Chapter 168 King Bomb!

The grand court meeting before the New Year is a summary of the year, and it is also a continuation of the past and the discussion of major events for the coming year.

Some major personnel adjustments, such as those involving officials of the fourth rank and above, will also be made public on this day.

Wei Yuan participated in a grand court meeting, but the scale of that time was far less than this one.

First of all, officials of all ranks in the capital will be present at this grand court meeting.

Secondly, the governors of various states, the governors of various frontiers, the princes of various regions, etc. will also select a few representatives to come.

Finally, this grand court meeting lasted a long time, and the longest one lasted for about six hours.

The reason is that the problems that have been dragged on and not dealt with this year, even if there is no way, must be put out today, and can't be dragged on any longer.

Fortunately, after the case of treason and treason came to an end, the Ministry of Revenue also had money and grain. With money, some troubles are not enough to be called troubles.

Therefore, this year, many officials felt that this grand court meeting should be peaceful and not cause any trouble.

At 1:00 pm, the sky was still dark.

Wei Yuan had already arrived outside the palace and was waiting.

At this time, some acquaintances such as Han Zhang, Zhang Fu, and Gu Yankai had been waiting outside the palace for a long time.

For a grand court meeting like this at the end of the year, it is better to come early unless it is necessary, otherwise, once you miss the time, it will not only be embarrassing.

As soon as Wei Yuan arrived in front of the palace, he saw several local governors, who came to greet Han Zhang sitting in the carriage.

"Han Xianggong, I wonder if you still remember me? In the first year of Jiayou, I came to Beijing to report my position, and you once gave me some advice."

"Greetings to Han Xianggong, I wonder if you are in good health recently?"

"Student greets teacher"

"."

As long as you can get familiar with Han Zhang, it means that you have a great chance of becoming a Beijing official.

They naturally didn't want to miss such a great opportunity.

Wei Yuan got off the carriage and planned to stretch his muscles.

But he saw Wang Anshi walking slowly.

Wei Yuan asked curiously: "You just came to Beijing, and you are a civil official. Why don't you say hello to Han Da Xianggong?"

The other party has been in Beijing for several days. Except for staying in the Ministry of Personnel, he almost never goes out of the door and doesn't go to get to know more of the elders in the court.

This made Wei Yuan curious.

Wang Anshi said: "If it was Han Da Xianggong when he was young, I would still be interested. Now it may be that he has been an official for a long time and is a little bit cautious."

Wei Yuan was a little surprised, "In the whole Bianjing City, especially the civil officials, only you dare to say this to Han Da Xianggong."

Wang Anshi shrugged, "It's just the truth."

It was probably at the hour of Mao before the palace gate was opened by Rong Xian himself.

Wang Anshi said: "General Wei, how about going together?"

It would take more than a quarter of an hour to walk slowly from Xuande Gate to Zichen Hall.

Wei Yuan said, "Lord Wang is really strange. Most civil officials would like to be as far away from us military generals as possible."

Wang Anshi said, "In my eyes, there is no difference between civil officials and military generals."

Wei Yuan asked curiously, "When Lord Wang first came to the capital, he talked with His Majesty for a whole night. I wonder what they talked about?"

Wang Anshi raised his eyebrows, "Do you really want to listen?"

Wei Yuan said, "I'm just curious. I'll listen to whatever you say."

While talking, the two of them had already entered Xuande Gate together and were walking towards the Purple Palace.

Wang Anshi said, "When General Wei invites me to a drink one day, I will tell you in detail. Otherwise, I can't finish it in a short time."

-

After a while, in the Purple Palace.

The civil and military officials who were originally talking a lot shut up when they saw Han Zhang and Zhang Fu coming.

At this time, the eunuchs brought two chairs for the two of them.

The grand court meeting lasted a long time, so only the two of them were qualified to sit on the chairs.

Some vassal kings were not qualified.

After an unknown amount of time, the sky was just getting light.

Emperor Zhao Zhen finally appeared in the palace.

In an instant, all the officials shouted three times,

"Long live the emperor, long live the emperor, long live the emperor!"

For some reason, Zhao Zhen suddenly coughed twice and waved his hand to all the officials.

Zhu Zongguan understood and immediately said loudly: "Your Majesty has an order, all officials stand up."

The next moment, all the officials stood up and bowed, "Yes."

Whether inside or outside the palace, there were people standing.

Zhao Zhen looked at the officials in the palace and said solemnly:

"As in previous years, each department will first discuss the unresolved issues this year, and the Secretariat will set a rule."

"Let's start with the Ministry of Personnel."

Ministry of Personnel?

All the officials were stunned.

In previous years, the discussion started with the Nine Temples and Six Prisons. As for the Six Ministries, they were all major events and should be discussed last.

As soon as Zhao Zhen finished speaking.

Wang Anshi suddenly walked out of the queue, bowed to Zhao Zhen, then turned to look at the officials and said loudly:

"Everyone, as we all know, this year due to a major case, there is a shortage of officials in various departments."

"However, I checked the files of the selection of scholars from the third year of Huangyou to the second year of Jiayou, and a total of more than 3,200 scholars were selected."

"According to the system of our dynasty, there is one Yuanwailang and one Langzhong in the Ministry of Personnel, but the Ministry of Personnel has three Langzhong and five Yuanwailang."

"In addition, there are three or four hundred clerks, and the situation of the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Punishment, the Ministry of Rites and other departments is roughly the same."

"I would like to ask you, can you really use so many people? Selecting hundreds of scholars every year, is it to show the style of nurturing scholars in our dynasty or is there another meaning?"

As soon as his voice fell.

Everyone was stunned as if they were struck by thunder.

Wei Yuan looked at Wang Anshi with admiration.

This buddy is indeed a tiger. He just arrived in the capital and hasn't figured out the ways of the world yet, but he plans to offend everyone?

No wonder, when this guy implemented major reform measures in the history of his previous life, there were far fewer people who supported him than those who opposed him.

Just like redundant soldiers, it affects the interests of too many people.

Sitting on the dragon chair, Zhao Zhen seemed to be oblivious to what was happening outside and slowly closed his eyes.

And Han Zhang, who was sitting on a chair in front of the queue of officials, suddenly said:

"Minister Wang, you are getting off topic."

"Your Majesty, you want to ask what problems the Ministry of Personnel has this year and how to solve them."

Wang Anshi said: "Minister Han, the Ministry of Personnel is in charge of the selection and appointment of officials. What I just said is the problem of the Ministry of Personnel."

Han Zhang said: "From what Minister Wang said, it seems that you have thought of a solution?"

Wang Anshi said surprisingly: "Since each department is short of people, the Ministry of Personnel will hold a big exam and the best ones will be promoted. The inferior ones will be demoted, and the clerks in each department will be cut, leaving only the backbone. ”

As soon as this was said, all the officials immediately discussed:

“Big exam? Cutting down the clerks? If we are not careful, there will be a big mess!”

“Yes, isn’t it a bit too hasty to do this?”

“Every year, the Ministry of Personnel has officials to review and examine, and now we have to hold a big exam? What does it mean? Let us who should have been Jinshi take the exam again?”

“This is nonsense.”

“.”

Han Zhang did not stop the officials from discussing.

Wang Anshi looked calm, as if he had expected the scene in front of him.

After a while, Han Zhang spoke again,

“Minister Wang has a good idea, but the country has been nurturing scholars for many years. If the clerks in each department are cut easily, people will inevitably turn against them.”

The problem of redundant soldiers is inseparable from the children of meritorious officials.

The problem of redundant officials is also inseparable from the so-called children of famous families.

For example, the Hai family said that there were five Hanlin scholars in the family, but in fact, there were far more than five Hai family members serving as officials in the court.

They had long since planted countless Hai family members in the departments under their jurisdiction.

It is estimated that the gatekeeper of the Ministry of Revenue is named "Hai".

These nobles are in cahoots with the nobles.

There is a young man here who has no future and can't find a way out. As long as he has a scholar's title, he will be sent to the government to work.

With such a repetition, how can there not be problems?

Why did Wang Anshi want to take a big test?

Did he really want to test the level of writing of officials at all levels?

No matter how good the writing is, it is useless if you can't do things?

Wang Anshi obviously wanted to take advantage of the opportunity of the big test to thoroughly understand the situation of the clerks in each department.

"Mr. Han, you are wrong. The country raises scholars for the people of the world."

"However, if the officials are not good enough, they will become a burden to the people."

"If we don't open the exam and re-examine all the officials of our Great Zhou, how can we give an explanation to the people of the world?"

Wang Anshi directly expanded the problem. If we continue to talk, it is estimated that we will talk about the country.

Wei Yuan looked at the scene with interest.

For some reason, as long as someone can confront Han Zhang, he will feel comfortable.

Han Zhang frowned, "The exam you want to hold involves officials all over the world?"

Wang Anshi said: "The exam of officials in various departments is only the first step. The second step is to let local officials at all levels participate in this exam."

"Mr. Han, the purpose of the exam is not to cut a lot of officials, but to select some capable and practical officials to fill the vacancies in various departments."

To be honest, the various departments need people, not really lack people.

Instead, he took the opportunity to make another plan for his own children, students and the like.

There are many people who have this idea.

Zhao Zhen asked Wang Anshi to be the Minister of Personnel in order to throw this difficult problem to him.

In other words, the major examinations for officials in various departments are serious examinations.

And Wang Anshi's major examination is how to make it clear and understand the lack of officials in various departments so as not to add to the burden of the court.

"In addition to the major examinations, I also suggest that a fixed number of new Jinshi be admitted in each spring examination."

"Some people who can become Jinshi or Tongjinshi but do not get the title due to the number problem will all be retained and given priority in the next spring examination."

Hearing what Wang Anshi said.

The officials were stunned again.

Can talents still be retained?

Today, they have learned a lot.

However, Wang Anshi's shocking things are far more than that.

"The spring examination is held every three years. In addition to the annual examination of officials in various departments and localities by the Ministry of Personnel, a major examination will be added every two years."

"Some officials who have no political achievements in local areas and departments will be dismissed and sent back to their hometowns, with their salaries reduced by half or only retaining their reputations."

At this moment, everyone looked at Wang Anshi.

Their eyes seemed like sharp blades, wanting to cut him into pieces.

What a move. Cut off the firewood from under the cauldron!

Zhao Zhen, who sat high on the dragon throne, kept his eyes closed, as if nothing had anything to do with him.

Han Zhang, who has always been in good health, coughed non-stop at this moment.

If he were ten or twenty years younger, he might have done it with Wang Anshi.

But now, he represents more than just himself.

A single move can affect the whole body.

Sometimes, even as the prime minister, he would feel helpless about certain things!