Repeated Recommendations

"Dongfang Shuo, what incredible luck you've had! So many officials, and not a single one has stood up to impeach you!"

Zhang Xuezhou caused a stir when the political situation ended.

The new emperor had been eagerly awaiting an official to step forward and impeach the other party.

Zhang Xuezhou's commotion did indeed stem from a compelling reason for impeachment. "The court's method of obtaining official positions and titles relies on clever words and connections." Zhang Xuezhou himself was no exception, and even actively sought impeachment.

If Zhang Xuezhou were to be impeached today for this very reason, the new emperor would find the situation perfectly acceptable.

Once this precedent is set, he can apply the same method to other officials, and even put this guillotine over the heads of those who echoed the impeachment.

Whoever supports impeaching Zhang Xuezhou can use this method to deal with him in the future, and then carry out a major reshuffle of personnel in the court.

But no matter what Zhang Xuezhou did, no one fell for it.

This left the new emperor, whose reign had ended, deeply disappointed, realizing that it would be difficult for Zhang Xuezhou to resign.

"Your Majesty, since words are useless, why don't we do something real?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"What do you mean, really?"

Upon hearing that Zhang Xuezhou had more to say, the new emperor immediately became interested.

"There's always a limit to causing trouble, and once that limit is crossed, it's unacceptable not to be impeached," Zhang Xuezhou said. "I believe things shouldn't be discussed with words, but rather with concrete actions!"

"Do you mean I really intend to appoint officials based on agriculture and warfare?" the new emperor asked.

"Can we give it a try?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.

"A trial is certainly possible," the new emperor frowned, then relaxed, saying, "But the court is currently not engaged in any major wars; there are only minor skirmishes everywhere. Granting official titles is too difficult. Those skilled in agriculture are currently local gentry and wealthy landowners who own vast tracts of land. If these people are granted official positions and have the court's guarantee, they will only become more ruthless and eventually dominate their territories!"

"So that's how it is!"

Zhang Xuezhou's idea of building a strong nation through agriculture and warfare is not just empty talk.

His strategy for strengthening the nation stemmed from the agrarian philosophy described by Xu Ji.

In the eyes of Xu Ji and others, those skilled in sowing could become officials, and once in office, they would inevitably lead more people to learn farming culture, thereby enabling farmers to grow better grains.

When everyone is well-fed and warmly clothed, and their bodies have strength, they will naturally become stronger and thus be able to defend themselves against enemies.

If military merits are appropriately rewarded, the entire country will become stronger as a result.

This is Xu Ji's vision of a strong nation.

However, ideals are no match for reality. No matter how the system is designed, it is difficult to get it to the grassroots level. Instead, it will fall into the hands of the gentry and local tyrants who control large amounts of land.

The same applies to military merit rewards. Corruption in the north is a clear example: of the 500 and a half taels of silver awarded by the imperial court, only 50 taels would reach the lower ranks.

Without major wars and with clearly defined personal characteristics, this still results in the privileged living off those in power.

"Good methods must be adapted to the national conditions"—the new imperial way.

"How about we try the methods of other powerful countries?" Zhang Xuezhou suggested.

"Oh?" The new emperor raised an eyebrow slightly and asked, "What other methods do you have?"

"I once lived in Shu Commandery City..."

Zhang Xuezhou spoke eloquently, beginning by discussing the academy built by Prefect Wen Weng, and then touching upon the talents produced by the academy.

If building a strong nation through agriculture and warfare is merely theoretical, then the academy established by Prefect Wen Weng truly promoted this process.

Students who excelled in their studies at the academy could implement education, guidance, and policies that benefited the people, thereby guiding agricultural production at the grassroots level.

These people were not granted official positions because of their outstanding agricultural skills, but they actually promoted the development of agriculture.

"This method is good, but the exemption of those who enter the palace from corvée labor will inevitably be exploited," the new emperor pointed out. "It's one thing for him to be troubled by the difficulties of managing a region, but if I were to extend this method, nine out of ten people who enter the palace will become rich, and ultimately all those exempt from corvée labor will be rich, while the poor will become even poorer!"

The new emperor did not mention the economic burden brought about by exemption from corvée labor, but instead pointed to the main body ultimately served by the academy system.

As a pioneer in experimentation, the academy in Shu Commandery City was dilapidated and incomplete, requiring people to sit on the ground to learn. The wealthy looked down on this kind of academy, which provided ample opportunities for the poor.

However, once such a school becomes an officially recognized institution by the imperial court, it will attract a large influx of wealthy people, while the poor, who are slow to get in, will find it difficult to enter the school.

"Agriculture, military achievements, and the establishment of academies are all beneficial to the country and its people, but they are praised in theory but not in practice. This problem is partly due to profit-seeking, but it also involves ideological factors," Zhang Xuezhou said again, bowing deeply. "Only by being taught 'benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness' can such opportunists possibly change their thinking and win the hearts of the people!"

"This seems to be Confucian School teaching?" The new emperor frowned and said, "I know benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom, but what is this 'trust'?"

"This is the letter mentioned by Dong Zhongshu, representing the virtues of honesty, integrity, consistency between words and deeds, and keeping promises," Zhang Xuezhou replied.

Honesty and trustworthiness!

The new emperor frowned.

Zhang Xuezhou's act of causing a ruckus in the court and resigning from his post was initially intended to cause a disturbance, but after the officials dispersed, Zhang Xuezhou continued to argue, and the new emperor realized that what he said was not nonsense, but contained the true essence of governing the country.

However, Zhang Xuezhou's fragmented ideas, piece by piece, make it difficult for him to integrate them.

These things are good in themselves, but achieving the goal is difficult.

As the new emperor said, things are one way when they are decided at the top level, and another way after they are laid out layer by layer. Any measures involving utilitarian interests will only lead to the expansion of the rentier class.

The methods of Confucian School education were not new; he had been brainwashed by Zhao Wan and Wang Zang since the beginning of his reign and was familiar with the content of Confucian School.

Zhang Xuezhou's statement at that moment only added the word 'trust' compared to what Zhao Wan and others had mentioned.

Whether this kind of education is effective or not does not require the imperial court to implement corresponding regulations; it only requires observing the performance of the members of the Confucian School school.

Disappointingly, the Confucian School school says one thing but does another, making it no different from many other schools of thought.

The new emperor muttered it to himself, then repeated the word 'trust' that Zhang Xuezhou had mentioned repeatedly.

"Dong Zhongshu was the head of the Zhao school of Confucian School in the north. Was he trying to remedy the deficiencies of Confucian School?" the new emperor asked suspiciously. "Where did you learn about Dong Zhongshu's 'faith'? Have you also become Confucian School?"

"I joined the Yin-Yang School ten years ago and haven't switched schools since," Zhang Xuezhou said, waving his hands repeatedly. "Besides, even if I wanted to switch, with my unpredictable martial uncle Jin Chang, no one else would dare to take me on!"

"Jin Chang... this seems to be a retainer of the King of Huainan?" the new emperor said.

"Has Your Majesty heard of this person?"

"These are people on the late emperor's list," the new emperor nodded and said, "The late emperor said that the Yin-Yang School and the Nine Heavens Sect's alchemy and medicine-making were one thing, but the Nine People Sect Sect's puppetry, which uses living people as tools, is truly an evil sect and should be banned. However, Jin Chang is elusive and difficult to find, which is why he has slipped through the net over the years!"

"Your Majesty is right!"

Zhang Xuezhou repeatedly praised the move, indicating that the new emperor had no problem banning the Yin Yang Nine People Sect and that it was time to act.

His attitude left the new emperor speechless.

Having overlooked the matter of Jin Chang, the new emperor inevitably returned the blame to Dong Zhongshu and inquired about the connection between Zhang Xuezhou and Dong Zhongshu.

As a "censor" serving the new emperor, Zhang Xuezhou was practically the emperor's closest minister. The new emperor clearly did not allow his close ministers to get too involved, lest Zhang Xuezhou become a puppet or spokesperson for certain schools of thought.