Farmhouse Green Plum

Chapter 504 Choice

Every three years, the provincial school could select two students with outstanding academic performance to study in the Imperial Academy, which was called "tribute students"; while the county school could only select one.

After becoming a tribute student, not only can one receive one stone of rice every month, which is equivalent to 3 taels of silver, or 36 taels a year, which is much more than the 5 taels that a student on government academy receives!

The most important thing is that tribute students can skip the provincial examination and directly participate in the metropolitan examination. In addition, the tribute students' papers in the metropolitan examination are stamped with the "皿" character. If the essays are similar, the tribute students will be given priority.

Song Ying didn't know much about the imperial examinations, and this was the first time he heard about this. He was so surprised that he said, "This is too good to be true!"

Immediately, she felt something was not right. Yuan Qing always looked at the long term. Between the small immediate benefits and the long-term benefits, he should choose the latter.

I believe the Yuan family is also willing to wait a little longer and get 36 taels of silver a year.

Then she thought of the Imperial College being in the capital, and couldn't help but ask, "The cost of living in the capital is very high, isn't it? Is renting a house more expensive than buying one here?"

"No, the Imperial College has rooms for tribute students to live in for free. Moreover, tribute students who have married will be given an independent courtyard. If they are sick, they can enjoy free medical treatment from the Imperial Physician Bureau." Shen Jing's tone was full of infinite longing. If he passed the exam this time, he would definitely choose the provincial school and try to become a tribute student later.

Song Ying opened her mouth in surprise. This was better than she had imagined. No wonder they said that all other things are inferior except reading. As long as she studied well enough, she wouldn't have to worry about anything!

She looked at Yuan Qing and conveyed her doubts with her eyes: So why not choose the provincial school?

Yuan Qing pursed her lips and said, "There are many talented people in the provincial school. Even if I rank among the top students in every annual examination, I will probably have to wait 20 to 30 years for my turn. That's too long. It would be faster for me to take the provincial examination myself."

wheel……

Song Ying savored the word and began to understand. As an outsider, she had never heard of the annual test before, which meant that it would not be too strict, so there would be a lot of room for manipulation.

If you think carefully about the conditions for tribute students that Shen Jing just mentioned, the outstanding students among them are not necessarily the first in the annual examination, and whether they are outstanding or not is not up to the government to decide.

As long as their children are not particularly outrageous, officials will definitely choose their children to serve as tribute, and those from poor families can only wait.

But there are still many poor students waiting ahead, and it may take only twenty or thirty years for Yuan Qing to get a chance.

She secretly sighed that it was difficult for a poor family to produce a noble son, and even the so-called fairest imperial examination was not actually very fair.

After Yuan Qing reminded him, Shen Jing also realized how difficult it was for a poor family to pay tribute. He couldn't help but say, "I can ask my father to help."

Yuan Qing waved his hand and said, "I appreciate Brother Shen's kindness, but I still want to try the provincial examination myself first."

The best students among the students must naturally be the ones on government stipend. Even if Prefect Shen is willing to help him, he must first be promoted from the candidate for additional student to the student on government stipend, and this also has to be ranked according to seniority.

Passing the imperial examination was a big deal, and the family had to worship their ancestors, so Yuan Qing decided to go home first. Fortunately, Tao Tixue was also in a hurry, so he arranged the court ceremony, admission ceremony, and hairpin flower banquet on the same day, which was three days later.

At the beginning of the afternoon, Song Ying and Yuan Qing returned to Qingshui County and headed straight for Yunxiu Tower.

As soon as she entered, Song Ying greeted the clerk with a smile, "Sister Xiao Cui, why are you having lunch so late?"

"Hey, Doctor Song!" Xiao Cui was surprised. "Why are you here at this time? Are you looking for your second aunt?"

As Song Ying's fame grew, he became busier and busier. He even rushed to eat lunch, so there were fewer patients in the evening.

Usually if she has personal matters, she will do them at this time.

Song Ying shook his head and pointed at Yuan Qing. "This is my fellow townsman. He just passed the imperial examination and wants to buy a blue shirt. Do you have any in your store?"

"He passed the exam to become a scholar!" Xiao Cui looked at Yuan Qing, her eyes popping out of her head in shock. "He passed the exam to become a scholar at such a young age! Oh, congratulations!

Lanshan Store doesn't have it ready-made, but we can expedite it. You can choose the material first."

Xiao Cui was well-versed in the world, so even though she was surprised, she didn't let it interfere with her work. "Don't worry, we've made shirts for people before, so we know the rules. We won't embroider or print, and we won't add any banned fabrics."

As she spoke, she quickly took out a few pieces of cloth.

"Banned?" Song Ying was surprised again. She only knew that the Lanshan symbolized the status of a scholar and ordinary people were not allowed to wear it. This was the first time she heard that there were banned fabrics for the Lanshan.

Yuan Qing explained, "We should advocate frugality and suppress extravagance. We should not use precious fabrics such as silk, gauze, gauze, silk, and brocade."

Xiao Cui didn't know these profound principles, but she remembered clearly what could be used and what couldn't be used. After hearing this, she added, "You can use silk."

"Isn't silk usually more expensive than satin?" Song Ying became more and more confused.

Xiao Cui doesn’t know about this.

"The law stipulates that merchants cannot wear silk, satin, and damask, but silk can be worn in certain circumstances. Students are scholars and must be distinguished from merchants, so silk shirts cannot be made of silk. Silk can be used, but it must be plain and without patterns."

Song Ying suddenly realized, "I understand. If Lanshan blindly advocates frugality and bans silk and satin, then the status of students will be lower than that of merchants. If silk and satin are banned but not banned, students will be reduced to the same level as merchants.

Oh, these laws are as clear as a blank sheet of paper now. If you take a walk around the south of the city, you will see wealthy merchants wearing silk and satin everywhere, but you won’t see any officials punishing anyone.”

"Ah, so that's what it means!" Xiao Cui finally understood. From what Yuan Qing had said before, she only knew that the ban on silk but not satin was to differentiate between them and merchants. But she had no idea how the distinction was made, and had never thought about it.

Yuan Qing looked at the shop assistant Xiao Cui, who seemed to have been enlightened, and recalled what he and Song Ying had said, thinking thoughtfully:

Perhaps he should learn from Song Ying in writing articles, and write them in a way that is easy to understand, like Bai Juyi's poems and essays, which can be understood by ordinary old women.

I was almost cancelled from the college entrance examination this time, and it was not without reason. If I had been more thoughtful when using allusions, this incident could have been avoided.

Xiao Cui unfolded several types of blue fabrics and introduced them to them in detail:

"This kind of fine cotton cloth is the favorite of scholars. It is soft and comfortable, and it is also moisture-absorbent and breathable. This kind of Songjiang fine cotton is often used by scholars from wealthy families.

Linen is also very good. Although it is not as soft as cotton, it is tough and durable, and has excellent breathability, keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer.

This kind of fine linen is softer and more delicate than ordinary linen, while retaining the excellent moisture absorption and breathability of linen. It is warm in winter and cool in summer, and is also the favorite of many wealthy children..."

"I'm short of money, so the cheapest ramie will do." Yuan Qing interrupted Xiao Cui's introduction.

Xiao Cui was stunned. It was the first time she met someone who said he had no money so frankly. Moreover, after entering the store, this person was generous and calm, not showing any shyness at all, which made people ignore his clothes.