The Bad Guys: Playing the Fake Li Xingyun at the Beginning

After the Ministry of Personnel was purged, the Secretariat quickly issued an order requiring the Ministry of Personnel to prepare for the imperial examinations, including reforming them.

The imperial examination can no longer serve as a channel for the court to select talents nowadays, because the imperfect system has led to favoritism and fraud in the imperial examination, which has prevented truly talented people from entering the court.

The imperial examination system truly became a system for the imperial court to select talents starting from the Song Dynasty and continued to later generations.

Therefore, if one wants to select real talents, the imperial examination must reduce favoritism and fraud to the greatest extent possible. It is impossible to completely eliminate favoritism and fraud in this world, but the chances of favoritism and fraud can be reduced to the greatest extent possible through a strict system.

Su Ming listed a series of ideas, including copying under a false name, temporarily appointing a chief examiner, strictly prohibiting the examiners from contacting the outside world, body searches... and put them on the desk of the Secretariat.

Of course, there is also the most important content reform. The imperial examination system can win the hearts of people all over the world, but Su Ming will never let the imperial examination system become a one-sided system for Confucianism.

Since we cannot monopolize the imperial examination, it is of utmost importance to divert the Confucian scholars.

This was also an opportunity for the various schools of thought to re-emerge. At any time, there is no motivation without competition. The reason why Confucianism became lifeless and unable to innovate was because it had no opponents.

Only when different ideas collide can sparks of wisdom emerge.

Of course, the situation in the Spring and Autumn Period when various schools of thought prevailed would never happen again. Under the unified system, even if the world was divided, it would only last for a few decades, and it would eventually be unified after separations and reunifications.

Of course, Su Ming would not bring up this matter so early. A rash change would not be a good thing. Moreover, the imperial examination had lasted for so long that the scholars all over the world were already familiar with its past contents. It would not be a good thing to change it directly.

However, the fact that the content of the imperial examination cannot be changed does not mean that Su Ming cannot make changes in other aspects.

The imperial examination not only had civil examinations, but also military examinations.

Compared with the civil examination, the military examination was not taken seriously and was ignored. The world had been at war for a long time, and there were always scholars who took up arms and studied military affairs. Su Ming did not seek to select an undefeated war god like Han Xin and Li Jing, but there was indeed no problem in screening out some middle and low-level officers.

Moreover, the imperial court had the Imperial College but no place for military men to study, which led to disunity between the emperor and the soldiers and officers below him. If the generals and commanders above him rebelled, the soldiers and officers below him could only follow blindly without any choice.

Therefore, reforming the system and paying more attention to the martial arts examination are what Su Ming will do next.

As for the selection of concubines, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue are in charge, and with Prince Qi keeping an eye on it, Su Ming has nothing to worry about.

Chapter 109: The Reform of the Scientific Examination Moves People's Hearts

Soon, the Secretariat compiled ten new regulations for the imperial examinations and promulgated them throughout the country.

As soon as these ten new rules for the imperial examination were posted, the whole of Luoyang was in an uproar. The news spread like wildfire throughout the Central Plains.

The imperial examination began in the Sui Dynasty and has lasted for hundreds of years. Although ostensibly the examination was for selecting talents for the country, in fact, the outcome was already determined the moment the candidates stepped into the examination room.

During the Tang Dynasty, the imperial examinations were not conducted with names covered and papers were not copied. The examiners could tell who wrote the papers at a glance. Moreover, whether a candidate passed the examination did not depend on his talent and ability but on his background and whether he had someone behind him.

Because all this was destined at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty. The aristocratic families controlled the government and power. The Five Surnames and Seven Families were even more famous and popular than the Li royal family. The Guanzhong aristocratic families and the Shandong gentry were two huge mountains that stood in their way.

In addition, candidates had to submit their papers to court officials before the exam. Even Wang Bo, a famous poet in the early Tang Dynasty, had to follow Princess Yuzhen's path to pass the exam, even though Wang Bo was a member of the Wang family, one of the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families.

If it were in the past, even if Su Ming was the emperor, it would have been difficult for him to implement such a policy.

However, times have changed.

The bones of the nobles were trampled on the streets, and the inner treasury was burned to ashes.

Huang Chao's rebellion dealt a heavy blow to the aristocratic families and dealt a severe blow to the broken world. The old order could no longer be maintained and the world fell into chaos.

There are many shops and taverns outside Chongwenmen. At the corners of the streets, there are large sheds with wine flags on the pillars. Merchants from the Western Regions and Sichuan gather here. After a glass of wine, everyone starts talking to each other, whether they know each other or not.

"Tell me, what is the meaning of the imperial examination of the imperial court?" A skinny man holding a wine glass complained.

"What else can it be? The emperor will reopen the imperial examinations to select talents."

"The imperial examination has been going on for so many years, but it's still the same. It's impossible to become an official through the imperial examination!" An old man said indignantly in the corner of the tavern.

He was wearing a shirt that had been washed so much that it looked bleached, with patches on it hidden in inconspicuous places. His long gray hair was held up with a wooden hairpin, and his face was full of wrinkles, making him look very old.

"Old sir, the court has promulgated new rules for the imperial examination, which are different from the previous ones. Today's emperor is wise and enlightened, and we have the assistance of King Qi and King Xue. Why can't we select talents through the imperial examination?" A young scholar was indignant and retorted.

"Hey! Imperial court. I've taken exams for forty years and failed every one of them. Even the simplest Mingjing exam was unacceptable to me. But those children of wealthy families who are ignorant and have not even read through the Confucian scriptures can pass the exam. Imperial examination, bah!" The old man seemed to be angered by his words and exploded his wound directly.

I have been taking the exam for forty years!

People around him looked at him with pity. Forty years of scientific research, this required such perseverance, but also such bad luck.

For a moment, everyone was silent.

After a while, a middle-aged man in an official robe advised, "Why are you so depressed, old sir? The emperor restored the Tang Dynasty and reopened the imperial examination system, selecting candidates based on their talents. If you don't believe me, you can go and look at the new rules for the imperial examination. The court has even abolished the practice of submitting examination papers, and scholars are no longer allowed to submit their examination papers to officials."

"Oh, forget it. I was born at the wrong time. I am already sixty years old. Even if I pass the exam, I can only serve as an official for a few more years. Never mind, never mind." Having said that, the old man drank the remaining wine on the table and staggered away.

There was a moment of silence in the tavern, but it soon returned to its bustling state. The appearance of the old man was just an episode and did not affect anyone's mood at all. Only those scholars who wanted to take part in the imperial examinations felt sad and seemed to have some feelings.

"It seems that the emperor of the Central Plains is really ambitious. We must convey the news to the king as soon as possible." In an inconspicuous corner, two Hu people wearing leather armor withdrew their gazes and whispered.

Ever since Su Ming sent Zhang Zifan as an envoy to Khitan, Yelu Abaoji has become more and more concerned about the situation in Luoyang. In the past, although he had coveted the Central Plains, he did not dare to go south.

The reason is actually very simple, he can't beat him.

When Li Cunxu ascended the throne, Yelu Abaoji went south. Li Cunxu personally led a large army north and defeated them, forcing them to flee in panic.

After this battle, Yelu Abaoji's intention to go south to the Central Plains faded a lot.

It has to be said that the power in the Central Plains is not bad now. Various Jiedushi are entrenched in prefectures and counties, and their subordinates are all arrogant and brave generals. They maintain troops and prepare for war at all costs. On the one hand, this leads to the growth of local separatist forces, and on the other hand, it also leads to the decline of people's livelihood.

However, the fact that the Central Plains is powerful does not mean that the imperial court is strong. Now the imperial court's base lies in the State of Jin with Taiyuan as its core and the State of Qi with Fengxiang Prefecture as its core. The State of Liang was destroyed, but those military governors only obeyed orders and not announcements, so it was difficult for the imperial court to completely suppress them.

Why was Li Cunxu so easily backstabbed by an actor?

It was because he had no one under his command who could be used. Li Siyuan was too powerful to be eliminated, so he had no choice but to rely on his actors to serve as military supervisors and take control of the military power.

But being a brave and powerful general is not just talk. Asking those generals who control thousands of troops to obey the orders of a mere actor is tantamount to an insult to them.

What's more, those actors were not good people either. Relying on their status as the emperor's confidants, they acted tyrannically and bullied the generals at will. This led to the military governors becoming alienated from Li Cunxu.

After the rebellion broke out, Li Cunxu was left with almost no soldiers available, so he had to rely on Li Siyuan. However, Li Siyuan had already defected to the bad commander Yuan Tiangang and decisively stabbed his adoptive father Li Keyong in the back.

As soon as Li Keyong died, Li Cunxu was killed cleanly and neatly by the Mirror Heart Demon.

But although Li Cunxu was dead, those arrogant and brave generals were still there. Having been beaten so badly before, Yelu Abaoji dared not go south again. He could only try his best to collect information from the Central Plains, take advantage of every opportunity, and reap the benefits.

……

In a luxurious mansion in Luoyang city, some people gathered here. These guys were wearing luxurious silk clothes, and they were extraordinary, gentle and elegant.

These people are the descendants of the current big families such as Wei, Wang, Cui, and Pei. The reason they gather here today is naturally because of the new imperial examination rules issued by the court.

"Brother Pei, the court has issued new rules for the imperial examination, which is very disadvantageous to us. What do you think?" A scholar wearing a green shirt and a beautiful jade on his waist said in a deep voice.

The middle-aged man whom he called Brother Pei's eyelids twitched, but he was secretly angry in his heart, "You, Wei, you actually want to use me as a gun."

On the surface, he remained calm and composed. "The imperial policy has already been announced. What else can I do? I am just following the trend."

As soon as he finished speaking, a member of the Wang family couldn't wait to speak out, "This little emperor is really restless. He hasn't even dealt with the King of Jin, but he can't wait to dig up our roots. How naive!"

Chapter 110 The troubled Li Siyuan

"Hmph, Mr. Wang, if you have any objections, you can ask someone to refute them instead of complaining here." The Wei descendant who had just spoken was unhappy.

"We are here today to discuss countermeasures. The imperial court issues decrees and announces them to the world. It is impossible to change them overnight, so you'd better not think about anything else. If you want to return to the court, just take the exam honestly." The Pei family's children also advised.

The imperial court has a righteous cause, and these aristocratic families have suffered severe losses. They are no longer the ones who can call the shots and influence the court as they did in the early Tang Dynasty.

A plucked phoenix is ​​no better than a chicken. In a sense, having lost their hidden land and population, these aristocratic families have long become fat sheep in the eyes of various military governors, and have been exploited at will.

In a sense, these aristocratic families shared weal and woe with the imperial court. If the imperial court was strong, they would naturally be strong as well. If the imperial court was weak, they would naturally be weak as well.

Over the years, they have also thought about supporting the Jiedushi generals.

But once those arrogant soldiers and generals have swords and guns in their hands, they will no longer obey their orders. Your money and food are of no use; I have swords and guns, which is the truth.

If you dare to hold up my money and food, I’ll chop you into pieces!

Facts have proved that without the righteousness of the imperial court, they could not control those soldiers and generals, and they could not openly establish their own regime.

Nowadays, if the army is defeated, the entire family will be exterminated. They cannot and dare not take this risk.

Just like the story about Wei Zhuang, who had his inner treasury burned to ashes and whose bones were trampled on by officials in the streets, if he had not been a descendant of the Wei family, he would have been dealt with by the court long ago. But even so, his official career in the court was cut off, and he had to go to Shu to serve as a minister and persuade Wang Jian to become emperor.

The aristocratic families are experiencing a period of transition and their descendants are dwindling. Although their heritage is still there, only some of their foundation remains, and their power in the court is extremely weak.

When the Tang Dynasty fell, they were cut off once.

Later, when Jin and Liang were fighting for supremacy, the major families were caught in the middle and made many bets. As a result, Liang was destroyed. They barely took advantage of Li Cunxu's influence, but before they could enjoy the fruits of victory for long, Li Cunxu died.

Li Siyuan nominally ruled the State of Jin, but in reality he was in control of the imperial court. He purged Li Cunxu's people on a large scale. As a result, these powerful families suffered again, and their already declining power was further damaged.

The aristocratic families were weakened time and time again in the wars, and their heritage that had been passed down for hundreds of years was lost step by step. Their population, money and food were taken away by the soldiers, and now, they only had poetry and books left to pass down their family heritage.

The Wei family member snorted coldly, "Now, it's not the same as before. Even if you are unhappy with the court, you have to hold it in. I invited you here to discuss countermeasures."

"Once the new rules for the imperial examinations are implemented, our noble families will be weakened step by step. Even if we are a family of poets and scholars, how many positions can we occupy in the court?"

"As time goes by, those children from poor families will enter the court. We don't have so many officials to fight against them."

The Pei family sighed, somewhat helplessly, "Yes. The emperor's move is a blatant conspiracy, and it is also a criticism of the current ills and the elimination of the malpractices of the imperial examination system. We are not his target, but we are just innocent bystanders."

The Five Surnames and Seven Aristocrats were famous throughout the world, but they received an elite education, and there were not many people who could come up with something outstanding in each generation. In the past, they had money and food, and they had many hidden populations and controlled the local areas, so the imperial court could do nothing about them. Even the female emperor Wu Zetian could only weaken them step by step, but could not disintegrate them.

Because they are the cornerstone of the court's rule. Without them, the Tang Dynasty's rule would have largely collapsed. This is because the Tang Dynasty was congenitally flawed from the beginning, inheriting the foundation of the Sui Dynasty as well as their shortcomings.

……

Jin Palace.

In the hall, Li Siyuan was wearing a royal robe, his eyes narrowed, and no one knew what he was thinking.

"Brother, many officials in our department have been impeached. The traitor Li Cunli revealed a lot of details about Tongwenguan. All our previous deeds have been dug up, and the court is investigating now." Beside him, a young man in a white scholar's shirt, with bright features and good temperament, was reporting.

This person was none other than Li Cunzhi, the leader of the Zhizi Sect and one of the Thirteen Guardians of the Tongwenguan.

Li Siyuan frowned, and the lines on his forehead became visible. "Seventh Brother, I will take care of the court. You just need to stabilize the disciples of Tongwenguan. Remember, Tongwenguan is my eyes and right-hand men. Without them, I am like a blind man without eyes, unable to see anything."

In troubled times, the army is naturally important, but intelligence information is also important.

Take the end of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period as an example. Yelü Deguang, a descendant of Yelü Abaoji, invaded the Central Plains, overthrew the Later Jin Dynasty, made a fortune in the Central Plains, and then withdrew from the Central Plains.

At that time, the Central Plains was leaderless and its vitality was greatly damaged, but the south had the natural barrier of the Yangtze River and had not experienced war. As long as they sent troops to occupy the city of Daliang in the Central Plains, they could rule the Central Plains. As a result, the southern princes at that time had no news and no one went north, so they missed the great opportunity. As a result, the vast Central Plains was wasted by Liu Zhiyuan.

"Don't worry, big brother. The disciples of Tongwenguan have already moved and are hiding underground. All the account books and lists have been destroyed. There will be no loopholes." Li Cunzhi is Li Siyuan's seventh brother. He is not well-known to the outside world. He has been staying in Hedong to maintain the situation.

Li Cunli's betrayal of Prince of Jin undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Li Siyuan's reputation, and the Thirteen Guardians of the Tongwenguan had already suffered heavy casualties. Among them, Li Cunli and Li Cunyi defected to the emperor and opposed him. Li Cunzhong, Li Cunxiao, Li Cunhui, Li Cunyong, Li Sizhao and others were all killed in the Longquan Sword Rebellion, and Li Cunren died in the desert.

The Thirteen Guardians of the past have fallen apart and are no longer worthy of their reputation. Now, the only ones who can really be used by him are the seventh Li Cunzhi and the eighth Li Cunxin.

Among them, Hedong Taiyuan was his base, and someone had to be in charge, so he placed the eighth brother in Taiyuan and mobilized the seventh brother to Luoyang.

Li Siyuan nodded and patted his shoulder to show his appreciation. As long as the Tongwenguan was not lost, he didn't care even if more officials in the court were impeached.

Just thinking of Li Cunli, the culprit of all this, made him gnashing with hatred. During this period, he was caught off guard and was extremely busy.