Chapter 8, Clarifying the Classics of Arithmetic

  Although Zu Chao had been thinking about it in his heart for a long time, he did not expect that Chen Xianjun would come for this matter.

  The Caiju was the most important way to select officials in the Han Dynasty. Those who could obtain the qualifications for Caiju must be local talents with outstanding virtues and abilities. Even so, the quota is limited every year, and the xian neng recommended by each county also need to go through certain competitions.

  Zu Zhaowu knew that he had a good reputation, and from a young age, he was able to be filial to his elders, humble towards the virtuous, and diligent in studying poetry, books, and classics. With the background of being from a large and influential family, he indeed did not lack the qualifications to participate in the imperial examination. However, what's important is that he is still young this year, and compared to other talented scholars in the county, he actually lacks experience. Looking back at the history of the imperial examinations over the past decade or so, those who were selected were all young talents who had just come of age, and there has never been a precedent for a 16-year-old youth being exceptionally selected.

  Of course, this is not to say that there are no opportunities at all. He just never considered taking the imperial examination and entering officialdom from the beginning. His ancestral family was a military family for three generations, with many children and grandchildren, and his family was wealthy and powerful in their region. With his family's influence alone, he could have achieved something without having to worry about the imperial examinations. If he couldn't be selected into the imperial court as an official, staying in the local government as a minor official would be fine. In case he was unexpectedly selected into the imperial court, being far away from his family's sphere of influence would actually be a loss.

  The Han Dynasty is in decline, the Yellow Turban Rebellion is about to unfold, and the world will soon welcome an era of heroes rising together. In a chaotic world, there is nothing more advantageous than holding actual military power, whether for survival or other purposes, only by truly grasping a strong army of one's own can one establish discourse power in this world.

  It is precisely because of this that being selected as an official in the imperial court, although it is very good for cultivating political experience and accumulating political capital, will obviously have too many drawbacks at this critical juncture. Rather than struggling in the imperial court, it would be better to expand one's power in the jianghu, especially since the Yellow Turban Rebellion was originally a great opportunity to establish merit and build a reputation.

  "I'm afraid I don't have the talent or virtue to live up to your expectations, County Master. Although there's no explicit age limit for the imperial examination, it's unprecedented for someone under twenty to be selected. As a junior of only sixteen years old, with limited experience in the world, wouldn't that be laughable?" After quickly thinking it over, Zu Zhaolong politely declined.

  "Zu Gongzi is being humble again." Chen Xianjun smiled with deep meaning, on the surface it seemed like he only thought Zu Zhao was pretending to be humble, but behind his smile there were many unspoken implications.

  "Zhaor, what I wanted to say was already told to County Master. This time, County Master has indeed put in a lot of effort, and besides, there really isn't anyone else outstanding in the county this year. Don't think you're that exceptional. The county first nominated you, but whether or not you can get the official nomination still depends on your luck." Zujue's tone gradually became serious, his eyes sternly staring at Zu Zhao.

  Zu Zhaodeeply knew that although his grandfather was approaching old age, he was by no means a kind and gentle man who stuck to his duties. It could be said that the reason why the Zu family had developed into a powerful force today was precisely because of his grandfather's tireless efforts and careful management. Whether it was studying under Lu Zhi in his youth, avoiding suspicion during the Party Purge, or forming an alliance with the Gongsun family through marriage, all these things were not difficult to see his grandfather's cunning and ambition. This time, requiring participation in the Youbei Pingjun examination, obviously also hoped that the Zu family could re-enter the official arena.

  Unfortunately, although grandfather was full of ideas, he lacked effective judgment on the overall situation of the country.

  However, he still needs to get his grandfather's support, so it is impossible for him to go against the current at this time. So, he deliberately put on a silly smile and didn't continue to respond to these words. After all, he was more or less confident that this time, the county would not be able to select himself smoothly, and in history, those who could enter the imperial court as officials at the age of barely twenty were few and far between, and this probability is not something that can be broken just by saying it.

  "Grandson's moral character is outstanding, and he is also proficient in both literature and martial arts. He is truly a talent that Xu Wucheng cannot afford to lose. Although he is still young, as long as he has the heart for the country and can do his best for it, what's wrong with that?" said Chen County Lord with a smile.

  "Thanks for your praise, Mr. Chen," Zu Zhao said with a humble smile.

  "Chen County Master just told me that this year, the county still takes filial piety and integrity as the main criteria, with moral excellence and uprightness as secondary considerations. However, classical learning and arithmetic are not entirely useless either. Liu Taishou's side has already spread some rumors, and it so happens that there is a vacancy for a registrar in the county this year." Zǔ Jǔ said with a hint of suggestion.

  Upon hearing this, Zu Zhao felt completely at ease. It seemed that his grandfather's intention was not to let him enter the imperial court as an official through the examination system. As long as he had his grandfather's support behind him, relying on the family's influence in the county, getting a certain official position would not be difficult.

  "The great grandson's filial name has spread throughout the county, and being a filial and incorruptible official is always most favored. I believe that if our ancestor's grandson enters with this reputation, he will definitely be able to obtain it with ease." Madam Chen said in a matter-of-fact tone.

  Zu Zhao's filial name was indeed somewhat renowned, but it hadn't reached the point of being on everyone's lips. After all, as a member of a wealthy family, he had no worries about his livelihood, and no matter how hard he tried to show his devotion, people couldn't help but feel that it wasn't genuine enough. That's why he was well aware that Chen County's words were just mere courtesy or perfunctory remarks, and hadn't intended to take this opportunity of being recommended by the county seriously.

  "I, a late-born and shallow scholar, am ashamed of my lack of virtue and morals. As for filial piety, I only understand it superficially, let alone integrity and self-discipline, which are truly beyond me. I think that the selection should be based on the observation of one's words and actions by seniors, but since this is the kind intention of County Magistrate, I am deeply honored. Everything will be done according to your arrangement, Sir. I will do my best in all aspects except for filial piety." Zǔ Zhāo said solemnly.

  "So it seems that the truth is still to be determined by Zizheng Gong." Chen Xianjun turned to Zu Zhao and said lightly.

  Zu Jiu is actually a strong-willed person, who would rather take matters into his own hands for the sake of his grandson's future and the prosperity of the Zu family. Earlier, while chatting with Chen County Gentleman, he had already formed some ideas, but now he pretended to think for a moment.

  "If we say that he is a good and upright person, this young man's qualifications are still lacking. On the other hand, he has studied classics and was once a student of the great Confucian scholar Lu Zigan. Last year, he even compiled his own annotated edition of the Book of Songs and Analects of Confucius, which is quite an achievement."

  Last year, in his spare time, Zu Zhaowei made some notes on the Book of Songs and Analects for easy recitation of the Thirteen Classics. He did two things: one was to punctuate the sentences and the other was to give proper interpretations. In fact, all these were directly recorded in these two books without being written into an independent book, nor had he ever thought of making them public.

  "Oh, really?" Chen Xianjun looked at Zu Zhao with obvious interest and asked.

  "It's just a humble opinion, I wouldn't dare make fun of the wise," said Zu Zhao.

  "County Master Chen, if you trust me, please let Zhao'er enter the imperial academy through the classical learning examination." Zu Ju picked up the tea ladle and poured a spoonful of hot boiling water into County Master Chen's teacup.

  "Since the county magistrate understands, this matter is settled. Next month, I will invite the three old men from the county to discuss this matter together. If there are no accidents, by the end of next month, we can submit the official document to the prefecture." Chen County Magistrate said decisively.

  "Please forgive my impertinence, and also please consider carefully, sir. I am not well-versed in classical studies, and if I were to rely solely on classical studies to gain fame, I fear I would not have full confidence. However, I do have some insights into the study of fate calculation, which may not be outstanding, but I believe it will give me more confidence than classical studies."

  "What about Ming Suan?" Chen Xianjun was somewhat surprised. Although Zu Jie had mentioned Ming Suan before, he thought it was just a casual remark. Ming Suan was not only complex and difficult but also the most unpopular subject in the imperial examination. Even if one managed to stand out and get selected for an official position, they could only be a low-ranking official for life, with no prospects for advancement. It was simply a thankless and laborious choice of subject.

  "This kid has been good at arithmetic since childhood. In the past, it took seven or eight people to work together for many days to sort out the family's accounts, but this kid alone only took two days to get everything clear and accurate, without any errors. Many masters in the house said that the kid is quick-witted and talented, a rare genius indeed. Zhao Er, have you thought it through?" The first half of what Zujie said was clearly meant to praise his grandson, while the second half was obviously a warning. It can be seen that he did not want his grandson to choose an official career with no future prospects."

  "Is it really so?" Chen County Jun heard for the first time that Zu Zhao had such ability, and even had some doubts, thinking that Zu Ju was exaggerating on purpose to promote his grandson.

  As early as the Qin Dynasty, there was a multiplication table of 99, but first, ancient people had few opportunities to learn, and secondly, they mainly focused on academic subjects such as poetry, books, etiquette, and naturally it was not easy to come into contact with arithmetic. Moreover, the 99 multiplication table is only basic arithmetic, and relying solely on multiplication and division cannot solve all mathematical problems. Zu Zhao understood some algebraic operations such as multivariate equations, so it's natural that he handled accounts better than others.

  Compared to Confucian classics, arithmetic doesn't involve so much grand theory. Moreover, after several thousand years, the study of classics is still mainly based on the ideas of ancient great Confucians and can't come up with many new tricks.

  Apart from this, what he hopes most at the moment is to stay in the county and secure an official position. Since the county government has announced that there are vacancies for the positions of Cai Cao and Shi, even if they are not promising jobs, at least they have a certain status and can establish direct contact with the county government.

  "The study of classics is vast and profound, even if I were lucky enough to be selected, I'm afraid it wouldn't be convincing to the public. How could I possibly answer questions in front of the county officials? If I made a slight mistake, I would become a laughing stock. The key to arithmetic lies in technique, as long as the foundation is solid and one is meticulous, even if there are some errors, it won't be embarrassing." Zu Zhao said seriously, on the surface this was directed at Chen County Jun, but in reality it was a response to his father's words.

  Zu Jiu furrowed his brow and nodded slowly after a moment of contemplation.