Chu Fan raised his question: "Have you ever thought deeply about this question? If the people of Wei were thoroughly infiltrated by Confucianism, and they would only blindly follow those ancient doctrines, then Wei might be able to achieve a superficial stability.
But have you ever considered how these Confucian scholars, who only know how to stick to dogma, will respond to these sudden challenges if they face foreign invasion or major changes at home in the future?
Chu Fan turned to Qian Dai from the Ministry of Revenue and asked a specific question: "Take the Ministry of Revenue as an example. Why do we often find that there is a discrepancy between the taxes collected by the Ministry of Revenue and the amount that local cities should pay? Although this is partly due to some aristocratic families relying on their power to refuse to pay the taxes they should;
But another problem that cannot be ignored is that many officials follow Confucian dogma so rigidly that they are not even clear about how much tax the cities they govern should pay.
In many cases, these officials simply accepted the figures reported by the wealthy families without verifying whether they had actually paid the taxes they were required to pay. How could such officials ensure the stability and security of the national finances?
After listening to Chu Fan's analysis, Qian Dai began to realize the seriousness of the problem. Although the Ministry of Revenue regularly pursued unpaid taxes, the results were often insignificant. Worse still, this practice significantly increased the Ministry's workload and led to a significant decline in efficiency.
Chu Anping also expressed his opinion: "Your Majesty is absolutely right. However, if Your Majesty could discuss this matter openly in the court, it might achieve better results. After all, Your Majesty should be aware of the lofty status of Confucianism in Shengwu Continent, and the numerous academies established by Confucian masters throughout the continent. If Your Majesty had not personally proposed it, it would probably be difficult to shake the deep-rooted position of Confucianism in people's hearts."
Chu Fan said to Chu Anping and others, "I'm not saying that Wei should abandon the study of Confucianism, but rather that it should pursue all-round development. While studying Confucianism, we also need to incorporate practical subjects such as arithmetic and military strategy into the education system to cultivate compound talents who understand humility and etiquette while also possessing practical operational capabilities."
Chu Fan continued, "I am giving you an example. If the mayor of a city is well versed in Confucianism, but knows nothing about other matters, how can he govern the people in his city?
If, when the imperial court issued an order to encourage agriculture and sericulture, he actively cooperated with the court to promote it, but because he lacked understanding of agricultural basics, the local people's crops ultimately failed to produce a single grain, wouldn't such a city lord become a burden to the people? However, this official was simply conscientiously carrying out the imperial decree, so what was he wrong about?
I am talking about a situation where there is a city lord who only knows how to study Confucianism. He is also very kind to the people, but when faced with war, he is unable to prevent the soldiers and people in the city from putting up an effective resistance, and may even cause the city to be lost due to improper command.
In the end, the city lord also committed suicide in the city. Do you think such a minister is loyal or mediocre? Although such a person has noble morals, he lacks the ability to deal with crises. Ultimately, he is unable to protect not only himself but also the people under his rule. Such a person, while worthy of respect, is not suitable for governing the country.
What Chu Fan said actually happened on the Shengwu Continent. However, compared to such low-probability events, using Confucianism to restrict the behavior of officials and ensure that they follow the emperor's will and the laws of the court is the simplest and most effective means.
Chu Anping said, "Your Majesty's examples show that although the officials were loyal to the court, they were unable to perform their duties at critical moments, and instead brought disaster to the country and the people. This is indeed the drawback of pure Confucianism as a means of governing the country. So, how does Your Majesty intend to change this situation?"
As a prince of the royal family and a member of the largest aristocratic family in Wei State, although the royal family could not directly participate in government affairs in the past, Chu Anping had a deep understanding of the influence of the aristocratic families. He knew that if he wanted to change the existing education system in Wei State, he would be competing for the interests of the aristocratic families. If only this group of officials proposed a plan, it would definitely not work.
Only after His Majesty issues a clear imperial decree, and the Royal Government Affairs Office and the six ministers jointly implement it, can the monopoly of aristocratic families on education be gradually broken and talents who truly meet the needs of the country be cultivated. This is actually why Chu Anping hopes that His Majesty will speak about this matter at court. After all, only when all civil and military officials hear His Majesty's imperial decree at court can the reform measures be ensured to receive widespread recognition and support.
Chu Fan said, "In the future, our Wei Kingdom will also hold imperial examinations. However, the content won't be limited to Confucian classics. It will also include practical subjects such as arithmetic and military strategy to select well-rounded talents. Another point is that the Wei Kingdom will vigorously establish academies led by the royal family and the imperial court, so that more children of the common people can receive a comprehensive education, breaking the monopoly of the aristocratic families on the imperial court and allowing children from humble backgrounds to have the opportunity to make a name for themselves."
Chu Anping then raised a question: "Your Majesty, if some students are not proficient in Confucianism, but are better at arithmetic and military strategy, how should such talents be arranged?"
Chu Fan replied, "For students who are partial to science like this, we just need to let them enter the corresponding departments. As for the others, as long as they know the basics of loyalty to the emperor and serving the country, they will be fine. As for Confucianism, they only need to master the basics and don't need to be proficient in it.
If a student is good at arithmetic, he can be admitted to the Ministry of Revenue so that his talents can be fully utilized; if he is good at military strategy, he can be admitted to the Ministry of War so that he can make achievements in military affairs. In this way, everyone can display their strengths, which not only protects talents but also strengthens the national strength.
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