Chapter 285: New Imperial Examination Questions
The next day he left the court.

"Wait a minute, father-in-law."

When Li Linfu was about to go down to the Zhongshu Gate, Li Xuan stopped Taichang Shaoqing Jiang Du.

Both the civil and military officials, as well as Li Linfu, noticed this situation.

Li Xuan took Jiang Du's daughter as his concubine.

However, the relationship between Jiang Du and Li Linfu was almost like that of wearing the same pants.

The Jiang family all followed Li Linfu's lead.

Li Linfu was also pushing for Jiang Jiao's youngest son Jiang Qingchu to marry the princess.

When Jiang Jiao was in favor, not long after his youngest son Jiang Qingchu was born, Li Longji said that he would let him marry a princess in the future.

But later Jiang Jiao "leaked secrets in the palace" and was expelled from Chang'an. Jiang Qingchu was in poverty for more than ten years, and Li Longji had long forgotten his promise.

Li Linfu mentioned this matter to Li Longji many times, but Li Longji kept evading the issue by saying that there was no suitable princess. It was obvious that he wanted to go back on his word.

Li Linfu was very smart and he naturally realized this.

However, Li Linfu was still working hard for Jiang Du's younger brother's future.

He was waiting for a princess to become a widow, so that Li Longji would agree to marry the widowed princess to Jiang Qingchu.

This shows that he was very kind to Jiang.

By marrying Jiang Yueyao to Li Xuan, no matter he wins or loses, Jiang's safety is certain.

In Li Linfu's heart, he loved and hated Li Xuan, but sometimes, he had to admire Li Xuan.

Because Li Xuan values ​​friendship and loyalty, as can be seen from the rescue of the maid in Lingcui Tower a few years ago, being Li Xuan's concubine might not be a bad thing.

"Li Xiang..."

Jiang Du, who was at the bottom of the court and had not spoken in the court for several years, hurriedly bowed to Li Xuan when he heard Li Xuan calling him.

Li Xuan took her daughter as a concubine, so he was not actually Li Xuan's "father-in-law".

As the father of a concubine who was given away at will, abandoned and not protected by law, how could he be treated like a "father-in-law"!
So Jiang Du felt strange when Li Xuan suddenly called him like that.

Jiang Yueyao's marriage to Li Xuan was not Jiang Du's original intention. After all, the Jiang family was also a noble family, and it would be shameful for Li Xuan, the Prince of Tianshui and the Prime Minister, to have his daughter taken as a concubine.

Jiang Du naturally couldn't understand Li Linfu's meaning. Li Linfu made such a request, and Jiang Du didn't dare to refuse.

He has decided to calm down and treat Li Xuan as usual, not treating Li Xuan as the man of his daughter.

Jiang Du was grateful to Li Linfu for helping the Jiang family make a comeback when Jiang Jiao was in trouble.

No matter what, he would never betray Li Linfu.

"Father-in-law, after the court session, please don't address me by my title. Just call me Qilang. Our relationship is so close."

Li Xuan held Jiang Du's hand, as if Jiang Du was really Li Xuan's father-in-law.

"Prime Minister Li, how dare I? If you have any instructions, just tell me, and I will do my best to complete them!"

Jiang Du pretended not to know this relationship and still appointed Li Xuan as prime minister.

Because his cousin Li Linfu lost his power due to Li Xuan, he has always been hostile to Li Xuan.

I just feel sorry for her precious daughter, who has become a concubine. How was your night?

He couldn't ask.

"My father-in-law is too polite. In a few days, call my mother-in-law to the Tianshui Palace and my family will hold a small banquet."

Li Xuan pulled Jiang Du and walked out of Xingqing Palace.

Jiang Du wanted to break free, but he couldn't. He could only follow the same steps as Li Xuan.

However, he deliberately turned around to look at his cousin Li Linfu with an innocent look.

It seemed to be telling Li Linfu: I can’t be in a hurry, my heart is with my cousin!

"How dare you go to your husband's house and disturb him?"

Verbally, Jiang Du still refused.

"Anxingfang is not far from Daozhengfang. I will send a car to pick up my father-in-law and mother-in-law during my vacation in a few days."

Li Xuan said in a tone that brooked no rejection.

At this point, it was difficult for Jiang Du to refuse.

In his heart, he doubted Li Xuan's intentions.

Does Li Xuan want to win him over?
He was just a Shaoqing of Taichang. Relying on the influence of his father and the relationship with Li Linfu, he was a transparent person who "knew the tablet" in the court, just like Yang Jian and Yang Qi.

In terms of official position, he was far inferior to Yang Qi and Yang Jian.

There was an enormous difference in status. Yang Qi and Yang Jian were able to enter Xingqing Palace and feast with the saint.

He had the chance to take a look at the Dragon Pond only when there was a grand banquet.

"Father-in-law, it is said that there are many imperial doctors in the Taichang Temple, and many of them are proficient in ancient medicine books. Now Jishengtang is under construction, and Chen Jijiu has begun to recruit medical children and contact other famous doctors, but there is still a lack of manpower in the early stage. I hope that the imperial doctors can serve as teachers in Jishengtang. What do you think, father-in-law?"

Li Xuan said to Jiang Du.

The Taichang Temple was in charge of matters concerning rituals, music, suburban temples, and the state, and was responsible for the suburban temples, imperial music, drums, imperial physicians, imperial fortune-tellers, sacrificial offerings, and various ancestral temples.

In fact, there was more than just the Imperial Medical Bureau in the Tang Dynasty.

There are also medical departments such as Shangyaoju and Yaozangju.

The Imperial Medical Bureau was an academy for training doctors similar to Jishengtang.

However, the Imperial Medical Bureau only supplied talents to the Shang Pharmacy, that is, the "imperial doctors" who truly served the emperor.

The Imperial Medical Bureau clearly established four departments: physicians, acupuncturists, masseurs, and incantation masters. Each department was taught by a doctor, while the chief pharmacist and medicine boy in the Imperial Medical Bureau were responsible for matters related to medicinal materials.

The Imperial Medical Bureau had two Imperial Medical Officers, both of the seventh rank, two Imperial Medical Assistants, four Medical Supervisors, all of the eighth rank, eight Medical Directors, all of the ninth rank. There were more than fifty other physicians and hundreds of students.

A medicine garden was also established near Chang'an to grow medicinal herbs and cultivate rare treasures. At the same time, herbalists could teach herbal knowledge to herbal students in the medicine garden.

Li Xuan would apply to Li Longji for several imperial doctors from the Shangyao Bureau to teach at Jishengtang.

As for the Medicine Bureau, it was specifically for serving the Crown Prince. Li Xuan would directly transfer some personal physicians from the Medicine Bureau.

Compared with folk doctors, Li Xuan prefers the court.

After understanding, Li Xuan knew that the level of court doctors was extremely high, regular and systematic. The various departments had clear regulations on drug preparation. When mixing medicines, they should be used in different proportions according to the one main, three auxiliary and nine auxiliary ingredients, and made into soups, pills, ointments and powders.

The Taichang Temple would regularly inspect medicinal materials, and if any of them were spoiled or rotten, they could not be used.

The court also had a very strict management system for imperial doctors. The Tang Code clearly stipulated that if the imperial medicine was not made in accordance with the prescription, including inconsistent dosage, incorrect synthesis method, errors in the instructions for taking the medicine, etc., the person could be hanged. If there was an error in sorting the medicine, the person would also be sentenced to one year in prison.

Students who come under this system are more likely to abide by the rules.

Jishengtang is open to the public, putting medical ethics first and requiring doctors to be kind-hearted.

The patient entrusts his life to us, so we should do our best and not be careless in the slightest.

Li Xuan also formulated a system for Jishengtang to prevent doctors from having the idea of ​​"teaching apprentices and starving themselves to death". The promotion of imperial doctors was determined by the level of teaching apprentices.

Doctors can wear purple robes, and Li Xuan believes that this will make many imperial physicians excited.

"My Lord, as long as the Secretariat agrees, the Imperial Household Department will certainly comply."

Jiang Du replied to Li Xuan. He said that he would leave it to the prime ministers to decide.

It also hinted that it should be signed by Chief Prime Minister Li Linfu.

"That's fine. The Right Prime Minister will definitely sign his name with the ruling pen."

Li Xuan smiled and nodded.

It also shows that he has the final say in the Council of State Affairs and Li Linfu must sign, and it is impossible for him to make a fuss over such a small matter.

Jiang Du just laughed dryly and secretly cursed Li Xuan for playing power games.

"Father-in-law, who is closer, a son-in-law or a cousin?"

Seeing that Jiang Du didn't say anything, Li Xuan suddenly asked Jiang Du this question.

Jiang Du remained silent and found it difficult to answer.

Logically, he should be close to his wife as a son-in-law, but is Li Xuan considered his son-in-law?

"At the end of the month, I will pick up my father-in-law and mother-in-law to attend a banquet at Tianshui Palace."

Li Xuan did not ask any more questions, but repeated what he had said before: "Father-in-law, remember to select a group of excellent doctors for me."

"Subordinate to obey!"

Jiang Du, feeling relieved, accepted the order from Li Xuan.

After a while, the two walked out of Xingqing Gate, and Li Xuan actually personally sent Jiang Du to the carriage.

This made Jiang Du confused. He finally understood that Li Xuan still had to go to the lower hall of Zhongshumen just to send him out.

Is it just because of such a trivial matter as the imperial physician?
With Li Xuan's status and power, he could just give orders directly and there was no need for him to personally inquire about it.

Feeling nervous, Jiang Du left in a carriage.

After chatting with several ministers at the gate of Xingqing Palace for a while, Li Xuan straightened his face, returned to Xingqing Palace, and went to the lower hall of Zhongshu Gate.

It was a rare occasion for Li Longji to visit the Zhongshumenxiatang.

"Qilang, how are you preparing for the imperial examination this year?"

Li Longji asked Li Xuan.

This year's Wu Zi imperial examination is scheduled for September 1st, and there is only one month left.

The annual imperial examination was something Li Longji cared less about.

"Your Majesty, I have already thought of the test questions. The scribes have also prepared everything."

In the past, the imperial examinations were examined by the Vice Minister of Rites, but this year the chief examiner was Prime Minister Li Xuan. The system of anonymous examination names was re-established, and the system of transcription and recording was added.

Li Xuan asked his confidant Shangguan Qing to be responsible for the recruitment and training of transcribers.

Aims to come in handy during the imperial examinations.

"What is the topic of this year's imperial examination?"

Li Longji asked with interest.

"I have written a poem entitled "My Thoughts on Reading Books". I invite all students to share their thoughts."

"This poem is: A half-acre square pond is like a mirror, with the light of the sky and the shadows of the clouds wandering together. I ask how it can be so clear? Because it has fresh water coming from the source."

"Second, please give us your proposal for the new law."

"Third, three questions will be selected from the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art and students will be asked to answer them."

Li Xuan set three major questions in the Wu Zi year.

The first one is "Thoughts after Reading the Book".

Using the source of living water as a metaphor for learning means that one must continue to read and absorb new nutrients from reading in order to make rapid progress.

At the same time, candidates are advised to overcome impetuous emotions when studying so that their hearts can be as clear as pool water, mature and steady, and work for the people.

Only when there is a constant flow of fresh water from the source can the water in the pool be clear and reflect the blue sky and cloud shadows. Only when people read books frequently can they nourish their souls and radiate their spirits.

The water in the pond is like a mirror, reminding candidates that they must be honest in their official duties and not go astray.

Candidates can write fu, poetry or essay, depending on their level.

Based on the candidate’s perception, determine whether he or she can be a “scholar”.

The second is the strategy of the new law, which Li Xuan had established long ago.

Only those who can have unique views on new laws and obey them can be considered as scholars.

Thirdly, arithmetic. Li Xuan felt that basic arithmetic was crucial for officials.

Most of the scholars in this era were good at arithmetic.

Testing some less difficult arithmetic is to prevent some nerds who just study hard.

At the same time, scholars were told that arithmetic was a compulsory course.

During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, the Imperial College had an arithmetic school that used the Ten Mathematical Books compiled by Li Chunfeng as teaching material.

There is also a mathematics department.

But what Li Xuan wanted was to bring calculation into the Jinshi examination.

(End of this chapter)