Funing Palace.
Zhao Xu buried his head in reading the memorials. These memorials had all been screened by the Political Affairs Hall, and the most important ones were sent up.
The Political Affairs Hall was a yamen where the Prime Minister, the Council of Governors, the Imperial Censorate, and the Bureau of Military Affairs worked together. It was equivalent to a cabinet.
Zhao Xu decreed that the government affairs hall would send memorials over every day, but they would not care about small matters and only care about military and political affairs.
Grasping the big and letting go of the small, lifting the heavy as if it was light, governing the big country as if it was cooking small fish, this was not lazy politics, but the bearing of an emperor governing the country.
If he had to do everything himself, how could he have time to do anything else? The emperor had to spend a lot of time enjoying the pleasure of this supreme power.
Catching corrupt officials, filling the national treasury, and eliminating the vermin among the royal family. It was killing two birds with one stone. Not only did it enrich the national treasury, but it also established the prestige of the emperor, intimidating the officials and convincing the people.
The Imperial Censor Zhongcheng Fu Bi submitted a petition to dismiss the Minister of Works, Yu Li Chao. The Ministry of Works was the focus of the anti-corruption campaign this time. Eleven corrupt officials were found, accounting for half.
Zhao Xu waved his pen." Your Majesty, please allow me to demote Yu Li Chao to Suzhou to see what happens next.”
The position of Minister of Works was a very important one. Even without this G Storm, Zhao Xu would still have taken down Yu Li Chao.
The Ministry of Works would be the first to bear the brunt of the reform. The Ministry of Revenue was in charge of where the money came from, and the Ministry of Works was in charge of where the money went.
The people from the Ministry of Works basically kept all the money in their pockets.
As for the person who impeached him, Zhao Xu knew that the Imperial Censor, Fu Bi, was also a corrupt official. However, his greed was not exaggerated. He could be considered a competent official.
Many corrupt officials were not mediocre, while many honest officials were mediocre.
In order to reform and become stronger, they had to use honest officials to educate the people, and also use the corrupt officials to charge forward for the reform.
The core of the Imperial Art was balance.
"Your Majesty, the Empress is here to see you." Wang Yong quietly walked in and bowed.
The Empress!
Empress Xiang was married by Zhao Xu when he was sixteen. At that time, Xiang shi was only thirteen.
Combined with the memories of this body, he did not remember sharing a bed with her at all.
Because Xiang shi was appointed by Empress Dowager Cao at that time, and more importantly, Xiang shi's looks were ordinary.
"No, I'm busy." Zhao Xu said coldly.
"Your Majesty, I can't stop the Empress!”Wang Yong's tone was anxious.
"Just say that this is Zhen's decree. If she dares to come in, she will be defying the decree.”
"I will obey!"
With Zhao Xu's words as a foundation, Wang Yong instantly straightened his back a lot. He quickly walked out of the palace and stopped Empress Xiang at the flower garden. After passing the imperial edict, Empress Xiang wanted to barge in, but after thinking about it, she stopped and left with endless resentment.
At this moment, Zhao Xu had already dealt with some memorials and was meeting Ouyang Xiu and Su Shi.
The two of them were teachers and students, and their positions in the literary world were very important. The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sima Guang and Wang Anshi had personally accompanied them.
"My father offended Your Majesty. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!”Su Shi knelt down and did not dare to get up for a long time.
Su Xun was dejectedly demoted, and Su Shi was a little nervous. He was originally a demoted official. He was the governor of Hangzhou and was building the West Lake dam.
"Su Xun is Su Xun, and you are you. I know very well.”
Zhao Xu said in a deep voice.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! I…will sacrifice my life!" Su Shi's tone was emotional. Poets were easily moved by emotions.
Along the way, Su Shi heard about the new emperor's wisdom and power in the courier station. He put the Empress Dowager under house arrest, killed the two Cao Cao, and ousted the Prime Minister Han Qi in one go. He was very skilled in politics, strong, domineering, and experienced.
"This time, I have not summoned you two to the capital to discuss poetry. Now that the spring examinations are approaching and the imperial examinations that are held once every three years are approaching, I want you to stay in the Imperial Academy to set the questions for the provincial examinations.”
"Your Majesty, the provincial examination is set by the various prefectures themselves. That is also some very basic knowledge.”Ouyang Xiu bowed.
"I know that the various prefectures have different questions and the quality of the officials is getting worse. I want real talents, talents who can govern the country, not those rotten Confucian officials.”
Zhao Xu glanced at the four literary giants.
Wang Anshi bowed in agreement and said,
"I deeply feel that Your Majesty is wise. The Cheng and Zhu school of thought has done great harm to people, causing the decadent atmosphere to prevail in the entire court, and there are very few people who do it.”
Ouyang Xiu and Sima Guang looked at each other. They didn't agree with the Emperor's words, but they didn't dare to refute him. If it was Ren Zong or Ying Zong, Ouyang Xiu's saliva would probably splash on the Emperor's face.
However, looking at the domineering Zhao Xu, Ouyang Xiu and Sima Guang were at a loss for words. They could only mumble and lick their dry lips.
"Wang Anshi, you will also participate in setting the questions for this provincial examination. I want to unify the country, reduce some Confucian classics, and greatly increase the examination content of national economy and people's livelihood and political debate.”
"This lowly subject obeys the decree! Long live!" Wang Anshi was overjoyed. This was a harvest he had not expected.
The current emperor was indeed a practical man, without the weakness of Confucianism.
"Your Majesty, I feel that this is inappropriate. The imperial examination is mainly about Confucianism! Please think twice, Your Majesty."
Ouyang Xiu still couldn't suppress the dissatisfaction in his heart. The Confucian classics had been rooted in the imperial examination for a thousand years, and the new emperor could reduce it as he wished.
It was hard for Ouyang Xiu, the leader of the literary world, to accept it. At most, he would continue to be demoted. Ouyang Xiu decided to use his career to persuade Zhao Xu.
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