Cheng Yao said, "Your Highness, you don't know that although the rulers of various countries on Shengwu Continent have always attached great importance to Confucianism, these rulers only want to use Confucianism as a tool to consolidate their own rule.
There are also some countries that have imperial examinations. Although they are called imperial examinations in name, it is difficult for students from ordinary families to actually obtain official positions through the examinations. Many countries have high-sounding names in name, but behind the scenes there are many operations that are unknown to outsiders.
Chu Zhenglin asked with great interest, "Oh? There's actually such a thing happening? This is the first time I've heard of such an inside story. Could Cheng Daru explain the ins and outs of this to me?"
Cheng Yao said bitterly, "Your Highness, if you think Julu Academy doesn't have enough warriors, how come it has been able to survive on the Shengwu Continent for a thousand years? It's because our Julu Academy has always cooperated with various countries on the Shengwu Continent.
In the past when there was relative peace, the powerful and aristocratic families of various countries in the Shengwu Continent would send their children to Julu Academy to study. However, since they were the children of the powerful, how could they truly learn Confucianism?
These people join Julu Academy simply to gain the identity of Julu Academy graduates. When they return to their own countries, they can package themselves as Confucian scholars, and then use this identity to gain higher status and power."
Cheng Yao's explanation made Chu Zhenglin suddenly realize. After all, before His Majesty carried out the education reform, many children of powerful people in Wei State had used similar channels to legitimately enter the court as officials, and they would not be questioned or opposed by ordinary people. Instead, they could use the cloak of Confucianism to cover up the nature of their power.
Chu Zhenglin asked, "The Imperial Examination shouldn't be this shady, right? You know, the Imperial Examination is a relatively fair selection mechanism. There's no way they could tamper with it, right?"
Cheng Yao knew that the imperial examination was fair in the eyes of others, but only the great scholars in their academy knew whether it was truly fair.
Cheng Yao replied, "Compared to other selection systems, the imperial examination is only relatively fair, but it also contains all kinds of tricks and manipulations.
Take the state of Gan, for example. Although the imperial examination system was fair and just on the surface, only the children of high-ranking officials could pass it and enter the imperial court. Even if students from poor families had real talent and knowledge, it would be difficult for them to stand out in the imperial examination.
This is because the content of the imperial examinations in Gan State has long been controlled by the dignitaries, who will let their children learn the content of the examinations in advance, so that they can have an advantage in the examinations.
Poor students have no channels to obtain the examination content and can only see the specific questions of the imperial examination during the examination, which puts them at a disadvantage in the examination.
Moreover, even if students from ordinary families were lucky enough to pass the imperial examination and enter the court as officials, they had no background or backing and would be ostracized and suppressed by those dignitaries, making it difficult for them to achieve anything in the court.
This situation is also common in other countries on the Shengwu Continent, making it difficult for truly talented poor students to succeed.
Most of the students at Julu Academy came from poor backgrounds, yet they cherished the ideal of governing the country and bringing peace to the world. They aspired to change their fate through their own efforts and contribute to the country and its people.
Chu Zhenglin had not expected that even the imperial examination was so dark, and he couldn't help but feel sad for the fate of ordinary students.
Looking back at the degree system established by His Majesty, although it may not seem fair, at least everything must be done according to the rules. With the supervision of the court and the Royal Government Affairs Office, it is difficult for favoritism or corruption to occur.
Of course, Chu Zhenglin did not dare to say that there would be absolutely no favoritism or fraud, because wherever there are people, there will be favors. But compared with the behind-the-scenes manipulation of the imperial examination, the degree system can at least give students from poor families a fair chance to compete, allowing them to stand out with their real talents and knowledge.
Perhaps it was because of this that Julu Academy chose to move its headquarters to the State of Wei.
Chu Zhenglin asked, "Then why did Julu Academy choose to move its headquarters to Wei? You should know that the Wei Kingdom's academic degree system is generally not friendly to Confucianism. Moreover, no matter what kind of system is implemented by humans, there is always the possibility of favoritism and corruption.
How can Julu Academy be so sure that Wei will give opportunities to students from ordinary families? How can they be sure that Julu Academy is absolutely fair?
Although Chu Zhenglin already had a rough guess in his mind, he still wanted to hear Cheng Yao's own words as to why Julu Academy wanted to move its headquarters to Wei State.
Cheng Yao smiled and replied, "Does Your Majesty still believe that there is absolute fairness in this world?"
Chu Zhenglin didn't answer, just shook his head. How could absolute fairness be achieved? Even if everyone was born with the same weight or appearance, there would be no absolute fairness for anyone.
Cheng Yao continued, "Your Highness doesn't believe there's absolute fairness in this world, and neither do the great scholars of Julu Academy. But we know that relative fairness is enough to change the fate of many people, and the Wei Kingdom's degree system is precisely that."
We have all read the Royal Daily during this period. His Majesty the Emperor of Wei has always emphasized that the admission system of Wei University does not allow any external force to break it. Therefore, everyone must pass the examination before entering Wei University, and only after receiving education can they obtain the qualifications to obtain fame.
Furthermore, His Majesty the Emperor of Wei emphasized the moral character of students seeking official positions. With the transitional period of training and oversight provided by the university, students' moral integrity is guaranteed. This way, while students from disadvantaged backgrounds cannot be guaranteed absolute fairness, they can showcase their talents in a relatively fair environment, which is precisely what we at Julu Academy value.
Furthermore, the Wei State University entrance exam covered more than just Confucianism; it also included a variety of practical subjects, including agriculture, mathematics, and medicine, providing more options for students with different talents. This also coincided with Confucius' original advocacy of "education for all," giving more students from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to change their destiny through various channels.
After Cheng Yao finished speaking, Chu Zhenglin applauded and said, "It seems that Mr. Cheng has a deep understanding and recognition of our Wei Kingdom's academic system. At the same time, I also know that the choice of Julu Academy was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a well-considered one. In my opinion, I fully agree with the relocation of Julu Academy's headquarters to Wei Kingdom."
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