Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

【and you.】

"So when I think about it this way, I feel even more stressed!"

[Haven't you found a way to make a contribution? You've made everyone suffer! ]

"This is a very important matter, why does it seem to be discounted just because of you? This is about solving the problem of staple food."

"So!" Apollonia replied, "You know you're pretty impressive, right? This is a matter of staple food."

"I have done a lot now. But when I think about the many things I will have to do in the future, I feel that the future is still uncertain."

[I don't think so. Food is the primary need of the people. After solving the staple food problem, the progress bar of ascension can at least jump forward a lot. If you discuss this with Elder Wen today, he will agree with it.]

"Speaking of which, why hasn't Grani come back yet?"

As Shangluo's current full-time driver and chauffeur, Grani also resumed her normal work today. However, he has already gone out - Phaethon was hired as an assistant teacher, so she left earlier than Shangluo. She had to go to the Academic Affairs Office to collect materials today. Grani sent her there an hour in advance, and then came back to pick up Shangluo.

[Oh, he's here. He sent a message saying that the alley is a bit congested here. He asked if you could go out and walk 30 meters if possible.]

"That's fine. Wait, I'll take my notebook with me and think about what to say when I meet with Master Wen."

"The future rise of the Ming Dynasty? The staple food replacement project?" Behind the desk, Elder Wen blinked, "I didn't call you here today to discuss this. This is not a cabinet meeting."

"what is that?"

"You are so forgetful, kid. I have already told you that I am in charge of your studies, so you are here for classes. We can discuss other matters in the cabinet."

"Ah!" Shangluo's eyes lit up, "I suddenly feel relaxed! Now even attending class is a kind of relaxation for me."

"Yeah." Elder Wen smiled, "I thought so too. There are too many things going on in the cabinet. Returning to this simple campus environment is like a vacation for me. It would be even better if the students were cuter and smarter -" As he said this, he looked at Shangluo.

"Um, Lord. Oh no, it's a title, right? Principal, what are we going to talk about today?"

Looking around, there were only six desks and chairs in this small classroom, and he was the only one there. Apollonia was sitting next to him in person, but Elder Wen couldn't see him.

"Today I will teach you how to write a short essay."

"Essay?!" Shangluo was shocked. "Do we have to submit essays before we even get admitted to our school?!"

"What are you thinking? This is not the kind of essay you think. Our essay here is a discussion essay, which is a topic essay submitted when you enter school. Before entering school, you have to complete this 2000-word essay during the winter vacation, and then submit it when the spring semester starts. The main purpose of your coming to school these few times is to learn how to write this essay.

"This is essentially a test to see if you have the writing, comprehension and investigation skills necessary for academic research. For others, it is for subject division. For you, just submit it to me directly. I have already reserved you. During this period, the school library and cafeteria are open. You can come freely except on public holidays, and conduct free research on this small paper. If you are not busy, you can come often, because your classmates will probably come often too.

"Also, the 'small essay' you just mentioned - I know what you are talking about, but the 'small essay' you mentioned is called an essay here, and your 'essay' is called a big essay here."

[Are there medium and extra large cups? ]

Chapter 1244 Essay

The pressure on Shangluo suddenly came.

In the past, Shangluo dealt with Wen Zhongwen as "the Lord of Heaven". But in the process of writing this assignment, his identity as the Lord of Heaven would become a burden, because as a person with a heavy responsibility, in order to be worthy of this attention, he had to submit a high-quality article.

He and all the people who received this "winter vacation homework" realized that this was not just an assignment, but actually an interview. Although this was an interview with a 100% pass rate because everyone had already passed the exam, it directly determined the school's first impression of the students.

"Have you discovered it? This is just like the palace examination."

"Ah! So it's a mock palace examination?"

To put it bluntly, the palace examination is actually an interview with a 100% acceptance rate. Because the qualifications for participating in the palace examination are determined in the previous joint examination, those who participate in the palace examination are already qualified to become Jinshi, but they have not yet been ranked. Compared with the previous real examinations, the palace examination is more like a form of self-expression. Because at the level of Jinshi, the court and even the emperor himself can already recognize everyone one by one.

"In fact, the essay you are asked to write is also a practice for the imperial examination. Because the discussion you are asked to write in the essay is the type of question in the imperial examination. There is no such question in the examination for the scholar, because the examination for the scholar has been merged with the academic level test. But for the examination for the jinshi, the opening question is a 1000 to 2000-word discussion."

"Are these just the opening questions?! There are no objective questions?"

"Of course there are no objective questions when you take the Jinshi exam. Objective questions are for the Mingjing exam. Because the number of people selected for the Mingjing exam is in the tens of thousands, and the number of participants is in the millions, it is impossible to grade the papers without objective questions. Only Juren can take the Jinshi exam, and the number of candidates is generally less than ten thousand. 100 Jinshi candidates are admitted out of ten thousand, so the papers can be graded individually."

“Then I participated in.”

"Of course you are going to take the Jinshi exam. The Juren exam has nothing to do with you. In the car race you took part in earlier, since you won first place, you have the title of 'Juren origin' and can directly take the Jinshi exam. In theory, at this level, you can directly wait for the appointment as an official, but it will take at least 10 years before it's your turn - and no one will wait for this appointment, because most people will not take the exam again after passing the Juren exam."

"Oh, I remember that Captain Lu of the Imperial Guards passed the imperial examination?"

"You mean Lu Huaiyang? Yes, he didn't take the exam again after he passed it - because there was no need. He had seen many Jinshi candidates, and he knew very well whether he would be selected. There was no need for him to keep preparing for the exam for a 1% chance. He still had work to do as a Jinyiwei. But Shangluo, you are different. You can't stop here. This is the last train of the imperial examination in the world, and it is an honor that will soon be out of print. You must try, right?"

"After all, it's really hard to refuse something that's out of print. If I work hard now and get good results, it will save me a lot of trouble later, because it means I can directly participate in the imperial examination, right?"

"And it is the core circle of the imperial examination republic." Wen Zhong replied, "In theory, Juren can participate, but Juren can only participate in your county, at most in the prefecture. But if you are a Jinshi, you can directly attend the political affairs meeting in Fengtian Hall as a Hanlin, called the 'Political Affairs Hall'. Conventionally, the emperor who governs the world with emptiness and tranquility cannot participate in this part, but you can. You can directly penetrate into the core of the court and lead political affairs from the inside."

"Is it enough as a Hanlin?"

"Because the custom in government meetings is to speak in reverse order of seniority, meaning the youngest speaks first, the oldest last. If you pass the exam, you'll have the youngest seniority, and I'll have the oldest. If we work together, you'll lead and I'll close, and we'll be able to control most of the direction. It's not an exaggeration to say you're in control of government affairs—the young cabinet minister carries the weight of the two capitals and thirteen provinces on his shoulders."

"Ah! So this is why you, Principal, personally came to train me!"

"Yes, that's the reason. Because if you want to change the court from within, then the identity of the last member is the most suitable. This is the result of the discussion between the emperor and me, and the cabinet also approved this plan - as long as you can pass the exam, you can be in charge of the heavenly court while also being able to call the shots in the court. In the past, the ancient sage king had a connection between heaven and earth, and you will reconnect heaven and earth."

This was Wen Zhong's sincere words. His political vision and personal expectations were all focused on Shangluo.

"Yeah," Shangluo nodded, "I understand."

"There's just one thing you have to remember at this time - I was just kidding when I called you 'Little Cabinet Elder'. If someone calls you 'Little Cabinet Elder' or 'Business Prodigy' or something like that, you must not respond. Because once you get that nickname, you can't get rid of it until all the people of your generation are dead. And then, throughout your political career, this nickname will pop up from all sorts of inexplicable places and stab you in the back."

"Is there such a way to play?"

"This is the most superficial way to play. It's not because it's disrespectful - there are so many disrespectful things to do, this one is not the worst. This superficial way of playing is mainly because it can only be used among people of the same generation. Because if someone older than you calls you a nickname, it's a sign of devaluation, and if someone younger than you calls you a nickname, it's a sign of youthful recklessness, and neither of them will end up in a good way. Only people of the same generation as you, especially those who have passed the imperial examination in the same year, can call you a nickname without restraint. As long as you take this trick, you'll pass this level."

"That doesn't sound difficult?"

"Each level is not difficult, but there are many of them. And they happen day after day, year after year. It's very troublesome to talk about, and I'll tell you slowly later when I have time. But no matter how troublesome it is, as long as you can navigate through it with ease, you can mobilize the entire court to obey you with just one word, and make them obey you wholeheartedly. Things that others may not be able to do even if they spend 12 points of effort, you can do it just by moving your mouth. Because this is the most orthodox, simplest, and most convenient way to command the entire court."

"Principal, I'm grateful for your advice!" Shangluo knew that Wen Zhong was probably teaching this to someone for the first time. Because according to his understanding and his communication with Wen Yuan, the speaker in front of him never stood on either side of the East Wing or the West Wing. He was always neutral. He was on the same list as a large number of Hanlin scholars who graduated from the Imperial College, as well as a large number of Imperial College graduates who entered the censor system through various channels. Now that he chose to stand on Shangluo's side, it meant that the establishment faction that had always been silent and neutral in the parliament stood behind him."

"By the way, Shangluo, how will the Political Affairs Hall be changed in Heaven?" Wen Zhong suddenly asked.

[Shangluo, here comes the question. Elder Wen seems to be asking how to arrange the "ministers who follow you" in the Heavenly Palace.]

"I think Tianshu Academy is more suitable. By then, I hope the principal can serve as the Supreme Prime Minister of Jiutian Jinque and lead the internal and external affairs of the cardinal."

"Okay, then, let's get started. Turn to page 42."

Chapter 1245: Questions from the Imperial Academy

"This page tells you how to write a short essay."

Behind the desk, Wen Zhong was holding the same textbook: "It's all in there in detail. I'll highlight the key points for you."

[I have prepared the video and you can watch it anytime later. ]

Shangluo also took out his notebook.

"The first thing to pay attention to is: what should be written in the mini-essay. The book will tell you that the mini-essay is a semi-propositional exposition, so it is different from the thesis. The thesis should be original and based on your own research results. However, the mini-essay does not require you to do research, but only requires you to use your own point of view to explain the objective facts.

"The grading criteria are generally based on coherence, reasonable structure, clear conclusions, etc. - that's what the book says. But I won't tell you that. Because I'm only reviewing your article. Do you know what I want to see?"

Shangluo shook his head.

Wen Zhong closed the book and said, "In this world, countless facts are happening every moment. Facts, like pi, extend infinitely after the decimal point, but a short essay can only be 2000 words at most. This means that your choice of facts determines the meaning of the essay. What I want to see is what you show with your pen, where your meaning lies."

"Principal, are you reading faces?"

"You are right. Seeing someone's words is like seeing them in person. Sometimes seeing someone's words is even better than seeing them in person. Because a person's thoughts and ideas will be revealed inadvertently in his writing. There are countless "righteousness" in this world, and what kind of "righteousness" you have implemented in your past life can be seen from your writing. We writers get to know a person through his writing."

"Ah," Shangluo nodded, "I see. So, what is the topic this time?"

Wen Zhong picked up a piece of paper from the desk and handed it over:

Analysis: The difference between pig front elbow and pig hind elbow

"???"

【? ? ? 】

Shangluo and Apollonia were both dumbfounded.

"What is this topic?"

"I just want you to discuss the difference between the front and back of a pig."

“Is this question serious?”

"Of course." Wen Zhong took a look at the question and smiled knowingly, "When I first saw this question, I gave the person who asked it a thumbs up. This question is very good. Shangluo, do you know what's good about this question?"

Shangluo shook his head: "I really don't know. I have never been a teacher."

"This topic is good because it is serious and lively. It is serious because it can be used to discuss a wide range of topics. You can start from various angles such as physiology, cooking, culture, and history, and you can discuss it in depth or shallowly. For example, you can use the historical origins of Dongpo pork elbow to discuss it.

"And the liveliness of this topic is that, upon first reading, you immediately want to ask, 'Is this question serious?' That's the purpose of the question. This lively topic can encourage students to actively investigate and discuss. In their own homes, at relatives' homes, in the market, in the fields. Walking around with questions in mind, this will plant the seeds of 'investigation and research.' Academic research requires investigation and research."

"And most importantly—this topic demonstrates our school's academic spirit and humanistic care. Chinese New Year is coming soon, and I hope everyone has a good year. If we really asked everyone to discuss things like 'Zhuge Liang lacked the heart of Shen Shang but used his tactics, while Wang Anshi used Shen Shang's reality but avoided his name,' then we'd have to forget about the whole year. I bet you'd all be pondering these things at your New Year's Eve dinner. If we asked everyone to discuss pork knuckles, we'd have two more pork knuckles to eat during Chinese New Year. Even if we can't come up with the topic, at least we'll have pork knuckles."

"Is the academic style of our school 'Even if you don't study well, you can still eat well'?"

Wen Zhong clapped his hands three times. "Correct answer. This is the style of study of our school. But of course it is not 'eat well and sleep well', it is 'the wise know themselves, the benevolent love themselves'. We must teach students how to face their lives correctly, how to enrich and enjoy their lives, and learn to love themselves, respect themselves, and value themselves. A person who cannot love himself, even if he loves others, is just [dizzy and bright]: he himself is confused, but he wants others to be clear. This is what Mencius despises. So -"

He paused and said, "Shangluo, there are delicious pork elbows in the cafeteria today. You must go and eat them. You will suffer a loss if you don't eat them. It doesn't matter if you can't write a good article, you must eat all the delicious pork elbows."

"Shangluo, have you seen the question?" On the way to the cafeteria, Shangluo met Phaethon who was holding a large briefcase.

"I saw the topic is pork knuckle. Why, you want to write it too? Aren't you a teaching assistant?"

"Mr. Wen told me this morning that as a teaching assistant, I have to write two reports. First, write one for myself, and then write a review of myself. He asked me to take both reports to see him. Why do you want to pick a fight with the pork elbow?"

“The principal said that this should be serious and lively, and should also showcase the school’s academic style.”

"I think the school's pig farm has some unsalable pork elbows, so we need everyone to eat them up. Think about it, there are four pork elbows for a pig. If the pork elbows are cut into several large pieces and sold for a dozen yuan, they will be unsalable."

[It sounds reasonable. However, the Imperial College’s academic assets are neither taxed nor made public, so we have no way of knowing whether they are really unsalable.]

"Is that really the case?" Shang Luo understood now. "No wonder so many people like to donate their properties to the school. It turns out they don't pay taxes. Then who will supervise the accounts of the Imperial College?"

"In fact, it is the Imperial Censor who supervises the Imperial College." Phaethon answered, "I heard this from the Imperial Guards. Because the Imperial College is not just a school, it is also a government department, so all the affairs of the Imperial College are supervised by the Censorate."

"But aren't most of the historians in the Censorate graduates from the Imperial Academy?"

At this point, the situation became clear. The Imperial College was basically supervising itself.

"Why do I feel like I know something extraordinary? I used to think that the Imperial College was a 'poor background', but I didn't expect it to be a tycoon among tycoons - between the front and back elbows of a pig, the Imperial College was busy eating in a place where no one was paying attention." Phaethon sighed.

[It seems that this is the case. The Imperial College is a department of the imperial court, so it does not pay taxes - instead, it turns over its profits. Therefore, the Imperial College tends to maintain 0 profits and spend all of its money every year, because it has to turn over what it can't spend anyway. From this point of view, it is reasonable to eat a lot at the end of the year. 】

"Who cares? As long as the welfare is good, that's all. Ah, the principal is right. Why bother so much? Just eat your fill first. As long as the Imperial College spends all its money on students, the more money it makes, the more money it makes. The more money it makes, the happier I'll eat~"

[It seems that this is the fundamental reason why the Imperial College has become an invisible giant. Because after the censors of the Metropolitan Censorate have checked the accounts, once they find that the Imperial College has spent all its money on students, they will not ask too many questions about the accounts. After all, the Metropolitan Censorate is not checking for the sake of checking, but to find problems. There is nothing wrong with the things done here, and they themselves are the beneficiaries, so there is no need to check - and.] Apollonia added:

【Considering that a large number of students in the Imperial College are from the fixed source of generations, it is not ruled out that the censors turned a blind eye to some of the actions of the Imperial College for the sake of their own descendants. Because they also want to send their own descendants to the Imperial College. Shangluo, under the leadership of Elder Wen, these people support you, what do you think?】

"I'll eat three pork elbows. I'll also drink two cups of Weigang milk and eat half a pound of Xiaoling melon."

[How come this guy doesn't refuse when he hears someone invites him to dinner?]

Chapter 1246 Supervisor

"The Censorate has a directive to learn about the past events! The Censorate has a directive to learn about the past events!"

When Shangluo arrived at the cafeteria, someone had set up a stall at the entrance and was handing out flyers.

[What did I say? They are indeed academic tycoons. How can this be distributed at the entrance of the cafeteria? ]

"Today is the pre-school training day. Almost everyone who lives nearby is here. This is the time to promote the new students. However, this orientation event seems to be quite impressive."

Although I don't know what "targeted career" is specifically, Shangluo knows that there is a similar "targeted selection". I don't know if the two are similar. If so, this is amazing. After all, the Censorate is a core department of the court, and the selection of such a department is actually distributed on flyers at such a small stall. The academic cliques are the academic cliques, and they are so "cliques" that they are as simple as distributing shopping coupons to distribute the selection information of the core departments of the court. This is too "clique".

He went to the small "stand" and took one -

"Student, are you also interested in the work of the censor?"

"Yes." Shangluo nodded, "So what is this 'directional calendar'?"

"It's written on the list. Specifically, as long as you can pass the selection for targeted events, you can easily become a censor, and you don't even need to become a juren! This is a special treatment for students of this school."

[As expected]

Holding the flyer, Shangluo sat down in the cafeteria. He had just asked about it, and found out that these two were not current students of the school, but graduates of the previous year, and were the current Ducha Yushi (internship). It was the weekend, and they were invited by the school to return to school to promote the event, trying to squeeze more people into the Yushi line.

According to Wen Zhong, this entire faction will stand behind Shangluo.