Chapter 428 The Awakening of Nationalism
The anti-cheating system of the Southeastern Imperial Examinations was completely copied from the Ming Dynasty. The papers also had to go through steps such as anonymity and copying. The marking officer did not know the names of the candidates.
Since the last big question that Su Ze asked in person was a new question type, Shen Shixing specifically ordered that papers that the marking officer could not decide should be sent to him in person for judgment.
The marking officer took the paper and sent it to Shen Shixing.
Imperial examination papers are cross-reviewed by multiple markers, and each examiner must write an evaluation of the paper on the paper, classifying it as "pass" or "fail."
Shen Shixing was the number one scholar in the Ming Dynasty and read extremely fast, so he requested that as long as there was a marking officer who judged "pass" papers, they should be sent to him to judge the papers personally.
At this time, Shen Shixing was leaning on the Taishi chair, flipping through a paper casually.
"It's quite satisfactory. It can only be regarded as an appetizer. It can be passed."
As long as Shen Shixing passes the "pass" paper, he will be on the shortlist for this tribute examination.
There are a total of 400 Jinshi quotas for this year's imperial examination, and Shen Shixing will screen out 600 papers for the next round.
These papers will be sent to the cabinet, and under the supervision of the imperial censors in charge of supervising the Ministry of Rites, another four hundred papers will be selected.
These four hundred people are the Jinshi of the undergraduate program.
These four hundred papers will be sorted according to their level. Next, these papers will be sent to the Governor's Mansion, and Su Ze will decide the 100 people who will be the first-class Jinshi and the 300 people who will be the second-class Jinshi.
Although it is said that the Southeastern Imperial Examination has abolished the Shujishi, and the 100 first-class people all have the same starting point after entering the official career, scholars have always paid attention to a ranking. In the imperial examination competition, the rankings must still be distinguished. of.
As long as rankings exist, these rankings will always become a reference factor for others' evaluations after these Jinshis enter various ministries and yamen.
Just like the college students before Su Ze's time travel, when he first entered the workplace, he would still be asked about the university he graduated from. Graduates from good universities would also be looked down upon by their colleagues.
Therefore, Su Ze finally agreed to retain the titles of No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 among the Three Tripods. This can also be regarded as the honorary reward for the top three in the competition.
After reading one paper, the assistant put it away and handed over another paper.
This time Shen Shixing sat up slightly and said with satisfaction after reading: "Although this article has an ordinary intention, it is majestic and majestic. It is a rare and heroic article that can be paired with wine!" "It makes sense!"
Shen
Shixing The assistant drew a red circle on the paper, and then handed over another paper.
This time, Shen Shixing sat upright after reading a line. He said with satisfaction:
"The intention is far-reaching. He is the best among the scholars of this generation. He can be a dinner and a judge!"
After Shen Shixing read it, the marking officer handed it over. I took the paper in my hand.
This paper is the one after Tang Xianzu. Tang Xianzu's paper is not controversial and will be sent to Shen Shixing soon. In Shen Shixing's opinion, he will definitely pass it.
But this paper is different. Many of the arguments above cannot be understood by the marking officer himself, so he can only give it to Shen Shixing for decision-making.
Shen Shixing took the paper. He had just finished reading the first line and immediately stood up and said:
"Burn incense!"
The marking officer looked at Shen Shixing in surprise and heard him say:
"This is a masterpiece, you must burn incense to correct your heart. Only then can you appreciate the true meaning!"
Shen Shixing's assistant was not surprised by this. Everyone knows that this top scholar in the Ming Dynasty and the Minister of Education in the Southeast is a person who loves talents very much.
When Shen Shixing was the prefect of Songjiang, he was famous for his tendency to support and support the younger ones.
When he encounters an article he likes, he will read it without sleep and food, and even forget to eat or drink.
The most famous story about Shen Shixing when he was the prefect of Songjiang is that when he read Shen Guanyi's article published in "Jingshi Xinbao", it happened to be dinner time.
His newlywed wife couldn't bear to disturb Shen Shixing from reading the newspaper, so she made Shen Shixing's favorite snack, Min Cake.
This Suzhou specialty pastry is a bit too bland to eat directly, so Shen Shixing's wife paired it with osmanthus sugar for Shen Shixing to dip it in.
Unexpectedly, Shen Shixing was so fascinated by the newspaper and articles that he dipped the min cake in the ink on the desk and ate it.
When Shen Shixing's wife came in to collect the dishes, she saw that her husband's mouth was full of ink, and even his teeth were stained black. He laughed regardless of the etiquette of a lady.
This incident was rumored to be a good story when Shen Shixing was the prefect of Songjiang. At that time, scholars in Songjiang Prefecture often sent articles they wrote to Shen Shixing's house. No matter how busy Shen Shixing was with his official duties, he would always find time to read these gifts. Coming article.
The marking officer did not expect that Shen Shixing would rate this article so highly. After the incense was lit, Shen Shixing sat upright and read the article carefully.
After waiting for a long time, Shen Shixing sighed and said:
"It's true that 'talented people have emerged from generation to generation, and each has led the way for hundreds of years.' With this article, I have a successor in the southeastern context."
Shen Shixing then ordered his assistant . : "This article is temporarily ranked first. I think the Governor will definitely like this article." The
marking officer then asked: "Sir Shen, my subordinate is really stupid. I can't understand many parts of this article. That's why I bother you to judge."
Shen Shixing said nonchalantly: "This article explains and extends the "New Meanings of the Three Classics" written by the Governor. It's normal that you can't understand it." The marking officer felt a little guilty, and
he Although I also studied Su Ze's theory day and night, academics depended on talent.
Especially when it comes to the level of governance theory, it cannot be improved by studying.
Shen Shixing said: "This article is good because it addresses one issue correctly, 'nation'."
"Nation?" Shen Shixing said: "Why did Ming Chengzu conquer Annan and was forced to withdraw in the end?"
The marking officer Thinking of Tang Xianzu's article, he said: "Because the cost was too high, garrisoning troops in Annan had to deal with the resistance of the Annan natives, and establishing counties required the dispatch of officials and soldiers. However, the taxes the Ming court could extract from Annan were minimal, and Ming Chengzu finally gave up. Annan."
Shen Shixing nodded and said: "From a financial point of view, it is already good for you to have this understanding. If you take part in this imperial examination, you can also get the second place." The marking officer was a little ashamed, he used Tang Xianzu
's conclusion, but he still accepted Shen Shixing's praise.
"But why is this? Since Annan is the homeland of China, why did it resist so fiercely?" The
marking officer failed to answer this question.
"This is the role of the nation, because during the long-term confrontation with China, Annan developed its own national consciousness and united to resist the occupation of the Central Plains. This increased the cost of Ming Chengzu's rule." "And at that time, the Ming court
came It is said that the occupation of Annan was just one of the achievements of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty in his southern and northern campaigns. However, ordinary people were required to undertake military service thousands of miles away, and officials were required to go thousands of miles away to take up their posts. They endured the glare and resistance of the Annan people. At that time, the military and civilian officials Naturally, everyone proposed giving up Annan."
"This article puts it well, 'Ming Chengzu's conquest of Annan actually contributed to the formation of its national consciousness. Under the banner of resisting the Ming court's occupation, Annan began a long-term de-Sinicization process after the Ming court withdrew its troops.' "
Shen Shixing said with admiration: "If you can realize this, you are no ordinary talent."
The marking officer still didn't understand and asked: "De-Sinicization?"
Shen Shixing said: "Before the Yongle year, the language used by Annan Although the Chinese characters used in Annan are slightly different from those in the Central Plains, they have the same root and origin." "
After the Ming army withdrew, the rulers of Annan began to promote a writing called 'Nan' System, this kind of writing has gradually replaced the status of Chinese characters and become the official and common language of Annan." "
This is Annan shaping its own national identity. Once this identity is deeply rooted, the Central Plains will no longer be able to occupy Annan. ."
"Even if Annan was captured at that time, the people of Annan did not recognize themselves as neutral citizens and were unable to establish effective rule. They would continue to resist and raise the cost of rule, and were eventually driven out of Annan." The marking officer was shocked
. Breaking out in a cold sweat, this was what he couldn't understand. He didn't expect that there would be such a smart person in Annan. This was almost a conspiracy.
Shen Shixing said: "If you only write this step, although it is no problem to be selected into the top three, it is still not a top-notch article." "
The beauty of this article is that it discusses where 'nation' comes from. "
Shen Shixing stood up, but did not directly answer the question. Instead, he asked an unrelated question: "
Why did all the surrounding countries, including the barbarians in the West, choose monarchy in the end?" The
marking officer was stunned for a moment. It is almost a matter of course that any country has a monarch, but when Shen Shixing asked this question, it seemed not so natural.
Shen Shixing said: "The monarch is the lowest level of national consensus and the lowest level of national identity." "
This is how 'the whole world is the king's land'. With the monarch, the civil servants and generals have objects of loyalty, and the people also It is natural to serve the monarch."
"But this kind of recognition is fragile. Just like when Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty attacked Annan, he accomplished his personal achievements and satisfied his selfish desire to expand the territory. But for the officials, soldiers and people of the Ming Dynasty, For them, there is no benefit in occupying Annan. They have to spend more manpower and financial resources to support and occupy Annan, so they will naturally oppose the occupation of Annan." "
Because the identity maintained through the monarch is very fragile, the Eastern Han Dynasty finally gave up the Western Regions. They even considered giving up Hehuang. In the Song Dynasty, they even gave up Yanyun, Nanzhao, Xixia, and finally the entire north." "
Although there were people with lofty ideals who wanted to go to the Northern Expedition, the Southern Song Dynasty court was not active. That's the reason."
"The whole world belongs to the emperor. If you conquer it, it will just be the emperor's land. What does it have to do with ordinary people? Just like a tenant will not be anxious because the owner has lost something, nor will he be anxious because the owner has bought something. I am happy with new clothes."
"But the Grand Governor proposed that sovereignty lies with the people, so that is different." "
Sovereignty lies with the people, and then the entire country belongs to everyone. Even the land as far away as Annan cannot be given up. Because this is our own thing!"
"The identity established through 'nation' is far more cohesive than the identity of the monarch who has the power of heaven." "
The good thing about this article is that it predicts the future world." "
We As long as the Southeast's people-oriented ideas spread, it will inevitably promote ideological changes in surrounding countries and even the world, breaking the status of the monarchy." "Once
'national identity' replaces 'monarchy identity', Annan will form his own 'national consciousness' , then we will never be able to recover Annan."
"This article predicts that the last chance to recover Annan and assimilate Annan will be within the next hundred years."
Shen Shixing said with emotion: "Similar to this theory, the Governor also once As we have said, the Grand Governor also believes that now is the last chance, so he is thinking about dealing with the Annan issue before the north and the south are unified." "Our enemy is not the Annan and South Koreas fighting on the Annan Peninsula, but the Annan and South Koreas who are fighting on the Annan Peninsula
. It is the rise of the independent national consciousness of the entire Annan."
"If our generation cannot solve the Annan problem, there will be no chance again."
The marking officer listened to Shen Shixing's words with sincerity.
Shen Shixing said: "If this paper is temporarily ranked first, the Governor will definitely like this article."
After five days of intense marking, the last 600 papers were selected.
Next, the cabinet ministers personally reviewed and, under the supervision of the Censor of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, selected four hundred papers again. This paper still ranked first, and Tang Xianzu's paper ranked second.
After reading the paper that ranked first, Su Ze also praised it greatly and ranked this paper as the first.
When he opened the paper, Su Ze saw the name of the number one scholar he had chosen, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
This candidate has a very auspicious name for the current Southeast—Gu Xiancheng of Wuxi, South Zhili.
In a blink of an eye, it’s time to release the results.
(End of chapter)