After the national policy meeting, Gao Zhong's eyes when he looked at Zhu Houxi were very different.

Still in awe, but before it was because of imperial power, and now it is not.

Having read some books in the inner study hall, he understood what the emperor had done today.

This matter has not yet been spread, but if this matter can really be done, then Your Majesty may not have the meritorious work of governing the country that convinces the subjects of the world, but he will definitely have a far more important identity than this: the great Confucian of the world.

Sixteen years old.

Even if it goes further, His Majesty's scholarly views are recognized by scholars all over the world, and the Ming Dynasty is really getting richer and stronger after one or two decades, then His Majesty's identity will be directly upgraded to: sage.

How many emperors have there been throughout the ages? Imperial merits, cultural and martial arts only. is Wenzhi, that is just a great promotion of culture and education, and good ministers are in the court.

What emperor has such achievements in learning that he is enough to be called a sage in Confucianism?

But His Majesty doesn't seem to take it seriously, but continues to read the two sets of books he has read recently.

One is Qiu Jun's "University Yanyi Supplement", and the other is Wang Wensu's "Treasure of Arithmetic" that has not yet been completed.

The former is everyone, famous ministers, teachers of Xie Qian, and Liang Chu.

The latter is a commoner and a businessman.

His Majesty spends more time on the "Treasure Book of Arithmetic", and from time to time he takes a pen to calculate and even writes his own experience.

Now the eunuchs around Zhu Houxi all know that the emperor has a high degree of arithmetic, otherwise how could he come up with that set of accounts?

The arithmetic books that can make His Majesty study so carefully are indeed worthy of the name of "Baojian".

Above the court, every few days, the eighteen Arhats would have a morning arguing about the new law, as if they wanted to play out their dog brains, and then they would continue to communicate "frankly and intimately" at the national policy meeting.

But they are all old drama bones, and they don't feel fine.

What the emperor can give them at the moment, in addition to the possible merit of entering the Taimiao, there is also the opportunity to enter the Confucian Temple!

Taimiao, to put it mildly, is gone after the change of dynasty. And what about the Temple of Confucius? In their opinion, no matter which one you sit in the world, the Confucian Temple is eternal!

In mid-July, Zhu Houxi felt a little brain pain, and had to stop them who were gradually blushing at the national policy meeting: "This avenue of learning is not in a hurry!" What you need to pay more attention to now is the new Guangdong law! Previously, it was agreed that the separation of enslavement, the unification of departments and rules, and the principles of procurement by all offices should be continued, and now it is necessary to continue to discuss the system of business licensing and commercial tax division. ”

Yang Tinghe and the others stopped arguing about heavenly principles, physics, and human principles, but they were in a hurry.

They also had to act in court meetings and daily party disputes while discussing the steps of the new law, and they had much less energy than Wang Shouren to improve His Majesty's neo-Confucian framework!

Do we want to give this opportunity for Confucianism to innovate again?

Wang Shouren, who was in filial piety, was in retreat, and he never expected that he would encounter two major events in a row after he returned.

The counselors directed the drama and let them go, but he was also shocked by the theory of heaven, physics, and human reason that he received a few days ago.

The experience of Gewu back then made him unforgettable, and he also thought that it was a mistake, and only later did he realize the path of Longchang.

But now His Majesty said that the knowledge of things should be the knowledge of physics, and his conscience is not a specific method, and he attaches too much importance to talent.

Wang Shouren thought that His Majesty was more recognizant of Xinxue, but he didn't expect that His Majesty actually had a higher understanding and wanted to learn from the strengths of each family to recreate Confucianism.

In my time, the transformation of Confucianism was not a crazy move, and Cheng Zhu was not called a virtuous person because he did this?

And now this set of theories of heavenly principles, physics, and human principles can be said to be compatible with the knowledge of many miscellaneous schools such as Mohists and Legalists.

After breaking up, some can be stuffed into physics, and some can be stuffed into human affairs......

Xintiandi has opened up in front of you, and now everyone is excited at the national focus meeting, right?

This may be an opportunity for Confucianism to be exclusive without forcibly deposing the hundred schools of thought, and it is an opportunity for Confucianism to truly include all schools of learning.

If it is done, the new law will be governed by Neo-Confucianism, and even if the gentry will be unwilling to suffer from the current benefits of servitude, they will not dare to deviate from the foundation on which they can enjoy these benefits.

Thirty or fifty years later, if Neo-Confucianism is successful, their children and grandchildren will have to rely on it to study and become scholars!

Then there is the law on the treatment of officials, which is still being discussed......

At this time, the new law may really be called "the monarch and the minister are united".

The counselors are really motivated.

After Wang Shouren pondered it, he didn't think he needed to be anxious about this matter.

Five years before Jiajing, the "new party" and the "old party" would certainly further confront each other at the academic level, and this was the situation that His Majesty needed.

Five years later, the world will be greatly reformed, and the first thing to be moved at that time is probably the imperial examination!

……

It was mid-July, and the talents from various provinces who participated in the township test went to the provincial capital one after another.

Nineteen-year-old Xu Jie packed his bags and prepared to go to Yingtianfu to take his second township test.

"Nie Tiju values you very much, don't have demons this time." His father told him, "I'll be able to make it to high school!" ”

Xu Jie nodded and looked at another sedan chair not far from the dock.

Inside sat the woman who had been waiting for him for two years.

It was a thirteen-year-old who was full of talent and ambition, and at the age of seventeen, he failed in the first township test.

At that time, he once doubted his talent, if it weren't for Nie Bao, the magistrate of Huating County, who was in office last year, who praised him as a "national weapon" and personally taught his knowledge, Xu Jie would have been ready to start a family first.

Now he saluted his father and said, "Take care of your health, father. My son will definitely be on the two lists this time, and he will return to the province next year to get married! ”

There was confidence in his voice, both for his father and for the mother and daughter in the sedan car in the distance.

His father was a county minister, and he was also a poet and calligrapher in Huating.

Seeing his son take the scholar on the boat against the river, the Xu family who saw him off waved goodbye. The sedan curtain was lifted a slit, revealing half of his face inside.

The young woman had tears in her eyes, she will be eighteen next year, but the person she likes must welcome her with a beautiful background.

Now, he's on his way.

In Guangzhou, talents from various prefectures in Guangdong have also arrived.

The township test in August, and the rite department will take the test in February next year, which is the year of the big test that the talents are all concerned about.

If you learn well and have good luck, you will be able to cross two hurdles in a row, and from then on, you will be able to break away from the scientific path and go to officialdom with the best background.

Otherwise, just like some people whose hair has grayed, they still have to fight for this person once every three years.

Zhang Fujing, Zhang En, Zhai Luan, and Yang Shen did not dare to ignore it.

"Hurricanes in July and August." Zhang Fujing seriously reminded Yang Shen, "Gong Wei reported that the fleet that left the port in May lost two large ships when it returned to the port a few days ago, and it encountered strong winds and waves on the way. In addition to the township test, preparations for wind relief should not be missing. ”

"The next official will definitely arrange it." Yang Shen replied, "Although the lower officials do not know the habits of hurricanes, the people of Guangdong have a lot of experience. All counties should make more announcements, and there will be no mistakes in the summer and autumn grains. ”

Zhang Fujing said again: "The appointment of the two Beijing officials as the main exam, this is the first time in my Ming Dynasty. At this moment, the students are gathered, and they must pay more attention to their studies, so as not to make things happen because of this. ”

Zhai Luan's face was full of confusion: "I'm already talking about it." ”

Zhang En said: "The political envoy only sends the promotion and the same examination, and the preparation for the township examination is safe. That is, although the township examination system has not been changed, the examination with Beijing officials as the main examination does make students uneasy. ”

"That can only say that the case of the last two years shocked the imperial court. The main examination of Beijing officials is precisely for the fairness of Qiuqiu. Zhang Fujing said with a serious face, "If someone makes trouble after the list is released, Ben Fu will find out!" ”

There was indeed a lot of discussion in Guangzhou at this time.

In the past, the local government has always been responsible for the production and examination of the local township examination.

Since they are all magistrates as the main examiners, the talents can naturally have an understanding of the knowledge and preferences of the main examiner, and even be able to go some ways in advance.

Now, the local government is only preparing for the examination in advance, and the two main exams and the three sub-exams are all sent by the imperial court and are on their way to Guangdong.

This was a fatal blow to some of the previous "prepared" candidates.

"The imperial court is in endless political disputes, why do you use Guangdong as a battlefield?" There are Xiucai in the restaurant who are full of indignation, "One exam at the age of three, how many three years are there in your life?" ”

"It's Qingzhang land again, and the imperial merchants monopolize the profits of the market, do you want to cut off the Guangdong Shizi Branch?"

"The examination system has not been changed, and the Beijing official is appointed as the main exam. Brothers, are you too radical? ”

"That's a mistake! This year, will the examination system be changed next year? Isn't it meaningless to study hard for ten years? If this year's main examination questions make us wait to discuss the new law in Guangdong, how to write? ”

"Exactly. The imperial court is arguing over the new law, and who knows whether this is in favor of changing the law or leaning towards the old system? How can such a treatment of the Guangdong Township Test be called fair? There are two capitals and thirteen provinces, and only Guangdong Qiuyu is the main examination from Beijing, how can it be called fair? ”

“……”

At this moment, Zheng Cunzhong's mansion also came to visit.

Zheng Cunzhong is already a lifter. Unlike the Song Dynasty, as long as the Ming Dynasty lifted people in the examination, as long as they were not removed from their reputations, they would always be able to participate in the Ministry of Rites examination as a lifter.

Therefore, Zheng Cunzhong does not have to take this year's township examination, he can sit and wait for next year's general examination.

Now Youxiucai came to visit him because he knew that Zheng Cunzhong had many friends in Beijing three times before, and now he is also well-informed.

"The main examiner is Xu Jin, a scholar in the Hanlin Academy, a Jinshi in the eighteenth year of Hongzhi, and a protégé of Yang Ge. The other examiner is Fei Gelao's nephew, Fei Maozhong, the new champion last year. Zheng Cunzhong sighed repeatedly, "Last year, the top 1 gathered in Guangdong, which was really a grand event. ”

Isn't it? Tanhua is the governor of Guangdong, and the list is the senator of Guangdong, and now the other main examiner of the Guangdong Township Examination is their top student in the same subject.

But what really made him feel interesting was where these two exams came from.

Yang Tinghe has now become the "leader of the new party", while Fei Hong is the leader of the old party.

The talents frowned sadly: "This Xu Jin and Fei Maozhong...... Who is the question? What questions will be asked? ”

"I don't know." Zheng Cunzhong said with a smile, "In short, the first four books and five classics, and the second judgment, those are all basic skills." The third five courses of scripture, history, and current affairs are the key, but I'm afraid that both of them will have some questions. ”

After entertaining these talents, he walked out of the study and looked at the sunny sky, and then asked his housekeeper: "The wind has risen on the sea?" Will it condense into a hurricane? ”

"Master, there's no definite number."

Zheng Cunzhong's eyes flickered, looking forward to the wind and rain being a little bigger.

The Ming Dynasty called this typhoon a hurricane, and such a big storm is indeed brewing in the ocean.

In this era, there are no weather satellites in the sky, and it is really impossible for people living on the earth to predict whether there will be typhoons.

It is only when the typhoon begins to hit the shore that the storm and clouds suddenly change and the rain is pouring down.

A few days after Xu Jie left Huating County, a typhoon struck.

On July 25, "the hurricane roared, pulling out trees and flying houses, surging on the flat ground, and drowning countless people." From Changzhou, Songjiang and even Yingtianfu, dozens of counties have been affected, the Nanjing River is overflowing, and the suburbs, mausoleums, palaces, and city walls are all broken......"

When the newspaper arrived in Beijing, it was already August.

At the Shuori court meeting, a certain official was extremely resolute: "This celestial phenomenon warns that because of the traitor in the court, the ancestral system is in vain!" Jiangnan is a heavy tax land, this disaster is coming, the summer grain is destroyed, the fertile land is barren, the disaster is everywhere, and the disasters are everywhere! Chen impeached university scholars Yang Tinghe, Jiang Mian, Shi Xuan, Mao Ji......"

It's been a lot of fighting, and some people are indeed starting to lose their minds and come up with the theory of celestial and human induction.

Although the spearhead is pointed at these "traitors" of the New Party, does the emperor want to condemn himself for this?

Yang Tinghe said angrily: "In July of the twenty-third year of Hongwu, Songjiang Mansion was hit by a hurricane, and the people were two or three out of ten; In the leap September of the fourteenth year of Yongle, Songjiang Mansion drifted more than 10,000 houses; Nine years of orthodoxy, five years of Tianshun, and eleven years of Zhengde......"

He deserved to be a prodigy back then, and after making some preparations, he opened his mouth and said after saying so much data: "Natural disasters are expected, how can you say any celestial warnings at this time?" The top priority is to help the victims! Your Majesty, the disaster in Jiangnan is everywhere this time, and although the Fujian and Guangdong reports have not yet arrived, the fear of disaster cannot be underestimated. In the past hurricane year when the hurricane starts at sea, there are wind and rain tides along the coast, and the minister asks the household department and the ministry of industry to discuss the relief event. ”

Fei Hong said: "In the past two months, impeachment has become a trend, and there have been vacancies in many important positions!" Natural disasters are coming, and people's hearts are even more uneasy! Your Majesty, at this time, it is all the more necessary for officials and gentry to come forward to appease the villagers! The dispute over the new law must not be protracted, otherwise the victims of disasters in various places will not be appeased, and disasters will break out everywhere! ”

Acting must be performed in a full set, although I know that it may be very bad to still bring this matter to the dispute over the new law through natural disasters, and I don't know what kind of mood His Majesty is in now, but I must continue to bring this point forward.

Zhu Houxi's mood is indeed very bad.

Yang Shen artificially recklessly intensified the contradictions of the new law a lot, so the national policy meeting set the strategy for this big drama.

But the natural disasters of typhoons are unpredictable, and Fei Hong is right, under the current conditions, local relief is basically inseparable from the support of the gentry.

Now that they are resentful of the new law that may be introduced to the whole country, will they take the initiative this time? That depends on the direction of the court.

"At the moment of national crisis, the officials and gentry have read the books of the sages, how can they hesitate because they can't implement the new law, and what kind of new law they do?" Yang Tinghe retorted with righteous words, "Your Majesty, please use Jiang Mian and Mao Ji, the governor of Zhejiang, to directly provide disaster relief, Tian Fu, and Cao Yun, and order the governors of Fujian and Guangdong to strictly investigate the embezzlement of people's land and concealment of people's households under the pretext of the disaster!" Every time there is a natural disaster, there will be a human disaster, and we have to prevent it! ”

He immediately said a lot of previous examples, and Fei Hong could only persuade the emperor to calm the people's hearts at this moment.

Zhu Houxi seemed to be furious when he heard it: "If there are orphaned children, they will all be adopted to the capital and Huguang Salesian Hospital!" If there are officials and gentry who take advantage of the disaster to commit illegal things, they will be investigated! Yang Ge Lao Gong, please approve it, and discuss the disaster relief strategy quickly! ”

Well, this year is indeed a storm surge, and the first year of Jiajing is not easy.