Chapter 128 128 Self-humiliation
February 22nd, the day of the county examination.
Just after the hour of Yin, the candidates stood up.
Wash up, have breakfast, prepare exam supplies and food, and then carry the exam basket to the exam room.
The county examination consists of five consecutive sessions, with the county magistrate setting the questions himself. It is relatively easy to take, and as long as you prepare carefully, you can almost pass it.
During this period, the palace soldiers were patrolling outside the examination hall to maintain public order and prevent people with ulterior motives from taking the opportunity to cause trouble.
Five days passed in a flash.
All the candidates who took part in this year's county examination were upright people with lofty ambitions, so no one would do something stupid like cheating, which would ruin their future.
The candidates handed in their papers and left the examination room one after another.
It was evening, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the earth, dispelling some of the chill.
Everyone looked up at the sky and breathed a sigh of relief.
This time, the exam was successfully completed. I only need to wait five days to know the results of the county exam.
If you pass by chance, it means you are one step closer to becoming a successful scholar.
"Zhu still feels it's unreal. Did we really finish the county exam?"
"I, Huang, feel the same way. I originally thought I would never be able to take the imperial examinations in my lifetime, but I never expected that I would live to see the Shaoqing Prefecture undergo a transformation and reopen the imperial examination system."
"Let's go back to the inn and wait for news. I'm exhausted after all these days."
As the candidates leave the examination room, the examiners seal the examination papers and send them to the marking office.
The examiners did not dare to delay for a moment and started the marking work in full swing.
......
After Du Qingtang taught the students of the provincial school, he returned to the government office under the rosy clouds.
The clerk saw her and hurried forward to greet her: "Sir, there is a lady who claims to be the aunt in charge of Princess Zhaoyang's residence. She has come to discuss cooperation on woolen sweaters on behalf of the princess. She has been waiting at Binxing Pavilion for over an hour."
Princess Zhaoyang?
Du Qingtang thought of the beautiful lady who was in her prime but had withered and decayed. His eyes moved slightly and he strode towards Binxing Pavilion.
The clerk hesitated for a moment and then quickly followed.
In case the prefect has any needs, he can lend a hand at the first opportunity.
When Yuan Shuang saw the woman in the crimson official robes appear, she immediately understood her identity and bowed: "Your servant Yuan Shuang greets Lord Du."
Du Qingtang sat at the head of the table and asked directly, "I heard from the people below that you came to Shaoqing Mansion to discuss cooperation on woolen sweaters on behalf of His Highness?"
Yuanshuang was nearly forty years old, with white hair, a kind face and shrewd eyes.
At this moment, she bowed her head respectfully, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "My Lord, I came here precisely for the woolen coat."
"Two months ago, at the New Year's Eve palace banquet, a lady attended wearing a woolen sweater. His Highness was delighted to see her, but he searched all the major clothing stores in the capital and couldn't find any woolen sweaters."
"Your Highness really likes it and wants to open a shop specializing in woolen clothes in Xiajing, so I sent this servant to discuss cooperation with you and the garment factory."
Du Qingtang took a sip of tea and was quite surprised.
The owner of Xiajing's clothing store was arrogant and conceited. Under her instructions, woolen clothes were sold in almost all the 138 prefectures of Daxia, except Xiajing, which was an exception and had no trace of woolen clothes.
Unexpectedly, this woolen sweater caught the eye of Princess Zhaoyang. Not only did she send people to search all over Xiajing for it, she also came here from afar just to discuss cooperation.
Princess Zhaoyang is a member of the royal family, a hundred times better than the owner of the clothing store. Du Qingtang also feels a little pity for her because of her experience, so naturally he would not reject her intention to cooperate.
Du Qingtang put down his teacup, called the clerk waiting at the door, and asked him to bring over a cooperation agreement.
The clerk returned quickly and handed the deed to Yuan Shuang.
Du Qingtang clasped his fingers together and said calmly, "Please take a look at the terms in the contract first. If you can accept them, we can continue the discussion."
Yuan Shuang read through the sentences word by word, and after a while, she said, "No problem."
This Lord Du is truly a remarkable man. He did not make any concessions because of the prince's status, but instead set a clear price and treated everyone equally.
The garment factory shares the profits with other garment shops on a 50-50 basis, and the same is true for His Highness.
This is very good. We can discuss cooperation in a proper manner and Your Highness doesn't have to accept her favor.
Yuan Shuang's thoughts raced, but her face remained unmoved. "I don't have any ink, brush, or ink pad with me, so I need Master Du..."
"There's no rush for this matter." Du Qingtang seemed unaware of Yuan Shuang's probing gaze and said calmly, "It's getting late. Why don't you stay in the inner house for the night? You can visit the garment factory tomorrow morning. If the sweater meets your requirements, it won't be too late to sign the contract later."
Yuan Shuang pondered for a moment and nodded slightly: "Then I'll trouble you, Master Du."
Du Qingtang said it was okay and personally led Yuan Shuang into the inner house.
The east wing was still empty, so Yuan Shuang would stay there tonight.
Back in the lobby, Wu Tongzhi and others had been looking forward to it for a long time.
"How did the conversation go, sir?"
"I thought the first people to come would be the owners of those ready-made clothing shops, but who would have thought it would be someone from the Princess's Mansion."
"That's good. Xiajing is full of powerful people. A falling brick could hit a fifth-rank official. She's a princess, of noble status. The garment factory can be relied upon."
Du Qingtang disagreed: "The garment factory is government-run, Shaoqing Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture, and there is a one-to-one wool supplier. Who would dare to take advantage of it?"
Even if he really has that ability, he has to make the people of Heyang County willing to provide the wool.
You know, from the opening of Fumin Garment Factory to the present day, countless people have come here to buy wool from the herders in Heyang County.
Fortunately, those herdsmen were grateful and refused sternly.
Wu Tongzhi pressed the issue, "Excuse me, sir, is the deal concluded?"
Du Qingtang shook his head: "Take her to visit the garment factory tomorrow."
This was within Wu Tongzhi's expectations. The aunt who managed the Princess's residence was not the owner of an ordinary clothing store, so it was normal for her to act cautiously. He then bowed and replied, "Your humble servant will obey your orders, Your Excellency."
Soon, the gong sounded, signaling the end of the shift.
Du Qingtang returned to the third hall and found the doors and windows of the east wing closed. After asking Du Yi, he learned that Yuan Shuang had already had dinner, washed up and rested.
She went back to her room and changed into her regular clothes. When she came out again, she saw Du Qingzhu standing at the door of the west wing. He waved at her and called softly, "Xianyu, come here."
Du Qingtang stepped forward as he was told: "What's wrong?"
Du Qingzhu did not answer immediately, but closed the door first and pulled the youngest child inside.
Du Qingtang frowned slightly and walked into the study to find Du Qingju sitting behind the desk reading a letter with a serious expression.
Du Qingzhu finally spoke up, "A letter came from Baoding Prefecture saying that the Guo family adopted a son from a relative's family to Guo Qian before the Lunar New Year. Fifth Sister agreed, and the child was registered in her and Guo Qian's names during the first month of the year."
"Adopted?" Du Qingtang's brow furrowed deeper, and he was clearly displeased. "Why did you only inform us now about something that happened years ago?"
Du Qingju raised the letter paper and said, "Fifth sister said she would have sent a letter to you on the third day of the first lunar month, but something unexpected happened on the way and the letter was lost. She got the news and sent a new one, so it was delayed until March."
Du Qingtang took the letter and read it quickly, his face slightly cold. "The Guo family proposed adoption, and Fifth Sister actually agreed?"
Du Qingzhu sighed, "Fifth sister has been married to Guo Qian for several years. Xiao Ba checked her pulse and there's nothing wrong with her, but they still don't have a child."
"I think the Guo family probably used the excuse that not having an heir is the worst form of unfilial piety to force my fifth sister to agree to the adoption."
Du Qingju frowned, "Fifth sister said that the child was a posthumous child, and the biological mother was Guo Qian's cousin. I read it carefully and I feel like there's something fishy going on."
Du Qingzhu stroked his chin in deep thought. After a moment, he clapped his hands and said something shocking: "Could it be that he had a child born out of adultery?!"
Du Qingju's throat tightened and she clenched her fingers suddenly. The inexplicable feeling that had been lingering in her heart since she read the letter finally became clear.
Du Qingtang leaned against the corner of the table with his arms folded, his eyes cold. "Even we can see the trick, so it's impossible that Fifth Sister didn't notice it."
Du Qingzhu slammed the table in anger, cursing angrily: "Guo Qian, that beast, how dare he betray my fifth sister?!"
"It's not the first time we've known that Guo Qian is a double-faced person, sweet on the outside but treacherous on the inside." Du Qingju pursed her lips tightly, her tone firm, "And the Guo family, they're in cahoots with Guo Qian, they must know about this."
Du Qingzhu muttered, "In fact, back when Xianyu was murdered and exiled, and Guo Qian turned against her, Fifth Sister should have divorced him, escaped from that den of thieves, and lived a carefree life from then on. I really don't understand why Fifth Sister wants to continue to stay with Guo Qian when the Guo family is in such a state."
Du Qingtang raised his eyebrows slightly: "Didn't Fifth Sister tell you?"
Du Qingzhu and Du Qingju both looked confused: "What did you say?"
Du Qingtang roughly recounted the conversation she had had with Du Qingmei when she had tried to persuade her to divorce, and how Du Qingmei had persuaded her in return. Finally, with a somewhat complicated expression, she said, "I thought you all knew."
Du Qingju opened her mouth and it took a long while before she found her voice again: "From my eldest sister to me, all the sisters advised her to divorce Guo Qian. After all, the family can afford to support her."
"Fifth Sister said she had her own considerations and didn't say anything else. We were worried that if we said too much, she would become depressed and thinner like before, so we didn't ask any further questions."
"Later, Xianyu, you returned to Xiajing, and Guo Qian's attitude improved. He was very sweet to Fifth Sister, so we stopped talking about it."
Du Qingzhu spread his hands: "Xianyu, you also know that Fifth Sister always has a plan for what she does."
Du Qingtang rubbed his brows and said, "It's my negligence. I was so absorbed in the officialdom before that I didn't even..."
Before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by Du Qingju: "This has nothing to do with you. It was Fifth Sister's own choice. It's not like you didn't try to persuade her at the time."
Du Qingju paused and sighed: "Combined with what you just said, Xianyu, I can probably guess what Fifth Sister is thinking."
Du Qingzhu continued, "Fifth sister wants to be both an official's wife and a female teacher, but I still don't understand why she has to ask for trouble and raise someone else's child."
In particular, the child was most likely the result of an affair between Guo Qian and his newly widowed cousin.
A cold expression flashed across Du Qingju's beautiful and gentle face: "If it weren't for my fifth sister, I really wanted to end Guo Qian's career."
There are many ways to end a scholar's official career. The simplest and most brutal one is to have someone break his pen-holding hand.
With his right hand disabled, Guo Qian would be just a juren for the rest of his life.
Du Qingzhu was so anxious that she scratched her head and cheeks, feeling quite disappointed: "Fifth sister is such a smart person, how could she be so confused about something like this?"
"Everyone pursues different things." Du Qingtang said calmly, "First, write back to Fifth Sister and ask her to divorce Guo Qian. After the divorce, she can stay in Baoding Prefecture or come to Shaoqing Prefecture. I will protect her."
After the divorce, she will make Guo Qian regret his life.
Du Qingju immediately sat back, took out a blank piece of letter paper, picked up the pen and dipped it in ink, and began to write quickly at the desk.
Du Qingzhu still had concerns: "What if Fifth Sister still refuses to divorce?"
Du Qingtang looked at the orange-red candlelight without saying a word.
Du Qingzhu didn't get a response and cast a puzzled look at the youngest.
But the youngest one's eyebrows and eyes were cold, and for a moment, he was like an ice sculpture that was freezing cold.
The shell is cold, and so is the heart.
Du Qingzhu shuddered and felt inexplicably frightened. His tongue became tied and he couldn't bring himself to ask further questions.
Du Qingju quickly finished writing the letter and handed it to Du Qingtang: "It's getting late, let's send it out tomorrow."
Du Qingtang hummed and put the envelope into the secret pocket of his wide sleeve: "No more talking, let's eat first."
Dinner was prepared by the cook. After dinner, Du Qingtang went straight to the study, while Zhu and Ju went to the west wing hand in hand.
"Xiao Ba, Xianyu looks very angry."
"Fifth Sister... Although everyone has their own aspirations and female teachers are respected, the status of an official's wife is higher than that of a female teacher. But I don't want Fifth Sister to compromise like this."
"Xianyu spent so much effort teaching us to read and write, so that we can achieve what we have today, but it's not to let men cheat on us and raise children for other women."
"Actually, if you think about it carefully, human desires are endless. Even if you have a thousand dollars, you want ten thousand more. It's not just Fifth Sister, I'm the same way." Du Qingzhu crossed her arms over her chest. "Not only do I want to open Food Fragrance Pavilions all over Daxia, I also want everyone to know that I'm a female host with excellent cooking skills and literary talent."
"Who isn't?" Du Qingju sighed and looked up at the moon. "Let's see what Fifth Sister decides."
......
The next day, Wu Tongzhi took Yuanshuang to visit the garment factory.
Even though he was well prepared, Yuan Shuang, who was usually calm, could not hide his surprise when he saw the crowds of workers in the garment factory, each doing their own job and busy as hell.
"May I ask, Sir Wu, how many workers are there in the garment factory?"
Wu Tongzhi caught the amazement in Yuan Shuang's eyes, held his head high, and announced with immense pride: "Originally, the garment factory had only 5,000 workers. Later, we gradually recruited and expanded, and now we have a total of 23,000 workers."
"The prefect said that every worker hired can help a family make a living. Although there are over 100,000 households in Shaoqing Prefecture, and the garment factory is just a drop in the bucket, there is still the market, and many people set up stalls there, making a lot of money every day."
"In addition, the prefect intends to build another dried fruit factory. If the sales are good, he can also hire several thousand people."
Yuan Shuang sighed deeply, and said with heartfelt emotion: "There are not many officials like Lord Du who are so dedicated to serving the people."
Wu Tongzhi did not comment.
Everyone has selfish desires, especially when a person has power, it is difficult to resist seeking benefits for himself.
Haven’t you seen that two years ago, His Majesty sent imperial envoys to inspect the local areas, and in just a few months, hundreds of corrupt officials were beheaded.
At that time, a Tongzhi and several minor officials died in the place where Wu Tongzhi was working. The blood on the execution ground never dried up during that period. As the executioner, he still feels terrified when he thinks about it.
The scene was bloody and there were so many corrupt officials and cruel bureaucrats.
After a tour, Yuan Shuang returned to the government office and readily signed the cooperation agreement.
The deed was made in two copies, one was kept at the government office as evidence, and Yuanshuang took the other away.
"I will send someone to deliver the woolen sweaters to Xiajing as soon as possible. Your Highness, please prepare the shop in advance so that you can open it for sale after the delivery."
Yuan Shuang smiled and said, "Thank you, sir."
A month later, Yuan Shuang returned to Xiajing exhausted.
After entering the princess's mansion, the first thing she did was to report to Princess Zhaoyang: "Your Highness, I have lived up to your expectations and successfully negotiated the cooperation."
Princess Zhaoyang ordered her to stand up and check the deed.
The deed was not handwritten, but printed according to the first edition.
Princess Zhaoyang looked at the sharp handwriting and listened to Yuan Shuang recount what she had seen and heard in Shaoqing Mansion.
From public security to the appearance of the people, and then to the grand scene of tens of thousands of people working in the garment factory.
Finally, Yuan Shuang sighed, "Lady Du is truly an extraordinary woman."
Princess Zhaoyang's eyes were dim and her face showed no expression.
She is indeed a remarkable woman.
Daxia failed to save her.
Her father couldn't save her.
All the civil and military officials in the court were unable to save her.
Only Du Qingtang did it.
......
Princess Zhaoyang randomly chose a shop from the ones given to her by Emperor Qingyuan, and ordered the craftsmen to repair the shop quickly and make a sign.
Three days later, the garment factory delivered several truckloads of woolen sweaters.
The craftsmen worked tirelessly and completed the renovation of the shop on that day.
On the fourth day, a shop named "Fumin Clothing" officially opened.
Princess Zhaoyang was not short of money. She hired twelve servants, divided into two groups, who wore woolen coats and took turns shouting at the door.
"Selling wool sweaters! Wool sweaters in various colors and styles!"
"The wool sweater is soft and comfortable, lightweight and warm. Don't miss it if you pass by!"
In early April, Xiajing was in late spring.
Taking into account the temperature in Xiajing, Du Qingtang asked the garment factory to send him thin woolen sweaters for spring and autumn.
And improvements have been made on the original basis. In addition to the woolen sweater worn inside, there is also a woolen jacket.
Both the inner layer and the outer layer are thin, which is just right to wear at this time, not too hot or too cold. They are embroidered with various patterns and decorations, making them exquisite and fashionable.
Thanks to the shop assistants' hard work in promoting the business, most of the city soon knew about the existence of "Fumin Clothing".
Because Mrs. Wang wanted to buy a woolen sweater, but the noble ladies who had visited all the major clothing stores in Xiajing had come to buy nothing, they heard that Fumin Garment specialized in selling woolen sweaters, so they immediately left behind their annoying men and concubines and came together to buy.
In this way, within just a few days, woolen sweaters became popular throughout Xiajing.
The owners of the clothing stores did not expect that they could still sell woolen sweaters at this time. They threw all their manners and composures out of the window, and beat their chests and stamped their feet at home, throwing things and hitting people.
"If I had known this would happen, I would have sent someone to Shaoqing Prefecture to buy woolen sweaters!"
"It's a shame that Fumin Garment got the upper hand. Even if we continue to sell woolen clothes after winter, our business will definitely not be as good as Fumin Garment."
Little did they know that even in winter, Shaoqing Garment Factory would not let them sell woolen sweaters on their behalf.
You reap what you sow. They should have thought of this day when they kicked the people out of the garment factory.
They were destined to watch the rich people making clothes and having many guests, making a fortune every day, feeling regretful but helpless.
-
Back to the present, after five days of sleepless marking, the county exam results were finally announced.
At dawn that day, the candidates set out from their homes or inns and ran towards the local county government office in the cold wind.
When the first ray of sunlight jumped out of the horizon, the entrance of the county government office was already blocked by traffic. Looking around, there were crowds of people everywhere.
The examinees had different moods. Some were confident and talked with others, some were anxious and paced back and forth, and some were desperate and took a nap leaning against trees or walls, looking extremely relaxed.
“When will the results be announced?”
"Chenshi, it's always this time every year."
"Look at my memory. I actually forgot about this."
"I don't blame you. It's just been too many years since I took the imperial examination."
Upon hearing this, the candidates around him all smiled bitterly yet gratefully.
I am still very angry about the fact that I was not appreciated for my talent in the past.
With the restart of the imperial examination system today, the future is promising.
I don't know how long I waited, but I heard a loud shout: "Here they come!"
Everyone looked towards the gate of the county government office.
The vermilion door burst open, and the county magistrate, wearing a light green official robe, appeared with a long case in his hands, and behind him were eighteen yamen runners with swords.
The candidates bowed and said, "Your Excellency, I am your student."
The county magistrate smiled and, with the help of a clerk, posted the long case on the bulletin board. Then he said a few words of encouragement and left.
The crowd rushed forward and headed straight for the long red table.
"I won! I won, hahahaha!"
"I won too. I have to tell my parents the good news right away!"
"I failed the exam as expected."
Those who passed the exam cried with joy and danced with happiness.
Although those who failed the exam were disappointed, they did not lose heart.
They haven't studied or done exercises for a long time, so failing the exam was expected.
"We'll fight again next year."
"Congratulations, Brother Zhang. I hope you can successfully pass the examination and become a Tongsheng."
"Thanks to your good words, Zhang will definitely do his best."
Regardless of whether they passed or not, the candidates quickly calmed down, went back home, and continued studying and doing exercises.
It is the provincial examination in April and the county examination next year.
......
"Sir, this is the list of those who have passed this year's county examination. Please review it."
Du Qingtang raised his head in the midst of his busy schedule, took the thin book and started to read it.
A total of 350 candidates passed the county examination, ranging in age from 16 to 35.
Wu Tongzhi presented another thick stack of papers: "These are the examination papers of the top-ranked officials in each county."
Du Qingtang read through the articles and found that these people's articles had some flaws, but the merits outweighed the flaws. As long as they were well taught and worked harder, it would not be a problem for them to pass the examination and become a scholar.
"The provincial examination will begin on April 8th, and I will personally set the questions. The academy examination will also be held on the 12th of the same month, and I will also set the questions."
In Daxia, the academy examination was usually held in August.
However, Shaoqing Prefecture was an autonomous prefecture, and the county examination, prefectural examination, and academy examination could arrange their own examination times. Du Qingtang set the date on April 12.
Wu Tongzhi knew about this and readily said, "I will send someone to clean up the Imperial Examination Hall later."
Du Qingtang put the exam papers aside and talked about Co-magistrate Zhou: "Master Zhou has been touring various places for more than three months. He sent a message this morning and will be back in three to five days at most."
From the fifteenth day of the first lunar month to the present, Zhou Tongzhi has written letters every ten days to report on the progress of his inspections.
Facts have proved that there are people in various places in Shaoqing Prefecture who pretend to obey the law but actually break it.
Zhou Tongzhi went incognito to search for them, and those people were off guard, so he caught them all.
So far, Zhou Tongzhi has worked with local officials to deal with hundreds of people.
Du Qingtang knew that there were still some fish that slipped through the net, but at least Zhou Tongzhi's actions had a deterrent effect to a certain extent.
After hearing this, Wu Tongzhi almost cried with joy and clenched his hands excitedly.
Three months!
Three whole months!
Mr. Zhou, do you know how he has been through these three months?
Get up earlier than the chicken and sleep later than the dog.
From the moment I opened my eyes, I was like a top, spinning and spinning without stopping.
Wu Tongzhi wiped away a bitter tear and said in a trembling voice, "I understand. I will sort out all the matters later and hand them over to Lord Zhou when he returns."
Mr. Zhou, it’s time for you to taste my suffering.
Du Qingtang was unaware of Wu Tongzhi's evil intentions and waved him away.
......
Thirty-eight students gathered together in the provincial school.
"The county exam results will be announced today."
"It is expected that the Fuxue Society will welcome many new students next month."
"By then we will be taking the college entrance examination soon."
"It's been so fast! It's been almost a year since I entered the prefectural school."
Zhou Jizhong asked with a smile, "How are you all preparing? How confident are you in this year's college entrance examination?"
"Since the prefect himself set the questions, I'm a little unsure."
"Don't worry too much. We've done more than ten mock exams personally prepared by the prefect this year. Even if the regular entrance exam becomes more difficult, it won't be much different. Just keep a normal attitude and deal with it."
Gao Lin couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief after hearing this.
In the past few years, he has neglected his studies very much and has basically returned everything he has learned to his private school teacher.
During this year, he studied hard, almost risking his life.
Even if he failed the college entrance examination, he didn't want to lose too badly, otherwise he would be laughed at by his wife and children in the underworld a hundred years later.
"Brother Gao, how do we solve this problem?"
Gao Lin came back to his senses, smiled as usual, and leaned over to help his classmate solve an arithmetic problem.
In just a short while, the arithmetic problem was solved.
The classmate bowed and said, "Thank you, Brother Gao. I really admire your talent in arithmetic."
Gao Lin said he didn't dare, and his eyes, which were filled with hostility in the past, were now filled with a deep smile.
......
In addition to handling official duties, Du Qingtang took the time to prepare the questions for the provincial and academy examinations.
At the end of March, Du Qingtang went to the provincial school to teach as usual.
After the students saluted and greeted each other, Du Qingtang took a quick look and found that Zhou Jizhong and another student were missing.
"Have Zhou Jizhong and Wang Fan asked for leave?" Du Qingtang asked casually.
"Not really." The student closest to the desk shook his head. "Yesterday, we went to Zhou's Bookstore to buy some books, and we happened to see a few people relieving themselves in the street...in public. We tried to stop them, but a conflict ensued, and we ended up getting beaten up."
"We only had minor injuries. Brother Zhou and Brother Wang were the most seriously injured. Both of them dislocated their wrists and are currently recovering at home."
Du Qingtang took a closer look and found that several people in the classroom had bruises on their faces. He couldn't help but frown and asked, "Can they still take part in the college entrance examination as usual?"
"It was just a dislocation, not a fracture. We sent Brother Zhou and Brother Wang directly to Xinglintang. Doctor Du there is a skilled doctor. He quickly reset their wrists and gave them two plasters. They should be healed after three to five days of rest."
It seems that Xinglintang's reputation among the people is getting better and better.
A smile flashed across Du Qingtang's eyes as he opened the book: "Okay, let's start the class."
"clang--"
The gong sounded for the end of class. Du Qingtang left his homework and rode back to the government office.
Along the way, Du Qingtang observed carefully and found that people often urinated and defecated everywhere in the streets and alleys, and threw garbage casually, while the passers-by looked as if they were used to it.
Back at the government office, Du Qingtang summoned Magistrate Wang. "There was a conflict between the students and the people. I asked what caused it, and it turned out to be because the people were relieving themselves in public."
"I've been observing this all along the way and have discovered that similar phenomena are quite common." Du Qingtang clasped his fingers together. "It's better in the winter, but now that the weather is warmer, the odor will be extremely unpleasant when exposed to the high temperatures of summer."
Wang Tongpan nodded repeatedly, "Your Excellency is absolutely right. It was the same where I previously worked. Every summer, the stench was so overwhelming that it went straight up into my head even when I held my nose."
"The prefect at the time issued a strict order prohibiting people from relieving themselves in public, but it had little effect and they continued to do as they pleased."
Du Qingtang leaned his chin on his fingers and said, "At this time last year, I was very busy with official duties, staying at the government office and rarely going out. I really didn't pay attention to this issue."
Before in Qingyuan County, perhaps because the people were of higher quality, or perhaps because they had never encountered such a situation, no one had ever urinated or defecated in public in the places Du Qingtang often went to.
After that, when she went to Runing Prefecture, she didn't pay attention to this issue.
It was not until today, when Zhou Jizhong and Wang Fan were injured while trying to stop this phenomenon, that Du Qingtang sounded the alarm.
When talking about last year, Wang Tongzhi felt ashamed.
If they hadn't deliberately delayed time, how could the prefect get up early and work late, and be so tired of paperwork.
"I plan to build public toilets in the city, one on every street, and two or three garbage stations. Then, citizens can use the public toilets, and their garbage will have a place to go. The streets and alleys will naturally be as clean as new."
Wang Tongpan's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands and smiled, "Your Excellency is wise! We can ask the patrols to assist. If anyone is found, they will be dealt with on the spot. They will be arrested and sentenced to three days' imprisonment, a minor punishment or a major warning!"
Du Qingtang nodded: "Public toilets and garbage stations need people to clean them every day, and they can solve the livelihood problems of a small number of people."
Wang Tongpan bowed and said, "Your Excellency is so kind. I will be responsible for building the public toilets and garbage station, as well as the subsequent recruitment."
Du Qingtang was waiting for him to say this, and smiled with satisfaction: "Go ahead, and try to finish it before the provincial examination."
"yes!"
Wang Tongpan was a man of action. The next day he gathered craftsmen, selected a site, and purchased bricks, tiles and other building materials.
As the news spread, people rushed to watch.
"What's the difference between building a toilet on the street and shitting in public?"
"It's a huge difference. Some people used to just do it anywhere and didn't care if others saw them. At least the toilet has four walls and no one can see anything."
"The garbage station is also good. In the future, there will be a unified place to throw away garbage, and we won't have to smell the stench on hot days."
-
The craftsmen worked as hard as they could, but there were so many public toilets and garbage stations that needed to be built that they could not be completed in just seven days.
On April 8th, the provincial examination came as scheduled.
The craftsmen stopped construction and would not resume it until the provincial examination was over.
At the hour of Mao that day, 350 candidates entered the examination room after undergoing body searches.
The signal cannon sounded, the examiners distributed the test papers, and the candidates took up their pens to answer.
Three days passed in a flash.
The candidates hand in their papers, the examiners seal the papers and hand them over to the examiners, who then begin the intensive marking work.
On April 11, the craftsmen resumed construction, but stopped again the next day.
Just because the college entrance examination started on this day.
The young students from all over Shaoqing Prefecture got up at the hour of Yin, washed, ate, and rushed to the Imperial Examination Hall with nervousness and excitement.
At the hour of Chen, accompanied by a loud cannon shot, the college examination officially began.
......
Inside the government office, officials were discussing this year's provincial examination.
"I don't know what the level of this year's candidates is. I hope they don't lose to the candidates from other prefectures."
"It's just the academy exam. I'm not taking it together with candidates from other prefectures and ranking them together."
"Of course I know, but they are going to take the provincial examination together next year, and I'm worried..."
"You're just a simpleton, worrying about nothing. The professors and instructors at the prefectural academy are serious and responsible, teaching without reservation. They also have the guidance of the prefectural governor. Why would you be afraid of the candidates from other prefectures?"
"...That's right. Not to mention the professor, the prefect is the top six scholar. The students she teaches will definitely be good."
"So, just put your mind at ease and deal with the documents quickly. Be careful or I'll report you to the prefect."
Judge Zheng rolled his eyes and bent down to work.
On the other hand, officials from several prefectures, led by Jingdong Prefecture, were also discussing this year's college entrance examination.
"I heard that the female prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture has restarted the imperial examination system."
"So what if they restart? Even if they study tirelessly and tirelessly, the students from Shaoqing Prefecture have wasted many years. How can they be a match for the students here?"
"Hearing what you said, I look forward to next year's provincial examination even more."
"Since I have nothing to do, why not see the joke of Shaoqing Mansion this year?"
"What do you mean?"
"That's easy. Send someone to Shaoqing Prefecture and find a way to get the exam papers of those students. Then spread the news. Shaoqing Prefecture will become a laughing stock among the people."
"What a shame! If the entrance exams were held together in August, the contrast would be even more devastating."
Several officials in the prefecture had the same idea. They sent out minor officials one after another and set off for Shaoqing Prefecture that day.
......
The college entrance examination consists of two parts: the main test and the re-examination.
Three days passed in a flash, the candidates handed in their papers, and the examiners began to mark the papers.
Since the time difference between the provincial examination and the academy examination was only a few days, Du Qingtang decided to announce the results of both examinations on the same day.
"In addition to the red case, the test papers of the top ten students will be made public."
Zhou Tongzhi and Wu Tongzhi, who were responsible for announcing the results, did not understand why, but they still did it.
On April 20th, the results of the provincial and imperial examinations were announced.
Early that morning, candidates taking the two exams gathered at the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall.
Fortunately, the number of applicants was relatively small, otherwise the queue would have stretched from one end of the street to the other.
At noon, the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall opened, and Zhou Tongzhi and Wu Tongzhi appeared holding red cases.
The former is responsible for the academy examination, while the latter is responsible for the prefectural examination.
The red case was posted on the notice walls on the east and west sides. Zhou and Wu each said a few words of encouragement and left together.
The candidates rushed forward and ran towards their respective red desks.
"I passed! I'm a Tongsheng!"
"Brother Zhou, you actually won the first place in this year's college entrance examination. Congratulations!"
Zhou Jizhong mingled in the crowd, looking at the name at the top of the red table, seeming to be both crying and laughing.
There was a time when he thought he would never be able to study and take the imperial examinations again in his life.
After many years, not only did the provincial school reopen, but he also became the top student in the academy.
All this is thanks to the prefect!
"Brother Gao, you're on the list too!"
Gao Lin stared at his own name on the red table, his nose felt sore, and he burst into tears on the spot.
"I did it! I did it!" Gao Lin's lips trembled and he murmured, as if he was sharing the good news with his relatives who were separated by life and death.
In a trance, he saw his wife and two children.
They stood not far away, holding hands and smiling at him.
——Will I be your pride?
——You always have been.
"Have you noticed that, whether it's the prefectural or academy exams, those who rank at the top all studied at the county or prefectural schools?"
"Needless to say? The professors and instructors at the county and prefectural schools were all hired with great effort by the prefect. They are very knowledgeable and can certainly teach you a hundred times better than learning at home."
At this time, the candidates studying at the prefectural academy raised their voices, saying, "Not only the professors and instructors, but the prefect also comes to the academy every ten days to teach us. If you look at the top ten essays in the academy exam, you'll find that most of them have traces of the prefect's personal instruction."
Exclamations rang out one after another.
"The prefect is actually teaching in person?"
"As long as we enter the prefectural school, can we receive instruction from the prefect?"
"The prefect is a top scholar in the imperial examination, and there has only been one in decades. If I could get her guidance, I'm sure I would benefit a lot."
The candidates from the provincial school listened to the speeches of the other candidates, exchanged glances with each other imperceptibly, and smiled knowingly.
Zhou Jizhong turned his head slightly and looked in the direction of the provincial school.
Now that the college entrance examination has come to an end, it’s time for those wanderers who have been scattered all over the place to come back, right?
......
The clerks from other prefectures mixed in the crowd, copied the essays of the top ten candidates in the prefectural and academy examinations by hand, and returned without stopping.
Upon learning that the clerk had returned, all the officials in the government office gathered together.
In order to laugh at the joke of Shaoqing Prefecture, they also invited professors and instructors from the prefectural school.
"In the past few years, almost all the teachers and scholars in Shaoqing Prefecture have fled. The ones who remain are all misfits, not even worthy of carrying the shoes of our students."
"Professor Sun, you have taught at the prefectural academy for many years, and your students are known all over the world. You will be the one to judge the essays of the candidates from Shaoqing Prefecture."
Professor Sun did not refuse and took the handwritten article from the clerk.
The clerk opened his mouth with a conflicted expression, and seemed to want to say something but stopped himself several times. In the end, he said nothing.
Professor Sun took a sip of tea and laughed out loud, "In fact, I don't even need to read it to know that these articles are not worthy of being published in a high-class publication..."
The laughter stopped abruptly, and Professor Sun was seen staring at the article in front of him like a chicken with its neck strangled, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.
Everyone was secretly surprised, and the prefect asked, "What's wrong?"
Professor Sun suddenly came to his senses, a look of shame appeared on his face, and after hesitating for a moment, he pushed the article away.
"What are you doing?"
"Is it so ugly that I can't even bear to look at it?"
Professor Sun looked at the faces of the crowd, filled with malice and ridicule, and shook his head. "No, I just think that even the best students in the prefectural academy can't write such an article."
Everyone: “…???”
Everyone was confused and thought Professor Sun was talking nonsense, so they took the article to see what was going on.
Then, there was a long silence.
Looking at the article before them, which was full of gems of wisdom and written with unrestrained abandon, even these old hands who had been in officialdom for a long time could not say anything derogatory against their will.
There was dead silence at the scene, and everyone was so embarrassed that they dug their toes into the ground.
At this time, someone asked: "Do we still want to proceed according to the original plan?"
Spread the article and make Shaoqing Prefecture a laughing stock.
"What's the point? It's not working!"
If this gets out, they'll become a laughing stock, so why bring shame upon themselves?
-
Chen Liang was a private school teacher in Jingdong Prefecture.
He was originally a teacher at the Shaoqing Prefecture School. At that time, the government did nothing and forcibly closed the school. They went to the government office to protest, but were beaten by the yamen runners under the command of the corrupt officials.
Chen Liang was disappointed and left Shaoqing Prefecture overnight and came to Jingdong Prefecture.
In recent years, he and his old friend, Liang Dahai, who is also a teacher, have co-founded a private school. Although there are not many students, at least they can live in peace and comfort without having to worry about being found dead on the streets one day.
Chen Liang thought that he would stay in Jingdong Mansion until his death.
Yesterday evening, Chen Liang received a letter from his former student, Zhou Jizhong.
In his letter, Zhou Jizhong elaborated on the various positive changes in Shaoqing Prefecture and the grand occasion of this year's Tongsheng examination.
Finally, Zhou Jizhong said, "Teacher, Shaoqing Prefecture needs you."
Chen Liang sat in the study all night and went to visit Liang Dahai early this morning.
After entering the house, Chen Liang explained his purpose: "I plan to return to Shaoqing Prefecture."
Liang Dahai was filled with astonishment, and the next moment anger crept onto his face: "Are you crazy?!"
Chen Liang shook his head and repeated Zhou Jizhong's letter: "...Shaoqing Prefecture has undergone tremendous changes. The current prefect is undoubtedly a good official."
Liang Dahai sneered: "People change. How can you guarantee that she won't be corrupted by power and become someone like Zhou Wei?"
"I can't guarantee that." Chen Liang twirled his beard, his eyes cloudy but full of wisdom. "But I know that Shaoqing Prefecture needs me, and it needs you too."
"I will be leaving for my hometown soon. I will leave this private school to you. See you later."
After Chen Liang finished speaking, he bowed to his friend, turned around and walked away, leaving Liang Dahai standing there stiffly, like a silent statue.
Chen Liang returned home and spent a day packing his luggage.
In the evening, Liang Dahai suddenly appeared.
"You're right, Shaoqing Prefecture needs us." Liang Dahai patted his friend's shoulder, "I'll go back with you!"
Return to Shaoqing Prefecture.
Return to their hometown.
Return to the place where they were born and raised.
Return to the place that makes them hate it so much, but also pour so much love into it.
......
The next day, Chen Liang and Liang Dahai appeared at the private school together and told the students that they were about to return home and would refund the tuition in full.
The students did not argue too much and left the private school with their tuition.
Only one person.
"Sir, why did you return to a place like Shaoqing Mansion?"
Chen Liang looked at the handsome young man and smiled slightly: "A wanderer always has to return home."
Qu Qingsheng was stunned on the spot.
Like Chen Liang and Liang Dahai, he came from Shaoqing Prefecture.
That year, Qu Qingsheng passed the examination for the title of Tongsheng and planned to make further progress, but was expelled from the provincial school by the yamen runners. When he wanted to sign up for the imperial examination, he was beaten out of the yamen again.
Qu Qingsheng came to Jingdong Mansion in anger and decided that he would never return to Shaoqing Mansion in his life.
After arriving in Jingdong Prefecture, he didn't dare tell anyone that he was from Shaoqing Prefecture.
Once his classmates knew where he came from, he would be isolated, ridiculed, and nicknamed "bandit's son".
Qu Qingsheng hid himself very well and no one knew his origins.
He studied in a private school and made many like-minded friends.
Qu Qingsheng was angry when he learned that Chen Liang and Liang Dahai were planning to return home.
Places like Shaoqing Prefecture have long been rotten, why would they want to go back?
Until Chen Liang said, "Travelers always have to return home."
Qu Qingsheng asked himself, is he a wanderer?
The answer is yes.
In the past few years, Qu Qingsheng has kept silent about his background and never mentioned the three words "Shaoqing Prefecture".
He did not have a name register from Jingdong Prefecture, nor did he dare to show anyone his name register from Shaoqing Prefecture.
He was like a floating duckweed, unable to return to Shaoqing Prefecture, nor able to settle down anywhere.
He was also unable to take the imperial examinations, and lived in a muddle-headed state with a bleak future.
He is a wanderer.
Qu Qingsheng was extremely aware of this.
"Let's go back and take a look. Shaoqing Prefecture is no longer what it used to be."
"Haven't you always wanted to take the imperial examination? Shaoqing Prefecture has restarted the imperial examination this year."
Qu Qingsheng didn't know how he left.
When he came to his senses, he was drinking with the friends he met at the poetry party.
The friend said, "I plan to take the exam this year and try to pass it."
The friend also said: "It's a pity that you didn't take the imperial examination, otherwise we could have looked after each other."
Chen Liang's words echoed in Qu Qingsheng's ears over and over again, and he blurted out, "Who said I won't take the imperial examination?"
My friend looked surprised.
Qu Qingsheng inexplicably felt like the knot in his heart had been untied, and his words became smoother: "I plan to take the college entrance examination next year."
"By the way, I never told you that I'm actually from Shaoqing Prefecture."
"Now, I'm going home."
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