Chapter 129: Learning on the Fly, Suppressing the Officials

"If the Emperor truly wanted to punish Master Xu or disagreed with the reform of the imperial examinations, he would never have let this matter stir up such a storm throughout the capital! How many emperors have you seen ask for the opinions of their officials when setting the rules for the imperial examinations? That is why I am seventy percent certain that His Majesty has already agreed to what Master Xu proposed. But since that proposal is so unconventional, the Emperor wants to see what the people of the world think about it first."

"But wouldn't His Majesty change his mind? After all, so many people are opposed to it..."

"Perhaps the more scholars he sees opposing it, the more excited he gets?"

Zhang Yi and Kong Ne were whispering to each other. Kong Ne was stunned by Zhang Yi's train of thought. Surely His Majesty wasn't that twisted, right? Kong Ne looked around nervously, and seeing that no one was paying attention to them, he continued to ask, "Why?"

"Does His Majesty look like the kind of person who would compromise easily to you? Besides, this little bit of wind and rain—what does it even amount to?"

Although Zhang Yi did not know Zhu Yuanzhang personally, he understood the Hongwu Emperor from history. He was a man with an iron will. If he wanted to push through a policy, how could he possibly listen to the opinions of his ministers? Moreover, if the officials were to oppose him, the reaction it would most likely provoke in the Emperor was not fear, but suspicion. Zhu Yuanzhang was exactly that kind of man. Yet, even an ordinary person like him could hear about the imperial examination reform, and there had been no reaction from the deep palace. That in itself was abnormal.

Their discussion was merely idle chatter. Seeing that Xu Cunren was not around, Zhang Yi simply decided to skip class.

On the other side, the Emperor, having deliberated for several days, finally decided to treat the imperial examination issue as a formal matter for discussion. The next day, at the Fengtian Hall in the Imperial Palace, the officials began their daily petitions, urging the Emperor to punish Xu Cunren as they had done for the past few days. This time, Zhu Yuanzhang did not evade them. Instead, he turned directly to Li Shanchang and asked, "Master Li, how do you view this matter of imperial examination reform?"

The clamor of voices in the great hall fell into absolute silence. The officials had been harassing the Emperor for days, and he had never responded directly. Today’s demeanor suggested he was finally going to provide a resolution. As the head of the officials, all eyes were fixed on Li Shanchang.

After a moment of thought, Li Shanchang said, "The proposal put forth by Xu Cunren is inconsistent with ancient laws and customs. Although mathematics is one of the Six Arts of a gentleman, the Sacred Teachings hold precedence. We scholars spend ten years in cold windows studying the Sacred Teachings, and even then, we cannot grasp a fraction of their depth. If mathematics is added, it will inevitably distract the students! I have read in history books that the Tang Dynasty had a specific subject for mathematics, but the experience of later generations has proven that these things are not suitable for inclusion in the imperial examinations. However, I have pondered this at home: since Your Majesty has raised this matter and allowed the officials to discuss it, there must be a profound meaning that we cannot comprehend! Therefore, I believe that if Your Majesty wishes to promote mathematics, you could model it after the Song Dynasty's 'Three-Hall System' of the Imperial Academy and establish a separate path! This way, the foundation of the imperial examinations remains untouched, while still accommodating Your Majesty's underlying intentions."

Li Shanchang’s words were airtight, yet the essence of his stance was still opposition to integrating mathematics into the imperial examinations on equal footing with the classics. However, he understood Zhu Yuanzhang and knew that the Emperor had deliberately steered this discussion because he wanted to promote the inclusion of mathematics. The method he proposed was a win-win solution intended to give the Emperor a way to save face. If the officials were to stubbornly oppose him, it would be difficult for the Emperor to back down.

But he had misjudged Zhu Yuanzhang. After asking Li, the Emperor turned to Liu Ji: "And you, what do you say?"

Liu Bowen stepped out, lowered his head, and said, "I believe Master Li’s words are reasonable."

The discord between Liu Bowen and Li Shanchang was known to all, but when faced with this issue, both chose to stand on the same side. The Emperor remained noncommittal and asked other high-ranking officials such as Yang Xian, Qian Yong, and Sheng Yuanfu, all of whom urged the Emperor to reconsider.

Faced with surging resistance, Zhu Yuanzhang’s face darkened slightly. However, he did not say anything more and changed the subject. "Let us set this matter aside for now. There is something else I must ask of you. I intend to bestow the title of Prince upon my sons. I want you all to give this some thought!"

The Emperor’s change of subject left the ministers with no choice but to follow his lead. "Although it is not yet time for the actual investiture, since we have already brought up the topic of the imperial examinations, we might as well discuss the granting of titles to the imperial clan as well... Crown Prince, explain my thoughts to these ministers."

Zhu Biao stood up, took out a paper filled with writing, and read: "...The annual stipends for princes and princesses: For a Prince, fifty thousand piculs of rice, twenty-five thousand strings of cash, plus various miscellaneous items. Princesses who have been enfeoffed shall be granted one estate, with an annual rent of fifteen hundred piculs. For a Commandery Prince, the annual stipend shall be six thousand piculs of rice, two thousand eight hundred strings of cash, and other items. The eldest legitimate son of a Commandery Prince who inherits the title shall receive half the stipend of the original Commandery Prince; other sons, upon reaching the age of fifteen, shall each be granted sixty *qing* of land as a permanent holding, exempt from rent and taxes. The descendants of these sons shall hold these lands in perpetuity."

After Zhu Biao finished reading, Zhu Yuanzhang asked Li Shanchang, "Master Li, do you think this resolution is feasible?"

Li Shanchang thought for a moment, found no issues with it, and nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty, it is feasible!"

"Liu Ji, what do you say?"

Liu Bowen looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with deep meaning and said, "A stipend of fifty thousand for a Prince is, in my opinion, quite high. However, if Your Majesty insists, it is not impossible!"

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled and asked again, "Ministry of Revenue, I ask you: will this regulation place a burden on the finances of our Great Ming?"

The Minister of Revenue came forward and replied, "Your Majesty, although the world has only just been settled and finances are tight, these funds and grain for the princes can still be scraped together..."

The Emperor went around the circle, and the answers from the officials were much the same. Zhu Yuanzhang then said with deep meaning, "In that case, let me do the math for you, gentlemen!"

"Our Great Ming currently has six princes, not counting the Crown Prince. The remaining five princes receive fifty thousand piculs of grain each, totaling two hundred and fifty thousand piculs! I won't even count the children I might have in the future; let's just count these! This is the first generation... For the second generation, let us assume each of my sons has five sons. Of those, five inherit the princely titles, and we are left with twenty Commandery Princes! When the Crown Prince succeeds to the throne, excluding the eldest legitimate son who inherits the throne, the other four princes all become Princes. At six thousand piculs of grain for each Commandery Prince, twenty Commandery Princes require one hundred and twenty thousand piculs. Adding the nine Princes, that is four hundred and fifty thousand piculs! Total: five hundred and seventy thousand piculs... By the third generation, when the Imperial Grandson ascends the throne, he has five sons, adding four more Princes for a total of thirteen Princes, consuming six hundred and fifty thousand piculs of grain; sixteen initial Commandery Princes, consuming ninety-six thousand; twenty eldest legitimate sons of Commandery Princes inheriting the title at three thousand piculs each, totaling sixty thousand... The other sons of Commandery Princes who have reached fifteen, numbering eighty, are granted sixty *qing* of land, totaling four thousand eight hundred *qing*, producing six hundred and forty thousand piculs... The third generation total: one million three hundred and fifty thousand piculs... By the fifth generation, not to mention anything else, the sons of Commandery Princes alone could exceed three hundred and twenty, each with sixty *qing* of land..."

As the Emperor recited these figures, the faces of the civil and military officials turned pale. According to Zhu Yuanzhang’s calculations, by the fifth generation, the Ming Dynasty's finances would face extreme pressure. No, that was not right—the calculation was wrong. It was impossible for the Emperor to have so few sons; Zhu Yuanzhang was in his prime and had taken many concubines. It was foreseeable that in the future, there would be ten, twenty, or even more princes... The current annual revenue of the imperial court was only about fifteen million taels; it would be impossible to withstand the strain of such a policy.

"You ministers all say that the Classics are the 'Great Path' and mathematics is merely a 'minor skill'... Yet, how is it that not one of you could see this strategy for national ruin?"

Zhu Yuanzhang’s rage finally erupted. The entire court was rendered speechless.

"Li Shanchang, you are the head of the officials. Could you not see it?" Zhu Yuanzhang was the first to hold Li Shanchang accountable. Li Shanchang sighed and bowed low.

"Liu Ji, they all say you are a man of all talents, that you understand everything from astronomy to geography. Why could you not see it either?" Liu Bowen wanted to speak but had no words. He actually understood the logic behind the Emperor's math, but how could he have imagined the Emperor was setting a trap for them?

After reprimanding Liu Bowen, the Emperor turned his gaze to the Ministry of Revenue. The officials of the Ministry of Revenue all shrank back in fear.

"The Ministry of Revenue is in charge of the world's wealth and grain. You should be sensitive to such numbers, yet even when I gave you repeated hints, you said there were no problems... Tell me, how exactly did you learn the mathematics you use in your daily work...?"

The officials were left speechless. They had spent their lives studying for the imperial examinations and were unlikely to have received any training in mathematics. Once they entered the Ministry of Revenue, they simply learned from their predecessors. How well they learned depended entirely on their talent. Fortunately, the mathematics required by the Ministry of Revenue was not deep, and most could handle their duties. But they truly did not know how to calculate the problem Zhu Yuanzhang had posed. Or perhaps they had never imagined the Emperor would dig a pit for his officials!

"You spend your days talking about lofty ideals, yet when I ask you to do something, you are all inept and arrogant? I am looking for people to do the work, not people to recite the Four Books and Five Classics for me... You all want to help me define what is 'fundamental' and what is 'trivial,' but why don't you just do your jobs well? You talk about 'revering the ancients,' so why is the mathematics I want to restore not a teaching left behind by the Holy Confucius? You all use your own selfish motives to guess the Emperor's intent—do you really think you are sages?"

The Emperor’s outburst scolded the entire court. Liu Bowen, Li Shanchang, and the Ministry of Revenue officials became the targets of the Emperor’s fury. Their faces were grim, and they finally understood that Zhu Yuanzhang had been brewing this for so long just to completely suppress the public opinion of the officials today. The discussions that had permeated the capital over the past few days were, in fact, deliberately guided by the Emperor.

"Your Majesty, please forgive us. We are shallow in talent and have failed Your Majesty's trust. We are guilty!" Li Shanchang was the first to concede. Seeing Li Shanchang retreat, the others followed suit and knelt down. In an instant, a vast crowd knelt before the Emperor. Liu Bowen and the others, seeing that the situation was lost, also knelt. When he knelt, the officials from Zhejiang also followed suit.

"The Sages passed down the Six Arts for a reason, but our Great Ming has its own national circumstances, and we cannot simply restore the ancient systems! However, mathematics is crucial for assessing an individual's capabilities; for many central departments of the empire, mathematics is a basic skill! I have decided to adopt Master Xu’s suggestion and include mathematics in the imperial examinations! The special examinations have not yet begun, but the news can be released now so that candidates throughout the world can prepare!"

As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, many of the officials turned pale. Aside from the inclusion of mathematics, it was clear that the future imperial examinations would be several times more difficult—but that was not the point. For candidates from the cradles of talent like Zhejiang and Jiangxi, the inclusion of mathematics in the imperial examinations would largely negate a portion of their previous advantages, bringing them to the same level as candidates from other regions. Zhu Yuanzhang was deep in thought. As he looked around, the officials of the Huai-Xi faction were fine, but the far-sighted officials of the Zhejiang faction looked grim.

"There seem to be many more flaws in these imperial examinations!" Zhu Yuanzhang took it all in but said nothing. "Dismissed!"

The trap Zhu Yuanzhang had set for his officials had finally concluded perfectly. As the officials watched the Emperor leave, many of them finally turned their anger toward one person.

"Xu Cunren..."

"Achoo!"

At the Xu residence, Xu Cunren let out a violent sneeze and looked helplessly at the young Taoist who had come to visit.

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