Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination

After the county magistrate Qi came back, the county government posted a notice for the county examination on February 13th, asking the students to register at the county concierge.

The tenth to the twentieth day of the first lunar month is the Lantern Festival. These days, Mr. Lin had left the library for vacation and planned to encourage the students to study again after the festival. But after seeing the notice, he felt the urgency of the exam for a while, so he asked his son to call Cui Xie home and told him the key points of the policy for the day.

Policy theory is nothing more than current affairs. Either bluntly talk about current events, or use history to refer to the present, and ultimately fall into the word "practical". The major event of the court in the past two years was the little prince's offense. The major event in Qian'an was the earthquake, or else it was the grain tax. These little Confucian boys do not require that they can write any far-sighted policy and theory, as long as they follow the current decree of the court and write some extensions.

Cui Xie is also a person who has been the main theme blackboard newspaper and propaganda posters for many years, and he understands what Mr. Lin means-it doesn't matter if the article is not well written, as long as the stand is upright, any thoughts about color are honestly hidden. If you accidentally write something that is contrary to the main theme of the court, even if the county lord is biased towards him, he will not dare to take him.

He lowered his head and solemnly promised: "Sir, don't worry, the disciple understands what to write and what not to write."

Mr. Lin took a sip of tea to moisturize his throat, smiled and said, "You can understand. I have drafted a few topics. You go back and write one or two articles every day. I will check you when I come back during the Lantern Festival holiday."

...It's okay, isn't it just winter homework.

Just these few essays, and his high school language, foreign history and land administration, a winter vacation homework, plus a pile of papers and workbooks, there is no way to compare!

Cui Xie went home with his new homework to write, and he wrote this one week before the exam. According to his past review experience, he can no longer read books during this time, and he needs to think more and integrate what he has learned.

So he separated a small room in the East Wing, took the homework from Mr. Lin as exam questions, and took four hours of mock exams every day after school.

The countdown to the exam was only ten days, and his review was getting more and more nervous. Even when the travel notes of Qi county magistrate were printed in February, he had no time to arrange any publicity.

At the Ju'anzhai main store, I asked the shopkeeper to find someone to redraw the side elevation of the county magistrate on the envelope into a large picture, and paste it on a wooden board and place it outside the store; there are three books in every reading room in the library. , Post a slip of propaganda pictures along the outer wall of the corridor; the guy in Tongzhou has opened a branch, and he also traces the big picture and hangs it like the main store. Ask Liu Shiye to help promote it among local big households and literati.

To be honest, if "Cui Meiren'er" is not him, he really wants to write a "shock! Cui Meiren's private house interior high-definition big picture exposure" poster in the largest font, then even the picture is not required, and sales are guaranteed. .

However, even with such implicit and low-key publicity, "The Collection of Qi Zhiyuan's Official Documents" quickly set off a wave of sales.

The Qian'an County Library is the best signboard of the Qi county magistrate. Readers who have a dollar or two are willing to buy a copy to support the county magistrate.

At the beginning, the subtotal shopkeeper in Tongzhou was afraid that the sales would not be good, so he bundled it with Qiu Shiwei Mo. Later, when I sold it, I found that readers bought it only by looking at the cover, and buying it as a guidebook and landscape painting, not caring about the text. They simply untied the book from Weimo and only used it as a colorful picture album with words for promotion.

This book is really exquisitely printed. A few days after it was published, it was brought into Beijing by merchants who focused on color-printed books in Qian'an, and it was naturally sought after by scholars.

Although there are no pictures of heroes or beauties in the book, only a clear middle-aged county official, but the whole book is almost in color printing, the paper is thick and white, and the touch is high-end. Moreover, the articles in this book are fresh and lovely. The pictures are all distant mountains and beautiful rivers. It shows the master's taste when taken out, unlike the laity who read the book to see heroes and beauties!

Just after the test was over, the book was sold to Beijing and it became popular. The test list was not sent out at this time, and all the students were not allowed to return to their hometowns. They had nothing to do in the capital. Those who came from the south and the three sides, who rarely bought official color-printed books, had to buy them and take them back home.

The four Xinju people who took the exam in Qian'an County once again felt the horror of being forced to watch and escape from Jushan Temple during the township examination last year.

They acted decisively, greeted the Juren seniors in the same town, and fled to another clean temple outside Beijing. The remaining few Juren really didn't know anything, and they had nothing to say when they were arrested. They can only praise their good governance of building a library by the county to let people read books for free.

The magistrate of Qi County, who was handsome and clean, with long beards and worried about the country and the people, became the representative of good officials in the eyes of the people in Beijing.

The staff department is now selecting officials below grade five who should be promoted. Qi Sheng is so popular that the people from the Department of Literature and Selection will inevitably mention him. Zuo Shilang Geng Yu asked him face-to-face, and he had a good impression of him, so he asked the principal: "What book did he publish? Is it to interpret the classics or record the county's government affairs?"

No, it's a travel note, or a book... a mediocre travel note. However, the book seals are pleasing to the eye and full of scenery. This person is also good-looking, but it is a pity that he was not born on the right track, and he could be a prefect or Taipu Temple, Yuanma Temple Shaoqing.

The right servant Li Chun chuckled: "It's Qian'an again? Since Qian'an has a Cui Meiren who can print books, how can everyone publish books."

Xu Chuan, the principal who introduced him, said: "It's not just about publishing books. Qi Sheng's article also mentioned the Qian'an prodigy who published books before. He wrote an article about the Xiuqian'an Library, which is the first in the book. In the article, it says that the library was a bequest from Cui Shentong’s first mother. It used to be a bookstore and rented to outsiders. He took it back last year, and even the house and books were donated to the Qian’an County Library."

Geng Yu thoughtfully said: "When I asked Mrs. Li that day, he seemed to be unable to remember the name of the person who donated the house. Is it possible that he could forget the article he wrote? Or did he add this one specially later? ?"

They didn't know that the same person was actually behind the publication of these books, and after a few discussions, they couldn't guess the truth. While talking, one member Wailang mentioned: “It’s better to have a color book from Qian’an. After all, it’s the source of real color printing. Ju’anzhai, who published this book, heard that he bought a full set of Cui Meiren’s engravings and drawings. The painting is also better than others."

"Isn't it the study that produced "Six Talents Criticize the Three Kingdoms"? That is the true biography of Cui Meiren! I feel that Cui Meiren is an incognito and changed to work as a painter in his house.

"Why do you need to hide your name? Besides, the Three Kingdoms family has just released the tenth volume now. The pictures in it are all old pictures, but they are printed more vividly. When will the number of copies of the original edition be exceeded? I really bought his house. Engrave it!"

...

After all, it was impossible to determine where the Qian'an county magistrate should be transferred. Geng Yu deducted his name and said, "Keep this for me, and then push a few people. By the way, where is his collection of essays available for sale?"

Mr. Xu said: "This bookstore is only open in Qian'an and Tongzhou. It is not easy to buy outside now. The official should send the copy from the house to the adults."

After the turn of the world, Master Xu's book was sent in. Right attendant Li Chun was also a student of Shao Zhan, and he had to go to the East Palace after he was away. Because he could not meet to recommend officials when he was away, Geng Yu closed the door and read the book quietly.

The magistrate Qi’s writing skills are not too strong, but because he is a person with real landscapes in his chest, the writing is also fresh and beautiful, complementing the light and colorful landscapes. Occasionally there are a few big pictures, the characters are also very handsome and elegant, and they are very colorful. They are the mature and beautiful men who are most in line with the aesthetics of scholar-officials.

Shilang Geng read this book, but his impression of him was a little shaken-what he saw that day was really a small, thin and small official, and not such a beautiful man like a spring moon?

He closed the book with a complicated expression, and he wanted to find Li Yu, Yushi Yushi, to ask what the magistrate looked like. But before his thoughts were put into action, he was called by the first assistant Wan'an. Wan'an handed him a file in person, and said kindly: "This is a student of mine. Let it be. It's better not to be too harsh."

Geng Yu had always looked down upon this "Long Live Ge Lao", and faintly answered "Yes", took a look at the dossier, and couldn't help but breathe out - what kind of relationship did he have with Qian'an today? ? The ministry had just been promoted to the prefect of Qian'an, and after reading Qian'an's book, I saw the father of the little righteous scholar who donated to the college in the book?

Seeing that his expression was wrong, Wan An asked him, "Why, do you know this Cui Que? Is there anything wrong with his behavior?"

He was a little self-aware to his disciples, only to see that they were sensible and respectful, he just opened one eye and closed one eye. But Geng Yuzhen was worthy of his surname. He was a person who dared to stare at Shangguan. It would be embarrassing to ask him to pick out the problem on the spot.

There was not much filial piety from Cui Que from the left and right, Wan Shoufu simply said generously: "If he is really undesirable, I can ask you to just drop it, don't look at the face of my master!"

Geng Yu bowed his head and said: "The first assistant has been worried. The next official has only heard his son's name and was a little surprised when he saw that it was his file."

Wan An smiled and said: "So that's it. This Cui Que gave birth to a good son, what is his name? But he is good at writing poetry?"

Geng Yu said: "His son should be called Cui Xie. He didn't do any poems, he just donated a yard to build a library in the county, and their county magistrate wrote this in the collection."

Wan An couldn't help sighing that this son is better than his father. His father hasn't sent the yard to him as a teacher—he has never seen a room! In such a comparison, his favor with this protégé became less and less, and he remembered that his immediate boss Liu Hui had never dealt with him, so he also said in an official manner: "Although Cui Que is my protégé, it is also Liu Cifu's subordinate. The cadre, I ask you to see the arrangement."

Geng Yu didn’t plan to arrange for him this month. He held the dossier and went to the Wenxuan Division. He called a principal: “Insert it into the batch to be pushed next month. This was sent by Master Wan, and someone was also asked to go to the house. Let’s ask the Ministry."

Cui Langzhong's future was hanging on the staff department. Someone came to investigate, but he didn't see the transfer. He was so anxious that he could not go to the staff department and ask him how Wan Shoufu arranged it. But not to mention that Wan Shoufu is not someone he can hold accountable at will. With the nickname of the other party's "Long Live Ge Lao" and "Xian Di Xiang Gong", he dare not enter the Wan family in the sky, for fear of contaminating his own reputation.

It was so easy to visit his mentor when there was no one, but Wan Shoufu wanted to stretch him again, and he didn't even see him. Only a housekeeper came out to treat the guests. He did not see the kindness he had when he came to visit with a gift last time. He hung his eyes and said, "Master Cui gave birth to a good son, but unfortunately, he is not like a father."

Cui Que suffered the humiliation severely and almost smashed the outer study room when he returned home. Fortunately, he took a long time to cultivate his qi, and finally managed to endure it. The next day he went to Yali, and went to the household department to inquire about it before he learned about Qian'an County.

He originally thought that Cui Xie was bad at managing and sold the bookstore, but he didn't expect that he had an upwardly climbing stomach at a young age and dedicated the college to the county magistrate. Relying on the library building built by his bookstore in Qian'an County, three Jinshi-Guo Yong and Wang Pu were newly admitted to the Juren last year under the rule of his family. They came out during his tenure. I heard that Mr. Geng Zuo Shilang had taken a fancy to his ability to nurture the people, and he did not know whether he was planning to transfer to Beijing or which state capital to supervise school in the south.

Then Qian'an County wrote an article and printed a book, touting that unscrupulous child!

Cui Que figured out the matter, and his whole body trembled with anger, wishing to go back to the time when the old lady just gave Cui Xie the deed of the bookstore's premises to the old lady for more than a year. If he had been the master at that time and called people back, if he had donated the bookstore or even the old house in his own name to build a library in Qian'an County, wouldn't all these praises now be his?

Nowhere is there a son who donated a hospital to build a library, and the merits are not recorded on his father, but the magistrate who has taken up his family's property is in vain!

But he was not the one who could make a fuss, he just went to the restaurant outside and had a sullen drink, thinking about how to call his son back to Jingli. In the evening, he returned to the backyard drunk, called a newly married concubine to serve, and fell asleep with anger. But this hurt his liver so angry and drunk that he burned out the next morning and couldn't afford it.

The concubine had nothing to do, so she was so scared that she cried to ask the wife, and said all the drunken words about the son's bookstore and the county magistrate's promotion that she had heard from him last night.

Where can Madam manage her? Madam doesn't even want to care about the master!

She was thinking about the bookstore that was supposed to be the Cui family's cash cow or the stepping stone to Cui Que's promotion, and she could not see these ignorant concubines in her eyes. She stretched out her hand to push the person away, stumbled back to the room, gritted her teeth and called to the next person: "Go, go and drag Cui Liang, a dog that deceives his parents, and hit a hundred sticks, and then send a letter to my family. ——The master told people to bully and didn’t dare to speak up. The servant took my lady as a fool, and I can’t stand it these days!"