novelAbuy Chapter 48: Educational Administration, Horse Administration, the World as a Chessboard, A Lone Piec
Chapter 48: Educational Administration, Horse Administration, the World as a Chessboard, A Lone Piec
After several rounds of wine and five courses of food, they arrived at the inner palace of the Crown Prince's residence.
"This old minister kowtows in gratitude to Your Highness!"
Shi Qing bowed his head in worship and shouted loudly.
From prime minister to commoner to director of the Imperial Academy, the series of changes was like a rollercoaster ride, leaving the son of Wan Shi Jun in a daze.
In this story, Crown Prince Liu Ju went to great lengths to thwart Emperor Wu of Han's centralized power, so how could he not be moved to tears of gratitude?
"Master Shi, you flatter me."
Liu Ju hurriedly stepped forward to help Shi Qing up, and said with shame, "Because of me, Father Emperor dismissed you. I am the one who should thank you."
"When I was young, I was fortunate enough to have Lord Shi serve as the Crown Prince's tutor, who taught me with great care, which enabled me to grow up."
"Now, Lord Shi is in the position of prime minister, but because of my involvement, he was almost demoted to a commoner."
"I have failed Master Shi."
"Your Highness."
Upon hearing this, Shi Qing shook off Liu Ju's hand, his weathered face revealing an unprecedented seriousness, and said in a deep voice: "A ruler must never underestimate himself, nor remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapses before him."
"Let alone just this old minister, even if all of the Crown Prince's officials were imprisoned today, Your Highness should not feel so inferior."
"Your Highness is benevolent and wise; the Han Dynasty needs such a ruler."
"The country and its people cannot withstand any more turmoil."
He spoke his last words with all his might, his voice almost cracking, which moved everyone present.
"I will forever remember Master Shi's teachings!"
Liu Ju expressed his heartfelt gratitude and respect.
Others might be after power and the merit of following the emperor, but Shi Qing was different. He was already 65 years old and held the high position of prime minister. What else could he want?
All of this was done simply to ensure that Crown Prince Liu Ju could successfully ascend the throne and that the Han Dynasty would have a wise and virtuous emperor to carry on the legacy.
"This old minister can sense that Your Highness is changing."
"Your Highness possesses strategic wisdom and remains calm and composed."
"This old minister is getting on in years and may not live to see the Han Dynasty revitalized under Your Highness's leadership."
"But this old minister can still do something for Your Highness and for this world."
"Your Highness, please instruct the Imperial Academy on how to proceed."
Shi Qing's words were eloquent and insightful, leaving everyone who heard them in awe.
This old minister wanted to dedicate the last moment of his life to serving the Crown Prince and establishing a future for the country.
"We admire Lord Shi's great righteousness!"
Gongsun He, Li Xi, Zhang He, and others bowed in unison.
"Please sit down, Master Shi."
Liu Ju gave Shi De a look, and Shi De immediately helped Shi Qing to sit down at the lower left.
Gongsun He and Li Xi then took their seats on the left, while Zhang He, Zhang Guang, Wu Qie, Xiao Shoucheng, and Shi De took their seats on the right.
"The Guliang School emphasizes ritual and ethics, and stresses clan rules and moral education. They are not suitable to serve as officials in the court, nor are they suitable to govern a region."
Once everyone was seated, Liu Ju spoke frankly: "Only the path of academic officials is most suitable for the Confucian scholars of Guliang."
"The Censorate has thirteen supervising censors in each department, who are responsible for inspecting the administration of officials within their respective jurisdictions and reporting any illegal officials and powerful clans."
"Corresponding to the governorships of Ji Province, Yan Province, Qing Province, Xu Province, Yang Province, Jing Province, Yu Province, Liang Province, Yi Province, You Province, Bing Province, Shuofang Province, and Jiaozhi Province."
"The Imperial Academy should be established with thirteen prefectural schools, namely the Prefectural School of Jizhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yangzhou, Jingzhou, Yuzhou, Liangzhou, Yizhou, Youzhou, Bingzhou, Shuofang, and Jiaozhi."
"Subsequently, prefectures established prefectural schools, and counties established county schools, thus providing a tiered system to cover the entire country."
"Such a structure would be too costly, and the imperial treasury would be unable to sustain it. The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Director of the Imperial Household Department, and the Minister of Agriculture would all be unable to agree to it."
"My opinion is to first establish three state schools: Lingnan, Hexi, and Shuofang, with Wei Xian, Haoxing Gong, and Rong Guang serving as their chief instructors."
"Relying on the scholars and Confucianists of the Guliang School, we established prefectural schools in the four prefectures of Hexi, the five prefectures of Shuofang, and the nine prefectures of Lingnan."
"The first batch of outstanding students who graduated from the state school were assigned to establish county schools in various counties, and outstanding students who graduated from the county school were assigned to establish county schools in various counties."
"As for the other ten state schools, they will select virtuous and talented scholars from among the Confucian scholars of the land to serve as their chief instructors."
"Within three years, the Imperial College will establish an educational administration system in batches, so that Confucianism can reach all prefectures and counties."
"Your Highness."
Shi Qing raised a question: "Are the practices of prefectures and counties the same in the vassal states?"
"Educational administration was only implemented at the prefecture, county, and county levels."
Liu Ju gave a reply with a calm expression.
"promise."
Shi Qing understood perfectly.
If a school were to be established in a vassal state, it would naturally require the vassals to contribute their efforts, so why would they be willing to do so?
If schools are not established, scholars will continue to leave the vassal states, and the vassal states will gradually decline. Sooner or later, they will become prefectures or counties, which is in the interest of the central government of the empire and the emperor and crown prince.
Uncle.
"Your Highness."
Gongsun He's expression turned solemn, and he greeted him with a serious demeanor.
"The most important thing of the Imperial Stud is the horse administration, and the five major pastoral offices are related to the empire's horse supply."
"Breeding and breeding fine horses is of paramount importance. The two horse-breeding sites that the Xiongnu valued most have fallen into our hands, and we cannot let them go to waste."
"The Hexi Pasture Office was located in Shandan County, the seat of Zhangye Prefecture. The vast grasslands on the northern slope of Lenglong Ridge in the Qilian Mountains (the present-day location of the Shandan Military Horse Farm) once provided a large number of high-quality warhorses for the Yuezhi and Xiongnu. I hope it can become the backbone of the Han cavalry."
"The Hetao Pasture Administration was located in Shuofang County (now Bayannur City). The Beihe (Urad Grassland) grassland was a natural place for horse breeding."
"The Northern Frontier Governorate was located in Dai Commandery, the Liaodong Governorate was located in Liaodong Commandery, and the Longxi Governorate was located in Lintao County (present-day Min County) of Longxi Commandery."
"The Hexi Pasture Administration can purchase horse breeds from nearby cities and states in the Western Regions."
"I have heard that the Heavenly Horses of Wusun are not the best horses. There are true Heavenly Horses in the Western Regions, the Ferghana horses, which can travel a thousand miles a day and sweat blood. We must get someone to breed these horses."
Looking at Gongsun He, Liu Ju solemnly gave him instructions.
In the era of cold weapons, the deterrent power of cavalry was unparalleled. Warhorses were the lifeblood of cavalry; whoever possessed powerful warhorses possessed the strongest cavalry, a fact that has been vividly demonstrated throughout thousands of years of history.
There are very few excellent horse breeds in the world today. They include the Andalusian horse from the Iberian Peninsula in Europe, the Barbary horse from North Africa, the Arabian horse from the Arabian Peninsula, the Caspian horse from the Caspian Sea coast, the Akhal-Teke horse from Ferghana (now Turkmenistan in Central Asia), the Marwari horse from South Asia, the Ujumqin horse from East Asia, the Qinghai horse (Hequ horse) from East Asia, and the Wusun horse (Ili horse) from East Asia.
Currently, the only horse breeds that the Han Dynasty can directly obtain are the Ujumqin horse, Qinghai horse, Wusun horse, and Akhal-Teke horse.
"promise."
Gongsun He was a veteran general in the army, so how could he not know the significance of the Ferghana horse to the army? He kept it in mind.
PS: In the fourth year of Yuanding (113 BC), the King of Wusun presented dozens of fine horses to the Han court. Emperor Wu of Han was overjoyed and named them "Tianma" (Heavenly Horses).