Cao Cao has seen the heights of knowledge. One exam subverted Cao Cao's cognition and reshaped Cao Cao's thoughts.

Before taking the imperial examination, Cao Cao had always believed that the most difficult thing was the words of saints who made small and righteous remarks. Now he realized that counting is the most difficult and profound subject. It is as difficult as a dog.

Cao Cao and Yuan Shao went to the "Law" section again. Their test papers were posted on the wall. Since there were many people around them, they held their heads high in the back and read the standard answers first.

The first subject of Law is a question based on the Han Code written by famous Confucian scholars in Taiyuan University. 50% of the question is about legal provisions, and the remaining 40% is about actual legal precedents. The legal precedents set up various types of punishments, including death and imprisonment, which are very detailed.

After this detailed and comprehensive investigation, the answers given by Cao Cao and Yuan Shao could not be called excellent, but only average.

Regarding the last question in the law, the seemingly ordinary and simple question of dividing porridge, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao both thought that their answer was no problem and did not pay much attention to it.

But later, when they looked at the answers in detail, the two were surprised.

[If you choose a noble person to hold a spoon to divide the porridge, don't you know that people are not saints and sages, and no one can have no faults. Even a noble person has partiality, so the porridge cannot be divided fairly.

Moreover, people's hearts are unpredictable, and profit can deceive them. How can a noble person not fall for profit?

Therefore, choosing a noble person to hold a spoon to divide the porridge is not a perfect method.】

[If the law of dividing porridge is established to protect the public equity. If the person who can divide porridge is willing to devour and seek personal gain, he/she has the authority to divide porridge, so he can win over and manage the porridge. Those who are with him will be more likely to divide porridge, and those who are not with him will be divided.

The few share the porridge with others. In this way, everyone shares the porridge with the more, and they all flatter and collude with those who share the porridge.

At this time, although there are laws and regulations, those who are linked together have become one body. Although there are laws, the laws are shaken and they cannot do it. If it cannot be done.]

[Suppose you ask a craftsman to make a spoon so that the thickness of the porridge is the same every time. This only focuses on the utensil and has no use.

Those who divide the porridge use the authority to divide the porridge to win over and manage people's hearts. When the party is formed, in the presence of the crowd, they will share two spoons of porridge with their companions and only say that they only share one spoon. Others dare to speak, but Qin Zhao and Gao will not see the deer as a horse.

no?】

Cao Cao's answer in the test was to establish laws and regulations to ensure fairness.

Yuan Shao's answer in the test was that he chose noble men to hold the spoons to divide the porridge, thinking it was fair.

However, the law will eventually collapse, and the collapse of the law is no different from lawlessness; how can noble people say that they have no selfish motives, and how can they say that the human heart has never changed from the beginning?

After reading the first half of the answer, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao realized that this last question was not easy.

Cao Cao thought to himself, if the law is not perfect, then what is the law that is perfect? ​​Yuan Shao thought to himself, if people's hearts are changeable, and if noble people are not needed, then who can be used?

The two of them looked at the last part of the answer with what they had in mind.

[If the porridge is divided fairly, there is only one method, checks and balances.

Ask the person who is dividing the porridge to take all the porridge in the jar and divide it into hundreds and thousands of portions. Then, ask the person who is dividing the porridge to take the porridge last.

In this way, if the porridge is divided unfairly, the person with more porridge will be taken away by others, and the person with less porridge will be left at the end. The person who takes the porridge at the end can only take at least one portion.

When it comes to self-interest, only by being fair and equal can those who share the porridge not be harmed.

At this point, even if the porridge spoon has a leak, the amount will be different each time it is filled. Even if the utensils are not refined, in order to avoid harm to one's own body, the person who divides the porridge will change the spoon. Even if there is no law, in order to prevent one's own body from being harmed,

Those who divide the porridge must also ensure that the porridge is shared equally; even if the person who divides the porridge is not a noble person, but a despicable person, in order to avoid personal injury, he will also try his best to ensure that the porridge is shared equally. At this time, a despicable person will divide the porridge.

The fairness of porridge is better than that of noble people.

This is a perfect way to divide porridge. The key is only checks and balances, while laws, morality, people's hearts, and equipment are not the key.】

After reading this, this is the best way to divide porridge given by Liu Xuande.

(Wonderful!) Cao Cao had a great realization and exclaimed in his heart that it was wonderful.

(I see.) Yuan Shao was thoughtful.

There is a whole volume of law subjects, but the last question about dividing porridge is the essence. The word "checks and balances" can fully explain all the fundamentals of law, human heart, etc. Cao Cao and Yuan Shao learned a lot from it, a lot more

Enlightenment.

——

Later, we went to the subject of [Water Conservancy]. Both Cao Cao and Yuan Shao had little interest in this subject. They had experience in the previous subjects. The answers to the last questions of each subject were very insightful. Finally, they headed towards Water Conservancy.

Looking at the questions one by one, the last question asked about the distribution of water and river networks around Luoyang. This question is complicated and complicated, but not very eye-catching.

I walked around the city again until I reached [Business and Government], but there was nothing exciting about it.

Walking further, I saw [Agricultural Affairs], which was not very exciting. When reading the answers, Cao Cao thought of the curved shaft plow presented by Liu Bei, and then contacted the method given in the last question of the previous volume of Confucian Classics to solve the root causes of land problems, workers and peasants

One method is to reform agricultural tools and turn all the uncultivated barren swamps into fertile farmland. This will greatly increase the number of acres in the world and relieve the shortage of land.

Cao Cao then thought that the Quyuan plow was a valuable weapon for the country. With this thing, I don’t know how much more fields could be expanded in the four seas, and how many more people could be raised. Liu Xuande, who donated the Quyuan plow, will be remembered in history.

Arrive, walk to Xicheng, and go to the seventh section of the imperial examination, [Military Strategy].

At this point, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and other onlookers were all in great spirits.

There is a volume of military strategy. The questions in the volume first test the art of war of various scholars, and then test the actual content such as the types of formations, types of weapons, ancient and modern wars, army organization, etc.

Among the basic contents of the first two parts, Cao Cao answered the question best about the art of war, and so did Yuan Shao.

Many formations, weapons, military formations, etc. were involved in too many details and were too detailed. Cao Cao had many unanswered questions, and so did Yuan Shao.

Later on, the questions became more and more difficult, until one question asked, "Is it enough to encourage people to be brave by rewarding them generously?"

Cao Cao remembered his answer at that time, and his answer at that time was, "Scholars are not brave if they are not encouraged, but heavy rewards can encourage them." Cao Cao thought that his answer was correct.

The sun was high in the sky and the sunlight was a bit dazzling. Cao Cao squinted his eyes and looked at the answer. The answer read, "Only rewarding the brave men is not enough to inspire bravery."

This first sentence refuted what Cao Cao thought. Cao Cao couldn't help but frown. He didn't understand why the reward was not enough to encourage people.

Looking down, "If there is a dirty and messy army, in the army, the food and salary are still deducted and devoured on ordinary days. When the battle comes, although the soldiers are rewarded heavily, the food and salary can no longer be preserved while the people are alive. Treat others."

If you die, how can you believe that a large reward can be given as promised after death?】

[When fighting, only merit is rewarded, and those with great merit will be rewarded greatly, without mentioning how they will die in battle. Soldiers look forward to merit but worry about death. Even if they are very brave, they will not be able to do their best. Therefore, they still need to be prepared for death. Every battle

When rewards are given for meritorious service, soldiers are also rewarded for death in battle. Soldiers long for meritorious service and are not afraid of death. However, soldiers may worry about their relatives, or may worry about relatives taking possession of their wealth, or may worry that if they die, their families may not have enough money to protect them. At this time,

Soldiers have worries in their hearts. Even if they perform great deeds, they will be rewarded even if they survive. However, soldiers are worried about what will happen after them. Even if they are very brave, they still cannot perform their best.

Therefore, it is still necessary to care for the queen. Care for the latter, so that the soldiers do not worry about the pension coming home, they do not worry about relatives taking the wealth, and they do not worry about the loss of the family and the difficulty of raising money. At this time, the soldiers have no worries at all, and they are very brave and can do their best.

.]

Cao Cao, who was not very convinced at first, was completely convinced after reading the answer to this question.

As said, only rewards are of no use. Let me ask you, if there is an army with lax laws and regulations, the generals in the army willfully deduct money and food from the soldiers, and the soldiers dare to be angry but dare not say anything. When it comes to fighting, even if the generals give thousands of gold

How can the soldiers believe in the heavy reward? How can they not doubt that there will be no reward after death?

Cao Cao thought, (It takes a thousand days to maintain faith, but only a short time to use it!)

Cao Cao learned it again.
Chapter completed!