Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Chapter 70

After the provincial examination began, the entire city seemed to become quiet.

No one was allowed to enter or leave the vicinity of the Imperial Examination Hall.

It is so tight that not even a fly can fly in. I heard that this year's invigilator, Lord Xu, is very strict. Even if the invigilator is slightly careless, he will be severely reprimanded.

Officials of all ranks in the city were extremely nervous.

Just waiting to see off this big Buddha.

Forget about currying favor, as long as they don't offend anyone, they will have done their job well.

The exam will start on August 6th.

There can be no mistakes during this period of time until the results are announced on the 20th.

It seems that this year's provincial examination is not long, and the time for marking the papers is also shorter, which requires officials from all levels to work together.

When Ji Yuan followed Master Wei and Wuying to practice archery, he also heard Master Wei say, "Master Xu is not easy to mess with. He was outspoken when he was in the court. He hated fame and reputation the most, and he didn't like luxury. He would point out even the emperor's mistakes."

So some people said that the emperor asked him to come out to supervise the exam because he didn't want to listen to his nagging.

This 53-year-old minister was considered quite old in ancient times, and it was indeed difficult for him to run so far.

It can be seen that other people's speculations about the emperor are not completely false.

Master Wei did not say the following words explicitly, but Ji Yuan naturally guessed the subtext.

Ji Yuan shot another arrow and hit the eighth ring.

Wu Ying also said: "Although you are young, your aim is pretty good. If you concentrate on practicing martial arts, maybe you can do it."

"Speaking of this." Master Wei said, "The martial arts examination is not held regularly, but the civil service examination is held every three years. Ji Yuan is still a junior top three. If he practices martial arts, the academic official will not allow it."

Wu Ying sighed: "That's true."

As everyone was talking, Ji Yuan was curious about another thing: "Master Wei, I also heard that this Lord Xu doesn't like child prodigies or geniuses. Is this true?"

Master Wei nodded: "That's right."

This also involves an incident in the past.

About seven or eight years ago, there was a family in Guangdong whose child was born very intelligent. He could read by himself at the age of three and had finished reading the Four Books and Five Classics at the age of five.

When he was ten years old, he took part in the Tongshi examination and passed as a scholar.

He was hailed as a child prodigy for a time.

A ten-year-old scholar, what a great reputation.

The family also wanted him to take the provincial examination when he was eleven or twelve years old.

The local government even reported the matter to the court, saying that it was a good omen from heaven. The appearance of such a talent was a blessing from heaven to the Tianqi Kingdom and a favor from the emperor.

When the emperor heard about this, although he did not take it seriously, he praised it from the bottom of his heart, saying it was a blessing from heaven and a favor, and directly summoned the child prodigy to study at the Imperial Academy.

The Imperial College in the capital city gathers talented people from all over the world.

Even in the current Jianmeng Prefecture School, the academician can recommend students to study at the Imperial Academy at the end of the year.

Of course, it is useless now. Talent alone is not enough, and one also needs someone in the court.

This shows how rare the opportunity to study at the Imperial College is.

In short, when the news of the child prodigy being summoned to the Imperial College spread, child prodigies emerged one after another all over the country.

At that time, Lord Xu was still serving as a local prefect.

In local counties, there are even cases where children as young as three are forced to study every day in order to become child prodigies. If they fail to study, they will be sent to perform rituals.

The person who performed the ritual was also very wicked. He gave some kind of talisman water with some words written on it and asked the child to drink it.

By the time the local county magistrate arrived, the three-year-old child was already cold.

If this is not an isolated case, then the buying and selling of smart children as godchildren is even more common.

Buying and selling children is an evil thing in itself, and those who buy children out of utilitarianism are even more despicable. If the children are not as they imagined, they will be beaten or scolded, and they must "cultivate" a child prodigy.

What the superiors like, the subordinates want.

If the emperor likes child prodigies, then "child prodigies" will emerge everywhere.

The ten-year-old prodigy who was summoned to the Imperial College could not get along with other students because of his age.

Not only that, the teachers found that everything he learned was forced upon him and he did not have any ideas of his own.

In simple terms, they can only recite books or even articles.

When I got the examination papers for the childhood exam, I more or less memorized the essays written by my family members and copied them directly.

In other words, he memorized a lot and by sheer luck he passed the exam.

Wanna talk about genius?

Indeed, I have a good memory.

But as for ideas, there are none at all. It's just a living endorsement machine.

But he has already formed the habit and doesn't know anything else.

Children have an imperfect mind and are easily influenced and shaped.

Although the emperor was disappointed when he found out, he also knew it was his fault, so he allowed him to stay in the Imperial College and did not have to kick him out when he reached a certain age.

Of course, this is just one instance and there won’t be a next time.

"That child is eighteen this year, right? He can only recite books." Master Wei sighed, "Plus they force the child prodigy to die. Lord Xu and others strongly demanded that the age of students be restricted."

"It's said to limit the age of students, but in fact it's restricting the behavior of parents."

Even the rule that one could not take the provincial examination before the age of twelve came out after that incident.

After all, some people's bottom line cannot be discussed.

There is also a classic question in modern times. In order to increase the fertility rate, if a reward of 500,000 yuan is given for having a child, will there be life?

The answer is that more people will kill children, and killing them and giving birth to new ones is pure money-making.

Normal people cannot understand the thoughts of these evil people, nor can they understand the minds of those parents who force their children to be prodigies.

Therefore, directly limiting the age of students has turned out to be a good method.

Ji Yuan listened and somewhat understood what Lord Xu did.

Of course, there are people who particularly hate child prodigies, and there are people who like child prodigies.

There are naturally many reasons.

After all, some people's talents can't be hidden, and they are indeed very smart.

It seems that the prefect and the academician have made two plans.

If the supervisor sent from above likes a child prodigy, he will be brought forward to greet him.

Since he is Lord Xu, there is no need to notify him. Just let him study hard.

It seemed that the prefect and the provincial academician had made a lot of preparations.

The Yue family’s plan was probably going to fail, but they still had to send the child over there anxiously.

It's also pitiful.

The provincial examination lasted a total of more than ten days, but for the candidates it was only four days and three nights.

Since entering the examination room on the morning of August 6th.

The exams will last until the afternoon of August 9th. There are three exams in total, and the last one will take more than a day.

On the ninth day of the first lunar month, I went to the door to pick someone up.

I saw rows of students coming out, all of them were in their twenties to thirty or forty, all of them looked haggard and had dull eyes.

Only the students in Zhengrong County are a little different.

After all, students in Zhengrong County, no matter how much they don’t like sports, will be taken to run two laps on the Cuju field.

Not to mention Li Jin and Cai Fenglan.

The white monk was a little weaker. After coming out, he said that he would train with them in the future.

Li Xun is the least spirited one.

He was already under great psychological pressure, and had no intention of exercising during the past few years since he came to build the Meng Mansion. When he came out, he even needed Li Jin and Cai Fenglan to support him on both sides.

Fortunately, he is not the only one in this situation, many students are like this.

The firecrackers and music on both sides also made them unable to watch any more.

Ji Yuan also went over to help carry Li Xun's things and helped everyone get on the rented carriage.

Fortunately, Li Xun and Li Jin’s yard was very close to here, and everyone arrived home in a short while.

The servant boiled water for bath, made tea, prepared hot soup and rice, and waited for the examinees to come back.

When Cai Fenglan came out of the shower, he breathed a sigh of relief and patted Ji Yuan, saying, "Fortunately you prepared well, otherwise I would have fainted."

The total number of candidates for the provincial examination this year is 2,742.

Being locked up in there for four days and three nights was really hard.

Although it only lasts one day longer than the children's exam, the psychological pressure it puts on people is different.

After Li Jin and the others came out, they also complained: "That's right, I thought it would only be one more day, so it wouldn't be so painful."

"It must be nervous to have a soldier standing next to a candidate," said the White Monk. "The soldier was practically staring at us."

ah?

During the last children's exam, having a soldier stand between two candidates already made them feel uncomfortable.

Now one per person?

No wonder it’s the provincial examination, it’s indeed more rigorous.

Ji Yuan listened to them talking and couldn't help but sigh at the difficulty of the exam.

“The questions are more difficult, and some are completely incomprehensible.”

"Yeah, I definitely have to write in more depth, but that's just my level."

"No need to say more, I know I can't do it."

Li Xun shook his head with a trace of pain on his face.

Even though he had studied two years longer than Li Jin and the others, it still didn't seem to work out.

At least he wasn't sure.

Li Xun sighed.

He is different from Li Jin. Even if Li Jin fails once or twice, he can continue studying and preparing for the exam.

He still has a lot to worry about.

As you get older, you can’t just think about preparing for the exam.

He is 26 years old this year. He got married when he returned home two years ago. His wife has been taking care of his parents and waiting for him in his hometown.

In the past two years, he could only go back home during the Chinese New Year. It can be said that the burden of the entire family fell on his brother, sister-in-law and his wife.

In addition, preparing for the exam and studying cost money, so even with the support of the main branch of the Li family, he did not live particularly well.

Besides, Li Jin's family helped him a lot, from being recommended to enter the provincial school to living in a small courtyard that Ji Yuan and Cai Fenglan and others could not afford.

If this continues, he doesn't know how to repay her.

Others may not know, but he knows that the recommendation for admission to the provincial school was called a recommendation, but in fact it was paid for.

It was euphemistically called "buying the school", and the total amount was two hundred taels of silver.

Neither Li Jin nor his father ever mentioned this matter.

But he couldn't be ungrateful and continue to take advantage of his family.

If he fails in the provincial examination this time, he will most likely have to find another way out, or at least he won't be able to devote himself to preparing for the exam.

I need to find a way to make a living so that I can study and support my family.

Even for his parents, brother and sister-in-law, and his wife, he has to find another way.

After everyone had eaten, Li Xun asked Ji Yuan, "Is our Zhengrong County School short of teachers this year? Do we need to recruit people before the end of the year?"

Everyone was stunned when Li Xun said this.

Everyone understood the subtext of his words.

Li Jin was the first to speak: "Cousin? What are you talking about? Isn't it good to study in the provincial school? When I came out, my father gave me a lot of silver, enough for us to live for a long time. After the provincial examination, they will send more silver."

Do you think their county school is good?

very good.

It is easy for classmates to get along with each other, and the teacher truly cares for his students.

But compared with teaching, the provincial school is definitely better.

They did not have any of the Six Arts for Gentlemen, which were called auxiliary subjects by the provincial school.

Besides, he just finished the exam today, why is he so depressed?

Anyway, we have to wait until the results are announced.

Ji Yuan also nodded.

Li Xun said directly: "If I pass, it's fine. If not, I want to go back to be a teacher. But I heard that being a teacher in the county school also requires an examination, so I have to ask in advance."

Li Xun continued, "My uncle, your father, was very kind to me. The clan paid for my studies. If it was just me, it wouldn't be a big deal, but my parents are old, and my wife has been waiting for two years."

These are all real difficulties.

Even among the clan members, we cannot help everyone.

Perhaps because he had said too much, Li Xun said with emotion: "I was the top candidate in the county case back then, and I always thought I was very smart. It was only after I came to the provincial school that I realized there are always brighter minds."

This is of course not talking about Ji Yuan, Li Xun was just expressing his own feelings.

"This year, we have 2,742 candidates for the provincial examination."

"Guess how many people will be taken?"

"Fifty-nine."

"It's not even 3 percent, and I really don't have the courage to think that I will be that 3 percent."

The ratio of children's examinations is still about ten out of a hundred.

When it comes to the provincial examination, only three, or even less than three, scholars are selected from a hundred.

No wonder Li Xun was thinking about quitting after the exam.

Ji Yuan told what he knew: "The county school is indeed short of teachers this year. Not only have seven or eight people been transferred away, but there will be more students enrolled this year."

"It is estimated that the county society will recruit more than ten people, all of whom are first-class scholars who will be in the land at that time. If you write back in advance, the teacher will most likely agree to your application."

"Whether it's successful or not, it's a two-hand preparation."

After hearing this, Li Xun felt better.

With so many people being recruited, maybe I could become a teacher myself, or go to the county school to be a teacher. It would be more stable and I would be able to take care of my family better.

Ji Yuan added: "Master Huang from our county school was a teacher while preparing for the T exam. Didn't he pass the exam last year?"

These words were indeed so intense that the depressed Li Xun felt depressed.

Yes, Master Huang can do it, and maybe he can do it too. At any rate, it’s better than being discouraged now.

Going back to the county to study teaching might be a good way out.

The remaining few people also sighed.

It seems like I have already seen my future.

Ji Yuan looked at them and said, "Who knows what the next exam will be like? Daydreaming is useless. It's better to study."

Ji Yuan said: "Traveling in the vastness, set sail and trust the wind."

"You won't know the result until you try hard, right?"

Yes, of course.

Everyone's depressed mood was brought back to normal.

Of course, it was a pity that Li Xun gave up his studies at the provincial school and returned, although compared to others, this was the best choice.

Ji Yuan, Cai Fenglan, Monk Bai and others returned to Qiyan Temple.

Following the breeze, the three of them calmed down.

I think no matter what the list on the 20th is, everyone can face it calmly.

And in the following period of time, I still have to continue studying.

Cai Fenglan and Li Jin had followed Ji Yuan to the racecourse several times. Seeing that Ji Yuan had learned to ride a horse and could even race horses in recent times, they were extremely envious.

While they were preparing for the exam, Ji Yuan was secretly practicing on his own!

How can he roll it secretly?

Seeing the archery again, the two were speechless. Li Jin said quietly, "I finally understand why Brother Cai said he didn't want to be your classmate anymore."

"Don't worry, you can learn it too." Ji Yuan smiled, "Archery is really interesting."

As he spoke, a ten-ring hit the bull's eye.

Li Jin left silently and stood on Cai Fenglan's side.

He doesn't want to stand with the genius!

It's such a blow to my self-confidence!

After the examinees came out, the city became lively again. In addition to the scholars going to the First Street of the East Market to "go shopping", a lot of gossip also spread.

The most widely circulated theory is naturally the child prodigy theory.

Many people still know what happened eight years ago.

The Yue family also had a gloomy face at this time.

It's not that they didn't know that Lord Xu hated to cultivate child prodigies, but before they took Yue Chang to meet Lord Xu, they had no idea it was this person.

Before the inspector came every year, no one knew which court official it would be, in order to avoid collusion with the examinees to cheat.

The Yue family also thought that the child prodigy would be disliked, but they did not expect that he would be the one they disliked the most among all the court officials.

At that time, he wanted to stop Yue Chang from paying his respects, but unexpectedly, he was seen by Lord Xu and asked a few questions.

What was said at the time: "This is the child prodigy."

He even said, "Wait for your provincial examination results."

These words were not harsh and even sounded encouraging.

But this is Lord Xu!

He hated this the most.

I heard that when he saw the body of a child who had died after being fed with magic water, he was so angry that he beat people on the spot.

The Yue family didn't say anything at the time, and asked everyone to keep it a secret from Yue Chang. At least until he finished his exams, no one was allowed to talk about Lord Xu's affairs, so as not to affect his mentality.

He was also told that it was the encouragement from the supervisor, asking him to do well in the exam.

He was not allowed to contact outsiders during those days. It seemed that this was to allow him to concentrate on preparing for the exam, but in fact, he was isolated from any news.

Now that the exam is over, Yue Chang naturally knows.

He was completely dumbfounded, and he even used these words to provoke Ji Yuan.

It turned out that it was not exciting at all, but making Ji Yuan laugh at himself.

After Yue Chang finished the exam, he almost didn't want to look at anyone.

The twelve-year-old child was already exhausted from taking the exam for four days and three nights, and now he suffered another blow and fell ill that day.

After hearing this, Ji Yuan and the others also felt pity.

It is indeed not right to force things to happen.

he?

He doesn't count either.

Ji Yuan had no idea that his calm expression made outsiders feel more certain that one of the criteria for a genius prodigy is to have a good mentality!

It should be the same as Ji Yuan!

Ji Yuan is still counting time.

After the results are announced on August 20th, he will go to the First Street of East Market. He has not used the note given to him by Master Du yet.

At that time, Mr. Du said that he would wait until after the provincial examination to look for a job. By then, there would be many books to copy and print, and his calligraphy would come in handy.

While others are waiting for the release of exam results, he is taking the opportunity to work.

As long as he could find a job, he could use the money he had to buy a pair of shoes and have his fellow villagers who came to take the exam send them back.

It is safer to have a valuable item like this sent by someone you know.

As for glasses, Tianqi Country has had them for a long time, but they have always been very expensive.

They were all tributed from the Western Regions. Only in recent years, with the increase in trade, can they be circulated on the market. Ji Yuan asked Master Gao of the Department of Mathematics, but he did not tell him the specific price. He only said that a good painting was about the price of a horse.

Even so, it is much cheaper than before.

The price of a good horse on the market today is about forty taels.

Ji Yuan now had twenty-five taels of silver on him, and a silver note hidden in the bottom of his chest, but the silver note was given by Dr. Luo, so he couldn't just use it as a gift.

If it were only about buying something for Master Meng, Dr. Luo would still praise him.

If I say I used the money given by Dr. Luo to buy it, I'm afraid there will be misunderstanding.

Ji Yuan said he would never do such a thing, so it would be better for him to find a job first.

Now that the students who took the provincial examinations have already come out, I guess all the bookstores, big and small, are preparing to print books. Why don’t you go and take a look now?

At least leave his name so that we can find him when the book is printed.

So Ji Yuan went to the First Street of the East Market, but did not go to the shop in front, but went directly to the workshop behind the shop.

Cai Fenglan and Monk Bai also planned to come out and take a look after hearing what was going on.

Their handwriting is not as good as Ji Yuan's, but they can still do some ordinary copying work to see if they can find it.

I heard that many poor scholars did this. Li Xun had done the job of copying books, but he didn't do it because he was preparing for the exam recently and there was not enough work.

But Li Xun also said: "There are thirteen or fourteen bookstores now, four of which are large, namely Zhou Yuelin and Wang. The remaining ten are small but survive together, so the competition is very fierce."

"With more books being printed, there are fewer and fewer jobs for copying books. Now the price of copying books is ten times higher than that of printing books, so naturally no one wants to buy copied books."

Since the previous emperor abolished the book tax, major bookstores have sprung up like mushrooms after a rain.

After years of development, book printing has become a very mature industry in Tianqi State.

Since book printing is mature and cheap, there is no need to copy books manually.

It actually feels a bit like the spinning jenny replacing manual weaving.

For scholars who copy books, there is not much work to do, but buying books has become cheaper.

It’s hard to tell whether it’s good or bad.

Li Xun's words naturally persuaded Cai Fenglan and others to retreat.

Fortunately, Li Xun was there, otherwise all our efforts would have been in vain.

Ji Yuan is different from them. His handwriting is excellent and has been certified by Master Du.

Naturally, the work he had to do was not just copying books.

Instead, woodblock printing plates were made based on his calligraphy.

This job is not that tiring, and as long as your handwriting is good, you will be sought after by all major bookstores.

The copying of books mentioned here, according to Mr. Du's words, should actually be called "Renbi".

Runbi is an elegant name for royalties.

But writing articles with calligraphy skills can also be called "Renbi".

It is also a respect for those who are knowledgeable about calligraphy skills. Such people are also called Mr. Runbi.

Here I would like to briefly talk about the process of printing books.

In addition to the classics of ancient sages, other contemporary essays, or newly published vernacular novels, as well as books such as children's examination records and provincial examination records, all require a writer with good calligraphy.

The author's content may be good, but his calligraphy may not be exquisite.

The major bookstores first get the article, then find a calligraphy master to write a complete copy.

The handwriting in this book not only needs to be of uniform size, but also needs to be clear and free of ink spots.

Then, let the printing craftsmen carve printing plates or printing molds according to such good characters.

The book thus printed will be in the handwriting of the person who paid the bill.

Therefore, the handwriting of the painter must be beautiful and elegant.

There are many versions of books on the market, and the quality of the handwriting is also one of the criteria for book buyers to choose.

Therefore, people with good calligraphy are very popular.

If Ji Yuan goes looking for a job, it's basically a sure thing, it just depends on the pay.

When Ji Yuan took the note to the printing house, the scene in the back street was completely different from that in the front street.

I have been to Qianjie Jiyuan several times, and it was always filled with scholars buying books and stationery.

The back street is full of workers, carrying raw materials and goods.

He looked particularly out of place walking on this street.

A few scholars who met him said, "Are you looking for a job as a copyist? Don't go. There is no need for copying books now. Printing has replaced it."

It seems that it was right for Cai Fenglan and the others not to come.

Ji Yuan smiled and thanked him: "Thank you, I'll go take a look."

Seeing that he was not giving up, the scholar didn't say anything.

Ji Yuan first went to the first printing house he saw. The owner of the shop subconsciously said, "We don't want copies of books. We only want good handwriting that can be printed."

Ji Yuan bowed and said, "That's what I came here to answer."

Seeing that Ji Yuan was young, the man said, "The characters for printing books must be in the official script, but not too rigid. Can you do it?"

It’s not that he looks down on others, but the scholar in front of him is too young.

Ji Yuan nodded: "Okay."

As he spoke, he took out a pen and paper and started writing on the spot.

How could there be any mistakes when the words have been certified by Mr. Du?

"This calligraphy is excellent!" The person in the bookshop immediately said, "May I ask your name? Are you willing to come to my bookshop to write for me?"

It turned out that this man was the son of the bookstore owner. Everyone in the small bookstore was his relative, so he had direct control over everything.

Ji Yuan was not in a hurry to get the job. After carefully inquiring about the price, he decided to go look elsewhere.

The boss's son said quickly, "No, the price is negotiable. How about you copy a book and I'll give you five taels?"

How many?

Five taels?

"Of course there are requirements. Not only must the handwriting be neat, but the size must also be the same. Otherwise, we won't accept it." The boss's son instructed, "If the handwriting is not good, our books will not sell well. You know."

"Don't worry, we will provide the paper, pens and ink for copying the book."

As he said this, he was about to pull Ji Yuan into the workshop and sign a contract with him.

"If five ounces is not enough, seven ounces will do."

Seeing this, Ji Yuan could not agree to it and found an excuse to get away quickly.

Fortunately, he ran fast, otherwise the other party would definitely continue to deceive him.

There are fourteen printing workshops in the back street of the first street in East Market, also known as East Back Street. He will definitely ask about all of them.

Ji Yuan would not easily sign a contract without asking the market price.

Fortunately, these workshops were not far away, and Ji Yuan had walked through most of them quickly and had a rough idea of ​​the prices.

When copying a book, you also need to consider what book you are copying.

If it is a popular book, the price will be cheaper and the quality requirements will not be too high, but this one has large quantity and is enough for everyone.

The price of copied classic works can reach dozens or even hundreds of taels, but the requirements are extremely strict.

The size of the characters must be regular, and there are requirements for every stroke, and it must be accurate. It is difficult to meet the requirements in Ji Yuan. Similarly, there are few such jobs, so newcomers are generally not hired.

The one in the middle is the most commonly appearing contemporary essay. Tong Shilu is also considered a type of contemporary essay.

These are the better articles written by scholars in recent times, or some poetry tutorials or article tutorials written by certain great people.

These books were printed in large quantities and were popular for a moderate period of time.

The price is between five and fifteen taels, depending on the length and number of words in the book.

It seems that the five taels and seven taels offered by the first family were a bit of a scam, but not much.

In the end, we found out that only five or six were left, including the four major bookstores.

Not only did they print the largest amount of books, they also undertook many official tasks and were considered to be eating a meal from the government.

I guess their prices will be higher?

This time when Ji Yuan entered the house, he used the note given by Master Du.

When they heard that he wanted to earn some money from writing, the four companies just told him to wait for news and refused to let him write on the spot.

After taking out the paper given by Mr. Du, everyone's face changed.

Mr. Du, who was in the calligraphy department of the provincial school, was famous for his beautiful calligraphy, which was so good that no one could imitate him.

The students he recommended must be right.

Sure enough, after Ji Yuan was written, each company gave a price.

The income was about three taels of silver more than that of a small workshop, and there were also more opportunities to copy classic books.

But there is a rule: after copying a book from a certain bookstore, you are not allowed to work for other bookstores. Similarly, the bookstore will pay a non-compete fee in advance as compensation.

So this is why the first company was so anxious to get him to sign the contract.

As for Mr. Du?

Mr. Du was good at calligraphy, famous, and a juren, so naturally he was not subject to any restrictions.

So Ji Yuan has to choose one.

Ji Yuan knew what was going on. When he left Yue's Bookstore, he was thinking about something and did not see Yue Chang who came with his father.

After Ji Yuan left, Yue Chang immediately asked what happened.

The bookshop worker said, "He is a young scholar from the prefectural school. Master Du recommended him to be the pen-returner."

"Look, sir, this little scholar's handwriting is really good."

The last sentence was naturally addressed to Yue Chang's father.

However, he did not call Yue Chang "Young Master" because Yue Chang had an older brother who was already an adult.

Master Yue looked at Ji Yuan's words and was obviously amazed. He said, "As expected, he is the person recommended by Master Du. Has the contract been signed?"

Hearing that he didn't have any, Master Yue said, "Sign it as soon as possible. Such a good calligraphy can't fall into the hands of other bookstores."

Everyone says Zhou Yuelin is the king, but everyone is in a competitive relationship, so he is ranked second. If he works harder, he might even be first.

Yue Chang looked grim, and said, "He is Ji Yuan."

era?

Master Yue knows who it is.

In the era of Little Sanyuan, the eleven-year-old Little Sanyuan, how could he know.

He also said privately that it would be great if Ji Yuan was his son, and he could even adopt him as his godparent.

Of course, I can’t recognize him recently, Yue Chang is eye-catching enough.

Lord Xu would definitely be unhappy if he recognized another 11-year-old prodigy as his godparent.

Looking at his father's expression, Yue Chang became even more jealous.

Even his father likes Ji Yuan more, it seems like Ji Yuan was born to block his way.

This was just a minor incident and no one paid attention to it.

Ji Yuan was now at the last small bookstore.

This small bookstore was even more welcoming, and pulled him aside and said, "Our bookstore's price is fifteen, you must come."

fifteen?

This is too high.

If it is too low, there will be problems; if it is too high, there will also be problems.

Seeing that Ji Yuan was not moved, the other party said: "I really am not lying to you. There will be no problem if the contract is written in black and white."

Ji Yuan said, "I think the price of the book is related to the number of copies printed. The more copies are printed, the higher the price. Why do you think this book will be a big seller?"

If the writing fee is high, it has to be spread over the cost of printing the book.

The more you print, the lower the cost per book and the more money you make. It's simple arithmetic.

Before each book is printed, everyone will have an evaluation.

So why does this small workshop think that this book will definitely sell well?

Seeing that the other party did not answer, Ji Yuan was about to leave. The other party looked at Ji Yuan's words, thought of the book again, gritted his teeth and whispered: "Because our book is good."

good?

Which one is better?

"The book we printed includes the best essays from this year's children's exam, and it also includes essays from the top three winners. How can it not sell well?"

"Not only are they sold locally, but they are also shipped abroad. This kind of book is a must-read for the imperial examinations, and the sales volume is extremely high, so the fees for Mr. Runbi are also good."

The bookstore was also anxious because it had finally gotten a good article, but it was difficult to get good calligraphy.

The handwriting of Mr. Runbi, whom I usually work with, is not up to standard, but the beautiful official script of the young scholar in front of me is excellent.

When Ji Yuan heard the name of Xiao Sanyuan, he was shocked and said, "You received the order for printing books from the prefectural school? You actually want to print children for examination."

The small bookstore wiped its face and said, "Of course not. Printing books for the government is the job of the four major bookstores. How can we get it?"

"How did you print it? How did you get the articles?" Ji Yuan asked again, "Even if you got all the articles, Tongshilu has published the articles, and you publish them again, wouldn't that be a duplication? People won't buy yours."

For the same content, people would basically buy those from big workshops. Generally speaking, the price is similar, but the quality is better.

Take Mr. Runbi, with whom I collaborated, for example; the calligraphy of all the big bookstores is much better.

The little study room didn't expect the scholar in front of him to know so much, so he had to tell the truth: "The articles we included are naturally not in the children's examination records. Anyway, don't worry, this book will definitely sell well."

Ji Yuan thought for a moment and finally understood.

OK.

He encountered an illegal bookseller!

Here's the situation.

First of all, all the papers from the Tongshi examination were in the hands of the provincial school.

After the children's exam, the provincial society selected the best essays from the students and included them in the collection.

That is to say, as mentioned before, the provincial schools will be included first.

Major bookstores would seek out articles that were not included in the government school, and would pay sufficient royalties.

For example, he wrote a total of twenty articles for the Tongshi examination, three to eight of which were included in the Tongshi Lu.

The rest of the article fell by the wayside.

The bookstore can find him, get the request, pay the manuscript fee, and then publish and print.

But the small workshop in front of him chose the missed article and printed it without obtaining the consent of anyone in the Tongshi exam.

Seeing how confidently he swore, the book they printed would definitely not be the same as "Tong Shi Lu".

How is this possible?

With so many articles, how can we accurately avoid the ones selected in "Tongshilu"?

Unless someone is secretly colluding.

The one who colluded in this matter was most likely the bookstore that got the opportunity to compile "Tongshilu".

Ji Yuan also asked directly: "The news is so well-informed, but I don't know who wrote "Children's Test Record". Has it been produced?"

"This year, the government school was given to the Yue family. Samples were made in May and June, and they will be sold soon! We can take them back while there are many students coming from all over the country!"

"So we are also anxious about this "Supplement to the Tongshilu".

"Supplement to Tongshilu", this is indeed a supplement.

The Yue family obtained the printing rights to "Tongshilu", so they naturally knew which articles were not included.

Selling information privately to small workshops and printing them directly can make a lot of money.

Ji Yuan took a deep breath and said, "Then has this supplementary article been approved by the examinees?"

The people in the small workshop are already getting a little impatient.

Why so many questions?

If it weren't for his good handwriting, he would have been driven away long ago. The man said patiently, "Of course I agree. I've already given you a lot of money as a reward!"

"You also gave me the small three yuan?"

"Of course I will give it to you!"

Ji Yuan sneered: "Why don't I know?"

Don’t you know?

What don't you know?

Only then did Ji Yuan take out the note given by Master Du.

Only large workshops need recommendations, small workshops are unlikely to ask, so they have not been taken out yet.

The note read: "My student Ji Yuan has excellent calligraphy skills, and his handwriting is smooth and flowing. I would like to recommend him to the bookshop as a calligraphy master."

The signature is Du Letian, the calligrapher of the provincial school.

Du Fuzi t!

Era?!

The Little Three Yuan Era.

Who doesn’t know this name, East City First Street?

The Song family members in the small workshop felt weak in the knees.

He, what did he just say? !

He also said that with Xiao Sanyuan’s consent, his articles can be printed?

Ji Yuan didn't say much, and said bluntly: "As long as my articles are circulated in the market, except for those printed in the government school, I will investigate them."

"Guess, will the government protect Xiao Sanyuan, or will it protect you?"

Of course I need to say that.

If they were the four families of Zhou, Yue, Lin and Wang, the government would still show leniency.

But it was just a small workshop, so naturally they would protect the dignity of the scholars and fine them heavily.

After all, scholars are unwilling to steal articles, and the people in the government office are all scholars who have passed the imperial examinations, so they will definitely be on Ji Yuan's side.

After Ji Yuan left, the people in the bookshop collapsed to the ground, thinking that the thousand taels of silver they had given to the Yue family were now wasted.

The Yue family also said that they should buy less locally and sell all of them to other places, so that the people who built the Meng Mansion would not know about it.

By the time we really know the truth, the book will be finished, and we won’t even know if it will be reprinted. There won’t be any risk at all.

This is generally true.

But before this was done, the real owner discovered it.

There is definitely no chance at all.

As long as there is a copy on the market, Ji Yuan can take the case to the authorities.

"It's over. It's all over."

"Tell people not to print it, or they will be sued."

Ji Yuan walked out of the small bookstore, looked at the Yue Family Bookstore he had just entered, and took a deep breath.

Originally, he didn't want to go to this family because of Yue Chang, but when he saw the surname, he knew there must be a connection.

Now I am even more unhappy.

I think all the articles in the so-called "Tongshilu Supplement" were not authorized.

His own, the second place Bai Heshang, the third place Cai Fenglan, and so on, all did not agree to this.

After "Tong Shi Lu" is sold, there will definitely be regular booksellers asking for the articles. I will pay the royalties according to the procedures and then sell it.

But by that time, the so-called "Tongshilu Buyi" must have been on the market.

At that time, the honest booksellers will be in trouble, and the scholars who received the royalties may also be implicated.

All in all, it's a lose-lose situation.

There are winners too.

Yue family.

Ji Yuan passed by this house and directly put them on the blacklist.

He ignored the repeated requests from their housekeeper.

The remaining study rooms belong to the Zhou family, the Lin family, and the Wang family.

We'll have to wait and see for details.

After coming out of the back street, Ji Yuan went for a walk on the front street.

Sure enough, the Yue Family Bookstore had already put up a sign announcing that "The Meng Mansion Children's Examination Records, Built in the 34th Year of Huayuan" would be arriving soon.

This is the only one like this one, no other has it.

Ji Yuan was disgusted by what he saw and left immediately.

He was going to visit several shops that sold 菆菆, and after making many comparisons, he calculated the price of 菆菆.

About thirty taels is enough to buy a pair of suitable glasses.

The twenty-five taels he had on him were still not enough.

But if he could sign a contract with a bookstore and get the competition fee from Mr. Runbi first, he would be able to collect enough money and take it to Zhengrong County before his fellow townsmen go back.

After he has inquired about the situations of each family, he can sign the contract immediately.

In the afternoon, Ji Yuan figured out the situation here and hurried back to Qiyan Temple.

After discussing with Li Xun the next day, he chose the Zhou family to sign a contract and become their clerk.

The price offered by the Zhou family was reasonable, and it was ranked first among all the major bookstores.

His housekeeper is very kind and generous.

Speaking of which, when various study rooms sent him paper, it was his servants who gave him most of it.

I didn't expect that after so many twists and turns, I would end up working in this bookshop.

By the time all the contract matters were completed, it was already August 14th, and there were only six days left until the announcement of the results.

After Ji Yuan received eight taels of competitive fee, he carefully selected and bought a suitable one.

Then Mr. Zhao won’t have to strain his eyes when reading.

Ji Yuan also told this to Zhang Xun, a scholar he knew well. Zhang Xun was shocked and said, "What? This thing is extremely expensive. Did you really buy it for Master Meng?"

Nowadays, students read a lot of books and many of them suffer from myopia. If someone gives them a gift, it would be like being their lifesaver.

Ji Yuan said: "Back then, I had no money to study or buy clothes, and it was all taken care of by Master Meng. Now that I have the spare money, I will definitely do something."

Zhang Xun was moved by what he heard and agreed, "Okay, I'll bring it with me on my way back."

"I'd better leave it to your place for now. Qiyan Temple is quiet and peaceful. My place has too many people and it's not very safe."

The items were too valuable, and Zhang Xun was willing to take an extra risk by agreeing to send them back. Ji Yuan was extremely grateful.

Zhang Xun joked, "How can I not believe you? Master Meng is so kind to you that you can give me such a valuable gift. If I have any problems in the future, you will definitely help me."

"As long as it does not violate public order and good customs, and does not violate the laws of Tianqi, I will definitely help." Ji Yuan said with a smile.

Zhang Xun shook his head: "Okay, let's make a gentleman's agreement."

Zhang Xun always kept talking about the gentleman's agreement, but on the day when the results were announced on August 20, his expression was so shocked that he didn't look like a gentleman at all.

"No. 36."

“I passed the exam.”

"I ranked 36th in the Jianmeng Prefecture's provincial examination this year!"

Zhang Xun's face looked like he was half crying and half laughing.

He really passed the imperial examination!

He is one of the fifty-nine candidates this year!

There are more than 2,700 scholars.

He actually passed the exam.

There was an endless stream of congratulations from the crowd.

There was also a fellow townsman named Zhengrong County School teacher who passed the exam.

Zhengrong County produced two juren!

Such an achievement is really unbelievable.

As a result, all students from Zhengrong County are envied.

Li Xun looked at the list and saw that his name was not on it. He felt indescribably sad.

Although I had a premonition, I still wanted to cry before I saw the name.

Li Xun comforted himself: "It's okay, it's okay, I still have a way out, the instructor told me to go back and take the exam."

As he spoke, Li Xun burst into tears. His cousin Li Jin tried to comfort him, but he couldn't help crying himself.

Ji Yuan sighed.

This is probably the provincial examination.

Very cruel and very realistic.

Just as he was thinking about it, someone from the prefectural school ran over, looked at Ji Yuan, and said, "Ji Yuan, you have to attend this year's provincial examination banquet as well."

"Lord Xu will personally call the roll, so don't be late."

What?

County Examination Banquet?

He participated?

He didn't even take part in the provincial examination.

Or will Lord Xu, who has always disliked child prodigies, let him go personally?

Continue read on readnovelmtl.com