Chapter 145: The Examination Ends, Prison Visit |
The Wealth of Nations - an epic masterpiece that the development of the world cannot bypass.
Of course, according to the people's historical view, history is created by the people. Overly magnifying the influence of individual elites is inappropriate and easily falls into the extremism of the heroic historical view - even without Adam Smith, there would have been some "Crown Smith" or whatnot.
But it truly is the foundational work of modern economics.
Great Yu's current level of social productive forces is roughly between the Tang and Song dynasties.
Some scholars believe that capitalist sprouts in our country appeared in the mid-Song period, while the mainstream view is that they emerged in the mid-Ming period. But regardless, discussing market economy and primitive accumulation of capital now is far, far too early.
However, let me ask you - isn't the title The Wealth of Nations attention-grabbing?
As an emperor, when you see it at first glance, won't you be absolutely thrilled?
Every ruler would have their interest piqued two hundred percent by these three characters.
Just ask old Wei Ye - doesn't he want the great wealth of the zhuangyuan-daren?
One mustn't fear capitalism like a tiger.
The Wealth of Nations points out three fundamental elements: labor, land, and capital.
The content basically revolves around developing productive forces.
Many of the points within could be modified in combination with the current situation before being proposed.
The strategy essay topic stated that Sun Qian made money in Zhang County mainly by reducing expenditure.
But just like the last provincial examination, Great Yu currently has only one path to escape its predicament - increasing revenue.
Sacred revenue.
Friends who frequently trade stocks know that as long as you don't touch leverage, if you can have unlimited ammunition for stock trading, it's impossible to lose money.
When wealth reaches a certain critical point, investment won't lose money either.
The law of historical development is extreme disparity between rich and poor.
In today's world, as long as one isn't too greedy and doesn't seek more by participating in political factionalism, not a single aristocratic family will decline out of nowhere.
Including the Wei clan.
It's not that their scale has shrunk - on the contrary, they're still growing steadily.
Rather, it's the imperial clan's population that has swelled.
Leading to them seeming burdensome and weak.
Other aristocratic families are also swelling - why don't they have this problem?
Because other aristocratic families practice elite politics and don't care if minor branches rapidly develop, and they suppress and suppress them.
At worst, a minor branch replaces the main branch.
Or they start another branch entirely.
Can the imperial family do this?
Absolutely not.
The surname Wei means either being a mediocre, carefree prince, or being a hidden dragon lying in the depths, concealed.
In any case, they cannot display talent.
The Ming dynasty could be said to have been brought down by the "raise the Zhus" policy.
By the mid-to-late period, hundreds of thousands of imperial clansmen who didn't participate in production had fallen to the point of robbing the court's disaster relief funds.
Great Yu's population is far less than Ming's, and the Wei clan hasn't swelled to such an exaggerated extent, so this problem isn't too serious.
But it can be said.
The current Song Shi'an can say whatever he wants to say.
Whatever he says carries no offense.
Whatever he says, others cannot get angry about.
Moreover, examination essays aren't necessarily governance policies. If you want to nitpick words in the article and try to create some literary inquisition, I can also pick at your faults in return.
Under internal troubles and external threats, we can't demand political enlightenment, but to still engage in tyranny under these circumstances would be wishing for the nation to perish even faster.
With this train of thought established.
A strategy essay destined to be recorded in Great Yu's history began to take shape under his brush.
The academy scholar sitting directly across watched as Song Shi'an didn't even use draft paper and immediately put brush to examination paper. He was stunned.
If there were any mistakes, he simply used the brush to cross them out and continued "speaking freely."
Although when it reached the stage of being submitted to the Grand Secretaries, the examination paper would be recopied and presentation didn't matter.
But for ordinary grading scholars evaluating essays, presentation was extremely important.
This scholar had also taken the jinshi examination, passing only on his third attempt. During his examinations, every time he transcribed his draft, he was terrified of writing a single wrong character, proceeding throughout with extreme caution, as if treading on thin ice.
Later, he also participated in grading and became even more certain how important presentation was - many people's first glance at an essay was whether the paper was clean and the handwriting attractive.
Those with poor presentation were eliminated directly.
Fortunately, Song Shi'an's writing was simply unconventional with some crossing out, but his characters were written quite beautifully.
Writing and writing, one entire examination paper was almost used up.
Just when he thought another paper would need to be added, Song Shi'an stopped his brush.
Then he rested the brush on the inkstone.
Finished?
Still so quick.
"I'm submitting my paper."
Song Shi'an raised his head, revealing a slight smile.
His examination thus ended.
"Acceptable." The supervising scholar nodded, then stood up and said, "Young Master Song may personally supervise the name-sealing and storage."
"No need."
Without a care, Song Shi'an stood up.
Very quickly, one Jinyiwei and two jailers followed at his side, escorting him back to his cell.
Leaving only the examination paper lying quietly on the desk, along with the various examination personnel.
They strictly proceeded with the name-sealing.
Since all the supervising examiners couldn't participate in grading and would later need to be separated from the others, even glimpsing the content at this time wasn't a big deal.
For such an important examination topic, to not even think before putting brush to paper, with such surging literary talent - just what kind of magnificent essay did he create?
He had to see.
Then, the three characters of The Wealth of Nations, full of impact, entered his vision.
As a scholar, seeing these characters, how could he possibly remain unmoved?
It's like before Sacred Learning existed, there was a book called The Sage's Book - what would you think?
What kind of person is so arrogant as to dare call themselves a sage?
Similarly, as a bureaucrat.
In such an era when the emperor was so short of money that aristocratic families openly bought offices and he still had to praise them for it, someone wrote a strategy essay titled: The Wealth of Nations.
Naturally there could only be one thought - arrogant!
………
The bell of the Examination Compound rang out.
This examination thus ended.
For the vast majority, it was a great relief.
Similarly, for the vast majority, from here on they could only rely on luck.
Three thousand people, admitting thirty.
Already selecting one in a hundred among xiucai, now selecting one in a hundred again among juren.
Of course, some people were still quite confident.
After finishing the exam, they knew their strategy essay level was quite high.
After Wang Shuishan left the Examination Compound, his entire mood was relaxed.
At this time, a fellow juren from the same examination walked alongside him, asking with some uncertainty: "Shuishan, for this strategy essay, how did you write it?"
Speaking of this, he raised his finger and said quite confidently: "Increase revenue, increase revenue, and increase revenue."
"What do you mean? Won't reducing expenditure work?" Hearing this, a certain juren nearby leaned over and asked quite seriously, "In this topic, economizing public funds was listed first - could writing about that be off-topic, unable to generate tax revenue?"
As soon as someone started comparing answers, more people quickly gathered around.
All joining in.
"Economizing public funds can naturally generate revenue, but this topic clearly asks how to generate more money." Someone chimed in.
"But those measures that can generate more money aren't appropriate..."
"Can't worry too much about the graders' feelings. Didn't you look at the model answer papers from last year's provincial examination?"
"But examinations have never been this sharp before..."
"The times are changing, daren."
"Shuishan, you speak." The juren friend beside Wang Shuishan knew his thinking was quite profound, and having worked for a year in the household registry clerk position with considerable political experience, continued: "What is 'increase revenue'?"
"Essays like Strategy for Military Farming - that is increasing revenue!"
Quite certain, Wang Shuishan became a devotee of Song Shi'an.
And among the surrounding juren, some of them also slowly nodded.
They were the ones who hadn't gone off-topic.
At this time, Sun Qian and other sub-yuan candidates also walked out.
Still divided into two groups - Fan Wuji and Gao Yunyi in one batch, Sun Qian and others in another, unwilling to merge.
"This strategy essay used Master Qian as the topic - the court has the meaning of great commendation." Han Zhongchen, as a minor follower, immediately said flatteringly.
But Sun Qian's expression showed no change. He didn't even respond to the conversation and quickly walked away.
"Is Master Qian somewhat unhappy?"
After the other party had gone far, Gao Yunyi said teasingly.
"In multiple ways." Fan Wuji's face showed no mockery as he said, "If it were me, being so blatantly placed alongside Song Shi'an, I would only feel humiliated."
Military thinking.
"Furthermore." Gao Yunyi supplemented, "He must also feel disgusted by this examination."
"What do you mean?" Others didn't understand.
Following this, Gao Yunyi explained: "The court commended his achievement in increasing tax revenue, affirming his governance ability, but those reasons meant to fool children cannot reach the hall of elegance."
"Indeed."
After Fan Wuji sighed once, he murmured: "This thought-provoking topic can't help but make one see the future court, where everywhere lurks danger."
………
Song Shi'an and Song Ce had separate examination rooms. If they were sent in batches, the meaning of name-sealing would be completely lost.
Therefore, it was after the Examination Compound's papers were transported that theirs were randomly mixed in and collectively sent to the Imperial Academy.
Then the scholars worked non-stop, frantically grading, so they could post results after five days.
Great Yu's examinations posted results so quickly also to minimize as much as possible underhanded manipulation.
However, Song Shi'an wasn't worried at all.
If Ode to the Goddess of the Luo plus The Wealth of Nations (heavily original content version) could lose, that would truly be court suppression.
Quite leisurely, he lay on the prison floor, enjoying the final period of imprisonment.
At this time, a seventh-rank prison official came and said: "Young Master Song, someone has come to visit."
"Huh?" Song Shi'an sat up somewhat puzzled, saying incredulously: "Visits are already permitted?"
"..."
The other party froze for a moment, explaining: "Young Master Song, we never said visits were prohibited."
"Ah?"
Song Shi'an was bewildered.
"During the special period, visits were indeed prohibited. But after the case was largely concluded, they weren't prohibited." He supplemented with another explanation.
"So." Song Shi'an pointed at himself, asking for confirmation: "All these days, not a single person came to see me?"
"..." After a long silence, he shook his head, "Young Master Song, there should not have been anyone."
Fuck!
A hero of Great Yu, a famous minister who resisted Ji Yuan, imprisoned for all these days, visits allowed, but not one person came?
No wait, setting aside that my whole family was arrested, what about everyone else - not a single one came to actively see me?
Wang Shuishan, where did you read all your books to!
The jinshi examination is important, but our friendship isn't important?
"Let them come."
"Yes, Young Master Song."
After Song Shi'an said this sadly, the other party went to report.
Oh, forgot to ask - who came to see me?
Pfft, who could it be?
Just as he was thinking this, the prison official brought a familiar figure and walked over.
Raising his head, Song Shi'an's pupils suddenly gained spirit.
When their eyes met, he couldn't help but reveal a gentle smile.
Xinyue felt that the moment Song Shi'an saw her, he was visibly and sincerely happy.
His smile was very pure, even carrying a kind of kindhearted cuteness.
She, who always had few expressions, also returned a gentle smile.
But before the smile could fully unfold, for some unknown reason, his expression darkened and the corners of his mouth turned down: "Heh."
Xinyue froze, quickly returning to expressionlessness.
What a troublesome man.