While Mu Xi and the others were touring Kaifeng City, a guard came up to Chu Fan and said respectfully, "Prince Chu Anping of the Imperial Government Affairs Office invites Your Majesty to the former Imperial Academy in Kaifeng City to discuss something."
Chu Fan said, "Lead the way."
Chu Fan knew that Chu Anping would never bother him unless it was something important. So he asked the guards to lead the way without hesitation. He had also studied at the Imperial Academy before, but it wasn't very famous before.
After all, before he ascended the throne, the royal family's children could not enter the court to serve as officials due to ancestral teachings, so the royal family's children often focused on practicing martial arts, and not many of them studied seriously.
So in fact, the Royal Academy is just a place for the enlightenment of the royal children, but because it is a place for the royal children to study, it is built very luxuriously.
When Chu Fan arrived at the Imperial Academy, Chu Anping had already been waiting for a long time. Upon seeing Chu Fan arrive, Chu Anping immediately bowed and said, "This old minister greets Your Majesty."
Chu Fan said, "No need to be polite. Please stand up. I wonder what important matter Sixth Master has called me here to discuss?"
Chu Anping said respectfully, "The royal family has decided to transform the Imperial Academy into a university in Kaifeng City, so I would like to ask Your Majesty to name this university and personally write the school motto."
Chu Fan pondered for a moment at this time. In fact, Chu Fan had thought about the names of some famous universities on Blue Star, but considering that in order to maintain the rule of the royal family, the name of the Royal Academy does not need to be changed after it is changed into a university. After all, it is a symbol of the royal family's inheritance for hundreds of years, and it also maintains the bond between the royal family and the students.
Chu Fan said, "From now on, the Royal Academy will be called the Royal College. However, after it is changed to a university, the academy will no longer be exclusive to the children of the royal family. Instead, only students who meet the academic standards can enter. Even children of the royal family must pass the examination before they can be admitted. This ensures fairness and justice."
Chu Anping was puzzled and asked, "Your Majesty, if the name remains unchanged, and the children of the royal family compete with other students, will this cause dissatisfaction? After all, the Royal Academy is essentially an exclusive academy for the children of the royal family. If Your Majesty does not change the name of the school and continues to use the Royal Academy so that both the children of the royal family and the common people of Wei can attend, will it not cause some dissatisfaction?"
Chu Fan smiled and said, "I know what Sixth Master wants to say. He wants to say that the Royal Academy is a symbol of the royal family. If ordinary students can also enter, will it weaken the authority of the royal family?"
Chu Anping nodded awkwardly. This was exactly what he was thinking. If a school bore the name of the royal family but was open to all students, wouldn't the royal dignity be completely lost?
Chu Fan smiled and said, "Sixth Master, have you ever thought that the title of Royal Academy can be an incentive, making all students proud to enter the Royal Academy, which can better demonstrate the tolerance and foresight of the royal family. And the students who graduate from the Royal Academy will also be more loyal and respectful to the royal family.
After all, they were also students of the Royal Academy. From the moment they became students of the Royal Academy, they would have a sense of superiority. After all, the Royal Academy was once an institution exclusively for the royal family. Since they had entered the Royal Academy through their own efforts, this sense of superiority would transform into loyalty and pride in the royal family, thus consolidating the foundation of the royal family's rule.
Even after they graduated from the Royal Academy, whether they entered the court as officials or displayed their talents in other fields, when they introduced themselves to outsiders, they would first mention that they were students of the Royal Academy.
At this point, they were already completely connected to the imperial family, invisibly enhancing their prestige and influence. This sense of identity, more than a simple relationship between ruler and ruled, could solidify the imperial family's ruling position in the long term.
However, the Royal Government Affairs Office and the imperial court must strictly examine and review the students of the Imperial Academy. After all, if they admit students with bad conduct, it will damage the reputation of the royal family."
After hearing Chu Fan's words, Chu Anping realized that his thinking was somewhat narrow-minded. As a member of the royal family, he still had a sense of superiority. When he persuaded the royal elders to transform the Royal Academy into the university that His Majesty desired, it was only to implement His Majesty's educational reform as soon as possible.
I didn't expect that Your Majesty could look at the problem from a higher perspective and change the Imperial School into the Royal Academy. Then the royal family would be able to recruit more talented students. Then the royal family would not be afraid that the ministers in the court would form cliques for personal gain. After all, it is very likely that the important officials in the court would be alumni of the Royal Academy, and the biggest supporters would be the royal family themselves.
Chu Anping said, "Your Majesty has a far-sighted vision, and I deeply admire you."
Chu Fan smiled and said, "Sixth Master, thank you for your compliments. These are just some of my superficial thoughts. Since Sixth Master has no objection, then this matter is settled. As for the motto of the Imperial Academy, I think it should be "cultivate oneself, regulate the family, govern the country, and bring peace to the world."
Chu Anping was stunned after hearing Chu Fan's words. Mu Xi and others who had followed Chu Fan out looked at him with admiration. These nine short words perfectly summarized a student's lifelong pursuit and responsibility, reflecting the royal family's expectations for students and their profound consideration for the country.
Chu Anping came back to his senses and hurriedly said to the guards, "Quickly fetch the Four Treasures of the Study and have His Majesty write down this school motto immediately so that it can be announced to the world as soon as possible and engraved on the stone tablet at the main gate of the Imperial Academy. This way, future students will remember it from the moment they enroll, and always take "cultivating oneself, regulating the family, governing the country, and pacifying the world" as their life creed. They will not only hone their own virtues, but also care about their family, country, and the world, becoming a solid backing for the imperial family and contributing to the long-term stability of the country."
What is more important is that His Majesty is going to open two universities in Kaifeng City, and there will be three universities in the three Acropolises. At that time, the five universities will become competitors. If the royal academy of the royal family can make a name for itself earlier, it will attract more talents to gather in the future, forming a virtuous circle and further enhancing the prestige of the royal family.
Although the Royal Government Affairs Office was responsible for overseeing educational reforms in Wei, it was impossible for the royal family to control all universities. The six ministries of the court had to be involved to form a check and balance. After all, if the royal family monopolized all the benefits, who would be willing to serve the court?
Furthermore, if the imperial family monopolized all educational resources, it would inevitably spark discontent among other factions, leading to civil unrest. Therefore, the remaining four universities were jointly managed by the six ministries of the imperial court. This decentralized power, ensured educational equity, created a win-win situation for all parties, and avoided conflicts caused by resource monopoly.
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