Chapter 9: Millennium Dragon and Tiger List

Hearing his companion's question, Lu Beigu did not know how to answer.

Having rushed through his transmigration and successfully navigated the policy essay exam, now suddenly relaxed, he instead felt some confusion about the future.

It was not that he did not know which way to go, but that his abilities were too great, leaving too many paths open.

A literary giant, a high minister, a sage of Confucianism—others can be these things, can I, Lu Beigu, not be?

Actually, he wanted to be a great literary giant, but that would not hinder him from taking the imperial examinations to enter officialdom; after all, the great literary giants currently passed down by word of mouth among the common people of the Great Song, Fan Zhongyan, Ouyang Xiu, Wang Anshi, Sima Guang—was any of them not excelling in both the literary and political arenas?

Since Fan Zhongyan began advocating "To worry before the world worries, and to enjoy after the world enjoys," the Ancient Prose Movement, where literary giants wielded pens as knives to criticize old academic and literary styles, had under Ouyang Xiu's leadership already gradually become the mainstream.

And the most important achievement of the Ancient Prose Movement was the famous "Millennium Dragon and Tiger List" in the history of the imperial examinations next year.

Look at the luxurious list of candidates for this exam; calling it "Immortals listed like hemp" is truly no exaggeration.

Three of the Confucian's famous "Five Masters of Northern Song" had arrived: Zhang Zai, Cheng Hao, and Cheng Yi.

Literary giants were appearing in clusters; five of the "Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song" were present: Zeng Gong, Su Shi, and Su Zhe passed the exam, Su Xun did not, and there was also Ouyang Xiu serving as the chief examiner.

As for famous ministers and high officials, there were even more: Lu Huiqing, the number two figure in Wang Anshi's reforms, Zhang Dun who later became a chancellor, and Wang Shao who completed the "He-Huang Border Expansion," and so on.

"Should I take the path of the imperial examinations? Perhaps I could still make it to next year's Dragon and Tiger List?"

It is now the spring of the first year of Jiayou; under the most favorable circumstances, entering the prefectural school in summer, taking the prefectural exam in autumn, and next year entering the capital to take the Ministry of Rites provincial exam and even the palace exam.

And for Lu Beigu, the path of the imperial examinations does not hinder him from becoming a literary giant; on the contrary, it is a true path to achieve social class elevation. Under favorable conditions, isn't it wonderful to rely on one's own ability to secure a stable official post?

After all, the Great Song's imperial examination system was quite fair; from the founding of the state by Emperor Taizu of Song to the current Jiayou era, high ministers and officials of pure bottom-rung, ox-and-horse origins were too numerous to count on two hands, and ordinary scholars who went from "being a village lad in the morning and ascending the Son of Heaven's hall in the evening" were countless like carp crossing the river.

If this were placed in the previous Tang Dynasty, take the imperial exams? Take what the hell!

Even Li Bai did not qualify to take the exam; Du Fu took it twice, failed both times, and finally gave up.

It had nothing to do with talent; no matter how much talent you had, it was useless, because their exam papers were not sealed at all!

You are not from the Five Surnames and Seven Clans and still want to take the imperial exams and become a Jinshi? You must be dreaming.

So, since the Great Song now has the condition for one to leap over the dragon gate by one's own true skill, it is better to cherish it well.

Moreover, the Great Song does not kill scholar-officials; if one later enters the court, the worst result is just being repeatedly demoted, and with a good body, one can treat it as traveling.

Overall, taking the path of the imperial examinations, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

As for whether one can pass the exam and become a Jinshi under such a low acceptance rate in the Great Song, that is not within Lu Beigu's scope of thought.

What? Is it harder than getting the top provincial score in liberal arts in the college entrance exam in a province with a population of over one hundred million? We haven't done that before.

Shaking his head, Lu Beigu cast this still somewhat distant future planning out of his mind.

For him, the most important thing in the short term was to prepare well; after the Hanshi Festival, go with Li Pan to meet that "very important person."

Of course, there were other matters, such as improving his scores in other exam contents besides the policy essay, thereby passing the county exam two months later.

And solving those troublesome matters at home.

"If Brother Lu is free tomorrow, you might as well join the Book Gathering together." At this moment, Lu Guangyu said.

"Book Gathering?"

"Indeed, this Book Gathering was organized by the wine merchant Zhou Squire, who had purchased the rights to the Anle Creek brewing industry."

"This person is a first-class distinguished figure in Gulin; two years ago, he built a new villa outside the town, within which he constructed a library of considerable scale. Now that it is completed, and coinciding with his return to his hometown to worship ancestors, thus came the matter of holding a Book Gathering in the library."

Lu Beigu roughly understood; the Great Song emphasizes literature, so after merchants became wealthy, they all wanted to lean towards the "Confucian merchant" aspect.

And holding a Book Gathering not only cost little money but also allowed one to make friends with local scholars, gain a good reputation in one's hometown, and facilitate the cultivation of one's own clan's descendants; it could be said to have many benefits.

"If we go, on one hand, it counts as making friends through books, allowing us to meet elegant figures and read many ancient commentaries and classics; on the other hand, there will certainly be a banquet after the Book Gathering, where delicacies and fine wines will be indispensable, and if we cannot finish them, we can bring them back for family to taste."

Facing Lu Guangyu's invitation, Lu Beigu, based on his psychology of fearing trouble, instinctively wanted to refuse.

But he was a person who repaid kindness with kindness.

The two classmates who shouted for help after discovering him falling into the water, and the old fisherman who silently pulled him out, were all people he must repay in the future.

So facing the invitation of a benefactor, Lu Beigu found it hard to refuse; moreover, his family's conditions were indeed difficult, so participating in such a beneficial and harmless activity was not a bad idea.

"I do not know the way; please come to my home to find me tomorrow, and we will go together then."

"It is a deal." Lu Guangyu nodded.

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

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

This was already the middle reaches of the Anle Creek; the stream gradually became narrower, and the mountain ranges on both banks grew steeper.

Getting close, the vines hanging from the cliff walls could even brush against the boat's canopy, making a soft rustling sound; occasionally, mountain springs seeped out from rock crevices, forming waterfalls like silver ribbons, and water droplets splashing on the face felt cool and refreshing.

And after turning a bend, the view suddenly opened up; the stream made a large turn here, forming an open river bend, and Gulin Town was located at this place.

The two parted here; Er Lang Tan, where Lu Guangyu lived, was still a distance further up the stream.

The boat docked, and Lu Beigu painfully paid the boat fare of 60 copper coins.

There was no choice; the fare for boats going up the stream was just this price, and the boatmen specifically said they would not accept iron coins, it must be paid with copper coins.

If going from Gulin Town downstream to Hejiang County, it would only require 20 coins, and the time would be only about half a day.

The dock was bustling with noise.

Porters carrying large bundles shuttled back and forth; several little girls with bun hairstyles carried bamboo baskets, selling newly picked ferns and bamboo shoots.

"Little Lady, how much for this one jin of bamboo shoots?"

"20 coins, must be copper coins, do not accept iron coins," the little girl answered timidly.

Lu Beigu roughly calculated in his heart; if the Song jin is converted to modern "grams," it is about 640 grams, so the Song jin is heavier than the modern jin.

And if he remembered correctly, the price of spring bamboo shoots weighing 230-250 grams in modern supermarkets was about 15-18 yuan.

However, considering that things sold on the street come with water and inedible parts, the edible part in the end would surely be just over 500 grams.

So if calculating solely by spring bamboo shoots, the exchange rate between one Song copper coin and one modern yuan was roughly 1:1.5.

And calculating by the price of rice, this result also seemed about the same.

So, actually, taking the boat just now was equivalent to spending 90 yuan, which was quite reasonable.

Shaking his head, Lu Beigu walked toward his own home.

Finally, he would meet the family of this era.

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① "Mai Pu" was a tax-farming system popular during the Song and Yuan dynasties. In the early Song, for industries such as wine, vinegar, ponds, marketplaces, and ferry crossings, the government would calculate the expected tax amount and invite contractors. During the bidding, contractors declared their own tax amounts, and the highest bidder obtained the right to farm the tax.

② "Bie Ye" refers to garden architecture built for leisure in scenic locations, separate from one's main residence.

(End of this chapter)