Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 210: Grand Text's Shocking Method

May 14, the 13th year of Jiazhao.

In Qingzhizhai, Wu'er was sorting out the clothes that Jia Cong had taken off last night.

Today is the third session of the special provincial examination. Jia Cong returned home and spent the night there. He went back to the Imperial Examination Hall early in the morning to take the exam.

When he came back last night, Zhishao, Wu'er and others asked him about it. Jia Cong said that he had performed smoothly in the first two rounds, and as long as he performed normally in the third round, he would most likely win something in this special examination.

Whenever Wu'er thought of the confidence and calmness on his face, she would always feel moved and couldn't help but smile.

At this time, Qingwen was just coming back from outside with a strange look on her face.

When she saw Wu'er, she whispered in her ear, "Wu'er, I just went to help Sister Yuanyang with needlework, and she told me that Young Master Rong of the East Mansion will be getting married on the second day of next month."

Wu Er whispered, "I heard from my mother the day before yesterday when I went home that Master Dongfu Zhen went to Xuanzhen Temple, and Master Jing, who was practicing in the temple, personally divined and selected the date."

Qingwen asked quickly, "You were on duty last night, and I heard Third Master talking to you for a long time. You didn't tell Third Master about this, did you?"

Wu Er replied: "How can I be so confused? The Third Master has three exams today. Telling him about this will confuse his mind. How can he take the exam? Nothing is more important than the Third Master's future.

These days, the third master has been taking the imperial examinations in the Imperial Academy and only comes back for one night out of three days. The master is afraid of disturbing him and never calls him over to question him.

Even the girls don't come over because I'm afraid he'll be distracted. Otherwise, if he moves around too much, even if I don't tell him, the Third Master might know. It's better this way now. I won't be afraid after three rounds."

Qingwen heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Fortunately you didn't say anything, so Third Master wouldn't have to worry about it and ruin his reputation. In fact, this would happen sooner or later. Although Third Master never said anything, he knew it in his heart."

……

Today is the first day of the third session of the Enke County Examination. After the test of the previous two sessions, the students who took the examination have different feelings because of their different performances.

Some people are full of confidence, as if passing the exam is just around the corner; some are nervous, pinning their hopes on one last try in the three exams; and some are indifferent, perhaps having a plan in mind.

The third round of the provincial examination tests practical policy essays, with a total of five policy essay questions, four sub-topics and one main topic.

Since Emperor Jiazhao ascended the throne, his style has emphasized practical application, advocated practical results, opposed empty learning, spent his entire life studying classics, and talked about state affairs in vain.

In the imperial examinations, more emphasis was placed on practical talent. Students who studied the classics mechanically, ignored their own hardships, and engaged in idle talk were extremely disgusted.

Therefore, the importance of practical policy essays in the autumn and spring examinations was continuously raised during the Jiazhao Dynasty and became an important consideration in determining whether one passed the examination.

Some students may not perform well in one or two book classics exams, but if they have highlights in the three policy essays, they will still have a great chance of passing the exam.

On the contrary, if one is well-versed in the classics and can write the eight-legged essay meticulously and without omissions, but his policy essays are empty and meaningless, he will fail in the exam.

Therefore, the three practical essay tests are crucial for all students. Whether one can enter the imperial court one day almost depends on one essay.

In the Imperial Examination Hall, the drum for passing the imperial examination was struck three times, and the officials of the Imperial Examination Hall held up the examination plaques with three policy essay questions written on them, and walked back and forth in front of each row of examination halls.

Jia Cong saw that there were five policy essay questions on the plaque, four of which were about current affairs, involving practical matters such as maritime administration, local governance, river defense, and taxation.

The questions asked were not difficult. After all, the Autumn Examination was only the middle of the imperial examination. It was to test students' perception of current affairs, and the questions would not set any difficult or specialized requirements.

As long as students do not study blindly, but pay attention to, think about, and have insights into the surrounding practical matters, they can basically answer the questions smoothly. The only difference lies in personal perspective and depth, which is also the key to ultimate success.

These four questions involved matters such as maritime administration, local governance, river defense, and taxation. Jia Cong had personal experience in Jinling and had already thought about some of them.

Some of them are discussed in detail in the bibliography listed by Liu Jing'an.

In daily teaching and conversations between master and apprentice, Liu Jing'an touched upon all of the above-mentioned practical issues, especially the land annexation in the south of the Yangtze River, the taxation of fields and salt, and the people's livelihood problems, on which he had very in-depth explanations.

Of course, some viewpoints are not convenient to write in the provincial examination answer sheet, but as long as you select the key points, it will be enough to hit the key points of these test questions.

Therefore, the first four questions were not too difficult for Jia Cong.

Every time at this time, Jia Cong felt sincerely grateful that he had a famous teacher like Liu Jing'an, which put him one step ahead of others almost at the starting line.

It is no wonder that Cai Xiaoyu and others can't hide their envy when talking about him having a teacher like Liu Jingjing'an.

When Jia Cong saw the last essay question, he was stunned for a moment, and a strange feeling came over him. "Today's scholars are well-versed in the classics, seeking official positions, but lacking moral integrity, and following the old ways. Why is this so? How can we correct this?"

I don’t know what the examiner was thinking to ask such an obscure and sharp question.

Asking scholars taking part in the imperial examination to write such policy essays is too harsh and is really like a slap in the face.

Those who studied for the imperial examinations did so simply to seek official positions and salaries, to escape from the status of common people, to join the class of bureaucrats and scholar-officials, and to gain better benefits and voice for themselves.

Among a hundred scholars, it is estimated that there is not even one who studies for the sake of the Confucian teachings of sages and pursues academic research in order to explore the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

Although most of the scholars talk high-sounding words, they are only seeking official positions and wealth in their hearts.

Especially for those who studied from poor families and entered official career, once they no longer had to worry about food and clothing, they might have the idea of ​​establishing a career. This is simply human nature.

This is what is meant by, today's scholars, who are well versed in books and classics, seek official positions and salaries, but their moral integrity is not strong.

It was a bit demanding and sharp, but it could not be said to be unreasonable. This strict style and spirit reminded Jia Cong of the emperor who was as scheming as the sea.

The examiner would ask such a question, which seems to be in accordance with the emperor's will.

Everyone knows that before Emperor Jiazhao ascended the throne, he was just an ordinary prince, but after he ascended the throne, he became brilliant and glorious. He was a person who paid the most attention to economy and practicality, and despised the hypocrisy and compromise of officials.

For example, when submitting memorials to officials, although they are written in parallel and elegant sentences with beautiful language, only one-tenth or one-twelfth of their words are meaningful, and they often contain sharp sarcasm, criticizing them for losing the ambition of studying, investigating things and cultivating virtue.

This led to complaints from Confucian scholars in the court and the public, all saying that the current emperor had some literary flaws.

Examiners would ask such policy essay questions mostly to please the emperor and promote his practical ideas.

Perhaps such a policy topic was the original intention of the Holy Spirit.

Emperor Jia Zhao always had the style of taking advantage of the situation to the extreme. Since he had opened the imperial examination, it would surely attract the attention of scholars all over the world. The emperor would probably not miss such a good opportunity to show his sacred heart.

It is also possible that through the imperial examination questions, the students' vision and hearing could be corrected, the mediocre study habits could be eliminated, and practical theories of governing the country could be promoted.

Jia Cong looked at this somewhat strange essay question again, and thought of many past events. He pondered over it for a long time, and gradually understood it. His thoughts surged, and he became more ambitious. He dipped his pen in ink and concentrated his mind, and wrote the following draft:
The ancient sages first set clear goals and then traveled far and wide to study hard. Therefore, their learning and virtue improved every moment.

Today's so-called scholars steal the gold and jade from the sages and wise men, and steal the aspirations of enlightening virtue. Compared with the ancient sages and wise men, they are truly shameful.

Scholars use books and classics to seek official positions, become obsessed with fame and fortune, and abandon the teachings of sages.

After years of official career, he has become worldly-wise in speech, filthy in expression, and indulged in desires. This is very different from the time when he first started studying and was self-aware as a Confucian scholar.

He speaks without substance and uses without method; he is indulged in discussions of decline and decay, yet enjoys talking about them; he has lost the method of investigating things and understanding the truth, yet is unaware.

He has spent his whole life studying classics, and regards the suffering of the people as a fire across the river; he talks about empty words, and ignores the ambitions of the ancient sages to help others and treats them as grass and worn-out shoes.

……

This is what is meant by learning without ambition, acting without reason, losing the mind's roots, and following the old ways.

Therefore, observe the laws of heaven and earth, examine the origins of all things, explore the subtleties of scholars' aspirations, and use them to correct them.

We should cultivate our lofty aspirations, establish our mind for the heaven and earth, establish our destiny for the people, carry on the lost knowledge of the ancient sages, and bring peace to the world for all generations!

……

At this time, thunder rumbled, and a heavy rain poured down without warning, and a powerful force between heaven and earth came towards us.

The senior student opposite who had taken the exam many times suddenly felt something in his heart and looked up at the opposite side.

Seeing the young man in the examination room opposite, writing furiously, with a graceful demeanor, a solemn expression, and a dignified manner, it was difficult to look closely, and I couldn't help but feel a little surprised.

　Why do people only read the last four sentences? The first ones are the results of my brain cells, which wasted a lot of my emotions.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)