chsdbacks Chapter 178 The Establishment of the Imperial Examination System!
Chapter 178 The Establishment of the Imperial Examination System!
When discussing the Dao, Chunyu Yue, a great Confucian scholar of the time, was so infuriated by his quotations from classical texts that he nearly fainted!
When it comes to governing the country, Tan Feng, the young talent on whom they placed high hopes, was made a joke by the other party!
Whether it was a battle of words or a battle of wits, a contest of theory or a battle of wits, they all lost!
A complete and utter defeat, utterly crushed!
Could it be... the imperial examination system?!
Is this situation truly going to be decided by this sorcerer?
On the stage, Tan Feng's face was already ashen!
The strategy of "tax cut negotiation" is so naive that it's like children playing house!
His legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees, utterly powerless.
He muttered to himself:
"We lost... How could we... Lose so completely..."
But in Ying Zheng's eyes, an unprecedented light shone!
ruthless!
Too bad!
Without spending a single penny of the national treasury, all it took was an imperial edict and a stone tablet!
This includes public opinion, morality, reputation, and even supernatural beliefs!
It was all hanging over the necks of those wealthy gentlemen!
This is hardly forced donation!
This is forcing them to open their own wallets!
They were even afraid of not digging deep enough!
Just as the entire audience fell silent!
Zhang Fan slowly turned around, faced Ying Zheng, and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty, the facts have proven that hereditary nobility and official positions are passed down from father to son!"
"Nine ranks of officials, a forest of noble families!"
"Those selected through such methods of recommendation may be like Dr. Chunyu, who engages in empty talk that harms the country and remains stagnant!"
"Or perhaps they are corrupt officials like Wu Liang and Luo Lang, who embezzle public funds, abuse their power, and prey on the people!"
"Or perhaps someone like Tan Feng, who appears intelligent but is actually narrow-minded, only knows how to compromise, and is unaware of the big picture."
"The outcome of today's debate is already decided!"
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you abolish the recommendation system and open the door to the imperial examination!"
"To select the true talents of the world for the Qin Dynasty!"
"To pave a path to advancement for all people!"
The moment he finished speaking, the entire room was stunned.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ying Zheng slowly stood up from the dragon throne.
His tall figure cast a shadow, facing the officials below the stage.
His gaze was cold, and he spoke in a flat tone.
"I am very disappointed!"
The voice wasn't loud, but it was filled with chill and mockery.
"You all receive salaries from the imperial court and enjoy the support of the people!"
"On ordinary days, they quote classics and engage in lofty discussions, as if they were all talents capable of governing the country and bringing peace to the nation."
"But today, facing the Immortal Master, in this debate on the Dao, you have lost!"
"When it comes to governing a country, you've lost too!"
A group of people were rendered speechless by one person's rebuttal!
"A renowned Confucian scholar was so angered that he fainted on the spot!"
"The so-called solutions proposed by this talented young man you recommended are nothing but child's play!"
"These are my trusted ministers? These are the pillars of my Great Qin?"
"A bunch of useless cowards who only know how to protect their own family's interests and are helpless when faced with any real problems!"
"What use are you to me?"
The last four words, though spoken softly, sent a jolt through the hearts of every civil official!
They were all trembling, their faces ashen, and many of them were even unable to stand and collapsed to the ground.
Ying Zheng's rebuke was undisguised, and they could not utter a single word in rebuttal.
After denouncing all the officials!
Ying Zheng took a deep breath, then turned to face the tens of thousands of eagerly awaiting citizens and scholars in the square, his voice suddenly rising in pitch.
"I hereby declare today!"
"Effective immediately, the centuries-old system of recommendation is abolished!"
"Introduce the imperial examination system and establish a new path! All citizens of our Great Qin, regardless of their background or social status, can pass the examination and enter the court as officials!"
"Determine merit and character based on talent and achievement!"
"I want all scholars in the land to know that the gates of the Emperor are open to you!"
"I will ensure that there are no more talented people in this world who are not given the opportunity to shine!"
"I will ensure that the Qin Dynasty's empire lasts for thousands of generations, forever secure and immortal!"
These words echoed throughout Xianyang.
After a brief silence, tens of thousands of people and scholars in the square erupted in a huge cheer!
"Your Majesty is wise!"
"Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Qin Dynasty!!"
Countless people knelt down and kowtowed towards the high platform!
I am genuinely excited and grateful!
This is a path they never dared to imagine in the past, but today, their emperor has personally granted it to them.
Amidst the enormous cheers, the officials completely lost their morale.
Their world collapsed at that moment.
The foundation of their power, upon which they had relied for survival and which had been passed down for centuries, was abolished by the emperor with a single word!
Their descendants will no longer be able to easily enter officialdom based on their family background!
Instead, they must compete through the same exams as all ordinary citizens.
"It's over...it's all over..."
An old minister collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face, his expression one of utter despair.
Even worse, some people suddenly went black and, following in Chunyu Yue's footsteps, also fainted.
The remaining people were also distraught and unsteady on their feet.
Amidst this scene of chaos and ecstasy!
Only Li Si, the Minister of Justice, breathed a long sigh of relief after the initial shock.
Finally, it's over.
He felt a sense of relief!
Damn it!
I'll definitely have to avoid that kid next time!
Nothing good ever comes of running into him!
but!
Fortunately, I had never made an enemy of this person from the beginning.
Li Si silently straightened his clothes, his mind already racing with calculations!
The old system has ended, and a new era has begun!
I, Li Si, should be a hero!
……
Meanwhile, in round 749.
"He did it! He did it!!"
The technician jumped up from his seat, waving his fist and staring intently at the main screen, his face flushed with excitement.
"We won! We won! The imperial examination! He really made the imperial examination system a success!"
"That's incredible! We've pushed back one of the most important systems in Chinese history by a full eight hundred years!"
"Look at the faces of those officials! Hahaha, it's hilarious!"
Countless people hugged and high-fived each other in celebration.
The immense pressure that had been building up inside me for months was released in an instant!
They are not just bystanders; they are the driving force behind this great transformation!
He witnessed firsthand and personally facilitated a miracle that was enough to change the course of civilization.
Amidst this roaring cheers!
Zhu Feng slowly sat back down in his chair.
He leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.
The continuous high-intensity work has caused my eyes to become sunken and bloodshot!
But we cannot let our guard down now!
Every move Comrade Zhang Fan makes has the effect of a nuclear bomb!
From the curved plow to the investigation of things and the extension of knowledge, and now to this great debate...
The results are remarkable, even revolutionary!
But... it's too dangerous.
This kind of direct and brutal intervention has reversed the course of history every time.
No one understands the horror of the butterfly effect better than him!
The imperial examination was a success!
This is undoubtedly a great victory worthy of being recorded in human history!
Zhu Feng thought to himself.
But then?
What kind of "now" do we really want?
Is it merely about making that era stronger, or is there a far more profound goal?
He frowned, his fingers interlaced and resting on his chin.
"How... can we influence the present more safely?"
This is the core issue he must consider!