Chapter 38: Two Big Hands

"Young Master, just go and take the exam with peace of mind; it is not you taking them, but them taking you." On the night before the Provincial Examination, Zhang Fu said this to Zhang Yunxiu while packing his things, as he was still reading.

Huh?!

Zhang Yunxiu put down his book, his tense nerves suddenly relaxing.

In the year of Wanli 8, his eldest brother and third brother both participated in the Imperial Examination; one ranked as the top scholar, and the other placed in the top tier of the Second Rank.

Oh, and in that same session, the son of Cabinet Secondary Minister Zhang Siwei, Zhang Taizheng, also took the exam.

He placed fourth in the Second Rank.

If not for Zhang Fu's reminder, Zhang Yunxiu would have almost forgotten that he was a person with connections.

Then what is the point of studying!

Having figured this out, Zhang Yunxiu stood up, stretched, and wore an indescribable look of relief on his face.

Zhang Fu smiled and was about to say more when the gate was pushed open with a "bang," and Zhang Jingxiu walked in with a smile.

"Eldest Brother."

"Eldest Young Master."

The two greeted each other with smiles.

Zhang Jingxiu glanced at the books on the table, assuming his fifth brother was nervous, so he smiled and offered comfort: "When I took the Metropolitan Examination, I was just as nervous as you, but later, thanks to Maoxiu's guidance, I simply had a good time, and in the end, I did quite well."

"I tell you this not to show off my scholarship, but to tell you that learning lies in daily accumulation and is never achieved in a single day.

Just do your best and keep an open mind."

He had seen too many scholars who were knowledgeable on ordinary days but whose brains turned to mush the moment they entered the examination hall.

This is a matter of state of mind.

Hearing his eldest brother's admonition, Zhang Yunxiu felt much more relaxed.

His memory had always been good, and with the foundation of the original body, it was naturally impossible for him, as the son of the Chief Grand Secretary, not to receive special care.

The Chief Examiner for this session was Yu Youding, also an old fox.

"Don't worry, Eldest Brother. Your younger brother doesn't seek to take the top spot, only to have his name on the list," Zhang Yunxiu replied with a smile and a bow.

"That's the spirit, set your mind at ease."

"I understand."

Zhang Yunxiu nodded.

Zhang Jingxiu smiled and stared at his brother for a while. Seeing the few tufts of whiskers sprouting on the youth's lips, he said softly: "Fifth Brother, you are about to earn your degree, and you are already eighteen by nominal age; it is time to consider the matter of your life's marriage."

"Ah?!" Zhang Yunxiu cried out in surprise.

"You don't need to be nervous; I'm just talking to you about it."

"Is this Father's intention?" Zhang Yunxiu asked.

Zhang Jingxiu gave a noncommittal response and continued to ask: "Do you have any young lady you fancy? If you do, tell me, and I will have your sister-in-law go and speak for you."

"Where would I have any young lady I fancy?" Zhang Yunxiu shook his head with a bitter smile and added, "Besides, I am still just a budding scholar; it is too early to talk about these things, far too early."

"Jianxiu was already married when he was your age."

"I am different."

Zhang Yunxiu did not want to dwell on this issue any longer, so he used sleepiness as an excuse to see his brother out.

He had no dreams that night.

Early the next morning, Zhang Yunxiu was full of energy and, traveling light, headed straight for the Provincial Examination hall.

Scholars from all over North Zhili gathered here, making the city of Beijing exceptionally lively.

When Zhang Yunxiu arrived, the examination hall gates were already open. After bidding farewell to Zhang Fu, Zhang Yunxiu reported his name and then, under the envious gazes of the other candidates, walked to his seat and sat down.

The Provincial Examination consisted of three sessions.

A total of nine days.

He sat in his place and scanned the surroundings as if nothing were the matter, seeing that most of the others were rubbing their hands and eager to try. Zhang Yunxiu felt his cheeks grow slightly warm, and his adrenaline surged along with it.

That was the feeling of excitement.

Soon, the test papers were distributed; the first session mainly tested the content of the Four Books and Five Classics.

Zhang Yunxiu wrote his answers with ease.

The second session was the Policy Essay and Classic Commentary.

The third session was the Current Affairs Policy combined with Classic Commentary.

When Zhang Yunxiu was reviewing, his eldest brother had helped him point out the key areas, so the current affairs mentioned above were already imprinted in his mind.

Therefore, although it could not be considered an excellent performance, it was at least passable.

After the three sessions were finished, Zhang Yunxiu walked out of the examination hall, yawning with a look of complete relaxation.

Outside the hall, it was already a sea of people, with heads bobbing everywhere. The accompanying relatives, friends, servants, and pageboys were all pushing and shoving, as if the gates would close if they were a moment late. Zhang Yunxiu was shocked by the scene and hurried a few steps to his carriage.

Zhang Fu had been waiting there for a long time. Seeing Zhang Yunxiu come out, he hurriedly handed over a robe and said ingratiatingly: "Young Master, now that the exam is over, Feng Bangning is hosting a banquet tonight to invite you..."

"Don't mention him to me again." Zhang Yunxiu glared at Zhang Fu, climbed into the carriage, and ordered, "Go, let's go home."

"Oh, right." Zhang Fu replied with a look of embarrassment.

By the time Zhang Yunxiu returned to the mansion, the sky had already turned dark.

He had a simple dinner, took a hot bath, and was just about to have a good sleep when he suddenly heard You Qi say: "Young Master, the Master wants you to go to the study to see him."

"I understand."

A sense of unease welled up in Zhang Yunxiu's heart, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go to the appointment.

Pushing the door open and entering, he saw Zhang Juzheng wearing a square scholar's cap and a crane-patterned cloak, sitting upright on a pear-wood chair like an immortal.

"Father."

Zhang Yunxiu called out timidly, and Zhang Juzheng opened his eyes, pointed to the chair on the right, and said: "Sit."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Zhang Yunxiu sat down on a chair.

Could it be? I have only just finished the examination, and he already knows the results? Recently, the only thing Zhang Juzheng could be looking for me about is the Provincial Examination.

Other than that, Zhang Yunxiu could not think of anything else worth the concern of this Grand Secretary, who dealt with ten thousand matters a day.

While Zhang Yunxiu's thoughts were in turmoil, Zhang Juzheng glanced at his son and spoke indifferently: "Tell me more about those 'two big hands' of yours, and go into more depth."

So it was about this! Zhang Yunxiu felt reassured, pulled his stool closer, and said with a smile: "Actually, these 'two big hands' can be summed up in eight characters: 'Make the best use of things, and let everyone make the best use of their talents.' Scholars can display their learning, farmers have land to till, artisans have specialized skills, and merchants have profits to gain."

"In order to obtain greater profits, merchants must constantly improve their goods; it is the survival of the fittest."

"In the end, only good goods will naturally remain. This is done spontaneously by the common people; it does not require the imperial court to push it."

"Just like the tea-horse smuggling on the Northwest border, or the maritime smuggling on the Southeast coast previously; as long as there is profit, even if it means losing one's head, there will be people scrambling to do it."

"Of course, this kind of profit is not long-lasting."

Having said this, Zhang Yunxiu paused slightly.

Zhang Juzheng did not commit to an opinion and signaled for Zhang Yunxiu to continue.

"Therefore, we must guide them and establish a good trading environment, allowing them to compete, but they must compete under certain rules." Zhang Yunxiu stood up as he spoke, filled with righteous indignation, "Currently, officials are extorting and plundering, and often use the authority in their hands to suppress merchants; my son believes this is wrong."

"Valuing agriculture and suppressing commerce has been the way since ancient times," Zhang Juzheng retorted. "If the common people all go into business, then everyone will think about getting something for nothing, and the people will develop laziness. Then who will till the land?"

"Leave it to the people who specialize in farming to till it."

"People who specialize in farming?" Zhang Juzheng was puzzled.

"If, as Father says, doing business is profitable and everyone goes into business, then the land in the hands of the common people will lie fallow. At that time, the imperial court can rent the land from the people and hire specialists to farm it."

"Land is the lifeblood of the common people."

"Didn't you just say that doing business is profitable and the land would be left fallow?" Zhang Yunxiu asked back with a smile.

The Chinese peasantry's emotional attachment to land is held in higher regard than anything else.

Even if he were to advocate for commerce as much as he could, those common folk who should be farming would still farm all the same.

At most, small merchants and small workshops would be developed. This is the sprout of capitalism.

"Continue," Zhang Juzheng said, stunned for a moment, pointing at Zhang Yunxiu to instruct him.

"Don't look at the fact that commercial taxes are currently less than one-tenth of agricultural taxes; in the future, they could even be on par with them." Zhang Yunxiu was beaming, becoming more excited as he spoke, "Once commerce is prosperous, the things in the hands of the common people can also be sold for a good price; wouldn't that be killing many birds with one stone?"

On par with agricultural taxes? Zhang Juzheng did not believe it in the slightest; since ancient times, commercial taxes had only ever been a tiny fraction.

Certain that his father did not believe him, Zhang Yunxiu took out a piece of silver and used a brush to dot four small points on a piece of rice paper.

"These four points represent four people: the first represents a Scholar heading to the examination, the second is an innkeeper, the third is a sheep merchant, and the fourth is a slaughterhouse owner."

Meeting Zhang Juzheng's skeptical gaze, Zhang Yunxiu introduced: "Now, the innkeeper owes the slaughterhouse owner ten taels of silver, the slaughterhouse owner owes the sheep merchant ten taels of silver, and the merchant owes the innkeeper ten taels of silver."

"The three of them are each dragging the others along."

"Now, a Scholar heading to the examination enters the inn and pays ten taels of silver. The innkeeper immediately gives the money to the slaughterhouse owner, the slaughterhouse owner gives it to the merchant, and the merchant gives it back to the innkeeper."

"At this moment, the scholar has a temporary matter arise and asks for his room fee back, so the innkeeper returns the ten taels of silver to him."

Zhang Juzheng listened with his brows tightly locked; the ten taels of silver had gone around in a circle and returned to the Scholar's hands completely unscathed.

Yet, the debts of the three men had all been cleared away entirely.

"This is the importance of the circulation of wealth, and this is the importance of merchants," Zhang Yunxiu said with a smile. "Without merchants, where would we get the silks and satins to wear? Without merchants, how could the common people exchange their surplus grain for wealth?"

"Merchants are full of the stench of copper." Zhang Juzheng still wanted to retort, but could only find this reason.

The two argued about the matter of merchants until midnight, and in the end, Zhang Juzheng was so angry his lips turned purple, and he was hopping mad.

Zhang Yunxiu dared not argue with him any further, and the matter was left at that.

(End of this chapter)