Just after the Lantern Festival, Wang Ce finally returned to Beijing from Guizhou, accompanied by Chen Wenxue, Ye Wu, Liu Yaozu and others.
"Meet Wang Shangshu!" Old friends from the past bowed and saluted one after another.
Wang Yuan hurried over to help him up and said with a smile: "You are all classmates, why do you need to be so out of touch? Just call me Ruoxu."
Chen Wenxu said awkwardly: "Ashamed."
Chen Wenxu and Ye Wu are both older than Wang Yuan. They have been taking the imperial examination for many years, and this year they are going to take the examination together with Wang Yuan's son.
In fact, this was the norm in ancient imperial examinations, and it was perfectly normal to become a Jinshi in your thirties.
Liu Yaozu was also ashamed of himself, and many people came out of Qingzhai. Not to mention the brothers Wang Yuan and Wang Meng, the three father and sons of the Yuan family were also very powerful. Yuan Gang was the most powerful general of the Song family. Yuan Zhiguan was the commander of the Guizhou vanguard, and Yuan Daguan was the commander of the Guizhou vanguard.
Gaizhou Guard Commander and Liaonan Counselor General (Liaonan Counselor General belongs to the battalion system. If ordered by the Ministry of War, he can mobilize the entire Liaonan region's officers and soldiers during wartime).
All of my friends who grew up together have achieved great success, but Liu Yaozu is the only one who is still studying hard at a humble age.
Wang Yuan felt the unusual atmosphere and laughed loudly: "Gentlemen, please don't belittle yourselves. Let's get drunk today!"
In addition to his former classmates, there are also several Guizhou students who are rushing to take the exams and came to visit Wang Yuan today.
There are no children of the Song family, because the descendants of the chieftains are not allowed to participate in the examination. However, the Song Dynasty has greatly promoted culture and education, and three people who came out of the Song family's jurisdiction came to the capital to take the examination this year.
More candidates came from Guiyang, the provincial capital. Counting Ye Wu and others, a total of nine people took the exam this year.
The most amazing thing is Pudingwei. The officers and soldiers there may not be able to fight, but health education is in full swing. In the past ten years, Guizhou has produced a total of three Jinshi, all from Pudingwei and the Puding Pan family (hereditary military attache).
There were only two of them. Unfortunately, one of them died early. Pan Liuyu died of illness while serving as county magistrate after only two years of exile.
By the way, all the above-mentioned candidates are disciples of the Yangming School of Mind, which has spread across Guizhou.
Wang Yuan held a special banquet to entertain these fellow villagers.
After three rounds of drinking, my reserve gradually faded away, and the atmosphere finally became lively.
Chen Wenxu said with a smile: "The biggest change in Guizhou is the circulation of new money, making buying and selling transactions more convenient."
"That is, to mint new money and benefit all the people of Guizhou," Ye Wu said. "This achievement alone can be called a virtuous minister if it is unrealized. On behalf of the elders in my hometown, I would like to express my gratitude!"
"Done!" Wang Yuan was not polite.
The poor place in Guizhou is really too backward. A large number of rural areas barter, and even some prefectures and counties barter. The copper coins used in the past were mostly cast privately by local governments, and the copper content was very poor. During the circulation process, they were variously used.
dislike.
Today, there are six major mints in the country, and Yunnan Mint is one of them.
Yunnan mainly casts copper coins, and the amount of castings is very large, which has been circulated to Guizhou, Guangxi, and Sichuan provinces. This new coin is rich in materials and exquisitely crafted, and has become the main market currency in the southwest. Remote states and counties are even used to collect and maintain value.
, a large amount of new money was hidden in the private treasury of the gentry and powerful people.
The six major mints are creating money like crazy. Nanjing and Hangzhou are the most terrifying. Countless silver and copper coins come out every year.
The government's large-scale printing of money, and the large inflow of silver from overseas, actually did not cause any inflation. Just because the landlord class was so powerful, both the silver and the new money were absorbed, and either were hidden and no longer flowed into the market, or they were used to purchase land on a large scale.
Emerging capitalists are also talking nonsense. After making money, they don’t want to expand their scale, but instead go to rural areas to annex land.
Because in the eyes of merchants, any factory, any trade, or even a shop, these are all floating wealth. Only land is the foundation, where it can be passed down to future generations, and it will be safe for future generations to produce a few officials.
It is difficult for the bourgeoisie to develop. Instead, the official and business class continues to grow, which is very deformed from the beginning and makes land annexation more serious.
Wang Yuan had nothing to do about this. Even during the Republic of China, capitalists purchased large amounts of land when they made money.
It is estimated that the inflow of silver from overseas, even if it increases several times in a short period of time, will be quickly digested by the landlord class. These guys like to hide the silver in cellars.
The next day, Wang Yuan chatted with Liu Yaozu alone and asked: "Except for old friends, who among the Guizhou scholars who went to Beijing this time is the most talented and moral?"
Liu Yaozu said: "Puding Meiyue has both political integrity and talent."
Wang Yuan said with a smile: "He is a son of a military family from Puding Guards again. Puding Guards School is really prosperous."
The ancestors of the Puding Mei family are Fu Youde's old tribe and have been passed down in Guizhou for several generations.
Historically, there were not many Jinshis in Guizhou, but Mei Yue and his son were both named in the gold medal list. Mei Yue was still an upright official. There is a folk song left: "Cao is like a plum blossom, bright is like the moon, how can Shuangqing (Mei Yue) be
have to?"
Wang Yuan also wanted to promote the township party, but over the years, Tian Qiu and Pan Zhen were available in Guizhou. Tian Qiu is now the right Shaoqing of Taichang Temple, and Pan Zhen is now a member of the Ministry of Rites.
Wang Yuan said: "If Zong Rong (Liu Yaozu) is not elected, I can arrange a county magistrate or an edict for you."
Liu Yaozu immediately shook his head: "I have studied hard for many years and do not want to give up halfway. If I fail this year, I will take the exam two or three times again."
"You can do whatever you want." Wang Yuan did not hesitate to persuade him.
Liu Yaozu was really not a candidate for the imperial examination. The candidates in that poor place in Guizhou had to survive until they were over 30 years old. It would be too difficult to pass the imperial examination again.
For the next month, Liu Yaozu stayed at Wang's house and reviewed his homework from morning to night every day. His diligence put Wang Ce and Wang Su to shame.
The General Examination of the 24th year of Zhengde soon came. Wang Yuan served as the Zhigong Juguan, that is, the general person in charge, chief planner, and chief executor of the general examination. Yang Tinghe, the first assistant, and Wang Jun, the president of the Hanlin Academy, served as the chief examiner.
Responsible for setting questions and conducting exams.
By the way, after Wang Yuan became the Minister of Rites, the examiners of the general examination were very uncomfortable. They were not allowed to drink during the time of setting the questions, conducting the examination, and marking the papers.
It's so boring that I have to be locked up in Gongyuan for more than half a month. How can I pass the boring time without drinking?
After the first test, everyone was very happy because the test questions were very simple.
Liu Yaozu said to Wang Yuan: "The questions in the rural examination are extremely tricky, but the test will focus more on classics and meaning."
"It's good to have confidence." Wang Yuan could only encourage.
Scholars from the south of the Yangtze River hate the exams the most. The questions are pretty standard. The articles should not be difficult to use and the words are gorgeous. You have to use the most plain sentences, answer the most common questions, and write the articles in a beautiful way. Only in this way can you be successful in thousands of years.
Stand out among thousands of scholars.
On the afternoon of the second day of the exam, Tang Shunzhi reported on time: "Sir, my disciple is here to practice martial arts."
Wang Yuan nodded in approval: "The most important thing in civil and martial arts is perseverance. Yingde will definitely have profound martial arts skills in the future."
After living in Wang Yuan's house for more than a month, Liu Yaozu also knew Tang Shunzhi and knew that he was a great talent. He was surprised and said: "Brother Ying De, the second game will be in two days, and you don't want to prepare anymore?"
Tang Shunzhi said: "My foolish brother studies for an hour every night."
Liu Yaozu was speechless and asked curiously: "Brother Ying De, can you silently write the article for the first scene? Brother Yu is eager to read this masterpiece."
Tang Shunzhi immediately wrote out a question from his four books silently, and Liu Yaozu stopped talking immediately after reading it. He was already in his thirties and studied four or five hours a day. He had to quit his job six months before the exam and review for at least twelve hours a day.
But the articles he produced were not comparable to those of Tang Shunzhi, who was in his early twenties, and Tang Shunzhi only spent two hours a day reading.
Liu Yaozu really wanted to cry!
Wang Yuan was very free. His examination work was mainly concentrated before the examination. Once the examination started, it had nothing to do with him. The specific matters were arranged by the doctor of the Ministry of Rites.
Wang Yuan had no chance to divulge the questions. Yang Tinghe was responsible for conducting the examination and grading, while the proctoring was the job of the Metropolitan Procuratorate.
After finishing all three exams, Liu Yaozu got Tang Shunzhi's article and completely lost his enthusiasm for the imperial examination. It was so damn shocking!
Before the examination results were released, Liu Yaozu approached Wang Yuan and said, "Ruoxu, I don't want to take the exam again. Please help me find an official position."
Wang Yuan smiled and asked: "How about the ministry of industry?"
"Thank you!" Liu Yaozu said gratefully.
Liubu Zhaomo was an eighth-grade official, in charge of files and audit work. Wang Yuan planned to throw him to the Railway Department.
Although Liu Yaozu failed in the imperial examination, he was more honest and diligent, and was responsible for the documents and audits of the Railway Department. Wang Yuan was very relieved. He also did not break the rules. Six ministries and miscellaneous officials could be appointed by candidates, but he would not be able to rise too high in his life.
If you fight to the death, you will be able to reach the seventh level when you retire.
Soon, I will try to release the rankings.
Except for Mei Yue, all the troops in Guizhou this year were wiped out, and the hearts of Ye Wu, Chen Wenxu and others were devastated.
Several fellow villagers came to seek official positions, and Wang Yuan had already found out their details. Those with bad moral character were all thrown into teaching positions, and they could not get anywhere even if they wanted to be greedy. Chen Wenxu and Ye Wu both became county magistrates.
As long as they perform well in politics, they will soon be promoted to the rank of seventh-grade county magistrate.
Moreover, Chen Wenxu and Ye Wu were both thrown to Yunnan. Wang Yuan asked them to promote tobacco, which must be able to revitalize the local economy.