Chapter 167 Love in the Ancient Planes Brain Opens 27

Scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, scholars and farmers are ranked ahead of workers.

The so-called science and technology to develop the country, isn't that shaking the foundation of the country?

The examiners who read the papers are all serious scholars, almost all of them are descendants of famous families.

They are all standard "scholars", and they really don't think much of the "workers" class.

It's just that the emperor's heart is unpredictable, even if there are thousands of thoughts in his mind, no one is willing to be the first to stand out.

No one spoke, so Emperor Xizheng could only call on names.

"My dear Gu, what do you think?"

Consultant Zhang stepped forward and answered seriously.

"The argument is novel and the writing is interesting, but in terms of writing, it is a top-notch choice. But I do not agree with his argument. Scholars, farmers, merchants and workers are the foundation. If the workers are superior to scholars, the world will be in chaos."

Others also expressed their agreement and nodded in agreement.

Emperor Xizheng smiled, put down the paper in his hand, and sighed.

"What do you think, is this the world of scholars or the world of aristocratic families?"

The ministers were frightened and lowered their heads, not daring to speak anymore.

Emperor Xizheng did not seem to need others to tell him the answer, and continued to talk to himself.

"I always wanted to cultivate talents for the court, but after all this time, why are they still the same people?"

"The common people in this world can't afford to read books, what can they use to compete with those children of noble families? How can we educate the people when we can't even afford paper!"

Emperor Xizheng turned his head and looked at the eunuch who was following behind him, "Tianxi, go and call Jiang Lan to me."

"I obey your order." Eunuch Tianxi hurriedly took the oral order to the Ministry of Works.

When Jiang Lan came, she was a little confused.

A group of civil servants were reading the papers, what was she, a small official in the Ministry of Works, doing here?

"Jiang Lan, let me show you an article."

Emperor Xizheng excitedly handed her a paper, and when he stretched out his hand halfway, he remembered that she was a woman.

"Jiang Lan, you should know how to read, right?"

Jiang Lan nodded and took the paper naturally. She opened it and saw that the characters looked familiar.

My goodness, isn't this the paper of Yuan Qingci?

"Jiang Lan, take a look at the essay written by this candidate and tell me what you think after reading it."

As a senior scholar of the inner cabinet and the chief examiner of this imperial examination, Advisor Zhang felt that Emperor Xizheng was being too willful and hurried to stop him.

"Your Majesty, this is not allowed. The imperial examination is a major event of the country. How can you let a woman interfere?"

Emperor Xizheng remained calm and passed the ball to Jiang Lan.

"Jiang Lan, do you think what Grand Master Gu said is right?"

Jiang Lan shook his head, "I just feel sorry for His Majesty. If all the men in the palace were useful, His Majesty probably wouldn't think of me."

"Hahahaha, that makes sense."

Emperor Xizheng's face changed, "Jiang Lan, you can look and speak without worry. With me here, who dares to say anything!"

Advisor Zhang's face turned pale, but he could do nothing.

He looked at Jiang Lan with strong condemnation, as if she was a peerless evildoer who was harming the country.

Jiang Lan's face did not change, and she began to read Yuan Qingci's paper on the spot.

After reading it, she realized that Yuan Qingci was so brave.

He dared to say that technology is the first productivity in such an important occasion as the palace examination.

From Jiang Lan's perspective, the whole article quoted classics, the writing flow was rigorous and logical, and it was an absolutely good article.

But this point of view was really a bit ahead of its time.

It was also thanks to the fact that Emperor Xizheng was a tolerant emperor. If it were someone else, it might be a big trouble.

This era certainly has its limitations, but it must be said that it also has the possibility of development.

"Your Majesty, I have finished reading it."

Emperor Xizheng raised his eyebrows, "Then tell me, how is this article?"

"I think this article is very good."

Jiang Lan had just finished speaking when the others jumped up.

These people did not dare to confront her directly in front of Emperor Xizheng, so they could only look at her angrily with a glaring threat in their eyes.

"Your Majesty, although I am a woman, I also think this person is very far-sighted and courageous!"

Knowing that it was the paper of Yuan Qingci, Jiang Lan naturally praised him without reservation.

"Go on."

Emperor Xizheng looked at the officials who were staring at him, and they immediately lowered their heads.

"Science and technology are the primary productive forces, and only industry can make a country prosperous."

"Are our Xi officials incompetent? Aren't our Xi people working hard? Aren't our Xi resources abundant? None of them, it's just that we don't know how to use them."

Jiang Lan took a deep breath and began to draw the big cake.

“Scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans. Everyone thinks that agriculture comes first, but in fact, industry is the foundation of agriculture. The same rice seeds, ordinary mu yield no more than 150 kilograms, while high-quality ones can exceed 500 kilograms, or even more.”

“Similarly, it takes a family of able-bodied men several days to harvest a few mu of rice, but if it is a machine, it only takes half a day.”

Consultant Zhang frowned and interrupted her.

"Minister Jiang, what you said is just a possibility."

"If you don't try, it will always be just a possibility. Did our ancestors have food and drink, enjoy delicacies and silks from birth? These are all invented by humans."

Emperor Xizheng nodded, "Jiang Lan has a point. For example, the wooden ox and horse she made saved horses, and the new papermaking technology she studied improved the efficiency of papermaking." The

wooden ox and horse did not attract everyone's attention.

When they heard about paper, the civil servants present pricked up their ears, even the consultant Zhang was no exception.

"Minister Jiang, you can actually make paper?"

"I know a thing or two."

Jiang Lan put his hands behind his back and successfully acted cool in front of all the big guys.

"Jiang Lan's inventions are more than these. I am looking forward to your inventions."

Emperor Xizheng was in a good mood. "How to make a country prosperous? Let the people live a good life. That is to make a country prosperous."

Jiang Lan flattered him at the right time: "Your Majesty is wise, and it is a blessing for the people."

"Jiang Lan, you can leave."

"I obey your order."

Jiang Lan walked out quickly. Even when she walked far away, she could still hear the voice of Emperor Xizheng scolding the ministers.

"All you know how to do is sing praises! You take me for a fool!"

"How many of these are your people! Do I need to pick them out one by one?"

"Is this my kingdom or yours? I took the trouble to select talents, but you guys colluded and sent your own people in!"

"Candidate No. 3, is he the nobleman of the Wang family?"

"Candidate No. 11, is he the third son of the Ouyang family?"

"Do you think my court is the back garden of an aristocratic family? The imperial examination cheating case is right in front of me, and you guys still dare to fool me!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down! We are guilty of a thousand deaths!"

Emperor Xizheng slapped Yuan Qingci's paper on the table, "How to prosper the country? I say prospering is the way to prosper. I think Candidate No. 19 is good, and you can handle the others yourselves!"

The ministers did not dare to object, and could only sigh in their hearts that Candidate No. 19 was lucky.

It happened that His Majesty used him as an example to scare the monkeys, and he got a good ranking.

But they also understood that the imperial examination was just the threshold to becoming an official.

Once in the officialdom, people without background would probably find it difficult to go far.

The chief examiner, Consultant Zhang, sighed and ordered: "Since Your Majesty has spoken, we will read the paper again and re-rank it. Thank you for your hard work."

Two days later, the results of the palace examination were announced, and Yuan Qingci successfully passed the first-class Jinshi.