The Song Dynasty on the Sand Table

Chapter 179: Deal with Them
The news about the agricultural science examination spread throughout Jimo County in an instant, as if it had wings, and then began to spread to several surrounding counties.

The local farmers in Jimo County were jubilant as if it were New Year's Day.

"There's a chance to become an official!"

"I'm just a farmer, but now I have the opportunity to become an official."

"Ninth rank! The same rank as the county school instructor."

To the illiterate common people, the magistrate was a very important person. Now they actually had the opportunity to be on equal footing with the magistrate, how could that be possible?

"I have to take this exam."

"You can't read, can you take the exam?"

"Uh……"

Well, most farmers, even if they can farm, cannot take the exam because they are illiterate.

But among the vast majority of farmers, there are always a few who can read and write.

Especially those poor children who studied hard while working on the farm. There weren't many of them, but among the tens of thousands of county residents, it wasn't hard to find hundreds. Then there were those who attended village school for a few days as children, but later fell into poverty and became farmers. Or perhaps the children of wealthy families branched out, and although they had some education, farming was their main occupation...

Due to all the chaotic situations, the number of applicants instantly exceeded two hundred.

After Jimo County is Laiyang County.

Ma Sheng from Laiyang County had long been in "colluding" with the rebel army and had visited the corn fields in Jimo County last fall. The Ma family also sent people to learn how to grow corn and took classes with Mr. Liao for a while. Now, when they heard about the agricultural science examination, the Ma family was overjoyed and quickly sent their sons and nephews to sign up.

When the Ma family was promoting corn, they also spread the new farming method in the countryside. As a result, a group of literate farmers in Laiyang County were eager to try to take the civil service exam.

The people of Jiaoshui and Ye counties, after inquiring about the Agricultural College, had no choice but to give up. They had never learned the "new farming methods," and knowing they wouldn't pass the exam, they chose not to travel hundreds of miles to take it, wasting travel expenses and bringing shame upon themselves.

But the people in these two counties were thinking: After this exam is over, "agricultural officials" will be stationed in Jiaoshui County and Ye County to run schools. We can study hard with them, and when the next "agricultural examination" is held again, we can take the exam.

The people are lively and jubilant...

Suddenly, there were countless more students in Mr. Liao's class, and the classroom was completely unable to accommodate them. Many people crowded at the window to listen to the class. Some people even ran to the classroom door in the middle of the night and slept on the floor, waiting to be the first to enter the church at dawn the next day to get a good seat.

Roll! Roll as hard as you can!
Yue Wenxuan had only heard about Shandong people taking the civil service exam before, but when he saw it with his own eyes this time, he couldn't help but break out in a sweat.

Unlike the jubilation among the people, people in official circles seemed quite calm about the agricultural science examination. Some even deliberately stayed away and did not get involved at all.

The prefects of Laizhou and Dengzhou actually wrote a letter specifically, using cryptic tones to remind Yue Wenxuan: "Your Highness, raising an army to resist the Jin army can be said to be an act of national defense, and it may be explained to the emperor later. But privately setting up government offices and conducting imperial examinations is a serious matter, and it will not be explained later. Your Highness, please think twice. It is not too late to cancel it now." Besides these two high-ranking officials, the magistrates of Jiaoshui, Ye, Laiyang, and even the four counties of Dengzhou all stayed away, completely ignoring the matter. Their sons and nephews also did not interfere with the imperial examination, not even attending the emergency supplementary classes.

Yue Wenxuan had expected that their attitude would be so clear. He had originally planned to ignore them and let them be, but after thinking about it carefully, he realized that these officials had not committed any major mistakes, and it would not be a good idea to give up on them before treating them.

Forget it, just prescribe some medicine for them, maybe they can be saved?

Early in the morning of that day, Yue Wenxuan sent messengers to two states and four counties to notify all county magistrates and prefects to come to Jimo County to see him for a meeting!
There was no problem for the prefect of Laizhou to come. The prefect of Dengzhou and the magistrates of the four counties were not allowed to leave their jurisdiction at will. However, there was chaos outside at that time, and the Jiaodong Peninsula was located in a corner of the mainland, like an isolated island on land. So there was no need to make so many arrangements. The prefect of Dengzhou came quickly with the four county magistrates.

They all thought the prince wanted to discuss the "Agricultural Examinations." Unexpectedly, the prince opened his mouth to discuss military matters: "Everyone, our army recently defeated Bali Yuanshan, temporarily protecting the safety of the Jiaodong region. The pseudo-Jin thieves will not return in the short term. But the next time they come, it will be the real Jin thieves."

He didn't need to say this, the officials were all clear about it.

Except for Jimo County Magistrate Cui Weihua, other officials did not know that the rebel army had firearms, so other officials were more or less a little uneasy about the real gold thieves.

The prefect of Dengzhou was the first to speak: "Gong Yishi can resist the fake Jin thieves, but I'm afraid he is powerless against the real Jin thieves."

The Laizhou prefect also said, "Our previous victories were all due to the low morale of the pseudo-Jin bandits, who collapsed at the first sign of trouble. But the real Jin bandits are not so weak. They are brave and skilled in battle, with high morale and a willingness to fight to the death. They often fail but never collapse. Even when they lose, they retreat a distance, regroup, and then launch a counterattack. They are incomparable to the pseudo-Jin bandits, who, after a defeat, abandon their armor and flee for dozens of miles."

Yue Wenxuan pretended to have a headache. "Yes, I also think that relying solely on the righteous men of the palace will make this battle difficult. What should we do now?"

The prefect of Dengzhou immediately said, "I think we should immediately submit a petition to the court requesting assistance, asking the court to send troops from the sea to reinforce Dengzhou and Laizhou."

Yue Wenxuan smiled secretly in his heart: Very good, that’s exactly what I want you to propose.

Such a proposal is actually very reasonable. A long time ago, when Yue Wenxuan and his father were discussing the strategy of the rebel army, his father also said something similar. First, defend the Jiaole Peninsula, and then ask for help from the Song Dynasty court. If the court can send a powerful general to help, maybe they can hold on.

This is the option that any person with normal intelligence would consider when faced with the current strategic situation.

Moreover, from the perspective of the ancients, this plan has a great chance of success.

However, those who know history understand that this plan will not work at all.

Because the one in the south is not the Song Dynasty! It is the Great Coward!
The most cowardly emperor was not Zhao Gou, but Wanyan Jiumei.

Therefore, reinforcements are impossible.

Yue Wenxuan knew that no reinforcements would come, but he clapped his hands and said happily, "This is a good suggestion! Dengzhou has a port, so please ask the governor of Dengzhou to personally arrange for people to go to the sea to seek help."

The prefect of Dengzhou quickly stood up and bowed deeply, saying, "I will go back immediately to arrange for a fast ship and ask the court to send reinforcements from the sea."

(End of this chapter)