King Luhuang of the Ming Dynasty: My father, Ming Taizu

Chapter 118 The bet is established! Shock! Guo Huan case!
  what!
  Hear this.

Song Ne and others' eyes were straightened, and they looked at Lao Zhu blankly.

this.
  Is this the country’s talent promotion ceremony?

Two million taels of silver allowed the imperial examination to be postponed?
  Also, we have to ask so many noble disciples to take the exam?

Zhu Tan turned around.

His face was full of depression.

Reforming the imperial examination system is for your own good, Lao Zhu!

Why now that I have lost money, I still have to devote a lot of energy to training the noble disciples!
  It’s just a loss of blood, okay?
  Zhu Yuanzhang also looked depressed.

"We're counting on it!
  For that Changlu Salt Farm, you can give the court 400 million taels of silver a year!

He still holds close to 500 million taels of silver in his hands!
  This time the imperial examination is postponed for half a year, you can't spend more than ten or two hundred thousand taels on those scholars!
  Even if you hand over 200 million taels of the remaining money, you will probably still have more than 200 million taels hidden in your hands!
  In addition, you are a kid who always likes to hide your words and deeds!
  We suspect you still have two to three million in silver in your hands.
  Oh, you must be so stingy! "

Zhu Biao couldn't help but shake his head.

The current father is really different from the father in my impression!

This tenth brother really has some extraordinary abilities
  How could he turn his father into this?

If your father says something on a daily basis, it will be exactly what it is!

Now he is even engaging in bargaining with his tenth brother!
  He even agreed to the tenth brother’s seemingly unreliable proposal, which was really shocking!

Song Ne, Wu Bozong and Wu Chen were all numb!
  The emperor just sold the imperial examination!
  And now, I have to make a bet with Zhu Tan!

Fortunately.

Zhu Tan obviously had no hope of winning this bet, so he just made it.

Zhu Tan looked at Song Ne and the others and said with a smile: "Three bachelors, now my father has agreed to my request! This bet can continue!
  Still the same condition!

In order to prove that the knowledge of the Four Books and Five Classics is extremely simple, I will select 50 people from among the distinguished disciples to be my disciples, and they will study for half a year!

Make sure that 40% of them, that is, people, can pass the Jinshi exam!

If there are less than 40 people, I will admit defeat!

Never mention the reform of the imperial examination again!
  If there are 40 or more people, you lose!

The imperial examination system will be reformed in the future! You must stand firmly on my side! "

talking.

Zhu Tan looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and asked with a smile: "Father, if I can do this, it will prove that the knowledge of the Four Books and Five Classics is extremely superficial and not worth mentioning. The imperial examination must also be reformed! What do you think? Do you agree?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said: "Of course we admit it! If you can easily train dozens of Jinshi in half a year, or you can train them from the noble children of military generals, we also think that the imperial examination must be changed!" Doing this clearly proves that loopholes can be exploited!"

Song Ne and the others frowned when they heard this.

Logically speaking, they cannot believe that Zhu Tan can win no matter what!
  What does it generally mean to be a Jinshi?
  Even if you have outstanding talent and have been tutored by famous teachers since childhood, if you want to pass the Jinshi exam, you may have to study hard for ten years!

Even so, he is already an amazingly talented person!
  After all, those who are able to get Jinshi in high school at the age of 20 or 30 are all outstanding among people.

It is not impossible for him to become the Prime Minister of the Taiwan Pavilion in the future.

Zhu Tan said in such an understatement that he could train dozens of Jinshi. It was a joke!

This bet has a huge chance of winning.

There’s nothing wrong with even saying it’s a sure win!
  Song Ne and the other two looked at each other.

Song Ne snorted coldly and said: "Your Highness, if you win this bet, the three of us must firmly support the reform of the imperial examination!

If we do something like this that betrays Confucianism, then no Confucian disciples in the world will tolerate us!

But if His Highness loses, there is nothing to lose!
  I'm afraid this bet is unfair. "

Zhu Tan raised his eyebrows.

"What are the conditions for those three bachelors?"

Song Ne said calmly: "Your Highness just said so many disrespectful words towards the saint! For this matter, we should have gone to the saint's temple now to apologize to Saint Kong.

But His Highness has a distinguished status, so even if he doesn’t do this, there is nothing he can do about it!

Now that I am taking advantage of this bet, I will tell you!
  If after half a year, the 50 disciples taught by His Highness do not have 40 Jinshi, then please ask Your Highness to worship in this Confucius Temple for seven consecutive days and apologize to this old man!
  At the same time, announce it to the world and admit your mistake!
  From now on, there must no longer be any objection to the imperial examination only examining the Four Books and Five Classics! "

Zhu Tan nodded when he heard this.

It is also very embarrassing for a person to apologize to the Confucius Temple for seven consecutive days and to announce his mistakes to the world.

It sounds similar to the consequences after Song Ne and others supported the science examination reform.

Even Song Ne and the others would be even worse off, after all, if they firmly supported the reform of the imperial examination.

They can be regarded as traitors to Confucianism, and I'm afraid they will be spat in front of their faces by who knows how many so-called disciples of saints!
  To put it more seriously, maybe even the ancestral graves may not be saved!
  He will also be expelled from the division!

Of course, Song Ne and the others probably thought they would win.
  When Zhu Yuanzhang saw that the bet between the two parties had come to pass, he smiled and nodded: "In that case, then go down and prepare! Scholar Song Dynasty, please write this edict and tell the scholars who are rushing to take the exam in Beijing that the imperial examination will be postponed for half a year. !

All the food and lodging expenses incurred during the period will be borne by Prince Lu’s Mansion! "

When Zhu Tan heard this, he immediately said: "There is one thing to be clear about here. The Prince Lu's Palace is willing to bear the extra half-year's food and lodging expenses for these scholars who are in Beijing to take the exam!

But there are some wealthy scholars who have extravagant food and accommodation, but I don’t care about that!
  I am only willing to give them compensation within the normal range! "

Song Ne snorted lightly.

He had thought of this a long time ago, but he just deliberately didn't remind him. He originally wanted to trick him, but he didn't expect this kid to be so smart.

But why would such a clever person oppose Confucianism?
  Alas, isn’t Confucianism bad?
  I really don’t know what to say!
  Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile on his face: "King Lu is like us! We still have to be careful when doing things!"

talking.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly asked curiously: "King Lu, since the imperial examination is so easy in your mouth, and you can even teach so many disciples, why don't you take the exam yourself?"

Zhu Tan frowned and said: "Father, how can I persist in studying such a hard thing? Although it is simple, it is also very hard."

Zhu Yuanzhang:
  Song Ne and the three of them also looked at each other.

If you don’t learn well yourself, how can you teach others?

Isn’t this misleading?

His Highness Prince Lu must have made this bet too hastily!

Isn’t this a sure win?

suddenly.

Song Ne and the three of them came up with a very ridiculous idea at the same time.

Could it be that His Royal Highness Prince Lu wanted to send money to His Majesty, so he found such a lame excuse?
  But this is too disrespectful to the imperial examination!

In fact.

For Zhu Tan.

It is indeed not difficult to teach such a group of disciples.

First of all, at this time, the imperial examination is still in the creation stage, and there are not so many new tricks and details that will appear in later generations.

For example, writing must be in Taige style, the writing style must be eight-part essay, and the difficulty of the questions is exaggerated.

The most typical one is the interception and matching questions.

That is to say, the sentences in the classics are divided and changed to form new examination questions.

The examiner may intercept fragments from "The Analects" and combine them in new ways to form questions.

Candidates need to quickly identify the source of the original text, find out the internal connections between sentences, and write an article that meets the format requirements of the eight-legged essay.

This type of question requires candidates to have an in-depth understanding and proficiency in classic literature, as well as the ability to adapt to situations.

But now, there is nothing!

The questions are all based on classic sentences found in the Four Books and Five Classics!
  The difficulty is not high.

As long as the candidates continue to recite Cheng Wen, study how to write Cheng Wen, memorize the Four Books and Five Classics by rote, and then practice crazily.

In half a year, with Taige style calligraphy and proficient use of eight-part essay, it was not difficult to pass the Jinshi examination!
  After all, while others are still showing off calligraphy, Zhu Tan's disciples are already using Taige style, which is the same as printing.

Others are still flourishing in literary talent, but Zhu Tan's disciples are already able to write mature eight-part essays that break the topic, carry the topic, start the speech, start the topic, start the part, middle part, back part, and end the part!

This was a dimensionality-reducing blow to the imperial examinations of that era!
  Now, the only problem is to find these noble disciples.

Ying Tianfu.

A notice board.

At this time, it was surrounded by people who came to see the notice.

There were officials standing at the scene, fearing that the people who came to see the notice would not be literate, so they read it loudly.

"By the fate of heaven, the emperor issued an edict: All diligent and diligent scholars who have come from afar will become the pillars of the country.

The originally scheduled imperial examination was postponed for half a year due to irresistible circumstances. The exam is scheduled for October of the 18th year of Hongwu!
  If there may be any inconvenience due to the postponement, I hereby order the Prince of Lu to bear all the expenses.

From now on, scholars will be given eight taels of silver every month to help with food and lodging expenses.

You don’t need to worry about the fees, you can concentrate on preparing for the exam.

I hope that the scholars will not relax due to this postponement, but should redouble their efforts in order to be named on the gold list. I have high hopes for you, the pillars of our country. Encourage it!
  Admire this! "

in fact.

Don't wait for the imperial edict to be read by the official.

Many readers present have already finished reading it and are excited!

"Extension for half a year! What? What should I do? There is no reason to postpone the talent promotion ceremony in this country for half a year!" "Eight taels of silver a month! Isn't this a big profit? Our monthly expenses are only 8 taels.”

"Eight taels of silver? A month? This amount of money is not enough to feed the animals! Why is Prince Lu sending beggars? It's a waste of the young master's time!"

"Extension for half a year. What can I do? There is still someone in my family who is waiting for me to go back and marry her."

"Then what does it matter if it is postponed for half a year?"

"She said that if I don't go back after the exam, she will know my feelings and will remarry! If she doesn't know this notice, what will she do if she thinks I have changed my mind? Alas, the exam missed me!

My feelings for her are astonishing! There is nothing in this world that is more important than her! "

"Then why don't you give up the exam and go back?"

"It's better to let her remarry!"

Ignore the disturbances from Tianfu students.

Zhu Tan has already started looking for nobles for help!

Just one thing, a son!

And only sons below the second son!
  After all, the eldest son has to inherit these noble titles, so there is no point in taking the imperial examination.

On the other hand, the future of children such as the second son is not as stable as that of the eldest son. Their parents also want them to go further. At the same time, they also want to prove themselves. Only such people have enough motivation to take the imperial examination.

Now that he arrived at Yingtian Mansion, Zhu Tan was absolutely unwilling to get on that bumpy carriage.

Today, he chose to take a sedan chair.

suddenly.

The sedan stopped.

Zhu Tan couldn't help but frown.

A guard beside the sedan scolded: "How dare you! How dare you stop His Royal Highness King Lu's sedan!"

The words fell.

There was a sound.

"We would like to see His Royal Highness King Lu!"

Zhu Tan hid in the sedan and did not dare to go out.

In broad daylight, his sedan chair could be stopped by others, which showed that these guys either wanted something or wanted to do something evil to him.

As a qualified fearful of death, Zhu Tan would never allow himself to make the kind of low-level mistake of showing up randomly and then being assassinated.

He asked the guard next to him: "What's going on in front?"

The guard said: "Go back to Your Highness! There are many people kneeling in front of the sedan chair! I want to ask to see Your Highness!"

Zhu Tan frowned and said, "Do you know who he is?"

The guard immediately said: "Who are you? What do you want to see His Highness for?"

Everyone said one after another: "We are all merchants. Please show mercy to His Highness King Lu!"

Zhu Tan frowned.

Merchant?

show mercy?
  I remembered!

Shanxi merchants!

A few days ago, my father said in the Fengtian Palace that these Shanxi merchants would be captured and dealt with!
  How come there are still fish slipping through the net now?
  Are they coming for revenge?
  When he thought of this, Zhu Tan said to the guards around him: "Protect this king!"

The guard smiled apologetically and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness! We are protecting you well!"

at this time.

The guard formation outside has become very strict, Zhu Tan really doesn't have to worry about safety.

The guard asked: "Your Highness, do you want to drive them away?"

After saying that, he narrowed his eyes again and gritted his teeth and said: "If His Highness is willing, there is no harm in killing them! Dare to block His Highness's sedan chair in the street, it is already a capital crime!"

Zhu Tan shook his head.

With curiosity in his heart, he said to the guard: "I said, you go ask them!"

The guard immediately said: "I obey, villain!"

Subsequently.

The two began to communicate.

no way.

without being sure of the other party's intentions.

Zhu Tan will not show up!
  "Don't you deserve to be punished by the court? Why are you here now?"

the guard asked loudly.

"The villain's salt shop has been confiscated by the imperial court! Those officials who colluded with the imperial court have been imprisoned!"

The guard asked again: "Since everything has been dealt with, why do you still come to see me?"

"In addition to the salt shop, our rice shop and bicycle shop have also been affected! Now they have all been closed down by the court!

Although the villain took the wrong path with salt, he did nothing wrong in other businesses!

Please have mercy, Your Highness! Spare the lives of the little people! "

Zhu Tan finally understood after hearing this.

original.

These people are considered the least capable among the salt merchants.

However, even if you have no ability, as long as you are a salt merchant, you will be punished by the court.

At the same time, the court is also very evil.

During the disposal, they even closed down their rice and bicycle shops!

In this way, although the remaining Shanxi merchants escaped, they fell into a new desperate situation!
  nothing left!
  but.

This matter has nothing to do with Zhu Tan.

Zhu Tan didn't bother to care about these profiteers.

He just said calmly: "Searching your assets is a matter for the court and has nothing to do with me! Let's disperse!"

The words fell.

Zhu Tan's guards are about to drive them away.

did not expect.

Someone had already shouted.

"The villain has something important in his hands that he wants to present to His Highness! I just ask His Highness to show mercy and unblock the villain's property!"

Zhu Tan thought for a while and said to the guard beside him: "Go get that thing!"

The guards take orders.

soon.

The guard delivered an exquisite box.

Zhu Tan said: "I am afraid there is a trap, please open it!"

Guard:.
  Are you afraid of me?

However, he did not dare not follow Zhu Tan's order, so he had to open the box carefully. Fortunately, there was no mechanism.

There were just a few pages in the box.

The chief guard breathed a sigh of relief and said to Zhu Tan: "Your Highness, this box has no mechanism. Don't worry. There are a few pages in the box. Your Highness, please take a look!"

Zhu Tan shook his head and said: "I am afraid that this paper is poisonous! Take it out and read it to me!"

Guard:.
  resignedly.

The guard had no choice but to take out the paper and start reading.

"In July of the fifteenth year of Hongwu, Guo Huan, the left minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs and the acting minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, embezzled two million shi of autumn grain from western Zhejiang!

In October of the 30th year of Hongwu, Guo Huan colluded with Sun Heng, an official of Huai'an Prefecture in Southern Zhili Province, to set up food money, god and Buddha money, etc., and collected more treasure notes!

February of the seventeenth year of Hongwu."

Zhu Tan's eyes widened when he heard this!

He yelled repeatedly: "Shut up! Shut up for me!"

Zhu Tan didn't remember until this moment.

in history.

In the eighteenth year of Hongwu, the Guo Huan case, known as one of the four major Hongwu cases, broke out at this point in time!
  Shouldn't this be reported by the censor?

Why did it fall into my hands first now?

　Please support me! Today is another emergency! Again, if there are typos, the author will apologize first and then correct them! Please discover more and catch more bugs. Thank you.

　　
  　
  (End of this chapter)