There are five levels in this "MLM" organization called "Science Gate".
The most basic level is the "science students" who have the title of scholar, passed the science entrance examination, and study in the academy. These science students are not qualified to call Zhao Hao the master and can only call him the dean.
Until they have achieved success in their studies... to put it bluntly, only when they pass the imperial examination will they be accepted by Zhao Hao as "registered disciples" and become fourth-level members of the Science Sect.
However, there are exceptions, such as Bei Peijia, Qu Rukui, Xing Yunlu, Wang Heng and Xu Guangqi, who cited the clause of "extremely high scientific talent" and were accepted as "registered disciples" by Master Zhao.
The first three had been promoted to the third level - inner disciples - because of their outstanding contributions, so everyone was very convinced. But the last two were just eight-year-old brats, and I don't know how Master Zhao could tell that they had scientific talent.
Could it be that boy’s urine has special therapeutic effects?
If the disciples knew that Zhao Hao was still thinking about the director of Institute 01, Wang Yingxuan's wife... and the baby in her belly, how would they feel?
I guess people would shout, this is unscientific!
But in short, these 33 Yingtian candidates have finally made it. Today they are holding a thank-you banquet for their teachers, which is also a formal banquet for paying respect to their teachers.
Master Zhao sat in the main seat, with Pan Zhongzhan, Li Zhi and Hua Zhongheng sitting beside him, acting as guides and escorts... Due to the heavy fog, they were just watching the ceremony.
After the grand ceremony of becoming apprentices began, Zhao Hao encouraged all his disciples with warm words, firstly, they should guard against arrogance and impatience, and go to Beijing as soon as possible to prepare for the imperial examination next spring; secondly, regardless of whether they passed the imperial examination or not, they should formally study a scientific subject after the palace examination next year.
Science is not a subject for the imperial examinations. The reason why academies teach science is that they hope that their disciples will become officials in various places in the future and promote science.
If you only regard science as a stepping stone to the imperial examination, then please go home as soon as possible and stop serving tea to me. Mr. Zhao was just worried that if he drank thirty-three bowls of tea, his penis would burst...
The disciples naturally responded in agreement. No one would quit at this critical moment. From the most vulgar point of view, the scientific gate will provide the strongest support for their future careers. This kind of relationship between classmates and fellow students is much stronger than that between classmates and fellow townsmen.
Moreover, they have been deeply aware of the power of science through what they have seen and heard in the past two years in the academy. This knowledge is not for self-cultivation, but for exploring the unknown world and solving problems in the known world. If you master it, you will be stronger than others and no longer a useless scholar.
Anyone who studies hard will look down on Zhu Xi's method of investigating things that they learned before, just like the science and engineering students in later generations look down on the liberal arts students... Wow.
They have just got started, and there are endless unknowns waiting for them to explore. Even if Master Zhao chases them with a stick, he can't drive them away.
After Master Zhao finished his chatter, the disciples served tea to their master and kowtowed to him, thus formally establishing a master-disciple relationship.
Zhao Hao was understanding and knew that these guys were very impetuous, but they had to try their best to restrain themselves in front of him.
He also wanted to have fun with his disciples, after all, he was also a young man, even younger than them. But at least in the field of science, he was no longer a human being, but the embodiment of science. Forget about age, gender is not important, anyway, just keep respect for science.
So after the ceremony, he and Pan Zhongxian left the room first to let the disciples have fun.
~~
Hua Zhongheng had other things to do at the yamen, so he took his leave and returned to the Southern Ministry of Justice.
Zhao Hao and Li Pan boarded a pleasure boat at the back door pier of Weijixian, sailed on the Hibiscus Pond, and continued to eat and drink on the boat.
After three rounds of drinking, Pan Zhongxian was still immersed in excitement and said: "Now the Yufeng Academy has completely become famous. Next year, scholars from all over the country will come here to study."
"Well, the enrollment is expected to explode next spring, so you have to make plans early." Li Zhi agreed and said, "The current teaching staff is too weak. Even if we are made of iron, how many nails can we hammer?"
"This is easy." Zhao Hao waved his hands. His nickname is 'Fa-li', his courtesy name is 'De-li', and his nickname is 'Mr. Idea'... Nonsense. Grandpa said that he would only be given a courtesy name after the coming-of-age ceremony, woo woo.
"There will be at least dozens of students who fail the exam next year, right? Let them stay in school to teach, and just provide them with food... Oh no, it will be very useful." Young Master Zhao almost spit out his tongue, and hurriedly coughed and said:
"In addition, with a higher profile, we will not have to worry about the number of students, so we should raise the threshold. This time, only those who are admitted must truly love science."
"How do we judge this? We can't just dig it up and see if it's scientific or not, right?" Pan Zhongqian asked with a smile, squinting his eyes.
"That's easy. You can write down in the enrollment brochure that in addition to the geometry test, students must first study science for three years after enrollment to lay a solid foundation in science before they can study for the imperial examination." Zhao Hao waved his hand and said, "In this way, no matter whether he likes it when he enters school or not, those who can persist in studying for three years must like science."
"Wonderful." Pan Zhongqian clapped his hands and laughed, "If someone only thought about the imperial examination, these three years would make them miserable and they would definitely not be able to persevere."
"If you don't like science but can persist for three years, you are definitely a great talent. I admit that." Zhao Hao said with a smile.
"That's a good deal for those guys now." Pan Zhongxian pointed at the Wei Ji Xian restaurant.
"That can't be helped. It's fate." Zhao Hao said with a smile, "Before the academy was not well-known, how could we recruit students if we set such a high threshold? Now that we have this condition, if we don't impose any restrictions, people will say that we are pretending to promote science and really cultivating power."
Pan Zhongxian suddenly realized that he had been a high-ranking official in the imperial court, and his political awareness was much stronger than Li Zhi's. He immediately understood that Zhao Hao was worried that Yufeng Academy would become too popular and attract the suppression of those in power. Wasn't it a means of self-protection to not study for the three years?
In addition to selecting real scientists, Mr. Zhao's move was indeed intended to avoid a conflict with Gao Gong.
First, this old man is very capable and fierce, and what he does is thankless, and it is a matter of succession. Second, he still has one year and nine months to live, so why bother?
Of course, the most crucial thing is that even the university scholars have surrendered one after another. How could Master Zhao dare to challenge the unrivaled Gao Huzi?
Just close your eyes, spread your legs, and endure it and it will pass...
But Pan Jixun only guessed the second level, not the third level. That is, Zhao Hao only had a perfunctory and expedient attitude towards Gao Gong, and he really did it for Zhang's idol to see.
In another time and space, Zhang Juzheng officially issued an order to ban lectures and destroy academies in the world in the seventh year of Wanli. From this, we can infer that he hated this kind of behavior of forming cliques and discussing state affairs. Mr. Zhao can basically not rebel against Zhang now... Of course, he has to clean up his butt in advance to avoid being punished by his future father-in-law.
~~
After talking about next year's enrollment, Zhao Hao asked Secretary Ma to take out two envelopes and hand them to the two of them.
Pan Zhongxian asked curiously, "What is this?"
"This is the bonus promised to Mr. Zhuo Wu." Zhao Hao said with a smile: "Although I haven't told you, equal pay for equal work is the right thing to do."
"Hehe, I didn't expect to get money." Pan Zhongxian couldn't help laughing. Two of his nephews took the Zhejiang provincial examination this year, and one took the Shuntian provincial examination, and all of them passed. The old gentleman suddenly felt that learning from the strengths of many schools was much better than teaching alone, and his mood was naturally very happy.
As he said this, he casually opened the envelope and pulled out the red satin folder inside. It was a deposit certificate from Jiangnan Bank, oh yes, it's called a 'passbook'.
When Pan Zhongzhan opened the passbook, I was so shocked that my jaw almost dropped to the ground.
"This, this, so much money? Are you crazy?" The Pan family is the richest family in Huzhou. Pan Zhongxian has naturally seen and experienced it before, but he was still shocked by the number on it.
Li Zhi was not surprised at all, as he and Zhao Hao had already agreed that if anyone trained a juren, he would be rewarded with 500 taels of silver.
There were a total of eighty-six juren this year, so the prize money was forty-three thousand taels, not a penny less.
When I pass the imperial examination, I will have another 500 taels...
He happily kissed the passbook in his hand and said with a smile: "Thank you for the reward, boss. I'm just waiting for the rice to cook."
Zhao Hao couldn't help but feel strange. "A salary of one thousand taels a year is not enough for you to spend? Do you have several concubines?"
"Don't talk nonsense!" Li Zhi rolled his eyes at him and said, "I swore to my wife that I would never take a concubine in this life. When my family's miracle doctor helps me give birth to a son, I will castrate myself and completely purify my body."
"Puff..." Zhao Hao and Pan Zhongqian sprayed out at the same time, spraying Li Zhi's face with wine.
"Why are you making such a fuss?" Li Zhi picked up a cotton towel and wiped his face.
"You are so strong-willed!" Young Master Zhao gave a thumbs up and praised, "I didn't expect you would compete with Mr. Qingteng on such a matter."
Xu Wei only cut off one of his own balls, but Li Zhi wanted to cut off two to suppress him.
"Brother, do you love your wife or hate her?" Pan Zhongxian coughed and smiled bitterly, "Listen to my advice, there are many ways to avoid the official duties, such as asking the hospital to issue you a certificate of impotence. There is no need to go to extremes."
"Don't talk nonsense. This has nothing to do with my wife. Besides, we are all in our forties or fifties. It doesn't make much difference whether we have that thing or not." Li Zhi put down his handkerchief and took a sip of wine. He said calmly, "After getting rid of the root of trouble, I can think about problems with a more peaceful mindset and look at the world without being dominated by male instincts."
"Then you won't need money at all." Pan Zhongxian said more and more puzzled.
"I want to open a girls' school, only recruiting girls." Li Zhi said, "But people will inevitably gossip about me. In order to protect the reputation of the female students and let them go to school without worries, I have to sacrifice me."
"What? Are you crazy?" Pan Zhongxian was shocked again: "Why do you open a girls' school? To teach them female virtues?"
"What bullshit female virtues are? They are just shackles that enslave women." Li Zhi said calmly: "Women are the mothers of the nation. If we want to cultivate and improve the nation, we must promote women's education. I want them to enjoy the same education as men. No, it is a real education for people, not an education that teaches people to enslave others!"
This deafening voice made Zhao Hao stunned. However, Secretary Ma behind him was so excited that his eyes were red, and he simply worshipped Mr. Zhuo Wu to death.
p.s. Zhou's mother has surgery, so I'm taking a day off.