Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 892 Masked Imperial Examination
At the same time, in Chahar, which is thousands of miles away, the same green grass is everywhere, and there are flocks of cattle and sheep.

It's just that compared to Khalkha Mongolia, the herdsmen in Chahar have already put on the coarse cloth clothes of Han, which are not only dirt-resistant, comfortable, but also very cool.

Arada is dressed in a green Mongolian robe with quail embroidered on his chest, which is very conspicuous on the grassland.

The horse galloped, dust and grass splashed all over the way, disturbing countless cattle and sheep, and the dogs barked endlessly.

The herdsmen raised their heads one after another, and couldn't help cursing.

When they saw their conspicuous green robes and majestic horses, they stopped speaking in an instant, and instead bowed and bowed their heads one by one, in a very respectful manner.

The child who just came back from the nomad looked up, blinked, and his red face was full of curiosity.

"The child is the official of the hundred households. We have to bow our heads and salute. If you are found out, you will have to lie down for half a month with a whip!"

"Eji, what Baihuguan?" the child asked innocently.

"On behalf of the Great Khan, the official who manages our hundred tents is even more prestigious than the previous Taiji!"

"Where did that Taiji go?"

"They——" the woman sighed: "I went to Chifeng to enjoy the blessings. There are only some pastures. Let us help him herd the sheep..."

Arada naturally ignored the incident on the road, he couldn't wait to come to Qianhu House:

"A message came from Chifeng that all the tribes of Chahar, including Khan Tend, Nayan Tent (that is, noble territory), and Tabu Nang (that is, nobles), will participate in the Naadam Conference on August [-]—"

At this moment, Qianhu and the judge immediately froze, they couldn't figure out why.

Because the Naadam Conference originated from when Genghis Khan was elected as the Great Khan of Mongolia. In order to review his troops, maintain and distribute the pastures, he held the "Great Khuli Getai" (big gathering) every July to August.

In the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, archery, horse racing, and wrestling were combined to form a fixed form.

Theoretically speaking, this is purely folk entertainment and has little to do with the imperial court.

"Since it is the governor's intention, then we can only follow it."

Qianhu could only agree, and the judge nodded.

Soon, the news spread throughout the Chahar region through the huge Mongolian bureaucratic network.

As early as after the emperor convened a noble meeting to reorganize the noble system, Chahar's pace of centralization continued to accelerate.

The hundred-household official system that was originally only in the Khan tent spread to the entire Chahar in an instant. Except for Chahar Khan Abul and Beihai County King Budari, the rest of the small and medium-sized tribes have completed the centralization of power.

Tabunang and Taiji, the middle and lower classes, led the annual salary issued by the imperial court, and were voluntarily stayed in Chifeng for a long time, enjoying a prosperous life.

Also, they are ranch properties and are also preserved.

In other words, the imperial court helps them manage their territory, and they just sit and collect money, without having to worry about labor, and lose some power.

Under the power, almost no one dares to violate it.

After Arada delivered the news, he returned to his tent exhausted. The servant brought milk tea, and he drank it in one gulp:

"Huhe, Huhe, my son—"

"Abu, you called me?"

At this time, Hu He, the eldest son with a broad face and dark face, ran over panting with a bow in his hand.

"My son, in Chifeng, a world-renowned Naadam Conference is about to be held."

Arada suppressed his excitement: "Although I don't know why the governor called all the Chahar people to participate, there must be rich rewards."

"And, great future."

"Abu, can I be a hundred households official?" Hu He excitedly said.

"My official position cannot be passed on to you, but if you go to the Naadam Conference, there must be many high-ranking officials to see it, and the governor will also be there."

"At that time, as long as you perform well, you will definitely have a great official career, and you will even be able to go to Beijing to protect the great Chuluo Khan."

Hearing the word Beijing, Hu He was moved.

"I must go to Beijing."

He made up his mind.

The Baihu official belonging to Baiji conveyed the news from Chifeng.

The bureaucratic system is not yet old, it is functioning normally, and government orders are delivered smoothly.

Soon, in early August, thousands of Mongolian men gathered outside the majestic Chifeng City.

Anyone who has ambition and wants to show off his prestige will come to Chifeng.

As the ruling center of Chahar, Chifeng is not only a political center, but also an economic center and a religious center.

Small and medium-sized nobles including the governor, the two county kings, the grand lama, Taiji, and Tabunang all live in this prairie city.

This also creates its unique brilliance.

Its city has a surplus of [-] households, which is unprecedented on the grassland. .

Han and Mongolian merchants gathered here, selling goods from Han and absorbing local specialties in Chahar.

In a sense, the glory of Chifeng is inseparable from the gathering of Mongolian nobles here, because they collect money from their respective territories and spend in Chifeng.

On this day, including the Great Lama who was conferred the title of Hutuktu, Governor Sun Changzhou, and all the nobles from Chahar, they all came [-] li outside Chifeng City to solemnly welcome the distinguished guests.

Sun Changzhou remained silent.

Budali, King of Beihai County, couldn't bear it anymore. Looking at Abu Da, who was also taciturn, he couldn't help showing off: "Nephew, do you know who is coming?"

"Uncle, you know?"

Abu Da is already at this moment, a handsome talent, exuding nobleness from the inside out.

He was brought to Beijing since he was a child, married a clan daughter as an adult, and returned to Chahar at the beginning of the year to manage his own tribe.

But obviously, even Chifeng, the first city in Chahar, is not as good as Beijing, which makes him particularly uncomfortable.

As for the revenge of killing his father back then, considering the current situation, he was powerless to retaliate at all, so he could only go with the flow.

"Of course." Budari said proudly, "Don't you know that my two daughters are married to King Qin?"

"I'm the best informed about Beijing's news."

"Then it can't be King Qin, right?" Abu Da chuckled lightly.

"Half guessed right."

Budari continued to grope.

"It's really King Qin?" Abu Da couldn't believe it: "Didn't he go to Annan?"

"Isn't this coming back?"

Budari raised his chest, the fat on his face was bulging, and his eyes were narrowed: "In addition to King Qin, there is also King Qi."

"The last two Highnesses set off from Beijing and came to Chifeng."

"Then what is their purpose? Is it just to participate in the Naadam Conference and play?"

Budari shook his head slightly, showing an unpredictable smile: "I don't know either."

Abu Da was overwhelmed.

However, he also passed the boring period at this time, and began to look forward to it with full heart.

In front, Sun Changzhou, who had been waiting for a long time, listened to the words of the two Mongolian county kings, and couldn't help but think:

You two Mongolians, what Chinese do you speak in front of me?
Following the words of the two, time flies by.

After a while, I saw a huge cavalry coming.

Armored musket, majestic.

In one glance, it is full of elite teachers.

A total of [-] riders, the number seems small, but their elite level is enough to make this group of Mongolian nobles terrified.

Seeing the pale faces of the nobles from the corner of his eye, Sun Changzhou smiled heartily: "It seems that the cavalry in the Beijing camp are already the best in the world."

"Compared to the frontier army, it also looks stronger."

The power of the army boosted the prestige of the two princes. The nobles who were originally respectful because of their status wanted to put their faces on the ground at this moment.

After a while, two huge carriages appeared in front of everyone.

It is pulled by twelve horses, and the carriage is two feet long, which is quite different from that of Mongolia. The patterns and decorations on the carriage all reveal wealth and luxury, making the nobles dumbfounded.

"My lord, Sun Changzhou, governor of Chahar, led the people of Chahar to meet the two Highnesses."

"Be flat!"

At this time, a magnetic voice came from the carriage.

Soon, the curtain of one of the two carriages was lifted, and two thinly dressed, fair-skinned and charming maids walked out.

A handsome young man walked out of the carriage with a smile on his face.

Soon, another carriage also walked out of a boy.

"His Royal Highness King Qin, His Royal Highness King Qi—"

Sun Changzhou bowed down again.

King Qin is nearly six feet seven inches tall, while King Qi is half a head shorter.

Although the two princes are handsome, their appearance is very obvious.

King Qin has higher eyebrows and a majestic appearance, like a Confucian general; while King Qi has delicate eyebrows and thin lips, and is more handsome, obviously superior in beauty.

Of course, King Qi's mother is the noble concubine Miaoxian, if you look closely at her eyes, the brown pupils are heavier and the bridge of the nose is taller, making her facial features particularly beautiful.

"Hurry up, please, before leaving, the emperor can ask us to take care of your health again and again!"

As the elder brother, King Qin put away the fan in his hand, and spoke first, with sincere feelings.

King Qi on the side said slowly: "That's right, if we follow the rules, we both have to call you a nephew!"

"Don't dare to be an old minister!" Sun Changzhou smiled wryly, and then introduced the two princes to the nobles.

Then he introduced the Mongolian county king, the great lama, Zhu Taiji, etc. to the two princes.

In front of people, King Qin can be said to have given enough face to the father-in-law Budali, which made him very happy.

At the bonfire banquet at night, the father-in-law patted King Qin on the shoulder and said, "There are many women on the grassland. Whichever one do you like, even if it is my woman, I will find it for you."

King Qin couldn't laugh or cry.

King Qi on the side enjoyed himself.

For those Mongolian women who dance, it is almost impossible to look at it.

Hearing the two talking like this, he even couldn't help snickering.

At this time, how could King Qin spare him, and said directly: "Father asked you to choose a concubine in person this time, and you can't escape."

"Let me help you choose—"

At this time, Budari, who had a sharp ear, couldn't help answering.

King Qi was speechless: "Prince Beihai, it's not enough for you to have a son-in-law like King Qin, you want to drag me in too?"

Hearing this, Budari couldn't know that he had committed a taboo, so he could only smile awkwardly, and simply flushed his face as if he had drunk too much alcohol.

Abu Da, King of Chahar County, turned his head too far at this time, and said: "There are quite a few girls in my lineage, His Royal Highness King Qi can go and choose one."

King Qi smiled slightly: "Then thank you very much."

After a few days, preparations for the Naadam Conference were organized in an orderly manner. There were too many things to prepare for a Naadam meeting of an unprecedented scale.

Qin Wang and Qi Wang, on behalf of the emperor, wandered around Chifeng to convey greetings from the emperor.

Of course, in the past few days, King Qi has not been ambiguous, and he has chosen a few concubines who he likes to be concubines, which is considered to have completed the task.

However, on the day of the Naadam Conference, Sun Changzhou still met the two princes:

"You two, tell me the truth, how many people are you going to pretend to leave this time?"

Facing the governor's inquiry, the two brothers looked at each other and smiled, and King Qin spoke first: "We don't want much, let's have 100 each!"

Hearing this, Sun Changzhou smiled wryly: "My lord, according to the established regulations, the Naadam Conference only records 300 people, and you have taken them all away."

The Naadam Conference, in the constitution of the imperial court, is actually an imperial examination in the Han region.

Obviously, the paralyzing effect of religion still did not reassure the emperor, and at the same time, in order to ensure the continuous development of talents, the emperor absolutely based on the Naadam Conference and expanded it into a Mongolian version of the imperial examination.

Archery, horse racing, and wrestling, the first place in each of the three items is the number one pick, second place, and third place.

They will be directly selected into the Guards Division, and even serve as officers.

The top ten in the third category will be the Jinshi of the second list and enter the Guards Division.

Of course, before entering the bodyguard division, one must go to the lecture hall to study for two years. After all, Chinese and Chinese characters must be learned.

They are candidates for generals and the mainstay of the army.

The ten to one hundred members of the third category will be trained in Chifeng for half a year, and then go to various places to serve as deputy hundred household officials. After three years, they will be promoted to hundred households, and then thousands of households or judges.

If you perform well, you may even be able to serve in the Governor's Mansion.

In the feudal era, ethnicity had no meaning at all, and only interests were the only ones.

The most obvious evidence is that Zhu Yuanzhang's army during the Northern Expedition, half of them were down-and-out low-level Mongolian people.

As a time traveler, Zhu Yixi has won the essence of the community of interests.

Only by establishing the Mongolian bureaucratic system can it be truly included in the Ming Dynasty. The autonomy of the feudal lords will not last long at all.

300 people in three years, an average of 10 people per year. With the scale of several 2 people in Chahar, after removing the old, weak, sick, and disabled, as well as women, children, lamas, and soldiers, only [-] people can really participate in the competition.

This screening quantity is not too big or too small, just right.

It is the fundamental way to govern Chahar and even the entire Mongolian plateau with these Mongolian elites.

King Qin and King Qi came to Chahar just for the first Naadam Conference.

Their purpose is also very simple, which is to select capable people from among them, recruit them as servants, and prepare for future employment.

Even after marriage, the Qin Palace can openly recruit officials of the palace, except for the long history, the court and the emperor will not interfere at all.

Where?

The purpose is to let the King of Qin pick out those talents who are capable but not suitable for the imperial examination, and let them go to the vassal state to realize their ideals.

Therefore, King Qin was specially recalled and came to Chahar to select candidates.

(End of this chapter)