After being exiled, I led my whole family to rebel.

Chapter 343 Farewell
When Jiang Yongkang left Bianjing City, only Mo Jinchun, Liu Dazhuang, Ming Xiaoshuang, Zhang Wanjun, A Tao and others came to see him off.

Originally Jiang Yongkang wanted to leave alone, but his luggage was seen by A Tao, and after several questionings, A Tao tricked Jiang Yongkang into revealing the truth.

Helplessly, Jiang Yongkang had to say that he had already achieved success and fame, had no interest in power, and from now on he only wanted to enjoy the natural beauty of nature.

Although A Tao didn't believe it, he had been in the army for several years and was no longer the naive and ignorant boy who had just come down from the Qian Mountains.

A Tao also seemed to have figured out something from the rumors and Xu Zhenying's attitude.

A Tao, who is usually quick-tempered, did not try to persuade Jiang Yongkang to stay this time, nor did he expose Jiang Yongkang's lies.

However, Atao still told his friends in the army about this matter.

Jiang Yongkang has been in the military for many years, and it can be said that almost all the generals in Jinzhou Prefecture have learned their skills under him.

Therefore, everyone regretted Jiang Yongkang's departure, but no one tried to keep him. They just silently sent him out of the city.

Ah Tao hung the bag on his horse's back and complained, "Do we have to leave in the evening? Can't we leave tomorrow morning when it's bright and clear?"

"The moonlight is beautiful tonight. Walking on the moon is also a beautiful thing."

"Where are you going?"

"See the snow in the north, beauties in the south, and the desert in the northwest... maybe I'll even go to the Chen Dynasty."

Ah Tao sighed, "You're making me want to retire early!"

"You are in your prime, you still need to work hard."

Mo Jinchun gave him a pot of wine, "I bought this from an old businessman. He said it had been stored for twenty years. I wanted to wait until everyone was promoted to a noble or general position to celebrate... Well, I'll give it to you now."

Zhang Wanjun was the only girl in the team. She was silent at the moment, not knowing what to say. After a long while, she said, "Have a safe trip, Instructor Jiang. Remember to come back and visit us often."

Jiang Yongkang patted Zhang Wanjun on the shoulder and gave her earnest advice like an elder, "Although you are a woman, you are extremely talented in military affairs. You are patient, can endure hardships, and can fight. You are a natural military strategist. From now on, this land...will be yours to protect...In this way, no matter where I am, I can rest assured."

Zhang Wanjun's eyes suddenly turned red.

She raised her hand and gave a standard military salute to her former instructor and master.

Ming Xiaoshuang said, "I don't have anything to give you. All I can give you is silver, but I don't think you need these things. I can only give you a blank letter from me. If you run into any trouble, I will let you use my power for once."

Jiang Yongkang laughed and then accepted it, "Okay, the things you gave me are more practical."

Liu Dazhuang looked at him and bowed to him, "I will take good care of your parents' graves. I will offer sacrifices for you during festivals, Cold Food Festival, and Qingming Festival."

Jiang Yongkang hugged Liu Dazhuang and said briefly, "Thank you, brother."

He took his bag and mounted his horse.

The man was wearing a black narrow-necked plain robe, with a silver sword at his waist and a white horse under his crotch. He was traveling alone in a simple carriage.

For some reason, he subconsciously looked towards the direction of the city wall.

He didn't see anyone.

Only the red flag fluttered in the wind.

She won't show up.

Stop having expectations.

Jiang Yongkang said this to himself.

His brows seemed to be infected by the wind and snow, then he retracted his gaze, clasped his fists and bowed to everyone, "Everyone, the mountains are high and the waters are long, we will meet again in the future if we are destined."

After saying that, the man turned and walked away, waving the whip in his hand, and soon disappeared into the night.

It can be said that a drunken encounter is the result of past relationship, and when the storm is over, where will it go?

But no one expected that the young man would never come back.

After the floating clouds parted, ten years passed by——

------------

After the Kaiyuan New Year, the entire city of Bianjing entered a period of vigorous development again.

In early February, new buds turn green and the grass looks attractive.

The retention assessment of officials from the six prefectures in the north began.

A new examination institute has been built in Bianjing City, which is under the charge of the Ministry of Construction. The entire examination institute is three or four stories high and is made of cement and steel bars. It covers an area of ​​one acre and can accommodate large-scale examinations and conferences involving thousands of people.

It was also the first time that the common people of Bianjing City truly saw cement.

I used to hear people from Jinzhou Prefecture say how good the cement was, but since I had never seen it, I couldn't imagine how good it was.

It is said that the entire street of Bianjing City will be renovated this year, and all roads will be hardened with cement. This examination hall will be one of the first places to use cement.

Hundreds of workers worked hard to complete the project within two months.

This examination hall continues the simple and practical style of Jinzhou Prefecture. There is no superfluous decoration inside. It is composed entirely of rooms of different sizes. Apart from tables, chairs and benches, there are simple decorations such as green plants and ink paintings.

Some people privately said that such a large examination institute was so shabby.

But more people think that these things are made with money from the national treasury, so there is no need to build them so magnificently. This also indirectly reflects the working style of Jinzhou Prefecture.

There were some quick-witted businessmen who saw a huge business opportunity and bought up shops around the examination hall early on. They could open teahouses, restaurants, or inns in the future, which would be sure to make money.

After all, it is such a large examination institute, with countless people coming in and out. Where there are people, there are business opportunities. This is an unchanging truth since ancient times.

Just this morning, when it was just daybreak, people were already waiting outside the gate of the examination institute.

Adults who had rushed over from the six states near Bianjing City stood in groups at the door.

Fortunately, it is spring and the temperature has dropped. Although it is early morning, it does not feel cold.

Soon, a lot of people gathered at the door.

Those coming and going were all senior officials who had served in the Zhou Dynasty, so they were familiar faces to each other. When they met, they bowed and greeted each other, and it was as lively as if they were waiting outside the court.

"Ah, I never thought that I would have to travel across mountains and rivers to take the imperial examination at the age of 44."

"Master Lin, please be content. We are lucky to be able to stay in office. You may not know that most of the officials in Bianjing City have been dismissed. The original number of more than 300 people has been reduced to more than 50. These more than 50 people, no matter how old they are or how long their qualifications are, have to take the exam like us. After taking the exam, they still have to wait for the official position to be filled. Look, that person over there is Liu Bianzan, the former Hanlin Academy. He was the top scholar in the imperial examination. Isn't he starting all over again like us?"

Those who had managed to escape death and continue to stay in office breathed a sigh of relief.

Although you still have to enter the stage of waiting for investigation after the assessment, at least you won't end up with nothing.

These people have been officials for their entire lives and cannot imagine what they can do if they don’t work as officials. They are even less able to adapt to the lives of ordinary people.

Compared with their colleagues who were laid off in large numbers, they are considered lucky.

Of course, it is also related to their diligence in government affairs on weekdays, otherwise the inspection team would not allow them to stay in office.

This is also a recognition of them.

Because of this, they naturally formed a small circle and naturally shared the latest information.

"I heard that Han Xiang was also on the list of people to be dismissed this time—"

There was a collective gasp from the crowd.

Han Xiang, a veteran who had served for three generations, was a huge figure, and Emperor Zhaodi took action against him as soon as he came to power. This method and courage were truly terrifying.

Even after Han Xiang left, there was no disturbance in the officialdom of Bianjing City, and it could even be said that everything was calm. Especially in terms of government affairs and people's livelihood, there was no impact at all.

The fact that the transition and handover was so peaceful also shows how capable the people of Jinzhou Prefecture are in handling government affairs.

Emperor Zhao also clearly sent a signal to everyone.

The Chinese officialdom can still function even if someone is missing.

Everyone exchanged glances with each other knowingly.

Someone threw out the latest news, "Do you know who the chief examiner is this time?"

A person next to him smiled and replied, "It should be Mr. Anping."

Everyone looked over and understood, "Since it is Lord Lian who said it, then it must be true." The man who spoke was Lian Dehai's second son and Lian Qiuzhi's second brother.

When everyone saw him speak, although they secretly laughed at his Majesty for being fair and ruthless to the Lian family, it was said that Master Lian and Master Lian were both on the assessment list this time, but it also showed that the atmosphere in the Chinese officialdom was as clean as fish and water.

Lian Erye bowed his hands and said modestly: "I just heard one more ear than you guys."

"Since Lord Lian is here, why not tell us something about Mr. Anping? What is his background? What kind of writing style and font does he like? We can also please the examiner—"

Of course, Master Lian Er also knew that this was a good time to do favors. Seeing that everyone was moving closer to him, Master Lian Er whispered, "I heard that Ms. Anping is your Majesty's cousin. She is only in her early twenties, but she has been in charge of education in Jinzhou Prefecture for several years. It can be said that she is the teacher of many Jinzhou Prefecture officials. The 30% literacy rate in Jinzhou Prefecture is the credit of her and Master Fang."

"Master Fang? Which Master Fang? Master Fang's eldest grandson, Master Fang Xun?"

"No, Fang Xun has a cousin who is from the first house. She has an older sister. I'm sure you all know her name." The second master coughed, "She is the heroine who killed Zhou Heng in the East Territory!"

"Fang Ruyu!"

The name is ready to come out.

As Zhou Heng was once the political enemy of the Great Zhou Dynasty, his cause of death naturally attracted much attention. Therefore, everyone knew Fang Ruyu.

"This Fang family is incredible. These two daughters are both heroic figures."

"Yes, so those of you who have daughters in your families, don't neglect their education. Now is a good time for girls to make achievements and establish their careers."

"Master Li, you are so late. Today, not only am I taking the exam, but my little daughter is also taking the civil servant exam next door. If we take the exam together, I might not do as well as my little daughter."

"Yeah, congratulations."

Immediately, there was a burst of congratulations from the crowd.

"You are all off topic. Master Lian, you haven't even mentioned the examiner's preferences."

The person who asked this question was a young man. It was obvious that he had young children at home and was therefore more concerned about his own future.

"This... I really don't know." Mr. Lian shook his head.

Someone nearby responded, "I was fortunate enough to have seen the examination papers from Jinzhou Prefecture. They didn't seem to require brilliant writing. Most of the questions were math, with a few essay questions at the end."

"How many essay questions?"

Everyone around looked surprised.

There was only one essay question in the exams of the Zhou Dynasty, and one had to rush to finish it. It was bad enough that China had a lot of time-consuming math questions, but it also had so many essay questions.

"Don't panic, everyone." This man had a mysterious look on his face. He naturally couldn't say that he had a nephew who was an official in Jinzhou Prefecture. He asked his nephew to inquire about these gossips.

At this moment, I should flatter my colleagues and let them remember my favor, which will be more convenient in the future. "This essay question has a word limit, which is only about 200 to 300 words. You must quote less classics and state your arguments directly, preferably with data to support them. Emperor Zhao likes to seek truth and be pragmatic, and I guess this is also the style of the official assessment."

That does make sense.

Many people secretly memorize the key points of the exam.

"But you all know that Mr. Anping is pregnant right now, and I don't know if he can last through the entire morning of the exam."

It was like a bolt from the blue. No one expected that the examiner this time was not only a young woman, but she was also pregnant!

Everyone's expression changed again and again, and they had different thoughts, but in the end they remained silent.

The morals of the world are declining, and rites and music are collapsing.

However, there were also some enlightened people who smiled and said, "Your Highness's cousin is pregnant, but now your majesty's harem is empty. I heard that Elder Lin and the Ministry of Rites jointly wrote to your majesty to select an imperial husband, but your majesty declined politely. You must know that the foundation of a country lies in the early establishment of an heir. The royal heir is the key to the safety of the world. Many disasters in the past dynasties were caused by a crown prince. Although your majesty is still young, the cultivation of a royal heir is not a one-day job. Your majesty should make plans early."

"Yes, Your Majesty is now in his early twenties, in the prime of life. In addition, the world is now united, and the country is prosperous and peaceful. It is a good time to be in peace. It is time to make sure that the Emperor's husband will give birth to an heir as soon as possible."

These words were recognized by everyone.

However, the conversation was soon interrupted by the noise coming from the opposite wall.

Someone looked out and asked, "Why is there so much noise over there?"

"There is more than one exam going on in the examination hall today. There is also a general civil servant examination, which is not in the same examination room as ours. There are more people over there. When I walked over just now, I saw at least 10,000 people over there—"

"More than ten thousand?!"

This had to surprise them again.

When they took the imperial examinations in the past, the number of candidates was only a few hundred or a few thousand.

Today, there are tens of thousands.

Fortunately, I am not competing on the same track with so many people.

They were not taking an elimination exam. The full score was 100, and as long as they scored more than 60 points, they would be considered a pass and be included in the candidate team.

However, some people explained: "Everywhere is promoting universal education now. Although the cities in the north haven't had time to do so yet, everyone has heard about it a long time ago. Therefore, many people in Bianjing are preparing for the exam in advance. Not to mention the candidates who came from all over the country-"

"Yes, His Majesty has not restricted the household registration of candidates. When I stayed at the inn yesterday, I heard many people with southern accents. I accidentally heard them say that they were all people who failed the exam in the south before, and their families had money and food to support them to go north to take the exam. If they pass the exam, they will be closer to the emperor, which is a good deal no matter how you look at it."

"No wonder I found the city packed with people when I arrived in Bianjing the day before yesterday. If I didn't have an old friend in the city, I'm afraid there wouldn't even be an inn to stay in."

"That's right. Now that I think about it, this Bianjing city hasn't been this lively for many years—"

The Examination Yuan was very busy, and a small meeting room in the government lobby was equally busy.

There were about forty or fifty young girls sitting in the room.

At this moment, the girls in the front rows were arguing with each other, but the strangers in the back rows were listening attentively and could not get a word in.

They only hated that the name of today's meeting was "Exchange Meeting to Promote Women's Liberation", so they didn't bring pencils and notebooks, otherwise they would have definitely recorded these debates.

Even when they heard the last part, they had completely forgotten the shock and panic they had seen His Majesty when they first stepped into the room, and were completely immersed in the argument.

Of course, as a newly promoted female official, being able to attend meetings in a place like the Government Affairs Hall, she naturally had to be low-key and humble. How could she dare to make impassioned speeches like Minister Feng'er, Secretary Xu, Minister Qian, Minister Fang and others?

"Equality for all and equality between men and women is not just a slogan. Your Majesty proposed this idea when we started from Lan County. But seven years have passed, and brothels, brothels, concubines, and child brides still exist. Why can't we eliminate them all?"

"One-size-fits-all? How to do it? Close all the brothels? Send away all the slave-owning families? Or arrest the parents who sold their daughters as child brides?"

"Why not? Since Your Majesty intends to realize the slogan and declaration of abolishing slavery, then labor pains are inevitable."

"Not appropriate. A one-size-fits-all approach is only a temporary solution. If you close the brothel, these prostitutes will move to another place to continue their sex trade, or even to a more hidden place, such as a deep alley, a wine shop, or a boat, where we can't catch them even if we want to. If you don't cultivate their ability to be independent and don't teach them how to make a living, and just simply and crudely close the brothel, it is absolutely a manifestation of lazy governance!"

When the female officials heard Secretary Xu say the word "lazy government", they couldn't help but feel frightened, fearing that they would start a fight.

Fortunately, the female senior official opposite did not mind, and instead refuted with reason and evidence: "Now there are many literacy training classes in Bianjing City. If you are really willing, you can learn it by spending a few dozen copper coins. I don't believe that there are really people who are willing to degenerate and linger in the world of prostitution. They are just lazy!"

"No. Given the current national conditions, a one-size-fits-all approach is definitely unrealistic. You make it sound simple, but how difficult is it for prostitutes to change their ways? The relationships behind the brothels in Bianjing are complicated, and the contracts of sale are in the hands of others. Our legislative work cannot be started this year, and there are no clear legal provisions to punish these brothel owners and traffickers, so we can only save the country in a roundabout way."

"I agree. Your Majesty always says that the promulgation of a policy must stand the test of time. The people's ideas may be quite different from our expectations. Now our words and deeds will affect the fate of countless people, so we should think twice. A one-size-fits-all approach is unrealistic, but the abolition of slavery is imperative."

Xu Zhenying listened to the noise of the girls below and smiled, "You are right. We have to do things and eat. Sometimes we don't have to take the shortest way to reach the top of the mountain. Sometimes we can get there by taking a detour. For the new girls who are attending the meeting, if you have any suggestions, you might as well be bold."

The girls in the back row couldn't even watch the fun, so they naturally shook their heads and pretended to be indifferent.

Instead, a woman in her twenties stood up and spoke in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "Your Majesty is right. We can choose a roundabout way to save the country. For example, we can set up a special class to help the slaves liberate their minds and invite more teachers to teach them some skills. I see that there are medical schools and examination halls in Bianjing City. We can also set up a women's college to teach girls how to make a living."

“Why not just go to a literacy class?”

"Some girls are not born to study. We can send teachers to teach them some simple skills such as women's work, agriculture, and textiles. The learning time should not be too long, just two or three months. Let them graduate as soon as possible and support themselves as soon as possible."

"But slaves and prostitutes are all hidden in the boudoir. You can only say this on the premise that they are free."

"What if we use force?" The woman raised her eyes and dared to look directly at Xu Zhenying, which made Xu Zhenying's eyes light up. "Your Majesty, don't you want to amend the old law? What if you abolish slavery directly and make the selling document a piece of paper without legal effect? ​​In this way, the women in chains all over the world can be free."

Xu Zhenying shook his head, "It's not right. We can't let a certain class suffer losses unilaterally. We can intervene in the court, but we can't force legislation like this. Legislative work can only come later. Otherwise, if the emperor wants to do something in the future, he can directly implement it through legislation, and the law will become a political weapon."

"The slave issue is not difficult." As soon as Xu Zhenying spoke, everyone stopped discussing and looked at her. "We can set up a 'slave tax'. Since they can afford to raise slaves, they must be wealthy families. We can increase the slave tax a bit, for example, set it at two taels of silver per slave per year. In this way, at least some of the slaves at the bottom can be liberated. For those who raise one or two hundred slaves, it is only a few hundred taels of silver per year. For this kind of people, we can adopt a tiered tax system. For example, if there are less than five slaves in a family, each person will be charged two taels per year. For more than ten to fifty people, each person will be charged five taels per year. For more than a hundred people, each person will be charged ten taels, and so on. Wealthy families earn so much money, they should contribute some to the national treasury, right?"

Xu Yinxi laughed at her mischief, "Didn't His Majesty say to stop eyeing the wallets of the rich? If we push too hard, I'm afraid no one will be willing to do business with us in the future."

"This is different. Since all people are born equal, why can some people be sold like straw dogs and cheap things? These rich families have earned more social wealth than others, so they must bear social responsibilities. This time when we liberate the slaves, we will start with the rich families."

Feng Er said, "Not only the wealthy families, but the families of officials who own the most slaves in the capital. However, most of these officials have been laid off now, and they are like frightened birds. I believe they will actively respond to your majesty's call."

Xu Yinxi said, "That's right. Their official positions have been removed, and they must be struggling to support so many people, but they are reluctant to dismiss the slaves, lest they give people the impression that they are in decline. Now that your Majesty has issued the order to release the slaves, maybe they will thank your Majesty."