"This is related to the reason for the decline of the Imperial College."
Emperor Chongzhen was very surprised by Zhong Jinwei's answer. He couldn't help but ask: "Master Zhong, wasn't the decline of the Imperial College because the imperial court used it to make money? Now that I know this situation, I will never do this again.
"
I saw Zhong Jinwei smiling and shaking his head, and then replied: "Your Majesty, the decline of the Imperial College is an important reason, but with the rise of the imperial examination, all high-ranking officials, even lower-level positions, must enter the imperial examination.
Only scholars with a good background can take up the post, which is the most fundamental reason for the decline of the Imperial College."
"In other words, after a few decades after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the status of scholars who were born in the Imperial College gradually became lower and lower, and they could only become petty officials in the end. Without seeing the hope of being born in the Imperial College, talented scholars naturally
So I gave up studying at the Imperial College."
Emperor Chongzhen frowned when he heard this, and immediately retorted: "No, even if you are from the Imperial College, you can still take the Jinshi exam and find a good background!"
After hearing this, Zhong Jinwei cracked the corner of his mouth and smiled silently, and then said to Emperor Chongzhen: "Your Majesty, I haven't finished speaking yet."
"I'm worried, Master Zhong continued." Emperor Chongzhen felt a little embarrassed when he heard this, and said with a slightly red face.
He secretly warned himself again that a monarch must keep his composure. However, it seemed that every time he talked about things with Master Zhong, he often couldn't control his emotions.
"Your Majesty, the reason why scholars do not take the path of the Imperial College is because there is a better way to go. Dozens or hundreds of years after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, private academies gradually emerged. I checked the information and found that during the Wanli period
A total of 1,435 academies have been established. In other words, there are academies on more than nine floors in the prefectures and counties of the Ming Dynasty."
When Zhong Jinwei said this, he praised: "There are so many academies in the Ming Dynasty that even the Tang and Song Dynasties are far behind. It's really amazing!"
Emperor Chongzhen felt a little proud after hearing this, but he didn't show it. He just continued to listen carefully to Zhong Jinwei's words.
"Later on, the government began to get involved in these academies. In some places, the academy directors were directly appointed by the imperial court, and the examinations in local academies were even graded by local county magistrates. The academies in various places changed from providing all-inclusive lectures to specialized research
Imperial Examination, so scholars who aspired to take the Imperial Examination chose academies instead of the Imperial College where the quality of education was getting worse."
Zhong Jinwei was talking and Emperor Chongzhen was listening. These things should have been told by him, the master, to Zhong Jinwei who came from time-travel. But now it was the opposite. The more he listened, the more ashamed he became.
After explaining Emperor Chongzhen's question just now, Zhong Jinwei brought the topic back and continued: "Therefore, it is unrealistic to revive the Imperial College according to the previous model. This is mainly reflected in two aspects."
"First, talented scholars will not choose the Imperial College because they have better choices. The quality of the Imperial College's students is a problem."
"Second, even if the supervisors in the Imperial College can meet the requirements to be appointed as officials in the Ministry of Personnel after the points and calendar system are restored, they will still only be able to be minor officials. This is obviously not what talented scholars want."
When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, he asked tentatively: "Master Zhong, what if I decree that the official selection of officials should not discriminate against the Imperial College's origin?"
Zhong Jinwei smiled, shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, after so many years of imperial examinations, there are already a lot of people with Jinshi background. However, official positions are limited, and people with Jinshi background are all waiting in line. If Your Majesty issued such an imperial edict, it would definitely be
It was rejected by the cabinet. Even if the cabinet does not reject it, the Sixth Section will reject it. Now all the yamen and officials with some power in the imperial court are from Jinshi background. This is too much resistance!"
Emperor Chongzhen listened with acquiescence. He had been emperor for more than four years, and he had already understood that the emperor did not say what he said, and that the monarchy was not as strong as it was at the beginning of the founding of the country. In other words, the situations mentioned by Master Zhong would definitely occur.
Zhong Jinwei was afraid that Emperor Chongzhen would be sad if he thought too much, so he immediately continued talking to draw his attention and said: "Therefore, I have found a new source of students and a way out for the Imperial College, which does not conflict with the imperial examination. In this way, there will be little resistance.
It can be implemented easily.”
When Emperor Chongzhen heard this, his face showed joy and he quickly asked: "Master Zhong, please tell me."
Seeing that Zhong Jinwei had successfully attracted Emperor Chongzhen's attention, he quickly continued: "Your Majesty, scholars take the imperial examination, to put it harshly, just for power. But the pursuit of life, in addition to power, also includes the ideas of the ministers, that is,
Give scholars a decent way to make money."
Emperor Chongzhen heard something in his heart, raised his eyebrows, and asked Zhong Jinwei in surprise: "But the research institute?"
Zhong Jinwei was speechless. It seemed that when it came to money, Emperor Chongzhen's mind was extremely flexible. He was really a money addict!
In this regard, he actually wronged Emperor Chongzhen. Because in the position of being the head of a family, the most important thing to consider is the word "wealth". Only when you have money can you do other things. This is the basis. Therefore,
Only Emperor Chongzhen was particularly sensitive to the word "wealth".
"Exactly, my idea is to let people from the Imperial College serve as researchers. In this way, they will have identities, which are casual official titles at all levels, so that they don't have to kowtow to people who came from the imperial examination. Usually they have the titles issued by state-owned enterprises.
The salary, after the research results are achieved, there will also be huge wealth dividends. This is enough to attract a considerable number of scholars to take this path!"
Emperor Chongzhen nodded repeatedly and said excitedly: "Yes, I think it will work!"
"Your Majesty, preschool education is the foundation. All people in the Ming Dynasty must attend preschool education. Then they can choose. Those who are willing to enter the imperial examination career can enter the original academies; those who are willing to enter various research institutes can take the path of the Imperial College. In addition, in
In terms of national policy, some inclinations can also be made.”
"How to tilt?" Emperor Chongzhen was already very happy to hear it. When he heard that Zhong Jinwei had something else to say, he quickly asked again.
"Let the research institute allocate part of the funds from the dividends of its affiliated research institutes to set up various scholarships and provide study subsidies to outstanding students who are willing to go to the research institute." Zhong Jinwei adopted this trick from later generations.
Emperor Chongzhen heard this, thought for a moment, and immediately slapped the imperial table and said repeatedly: "Master Zhong, this move is very wonderful, very wonderful!"
When Zhong Jinwei heard this, he didn't know what Emperor Chongzhen was thinking of, and couldn't help asking: "Your Majesty, where does this wonderful thing come from?"
"Master Zhong intends to test me! Okay, I will tell Master Zhong." Emperor Chongzhen pointed at Zhong Jinwei and said with a smile.