Three Kingdoms

The original markets in the Han Dynasty, or the regulations related to commerce in the Han Dynasty, were very superficial and simple. Just like at the beginning of Pingyang, there was no all-weather market. At first, like many cities in Han Dynasty, the market only opened for two hours a day. Later, it was changed to three markets, namely the morning market, the evening market and the main market.

Large merchants basically go to the morning market, that is, the morning market. Because transportation is not as convenient as in later generations, many large-scale transactions hope to be able to trade early and start early, so as not to delay for an entire night, so basically the bigger the merchants, the more He is a diligent and early riser. It is not like in some TV series where everyone sleeps until the sun sets.

The evening market is usually held by ordinary small vendors in the surrounding area, because they need to go to the surrounding areas in the morning to collect supplies, and then start selling in the evening. Most of them do not have fixed stores, and can only set up stalls on the street, or carry goods. The burden is hawked along the street.

As for the big market, in the middle of the day, that is, at noon, the surrounding farmers or small craftsmen rush from their homes to the cities and towns early in the morning. It is almost noon, and then sell some of their own products. The fruits and vegetables produced, as well as some handicrafts and so on, are then either rushed home before the sun goes down, or they go back to buy some necessities at the evening market...

The market was basically like this throughout the Han Dynasty, and it was naturally the same in Pingyang at the beginning.

However, with the convenience of roads and the gathering of vendors, the original time for going to the market was not necessarily enough. The time dragged on longer and longer, and finally even stayed up all night, selling 24 hours a day, so there was a large amount of goods. All the vendors in the evening market have been moved outside the inner city, forming two large markets in the east and west. Due to the living needs of the people in the two large markets, many small vendors who were originally in the evening market have also begun to extend their service hours, from daytime to late night. There are also shops and restaurants open...

If there is demand, there will naturally be business.

Just like the planned economy of later generations, many state-owned hotels and restaurants have only two or three hours of business a day. During the rest of the time, even if someone wants to eat, sorry, there is nothing, the fire is not lit, and the dishes are not available. Washing, rice is not steamed, and customers are either asked to wait or let go. This situation also occurs in some so-called advanced European countries. Don’t even think about eating something hot when the time comes...

Only when there are needs, requirements, regulations and rules can the stable development of business be possible. Therefore, the business regulations implemented in Binh Duong are very cumbersome and complicated, which makes many traders not very adaptable and often forget some things. Loss, for example, the business scope of a vendor is determined when registering at the beginning, and vendors are not allowed to change the business scope without authorization.

Selling in grocery stores naturally exceeds the original business scope of vendors. Therefore, under large-scale inspections, many vendors were arrested. Not only did they have to pay a large fine, but also a large number of Manuscripts, reprints, etc. were collected and then sold at different prices to students who needed these books.

Ma Jun, the horse suiter, naturally grabbed a set and carried it carefully to his temporary residence, as if he was holding a treasure, very happy.

Halfway through the road, I still saw some patrols taking some traders who had violated the rules to the Yamen for processing. At the same time, there were people preaching on the roadside, telling the laws and informing the people.

"Xun Lingjun has something to tell the people and merchants..."

Because the edicts were basically addressed to the majority of folk sects, the text was very easy to understand, but the content was not simple, because a term that absolutely did not exist in the Han Dynasty was mentioned here: "piracy"!

Who would have thought that Feiqian had stipulated the business scope of the shop from the beginning just to wait for this moment? I'm afraid even if someone knows, they will still fall into the trap. The new commercial law stipulates that all shops have a business scope. Naturally, books can only be sold by bookstores. Anyone who sells books, whether it is stores through other channels or individuals, will be punished according to the crime of "piracy". Depending on the amount, corresponding penalties will be imposed.

With such a new term, it was natural that some nobles, students from poor families, etc. gathered together and discussed it. Some bolder people directly asked questions loudly. However, the officials who publicized the announcement were not in disorder and did not scold them. Instead, they went further. It shows that those who copy books individually and give them to each other, as long as they are not used for profit, are not included in the crime of "piracy".

"How can we 'not profit from it'?" Someone else asked loudly, "If a family hires people to copy books and pays them some compensation, are these copyists also 'profiting'?" Want to be punished?"

The official who publicized the edict looked at the details in his hand and replied with a smile: "The key to this crime is the book! The person who copied the book to get paid is not guilty. There are thousands of books copied at home, and so on. Not guilty. But if you use this to make money, it will be a crime! Do you understand?"

"Oh...that makes some sense..."

Just like in future generations, there are several terabytes of hard drives treasured in the home. As long as they are not spread or spread, the police will not touch them along the network cable. But if they make profits and spread them, then people who check the water meters will naturally come. …

Ma Fu and Ma Jun were also discussing this matter while walking towards their residence. Ma Fu said that this move is very good, "It allows people to live without exotic goods, which can be said to be good governance."

But Ma Jun frowned and pondered for a long time, then suddenly shook his head and sighed: "I'm afraid... I'm afraid it's not good governance, but actually... it's actually... bad governance!"

Ma Fu glared at Ma Jun and said, "What kind of bad government is this?" Then he held up the book in his arms and continued, "If there were no such good deeds, how could you and I get this book?" How expensive was it sold before? Don’t you, Ma Jun, even know? If not, are there affordable books available? How can this be said to be bad governance?

Ma Jun stuttered out of habit, and said stumblingly: "Don't forget the salt and iron... the salt and iron policy... Hussar's move is not... just for the sake of taxation and huge profits... but it can be done here. Then, what about that place? If... if... wouldn't it be possible to catch fish if the lake dries up? "

Ma Fu was stunned for a moment, shook his head, and said: "Not necessarily. Now under Hussar, the price of the bookstore is still acceptable. If others use it to make profits... this... it is natural for Hussar to do this..." Now The bookstore in Pingyang is directly under the control of General Hussar, so it naturally needs to pay attention to the interests of General Hussar. Is there any problem with this? Just like when some fruits are growing in his own orchard, the owner of the orchard not only thinks of some way to stop the thieves, but also claims that there are too many thieves and cannot be stopped. Anyway, the only ones who lose are those fruit trees. And in this way, more people will know how good this orchard is, and it will also have a good publicity effect...

"Farmers eat... they eat their fields, workers eat their fields, and workers eat their skills..." Ma Jun shook his head and said, "Businessmen eat, eat, eat their merchants, officials eat, eat, eat..."

"Officials earn their salary..." Ma Fu said, "I also know this, but the problem is that if there are no businessmen and no officials, how can you and I get the clothes on our backs and the books in our hands?"

Ma Jun just shook his head. He felt that this matter was just like the salt and iron monopoly promoted by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. It had many drawbacks and was not completely good governance.

When faced with the political and business affairs of salt and iron, there was also a debate. The Sang Hongyang faction who supported the policy and the Xianliang Literary faction who opposed the policy started a war of words. Until now, when the pros and cons of these policies during the reign of Emperor Wu were discussed, the gentry children Just like at the Salt and Iron Conference at that time, everyone held their own opinions and argued endlessly.

At the Salt and Iron Conference, Sang Hongyang believed that the salt and iron official management, equalization, equalization of output, and wine-dispute systems all benefited the country and the people, increased the country's income and inhibited the expansion of local power; Xianliang Literature believed that these policies were The fundamental way to compete with the people and enrich the country is to strengthen agricultural production.

It should be said that the policies of Emperor Wu were very effective in the short term, and a large amount of wealth was accumulated, thus filling the vacancy in the national treasury and preventing the Northern Expedition of the Huns from dying midway. Of course, some of the money was used by Emperor Wu to build large-scale construction projects. The palaces in Shanglinyuan are the best proof. At the same time, many officials often mix some selfish desires and profit from it when carrying out specific tasks, thus causing inefficiency or even counterproductive results in some aspects. This is naturally also The reason for the opposition of the virtuous literary school.

Ma Jun didn't care much about these things. He felt that having a book in his arms was a benefit. As for other aspects, the distance was too far and it was not an issue for him to consider. Unexpectedly, Ma Jun said this. On the contrary, Zhengyi said calmly: "If we don't speak frankly about the pros and cons of politics, why, how, why..."

"Okay, okay, you have the final say..." Ma Fubu stopped arguing with Ma Jun, "You still?"

Ma Jun stared, sighed, said no more, and walked forward silently, returning to his residence to study.

Let’s not talk about how Ma Jun, a horse-fighting officer, sharpened his gun in front of the battle in his residence. Let’s just say that when Fei Qian faced the prototype of the imperial examination this time, he felt a little emotional and a little uneasy in his heart.

What is the imperial examination?

As the name suggests, it is of course subject-based examinations, and then the selection is based on the results of the examinations. But now Fei Qian doesn't even dare to say the word "imperial examination", and he can't openly declare that he is a "qualified person".

Now there is a big difference between the academic palace and the subject examination. There is no problem with this, because even in the Han Dynasty, even the system of promoting filial piety and integrity had two main subjects: filial piety and integrity and maocai. Even in Luoyang, the court would set up examinations to test Now, although many of them are just a formality, there are precedents after all. Therefore, when Fei Qian makes these changes, many people think that they are just changes in details, no big deal, and only a small number of people understand it. There are deeper things in these changes.

Is the system of promoting filial piety and honesty in the Han Dynasty completely bad?

Not really.

You must know that in the Spring and Autumn Period, or even earlier periods, just like the Asan society of later generations, who would do what and who would do it was determined. The level of status was determined not by personal ability, but by surname and lineage. Those with noble blood were destined to be high-ranking officials at birth, while those with low blood were still slaves no matter how talented they were. Therefore, no matter their status at that time, the Qin State was the only one who even respected slaves as ministers.

The establishment of the Han Dynasty by Liu Bang did not mean that all the old aristocrats in various places were wiped out at the beginning of the Han Dynasty. The system of promoting filial piety and integrity completely defeated the bloodline-first talent system of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

Therefore, to a certain extent, the talent system that promotes filial piety and integrity is also somewhat advanced.

But the system of promoting filial piety and integrity is the basis for the unity of aristocratic noble families, even the disciples and former officials under these noble families, including the people who are vassalized under these noble families. By promoting filial piety and honesty, noble families formed bonds and interest groups with each other.

The imperial examination broke all these family and group backgrounds, so that theoretically speaking, common people landowners with no family background or foundation could still stand on the same starting line as the children of generations of eunuchs to participate in the examination, thus greatly strengthening the Mobility between upper and lower classes thus enhances the vitality of the entire society.

Similarly, it was precisely because of the imperial examination that the feudal class in China was extremely powerful, even more powerful than the feudal groups abroad. It was so powerful that it strongly inhibited the rise of the capital class. Even with the huge commercial and social foundation of the Song Dynasty, it still could not Entering capital society like abroad, but continues to be suppressed.

Of course, this is also due to the integration of ethnic minorities...

But Fei Qian is also improving the shortcomings of the imperial examination. Now, the system of promoting filial piety and integrity has completely restricted the progress of society. Under the system of promoting filial piety and integrity, and even the nine-level Zhongzheng system introduced by Chen Qun later, ordinary people There is absolutely no chance for people to get ahead. This is the source of social unrest and a deep-seated factor in the subsequent national integration.

Because when benefits cannot be obtained through normal means, ambitious people will consider using abnormal means to obtain them. This is human nature, and it is inevitable no matter what social form it is.

The imperial examination system was historically formed in the Tang Dynasty. After the great integration of the nationalities, the aristocratic families in various places were further weakened after the turmoil. In addition, it was severely tortured by Yang Guang several times. By the time Li Shimin came to power in the Tang Dynasty, Only then did these aristocratic families hold their noses and admit it, and endured it...

The biggest difference between the examination system of the Tang Dynasty and that of the Sui Dynasty is that scholars do not have to pass local recommendations, but can self-recommend. To put it bluntly, as long as you are clean, have not broken the law, and have not been punished, in theory, all adults All men are eligible to take the national civil service examination, and no recommender is needed.

Even so, there is still a difference whether someone recommends it or not, and it even lasted for a long time. Otherwise, the Tang Dynasty would not have left so many people in history saying that the poems they worked so hard to write were recommended to those After a high-ranking family, the officials used it to rub their buttocks...

So now that Fei Qian is taking this imperial examination, will he encounter a strong backlash? Fei Qian still doesn’t have much confidence in this matter, so when Linghu Shao, the great priest of the academy, came to ask about the first subject of this competition. When asked what to use for the test, Fei Qian pondered for a moment and then said: "Bells, drums, pipes, chimes, feathers, wings, trunks, and ribs are the instruments of music; flexion, extension, stoop, upward, decoration, omen, Shu and Ji are the texts of music. Fu, Gui, Zu, Dou, system, and articles are the instruments of ritual. Lifting and lowering, up and down, Zhou Huan, Shen, and Xi are the texts of ritual... In this way, we use Let’s take the title of the article on the instruments of music and ritual...