In Zheng Mansion, servants were sweeping inside and outside, not only sweeping the floor, but also cleaning the windows and cleaning the roof. There were many fallen leaves accumulated on the roof. Wherever the broom went, the dead leaves fell to the ground, and some people swept them into piles and dealt with them together.

The bleak Zheng Jiawendi gradually faded away from the busyness of his servants. Zheng Shanguo, who had removed the mourning clothes, stood under the eaves, looked at the busy scene in the yard, explained some things to his wife, and then moved into the study after a while.

Zheng Shanguo's mother Cui died, and Zheng Shanguo Ding You mourned her mother. Now that the mourning period is over, the emperor's edict arrives later. Soon after, he will report to the Ministry of Personnel, then enter the palace to meet, and finally accept the appointment.

Such treatment was treated as soon as Ding You finished, which was naturally related to Zheng Shanguo's excellent performance for many years. Before Ding You, in the assessment of the Ministry of Personnel, the assessment results ranked first in the world, and were the "No. 1 in the world".

Thinking of this, Zheng Shanguo remembered his mother. If he hadn't been urging and supervising him all the time for so many years, he would not have achieved such results.

The pain of losing his mother still remains in his heart. Zheng Shanguo sat in front of the desk, recalling his mother's voice, appearance and smile, and still felt a little sad. He noticed a newspaper on the desk and picked it up immediately.

This is today's newspaper, the first page headline, and it is about the news about the imperial examination. The boy exams across the country have ended in spring, and the provincial exams will be held in autumn. The news refers to the upcoming provincial exams.

Because it is late summer now, it is not long before autumn.

Since the first imperial examination was officially held three years ago, everyone in the world has a general understanding of the imperial examination. Now the fourth-level examination system for the imperial examination has been formally established, and the examination time has been adjusted compared with before.

The imperial examination is held every three years. First, it is the boy exam held in the spring, which determines whether scholars are qualified to participate in the provincial exam. The candidates who pass the boy exam are "scholars" or "children".

The second is the provincial examination held in the provincial government offices. The last provincial examination was in spring, and from this year, it will be held in August. The candidates who passed the provincial examination are juren.

The juren went to Beijing in the spring of the following year to participate in the examination held by the Ministry of Rites in February. The candidates who passed the examination were tribute students and participated in the palace examination in the capital one month after the examination, that is, in March.

The candidates in the palace examination are Jinshi, and Jinshi are divided into three grades, one grade and three, namely the top scorer, the second scorer, and the third scorer.

These contents are introduced in the headlines of today's newspapers. Not only are there newspapers in Chang'an, but also newspapers from major metropolitan areas. The government offices of all states and counties in the world will issue announcements to allow students and candidates from all over the country to prepare for the exam.

We strive to pass the provincial examination, the imperial examination, and the palace examination, just like the stuttering Fan Yang Lu Chu, who was named the top scorer in the golden list.

Lu Chu is familiar with Zheng Shanguo. It was unexpected that the other party was able to get a title on the list, but it was reasonable. Zheng Shanguo felt that it would be difficult to pass the imperial examination if he had participated in the imperial examination.

It’s not that he is not good at learning, but because he is "substantial": Zheng Shanguo is not good at arithmetic. Of course, this kind of bad at learning means that there is no problem with general calculations, but it is not enough to learn "substantial".

The maid brought the tea, Zheng Shan took a few sips of the fruit, and continued to read the newspaper.

He was worried at home, wearing mourning clothes, not interacting with relatives and friends, not eating meat, not drinking alcohol, not listening to songs, and it can be said that he did not care about the world. Now he has to read newspapers to understand the current situation.

In addition to the latest newspapers, every issue of the newspaper has been preserved at home over the years, and the palace newspapers distributed to officials have also been kept in a thick stack, enough for him to read them for a while.

This newspaper is a good thing, many times better than the Dibao. The news in the newspaper will introduce the various aspects of people's livelihood, which is much more interesting than the dry Dibao. Zheng Shanguo looked carefully at today's latest newspaper, and as he looked, he found a news title.

When Yanzhou candle arrived in Beijing, the blood, tears and bitterness behind it had to be known.

There are actually "blood and tears" and "harm" behind a candle? It's so sensational!

The title attracted Zheng Shanguo's attention, and then he looked at it carefully. At first, he looked solemn, and his eyebrows were stretched out as he almost seemed to be slapping the table.

What? It’s just that it’s not easy to “develop” candles in Yanzhou, so it condenses the “blood and tears” and “harm” of many people.

I thought corrupt officials exploited the people and forced everyone to lose their fortunes in order to make candles.

Zheng Shanguo thought so, and was angry, he noticed the uniqueness of Yanzhou candles: the wax used in candles is neither insect wax nor beeswax nor animal fat, but paraffin wax extracted from the "oil" produced in Guang'an, Yanzhou.

Yanzhou candles are made of paraffin wax, with a yellowish color and slightly black color. The news says that this kind of candle is the same as an ordinary candle and has no odor. Although it is not good-looking on the outside, its biggest advantage is that it is cheap.

How cheap is it?

The price is less than one-third of the common candles on the market.

Seeing this, Zheng Shanguo couldn't believe her eyes: Candles are so cheap?

His family didn't light candles before. It was not that they couldn't afford it, nor was they couldn't afford it. It was because their mother thought there was no need to light candles and just light an oil lamp.

He also used the story of Shi Chong, a Jin Dynasty, who used candles as firewood to fight for wealth, and finally, his family was destroyed and his family died.

Even though it has been more than 300 years since Shi Chong's era, the price of candles is still not cheap. Ordinary people cannot afford candles when lighting at night. This is a fact that Zheng Shanguo knows.

As a result, Yanzhou candles are now shipped to the capital, with sufficient quantity, claiming to be counted as "100,000". If someone wants to purchase in bulk, one hundred cans will start at a price, and the "wholesale price" is cheaper.

This is just the beginning. The news said that the "oil factory" under Yanzhou Military Instrument Supervision has now been relaxed in the production of paraffin candles. The output has increased month by month, and the whole year continues. The output will be higher and higher as the future goes on, and the price of candles will only get cheaper.

In Guang'an, Yanzhou, only forty or fifty miles east of the Yellow River, a large number of candles are transported directly to the river to be shipped and then shipped to Chang'an. The transportation cost is not much higher.

Although the Yellow River will freeze in winter and shipping is forced to be interrupted, the land distance from Yanzhou to Chang'an is not too far, and the official road has been repaired, so the land freight will not be too high.

Therefore, it is not impossible for every household to use paraffin candles (Guanzhong area).

Seeing this, Zheng Shanguo lamented the changes in the world. The candles that were expensive before have no noble status now. He couldn't help but wonder, if his mother was there, looking at this cheap Yanzhou candle, would he still use the example of Shi Chong fighting wealth to educate him?

As he was feeling, his wife entered and hesitated for a while before Zheng Shanguo found out that it was someone from the "Welcome to Spring" trading company coming to the door and asked if "air conditioning" needed to be installed and "heating" after the autumn.

"Air conditioning" and "heating" are all essential facilities for officials and families in Chang'an City today, but the Zheng family is exceptional because Zheng Shanguo's mother strongly opposes the use of "air conditioning" and "heating", believing that this is an extravagance and waste.

Even though Zheng Shanguo racked his brains and persuaded him to install "air conditioners" and "heating" in the mansion, after using it for a while, his mother stopped the two sets of equipment on the grounds that it was too expensive.

Zheng Shanguo and his wife and children understand the benefits of "air conditioning" and "heating". It is not that the family cannot afford it, but because it hinders the old lady's "willingly do whatever she wants" and dare not persist.

Now, newspapers say that the coal price in Chang'an is cheaper than before. In the hot summer, more and more people rely on "air conditioners" to escape the summer heat. The decent restaurants and romantic scenes in the city will be affected. There will be no "air conditioners" in summer, and business will be affected.

This is true in summer and even more so in winter. Without "heating", there will be no customers.

For Zheng Shanguo, his mother is old and has a backward concept and is always reluctant to spend money, but the times are different. Using "air conditioners" in summer and "heating" in winter is not a waste of extravagance.

Seeing his wife's expectant gaze, Zheng Shanguo knew what the other party wanted. There was a thought in her mind that was sprouting, and the constraints that had been shrouded by her for decades had disappeared.

Judging the current standard of living with the perspective of Shi Chong's era is not what it is to carve a boat and seek a sword?

"Installation and air conditioning, but the price must be discussed carefully. You can also ask clearly about the installation of heating." Zheng Shanguo explained, and when he saw his wife going out happily, he sat down calmly.

My mother passed away, and now, no one can eat the old ways.
Chapter completed!