By the time Qiqian Juzi returned, most of the people who wanted to eat immediately called for a banquet, filled their stomachs, took a shower immediately, and then snored into a deep sleep.
After this half-day imperial examination, everyone was exhausted.
At noon on the second day, Juzi woke up one after another. Ye Qing slept well and had breakfast in the morning. He saw that the tribute shop was already lit up, and there was good luck ahead of time.
I just wanted to take a rest, but Fu Chengshan and Kong Zhi came and said they were talking to each other.
Half an hour later, both of them were in a daze. Fu Chengshan turned pale and stared at Ye Qing silently for a long time before saying: "This theory is unheard of, but I don't know how to evaluate it."
Kong Zhi pondered for a moment, but then said slowly: "Brother Ye, this seems to be reasonable, but the great road emphasizes one's destiny from nature, how can one know destiny?"
The so-called understanding of destiny from one's nature means being able to break away from one's mind and analyze and guide reality.
Ye Qing smiled. The courtyard here is very deep. Ye Qing said: "We are not talking about the big picture, let's talk about the family. It is understandable that the family uses blood lineage as a fence."
Seeing the two men nodding, Ye Qing continued: "Judging from the ruler of Cage Theory, the clan system is very strict, and the direct lineage and branches are very clear. It stipulates what can be done and what cannot be done, and every move has a family law.
The clan rules make it impossible for the common people to move, this is a cage."
"The cage is not without its use. In a short period of time, the cage can be ordered tightly and gather the strength of the whole clan. This is called 'prosperity', or 'prosperity' - this is how all small clans come to be."
Fu Chengshan and Kong Zhi thought about it carefully and found that it was indeed true. They couldn't help but listen in awe and remained silent.
"But people can endure being trapped in a cage for a while, but they can't endure being trapped in a lifetime. Trapped in a cage, with only one meal and one couch, sacrificing for the clan, it's okay for a short period of time. Seeing that a whole country has been conquered, the third floor and the fifth hall of the eldest son's house,
There is sunshine and rain, but the common people are crowded into a narrow cage with only one trough of food. What do you think will happen?" Ye Qing smiled.
Kong Zhi's face was a little pale, while Fu Chengshan moved his lips and was speechless for a moment. He listened to Ye Qing continue to say: "I'm afraid this resentment is human nature. The cage is a bit precarious, so let's tighten the cage. The original cage
I can still jump and scream, but now I can’t jump or scream.”
"The tighter the cage wires are, the more trapped and resentful they are. Even if the cage cannot be broken for a while, they no longer have the intention to contribute to the clan. They just ring the bell and watch indifferently - this is called 'degeneration.'"
"This clan no longer has the spirit of sincerity and advancement. If there were no external troubles, it could still maintain a moderate level and gradually decline. However, there are seven or eight or more than a dozen big clans in the county. If you have a deep Qi, others will naturally surpass you and cannibalize you.
, hit you."
Kong Zhi asked: "Then what should we do if we measure it with the ruler of your cage theory?"
Ye Qing was a little melancholy and thought for a moment: "Actually, this is very common in clans. Generally speaking, prosperity comes from making progress and being able to change to a bigger cage."
“Although it’s still a cage, everyone’s requirements are not high, so I’m satisfied with it.”
"If it is a Dingsheng family, for example, your Kong family and the Fu family, they are all descendants of poems and books, etiquette and laws. They have always attached great importance to the family's high school education, and they have a family reputation.
"As long as your family's education continues and your family's reputation remains intact, the children of your two tribes will be valued by others."
"No matter how harsh the system is, as long as it is within a reasonable range, the children of your two clans can advance a few people by participating in the imperial examination. It is even more convenient to enter the officialdom and get married."
Speaking of this, Ye Qing smiled strangely: "Is it better to have a good family than ten years of hard work?"
"If you think about it carefully, is it true that within your clan, everyone is treated equally for studying? If someone wants to make a fuss about this, will it end badly?"
"There are so many things going on in a rich family. There are many times when you have to be confused and close your eyes. But if you dare to ruin the family tradition, won't you end up very miserable?"
When Ye Qing said this, he saw the expressions of the two of them change, and he smiled with satisfaction: "Studying, family tradition, blood relations, this is the way of a wealthy family. Studying is to indulge the horse, to indulge and even to spur the children to gallop, who is doing it?"
Everyone in front has to appreciate it, but if anyone wants to break the rules and break this fence, even if he is a direct relative, he will be dealt with decisively - I think there is no shortage of such examples throughout the ages."
"If you think about it carefully, have these become the marks of your children? As soon as you go out, some people will say - this is a child of the Kong family, this is a child of the Fu family."
The two of them pondered for a long time before Kong Zhicai came back to his senses and said: "If Brother Ye doesn't wake up to this matter, I'm afraid we won't even think about it until we die. In fact, this truth is not profound, but every word is very clear."
Fu Chengshan listened blankly and said thoughtfully: "I heard it, and I was quite surprised at first, but when I think about it, don't the other clan leaders know?"
"The theory should not be systematic, but the patriarchs are all temporary choices, and they will know instinctively, but the benefits of cages and fences are too great. More cages are used to restrain the heroes. The remaining pastures belong to the direct family of the master.
, if a fence is built and thousands of horses are galloping, the direct family members will not have much advantage - Brother Fu, Brother Kong, your family is a famous family and practices the fence method. Think about it carefully, among your direct family members, only the most talented people will be promoted to scholars.
Is it a lot of proportion?"
Ye Qing stood up and walked around for a few steps, smiling: "Thousands of horses galloping to make a great clan prosper, and thousands of horses rushing together to hide the wealth of one's first wife. In the final analysis, one loves one's family or one's direct descendants. Of course, in reality, it cannot be so clear-cut in black and white, so it must be based on reality.
According to the situation, adjusting the cage fence is called walking with the world."
Fu Chengshan and Kong Zhi thought about it and their expressions changed.
Ye Qing nodded and said somewhat gloomily: "That's it for now. The cage fence theory is just a ruler by which I see the world."
"The Dao Lord, the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, hundreds of officials, or there may be other rulers to measure it - so don't take it to heart. Wait for the results of this imperial examination to be serious."
Imperial City·Gongyuan
All kinds of discussions outside are isolated by the thick Gongyuan, and not even the wind can blow in.
The lights in the main hall are transparent, and there is only the sound of rustling rice paper and occasional exchanges. Behind the desk, there are people who are carefully grading papers.
The examiner Tong Shan and the invigilator just watched quietly.
There are over a hundred people in the three halls including chief and deputy examiners, supervisors and examiners, and marking officers, all busy in an nervous and orderly manner.
In the primary election, you can still be dismissed according to the system. If you have not completed the answers, or the quality is obviously very poor, you can be dismissed. But at the level of candidates, if you dare to take the exam, there are very few papers that are directly dismissed. Although there are 7,000 volumes, there are only two articles and text.
The quantity is not too big.
The examination papers were quickly sorted and stacked, and 300 of them were discarded. Because the questions were few and the papers were thin, the pile was no more than three feet high. These papers were considered waste. Unless the writing was outstanding enough to attract review when it was printed, no one would pay attention to it.
The next step is to select the appropriate papers. Those who are qualified for marking are all in a stack of hundreds of papers, divided into four stacks according to A, B, C and D.
Ding Juan basically failed the list.
There are three stacks A, B, and C, which totals 3,150 volumes.
Tong Shan looked at the results and then glanced at the six proctors and deputy proctors below. He calmed down and said to the invigilator: "The primary election is over. Please open the law and prohibition.
The Taoist said nothing, stretched out his hand and pressed on the jade seal. The Taoist domain was still there, and he silently released the restrictions on literary energy and blessed it to appear in the world.
"Boom" the muffled thunder rolled, and white gas emerged from every document. This was no longer a fountain, but a huge tidal wave, sweeping over it like a stormy sea.
The white tide rolled in, like a sea of literary energy, flooding the entire hall, and then the spurt stopped, and everyone returned to their own volumes, rapidly sublimating their complexions, turning from white to red, and from red to yellow.
The entire palace was reflected in a golden color, and the rise of the thousands of scrolls slowed down. Most of them gradually stagnated, and only a small half climbed towards the blue.
Everyone had already expected it when they were selecting the papers. When they saw it with their own eyes, they couldn't help but be dazzled: "This class is so amazing and the accumulation is so profound... It's really awesome and admirable."
Tong Shan listened and sighed, nodding in agreement. Anyone who can take the palace examination will basically have a golden style. Originally, only about one-tenth of the previous exams were blue and yellow, and there were dozens of volumes of blue, either dark or light.
The three lists were all selected above the level of literary Qi Qing Huang, but when everyone looked at it, there were five hundred volumes reaching the level of Qing Huang, and hundreds of volumes showing green.
At this time, the literary spirit basically stopped. Someone wanted to go over to move the papers. Tong Shan waved his hand: "Wait a moment."
The chief and deputy examiners looked at each other, and they were all surprised and looked at each other.
For a moment, I saw that the scroll was still continuing. After a long time, a trace of purple energy emerged, turning into a light purple amidst the deep blue.
While everyone was stunned, Tong Shan looked at the Taoist and sighed secretly. After waiting for a while, there was no more abnormality. Tong Shan looked at the real person and said, "Does the real person think it's okay?"
The real person took a look at the paper and saw that everyone above blue and yellow was basically in the A and B categories, so he said: "Yes"
Tong Shan then ordered: "Get all the blue and above papers, and first select the second-ranked Jinshi."
"Yes" there were officials who brought the blue and above papers, all of them moved carefully, as if they were holding heavy treasures. When one person came to the stage holding it, he couldn't help but glance at it, and saw the writing on the first volume: Pingshou, Nancang County, Yingzhou
County Ye Qing.
Tong Shan took the paper without saying a word. Later, the deputy examiner kicked the official and signaled him to continue working. Tong Shan just didn't know and looked at Ye Qing's paper.
"The yin and yang above and below are called the Tao, and the four directions are parallel and are called the king."
I have read the article twice, and now for the third time, Tong Shan secretly praised it as he read it: "It's rare for this person to be able to make further progress."
Several examiners and deputy examiners came up, holding the collected blue papers, and carefully placed them on the trombone table.
The Taoist glanced around the hall and nodded slightly when he saw that all the blue scrolls were missing.
The examiners sat down behind the desk, initially sorted the hundred volumes according to literary style, and finally determined the first twenty-three volumes to determine the key selection rankings.
"This volume is good, but too sharp."
"This volume is full of literary spirit, but it is too boring and seems to be Taoist."
This gives people an illusion. In fact, the more you like someone, the more ruthlessly they will belittle you, without any moral integrity, and you can't wait to be demoted to the twenty-three foreigners.
Every examiner had a serious face, and his heart was filled with the joy of a good harvest: "It's better to be demoted. In the past years, many of the candidates were Jinshi, but this time the number of candidates has doubled, and there are already twenty-three. This leaves only 23 candidates."
Given to the imperial court, I just wish they could all be demoted."
The Taoist looked at it coldly, remembering the instructions from the Heavenly Court, and looked at the range they finally selected, which was almost half dark green and light green, so he turned a blind eye and did not bother.
No matter when, the top talents are always scarce. Although the imperial court and the heaven eat meat from the same bowl, the competition at this level is still fierce.
It's just that most of the time, the Heavenly Court is completely victorious. Occasionally, one or two pieces of fat are leaked, and the court thinks it has a plan and makes a quick pounce on the food.
But these are all gestures. The two sides understand the game well and distribute it according to their strength. However, the game is tilted. There are always some special situations that will bring heavy chips to the court. At this time, the court must give up, or even acquiesce in the ranking.
Get some exercise...just don't go too far.
The Taoist thought this, looking at the great scholar Tong Shan, and finally his eyes fell on the blue and purple paper.