Chapter 35 035 I am wise and sagacious.

The celestial inscription on the wall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple exerted immense pressure on the court officials, who were single-mindedly focused on finding out what was happening inside the palace. However, once the Minister of Works and the Chief Craftsman came out and learned what they were going to manufacture, everyone except the Minister of Revenue, who wore a long face, immediately lost interest.

This has nothing to do with the reform of the Imperial College; we don't need to worry about it.

Seeing this "heavenly book" once makes me want to go home and roll up my sleeves to spank my kids. If they hadn't caused trouble, if they hadn't happened to be fighting right in front of His Majesty, would this whole mess have happened? It even alarmed the spirits of the emperors!

Your Majesty possesses the body of a true dragon, truly like a god descended to earth. But to change things so drastically—where would that leave the old "propriety"? The matter involves too many things; the ministers dare not speak loudly. Even the upright censors and remonstrating officials appear submissive and timid. They cannot utter a single word. In the past, they relied on the phrase "ancestral laws" to suppress others; now, they themselves are being strangled.

But it was impossible to shut them up. When they went to court the next day, the officials hid their bitterness in their hearts, but still maintained a solemn and upright demeanor. They reported: "The laws and regulations of the Imperial Academy are inadequate and should be reformed. However, the emperors live high in the Jade Terrace Heaven Palace and have long been detached from human affairs. The reform should be carried out in accordance with the times."

The person speaking was very respectful, but Zhao Jialing frowned slightly as he listened.

The Wise Ruler System's helpful translation: [This minister means, "Die cleanly and don't concern yourself with worldly affairs."]

The conservative minister's heart skipped a beat, and he turned deathly pale. His knees buckled, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

He didn't mean that at all! Gods above, how could you frame someone like that!

Zhao Jialing didn't actually care about the emperors' dignity, but she was, after all, the emperor, and their reputation was equivalent to hers. She glanced at the conservative ministers and said lightly, "It seems you've been among the common people for a long time and know their suffering. You must have noticed the current state of affairs at the Imperial Academy, right? Why didn't you report this matter earlier?"

The emperor spoke, and the minister finally lost his footing, falling to his knees with a thud, stammering, "Your subject—"

"Rise," Zhao Jialing said again. A faint smile graced her face, and her voice was clear and gentle. "Our ancestors are watching over us, and I have thought of this day and night without ever forgetting. However, the safety of the world rests on my shoulders, and this matter is of utmost importance. I cannot make decisions alone. You ministers are sincere and generous, and you are my pillars of strength. We should work together as one. You may speak freely without fear of reprisal."

The courtiers strained their ears, trying to discern the emperor's true thoughts from his grandiloquent platitudes, but they couldn't detect any of his usual lively ideas.

Does what is said reflect what is thought?

However, although that's what they said, no one dared to actually say it openly.

Not punishing someone doesn't mean there's no real punishment. If you incur the sage's wrath, the most obvious sign is that you'll never be promoted, no matter how much seniority you accumulate.

The outlines in the celestial book were quite novel; I didn't understand the engineering and chemistry sections, so I won't go into detail. As for merging the "Imperial Academy, Imperial Academy, and Four Gates Academy" into one subject, the meaning was clear: it meant that future admission to the Imperial Academy would no longer be restricted by family background. Noble children would be treated the same as commoners. Many people were unwilling to accept this, but having recently caused a major disaster, they couldn't voice their opinions now. After much deliberation, the conservatives found a point of attack—military science!

Yes, the construction of the Martial Temple and the establishment of the Martial Supervisory Office during the reform of the imperial examination system still leaves some people resentful.

Taking advantage of this opportunity to "speak freely," military science was brought out and criticized. After all, military officials are rather clumsy with words and are most incompetent in arguing in court.

But...wouldn't the military officials actually attack them? The civil officials secretly glanced at the imperial guards. With the emperor's entourage present, they could rescue them from the violence in time. Besides, this could also serve as a reason for the military officials' incompetence.

Conservative ministers said: "In times of peace and prosperity, benevolence and righteousness should come first. I believe we should emulate the deeds of Yao and Shun, and cease hostilities. As long as we employ the virtuous and talented throughout the land and eliminate the wicked and slanderous, the world will naturally be at peace, and those barbarian tribes beyond the borders will come to pay tribute. With honest and kind customs, and all directions submitting to us, why would we need to resort to force?"①

Wu Chen: "?" Do we have to single them out and make them easy targets?

They were naturally indignant, glaring angrily at the troublemaker. The minister who had spoken still felt it wasn't enough, and, emboldened, gave the military officials—especially the hot-tempered Marquis of Huaihai—a provocative look.

The Marquis of Huaihai was agitated, but made no move.

Yesterday, the Xie family secretly sent someone to tell him not to pay attention to the civil officials' discussions and not to take action in the court.

Once action is taken, military studies and the military examinations will become easy targets, and the civil officials will surely criticize them to the point of extermination. If military studies can be abolished, what about the other subjects that are disliked?

Xie Lanzhao was well aware of the methods used by civil officials.

Among the six ministries, the Ministry of Works had a relatively low profile. However, at this moment, he stepped forward, crossed his hands, cleared his throat, and said, "The virtue of a gentleman is like the wind, and the virtue of a commoner is like grass. It is our duty to spread education and moral guidance. I believe that we should send disciples of the sage to spread the teachings of the sage throughout the world, so that people from all over the world will submit to us."

Civil official: "?"

Who would want to spread the teachings of the sages in barbarian lands! Which side is the Minister of Works on anyway? He used to complain about the loud voices of military officials when drinking, so why is he speaking up for them now?

The Minister of Works pretended not to see the sharp, piercing gaze of his colleague.

With a telescope in hand, who wouldn't feel their blood boil? Some might even want to stand on that watchtower with the telescope and see all the ghosts and monsters around them.

A divine object descended upon Dayong!

The "Curriculum Reform Guide" was also bestowed by emperors, so how could it be a bad thing?

If they couldn't keep up with the conversation, they simply stopped. The conservatives, having backed down, stepped down, and another person took their place, opening with: "Yao and Shun ruled the world, using agriculture, not weapons."②

"Surely none of you will object to establishing an agricultural science department?" the Minister of Agriculture asked quietly.

The conservatives had barely begun their argument when the Minister of Agriculture interrupted them. With a frown, he immediately retorted, "Farmers know about farming by experience; why should we build schools? Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants should each fulfill their roles. How can we place farmers on the same level as students?"

Zhao Jialing scoffed lightly. Scholars talk about emphasizing agriculture, but most of them can't distinguish between the five grains or even peppers and wheat.

The conversation naturally turned to agriculture. Xie Lanzhao didn't give the civil officials a chance to steer the conversation back to military matters. She said, "The ancient sage kings taught the world the benefits of plows and hoes, never concealing anything from their teachings. Yet, the world has abundant crops, and scholars remember the ancient sage kings, but they don't learn their ways. Why is this? Spoiled sons and scholars of the classics treat agriculture as a prison, using 'country bumpkin' as a derogatory term. They know the taste but forget the source, and they look down on agriculture. They take it as the foundation but forget the foundation. Is this the teaching of the sages?"

Seeing the court fall into a momentary silence, Xie Lanzhao continued, "'Those who are human are the embodiment of the virtues of heaven and earth, the harmony of yin and yang, the gathering of spirits and gods, and the essence of the five elements.' Since everyone is the essence of heaven and earth, what's wrong with studying Confucianism? What's wrong with studying agriculture? Both are the right paths. How can we belittle them?"

"Xie Zhongshu's words are wrong!" the opponent retorted. "Everyone is the essence of heaven and earth, belonging to nature. But the Great Way has not covered up simplicity, and heaven and earth have reached a state of distress, and the essence of excellence is naturally limited. At this moment, the Great Way has nowhere to extend, and only wise men who can govern the world can restore the simplicity of heaven and earth and make up for the original transformation! The distress of heaven and earth is caused by worldly customs and trends. If we want to govern the world, we need to select wise men."

"But I do not know who this wise man is." Xie Lanzhao smiled freely. "May I ask what is meant by warp and weft? What is meant by strategy and planning?"

"The Zuo Zhuan says, 'The state of Jin will uphold the laws and regulations inherited from Tang Shu to govern its people.' This refers to governance. As for 'governing and managing,' the Image says, 'Clouds and thunder gather; the superior man uses this to govern and manage.' The Book of Rites also says, 'Only the most sincere in the world can govern and manage the great principles of the world.' This also refers to governance. Scholars who learn the strategies for governing the world and the plans for establishing a nation and securing its peace can be called wise men!" The conservatives looked arrogant and conceited.

Xie Lanzhao said calmly, “Warp means weaving. The warp is made of silk, and the weft is made of horizontal silk. In weaving, the warp is still while the weft moves. You gentlemen often talk about ‘warp and weft,’ but I’m afraid you will never see its form in your lives and have forgotten its origin.”⑤ The so-called warp and weft, which governs and disrupts, all come from the art of textiles. In fact, scholars despise this art, only talking about “governing and disrupting,” but they do not know that the art is also a matter of the world.

Xie Lanzhao bowed to Zhao Jialing on the throne and raised his voice, saying, "Your Majesty, I believe that Heaven and human affairs correspond. Heaven performs its functions, and man takes over to govern. The gods transform, and governance is based on harmony. Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, has received the Heavenly Book from the Imperial Ancestral Temple. This is the Way of Heaven and the teachings of our ancestors. You should practice this Way! Ten years from now, the achievements of the Three Dynasties may be attained!"

As soon as Xie Lanzhao finished speaking, someone immediately echoed, "Your Majesty, we beseech Your Majesty to uphold the wise teachings of the former sages and reform the abuses of the Imperial Academy!"

The resounding echoes included shouts from military officials, creating a powerful and overwhelming chorus that completely silenced the conservatives. The conservatives looked ashen-faced, as if they had lost their parents.

Zhao Jialing's gaze fell on Xie Lanzhao. She nodded slightly, blinked, and seemed to understand. She said, "The state has its own national academy, and prefectures and counties also have their own academies. Reforming this system is no small matter and may cause unrest. The Military Academy is already being rebuilt; if a military academy is added after the reform, it might overlap with the Military Academy." Zhao Jialing pondered for a moment. "The Imperial Academy system still needs to be changed, but the Six Academies can remain unchanged for now. I propose converting the Military Academy into an academy named 'Mingde' (meaning 'enlightened virtue'), and piloting it for several years. What do you all think?"

The court officials thought that the Imperial Academy had to undergo major reforms, but when they heard Zhao Jialing's words, they were overjoyed.

The old system of the Imperial Academy remained unchanged, firstly to preserve their status, and secondly to reduce the amount of work they needed to do. Most importantly, with the subjects of the Imperial Academy unchanged, the imperial examination system would not undergo a radical overhaul.

If anyone's having a headache, that's the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Treasury's problem, since reconstruction costs money. As for Mingde Academy, its name sounds more like a private school. These people won't be crowding into the imperial examination system anytime soon, competing with their descendants for a better path. Besides, those subjects sound so strange—will anyone teach them? Will anyone learn them? And even if they do learn them, what good will it do? Can they pass the exams on poetry, classics, and policy essays? Without entering the imperial court, one isn't considered a true scholar.

With this comparison, accepting Mingde Academy became much easier. Everyone was overjoyed, exclaiming in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"

[Congratulations, host, on completing the "Main Quest: Governing the Country, Civil Administration II: School Reform," triggering the achievement "Unprecedented."]

[Achievement reward: Two sets of "Da Yong Edition Nine-Year Basic Education Textbooks," localized textbooks specifically designed for the new subjects!]

[With schools, how can there be no teachers and students? The recruitment and enrollment tasks for Jinxian County are starting simultaneously, so please do your best, Host!]

A mature emperor no longer laments the new tasks suddenly placed upon his shoulders.

Zhao Jialing stood up, her hands behind her back, on the jade steps, looking down at the civil and military officials.

Since she ascended the throne, she has often heard phrases like "Your Majesty is wise and sagacious."

But she knew that might not be the true thoughts of the court officials.

Reverence for the mighty power of Heaven does not equate to reverence for Heaven itself.

Just a few months ago she was dozing off during court sessions, but now... has she taken a step toward becoming a wise and enlightened emperor?

Zhao Jialing's gaze settled on Xie Lanzhao, who stood tall and elegant with a spirited air, and a smile played on his lips.

This feeling isn't bad at all.

She seemed to be closer to Xie Lanzhao now.