Raising chickens and pigs and digging for wild vegetables, the county magistrate's promotion wa

Chapter 758 Li Shanchang: I'm tired, let's destroy it.

Some problems are easy to fill, either by spending money or by using people; in short, they can be filled in a short time.

However, some problems are very difficult to fill.

In particular, the transformation from an agrarian feudal dynasty that was primarily based on agriculture and supplemented by small-scale handicrafts and commerce to a semi-industrialized dynasty that initiated an industrial revolution required not only money to fill the gap, but also people, the entire mineral resources of the Ming Dynasty, and even the stability of the Ming Dynasty.

Although Emperor Zhu, Li Shanchang, and Liu Bowen did not know the term "industrialization" or "industrial revolution," it was not difficult to discern from the phrases "ordinary workers and craftsmen" that a working class completely detached from farming would emerge in the future.

Could the Ming Dynasty withstand the resulting turmoil?

Or rather, what kind of changes will this emerging group bring to the Ming Dynasty?

From the recommendation system to the Nine-Rank System, powerful clans emerged.

The Nine-Rank System and the Imperial Examination system gave rise to a new class of scholars.

What about this time?

From abolishing the imperial examination system to vigorously developing schools, changing the selection method for officials from the imperial examination system to a selection system based on examinations, and at the same time using schools to cultivate a new working class, what will such a multi-faceted reform give rise to?

Besides, what other impacts will affect groups such as farmers, merchants, and gentry?

What about the imperial court and local governments?

As the saying goes, different strokes for different folks. Some officials may choose to support it, while others may choose to oppose it. The same applies to the gentry and merchants.

There were groups of gentry and merchants who supported them, and groups of gentry and merchants who opposed them. Corresponding to the officials in various places who supported or opposed them, what kind of actions would those gentry and merchants take?

If reforms are truly to be implemented, will the content taught in the original community schools, county schools, and prefectural schools also need to be changed?

How should it be changed?

Putting aside other things, just consider the subjects originally designed for the imperial examinations. They cover all aspects of knowledge, and anyone who can pass the examinations and obtain the title of Xiucai can basically be considered a polymath.

Astronomy, geography, mechanics, and numerology.

These scholars possessed a profound foundation in everything from governing the country and waging war to medicine, divination, and sorcery.

If reforms are to be implemented, should we consider assigning majors to students?

If we specialize in a particular field, how will we select officials in the future?

A whole host of troubling questions, none of which had any answers, caused Emperor Zhu to subconsciously bend his finger and gently tap the table in front of him.

Emperor Zhu felt a growing sense of regret.

I shouldn't have scolded that bastard.

If we don't reprimand him, he'll keep the problem to himself and explore the way ahead, so we can take advantage of him later.

But now it's all good. It feels good to scold this bastard, but he's also left the problem for us to deal with. We have to figure things out on our own!

Thinking of this, Emperor Zhu couldn't help but look at Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen with anticipation.

Are you two sure you can make it?

One is the Duke of Han, and the other is the Marquis of Chengyi. Can't you two even solve the problem together?

Li Shanchang frowned deeply, pondered for a long time, and then could only sigh helplessly.

late.

From the establishment of community schools in Ningyang County, to the founding of universities in Dengzhou Prefecture, to the successive appearances of harvesters, microscopes, and water presses, and finally to the introduction of the concept of the steam engine, everything was already too late.

What would happen if you turned a horse-drawn carriage carrying a heavy load uphill around?

The answer to this question is almost instantaneous and requires almost no thought.

The Ming Dynasty at present is like a carriage already loaded with a thousand pounds of weight, climbing a hill.

I dared not stop, much less turn around. I could only slowly, little by little, climb upwards, hoping that the road ahead would be smooth.

Hey, why did you mess with that bastard Yang the Madman if you had nothing to do?

Now look what's happened... my poor hair...

Li Shanchang glanced at Emperor Zhu and Liu Bowen, who were still frowning in thought, and then at Yang Shaofeng, who was gloating beside him. In the end, he could only sigh helplessly and bow to Emperor Zhu, saying, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter is feasible."

Emperor Zhu immediately perked up and looked at Li Shanchang, saying, "Brother Shanchang, what are your thoughts?"

Li Shanchang cupped his hands and said, "The superiors, the community schools, and the universities were all proposed by the Prince Consort, and they were first piloted in Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture."

"Even now, Ningyang County is still the only pilot site in our Great Ming Dynasty. Although Dengzhou Prefecture is not officially a pilot site, it is in fact a pilot site."

"In my opinion, since this was proposed by the Prince Consort, why not try it out in Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture first, and see how it goes?"

Liu Bowen quickly bowed and said, "Your subject seconds the motion."

"After all, the harvesters, water presses, and steam engines came from Ningyang County, while the microscopes and some medicines came from Dengzhou Prefecture. No one should know more about the knowledge involved than the Prince Consort."

"No one knows better than the craftsmen of Ningyang County what kind of manpower is needed."

Therefore, if we want to cultivate more craftsmen and manpower, we should focus on Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture.

After a slight pause, or perhaps to save face, Liu Bowen finally added, "Perhaps we could give the Prince Consort another title of Vice Minister of Rites, and have the Ministry of Rites send some people to help him."

Emperor Zhu's face immediately darkened.

We asked you two to come up with a solution, and this is how you pass the buck?

Besides, is this what we want to hear?

Emperor Zhu gave a slight snort and said with a dark face, "Alright, there are no outsiders here. Let's speak frankly about what we have to say."

"Let's be frank, the textbook issue is easy to handle; we can have the Ministry of Rites send someone to help."

"The matter of becoming a schoolteacher is easy to arrange, since he has manpower and schools in Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture."

"What's giving us a headache right now is the changes that will result from this."

"In addition, you two should remember that this bastard said before that the various provincial administration offices should undertake different functions, some leaning towards farming and others towards workshops."

"The question now is, what are the functions of Zhili? And what should be its primary function? Is it appropriate?"

As Emperor Zhu finished speaking, Li Shanchang closed his eyes with a look of utter despair.

tired.

Destroy it.

I'm quite old now, and I've already got one foot in the coffin.

Now things are really messed up; either they're being tormented by Yang the Madman, or they're being used like cattle by their superiors.

Can't you two, father-in-law and son-in-law, have some pity on this old man and let him retire to his hometown?

Compared to Li Shanchang's despair, Liu Bowen's eyes darted around, and he chuckled before bowing to Emperor Zhu, saying, "Your Majesty, I have some humble opinions."