Chapter 2050 Different Opinions
Man Bao said, "I know this. The Crown Prince and Kong Jijiu came together."
Feng Zongping was stunned and asked, "How do you know?"
"The Crown Prince and Kong Jijiu just came to inspect the examination hall. We were sitting in the teahouse outside when we ran into each other, and the Crown Prince told us that."
The exam was already halfway through, so it was useless to know who set the questions.
No one expected the prince to ask such a question. It was really... too difficult.
After a day of working at high speed, everyone was tired, so they just chatted for a while and then went home.
Old Madam Liu and Mr. Zhuang were already waiting for them in the carriage. After Bai Shan paid his respects to his grandmother and mother, he ran over with Manbao and the others to sit with Mr. Zhuang.
Seeing how lively they were, Mrs. Liu knew that they would most likely fail the exam, and since she had already let it go, she shook her head, smiled, and let them do as they pleased.
Bai Shan and his friends went to talk to Mr. Zhuang about the topic of this year's imperial examination.
Mr. Zhuang hadn't expected the current affairs policy to be so difficult. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I seem to have heard from the Chancellery and the Crown Prince that the equal distribution of land in some areas will no longer be possible."
The four of them were puzzled, "Why?"
Mr. Zhuang thought for a moment and said, "There are more people and less land. Every year, more and more men reach adulthood. Some places have long been unable to provide sufficient permanent farmland and per capita land."
Bai Dalang frowned, "So we need to change the policy of equal distribution of land?"
Mr. Zhuang asked, "What are you writing?"
Bai Dalang: "...I think the equal distribution policy is good, but it's not good to restrict the sale of perpetual land. I think it should be opened up. Some families continue to use their money to do something, or want to move, but because perpetual land cannot be bought and sold, it restricts them a lot."
Bai Shan said, "My eldest cousin and I have exactly the opposite idea. Other things may be changeable, but the restriction on the sale of perpetual land is the most unchangeable."
He said, "Looking back at past dynasties, there have always been instances of popular rebellion. While this was certainly due to the instigation of treacherous officials, the rioters were likely refugees who had lost their land. Why did they become refugees? Besides natural disasters, it was because they had lost their land."
"Once the perpetual farmland can be bought and sold, more people will lose their land in the future. Those who lose their land will have no livelihood, and the world will be in chaos."
Bai Dalang laughed and said, "You're just exaggerating. The permanent farmland market is simply to make it easier for the people, allowing them to move around more freely and choose their livelihoods. They have their own hands and feet, and they can judge the consequences of selling the land."
Bai Shan said: "There are so many fools in the world, and even more greedy people. I'm afraid they can't judge the consequences of selling the land, so this opportunity cannot be opened."
Bai Erlang and Manbao also think so.
Bai Zhi was stunned when he saw him being surrounded by three people. "You three are unified, so what you two wrote is the same?"
Bai Shan said, "I'm still writing about the policy of equal distribution of land, but I also guessed the reason for this question. My guess is that some people don't like the policy of equal distribution of land, and there is not enough land now, so I wrote some changes, and also emphasized that permanent farmland cannot be sold."
Bai Erlang blushed and said, "I, I just wrote down what I know about the equal distribution of land and expressed some opinions."
Mr. Zhuang also became interested and asked, "What opinions did you write?"
"I think the equal distribution of land policy is a good one, better than any previous policy."
Four masters and apprentices: ...
Mr. Zhuang simply reached out and touched his head, then said, "While it's still fresh in your memory, memorize your own article when you go back."
The three of them murmured yes.
After returning, I washed, ate, and then went into the study to memorize.
Manbao followed Mr. Zhuang and read the article they had written down. Mr. Zhuang read it faster than she did. He handed it to her and asked, "What do you think?"
Man Bao said, "Bai Shan writes the best. Senior Brother Bai's words are quite meaningful, so he's second best."
Bai Dalang and Bai Erlang looked up at her together.
Manbao handed over Bai Shan's portion and said, "I'm not being partial. This is the real deal."
Bai Dalang reached out and took it to look at it, only then did he discover that Bai Shan had also written about the pros and cons of taxes related to the equal-field policy.
Bai Dalang felt a little regretful. Why didn’t he think of this?
Bai Dalang frowned and thought for a moment before asking, "Shan Cousin, I remember you were ranked eighteenth on the general ranking list, right?"
Bai Shan nodded, "Not bad."
Bai Dalang looked at Mr. Zhuang.
Mr. Zhuang stroked his beard and thought, "Who knows, maybe you can actually pass the exam this time."
Bai Shan was surprised, "No way, my introduction and thesis are not good."
This time the topic was too difficult. The reason why he could write so much was because he had read some books that Manbao brought out that mentioned a sentence or two about the pros and cons of the equal-field system, but he had never learned about the current situation and details of the equal-field policy in this dynasty.
What he knew and felt was very shallow, so he had no confidence.
You have to know that in the past, when they wrote the current affairs policies assigned by the teachers, they would need at least five days to prepare an article, and another two or three days to finish it.
Not only do you have to check the classics, but sometimes you also have to go to the six ministries to ask for relevant data.
No one expected the question to be so difficult this time, as none of them had a detailed understanding of the current equal distribution of land policy.
The equal distribution of land policy that they have seen in their lives... is pretty good.
At least every year after autumn, when the village distributes land to adult men, it is very lively and as joyful as the New Year.
Therefore, when it comes to the pros and cons of the equal-field policy, the three brothers all agree on it.
But the reason why the prince asked this question was to seek advice. The prince was not very satisfied with the answers of the three people, but Bai Shan's paper was indeed better than Bai Dalang and Bai Erlang's.
The prince took out Bai Shan's paper, looked at it carefully, and put it aside, frowning.
The examiners knew that the prince was not very satisfied, but...
Several people showed the prince the papers they had just looked at.
As expected, the prince's frown deepened after he turned over. "Is there not a single person of insight here?"
Kong Jijiu pulled out a few from the side and showed them to him, saying, "These are pretty good."
After reading it, the prince's brow relaxed a little, but he was still not very satisfied.
Kong Jijiu said, "Your Highness, these are still students. They have no experience in government. It is very good that they have such an understanding. We cannot expect them to be like the civil and military officials in the court."
The prince was looking down at a paper. Upon hearing this, he threw the paper in front of him and snorted coldly, "It is precisely because we are still students that we should be ambitious and energetic. What kind of knowledge is it to flatter others? People like this are all gone."
"There is no shortage of officials in the court. What I want to know is whether there are any hidden gems in the world."
Kong Jijiu was very satisfied with the prince's current state of seeking talents, but he was not satisfied with his attitude towards court officials. However, he did not admonish him in front of everyone, but planned to mention it privately after going out.
So he changed the subject and said, "Your Highness, the results of poetry and classics are in. Once the results of current affairs are in, we can determine the order."
See you tomorrow
(End of this chapter)
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