Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 272 Education Promotion

After the Xingyuan Tongbao coin officially appeared in the government-run money shops of the four major cities, its excellent quality and the explicit credit endorsement from the imperial court quickly spread by word of mouth among merchants and ordinary people. Although the old coins were still widely in circulation and the penetration of the new coins would take time, a coin with a regular shape, stable quality, and bearing the imperial inscription and star emblem had already erected a clear beacon in the complex sea of ​​coins. Currency unification had taken a difficult but solid first step.

However, Chen Xing understood that while currency was the lifeblood of the economy and officialdom the artery of material goods, what truly determined the rise and fall of an empire and the prosperity and decline of a civilization over a century was the quality of its people. Even the most sophisticated system required officials capable of understanding, implementing, and continuously improving it; even the most advanced technology needed artisans with basic literacy and calculation skills; and even the fairest imperial examination system required a sufficient number of educated scholars as its foundation. All of this pointed to the same root—education.

In the first year of the Qiming era, in the ninth month, the city of Chang'an was already tinged with the chill of late autumn, but the court assembly in the Taiji Hall was filled with enthusiasm because of a memorial to the throne.

Jia Wen held a thick copy of "A Strategy for Promoting Education" and was reading it aloud before the emperor. This was a strategy for revitalizing the empire's education, drafted in recent days by him, Lin Wan'er, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, and the Vice Minister of Rites, all on the orders of Chen Xing. The systematic nature of the plan, the clarity of its goals, and the specificity of its measures left the officials in the hall either excited, astonished, or deeply worried.

"...We believe that the key to education lies first in popularizing elementary education, second in perfecting official schools, third in encouraging academies and private schools, and fourth in standardizing teaching materials and the way teachers conduct themselves." Jia Wen's voice was strong and powerful. "Only by ensuring that hundreds of millions of people, regardless of wealth or region, have the opportunity to learn to read and write, to understand laws and ethics, can our Xingqi civilization continue to thrive, and can our imperial examinations select truly capable individuals for practical application, rather than those who advance solely based on family background."

A slight commotion arose within the hall. Popularizing elementary education? Did this mean the imperial court would extend educational resources to counties, townships, and even villages? This was not merely a matter of enormous financial investment, but a direct intervention in the traditional structure where, for millennia, the "power of education" had been largely controlled by local clans, gentry, and private schools.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Jia," an official from a prominent family in Jiangnan, currently serving as Vice Minister of Rites, stepped forward, his tone respectful yet tinged with worry, "Promoting education and cultivating talent is indeed a great undertaking for a prosperous era. However, early childhood education has traditionally been largely run by the people themselves—clan schools, private academies, and charity schools, each adapting to local conditions and customs. If the court were to suddenly expand this to all schools through official channels, firstly, the expenses would be enormous and difficult to sustain; secondly, there is a risk of a 'one-size-fits-all' approach, suppressing the unique characteristics of local education; and thirdly…" He paused, "Where would the teachers for these official schools come from? If those who failed the imperial examinations were appointed, their scholarship and character might not be suitable for teaching children; if teacher training colleges were established, it would take time, a distant solution that cannot quench an immediate thirst."

These questions represent the sentiments of many pragmatic officials and precisely point out the core challenges in promoting education: money, people, and standards.

Chen Xing did not answer directly, but instead turned his gaze to Lin Wan'er, who was standing slightly to the side of the civil officials' ranks and had been granted permission to participate in the court meeting today. The Consort Shu, dressed in a moon-colored court robe and with simple yet elegant hair ornaments, understood the refined sentiment from the music and immediately stepped forward, offering a slight bow to Chen Xing and the officials, her voice clear and melodious:

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Jia, the concerns of the officials are something that I, along with the officials of the Imperial Academy and the Ministry of Rites, have repeatedly considered when drafting this policy. The detailed supporting rules for the 'Policy on Promoting Education' that I am presenting now are precisely to address these three major problems."

She took out a thin folded book from her sleeve and unfolded it to begin her explanation:

"Firstly, the issue of funding. Primary and secondary schools cannot rely entirely on the national treasury, nor can they excessively impose burdens on the people. We have agreed to a three-pronged approach: First, the court will allocate special 'school land'—each county's official school will be granted a certain amount of official land by the court, the rental income of which will be used exclusively for the tuition fees of the county's school officials and to subsidize the tuition fees of impoverished students. This land cannot be bought or sold and must be passed down through generations. Second, local fundraising—local gentry and merchants are encouraged to donate to education. Those who donate a certain amount will be awarded a plaque by the court, and their children will enjoy the 'righteous family' privilege in the imperial examinations. Third, the Imperial Household Department will provide sponsorship—Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine has agreed that the Imperial Household Department will allocate a special fund annually for the initial funding of establishing 'Enlightenment Schools' in remote and impoverished counties. This fund will not be mixed with national funds and will be accounted for independently."

"Secondly, there's the issue of teachers." Lin Wan'er took a light breath and continued, "We have decided to establish 'Teachers' Training Institutes' in each prefecture and some large states, attached to local official schools. These institutes will recruit students over twenty years old who are of good character and knowledgeable in classics and mathematics. The training will last one year, teaching teaching methods, management, child psychology, and basic classics, mathematics, and legal knowledge. Those who pass the final examination will be granted the qualification of 'Instructor' and assigned to teach in county and village schools. Their salary will be slightly higher than that of officials of the same rank. Furthermore, those who have taught for a certain number of years and achieved outstanding results can be recommended by local officials to participate in the 'Classics' or 'Mathematics' examinations, receiving appropriate bonus points or being exempted from the provincial examinations to directly enter the provincial examinations. This is what we call 'preferential treatment for teachers and generous salaries, facilitating promotion.'"

Many civil officials in the hall nodded slightly. By partially opening up the path for teachers to advance through the imperial examinations, the problems of teacher recruitment and quality were solved, and a respectable path was opened for those who repeatedly failed the imperial examinations but possessed genuine scholarship and teaching talent.

"Thirdly, there is the issue of teaching materials and standards." Lin Wan'er's tone was more composed. "This is the area where I, along with the officials of the Imperial Academy and the Hanlin Academy, have focused the most effort. We believe that the teaching materials for elementary and official schools should unify their core content while allowing for more elaboration on their details."

She explained, "The so-called unified core refers to the imperial court organizing learned scholars to compile a set of 'Enlightenment Primer Textbooks,' which covers three parts: the first is simplified literacy, containing 1,500 everyday characters, supplemented with illustrations; the second is introductory arithmetic, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, simplified measurement, and money conversion; the third is ethics and laws, selectively explaining filial piety, respect for elders, and harmonious neighborly relations, and including concise clauses from the 'Star Laws' related to people's daily lives. This textbook was uniformly printed by the imperial court and distributed at a low price to official schools in various counties, and poor children could apply for it for free."

"The so-called tolerance for minor details," she added, "means that local schools, without violating the core curriculum, can independently select and teach local scholars' writings, local historical documents, and practical knowledge of agriculture, sericulture, and water conservancy. In the Jiangnan region, they can add teachings on polder farming and sericulture; in the Northwest, they can add teachings on animal husbandry and border defense; and in Sichuan and Chongqing, they can teach well salt and Shu brocade... In this way, the unity of national education is guaranteed, and the vitality of local scholarship is not stifled."

After Lin Wan'er finished speaking, the hall fell silent. The meticulousness, thoroughness, and exquisite balance of this detailed regulation far exceeded the scope of "assisting the harem," rivaling the political strategies of veteran ministers like Jia Wen. Many officials who had previously harbored reservations about her holding such an important position in compiling regulations despite her status as a concubine now had to re-evaluate this talented woman from Jiangnan—her value was by no means limited to poetry and prose.

"Your Majesty," the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy stepped forward at the opportune moment, his beard trembling with excitement, "What Consort Shu has proposed is truly a wise and insightful strategy for governing the country! For decades, this old minister has served at the Imperial Academy, witnessing the plight of impoverished children throughout the land suffocated because they lacked the funds for teachers and books to read—a heartbreaking sight! Now, the court is willing to extend official education to rural areas, provide teacher training, and unify textbooks to enlighten the people—this is an unprecedented act of benevolence! This old minister is willing to dedicate his remaining years to personally participating in the compilation of elementary textbooks!"

Chen Xing slowly rose, his gaze sweeping over the officials in the hall, each with a different expression. His voice was not loud, but it was as clear as metal striking the ground:

"Education is the slowest to show results, but it has the deepest foundation. If you sow a grain of millet today, you will reap a sheaf of grain ten years later; if you enlighten a child today, you will become a good official, a good doctor, or a good craftsman twenty years later. But if you do not sow today, you will never reap tomorrow."

He looked at Jia Wen: "I approve in principle the entire 'Policy on Promoting Education' and its supporting details. The Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, and the Imperial Academy shall jointly establish the 'Office for Promoting Education,' with Prime Minister Jia in charge and Consort Shu assisting. Starting immediately, three things shall be initiated simultaneously: First, the compilation of elementary school textbooks must be completed and published within the year; second, the pilot program of normal schools shall be established in Chang'an, Luoyang, Suzhou, and Chengdu, and the first batch of normal school students shall be recruited; third, the system of school lands shall be implemented, with the Ministry of Revenue, in conjunction with local governments, as soon as possible to determine the amount of school land in each county, register it, and ensure that it is in place before the spring planting next year."

He paused, his tone turning grave: "I know this matter is difficult, not something that can be accomplished overnight, and there will inevitably be instances of local officials being perfunctory and officials embezzling funds. However, this is the foundation for the empire's long-term development of its people, and my resolve is firm; no matter how difficult, it must be implemented. The progress of implementation, the use of funds, and the effectiveness of teaching in various regions will be important criteria for evaluating local officials. The Censorate must strengthen its special inspections of funds allocated for education and the rental of school land."

"Your Majesty, we obey!" The voices in the hall responded in unprecedented unison.

In September in Chang'an, the autumn wind had already risen, blowing the first yellow leaf from the paulownia tree in front of the Taiji Hall. However, a decree concerning sowing and waiting had already been quietly planted like a seed beneath the vast soil of the empire. Its germination requires patience; its growth requires care; its flowering and fruiting may take ten, twenty years, or even a generation.

Standing before his desk, Chen Xing watched the officials file out of court, and gazed at the nearly bare yet still towering sycamore tree outside the window, feeling no impatience. He came from an era of knowledge explosion and widespread education, and deeply understood the significance of "citizen wisdom" for a nation. It was not merely the foundation of the imperial examination system, but the torch that sustained civilization, the source of an empire's resilience to rise from the ashes even amidst incompetent rulers, powerful eunuchs, natural disasters, and man-made calamities.

That evening, under the lights of Wenhua Hall, Lin Wan'er presented a thick stack of outlines for compiling elementary school textbooks to the emperor. Chen Xing flipped through the pages, his gaze lingering long on the 1,500 characters in the "Character Recognition" section, the simple arithmetic problems in the "Arithmetic" section, and the concise criminal law provisions in the "Ethics and Laws" section.

"Wan'er," he suddenly said, "do you know why I insisted on adding a chapter on 'Laws and Ordinances' to the elementary school textbooks?"

Lin Wan'er pondered for a moment and said softly, "Your Majesty's intention... is to make the people know from childhood that the law is not only a shackle for the government to restrain the people, but also a shield for the people to protect their own land, personal safety, and contracts? Only by knowing the law can one abide by the law and use the law."

Chen Xing looked up at her gentle yet intelligent profile under the lamplight and nodded slightly: "Indeed. What I want are not obedient subjects who only know how to submit and fear the government, but imperial citizens who know their rights, understand their obligations, and have dignity. This road is long, but someone has to start walking it."

Lin Wan'er lowered her eyes and softly replied, "Yes," her voice trembling slightly. She thought of the tenant farmers in Jiangnan whose land was seized by powerful families because they were ignorant of the law and illiterate in deeds, and of the common people she had seen with the army who broke the law out of ignorance and were unjustly accused because they had no help. Suddenly, the pen in her hand felt heavier than a thousand pounds.

The night outside the window was deep, but the lights in the Wenhua Hall shone brightly for an exceptionally long time.