Chapter 1040: With Such Popular Sentiment, There Is No Need to Worry About the Longevity of the Country! Young Soldiers Are Eager to Make Achievements!
November 10, the 17th year of Qin Wangzheng.
The first snow fell, and Guanzhong, which should have entered the slack season, was still busy at this moment. People who would never go out unless necessary in previous years were now coming and going.
"Everyone, work harder. Before the ground freezes, the river must be dredged. Don't throw the silt away. Take it back to your own manure field!"
"Hey! Ha! Roar! The tree fell!"
"Today I will slaughter a pig. Folks, remember to come!"
"The pork stewed with radish is ready! The quick hand gets the meat, the slow hand gets the meat... Don't grab it! I'm just kidding! We have everything!"
The chief officers of each village took the young and strong men to the mountain to cut wood and take out the already prepared wood, so that the craftsmen can use these woods to build Xuanlong waterwheels, water pestles, water mills and other creations on the spot as soon as possible, so that they can use new farm tools in the spring of next year.
The villagers who were about to slaughter their own pigs held their babies in their arms and went door to door to inform their fellow villagers to bring money, grain and cloth to buy meat, and also to help slaughter the pigs.
Even the corvées who had been suffering every year in the past smiled rarely. The court had allowed them to take the silt they dug home or sell it on the spot, and the Agricultural Research Office had already developed a method to ferment the silt into fertilizer. The corvées were very hard and might even lose their lives, but they had gained more than before.
The faint but real smell of meat and the fragrance of radish entered the carriage together, broke through the layers of incense, and stubbornly entered Cao Shen's nose.
Cao Shen couldn't help but turn his head to look out the window, and saw those people squatting beside the pottery jar in the wind and snow, even though the black cloth on their heads had been stained white by the snow, they still showed smiles from the heart.
Meat, it smells so good!
Even if everyone only has a little bit of meat and a mouthful of oil, it can comfort people!
Cao Shen couldn't help but sigh softly: "Looking at their clothes, they are just ordinary people, but they can still eat hot food and meat after the La Festival."
"Everyone in the world thinks that Qi is rich, but I have never heard that the people of Qi can be so extravagant."
"Everyone in the world thinks that Qin is poor, but the people of Qin can occasionally eat meat."
"If the people are so happy, why worry about the people's hearts not being attached."
"If the people's hearts are like this, why worry about the longevity of the country!"
In order to re-examine the imperial examinations, Cao Shen has stayed in Xianyang City for nearly two months.
Under Ying Chengjiao's "hint", all the candidates who participated in the re-examination put down the classics in their hands and rushed to various places in Guanzhong to deeply understand the people's sentiments. Cao Shen immediately took the two brothers Zhou Ke and Zhou Chang to Xiao He, who was also from the noble family of Pei County, and asked Xiao He to take him around.
Cao Shen originally thought that he would see a desolate, cold, barbaric, warlike and tyrannical world as recorded in the book, but the world that appeared in Cao Shen's eyes made Cao Shen stunned!
You told me this is the Great Qin? !
After the re-examination, Cao Shen immediately found Xiao He again. While following Xiao He to help various places with the work of treating feces with gold juice, he also looked more deeply at the various aspects of the people.
The more he looked, the more he felt.
It was not unjust that Qi State perished!
It would be strange if Qi State did not perish!
Opposite Cao Shen, Xiao He also turned his gaze to the outside of the car, and said with a look of nostalgia: "The Qin that Xiao saw when he entered Qin to participate in the imperial examination was completely different from the Qin that Brother Cao saw."
"The lives of the people in Guanzhong at that time were very different from those of the people in Pei County. There were frequent famines, difficulty in storing food, arduous corvée labor, and constant wars. The sorrow of the people was deafening."
"The people in Guanzhong could only live like this for a few years."
Cao Shen captured the key information and asked with a smile: "I think Brother Xiao also contributed a lot to this prosperous era!"
Xiao He shook his head with a little pride: "To create such a prosperous era, the king's ability to know how to use people, his kindness and decisiveness, and Chang'an Jun's generosity and righteousness, and his ability to bring auspicious signs are all indispensable, but this is just the foundation."
"None of the children of the Qin royal family fight among themselves, and everything they do is for the country and the people."
"All the officials in the court have worked hard, and there are many extraordinary people who study day and night to achieve this achievement."
"Xiao has also made some contributions to this prosperous era, but in terms of merit, he is not as good as Liu Ji!"
After searching his mind for a few breaths, Cao Shen looked at the brothers Zhou Ke and Zhou Chang.
Then the three of them asked in confusion: "Who is Liu Ji?"
Xiao He explained casually: "He is just a scoundrel in Zhongyang Village."
"Although we are from the same hometown, he is the son of an ordinary commoner. It is normal that the three of you do not know each other."
"This person once participated in the examination for the imperial examination and failed. Because he is good at scheming, quick-witted and capable, he was trusted by Chang'an Jun and asked to participate in the cultivation of rich and strong pigs. Later, he went to various places and ordered all the counties and towns in Guanzhong to build water pestles, water mills and water mills before this year's La Festival. Recently, he has presided over the establishment of pig management offices in various counties and counties. It can be said that he is very successful."
Cao Shen couldn't help but have some thoughts.
If Liu Ji was just the son of a commoner, Cao Shen would not bother to say a word to Liu Ji.
But since Liu Ji is trusted by Ying Chengjiao and now bears so many responsibilities, he is Cao Shen's close fellow villager!
Cao Shen couldn't help but smile and said, "Such a person is from the same hometown as you and me."
"If there is a chance, I must make friends with him!"
Xiao He heard this and reminded him, "It is a great pleasure to make friends with outstanding people, but it is not necessary."
"Liu Ji's career is enough to show the king and Chang'an Jun's heart in selecting talents."
"What the king and Chang'an Jun value most is not connections, not background, not even ranking, but results!"
"Even if you are the top student again when the results are announced tomorrow, you should not be proud and arrogant, and you should not spend all your time calling friends."
"Focus on your work, work hard, and make achievements. The king and Chang'an Jun will see it."
The reason why Xiao He mentioned Liu Ji was that he hoped to wake Cao Shen up with Liu Ji.
So what if you did well in the exam?
It is better to do well than to do well in the exam!
Cao Shen was shocked and bowed his hands quickly: "Thank you for your advice, brother Xiao!"
When the sun was setting, Xiao He and others finally returned to Xianyang City. After a good night and a half, they put on the cleanest clothes and went to Xianyang Palace the next morning.
When Xiao He and others arrived at the palace gate, they saw thousands of people standing outside the gate of Xianyang Palace. Among them were candidates waiting for the results and relatives and friends who accompanied them like Xiao He. There were also many merchants and dignitaries from the ancient Qi land who were eager to try and prepare to catch a son-in-law under the list.
But the three thousand guards lined up neatly outside the palace gate made everyone dare not speak loudly, and they lined up in an orderly manner.
At noon, the gate of Xianyang Palace was pushed open by the ministers.
Ying Chengjiao and Wei Zhuang led all the examiners to step out of the palace, looking at the pairs of expectant eyes outside the palace gate, and shouted loudly: "Announce the results!"
At an order, two wooden boards were carried out of the palace gate by the ministers and nailed outside the palace wall.
Even the cold eyes of the guards could no longer suppress the students' desire for success and fame. They crowded forward, jumping and looking around.
"The first place in the first class, Cao Shen of Pei County! Hiss~ Brother Cao is the first place in the first class again, congratulations!"
"I am also on the list! I will definitely help this prosperous era!"
"Where is my name? Have you seen my name?"
There are only more than 600 names on the two wooden boards.
More than half of the candidates who came to participate in the re-examination failed.
If they failed the first test, they might not feel too bad.
But when they really saw the prosperous Guanzhong area, saw the changes that the Qin Dynasty might bring to the world, and almost got the ticket to participate in it, the disappointment of being rejected was particularly strong.
Unfortunately, no one cared about their disappointment, and many candidates did not even dare to show their disappointment.
Dai Li danced with joy, and a large number of candidates, whether they passed the list or not, gathered around Cao Shen to compliment him and make friends.
After the examinees celebrated for a long time, Ying Chengjiao finally spoke loudly: "Have you seen the list?"
All the examinees stopped talking and bowed: "We have seen the list!"
Ying Chengjiao smiled and nodded: "Good."
"Those who failed to pass the exam will try again next year."
"Those who passed the exam can send the good news back home first."
"The king ordered that messengers will be sent to the hometowns of all the candidates who passed the exam tomorrow. Within a month, local officials will lead musicians to visit and congratulate them."
"I think there will be countless people visiting and congratulating us. We need to hold a banquet to entertain the guests and return the favor. We should prepare for many things in advance to avoid chaos!"
In those days, there was no custom of court officials beating gongs and drums to announce the good news after becoming an official. Ying Chengjiao didn't mind setting a precedent.
Whether it is sending officials or dispatching musicians, it almost does not cost money, but it can give the candidates who landed ashore a strong sense of pride and ceremony, and can bring great honor and protection to the candidates' families.
Why not do something that benefits you without spending money?
Cao Shen and all the other candidates' eyes lit up, and they excitedly bowed and shouted: "Thank you, my king!"
Ying Chengjiao smiled happily and continued: "All those who have passed the gold list will enter the palace first, and will meet the king later. The king will determine your positions..."
Before Ying Chengjiao finished speaking, Zhao Gao suddenly ran to Ying Chengjiao's side and whispered in his ear.
Cao Shen and others who were close saw Ying Chengjiao perform a face-changing performance with their own eyes.
Ying Chengjiao, who was originally smiling, suddenly showed murderous intent: "Do you think my sword is no longer effective, you rats!"
"Tell the king that I will be there soon!"
Taking a breath, Ying Chengjiao looked at the candidates again and said in a deep voice: "Those who are on the list, please go to the palace and wait for a while."
"Supervising Censor Li, you will be responsible for this matter first!"
"Left Prime Minister, return to the palace!"
Qi Diao Li bowed solemnly: "Yes!"
Ying Chengjiao bowed to all the candidates and said in a deep voice: "I have something important to do, so I will leave first!"
Looking at the backs of Ying Chengjiao and other important officials such as Wei Zhuang leaving in a hurry, all the candidates were terrified.
Zhou Chang swallowed hard, thinking of the pile of heads outside Linzi City, and murmured softly: "How many heads will it take to appease the anger of Chang'an Jun!"
The eyes of the failed candidates lit up, and they whispered excitedly: "Although I failed, I can also fight with Chang'an Jun! And we are the ones who passed the preliminary examination after all. As long as we pass the examination of the law officer quickly, we can be the military law officer in the army!"
"That's right! I really hope that Chang'an Jun's anger is because the enemy country invaded our Qin. If we can go to war with Chang'an Jun, we can also get military merits. In time, we may not be inferior to those on the list!"
Cao Shen was also full of enthusiasm. The young soldiers were eager to make achievements, and the young officials were the same!