The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

On this day, Bianjing City went completely mad.

If the Song Dynasty had a trending topics list, the top ten would definitely be dominated by the four characters "Jingshi Academy." The price of paper in the entire capital city surged by 30% in just half a day. What's the price of paper in Luoyang compared to that? Now it's "the price of paper in Bianjing"!

In teahouses and taverns, storytellers would never stop, even if their throats were hoarse, because as long as they told the story of "three outstanding men from one family," the audience would throw money at them like rain.

"Bang!" The gavel slammed down, causing the tea on the table to shake violently.

The storyteller, spittle flying, recounted vividly: "It is said that Jiang Lin, the Prefect of Jiangshan, was a literary star descended from heaven! He was eight feet tall, with double pupils in his eyes. He grabbed Su Shi with his left hand and Zeng Gong with his right, kicked away all the talented scholars in the world, and shouted domineeringly: 'This literary world of the Song Dynasty, my Jingshi Academy has it all! Who agrees? Who disagrees?'"

The audience cheered enthusiastically, even though the story was so absurd it was practically unbelievable, everyone listened with great interest.

Major bookstores even started working overnight, with printing presses practically sparking.

Publishers are shrewd; they print whatever books sell well, and even create related merchandise.

"Su Huiyuan's Secret Examination Papers", "Jingshi Academy Top Scholar's Notes", "Zeng Gong Teaches You to Write Policy Essays", "Su Zhe's Way of Health Preservation"... These books were sold out instantly as soon as they were put on display.

Even more outrageous, some unscrupulous merchants advertised: "This is a calligraphy brush used by Su Huiyuan, imbued with the spirit of literature, a flat price of ten strings of cash!"

As it turned out, some nouveau riche, wanting to bring good fortune to their sons, immediately bought the brush, even though it looked like the kind that cost two coins each at a roadside stall.

This is the prestige of a "top influencer," and this is the madness of the fan economy.

……

Amidst the clamor, a silent yet powerful earthquake was also unfolding within the high-level political circles of the Song Dynasty.

Han Qi's residence.

As the current prime minister, Han Qi was sitting in a grand chair, holding the thin list in his hand, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, as if it were not a piece of paper, but a declaration of war.

"Jingshi Academy... I'm so tired of hearing that name lately."

Han Qi put down his teacup, his gaze deep and imposing, exuding the authority of someone long accustomed to a high position. "First, news came from Runzhou that this academy was implementing some kind of 'shareholding system,' expanding its business along the canal; now they've swept the top three spots in the imperial examinations. Just who is Jiang Lin?"

The aide bowed and scraped, replying cautiously, "Sir, we've investigated. Jiang Lin has a clean background; he's a failed scholar. But... according to our informants at the Imperial City Guard, his teaching methods are extremely strange."

"Oh? What's so strange about it?"

"He didn't teach the Four Books and Five Classics, nor did he require his students to memorize the words of the sages. He focused on 'economics' and 'investigation of things,' and even said that 'practice makes perfect.' He even... he even took his students to the fields to do accounting and to the docks to help laborers carry loads, saying it was to experience people's lives."

"A failed scholar? Turned into a porter at the docks?"

Han Qi sneered, his eyes sharp as knives. "A failed scholar who led his students to carry bags, taught three top scholars? Do you believe it? I certainly don't."

He stood up and paced back and forth in the spacious study, his official boots making a dull thud on the floor.

"There must be a mastermind behind this. Or perhaps... Jiang Lin himself is a hidden genius, playing a grand game."

Han Qi abruptly stopped and ordered, "Go, send someone to keep an eye on those three students, especially that Su Shi. I want to see what kind of trouble they can cause in the palace examination. If they are truly talented, I won't mind doing them a favor; if they are just like Zhao Kuo, who only knows how to talk about war on paper, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

……

Fu Bi's residence.

Compared to Han Qi's sharp and outspoken nature, Fu Xiangong appeared more cunning and calculating, like a dormant old tortoise.

He stroked his graying beard, gazing thoughtfully at the elm seeds drifting in the wind outside the window.

"That old fellow Ouyang Xiu, he seems unrestrained on the surface, but he is actually very meticulous. His insight is always sharp, even a bit cunning."

Fu Bi spoke slowly, his voice deep, "For him to praise it so highly, even at the risk of being labeled a 'factionalist,' and to insist on giving the top three spots to the same academy... what does that say?"

The steward chimed in, "Does this mean those three wrote well? Or is it that Lord Ouyang's eyesight is failing?"

"shallow."

Fu Bi shook his head, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "This means that in the writings of these three people, there are things that Ouyang Xiu wanted to say but dared not say! There are prescriptions that the Song Dynasty court urgently needed but could not find! This Jiang Lin may have extraordinary talent."

"Does my lord mean... that Jiang Lin can resolve the current treasury deficit?"

"The deficit in the national treasury is merely a symptom; the Song Dynasty's illness lies at its root."

Fu Bi sighed, "If these three can really bring the antidote, let alone the top three, I would wholeheartedly support giving them the top three scholars, even if it meant giving them all the honors."

"No need to rush to express your opinion. We'll see what you're made of in the palace examination. If you truly possess great talent, the landscape of Bianjing City will likely be completely transformed."

……

Ouyang Xiu's private residence.

The threshold here is practically worn down from being walked on so many times.

The gatekeeper had already collected a whole basket of visiting cards. Countless those who failed the exam came seeking consolation, those who passed wanted to pay their respects, and even colleagues from the court wanted to sound out the chief examiner and see if there was any inside story.

But Ouyang Xiu saw no one.

The gate was tightly closed, refusing visitors, with only a sign hanging above it: "The drunkard drinks wine, and idlers are not allowed to enter."

He sat alone in his study, holding Su Shi's policy essay in his hand, sipping aged Shaoxing wine while looking at the ink marks on the paper, a smug smile on his lips.

"Shocking? Are you crazy?"

Hearing the faint commotion coming from outside the wall, Ouyang Xiu chuckled and downed his wine in one gulp. "Hmph, this is nothing. You can't even handle this little noise?"

He put down the exam paper, turned his gaze toward the direction of the imperial palace, his eyes sparkling with anticipation, as if he could already see the scene a few days later.

"The current excitement is nothing more than looking at rankings and having some fun."

"When the imperial examination arrived, and the Emperor personally witnessed the 'strategies for governing the country' of these three young men, and when their astonishing 'economic approaches' were laid out in the Zichen Hall, shocking everyone's understanding..."

Ouyang Xiu raised his empty wine cup and toasted the void, as if to the young man far away in Runzhou:

"That was a real earthquake."

"Mr. Jiang, you've really played a grand game. I, Ouyang Xiu, will play along! Even if I'm shattered to pieces in the end, I'll still stir up a storm in this stagnant pool of the Song Dynasty!"

……

Late at night.

The hustle and bustle of Bianjing gradually subsided, with the occasional sound of the night watchman's gong. But everyone knew that this was merely the calm before the storm.

The provincial examination was merely a selection process, an entry ticket; the palace examination, however, was the real battleground that determined life and death, official rank, and future prospects.

Inside the Gaosheng Inn, the lights were dim.

Su Shi carefully took out the golden brocade pouch from his bosom.

That was the last "life-saving charm" that the master left for them, and also the key to the core of power in the Song Dynasty.

"The palace examination...tests not only essays, but also the mindset of an emperor and practical skills in governing the country."

Su Shi looked at the golden light swirling on the brocade pouch, took a deep breath, and his eyes gradually sharpened, like a sword about to be drawn from its sheath.

"I wonder what 'surprise' you have prepared for the Emperor this time, sir."

"Or rather... was it shock?"

Su Shi untied the rope of the brocade pouch. Inside, besides a thick stack of policy outlines, there was also a thin strip of paper with only one line of text on it.

Upon seeing these words, Su Shi, Zeng Gong, and Su Zhe all gasped simultaneously, as if they had witnessed something unbelievable.

Su Zhe's hand trembled, almost dropping the brocade pouch, and his voice even changed tone:

"Brother... this... is this really something I can write?"

"Sir, are you asking us... to teach the emperor how to do things?! That's a death sentence!"