After the cousins bought their offices, they would take office within a few days.
Chen Shuren only lived in Nanjing for more than a month before he came to Nanjing, and eventually had to go his separate ways.
One day in early September, Shen Shuren rented a boat on the Qinhuai River to practice for Zhang Huangyan. Several new friends also came to join in the fun.
Zhang Huangyan can be regarded as the first like-minded friend Shen Shuren met after he came to this world. Although there is not much risk in going here, no one can guarantee absolute safety in troubled times.
Chen Shuren, with the mentality of being drunk now, invited all the top-notch singing, dancing and playing girls, no expense was spared. Many of them were the popular oirans invited by Wu Weiye during the Bailuzhou official buying conference.
"I have to say farewell after a long journey to you. When I go to Tongcheng, my cousin must guard the city carefully and don't move lightly. After this winter, after next spring, as long as I behave well, Mr. Yang Ge will find a way to move me. Location. When the time comes, we will join forces to deal with the fifth battalion of Gezuo and achieve great success!
What Zhang Xianzhong is best at is pretending to be refugees by pretending to be refugees, breaking up his troops and sneaking into the city, and then combine the inside and the outside to capture the city. His ability to storm a fortified city is far inferior to that of Li Zicheng. The Fifth Battalion of Ge Zuo was coerced by Zhang Xianzhong, but he also learned Zhang Xianzhong's style , you must be careful.”
Zhang Huangyan held the wine glass in front of him and drank it all: "Don't worry, dear brother! I will definitely check the people and soldiers entering and leaving the city every day. But you, Zhu Dadian clearly has a grudge against your family, and he still gives you a job, there must be some fraud behind it." .These damaging moves in the dark are terrifying."
As Zhang Huangyan spoke, he poured another full cup and thanked another Juren friend next to him who came to see him off: "Brother Fang, I won't say any other kind words. I will repay you for your kindness and help. Zhang will definitely keep his place." .”
Opposite me, a twenty-seven or eight-year-old Juren with a thick beard also joined his hands and drank a glass of wine: "That's right, the selection of official positions is a public weapon of the imperial court, how can you thank a private family.
Fang has a slight friendship with Hou Chaozong, and I just said a few words to help you. During the provincial examination a month ago, Brother Cangshui, your riding and shooting skills were very impressive.
Since the imperial court wants to select a few new officials to guard Tongcheng, Fang certainly hopes that the ones he chooses will be those who are capable of hard work, rather than mediocre people who are helpless and ignorant of strategies. Helping others means helping yourself."
It turned out that this man's name was Fang Yizhi, he was Jieyuan who came first in the Zhili Township Examination in Jinkenan, and he also took the initiative to make friends with Zhang Huangyan and Shen Shuren after the official meeting a few days ago.
And Shen Shuren knew that Fang Yizhi had not been a traitor in history, so of course he would not refuse the olive branch extended by such a decent scholar.
(Note: Historically, Fang Yizhi also passed the high school examination in the joint examination and the palace examination in the following year, and was finally admitted as the 54th ranked second-class Jinshi in the 13th year of Chongzhen.)
Fang Yizhi was from Tongcheng County, Anqing Prefecture, Nanzhili Province. The spread of the Fifth Battalion of Ge Zuo this time caused great harm to his hometown. The county magistrate Dian Shi and other officials died in the military disaster, and several surrounding counties had to elect new officials. fill.
And most of the people who give money to buy official positions are not willing to go to those places.
At least the situation in Tongcheng was slightly better than that of Qianshan and Huoshan next door. Anyway, the positions in the three counties were vacant. Fang Yizhi used his old relationship with Hou Fangyu to help negotiate peace, and finally the higher-ups got Zhang Huangyan to Tongcheng. .
In terms of the other party's wisdom, this arrangement is not a loss. Zhang Huang is capable of both literary and military skills, and seems to be more reliable than other scholars. If he goes to Tongcheng, the safety of Fang's family will be more guaranteed.
This year's provincial examination was the first additional test on mounted archery. Zhang Huangyan hit the target three times in a row, and one of the arrows hit the bull's-eye.
Although this kind of martial arts is nothing among generals, it is definitely outstanding among scholars, and it left a very deep impression on Fang Yizhi.
…
The three of them drank until their glasses were dry, and everything that needed to be explained was finished.
Zhang Huangyan also took a few Shen family boats and set sail with about a hundred servants who were skilled in martial arts and armed with muskets.
After watching his cousin leave, Shen Shuren also gave him a rare and polite gesture and said politely:
"Brother Fang, I'm not good at studying, and I never like to deal with people who are obsessed with studying. I really didn't expect that you, as a modern scholar, would be willing to cut corners with us, people who want to buy jobs."
Fang Yizhi also responded with a gentle smile: "You win people with words, and you lose them. Just because I don't buy an official position doesn't mean that I can't be friends with people who do.
Although you are not very knowledgeable, judging from your words and deeds, you can be regarded as a gentleman and an upright person. That day, you openly told Mr. Wu about buying an official position, and your words were quite reasonable. It was really shocking.
You will know from now on that I have a wide range of hobbies, uncanny skills, and general knowledge of physics. I think you are also an eclectic person, and we will have more opportunities to learn from each other in the future."
Chen Shuren nodded, and he gained another level of understanding of the other party, and he could be considered to have completely recognized this friend.
Fang Yizhi's words are really not bragging. Historically, he wrote "Little Knowledge of Physics" and "Tongya", which are encyclopedia-type books.
Of course, his "physics" is not Newtonian physics. The content of the book covers astronomy, geography, biology, machinery, mineral smelting, etc.
"Little Knowledge of Physics" should still be in its infancy now, and if nothing else goes wrong, it could not be written until Chongzhen was 16 years old. "Tongya" is more involved, and was written behind closed doors after the fall of the Ming Dynasty to thank guests.
Chen Shuren had been thinking about becoming a local official and using technology to farm fields to benefit the people. Now that he knew that Fang Yizhi was interested in these things, he couldn't help but test the other party's level.
While drinking, Shen Shuren made gestures on the table with his wine, and casually picked a question: "Brother Fang is interested in astronomy, geography, industry and agriculture, and I wonder if he has read Xu Ge's "Agricultural Policy Complete Book" , "Tiangong Kaiwu" by Song Changgeng?"
Fang Yizhi originally just thought that Shen Shuren was eclectic, and did not expect him to know much about science and engineering. When he heard Shen Shuren casually mention two books, he was even more surprised, and he was extra high to Shen Shuren. Have a look.
Fang Yizhi said sternly: "Of course the great sage Xuge has read all of his "Complete Book of Agricultural Affairs". However, I have only heard about Song Changgeng's "Tiangong Kaiwu", and I have never heard that the book has It’s printed, has my dear brother actually seen it?”
Xu Guangqi's "Complete Book of Agricultural Affairs" was not completed during his lifetime, and part of the manuscript was compiled by descendants of the Xu family. However, Xu Guangqi's family was rich and prominent, so it was faster to print it with engravings. This book has been published for five or six years now. I love it. Readers of science and food production practices will probably read it.
Song Yingxing's "Tiangong Kaiwu" was completed only ten years after Chongzhen's reign. It was only two years ago. Song Yingxing's family was still poor and could not afford to print such a book that could not be sold at a loss, so it has not been printed yet.
Chen Shuren roughly understood Fang Yizhi's level in just one or two sentences, and then asked a question with a smile:
"Brother Fang, does he know that when we grow cotton and weave cotton cloth in Susong, if we accidentally pinch off the top buds of the cotton while it is growing, then the cotton may survive?"
Fang Yizhi frowned: "There is an old legend that the cotton star must be well protected so that the cotton plant can grow taller. If the top buds are picked, the cotton plant will be short and thin. According to Xu Ge's "Agricultural Policy Complete Book" That’s what they say. That’s why Brother Shen Xian asked this question. Could it be that there are other wonderful explanations in Song Changgeng’s "Tiangong Kaiwu"?"
Chen Shuren gently shook his folding fan and casually revealed the answer:
"Brother Fang is a great talent, and his response is really fast. Yes, after picking the top buds of cotton, although it will be shorter, the power of water and fertilizer is poured into the blooming and peach blossoms, and more flowers are produced. If you don't pick the top buds, you will just look taller. , nutrients are wasted on empty growth, just more useless straw."
Chen Shuren instinctively thought of giving this example, and it was also because this example was the most famous in "Tiangong Kaiwu".
He remembered watching "One Hundred Thousand Whys" when he was a child, and there was a quote in it saying that the "top advantage of crops" was first discovered by Chinese scientist Song Yingxing, earlier than the West.
As expected, Fang Yizhi had never heard of it, and for a moment he felt that this new friend in front of him, who was ignorant and unskilled, was actually better than himself in miscellaneous studies.
His curiosity was fully aroused: "Then how do you know whether it is Mr. Xu Ge or Song Changgeng?"
Chen Shuren smiled and spread his hands: "I have tried it myself. Our Shen family is in Suzhou, with thousands of acres of manor, hundreds of sea ships, Suxiu silk tea, and Songjiang cotton cloth. These are the largest businesses of my family.
As soon as I read this paragraph in "Tiangong Kaiwu", I immediately asked the servants in Zhuangzi to try it. As expected, we harvested 20 to 30% more cotton that year, and the growing period was actually shortened. My family relies on this method to harvest more cotton every year. I made tens of thousands of bolts of cotton and earned thousands of taels of silver. Do you think my evidence is strong enough?
Later, I generalized it and found that many of the other farming methods can be compared. Applying Song Changgeng's discovery, the top buds are pinched to prevent the stalks from growing taller, and the water, fertilizer and nutrients are concentrated on the berries, flesh and ears. , the yield of the edible part actually increased.”
Fang Yizhi was completely stunned. He didn't expect Shen Shuren to be such a direct and practical person.
Any theory can deceive people, but the actual money earned will not deceive people. The Shen family can harvest so much more cotton in vain by plucking, which is a solid proof.
"What you read on paper will eventually make you realize it. I know that this matter must be done in detail. The ancients are honest and don't bully me. A wise brother acts vigorously and resolutely. A foolish brother admires me." Fang Yizhi didn't care whether he was Jieyuan or not. He stood up and bowed to Shen. tree man.
Chen Shuren beat the snake and followed it with the stick, and took the opportunity to persuade: "I wonder if Brother Fang will stay in Nanjing for a long time and have other things to do after the provincial examination? Or should he wait in Nanjing until the end of the year and then go directly north to participate in the joint examination?
If you have time, I would like to ask Brother Fang to travel to Suzhou for a few months. We will hit it off and learn about astronomy, geography, industry and agriculture."
Chen Shuren has always spared no effort to win over the scientists and engineering talents of this era. Now that he has met Fang Yizhi, there is no reason to let him go, even if it is just to make friends and have a compulsory discussion first.
In the future, when he becomes a big official, he will definitely recruit Song Yingxing as well.
Fang Yizhi thought about it and realized that there would be nothing to do in Nanjing for the next three or four months, so he agreed.
Chen Shuren was still a little embarrassed, so he kindly reminded: "Brother Fang, you still can't throw away the eight-part essay, otherwise if you can't get through next spring, don't blame me."
Fang Yizhi was inspired with arrogance, and said proudly: "I can take the Jie Yuan test in this subject, and even if I don't write an article for four months, I will still be able to pass next spring!
I can now see that in these two provincial examinations, the importance of eight-legged essays has become less and less. Current policy theories that could not bridge the gap in the past have become more valuable. Otherwise, my knowledge is mixed. Even people don’t understand Yuan.
Dear brother, I'm not saying that although your eight-part essay is not very good, times make heroes, and today's standards for recruiting talents are gradually working in your favor. You should try it next spring. No exam."
What Fang Yizhi said is true.
Historically, in the spring of next year, Wei Zaode finally won the first prize. According to the "History of the Ming Dynasty", Wei Zaode's eight-legged essay was not outstanding, but his current policy theory was more suitable for Chongzhen's taste. Within a short period of time, he became the chief minister of the cabinet and was promoted very quickly (Chongzhen was the last chief minister before he hanged himself).
It can be seen that in the last two terms when the Ming Dynasty was in danger, Chongzhen also had to make major concessions and reforms in the imperial examination.
If Shen Shuren really wants to take the exam, as long as he brushes up on the basics of eight-legged writing, there is no chance at all.
After all, Chen Shuren has read the biography of Wei Zaode in "History of the Ming Dynasty", and what was written in this biography about the current policy topics in the palace examination in the 13th year of Chongzhen's reign was nothing more than some policy questions on how to pacify the bandits. Chen Shu Human beings are open-minded and open to problems.
If he is allowed to take the provincial examination, there is absolutely no hope. Who makes the provincial examination level too low, and the test questions will not include "History of the Ming Dynasty". However, in the more advanced joint examination, there may be a reversal.
However, Shen Shuren did not pursue these things deliberately. His current purpose was to persuade Fang Yizhi to go back and travel with him for a while, and we would talk about other things later.
The two of them talked it over completely, and Fang Yizhi also went back to pack some luggage, and left immediately to follow Shen Shuren on his travels.
The few oirans who were singing and dancing to the side were amazed to see that the top talent Fang Jieyuan could be impressed by the rich man Shen Gongzi.