"This horse's ears are so strange!"

"yes, both ears are about to touch, and it looks a little weird."

"Is this a big horse? Outside of white, don't lie to me. ”

Outside the stable of the Ewha Courtyard, Wu Haogu, Su Dongpo and Han Zhongyan were curiously looking at three dark brown and millet "big horses" with muscular, well-proportioned bodies, and a shoulder height of more than five feet. However, what attracted the attention of these three Song Dynasty bureaucrats the most was the ears of these three "big eating horses". The ears of these three horses are very strange, the tips are turned inward, almost touching each other, and with the large, well-opened eyes, they look particularly cute.

Wu Haogu actually knew that this was not an Arabian horse, although he had never seen an Arabian horse in his previous life, but he had painted an Arabian horse - the horse under Napoleon's crotch in "Napoleon Crossing the St. Bernard Mountain" is an Arabian horse. So Wu Haogu knows very well that Arabian horses don't have such cute looks.

However, being cute does not mean that the horse is bad, these are two concepts. Wu Haogu now understands horses a little. Seeing the height of the shoulders, muscles, and stature of these three horses, he knew that they were three good horses.

There is also a knowledgeable horse in the Pear Blossom Courtyard, which is an old horse that Lin Wancheng dug up from the forbidden army for Wu Haogu, and at this time he whispered in Wu Haogu's ear: "Master, horses are good horses, they are all male, and they are also young. However, this horse looks very clever, and it is estimated that it is not very easy to train, so it is best to leave the ...... with Ma Ling."

Wu Haogu nodded, he knew that horses are also stupid and smart according to different horse breeds, generally speaking, smart horses are very naughty, difficult to train, and recognize people. If you want to raise it from a young age, it will be very obedient, and if you buy it halfway, you will have to work a lot of effort to adjust it. If it's a mare, it's better, but stallions, especially small stallions, are very difficult to get. Castration is of course a way to make a naughty stallion docile and obedient, but after castration it cannot be bred. Therefore, it is indeed a good way to "buy" a horse who is familiar with the temperament of the horse.

"Bai Yuanwai," Wu Haogu asked with a smile, "you are not a big horse, nor are you from Persia, and it is not possible that you are from Flynn (Europe), it should be ......" He thought for a while, "It's a Tianzhu horse, right?" ”

It's also for Wu Hao Gumeng! But it's not difficult, the Arabian horse is certainly not, and the Persian horse is also known in ancient times. It is even more impossible in Europe, and it is not possible in Central Asia, Europe and Central Asia are farther away and the cost of transportation is higher. Then only the Indian Ahsanma remains.

"I really can't hide it from the guest province......" Bai Siwen's cowhide was blown up, but he didn't blush at all, he still had a Wishing you prosperity smile, "This horse is called Tianzhu Folded Ear Horse, which is a cross between a big food horse and a Persian horse and a native horse of Tianzhu, which is resistant to severe cold and heat, can gallop long distances, and the horse's hooves are as hard as iron, which is a rare good horse." ”

"Make a price." Wu Haogu said with a smile.

"Ten thousand!" Bai Siwen stretched out a finger, "One horse and ten thousand!" ”

Su Dongpo was surprised: "So expensive? ”

Bai Siwen smiled and gave Su Dongpo a salute: "Mr. Dongpo, this horse is sold to Wuke Province, it is indispensable, if you like it, write a word for Xiaodi, and Xiaodi will exchange a horse." ”

Su Dongpo laughed, of course he wouldn't use words to change horses, but Bai Siwen's sycophants still made Mr. Dongpo very happy.

"Okay!" Wu Haogu smiled, "Don't bargain anymore."

But I have two conditions, one is that you have to leave me as a horse keeper; The second is that I still want this horse, or a stallion, within three years old, but in the future, I will not pay 10,000, at most 3,000. ”

"Three thousand? No, no......" Bai Siwen's head shook like a wave drum, "The cost is not enough, Tianzhu is also very far away, and the sea route can only be reached in half a year." ”

"I'll send someone to Quanzhou to fetch horses." Wu Haogu waved his hand and said, "Quanzhou City, all the expenses are also mine, is this okay?" ”

The cost of transporting a horse from India to Quanzhou is definitely enough, and this still takes into account the risk of dying of illness and capsizing and drowning. But a five-foot-tall "imperial horse" has to pass all the way to Kaifeng Mansion, and it is impossible to think about it without a 3,000 yuan to buy the road...... This horse is too eye-catching in the Great Song Dynasty!

Wu Haogu naturally knew the joints, but in the past, he had no choice but to spend money. But now he has a way, he can set up a "horse picking service" in Quanzhou that is nominally subordinate to the palace in front of the palace. In this way, not only can a stronghold be set up in Quanzhou, but also avoid being peeled layer by layer on the way to the north.

"It can be done." Bai Siwen smiled, "Then it's a word...... Ke Province, you have a distinguished guest here, Xiaodi is not bothered, and Xiaodi will come back after drawing up a contract another day? ”

"Contract, you go to the Republic Building, go and discuss with Su Dalang." Wu Haogu said, "Now you go to the front hall and wait for a while, and I'll let someone take you to the account room to get the money later." ”

"Thank you for saving money." Bai Siwen saluted, and then saluted Su Dongpo and Han Zhongyan, who did not reveal his identity, before turning to leave. The three Tianzhu folded ears and the two black-born Ah San horses were left to Wu Haogu.

……

In Zeng Bu's house, there were also a few visitors at this time. Although he had already asked the county, the official family did not immediately approve it. The prime minister invited the county, but he had to pretend to comfort him a few times before it was finished, so Zeng Bu could not go to Haizhou to enjoy his blessings for the time being.

In addition, after Zhang Dian retired, he became the leader of the new party, and this position was not said to retire.

And now that the new party and new learning have the possibility of an avalanche, Zeng Bu can't be so irresponsible and walk away, he must explain it, right?

"Cai Yuanchang is the only person who can act as the right minister," Zeng Bu sighed, picked up the teacup and took a sip, "Let's help in the future." ”

Several important members of the New Party present looked at Cai Jing when they heard this, and Cai Jing arched his hand: "Now that the situation is difficult, I hope you and Cai will deal with it together." ”

A few people, you look at me, I look at you, whether you accept it or not, but there is no way. Now that the New Party is in a difficult situation, it especially needs a leader who is on good terms with the officials. And Cai Jing has been in the official family early, so he is naturally the best candidate.

Lu Dian, who invited the county with Zeng Bu, frowned and said: "Zixuan, in fact, what Su Dongpo said also makes sense, we have been engaged in the new policy for so many years, and it is always not easy, and the reason for this is that the people who do things are not good." If everyone could do things like Cai Yuanchang, the New Deal would have been successful a long time ago. ”

Zeng Bu nodded, "Shi Nong, what do you want?" Go ahead. ”

"We still have to develop official learning," Lu Dian's said, "Wang Jinggong has been promoting official learning very early, but unfortunately he didn't find the right way, and he still wants to find a way out from the scriptures." ”

"Shi Nong," Cai Jing frowned, "You mean to run a practical school?" ”

"It can't all be practical learning," Lu Dian's thought for a while, "Jingyi still needs it...... Now that they have the "Theory of Heavenly Principles" and "Empirical Theory", we can't lose the "Three Classics and New Righteousness" anymore, otherwise it will really be a complete loss of Taoism. ”

"It's better to abolish the imperial examination," Cai Jing said with a smile, "Wang Jinggong wanted to do it back then." Now this direction is clearer, run official schools, teach practical learning, abolish the imperial examination, and use the Guozijian School to take scholars in the future. ”

This idea did not just appear in Cai Jing's mind, as he once abolished the imperial examination system and replaced it with a school when he was in power. However, the abolition of the imperial examination did not last long, and in the late reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, the imperial examination was reinstated because there were too many objections.

"Isn't it?" Vice Prime Minister Xu Jiang immediately put forward a different opinion, "The imperial examination is the way to rise from the poor family, if it is abolished, what will happen to the scholars of the poor family in the world?" ”

"You can go to school." Cai Jingdao.

"I'm afraid of injustice when I enter the school!" General Xu shook his head, "This matter must be considered in the long run." ”

"Yes, yes, yes, the imperial examination is the fundamental policy of the country, so why should it be wasted?"

"Now there is the imperial examination, and there is often fraud in the local liberation examination, if there is no imperial examination, the special school will take the scholars, God knows how many private teachings will be made."

Cai Jing frowned, he didn't expect that the proposal he put forward would actually cause a lot of opposition within the New Party.

Of course, those who oppose it are also motivated by justice. Cai Jing is very clear about this, because the abolition of the imperial examination and the revival of the school is greatly beneficial to the children and nephews of these people.

The prime minister's son, what kind of school can't you get into? But a good school is just like that, and the official position is also limited. If you go to school to get a scholar in the future, won't the way to progress be monopolized by the children of wealthy families? Children of poor families, where are they going to be officials?

"Maybe we can reform the content of the imperial examination?" Lu Dian said tentatively, "You can add arithmetic, law, and so on." ”

"There's horseback riding, archery and fencing," Mr. Cai said, "and the officials are ambitious." ”

"It's not proper," Zeng Bu shook his head this time, "Poor and rich...... If the imperial examination is tested for the art of riding and archery, it will also cut off the entry of the poor scholars. ”

"What then?" Cai Jing frowned, "Give Su Dongpo such a bewitchment, the official family will definitely reform the method of taking scholars." If we can't seize the opportunity, then Han Zhongyan and Su Dongpo will take the lead. ”

"This ......" Zeng Bu squinted his eyes and thought for a moment, "It's better to do this, let's go up and ask for reform, but how to change it still needs to be empirically tested." ”

"Good way!" Cai Jing immediately slapped his face, "Change must be changed, the problem of how to change is out to Su Dongpo and Wu Haogu, if it is changed, we have the merit of initiative, if it is not good, then the empirical theory is doubtful." ”

Zeng Bu shook his head slightly: "How easy is it to talk about?" This imperial examination is not good, but it is indispensable. If you want to reform, that is to move the way of promotion of the world's scholars, and if you are not careful, you will be angry! In the past, Wang Jinggong practiced so many new laws, but only the law of the imperial examination was something that he wanted to do but didn't dare to move! ”