One sentence left the entire room speechless.

Are these things mentioned in the Four Books and Five Classics?

Obviously not!

But can such a "prosperous age" really be achieved?

Lu Yuan snorted coldly, then said, "I know this is unfair to those of you who sell your houses and land and take out loans to study, but people should look at the bigger picture."

"Don't you want your descendants to truly live in a prosperous era?"

"Even royalty can fall on hard times. You don't want your descendants to be so poor that they can't afford to go to school or have enough to eat."

"Was he exploited to death by the powerful and wealthy?"

These words brought a look of anticipation to many people's faces.

Dr. Xu's face darkened. He took the charter, glanced at a few lines, and his brows furrowed even more.

He was prepared to refute the idea that a craftsman who was ignorant of etiquette had suddenly risen to a high position, but Lu Yuan's words were extremely vicious.

Lu Yuan conceived a "prosperous" world that everyone longed for, to shut everyone up.

Anyone who dares to refute this will offend the people of the world.

But if this path is established, what does it matter what the qualifications that his students have worked hard for over a decade to earn?

"No matter how well it's said, it's all just empty talk!"

He placed the charter on the table, saying, "What countless sages of the past failed to achieve, how can we possibly accomplish? Your Highness is abandoning the root for the branch, gaining temporary benefits but sacrificing the foundation for generations to come!"

These words jolted everyone awake.

Yes!

What countless sages of the past failed to achieve.

What gives the Crown Prince the right?

Kong Xiuyuan stood up, clutching the whisk, his eyes still showing surprise.

"Your Highness's idea is good, but how can it be implemented?"

Lu Yuan laughed instead, "The Chancellor has finally gotten to the point."

"Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth."

"Didn't our ancestors say that human determination can conquer nature?"

"If Yu the Great could control the floods, then Yu Gong could move mountains."

As the saying goes, the student surpasses the teacher.

"Why must we be inferior to the sages of the past? Don't we realize that a teacher is not necessarily more virtuous than their student, and a student is not necessarily inferior to their teacher?"

Dr. Xu felt a lump in his throat.

"We've studied diligently for decades..."

"Hard work deserves respect, but merit should be discussed separately."

Lu Yuan stared at him: "Sages entrusted you with the responsibility of governing the people, yet you use sages to guard your official position!"

Dr. Xu suddenly stood up straight, wanting to refute, but he coughed violently after uttering only one word.

A mouthful of blood splattered next to the charter, and the man fell backward.

The two PhDs quickly helped him up, and the scholars in the front row stood up one after another, but no one in the back row cheered anymore.

Kong Xiuyuan stared at the unfolded charter, his face gradually losing color.

He could point out the shortcomings in the assessment, but he could no longer find a reason to block the entire road.

Lu Yuan's words resonated deeply with people, and he even brought up the wisdom of his ancestors.

They lost this debate!

Kong Xiuyuan finally moved his chair and bowed deeply to Lu Yuan.

"On this point, I concede defeat. There is some merit to the idea that one should pursue officialdom through genuine learning."

Lu Yuan walked to the front of the stage, one hand behind his back.

Thousands of Confucian scholars looked at the bowing libationer and could no longer utter a word of agreement.

"In today's debate, who can deny our authority?"