"What if an order, or a law, were issued to make education compulsory for every child of school age?" Xue Gong finally understood what Chestnut had been worried about.

"No, the introduction of laws now is only counterproductive. Zhao is currently the only country in the Hetao region that has established academies in every county and township, and if a law is introduced to force school-age children to go to school, it will force some people to leave the Hetao. We had worked so hard to keep them in the Loop, how could we dare to bring them back now? Chestnut shook his head decisively.

The low school enrollment rate of school-age children is limited by the factors of the times, and the people have not even solved the problem of insufficient food and clothing, and can only eat two meals a day.

You are about to starve to death, there is a piece of steamed bread in front of you, and a mountain of gold, which one do you choose?

The answer is obvious.

Why are most of the students from the school? Because these people have strong men in their families, the pillars are still there, and some even have military merits, and their families are relatively wealthy, so they can fully support their children to go to school.

In some families, the pillar of the family has passed away, and the children are not yet adults, and even if they are free, they cannot afford to go to school, because the children have to help the family chop wood, irrigate the ground, spring rice, and so on.

Of course, some are forced to do so, and some are really short-sighted.

After all, there are people in later generations who think that reading is useless, let alone this era.

"That'...... What about incentives instead? Xue Gong said.

"Be specific." Chestnut said.

"At the end of each semester, the college selects the outstanding students, and the dean goes to their place of residence to reward them in front of everyone. And the village that has cultivated the most outstanding students was rewarded. Then, the number of outstanding students will be used as one of the indicators to measure the promotion of officials at all levels. Xue Gong said slowly.

Everyone's face.

Other people's children have good grades in the college, so that their parents show their faces in front of everyone and earn enough face, don't you envy them? Not jealous?

What to do? That would definitely be sending the child to the academy as well, and then surpassing someone else's child.

Zhao only teaches three months in winter and three months in summer, and does not teach in spring and autumn. So every three months is a semester.

The main reason is that Zhao Guo could not support the annual education expenses, and the teachers had to go home to collect grain and cultivate when they were busy with farming.

After all, Zhao Guo is an agricultural country, and if the teacher is completely out of production, he can't support so many people.

"I will report to Handan and hand it over to the king to decide." Li nodded his head, Xue Gong's method still has a certain degree of implementation.

"Governor Yudu, the county guard of Le, the guard of Mao County ask to see you." At this moment, the guard walked in from the outside and arched his hand.

"Le Ma? Mao Gong? "Chestnut was a little surprised, although he was in charge of the four counties of Hetao, but under normal circumstances, except for Jiuyuan, where the governor's palace was located, the other county guards would not come in person," let them in. ”

"Governor Li, I don't know if you read the admission lists of various academies a few days ago." There was still hoarfrost hanging between Mao Gong's eyebrows, and after entering the mansion, he didn't have any polite words, and said directly.

Chestnut and Xue Gong glanced at each other and nodded, "I've seen it." ”

"We have to find a way to recruit more students." Rakuma said.

"Not bad. The least one college in Shuofang County only accepted six students. If this continues, sooner or later this academy will be dismantled. ”

Mao Gong also said.

Once the township colleges were removed, it would have been absolutely impossible for these children to go to other colleges to read and write with the transportation conditions of this era.

And once one college is removed, there will be more and more that will be removed.

The nobles who did not dare to stand up against it will inevitably stand up at this time and join forces to push the academy and education into the abyss.

"Xue Gong and I were also discussing this issue just now, do you have any good suggestions?" Chestnut pointed to the chair and motioned for the two to sit down.

The subordinates found that part of the reason why people were reluctant to send their children to the academy was ...... There is a force that secretly promotes the theory that reading is useless, saying that even if you go to school, you will go home to farm. The subordinates didn't pay attention at first...... Later, I realized that something was wrong when I heard it more than once, but this force was very cunning, and my subordinates sent people to stare at it twice but did not find it. Mao Gong said solemnly.

"As soon as you say that, Jiuyuan seems to have this situation as well." Xue Gong said suddenly, if it wasn't for Mao Gong's reminder, he really didn't expect that someone would have deliberately publicized it.

Chestnut belly looked at Lejian, who shook his head, "Helan doesn't have this situation. ”

Helan is a remote place, and there is only one river connected to Zhao State, and both sides of the river are deserts, deserted, and it is not easy to reach.

As a result, Helan County has become the county with the highest enrollment rate among the counties in the Hetao, but it is not much higher, only about 5 percent, which is still very low overall.

"Since this matter was discovered by Mao Gong first, then Mao Gong is responsible for investigating it, and I will ask everyone to cooperate with you. In addition, report to Handan and let the king send someone to assist. Chestnut said.

This matter is very important, if someone is really promoting the theory that reading is useless, it means that there are serious hidden dangers in the Zhao State, and there is a force that is not controlled by the imperial court.

Zhao must find a way to uproot this force.

"No." Mao Gong clenched his fists and said.

"What else do you guys think?" Chestnut asked.

"Maybe you can make up some poems or proverbs to promote the importance of reading and literacy." Poems and proverbs are the easiest to spread, and even if people are illiterate, they can sing along.

"Give a certain amount of money subsidies to families who are too poor, and most of them can't afford to go to school, or because they are too poor." Mao Gong said.

"In that case, the expenses are even greater." Chestnut frowned and said, Zhao Guo's support in education is very large, second only to the military, and even in road construction and officials.

Until then, the largest expenditure of countries other than the military has been the expense of officials.

Unlike other aspects, investment in education does not pay off in a short period of time, and at the same time offends the interests of the aristocracy. It is difficult to guarantee that the chestnut belly will be able to pass.

"We're going to submit the proposal and let Handan make a decision." Xue Gong said.

"Okay." Chestnut nodded, even if a few of them agreed, it would not be implemented without Handan's appropriation, in this case, it was better to leave the decision to Handan.

……

At this time, Handan was immersed in joy, Queen Tian Shu had just given birth to a son, and the mother and son were safe.

Zhao Wangkuo named the child Zhao An, rewarded the ministers, pardoned the criminals who committed minor crimes, and moved to Monan.