Chapter 38: Promoting the Imperial Examination, Establishing Universities!_1

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Promoting the Imperial Examination, Establishing Universities!_1Indeed, there are those of humble origin in court, but they all hold insignificant positions without substantial power. The Prime Minister Li Si, Great General Bai Qi, and General Meng Tian, each representing a different faction, possess deep roots spreading across every corner of the Qin Dynasty. After one hundred thousand years of development, factions have inevitably formed. People are inherently self-interested. They will undoubtedly protect the interests of their own, and over time, this has led to the current system for selecting officials. "Continue, Crown Prince!" The Qin Emperor’s expression was calm, revealing no clear support or opposition. The ministers stood with their mouths slightly agape, yet they dared not speak. One must not forget that the Qin Emperor was a Saint Realm expert. Even if they possessed a hundred times the courage, they wouldn’t dare to ignore the Qin Emperor’s words. "The Qin Dynasty’s system for selecting officials has three major flaws. If these are not changed, the Qin Dynasty will forever lack talent!" "First, recommendations are required from officials of the fifth rank or above. Apart from the children of the privileged, who else can obtain such recommendations?" "Second, the assessment method is too simple. The Ministry of Personnel’s evaluation of officials is based on a Martial Artist’s cultivation realm, resulting in the elimination of many individuals with genuine talent and knowledge!" "Third, the education system is incomplete. Academies are only open to the privileged, leaving ordinary people from humble backgrounds with no opportunities for education!" Qin Wudao’s resounding voice echoed throughout the grand hall. These words caused a few ministers to fall deep in thought, finding the argument reasonable. However, the majority of the ministers were filled with terror. This was a sharp knife! A knife aimed at slaughtering the privileged clique! Without the current official selection system, how would their descendants maintain their superior lifestyle? "Crown Prince, officials of the fifth rank and above possess exceptional judgment. Their recommendations ensure that the talents they bring forward can become pillars of the state. If anyone could make recommendations, the state would descend into chaos!" Behind Prime Minister Li Si, Lv Wei, the Grand Censor, spoke gravely. Dressed in a black official robe, his face was stern and solemn, exuding a faint aura of authority. The gazes of numerous ministers landed on Qin Wudao, carrying a touch of mockery, curious as to how he would respond. "I’ve heard a rumor," Qin Wudao stated coldly, looking at Lv Wei with a half-smile. "Fifty-seven years ago, a certain minister in the court recommended a young man for the position of Commandery Administrator. Yet, this young man turned out to be an imbecile—powerfully built but illiterate..." These words made Lv Wei’s expression extremely unsightly. The minister Qin Wudao spoke of was none other than himself. "An official of exceptional judgment would not recommend an imbecile, would he? Am I right?" Qin Wudao pressed. Lv Wei’s expression shifted rapidly, a flush of shame creeping onto his face. He offered no rebuttal and returned to his position. Qin Wudao hadn’t named him, already giving him sufficient face. If he continued to argue unreasonably and brought that matter to light, his political career would likely be over. What he couldn’t understand, though, was how Qin Wudao knew. He had already dealt with that matter! "Crown Prince, you claim that the Ministry of Personnel’s assessment method is oversimplified. Do you, by chance, have any constructive suggestions?" The Minister of Personnel, Baili Xi, stepped forward, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly as he asked in a deep voice. He refused to believe that Qin Wudao—young, inexperienced, engrossed in cultivation, and untested by the vicissitudes of officialdom—could propose a systematic method for selecting officials. "As it happens, I do have such a method!" Qin Wudao grinned. "Imperial Father, I suggest we implement an Imperial Examination system!" Imperial Examination system! These words were unfamiliar to the Qin Emperor and the officials, leaving them puzzled. "What is the Imperial Examination system?" Qin Wudao explained, "It’s a method of selecting talent through examinations! These tests are divided into civil and martial categories. All citizens of the Qin Dynasty can participate, and those who achieve excellent results can enter officialdom! "The examinations are divided into four levels: township, county, commandery, and palace exams! "Those who pass the township exam can take the county exam. High scorers may be appointed to positions in the county or continue to the commandery exam, advancing until they reach the palace exam, where you, Imperial Father, will personally set the questions. "This way, we can assess the true abilities of the candidates and, to the greatest extent, discover talent among the common people. It’s a win-win, offering all people of Qin an opportunity to leap the dragon’s gate, to rise above their station! "The top three successful candidates—the Number One Scholar, Number Two Scholar, and Number Three Scholar—may serve in the Imperial Court! "As for how many additional successful candidates are appointed to official positions, that will depend on actual needs..." Qin Wudao spoke at length, describing an unprecedented method for talent selection that left the listeners utterly engrossed. Even Lv Wei and Baili Xi, who had opposed reform, found themselves captivated. After speaking for several minutes, Qin Wudao finally stopped. The hall fell silent, everyone contemplating the merits and demerits of the Imperial Examination system. After much thought, they couldn’t find any flaws. They had to admit that the Imperial Examination system was vastly superior to the current method of selecting officials. "Good!" After a long moment, the Qin Emperor struck the armrests of his dragon throne, his eyes shining, and exclaimed. He then commanded, "Issue a decree! Henceforth, the Qin Dynasty shall use the Imperial Examination system to select its officials!" Baili Xi’s heart sank, knowing the matter was decided. Unless he could propose a system even better than the Imperial Examinations, he would be unable to make the Qin Emperor alter his command. "Crown Prince," the Qin Emperor said, having calmed down, "speak further on the deficiencies of the education system!" Sёarch* The Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "As you command, Imperial Father!" Qin Wudao gave a slight bow, then turned and said, "Education is the foundation of an empire’s prosperity! "If the Qin Dynasty wants to stand at the pinnacle of the world, it needs capable ministers to govern the state, powerful Martial Artists, Alchemists, Artifact Refiners, and so on. Cultivating elites in all these fields is impossible without education! "The Qin Dynasty currently only has academies for the nobility. Countless young people from humble backgrounds can only labor in the fields. They, like us, possess the right to an education. Only by empowering them can the Qin Dynasty truly rise and become strong..." The young man’s voice echoed in their ears, thunderous and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impact. Li Si spoke up. From the perspective of national interest, he knew he must attach great importance to education. "Crown Prince, how do you think the education system should be reformed?" "Establish schools!" Qin Wudao declared, waving a fist. "Academies must be built in every city within the Qin Dynasty, offering both civil and martial studies. Later, when our strength allows, we can introduce disciplines such as alchemy, artifact refining, formations, music, and the Dao! "Furthermore, all children who reach the age of six can attend these academies for free. The expenses incurred during their studies, until they reach adulthood, will be covered by the state... "In less than ten years, the Qin Empire will undergo a heaven-and-earth-shattering transformation! "For everyone to be like a dragon, it begins with establishing schools!" The officials fell silent once more; no one stepped forward to object. They cared about their own interests, true, but they also valued the interests of the state. Otherwise, the Qin Empire could not have unified the East Ancient Domain. They too hoped that the Qin Dynasty would become powerful and, as Qin Wudao had envisioned, stand at the apex of the world. The hearts of the old Qin people all harbored such an ambition. "Establish them! We must establish schools!" The Qin Emperor stood up, his body suffused with a potent imperial might. In his youth, he had traveled through other cultivation domains and witnessed the might of a Celestial Dynasty. Any ordinary citizen from there could serve as a regional commander in the Qin Dynasty. For the Qin Dynasty to become stronger, popularizing cultivation and enabling all its citizens to become Martial Artists was an inevitable path.