On the first day of the tenth lunar month, in the southern suburbs of Luoyang, at the Imperial Academy.
In the morning, within the Jixian Hall.
The once relatively empty Jixian Hall is now somewhat crowded.
The Imperial Academy of the first year recruits 500 students and graduates 100.
In the second year, the recruitment remains at 500 students, with the number of graduates still at 100.
In the third year, another 500 students were recruited, but those who have completed the first three years of study and have not yet graduated still need to leave the Imperial Academy and return to their respective counties.
There's no help for it; the key is to have quality rather than quantity.
The original purpose of establishing the Imperial Academy was to seek out outstanding talent, not to serve as an official training program.
Those who fail to meet the standards will return to their original places of residence. However, those who have studied in Luoyang and returned to their counties will be looked up to by others.
Emperor Cao Rui, facing the hopeful gazes of 1,300 students at the Imperial Academy, spoke many encouraging words about a promising future.
Under the leadership of Dr. Zheng, one of the important daily study contents in the Imperial Academy is loyalty to the ruler and love for one's country.
Imagine being a young scholar who must learn about loyalty to the ruler and love for one's country every day, and when you graduate, the emperor personally delivers a speech at the Imperial Academy.
How great will the fervor be?
Basically, whenever Emperor Rui spoke a few words, the audience would spontaneously clap, causing the speech to be interrupted several times.
After Emperor Rui's speech, Dr. Zheng shouted aloud: "The emperor's speech is over. Now we will begin the examination of the Imperial Academy. Three questions and three answers as usual."
As soon as Dr. Zheng's words fell, the students of the Imperial Academy rushed to raise their hands in unison.
It's already the third year of Taihe, and everyone knows that the best opportunity to shine and be noticed by the emperor during the examination of state affairs is here.
People all have a sense of differentiation, and the emperor is no exception.
Since there are so many people and the ones at the back cannot be seen clearly, let's select from the students sitting in the front row, on the first level.
Su Qiumiao, who raised his hand just for fun, stood up in a daze when the emperor pointed at him and Dr. Zheng shouted his name.
Dr. Zheng continued to control the proceedings: "Students, please perform a bow of respect and introduce yourselves."
Su Qiumiao bowed: "Greeting your majesty, I am Su Qiumiao, from Wen County, Huini, with an age of eighteen."
As Su Qiumiao stood up, almost all the scholars in the hall were staring at his back of the head.
Sima Yi was also surprised, how did they end up picking our son?
Emperor Rui, seeing Su Qiumiao's nervous appearance, laughed twice before looking at Sima Yi: "It is the second son of the Minister of Righteousness, right? I recognize his appearance. Today, let's test his talents and knowledge."
Sima Yi bowed: "My son is foolish and inexperienced. I don't know what he can ask, and I hope Your Majesty will not be angry."
"It's all right," said Cao Rui, turning his head: "Is this your name, Sima? I know you. You can start asking questions."
The examination of state affairs at the Imperial Academy has become a fixed procedure, and young scholars often gather to guess the questions and the identity of the person asking them before graduation.
Su Qiumiao had also heard some of it and, after another bow, asked, "Your Majesty, the professors at the Imperial Academy said that you once said, 'A prime minister must rise from the local governments, and a formidable general must originate from the ranks of the common soldiers.'"
"The students from the first and second sessions of the Imperial Academy were sent to manage the cultivated land in Longyou and Yongzhou, but what else can these later students do to serve the great Wei?"
Cao Rui nodded: "I did say that. Sima Shangdi, do the students in the Imperial Academy understand the true meaning of what I said?"
Su Qiumiao bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the professors say that this remark is to say that officials need to be knowledgeable about mundane affairs and understand the sufferings of the people. Only when governing the country and serving the people can they be competent and appropriate."
Cao Rui said: "The professors are right. But today, I want to say more to the students of the Imperial Academy."
"Just now, I was thinking about the students of the Imperial Academy gathered in the Jixian Hall today. How many officials of two thousand stones will they become someday? Will there be prefectural governors, ministers, or even six departments and nine principals?"
"I have infinite expectations for all of you, the students of the Imperial Academy. This is another layer of meaning to the saying 'A prime minister must rise from the local governments'."
As soon as Cao Rui finished speaking, more than a thousand young scholars in the Jixian Hall loudly and eagerly clapped, aching to demonstrate their talent.
Cao Rui listened to the applause, and instead of becoming self-satisfied due to the students' support, he was moved by their vitality and enthusiasm.
Youth is good.
Living in the palace and the hall every day, dealing with these experienced officials in their late 50s and early 60s, it's nowhere near as enjoyable as spending time with students.
Dr. Zheng lifted his hand, and the applause instantly stopped.
Cao Rui said again, "Just now, I asked about the places where you can serve the Great Wei. Today, I will clearly tell all the scholars."
"All students who graduate from the Imperial Academy will serve as Tai Xuelang and must be stationed in places related to cultivated land, water conservancy, and agriculture for three years."
"Otherwise, one cannot fully understand the difficulties of agriculture and sericulture, the source of national strength, and the desires of the people."
"After the three years are up and they pass the evaluation, the Tai Xuelang will all be promoted to a position with a salary of five hundred stones, to serve in various government offices and states and prefectures in Luoyang. Promotions will be given priority to those with similar circumstances."
As soon as Cao Rui finished speaking, another wave of enthusiastic applause followed, making Cao Rui a bit bored with the repetitive nature of the applause.
Today, the Minister of Rites, Yang Fu, was also present at the scene. Cao Rui exchanged a glance with Dr. Zheng, then pointed at Yang Fu.
Dr. Zheng immediately understood and called for the applause to stop. He loudly declared, "Students, now the Minister of Rites, Mr. Yang, will publicly announce the destinations for this year's Imperial Academy students."
Yang Fu slowly walked up from behind, and the Jixian Hall fell silent. The Minister of Rites, Mr. Yang, is well-known for his strictness, and none of the students dare to offend him when facing this person who holds the future of all Tai Xuelang in his hands.
Yang Fu loudly announced, "After the decision of the imperial court, the students graduating from the third session of the Imperial Academy will all serve as Tai Xuelang and be sent to Xuanchang to be responsible for the cultivated land matters."
"Tomorrow, the teachers at the Imperial Academy will notify everyone to report to the Palace of the Guanglu. Just follow the instructions of the teachers."
The students no longer clap.
It's just the destinations for one hundred graduates, which is not relevant to most people.
And the Minister of Rites, Yang Fu, publicly announced that the destination for this year is Xuanchang, as the capital of Yingchuan Prefecture and one of the five capitals of Great Wei, Xuanchang sounds less remote and more likely to produce results compared to Longyou and Guanzhong.
Sima Yi, standing a distance of ten chi to the left of the emperor, was quite surprised at this moment.
Last night at home, Sima Yi and his son were predicting Huainan.
Sima Yi's reasoning for this guess was also quite simple.
The specific positions of the two batches of scholars posted in Longyou and Guanzhong were mainly about managing the cultivated land affairs of the Huaixian Qiang people.
The Qiang people are unfriendly to the government, and managing the Qiang people requires authority, methods, and understanding of human emotions. It is much more difficult than ordinary cultivated land affairs, making it an ideal place for young scholars to be tested and refined.
Now, aside from Longyou and Guanzhong, the only other place with a bustling cultivated land project is in Huainan, which is actively being managed by Jiang Ji.
Going to Xuanchang instead of Huainan, is it not because Your Majesty will be visiting Xuanchang at the beginning of the year, and thus placed the cultivated land affairs of the various counties in Yuzhou in front of those in Huainan?
It seems that the emperor is quite attached to visiting Xuanchang.
Dr. Zheng announced the end of the first question, and Su Qiumiao bowed before sitting down again.
After Su Qiumiao, the emperor called out two more scholars, He Lei and Xiahou Hui, to ask their questions.
Just as Xiahou Hui was about to ask his question, Zhongshu Zhengpi was called out to the door by someone, received a document from him, and quickly approached the emperor to hand over the document.
Cao Rui merely opened the document to glance at it and showed no reaction. He continued to answer Xiahou Hui's question.
Xiahou Hui was also the son of Xiahou Yuan, but his behavior and actions were none like those of a military officer. He acted more like a scholar.
According to Dr. Zheng, Xiahou Hui was extremely skilled in literature and his talent was highly praised among the students of the Imperial Academy.
With the end of Xiahou Hui's question, the third-term students of the Imperial Academy were officially graduated.
As the emperor, who had finished the visit to the Imperial Academy, walked out of the gates, mounted his white horse, and before he had even started to drive, his face suddenly changed from calm to sad.
Sima Yi, witnessing this moment, was suddenly filled with warnings in his mind. He turned and looked at Zhongshu Zhengpi, who also had a sorrowful look on his face.
Sima Yi didn't have time to think, and he moved closer to the emperor, asking, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what has happened?"
Cao Rui tried to hold back the sadness in his heart and handed the document he was holding to Sima Yi: "Two days after Cao Qixi left, the Grand Imperial Military Commandant passed away in Shouchun."
"I won't go to the martial arts academy this afternoon."
"First, return to the palace. I need some time alone."
"Arrange the West and East Halls."
After speaking, Cao Rui shook the reins of his horse and galloped ahead. The Huwei cavalry riders following him also raced after him. On the contrary, Sima Yi, Zhengpi, and Yang Fu were left behind.
Holding the document, Sima Yi looked at the crowd and sighed, "The Grand Marshal has passed away in Shouchun. The emperor is returning to the palace first."
"I and the Lord of Chancellery will accompany the procession back to the palace. As for the other officials, Your Majesty has no specific arrangements. Please return to your official residences."
Unlike the emperor's sorrowful reaction, the officials standing here were quite calm.
They are all old officials who have served the emperor for a long time. What great storms have they not seen?
They have witnessed the fall of the Han Dynasty and the deaths of Cao Cao and Cao Pi.
Xiahou Yuan, Xiahou Dun, Cao Ren, Xiahou Shang, Jia Xu, Wang Lang... Are there not many important generals and ministers who have passed away?
These officials standing near Sima Yi have experienced the change of Han and Wei dynasties, as well as the political ups and downs of the Cao family for three generations. They are almost immune to such things.
What if Cao Xiu dies?
Of course, the surface act still needs to be performed.
He sighed a few times to show his sorrow, reminisced about the great achievements of Cao the Grand Imperial Military Commandant, and some even raised their hands to wipe away the tears that didn't exist.
That's enough.
Sima Yi led the three attendants and the imperial entourage towards the direction of the Northern Palace.
Cao Xiu has died, and there are many things they need to do about the posthumous title, inheritance of titles, and arrangements in the army in Yangzhou. They still have much work to do.(This chapter is completed)
