My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 72: They're all the Crown Prince's people.
The next day, just after Ma Yu finished teaching Zhu Shuang and the others, Zhu Biao arrived.

He originally intended to head straight to the tea and snack shop, but Zhu Biao called him aside and asked him about the Confucian scholar's lack of practical knowledge.

Ma Yu immediately guessed that Zhu Yuanzhang was definitely testing him because he was dissatisfied with what he had said yesterday.

He was naturally aware of this matter, and he also knew that because Confucian scholars were not good at practical matters, Zhu Yuanzhang had abolished the imperial examination system in the third year of Hongwu in his previous life.

It was not until the Hu Weiyong case broke out that things were restored.

As for how to deal with this matter, Zhu Yuanzhang had already solved it quite well in history, so we can just copy his methods.

Therefore, when Zhu Biao asked him, he only said six words:

"Observe the political situation first, then promote the candidate."

Seeing that Zhu Biao looked somewhat bewildered, he explained further:
"Newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) are not directly appointed to official positions. They are first sent to various government offices for six months or three months of study, and then assigned to grassroots units for one or two years of further study."

"To put it bluntly, it's about training them on how to be officials."

"After their two-year observation period, they will be re-evaluated and appointed to official positions based on their performance."

Zhu Biao suddenly realized, clapped his hands and exclaimed, "My cousin is indeed clever. No matter what problem you have, you can solve it with ease."

Ma Yu thought for a moment and decided to say a few more words: "Has anyone suggested that Confucian scholars should work as scribes in government offices during their studies to gain experience?"

Zhu Biao nodded and said, "Yes, Mr. Song also made the same suggestion, but the Confucian scholars don't seem to be very willing to accept it."

Ma Yu scoffed, "Ha... Mr. Song is indeed a gentleman, but he can be terribly childish at times."

Zhu Biao said with a wry smile, "Cousin, please be kind with your words."

Zhu Biao held his teacher in high esteem, as he considered him to be one of the four pillars of society: Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher.

Of course, Song Lian's character was indeed worthy of his respect.

Ma Yu also knew that criticizing someone's teacher to their face was a very disrespectful act.

So he didn't say anything more, and instead said:

"Don't you also think this suggestion is great?"

Zhu Biao didn't hide anything and nodded, saying:
"This method should be feasible. Even if one doesn't become a clerk, gaining experience in the government office is always better than staying behind closed doors and studying."

He wasn't the only one who thought so; Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma also thought this method was good.

Ma Yu countered, "Have you ever considered what kind of people are capable of gaining experience in the government? Are ordinary people capable of doing so?"

Zhu Biao thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "It's difficult. Only those with family connections have the opportunity to gain experience."

Ma Yu said, "Nowadays, it's very difficult for ordinary scholars to gain experience in government offices."

“Once this matter is included in the process of entering officialdom, it will inevitably be monopolized by powerful families, and ordinary scholars will not even be able to get in the door.”

"At that time, the aristocratic politics of the Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties will reappear."

"Do you remember me saying that the Ming Dynasty would face interference from the gentry and clan forces?"

“The channels for gaining experience in government offices will inevitably be controlled by them.”

"Most of the officials selected by the court in the future will be their sons and brothers."

"Even now, you can send someone to investigate."

"This time your father did not hire Confucian scholars. What is the attitude of the gentry and clans in the southeast?"

"Let's see if they support or oppose it."

"I can boldly assert that while they verbally opposed the Confucian scholars, they secretly celebrated with gongs and drums."

Zhu Biao's expression was solemn, but he was filled with lingering fear.

The reasoning is not complicated; they simply hadn't considered it before.

After Ma Yu's explanation, he understood everything.

Thankfully, we didn't do that, or we would have given them the opportunity to grow bigger.

Ma Yu said earnestly, "Remember, the work of training officials must and can only be handled by the imperial court, and no one else is allowed to interfere."

Zhu Biao nodded emphatically and said, "I understand. I will tell my father about this when I get back."

Recalling Zhu Yuanzhang's abolition of the imperial examination system in his previous life, Ma Yu asked again:
"What are your father's plans regarding the imperial examinations?"

Zhu Biao's expression was somewhat unnatural: "It was originally planned that the imperial examination would be held next year."

"Isn't this going to suppress Confucianism? In addition, many Confucian scholars are not good at worldly affairs, so my father decided to temporarily suspend the civil service examinations."

Ma Yu sighed and said, "If the gentry and clans of the southeast knew, they would be ecstatic."

"And the founding nobles, they may not say anything openly, but they must be very happy in secret."

Zhu Biao said with shame, "I will tell my father about this when I get back, and I will definitely not let those people succeed."

Ma Yu sighed again, feeling utterly exhausted.

How did this world end up in the hands of a stinking beggar?

Zhu Biao felt even more ashamed, yet also somewhat moved, and said:
"Thanks to my cousin, otherwise we would have made so many mistakes."

Ma Yu shook his head and said, "Who told me to be your cousin..."

As they were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

Just then, the two finished their conversation and went to the yard together to check on the situation.

Then they discovered an old, dilapidated handcart in the yard, piled high with all sorts of odds and ends.

Next to the stroller were two men, two women, and three children.

Their hair was disheveled, their clothes were tattered and patched, and they were hardly better off than beggars.

Grandpa Ma laughed and cried at the same time, hugging each of the three children with great affection.

Many servants stood around, constantly congratulating the Eighth Master and his family on their reunion.

Ma Yu immediately understood that Ma Baye's family had arrived.

After explaining the situation to Zhu Biao, I took the initiative to greet him, and Zhu Biao followed me.

"Eighth Master, these must be Third Uncle and Fifth Uncle, right?"

Upon hearing the sound, and especially upon discovering that Zhu Biao had also come along, the servants quickly bowed:
"See His Highness the Crown Prince."

Prince?

Master Ma's two sons and daughters-in-law were even more terrified and instinctively knelt down.

Zhu Biao stepped forward and politely told them not to stand on ceremony.

To everyone's surprise, the four of them trembled all over and dared not raise their heads or get up.

At this moment, Master Ma also realized what was happening and quickly bowed:
"I apologize for disturbing Your Highness and the eldest son. I will take them away immediately."

Zhu Biao could tell they were afraid of him, so he said nothing more.

As the head of the family, Ma Yu couldn't help but express her opinion:
"Old Yuan, take ten strings of cash and two bolts of cloth from the account and give them to Eighth Master."

Then he said to Master Ma, "Master Ma, I have to go out for a while."

"First, settle your third and fifth uncles in, then get them some new clothes. I'll have a welcome dinner for them when I get back this afternoon."

Master Ma quickly expressed his gratitude.

After that, Ma Yu didn't say anything more and went to the tea shop with Zhu Biao and Zhu Shuang.

Zhu Biao remained somewhat silent on the way.

Ma Yu couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why do you look so preoccupied? What are you thinking about?"

Zhu Biao said, "My mother gave the Ma family a lot of wealth, and with my mother's connections, local officials also treated them well."

"I thought their lives would get better."

"After meeting Eighth Master's family today, I realized that I had been too naive."

"If even the Ma family is in such a state, the lives of ordinary people must be even more miserable."

Ma Yu sighed, "In chaotic times, people are not as good as dogs in peaceful times."

Chang Sheng interjected, "I've never left Yingtian City either. My father told me that the people outside are suffering terribly."

Zhu Biao shook his head and said, "My father recovered Haozhou in the twenty-fourth year of the Zhizheng era, and four years have passed since then."

"I thought that after four years of restoration, the place should have regained some vitality."

"I only realized today that I was too presumptuous."

Ma Yu didn't know what to say. To be honest, his understanding of the grassroots level was even less than Zhu Biao's.

It was only then that he suddenly realized a problem: he had been focusing too much on changes in ideology and policy, and neglecting the people.

He did indeed frequently wander around Yingtian City, ostensibly to understand the people's livelihood.

But this is Yingtian, Zhu Yuanzhang's stronghold, which has not experienced any major wars for more than a decade.

This is completely useless for reference.

What's the difference between this and going to Kyoto and Shanghai in my previous life to do some research and then claiming that I understand the situation across the country?
It seems that we still need to go out into the real countryside to understand the true face of this era.

Thinking of this, he said to Zhu Biao:

"You reminded me that I've been in Yingtian for too long, and I've subconsciously forgotten the true situation among the common people."

"Looks like I'll have to find more opportunities to visit the common people in the future." Zhu Shuang curled his lip and said, "You want to come to Yingtian? Dream on."

Ma Yu was speechless. Given his current situation, it would be a miracle if Zhu Yuanzhang would let him leave Yingtian City.

Zhu Biao quickly reassured him, "Don't listen to his nonsense... I also want to go out and have a look, let's go together then."

Zhu Shuang retorted again, "You're overthinking it. It's harder for you to get Yingtian out than for Lao Ma."

Zhu Biao glared fiercely at his second brother, "You little brat, you want a beating, don't you?"

Zhu Shuang subconsciously shrank his neck and muttered:
"Why are you being so fierce? I'm just telling the truth."

Ma Yu shook his head and said with a wry smile, "What the second brother said is true. It's going to be difficult for the two of us to come up with a solution for Yingtian."

Zhu Biao sighed, then said:

"However, it's still okay to wander around the area around Yingtian. Let's find a few opportunities to go out."

"I heard there are many refugees outside the city. Let's go and take a look."

Ma Yu nodded and said, "Let's bring the sons of noble families along too, and give them a chance to remember the bitter past and appreciate the sweet present."

Zhu Biao's eyes lit up, and he said, "Remembering the bitter past and appreciating the sweet present? That's a good suggestion. Let's invite them all together then."

Zhu Shuang looked uninterested, while Chang Sheng was eager to try and full of curiosity about the outside world.

As they were talking, the four of them arrived at the tea and snack shop.

As usual, they entered through the side door. Gao Shanming was leading his men out when he saw them and was greatly surprised:
"Greetings, Your Majesty..."

Ma Yu quickly coughed to interrupt, saying, "Young Master."

Gao Shanming quickly changed his address: "Greetings, Young Master."

The others quickly abandoned their nonchalant attitudes and respectfully followed suit in bowing.

Zhu Biao laughed and said, "Are you going out to help those in distress?"

Gao Shanming and the others were a little embarrassed, since they usually did it in private.

Being publicly criticized by the Crown Prince always gives one the feeling of being accused of neglecting one's duties.

But Zhu Biao's next words dispelled their doubts:
"Well done. Our ancestors all came from poor families."

"Now that our lives are better, we must not forget our roots. It is our duty to help the poor."

"In the words of Mencius, this is called 'the accomplished should benefit all under heaven,' which is in line with the way of the sages."

Everyone couldn't help but feel happy. Was what we did really that great?
In fact, Zhu Biao had praised them before, but back then he only said a few words casually, and it was not as formal as it is now.

Moreover, they even linked their actions to the ideas of Mencius.

The meaning is then quite different.

Ma Yu said at the right time: "Don't forget the suffering you've endured, and don't forget how you got to where you are today."

Zhu Biao laughed and said, "Well said! We must remember the path we came from, and not let the people criticize us behind our backs."

News of the Crown Prince's arrival spread in the blink of an eye.

The members of the small group who were resting upstairs came down to pay their respects.

The title "Young Master" echoed throughout the shop, and most of the customers in the hall seemed unfazed by it.

Those who frequent the place know that this is a business run by a group of noble sons, and even the Second Prince is involved.

At first, everyone had some concerns, fearing they might get into trouble.

They soon discovered that this place truly was honest and trustworthy, regardless of age.

The key point is that the gang's reputation for chivalry has spread, and many people have come specifically because of their reputation.

You might just get to know some noble son, and the benefits would be immense.

The fact that so many people are enthusiastically calling him "Young Master" means that a scion of some important person has arrived.

They didn't connect it to Zhu Biao, mainly because the Crown Prince was too far removed from them.

Meanwhile, Zhu Biao's evaluation of them quickly spread, and everyone was very excited.

This is equivalent to having official recognition.

Then, if anyone says they're just messing around, they'll be able to refute them.

After everyone arrived at the lobby on the third floor and sat down, Ma Yu whispered a few words to Wu Gao.

Wu Gao hurriedly went to the office and brought out a writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Amidst everyone's doubts, Ma Yu smiled and said, "It's a rare occasion for the young master to come all this way, how can we not leave behind some calligraphy?"

Everyone immediately joined in the commotion, urging Zhu Biao to leave a message.

This was the procedure that had been discussed beforehand. Zhu Biao said a few words of modesty, then picked up his pen and wrote it down:
If you are poor, you should take care of yourself; if you are rich, you should help the world.

He said earnestly, "We all come from poor backgrounds, and we used to struggle just to survive."

"Now that we are about to unify the world, we have not only survived, but have also become the nobles we used to envy."

"We need to change our goals; we can no longer just focus on survival and enjoyment as before."

"We should set higher goals."

"Eating, drinking, and indulging in pleasures is too low-class and doesn't do justice to our status."

"We want to be remembered for generations to come, so that when future generations read history books, they will all give us a thumbs up."

If you said this to a seasoned veteran, they would definitely let it go in one ear and out the other.

But for these teenagers, the effect was fantastic.

They were all incredibly excited, expressing their determination to achieve great things.

Zhu Biao was very satisfied with the result.

However, he also knew that such empty words and platitudes were useless and would be forgotten in the blink of an eye.

Afterwards, I need to come over from time to time to remind everyone, and then tell them exactly what to do, so that it will be effective.

He and Ma Yu already had ideas about this.

However, we haven't made any preparations yet, so there's no rush. Let's get to know everyone first.

At this moment, Ma Yu spoke up again: "Young Master, write another one about never forgetting your original aspiration."

This time, Zhu Biao did not feign modesty. He picked up his pen and wrote these four characters in one go.

Ma Yu carefully held up the paper, showed it to everyone, and then said:

"I will have these four characters made into waist tags, one for each of our brothers."

The crowd, who had initially paid little attention, suddenly became intensely interested.

This is equivalent to officially forming a team, and a typical princeling team at that.

Ma Yu changed the subject and said sternly, "But I hope you will remember the Young Master's teachings today."

"If you can't control your greed and want to do evil, look at these four words."

"If anyone tarnishes this sign or the young master's reputation, don't blame me for being heartless."

Zhu Shuang also stepped forward and said, "Those who don't want to join shouldn't take this sign, lest things get complicated in the future."

These words did not deter the crowd; instead, they all patted their chests and promised that they would never embarrass the young master.

Ma Yu thought to herself, "These young people are so easy to fool."

But it is precisely these 'easy-to-please' young people who, with their boundless enthusiasm, have created countless miracles.

The things I need to do next will also depend on them.

Zhu Biao stayed there for more than half an hour, during which he talked to everyone.

This thrilled the group of teenagers.

Afterwards, he returned to the palace and told Zhu Yuanzhang everything that had happened that day.

The focus was on Ma Yu's opinions on the training of officials.

When he heard the suggestion of observing the government, his face turned rather grim.

The problem that had left him helpless was solved so easily.

Doesn't this just prove that I'm short-sighted?

He could already picture how smug Ma Yu would be when he heard this question.

What are you showing off for, kid? No matter how much you know, it's all what your elders taught you.

Let's switch roles; I'm much better at it than you.

Humph.

But the more he listened, the more serious his expression became, and he also felt a lingering fear.

If he truly followed his own ideas and did not reform the imperial examination system, he would delegate the task of training officials to the common people.

The consequences would be unimaginable.

(End of this chapter)