Chapter 190 I, Sima Guang, please give me some face!
Outside the city of Bianliang, there is the Imperial Examination Hall.
After entering from outside, Sima Guang bowed to the three of them and said, "I will have to trouble you three colleagues with the essay test this time."
Eighty percent of the examiners for this joint examination were drawn from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel. They might be able to tell the literary talent of the candidates, but to distinguish the pros and cons of the policy essays and determine the order of nouns, they still had to rely on these three examiners.
Imperial Physician Sun, who was in charge of reviewing the second report on epidemic control, bowed and said, "It's my responsibility. Thank you for your courtesy, Prime Minister."
Song Jiao, the Chief Justice of Jingdong Road, and Sima Guang had been close friends for many years, so he was not so polite to him. He nodded slightly and picked up a stack of test papers.
Sima Guang looked at Chen Xuegu, the doctor of the Ministry of Water Resources, and said, "The Chen family has always been good at flood control. I would like to trouble you, Doctor Chen, with this policy paper on flood control."
Chen Xuegu waved his hand expressionlessly and said, "No need. It's just some flattering articles. What's so interesting about them? They are just a bunch of nerds who only know how to read books of sages all day long. They don't work hard and don't know the difference between grains. Can we really expect them to control the flood?"
Sima Guang felt somewhat helpless. He knew something would happen when the Water Department sent Chen Xue Gu here.
Doctor Chen, though a lowly official, possessed real talent in water conservancy projects and flood control. However, he was often too aloof and arrogant, with a stubborn and stubborn temper. He was extremely dissatisfied with the recent practice of recruiting officials based on policy proposals. However, there was no other way around it. Chen Xuegu's grandfather had been prime minister during the reign of Emperor Taizong, a powerful figure. Although he was no longer with us, everyone still gave him some respect.
Chen Xue Gu believes that in recent years, the policy essays in the imperial examinations have long lost their original meaning. Too much emphasis has been placed on the article itself, while the most important "policy" has been neglected. The essays written by the officials are very colorful, but throughout the article, they are all empty words and clichés. In the end, those who are selected are mediocre people who only know how to write articles but not how to govern the country.
Although these problems existed in the imperial examinations, Sima Guang did not think they were as serious as Chen Xuegu said. He shook his head and said, "Mr. Chen, you are wrong. The knowledge and learning of the candidates are all uneven, and not necessarily as you say..."
He took two examination papers from the table and said, "These two are both excellent essays from this year. Doctor Chen, please take a look."
Although Chen Xue Gu didn't think these candidates could come up with any useful strategies, he knew that Sima Guang was not only the chief examiner but also the prime minister, so he had to give him some face.
He took the two test papers, looked at them, and his expression softened slightly, but he still shook his head and said, "It's just repeating what the predecessors have said. It seems to be well-reasoned, but in fact it is useless and tasteless."
Sima Guang shook his head and said, "Most of the candidates for the palace examination are young students. Sir Zhang cannot compare them with the officials of the Ministry of Water Resources."
Chen Xue Gu finally took a step back and sat at his own table, which was considered as surrender.
After all, this is a palace examination, a matter of great importance. No matter how dissatisfied he is, he has to obey the court's arrangements. The result of doing whatever he wants is to be dismissed by the emperor.
After he sat down, he picked up a piece of white paper, and if he really came across any excellent policy proposals, he would also write them down. Although this possibility was almost non-existent.
He looked at an examiner beside him and asked, "My colleague, do you have any papers?"
The failed papers were those from those who were not admitted, and he needed a few to put on the table.
Mei Zhili nodded and handed over the papers he had just marked, including the "nonsense" one.
"Thank you!"
Chen Xue Gu bowed, took the test paper, and placed it on the table. He glanced casually and saw a few words on the top test paper.
"…helps prevent floods and speeds up shipping…"
Chen Xue Gu was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but sit up straight.
The duties of the Water Department are not only to develop water conservancy projects, but as a doctor in the Water Department, flood prevention and control, shipping, fishing and transporting grain are all his responsibilities.
…
Zhao Huan visited Bianjing and felt the city's rich historical and cultural atmosphere. He first went to the famous Kaifeng Prefecture, toured the government office, and learned about the political, economic, and cultural conditions of the time.
He then visited Daxiangguo Temple, where he felt the profound heritage of Buddhist culture, immersed himself in the tranquil atmosphere, and experienced the Buddhist Zen.
Zhao Huan also visited many famous scenic spots and historical sites in Bianjing City, such as the Qingming Shanghe Tubo, Iron Pagoda Temple, Galan Temple, etc. Every time he went to a place, he was filled with emotion and gained a deeper understanding and knowledge of the history and culture of Bianjing City.
Returning to Funing Hall, Zhao Huan met with Yuwen Xuzhong who came to discuss matters. Zhao Huan and Yuwen Xuzhong had some differences of opinion when discussing the impact of Wang Anshi's reforms on the Song Dynasty.
Zhao Huan believes that "although Wang Anshi's reforms caused some social conflicts and dissatisfaction at the time, they played a positive role in the development and progress of the Song Dynasty. Among them, some policies in the new laws, such as the equal taxation of square fields and the Green Seedling Law, helped to increase central government fiscal revenue, promote agricultural production, and also promote the prosperity of commerce and handicrafts. In addition, Wang Anshi also implemented a new imperial examination system, which enabled talents and abilities to be better utilized and improved the quality of officials."
Yuwen Xuzhong believes that "while Wang Anshi's reforms had certain positive significance, they also had some serious drawbacks. For example, some of the new laws were overly harsh on farmers and local officials, leading to the exacerbation of social conflicts. In addition, the new laws also had certain negative impacts on the traditional culture and political system of the Song Dynasty, exacerbating social instability."
Furthermore, reforms should be approached gradually. This quote comes from the renowned politician Wei Zheng, who held great prestige and influence on the political scene at the time. It means that when implementing reforms, they should proceed steadily and gradually, avoiding impatience and reckless action that could cause social unrest and backlash.
This view has been somewhat validated in history. Wang Anshi's reforms were a gradual process, from initial trials to full implementation, which took several years, with constant adjustments and improvements, before ultimately achieving certain results. However, some reforms that were overly hasty in history, such as the Qin Dynasty's book burning and burying of scholars, have had serious consequences, causing great harm to society and the people.
In the end, although Zhao Huan and Yuwen Xuzhong had differences on some issues, they both believed that Wang Anshi's reforms were an important contribution to the historical development of the Song Dynasty and should not be treated as a traitor.
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