Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 9: Millennium Dragon and Tiger List

Hearing his companion's question, Lu Beigu didn't know how to answer.

After traveling through time in a hurry and successfully completing the policy essay test, he suddenly relaxed and became a little confused about the future.

It’s not that I don’t know how to go, but that I am too capable and there are too many paths to take.

Others may be worthy of the titles of literary giant, prime minister, and Confucian sage, but why can't I, Lu Beigu?

In fact, he wanted to be a great writer, but this did not prevent him from taking the imperial examination and becoming an official. After all, among the great writers who were passed down by word of mouth among the people of the Song Dynasty, Fan Zhongyan, Ouyang Xiu, Wang Anshi, and Sima Guang, which one of them was not proficient in both literature and politics?
Since Fan Zhongyan began to advocate "worrying about the world before worrying about yourself, and being happy about the world after being happy about yourself", the ancient prose movement, in which literary masters used their pens as swords to criticize academic and literary styles, has gradually become mainstream under the leadership of Ouyang Xiu.

The most important achievement of the ancient Chinese literature movement is the famous "Millennium Dragon and Tiger List" in the history of the imperial examination next year.

Looking at the luxurious list of candidates for this exam, it is no exaggeration to say that “the immortals are listed as numerous as hemp”.

Three of the famous Confucian "Five Masters of the Northern Song Dynasty" came: Zhang Zai, Cheng Hao, and Cheng Yi.

There were even more literary masters who came together. Five of the "Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties" came. Those who passed the exam were Zeng Gong, Su Shi, and Su Zhe. The one who failed was Su Xun. There was also Ouyang Xiu who served as the chief examiner.

As for famous ministers and prime ministers, there are even more of them, such as Lu Huiqing, the second-in-command of Wang Anshi's reform, Zhang Dun who later became prime minister, and Wang Shao who completed the "Hehuang Border Opening".

"Should I take the imperial examination? Perhaps I can still make it onto next year's Dragon and Tiger List?"

It is now the spring of the first year of Jiayou. Under the best circumstances, I will enter the provincial school in the summer, take the provincial examination in the autumn, and then go to Beijing to take the Ministry of Rites provincial examination and even the palace examination next year.

For Lu Beigu, the imperial examination did not prevent him from becoming a literary giant. Instead, it was a path that could truly enable him to leap up the social ladder. If conditions allowed, wouldn't it be great to rely on his own abilities to get a stable job?
After all, the imperial examination system of the Song Dynasty was quite fair. From the founding of the country by Emperor Taizu of Song to the Jiayou period of the present, the number of ministers who came from the lower classes could not be counted on one hand, and the number of ordinary scholars who "were farmers in the morning and entered the emperor's hall in the evening" was even more numerous than the carp crossing the river.

If this happened in the pre-Tang Dynasty, would you take the imperial examination? Bullshit!
Li Bai was not qualified to take the exam, and Du Fu failed twice and finally gave up.

It has nothing to do with talent. No matter how talented you are, it’s useless because the names on the papers are not covered at all!
You're not from the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families, and you still want to pass the imperial examination? You're dreaming.

Therefore, now that the Song Dynasty has the conditions to make a breakthrough by relying on its own real abilities, it is better to cherish them.

Moreover, the Song Dynasty did not kill scholars and officials. If they entered the government in the future, the worst result would be that they would be demoted repeatedly and spend their time traveling.

Overall, the advantages of taking the imperial examination path far outweigh the disadvantages.

As for whether he could pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi given the low admission rate in the Song Dynasty, it was not within Lu Beigu's consideration.

What? Could it be harder than getting the top scorer in the liberal arts exam in a province with a population of over 100 million? It's not like I haven't done it before.

Shaking his head, Lu Beigu threw this relatively distant future plan out of his mind.

For him, the most important thing in the short term is to make preparations and go with Li Pan to meet that "very important person" after the Cold Food Festival.

Of course, there are other things to do, such as improving my scores in exams other than policy essays, so as to pass the county exam in two months.

And solve those troubles at home.

"Brother Lu, if you have nothing to do tomorrow, we can go to the book club together." Lu Guangyu said at this time.

"Book Club?"

"Yes, this book club is hosted by Mr. Zhou, the wine merchant who bought out Anlexi Winery."

"This man is one of the most extravagant people in Gulin. Two years ago, he built a new villa outside the town, which includes a large library. Now that it is completed, and he is returning to his hometown to worship his ancestors, he decided to hold a book club in the library."

Lu Beigu roughly understood that the Song Dynasty valued culture, so after merchants became prosperous, they all wanted to become "Confucian merchants."

Holding a book club not only doesn't cost much money, but also allows you to make friends with fellow villagers and gain a good reputation in your hometown. It also makes it easier to cultivate the descendants of your own clan. It has many benefits.

"If we go, on the one hand, we can make friends through books, meet some elegant people, and read a lot of ancient classics with annotations; on the other hand, there will be a banquet after the book club, and there will be delicious food and fine wine. If we can't finish it, we can take it back for our families to enjoy." Faced with Lu Guangyu's invitation, Lu Beigu subconsciously wanted to refuse because he was afraid of trouble.

But he is a man who repays kindness.

The two classmates who shouted for help after realizing they had fallen into the water, and the old fisherman who silently pulled him out, are all people he will definitely repay in the future.

So it was difficult for Lu Beigu to refuse the invitation from his benefactor. Besides, his family conditions were indeed difficult, so he might as well participate in such a beneficial and harmless activity.

"I don't know the way, please come to my house tomorrow and we'll go together then."

"It's a deal." Lu Guangyu nodded.

The boat went up Anle Creek, with two boatmen taking turns rowing.

By dusk the next day, we were finally about to arrive at Gulin Town.

This is the middle reaches of Anle Creek. The creek gradually narrows and the mountains on both sides become steeper.

When you get close, the vines hanging from the rock wall can even brush against the boat awning, making a rustling sound. Occasionally, mountain springs seep out from the cracks in the rocks, forming silver-like waterfalls, and the water droplets splashing on your face are cool and refreshing.

But after turning a corner, the view suddenly opens up. The stream makes a big turn here, forming an open river bay. Gulin Town is located here.

The two said goodbye here, and they had to continue upstream for a distance to Erlangtan where Lu Guangyu lived.

The boat docked at the pier, and Lu Beigu reluctantly paid the 60 copper coins for the fare.

There is no way around it. This is the price for the upstream boat trip, and the boatman specifically said he won’t accept iron coins, so payment must be made with copper coins.

If you go downstream from Gulin Town to Huijiang County, it only costs 20 coins and takes no more than half a day.

The dock was bustling with people.

Porters were carrying large bags and shuttling back and forth. Several little girls with buns on their heads were carrying bamboo baskets and selling freshly picked ferns and bamboo shoots.

"Young lady, how much is this pound of bamboo shoots?"

"Twenty cents, and it must be copper coins, not iron coins." The little girl answered timidly.

Lu Beigu roughly calculated in his mind that if Song Jin was converted to modern "grams", it would be about 640 grams, so Song Jin was heavier than the modern jin.

If I remember correctly, 230-250 grams of spring bamboo shoots in modern supermarkets cost about 15-18 yuan.

However, considering that these things sold on the street are full of moisture and inedible parts, the edible part is definitely only a little over 500 grams.

So if we only calculate spring bamboo shoots, the exchange rate between one copper coin in the Song Dynasty and one yuan in modern times is about 1:1.5.

If we use rice prices to calculate, the result seems to be similar.
So, the boat ride just now actually cost me 90 yuan, which is quite reasonable.

Shaking his head, Lu Beigu walked towards his home.

Finally, I get to meet my family from this era.

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① Maipu was a tax farming system popular during the Song and Yuan dynasties. In the early Song Dynasty, the government could calculate the taxable amount for businesses such as wine, vinegar, ponds, markets, and ferries to solicit business contractors. When soliciting contractors, the contractors would declare the tax amount themselves, and the highest bidder would obtain the tax farming rights.

② A villa refers to a garden building built for recreation in a beautiful place outside the main house.

(End of this chapter)