Chapter 456 Another path for scholars

Author: solid state drive

Chapter 456 Another path for scholars

Zhao Guang listened to the radio, but he couldn't hear clearly in the noisy environment, so he couldn't help but listen carefully to the detailed content.

After carefully listening to the content of the second half of the newspaper, I shouted out in sudden enlightenment and pulled my friend's sleeves excitedly. A strong feeling of being recognized and honored at the same time burst out.

"Brother He, do you still remember how that guy Wang Yuxin mocked Yu and even mocked you for it? He also said that it is useless to the country and that observing this matter is completely useless?

Humph, now let's take a look. The emperor's students, the royal students, the royal hospital that provides disaster relief and fight against the epidemic, and the imperial hospital all jointly published reports on this matter.

If it is of no use to the country, how can it attract the attention of so many people in the imperial court? This is a wise exhortation to students all over the world!"

"Brother Guangyi, you need to know that the people in the Royal Hospital and the Imperial Medical Office are all officials. They seek political power in their positions and perform their duties according to their duties. This is why the Royal students are not doing their jobs properly and are not studying seriously.

However, apart from reading the Four Books and Five Classics, you and I have never read any medical books, so what is the use of discussing these? Is it possible that you can make a light bulb?

Naturally, it is still important to obtain fame. When you pass the provincial examination and have the title of a civil servant, you will have money and can afford one tael of electricity a day. Using electric lamps without lamp oil is not an empty talk.

You are interested in these things, and you want to use lamp oil, but if you are not admitted to the imperial examination and have no family background, who cares about what you say?

How can you get money, or in other words, do you want to sit back and have nothing? Can your father pay you dozens of taels for electricity every month?

You'd better focus on your studies. Have you seen the latest stereotyped writing? If you fail to pass the provincial examination this time, your father will break your legs so that you can study at home with peace of mind."

Zhao Guang was discouraged when his classmates said it. Yes, even if he could observe these things, what's the use if he can't go up to heaven to listen?

But when he was asked to read, he really couldn't read. He had a headache when reading old eight-part essays. Although he could memorize most of the Four Books and Five Classics, he always felt that he was resisting.

"Oh, Brother He, I can only wish you success in your exam next year."

"Strange, Guangyi, you said that the students of the Royal Academy are all studying in the Imperial College, why would they participate in this fire research?"

"Who knows? I heard my aunt and uncle mention it in conversation, saying that the Royal Academy does not teach the Four Books and Five Classics now, and most of them teach miscellaneous studies."

"You don't teach the Four Books and Five Classics? Instead, you teach miscellaneous studies? It makes no sense. No wonder the royal students also want to participate. How can you pass the examination and become a student of the emperor if you don't learn?"

Upon hearing Zhao Guang's words, his friend was immediately furious. After studying for more than ten years, most of the students who passed the provincial examination and were admitted to the Royal Academy did not study the Four Books and Five Classics?

After thinking about it, it seems pretty good. With less people competing against each other, it will be easier to test the competition, which is great.

"It's not that we don't teach the Four Books and Five Classics, it's just that we don't teach them enough, and didn't you also read about the group of trainees from the Royal Army who were directly transferred to local officials some time ago?

Although they are just county magistrates and even chief registrars, no one from the Royal Army has participated in the imperial examination. I wonder again, is your Majesty planning to change the imperial examination?"

"It's not impossible. Today is different from the past. Hey, doesn't this mean that the number of people admitted to the examination in the future will be greatly reduced?"

Zhao Guang's words were heard by his friends, but they were not refuted. In fact, anyone who often reads newspapers can see Chongzhen's foreshadowing.

Royal trainees were directly appointed through internal examinations instead of imperial examinations, and the same was true for the transfer of the Royal Army. This fully demonstrated that the emperor was trying to develop new methods of talent selection.

"No, I have to buy a newspaper to read. There is a lot of content in today's newspaper. This is too uncomfortable to hear."

"Then you're in a tight spot. Today's newspapers seem to be selling very well. I didn't even buy one just now."

"A new newspaper was released today, so there will definitely be a lot of people buying it. Fortunately, we are early, but there are too many people here."

Zhao Guang looked at the people gathered in front of him and couldn't help but hesitate. His long-term status as a scholar made him a little disdainful of squeezing with these sloppy people. But if he didn't want to squeeze with the common people and couldn't buy newspapers, there were still people squeezing in from behind.

.

"Quiet everyone, now start reading today's important headlines of the Royal Daily!!

Your Majesty’s meeting is a major headline!”

As soon as this voice sounded, the whole place suddenly fell silent, and all the people stopped making noise, because the emperor's exclusive title appeared on the loudspeaker.

“His Majesty, the great Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, specially allocated internal funds to develop electricity in the Ming Dynasty. After several months of construction, the Ming Dynasty Royal Electric Power Plant was officially established.

At the same time, the Ming Cabinet established the Ming Commerce Department, under which the State Grid Corporation of China was established to manage the laying of power networks.

His Majesty the Emperor felt that the convenience of electric lights and electrical appliances and the laying of electric circuits could change people's livelihood, so he specially issued an order to Song Yingxing, the Minister of Industry, and Li Daiwen, the Minister of Household Affairs, to officially launch the electricity supply to every household during the Tenth and Thirties of the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty State Grid will be officially put into operation in five days, and each household will be charged a fee of 200 yuan to connect to exclusive wires.

Households connected to the power line only charge 200 yuan per household per month for electricity, which allows them to use unlimited electricity. In the next year, the electricity bill will continue to drop."

Listening to the sound of the trumpet, a group of newly arrived people suddenly started to cheer.

"One tael of silver a month? Who can afford this?"

"Yes, yes, you still have to spend money to buy these electrical appliances.

Alas, let's go, today's newspapers are not for me and other common people, the lights are harmful to the eyes, and the electricity bills are charged."

"I thought I could give out money again..."

"Although Your Majesty is wise, he really thinks that we are all short of money? One tael of silver a month. I only need one tael of silver if I don't blow out the lamp for a month."

"Don't you think it will still be cheaper in the next year?"

"Unless it's cheaper than lamp oil, I can use up a pound of lamp oil in ten days."

As Zhao Guang listened to the headlines, his eyes lit up and he looked at his classmates.

"Brother He, did you hear clearly? It means you only need one tael of silver a month?"

"Brother Guangyi, now...

You really can afford this electric light."

Listening to Zhao Guang's words, his friend said, "Just now he said that Zhao Guang wouldn't be able to use electricity if he didn't take the merit examination, and now he's actually lowering the price?"

The sound of the loudspeaker continued, and the people who were preparing to leave stopped when they heard that prices would continue to be reduced in the future, wanting to hear how much they could be reduced.

"Although the price of electricity has been reduced, Your Majesty also knows that two hundred yuan a month is still a bit high. However, not many people in Ming Dynasty understand electricity. If the one-time price is too low, it will cause congestion.

Therefore, in order to make electricity available to the people of Ming Dynasty, His Majesty ordered officials from the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the Power Grid Group to cultivate talents as soon as possible.

His Majesty the Great Emperor has issued an order requiring that within one year, the price of electricity be reduced to one hundred yuan per household and within fifty yuan per month.

It also requires that within one year, all Shangxian and county towns in Zhili, Henan, Shanxi, Shandong, Liaodong, Nurgandusi, and Shangxian County will be able to receive electricity, and the villages and towns around twenty miles away from Shangxian County will also be covered by electricity.

Within three years, the electricity price in Daming is required to be reduced to 50 yuan per household for traction fees, and a low price of 20 yuan per month, so as to realize the electricity supply for everyone in Daming. At the same time, all counties in Daming are required to complete the electrification of electricity.

It is planned that within ten years, all villages and towns in Daming will be able to access electricity and use electric lights and appliances, including any mountain village. To this end, the Ministry of Industry of Daming has guided that Daming Royal Electric Power Group needs to expand its scale and is recruiting.

The first batch of recruitment will start simultaneously five days later, requiring 50 students who have passed the scientific examination to serve as grid layout team leaders and technicians, and 500 ordinary employee helpers under the age of 30.

There is no restriction on gender, both men and women are treated equally and receive preferential treatment. All power grid employees can participate in the Ming Dynasty National Advanced Examination or have the opportunity to study at Ming Dynasty Royal University.

For details, please refer to the newspaper, the second paragraph of headlines will be played below."

After a brief pause, Zhao Guang looked at his friend in confusion.

"Why didn't you tell me this just now?"

"I don't know. It's not like you don't understand. This loudspeaker shouts different headlines every time, and he doesn't even finish reading the contents of the newspaper."

"Looks like I have to buy a copy of today's newspaper. Just wait, I'll buy it."

While Zhao Guang was talking, the people around him also started to look forward to it.

"Oh, it only costs fifty yuan a month next year, so you can consider it. If you burn lamp oil a month, you will have to burn five kilograms of lamp oil, which will cost you two cents of silver, right?"

"But even if the electricity is cheap, can you afford to use the light? The cheapest electric light from the Royal Merchant Company costs two hundred yuan each. If it breaks, you have to buy another one. How do you know how long it will last."

"It's just one tael of silver. If it can be used for a year..."

"It's expensive even if it lasts for a year. How many oil lamps can you buy for just one tael of silver?

If it's the same as the lamp wick, change it every few days. With this money, why don't you buy meat?"

Amid the murmurs of discussion, Zhao Guang shook his head. This price was too low for a relatively good scholar in his family.

As long as he could afford electricity, he was not afraid of not being able to afford the lights. What's more, he had also observed the street lights and found that they had not broken down since they were installed almost a month ago.

What he is more concerned about now is what was said in the newspaper just now about the employees of the electric power group and their further training, as well as...

"Brother He, wait for me to buy a newspaper."

"Two copies, you can buy one for me too."

"I hope there is more."

Zhao Guang is a little worried. Today is the first day of selling newspapers. The sales volume of newspapers will be much better, and it will also be much more difficult to buy.

Two copper coins are already a bit insignificant to the people in the capital, who have at least received disaster relief and been given cotton-padded clothes to carry them through the winter.

Therefore, more and more people will accept what Chongzhen brings, regardless of whether they can read or understand the words. Only when you have a new newspaper can you show that you care about what His Majesty says and that you are loyal.

While squeezing through the crowd, I listened to the radio and continued to read.

"Big news on today's headlines! Under the instruction of His Majesty the Great Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty Royal Store will officially sell electrical appliances at special and low prices from now on.

Among them, the light bulbs that His Majesty ordered to care for readers are priced at 20 yuan each, batteries are at a special price of 5 yuan, flashlights are at a special price of 50 yuan, and radios are at a special price of 100 yuan.

An electric water heater is 400 yuan a piece, an electric sun heater is 400 yuan a piece, a hair dryer is 400 yuan a piece, etc.! All small electrical appliances only cost 400 yuan a piece!

It should be noted that electricity, water and fire are both merciless. Any use of electricity or new lights and appliances in the home must be registered with the power grid before they can be used.

For all electrical appliances, you must first learn how to use them and recite the complete instructions before you can buy and use them, otherwise you are prohibited from buying them!"
To be continued...