future library.

Chapter 57 Hongwen Museum (1)

It's still terribly cold.

Before greenhouse gases put a cap on the earth, the cold wind in the air seemed to be a little stronger, giving people a shuddering feeling.

There are no wanderers to be seen on the street, only a mess is left at the base of the city wall, and the hastily built thatched huts and caves have become the main buildings.

Cheng Jinzhou nestled in his room, occasionally recalling the mathematical theories he had learned, and spent more time preparing cheating materials. The imperial examination was approaching, and he never had the idea of ​​defeating his opponents with strength - for mercy's sake, those Gentlemen who have studied hard for more than ten years in the cold window are basically like a heavy-duty truck driven by drunken people when they squeeze into the single-plank bridge. Those who do not have a steel butt will be knocked into the water in addition to expecting to be talented.

The charcoal exudes a faint pine scent, which brings warmth and at the same time makes the house more dry.

As the most extensive promotion path in this era, the imperial examination will always be the choice of most people.It does not require piety like the Holy Church, nor does it require talent like the Astromancer. Anyone who is willing to study can get rewards from it.Of course, the life of a 60-year-old boy is miserable, but to support his family without engaging in physical labor, to be an old white-collar worker in the feudal era, studying hard is the only choice.

Of course, for Cheng Jinzhou, cheating is all about working hard, which may be easier than becoming an astromancer.

Even in the 21st century, transcribing the "Record of the Township Examination" is a huge and desperate project, and few libraries can include all of it in the electronic library.Cheng Jinzhou never dreamed of being able to copy all the content. In fact, he didn't want to do the copying work at all. If it was possible—even if it was even a little bit possible, to let him avoid these "heavy" tasks, Cheng Jinzhou would use his laziness to succeed. sex in return.

There are not so many good things in the world, so he has to keep copying, copying skillfully.

Those that are too famous cannot be accepted, conscientious examiners will even memorize them - there is no need to question the memory of some gentlemen. In ancient China, there were many high-achieving students who recited more than 2000 articles, as many as elephants on the African grasslands , all nestled in the Hanlin Academy, hoping to catch a few plagiarists from the original and get a erudite praise.

Those that are too bad should be eliminated in advance. Basically, the articles ranked after 100 in the rural examination do not need to be considered.People's ability to be on the list is probably related to the overall article, but Cheng Jinzhou is planning to amputate and reconnect.

The exam style of the Great Xia Dynasty still requires succession, transfer, and integration. Each part of it is strictly required, and there are other criteria for judging the relationship between each other. With Cheng Jinzhou's level of plagiarism, if you want to raise a scholar, it is hopeless to rely on plagiarism. , but a talented person has a great opportunity.Shaonan prefecture has hundreds of quotas every year. Calculated by the literacy rate of the population, the admission rate is a little lower than that of the judicial examination.

Of course, with so many restrictions, Cheng Jinzhou's copying became even slower. Often, only one-tenth of a rural examination record was used, and from time to time he had to send people to ask the teachers in the clan.Shi Yan and Shi Mo's hands hurt from carrying books, and their feet hurt from walking. The two seem to be receiving special training from the devil.

This is also in the Cheng family. If Cheng Jinzhou traveled to a family below the middle level, let alone copying books, he would have to kneel down even if he wanted to take a look at other people's books. There was no public library for people to use in the Great Xia Dynasty. The price of ink is beyond the reach of ordinary farmers, and buying books is even more unthinkable. Even small landlords dare not buy engraved books easily, and hand-copied editions by scholars are even more expensive, which is equivalent to high-tech in the 21st century. The artificiality of talent.

Because of this, in the history of China, scholars have always been from wealthy families. The so-called children from poor families are mostly from politically poor families rather than from economically poor families. A few talented and intelligent people may temporarily show their prominence in the provincial examinations. However, the chance of obtaining a Jinshi is best reserved for sons—those who spend huge travel expenses, huge food and accommodation expenses, and have a 20/[-] chance of succeeding the first time, still need the support of relatives and the government. How difficult it is to get funding.The real situation is often that promising scholars spend ten or twenty years spending all the property left by their parents, but they fail to get the title of judicial officer and become an official, so they have to return to their hometown to become private school teachers, and then Putting his hope in his children and grandchildren, if necessary, he could marry his daughter to the nephew of a wealthy local gentry so that his son could receive support.

The reason why the squires are willing to let their son marry the daughter of a poor scholar—if he is lucky enough to marry—is entirely because of the privilege and prestige attached to fame. There are hundreds of thousands, but there may be only a few dozen scholars with fame.

Relatively speaking, political families with poor economic backgrounds are often more likely to go further on the road to imperial examinations. Fan Zhongyan, who is often used as a model of poverty and hard work in Chinese textbooks, is said to have only cooked one pot of porridge every day while studying in a temple. Four pieces, take two pieces in the morning and evening to mix with pickles. But this gentleman’s father was once the Secretary of the Ningwu Army Jieduzhang, equivalent to the chief of staff of the regional headquarters. If he had not died too early, Fan Zhongyan would have had a poor family. Distinguished high-ranking disciples.Even if his mother remarries, his future imperial examination path will inevitably be influenced by his father.

However, in the Great Xia Dynasty, more emphasis was placed on family background. In the relatively fair imperial examination field, its style was similar to that of the Tang Dynasty. The family background that needs to be filled in the "family certificate" (personal resume) directly affects the status of scholars. For political prospects, it is almost impossible for the poor and weak to get a high ranking, especially in the examinations.

Among the advantages that Cheng Jinzhou can rely on, family background must be an important part.

The door was gently pushed open.

Shi Yan tapped his toes, walked into the room without saying a word, stirred the charcoal a little, and then added cold water to the copper basin next to it for humidification.After doing this, he went to the desk to refill the tea and polish his ink.

"How's it going outside?" When someone was around, Cheng Jinzhou couldn't show off his craggy-looking wrist-hanging skills in the air, so he simply stretched and asked.

"Everything is fine." Shi Yan put down the teapot and said, "Today is the time for the school exam again."

"Oh?" Cheng Jinzhou looked at the sky outside, got up and said, "I didn't say it earlier, I'm so busy."

"I'm here." While speaking, the magistrate Cheng Yun'an pushed the door open and entered.

His voice was a little tired, and he stared at a pair of dark circles, looking very stressed.

As one of the heirs of the family, Cheng Yun'an, the most stressful time in his life may be the imperial examination, which is the job he is most familiar with.As for being an official, in the eyes of aristocratic literati like him, it is basically a secondary industry.The days of heavy snow are really exhausting physically and mentally.

Voice: "She went to bed early and should be ready to eat at this moment."

After signaling Shi Yan to go out, Cheng Yun'an said in a fatherly tone: "Jinzhou, how are you preparing for the imperial examination?"

Cheng Jinzhou was stunned for a moment before he realized, "It's ready."

Obviously, the magistrate is not optimistic about his future, otherwise, according to him, it will be the most beneficial to take the imperial examination in a few years.

Cheng Yun'an sat on another chair by the window, and said in silence for a moment: "My father has a friend who works in the Hongwen Museum, where he teaches etiquette, and he can't help but learn astrology and sacred teachings. In two days, Cheng Feng will send you off." Let's enroll."

"Hongwen Pavilion?" Cheng Jinzhou's eyes seemed to be swollen. It was similar to the Imperial Academy in ancient China.

"There is a letter here. Take it with you and don't lose it. Just find Li Jingyuan after you get there." Cheng Yunan's voice was low.If he loses his official position, Sanfang's status in the Cheng family will inevitably plummet, and he must make early plans for his son.

"The Hongwen Museum seems to be in the capital." Cheng Jinzhou was still reluctant to leave Shaonan, let alone go to the capital.In fact, since traveling to this era, he has never left the range of Shaonan City, and it is not an exaggeration to say that he is a little afraid.

Cheng Yun'an nodded and said, "Let's go in two days."

Hongwenguan is a school at the central level, and it is a government school together with Guozixue, Taixue, Simenxue, and Guangwenguan.Among them, Chinese Zixue must be the children of civil and military officials above grade 9 to enter. Taixue and Simenxue require the children of officials above grade 12. The students of Guangwenguan are mainly the children of officials below the 18th grade and "common people know their scholars". They only accept the children of nobles, and the children of ordinary officials are not allowed to care.

As the application of astrology became more and more widespread, Hongwen Museum first allowed students to learn astrology by themselves on the basis of etiquette. Naturally, it was more popular with noble children. Although they were qualified to enter, Cheng's father thought he also used a lot of connections.

Cheng Jinzhou could understand his father's approach, and thought about it: "Then the township test will also be taken in the capital?"

He is a son of aristocrats, so he is not restricted by the region of the exam, as long as he registers in advance.

"That's right, the competition in the capital is fierce, but the number of places is also the most. After you go, you have to study hard." Cheng Yun'an said, and added: "If you can learn astrology well, it will be better."

This was the first time he publicly encouraged Cheng Jinzhou to learn astrology.

Cheng Jinzhou understood the situation, stopped talking, slowly put the warm letter into his arms, and patted hard twice.

……

(End of this chapter)