kingnovel Chapter 1162 A True Flourishing of Academic Atmosphere
Chapter 1162 A True Flourishing of Academic Atmosphere
The officials were deeply moved by Xu Yunyan's explanation.
In terms of status, they were just ordinary clerks in the government office. Although their status was slightly higher than that of the yamen runners, it wasn't much higher.
In other words, they were actually the ones in the government office who could best empathize with ordinary students.
Most of the yamen runners were illiterate and could not understand the hardship of studying. They thought that scholars did not have to do dirty or hard work, and were protected from the wind and rain, so what hardship did they have?
The officials at the top, on the other hand, are a group of people who have already "suffered" hardship.
They have thoroughly tasted the "bitterness" of studying, and even tasted the sweetness at the end of the bitterness, so their minds will numb them, making them often "remember the bitterness and appreciate the sweetness".
Prefect Yi's favorite saying was, "When I was young, I suffered even more than today's students, but I refused to give up. I could endure, persevere, and bear hardship, which is why I am where I am today... Thinking about it carefully, the hardships I endured back then were nothing at all..."
But is the hardship of studying really nothing?
The cost of the exams alone would be enough to keep the whole family hungry for a long time. And whether they would even make the list was still uncertain.
The hardship of studying is not only for oneself, but also for one's family.
Therefore, looking around the government office, only the clerks were stuck in a limbo, neither good enough for high positions nor low enough for low ones. They knew the "bitterness" of studying, but they had never truly experienced the "bitterness" of it. They were like swinging on a swing with a thin rope, neither up nor down, neither forward nor backward, extremely awkward.
It is precisely because of this that they can better see the difficulties faced by ordinary students.
Song Xishi couldn't help but think that if he had received a "travel allowance for taking the imperial examination" when he was young, his life and that of his family would probably be very different now.
He felt a mix of bitterness, envy, and jealousy, but also a sense of happiness for today's students.
so good.
He thought, "It's so good that students these days can meet Master Shen."
"I think this regulation is excellent." After entering the council hall for more than a quarter of an hour, Song Xishi dared to look Shen Zheng in the eye for the first time: "Lord Shen, if this regulation can be implemented, then within ten years, the number of scholars and successful candidates in Liuyang Prefecture will surely surpass that of Yangzhou, Jingzhou and other places, and rank among the top in the entire Great Zhou."
Upon hearing this, the clerk Liu Pei gasped, grabbed Song Xishi's sleeve, and whispered, "Are you crazy? What are you comparing yourself to Yangzhou for...?"
That's Yangzhou, a city where geniuses and literary figures gather!
Even if the students of Liuyang buried themselves in their studies for another ten years, it still wouldn't compare...
"Yangzhou Prefecture? Ten years?" Sure enough, just as Liu Pei had expected, Shen Zheng, who was seated at the head of the table, also raised a question: "Song Xishi, do you want to compete with Yangzhou Prefecture in terms of the number of candidates?"
Song Xishi was taken aback. After considering his words twice, he replied, "Lord Shen, I believe that... most of the scholars in Yangzhou come from wealthy families, while in our prefecture, there are quite a few scholars from impoverished backgrounds. If the prefectural government could lend them a hand, the number of successful candidates would naturally increase..."
“I understand what you mean.” Shen Zheng interrupted him as his voice grew softer, “But you may not understand the meaning of the new regulations yet.”
As she spoke, Shen Zheng looked at Liu Pei and said, "Liu Pei, you are a clerk in the Household Department. Tell me your opinion."
Liu Pei paused, secretly glancing at Song Xishi, and slowly stood up, saying, "My lord, I believe... our Liuyang Prefecture should not be compared with Yangzhou Prefecture."
Shen Zheng nodded upon hearing this, signaling him to continue.
Seeing that Shen Zheng was not angry, Liu Pei straightened his back slightly: "I think we should not be too ambitious and compare ourselves with the most scholarly prefectures right away. Instead, we should proceed step by step, first surpassing the surrounding prefectures such as Linjiang and Yuanzhou, and then look to the long term to catch up with Yangzhou."
"..." Shen Zheng put down the booklet in disbelief and asked, "What did you say?"
Hearing Shen Zheng's slightly rising intonation at the end of her sentence, Liu Pei sensed something was wrong, but still forced himself to say, "This humble official says we shouldn't be so ambitious..."
"Alright, that's enough." Shen Zheng interrupted him mercilessly, even resorting to "corporal punishment" on him. "You'll stand here and listen from now on."
Liu Pei looked stunned upon hearing this.
Did you say something wrong?
Isn't it said that Lady Shen is a pragmatic person who hates unrealistic people? Could it be that the rumors are all false, and that Lady Shen... just likes to compare herself with the most capable?
For a moment, neither Liu Pei nor the other officials could quite figure out what Shen Zheng was thinking.
Shen Zheng's temples throbbed, and she looked at Xu Yunyan and said, "Lord Xu, you talk to them."
Xu Yunyan glanced at the several officials and slowly stood up.
His opening remarks immediately put pressure on the officials: "Can your eyes only see these new regulations, but not the purpose behind them?"
What is the purpose behind the rules?
The officials felt increased pressure and picked up their booklets again.
For a moment, only the rustling sound of turning pages filled the council chamber.
After a while, a clerk slowly raised his hand and said, "Lord Xu, this humble servant is just presenting my work..."
"Speak," Xu Yunyan said, looking at him.
He held the booklet and slowly stood up: "In my humble opinion, what we should compare ourselves to other prefectures in is not the number of candidates, but the lives of our people..."
For Liu Pei and others, this was a completely new perspective.
But for Shen Zheng and Xu Yunyan, it was a topic they had been discussing for two days.
A hint of appreciation flashed across Xu Yunyan's eyes. "Not bad, continue."
Encouraged, Fang Xianyue raised the booklet in his hand and said, "I just read this booklet again and found a very important sentence that I had previously overlooked."
"Which sentence?" Xu Yunyan asked deliberately.
"The sentence following the 'travel expense subsidy for taking the exam'," Fang Xianyue opened the booklet and read aloud, "is to create a closed loop of 'talent selection - training - success'."
"What do you think of this statement?" Xu Yunyan followed up with a question.
"You previously said that a 'closed loop' means a continuous cycle, with a beginning and an end. Considering this statement, I believe that the government's assistance to students in taking the imperial examinations is not merely to help them 'become talented' or to increase the number of successful candidates in the government, but rather to connect 'talent selection' with 'talent cultivation,' to transform 'good students' into 'good teachers,' and to send 'good teachers' to the countryside so that even farmers' children can learn to read, calculate land taxes, and keep accounts. In the next ten years, they may not have official titles, but they will already be more capable than the people of Yangzhou, Jingzhou, and other places."
Liu Pei and the others were stunned by what they heard, but Fang Xianyue continued his reply: "In this way, all the people in our prefecture, regardless of their social status, will be tied to education. This is true 'academic prosperity,' not just relying on scholars and candidates to make a show of things. This... is the true golden age in my heart."