Poor but talented scholar

Chapter 84 Retest

When the news reached the inn, Lu Chuan was standing in the courtyard, waiting for news.

"Young Master Lu, you're number one."

The shopkeeper arrived first to deliver the good news, carrying a string of firecrackers. Before even entering the door, he began to shout, "Young Master Lu, you've already secured your position as the top scholar in the prefecture!"

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Ruo and several classmates from Qingyang County also rushed back, surrounding Lu Shouye.

As soon as Zhang Ruo entered, he said, "Brother Lu, you've come in first in the main examination. Your top spot is practically guaranteed."

Lu Shouye was also grinning from ear to ear.

"Father, this is just the main event." Lu Chuan remained unmoved. He knew it wasn't over yet. "Winning the main event is certainly good, but it's not time to celebrate."

Master Zhao also arrived, his face glowing. Upon hearing Lu Chuan's words, he instantly calmed down.

"Lu Chuan is right." Master Li looked around at everyone. "The first place in the main competition is just the beginning. There is still the second round to come."

While everyone was still celebrating, the government office posted a notice: Participate in the second round of examinations in three days.

For the past three days, there has been no peace in the city.

On the last night of these three days, inside the prefectural school office, the prefect was sitting opposite the educational commissioner, Chen.

On the table was Lu Chuan's copy of the poem "New Thunder".

"Old Chen, what do you think of this young man?" the prefect asked, pointing to the examination paper.

Lord Chen stroked his beard, his expression complex: "This young man is exceptionally talented, and even more remarkable is his unyielding spirit. But precisely because of this, if the questions in the re-examination are too easy, he will surely win; if the questions are too difficult..."

......

Once the three-day period was up, the re-examination officially began.

Compared to the bustling crowd at the main examination hall, the examination hall appeared unusually quiet today.

More than a hundred students were scattered throughout the examination hall, their cubicles far apart from each other.

The exam papers for the second round were laid out, and the first section focused on classical texts.

The question leaps off the page, taken from the "Gao Yao Mo" chapter of the Book of Documents: "On cultivating the 'Nine Virtues,' how can we ensure that 'government affairs are not neglected and all achievements are prosperous'?"

This question is presented in a neutral and reasonable manner, yet it is extremely challenging and tests one's skills.

The so-called "Nine Virtues" emphasize balance: being generous yet dignified, gentle yet firm, straightforward yet mild.

This requires candidates to explain how an official, through his own character and self-cultivation, can ensure that complex administrative affairs are not neglected and that all achievements are made.

Lu Chuan stared at the question, thought for a moment, and then put pen to paper.

"The nine virtues are not merely for self-cultivation, but are manifested in governance. Being lenient without being lax, firm without being cruel, is the balance of governing the world."

He wrote: If officials only seek leniency, then government orders will not be implemented and the people will be deceived; if they only seek severity, then laws will be harsh and the people's livelihood will be impoverished.

By discussing the principle of "being gentle yet firm," he subtly suggested that a truly capable minister should be like water, gently nourishing all things in ordinary times, but showing unwavering steadfastness when faced with the collapse of a dam.

Lu Chuan wrote this passage with a calm and composed style, without a single harsh word.

Then, two constables carried the huge notice board and slowly circled the area.

That was the highlight of the second round of exams: practical policy analysis.

"On the long-standing problems of the Changping and Yi granaries in Yingnan Prefecture. In recent years, much of the grain stored in the official granaries has rotted and decayed, and every year at the end of the year, when there is a shortage of fresh grain, grain merchants hoard and speculate, rendering the price stabilization policy meaningless. I would like to present a reform strategy: how to make the granaries full and sustainable, and how to stabilize market prices without harming farmers. I will present my strategy."

This question is beyond the scope of the curriculum.

But Lu Chuan remained calm, reflecting on the situation he had recently witnessed.

Immediately, he picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began writing on the official answer sheet.

"The effectiveness of government granaries lies in the flow of goods, not in their storage. If they are stored for too long, they will decay; if the flow of goods is not timely, they will dry up. The problems with granaries lie first in ease of use, then in reliability, and finally in careful management."

Lu Chuan didn't waste any words and directly offered his solution:

Firstly, he proposed a method of exchange. Addressing the problem of perishable grain, he suggested that government granaries should be jointly operated with large merchants in the city.

When the new grain is stored each year, merchants are allowed to take out an equal amount of old grain for sale, with the price difference being made up by the merchants.

In this way, the official granaries remain fresh, and the imperial court does not need to spend extra money on drying and airing them.

Secondly: Stabilization coupons. In response to soaring grain prices, he suggested that the government issue stabilization coupons in advance.

In years of good harvest, farmers who sell their grain to the government granary receive half in cash and the other half in receipts. In years of poor harvest, when grain prices are high, they can exchange the receipts for government grain at half price.

In this way, the people have a surplus of grain, and grain merchants will naturally be unable to hoard and speculate.

Thirdly: Inspect officials and examine accounts. He applied the nine virtues of the classics to the auditing of accounts.

Every transaction had to be stamped by a respected local gentry and official, thus preventing collusion between officials and merchants.

At the end of the article, he reiterated the principle of balance among the nine virtues in classical texts:

"Managing granaries is like managing water; if you block it, it will overflow; if you guide it, it will flow smoothly. An official who can observe the smallest details without losing sight of the big picture is the only one who can ensure that 'government affairs are not neglected and all achievements are prosperous.'"

Lu Chuan wrote with great ease. When he put down the last period and put down his brush, the sky was already ablaze with rosy clouds.

The sound of the clapperboard rang out again, and the examiner entered the room.

As Lu Chuan stepped out of his cell, he felt an unprecedented sense of comfort.

The gates of the examination hall slowly opened.

"Chuan'er".

Lu Shouye was still under the tree, holding a meat-filled bun tightly in his hand.

He chuckled, his eyes brimming with pride: "Finished the exam? Tired? Let's go home. Dad went to the dock today to catch some fresh river fish. Let's have a drink together."

"Okay, Dad, let's go home."

When the list of the first round of retests was announced, Lu Chuan's name was ranked first.

When the students from Qingyang County saw the list, they erupted in thunderous cheers.

"First place, first place again!" Lu Shouye was so excited that his face turned red, and he clenched his fist hard.

The student next to him stared at the posted policy essay for a long time.

They prided themselves on their family's scholarly traditions, yet at this moment they felt a sense of defeat.

Some students stepped forward and bowed to Lu Chuan, saying, "Brother Lu, I have benefited greatly from reading your policy essays. This first place is well-deserved, and we are completely convinced."

Lu Chuan smiled slightly and returned a gentle bow: "Brother, you flatter me. The way of learning is to learn from the virtuous and strive to improve. We should acknowledge our shortcomings and move forward. Let's meet again for the last time."

This composed and magnanimous conversation secretly impressed the onlookers.

Next came the second retest, which would determine their final fate and was also the final battle of this year's prefectural examination.

As the top scorer in the re-examination, Lu Chuan received the most attention.

The first step is to interpret a difficult and obscure passage of scripture.

The question is taken from Xunzi's "Enriching the State," requiring an explanation of the profound meaning of "The way to enrich the state is to practice frugality, benefit the people, and properly store the surplus." This tests the combination of pure classical scholarship and the logic of governance.

Secondly, it is a regulated verse that demands exceptional literary skill. The title is:

Ode to the Rocks of Mount Tai

This question is profound, testing not only the beauty of language and the perfection of parallelism, but also whether the article possesses an unshakable grandeur.