Daming kill

Chapter 210 Chapter [-] The Crazy Reader
Zuo Menggeng's arrival in Fuchi in person stunned Li Ping.

Of course, Zuo Menggeng originally planned to go to Qizhou, but he didn't expect that Li Ping would actually continue to stay in Fuchi Town, where there was no danger.

Zuo Menggeng was skeptical about Yang Ming's words.

Although there is still a small gap to achieve all goals, Zuo Menggeng still decides to stop.

He didn't intend to make trouble for himself.

If Li Ping is not in Qizhou, if he still goes, I am afraid that he will have to meet Xu Wenqi, and there will be a high probability that he will be criticized by Xu Wenqi who dares to speak out, and there may be other troubles. up.

But in the small Fuchi, Zuo Menggeng found that he didn't want to stay, and he didn't want to stay.

In the end, Zuo Menggeng, who had completed all important tasks, chose to return before night fell.

Watching Zuo Menggeng's boat go away, Li Ping couldn't help thinking about it.

Li Ping realized that he had oversimplified Zuo Liangyu and Zuo Menggeng.

Zhou Wen also had a deep thought on his face.

Zhou Wenwen assisted Ma Yong in charge of defense in Qizhou. This time, he came back from Qizhou specially for the grand reception of Zuo Menggeng.

After listening to the reports from Yang Ming and He Zhuzi, Li Ping became more convinced of his judgment and began to worry.

He knows that things are not simple, and he needs to sort them out.

But no matter what, there is still something to be happy about.

It is always a happy event for Zuo Menggeng to send a large amount of food, weapons, cloth and other materials in the name of supplies and rewards. These things will never be too much at any time during the war.

Moreover, Yang Ming brought back a dozen scholars who wanted to join the army, which made Li Ping even more happy.Even if only a few of these scholars have the status of scholars.

There is no doubt that the extensive participation of scholars will help the rapid improvement of the overall cultural level of the troops and directly radiate to the improvement of combat effectiveness.

As Mao Zedong said: "An army without culture is a stupid army, and a stupid army cannot defeat the enemy."

The rapid rise of Zhou Wen and Yang Ming to high positions is essentially the extreme desire and need for culture in Li Pingzheng's increasingly regularized army.

Especially in the work of the military, it is almost impossible to do without a culture.

And high-efficiency organs are the most effective guarantee of combat effectiveness.

As for the loyalty of the army to him that these scholars may cause, Li Ping is no longer very worried.

The design of the system, the control of personnel, and the contamination of the environment can greatly reduce hidden dangers.

Zhou Wen is a good example.

In fact, these scholars from the Anqing area were not the first batch of scholars who voted for Li Ping on a large scale, but those from Huangpi County and Xingguo Prefecture, especially Xingguo Prefecture.

This once confused Li Ping.

The choice of Dangqiu Ba by a large number of scholars to abandon literature and pursue martial arts seems like it shouldn't appear in this dynasty that is extremely rich in culture and despised martial arts.

However, Huangpi County and Xingguo Prefecture had their particularities after all, and Li Ping didn't think much about them at the time.

But now even scholars from Anqing have come to vote from afar, and Li Ping couldn't help being puzzled even though he was happy.

Looking at Yang Ming who was still wearing the expensive and exquisite lake shirt with a flattering smile on his face, Li Ping knew that if he didn't figure out this problem as soon as possible, he might not be able to sleep well again.

He thought he could try to talk to Zhou Wenye, maybe Zhou Wen could know something.

And he was not disappointed.

"Does the general know how many Ming students are now?" Under the candlelight, Zhou Wen thought for a moment before asking a question with a sigh.

Li Ping asked strangely: "I don't know, why do you ask?"

"The number of students in the whole world is three hundred, no less than 50. It is conceivable that the number of children who failed the children's test will be even greater." Zhou Wen gave the answer directly.

But Li Ping didn't react. He asked instead: "Isn't it a good thing that there are many scholars?"

Zhou Wen smiled wryly, and said: "But Xuande played in the world for seven years, and the number of students is only [-]. Then the number of official positions in the world has not changed much in these years."

"It means that it is nearly [-] times more difficult just to pass the exam! Is it getting more and more difficult to become an official?" Li Ping finally grasped the point.

Zhou Wen nodded, and then said even more astonishingly: "That's right. Confucian students take the exam, and for every one who takes the imperial examination, the rate is 5.00. The admission rate of the imperial examination is only 0.15%, and the admission rate of the Jinshi is higher. Some are about [-]%. If you are a student now, the chance of becoming a Jinshi in three years’ time is only [-]%,”

Percentage is one of Li Ping's practical new learnings, and it is also a mathematical method that is widely used in his army. Zhou Wen has already mastered and used it proficiently.

"The probability seems a bit low." Li Ping murmured.

Zhou Wen smiled wryly again, and said, "It's not that it's a bit low, it's too low. The vast majority of scholars don't even become officials, and they can't even do it. They are like beggars, prisoners, cold bees at the end of autumn, Sick birds that look like they are out of the cage, chickens that look like bait, flies that look like sweet poison, and doves that look like broken eggs are the true portrayals of most of the current students in the country, and the broader children are even more unbearable."

The "seven similarities" that the students' living conditions are like neurosis originally came from Pu Songling's "Strange Tales from a Liaozhai Studio" in the Qing Dynasty, which is borrowed here.

Pu Songling himself is such a person who finally failed to win the exam, and failed to pass the exam for many years.Later, he had to switch to business, and he did a good job with a surplus.He opened a teahouse and said that a story could be paid for tea, and thus he wrote Strange Tales from a Liaozhai Studio.

However, Zhou Wen's vivid analogy to the students made Li Ping feel a little confused. He was still not used to the blunt literary language, but Li Ping quickly reflected a familiar scene in his mind: Fan Jinzhongju.

He blurted it out immediately.

Fan Jin in "The Scholars" is also such an example before Zhongju.

Butcher Hu came to congratulate Fan Jin when he became a scholar. Later, he found out that Fan Jin was old, so his face changed when the master gave him alms, and he yelled at Fan Jin.Fan Jin's living conditions before Zhongju were very poor, and his status was also very low. This was also the real situation of many students at that time.

That's why he went crazy after winning the lift.

Although "Strange Stories from a Liaozhai Studio" and "The Scholars" were written in the Qing Dynasty, they are relatively similar to the late Ming Dynasty.The Qing imperial examination basically followed the Ming system, and because of the overall stability of the society, there were a large number of scholars in the society who took the imperial examination route, and the proportion of imperial examination admissions was also very low.

"What! Who is Fan Jin?"

Facing what Li Ping blurted out, Zhou Wen was puzzled.It is impossible for him to have read "The Scholars", which the author has not even been born, and it is even more impossible for him to know who Fan Jin is.

"It's nothing, I remembered a student who had heard of it before, and the state was similar to what you described. You continue to talk." Li Ping hurriedly concealed it.

Zhou Wen looked at Li Ping strangely. He probably got used to it and didn't struggle with it. Instead, he continued: "Because the road of scientific examination is too difficult, and the cost of scientific examination is too high, you need to pay for it at home. There is enough surplus money to support them, and many students from poor families have to abandon their scarves early, and even many from wealthy families are unwilling to persist. A large number of discarded scarves has become a very common thing.”

"Then why don't you study?" Li Ping asked curiously.

As a later generation, Li Ping has a stereotype of the ancient scholars, and it is difficult to imagine what the scholars can do without studying. Is it necessary to farm and earn money from the family?
"Business, many people choose to do business." Zhou Wen's answer was very flat, and it was not surprising.

"Business?" But Li Ping was surprised.

Didn't the ancient scholars look down on the art of merchants the most?

But Zhou Wen really didn't lie about this issue.

In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, a large number of students abandoned scarves was a very unique social phenomenon, and it was also a unique phenomenon for a large number of scholars to become businessmen.

The social status of merchants in the Ming Dynasty was actually much higher than that of previous dynasties. At least there was no rule that the sons of merchants were not allowed to be officials or take part in the imperial examinations. Zhang Siwei and Wang Chonggu, two famous elders in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, were born in a family of salt merchants. A man from a wealthy merchant family.

"Sikuquanshu Nian'an Collection" also records such a story.

Zhou Xian from Zhengde, because his mother had to support four people, he and his elder brother took the same scientific examination, which cost a lot, and his mother could not afford it alone, so Zhou Xian gave up the imperial examination and went into business.

Of course, this is also one of the important reasons why the merchant groups in the Ming Dynasty had a huge influence on the government.

For example, tax collection is difficult.

However, Zhou Wen didn't understand Li Ping's surprise. He thought it was because Li Ping was dissatisfied with this "well-known" and unsubstantial answer.

So he went on to say embarrassingly: "Of course, at this difficult time for the country, they also have more choices. Isn't there some people who came to us to join the army under the influence of Yang Yukun and me! Others simply I ran to the bandit army to become an official. Those who have read the book will always be unwilling."

"I'll go!" Li Ping couldn't help cursing.

He not only understood one problem, but two problems at the same time, and even the other problem was bigger and more deadly.

Zhou Wen really didn't give it for nothing.

Li Ping has always been very concerned about Li Zicheng's news, but due to the military confrontation, the information that can be transmitted is often fragmented, and it is difficult to distinguish the authenticity.

However, Li Ping still confirmed that Li Zicheng returned to Xiangyang after retreating from Hanyang and established a regime in Xiangyang in March.At the same time, Li Zicheng also dug Xianling and transported the demolished building materials back to Xiangyang for construction.

This is undoubtedly the rhythm of upgrading into a new era.

Then Li Zicheng also engaged in a big fight, realized the sole power of one person, and basically removed all obstacles to being the emperor.

No wonder he stopped his army in Wuchang.

People have bigger ideas and wishes.

Since Li Zicheng's peasant army began to spread propaganda, and Li Ping was not far from Wuchang, some general information about this new regime, especially the civil situation, is relatively accurate.

This regime is not yet called Dashun.

There is no Jianguo name yet, and the yuan has not been changed, and the texts and announcements are all dated by stems and branches.

"Grand Marshal of Civil and Military Affairs of Fengtian Advocacy Camp" is Li Zicheng's latest title, which is one level higher than the "Grand General of Civil and Military Affairs of Fengtian Advocacy Camp" before the attack on Xiangyang.

Xiangyang was renamed Xiangjing.

Set up one prime minister, Niu Jinxing.

Set up six governments of officials, households, rites, soldiers, criminals, and workers to manage government affairs, and each government has a servant.

Take Yu Shangyou as the minister of the official government, Xiao Yingkun as the minister of the household government, Yang Yongyu as the minister of the Li government, Qiu Zhitao as the minister of the military government, Deng Yanzhong as the minister of the criminal government, and Yao Xiyin as the minister of the labor government.

Under the servant, there are other officials.

The most shocking thing here is the significant psychological and behavioral changes that occurred in this group of Ming scholars during this period, because this will directly bring about fundamental changes in the structure and nature of the peasant army.

In the past, although Li Zicheng's opening of the examinations was coercive, the scholars did not have the freedom to refuse to take the imperial examinations, otherwise they could only be massacred or their ears and noses were cut.

But there are also many active participants.

In the past, the puppet officials were basically freshmen, and most of them were from Hongdong, Shaanxi, and even mainly from Shanshan, where the peasant army started.

But now, scholars in the peasant army-occupied areas, including Juren, have begun to join the peasant army in large numbers, and even many famous people have joined the ruling system of the peasant army, such as the assistant minister of the Sixth Government of Xiangyang.

This change is very fatal. It can be said that it destroys the root system of Ming Dynasty's rule, and it does great harm.

At the same time, it was also something that Li Ping did not understand.

Because in essence, the scholars of Ming Dynasty and the peasant army are almost natural enemies, and they are completely inconsistent in terms of ideology and interests.

Li Ping was puzzled.

What is even more puzzling is that many scholars even became officials in the Peasant Army after being humiliated, completely losing face.

For example, Qiu Zhitao, the minister of the military government, this guy's father was the former Minister of Rites of the Ming Dynasty and a scholar of Dongge University. When Yicheng was captured, his grandfather was killed for scolding the thief. Army officer.

There is also Zhang Liankui, a student who was captured with Qiu Zhitao when the city was broken.His wife, He Shi, was held by soldiers of the Peasant Army and was bullied because of her beauty.

But this guy was still obsessed with wanting to become an official, and became Chengtian's pseudo-knowledge state, and then immediately led people to help the peasant army dig Xianling.

As a result, it happened to be a thunderstorm, and Zhang Liankui was directly struck to death by lightning.The superstitious peasant army had to stop excavating Xianling, and only removed the above-ground part and transported it to Xiangyang.

This happened in the first month of the lunar year, and when the news reached Wuchang, Zhang Liankui immediately became a model that people say that evil comes with evil.

Li Ping was very puzzled by these things, but now he finally understands everything.

Reading is to become an official, and the hearts of most scholars are actually that simple.

But the terrible admission ratio in the middle and late Ming Dynasty ruthlessly shattered the dreams of most of them.

The vast number of scholars who have no chance of official career have been suppressed for too long!

They have a strong desire for new space and opportunities.

Joining the army was actually not an option for scholars, because at this time the Ming Dynasty had its own family inheritance system and the low-level and rough army basically had no room for them.

Li Ping's army is of course an exception.

But if there were no vivid examples of Zhou Wen and Yang Ming, it would still not arouse the interest of scholars, at least no scholars would vote from places where they had never met them.

The emergence of the Peasant Army, especially the establishment of the political power, really gave the vast number of scholars who had no chance of official career a new opportunity.

Once the peasant army moves toward the establishment of political power, it will definitely need scholars, and it cannot do without scholars, as recorded in "Ming Ji Beilue": "Thieves are illiterate, and their false edicts and notices have many typos."

Therefore, they are willing to directly use high-ranking officials to solve all these problems and fight for them.

"Ming Ji Beilue" said: "The thieves have no other tricks. They first use the thieves to pretend to be businessmen everywhere, and spread it everywhere, saying that thieves don't kill people and don't love money...Scholars welcome silver coins first, and then take the school exam, first-class As a government, second-class as a county."

Zhang Liankui is a typical example of being directly appointed as a magistrate by a student.

There are too many end of dynasties and troubled times in Chinese history, no one knows who will have the last laugh.Scholars who are familiar with history will always be willing to take risks, and then there is still a chance to soar into the sky.

After knowing this, Li Ping could only sigh.

He knew that Li Zicheng was not far from ending the Ming Dynasty.

Notes:

The theory that Zhang Liankui was struck to death by lightning is controversial in history, and some people think it is a joke.

(End of this chapter)