strictlysupreme Chapter 651: Is It Wrong To Set Up Academies And Subsidize Poor Students? A New Method Of Government
Chapter 651: Is It Wrong To Set Up Academies And Subsidize Poor Students? A New Method Of Government
After answering Qi King Zhu Yan's question that "the imperial court must not compete with the people for profit", Yan Changqing glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang below, as well as the princes Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di and other princes, and continued to ask:
"Then, in addition to the previously mentioned industries of 'food, clothing, housing, transportation and people's livelihood', the imperial court must firmly occupy the dominant position in the industry.
"Is there any other industry in which the imperial court must firmly occupy a dominant position?!!"
Hearing Yan Changqing's question, Zhu Yuanzhang and the princes Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di and other princes were stunned for a moment, then frowned slightly and each thought:
[In addition to the "food, clothing, housing, transportation, and people's basic needs" industries, are there other industries that must be firmly dominated by the imperial court?!!]
[But apart from the "clothing, food, housing and transportation, people's basic needs" which can be called the pillar industry of the country, what other industries can also be called the cloth industry, the pillar industry of the country?!!]
【Textile industry? Porcelain industry? Liquor industry? Tea industry...Sugar industry?!!】
[I feel that the importance of these industries cannot be compared with the importance of the common people's "food, clothing, housing, transportation, and people's livelihood" industries!!!]
After a while, I saw Zhu Yuanzhang, as well as the princes Zhu Biao, Zhu Xi, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di and other princes still frowning.
Yan Changqing did not waste any more time. He turned around and wrote the word "education" in big letters on the blackboard behind him under "food, clothing, housing and transportation, people's basic needs", and then said:
"If 'food, clothing, housing, transportation, and people's basic needs' are the pillars of a country's existence, then 'education' is the future of a country!!!"
“If there is any industry in which the country’s imperial court must occupy a dominant position, then the ‘education’ industry must be one of them!!!
Below, after hearing Yan Changqing's words, Zhu Yuanzhang, as well as the princes Zhu Biao, Zhu Xi, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di and other princes, all couldn't help but talk:
"educate?!!"
“Education is the future of the country?!!”
"The country must also occupy a dominant position in the education industry?!!"
Looking at the confused expressions on the faces of Zhu Yuanzhang and the princes Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di and other princes, Yan Changqing thought for a while and then asked with an example:
"For example, if there are businessmen, gentry, wealthy households, and landowners who are willing to invest in setting up academies, and provide financial support to poor students at low prices or even free of charge, so that they do not need to consider their own life problems and can concentrate on completing their studies!!!"
"Your Highnesses, do you think this kind of thing is good for the imperial court?!!"
"Is it still a bad thing?!!"
Feeling Yan Changqing's eyes on him, Prince Zhu Biao thought for a moment and then answered:
"If someone is willing to set up an academy and help poor students complete their studies at low cost or even for free, then this should be a good thing for the court!!!"
"After all, this can be considered as helping the imperial court to educate the people!!!"
Establish academies, teach and educate people, and provide low-cost or even free financial aid to poor students to complete their studies.
Such things have been good deeds since ancient times.
And since it is a good deed, then it is naturally a good thing for the court. How could it be a bad thing?!!
Yan Changqing's eyes swept across Qin King Zhu Di, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di and other princes and asked:
“What are the opinions of other Your Highnesses?!!”
After Qin Wang Zhu Di, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di and other princes thought about it for a while, they also expressed their opinions one after another:
“Good thing!!!”
“I think it’s a good thing too!!!”
"Whether those merchants, gentry, wealthy households, or landowners set up academies for their own good reputation or out of other ideas, and provide financial aid to poor students to complete their studies at low prices or even for free!!!"
"However, no one is perfect in terms of his or her deeds, and no one is perfect in terms of his or her heart. As long as they actually set up academies, teach and educate people, and help poor students to complete their studies at low or even free prices, then for those poor students who come from ordinary families, Words are a good thing!!!"
"And if it is a good thing for poor students from ordinary people's families, then it should naturally be a good thing for the imperial court!!!"
"You can't set up academies, teach and educate people, and help poor students complete their studies at low prices or even for free. Isn't that a bad thing?!!"
"If this kind of thing is a bad thing, then what else can be called a good thing in this world?!!"
After listening to the answers from Prince Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di and other princes, Yan Changqing did not show any surprise on his face, and then asked further:
"Then, if there are merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landowners who are willing to invest in building a large number of academies, and provide low-cost or even free subsidies to a large number of poor students, so that they can complete their studies without having to consider their own life problems!!!"
"Your Highnesses, do you think this kind of thing is a good thing for the court?!!"
“Or is it a bad thing?!!”
Hearing Yan Changqing's question again, whether it was Zhu Yuanzhang or the princes Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di, etc., they all frowned deeply.
Because compared with the question just now, except for the word "a large number" added, the rest of this question is almost exactly the same.
And they were not fools. If it was the first time Yan Changqing asked this question, they thought there were businessmen, gentry, wealthy households, and landlords willing to fund the establishment of academies.
And being willing to subsidize poor students at low prices or even free of charge, so that they do not need to consider their own life problems and concentrate on completing their studies, is a good thing for the court.
So now that Yan Changqing has asked this question for the second time, this definitely means that behind this matter, there must be serious drawbacks that they have not thought of yet!!!
But no matter how they thought about it, they never imagined that merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landlords would fund the establishment of academies and provide low-cost or even free subsidies to poor students, so that they would not need to consider their own life problems and concentrate on completing their studies. What are the disadvantages!!!
Because this kind of thing, no matter how you think about it, is a great thing for the country and the people!!!
Even if the imperial court knew that there were benevolent people in the local area who were willing to fund the establishment of a large number of academies and help poor students complete their studies.
So even if the imperial court does not grant an official position as a reward, it will at least convey the praise verbally!!!
Therefore, they really could not imagine that something like this would have any serious drawbacks for the court.
Looking at the increasingly confused Zhu Yuanzhang, as well as the princes Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, Zhu Fan, Zhu Di and other princes, Yan Changqing further reminded:
"Where did all the officials in the imperial court come from?!!"
Although Prince Zhu Biao didn't understand why Yan Changqing asked this, he still replied after thinking about it:
"Before the thirteenth year of Hongwu, most of them came through recommendation, and a few came through imperial examination!!!"
"Thirteen years after Hongwu, the new imperial examination system was restored and implemented. Most of the new officials came through the imperial examination, and a small number came through recommendation!!!"
Yan Changqing nodded, shook his head, and asked further:
"Then how did those officials qualify to take the imperial examination?!!"
King Qin Zhu Xiang raised his eyebrows. He still didn't understand the purpose of Yan Changqing's inquiry [but he still answered Yan Changqing's question based on the actual situation like Prince Zhu Biao:
"Of course they studied hard for ten years and passed the county and state examinations step by step, and then they were qualified to take the imperial examination!!!"
Yan Changqing nodded and then guided:
"Then where did they study hard for ten years in a cold window? !!"
Jin Wang Zhu Fan replied thoughtfully:
"Most of them were spent ten years studying hard in the academy!!!"
Yan Changqing smiled and said:
"Then what if they studied hard for ten years in academies established by merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landlords."
"And I also received low-cost or even free subsidies from merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landlords to complete my studies, and then finally passed the Juren Examination, and even entered the +..." 1
"Then after they became officials, the merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landowners asked them to take care of themselves a little within the reasonable and normal business activities. Is such a request too much?!!"
"And those poor students, after becoming officials, will they refuse such a trivial request?!!"
King Yan Zhu Di's eyes were slightly cold, and he said with a sneer at the corner of his mouth:
"Of course it's not too much. After all, it's within the scope of 'reasonable and normal business behavior'. Just take care of it a little bit!!!"
"And if you receive a drop of kindness from someone, you should repay it with a spring of water!!!"
"After those poor students become officials, they will naturally not refuse such 'trivial' requests from merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landlords!"
"Even if they refuse such a 'trivial' request, they will be reviled and said to be ungrateful!!!"
"Once their reputation becomes like this, it will be very difficult for them to continue in their career!!!"
"After all, no one likes an ungrateful person, let alone wants to support an ungrateful person!!!"
After Yan Changqing reminded him to this point, King Yan Zhu Di finally understood what the disadvantages Yan Changqing mentioned were.
Of course, not only King Yan Zhu Di figured it out, but Zhu Yuanzhang, Prince Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, Zhu Fan and other princes also figured it out at this moment.
Zhou Wang Zhu Ju said with a hint of mockery in his eyes:
"Build a large number of academies and provide low-cost or even free subsidies to many poor students, so that they do not need to consider their own life problems and concentrate on completing their studies until they are finally admitted to the imperial examination, Jinshi, and official positions!!!"
"It seems that we are educating the people and training officials for the imperial court, but in fact we are just training officials for ourselves!!!"
The King of Chu, Zhu Zhen, also looked indifferent and said:
"If there were only a few such officials, it would be okay.
"But if there are a large number of such officials in the court, then the merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landlords who funded and trained these officials will have the ability to interfere in the court affairs and guide the government affairs!!!"
On the other side, Qi King Zhu Yan also said with cold eyes:
"At that time, they will strongly agree with the policies in the court that are beneficial to those merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landlords!!!"
"And they strongly oppose policies that are unfavorable to those merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landlords!!!"
1.7 "In the end, the officials in the court will no longer be officials loyal to the Ming Dynasty!!!"
"But officials who are loyal to the merchants, gentry, wealthy households, and landlords who funded and trained them!!!"
Zhu Yuanzhang, who is sitting at the very back, is even more
He couldn't help but laughed angrily and said:
"Okay! Okay!! It's really good!!!"
“We really have little knowledge!!!”
"We really didn't expect that there is such a way of collusion between government and business!!!"
“It’s really an eye-opener for us!!!”
In the past, Zhu Yuanzhang's understanding of collusion between officials and businessmen was that it was very normal and ordinary businessmen to bribe officials, give them money, beautiful women and other benefits [and make full use of their own power]
To seek commercial and policy benefits for merchants.
To put it simply, it is a very ordinary power-for-money transaction.
And what Yan Changqing just said is no longer a simple transaction of power and money between officials and businessmen.
Instead, the merchants went a step further and directly trained the scholars who were beholden to them, and then waited for the scholars to pass the Jinshi examination and become officials, and then the scholars would repay them.
This can be said to be a very new type of collusion between government and business!!!
At least before this, "Zhu Yuanzhang really had never seen such an unexpected way of colluding between government and businessmen!!!
PS1: I wish everyone a healthy New Year's Eve, a happy family, and reunion! In the coming new year, I wish all the handsome guys, beauties, and big guys who have fully ordered or customized to become rich overnight.
Good health, all the best, and good luck! Thank you for your continued support!