CIATB Chapter 1141 - 1123: The Popularization of the Gazette
Chapter 1141 - 1123: The Popularization of the Gazette
The evening class lasts only one hour, from 5 p.m. to dusk, mainly for adults who do not attend school but wish to learn to read.
Education has always been an important measure of political performance. What form of education can surpass learning to read and write?
And reading is not just about literacy; one should also learn rituals, understand laws and ethics, so as to restrain oneself while opening up one’s mind.
She directly incorporated literacy into the evaluation of educational work. If you want this part of the political achievements, then strive for literacy.
The two children sat in their seats and took out their textbooks to listen carefully, while Xie Pi and others in the restaurant finally unfolded the gazette in their hands.
Yang Yi: "This article... even the punctuation is neatly done, and it’s very straightforward."
Lu Wen glanced at the people sitting in the restaurant. Everyone had a gazette, which attests that the court is not short of paper, printing gazettes seems very convenient, and also affordable. Otherwise, how could everywhere you see there are people holding a gazette?
Lu Wen sighed: "We’ve been away from the Northern Land for only two years. When we came back, the changes were so great. The devastation from before has turned into vibrant life. Not only food and clothing have changed, but everyday life has also transformed greatly..."
Xie Pi and others had complex expressions. Two years ago, who could have imagined that a gazette, which needed to be handwritten word by word by scholars to circulate, would now be flying everywhere thanks to printing?
You must know that gazettes are a very important political resource. Ordinary officials cannot read them, only those of a certain rank, family background, or connections could get a glimpse.
But now, for only two cents, they can buy a gazette in Luoyang City, to know what the regent General and the court ministers are discussing, and to speculate on the policies that might be implemented next.
No, it is not just Luoyang City, it is heard that the gazette from Luoyang can be sent to various provinces and counties. After being reprinted by bookstores in each province and county, it is sold again, meaning that the people of the Central Plains and Northern Land, as well as in various provinces, can all buy the gazette if they wish.
Xie Pi looked at the gazette in his hands with a complicated expression. The gazette from the Central Plains had always been quietly flowing to Jiangdong and Jiangnan. Occasionally, he could get a copy in Jianye, but it cost a lot of money.
Later, too many people were discussing the Central Plains, causing public unrest, so King Langya strictly prohibited the circulation of illicit books and texts, and the gazettes from the Central Plains were included in this. Xie Pi could hardly buy a gazette anymore.
But occasionally, he could still see it with his brother.
He knew that Zhao Hanzhang had a new printing technique, different from woodblock printing, called movable type. It was said that the type could move freely, without the need to carve new blocks for each book, making it cheap and fast.
So he speculated that the gazettes from the Central Plains could supply every county official, but he didn’t expect it to circulate outside as well.
His heart was at its most complex when he heard an exclamation beside him, "Zhao Hanzhang... General Zhao mentioned us."
Xie Pi turned his head and saw it was a young man from the Jiang Family in Chenliu, named Jiang Pu. In Jiangdong and Jiangnan, they did not avoid Zhao Hanzhang’s name and were used to calling her like this. But here, everyone respected her very much, addressing her as the Great General, and many people even respectfully called her "madam".
Just now, his shout of "Zhao Hanzhang" attracted many people in the restaurant to look over.
"It mentioned us, as well as the gentry of Jiangdong." Yang Yi murmured, "All treated the same, which means if we come back, we will not be discriminated against and oppressed?"
Lu Wen and Yuan Yang exchanged glances, all with some excitement in their eyes.
They suppressed their inner excitement, going back and forth over the gazette, analyzing what it tried to express word by word before finally turning the page.
Xie Pi focused on the new recruitment examination regulation below, where Zhao Hanzhang also said that besides recruiting talents through examinations, if any virtuous person wishes to serve the country, they can also be recommended through local officials, village elders, and reputable people.
She would make an effort to meet them and would definitely employ them if suitable.
This means that from now on, although there are still many paths to select talents, her main method is through recruitment examinations.
Xie Pi quickly skimmed through other articles mentioning strategies for river management by the Ministry of Industry and discussions on military stationing systems by the Ministry of War, all apparently slightly revised memorials submitted to Zhao Hanzhang.
These belong to some administrative ideas from officials of various ministries.
He also saw a small reminder at the bottom of the gazette’s cover page, saying that there would be an urgent rain on May 13th, reminding travelers to wear hats or carry umbrellas.
May 13th?
Isn’t that tomorrow?
Xie Pi closed the gazette and asked, "The state exam is in August, do you want to sign up?"
Lu Wen was silent for a moment before finally gritting his teeth and saying, "I’ll give it a try."
Yang Yi, however, tightly held the gazette in his hand, thought for a moment with lowered eyes, and said, "Didn’t we send a request to meet General Zhao? We’ll decide after seeing her tomorrow."
Yuan Yang said, "Your family has a marital relationship with hers, so you don’t need to worry, but we..."
Yang Yi smiled, "Is General Zhao someone who employs people based on favoritism? Just speak your mind when you go tomorrow. If you have talent, will she not use you?"
With these words, everyone began to look forward to tomorrow’s meeting. Jiang Pu was a bit hesitant, "Brother Yang, will it be inappropriate for so many of us to go together?"
Yang Yi hesitated for a moment upon hearing this but quickly shook his head, "Since the reply said to bring us all, obviously she wants to meet us, so there is nothing inappropriate."
Xie Pi closed the gazette and said, "Let’s go back and rest. Let’s prepare well today to meet people tomorrow."
Everyone nodded in agreement, got up, and settled the bill before leaving.
Just as they walked out of the restaurant, the previously sunny sky suddenly darkened. When they looked up, they saw a thick layer of dark clouds obscuring the sun. Before they could be surprised, raindrops fell like pearls, pouring down like a broken bead curtain.
Yang Yi and others were dumbfounded. It was Xie Pi who pulled them back into the store, preventing them from getting drenched by the sudden rain.
Guests who had already stepped out of the restaurant hurriedly covered their gazettes and rushed back, complaining angrily to the hotel lobby, "What kind of calculation did the Astronomical Observatory do? They said there would be an urgent rain on the 13th, but they got it wrong again? Simply useless..."
"Shh, keep your voice down. The Astronomical Observatory is now overseen by Junior Minister Guo Shen Suan. If he knows you’re cursing him, be careful he sends a ghost soldier to settle accounts with you at night."
The guest’s face flushed, and though he fell silent, there was clearly a look of defiance on his face.
Xie Pi and others gaped, quickly asking them, "The Guo Shen Suan you’re talking about, is he Guo Pu from Hedong County?"
"Who else could it be? Besides Mr. Fu, it’s only him, Guo Jingchun, who can be called a master calculator in the world today."
A group of young nobles couldn’t help but exclaim in unison, "So he escaped here."
The matter of Wang Dun suppressing Guo Pu’s fortunetelling for King Langya is not a secret among noble families, at least not among the major ones.
Not only does Xie Pi know about Guo Pu telling fortune to King Langya, but he also knows Guo Pu told fortune for Wang Dun.
For this very reason, the relationship between King Langya and Wang Dun deteriorated, filled with mutual suspicion. It could be said that when Wang Dun disobeyed orders and insisted on not returning to Jianye last New Year, at least half of the reason was because of Guo Pu.