On the south shore of Xihu Lake, Nanping Mountain stretches horizontally, the mountain is not more than 100 meters high, but the mountain extends more than 1,000 meters. The strange stones on the mountain are towering, the green trees are shady, the environment is quiet, many Song Dynasty scholars and doctors come here to talk about Zen chanting in order to escape the world, Jingci Temple is a holy place.

Jingci Temple is located at the foot of Huiri Peak in Nanping Mountain, and is the ancient temple of West Lake with the same name as Lingyin Temple. Every evening, the melodious bell floats over the vast West Lake in the twilight, which is the "Nanping Evening Bell" and one of the scenic spots of the West Lake.

In the side courtyard of Jingci Temple, in a pavilion and pavilion, several new scholars with wide robes and big sleeves, full of ambition, are talking about it, drinking tea and talking about the Tao.

"Brother Ma, Lin'an City is really changing with each passing day, which is an eye-opener for Zaixia!"

The thin man who spoke was called Li Angying, 25 years old, from Panyu, Guangdong. In his early years, he was employed by the Sichuan system envoy Cui He, a famous child, and was known as a prodigy in Guangdong.

"Today, Zi is working hard and making bold moves, following the implementation of the new policy on Jiangnan East Road, it has expanded to two places in Zhejiang, West Sichuan and other places. In the following view, we may have to devote ourselves to this torrent of change. ”

Brother Ma's name is Ma Guangzu, also 25 years old, a native of Dongyang, Zhejiang, and a local wealthy family. Bold and upright, but anxious.

"Brother Fool thinks the same way. When the new policy is being implemented in various places today, it is the time to employ people. With the strength and talent of the Son of Heaven, I will definitely reuse new scholars such as us. ”

Li Angying nodded and said, his face was bright.

His teacher, the Sichuan envoy Cui He, was in full swing in Sichuan to implement the New Deal, and he also had correspondence with him during the period, discussing the New Deal.

In addition to the city's roads being converted into concrete and stone roads, public toilets and sewers are also being built. The illegal houses in the city were demolished one by one, and like some private workshops, they were relocated outside the city of Lin'an.

In addition to the improvement of hardware facilities, those software improvements are also improvements in civil affairs. In addition to the intervention of the Anti-Corruption Division, there is also the implementation of the new policy led by the Liangzhejiang Road Pacification Division.

The law of warp borders, the prohibition of foot binding, the prohibition of cricket fighting, the prohibition of gambling, and the establishment of martial arts dart bureaus......

Mining and building factories, building ships and vehicles, reducing commercial taxes, stimulating export trade, and prospering all industries......

There are all kinds of waste waiting to be revived, maybe there are only these four words to describe the whole place in the Great Song Dynasty today.

"Lin'an City is like this, and the changes in Jinling City are probably even more extraordinary. The future of the Great Song Dynasty is promising! ”

There was a lot of expectation in Ma Guangzu's eyes, but he was a little worried.

"However, the emperor's appointment of cool officials has damaged the interests of local officials and powerful surnames, involving many characters and intertwined, I am afraid that it will cause local commotion!"

According to the new regulations of the Meridian Law, in order to prevent officials from cheating and colluding with powerful officials and eunuchs, and if there is a difference of more than five acres of land, the official must be dismissed and resigned, recorded in the register, and never used. And after crossing the border, it is checked every year before the summer.

If you make a mistake on five acres of land, you will lose your official position, and you will rule officials with an iron fist, and the severity of the law is indeed shocking.

"What are you afraid of, can they still rebel?"

Li Angying shook his head, disapproving.

"Cool officials are dry officials. Your Majesty's suppression of the powerful and the iron-fisted rule of officials is the foundation of governing the country. The wealth and goods are concentrated in the hands of Haoqiang, but the imperial court has no taxes, what to use to implement the new policy, what to use to train the army? ”

Those cool officials, such as Gao Dingzi, Xu Liang and others, are all close ministers of the emperor, although their temperament is fierce and their methods are ruthless, but they are all honest and honest, and they have clean sleeves, and there is no one who is corrupt and perverts the law.

Only these people can carry out the New Deal.

"Two brothers, I'm not as optimistic as you."

Wang Wen from Wuyuan, Jiangxi, has a burly physique and powerful martial arts, not like a scholar, but like a martial artist on the battlefield.

He said lazily, as if he didn't care about the crazy imperial examination for the world.

"The implementation of the new policy is important, and we are also protégés of the Son of Heaven. But the emperor's protégés were all in Jinling to teach martial arts, not to take the imperial examination. I am afraid that you and I will get ahead and attract the favor of the king. Let's be honest. ”

The three of them entered Beijing to participate in the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites, and they all stayed in an inn, and the three of them passed the provincial examination of the Ministry of Rites at the same time.

"Brother Wang, what do you mean by that?"

Li Angying was stunned and asked puzzled.

In the ancestral system of this dynasty, the king and the scholars ruled the world together. How could they, the two rank jinshi, the protégés of the Son of Heaven, have a long future, be lonely and ignored by the Son of Heaven?

Ma Guangzu also opened his eyes wide and looked at Wang Wen.

Although this person is five big and three thick, and has brute strength, his mind is lively, and he is by no means a reckless man with a simple mind and developed limbs.

And from then on, the gentleman is equipped with a sword, and he can be literate and martial, so he knows that this person keeps up with current affairs and pursues the emperor's martial style.

"Two virtuous brothers, don't say anything else, do you have a "military soul sword"? ”

Wang Wen subconsciously shook the hilt of his sword. With a fluttering word, he made Ma Guangzu and the others close their mouths.

The military soul sword, only the best students of Jinling Martial Arts Hall can obtain this sword when they graduate, and it is personally taught by the Son of Heaven, and it is extremely honorable. Among the graduates, those students who were awarded the "Army Soul Sword", such as Cao Youwen, Meng Hui, Yu Jue and others, are all soaring and prosperous, and their futures are bright, which is really envious, jealous and hateful.

"Brother Wang, the Son of Heaven founded the Jinling Martial Arts Hall with the aim of rectifying the armed forces and training the troops. What does this have to do with the imperial examination? "Army Soul Sword", a short knife that shows the emperor's grace, I'm afraid it doesn't mean anything. ”

After a moment, Ma Guangzu thought about it and said it.

He actually wears a sword, but he didn't have it with him today.

"Not bad! Although the emperor founded the Jinling Lecture Hall and the Great Song Naval Academy, there were also Jinling University Hall and Jinling Normal School. Although the emperor was in good arms, he also attached great importance to the rule of culture. Rushing back from Sichuan to preside over the palace examination is proof of this. ”

Li Angying shook his head and disagreed with Wang Wen's opinion.

"No, no, no! Two virtuous brothers, you only know one and don't know the other. ”

Wang Wenwan smiled and immediately vetoed the idea of Ma Guangzu and the others.

"Brother Wang, I would like to hear more about it!"

Ma Guangzu and Li Anyang were both interested.

This dignified scholar of the Great Song Dynasty, both civil and military, seems to be more interested in matters such as the emperor and the Jinling Lecture Hall he founded, than in the imperial examination.

They wanted to hear what this gentleman could say.

Under the gaze of the two friends, Wang Wen said it unhurriedly.

"The two virtuous brothers, whoever is awarded the sword of the "military soul", except for the protégés of the Son of Heaven, are all awarded important positions. In the first issue, Cao Youwen, Cao Youwan brothers, Yu Jue, Meng Hui, Lu Wende, etc., all of them soared overnight, and they were the officials of the feudal territory, and Jane was in the heart of the emperor. ”

Wang Wen said as he spoke, saliva flew sideways, and his eyes lit up.

"On the other hand, you and I are a new science and technology jinshi, even if we are awarded an official and have no way, we have to start step by step, which is hard, over the years, if it is fateful, there is no chance to raise our eyebrows in my life"

Cao Youwen, Yu Jue, Meng Heng and others, as soon as they graduated from Jinling Lecture Wutang, they were the commanders of tens of thousands of troops. He has to start from a small official of eight or nine grades, and to become an important minister of the country like Cao Youwen, in addition to the right time, place and people, it will take twenty or thirty years.

The emperor's attention to the students of the Jinling Lecture Hall can be imagined.

"Brother Wang, junior brother heard that you have studied hard in Lihua Mountain, Dongqian Lake, and you have learned the merits of Lu Xue and Lu Xue. Listening to what you say today, the utilitarian heart is revealed, and sure enough! ”

Li Anyang said with a smile.

"Brother Wang, a gentleman cultivates himself and rules the country and the world, and he still has to be cautious in everything, don't think about it overnight. Brother Wang, you don't seem to be such a person. ”

Ma Guangzu smiled slightly, with some surprise in his eyes.

This Wang Wen is chivalrous and righteous, good at riding and shooting, and does not seem to be a person who is eager for quick success.

"Two virtuous brothers, if you don't be today, it's fine. I don't have to go to Jinling to lecture on martial arts, I just want to get on the throne quickly and show my strength. In our country, the huge civil bureaucratic system, from the bottom up, has not been twenty or thirty years, and it is not expected to reach the rank of four or above. Most officials have been doing nothing all their lives. I don't want that. ”

The word "system" is a new word proposed by the emperor and has been widely circulated in newspapers.

Ma Guangzu and Li Angying glanced at each other and nodded.

mixed well, such as Wei Liaoweng, the squire of the Ministry of War, and Zhen Dexiu, the ruling minister, it will take twenty years, how many people are there in the world?

For example, Li Angying's mentor, Cui He, the envoy of the Sichuan system, was still subordinate to others in his fifties, and he was only a landlord at the age of sixty.

"Two virtuous brothers, life is short, if you don't make meritorious contributions, wouldn't you be doing nothing. Foolish brother is not willing! ”

Wang Wen took out a newspaper and put it on the table.

This is a poem written by the emperor in the late autumn of last year after sending off the first graduating students of the Jinling Lecture Martial Arts Hall. Look at it. ”

"In the cold autumn of independence, the big river goes east, and the white egret is at the head. Look at the mountains and ...... all over the place"

"Sorrowful, ask the vast earth, who is the master of ups and downs?"

Li Angying read softly, but Ma Guangzu didn't look at it, and immediately picked it up.

"Brother Ma Xian, it turns out that you have also read this newspaper. Tell me, what are the few sentences you like the most? ”

Wang Wen immediately became interested.

Of course, it is those few sentences: just classmates are young and in their prime. The scholar was angry and scolded Fang Xuan. Pointing out the country and inspiring words. Isn't this a portrayal of you and my brother today? ”

Ma Guangzu said, his face was red and full of ambition.

The four joys of life, ranked first when the title of the gold list was titled. Now it is in its prime, the future is bright, and it is the time to point out the country.

This poem can be said to be just right, expressing the voice of their proud son these days.

"Brother Ma Xian, like you, I also appreciate these words. However, these words of earnest exhortation and expectation, Your Majesty is right for the graduates of Jinling Lecture Martial Arts Hall, not you and me Xinke Jinshi. ”

Ma Guangzu and Li Angying looked at each other and nodded.

This song "Qinyuan Spring. Jinling", the emperor did it after sending the graduates of Jinling Lecture Wutang to leave, obviously sending a message to the students of Lecture Martial Hall, not a new science and technology jinshi.

But what does that mean? Aren't they, the country's talents who have been in the cold for decades, compare to the graduates who have only been in the martial arts hall for half a year?