Standing tall, one cannot escape the chill.
Yuan Li gradually grasped the profound meaning of this phrase.
As his status elevated, Yuan Li observed that his subordinates, relatives, and friends became increasingly cautious in their interactions with him. They carefully weighed their words and actions, fearing to offend him.
Even before ascending to the highest position, Yuan Li experienced the isolation that comes with power.
With the exception of his parents and Chu Hechao, no one addressed him by his courtesy name anymore. They referred to him as "Duke Wen," treating him as their sovereign. Despite Yuan Li's unwavering kindness towards them, they dared not overstep their boundaries.
This, however, was an inevitable consequence of his elevated position.
If Yuan Li continued to engage in casual banter with his subordinates, it would undermine the proper decorum between ruler and subject. Without due respect, emboldened ministers might err, leading to more intractable problems in the future.
Intellectually, Yuan Li understood that this was for the best.
Yet, the transformation of his childhood friendships left him with a tinge of melancholy.
The following day, Xiang Hongyun and Jian Shaoning arrived at the Hall of Governance. In the afternoon, Ding Zongguang presented Yuan Li with a list of gifts sent by various lords upon his ascension.
Four people were the most generous in giving gifts, with two of them being the leaders of the Northern Wu tribe, Dadan, and the Southern Wu tribe, Pu Yan.
In order to show their respect for Yuan Li, these two individuals competed in giving gifts, each sending their trusted aides to display flattery.
It was understandable why they were so enthusiastic. The Wu tribe had divided into two factions, weakened by Chu Hechao's intervention, making Dadan and Pu Yan equally powerful. They were wary of each other, striving to win the favor of Yuan Li and Chu Hechao to gain control.
Previously, the Wu tribe had control over five counties, but now only Shanggu and Yuyang counties remained. Reports from the governors of these counties indicated that Dadan and Pu Yan had become more docile, likely knowing to whom they should show obedience.
The other two individuals who weren't mentioned were also familiar faces - Che Kangbo and Hui Zizhen.
Upon seeing their names, Yuan Li couldn't help but chuckle. These two unlucky provincial officials had been sending money to Yuan Li for their own regional revenue for the past two years.
Despite their efforts to flatter Yuan Li and Chu Hechao, and despite the large sums of money they had sent, it was all to prove their innocence. But Yuan Li couldn't allow them to easily wash away their misdeeds.
He instructed Ding Zongguang to return the gifts brought by the two individuals, and to convey that the gifts were too valuable for him to accept.
The wealth left behind by Che and Hui wasn't as significant compared to the potential leverage it provided.
*
Even with the assistance of Xiang Hongyun and Jian Shaoning, the Political Affairs Office was still overwhelmed. Officials in various counties in Jizhou were under-staffed, and with many positions needing to be filled with Yuan Li's appointees, there weren't enough qualified individuals available.
The shortage of manpower extended to Bingzhou as well, which was more heavily affected by the war. Busy officials in Bingzhou had to constantly recruit scholars from across the region every year, but it was insufficient.
Over the years, the Intelligence Department's operatives had delved deep into the counties, investigating the behavior of officials and compiling a list of corrupt and abusive ones for Yuan Li.
In the past, Yuan Li had to endure such misconduct due to his lack of power. However, as the Duke now, he had the authority to replace these officials without any hesitation.
While he could remove people, finding suitable replacements was a challenge.
To completely overhaul the administrative system in Yuzhou, Bingzhou, and Jizhou, Yuan Li needed at least six hundred officials.
Where could he find six hundred talented, literate individuals to serve as officials?
After contemplating for a while, an idea that had been brewing for a long time became clearer in Yuan Li's mind.
The Imperial Examinations!
Currently, the system for selecting officials was based on recommendations. The hereditary and recommended positions were monopolized by influential and aristocratic families, making knowledge and literacy exclusive resources for the elite.
The common people had no access to these resources and were destined to farm the land for generations without hope of becoming officials.
The Imperial Examinations broke down these barriers, offering a chance for individuals of humble origins to participate in governance. It was the fairest form of selecting officials in feudal times, offering a genuine opportunity for those at the grassroots level to excel.
Yuan Li had long considered replacing the recommendation system with the Imperial Examinations. As the Governor and the unified leader of the three northern provinces, he had the autonomy to implement this change without opposition.
This selection process would only apply to officials in his territory, not those appointed by the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
Realizing this, Yuan Li believed it was time to introduce the Imperial Examinations.
That day, he gathered the officials of the Political Affairs Office and instructed them to organize a talent selection event in Yexian, Jizhou, and named it the Imperial Examinations.
The examinations would be conducted in various subjects, and candidates would be assessed on their performance to select the best six hundred talents.
Upon hearing this news, the courtiers were intrigued. Yuan Li's high status and authority within his subordinates meant that no one dared to object. Liu Jixin was the first to ask, "My Lord, could you clarify what this 'exam' entails?"
"I will set the questions, and the candidates will provide answers. The selection will be based on performance, regardless of background or origin," Yuan Li chuckled, "In this Imperial Examinations, only the test scores matter, not one's lineage or birthplace."
"What?!" The courtiers were shocked and bombarded Yuan Li with questions about the exams.
Yuan Li explained the process, leaving the courtiers deeply impressed. They exchanged glances, and some of the lesser-born aides understood the significance of these Imperial Examinations for individuals of humble origins.
It was an unprecedented opportunity, forsaking lineage and past achievements, focusing solely on individual knowledge and talent. In the face of the exam questions, everyone stood on equal footing.
Liu Jixin's emotions swelled, almost bringing tears to his eyes. He was filled with a mix of joy and sorrow, recalling the efforts he had made to pursue a career path.
After numerous hardships, he had reached his current position, considering himself fortunate. However, many more people had squandered their fortunes and lost their families in pursuit of official positions.
Now, by passing the exams, one could become an official under Yuan Li. Previously, Liu Jixin wouldn't have dared dream of such an opportunity. He was overjoyed at the prospect of this new opportunity, yet deeply saddened by the absence of such opportunities in his past experiences.
Liu Jixin began to feel envious of the students who would soon go through the Imperial Examinations, admiring their chance to easily attain official positions through a simple test.
Suddenly, Liu Jixin thought of a deceased person - Xiao Ce.
If Xiao Ce were alive today and realized how attainable the official position he had pursued all his life was, he would likely be moved to tears and disbelieving. Would he still have conspired against the Lord if he knew about this opportunity?
Taking a deep breath to suppress a myriad of emotions, he immediately expressed his approval, saying, "This method is excellent, and I believe it will work!"
Guo Mao, Wang Er, Wu Kai, Yuan Dan, and others who were of humble origins echoed his sentiments, showing enthusiastic support for the Imperial Examinations.
Among the attendees were those with better backgrounds, such as Jian Shaoning, Zhou Gongdan, and Jia Qing. Despite their thoughts, they accepted the method of talent selection without objection.
At that moment, everyone thought that the Imperial Examinations were merely a temporary measure due to the urgent need for more manpower and would be a one-time occurrence.
Soon, news of the Imperial Examinations to be held in Yexian spread like wildfire throughout the northern states, astonishing all who heard it.
Upon hearing the news, the students were either surprised or delighted, but most quickly packed their bags and headed to Jizhou after careful consideration.
Literacy was a rarity among the Northern Zhou populace, with only a small percentage having access to official positions. Of the talented literate students, many, like Xiao Ce and Liu Jixin, came from humble backgrounds.
Even Yuan Li, the son of a county magistrate, could be considered of low birth, requiring relentless effort to attain official positions, let alone others. Most students only had two paths ahead - becoming aides or disciples of renowned masters, leveraging connections to secure recommendations for official roles.
Both paths were fraught with difficulties, akin to walking a tightrope amidst a sea of adversaries with no retreat.
However, with an opportunity where merit alone could secure an official position, how could disadvantaged students forfeit their chances?
Moreover, with the prevailing power dynamics in the north, they hurriedly set off, knowing that more aspirants would join them. They aimed to seize the opportunity by taking a leap of faith.
Even affluent scholars were shaken.
While they controlled recommended positions and theoretically had enough officials, the landscape had changed.
Despite being able to recommend each other for official positions, with the Emperor's authority waning and the Northern Zhou court reduced to a mere facade, the regional warlords stood independent. As officials, who would they serve under in a powerless Northern Zhou court?
Their resources lost value in turbulent times, unable to become officials under a weakened central authority. Their scholarly pursuits had no practical application, causing turmoil among the aristocracy.
Many eminent scholars could only bide their time within their families, awaiting a chance to present itself.
Those who understood the current political landscape could clearly see that there were only two factions worth aligning with at the moment. One was the northern powerhouse of Yuan Li and Chu Hechao, and the other was the southern leader, Prince Chen.
These two factions were massive political entities, and the prominent families would not simply choose one side to support. They had a better strategy - dividing their outstanding offspring into two groups to ally with both the north and south.
This way, regardless of who emerged victorious, these families would remain unscathed, a principle that had enabled these aristocratic families to endure for centuries.
The current talent selection process in Yuan Li was offering these families an opportunity to become vassals of Yuan Li.