"Wei Bao, what's wrong with you? Did you drink too much yesterday and get sleepy? Wu Xuexia saw Wei Bao's eyes staring at a page of Fan Wen, and she hadn't moved for a long time, and she didn't look like Wei Bao was thinking, but like she was asleep with her eyes open, so she asked with concern.

Wei Bao came back to his senses and smiled slightly: "It's nothing." ”

On the one hand, I feel that this Lao Shizi's imperial examination is purely poisoning the readers, restricting the thinking of the readers, and imprisoning the thoughts of the common people, even if it has a certain positive significance for the feudal era, but most of it has led the Chinese civilization astray, and it has become more and more biased, so that since the Ming Dynasty, we have gradually lagged behind Europe in science.

But on the other hand, Wei Bao has no way to get out and ignore the scientific examination, because this is the only way to get to the gate of officialdom.

Not to mention that he does not have the ability to change the world, even if it is possible to change the world in an extreme way of rebellion, Wei Bao is not inclined to take this step, in order to protect more Chinese creatures, the Chinese people, Wei Bao is willing to work harder, unswervingly take the reformist line, step by step to guide the Ming Dynasty to the era of capitalist system enlightenment, to the constitutional monarchy, or simply overthrow the Ming Dynasty and move towards the republic!

Uh-uh......

For a person who can't even keep Weijiazhuang now, and it is difficult to keep it in southern Liaoning, it seems too exaggerated to want a constitutional monarchy or a republic.

Wei Bao thought of this, and his face was full of smiles.

Wu Xuexia saw Wei Bao in a daze for a while, and then smiled again, her face was blushing for a while, thinking that Wei Bao couldn't concentrate on reading because she was with her, so she was happy, so she said: "Forget it, I'm here, it seems that you can't study quietly, I'll go to the first floor." Brother, you also have to be attentive and can't be lazy. ”

Wu Sanfu has been holding a book to fan the wind, where does it look like he is working hard, I wish Wu Xuexia would go first, and let out a casual sigh.

Wei Bao was sweating, secretly thinking Wu Xuexia, what do you think? You're here, I'm not in the mood to read? You're thinking too highly of yourself, aren't you?

However, Wei Bao didn't mean to defend himself, and he also hummed casually, Wu Xuexia went downstairs first and waited, she was a little worried about thinking about things here.

Although he disdains the imperial examination system, Wei Bao is more hypnotic and likes scientific examinations, at least, before the start of the examination a few days ago, how can he hypnotize himself hard, although there is little hope, but if you don't work hard and don't work hard, isn't it even more slim?

At this time in the Ming Dynasty, many scholars only bothered to study the scriptures and study the eight stocks in order to take the high school entrance examination, and did not pay attention to practical knowledge.

It is a serious obstacle to the development of China's ideology, culture, science and technology.

On the one hand, the eight forces destroyed talents, but there were still talents in the Ming Dynasty.

On the other hand, since they have all been imprisoned in their minds and have become the emperor's slaves, but the Ming Dynasty has so many examples of civil and official groups opposing the imperial power, where is this what the emperor's slaves do.

Is the imperial examination really a selection of talents?

Wei Bao also couldn't say clearly, from the perspective of historical experience, officials from the imperial examination may not be better than officials from the Jiupin Zhongzheng system.

The famous generals and ministers of the Wei and Jin dynasties were by no means worse than the talents of the Song and Ming dynasties.

The Sui and Tang dynasties adopted a dual-track system, and in fact, the level of many noble children, Wei Bao personally believes that it is even better than the talents selected by the imperial examination.

Although they are all children of the aristocracy who are officials, it is very undemocratic, and there is nothing to do with the common people, which can easily cause monopoly and breed corruption, but these children of the nobility are not low in terms of knowledge, and they are all people who have been accustomed to seeing wind and rain since childhood.

In Wei Bao's view, those who take the political line mainly need to have experience and ability, which is the first thing, and the imperial examination is at most a selection of materials.

Whether the selected people are suitable or not has little to do with the imperial examination itself.

It's impossible for a book to teach you how to govern.

What is the purpose of the imperial examination? Wei Bao felt that the first point was a weapon, a weapon against the famous families of the Wei, Jin, Sui and Tang dynasties, and a sword hanging over the heads of the imperial power against the scholars.

The essence of the imperial examination is a kind of check and balance on the hereditary system that shakes the imperial power from the beginning, which makes the family more shackles, even if your family background is prominent, once the children are unlucky, the family may also plummet, not as long as the family is prominent, what cats and dogs will be officials, up and down the government and the opposition, all over the relatives, affecting national politics.

The imperial examination system solved one of the greatest threats to imperial power since the Qin and Han dynasties to the Sui and Tang dynasties.

The second function is to maintain rule.

In ancient times, anyone who was qualified to study, their family in his village, county, although not necessarily important, but must have an influence, because they were literate, so they controlled the local public opinion, and because they were qualified to ask Mr. to teach knowledge, at the same time, in that era of backward productivity, they could liberate the young and strong labor force from the land, and concentrate on the imperial examination, their family has a certain amount of savings, they are in their hometown, they are the best, in the slave society, they are large and small slave owners, In feudal society, they were landlords of all sizes.

Such people must be co-opted by the imperial court, so that they can be used for their own purposes and at the same time do not endanger their own rule.

Even if they resist, they do not have enough culture and eloquence to encourage and instigate others, and even if they have this culture, they do not have enough influence in their own country to make people follow.

The only capable ones are precisely this group of intellectuals in the countryside, who have money, food, and culture, and have long been married to the local and many famous families, and they have traveled extensively.

Therefore, the imperial court must give them hope. This hope is the imperial examination system.

Are you dissatisfied? If you want to get ahead, you can't see others being officials, and you can't be an official, then come to the exam, if you take the exam, you will have a fame, you can be an official, and you will be excellent in learning, compared to slaying dragons, the risk of the exam is obviously much lower, and the chance is much greater.

The Four Books and Five Classics are here, teaching you monarchs and ministers, teaching you to cultivate your body first, then Qi family, and then rule the country and level the world. When thousands of young masters of large and small landlords have become a member of the examination army, in fact, the purpose has been achieved, after all, there is not so much idle time after studying, and it is impossible to think about other bad things all day long.

This, in Wei Bao's view, can barely become a positive direction for imprisoning people's thinking.

People are a little stupid, but they are better than the slave era, and it is better for the princes of the Eighteenth Route and the Nineteenth Route to fight Dong Zhuo, the three heroes to fight against Lu Bu, and Brother Cao's hundreds of thousands of troops to confront the Sun and Liu coalition forces.

In the feudal era, there were also wars, at least one category, and the national consciousness was also improved. Fighting within the nation was significantly reduced, and the duration of the Great Unification Dynasty was much longer.

Therefore, the essence of the imperial examination is actually a very clever political method, and all its goals are carried out around maintaining rule.

If you want people to have hope for the imperial examination, you must be fair, and you must make people believe that as long as you study hard, as long as you have ten years of cold windows, as long as you are lucky, you can carp and jump into the dragon gate.

To be absolutely fair, on the one hand, it is necessary to prevent fraud, once fraud is discovered, it is a felony, which is completely different from the simple disqualification of the modern college entrance examination.

Therefore, Wei Bao's previous fraud in the field was really a big risk.

The article is too arbitrary, how can we make the reader believe in the fairness of the imperial examination, and not make the examiner's attitude casual, so that he will fall off the list? So the eight-strand text appeared.

The eight-strand essay has set countless standards, how many words to use, what style to use, how to solve the problem, how to undertake the topic, how to start shares, how to collect shares, and what is the essence of each constraint? It's elimination!

The more rules there are, the easier it is to eliminate those articles that go beyond the rules, which reduces the possibility of the examiner being willful, and if you can't even do what is within these rules, you don't want to take the test.

The eight-share system is a tool for sharing spoils of interests, and it is also a tool for solving political problems with cultural problems, and it is the optimal solution in that era, under the productive forces and social background of that period.

At the same time, the emergence of talents is not determined by the Han Dynasty's filial piety or the Wei and Jin Dynasty's nine-grade Zhongzheng system, or the imperial examination system, which only determines the starting point.

What really cultivates talents is practice and personal social experience.

It wasn't time for lunch yet, and someone came again.

Lin Wenbiao probed outside President Wei's study, and Wei Bao knew that something was wrong.

He came out and asked, "How?" ”

"It's the president's father and mother and Song Yingxing who have arrived, as well as Fan Lao Pimple and Wang Zhihui." Lin Wenbiao said softly.

Wei Bao Khan, is it necessary to come so many people? I only called Song Yingxing over, and said that I would go back to Weijiazhuang before going to the capital to take the exam in a few days.

"Come on, let's come and arrange dinner." Wei Bao said, turned back to Liao Fuzi and Wu Sanfu and said, "Master, Brother Sanfu, otherwise, take a rest first?" My father and mother are here, should we eat first? ”

Wu Sanfu was overjoyed when he heard this, and he was eager to do this! Hurriedly said: "Okay, well, eat first, no matter how busy you are, you can't go hungry, sharpen the knife and don't cut wood." ’

Liao Fuzi smiled and nodded, and also said that since Wei Gongzi's father and mother are here, let's rest first! Secretly thinking that you, Second Master Wu, are only afraid of sharpening knives all day long, and will not cut firewood.

Wei Bao smiled slightly, and followed Lin Wenbiao downstairs to meet his parents.

Wei Dakang was chatting with Song Yingxing, Fan Laopng and Wang Zhihui.

Huang Ying was chatting warmly with Wu Xuexia.

Wu Xuexia and Huang Ying knew each other before, Wu Xuexia had been to Weijiazhuang before, and she had been there more than once.

In terms of his son's marriage, Wei Dakang is more inclined to Zhao Jinfeng, and feels that it is already good to be able to climb the daughter of the Li Zheng family, and he should know how to cherish his blessings. And Wei Dakang didn't think that Wei Bao could get together with a super daughter like Wu Xuexia, the difference between the doors was too great, and Wei Dakang didn't even have the idea of moving.

And Huang Ying is different, Huang Ying dared to think that she had secretly compared Wu Xuexia and Zhao Jinfeng.

It can't be said who Huang Ying is more inclined to, Huang Ying has a good attitude of not caring and being good!

As long as his son is not officially married to a girl, Huang Ying looks at everyone very well.

Huang Ying is not at ease if he doesn't put real money in his pocket.

"My aunt is getting younger and younger, and I prepared some good white fungus bird's nest for my aunt a while ago, but I haven't found a chance to give it to my aunt." Wu Xuexia smiled and said sweetly.

Straight Huang Yingle blossomed, and now Huang Ying is also a knowledgeable person, what good supplements haven't you seen? Moreover, the grade of observing words and colors has also improved a lot, and I usually have more contact with rich and noble people, and I can see some ways. Just at Miss Wu's attitude towards herself, Huang Ying, as a mother, could immediately feel that Miss Wu really had feelings for Wei Bao!

With such a beautiful woman in the country showing affection for her son, where would Huang Ying be unhappy?

White fungus, also known as white fungus, snow fungus, etc., is a high-quality tonic.

As a nourishing product suitable for all ages, white fungus has outstanding taste and simple cooking, and is suitable for long-term consumption.

At this time in the Ming Dynasty, it was already popular, and the market price of something like white fungus was extremely expensive, and it often cost one or twenty taels of silver to buy a small box of white fungus.

Soup has always been a favorite nourishing method for rich and noble families, and it is very good to use white fungus to cook soup and soup, and with the original tonic in the soup, it can achieve twice the nourishing effect with half the effort.

Wei Bao walked down and heard that Wu Xuexia gave Huang Ying the knowledge of health and beauty, and his heart was also warm.

Who doesn't want to have a beautiful girl as a female companion and let their parents know? It's a face-saving thing.

Wu Xuexia saw Wei Bao, smiled, and said to Xiang'er behind her: "You go back to the house in person, and bring me the more than ten catties of the finest white fungus and bird's nest I prepared for my aunt." ”

Xiang'er said yes and went out.

Wu Xuexia said enthusiastically to Wei's mother: "Auntie, you eat twice a day, you can eat as much as you can, I can still get after eating, although this thing is cherished, but the amount that Wu Mansion can get is only more than the palace inside." ”

Wei Bao sweated, are you treating my mother as a pig? A dozen pounds?

Huang Ying was already happy, and said continuously: "I can't help it, this is absolutely unacceptable." How can you ask for such a valuable thing for the eldest lady. ”

"Auntie, if you refuse to accept it, Xuexia will be uncomfortable." Wu Xuexia looked coquettish and moving.

Huang Ying and I saw that I held Wu Xuexia's pink little hand pitifully, stroked it gently, and only said, "It's good, it's good." ”

Although Wei Dakang was talking to others, he also saw Wei Bao coming down, and he also saw Huang Ying and the eldest lady of the Wu family looking like mother and daughter, and they were secretly surprised.

"Little treasure." Wei Dakang called Wei Bao.

Song Yingxing hurriedly stepped forward to salute: "Master Wei." ”

Fan Lao Pimple and Wang Zhihui called Xiaobao.

Wei Bao greeted everyone separately and said with a smile: "Dad, mother, didn't I say that I would go back to Weijiazhuang in person in a few days?" Why are you here in person? I asked Mr. Song to come because I wanted him to guide me to study and prepare for the scientific examination in the future. ”

"I know, I know, your mother and I both know that you are going to go to the township test, and we are very concerned. came to see you with Mr. Song, it was your mother who said that you hadn't been back for too long and missed you. I'm with your old uncle, Uncle Zhihui is here to play by the way. Vedacon explained.

Huang Ying also said: "Xiaobao, you are getting busier and busier, haven't you been home for a few months now?" It's really hard for us to see you, and we have to go up to Shanhaiguan. ”

Wei Bao smiled slightly: "Do you want me to stop doing business at home all day?" ”

"What I said is that good men have ambitions in all directions! Don't listen to your mother. Wei Dakang said happily.

Huang Ying glanced at Wei Dakang: "I'm talking to my son, it's in your way?" What mother doesn't want to see her son often? ”

Wei Dakang smiled and didn't reply.

At this time, Wu Sanfu and Liao Fuzi came down from upstairs, Wu Sanfu knew everyone, so he was not enthusiastic, and he looked like he was anti-guest, "Ah, Uncle Wei and Aunt Wei, you are all here, this is great, you have to have a good drink at noon today!" Last time, I went to Weijiazhuang to play, and I saw Uncle Wei's boxing skills, good boxing skills! ”

Wei Dakang smiled and said: "This is easy, I will accompany Wu Gongzi to make a punch later." ”

"Brother, you're not preparing for the exam? Still drinking? Wu Xuexia whispered.

"Hehe, don't worry about it, even if my mother knows that I am drinking with Uncle Wei, I won't say anything, so you can accompany Aunt Wei well." Wu Sanfu smiled and said with a big arrangement.

Wu Xuexia pursed her lips, wanted to say something, but held back again.

"Wei Bao, you can prepare for the exam with peace of mind, don't pay attention to my brother." Wu Xuexia whispered to Wei Bao.

Wei Bao nodded: "Don't worry, I won't drink today." ”

When Wu Xuexia heard this, she was very happy, she hummed sweetly, and smiled at Wei Bao, which made everyone present feel disgusted.

Fan Lao Pimple and Wang Zhihui, because their daughter has booked the status of Wei Bao's concubine, they actually don't particularly care about who Wei Bao's future wife is, but they all vaguely hope that it is the daughter of Zhao Lizheng's family who is better.

Because Zhao Jinfeng is something they have seen before, it can be said that they have watched Zhao Jinfeng grow up, he is knowledgeable, has a gentle personality, and Zhao Li is also very lenient, they all believe that if Zhao Jinfeng becomes Wei Bao's wife, at least her daughter will not have to suffer too much as a concubine.

is worried that if a noble girl like Wu Xuexia becomes Wei Bao's wife, I am afraid that the life of the concubine will not be easy.

So the two of them glanced at each other, although there was no verbal communication, but their minds understood each other, it seems that the relationship between Wei Bao and the eldest lady of the Wu family is not simple!

Everyone was chatting and laughing, and the atmosphere was very lively.

Wei Bao said to Lin Wenbiao: "Arrange for the soldiers of the Governor's Mansion who came to Shanhaiguan with me to have a good meal, and the servants of the Wu Mansion should also be entertained." ”

"Childe, but don't worry." Lin Wenbiao immediately agreed: "I started preparing it in the morning, and the food is definitely not comparable to ordinary restaurants." ”

Fortunately, the shops on this street are all from the Wei family, all of which are from the Tiandi business, so they simply got a lot of generous tables, and they all put up a banquet on a street, and the scene of three or four hundred people eating was magnificent.

Wei Bao was very satisfied with this arrangement, he didn't say that if he had more silver, he would squander it, in fact, after a large number of people flowed in, what Wei Bao lacked the most was still sufficient food and silver, especially silver, because with silver, he could also buy grain from the outside and from the south to supplement the tension of food in the north.

Among the banquets, the happiest one was Wu Ergongzi, Wu Sanfu and a few people from Weijiazhuang all punched each other, but they were not addicted, and they had to pull Wei Bao to drink.

"Brother." Wu Xuexia said angrily: "So many people drink with you, aren't you still addicted?" I see that you have drunk so much, I am afraid that you will not have to warm your book tomorrow. ”

Wu Sanfu laughed and said, "It's rare to be happy." Okay, I'm not looking for your little treasure to drink, it's okay, right? ”

Wei Bao smiled slightly, he didn't pay attention to Wu Sanfu's stubble, anyway, Wu Sanfu is a self-cooked, and there is always no shortage of drinking opponents.

"Liao Fuzi, this Mr. Song is a person from Jiangxi Province, who is preparing for the exam in my Weijiazhuang, and is preparing to take the exam in the winter and spring of next year." Wei Bao ceremoniously introduced Song Yingxing to Liao Fuzi.

"Mr. Song." When Liao Fuzi heard that the other party was a person from Jiangxi Province, he attached great importance to it, and solemnly owed a debt to show respect.

Song Yingxing also hurriedly replied to the etiquette of a scholar: "I have long heard that Wei Gongzi's master is a lifter in Liaoxi, and there has been no lifter in Liaoxi and Liaodong for decades, and Liaofuzi's talent is particularly rare." ”

Liao Fuzi was very happy when he heard this, and he liked to hear people say, "It's just good luck, it's not worth mentioning." ”

"Is Liao Fuzi going to Beijing next year to catch the exam? How about we go to the exam together then? Song Yingxing asked.

Liao Fuzi was most afraid of people asking him this, and he was a little embarrassed and didn't know how to answer.

Wei Bao smiled and relieved the siege for Liao Fuzi: "Mr. Song, Master is in Shanhaiguan, and he already has a lot of industries in western Liaoning, and he is very busy, and he has taken a peek at the scientific expedition. ”

When Song Yingxing heard this, he mumbled, with an expression of understanding, so he stopped asking.

Wei Bao has the intention to let the two have a competitive relationship, so as to strive to get some more essence.

Although he doesn't look down on the scientific examination, Wei Bao does not underestimate the difficulty of the scientific examination, especially when it comes to the stage of the examination, it is not too difficult to say that it is 5 million in the lottery ticket.

Therefore, Wei Bao showed Song Yingxing the examination questions of the township examination prepared by Liao Fuzi over the years, and showed Liao Fuzi a stack of test-taking articles prepared by Song Yingxing for him.

This large stack of articles, a total of more than 100 articles, almost all the exam questions that can be taken in the general exam are included.