Chapter 377 The little secret agent keeping an eye on Empress WuShangguan Wan'er!
"In recent days, have there been a lot fewer new scholars writing poems and writing manuscripts?"
"There are no more requests for manuscripts, but there are many poems and poems praising him. Recently, students from other provinces have been running around to tell each other, and they are all grateful for the grace. Xiaolang's reputation among scholars is also very good."
After hearing what Xu Da said, Li Yan smiled, nodded and said: "Then accept it. I'm too lazy to look at it, but if you don't accept it, it will hurt the feelings of those poor people."
It will take some time for the news of the imperial examination reform to spread to all states, but students from other states in Chang'an, especially those from poor families, can't help but rush around to congratulate each other and shout long live.
Li Yan knew very well that although the imperial examination scholars were not the mainstream now, the proportion of officials with this background in senior officials in the officialdom would become larger and larger.
Because they have real talents and knowledge, they will naturally stand out gradually, are good at seizing opportunities to make meritorious deeds, and are promoted faster than other officials.
In the middle and late Tang Dynasty, there were more and more prime ministers who were born as Jinshi, and there were fewer and fewer prime ministers, not to mention the number of ministers.
Of course, the happiest people now should be the Shandong gentry, because that group of people are really good at taking exams. Under fair competition, the proportion of them becoming officials will definitely increase. Therefore, the officials of the Shandong gentry in the court will become strong supporters of the saint.
.
Scholars from poor families in various places also have the opportunity to stand out, and officials who are willing to work for these people will also unite under the command of the saint to form a new political force.
These people are exactly the capable ministers needed to change one social evil after another.
Li Yan didn't like to hurriedly preach about reforms, and he came up with ten or eight new policies, which were very vigorous and drastic. As a result, he triggered a backlash from various places, and finally changed his mind.
What he learned this time was the lesson of the Song Dynasty. Those New Deals were too famous, and there were also some famous jokes, such as what Wen Yanbo said during Wang Anshi's reform, "Ruling the world with scholar-bureaucrats, not with the common people."
This sentence can be said to have been passed down through the ages. It has been mentioned countless times by later generations of marketing accounts to show how arrogant and domineering Wen Yanbo was and how ugly the scholar-bureaucrats in the Song Dynasty were. Unfortunately, it was taken out of context and only one paragraph was cut out.
In the complete version, Song Shenzong and Wang Anshi refuted Wen Yanbo from different angles, and Wen Yanbo said another meaningful sentence, "You must be promoted by others."
After reading the entire conversation, Wen Yanbo's meaning became very clear. The reform action touched the ruling class. No matter how good the plan is, if there is no reliable person to implement it, the end will not be good.
Wen Yanbo was a veteran of three dynasties and was the prime minister in the Renzong dynasty. Wang Anshi was promoted by him. When he was young, he watched how the Qingli New Deal failed. When he was old, he watched Wang Anshi and Song Shenzong start a new reincarnation.
Having said this, of course Wen Yanbo is by no means a good gentleman. But looking at this matter alone, his words are not wrong.
Not to mention Wen Yanbo, Han Qi, Fu Bi, and Ouyang Xiu, who were still alive at the time, all stood on the opposite side of Wang Anshi without exception. This group of Qingli gentlemen had learned a lesson, and it was quite sad to change from reformists to conservatives.
The social structures of the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty were different, but vested interests that were unwilling to change would always exist. Li Yan knew very well that to change a country's shortcomings, the most important thing was not how perfect the policy was, but how to control it.
personnel.
The prerequisite for doing anything is people, especially talents who can go deep into the local states and counties.
Without practical talents who can carry out the work, the central government alone will make decisions, and no matter how perfect the system is, it will be empty talk and useless.
That's why he focused on the imperial examination first, not only to recruit students who stood out based on their true abilities, but also to unite more and more officials who were willing to change the current situation.
Even if the poor family had to be given a chance, the aristocratic family could not suppress them all. Li Yan also referred to history and wrote two words on the paper and circled them.
Just as he put down his pen, he raised his eyebrows: "Wan'er, come out!"
The wind blew, and Shangguan Wan'er, who was slender and graceful, flashed into the room: "Master!"
Li Yan raised his eyebrows slightly: "Have you opened your second consciousness?"
Wan'er said proudly: "Yes, after nose consciousness, I have opened ear consciousness."
Li Yan was very pleased. He was indeed a good teacher: "It takes two years to open a consciousness, which is quite good among the warriors who practice consciousness-only strength. The other person I saw also spent ten years in training and fighting all day long.
It took you ten years to fully develop your five senses. You have just turned ten this year, and you have a bright future."
Wan'er held her little fist and shook it: "In order to become beautiful, I will definitely practice this strength!"
Li Yan couldn't help but laugh. Indeed, after learning about Wei Shi Jin's ability to remain youthful, the girl's energy and energy when practicing martial arts were different. He couldn't understand this kind of motivation. What he pursued was to rule the roost for thousands of years, but he couldn't
I will practice Kungfu all day just for the sake of appearance.
It is good to have a goal, but Weishijin also needs to control the mentality. Li Yan gave some advice: "Don't rush anything, especially martial arts. You and your mother have been separated for many years. Now that you are reunited, spend more time with her.
"
Wan'er's eyes turned red and she bowed her head: "Thank you, Master, for saving my mother and daughter!"
Li Yan said: "Master and disciple, why do you need to say thank you? Your mother is also blessed to be able to get rid of all the hardships and get rid of the sin..."
Nowadays, Wan'er and Rong Niang are no longer the guilty girls of Yeting. Wan'er has restored her surname of Shangguan and has a mansion in Chang'an. She is often visited by friends from Shangguan Yi in the past. Rong Niang has also regained her identity and started to run the family.
.
Wan'er sat down and drank a cup of tea. She was a little disappointed when she thought that Xiao Hei was with Mr. Xie now and couldn't play with the cat. However, her face soon became serious again: "Master, there is something going on in the palace!"
Li Yan understood: "Since you came out of the palace, something must have happened in the palace. Tell me."
Shangguan Wan'er said: "The Empress Dowager has installed more doctors in the harem, expanded the scale of the internal literature library, taught the ladies in the palace how to read and digit, and is also preparing to allow women to serve in the palace, so as to enrich the female officials in the ban."
Li Yan narrowed his eyes slightly: "What a good time to choose. The saint is selecting talents, and the Queen Mother is not idle either."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Shangguan Wan'er said: "This is the Queen's business, but now the Queen is more than eight months pregnant and will give birth in more than one month.
, I didn’t even care about that, so I was taken advantage of by the Queen Mother.”
Li Yan thought that even if Queen Pei was not pregnant, the ten of them together would not be the opponent of Empress Wu alone. The time he was talking about was not that, but the current turbulent situation in the outer court. Empress Wu's entry point was undoubtedly excellent.
How many people are summoned to the palace?"
Wan'er said: "Every government should have gone."
Li Yan asked: "Next time, please pay attention to specific personnel, especially the wives of the noble families in Guan Nei."
Wan'er said in surprise: "I didn't pay attention to this. I knew that the most beautiful one was Wei Shi, the princess of the Seven Kings."
This Webster was the concubine of King Li Xian of England. She was the daughter of Wei Zhenxuan, the magistrate of Fufeng County whom she met in the past. She was also the Queen Wei in history. Li Yan was curious: "Does the Queen Mother value Webster?"
Wan'er shook her head: "According to the information I have inquired about, the Queen Mother has a disdain for this Weishi girl and says she is flashy, but she is indeed beautiful..."
Li Yan secretly sighed at Empress Wu's accuracy in judging people, and asked: "Where did you get the news? Have you bribed everyone around the Empress Dowager?"
Wan'er smiled and said: "How can you say bribery? Wan'er has made many friends in the palace...Master, why does the Queen Mother do this?"
Li Yandao: "To put it nicely, it means that the talents of the inner dynasty are gathered together. If they are separated from the outer dynasty and take on one or two government affairs, it is also a good thing. The Queen Mother has good intentions. If it is said to be unpleasant, it means that the Queen Mother wants to rob them again.
Right."
Wan'er wondered: "The Queen Mother's prestige has been reduced again and again. Can she still succeed?"
Li Yandao: "Of course, because summoning the wives of fate is originally a matter within the authority of the Queen Mother and the Empress, and the outer court is powerless to stop it. It is precisely these wives of fate who can have a close relationship with the outer court. After going back and forth, won't the connection be built?"
Shangguan Wan'er in history was the leading figure in the group of female officials under Wu Zetian, and more female officials were the wives of ministers.
Those women helped Wu Zetian handle government affairs, and the most powerful among them could even help Wu Zetian correct memorials.
For example, Pei Xingjian's wife Kudi, who was also Su Weiwei's mother-in-law, was one of the leaders of female officials in history. "With the virtues of Ren Si and the talents of Banzuo, the Holy Queen came to the court, summoned her to the palace, and worshiped her as the imperial minister."
, Shangguan Wan'er is much more famous than her, but the power she can exercise may not be as good as this one.
Of course, this does not mean that Shangguan Wan'er is incompetent, but that she no longer has the support of her family. The role of a married woman lies not only in themselves, but also in their husbands and the family behind them.
Therefore, later generations say that Wu Zetian fought for women's rights. It is a pity that this is the same as advocating that Wu Zetian makes decisions for poor scholars. It is a wishful thinking for the rulers.
In Wu Zetian's eyes, female officials were just chess pieces to better control the court situation, and they did not consider how these female officials would live in the future, whether their marriages would be happy, or how they would be accommodated in their husband's family in the future. They were exactly the same as Li Zhi.
Mean and unkind.
Wan'er didn't know that. When she heard that the married woman could really become a female official, she blinked her eyes and said, "That's awesome. The husbands of these married women are all high-ranking officials, and with the support of the Queen Mother, becoming a female official might really lead to power!"
Li Yan shook his head: "Not to mention the thoughts of each married woman, taking a step back, even if they can unite and become a political force that cannot be underestimated, they will not be able to last long."
Wan'er was puzzled: "Why?"
Li Yandao: "Throughout the past dynasties, a stable political group, in addition to the right to speak from the upper echelons of the court, must also have power rooted from below. Power is like a big tree. Only those who dig their roots down
The trees will flourish and survive for a long time, such as the famous families in various places."
"On the other hand, female officials are like duckweeds floating on the water. Even if they can cover a piece of them, they will drift with the tide and have no foundation at all. Once there is a problem with the water source below or the blazing sun in the sky, they will soon wither."
This is indeed the shortcoming of the female officials in Wu Zhou's dynasty. They themselves did not have any actual power, and could only be seen as the eyes and arms derived from Wu Zetian. Once Wu Zetian fell, the female officials naturally fell into disarray without even a wave.
Turn it over.
Wan'er remembered her master's words: "I understand that stable political power must have a grassroots foundation..."
Li Yan said calmly: "Having said that, it is indeed easy for chaos to arise if a married woman is taken advantage of by Empress Wu. However, I cannot interfere with the affairs of the harem."
Wan'er's eyes rolled, her lips curled up slightly, and she whispered: "Master, do you know that the children of the Wu family are also studying in the Internal Literature Museum, and the two sides are not far apart. According to the sisters in the palace, those thieves
There’s something wrong with the way I look at my fateful wife!”
Li Yan was startled: "Could they..."
Halfway through his words, he realized that he was a descendant of the Wu family. He couldn't do anything. A cold light suddenly appeared in his eyes: "Wan'er, after all, he is a member of the Queen Mother's tribe. How can he be called a thief on ordinary days?"
Wan'er was a little strange. She said "oh" and heard her master continue: "Keep a close eye on them. If they really dare to take the risk, take them down immediately. I will behead the thieves with my own hands!"