Zhao Weiwang in the Warring States Period

Since these named disciples being officials in Zhao State can also enhance the influence of various schools of thought in Zhao State, the bigwigs of the hundred schools of thought will naturally not object to this matter.

However, Zhao Dan has already told these powerful people from various schools of thought beforehand that no matter which school the students are from, as long as they fail to pass Zhao Guo's annual audit after becoming an official, those who should be dismissed should be investigated and dealt with. There will be no accommodation for the investigation.

As for the plan to develop the imperial examination system, Zhao Dan actually has no plans yet.

Although Zhao Guo's current officials have a lot of gaps, in fact, the system of selecting officials is quite complete. There are six types of recommendation, self-recommendation, recruitment, merit, background, and shade, which have been in good operation for hundreds of years. The current situation is just a temporary deficiency caused by Zhao Guo's expansion angle is too fast, and this problem will gradually be resolved as time goes by.

In addition, Zhao Dan is mainly concerned about another point, that is, although the imperial examination system is powerful, its drawbacks are not small.

Let’s talk about the advantages first. The biggest advantage of the imperial examination system is undoubtedly that it can break the monopoly of the aristocratic families and nobles on education, let knowledge spread to the grassroots, and allow more citizens to participate in the selection of officials. .

However, the imperial examination system is not perfect. Its shortcoming is that although the imperial examination system can destroy such things as aristocrats and aristocratic families, it will also create monsters such as the scholar-bureaucrat class.

Considering that the Song Dynasty dominated by the scholar-bureaucrat class and the middle and late Ming Dynasty were relatively weak periods of the entire Huaxia Dynasty, and at the same time the expansion was also not strong, while the Han and Tang Dynasties dominated by the powerful and nobles were the period of the Huaxia Dynasty’s relatively strong expansion , which had to make Zhao Dan take a cautious attitude towards the imperial examination.

The most important point is that according to Zhao Dan's personal research and deduction of history, he feels that if there was no such thing as the entry of the Qing Dynasty into the customs at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the scholar-official class rooted in the southeast would hope to completely evade the imperial power, and then come up with something similar to the West. The parliamentary system came out. After all, the germination of capitalism at that time had already taken root and sprouted widely in the southeast of the Ming Dynasty.

If Zhao Dan was a member of the scholar-bureaucrat class, then he would definitely welcome the arrival of the parliamentary system with both hands, but Zhao Dan is now the emperor, which makes him less welcome to the emergence and growth of scholar-bureaucrats.

And having said that, the current material basis of the imperial examination system, printing and papermaking, are far from being able to supply the entire China.

With the continuous improvement of printing and papermaking techniques in Zhao State, Zhao Dan has opened an official printing factory and an official paper mill in the suburbs of Handan. Today's output is quite considerable, which can be regarded as able to meet the office requirements of Zhao State's central system. .

But even so, for the tens of millions of people in China, the current paper output is still a drop in the bucket, let alone used to popularize education.

But on the other side, the craftsmen of Zhao State led by Fu Zhen gave Zhao Dan a new surprise, that is, Fu Zhen improved the Ba Niu Crossbow again according to Zhao Dan's description, making the Ba Niu Crossbow in the true sense The form of "one gun, three swords and arrows" has taken a prototype.

It's just that this enhanced version of the eight-ox crossbow is too expensive to manufacture due to the cost of materials, and since everything needs to be handcrafted, the manufacturing time is also a very big problem.

Judging from the proficiency of the craftsmen in Handan of Zhao State, it will take at least half a month to make an enhanced version of the eight-ox crossbow, which is extremely slow.

However, in view of the feedback from the frontline soldiers that this thing can play a great role in siege warfare, Zhao Dan still ordered the craftsmen of Zhao State to work overtime so that they could make as many of these things as possible as soon as possible.After all, practice makes perfect, as long as you do more, the quantity will always increase.

As for the gunpowder, although it can explode now, according to Zhao Dan's observation at the scene, the effect of the explosion is really unsatisfactory, at least there is still a long way from the effect that Zhao Dan had in mind.

And now that Zhao Guo's army is strong, gunpowder is not really needed, so Zhao Dan just ordered to continue the research.

Generally speaking, all aspects of preparations in Zhao State are now aimed at war. As for those messy things like steam engines, at present, Zhao Dan has neither the thought nor the manpower and material resources to invest in them. We can only wait until after the unification.

But before that, Zhao Dan had a small goal.

In the last war, the State of Chu ceded a piece of land to the State of Zhao, which allowed Zhao State to have access to the sea for the first time and become a country bordering the sea.

"Perhaps after this battle, the widows should start trying to cultivate a Zhao Guoshui master?" Zhao Dan thought to himself.

The "Invincible Fleet" that appeared in 200 BC, a full thousand and seven hundred years earlier than Spain in history?

Just thinking about this kind of thing seems very exciting.

Chapter 763 Hou and Cai Ze (third update)

Gang Chengjun's mansion.

Cai Ze was sitting in his study, not in a good mood.

The reason why he was in such a bad mood was, of course, that in the previous meeting, his proposal to rescue Wei State was not approved.

Today's Zhao State has not only failed to decline because of its militarism after years of wars, but has become more and more powerful, which made many people, including Cai Ze, feel very worried.

"Once the State of Wei is destroyed, most of the Central Plains will be in the hands of the State of Zhao. Thinking about the rebellion of the Six Ministers in the State of Jin, it was able to dominate the world for hundreds of years. Now the population, territory, and military strength of the State of Zhao are far greater than that of the State of Jin. With such a wise king as Zhao Wangdan, the king still doesn't know how to form alliances with other countries to resist Zhao, but instead plots some kind of justice, what a shame!"

Cai Ze couldn't help letting out a long sigh, his helplessness was beyond words.

From Cai Ze's point of view, the Yiqu Country is simply a small problem, like a minor illness and pain, even if it is not treated temporarily, it will not cause too much problem.

But like Zhao Guo, it's not a minor ailment or pain, but a tiger in the prime of life, squatting at the gate of the Qin country, which may violently choose someone to devour at any time!

Moreover, due to the loss of the Weihan passage, the gate of Qin State is almost undefended for the fierce tiger of Zhao State!

It is a stupid decision to abandon Zhao Guo and go for Yiqu!

Thinking of this, a name immediately appeared in Cai Ze's heart, and he was very dissatisfied with this name.

"Lu Buwei is a damn jester! If he hadn't bewitched the king, then things wouldn't have turned into what it is today! If Lu Buwei isn't eliminated, it will be difficult for Great Qin to rise!"

Cai Ze slapped the table hard, causing the utensils on the table to jump wildly.

Suddenly there was a report from the confidant butler outside the door: "Patriarch, there is a distinguished guest from the palace asking to see you."

"A distinguished guest in the palace?" Cai Ze was obviously taken aback for a moment, then immediately stood up and said, "Hurry up and invite me!"

A moment later, an old eunuch appeared in front of Cai Ze.

Cai Ze looked at the old eunuch with a look of surprise on his face.

As the Prime Minister of King Qin Zhaoxiang, Cai Ze was no stranger to this old eunuch who often accompanied King Qin Zhaoxiang.

Although he was just an eunuch, Cai Ze still politely asked the other party to sit down, then retreated from the crowd, and politely asked the other party why he came.

The old eunuch, that is, Hou smiled and said to Cai Ze: "Mr. Gang Cheng, I came here this time for a big event."

Cai Ze straightened up slightly, and said seriously, "May I ask what your Majesty's order is?"

Hou was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said: "Mr. Gang Cheng misunderstood, the reason why this time so-and-so came here was not because of the king's order."

Cai Ze was taken aback for another moment, and the haughty expression returned to his face in an instant, and he said lightly: "Then why did you come here?"

Obviously, in the absence of the king's order, this "mere old eunuch" is obviously not a big deal in the heart of Cai Ze, the important minister who ranks among the three princes of the Qin Dynasty.

Hou obviously felt the difference between these attitudes, so he took out a token from his hand and placed it in front of Cai Ze.

Cai Ze first cast his eyes on the token indifferently, and then his whole body was shocked, subconsciously reached out to pick up the token, and looked at it carefully.

After a while, Cai Ze slowly put down the token, and the shocked expression on his face hadn't even completely dissipated: "Your identity is"

A smile appeared on Hou's old face: "My name is Hou."

The last trace of arrogance on Cai Ze's face disappeared with the spring breeze passing through the room.

"It turns out that you are waiting"

"Yes." Hou nodded, and said, "Gang Cheng-jun, we should be able to discuss business now."

"Of course." Cai Ze suppressed the shock in his heart, and said seriously: "Please tell me."

Hou said softly to Cai Ze: "I heard that Mr. Gang Cheng is very wary of Zhao's expansion, and has always maintained an attitude of restraining Zhao."

Cai Ze nodded and said, "Zhao Guo is the number one enemy of Great Qin, and Yiqu is just a small trouble."