Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 214 The Equalization of Land Tax and Labor Service: A Policy Essay for National Defense! The Imperial Examination: Top Scholar!
Jiangnan Examination Hall.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Xingzhou picked up his brush and dipped it in ink.

Since "striking down powerful clans" is the openly politically correct policy of the Great Zhou Dynasty, this essay for the imperial examination can directly address how to strike down powerful clans.

The most crucial aspect of policy arguments is establishing their legitimacy!
He put pen to paper:
The Book of Poetry says: "Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the whole land, all people are subjects of the king!"

The king is ordained by Heaven, and the land is a sacred gift from Heaven.

The emperor governs the people on behalf of Heaven; a large population makes a strong nation. Natural resources should belong to the people; how can the powerful be allowed to seize them privately?
The powerful and wealthy seize land from the people, leaving the poor with nowhere to stand. This not only harms the people, but is also against Heaven and the Way, and usurps the power of the emperor!

The imperial court reclaimed their land and restored it to the common people, ensuring that the farmers had land and the poor had shelter—this was in accordance with Heaven's will and the people's will, and a return to the right path of benevolent rule!

Jiang Xingzhou put down his pen, a slight smile playing on his lips.

This policy essay directly addresses the harm caused by powerful clans annexing land, and even elevates it to the crime of "defying Heaven and plotting rebellion"!
The land distribution system was reconstructed based on the concept of "Mandate of Heaven," making land distribution a matter of following the will of Heaven!
The meaning of land is reinterpreted through the concept of "benevolent rule," and the usurpation of land by powerful figures is treason!
Next came the specific methods of implementation—such as forced relocation, suppression by cruel officials, the calculation of wealth and the reporting of those who had amassed wealth, land restrictions, and the merging of land tax and poll tax, etc.

More than 3,000 candidates from the ten provinces of the Great Zhou Dynasty sat in their examination rooms, engrossed in writing their policy essays.

Policy essays are lengthy, often hundreds or even thousands of words long, making it difficult for them to reach a high grade.

Whether something is well-written or not doesn't depend on its word count. Most people consider themselves to have passed the test if they can write a policy essay at the county level.

Li Yuankui, the top scholar from Longyou, chewed on his pen in distress: "You want me to write about attacking powerful local tyrants? Isn't that making me slap myself in the face?"
My family is the most powerful family in the area; we own hundreds of thousands of acres of land that our ancestors accumulated over time.

If I actually wrote the answer based on the question, wouldn't my grandpa break my legs when I got home?

Song Chuwang, the top scholar from Jingchu, scratched his head in worry: "I've always hated these power struggles. How am I supposed to answer this question?"

The exam room was so quiet you could hear the sound of pens scratching on paper.

Some people wrote very quickly, while others scratched their heads in frustration.

This essay not only tests writing skills, but also the candidate's courage to speak.

Amidst the wafting sandalwood incense, Tang Xiujin, the Minister of War, stood with his hands behind his back in front of the hall, pacing back and forth.

The gilded incense burner with its animal-head design emitted wisps of smoke, making the examiner's figure appear even more solemn.

He would sometimes pause to gaze at the exam papers on the table, and sometimes stroll slowly across the blue bricks, the tassels on both sides of his official hat trembling slightly with each step.

In fact, the first examination of the metropolitan examination had already basically determined the scope of candidates who would pass the imperial examination—they had to be candidates who had written articles at the level of [Dazhou or Mingzhou].

These talented candidates are full of genius.

Next, as long as you answer this policy essay in a proper and straightforward manner, your chances of being admitted are very high.

However, talent only means a high literary rank, not necessarily the ability to wield power and strategy.

If anyone dares to be reckless and openly opposes "suppressing powerful families" or makes sarcastic remarks on their policy essay, they will be rejected even if they wrote an essay on "[Dafu, Mingzhou]" in the previous round.

Therefore, the policy essay was a final screening of the candidates, not a decisive one.

Minister Tang's gaze swept towards the copying room—where dozens of scribes were copying ink scrolls into vermilion scrolls.

"Talent"

He stroked the jade belt at his waist, muttering to himself.

A talented scholar who passed the imperial examination may have the opportunity to enter the Hanlin Academy and become a respected Hanlin scholar, but this does not guarantee a smooth official career. In fact, one may never serve as an official or become a high-ranking official in the imperial court.

The white jade steps of the Hanlin Academy are most fond of talented scholars, but it is ultimately a place of refined elegance.

Back then, the late emperor admonished in the Wenhua Hall: "Poetry and prose are merely stepping stones; to govern a country, one must ultimately possess the talent to save the world."

During the last imperial examination, there was a flood in Jiangnan. Even the third-ranked scholar, who was once famous in Luoyang, hesitated and struggled to answer questions about flood control strategies.
He recalled the words His Majesty had spoken when he first met the Emperor, tapping his fingertips on the dragon table: "What I need is not a talent for poetry, but a trusted minister who can discuss the affairs of the world with me in this Xuanzheng Hall."

Only those with equally outstanding strategies and policies will remain in the central government or be sent to local areas to serve as high-ranking officials for experience before returning to the central government.

In a word,

Poetry and prose were used to select those with talent and literary rank!
Policy essays are used to select strategies and tactics for power!
Having both qualities makes one the best candidate for a central government official.

Only by becoming a Hanlin Academician and possessing strategic talent could one have the opportunity to enter the Six Ministries of the Imperial Court or become a high-ranking official at the prefectural level.

Two hours passed quietly, like sand in an hourglass.

"Dang——dang——dang——"

The gongs used by the yamen runners to collect the papers suddenly rang out, their sound echoing throughout the examination hall.

Before the sound of the gong had faded, the examination room was already filled with rustling sounds—someone let out a long sigh, put down their pen, and slumped into a seat;
Some people were still unwilling to give up, their fingertips pressed tightly against the paper, wanting to add something more, until the clerk urged them in a cold voice, and they finally let go in despair.

Three thousand answer sheets were collected by the Ministry of Rites officials like snowflakes, the ink stains still damp with sweat gleaming faintly in the candlelight.

Occasionally, a gentle breeze would drift through the hall, lifting a corner of the paper to reveal a few lines of still-wet words, which would then be sealed away with a red seal, never to see the light of day again.

All policy documents were submitted to the grading room.

The chief examiner, Tang Xiujin, unfolded the answer sheet. His gaze froze the moment it touched the paper, and after a long pause, he gasped in shock.

"The land of Heaven is bestowed upon the king by Heaven."

How can the powerful steal?

With just a few words, Jiang Xingzhou nailed the disaster of powerful land grabbing to the pillar of the state!

His words were like a knife, cutting straight to the heart of the matter—the land grabbing by powerful landowners was not simply a matter of competing with the people for profit. It was elevated to the level of "defying Heaven and the King, coveting the Emperor's authority!"

"Excellent!"

Tang Xiujin's eyes lit up, and she slapped the table in admiration, causing the teacup to tremble slightly.

With this lofty righteousness as its foundation, the emperor's suppression of powerful clans becomes perfectly justified, a matter of "acting on behalf of Heaven," with the only remaining question being whether the methods employed are tactful or not.

As Tang Xiujin continued reading, the methods listed by Jiang Xingzhou caused her eyebrows to twitch repeatedly—

Forced relocation to weaken their power, cruel officials to suppress them and intimidate their hearts, calculating and reporting their wealth to cut off their financial resources, and land restrictions to curb their greed.
Although most of his strategies were based on historical records, they were like refined steel, which he forged into a sharp and gleaming sword for governing the country.

Tang Xiujin suddenly recalled the old story of Emperor Wu of Han relocating powerful families to the Five Mausoleums, and the precedent of the "Iron-Faced Judge" massacring powerful families in Jiangnan in this dynasty.

These blood-stained anecdotes now appear with a unique sharpness in Jiang Xingzhou's answer sheet.

These are not empty words of a scholar, but warnings written with the blood and ink of history.

"[Establishment of the land tax system] - abolished the taxation based on population and instead taxed the taxation based on the number of acres owned."

Thus, the poor pay less tax, while the wealthy who own more land pay more tax!

This new policy is quite novel; I've never heard anyone mention it before!

"Jiang Xingzhou's policy essay is so brilliant, it's even at the [National Defense] level! It's unbelievable!"

Outside the hall, the evening drum sounded softly. Tang Xiujin rubbed the fish-shaped pouch at her waist and suddenly felt that the thin sheet of paper was as heavy as a thousand pounds.

The deputy examiner, Minister of Rites Wei Shili, couldn't help but exclaim, "This policy essay is still a masterpiece of national defense; it's truly rare!"

Inside the grading room.

The candlelight flickered red, casting several solemn figures on the blue brick floor.

The chief and deputy examiners were very busy.

Five rosewood desks were arranged in a "plum blossom" pattern. The chief examiner, Tang Xiujin, sat upright in the main seat, while the four deputy examiners each occupied a corner.

Chief Examiner Tang Xiujin reviewed the policy essays submitted by candidates from counties and prefectures and selected the best ones for admission.
The four deputy examiners, like gold prospectors, sifted through ordinary files to find gems.

Whenever he came across a fine piece of writing, he would straighten his hat and sleeves, pick up the scroll, and hurry to the examiner's desk, whispering, "Please take a look, Master Tang."

The only sounds in the room were the rustling of pages turning, the occasional scratch of a red brush across a scroll, and the rising of a wisp of sandalwood smoke.

Ultimately, the chief examiner, Tang Xiujin, decided to admit 300 candidates, a process known as "selection."

The system of choosing the middle way is crucial to the fate of the nation.

The quota of three hundred tribute students was like three hundred imperial edicts, all dependent on the strokes of Tang Xiujin's vermilion brush.

Once the dust settles, the Ministry of Rites will, as is customary, post the "Apricot List".

The vermilion banners, reflecting the newly blossoming apricot flowers outside the Imperial College, resembled brocade robes draped over these newly rich.

Once they passed the exam, they were admitted as tribute students—they would be eligible to participate in the palace examination and enter the palace examination according to their ranking in the provincial examination. Usually, the palace examination was only divided into first-class, second-class, and third-class, and no one was rejected.

Therefore, being listed on the list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations was equivalent to passing the highest level of the imperial examinations!
The Imperial Examination Hall in Luoyang.

The gates of the examination hall swung open, and three thousand candidates, pale-faced and wandering like ghosts, emerged from the hall.

Their steps were unsteady, their wide scholar robes soaked with spring dew, rustling in the wind.

His expression was dazed, his pale face still bearing traces of ink and sweat, as if he were still immersed in the exam. Some people kept turning back to look at the imposing examination hall, their lips moving as they silently pondered the policy question.

The candidates left the examination hall, filled with anxiety!
Before the admission list was announced, they were not sure if they had been accepted.

"This year's imperial examination was incredibly difficult, truly the most competitive in a millennium! The number of poems submitted from [Dazhou] reached over nine hundred!"

A scholar, his voice hoarse, as if he had poured his last breath onto the exam paper, exclaimed, "In previous years, an essay like this would have undoubtedly passed!"

His classmate beside him gave a bitter laugh: "This year's Dragon and Tiger List is a once-in-a-millennium event. You can't be guaranteed a spot unless you're from [Mingzhou or Zhenguo]! Even if you write an essay for [Dafu], you can only wait in line to be selected!"

As for those fifty-eight essays from Mingzhou, as long as they don't write them themselves, they'll basically all pass the imperial examination. But it's hard to say about the others!

The two looked at each other and saw the deep-seated unease in each other's eyes.

As the city of Luoyang was just beginning to light up, the real ordeal for these candidates was just beginning – with the results of the imperial examinations yet to be posted, who could help but feel anxious?

Brother Jiang!

Zhang Heng stepped forward from the crowd and solemnly cupped his hands towards the figure in green robes not far away, saying, "Congratulations in advance! You will surely pass the imperial examination with top honors!"

"Brother Zhang!"

Jiang Xingzhou turned and returned the greeting, his robes fluttering. "Your literary talent is outstanding; you are sure to pass the imperial examination. We are the same age; we should support each other!"

"Brother Jiang, see you again after the imperial examination!"

Han Yugui forced a smile, his fingertips still trembling slightly as he cupped his hands in greeting.

The men behind him also looked ashen-faced, as if their souls had been ripped out.

Lu Ming's scholar's robe was stained with ink.

Cao An's eyes were bloodshot.

Gu Zhimian was completely unaware that the hairpin he was using to tie his hair was crooked, while Li Pan had to lean against the wall to catch his breath after just a few steps.

Jiang Xingzhou returned the greeting.

These people were usually quick-witted, but now that the imperial examination was over, they seemed to have exhausted all their strength. Like withered lotus leaves after a frost, even their greetings were tinged with a sense of emptiness.

"Everyone, go back and rest."

Jiang Xingzhou said softly.

As he watched his classmates stagger away, he suddenly remembered the candle in the examination hall that had burned down to its last flame—its wick was almost completely burned out, yet it still desperately tried to burst out with its last bit of light.

On the long bluestone street outside the examination hall, carriages and horses flowed in a steady stream.

The servants of each household were already waiting by the roadside with lanterns in hand. As soon as they saw their young master stagger out, they rushed forward to help him up.

The silk curtains of the carriage were lifted one by one, swallowing the pale-faced candidates into the carriage.

An old servant saw that the young master's ten fingers were bruised and purple, indicating that he had used too much force, and couldn't help but turn away to wipe his tears;

Then, a wail suddenly broke out from one of the carriages—it was a scholar who, alone in the carriage, had finally broken down and lost all his composure.

"The results will be released in three days. This year's competition is too tough, there are so many talented people! Nine hundred [Dafu] entries, it's despair-inducing!"

"Let's go back and rest, and leave the rest to fate!"

The fragmented conversation, mixed with the sound of wheels rolling over the moat, was scattered by the evening breeze.

Jiang Xingzhou walked alone with his hands behind his back, returning on foot to the nearby Duke Xue's mansion, watching the last gilded carriage disappear around the corner.

The copper bells hanging on the cart shafts were still jingling, sounding just like the clapperboard used to urge candidates to take the exams.

In the distance, the vermilion gates of the examination hall were slowly closing, and the gilded characters "Selection of Scholars through Classical Studies" on the lintel gradually disappeared into the shadows.

Three days later, the gates of the examination hall will reopen, but at that time—some will walk the red carpet to the Drum Hall to hear the news, while others will quietly pack their bags and return to their hometowns to study hard for another three years.

As dusk settled over Luoyang's main street, Jiang Xingzhou strolled slowly along the dappled lamplight on the bluestone slabs, making his way back to the Xue State Duke's mansion.

After the imperial examination, he took a stroll along the main street of Luoyang to relax.

The people of the city seemed to know their fate even earlier than the examinees, and shops along the street hung up red gauze lanterns.

"Young Master Jiang is overjoyed!"

"Please wait a moment, Mr. Huiyuan, would you like to come in for a drink?"

Along the way, many people congratulated him.

The flower seller tossed the freshly picked peonies into his arms for free.

On the way, the tavern owner chased after them for half a block, carrying a thirty-year-old vintage wine.

Jiang Xingzhou returned the greeting with a smile and politely declined.

Although the list of successful candidates has not yet been announced, and it's hard to say what will happen to the other candidates, it's a foregone conclusion that Jiang Xingzhou will be the top scholar in the provincial examination, and no one can compete with him.

In front of the Duke Xue's mansion, the old steward had already led all the servants to greet them.

Upon seeing him, they exclaimed loudly, "Young master, you have not only achieved the highest rank in the provincial examination, but you are also the first person in the history of the Great Zhou Dynasty to be the top scholar in the 'Eleven Chapters of National Defense' examination!"

Before the words were finished, bells and drums suddenly rang out in unison throughout the mansion.

Jiang Xingzhou smiled and nodded.

He brushed the fallen petals from his clothes and suddenly heard the old steward whisper, "By the way, the young lady wrote that after the young master takes the imperial examination, the Xue family will move back to Luoyang from Jiangyin. This old servant has already ordered people to rebuild all the palaces and pavilions."

"Okay, decorate her room!"

Jiangxingzhou Road.

Prefect Xue and his wife are serving in Jiangzhou, so they certainly won't be able to return.

The main reason was that Xue Lingqi brought her brothers, the concubines of the Xue family, and many servants to Luoyang.

"Yes!"

Three days later.

In front of the Imperial Examination Hall.

It was incredibly lively, with crowds thronging the streets.

At dawn, the crowds in front of the examination hall were already surging like boiling water.

Nearly ten thousand candidates surrounded the list of successful candidates, some stepping on their companions' shoulders to push forward, others clutching amulets and murmuring prayers.

The hemp shoes of poor scholars and the cloud-patterned shoes of noble families mingled together, leaving messy wet marks on the bluestone slabs where the morning dew had not yet dried.

The candidates had been waiting below the list of successful candidates for the imperial examinations for a long time—even though they knew it was hopeless, they still clung to the last glimmer of hope—maybe the person in front of them would make a mistake in their essay and be rejected, and then luck would fall on their heads.

Jiang Xingzhou and many of his fellow townsmen from Jiangnan were already waiting under the apricot list.

The gates of the examination hall burst open with a roar.

The moment Zhao Wen, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, unfolded the yellow silk, the entire street fell into a deathly silence.

Zhao Wen recited aloud:

"[In the sixteenth year of the Tian Shou reign, the list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations was announced]:"
Sailing on the Jiangnan River, he composed ten poems that protected the nation and one policy essay that protected the nation! He ranked first in the imperial examination, becoming the top scholar.

Liu Chun of Bashu, with a poem about Mingzhou and a policy essay for Dafu, ranked second in the provincial examination and became a tribute student.

Zhang Heng, from Jibei Circuit, wrote a poem about Mingzhou and a policy essay for Dafu! He ranked third in the provincial examination and became a tribute student.

Han Yugui from Jiangnan, with a poem about Mingzhou and an essay on leaving his county, ranked 100th in the imperial examination and became a tribute student.

Cao An of Jiangnan, a poem for the prefectural governor, and an essay on his policy upon leaving the county! He ranked 153rd in the metropolitan examination and became a tribute student.

Lu Ming from Jiangnan wrote a poem for the prefecture and an essay on his policy for leaving the county. He ranked 200th in the metropolitan examination and became a tribute student.

Gu Zhimian from Jiangnan, with one poem for a high-ranking official and one policy essay for a county official, ranked 300th in the metropolitan examination and became a tribute student.

The roar was like a thunderclap, and the crowd of candidates was in an uproar.

"Haha, I've passed the imperial examination! Brother Jiang, Brother Han, I've passed!"

Gu Zhimian froze, then screamed wildly.

Jiang Xingzhou looked up and saw that the apricot-yellow notice, under the morning sun, looked as sharp as a knife.

The three hundred names on the list are like three hundred dragon gates. Those who leap over them will ascend to heaven as dragons, while those who fall will stagger away. It may take half a lifetime to digest the lingering pain of this imperial examination.

(End of this chapter)