The father and son were silent for a long time, always communicating with their eyes.
Finally, Ju Ming decided to lower the price: "One hundred coins."
"It's still too expensive." Bai Chongyan shook his head.
Ju Ming carefully observed the other person's expression and guessed Bai Chongyan's true thoughts.
He once read a record: There was a scholar in the south of the Yangtze River in the Song Dynasty, who usually kept quiet but donated more than 100,000 yuan to relieve the people in the year of great disaster.
The wealthy families in the Song Dynasty should have been very wealthy.
Why is Mr. Bai so stingy?
But from Bai Chongyan's perspective, he was sincerely bargaining.
In order to be the county registrar, Mr. Bai spent more than 3,000 yuan on relationships, which greatly reduced the family's assets. It was not until he retired that he earned his capital back.
Bai Chongyan really wanted to buy that pen. If it were that novice member, he would have taken advantage of it.
The novice members take a powerful approach and can do anything as long as it is beneficial.
The old white people are developing into gentry. Of course, the gentry also does powerful things, but relatively speaking, they are more disciplined.
It can also be said that the gentry are the ones who set the rules. They are eager to establish order in the countryside and have the say in this order.
Bai Chongyan thought about it and made another counteroffer: "How about forty strings?"
"Ninety guan is already very cheap." Zhu Ming said.
The two parties bargained and went back and forth for several minutes.
Ju Ming felt that he really couldn't sell it, so he could only say: "Then sixty coins."
“It’s a deal!”
Bai Chongyan was afraid that they would regret it, but he still looked happy, as if he had taken advantage of him this time.
"But there are conditions." Zhu Ming said.
Bai Chongyan put away his smile: "Your Excellency, please speak."
Ju Ming stretched out his right index finger: "First, my father and son are living here and want to settle down in the village. Please ask Mr. Sanlang to sell ten acres of mountain land and ten acres of forest, and they must be close to the water pool in the mountain."
"Okay." Bai Chongyan said without hesitation.
The location of the waterhole is far away from the river bank.
Not much food can be grown in the mountains there. The forests there are only used for cutting firewood or wood to make furniture.
There are mountains and woods everywhere nearby, and you can take possession of them at any time. It's just that the value is lower if you're not next to a waterhole.
Ju Ming stretched out another finger: "Second, for five acres of land, please help Mr. Sanlang transfer it to the county government."
Bai Chongyan did not agree immediately this time, but looked at Ju Ming thoughtfully and asked with a smile: "You two want local household registration, and it is the household registration of the main household?"
Ju Ming did not answer, but stretched out a finger again: "Third, if I go to take the imperial examination, please ask Mr. Sanlang to help me be my guarantee!"
"Sure enough," Bai Chongyan shook his head and sighed, "If it weren't for the imperial examination, who would want to be the head householder with only a few acres of land?"
The imperial examination thresholds in the Song Dynasty were stricter than those in the Ming Dynasty.
First of all, it must be the main household, that is, it must pay taxes to the court.
Secondly, there are status restrictions. Monks are not allowed, entertainers are not allowed, and even industrial and commercial practitioners are not allowed.
The imperial examination qualification examination in the Song Dynasty can be summarized into seven items, and Ju Ming has committed three of them: first, he is not a native of the country and has a false name; second, his ancestors are three generations old and his criminal status is unknown; third, he has been a "merchant" or
"Monk".
But rules are made to be broken.
There were so many candidates in the Song Dynasty who changed their household registration randomly, and the court didn't bother to take care of it unless someone reported it and caused a big fuss.
There are also industrial and commercial practitioners who are not allowed to take the imperial examination according to the regulations of the Tang Dynasty. However, in practice, many industrial and commercial students took the imperial examination. Even Emperor Yingzong of the Song Dynasty issued an edict: "In the miscellaneous fields of industry and commerce, there are those who have extraordinary talents and special skills, and those who are outstanding."
, and I’m also allowed to send it to you.”
This edict was tantamount to admitting that business students could take the imperial examination and serve as officials.
What does it mean to be a genius and a person who is extraordinary?
Those who can pass the exam are, and those who cannot pass the exam are not!
Bai Chongyan thought carefully for a moment: "Let's do this. All the mountains and forests sold to you will be selected without title deeds. Your future identity will be refugees fleeing from Jingxiang, and you have been cultivating local wasteland for several years. Those mountains are all
For the wasteland you have reclaimed, the government will give you household registration and land deeds in accordance with the law."
"Such a great kindness!" Zhu Ming was very satisfied.
The Song Dynasty not only encouraged annexation, but also encouraged people to open up wasteland. As long as the land was reclaimed, the court would grant household registration and land deeds, and even tax exemptions for newly opened wasteland.
It seems to be a good government, but in fact it has long been deformed.
Take South Jing Road as an example. North Jing Road, which is next to the capital Kaifeng, should be densely populated and the people should be prosperous. But the actual situation is that the land is vast, sparsely populated, and the fields are barren!
There are large areas of wasteland, but the people are unwilling to cultivate it.
First, you have been cultivating the land for several years, and after finally cultivating it, you can go to the government to register and get the certificate. Suddenly, a powerful person jumps out and says that this is obviously our family's land. Even if the powerful people do not take action, it will not be easy for the government to deal with the land.
It is difficult to get a deed, but the taxes are collected more aggressively, making you bankrupt again in minutes. Or, you cultivate ten acres of land, and when it comes time to pay taxes, you suddenly find that you have to pay twenty acres of tax.
Due to all these factors, people were more willing to flock to the city to work. The proportion of urban population in the Song Dynasty even exceeded that of the Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China and the early New China. However, due to insufficient rural population, the number of towns in the Song Dynasty was far less than that of the later ones.
dynasty.
Of course, there are more complicated reasons for the desolation and desolation of South Jingnan Road, which we will not discuss here.
If father and son Zhu Ming and Zhu Guoxiang want to obtain household registration through "land reclamation", they must have someone to clear the relationship with the county government. This is the top priority. Human connections and resources are the key. Whether they can open up land is secondary.
Bai Chongyan continued: "As a guarantee for the imperial examination, I can agree. The premise is that you must farm in the village for more than one year and have not committed any crimes. Otherwise, I will not be able to obey the order."
"Of course." Zhu Ming expressed understanding.
Bai Chongyan asked: "Are you sure you will be sent to the capital (win the examination)?"
Ju Ming smiled and said, "I have to try it."
In fact, Ju Ming is not sure. He is just preparing in advance. Whether he will take the imperial examination in the future depends on the specific situation.
Having an official body makes it easier to do anything.
After all, Bai Chongyan was a scholar. After finalizing the calligraphy transaction, he began to discuss knowledge: "Since you want to take the imperial examination, what great scriptures will you take?"
"Book of Changes." Zhu Ming replied.
Bai Chongyan did not study the "Book of Changes" deeply, so he turned to examine the classics: "No king is benevolent, no king is unjust. What is the meaning?"
Ju Ming didn't even need to search for information in his mind, because these two sentences were too simple, and he immediately answered: "As a minister, your first priority should be to make the king a benevolent and righteous person."
Bai Chongyan asked again: "A gentleman cherishes virtue, while a villain cherishes earth. A gentleman cherishes punishment, while a villain cherishes favor. What's the point?"
Ju Ming said: "Gentlemen and villains have different interests, just public and private."
"Is it just public or private?"
Bai Chongyan suddenly straightened his face, carefully savored the meaning, and then stood up and bowed: "Thank you for your advice!"
The version of "The Analects" that was popular in the Northern Song Dynasty was the "Analects of Confucius" annotated by He Yan of the Three Kingdoms. The content of the annotations is very lengthy, and the difference between a gentleman and a villain is explained by picking out words.
What Ju Ming just answered was the content of Zhu Xi's annotations.
Zhu Xi did not mingle words, and only used the words "public and private" to accurately explain the difference between a gentleman and a villain.
A gentleman pays attention to justice, while a villain is obsessed with selfish interests.
"I can't take it seriously." Zhu Ming smiled and returned the gesture.
"Public and private, public and private..." Bai Chongyan muttered to himself. Combining these two words, he began to recall the content of "The Analects of Confucius Li Ren" and found that several verses could be deconstructed based on this.
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. He got up and walked around, almost dancing.
Bai Chongyan's biggest gain was to learn the word "public and private", which was much more important than buying a top-quality writing brush.
Grandma Yan and Shen Yourong also looked surprised when they saw Bai Chongyan was so abnormal.
In their minds, Bai Sanlang was full of knowledge and was a well-known local talent. But Zhu Dalang made Bai Sanlang lose his composure with just a few words. In comparison, how knowledgeable Zhu Dalang must be!
After being happy for a long time, Bai Chongyan finally sat back and suppressed his excitement: "Brother Zhu..."
"Just call me Da Lang." Zhu Ming has already accepted this title.
Bai Chongyan asked: "Which great Confucian disciple did Dalang study under?"
Ju Ming said: "I have been traveling around since I was a child. My elementary education was taught by my father. As for the Confucian classics, I listen to some here and some there, and I also ponder them by myself."
Bai Chongyan was even more impressed: "It turns out that Dalang is a self-taught master. Brother Yu is really ashamed!"
Bai Chongyan asked Shen Yourong to bring "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius" and planned to ask them word for word, hoping to get more new explanations.
Ju Ming stood up and clasped his fists: "San Lang, it's already late."
"Yes, yes, it's me, Meng Lang," Bai Chongyan quickly stood up and said goodbye, "Master, please have a rest and come back tomorrow for advice!"
Ju Ming said: "Walk slowly."
Bai Chongyan looked at the table: "I will bring this writing brush tomorrow with the money, and the deed for selling the land will also be delivered."
"No rush." Zhu Ming was really not in a hurry. He had already fooled this guy anyway.
Bai Chongyan added: "Brother Yu has a good friend who is the husband of the Prime Minister of Yangzhou. We have made an appointment to go to the mountains together tomorrow. I wonder if I would like to go with him?"
The son of the state magistrate?
Of course I want to go!
Ju Ming looked calm and upright, showing no envy for the powerful: "I'm more than happy to do it."
Bai Sanlang left with his family children, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sent him out with gifts. After they returned to the house, they treated the Zhu family father and son with even more respect.
What a talented man, if you can always be Brother Qi’s teacher...
Bai Chongyan held an umbrella and returned to his home. He was inexplicably excited all the way, not only the joy of buying a good pen, but also the pleasure of seeking new knowledge.
As for the scandal about his classmate's widow, Bai Chongyan no longer believes it.
The road was slippery on a rainy day, and I accidentally fell half of my body in the mud.
He went straight to his father's study without changing into clean clothes.
Officer Lao Bai was reading with the light on, and glanced at the muddy water on his son's body: "You're back?"
"It's done." Bai Chongyan said.
Old Bai said: "It can be done tonight. It seems that the father and son are very capable and convinced you."
Bai Chongyan roughly recounted the story and said: "Father, the Zhu family and his son must not be bad people. Even if they are bad people, with their talents and knowledge, there is no need to deceive villagers and women. Especially the young scholar Zhu, although he only asked for advice These two sentences have already impressed the children."
Mr. Bai once worked as a county clerk, but his knowledge was too much for him to pass the examination. He asked: "Is he really that talented and learned?"
"More than just being talented and knowledgeable," Bai Chongyan highly praised it. "When I went to Yangzhou from Xixiang County to study, I met more than one or two Confucian scholars. Even the famous Confucians in Yangzhou also interpreted the Analects of Confucius according to He Pingshu's words. 》. One or two, they can explain it like a lotus flower, and they are clear and logical, but who can say the word 'public and private'?"
Lao Bai said: "These two words are not difficult at all. I know their meaning as soon as I hear them."
Bai Chongyan said: "It's one thing to understand it, but it's another thing to speak it out. If you don't study "The Analects" to perfection, how can you say this? The simpler the words, the more wonderful they are. , as the saying goes, the most important thing is simplicity."
Old Bai understood clearly: "You mean, all the Confucian teachers in Yangzhou are not as knowledgeable as this young man?"
"It's not necessarily true. The word 'public and private' may have come to him accidentally," Bai Chongyan said.
"Does he want to take the imperial examination and become an official?" Lao Bai asked again.
Bai Chongyan said: "This is indeed the intention, and I asked my child to help guarantee it."
Old Bai Yuanwai pondered: "In this case, why not give him some mountainous land? He will not be able to pass the imperial examination, and it will only be a few acres of poor land. It will not cause any loss to us. When Erlang (Bai Ergongzi) comes back, we will give it to him. He helped create the household registration. For your grandmother’s birthday banquet, please invite the Zhu family and his son to sit inside and not mix with ordinary people."
"My father is wise." Bai Chongyan also admired his father's arrangements.
Old Bai Yuanwai warned: "Don't look at my family being very powerful in the countryside. What does it matter if we leave Xixiang County? You should be kind to others, and don't argue and enmity with others. That gangster downstream is not stingy, and he calls himself a novice Bai Yuanwai, a fish and meat village." Neighbors, making enemies everywhere, colluding with bandits, selling salt and tea privately, sooner or later you will have to break up your family and run away!"
When he was young, he was also a ruthless character. More than ten years ago, he finally got the job done, resigned from his position as bookkeeper and returned to the countryside in despair.
From then on, he cultivated his moral character and treated his neighbors with kindness, and gradually gained a good reputation.
"Father is right," Bai Chongyan said.
Member Lao Bai added: "I forgot to ask you yesterday, is Zhong Xiucai willing to come to my house to teach?"
Bai Chongyan said: "My child has been invited, and Zhong Xiucai is willing to come, but the requirements are more stringent. The monthly salary is four guan, and another one has to be paid every year."
"He must be so poor!" Old Bai was furious.
Bai Chongyan said: "Our place is too remote. I have asked several gentlemen. Anyone who has some skills is either unwilling to come or the price is too high. With the remuneration given by my father, I can also hire a teacher, but what about his knowledge? But I don’t like it.”
Lao Bai said: "It's okay to be less knowledgeable. After all, I'm just teaching Meng Tong. Liang Xuejun in my family is too old. He's so dazzled and deaf that he can't even hear the quarrels in class. We must find a new teacher this year."
Bai Chongyan hesitated again and again and couldn't help but said: "My child thinks that the private school should be changed into a village school, so that all children in the village who are interested in learning can come to study."
"If you want to build a village school, do you really think I'm a good person?" Old Bai sneered.
Bai Chongyan said: "Father, there is no village school, so my family can only be considered a wealthy family. Only by establishing a village school and educating the countryside can we be called a gentry family."
"The gentry's home, the gentry's home..."
The old white member was moved by this title. After pondering over and over again, he nodded in agreement and said, "Indeed, there is no village school in the village, and you will lose face when traveling abroad. With fifty guan, you should be able to set up a village school, right?"
Bai Chongyan said: "It's more than enough."
Member Lao Bai immediately made the decision: "After your grandmother's birthday, we will build a few thatched huts and let the children in the village come to study. For the time being, let Xuexue Liang continue to teach."
Bai Chongyan suggested: "Since the great man of the Zhu family can compile the "Three Character Classic", he must have a lot of experience in teaching Meng children. He also said that his Meng studies were taught by his father Zhu Xianggong. Wait for the children to test his knowledge. Maybe we can hire Mr. Zhu as a village scholar."
