The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

Pushing open the wooden gate, painted with bluish-gray tung oil, I found the yard neatly tidied. Chopped firewood was stacked under the eaves, and several speckled chickens were pecking at food in the corner. Seeing their owner return, they clucked and came closer. The main room glowed with a warm, dim light from the oil lamp, and I could hear the clinking of spatulas and the woman's voice.

"Dad is back!"

The eldest daughter-in-law, Chen, wearing an apron, poked her head out from the kitchen with a smile on her face: "The food will be ready soon, wash your hands and rest. Shuanzi, fetch a basin of hot water for your grandfather!"

"Hey!"

A chubby-faced boy, about eight or nine years old, darted out of the house in response to the call. It was Wang Laoshuan's youngest son, Wang Chengye, nicknamed Shuanzi. He quickly ran to the water vat in the corner of the yard, scooped out half a basin of water, added some hot water that was warming on the stove, and brought it to Wang Laoshuan: "Dad, wash your hands."

Wang Laoshuan hummed in agreement, feeling a warm glow in his heart. He knelt down and used his youngest son's hands to wash away the dirt and chill. The cool well water seemed to dispel some of the fatigue from his journey.

Inside the main room, the eldest son, Wang Chengzong, had already set the dining table. He was twenty-two years old, sturdy and robust, inheriting the honest and simple nature of his father, Wang Laoshuan, but with brighter, more shrewd eyes. He wore a slightly worn indigo cotton jacket, the sleeves rolled up to reveal his strong forearms. Unlike his father's purely peasant attire, his appearance suggested a role like the village clerk or militia leader, which, in fact, he was.

"Father, was the market in Yishang lively today? I heard quite a few people from the second batch arrived?"

Wang Chengzong asked while setting out the bowls and chopsticks.

"It's lively and crowded."

Old Wang rubbed his hands and sat down, took out his pipe, thought for a moment and then put it down. Before meals, his wife would smoke and say, "I saw a lot of unfamiliar faces, some of them wearing silk. Peddler Zhao said they were owners of some big merchant house in Jiangnan."

"Shen Dongjia of the Fengyu,"

Wang Chengzong chimed in, saying that he helped out at the village's "military academy" and elementary school, so he was better informed.

"I was on my way to a meeting at the post station at noon when I came back and told you. This Mr. Shen came with a 'development order' and a note from the Ministry of Works. He's not only going to do business, but he's also said to be setting up a fur processing workshop and a medicinal herb purchasing point in the north to compete with the government-run 'border markets' for business."

"Merchants are driven by profit, and their noses are very sensitive."

Wang Laoshuan's wife, Wang Shi, came in carrying a large, steaming earthenware pot containing stewed potatoes and green beans until they were mushy, along with a few pieces of greasy pork: "We should just focus on farming well and paying enough taxes, and not meddle in those other things."

Wang was a typical northern peasant woman, quick and efficient, not talkative but always making sense.

“Mother is right.”

Chen also brought out a large plate of golden cornbread and a small dish of homemade pickled vegetables: "However, I heard from Shuanzi's maternal grandfather that among this second batch of immigrants, there are quite a few well-established merchants like Shen Dongjia. They were all 'persuaded' to go north, and most of their assets were cashed out in exchange for the 'franchise rights' and land quotas in this Kaihua District. They're really resentful. Shuanzi's eldest uncle works at the Dengzhou dock and said he saw that their assets were enormous."

Old Wang took the flatbread his wife handed him, took a bite, and savored its rich wheat flavor. He chewed slowly, listening to his children. Merchants had low social status, paid heavy taxes, and were among the first to be sent to this frontier, but even a weakened camel is bigger than a horse; these people were bound to cause some trouble. However, as his wife said, as long as the court's rules remained in place, they, the farmers, would simply live a peaceful life.

"Brother, Instructor Liu from the Military Academy praised my stance today for being steady!"

The youngest son, Shuanzi, shoveled rice into his mouth and couldn't wait to boast, "If I train for another six months, I might be selected for the town's 'Village Brave Training Team'!"

Even eating can't shut you up.

Madam Wang scolded playfully, but her eyes were smiling: "Learn from your brother. Back then, your brother was good at standing in the stance, which caught the eye of the village head and the instructors at the military academy, who recommended him to take the 'military training student' exam in the county."

Wang Chengzong smiled a little embarrassedly: "Mother, I was just lucky. The county's assessment, in addition to martial arts and weapons, also tests literacy, arithmetic, and basic laws. Many people are good at martial arts, but they can't pass the written test, so it's all for nothing."

This is one of the biggest differences between the new system of the Hua Dynasty and the past. In the civilized areas, and even throughout the entire Hua Empire, apart from the "merchant" class, which is clearly marked as the lowest class and subject to many restrictions (especially on political participation and entry into top academies), the boundaries between "scholars, farmers, and artisans" have become quite blurred at the common people level, or rather, they have been covered by a more important standard—talent and contribution.

Children from farming families, provided they were reasonably gifted and came from respectable backgrounds, could enter the numerous elementary schools scattered throughout the villages and towns to learn basic literature and science. If they performed exceptionally well, they could be recommended by the local authorities or pass an examination to enter higher-level schools such as county schools, military academies, or craft schools.

Wang Chengzong followed this path. Because of his good physique and willingness to endure hardship, he excelled in the village's militia training and was recommended to study at the town's military academy. There, he not only practiced martial arts but also studied summaries of the *Wujing Zongyao* (Complete Essentials of Military Classics), basic mathematics, geomancy, and even simple first aid and engineering knowledge. After passing the examinations, he became an assistant instructor at the village academy, while also assisting the village head in handling paperwork and security matters, receiving a meager stipend. Although he wasn't yet a formal "scholar" or "official," he had escaped the fate of purely toiling in the fields. If he were to achieve military merit in the future, or pass a higher-level selection process (such as border army recruitment or lower-ranking military officer examinations), he could very well change the social class of his entire family.

Shuanzi followed a similar path. Elementary education in Beiwang Village was free, teaching the most basic texts: the *Thousand Character Classic*, *Introduction to Arithmetic*, and *A Concise Explanation of Chinese Laws*. Simultaneously, all eligible boys (girls could also voluntarily participate in basic courses) were required to attend the village's "physical training class," practicing basic martial arts such as stance training and long fist, under the guidance of instructors or assistant instructors from the martial arts academy. This was not only for physical fitness but also the earliest form of selection. Children like Shuanzi, who demonstrated a certain level of physical coordination and endurance, were closely observed and had the opportunity to enter a more professional training system in the future.

“Oh, right, Father, Mother,” Wang Chengzong said, remembering something, “The village head said today that a doctor from the county’s ‘Academy of Natural Sciences’ is coming to our area next month to survey the geology and resources. He also wants to select a few teenagers who are interested in mathematics and mechanical engineering and are good with their hands to take a test in the county. If they pass, they can go directly to the preparatory class of the county’s Academy of Natural Sciences. If they study well, they can become technicians in the government-run workshops in the future. The outstanding ones might even be recommended to engineering colleges in the prefectural city or even the capital!”

Wang's eyes lit up: "This is great news! Shuanzi, all those wooden blocks you carved weren't for nothing!"

Shuanzi scratched his head and said, "Mom, I like to practice boxing. I just play around with wooden blocks. It's not as mysterious as my older brother makes it out to be."

"It's always good to have more options."

Old Wang said in a muffled voice, "We peasants never had such thoughts before. Being able to read and write and not be deceived was a great blessing. Now that the imperial court has opened up so many avenues, whether one can get in depends on one's own fate and the good deeds of one's ancestors."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Like the second son of Old Li's family at the east end of the village, I heard he was an apprentice in a workshop in town. Because he figured out a labor-saving method for blowing air into blacksmith's knives, he was noticed by a master craftsman from the county and taken directly to Youzhou Prefecture. Old Li's family's ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke."

Chen continued, "There's also the daughter of Zhao the blacksmith in the west. She's a good student. Last year, she came in first place in the county girls' school entrance exam and now works as a clerk in the county government office. Although she's not a proper official yet, she's still a respectable person who lives off the government and is literate."

These vivid examples, right around him, made Wang Laoshuan truly feel that under the rule of this new dynasty, especially in this Kaihua District which was being vigorously developed, as long as one was not a "merchant" (and not a criminal merchant), the fate of a farmer's son indeed had many possibilities.

If you are good at studying, you can become a civil servant or even take the imperial examination (although the number of imperial examination slots in Kaihua District is very small, it is not non-existent); if you are physically strong and have high comprehension, you can choose to become a soldier or a military officer; if you are skillful and good at thinking, you can become a craftsman or technician.

The imperial court seemed to be in urgent need of all kinds of talents to fill the rapidly expanding imperial machine, and the relatively fair (at least on the surface) selection mechanism gave the common people unprecedented hope.

Of course, merchant families were a different story. Wang Laoshuan recalled the Shen family in the market town. Such families possessed immense wealth, but the vetting process for their children to learn martial arts, join the army, or enter the top "Imperial First Academy" (which required astonishing talent and extremely rigorous screening, reportedly involving a thorough investigation of three generations of ancestors) was far more stringent. Unless the family made significant contributions to the court, such as donating huge sums of military funds, providing crucial technological support, or excelling in overseas expansion, there was no possibility of any leniency. Most merchant children either inherited their fathers' businesses, continuing to struggle in the commercial world (while enduring high taxes and social discrimination), or they tried extremely hard to make a name for themselves in non-core fields of literature and martial arts to dilute the family's "merchant" identity. This was undoubtedly a narrower and more perilous path.

"In the end, it's still us farmers, soldiers, and craftsmen who have the right roots and the trust that the court can rely on."

Madam Wang put another piece of meat on Wang Laoshuan's plate: "No matter how much money a merchant has, his heart is always wandering, and the imperial court is on guard against him."

Wang Chengzong nodded, then shook his head: "That's not quite right. I've heard that the imperial court rewards maritime merchants, especially those who can obtain new crop seeds, information on overseas minerals, or open up new sea routes, very generously, even granting them low-ranking titles and exclusive rights to specific regions. It's just that the rules are stricter and the control is more stringent."

The family sat together, chatting about the latest happenings in the village, the new policies of the imperial court, and tangible paths to advancement. The warm glow of the oil lamp enveloped the simple main room. Outside the window, the autumn night beyond the Great Wall was completely dark, with a howling wind, but inside, the aroma of food filled the air and ordinary hopes for the daughter's future.

After dinner, Shuanzi was sent to review his elementary school lessons, Chen cleaned up the dishes, and Wang mended clothes by lamplight. Wang Chengzong took out a worn-out copy of "Simple Records of Agricultural Affairs in the North" and carefully read it by lamplight. It contained some records about protecting winter crops from the cold, and he wondered if it could be used in the village.

Old Wang finished his pipe and went out into the courtyard. The crisp air invigorated him. He gazed at the scattered lights in the village, listening to the faint, childish voices of children reciting the Thousand Character Classic, and the soft clanging of the village night watchman's clapper.

He recalled the Jurchens with vacant stares he had seen at the market during the day, the cautious Goryeo and Shiwei hunters, and the eccentric Master Shen, dressed in fine clothes yet unable to hide his anxiety. Then he looked at his own peaceful courtyard, his son studying and practicing martial arts, and the women managing the household chores.

A simple sense of relief and contentment welled up inside him. He didn't understand any grand principles; he only knew that on this land reshaped according to the will of Emperor Hua, as an ordinary farmer, as long as he was willing to work hard and follow the rules, he could ensure his family had enough to eat and wear, and even hope that his children and grandchildren would have a better future than farming. As for those boundaries, those ranks, and the cruelty and fluidity of the outside world, they all seemed to be separated by something, both real and seemingly unrelated to the warm light in the courtyard.

The social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants was clearly defined, except for the top-ranking scholars and the bottom-ranking merchants. The farmers and artisans (including the village blacksmiths and carpenters who lived comfortably) were already deeply intertwined. Farmers' sons could study literature and martial arts, and artisans could also learn to read and write, even having the opportunity to rise through the ranks. All of this was something he wouldn't have dared to dream of more than twenty years ago.

A cold wind howled as it swept across the rooftops. Old Wang tightened his collar, turned, and went back inside.

The door closed, shutting out the biting autumn night and the complex, hierarchical yet fluid world outside. Inside, however, lay the simple, genuine warmth and hope of this ordinary Chinese farmer.

...............

Ancheng.

Ancheng is a medium-sized county town in the central part of Kaihua District. It developed by relying on the intersection of two post roads and a river navigable by small boats. The city wall was newly built in recent years, no more than two zhang high, but it was thick and sturdy. There were arrow towers at the four gates, and a troop of three hundred county soldiers was stationed there. The streets inside the city were straight and grid-like, with shops, inns, government offices and residences standing in separate sections. Although it could not compare with the prosperity of the large cities inside the pass, it was still orderly and bustling with people.

The county magistrate's office was located in the west of the city. It was not an independent residence, but an official residence with two courtyards and side rooms on the left and right. The outer walls were painted in the uniform bluish-gray of government offices, and a "Silence" sign stood at the entrance, with two county soldiers carrying waist knives on duty.

The courtyard was not luxurious, but it was spacious and clean. The front courtyard was where Zhao Wenjie handled official business, met with his subordinates, and occasionally summoned the county soldiers to give speeches, as well as a small drill ground; the back courtyard was where his family lived, with three main rooms, two side rooms on each side, and a small back garden where some cold-resistant vegetables and one or two fruit trees were planted.

It was late afternoon, the time of Shenshi (3-5 PM). The autumn sun slanted into the small training ground in the backyard—actually just a flat open area paved with blue bricks, about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) square. Weapon racks stood at the edge of the ground, holding several wooden spears and swords for training, as well as stone weights, sandbags, and other items. (End of Chapter)