Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 284 Scholars
As September approaches, Kunming becomes more and more lively.

One reason for this was that the Ming army soldiers in the city began to take turns to rest, and the other reason was that the scholars who were taking the special examinations in various prefectures also arrived in the city one after another.
A large number of people poured into the city, making Kunming more and more bustling and prosperous. The traces of war left by the army besieging the city a few months ago were now gone.

The Yunnan Province's special examination was divided into two sessions. The first session was held in various prefectures and counties. As long as the examinees could find a village headman to act as a guarantor and obtain a guarantee document issued by the local prefecture or county, they could participate in the county examination.
The main purpose of this step is to ensure that the reference person has a clean background and avoid mixing in people with unclear backgrounds.
The questions in the Enke County Examination were also simple. The first round was still about traditional classics. The candidates were asked to write down the next sentence of the selected content from the Four Books and Five Classics, and then recite a passage from the Four Books and Five Classics. Finally, they were asked to interpret the meaning of a sentence from the Four Books and Five Classics.
The content of this exam is extremely simple, and the words and sentences selected are also common in the Four Books and Five Classics. Basically, anyone who can read, has studied properly, and has read the Four Books and Five Classics can answer it.
Even the most basic Tongsheng test in the orthodox imperial examination is several times more difficult than the Enke County Test. The purpose of the Enke preliminary test is basically to select people who can read.
The second round of the Enke pre-test was somewhat different from the traditional imperial examination. It was a math test, but it was only the most basic content. As long as you understand addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, you can basically pass.
After these two examinations, scholars from all counties will be eligible to take the Enke examination and go to Kunming to take the official Enke examination.
Zhang Huangyan and others were originally worried that no one from Yunnan Province would come to take the exam. In order to prevent the final number of candidates from being insufficient, the preliminary exam questions were very simple and there was no limit on the number of candidates in each county. As long as the standard score was reached, no matter how many people in a county were allowed to come to Kunming to take the exam.

However, Zhang Huangyan and others underestimated the appeal of being an official to the scholars of Yunnan Province. Although the military officers recruited by the court this time were only ninth-rank officials or even lower-rank officials, they were still officials. After the court lifted the registration restrictions, the literate people in Yunnan Province showed great enthusiasm.
After the preliminary examination of the Enke was over, the three departments of Yunnan Province conducted a statistical analysis and found that the number of scholars who finally obtained the qualification to take the examination reached more than 2,500.
This is because the matter of military settlement cannot be delayed, and the preliminary examination of the Enke exam was hastily held. If the Enke exam was held longer, I am afraid that the number of candidates would be even higher.
Although the number of candidates was large, the quality of these candidates was quite impressive. Among the 2,500 scholars who obtained the formal qualification for the Enke, there was not a single Juren, and there were very few Xiucai. Most of them were old students who had taken exams for many years but could not even pass the county and prefectural exams. The rest were clerks in the county government or literate people in the society.
Zhang Huangyan and others had expected this and were not disappointed. The military officers recruited this time were of too low rank and were military posts. How could those elite scholars who could make it in the imperial examinations ruin their own future by taking these menial examinations?

In fact, among the scholars of Yunnan Province, some people have already called this special examination a miscellaneous imperial examination or a special examination for clerks.

However, no matter how the scholars of Yunnan Province watched coldly, this imperial examination was still carried out in an orderly manner with the support of the three Yunnan Provincial Departments and the imperial army.
The preliminary examinations in each county were completed in early August. In September, the scholars from each county arrived in Kunming. On September 15, the special examination officially began in the Yunnan Provincial Examination Hall.

The examination lasted five days. After the fifth day, all the candidates rushed out of the examination room as if they were fleeing.

At this time, the Enke exam had passed, but the results had not yet been announced. The candidates were still living in the city. Now, groups of candidates were everywhere in the city.

Nanpingfang, Huafeng Tower, by the second floor window, more than a dozen scholars sat around a table

These scholars came from various counties in Yunnan Province. Some were locals in Kunming, while others came from thousands of miles away to take the exam. If it weren't for this special exam, many of them would probably never have met each other in their lives.
Some of the scholars sitting at the table were acquainted with each other and some were not, but without exception, they were all scholars who took the exam for the special examination.
A group of scholars sat around the table, which was filled with various dishes, stewed chicken, steamed lake fish, and mushrooms bubbling in the copper pot.
A group of scholars gathered around the table and ate and drank. However, they were much more polite than Liu Wang and the other man downstairs.

The second-floor window faces the Panlong River not far away. At this time, there are many tourists on the riverside bridge.
Zhang Ruyi, wearing a brocade robe and holding a wine glass, looked at the pedestrians on the riverside outside the window and couldn't help but say

"This special exam is really weird. The meaning of the first exam is reasonable, but the math in the second exam is really confusing."

"The questions about square fields and the classification of rice grains are relatively simple, but the questions about the average distribution of grain are really complicated and difficult to answer. It requires the amount of grain transported from each county, the distance and time, and the number of grain carts. It makes people dizzy after calculating them."

"If we were officials, we would prioritize educating the people. Such trivial matters are handled by the clerks and assistants. Why would the court embarrass us with such trivial matters?"

A scholar in linen robes beside him suddenly spoke up when he heard this.

"The purpose of the imperial court's special examination this time is to select military officials. I'm afraid that what we will eventually have to do is to supervise farming and transport grain and fodder. If we don't test the grain and fodder transportation now, we will be in a mess when we really take office."

"The students in my county all mockingly call our special examination a clerk special examination, and they simply disdain it."

"The imperial examination is the right path. After all, people like us cannot compare with scholars from a proper family."

When the scholar in hemp clothes said this, he looked emotional, raised his head and drank the wine in the cup, and continued
"I passed the county exam when I was fifteen. At that time, everyone in my clan was happy for me and my family also supported me with all their strength. But to be honest, I failed the provincial exam every time I took the exam for more than ten years."

"I was a student at the age of fifteen, and I am still a student now. I will take the clerk special examination. This time, the imperial court selects scholars for the special examination without any restrictions. It is the best opportunity for people like me."

"If we miss this opportunity, we may never have the chance to enter the official career in this life."

When the scholars in the field heard this, they all looked sad. This time, the scholars who came to take the exam for the special examination were basically in this situation. They took the exam year after year, but they were still far from the title of student.
If there had not been this special examination, the final outcome for these people would probably have been to give up the imperial examination. Those from well-off families would have inherited their family businesses and farmed the land, while those from poorer families would have made a living by writing letters for others or working as elementary school teachers for young children in the village.
They can't even be tutors for wealthy families. Who would hire a student to be their tutor if they really want to take the imperial examination?

But it is easier said than done. Who would be willing to give up the imperial examination?

These people have spent more than ten years preparing for the imperial examinations. Who knows if they will be able to pass the imperial examinations and get the title of student next time? A student in his twenties is considered old, but a scholar in his twenties is not considered old.

However, this time the imperial court's special examination gave them a brand new way out. If they couldn't compete with those elites in the imperial examinations, could they not compete with the common people?

What's wrong with the ninth rank? It's also a legitimate official position!

This is why so many scholars participated in the special examination this time. The road to the imperial examination was too difficult. They were squeezed under the bridge and were already desperate. But at this moment, a straw suddenly fell from the sky, and naturally everyone wanted to grab it tightly.
Jin Weixin and Xue Daguan were the ones who convened this gathering. Seeing the low mood in the room, they looked at each other and immediately changed the subject.
Jin Weixin glanced at the people in the field and said loudly

"Although the math problems this time were trivial and complicated, they still did not go beyond the scope of math books."

"You may not know that because of this special examination, the accountants in Kunming City have been invited by the scholars in the city to teach. Some accountants even signed up for the special examination themselves. This is considered a strange thing in the city."

"It was announced long ago that the exam would include mathematics. I asked someone to buy a math book to study early on. You guys wouldn't have not even studied the math book before the exam, would you?"

Everyone nodded slightly when they heard this. Because they had to take the math test, the Nine Chapters of Arithmetic, which was originally very unpopular in Yunnan Province, became popular and copied by many people.

Before the exam, almost everyone, regardless of whether they had any previous experience with mathematics, had copied and read some passages from others.

Although the scholars were complaining about the math questions, they were actually all secretly happy, thinking that they had guessed the questions in advance and answered them well. As for whether they really answered them well, no one knew.
Seeing that everyone in the room had regained their composure, Jin Weixin continued to speak.

"Let's not talk about the math subject. In fact, the practical essay subject is also very impressive. If I remember correctly, the first question of this essay subject is about the governance of clerks."

"There are bad gentry in the village who collude with clerks to harm the people. They use tricks such as flying and sending to secretly transfer grain taxes, harming the public and enriching themselves, exploiting and harming the people. If I were to govern a place, how would I deal with this? This question is really sharp and practical, and it goes straight to the point."

Xue Daguan, who was standing by, also said

"The person who set the questions this time is well versed in the local situation. He must be a senior official in the court or a local official. If I had not followed my elders in handling affairs and knew some of the methods of the officials, I would probably not even understand the questions."

Zhang Ruyi, who was standing by, also spoke up when he heard this.

"At the time, I didn't understand what the trick was. After I finished the exam, I went back and asked my father, and then I realized that these clerks were so cunning and deserved to be killed."

“Although I didn’t understand the question at the time, it wasn’t difficult to answer.”

"No matter what means are used, as long as we know that it is the means used by the clerks to harm the people, then these clerks should be severely punished, and then those evil gentry should be punished according to the law to serve as a warning to others."

"The harm caused by these bad gentry and clerks is ultimately due to insufficient education. The morals of the world are declining, so the first duty of an official should be to educate the people of an area."

"As long as the common people and the gentry know the rules of propriety, righteousness, integrity and shame, the scoundrels will naturally disappear and the country will be governed without being governed. Therefore, the question can be solved by answering it in terms of educating the people." Zhang Ruyi talked eloquently while holding a wine glass, and some scholars below also agreed with him. Strengthening education is the standard answer to many questions.

Many scholars who did not understand the meaning of the questions answered according to this template. Although Jin Weixin and Xue Daguan smiled, they did not respond.
In the corner beside the table, a young man in a Confucian robe sat on a chair and listened quietly to the discussion. The young man was wearing a Confucian robe, but the robe was washed so white that it had obviously been worn and washed countless times.
Chen Zuocai heard what Zhang Ruyi said, and suddenly sighed and said

"The world is bustling with people all for the sake of profit. The world is bustling with people all for the sake of profit. Profit is the most important thing. How can a few words of teaching shake it?"

Zhang Ruyi, who was standing by, looked unhappy when he heard this and said

"What this brother said is absurd. It is precisely because the world is becoming more corrupt and people are tempted by profit that we need to promote education."

"Mencius said that one should sacrifice one's life for righteousness. When there is propriety and righteousness, even life and death can be abandoned, let alone a small profit. As long as education is spread and people's hearts are restored, the root cause can be corrected and these evil gentry and clerks will not dare to harm the people again."

After Zhang Ruyi finished speaking, the scholars beside him also spoke up to agree. They were all answering questions in this way. Naturally, they spoke up to support

Seeing that everyone in the room was denouncing him, Chen Zuo gave a bitter smile, bowed his hands and confessed his guilt, then sat quietly in the corner again, saying no more.
Everyone in the field condemned, but Jin Weixin, who was standing aside, looked at Chen Zuocai in the corner with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Whether education can make people give up their own interests is not a question for the moment. However, since the examiner is so clear about the methods these bad gentry and clerks use to harm the people, he must be a capable official who is well versed in local conditions.

Such local officials are familiar with the accumulated problems at the grassroots level and must be good at practical matters. The person who asked the question at this time must not want to see some empty words about strengthening education, but want to see real solutions.

If you answer this question in the direction of strengthening education and improving people's morals, the examiner will definitely not give you a high score.
The scholars in the room discussed several policy essay topics again, and Zhang Ruyi spoke again.

"Although the topics of this essay are all relevant to current affairs, the most important one is the last one about the military settlement system. I'm afraid the winner of this special examination will still have to be determined by this essay."

Upon hearing this, the scholar beside him also spoke up.

"This system of military settlements has existed since ancient times, but there is nothing much to say about it. I heard that the Eastern Tartars have already invaded Sichuan Province. This time, the court set up military settlements in Yunnan Province, probably to support the war on the front line."

The scholars in the room all nodded when they heard this. Anyone with a discerning eye could see the purpose of the court setting up military settlements in Yunnan Province. As long as they answered in this direction, they would not be wrong.

Chen Zuocai, who had been sitting in the corner in silence, now spoke up again.

"The court established military settlements to support the war on the front lines, but it was also to provide relief."

"Since the rebellion of the Sha bandits, they have been killing and looting in central Yunnan. From Kunming to Yongchang Prefecture, there has been war for thousands of miles, and refugees are everywhere. This time, the court has seized the meritorious manors to set up military settlements and granted them land and grain, so that the refugees can have a place to go and Yunnan can be stabilized as soon as possible."

All the scholars in the field were stunned when they heard this, but the more they thought about it, the more they felt that this statement made sense. Some scholars who had never thought of this section secretly said it was a pity. If they could take this point into consideration when answering the questions, they would definitely get high scores.

Jin Weixin looked at Chen Zuocai in the corner, nodded slightly, and said

"My brother is right. The court must have considered everything before doing anything. The military settlement covers all aspects, so how can it be designed for just one thing?"

Jin Weixin heard Chen Zuocai's name from a friend nearby, nodded to Chen Zuocai, and continued speaking.

"Brother Chen's words coincide with mine. The military settlement seems to be about the army, but I think the key to this military settlement is the word 'settlement'."

"The harvest of six dou per mu, using grain instead of labor service, this is the core of this military settlement"

Zhang Ruyi, who was standing by, heard this and refuted

"Brother Jin is wrong. The system of military settlement is the way, and the method of military settlement is the technique. The way is the foundation, and the technique is the end. The order of these must be carefully considered."

"Besides, the military settlement law established by the court has been in place for a long time. Since the Yitiao Bian, using silver instead of labor service has been a common practice. This time, the military settlement is just exchanging silver for grain, and it has become a matter of using grain instead of labor service. There is no difference from before."

Jin Weixin looked at the people who didn't agree with him, with a smile on his face, but he didn't say anything to refute.

Most of the people in the field were students, and some were not even students, but ordinary people. However, Jin Weixin was a real student, and not just an ordinary student. He was a regular student of the Kunming Prefecture.
After the three divisions of Yunnan Province announced the military settlement system, it caused a great stir in Yunnan Province, and there was also a lot of discussion in the prefecture school. After listening to the discussions of his teachers, friends and elders, Jin Weixin immediately realized the core of this military settlement.
After this reference, Jin Weixin became more certain about his judgment.
The questions in the essay section of the Enke exam almost all pointed to the fact that the gentry had seized grain taxes, causing the court to have insufficient grain and making life difficult for the people.
The tendency revealed in the topic of this policy paper, combined with the military settlement system implemented by the court, the court's purpose is obvious.

When he signed up for the special examination, his teachers and friends tried their best to dissuade him. The teachers in the prefectural school all believed that Jin Weixin would be able to show his talent in the imperial examination in the future as long as he honed himself a little. Applying for the special examination at this time would be a tantamount to ruining his future.
However, Jin Weixin still resolutely signed up for this special examination. The imperial court and the Qing Dynasty fought for the southwest. What was the most important thing? Money and food. Where did the money and food in the southwest come from? It must be Yunnan Province. It was the new system of military settlement.
He had already determined that the new military settlement system of the imperial court would inevitably be extended to the entire Yunnan Province in the future.
And if the imperial court wants to implement the new system throughout Yunnan in the future, who will the imperial court use? Of course, the Enkeshi people who participated in the military settlement reform at this time. This is an opportunity to soar to the sky.
It's not that there were no scholars in Yunnan Province who saw through this matter, but they had too many concerns. The gentry of Yunnan Province were hesitant and did not dare to place a bet, but he, Jin Weixin, dared to do so. He wanted to rise to the top, but did not want to take any risks. How could such a good thing exist in this world!

Jin Weixin glanced at the scholars in the room and said

"If you are lucky enough to pass the imperial examination this time, you'd better go to the Lin'an Military Office to serve."

"Of course, if I can pass, I will go to Lin'an Prefecture."

Everyone in the room nodded when they heard this. Lin'an Prefecture was labeled as a criminal area by the imperial court and was directly separated from Yunnan Province. It was changed into Lin'an Military and Civil Prefecture and was under the jurisdiction of the Yunnan Provincial Governor's Office.

Although Lin'an Prefecture was reorganized into a military prefecture at this time, the administrative structure within it was not abolished.
The county offices under the jurisdiction of Lin'an Prefecture will remain the same, and all the county offices, from county magistrates and county magistrates to military garrison officers of hundreds and thousands of households, will be filled by scholars selected in this special examination.

This is why there are students participating in the Enke exam this time. Even if ordinary students and scholars work hard all their lives, few of them have the opportunity to become a seventh-rank official.
When the people in the hall heard this, they were all excited and began to discuss whether the Lin'an Military and Civilian Office would be transferred to the Yunnan Province Sansi again in the future.

And if Lin'an Prefecture is turned back into a normal prefecture and county in the future, can these people also be turned back into civil officials in one fell swoop?
The scholars in the building were drinking and talking until the moon was at its highest point in the sky, and then they left in groups of two or three.
On September 20, Li Dingguo used gunpowder to destroy the Erge Longmu Village in Mengzi, defeated the remaining troops of Sha Dingzhou, and captured the main rebel generals of Sha Dingzhou, including Tang Jiabin.

Sha Dingzhou and others were escorted back to Kunming. Sha Dingzhou was executed by slow slicing in the city, while Wan Caiyun, Tang Jiabin and others were torn into pieces by five horses. The people in the city scrambled to eat their flesh and blood.

With the execution of Sha Dingzhou and others, the rebellion in Yunnan Province was finally put down.
On September 25, the results of the special examination were announced. The first place was Jin Weixin, the second place was Chen Zuocai, and the third place was Xue Daguan. There were more than 2,500 candidates, but only the top 200 were selected.
After the results of the imperial examination were announced, Zhang Huangyan did not delay any longer and rushed to Lin'an with the top 100 candidates and the military officers selected from the Yunnan camp.
After Zhang Huangyan arrived in Lin'an Prefecture, he immediately placed these new scholars in various county offices. As the county offices began to resettle the refugees and allocate land to them, the new system of Lin'an was officially implemented.

The rebellion in Yunnan Province was quelled and stability began to gradually return, while the war between the Ming and Qing dynasties in Sichuan Province was reaching its peak.

(End of this chapter)