Red Mansion Reader

Chapter 29 Now the young phoenix sings lightly (first update)
Chen Heng has the habit of going out early. When he stood in front of the tribute courtyard, there were not many people queuing up.Scholars from the following seven counties, together with candidates from Yangzhou City, participated in this government examination.

That's why there was an endless stream of people who came to see him off, and some even drove to ask their servants to stand in line.He sat in the carriage and waited until it was almost his turn before Shi Shiran entered the arena.

The admission process is similar to that in Taixing, but the inspection is more detailed than before.He would open the cover of the writing brush, and even Chen Heng was asked to take off his coat, but fortunately, it was only to this extent.

After this step was completed, Chen Heng took his number plate of 'A Seven'.This is specially reserved for the heads of each county, from Jiayi to Jiaba, all are close to the magistrate.

Walking to his own number room, Chen Heng looked around quite freshly.Stretch out your hand to measure the length, and found that the fingertips on both sides are still some distance from the wall.Sitting in it, he unexpectedly felt quite spacious, which was also a wonderful feeling.

It's just that the seat under the buttocks is too stiff, and even Chen Heng has a sad face at the thought of sitting on it until dark.In the corner was a wooden board inspected by the official, and there were raised grooves on the walls on both sides. When the time came, just press it up and it could be used as a desk.

"Bang bang bang."

The sound of gun salutes outside continued, telling the examinees to hurry up, or if they didn’t come again, the Tribute Academy would be closed.

After another moment, there was the sound of drums outside the Gongyuan.Because of the proximity to the magistrate's seat, Chen Heng could hear the sound of the door closing.

Behind the seat of the magistrate is a statue of Confucius.As usual, after the three prostrations, the test papers for answering questions were carried out of the ceremony room.Chen Heng didn't have to do anything, and his own clerk brought the test papers to him.

When everything was ready, Chen Heng only heard a majestic voice above his head, saying: "Start."

Afterwards, several yamen servants held inscription cards and began to walk around in the tribute courtyard.

One is that if the name is not correct, the words will not go well.If words don't go well, things won't happen.

The second is that it is not worthwhile to pluck out a hair to benefit the world.

After copying the questions with a pen, Chen Heng couldn't help but fell into deep thought.The first question is fairly easy to understand. It comes from "The Analects of Confucius Zilu Pian". If only this question is taken out, the article is not difficult to do.It itself is a famous sentence through the ages, but any knowledgeable master will explain its example sentence to his disciples.

But with the second question, it will be interesting.This question comes from Mencius, and the meaning of the context is: Yang Zi advocates for me, even if it is beneficial to the world by plucking his own hair, he is not willing to do it.

Why did the prefect ask such a question?
Is it because it is too difficult?

No, on the contrary, it is too simple.Along with Chen Heng, many students who wanted to strive for the top were lost in thought.Composing an essay is a very interesting thing, and its judging criteria mostly depend on the cultural accomplishment of the examiner and the anticipation of the question.

However, since the development of the imperial examination, a group of people have also summed up the way of writing for stability.That is, no matter what the examiner intends to write the questions for, you just write according to the questions, and apply the teachings of sages and sages. Although you can't get high scores, generally they won't be too low.

This group of people often think that the imperial examination is to see who makes fewer mistakes, and it is not easy to evaluate the good and bad, and they can testify freely.

Chen Heng naturally did not want to choose this path. On the single-plank bridge of the imperial examination, any mentality of seeking stability may be pushed off the bridge by brave and radical latecomers.

Contention.

If it is because the government has tried and contracted, relax your requirements on yourself.Then what about the college examinations, township examinations, and general examinations in the future?
Chen Heng naturally understands the truth of going all out.

Scholars can decline, but it is difficult to revive.

What's more, the master said that only by winning the top ten in the government examination can some fees of Yangzhou Academy be waived, and Chen Heng also wanted to save this money for the family.Having made a decision in his heart, Chen Heng put all his thoughts into the idea of ​​breaking the question.

Then how to write, in order to write new ideas, move the heartstrings of the examiner?

Chen Heng's two lives are human beings, even if they put aside their talents and learning.The macroscopic awareness cultivated by the more than ten years of studying in the previous life is not comparable to that of ordinary scholars.

After careful consideration in his mind, Chen Heng chose 'beneficial to the world' as his problem-solving point.

The first sentence he broke the topic was: The foundation of the world lies in the country, the foundation of the country lies in the family, and the foundation of the family lies in the people.

But he doesn't put the 'one dime' argument against it.

Many years of experience in the previous life told Chen Heng that if the contradiction between a pair of things is overemphasized, the real connection between them will be lost, so that one leaf will be blinded.

In fact, there is only a primary and secondary distinction between the two. "One cent's profit" is not self-sustaining, but comes from "the world's benefits."

Just like everyone needs to have parents and elders to give birth, the relationship between "one hair" and "the world" is just like this.

A dime of profit is nothing more than taking advantage of all the people in the world to support oneself.If there are no people in the world, how can there be any profit?

Therefore, instead of saying "plucking a hair and benefiting the world", it is better to say "plucking a hair and returning the world".

This is the same reason that people should take good care of themselves and raise people who grow up by themselves.

If a person grows up to an adult, he dislikes the person he raised because he is old and frail. Wouldn't it be against human ethics to abandon him?

After laying down the foundation of his writing, Chen Heng took a deep breath, continued to pick up his pen, and began to solve the problem of "do not do it".

This kind of discussion about human nature, even in later generations, each will insist on his own opinion, each has his own reasoning, and every family has its own tune.

Chen Heng thought about it, and decided to use Lao Zhuang's method to clarify his point of view.

He wrote: It is said that in ancient times, there was a fisherman who hated this hard work because he had to go fishing every day.After several days of hard thinking, the fisherman thought of building an embankment on the river to solve the hardship of going to sea.

The fisherman took the young and strong in his village and built a dam on the nearby river to trap the fish that wanted to go down the river.He only needs to leave the house a few dozen steps every day, and with a net, he can catch much more food than before.

The fisherman is proud of his cleverness, and the villagers often praise him.For a long time, people in the fishing village did not go out to fish, and each household did not repair boats, but only knew how to weave fishing nets.

Suddenly one day, there was a heavy rain in the upper reaches of Hunan, and the river swelled overnight.The dams built by the villagers were overwhelmed, and the sleeping fishing village was swallowed up overnight.

As far as the stroke of the pen is concerned, Chen Heng has almost expressed his meaning.The experiences of the past years are slowly integrated at this moment, and he suddenly tastes the joy of clear thoughts.

At the end of the article, a thought suddenly flashed through Chen Heng's mind, and he wrote: To treat all the people in the world as the mother of a hair, to take from the people, and to use for the people, this is the way.

　I re-read the outline last night, and I suddenly had a new experience. Considering the protagonist's future governance, I feel that I need to revise it.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)