"Jingxiu-xiong, may I ask how you wrote your policy essay?"
In a room at the Scholar's Inn, Wang Shuishan took the initiative to compare answers with Song Shi'an.
Song Shi'an modestly waved his hand and said, "Why don't you go first?"
It was simple—anyone who actively compared answers after an exam believed they had done well.
Rather than learning Song Shi'an's content, what he really wanted was validation for his own answers.
"Then let me share my shallow insights first."
After a modest smile, Wang Shuishan said, "I believe that the emptiness of the national granary must be resolved at its root."
"Mm."
Song Shi'an nodded, directly agreeing.
It seemed he had also grasped the key points.
"Although Great Yu experienced a locust plague in Yi Prefecture last year, resulting in poor harvests, that was just one of Great Yu's six prefectures suffering a natural disaster. The other five prefectures, especially the great lands of Jingzhao in the heartland, even had a bumper year. Such a situation is not particularly unusual by historical standards. In fact, it's quite normal."
Wang Shuishan hadn't studied his books in isolation from reality—he had traveled to many places with his father and understood grassroots livelihood quite well. So he directly assessed, "According to my speculation, the grain stores didn't suddenly decrease, leaving the national treasury empty. Rather, every year there has been a continuous deficit. Until last year, when reserves finally hit bottom and the court could no longer bear it, public grievances suddenly erupted."
This analysis made Song Shi'an look at him with new eyes.
That's right—remarkably insightful.
Some noble scions who were disconnected from production might not even know the actual conditions of people's livelihoods, or even be unable to distinguish between hemp, millet, sorghum, wheat, and beans.
For modern people not being able to tell them apart was one thing—there was no food crisis, so the concept of food security simply didn't exist.
But for scions of noble houses, these were the inheritors of the feudal ruling class!
Not knowing such things was extremely dangerous.
"Why is it that things have always been this way, yet suddenly we can no longer bear it?" Wang Shuishan continued. "When His Imperial Majesty ascended the throne, Great Yu's records showed forty thousand officials and two hundred sixty thousand soldiers. Now, officials have exceeded one hundred thousand, and soldiers approach five hundred thousand—double the original numbers."
"So do we need to reduce redundant officials?"
"No, absolutely not."
Shaking his head, Wang Shuishan said seriously, "The pseudo-emperor Sun Tuo of Nanling Baiyue is fierce and warlike, having coerced nearly a hundred tribes into submission, commanding over a hundred thousand troops. Even if we could defeat him in battle, that barbarous wasteland would be useless to occupy, yet we cannot help but station troops there as a precaution. The King of Northern Yan in Liaodong, though nominally a vassal, is greedy and fickle by nature—he'll bite at any opportunity for profit. And our greatest enemy is naturally Ji Yuan of the false Qi dynasty to the north. This man possesses extraordinary talent and strategic brilliance, harboring ambitions to devour the world, and his nation's strength is not much inferior to our Great Yu..."
"Though Great Yu's national power is strongest, we face enemies on all sides and don't actually hold the advantageous 'position.' In fact, we can only defend ourselves and cannot spare any resources to campaign south or north to expand our territory."
Speaking with growing passion, Wang Shuishan declared, "To unify the realm, we must implement land reform."
As he spoke, Song Shi'an slowly began to applaud.
Embarrassed by this treatment, Wang Shuishan blushed: "What is Shi'an-xiong doing?"
"Continue," Song Shi'an said.
After clearing his throat, Wang Shuishan said, "With a grain shortage, we cannot reduce officials or military forces, nor can we raise taxes. For now, we need to free the tenant farmers hidden by the great clans, then implement an equal-field system and encourage the cultivation of new lands. Tax exemption for the first year, reduced taxes for the first three years. After three years, levy seventy percent taxes. In this way, within five years the treasury shortage will be alleviated, and within ten years the treasury will be full—supporting several hundred thousand more troops won't be a problem."
"Good, well said."
Suddenly, Song Shi'an cheered, "These damn noble clans should have died off long ago."
"..."
Wang Shuishan, who had been smiling, was startled by Song Shi'an's excitement and quickly explained, "Of course, I didn't mean it that way."
You already did.
How to put it?
Song Shi'an knew his heart was absolutely in the right place.
He was like Hai Rui—upright and passionate.
But similarly, like Hai Rui, he wouldn't be good at being an official.
Someone might object—Hai Rui rose to the rank of Senior Second, how could that be considered not being good at being an official?
Rising high didn't mean doing well.
He could serve as a pioneer of reform, but couldn't lead reform. In fact, if made a regional governor, his effective governance wouldn't extend beyond a single commandery.
Let alone governing dozens of commanderies with millions of people.
"What does Jingxiu-xiong think?" Wang Shuishan asked.
"Excellent."
Song Shi'an nodded in response, his expression serious.
What was excellent about it?
The excellence lay in this: he wasn't just spouting empty talk—he had actually written these words into his examination paper.
That alone deserved respect.
But in reality, it was still a matter of position.
His father had risen from stable hand to county magistrate, so he didn't belong to the noble clan group.
Naturally, he had no fondness for noble clans.
And his strikes hit directly at their vital points.
"Are there any shortcomings?" Wang Shuishan asked.
"How would you separate tenant farmers from the great clans?"
As if he'd been waiting for Song Shi'an to ask, Wang Shuishan brought out his entire series of countermeasures.
His explanations were extremely clear.
He also understood the conditions of local prefectures and commanderies quite well.
One could say he truly had substance.
And as a listener to someone with such substance, Song Shi'an only needed to listen attentively and provide emotional support by saying things like "So what should be done?" at key moments to completely satisfy him.
The two continued their spirited conversation this way.
The sky had already grown completely dark.
Song Shi'an suddenly came to his senses and stood up: "Aiya, it's already so late..."
"I'm truly sorry. Meeting Jingxiu-xiong feels like meeting a kindred spirit too late—I had so much in my heart I couldn't help but speak, I completely forgot the time."
Seeing this, Wang Shuishan quickly apologized, "If you don't mind, why not stay the night on my bed?"
Perfect, perfect.
"How would that be appropriate?"
"Please don't be polite. If you consider me a friend, please stay." As Wang Shuishan spoke, he took out a mat and laid it on the floor. "I'll ask the innkeeper for bedding—I'll sleep on the mat tonight."
"That's not right, is it?" Song Shi'an quickly said, "I should sleep on the mat."
"Jingxiu-xiong, don't argue anymore. Listen to me."
Wang Shuishan decisively made the domineering decision.
Then he went to get bedding from the innkeeper and made up the floor.
"It's already a bit late, and Jingxiu-xiong must be tired. Why don't you sleep first, and we'll talk more tomorrow?"
"Mm, good. Good night." Song Shi'an said with a polite smile.
Good night...
Hearing this farewell, Wang Shuishan felt a sense of warmth.
Good night? Quite interesting.
Lying in bed, before blowing out the lamp, Song Shi'an looked at his 'meal ticket' below and, rarely taking the initiative to make a definitive statement, said, "Shuishan, you'll pass the juren exam."
Hearing this, Wang Shuishan gave a modest smile.
Lying on his back, he gazed at the hazy night moon outside the window, saying with anticipation, "I also want to place as a sub-yuan, ideally securing a reserve official position. Great Yu's reforms are urgently needed."
"No problem—we both have bright futures ahead."
After this teasing remark, Song Shi'an blew out the lamp.
"Then Jingxiu-xiong, how did you write your policy essay..."
Just as Wang Shuishan was about to say something, he heard Song Shi'an's sleeping breaths.
Asleep so quickly?
Wang Shuishan smiled as he covered himself with his blanket and also fell asleep.
Song Shi'an, lying on his side with his back to Wang Shuishan, slowly opened his eyes.
Sigh, could this guy actually pass the juren exam?
Being so radical, he might very well not pass.
Forget it, forget it. Sleep, sleep.
………
Song Shi'an slept very well that night at the Scholar's Inn, waking naturally.
When he awoke, the already boisterous sounds outside became even clearer.
At that moment, he saw Wang Shuishan standing by the window, leaning out to look outside.
So he walked over and stood beside him: "What are you looking at?"
"..." Wang Shuishan was startled, but relaxed when he saw it was Song Shi'an. He said, "Everyone's looking."
Indeed, Song Shi'an was on the third floor, and from the rooms on the second and first floors below, heads were also poking out.
On the street below the inn, a curtained carriage adorned with jewels and hanging sachets had stopped. It was pulled by two horses, with servants and guards clearing the way in front and behind.
This was the Scholar's Inn district, with a dozen or so inns in a row. Every window had people watching the excitement.
The people on the street were the same, as if all eyes were focused on this carriage.
"Who is this?" Song Shi'an asked.
Wang Shuishan spoke with relish: "Minister Sun said that this time, all sub-yuan from Jingzhao would be invited to his birthday celebration."
"Minister Sun's carriage is so pink."
"Ah, no."
Wang Shuishan was rendered speechless. He said, "Minister Sun's birthday celebration is ostensibly just that, but in reality he's using this examination to find a husband for his youngest daughter. And this is his youngest daughter, who has specially come from Yangzhou."
"You're so young—why are you thinking about such things?" Song Shi'an teased.
"Not at all—I'm not coveting wealth and status."
At this point Wang Shuishan blushed, saying awkwardly, "It's just that Minister Sun's youngest daughter is known as the most beautiful woman in Jiangnan."
"Hmph."
In response, Song Shi'an shrugged disdainfully, his face impassive.
Then, resting his elbow on the window frame and leaning forward, he did the exact same thing as all the other students—watching as the carriage curtain slowly lifted.