Chapter 31: Political vetting involves investigating three generations of family history.
The emperor looked down at Jiang Yu, who was kneeling before him. She was eighteen or nineteen years old, dignified and poised, calm and reserved, with a confident yet sunny disposition. All of these qualities made people overlook her beautiful appearance and admire her temperament and aura.
This was the first time he had used the word "aura" to describe a woman, and Jiang Yu's aura was not the kind of powerful oppressive feeling, but rather a confident and sunny one.
He couldn't help but look at Su Yuezhen kneeling behind him. She was pretty, but even kneeling on the ground, she still exuded a spoiled and arrogant air.
The difference is like night and day. This newly appointed top scholar is blind in both eyes and mind! But that's not quite right. He was probably blinded by power.
The emperor sighed inwardly at the results of this year's imperial examinations.
"Speak your mind," the emperor said, looking at Jiang Yu.
"Yes." Jiang Yu kowtowed and straightened up, looking at the emperor and said, "These past few days, I have been reading history books and have been thinking about a question: why did the Qin Dynasty perish in just two generations?"
These words made the already quiet imperial study even more tranquil. The emperor's gaze deepened as he looked at her and asked, "What have you thought?"
Then, as if suddenly realizing that Jiang Yu was still kneeling, he said, "Get up and speak."
"Yes." Jiang Yu stood up.
The emperor leaned back in his chair and casually waved his hand. "Go on."
“Yes,” Jiang Yu stood straight and said calmly, “Before unifying the six kingdoms, the First Emperor was a man of great wisdom and exceptional strategy. More importantly, he was good at employing people and recruiting talented individuals. Of the seven kingdoms at that time, Qin had the most talented people.”
The emperor nodded in agreement, signaling her to continue.
Jiang Yu continued, "At that time, the Qin state was powerful and had many talented people, making the unification of the six states an inevitable trend. But what did the First Emperor do after unifying the six states? He favored two people, Zhao Gao and Li Si."
The First Emperor, obsessed with seeking immortality and alchemy, died suddenly. At the time of his death, he was only accompanied by Zhao Gao, Li Si, and a few eunuchs. On his deathbed, the First Emperor wrote an edict ordering his son, Fusu, to return to Xianyang to arrange his funeral.
However, Zhao Gao and Li Si did not send the imperial edict to Prince Fusu, and they concealed the news of the First Emperor's death. They conspired to have Huhai succeed to the throne. Huhai, indulging in pleasure, posed no threat to the two.
The eventual outcome was that the First Emperor was sent back to Xianyang with a cartload of rotten fish; Prince Fusu was forced to commit suicide; and Generals Meng Tian and Meng Kuo were killed. The Qin state, controlled by the two treacherous officials Zhao Gao and Li Si, suffered from a hostile system, heavy taxes, and numerous other problems, ultimately leading to its demise.
At this point, Jiang Yu's face was filled with deep regret. She continued, "The First Emperor, what a powerful monarch he was, yet in the end he was reduced to riding in a cart full of rotten fish."
Seeing the emperor's somewhat moved expression, Jiang Yu said, "In my opinion, one of the main reasons why the Qin Dynasty perished so quickly was its poor personnel management. If Zhao Gao and Li Si had any integrity, they would not have done something as simple as letting the First Emperor ride with rotten fish."
The First Emperor had shown them great favor! During his reign, he trusted them implicitly, granting them the highest levels of power and status.
The emperor nodded and shifted his posture, saying, "Go on."
"Yes," Jiang Yu knelt down again, and then said, "In my opinion, officials should prioritize moral conduct. Your Majesty is more aware than anyone of the complexity and number of affairs in this great nation, with its scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants, and countless citizens. Officials in the court have to handle these numerous and complicated matters for you, and there will be various entanglements between them and between you."
Faced with these entanglements, virtuous people will uphold the bottom line of loyalty, honesty, trustworthiness, and righteousness. Although they may have selfish desires, they will not cross the line to do heinous things.
However, those who lack virtue and are solely driven by self-interest will stop at nothing to achieve their own benefit, such as murder, arson, and disrupting the government, or even plotting to usurp the throne like Zhao Gao and Li Si.
Therefore, I believe that the selection of officials in the imperial court should prioritize virtue. Those lacking virtue, no matter how talented, should be used with caution.
After saying this, Jiang Yu prostrated herself on the ground and said, "This humble woman has spoken recklessly, and I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
The emperor remained silent, his eyelids drooping, his thoughts unreadable. In truth, Jiang Yu's words contained an element of gambling. Feudal emperors sometimes acted based on their mood, and most disliked women discussing state affairs.
However, Jiang Yu is currently a victim, and with the Duke of Chu overseeing things, and the Empress Dowager seemingly not disliking her, the Emperor, even if he dislikes her discussing state affairs, probably won't kill her.
Moreover, the Duke of Chu had told her that although the current emperor did not have great talent, he had one advantage that was enough to keep him firmly on the throne: he was able to listen to advice and was not arbitrary.
So Jiang Yu took the gamble. She gambled that the emperor wouldn't listen to her just because she was a woman, and at the same time, she was giving her a chance to prove herself.
The emperor remained silent until the Earl of Qingshan spoke up, “I am guilty. I failed to properly educate my daughter, allowing her to commit murder and arson. I am willing to accept any punishment.”
Uncle Qingshan knew the gravity of Jiang Yu's words. Whether it was his plan to marry his granddaughter to Qi Yuanhong, who already had a family, or Su Yuezhen's arson and murder, both were considered morally reprehensible by Jiang Yu.
Jiang Yu's move was undeniably ruthless. He recounted how the First Emperor died while riding in a cart full of rotten fish. Which emperor wouldn't feel a chill run down his spine upon hearing this? Wouldn't he think about whether there were treacherous officials like Zhao Gao and Li Si around him?
If the Emperor takes Jiang Yu's words to heart, it will be a major blow to the Qingshan Marquis's family, Consort Su, and the Eighth Prince.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty," Consort Su said, her face pale and tears streaming down her face. "I have neglected to educate my family, allowing them to use my power to commit evil deeds. I am willing to accept any punishment."
“It is the father’s fault that the son is not taught properly; it is all my fault, all my fault,” Lord Qingshan kowtowed again.
Qi Yuanhong was already drenched in sweat; he hadn't expected Jiang Yu to be so ruthless.
However, what he didn't know was that Jiang Yu's true ruthlessness lay ahead. She then kowtowed to the emperor again and said, "Your Majesty, I have a slightly different understanding of the saying 'If a son is not taught, it is the father's fault.'"
The emperor gave her a deep look and said, "Tell me."
"Yes," Jiang Yu knelt upright and said, "The saying 'If a child is not taught, it is the father's fault' is commonly understood to mean that it is the father's fault for not raising his children properly. I believe that the upbringing of children is often influenced by the family and is formed gradually and imperceptibly."
A child is born like a blank slate; their behavior and habits are learned subconsciously from those around them. If close relatives lack virtue, even if the child is taught propriety, righteousness, loyalty, and trustworthiness, it will be difficult for them to live up to these values, because from a young age they will only see selfishness, betrayal, and disloyalty.
Therefore, the "teaching" in the saying "If a son is not taught, it is the father's fault" refers to both verbal instruction and the influence of the parents' behavior. How many children raised by morally deficient individuals will possess manners, righteousness, loyalty, and trustworthiness?
Are there instances where good shoots emerge from bad bamboo? Yes, but rarely. All court officials, regardless of rank, manage various affairs. If they are morally corrupt, it could lead to disaster and disrupt the order of the court. Therefore, the selection of court officials, including the investigation of their moral character, is extremely important.
"Then what do you think should be done?" the emperor asked.
Jiang Yu: "In my opinion, officials should have no criminals within at least three generations. If even one person commits a criminal act, their descendants should not be allowed to become officials."
In modern times, when taking the civil service exam or joining the military, the political background check even involves investigating three generations of one's family history.
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