When scholars came to Taiyuan to take part in the imperial examination, the first thing they did was to go to the Gongyuan on West Street to exchange for their test papers.
In the imperial examinations of the Tang Dynasty, not just anyone could come to Beijing to take the exam. The prerequisite was that they had to be recommended by the state governments, called Xiang Gong, and then be students from the Imperial College. The conditions were very strict, resulting in very few places.
Generally, there are only two to three thousand rural tribute candidates who come to Beijing to take the imperial examination every year. Including the Imperial College students, the number is about four thousand at most. They are basically the children of major aristocratic families and high-ranking officials. Their names are not anonymous in the examination papers, and many times they are
Before the examination is completed, the list of Jinshi candidates is predetermined, and very few people are admitted. Only twenty or thirty people are admitted each year.
But this time the Taiyuan imperial examination completely overturned the tradition and abolished the provision of tribute from the state capital and township. As long as you are a scholar and want to come to Taiyuan to participate in the imperial examination, you are eligible without any restrictions, and you can have free food and accommodation. A total of two hundred people were admitted.
This is a true meritocracy, which inspired the enterprising spirit of scholars from all over the world. After the Lantern Festival, scholars from all over the world came to Taiyuan in a steady stream, numbering tens of thousands.
For Guo Song, this is an excellent publicity opportunity, allowing scholars all over the world to understand and support themselves.
There are two big tents set up at the gate of Gongyuan. One of the big tents is responsible for exchanging the test papers. After getting the test papers, go to the other big tent to get the room and board card. With the room and board card, you can enjoy two months of free room and board.
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However, the place for food and accommodation is not in the city, but in the old military camp outside the west city. The old military camp covers an area of about 200 hectares. It is not a tent, but countless rows of blue brick buildings, which can accommodate 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers.
It was drizzling, and Guo Song, accompanied by several officials, came to inspect the scholar camp. Holding an oil-paper umbrella, he pushed open the door of a dormitory. This was originally a dormitory for soldiers. Inside a dormitory
There are four beds for three soldiers, and three old large wooden boxes are placed on the other empty bed. Each soldier has a box to store their personal belongings.
Yan Shuo, the Minister of Scholars, introduced to Guo Song: "Judging from the information currently available, almost 40% of the scholars live in inns in the city and provide their own food and accommodation. There are about 20,000 scholars who need us to provide food and accommodation.
So we initially decided that the two of us would live in a dormitory."
Guo Song nodded and asked: "As far as I know, when scholars come to participate in the imperial examination, they usually bring a bookboy to help him pick out his book box. Have you considered where the bookboy will live? How will he eat?"
Yan Shuo was stunned for a moment and shook his head, "I really haven't considered this issue before."
Next to him, Meng Jiao said: "Your Highness does not know something. Yan Silang is from Chang'an. He took the imperial examination in the local area, so he did not encounter this problem. I have participated in the imperial examination several times and have a deep understanding of this issue. I can bring the book boy to participate."
In the imperial examination, most of the families were relatively well-off. They lived in an upper room by themselves, and then several people shared a lower room, so that the students lived together, and the food was relatively poor.
The candidates who apply to live in the Shizi camp are not from a very good family, and they will not have any book boys to follow them. They can at most hire a porter to help them carry the book boxes to the capital, and then forget about it. The porter will go back by himself, so they live there.
There are basically no bookboys among the scholars in the scholar camp. Since a few have brought bookboys, it is actually easy to solve."
"Tell me your solution." Guo Song smiled.
"Your Majesty, we can set up two rows of barracks specifically for the book boys to live in, or build a large tent on the martial arts field, with twenty people per tent, so that the book boys can live together. I don't think there will be many book boys for them.
Providing meals is not a burden, which solves the scholars’ worries.”
Guo Song nodded happily and asked Yan Shuo, "Which plan does Yan Silang think is better, the barracks or the tent?"
Yan Shuo pondered for a moment and said: "If there are still enough barracks and there are not too many book boys, then we can live in the barracks. I prefer this plan."
Guo Song continued: "You can discuss this matter among yourselves. I will not interfere. I will ask if the food and system have been decided?"
"The diet is based on the soldiers' usual meals. One meal of meat can be provided every three days. Usually, it can only be vegetarian, but it can be enough. In addition, the scholars are allowed to go out. The time of closing and opening the camp gates and the city gates are the same.
In addition, visitors are not allowed to stay overnight in the Shizi Camp. Visitors must pay for their own meals. The meal time is fixed. If you are late, you will not be compensated."
"Are there any difficulties now?" Guo Song asked again.
Yan Shuo sighed, "There are many difficulties. All our plans are basically on paper. Except for the implementation of the barracks, other money and food, personnel, room items, cooks, etc., have not been implemented. I feel that everyone is worried about this imperial examination."
I don’t pay much attention to it, I always feel that this is a matter of the Shibu Department and has nothing to do with them.”
Guo Song's face immediately darkened.
.........
In the Tiance Mansion of Jinyang Palace, Chief Shi Pan Liao, Sima Zhang Qianyi, Su Zheng Tai Ling Cao Wannian, Deputy Envoy Xue Changshou, Shi Department Secretary Yan Shuo, Household Department Secretary Li Yangui, Tribute Department Order Meng Jiao, Taicang Department Order Jiang Shaoyou, Taiyuan
Officials such as Prefect Wang Wei, Shao Yin Xue Fan, Jinyang County Magistrate Shen Changjian and others gathered in the middle hall of Tiance Mansion to discuss urgent matters.
"I have called you all urgently today because I want to talk to you about the imperial examination."
Guo Song's eyes sternly scanned the crowd, and finally landed on Jiang Shaoyou, the commander of Taicang Bureau. He asked dissatisfiedly: "Commissioner Jiang, why did you refuse the request of the Department of Military Affairs to transport grain?"
Jiang Shaoyou was a tax collector in Zhangye County at that time. He could speak fluent Sogdian. He had a pragmatic style and followed Guo Song with a firm attitude. He was promoted step by step. Finally, as a low-level tax collector, he became a fifth-grade official.
He achieved a rare leap in life, but his other fellow tax collector Li Nian lost the opportunity because he was too caring about his family. In the end, he failed to seize the opportunity and was lost to ordinary people.
Jiang Shaoyou stood up and said calmly: "Beizhi never deliberately made things difficult for the Shibu Department. He just acted according to the rules. The grain adjustment order brought by the Shibu Department was signed by His Highness. According to the warehouse department rules formulated the year before last, the adjustment order signed by His Highness
The grain order is limited to military purposes, and the imperial examination is not a military operation. The Ministry of Civil Affairs made it very clear to the Ministry of Civil Affairs that they must cooperate with the Prime Minister's Order before the Ministry can ship money, food and materials. In addition, according to the special rules for mobilizing supplies, if urgent mobilization is needed
To store money, food and materials, you need to show His Highness’s token, which the Ministry of Civil Affairs does not have, so I refused because of my humble position.”
Yan Shuo couldn't help but said: "It's because His Royal Highness the King of Jin was not in Taiyuan a few days ago and could not get the token, and the order of the prime minister's office must be signed by the chief minister and Sima at the same time to be effective. Zhang Sima happened to be out inspecting spring plowing and was not in Taiyuan.
Zuo Xingtai ordered the order to be signed on his behalf, but Baihutang did not approve the signing and returned the order to the prime minister. However, the grain adjustment matter was arranged in the February plan, so I hope that the warehouse office will follow the authority and issue the grain first and allow me to make up for it later.
Prime Minister’s Order.”
Jiang Shaoyou was silent for a moment and said: "There is no such thing as subordination in the rules."
Pan Liao quickly stood up to smooth things over and said: "This matter is my responsibility. I asked Zuo Xingtai to sign for me, and I also specially marked: 'This is a special matter, only this time.' However, it was still returned by Baihutang. The responsibility lies with me."
, I should send someone to Qi County in time to find Zhang Sima to sign."
Pan Liao smoothed things over, and Guo Song was relieved of his attack. He said slowly: "Today I am calling you all not to hold anyone accountable. A dismissal order is enough to hold everyone accountable. I mainly want to take advantage of this opportunity."
, let me tell you about the importance of this imperial examination.
The significance of this imperial examination is not as simple as selecting talents. As we all know, when the imperial court holds the imperial examination every year, the number of scholars who come to Beijing to participate in the imperial examination ranges from more than a thousand to several thousand. The main reason is that the number of places in each state is limited.
Many states only have two or three places.
But this time I abolished the local rural tribute regulations. As long as they are scholars, they can come to Taiyuan to participate in the imperial examination. Therefore, the number of people will increase sharply. There will be 50,000 to 60,000 people coming to Taiyuan, or even more. The pressure on the Ministry of Scholars is very high.
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But why do I do this? What is our real purpose? I actually want to use the opportunity of the imperial examination to let scholars from all over the world come to Taiyuan and Hedong to have a look, so that they can recognize Taiyuan from the bottom of their hearts. This is very important to our legitimacy.
Especially important.
If one day the imperial court decides that I, Guo Song, are rebellious and insists on breaking with us, the scholars in the world will not think that we are rebellious like they did with the Zhu Si dynasty. They will continue to come to serve us and continue to speak for us among the people.
It’s called the right to speak. If you win the support of scholars all over the world, you also win the right to speak.”
It was so quiet in the lobby that you could even hear a pin drop. This was the first time that Guo Song expressed his ambition in public. Although everyone tacitly understood it, they would not say it out loud. However, the delay and chaos in the preparations for the imperial examination this time,
Guo Song had to express his position publicly and let everyone wake up.
"Isn't it called wining over the scholars of the world by entertaining them well, providing them with good food and housing, and then subsidizing them with some expenses? It may have some effect, but I think it is far from enough. We must show openness in the imperial examinations.
Fairness, no matter whether the candidates who pass the exam come from a famous family or a poor person, as long as they are truly talented, they can be admitted. To make the majority of scholars see hope, this is the most important win-win, meritocracy, give them
hope."
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[I still need to ask everyone for monthly votes! I sincerely ask everyone to support me with monthly votes!]