No matter how cold the weather is or how heavy the snow is, Emperor Li Po will never have any leisure time this year.
Governing a big country is like cooking small delicacies. Li Po recited famous sayings and fought hard in the Tai Chi Hall until dusk, and had to summon Li Gang, the Minister of Rites, for a meal.
The Beijing test will be held at the beginning of next year. This is a big event. We must be prepared this year. We cannot wait until next year to think about how to do it better than last time.
There is also the scandal that broke out last time. Although the news was suppressed and not many people in the court knew about it, it happened after all.
Three years have passed and no clue has been found yet. It’s really a surprise.
Li Po held a banquet in the Manlu Hall, and Li Gang appeared in the Taiji Hall at the right time and strolled back to the Manlu Hall with the emperor.
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"I think that after this Beijing Examination, the rules have become established. It is better to change the Beijing Examination to once every two years, so as to select talents and fill local vacancies."
Li Gang was old and couldn't bear the cold, and his clothes were extremely bulky. But after walking with the emperor for a while, his nose was cold and his speech was a little slurred.
Li Po has already passed his age, but his firepower is still strong, he can eat well, his face is red, he looks like he is full of fire, and he is not afraid of the wind and cold at all.
Seeing that Old Li Dong's nose was sloppy, he would wipe it on secretly from time to time. Li Po turned around and asked the palace servants to add another cloak to Li Gang, then nodded with a smile and said: "I have never paid attention to the Jinshi who was admitted last time in Beijing.
Do you still need to use it now?"
Li Gang said without hesitation: "I sent people to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to inquire. Those Jinshi have been rotating in various ministries and offices and Jingzhao for more than half a year, and most of them were released to take up their posts in the spring.
It happened that the Ministry of Personnel was reorganizing the place and leaving some positions for them. They took office smoothly. When the official examination came in the fall, they reported to the Ministry of Personnel and their official reputation was also very good. However, their political achievements were still small, so it was not clear whether they were good or bad.
There were just two people who didn't know how to behave. They took concubines when they arrived at the place. They were reported during the evaluation. It's hard to say how the officials will evaluate the officials. But I think that as long as they don't fail to do the big things, they can be punished for small things.
That’s it…”
Li Po said with a smile: "What you are saying is that as long as you don't lose the face of the court and make the court's talent selection strategy a laughing stock, there is no problem in having two concubines.
Well, since there are established rules, then the Ministry of Rites can submit a letter later, and I have no reason not to allow it."
Fang Xuanling and Liu Ji, the ministers of the Ministry of Personnel, took office for more than a year. After making sufficient preparations, they began to overhaul the officialdom in the middle of this year.
Gradually more and more people wrote letters of impeachment against them, but the emperor and important officials in the court had already anticipated this and did not care about these noises, and vigorously streamlined the bureaucracy.
This year alone, a large number of officials have been eliminated both inside and outside the government, which has touched the interests of many people. In previous years, this might have triggered rebellion.
But today, in the sixth year of Yuanzhen, it is nothing.
Moreover, Li Po also planned to do this once every few days and work tirelessly. In addition to effectively eliminating corruption and redundant officials, it would also clear the way for the imperial examination to select talents.
At the same time, this is also an effective means to strengthen centralization.
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As he was talking, the Manna Hall had arrived. When he entered the inner hall, Li Gang's face was pale and blue from the cold. Li Po quickly asked someone to bring him tea soup and give him a few sips.
Don't freeze this old man to death. This is a good knife. Use it if you can.
The aging problem in the DPRK is not serious now. Having a few elderly people with rich political experience will play a key role in stabilizing the situation in the DPRK.
After sitting down and drinking some tea, Li Gang's expression finally calmed down and he said gratefully: "I am so old, but I still have such trust from Your Majesty. I am so grateful..."
Li Po waved his hand and said: "I see that you are an upright man and devoted to the public. With you in the court, I don't know how much less worries you have.
Our monarchs and ministers still have a long life, so we don’t need to be so polite."
While we were talking, the food and wine were already served.
Li Po raised his glass and drank two glasses with Li Gang. After taking a few mouthfuls of food, he raised his head and said, "The dress and etiquette inside and outside the palace have almost been revised. Some of them have been included in the Tang Dynasty canons and are regarded as standardized.
The officials don't have to worry about this matter. The Ministry of Rites sends people to teach them from time to time. I come from a humble background, so I don't mind those crude words and deeds.
But the behavior of those generals was too rude, which affected the court's reputation. Nowadays, there are more outsiders coming and going, so we have to be more careful, isn't that right?"
Li Gang put down his chopsticks and pondered for a moment, then said: "Your Majesty, I think Taichang Temple..."
Li Po interrupted him, "Taichang Temple has something to ask them to do next year. I can't take care of this. The etiquette department has to take care of the etiquette, clothing and other matters.
Remember, don’t make it too complicated. When it comes to clothing, I have always advocated simplicity and comfort as the top priority. I also strive to be graceful and simple in etiquette. Anyway, the rules are almost there. The Ministry of Etiquette will just follow them. Don’t put too much effort into it. I will just follow these requirements.
Please take care of it, Qing."
Li Gang agreed, thinking about this matter in his mind, and it seemed that he would have to discuss it with Yuwen Rutong and others. Taichang Temple and the Ministry of Rites were internally and externally different, so they should be more careful in handover.
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Don't look at the later mention of "six departments and six departments", and "Li Hu Li Bing Xing Gong" is also catchy, but the Ministry of Rites was not established for many years at this time.
During the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Ministry of Rites was established to take charge of rituals, music, sacrifices and other matters.
It was not until the Sui Dynasty that it became a permanent administrative office. It was changed over and over again, and from time to time there would be the saying of Li Cao, and the operation of replacing it with Jiu Qing due to the rites of the Han Dynasty.
After the Sui Dynasty, the responsibilities of the Ministry of Rites were gradually clarified and fixed, and it took charge of more things. It was just about actual power, and it was definitely not as good as other ministries.
The Taichang Temple established by the inner court often competes with the Ministry of Rites for business, so the Ministry of Rites feels like a place where modest gentlemen stay. No idlers can enter, and talented people cannot stay, so the status is somewhat embarrassing.
However, after the imperial examination and the selection of talents, the power and responsibilities of the Ministry of Rites were greatly increased. In the past, the Ministry of Personnel had full power over the selection, and other ministries only had the power to recommend.
Now the Ministry of Rites has grabbed a piece of it, making the ranking of Li Hu, Li, Bing and Xing Gong finally look worthy of its name.
Now that the emperor had handed over the affairs of the court ceremony to the hands of the Ministry of Rites, Li Gang was a little dizzy. He didn't know what was going on, and he was muttering in his heart.
The Ministry of Rites has a lot of powers. Dianke, that is, receiving foreign envoys, is one thing, and the imperial examination is another. The academies built by the imperial court are also within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites. If it can be effectively supervised, it can even be formulated.
The etiquette regulations of the imperial court.
Holding the rituals and music tightly in your hands will surely make everyone pay attention.
As he thought about it, Li Gang's heart couldn't help but feel warm, and he secretly lamented that it was really not easy for him to still make achievements as the Minister of Rites even when he was old.
This chapter has been completed!