Chapter 158: Leaving a Name in History

The speaker was Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren.

At this moment, Old Wen's expression was solemn—the man who had just been leading the opposition to building the shrine seemed like a completely different person.

"Your minister seconds the motion!"

"The Chief Grand Secretary speaks wisely—the Hall of Martyrs should be built immediately!"

"Your minister has no objection to this matter!"

"Your minister endorses what the Chief Grand Secretary has said!"

In an instant, the ministers who had just been opposing the shrine all voiced their support for Chongzhen's decision. Everyone suddenly understood that only after the Hall of Martyrs was built would they have a chance to receive sacrifices—if no shrine was built, was the court supposed to go to your ancestral graves to offer sacrifices instead?

As for sharing the shrine with those coarse fellows, they could simply be regarded as guards under the civil officials.

Many people in later generations could not understand the literati-officials' obsessive pursuit of leaving a name in history, thinking that so-called fame was merely an illusory thing, far less practical than money and beautiful women.

But in truth, the richer your life experience and the more you know about history, the more you will discover that if your ancestor was a famous person, your circumstances and mindset are completely different.

Take the simplest example: if you met a man surnamed Fan—even a stranger on the road—who claimed to be a descendant of Fan Zhongyan, hailed as the eternal model of literati, most people would inevitably feel respect rise in their hearts; it is an involuntary reverence, respect for that sentiment of "being first to worry about the world's troubles and last to enjoy its pleasures."

If your ancestor was notorious in history, you would surely never mention it in front of others. Since the Song dynasty, people have been ashamed to bear the surname Qin—this is the best proof.

Being enshrined in the Hall of Martyrs might not reach Fan Zhongyan's heights, but it was countless times more glorious than being buried in the ancestral graveyard after death. Consider later times: would you rather buy your own cemetery plot after death, or be buried in the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery?

Chongzhen watched the ministers with a smile and asked, "Just moments ago you were all vehemently opposing this matter—why have you now changed your minds? What is the reason?"

Wen Tiren declared with righteous indignation, "Having pondered carefully, this old minister finds that His Majesty's words just now were most reasonable! We cannot let the loyal and righteous souls who gave their lives for the nation have nowhere for their spirits to rest! Still less can we let them go unsacrificed after death! His Majesty's words moved this old minister deeply, and so I have changed my stance to support His Majesty's decision!"

Wen Tiren most of all wished to be enshrined in the shrine after his death, and he believed that among the ministers, he was the one with the greatest certainty.

He had already seen clearly that the key to entering the shrine was the Emperor—His Majesty's approval or opposition played the decisive role.

He was already past sixty, and who knew how much longer he could sit in the Chief Grand Secretary's seat. The Hall of Martyrs' construction could not be completed in a short time either. Site selection, cost, design, materials, manpower—all had to be discussed before work could begin; who knew when it would be finished? What if his tenure as Chief Grand Secretary ended before it was completed? While the Emperor still trusted him, he had to hasten this matter and strive to secure his qualification and opportunity to enter the shrine.

As for his posthumous title—though he could not merit "Wenzheng," given his utter loyalty to the Emperor, surely the two characters "Wenzhong" should be his due?

A posthumous title was the court's final verdict on a senior minister's entire life. Wen Tiren could no longer recall how many years it had been since he last heard of a civil official receiving one. If he could obtain a fitting posthumous title, how proud his descendants would be.

Liu Yuliang memorialized: "Only when civil and military complement each other can they bring out the best in one another, and better display the Hall of Martyrs' function of educating the world and serving as a model for later generations! His Majesty's policy is excellent—this old minister wholeheartedly endorses it!"

Chongzhen raised a hand to stop the ministers who were about to launch into impassioned speeches, and said gravely, "Since all of you have agreed, the Ministry of Works shall select a site on an auspicious day, and once everything is ready, construction shall begin. The funds and grain needed shall be given by me from the privy purse! Afterwards, the Grand Secretariat shall issue a proclamation to the realm, to inspire the hearts of officials and commoners alike!"

Wen Tiren and Minister of Works Fan Jingwen performed the rites and accepted the decree.

The matter of the Hall of Martyrs was finally settled. Though the civil ministers had obstructed it along the way, the outcome was all the more perfect.

Since the roving bandits had risen in Shaanxi, nearly all the officials of prefectures and counties that the bandits had breached chose to perish with their entire families alongside their cities. Though this tragic valor contained an element of helplessness, it fully demonstrated the backbone of most literati-officials of this era—whether or not they had been corrupt officials in life, at the critical moment they still chose to sacrifice themselves for the nation.

For a person, nothing is greater than life and death. Choosing to face death bravely at a moment of crisis requires tremendous courage and resolve—most people simply cannot do it.

Such people deserve to be sacrificed to by later generations. The moral fiber and spirit they left behind are precisely what constitutes the backbone of China.

Chongzhen slightly turned his head to glance at Li Erxi. Li Erxi understood and called out, "Silence! His Majesty has more to say!"

The buzzing noise in the great hall instantly vanished, and the ministers who had been conversing in low voices fell quiet.

Chongzhen spoke: "Minister Liu, since our founding ancestor established the Imperial Academy, over two hundred years it has cultivated countless talents for the Great Ming, and its role is irreplaceable. I, having received the mandate to govern the realm at a time of turmoil, feel all the more keenly the preciousness of talent, and so I wish to restore the Imperial College. But I do not know the current state of the Imperial Academy; Minister Liu, who oversees the Ministry of Rites, should know it well—what can you teach me?"

Liu Yuliang had overseen the Ministry of Rites for three years. Barring the unexpected, whenever a vacancy opened in the Grand Secretariat, he would naturally enter it to participate in state affairs. In daily conduct he already carried himself as if he were a Grand Secretary, and his reputation among the ministers was poor.

Seeing the Emperor address him, he stepped forward and reported: "I report to Your Majesty: since the Imperial College's founding, every preceding emperor has held it in exceptional regard, repeatedly allocating silver to expand the school buildings and widely recruiting renowned teachers from across the realm. This practice reached its zenith during the Zhengtong reign!"

Chongzhen nodded and said, "What you say, I already know. I wish to know the Imperial College's present condition—such as its faculty and student body, its scholarly atmosphere and literary culture. You may speak of it briefly!"

Liu Yuliang was slightly embarrassed at being cut off by the Emperor, but he quickly recovered and continued, "Then your minister shall speak concisely! Since the Jingtai reign opened the practice of purchasing admission to the Academy through donations, wealthy sons have increasingly dominated the student body, and their literary standards are far inferior to those of the past. Now it has become a gathering place for the rich households of prefectures and counties; some government students are past fifty years of age, and in ordinary times they frequent the pleasure quarters, gathering in groups to drink and make merry, conducting themselves with utter loss of scholarly dignity—truly shaming the reputation of Imperial College students!"

As a proper jinshi graduate himself, Liu Yuliang naturally found this intolerable, but he could hardly point out directly that it was the Emperor himself who, several years earlier, had issued a decree expanding the proportion of donation-purchased government students because military pay was insufficient—and it was these donation students crowding out the regular Academy students that had caused the severe decline in the overall quality of the Imperial Academy's student body.

Wen Tiren stepped forward and memorialized: "I report to Your Majesty: the Imperial Academy's present state is worrying. Examination candidates from all regions passing through the capital all avoid its gates, a far cry from the former glory when entering to view it was considered a great honor. If Your Majesty now wishes to reorganize the Imperial Academy, I fear the accumulated problems are too deep to remedy and would only waste resources!"

The other ministers also spoke up one after another, saying that the imperial examinations now held the dominant position, and the Imperial Academy was like a chicken rib—hardly worth investing manpower and resources to reorganize.

But Chongzhen did not think so.

In his plans, the Imperial Academy would in the future become an institution that stood on equal footing with the imperial examinations.

From now on, the selection and appointment of officials would no longer be limited to those who passed the metropolitan examination; Imperial College students would also possess the qualification to enter official service.

This would naturally elevate the Imperial Academy's status—examination candidates and government students would no longer have to rely solely on passing the imperial examinations to serve the nation.

Of course, this was merely a means. Chongzhen's fundamental purpose was to change the prevailing ethos of studying only Confucianism.

Only when a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend can more advanced theories be born to replace the many stale and rotten so-called words of the sages.

The measure of elevating the Imperial Academy's standing would not meet with much obstruction, because among the thousands of examination candidates, only a few hundred passed the metropolitan examination—most people lost the chance to display their talents for at least three years.

As long as the Imperial Academy's status was greatly elevated and restored to its founding glory, many famous scholars and great Confucians would flock to it. Then, supplemented by strict academic regulations, the students' learning and vision would undergo earth-shaking changes, and when they later entered officialdom, they would gradually transform the existing bureaucratic culture.

To change the ethos of studying only Confucianism, the elites of various schools of thought would need to be invited to teach at the Imperial Academy, letting their diverse knowledge and ideas clash fiercely in daily instruction and exchange, honing one another, to break the many rigid and rotten conventions.

As for candidates for teachers, there were quite a few.

Zhu Zhiyu was the first person Chongzhen thought of. Hailed as a man of both literary and martial talent, he should still be in Songjiang Prefecture, living off his elder brother Zhu Qiming. With Zhu Zhiyu's learning, sending him out as an official would be a genuine waste—better to place him in the Imperial College to spread his knowledge.

Song Yingxing was one.

Ever since Chongzhen had sent people to bring him to the capital, Song Yingxing's entire family of several dozen had been housed in Liu Chao's imperial estate. Chongzhen had specifically instructed Liu Chao to set aside a dedicated area for Song Yingxing, build all the facilities he wanted, provide him with all the materials he needed, and select some quick-witted children from among the estate's orphans to stay by his side—through constant exposure, perhaps there would be unexpected surprises. Of course, all of Song Yingxing's expenses were allocated by Chongzhen from the privy purse, and in truth it did not cost much.

What the Emperor did was exactly what Song Yingxing had dreamed of.

His various ideas had been impossible to realize for lack of funds; now he could finally put them into practice as he pleased.

As for Song Yingxing's official title, Chongzhen had not yet given him one. Song Yingxing's mind and wisdom were not suited to officialdom, but to the various ingenious fancies he was intoxicated by.

After the Imperial Academy was reorganized, he would first be given the position of Imperial College Erudite, rank 8b, and gradually promoted thereafter.

Not every government student or examination candidate loved only the eight-legged essay; many had a strong interest in miscellaneous learning. As long as the Imperial College had dedicated teachers of miscellaneous subjects, he believed quite a few would flock to Song Yingxing's door.

Fang Yizhi and Chen Zilong were also excellent choices for teachers. Both were men of brilliant talent—too talented to waste as officials. The Imperial Academy was the best channel for them to spread their thoughts and knowledge.

Chongzhen had originally planned to arrange these men he favored into the imperial estates to teach the orphans there.

There was a saying in later times: only on blank paper can you paint the finest picture.

But later Chongzhen abandoned the idea.

These men were all on the level of university professors—sending them to teach illiterate children their first characters was like using an anti-aircraft cannon to shoot mosquitoes, wasn't it?

Among the disciples and followers of Wang Yangming's school there were also many outstanding talents; when the time comes, we can send the Embroidered Uniform Guard south to investigate and invite them. Anyone who can spread Master Yangming's teachings widely would surely not refuse such a temptation.

As for the later-renowned Huang Zongxi, Gu Yanwu, and Wang Fuzhi, they are all too young now, their capacity for independent thought not yet fully formed, their doctrines still in the womb; moreover, Huang and Wang are both of the Donglin lineage, and Chongzhen harbors deep wariness toward this.

Though distant Europe is not yet powerful at present, all sorts of cheat-like innovations have already begun to show their buds, and many talented people are gradually starting to emerge, but within their own countries they have not yet attracted much attention.

Chongzhen had already issued an edict to Zheng Zhilong, ordering him to offer heavy rewards to seek talent from the merchant ships coming to the Great Ming from the lands of the Far West, tens of thousands of li away. Should any person of renown in the Western nations, along with their works or inventions, come to the Great Ming, the court would immediately bestow a noble title and an annual salary of five thousand taels of silver; paid use of their product patents would receive the protection of the Great Ming court. Whoever could persuade such talents to come settle or study in the Great Ming would receive three thousand taels of silver per person introduced, and their commercial activities in the Great Ming would enjoy numerous privileges.

Chongzhen knew that none of the great names of this era knew what patent rights meant, so in his edict he instructed Zheng Zhilong that this particular clause must be clearly explained to the Western merchants, and must not be omitted.

The West at this time was precisely an era of technological explosion, with countless geniuses emerging from the crowd. Though Chongzhen was not clear on the names of the great technological masters of the West in this period, casting a wide net to catch many fish was still feasible—even if spending thirty thousand taels to bring in ten people yielded only one true talent, the value subsequently generated would be incalculable.

The salary offered to talents was very attractive, but what should move them more was surely the noble title; under the dual temptation of fame and fortune, it ought to succeed.

There was a slogan in later ages that made great sense: talent is most important, and wealth is also created by talent.

These were all unknown matters; though the rewards had been proclaimed, whether they would succeed still depended on heaven's will. For now, let us first reorganize the Imperial Academy; talents can be sought out gradually, what matters is the measures about to be implemented.

So Chongzhen spoke: "The Imperial Academy, as the highest institution of learning of the Great Ming, is the place where talent is gathered for the state; it must not be allowed to fall into ruin! I intend to promote the beneficial and abolish the harmful, and revive the Imperial Academy! The sons of all my ministers may enroll! Provincial graduates who fail the metropolitan examination must remain at the Imperial Academy for three years, receiving guidance in scholarship from renowned masters!"