20demayo Chapter 1181 Gold Unparalleled
Chapter 1181 Gold Unparalleled
Shen Zheng's casual remark brought the already lively atmosphere to a climax.
Many candidates were so excited that their cheeks turned red. At this moment, they forgot all about "literary integrity" and "restraint."
They shouted along with the people, "We want to see!"
It should be noted that among these candidates, half come from well-off families, and half come from families with moderate financial means.
As for the remaining half... that is what ordinary people call "poor families".
They are called "poor families," but they know in their hearts that "poor family" is just a respectful title from others. In reality, they can only be called "poor scholars," because the truly "poor families" still have some meager property to rely on, while they have nothing but a belly full of books.
Therefore, the rewards that the government was about to issue, whether they were silver coins, ink sticks, or bamboo and hemp paper, were all quite valuable to them.
Under such circumstances, how could they not be excited?
Under everyone's expectant gaze, Shen Zheng personally opened the first wooden box.
The moment I opened the box, I was blown away.
One by one, silver ingots were neatly stacked in the box, gleaming with a cold white light under the sunlight.
Everyone gasped in shock. Even the illiterate commoners started using idioms: "Good heavens, now I know what 'money-grubbing' really means. In this situation, I'm even tempted to become a robber..."
If we managed to steal that chest of silver, we probably wouldn't have to work in the fields for years...
But while the imagination was beautiful, the reality was cruel, because the spear tips in the hands of the soldiers were brighter than silver ingots.
"The reward is in cash." Shen Zheng patted the lid of the box and smiled at everyone, "A total of one hundred and ninety-five taels. Don't think it's too little."
The common people hurriedly said "a lot," while counting on their fingers, and then they were surprised to find that 25% of the 195 taels of silver belonged to Pei Zhaoqi alone.
It's true what they say: comparison is the thief of joy; comparison is the thief of joy...
Before they could even lament, they saw Shen Zheng open several more boxes in one go.
Whether it was a misperception or not, when the pitch-black inkstick came into view, they felt a faint scent of ink sneaking into their nostrils.
But what surprised everyone was not the fragrance, but the size of the ink stick.
Simply put, it's just too big...
Even ordinary people who had never used ink sticks before noticed something unusual: "That's an ink stick? Why is it so big?"
That doesn't look like an inkstone at all; they'd believe it if you said it was a black brick...
The examinee was so astonished that he couldn't close his mouth: "In my thirty years of studying, I have never seen such a... such a large ink stick."
Shen Zheng looked down at the inksticks inside the box and once again marveled at Fifth Tanwei's honesty.
On that day, she sent a message to Fifth Tanwei, asking Fifth's ink workshop to customize a batch of ink sticks for the government office. She also attached the customization price and requirements to the letter. The requirements were not many, only that "the ink should be durable and the ink sticks should be large".
However, the next day, she received a reply from Fifth Detective, which contained only two words: "As you command."
Days passed, and Shen Zheng was so busy that she almost forgot about this batch of inksticks until the day before yesterday, when they arrived at the government office...
Looking at the black block inside the box, which resembled a long brick, Shen Zheng sighed inwardly.
The fifth company definitely lost money on this deal.
"Lord Shen...is the ink stick in the box really an inkstone?" The candidate's question, full of doubt, interrupted Shen Zheng's thoughts.
Shen Zheng secretly flexed her arm muscles, bent down and took out an ink stick from the box. While showing it to everyone, she said, "This... is indeed an ink stick."
After saying that, Shen Zheng fell silent.
But she felt she should say something more.
After a moment's thought, she mentioned the Fifth Merchant: "This large inkstick was made with all our might by the Fifth Merchant's ink workshop. To be honest, when I received these boxes of inksticks the other day, I was just as surprised as you all. I was surprised not only by the size of this inkstick, but also by the Fifth Merchant's 'unconventional' practices."
Not following the rules?
Everyone is puzzled.
Shen Zheng held up the ink stick and said bluntly, "Actually, the money the government paid to the Fifth Family was not enough to buy more than three hundred ink sticks like these. It was probably only enough to buy sixty or seventy. In other words, the Fifth Family made a losing deal with the government this time."
As soon as he finished speaking, a low gasp rippled through the crowd.
A knowledgeable student looked at the exposed corner of the inkstone and was even more surprised: "Lord Shen, this inkstone has a fine texture and a soft luster. Could it be... could it be 'priceless'?"
"Priceless?" The people looked at each other, puzzled, and asked one after another, "What does 'priceless' mean?"
One of the candidates, while staring at the ink stick, explained, “‘It only reduces by half a point every year, and is worth more than a thousand pieces of gold.’... This ink is famous for its durability; a small stick can last a long time. As for the ‘ink brick’ in Lord Shen’s hand... it’s estimated to last us for several years, even if we practice calligraphy and writing every day.”
"..."
Ink that's been used for several years?
The people were stunned.
To put it bluntly, it's like someone accidentally did *that*, but is Mo still there...?
"This ink must be expensive, right?" the people asked, concerned about the price.
The candidate shook his head and then nodded: "It's considered a mid-priced ink, but because it's durable and difficult to make, it's often available even when there's a price to be paid."
It means that you can't buy it even if you have money!
It's common knowledge that things that money can't buy must be good things!
The people were astonished: "The fifth family is really generous... such a huge piece of gold, they just sent it over like that."
The test takers to heart.
That enormous piece of gold was a gift from Lord Shen and the fifth family, representing their confidence in pursuing their studies.
Someone stepped forward and said, "Lord Shen, the government and the Fifth family have put in such great effort. I have no way to repay them except to study hard and serve the people of Liuyang in the future!"
The locals of Liuyang standing nearby: Serves them right!
Shen Zheng smiled and put the ink stick back in the box, saying polite words: "The government and the Fifth Family do not ask for anything in return. We only hope that this ink can accompany you through the years of studying and help you achieve your goal of passing the imperial examination."
Upon hearing this, the candidates burst into tears, and some even began to shout, "We swear to serve Liuyang Prefecture to the death!"
Shen Zheng waved her hand on the surface, but nodded secretly in reality.
Yes, yes, that's it.
Isn't that touching?
Moved by their plight, they were all to stay in Liuyang Prefecture to learn to read and write; none of them were to leave.
Then, Shen Zheng introduced the contents of the other boxes to everyone one by one.
All candidates received bamboo paper, a collection of masterpieces, and a "participation certificate for the second round of examinations." The first-place winner also received a "membership card" and the Four Treasures of the Study, which dazzled the audience, who exclaimed, "Lord Shen is such a benevolent official!"
"Local officials?" Under the shade of a tree opposite the courtyard gate, a group of people looked coldly at the award stage. One of them sneered: "It's nothing more than a means to curry favor with the common people and seek fame and fortune... Only those who have never seen the world would fall for it."