The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 198 A Different Examination
The ninth day of the second month of the fourteenth year of the Wanli reign was the day when the Bingxu imperial examination began.

Early in the morning, just after the hour of Yin, when the capital was still pitch dark, tiny lights began to light up the streets and alleys.

The sparse lights gradually gathered towards the Imperial Examination Hall, just like melted ice water forming a stream, the stream formed a river, and the river finally formed a lake of lights in the square in front of the Imperial Examination Hall. The entire southeast corner of the inner city seemed to be lit up.

It's a night of flowers and candles in the bridal chamber, and it's time to inscribe names on the gold medal list.

The imperial examination is the most important thing for scholars, no doubt about it.

If ordinary people these days want to completely change their fate, they have to pass the imperial examination. Once they do, they will at least become a seventh-rank county magistrate, the head of a county.

What's more, as long as nothing unexpected happens, it is possible to be promoted to the fifth, fourth, or even third or second rank after working in the officialdom for more than ten years or even decades.

By then, glory, wealth, power, etc. will no longer be a problem.

Therefore, scholars attached great importance to the imperial examination, and anyone who could take part in it was very enthusiastic.

It was not yet the hour of Mao, and there was only a glimmer of light in the sky. The square outside the Imperial Examination Hall was already filled with people.

Of course, these are not all candidates, there are also relatives and friends who come to see them off.

At the sharp end of the morning hour, the gates of the Imperial Examination Hall opened on time, and the examinees poured in like a lake bursting its banks, quickly dispersing to the examination rooms corresponding to their number plates.

Immediately afterwards, the imperial guards searched the soldiers before entering the venue.

In this cold winter, the clothes had to be peeled off layer by layer for careful inspection, and the candidates were shivering with cold.

However, no one dared not to open their clothes for inspection.

The imperial guards are not polite. If you don't allow a body search, you won't be allowed in. It's good enough if they don't kick you away.

What's more, this is just a small matter. Three rounds and nine days in the cold cell is really unbearable.

Many candidates who had been searched simply hugged their clothes and hurried to their own rooms.

They all wanted to put their things down and sort out their clothes.

As a result, the candidates who hurried into the room were all stunned.

Because they could clearly feel a little warmth in the room.

What is going on here?
Soon, they discovered that there was a black iron object in the room, and there was a printed bookmark paper weighed down with paper on the wooden boards used as chairs and beds.

This can't be a test question, because there are a lot of test questions, and each exam has a lot of them. It's impossible for it to be such a thin piece of bookmark paper.

Those candidates who entered the room couldn't help but pick up the bookmark paper and look at it.

Imperial coal stove!
It turned out that the black lump between the two wooden boards was a coal stove.

These days, no one dares to use coal to make a fire, as everyone is afraid of dying while doing so.

No one had ever seen a coal stove, because iron was difficult to buy and relatively expensive in the past, and it was impossible for anyone to use iron to make such a large stove.

Printed on this bookmark paper are actually the instructions and precautions for using the imperial coal stove.

For example, don't lift the lid directly with your hands, or you might get blisters on your hands.

For example, when adding coal, you should pay attention to wait for the coal inside to burn for a while before adding more. Add more at a time. There should be enough coal. Don't add new coal and burn it for a while, then open the lid and continue adding. Be careful not to be smoked by coal gas.

For example, the coal slag inside needs to be cleaned, and the coal slag must be pulled out with tongs every once in a while, otherwise there will not be enough gas entering and the coal fire will not burn.

Many candidates were amazed when they saw this new gadget.

Some candidates couldn't help but wrap their hands with cloth to open it and take a look, while others even used tongs to add coal into it.

This kind of coal stove is different from the honeycomb coal stoves of later generations. The honeycomb coal stoves of later generations have a thick layer of clay for insulation, so they are just a little hot on the outside. This kind of coal stove is directly cast from wrought iron without clay insulation.

Of course, this doesn’t mean there are no protective measures at all.

There is a circle of cast iron wall on the partition with a lattice inside. Coal blocks cannot be stuffed between the iron wall and the furnace wall. Otherwise, if too much coal is added, the furnace wall will be burned red.

This was also improved later.

In short, this kind of coal stove is used for making fire. It emits a lot of heat. Although there is no open flame, it is like burning firewood. The heat is much greater than that of a charcoal basin.

The candidates were lucky this time, as there was plenty of coal. There was a bamboo basket for coal under everyone's feet, and when it was almost used up, the imperial guards would add more.

In short, they can keep the coal stove burning, so the small examination room is always warm.

Moreover, the food they brought and even the water they were given could be heated on the lid.

In the past, they had to spend half a day over charcoal fire to heat up steamed buns that were as frozen as stones or rice that was as frozen as powder. They could basically only eat cold dishes because the charcoal fire could not heat up the dishes in the bowl.

This time it was different. When they were hungry, they could just put the bowls of food, steamed buns, or water on the lid of the coal stove. After a while, they would be hot when they ate, and there was no need to slowly toast them in their hands.

Wanli even went to the Imperial Examination Hall to take a look. He couldn't get into the No. 1 room at the moment because the door was locked and it was difficult to open it. He could only go up to the Mingyuan Building in the middle to take a look.

At this time, the invigilators have upgraded their weapons and each of them has a small telescope.

They just raised the telescope and scanned it, and could see clearly the words written by the candidates.

At around noon, the sun was rising, and Wanli was already standing on the third floor of Mingyuan Tower, looking down with a telescope.

At this moment, the candidates seemed to be very comfortable. No one was clasping their fists and breathing heavily, and no one was stamping their feet. Everyone seemed to be concentrating on writing.

However, some candidates are adding coal.

He specifically looked at the expressions of the candidates who added coal.

It was obvious that these guys found it very novel, and some even showed a look of satisfaction when adding coal.

This proves that they are all very satisfied with the coal stove.

Wanli smiled with satisfaction and was about to put away the telescope when he accidentally saw a soldier of the imperial guards on duty secretly stamping his feet.

He looked at it carefully and his brows couldn't help but frown.

However, he frowned not because the imperial guards were moving secretly.

He frowned because the clothes and shoes of the imperial guards were not in good condition, and their hands were frozen red and purple.

This proves that the imperial guards did not have a good life.

He seemed to have ignored the imperial guards.

The Jinyiwei received a share of the profits from selling iron, the Beijing camp had a large amount of land and military merit rewards, but the imperial guards seemed to have nothing. One tael of silver and one stone of grain a month was barely enough to support a family.

This won't do. The Imperial Guards are protecting him closely.

He cannot treat the imperial guards unfairly.

The problem is that the only way to increase the income of the imperial guards seems to be to increase their food and wages, because the imperial guards have to take turns to guard the palace, and they have to stay by his side to guard him when they leave the palace. They can't make extra money, can't gain military merit, and can't even farm the land.

If the food and wages of the imperial guards were increased, would the food and wages of the Beijing camp, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and even the border troops not be increased?
Now the Beijing Army is still expanding its recruitment, and it will be expanded to 360,000 this year. Adding the food and wages for the border troops, the total number will be 660,000. If each person is given an additional 1 or 2 taels of silver in food and wages every month, the total number will be more than 600,000 taels per month.

Can he bear it?
Besides, the monthly salary increase of one or two taels of grain for the imperial guards is far less than what the Beijing camp, the Jinyiwei and the border troops earn.

Therefore, increasing food and wages is not an option, he has to think of other ways.

He frowned and pondered for a while, then called Shan Sinan to a corner away from the crowd and asked in a low voice: "General Shan, are the soldiers under your command not doing well?"

This is the Imperial Examination Hall. Why is His Majesty suddenly asking this?

Shan Sinan said somewhat embarrassedly: "They can barely support their families."

Sure enough, this little food and salary was barely enough to support a family.

Upon hearing this, Wanli said decisively: "This won't work. From now on, we have to give them something to supplement their household expenses every month. At least they and their families can have enough food and clothing."

what?
Still sending things?

Shan Sinan asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, what should we give to the imperial guards?"

Of course, that's something we made ourselves.

Wanli pondered and said, "How about this: from now on, each imperial guard will be given a piece of woolen cloth, thirty kilograms of mutton, and a box of commonly used medicine every month."

what?
So many things!
Shan Sinan quickly bowed and said, "On behalf of my officers and men, I would like to thank His Majesty for his grace."

Wanli shook his head slightly and said, "This is not enough. We also need to send people to install glass in the windows of their homes, and give each family a large mirror."

Also give out glass and mirrors!

Shan Sinan bowed repeatedly and said, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

This is not enough.

Wanli pondered again and said, "You have protected me for so long, and I haven't given you anything.

After we expand the last batch of Beijing garrison soldiers this year, we will prepare to do coal business, and we will give you a share of the dividends then.

Also, this year when we conquer the Northern Tartars, we'll give you some military merits and make you an earl."

He is about to be promoted to earl!

No matter how calm Shan Sinan was, he couldn't help but say excitedly: "Your Majesty, I will stay by your side and protect you for the rest of my life."

(End of this chapter)