Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 274 Palace Examination
……

Strictly speaking, the essays in the palace examination were not completely separated from the Four Books and Five Classics. Except for a few special cases, most of the questions were still drawn from them.

For example, this title comes from "The Great Learning".

There is a great way to make money: if many people make it, few people consume it, those who work hard, and those who spend it easily, then there will always be enough money.

It seems that Emperor Anping is very worried about the current situation where the court's income is not enough to cover its expenditure.

But there is nothing that can be done about it.

It is too difficult to make major reforms.

Even though Jia Jing has been making every effort to reform commercial taxes, and it seems to be a big deal, in fact the results are minimal.

An extra few million taels of silver a year is like a drop in the bucket for such a huge dynasty. It is almost useless, not to mention useless.

As long as there is a little more surplus money in the treasury, the places to spend the money will immediately increase tenfold and it will be spent in an instant.

After all, there are too many 'eaters'.

……

Those who are good at managing money will find the right way and become prosperous.

In fact, being thrifty is the way to make money. If this is the way to go, how can a country not be in need?

Moreover, gathering people is called wealth, and a country without wealth is not a country. Managing finances is called righteousness, and wealth without righteousness is not wealth.

Therefore, a gentleman also has his own way of making money. He does not have to sacrifice the lower to benefit the upper. If he manages the country properly, it will benefit the country. He does not have to sacrifice the upper to benefit the lower. If he benefits both the public and private sectors, it will benefit the people.

……

To use infinite talent to serve limited needs, there will always be supplies below and surplus above. Even if the country encounters major events, the reserves in the inner and outer treasuries will be drawn upon and will never run out.

When the people are satisfied and the ruler is satisfied, this is called the great way. It is believed that this is a long-term strategy for the country and cannot be compared with any expedient tactics. Then, does a country have to focus on the outside and the inside before it can accumulate wealth?

After writing more than a thousand words, it was already noon. Emperor Anping had left at some point, and the invigilators from the Ministry of Rites began to eat. Each candidate also had a portion, which was distributed to everyone by the waiter.

Jia Rong picked up a piece of dessert and took a careful bite. It tasted sweet and delicious.

I had two snacks and the tea had been prepared long ago. It was good tea, but a little cold.

As the sun set, Jia Rong neatly wrote the article on the rough scroll on the main scroll.

When marking the papers in the palace examination, the examiners will look at the candidates' own papers. Handwriting is also a factor in the scoring and must be taken seriously.

……

"Hoohoo!"

After leaving the palace, most of the candidates felt relieved.

They are lucky.

He successfully completed the imperial examination.

As for the results, although I am still a little worried, I am not as nervous as during the college entrance examination.

It’s a sure win anyway.

"Brother Li, are you going to Jinxiangyuan tonight?"

"Hey, I definitely have to go."

"Brother Li and Brother Zhang, wait a minute. I'm going to Jinxiang Courtyard too. Why don't the three of us go together?"

"Haha, it's just right for three people..."

Those who visited brothels, listened to music in teahouses, and drank in restaurants all became more indulgent.

"Shunzhi, do you want to go out and play?"

Jia Rong was stopped by Ye Mengshu.

"No, I don't have time."

Jia Rong refused solemnly.

Ye Mengshu smiled regretfully and said, "That's a pity. When you become an official in the future, it won't be so easy to visit a brothel. You have to go there secretly."

Jia Rong smiled slightly: "Of course I can't go to Qingliu, reputation is the most important."

He is not a nobleman, but a distinguished person.

Reputation is important, but not that important. Just like Jia Jing, he doesn't have a very good reputation among the Qingliu people, so what?
What matters is ability, and even the emperor cannot do without it.

Qingliu could only watch with envy and jealousy.

"Haha, what Qingliu, it's just a name for fame." Ye Mengshu said disdainfully. It must be said that Qingliu's reputation is getting worse and worse, and it even has a negative connotation.

After all, everyone has sharp eyes. There are too many people who claim to be clean but do nothing.

"Xie brother, are you going?"

Ye Mengshu asked Xie Jiwen next to him another question.

"I'm not going. I have turned over a new leaf." Xie Jiwen said seriously.

"Oh, Miss Du, how many sweet drugs have you been fed? You are so devoted to her?" Ye Mengshu said with a smile.

Xie Jiwen waved his hands and said happily, "You are a layman and don't understand at all."

Ye Mengshu nodded: "I don't understand. I'm going to be carefree. You two can just envy me, haha."

After saying that, he left the two of them and went to visit the building.

……

Let’s talk about Da Baoyu going to Liu Xianglian’s house to celebrate his birthday.

Liu Xianglian has a wide circle of friends, and many of them came today, some known to Baoyu and some not, including some fierce men with swords.

"Congratulations to Master Liu on his birthday."

Suddenly there was a sound outside the door, which was so loud that it hurt people's eardrums. Then a dark-skinned man who was more than nine feet tall and had a waist as thick as a barrel walked into the room.

"It turns out to be Brother Zhen Leizi Wu. Please come in quickly." Liu Xianglian personally went out and led the person to the main hall.

"Hehe, Hall Master Liu is very prestigious. I heard that the Saint is here too?" Zhen Leizi said with a chuckle.

Liu Xianglian shook his head and said, "The Saint has come to Beijing, but she is not here to celebrate my birthday."

"What is that? Is there any other mission?" Zhen Leizi asked suspiciously.

Liu Xianglian said seriously: "I don't know about that. We can't find out the whereabouts of the Saint."

"Haha, yes."

Zhen Leizi became bolder and said with a smile, "We will be more comfortable without her. How about inviting two prostitutes to come over and drink with us? I heard that the girls in the brothels in Kyoto are all beautiful and there are also cute little bunnies."

Liu Xianglian knew the temperament of this big man, and said with embarrassment: "I have already invited you, please follow me."

The two of them went inside.

There are two charming women and a handsome man.

Not to mention the two women, Zhen Leizi's eyes lit up when he saw the man.

What a tender little rabbit.

"Cough cough."

Liu Xianglian coughed lightly and said, "This is my brother, a serious man, Brother Wu, please don't misunderstand me."

Wu Yue smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I understand."

"Brother Liu, please go out and do your work. You are exhausted after traveling for more than ten days. I will rest here first and then have a drink with the brothers in the hall in the evening.

Liu Xianglian was indeed very busy today, so he nodded and went outside.

"What do you call this brother?"

Zhen Lei Zi sat down next to Bao Yu.

Baoyu hated men like Zhen Leizi, so he stepped back quietly and said with a forced smile: "My name is Jia Baoyu..."

"What's fake or real?" Zhen Leizi pulled Baoyu over without saying anything, put him on his lap, and said with a grin, "I think you are a treasure."

Da Baoyu was shocked. He pushed the big man with both hands and tilted his head back desperately: "No, don't do this, I am a serious person."

"Hehe, who are you kidding?" The big man smiled and said, "As soon as I saw you, I knew you were also a pushover. Tell me, are you an attacker or a defender? I can do both."

Two women: "..."

The big man glared at the two of them and said, "What are you looking at? Go wherever you want, you two, this place has nothing to do with you!"

嘈！
The two women cursed silently.

These days, any business is difficult to do.

……

(End of this chapter)