Chapter 134 Death of Cen Wenben
After this period of relaxation, Li Chengqian has returned to work and put all his enthusiasm into his work.
After Li Chengqian finished reviewing the memorials, he convened an academic discussion, where scholars expressed their opinions and conducted academic discussions.
It can be said that a hundred flowers bloomed and the discussion was wonderful.
In short, this academic debate was very successful.
"Your Highness!" Li Chengqian and several confidants gathered together.
"Everyone, don't stand, sit down!" Li Chengqian walked straight to the main seat and sat down, and everyone sat down.
"This morning, I discussed academic matters with scholars from Chongwen Academy and Hongwen Academy. They are all well-educated people with profound knowledge."
"It's a pity that they don't know how to solve the people's livelihood problems. They only know how to talk nonsense! They even flaunt themselves as sages."
"What's even more hateful is that they actually want me to become a so-called wise ruler in the future, who can only quote classics but doesn't know about people's livelihood."
"If the Tang Dynasty is full of these officials who are well-educated, can only read books but don't know how to govern the country, how can the Tang Dynasty prosper?" Li Chengqian said. Although
the cup-raising debate competition in the morning was a complete success, it may be a literary prosperity for the academic community, but it may not be a good thing for those in power.
Fortunately, these people are only responsible for managing the Royal Library and editing data, otherwise, if he were to be an official in a local place, the people would not be able to survive.
"Your Highness! This is considered good now. Before the abolition of the Nine-Rank System, there was a situation where there were no commoners in the upper ranks and no gentry in the lower ranks, which led to the division of the world for hundreds of years."
"Since Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty abolished the Nine-Rank System and implemented the imperial examination system, this phenomenon was broken, allowing children from poor families to have a path to promotion."
"Therefore, Your Highness does not have to worry at all. You can select suitable candidates to be local officials through the imperial examination. Recruiting more children from poor families can solve people's livelihood problems." Li Yifu said.
"Mr. Li is thinking too simply. Although children from poor families can get promoted through the imperial examination, the power of the gentry is still huge now."
"The court does not attach much importance to the imperial examination. The gentry can still enter the official career through recommendation. Even if children from poor families stand out, it is just a drop in the bucket." Di Renjie said.
"What Mr. Di said is very true. I think so too. Therefore, I plan to improve the imperial examination in the future and gradually replace the other two systems for selecting officials."
"Let the imperial examination system replace these old systems and become the only system for selecting officials. Only in this way can the current situation be completely broken." Li Chengqian said.
The fact that the imperial examination system can last for 1,300 years is enough to prove its influence on society.
The birth of the imperial examination system improved the employment system, promoted the development of education, and made the reading culture popular. It
also promoted the development of literature and art. Most importantly, the court selected qualified talents through the imperial examination and entrusted them with important tasks, breaking the hereditary succession of the aristocracy.
"Your Highness wants to do this, but it is not easy. If His Majesty knew, he would not agree." Zhao Jie said.
"I have thought about this. If I want to make the imperial examination the only way to enter the officialdom, it is not possible when my father is alive. What about after I inherit the throne? Is it feasible?" Li Chengqian said.
It is not feasible now, but it does not mean it will not be feasible in the future. If others do not agree, will he not do it alone?
Besides, it is not to replace other systems with the imperial examination system all at once, but to increase the importance of the imperial examination system and lower the standards for selecting talents in other systems.
In the long run, the imperial examination will eventually completely replace other systems and become the only system for selecting talents.
Things should be done one by one, and meals should be eaten bite by bite. No one can become fat in one bite, and haste makes waste.
"Your Highness is right! Haste makes waste. If we want to completely replace the family background and the selection of officials, we need to improve the effectiveness of the imperial examination system again." Di Renjie said.
Just as everyone was discussing heatedly, a eunuch hurried in.
"Greetings, my lord!" the eunuch saluted.
"Don't you see that I am discussing important matters with the ministers? Why are you disturbing? But what important matters are they?" Li Chengqian asked.
"My lord, His Majesty has sent an urgent document from Youzhou, and I have come to report here specially." The eunuch said, and raised a sealed bamboo tube above his head.
Wang Quan immediately stepped forward to take it, turned back to Li Chengqian, and handed it to Li Chengqian.
Li Chengqian flicked the wax seal, opened the bamboo tube, and poured out Li Er's secret letter from it.
After reading it, Li Chengqian frowned and sighed softly, Alas! How could this be, Li Chengqian thought in his heart.
Seeing Li Chengqian's face change after reading the secret letter, everyone was puzzled.
"Your Highness! What happened? Did something go wrong with His Majesty's Eastern Expedition?" Du He asked the question that everyone was thinking.
"No, there was no problem with the Eastern Expedition. It was Cen Wenben who died of a sudden illness due to exhaustion." Li Chengqian said regretfully.
Cen Wenben was a capable person. Except for the fact that he stood on different sides at the beginning, his ability was beyond doubt. Li Chengqian had planned to wait for Li Er to return from the Eastern Expedition and let him become an official of the Eastern Palace.
Who could have expected this situation to happen? Cen Wenben had devoted himself to the Tang Dynasty until his death.
Everyone was shocked when they heard this! People
were more fortunate in their hearts, and few people regretted Cen Wenben's talent. After all, Cen Wenben was once Li Tai's minister and had conflicts with many people here.
They naturally did not want Cen Wenben to compete with them for interests in the future.
"Your Highness! Cen Wenben has always been well, and I have never heard that he has any illness. Why did he suddenly leave?" Zhao Jie asked.
"He died of a sudden illness because of overwork." Li Chengqian said.
Everyone suddenly realized it! This is the case.
In fact, they didn't know that since Cen Wenben became the chief logistics officer, he has been doing everything
himself. All the military supplies, food, equipment, and paperwork and records that Li Er gave him were handed over to him for management. The fact that all these were handed over to Cen Wenben alone was enough to prove Li Er's trust in him.
This was also one of the reasons why Cen Wenben was not liquidated after Li Tai fell.
Cen Wenben, in gratitude for Li Er's trust in him, worked hard from morning till night, and took care of everything himself.
He never let go of the chips for calculations and the pen for writing.
If this goes on for a long time, there is no way he will not fall.
Even a strong man cannot stand such high-intensity work, let alone the elderly Cen Wenben!
After a long time, coupled with the fatigue of traveling, Cen Wenben finally got sick, and he never got up again. After
Li Er saw Cen Wenben, he said to the people around him: "Wenben followed me to the war, I am afraid it will be difficult for him to come back with me."
That night, Cen Wenben died of a sudden illness.