Last year's cotton business was all purchased by the military, and there was not much discount on the price. After the cost, we only got a hundred taels of gold.
This year, the cotton fields have increased fifty-fold. Yang Qiu learned from his third brother that the army only needs one-fifth of the cotton, and the remaining cotton can be used to make clothes and spin thread for sale.
After receiving the cotton last year, Yang Qiu and Yin Huizhen discussed recruiting 20 female workers in Baizhang Mountain to twist and spin the cotton into thread, and then weave it into cloth on the loom.
Eighty pieces of cloth were obtained from two thousand kilograms of cotton (one piece of cloth is four feet long, one foot wide, and weighs about twenty kilograms. I don't know the specific situation, so I won't go into it). Yang Qiu dyed these cotton cloths according to the method taught by Yang Anxuan. In red, yellow, green, purple, black and other colors, I made clothes for my mother, my whole family, and my third brother's family.
The cotton-padded clothes fit snugly on the body, are breathable and extremely comfortable. The colors are red like fire, yellow like gold, and green like duckweed, which are particularly eye-catching when walking in the market.
Zhao Xuan and Zhang Lan were the first to ask for two pieces of cloth from Yang Qiu, and then the officials and family members of Yonggong Mansion tried their best to take some from her hand. Yang Qiu was a little reluctant to let go.
Yang Anxuan told her with a smile that this cotton cloth was new and if people wanted to buy it, how could it not be publicized. Under Yang Anxuan's instruction, most of the remaining pieces of cloth were given by Yang Qiu as gifts to the female relatives of the noble families with whom he had made friends, and five pieces were placed in the cloth shop as samples.
The female relatives who soon got cotton made clothes to try on. After discovering the benefits of cotton, they came to buy from Yang Qiu one after another. The female relatives of Shen Mansion came to buy cloth in an endless stream in the name of visiting. The five samples in the cloth shop were even sold by countless people. His hands found black marks.
Yang Qiu told everyone that the new cotton cloth would not be sold until July next year. After discussing with Yin Huizhen, he set the price of each piece at 12,000 yuan. The number of orders still exceeded 100,000 yuan, which made Yang Qiumei sigh with laughter. , there are so many rich people in this world.
Yang Qiu found out she was pregnant in March this year and wanted to take care of her baby with peace of mind, so she entrusted Zhao Xuan and Zhang Lan with the responsibility of taking charge of the cotton business. Starting from April, Zhao Xuan and Zhang Lan were busy in Yiyang and Ruyang counties with their maids and servants.
At the end of last year, Yang Anshen took his family to Xiangyang to celebrate the New Year. Yang Qiu gave his eldest brother two pieces of cloth, and the red piece of cloth was designated as a wedding dress for his niece Yang Lin. .
He was very envious when he saw Kong Miao, Yin Huizhen, Yang Qiu and others wearing cotton dresses, which were graceful and charming. She was dismayed to give up when she learned that the cotton had been used up.
Zhao Xuan and others came to Yiyang County to build workshops and textile mills. The He family asked Yang Anshen to intercede with Yang Qiu and participate in it.
He was good at dancing, and with Yang Anshen in Yiyang County, Zhao Xuan and Zhang Lan saved a lot of trouble. When He learned that Zhao Xuan was the only daughter of Zhao Tian, Sima of Yonggong Mansion, and the wife of Zhang Feng, the prefect of Guanghan, and Zhang Lan was Zhang Feng's sister, she became more and more interested in flattering her, and soon they became sisters.
In addition to the garment making workshop, this year's workshops also include more weaving and spinning. He came up with the idea that since every household has a spinning wheel, you might as well send the cotton directly to them. Then they can pay a certain percentage to collect the cotton thread. You can even let the spinners Workers directly weave it into cloth and hand it over. With the government behind them, they were not afraid of those people taking the cotton and escaping or refusing to hand it over.
This was a good idea, saving labor and effort. Zhao Xuan praised it repeatedly and said that she would mention this to Yang Qiu and ask her to reward it.
He laughed and said, "We are all from the same family, so we can't talk about two families. After the cotton cloth is woven, I want to open a cloth shop in Yiyang to sell cotton cloth. I hope the two girls can speak kindly to me."
Countless people put their energy and attention into the cotton industry. Yang Qiu went to Yonggong Mansion to ask Yang Anxuan if there was any way to improve the spinning wheel in the precious book. Yang Anxuan vaguely remembered that there was a three-spindle spinning wheel, but he did not want to tell it.
The spinning wheel is no better than ordnance. At present, the extensive spinning wheel requires more labor. Although the cost increases, it allows more women to invest in it and benefit from it. It is good for his own rule. Money is not very important to Yang Anxuan. .
For Yang Anxuan, the most important role of cotton is to enable his soldiers to fight in the winter. The second is to provide relatives and descendants with some wealth, and the third is to allow the general public to benefit from it.
The introduction of cotton cultivation has achieved initial results, and the rest will operate normally according to Yang Anxuan's vision. I believe that cotton cloth will be popular in the world in a few years. If the price is high, more and more people will plant it naturally. As long as it does not affect basic farmland production, Yang Anxuan has no intention of controlling it. …
Kong Yi took a dozen of his disciples from Qufu to Xiangyang at the end of March, and did not leave Qufu for several years. The changes in Yanzhou, Sizhou, and Yongzhou were not small: the official roads were expanded and leveled, there was a post house thirty miles away, merchants continued to come and go, and the villages Connected, the fields are full of working farmers, which looks like a prosperous scene.
Kong Yi recalled that when he was young, he traveled far and wide to study, and often saw no human beings for dozens or even hundreds of miles. Compared with the scene in front of him, it was really a different world.
While walking and watching, Kong Yi even left the official road and intentionally went to a small remote village to see the living conditions of the people there and ask about the local customs and the sufferings of the people.
Although it was not satisfactory, Kong Yi truly felt that under Yang Anxuan's governance, the people's lives were much better than before. At least they were no longer starved of food and had to flee everywhere.
The disciples around him sighed: "Yonggong has great talent in the world. I hope he can end the troubled times as soon as possible and bring peace and prosperity to the people all over the world."
Kong Yi could hear the meaning beyond his disciple's words. He heard many such words along the way. Heroes emerge from troubled times, and An Xuan has already shown his ability and strength to conquer the world.
At the end of May, Kong Yi brought his disciples to Xiangyang and directly asked to visit the academy. Yang Anxuan, Kong Xian and others led him to take a closer look in the academy, and Kong Xian introduced the purpose of each place.
After visiting the Academy, Kong Yi sighed: "An Xuan's move should be recorded in the annals of history. The dream of our ancestors can be realized in Xiangyang Academy. I would like to thank An Xuan for all the scholars in the world."
After saying that, Kong Yi dressed up and bowed respectfully to Yang Anxuan. Guo Gao and others next to him followed Kong Yi and bowed to Yang Anxuan.
Everyone came to Qingmoxuan to rest and drink tea. Kong Yi flatly refused the position of mountain chief, saying that he also had dozens of disciples in Qufu and could not come to Xiangyang to teach. Moreover, Guo Gao kept the academy in good order, so he must be the mountain chief.
Yang Anxuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, Kong Yi knew in his heart that Xiangyang Academy would definitely become a monument of Confucianism in the future. If he were to be the mountain leader, the students coming out of the academy would be named Kong or Yang. Although he and Yang Anxuan are Weng's son-in-law, father and son are not compatible when it comes to power, let alone Weng's son-in-law.
However, Kong Yi promised to come to the academy to give lectures for three months every other year, and also to read books in the academy. The books collected by the academy made him excited, and he would bring disciples from the Confucius family to exchange and study together.
Kong Yi made a suggestion. He believed that the academy was different from the academy. If even Meng Tong was taught, the purpose of the academy would not be achieved. Thanks to Yang Anxuan's vigorous promotion, there are now schools in counties and counties, and some counties even have colleges. The grassroots education is complete. If the schools also include Meng children, it would be overkill (the idea was wrong at the time, and it was improved through the words of Kong Yi).
This suggestion was approved by Guo Gao, Wang Zhi and others. Yang Anxuan followed the good example and decided that Guangyetang would not recruit Mengtong from outside except Yang Min and others. The Academy mainly recruits students with a certain level in Chongzhi Hall, and the number has increased to 1,200.
The Xiudao Hall was specially opened for Confucian disciples and academic teachers. The students of the Xiudao Hall could also serve as teachers of Chongzhi Hall, with an enrollment of 400 people. There are certain vacancies left in the school so that newcomers can have the opportunity to study.
Students are admitted through examinations, and outstanding students can also be recommended for admission by schools in counties and counties. Yang Anxuan proposed that the students selected by each state should not be differentiated between Han and Yi, and all students under the rule should be common people, and children of all ethnic groups were encouraged to enroll.
Kong Yi clapped his hands and praised, "Our ancestor Zeng Yun taught him without distinction, and An Xuan got it."
After discussing with Guo Gao and others, Xiangyang Academy decided to officially open it on June 18th. There are seventeen well-known Confucian scholars in the academy, including Guo Gao, Chun Yuzong, Zu Wei (formerly a doctor in the temple), Wang Zhi, Lu Ming, and Chen Da. They have sixty-eight disciples and friends, which can be said to be a rich collection of talents.
Chunyu Zong wrote to Yang Anxuan many times and asked to return to Xiangyang Academy as a professor, but Yang Anxuan had no choice but to agree; even Feng Li, who left Liangzhou, expressed his willingness to abandon his official position and study in the palace to teach as a disciple. Yang Anxuan hurriedly wrote to him and said, "Excellence in learning is the key to excellence in learning." As an official, you can also teach your disciples to benefit the people and appease them.
According to ancient rituals, Xiangyang Academy requires students to take a few courses before enrolling. The academy distributes free books, paper, pens and other items to those from poor families. Chongzhi Hall has a test every month, and is divided into three grades: upper, middle and lower. The upper grade will be rewarded with four stones, the middle grade will be rewarded with two stones, and the lower grade will be rewarded with nothing. Five consecutive exams will result in a lower grade and the chance of schooling will be lost.
; There is an examination for promotion to the monastery every year, and those who pass the exam are promoted to study in the monastery hall; students of the monastery hall earn six stones of corn per month, and can study full-time, or work part-time as teachers. Great Confucian scholars such as Guo Gao have the right to recommend students from the monastery hall to serve as officials in the government. .
The academy provides free lunches and takes one day off every ten days. Students who are inconvenient to return home can stay in the academy. Students from poor families are provided with corresponding subsidies. Those who enroll in the palace do not need to worry about food and clothing and can study with peace of mind.
Yang Anxuan invested a lot of money in the academy and had high hopes. He hoped that through the emergence of the academy, he would change the method of selecting scholars for the ninth rank and uprightness, and gradually implement the imperial examination system. …
On June 26, the imperial court received a memorial from Yonggong Yang Anxuan. In the memorial, Yang Anxuan reported on the preparations for the establishment of Xiangyang Academy, saying that the school was established in accordance with Article 6 of the "Eight Matters" issued by Song Gong issued by the imperial court. Xiang set up a school in Xiangyang, recruiting officials and nobles as well as children from poor families to enroll. Confucius said that there is no distinction between education and Xiangyang Academy would do its best to accept those who are willing to enroll.
Article 5 of the "Eight Matters" written by the Duke of Song Dynasty states that only those who have passed the examination must be selected. It is a good idea to increase the selection of poor scholars. Yong, Si, Yan and other prefectures are ready to implement it. Yang Anxuan asked The imperial court selected talents through trials.
"First, submit an ultimatum and respond accordingly. Any scholar who is interested in taking the exam can go to Xiangyang Licao to log in and register for the exam. No official recommendation is required. He will be hired after the exam."
As soon as the first article was read out, there was an uproar in the court, and someone reprimanded: "In this way, not only a trafficker but a lackey can also take the examination to become an official, it is extremely ridiculous."
"It's absolutely impossible. The system of selecting officials of the ninth grade is the law of our ancestors. How can we change it easily?"
"The exams recommended by Song Gong are only required to be tested. It is an additional test for the talents recommended by Zhongzheng. How can we let those who have not been admitted be mixed in."
Zhou Qing, the imperial censor in the palace, was in charge of court etiquette. When he saw the quarrel in the court, he shouted loudly: "No noise is allowed in the main hall. Violators will be fined."
After finally calming down, Yang Xin continued to read: "Secondly, there is an examination every three years, which is divided into two categories: Jinshi and Juren. All ninth-grade scholars recommended by Zhongzheng can participate in the Jinshi examination, and those who win are called Jinshi; those from poor families are called Jinshi. Children of the common people take part in the examination, and those who pass the exam are called Juren; Jinshi are awarded officials, and those who pass the exam are awarded officials..."
After reading this sentence, the tense atmosphere in the court relaxed a lot. Some people nodded in approval and said, "Yong Gong's proposal is acceptable. Children of wealthy families and common people of poor families need to be treated differently. It is okay for those low-level officials to be appointed by children of poor families."
"Third, there is an exam in mid-August every three years. The content of the exam is divided into three parts: Ming Jing, current affairs and essays. The Ming Jing is based on the "Book of Rites" and "The Chun Qiu Zuo Shi Zhuan" as the major scriptures; the "Book of Songs" , "Zhou Li" and "Yili" are the Zhongjing; "Book of Changes", "Shangshu", "Chun Qiu Gongyang Zhuan" and "Chun Qiu Yi Liang Zhuan" are the Xiao Jing; while "The Book of Filial Piety" and "The Analects of Confucius" are It is required that everyone who takes the imperial examination must be familiar with it, and those who are proficient in the three classics will be qualified in Ming Jing (1)."
"Current affairs in the policy examination are oriented to the problems of the country and society, and the examinees are required to propose solutions to the problems. Essays refer to writings such as poems, rhymes, proverbs, inscriptions, expressions, and praises, which test the talents of the candidates. Comprehensive Ming classics, policy examination and There are three essays, and we will select the best talents."
Liu Muzhi nodded secretly. The current affairs proposed by Yong Gong hit the mark. The court had no shortage of bookworms who quoted scriptures and excerpted passages to search for chapters, but there were few capable officials who could solve problems. If Yang Anxuan followed this approach, he would indeed be able to hire them. Available talents.
Since Liu Yu used his power to drive away Xia Houping, Yu Da and others, Langya King Sima Dewen has been in poor spirits. He managed to sit in the court hall. Seeing the quarrels among the ministers, he felt more and more headache. He stood up and said: "Song Gong is at Jingkou. We should ask his opinion before we start training troops."
"Note (1): This is the Ming Jing examination in the Tang Dynasty. I don't know the examination regulations in the Eastern Jin Dynasty."
