in2ebook Chapter 245 Examination, officials are in an uproar!
Chapter 245 Examination, officials are in an uproar!
Cheng'en quickly brought the bamboo slips he had requested from the Ministry of War.
After carefully reading the bamboo slips, Ye Chen felt a little confused.
"Apart from supplying the border troops and the garrisons in various places, is there no more food and fodder available for distribution across the country?"
"In many places, people can only use inferior grains instead of refined grains."
Ye Chen frowned, but also realized that he had oversimplified the matter.
After all, there is a shortage of food in the war in the north. If there were an abundance of food, why would it be like this?
It was undoubtedly a fantasy for Ye Chen to use the authority of the Ministry of War to withdraw enough food and fodder to supply 5 troops.
"All this food and grass is collected from the people. If we want to increase the grain reserves, we must either increase taxes or increase the grain output per acre of land owned by the people."
Ye Chen narrowed his eyes. He would never do such a thing as increasing taxes on the people.
The burden on Dayu's people was already heavy enough.
To increase the yield of the fields, it will take at least one or two years.
Ye Chen couldn't help but sigh.
"It seems that all we can rely on now is the sound of paper and pasta."
Ye Chen shook his head. Although paper and pasta were both highly profitable, they had not yet been rolled out across the country. At the current rate of profit, it would take at least half a year to raise enough food and fodder for an army of 50,000.
Ye Chen could only wait.
He put away all the bamboo slips, but found that it was already midnight.
Ye Chen lay on the bed and began to rest.
The next morning, when the bell rang.
Ye Chen got up from the bed and immediately asked the palace maid to put on the dragon robe and the emperor's crown for her.
Then, he left the Yangxin Palace, got on the sedan chair and headed towards the Taiqian Palace.
In the Taiqian Palace, Su Mengjiao was already sitting behind the dragon throne, and all the officials entered one after another, kneeling three times and kowtowed nine times.
After all the officials had finished bowing, Ye Chen arrived.
Then all the officials knelt down again and continued to kowtow three times and nine times.
"Long live the emperor!"
Amidst an overwhelming cheer.
Yang Dechang's face looked a little ugly.
Every time Ye Chen went to court, he had to kneel twice.
This really made him feel uncomfortable. After all, he was old and not as strong as before.
"All the nobles, please stand up."
Ye Chen waved his hand and spoke in a calm tone. The eunuch beside him conveyed his words in a hoarse voice.
All the officials stood up one after another.
"If there is something going on, go ahead and leave if there is nothing going on!"
All the officials presented bamboo slips and submitted memorials.
After the eunuchs collected all the memorials.
Ye Chencai said: "Today, I would like to discuss with all the officials the selection of the chief commander of the Beijing Camp."
Upon hearing this, all the officials, led by Yang Dechang, immediately became alert.
Ye Chen then looked at Cheng En who was standing beside him. Cheng En immediately stepped forward holding the imperial edict and handed it to the eunuch who was delivering the message.
The eunuch who delivered the message unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud.
The imperial examination system written by Lin Ziyun on the imperial edict was only for the selection of the chief commander of the Beijing camp. In fact, the imperial examination system required examinations in all provinces and counties, with screening at each level until the final palace examination.
But selecting the chief general of the Beijing camp does not need to be so complicated.
Only in the capital area, all the children of military meritorious officials and nobles will be tested.
The main examination subjects include not only the Four Books and Five Classics, but also martial arts, military strategy, and the art of war.
There is even a sand table performance.
Ye Chen also asked Xia Ju, Shen Qiu, Di Gui and others to be the chief examiners.
After these selections, the five people with the best results were finally picked out.
However, after hearing the imperial edict, it was like a blockbuster bomb that suddenly exploded in the court, causing an uproar among the officials.
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!"
Yang Dechang was the first to stand up.
As a political veteran, he had an extremely keen political sense. Almost instantly, he understood what adverse effects this system, if implemented, would have on the aristocratic class that already controlled the entire bureaucratic appointment and dismissal.
Most importantly, he, as the prime minister, would no longer be able to control the appointment and dismissal of officials in the future.
How can his disciples and former officials be all over the world?
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Yang is right. The selection of generals has always been based on recommending and promoting those who can fight. Your Majesty is rashly using this method. This is disrespectful to the ancestral system and violates the etiquette!"
Gao Yunhe also stood up and said.
Hearing this, before Ye Chen could answer, someone else jumped out.
"Your Majesty, I think this method is very good!"
"Your Majesty, I, your son, have read many military books and am willing to serve you!"
"Your Majesty, this is a good plan!"
Several ministers suddenly jumped out and all supported Ye Chen.
Without exception, these people are all from noble families of the current dynasty.
Over the years, Yang Dechang eliminated dissidents and worked hard to cultivate his own confidants, but he could only cultivate a part of them and place his own people in important positions.
But the problem is that there are always more wolves than meat in good official positions.
Even if Yang Dechang racked his brains, it would be impossible for him to win over every military hero.
There are always some children of military merit who are unsuccessful.
Not to mention, some ministers also had mysterious confidence in their own children, thinking that if anyone from the Cao family could be the commander-in-chief of the Beijing camp, then theirs could also be the commander-in-chief.
And for this.
Yang Dechang's face darkened slightly. Among the civil officials in the court, apart from the people arranged by Ye Chen in the past month, only the Minister of Rites dared to disobey his orders.
However, the nobles in the court have always been his targets for winning over.
He knew these people very well.
Only interests can move the hearts of these nobles. Although he has been in charge of the government for many years, he dare not touch the interests of these nobles. Sometimes he has to give up interests in order to make these nobles obey.
But Ye Chen also offered benefits at this time, so many nobles naturally would no longer support him.
"Your Majesty, this method of selecting officials is far too complicated. It's likely to cause various problems in its implementation. Furthermore, those selected might be people who have never been on the battlefield, like Zhao Kuo."
"I think if we want to select the commander of the Beijing Camp, it is safest to directly choose an experienced general in the army."
"Besides, it goes against our ancestors' rules and is totally inappropriate!"
Yang Dechang's voice was steady. Even though many nobles stood up at this time, those nobles who had been won over by him and had high positions and generous salaries still supported him.
Plus the civil officials.
Therefore, Yang Dechang still felt that he could control the situation and remain calm, and he must make Ye Chen take back the imperial edict.