In a very short period of time, Feng Bingwen's policy spread to the entire Daqian at a speed that exceeded the spread of ordinary information, in the streets and alleys, in the fields, from high-ranking officials to ordinary people, everyone was talking about it in every city and everywhere. The article written by Qifeng Bingwen, and his thirteen-year-old candidate.
The imperial examination held every three years is the only way for ordinary people at the bottom and poor families to get promoted. However, the vast majority of people are indifferent to it because they have no money for their children and grandchildren to study. It is enough if they can read. .The imperial examination has nothing to do with them.
Therefore, even if the number one scholar wins the imperial examination, not many people in the countryside know his name, and even if they hear it, they will turn around and forget it.
The reason is simply that it has nothing to do with their diet and daily life. So what if you know it, and it doesn't matter if you don't know it. If you have the time, you might as well dig two more hoes in the ground.
But this time it was different. Some people were admonishing for exemptions and reductions in the imperial examination, and even the abolition of agricultural taxes, and even tax exemptions for low-income people. Such unprecedented remarks made it difficult for even illiterate farmers to care.
"I heard that this year's imperial examination champion is Xingjun who came to earth?"
"What number one scholar? Where did you hear that? The provincial examination hasn't even started yet. Where did the number one scholar come from?"
"Haven't all the articles written by this year's No. 1 pick been circulated?"
"Are you talking about the article about reducing agricultural taxes? I heard it was written by a scholar who was only thirteen years old."
"Thirteen years old? He's so young, so this year's top pick must be him!"
"Yes! I heard that this candidate named Feng Bingwen is a star king from the sky who descended to earth. When he was born, he was born with a vision, and the room was filled with red light."
"Isn't this Feng Bingwen going to be prime minister in the future?"
"That's for sure. This kind of person is destined to be the prime minister when he is born."
"It's good to be the prime minister. If such a great sage becomes the prime minister, life will be easier for us ordinary people."
Ordinary common people and farmers don't have much knowledge and don't care about anything else. They only know that in this imperial examination, a young candidate suggested reducing or even exempting them from the burden-bearing taxes they originally had to pay.
This alone is enough for the people who have heard the relevant deeds to praise him, call him a star king, and call him a saint of the world. They wish that he can take charge of the court and become a great minister, and then turn what he wrote into reality. Make reality, even if it is only a partial realization.
However, compared to the counselors and sincere expectations of the common people at the bottom, the wealthy businessmen and the powerful officials and nobles did not have such a good evaluation of Feng Bingwen, which can be said to be polarized.
"Feng Bingwen? How dare you talk about the tax system as a young boy? What does he know?"
"For the past three hundred years, our dynasty has always focused on agricultural taxes. Not to mention our dynasty, or even the previous dynasties, in any dynasty recorded in the history books, agricultural taxes were all levied and never abolished."
"Absurd child, whimsical!"
"How could such a person take part in the imperial examination and get first place? Is it really ridiculous?"
"The examiner in Jinglin Prefecture is really dim-sighted. He is so ignorant of people. He should retire and return to his hometown and never be hired!"
Those who received the favor naturally praised him, while the wealthy businessmen who felt that their interests were seriously threatened cursed, and there was naturally no good word in their words.
Although there are some people who praise Feng Bingwen for his benevolence and ambition, compared with the huge class group, these words of praise are insignificant and inconspicuous.
Jinglin Prefecture, Longchuan Prefecture, Qingshan County
In the public school that was renovated based on the abandoned Otomo mansion, in a room belonging to the teacher, a few hearty laughs rang out, followed by some excited conversations.
After a long while, an excited, flushed middle-aged gentleman wearing a plain white gown walked out. After stepping out of the threshold, he turned around and said seriously to a gentleman inside who seemed to be about the same age as him,
"Mr. Feng, if your grandson comes back, I will definitely pay you a visit!"
"good."
In this room, the gentleman who was also wearing a plain Confucian shirt nodded with a smile. Except for the white jade on his waist, he had no luxury items on his body. In terms of clothing, he was not eye-catching.
It's just that his complexion looks very good, with a rosy complexion and piercing eyes. There are only a few shallow wrinkles on his face, which makes him look slightly older.
"Bang!"
After bidding farewell to this young master with whom he did not have close contact with each other with a smile, Feng Lingjun, who looked like a middle-aged man, closed the door. The smile on his face quickly disappeared and even became a little gloomy.
He walked back to the desk and sat down. He picked up a policy paper on the desk that he had talked about with countless people in the past few days. After glancing at it, he saw the familiar content on it, and the depression on his face came into view.
The air became thicker and he seemed quite depressed.
"My dear grandson, why did you write such an article?"
Recalling the quarrels and discussions in the county school over the policy essay written by his grandson in the past few days, recalling the discussions and many compliments he had heard while traveling back and forth from home, Feng Lingjun took a deep breath.
.
After a while, the increasingly young old master began to study ink, then took out a few pieces of writing paper and began to write a letter. This was a letter he wrote to his son.
So, half a month later, Feng Zichuan and Feng Bingwen, who had a look of worry and panic on their faces, rushed back with a dusty look on their faces. The puppet carriage they were riding in had been driving almost day and night for half a month.
I was running wildly, and now when I stopped, there was actually white smoke coming out of it.
However, these are naturally not the main point. Feng Zichuan, who received a letter from his own father claiming to be ill, broke into the house with a panic face and bumped into his old mother who was leading a group of geese to the lake for a walk.
"Mom! Where is my father?"
Seeing the confused look on his old mother's face, Feng Zichuan was stunned and realized that something seemed wrong, so he asked quickly.
"He went to school, but he said you were coming back in the next few days, so he asked me to pay attention. He had something to tell you not to come back, and he left in a hurry."
"Isn't my father sick?"
"What disease is it? In the past few years, your father and I have been getting better and better, and we have never been sick once. You haven't seen how strong your father is. How can this old guy be sick?"
Feng Zichuan's face was a little stiff. He never expected that his father would write a letter to lie to him.
The old man gave a warning, then looked at Feng Bingwen who was calm and composed beside him with a smile, chatted with his grandson whom he had not seen for a long time, and then led a group of squawking geese and walked briskly towards Wolong Lake.
Already.
"Look, I told you that nothing can happen to grandpa!"
Seeing his anxious father at the door of his house, Feng Bingwendao immediately calmed down and understood the ins and outs of everything.
Half a month ago, the old man suddenly sent a letter saying that he was ill in bed and felt that time was running out. He also said that he wanted to see his son and grandson.
Under such circumstances, even though the provincial examination was about to take place, Feng Zichuan didn't care much anymore. He quickly pulled Feng Bingwen into a puppet carriage that could run day and night, and drove back in a bumpy way.
But he didn't expect that things would be like this when he got home. There was nothing unusual at home. His father even had time to go to the county school to teach, and he didn't have any illness.
"You are about to take the provincial examination. Your grandfather wrote a letter to call us back at this time. It's really..."
Feng Zichuan, who found out that it was just a false alarm, was relieved and wiped away his sweat. He felt a little resentful in his heart and complained to his son.
"Grandpa must have something to tell you."
"No matter what happens, I have to wait until you finish the exam!"
Feng Zichuan was still chattering endlessly, and the bumpy road was very frustrating for him.
And his complaints waited until it was approaching evening, when the old man returned home at dusk.
"Zichuan, come with me!"
As soon as the old man entered the house, he invited Feng Zichuan into the study.
"Dad, why are you so anxious to come back to me?"
Feng Zichuan was extremely angry at this time. Even the old man had an indelible influence and oppression in his heart, and he was still asking questions with his neck raised.
"Can't you wait until Bingwen finishes the exam?"
"He can't take the exam again!"
Before his son could finish speaking, the old man waved his hand and interrupted his words, with a strong look of depression and irritability appearing between his brows.
"What?"
At first hearing this, everyone in Fengzichuan was dumbfounded, but they soon realized,
"What are you talking about?"
"Wen'er, we can no longer let him take the imperial examination. He must not continue to take the exam."
Feng Lingjun enunciated each word clearly.
"Why?"
Feng Zichuan found it difficult to understand.
"Wen'er, he's not made to be an official!"
The dim candlelight danced in the room, illuminating Feng Lingjun's angular face.
"Is it because of that policy paper?"
Feng Zichuan is not stupid either. The old man who has been thinking about the imperial examination all day long and even devoted himself to it for most of his life suddenly asked his grandson to give up the imperial examination. There must be some extremely important reason, and he naturally thought of the article about the imperial examination between the government and the public.
policy that sparked discussion.
"Yes, the content of that article is enough to make Wen'er renounce officialdom. Once he reaches high school, I'm afraid the bloodline of our Feng family will be cut off."
"Is it that serious?"
"How has your business been doing over the years?"
"I saved a thousand acres of fertile land for Wen'er!"
"Well, that's enough."
When the old man heard this, there was no shock on his face, but he nodded calmly.
"The wealth you have saved should be enough for him to squander on his own. No matter what he does, he can wield swords or guns, he can do whatever he wants, as long as he does not take part in the imperial examination."
"..."
Recalling what he had seen and heard during these days, as well as the verbal complaints of several businessmen who were familiar with him, Feng Zichuan was silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke out,
"I understand! But, dad, you want to be like grandpa all your life. Otherwise, let Bingwen take another exam?"