69. The Right Time, Right Place, and Right People

A stone stirs up a thousand waves!

The court was silent. Reading

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Governor Yin has been in charge of the prefectural examination for so many years, and it is not the first time that he has encountered candidates who handed in their papers early, but he has not seen many candidates who are so confident. The first policy question has already proved his true talent, but the speed of handing in the paper is the difference between genius and talent. To be able to hand in the paper so quickly, he must be a person with quick thinking...

The tea cup that he brought to his mouth froze for a while, then nodded, signaling the clerk next to him to bring up the test paper.

"The last two policy questions are written well, but..."

Governor Yin was a little disappointed after seeing the test paper. He thought that Bai Gui would come forward and give him many surprises, but he didn't expect that the content of the test paper could not be said to be mediocre, but it was not surprising either. It was just that the writing was very good, which could reveal a solid foundation in middle school.

It can be called first-class, but not as amazing as before!

It shouldn't be!

The first policy question just now moved him, but the next two questions were a bit lackluster...

There must be a reason.

"Your first policy question made me applaud and call you forward. Now the two articles are mediocre, far inferior to the first one. But Jiang Lang's talent has run out? There are no good poems."

Prefect Yin put down the teacup and asked.

When Jiang Yan of the Southern Dynasty was young, he was known for his poems and essays, and was called Jiang Lang. Later, his poems and essays were not as good as before, so he was called Jiang Lang's talent has run out.

Bai Gui replied: "Your Excellency, my first article talked about Western diplomacy, and I dared to talk nonsense, which made you smile, which was also a pleasure. But the next two policy questions involved the political affairs of this dynasty. I have no experience in farming, and I have not read many books. I don't know the laws of my country, nor do I know international public law. I can only pick out sentences from the articles of the past, and I dare not speak freely..."

He had already made up his mind about these things.

Lao She's teahouse is well written, don't talk about state affairs.

Now, although the topic of the prefectural examination is to select talents for national ethics, if you really dare to discuss politics and have meaningful opinions on some political affairs, will the prefect, the governor, or the current Emperor Xuantong really appreciate it?

I am afraid not!

Young people who are too sharp need to be tempered!

Throughout the ages, why is it difficult for famous writers to become officials? It is because they don’t know that writing articles requires hiding three points of sharpness. The arrogant dragon must regret. Although the articles can attract applause from the whole hall and paper is expensive in Luoyang, it is inevitable that the rulers will not like it...

Prefect Yin is a smooth ruler. He can quietly set a trap for General Zhang with what happened just now. How can he be a person who selects scholars based on talent and learning?

He is young and from a humble family. He is used to observing words and expressions.

This is the skill he has cultivated in the Lu family, and his talent is even more powerful with Bai Lingbaili!

Bai Gui's meaning was very simple: the first policy question was about Western affairs, not state affairs, and no matter what he answered, it would just make you laugh. But the next two policy questions were about the state and people's livelihood, so I dare not answer them without authorization, and can only pick out some things from some articles answered by predecessors.

"Young man, it's better to be a little more arrogant. I don't see many young people as steady as you." After hearing this, Yin Zhifu's face eased, and his evaluation of Bai Gui in his heart was in vain, but he still didn't let it go. After all, this was the imperial examination of the prefecture, and the rules were set like this. Let the students discuss politics, and he couldn't praise such behavior in person.

"The prefecture taught you, so I plan to travel abroad to increase my knowledge."

Bai Gui's heart moved, and he quickly returned the greeting.

This is an opportunity. Although Fujino Yaheiji has applied for an increase in the number of public-funded study in Japan for him, it is still a bit difficult to rely on just one Japanese lecturer. If Yin Zhifu allowed it, it would not be difficult to do it.

There is a difference between studying in Japan at public expense and studying in Japan at one's own expense, and it's not just about money.

"Foreign countries?"

"You wrote the translation question in Japanese, um..., are you planning to study in Japan?"

Yin Fuzun became interested. Although he couldn't understand the Japanese text, he didn't think the boy was writing nonsense. He had just learned that this was General Zhang's student, and his Japanese would definitely not be bad.

"Yes, I am going to study in Japan and see the outside world."

Bai Gui said.

Yin Zhifu picked up the red pen and drew four red circles on Bai Gui's two questions, then nodded and said: "I have already taken your article, you just go home and wait for the news..."

Although there are still several subsequent exams, as long as you pass the first one, you can take the next few at will.

"Junior thanks you!"

Bai Gui bowed respectfully, then turned around and picked up the exam basket from the table, and walked from the court to the Dragon Gate.

At this moment, it was sunset and dusk.

…

Late at night, when the dragon gate was closed and the candidates who walked out of the examination hall gradually dispersed.

In the court.

Yin Fuzun, several teachers, and his confidants such as the master were reviewing the papers.

“Fuzun, there are a total of 23 volumes in the first volume, 89 volumes in the middle volume, and 304 volumes in the last volume. The other papers are dirty, do not avoid taboos, and satirize current politics. They are all rejected...”

A clerk pointed to the three piles of papers that had been placed.

“Those who enter the imperial examination from higher schools inevitably focus on practical learning and neglect classics. They are inferior to these old-school Confucian scholars in writing, calligraphy, and avoiding taboos. However, most of the questions they wrote are meaningful, and some Confucian scholars wrote the words of saints...”

Speaking of this, Yin Zhifu also sarcastically said: “They really think this is a continuation of the eight-part essay examination! Confucius can’t control the West or the East.”

The nearby clerks and teachers also nodded in agreement.

The sea of ​​learning is endless. Those who specialize in Chinese studies are inevitably inferior to Western studies, and those who specialize in Western studies are inevitably inferior to Chinese studies.

"Those who cannot master both Chinese and Western studies will be relegated to the lower volume, while the middle volume is well-organized and well-written, and the upper volume is outstanding in some aspects..."

The clerk said.

"Bring these upper volumes to this government." Yin Zhifu ordered.

He was busy with many things, so how could he look at the test papers one by one? In addition to the test papers of the candidates who were selected to sit in the hall, he looked at the test papers of the other candidates in the examination hall one by one, and then presented them to him after being selected by the clerks and teachers.

The candidates who were selected to sit in the hall were not only the top ten in the county exam, but also some outstanding students in higher schools.

"No! Too radical, this test paper cannot be selected. If he becomes a diplomatic ambassador in the future, he will definitely cause trouble for the country."

"No! This is too mediocre."

"No!"

After reading the 23 first papers and finishing three or four test papers, Yin Zhifu felt more and more that the article written by the young man this afternoon was very suitable, and he also had the relationship with General Zhang...

Should he be selected as the first place?

He was a little hesitant!

At this time, the master walked to Yin Zhifu's side and whispered: "Your Excellency, the family is here."

Family refers to Yin Zhifu's private residence. Although there is an official residence in the government office, it is inevitable that it is not very comfortable to live in.

Yin Zhifu got up and walked for a while. When he came back, he wrote a "one" in red ink on the blank space at the bottom corner of Bai Gui's test paper and selected him as the first place in Xi'an Prefecture.

"Auspicious signs from heaven, quite interesting!"

"He is also from the Normal School..."

"The right time, right place and right people are all there, who else can I choose if not you?"

Prefect Yin shook his head, couldn't help but chuckled, and muttered to himself.

When he left just now, his family said that the Magistrate of Zishui County gave him a gift of three hundred taels of silver, and he had just married a concubine a few days ago.