1848 Great Qing Charcoal Burners

Chapter 352 Score Line

As the scientific expedition began, the examination hall was soon filled with the sounds of ink being ground and brushes being scribbled.

Hu Chunfang, who came from a self-sufficient farming family in Jiangxia County, chose the first question. Coming from the countryside, he had never left agricultural production and knew all too well that land annexation, unclear field boundaries, excessive levies imposed by the imperial court, and the insatiable greed of officials and clerks at all levels were the root causes of popular unrest.

Hu Chunfang pondered for a long time before finally writing on the draft paper: "The people depend on food for survival, and food depends on land. If land boundaries are unclear, taxes will be unequal; if taxes are unequal, the people will resent it. Therefore, those who practice benevolent governance should start by clearly defining land boundaries..."

Wang Kaiyun chose the third question almost without hesitation.

He seemed to have a surge of pent-up emotions that needed to be released. Recalling the Qing officials' rampant extortion in Hunan, and the Taiping Army's two sieges of Changsha and the changing of the king's banner atop Wuchang, he picked up his pen and addressed the issue head-on, his words penetrating the paper: "The words of sages and worthies first and foremost emphasize the distinction between the Chinese and the barbarians. Though the barbarians may have the appearance of rulers and subjects, they ultimately lack the substance of propriety and righteousness; though the Chinese have temporarily lost their common leader, the roots of civilization have not been extinguished..."

Wang Kaiyun's article was powerful and imposing, denouncing the Qing court as a usurper of the throne, and vehemently criticizing its forced hair-shaving and clothing-changing policies, its destruction of our traditional attire, its tyrannical taxation and oppression of the common people. He further proclaimed that the Northern King Peng Gang's sweeping away of the evil influence and restoration of the Xia dynasty was an act of inheriting the orthodox tradition and in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people.

He managed to turn what should have been a rigid, formulaic essay into a scathing critique.

In another cell not far away, Zhou Jishen's gaze lingered on the second question for a moment before he picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and calmly began to write.

"The Way of Heaven is constant; it does not exist for Yao, nor does it perish for Jie. Yet the Mandate of Heaven is not constant; only virtue is its guide. Revolution is not an act of bloodlust, but rather an act of punishing on behalf of Heaven, an opportunity to reform the old and establish the new..."

Zhou Jishen did not launch many emotional attacks, but instead used a research-based approach to demonstrate the inevitable laws of regime change, emphasizing that following the will of Heaven lies in conforming to the will of the people, and responding to the people lies in implementing benevolent governance.

He categorized Peng Gang's new policies, such as the law granting land to farmers, the establishment of farmers' associations, and the construction of water conservancy projects, under the umbrella of "acting according to human will," thus endowing them with the legitimacy of "receiving the mandate of heaven." The article is of high literary style, with its arguments logically connected, demonstrating insight and writing skills far exceeding those of his peers.

The day flew by, and when the bell rang for the end of the exam, the candidates walked out of the examination hall with different expressions.

Unlike the traditional imperial examinations, after the eight-legged essay examination in the Northern Examination, Peng Gang allowed the candidates to go back and rest for a day, and then come back the day after to participate in the next policy essay examination.

As the scholars walked out of the Wuchang Examination Hall, some were beaming with joy, while others were dejected because of their poor performance. Some beat their chests in frustration, while others felt proud of having chosen a topic that suited them.

After all, the Northern King had already posted notices at the accommodations of the candidates at Wuchang Prefectural School and Jiangxia County School, informing them that the eight-legged essay would account for 40% of the weight in this Northern Examination.

As long as you don't do too badly in the other subjects, your advantage in the essay section will make it much easier to pass the exam.

Subsequent examinations, except for the policy essay which still lasted a full day, included subjects such as mathematics, geography, agriculture, finance, and law, each with a half-day examination period, allowing for two subjects to be taken in one day.

Although the five exams seemed like a lot, they only took two and a half days to complete.

After the written examination, Wuchang Prefectural School, Jiangxia County School, and other places continued to provide food and lodging for the candidates until the results were announced.

During this period, a notice issued by the Northern Prince's Mansion was posted all over the Wuchang Prefectural School and the residences of various scholars: In order to broaden the students' horizons, the scholars may go to Yuemachang to take the train, to Hanyangmen Wharf to take the steamship, or to the Wuchang Telegraph Office to experience the telegraph machine, either by taking the examination or by going in groups.

This news immediately aroused the curiosity of the scholars.

While scholars like Zhou Jihong were more playful and went to various places in Wuchang to have fun before the exam, they were a minority. Most of the candidates had never experienced new things like trains, steamships, and telegraphs.

The idea of ​​investigating things to acquire knowledge is a Confucian concept, but it is unheard of for the government to specifically organize scholars to observe new artifacts.

With mixed feelings of doubt and anticipation, hundreds of scholars, including Zhou Jishen, Hu Chunfang, and Wang Kaiyun, set off together.

The first stop for the group of scholars was the Yue Ma Chang (Horse Review Ground). Upon arrival, they were immediately drawn to a strange object in the ground.

It was a circular railway track that gleamed with a cold metallic light. On the track, there was an even more peculiar iron lump. This black, thick, and heavy iron lump had several pairs of iron wheels. In front of it was something that looked like a boiler, and behind it were several delicate and small carriages, with chairs fixed on the carriages.

This thing is completely black except for its tall chimney.

"What is this?" a scholar exclaimed in a low voice.

"This is what the Northern King calls a model of a train. Although it is only one-quarter the size of the real thing, the principle is the same," a maintenance worker explained to the scholars with pride.

Just as everyone was discussing and whispering, several technicians in work clothes with oil stains on their faces stepped forward and began adding coal to the boiler.

These technicians included both foreigners and Chinese, with roughly one foreign technician leading one Chinese technician, and a Cantonese-speaking interpreter to act as a translator.

After the students were settled in the model train, the maintenance staff confirmed that everyone had fastened their seat belts, and then nodded to the technicians.

The leading foreign technician pulled a mechanism with all his might, and with a whoosh, a sharp and loud whistle suddenly rang out, tearing through the sky. Many scholars instinctively covered their ears, their faces showing horror.

Then, an even more astonishing scene unfolded: thick white steam billowed from the train's chimney, and the massive iron wheels began to turn slowly, emitting heavy clanging sounds, as it smoothly moved along the circular track! The speed increased rapidly, and although it was just a model, it already stirred up a gust of wind, its momentum like thunder.

Next to the model train, two Northern Palace cavalrymen gallop on horseback.

At first, the horse ran faster than the model train, but in the end, the model train caught up with the cavalry.

"Get moving! No need for oxen or horses, it runs on its own!"

"This clumsy iron lump can actually obey human will; it's truly a masterpiece of craftsmanship!"

"If this thing were used to carry goods and people, wouldn't it be easy to travel a thousand miles a day? Wouldn't this waterway and post road be completely transformed?"

"This is only a quarter-sized model. Wouldn't it be even more amazing if it were the real thing?"

The scholars discussed it animatedly.

Zhou Jishen's eyes widened, and he subconsciously glanced at the iron lump between his legs, his chest heaving violently.

He recalled the Western steamship mentioned in the chapter on new Western artifacts in Bei Wang's "A Brief Account of the World," but the written description was far less impressive than seeing it with his own eyes.

He murmured, "The Book of Changes says that nothing changes more than the four seasons, and this thing is probably no less than the changing of the four seasons!"

Even Wang Kaiyun, who was always arrogant and conceited, restrained his nonchalant expression at this moment.

Still reeling from the shock, the scholars were led to the Hanyangmen Wharf.

On the surging river, there was a strange ship, completely different from all the wooden sailboats around it.

Although it has tall masts and layered sails, its hull is more slender, with huge paddle wheels on both sides, and a funnel standing in the middle of the hull, which is now emitting wisps of black smoke.

"This is a paddle steamer, also known as a steamship," the trainee crew member in charge of the explanation announced loudly to the scholars boarding the ship.

"Steamships do not rely on wind power or human power; they can travel upstream and cover hundreds of miles a day solely by the power of their steam engines!"

Before the incredulous eyes of the scholars, the paddlewheel of the steamship roared to life, stirring up huge white splashes of water.

With a deep rumble, the ship steadily left the dock and headed towards the center of the river. It cut through the waves, moving faster than the sailboats beside it. What was particularly astonishing was that it could ignore the wind direction and sail straight upstream.

"As the saying goes, if you don't row against the current, you'll drift backward. This thing can actually go against the current as if it were flat ground!"

"If this ship is used to transport troops, the Yangtze River, a natural barrier, can be crossed in an instant."

"If we had had this ship during the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhuge Liang wouldn't have needed to borrow the east wind." Zhou Jishen leaned on the railing, feeling the slight vibrations beneath his feet, and gazed at the rolling waves stirred by the paddle wheel, his heart surging with emotion.

The final experience was at the Wuchang Telegraph Office on Chengqian Street in Wuchang.

The room housing the telegraph office was simply furnished, containing only a long table with several wooden boxes with cranks on it. Several shiny metal wires were attached to the front of the boxes, extending out of the room, their destination unknown.

"This thing is called a telegraph machine," a young technician, who had served as the deputy battalion commander of the Northern Palace and was once a second-term trainee, explained to the curious scholars.

“With the help of electric current and specific codes, messages can be transmitted over thousands of miles in an instant via wires.”

To help the scholars understand, the technician had two scholars stand at opposite ends of the room, each holding a telegraph machine. The technician would gently press a button on one machine, producing a crisp "tick-tock" sound, while simultaneously a pointer on the other machine would jump, emitting the same rhythmic sound.

"These are dots and strokes; different combinations represent different characters," the technician said, while instructing his assistant to quickly write the corresponding Chinese characters on a piece of paper.

When the assistant transmitted a note that read "Wishing all scholars success in the imperial examinations and a place on the gold list" from one end of the room via an electrical wire, and it was instantly and accurately reproduced at the other end, the room erupted in an uproar.

"A message can travel a thousand miles in an instant?! Even the mythical creature with super hearing could not have achieved this."

"Even with the urgent delivery of 800 li (approximately 400 kilometers) per day and night, it would still take several days. This thing only takes an instant; it's unbelievable."

"If every prefecture and county had this connected, then government orders would be carried out without hindrance, and traitors would have nowhere to hide!"

Looking at the small machine and the flickering electric light, Zhou Jishen felt that his past understanding had been completely overturned.

The physical distance seemed to be infinitely compressed by this "beep beep" sound.

Wang Kaiyun fell into deeper thought.

He gazed at the telegraph machine and slowly said, "In the past, Confucius climbed Mount Dongshan and found Lu small, and climbed Mount Tai and found the world small. Today, seeing these three things, I realize that the world is vast and the universe is wondrous, which cannot be fully described in the books of sages and worthies."

What they saw and heard that day had a profound impact on the scholars, leaving a deep imprint on the minds of these traditional scholars.

Trains, ships, and telegraphs—these inventions that transcended agrarian civilization not only demonstrated the almost supernatural power in Peng Gang's hands, but also revealed to them a completely different future.

While the scholars were visiting and experiencing the train, steamship, and telegraph,

Peng Gang then reviewed the papers alongside the examiners.

The evaluation of the eight-legged essay in the Ming and Qing dynasties was a complex and highly subjective process, with a grading system as its core, supplemented by ranking.

Its evaluation system can be roughly summarized as follows: grades determine quality, and rankings determine superiority.

The examiners selected works from the eight-legged essays that were rated as excellent, based on a set of established criteria (ideas, format, and writing style). They then discussed and compared the works in detail, and finally ranked them until all the places were filled.

In this northern examination, the weight of the eight-legged essay only accounted for 40%, so it was obviously inappropriate and inefficient to continue using the traditional grading and ranking method.

Peng Gang instructed the examiners to score each paper according to the standard of 400 points for the eight-legged essay and 100 points for the policy essay, and to take the average score as the grade.

Peng Gang attached great importance to the first Northern Examination and also participated in reviewing the eight-legged essay papers.

Peng Gang's favorite essay in the traditional eight-legged essay style was discovered to have been written by Hu Chunfang, a scholar from Jiangxia, after the results were released and the anonymous signatures were removed.

Unfortunately, Hu Chunfang's writing technique for the eight-legged essay, namely the eight-legged essay format, was not very rigorous.

The structure, including the introduction, development, opening, parallelism, and conclusion, is not very complete, clear, or neat.

The formatting error was a major flaw, and coupled with Hu Chunfang's mediocre writing skills, she only received 303 points. Even with these 303 points, many examiners still gave her a higher score because Peng Gang really liked the paper.

There is no dispute about the highest score for the eight-legged essay. Wang Kaiyun's eight-legged essays, whether in terms of reason, righteousness, law, rhetoric, or calligraphy, are all of the highest quality.

Even by the standards of the Qing Dynasty's imperial examinations, someone with this kind of literary talent would have easily passed the provincial examination.

Of course, it's his literary talent, not the article itself.

If someone wrote this kind of essay in the imperial examination hall of the Qing Dynasty, they would be executed along with their entire family.

Even Peng Gang himself thought Wang Kaiyun's article was good and could be used directly as a manifesto.

Wang Kaiyun's eight-legged essay ultimately received a high score of 387 points.

The objective questions in the other subjects after policy essays, such as mathematics, geography, agriculture, finance, and official records, consist of a large proportion, including multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and true/false questions.

Therefore, although there are many subjects, the review process is actually faster than that for essays and policy proposals.

The final results were announced, and Wang Kaiyun was the top scorer.

With a total score of 1,000, this guy scored 901, making him the only one among more than 1,000 candidates to score over 900.

To Peng Gang's surprise, this person was not from Jiangxia County or Hanyang County, but from Xiangtan, Hunan.

Jiangxia County and Hanyang County were the first two counties to complete land reform. Peng Gang distributed books on mathematics, geography, and agricultural administration to the scholars in these two counties, essentially informing them of the exam scope in advance.

Scholars from Jiangxia and Hanyang counties had an advantage over those from other places in this northern examination. Peng Gang originally thought that the top scholar would either come from Jiangxia or Hanyang.

It seems that talent is really important sometimes. Wang Kaiyun was able to become the top scholar not only because his scores in the eight-legged essay and policy essay were significantly higher than those of other candidates.

Even considering only the five subjects of learning, geography, agriculture, finance, and administration, Wang Kaiyun's overall score in these subjects would rank second, only two points lower than Zhou Jishen's.

Zhou Jishen is from Jiangxia County. He began reading books on mathematics, geography, and agricultural administration provided by Peng Gang a year ago.

The hometowns of the top two scholars were within Peng Gang's expectations. The second-place scholar was Li Xucheng, a scholar from Hanyang County, and the third-place scholar was Zhou Jishen, a scholar from Jiangxia County.

Immediately afterwards, Peng Gang had the examiners rank the candidates according to their scores, excluding the three who were ranked first.

Those who rank in the top 200 in total score are considered second-class Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial

Those ranked 201st to 500th in the total score are the third-class Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examination).

The final cutoff scores were set at 607 for the second-tier A-level cutoff and 483 for the third-tier A-level cutoff.

After reviewing the list of successful candidates, Peng Gang noticed that most of them were from Hubei and Hunan provinces, while a few were young intellectuals he had brought from Guangxi. He couldn't help but ask, "Aren't there any candidates from Anhui or Jiangxi who could pass the imperial examination?"

Peng Gang knew from the front that there were more than 30 candidates from Anhui and Jiangxi participating in this Beijing examination.

Although most of the candidates from Anhui and Jiangxi who came to Wuchang to participate in the Northern Examination were scholars on the verge of failure in the Qing Dynasty's imperial examinations, it was still beyond Peng Gang's expectations that none of them passed.

(End of this chapter)