The ruthless emperor in the late Ming Dynasty forced Chongzhen to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 285 Unprecedented scientific report name

As the days progressed day by day, even though there were still several months before the college entrance examination at the beginning of next year, all the literary talents in the south felt a sense of urgency, and they were more looking forward to it.

Because everyone knows that next year's imperial examination must be unprecedented, and the fate of countless people will be rewritten.

Regardless of high or low, male or female, regardless of age, everyone is eligible to directly sign up for the academy examination, and if they pass, they will be able to become a scholar. This is definitely the first time since ancient times.

And as long as you pass the examination of a scholar, no matter you are a trafficker, a servant, or even a prostitute in a brothel, you will be admitted to the Ministry of Rites again, and you will become a scholar who does not worship officials, and you will turn your back on yourself.

Even if you want to continue to be a servant of the master's family to make a living, there is a certificate issued by the Ministry of Rites, which can be used to save lives at critical moments, and you can leave at any time, regardless of the deed of sale in the hands of the master's family. His fate is in his own hands.

So when in August, the Ministry of Rites issued a decree, asking all states and counties to start registering students for the college examination next year, and when the registration deadline was at the end of August, there was a sensation in the whole south.

Immediately afterwards, countless people went to the yamen to sign up. Although it was just a simple registration, there was a long queue on the first day.

In the team, there are old people up to six or seventy years old, and children down to seven or eight years old. There are noble people in gorgeous costumes, and there are young men from common people who wear patched coarse cloth and plain hair.

And after the first few days, after these people who seemed to be real scholars signed up, in the next few days, those who went to the county government office to sign up began to become special, even a little sneaky.

That thief-eyed, looking left and right, no one would believe it. Such a person is also preparing to take the imperial examination, so he is not afraid of laughing his teeth out.

Naturally, these people are shopkeepers in restaurants and shopkeepers, as well as some accountants in wealthy households, and even ordinary servants who can read and write. In order to avoid being discovered by their hosts, these people came quietly, even after dressing up. , and some even plan to wait until the day of the imperial examination.

Because the registration this time is just a preliminary preparation. Although the government will issue a voucher to those who come to register, they can enter the examination room directly with the voucher on the day of the imperial examination, but those who do not have a voucher can also register their names again and take part in the imperial examination.

The reason why the registration was started so long in advance was that the Ministry of Rites mainly wanted to see how many people would take part in next year's hospital examination, so that they could have a good idea.

After all, the emperor and the empress dowager attached great importance to this hospital examination. If something goes wrong, the Ministry of Rites will definitely be finished. No one can predict how many people will come to participate by then, so it is very important to find out in advance. Necessary.

From the beginning of August to the end of August, for a whole month, the number of people who signed up in each yamen was almost continuous.

In the last few days, even some ladies from deep boudoirs who usually do not go out of the door, finally came to the county government office in sedan chairs and started to sign up. They all came to sign up.

There is no way, some wives and misses really want to take the exam to become a scholar, and some have no choice but to come.

Although it is said in this era that a woman is virtuous without talent, which man would not want to marry a virtuous and knowledgeable talented woman?

Your lady is afraid of showing her face, so she doesn't take the exam. Once another lady is admitted as a scholar, won't she be short for nothing?The husband's family I will find in the future will definitely not be able to compare with a young lady with a reputation as a scholar.

Marrying into the husband's family also has a higher status.

What's more, if those brothel girls pass the exam, the ladies from the scholarly family will not have fame if they don't go. Doesn't it mean that they can't compare with those brothel girls in terms of knowledge?
So after learning that a large number of brothel girls had signed up, almost all the girls from big families couldn't sit still.

After all, according to the explanations of the college examination issued by the imperial court at that time, it is not difficult to pass the examination of a scholar. As long as you are proficient in those simple numbers, it is not an exaggeration to describe it as sure.

And those wives in their 40s and [-]s were also forced. The restless concubines in the family secretly ran to sign up in order to compete for favor and raise their social status. How can I be embarrassed by my wife?

Will the master and the servants in the mansion think that he, the real wife, is inferior to those concubines in terms of talent and learning?
At the beginning, the gentlemen of the rich family tried their best to stop them, not wanting their wives and daughters to show their faces and take some examinations for talents.

I was worried that if my daughter's wife won the prize and I didn't win, it would be embarrassing, but as some open-minded people took the lead, and even the lady and lady secretly ran to sign up, after thinking about it, these stubborn gentlemen not only Instead of stopping it, he encouraged his daughter and wife to take the exam.

There is no way, after all, it is still caused by comparisons.

Nowadays, the topic and atmosphere of the entire Jiangnan is the imperial examination.

When gathering in the future, not only will everyone be a scholar, but all the wives and concubines in the family will also be scholars, but their wives are nothing, so they will undoubtedly be a head shorter, which will affect the reputation of the family.

Especially those scholarly families who locked their daughters and wives in their rooms at the beginning and were not allowed to go, and then took them to the county government to sign up.

Some even ignored their wives' objections and forcibly carried them to sign up, and forced them to learn arithmetic after they came back.

Even more extreme, he even threatened his wives and concubines, if he didn't study hard and failed the scholar exam, he would divorce his wife and sell his concubine.

Apparently, no one expected that the new imperial examination would affect everyone before it officially started. The impact was unprecedented.

As the most prosperous city in Ming Dynasty, Nanjing, the registration scene was so hot that it was jaw-dropping.

In the last few days, those Yingying Yanyan's ladies and ladies and the famous prostitutes on the Qinhuai River almost fought at the gates of each yamen. The strong smell of gunpowder made all the men hide away, only dare to stay away View, dare not myopia.

Chen Yuanyuan, Li Xiangjun, Dong Xiaowan and other Qinhuai Bayans also disguised themselves as men and signed up secretly, planning to take the examination of a scholar first, and then directly participate in the liberal arts examination.

.........

"Nonsense, how can your majestic princess, with golden branches and jade leaves, take the same exam as those ordinary people?"

Knowing that Princess Kunxing had signed up secretly, Zhang Yan was so angry that her pretty face turned purple, and her tone was never harsher than before.

"Auntie, why can't we take the exam together? Didn't the emperor say that everyone is equal before the imperial examination, no distinction is made between high and low, men and women, and my daughter-in-law takes the exam just to support the new imperial examination of the emperor, so that women all over the world can see it." , even the princesses of the Ming Dynasty have to take the imperial examinations with them, without any privileges, of course, if Auntie also participates, the effect will definitely be more..."

"Crack! You... You don't think you are angry enough, Auntie, do you? You are really spoiled by your imperial brother. It seems that your marriage cannot be delayed any longer. This time, you must not let your imperial brother be left alone."

Zhang Yan saw that she had moved all the children out, and urged herself to go too, trembling with anger.

"Auntie, we are talking about the imperial examination, why are you bringing this up again? It's fine if you don't participate, you can't stop me from participating, right? And I also wrote to Brother Huang to ask, and he also agreed for me to participate in the imperial examination."

Princess Kunxing was taken aback, and hurried forward to gently support her back, and explained softly.

"Did you really ask your brother?" Zhang Yan looked at her suspiciously, obviously not believing it.

Princess Kunxing nodded quickly.

"Okay, if you want to mess around, Auntie doesn't bother, anyway, men and women are tested separately, but..."

"But what?"

Seeing her hesitate to speak, Princess Kunxing asked subconsciously.

"You can't embarrass the royal family." Zhang Yan straightened her face.

Obviously, she was not worried about Princess Kunxing's publicity. After all, she had traveled all over the south of the Yangtze River in the past two years, and every year she would call businessmen from all over the world to attend a meeting. She was worried that if she failed the exam, the royal family's face would be damaged for nothing.

"Auntie, don't you underestimate me too much? If it weren't for the end of the women's Zhengke Township Examination, I could easily pass the Zhengke Jinshi."

Princess Kunxing immediately understood her worry and said with full confidence, even some dissatisfied aunts doubted her knowledge.

"Don't be careless, even if you want to participate, don't run around for a while, study for a period of time with peace of mind, and come back from the exam, so that your brother's face will be honored."

In fact, Zhang Yan was very relieved of Princess Kunxing's talents, especially in arithmetic, so she nodded and her tone slowed down.

(End of this chapter)