In the early morning of May 23, when the sky was dark, a small group of men and horses came to the south gate of Yanjing City.

When the soldiers guarding the gate saw this detachment, they were all stunned!

The leaders are Li Gang and Li Ruoshui!

The two of them returned to their hometowns yesterday, and they are leaving Yanjing City today, and they are not willing to stay longer for a moment! As for Li Chuwen, he was originally from Yanjing, and now he is still staying in Yanjing.

"What are you doing, two adults?" The soldiers guarding the door hurriedly stepped forward to salute, and they were surprised to see that Li Gang and Li Ruoshui were still with family members and servants behind, and these family members and servants were carrying things in their hands, as if they were going to move.

"When will the gates open?" Li Gang sighed lightly and said.

"There's a rooster crowing outside, it's time to open the gates." A soldier said hurriedly.

"Then open the city gate, we are leaving Yanjing City." Li Gang said.

The soldiers guarding the gate opened the city gate, and Li Gang and Li Ruoshui walked out of the city gate with more than a dozen family members and servants and came outside.

Both of them were riding on donkeys, and they looked back at Yanjing City at this moment, with a trace of sadness in their eyes.

"Boji, do you regret it?" Li Ruoshui looked at Li Gang and said. Bo Ji is Li Gang's character.

"No regrets! You and I grew up reading the knowledge of the saints, and we have also used the knowledge of the saints to govern the country all our lives, so naturally we should defend the knowledge of the saints! In fact, we also have a deep relationship with the emperor, and we are also loyal to the emperor, but we are more loyal to the study of the sage, so we cannot tolerate Your Majesty changing the study of the sage! Li Gang said.

"Yes, this is how my loyal men ought to be." Li Ruoshui nodded.

"It's a pity that there are fewer and fewer loyal people in the world, and the vast majority of people are going with the flow! Your Majesty is afraid that the vast majority of people in the world will not oppose the reform of the imperial examination, and I don't know what the world will become when the time comes. Li Gang smiled bitterly.

"You and I have resigned from my official position, and I will never have to worry about these things in the future! No matter what, you and I have assisted Your Majesty for many years, and now that my Great Song Dynasty has driven out the Tartars and ruled the world, our mission is also completed! How can the world be so much stronger than alien rule now! Or, Your Majesty's change can make my Great Song stronger, you and I will wait and see. Li Ruoshui said.

"That's right." Li Gang nodded.

The two took their families and servants to the front, Li Gang's hometown is in Fujian, he needs to go to Tianjin Wei, and then return to his hometown by boat, and Li Ruoshui's hometown is in Hebei, but Li Ruoshui decided to send Li Gang to Tianjin Wei first.

The two of them are no longer young, walking on the road, both of them have lonely expressions on their faces, and they look older and older.

They were sad in their hearts, and they didn't have much to say along the way.

After walking for about ten miles, there was an intersection in front of them, and when they turned the intersection, they suddenly found that there was a group of people waiting for them.

Seeing this group of people, Li Gang and Li Ruoshui stayed there.

"Your Majesty, why are you here? See Your Majesty! Li Gang immediately dismounted and fell to his knees.

Li Ruoshui had also knelt on the ground at this moment, and the family members and servants behind them also knelt on the ground.

"Two teachers, please get up! I have come out to bid you farewell. Zhao Chen helped the two of them up and said.

"Your Majesty, you are the king, we are only your subjects, you don't have to do this." Li Gang said with emotion.

"I've been with the two teachers for so many years, I've been with you since I was ten years old, and now that you're leaving, how can I not see you off?" Zhao Chen said.

"Two lords, you might as well stay in Yanjing, neither Your Majesty nor we want you to leave!" At this moment, there was another person behind Zhao Chen.

This person is Wang Shu! Behind Wang Shu, there are Qu Duan, Hu Quan, Wang Shipeng and others.

"No need! We do want to go home and check it out. Li Gang said with a smile.

The two of them were very persistent, no matter how Wang Shu and others persuaded each other, they were unwilling to stay.

In the end, Zhao Chen and the others could only accompany Li Gang and Li Ruoshui forward, Li Gang and Li Ruoshui had already sat in the carriage at the moment, and Zhao Chen also sat with them.

"Teacher, after you return to your hometown, if you have any suggestions for the government, you can also write to me! You can also participate in local politics. Zhao Chen said.

"We are already ordinary people, and we should not participate in political affairs." Li Gang shook his head and said.

"The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of the husband! Even the common people can participate in political affairs, and if the people are dissatisfied with a certain official, they can even remove him, and it is not impossible for the people to elect officials! Zhao Chen said.

"Your Majesty, do you have any other ideas for change in your heart?" Li Gang said.

"Yes, I want to change the Great Song step by step to make it stronger." Zhao Chen said.

"Your Majesty's ambitions, we can't participate in it, but I want to advise Your Majesty that everything must be done slowly and not in a hurry." Li Gang said.

"I know that the reform of education and imperial examinations alone will last for a long time! When education and imperial examinations are stabilized, I will implement the next reform! I will consider the stakes in everything I do, and I will not act recklessly! If something is not realized, I will not implement it, and maintaining the status quo and stability is the first thing I consider. Zhao Chen said.

"Your Majesty has been in charge for many years, and your skills are skillful, I believe in Your Majesty! I hope my Da Song is getting better and better. Li Gang nodded and said.

After walking for a full morning, Zhao Chen, Li Gang, Li Ruoshui and others kept talking in the carriage, they no longer talked about political affairs, but talked about some trivial matters at home, and the atmosphere gradually became harmonious.

"Your Majesty, you've been sending us for so long, don't send it anymore, go back!" Li Gang said.

"Teacher, I am reluctant to leave you! Hey, since Kaifeng, you and I have been together most of the time, even if we are separated, I know that it is a temporary separation, but this time, I really don't know when I will see you. Zhao Chen said.

"Your Majesty, go back! Even if the old minister returns to his hometown, he will continue to be loyal to the Great Song Dynasty and His Majesty! Li Gang said.

"Your Majesty, please go back! Since ancient times, how can there be a reason for an emperor to send his courtiers like this, and the two of us can't afford it. Li Ruoshui is also the way.

"Okay, then I'll go back, and I'll let the local officials take care of your family!" You have made meritorious contributions to Jiangshan Sheji, and the imperial court will compensate the two teachers in the future. Zhao Chen said.

"Your Majesty, there are many places where the state spends money, don't spend it on us two dying people." Li Gang hurriedly said.

"Naturally, after you have money, you will reward those who have contributed to the court! Since this is the case, I will not send it anymore, and the two teachers cherish it all the way! Zhao Chen said.

He got off the carriage, and then watched Li Gang and Li Ruoshui leave with Wang Shu and others, and when the figures of the two gradually disappeared, Zhao Chen felt that his eyes were wet.

He wiped away his tears, rode onto his horse, and laughed, "I'll return to Yanjing later!" From now on, there will be no old people in the DPRK and China, only us young people left! We must make some achievements and let them rest assured! ”

After Li Gang, Li Ruoshui and others left, there were basically no ministers over fifty years old in the court, and the remaining Zhao Chen, Wang Shu, Yue Fei, Qu Duan, etc. were all in their twenties and thirties, at most in their forties, all of them were young and strong, and there were not many people who were as stubborn as Li Gang and Li Ruoshui, which was very beneficial to Zhao Chen's governance.

He galloped towards Yanjing City, his mood gradually improved, and he believed that with the efforts of his own group of people, the reform of the Great Song Dynasty would be able to be completely implemented.

******

On May 25, Zhao Chen issued an edict appointing Wang Shu as the prime minister and had full authority to handle the reform of education and imperial examinations!

Wang Shu was extremely efficient, and by June 10, Wang Shu had already drawn up the first plan, and he handed over the reform plan to Zhao Chen.

"Your Majesty, the reform of education and imperial examinations is first and foremost education! And the first educational reform is Daxing School! Your Majesty said that day, the youth is strong, the country is strong, and the youth is wise, this is the most reasonable saying, so the matter of education cannot be delayed! Starting from this year, the imperial court will spend 10% of its tax revenue on education every year, and strive to have public schools in all states and counties across the country within three years, and the number of public schools in each state and county within ten years will reach three! In addition to public schools, we also want to support excellent private schools! We must reward those public schools and private schools that run well. Zhao Chen watched over there, and Wang Shu explained on the side.

"Not bad." Zhao Chen nodded.

"The second is to develop teaching materials! Confucianism is a must-learn book for private schools in all dynasties, and we can't give it up! Half of the textbooks of Confucianism should be used, and the remaining half should be practical learning, with four parts: arithmetic, agriculture, engineering, and commerce. Wang Shu said.

"Regarding Confucian textbooks, we should also review and adapt." Zhao Chen said.

"Review the adaptation?" Wang Shu was stunned.

"Many Confucian texts misinterpret the meaning of the sages, and we should take the essence of them and discard the dross." Zhao Chen said lightly.