This year, candidates from all over the country will go to Shengjing for the spring examination.
The emperor valued civil officials over military officials, and after taking power, he had always wanted to cultivate his own talents among the civil officials. This was because a large number of people in the court had a great relationship with Empress Dowager De'an.
And this spring examination is a good opportunity!
Shili Street was the place he had chosen before. He wanted to provide a place for candidates from other places to shelter from the wind and rain so that they could prepare for the exam with peace of mind.
The conflict between the aristocratic families and the poor students has become increasingly sharp. In the past, when the Empress Dowager was still alive, she was able to maintain a balance.
Although the Empress Dowager herself came from an aristocratic family, she treated students from poorer backgrounds with great courtesy. She only considered ability and moral character in her court, regardless of status or background. However, after the Emperor took power, he inevitably became unfair.
He talks about fairness and justice, but more often than not, he still favors the interests of the aristocratic families.
After all, the emperor cannot do without the support of the aristocratic families.
The idea of buying the shops on Shili Street and having the government manage them to provide accommodation for candidates taking the exam was not proposed by the emperor.
Instead, it was the civil servants who cared about the poor students and submitted the memorial after collective discussion.
It was precisely because of the large number of participants that the emperor had to take it seriously. Although many noble families opposed it, in order to win over the poor students, the emperor finally agreed.
As soon as this news was announced, it immediately received unanimous praise from the people!
They all praised the emperor for his compassion for his people and for considering even such small matters for the students. He was truly a wise ruler!
When Shen Ruoyan heard these words, he felt mixed emotions.
This was the case with the common people. To them, it didn't really matter who sat there. After all, it was so far away that some people might never have the chance to visit the imperial city, let alone see the emperor.
All they care about is how much tax they have to pay and whether they can have enough to eat this year.
A good emperor is one who can do practical things for the people, no matter what his surname or name is!
"Madam, the government has contacted us!" Qiu Ye ran in excitedly from outside. She was still wondering what the place in Shili Street was for, but now, she was smiling so hard that she couldn't close her mouth.
After buying the inn, the lady asked her to find someone to renovate it as quickly as possible.
Now, the inn has been built up to several floors, and later they also bought the land next to it, directly connected it to create an economical and practical dormitory, no matter how many people come, they can accommodate it.
The government was the first to find them!
Qiu Ye took out the deed and placed it on Shen Ruoyan's desk. "It says that all candidates who come to Beijing to take the imperial examinations will stay here. The government will pay for it, and we will be responsible for their reception."
Shen Ruoyan had expected this to happen, otherwise, she wouldn't have gone to watch it in person.
"Tell them to treat these candidates well and absolutely not to treat them poorly based on their appearance!"
Even if the government would give money to the candidates, it would still be difficult to make much money from it. Especially in order to create the largest capacity, the money Shen Ruoyan spent on renovations during this period exceeded the cost.
But it doesn't matter, because she didn't go there for this in the first place.
Worried that Qiu Ye didn't understand, Shen Ruoyan explained again: "Those who are able to go to Beijing to take the exam are all capable. Even if they don't pass this time, they may become famous next time. Therefore, our inn must maintain a good relationship with them. We don't seek flattery, but we must be honest."
Flattery may not necessarily work for a scholar, but respect will definitely leave a good impression.
There were so many wealthy and powerful people in Shengjing City that bullying seemed to have become tacitly tolerated. Others followed suit, and those without a powerful background found it difficult to make a single move here.
Shen Ruoyan had heard before that some candidates from other places couldn't find a good inn to stay in because of their poor clothing. In the end, they could only rent a house in a place like Shili Street. Even then, they might still be harassed by the locals.
Sometimes, bullying the good and fearing the evil is indeed frustrating.
Therefore, this is also the reason why those civil servants who came from humble backgrounds jointly recommended this matter.
Because these are the paths they have walked and the hardships they have endured.
Once you have an umbrella, you don’t want others to get wet in the rain.
Shen Ruoyan spared no expense, just to provide these students with a good study environment. If there were any who passed the exam, then her inn would also increase in popularity - most importantly, all the candidates gathered here, which meant that they could make friends here.
Qin Shaobei is one of them.
"I didn't expect the venue provided by the government to be so good! It's even better than the inn I spent a lot of money to stay in before!"
"Yeah! I thought it would just be enough to keep me out of the wind and rain, but now it seems like it's way beyond that!"
"Your Majesty is truly wise and considerate of the people. I must study hard for the exam and serve the court!"
The first floor of the inn is a public tea room with free tea and tables and chairs, which is convenient for candidates to relax in their spare time.
When Qin Shaobei came in, he heard the people inside talking loudly. First they thanked the emperor for his grace, then they expressed their loyalty in various ways. If the exam were to start tomorrow, they would probably want to go to the temple to study!
"It is a blessing for us that you brothers have such ambition!"
He walked forward with a loud laugh, waving a folding fan in his hand, a jade crown on his head, and a huge jade ring on his thumb. When he walked in front of the crowd, he sparkled in the sunlight, making it hard to ignore him.
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