The Silent Reforms of Eldridge Chapter 44

People's sentiments in Sichuan are fluctuating, and buying and selling land is like child's play. Some people are often the seller of a certain piece of land in the morning and the buyer of the same piece of land in the evening. Local officials are greedy for deed taxes and benefit from them. If no one handles the property transfer for several days, state and county officials will become extremely anxious. In teahouses and restaurants, as long as someone is bargaining over acres of land, the servants will try their best to encourage both parties to conclude a deal. Some are even just discussing it, without finalizing it at all. The servants have already reported to the government to start collecting the deed tax. The buyer and seller only need to argue for a few words. They will be locked up in a card room---This trend has been going on for a long time.

The long-standing malpractices in the imperial examination halls were found in all provinces, and Qi Xiang wanted to clean them up. I said: "As long as there is a good commander-in-chief, we can eliminate it." Qi Xiang sent Hu Xingren of North Sichuan Province to manage the order of the examination room. Hu Xingren was very happy when he found out about it, so he sent officers and others from the North Sichuan Province Department to come to the provincial capital. He served and disturbed the people along the way. Mr. Wu Zhenhuang of the feudal lord was very disapproving.

I asked Qixiang for instructions: "The examination room is crowded, mostly people from Chengdu and Huayang counties. When one person enters, there are often dozens of people who are taking the exam from their fathers, brothers and relatives. For the sake of face, they fight bravely and refuse to give in at all. , but the candidates with the highest ranking cannot get in. Can we follow the method of Jiangsu and post a notice a few days in advance to tell the candidates to determine the roll call time and which prefecture will be called at what time? Come on, if you miss a spot, wait until the entire prefecture has finished counting, and then make up for it one county at a time. You are not allowed to go beyond the fence. First put up a big flag outside the fence, and write a letter to a certain prefecture and county. After each county has finished counting, it will be replaced. One flag can be seen clearly, so there is no need to rush to the front. The two counties in the provincial capital can stay at the end and be quiet. Anyone who is taking the exam is not allowed to enter the fence, and more soldiers will be posted to guard it. Anyone who does not obey the order will be taken away immediately. "If we follow this, we will definitely be able to file in and eliminate the crowding." Qi Xiang agreed and ordered it to be carried out. Sure enough, there was no more crowding. By around six o'clock in the afternoon, the examination room could be closed and locked.

This method is Mr. Shao Mu’s charter. Qixiang and Mr. Shaomu were political enemies, so I said it was an old Jiangnan system, not Mr. Shaomu's invention. Hu Xingren was quite powerful in the examination room, and he was picky about his poor test questions, so he was reprimanded by Qi Xiang. After the imperial examination, a banquet was held. Hu Xingren wanted to sit on the first floor again, but Qi Xiang did not insist. At this time, Wu Zhenfeng, the vassal commander, said: "The scientific examination has been completed. Hu Taoist priests are not allowed to overstep the authority." Qi Xiang also repeatedly said yes, which greatly disappointed Hu Xingren.

March 29th was my fiftieth birthday. My family members wanted to give me a play to celebrate my birthday, but I refused. I refused to accept any birthday gifts, and only kept the made-for birthday screen. My Jiankao and Jianci are both far away in Yizheng. They cannot come here to accept my kneeling. What should I celebrate? Besides, I am already in my fifties, I have not accomplished much in my career, and my career in education and officialdom has been very mediocre. My head has turned gray, and I feel really ashamed. But this year, another family matter happened, that is, I decided to make my Concub!ne Wang Xiu Buddha my main wife. Xiu Buddha has been serving me for sixteen years. He loves Lan'er as if he were his own child and treats all his maids and Concub!nes fairly generously. If there is no main wife in the family, it cannot always be under the control of the family, so the Wang family is made the main wife.