Chapter 436: Chapter 248 The Imperial Authority Does Not Reach the Countryside_3
Zhao Yao slightly pouted and said, "Second Uncle, you make it sound as if I wouldn’t show up without a reason."
Lian Fang gazed at Zhao Yao without speaking, raising his eyebrows slightly.
Zhao Yao dropped his playful demeanor, his expression turning very serious: "Second Uncle, I want to tell Father about the imperial examination."
Hearing this, Lian Fang paused in raising his teacup, then set it down and asked in astonishment, "What happened?"
"Second Uncle, do you know that the Wang Family has opened pawnshops in the capital and other places?" Zhao Yao said, "Do you know they’re using pawnshops to buy and sell official positions?"
Zhao Yao recounted what he had just heard from Liang Run to Lian Fang.
After listening, Lian Fang showed no expression of surprise.
"What surprises you?"
Zhao Yao, seeing Lian Fang’s calm face, asked somewhat surprised: "Second Uncle, you already knew?"
"This is nothing unusual," Lian Fang said blandly, "Otherwise, why would your grandfather and father want to eliminate the noble families?"
"Second Uncle, do you mean that Grandfather and Father know about such things?"
"This is nothing new, why are you so startled?" Lian Fang was a bit surprised that Zhao Yao was so shocked.
The disdainful Zhao Yao: "..." It’s truly embarrassing, he’s just too inexperienced.
"This has been the way since ancient times, otherwise what do you think the noble families rely on to survive until now?" Lian Fang’s tone was somewhat indifferent, "No matter the dynasty, noble families have a grip on the court and bureaucracy." The saying that families are permanent while emperors flow like water isn’t just talk. Noble families can survive for hundreds of years, while an imperial dynasty cannot last for centuries.
Zhao Yao shot Lian Fang a small side-eye and said irritably, "Sorry, I overreacted."
"You’re going to tell your father about the imperial examination because of this?"
"Yes, I’m thinking that if I wait until I go to Lingnan to bring up the imperial examination, it would take at least ten years. In those ten years, the noble families would continue acting unrestrained, and I don’t want to see that." Although he had no interest and no capability to be emperor, it didn’t mean he didn’t care about the welfare of the people. Now that there is a way to weaken the noble families’ control over the bureaucracy and allow ordinary yet capable people to serve as officials, it wouldn’t be right for him to keep quiet about it.
"Even if we start the imperial examination now, it can’t immediately shake the noble families," Zhao Yao continued, "It would take at least another ten years to truly weaken the noble families’ power. So that by the time I go to Lingnan, the noble families wouldn’t be able to control the bureaucracy as they used to."
Lian Fang was surprised by Zhao Yao’s concern for the people, but he did not show it.
"You yourself said before that once you tell your father about the imperial examination, you’ll be in danger. Are you sure you want to tell your father now?"
"Second Uncle, do you think I should tell?" Zhao Yao came to consult Lian Fang because he was hesitant and unsure whether to tell, hence he sought Lian Fang’s advice.
Lian Fang naturally hoped Zhao Yao would tell, but he was also aware that this would bring danger to Zhao Yao.
"You’re still young. If you suddenly propose such a novel and unprecedented imperial examination, it will stun ministers and people alike with your wisdom. You will no longer be seen as the innocent Tenth Prince, but a prince of extraordinary intellect. Is this what you want to see?"
Hearing this, Zhao Yao’s heart skipped a beat, then he quickly shook his head and said, "This is not what I want to see."
"Then you should say nothing." Lian Fang said sternly, "Now is not the time."
"Actually, I know in my heart that it’s not the right time now, but after hearing my uncle talk about the Wang Family’s affairs, I couldn’t help but get angry and wanted to give the noble families some payback." He didn’t want to see the noble families controlling the lives of the people.
"Your father is not stupid, he has long known about the actions of the Wang Family."
Zhao Yao asked bewilderedly, "Then why hasn’t Father punished the Wang Family?"
"Your father is cunning and sinister. He won’t easily touch the noble families but will secretly lay out an inescapable net to annihilate the Wang Family in one fell swoop." Lian Fang’s eyes held a mocking glint, and his tone was full of sarcasm, "That’s how the noble families in Yangzhou were wiped out by your father."
"Second Uncle, what is your relationship with Father?" Zhao Yao felt that Second Uncle seemed to dislike his father, but when speaking of him, Second Uncle seemed to have some admiration for Father.
Lian Fang’s face suddenly turned extremely cold, "It’s nothing."
Second Uncle seemed to dislike Father a lot.
Just now, Second Uncle’s gaze seemed filled with hatred for Father.
It seems there is a very complicated relationship between Second Uncle and Father. Or perhaps, there are unspeakable matters between Second Uncle and Father.
"As for the Wang Family’s actions in opening pawnshops to buy and sell official positions, you need not worry about that," said Lian Fang, "This is not something a six-year-old child should be concerned about." Lian Fang deliberately emphasized the words "six-year-old child," "Since you’re pretending to be naïve outwardly, keep pretending, and don’t do anything too outlandish."
Zhao Yao obediently nodded: "I understand." After speaking, he scratched his head, "I was just a little angry."
"There’s nothing wrong with being angry." Lian Fang didn’t dwell on the matter and switched topics to discuss military strategy.
Zhao Yao’s attention was successfully diverted, and he listened intently to Lian Fang discussing military strategy.
Meanwhile, in a mountain village in Peng County, Zheng Xilin was looking at a letter from the Emperor, sighing anxiously.
"The Emperor actually wants me to be the tutor for the Tenth Prince. This is... really troublesome for me."
The Emperor originally wrote to invite his former tutor – Mr. Tang – to teach Zhao Yao, but Mr. Tang was quite advanced in years, his health not what it used to be, making it impossible for him to travel to the capital to become Zhao Yao’s tutor. Moreover, his mind had grown fuzzy, often forgetting who he was, making him unfit to teach others.
As a result, the Emperor turned his attention to Zheng Xilin. In his letter, he informed Zheng Xilin that he didn’t need to personally go to the capital to tutor Zhao Yao, instead he could instruct Zhao Yao through letters.
Zheng Xilin was stunned by this proposal from the Emperor; he never imagined it could be done this way.
"I’ve been retired and living in my hometown for years, and yet the Emperor still won’t leave me be. It’s just too persistent."
Yet Zheng Xilin couldn’t refuse this proposal, otherwise, given the Emperor’s temperament...
Writing letters was still writing letters; it was better than being dragged to the capital to teach.