Chapter 1045

Qingzhou.

While the war in Southeast Asia was ongoing, Xiao Ming was also concerned about the complicated state affairs.

As the foreign enemies were eliminated, the external conflicts disappeared, but because of this, the internal conflicts seemed to suddenly become prominent.

Of course, he understood that this was just his illusion. In fact, internal problems had always existed, but they were covered up by a series of wars.

And the articles in the newspapers were mostly about the campaigns in the north and south, which further focused everyone’s attention on the foreign wars.

“Establish a noble school! Who came up with this bad idea?” Xiao Ming looked at Pang Yukun with a displeased expression.

Showing a helpless look, he said, “Logically, such a trivial matter should not trouble Your Majesty, but the conflict between the poor and noble students in the schools is becoming more and more serious. It often happens that noble students bully poor students. Most of the time, the newspaper agencies, fearing to offend the powerful, turn a blind eye. If I hadn’t been inspecting the various academies and encountered a complaint filed with the emperor, I would not have discovered this matter.”

“A complaint filed with the emperor? Why have I never received any memorials about a complaint filed with the emperor!” Xiao Ming frowned.

Pang Yukun became even more angry when this was mentioned. He said, “The officials in Jizhou, fearing that they would lose their official robes because of this, specifically sent people to monitor the common people who filed complaints with the emperor. There have been many conflicts accumulated among the common people over the years, but the court knew very little, all because of this reason.”

Xiao Ming was filled with indignation when he heard this. He had attached great importance to official discipline since he ascended the throne, but he was now increasingly discovering that this country was falling into a historical cycle again. Thinking of this, he became even angrier.

“Establishing a noble school? Hmph, that’s just a pipe dream. I am now trying to blur the line between the powerful and the common people. If this were to happen, wouldn’t all our efforts be for nothing? Also, you are the Chief Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. Can’t you even solve such a small matter?” Xiao Ming said sternly.

Pang Yukun’s old face flushed red. “Your Majesty, it’s just that there are too many powerful people who support this matter now. There are rumors that some nobles are already planning to run private schools. These private schools are said to be for the purpose of alleviating the pressure on the Empire’s education, but in reality, they are for the children of nobles and merchants. And it is said that some people have already contacted the excellent teachers of the various academies and promised them high salaries.”

After a pause, Pang Yukun said, “I came from a humble background, so I naturally do not want to see the gap between the poor and the powerful widen. However, the Empire currently has no law that prohibits the establishment of private schools.”

Xiao Ming nodded slightly. He understood what Pang Yukun meant. He wanted him to issue a decree to henceforth prohibit the establishment of private schools by the people to prevent this unhealthy trend of separating the rich and the poor.

Xiao Ming agreed with Pang Yukun’s idea. He came from the modern era and understood that the unfair distribution of educational resources would only accelerate the division of social classes. The children of the rich and the children of officials had abundant resources in their hands. Using their wealth and power, they took the largest piece of the pie, while the poor could only look on and not get any. This was the root of the hatred for the rich and the powerful.

However, just as Pang Yukun’s experience was, the policies promulgated by the court were good, but they were corrupted in the hands of the officials. There was a policy from above, and a countermeasure from below, which seemed to be the unchanging philosophy of officials for thousands of years.

“Who are these officials who are running private schools?” Xiao Ming’s voice was filled with a chill. He had been sharpening his knives against foreign enemies for more than a decade. Some people had forgotten that his knife could also be placed on their necks.

After a moment of hesitation, Pang Yukun said, “Mainly Wang Chengye, the Minister of Rites, Duke Tang Xiao Yu, and it is said that Elder Fei’s younger brother-in-law is also involved.”

“Hmph, a first-rank official and two imperial relatives. All of them are figures of considerable weight. In that case, we will use them as an example to deter those who are getting too arrogant.”

“How does Your Majesty plan to do it?” Pang Yukun was a little curious.

With a cold sneer, he said, “I have my own way to make the prohibition of private schools a smooth process. You just need to go back to the Cabinet and draft this government decree.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Pang Yukun breathed a slight sigh of relief. He could reprimand the Minister of Rites, but he was helpless against old imperial relatives like Duke Tang. He could only turn to Xiao Ming for help.

After seeing Pang Yukun off, Xiao Ming called Qian Dafu over and gave him a few instructions in his ear.

Qian Dafu understood and went out of the palace.

He had also heard some rumors about the conflict between the noble students and the poor students in the schools, but he did not expect it to be so serious.

If this matter was not handled seriously now, the foundation of the Empire would be shaken in the future, because if the powerful could do this, the rich could also do this. Once the gap between the rich and the poor widened in the future, the problem would only become more and more prominent.

Therefore, he wanted to use this matter to create a big news story and officially issue a decree to prohibit private schools.

The next day, the Qingzhou Advanced School opened its doors on time as usual. The children of nobles and the children of common people all came to the same school. However, it was very obvious that the children of nobles and the children of common people sat in different parts of the classroom, clearly separated from each other, and no one paid attention to anyone else.

When the bell for class rang, the students all entered the classroom. It was at this moment that a cold voice rang out.

“Hey, you peasant, you’re sitting in the wrong place!”

Fei Tong, with a cigarette in his mouth, looked at the young man who was sitting in the east side of the classroom. According to an unwritten rule, the positions for the children of nobles were on the east side, and the positions for the children of the poor were on the west side.

The children of the nobles had always been very sensitive about this rule, and as the noble child with the highest status in this classroom, Fei Tong was even more so.

So when he saw a poor boy he had never seen before sitting in his seat, he was naturally very displeased.

Although they were in the same classroom, the children of nobles rarely paid attention to these children from common families. Now that this person dared to break the rules, he was naturally very angry.

“The teacher assigned me to sit here today. If you have a problem, go talk to the teacher. Besides, who made the rule that only you can sit here?” The young man glanced at Fei Tong with an arrogant expression.

Fei Tong could not remember the name of this classmate, as he was too lazy to remember. However, no one in this classroom had ever dared to speak to him like this.

“Heh.” Fei Tong sneered. He did not expect a peasant to dare to be so insolent with him. He looked up at the other noble children, who were all looking at him with a theatrical expression.

They had long been unable to tolerate sitting in the same classroom as these children from common families, and they had long wanted to cause trouble. But they did not have enough status or the guts, so they could only rely on Fei Tong, the leader, after all, Fei Tong’s great-grandfather was a minister in the Cabinet.