As the time cannon and bell and drum towers chimed the time, the front door of Gongyuan slowly opened.
In the past, there were many different ways to enter the venue: roll call of students from each county, getting photos and signing in, undressing for inspection...Thousands of students from all over the province were taking the exam, all queuing up from the dragon gate. Entering is usually called at roll call in the morning of the first day. Entering the venue in the afternoon. The entry is not completed until dark. Only the person himself can appreciate the hard work involved.
Neither Yuan Shuzhi nor Zeng Juan had ever experienced this, but Hu Ming, on the other hand, was not coming here for the first time. He entered school at the age of eighteen and was a young talent who was very popular. However, since then, he has repeatedly failed to "spectate", and in the blink of an eye he is already nearly forty years old. Now, queuing up in front of the dragon gate gives me a different feeling.
Although he was fully confident that the elders would "appoint" him to pass the exam, he still had to put his knowledge of articles to use. Hu Ming is very meticulous and went to several teahouses and read through them all to understand the Australian writing style and ideas.
At this moment, he was 70% to 80% sure about the application, but he didn't have much chance of winning in the practical test - after all, taking the public examination was an impromptu matter. In just a few days, I couldn't recite all the reference books.
We can only try our luck! Hu Ming thought.
Yuan Shuzhi and Zeng Juan followed the flow of people and slowly moved towards Longmen, but Zeng Juan suddenly saw Wu, who was also carrying a small package and looking around. Zeng Juan quickly greeted: "Senior Wu!"
Wu heard someone saying hello, but when he looked back, it was Zeng Juan. He waved hurriedly and said, "Ah Juan! I'm here."
Zeng Juan and Yuan Shuzhi hurriedly squeezed past, but before they could speak, they heard Wu ask: "Ah Juan, are you here to take the public examination too? What about your shop?"
"The young shopkeeper of the scented wax shop has no future at all. Why not take the exam to be a cadre? At least you will have money and food!" Zeng Juan said, "Senior Wu, you are here too."
"I'm just like you, and I'm willing to give up for five pecks of rice. Now that the Yuyuan Club is closed, Mr. Liang lives at home and doesn't see guests. We idle people have nowhere to go. We have to find a way out." Wu said with a smile, "I heard that Ziyu did well, passed the Australian police exam, and is now prosperous..."
"Exactly, he has solved major cases and made great contributions. Now he has been sent to Lingao to study, and he will be promoted when he comes back. Several of our friends are very happy for him. Mr. Wu, you are talented and have a pass in Australia. If we pass the exam this time, we must be prosperous. If we are lucky enough to pass the exam, we will need your support in the future."
"Don't make fun of my brother." Wu shook his head repeatedly, "I just read a few Australian books, so it doesn't make any sense. Let's encourage each other."
Zeng Juan remembered that Yuan Shuzhi had not been introduced to him yet, so he turned around to introduce him, but saw that Yuan Shuzhi's expression was dull, his face seemed happy and sad, he was deaf to the sounds around him, and he just kept walking forward. It turned out that he had been taking the boy's examination for many years, desperately thinking that one day he would be able to go to school and pass such an examination in the Gongyuan in the provincial capital. But still couldn't do it. Now looking at himself standing at the dragon's door, he couldn't help but feel his eyes tingling. The ups and downs came to his heart. His mind was so muddled that he didn't even notice that Zeng Juan and Wu were talking.
But Wu didn't know well that this person was afraid of going "exam crazy": he was probably an old boy or an old scholar who had failed to pass the exam for many years, or he suddenly failed or entered the examination room and was moved by the scene, and was temporarily lost. If he goes down, he might go crazy and cry and laugh. Every year in the examination room, there are crazy people like this who are kicked out. He quickly signaled Zeng Juan to "wake him up".
Zeng Juan called him several times, but he saw that Yuan Shuzhi turned a deaf ear and his expression was even more confused, as if he couldn't recognize the person. Zeng Juan was worried and was about to shout loudly when Wu took out a small medicine bottle from his pocket, poured some into his palm, and blew it on Yuan Shuzhi's face.
This medicinal powder is "Zhuge Xingjun Powder", which is the most effective in rejuvenating the body and calming the mind. As soon as the powder was sprayed, a chill suddenly entered the nose and brain. Yuan Shuzhi screamed and immediately collapsed to the ground.
This time, not only Zeng Juanwu was shocked, but also the candidates lining up around him were shocked. The police who maintained order hurried over and lifted Yuan Shuzhi aside. The hygienist who had been prepared had come over. He opened his eyelids to take a look and said, "It's okay." Sure enough, Yuan Shuzhi woke up leisurely, with a confused face.
Zeng Juan hurried over and asked, "Lao Yuan! Are you feeling better?"
Yuan Shuzhi felt his mind was clear and asked: "Why am I sitting here?" and then said: "I have been feeling groggy for half the day, as if I was in a dream."
Zeng Juan said: "You probably had phlegm just now. This senior Wu sprayed medicine with you just now. It's better now."
Yuan Shuzhi hurriedly said: "This senior Wu has a debt of gratitude to me, so I must pay my respects." When he saw Wu coming, he had to bow down and call him "Senior Wu".
Wu shook his hands wildly and said, "Ajuan calls me senior Youke. The old gentleman calls me like this even when he is old. How can I be worthy of my younger brother?"
The three of them wanted to be polite to each other, but the police drove them inside: "If you have anything to say, say it later. Don't block the road here!"
A group of people crowded together and came to the dragon gate. According to the rules, they had to take off their shoes and clothes to be checked for "entrainment". Some young and handsome scholars had to be rubbed up and down by the inspectors. The officers who were searched had their breasts exposed and their hands were stretched all over their bodies. After the search, they were not allowed to be put away properly, so they rushed away. The scholars all covered their lapels and held bags on their arms, and they were all in a miserable state. It is the most unbearable memory for scholars to take the exam.
Nowadays, Australians take exams. There is also an inspection checkpoint at the dragon gate, but it only inspects the admission ticket and household registration certificate. Once the two certificates are verified, the person is allowed in. Not searched. Just hang a banner at the dragon gate: Those who cheat in exams will be exiled to the land of miasma!
The scholars were relieved to see that they were not ordered to be searched, and they all said that this was a "virtuous policy".
Zhang Yunmi was in the court hall at this time and saw countless candidates pouring in from Longmen. There are small ones, old ones, well-groomed ones, deer-headed and rat-like eyes, well-dressed ones, and tattered ones. Although the climate in Guangdong is warm, it is already early December; the poor are still wearing linen and cotton robes, and they are all begging and shrinking from the cold, carrying packages and reading admission tickets to read the font size.
In general, the candidates are much poorer and less rich. Less than half of the people were neatly dressed. Moreover, most of the people who came to apply for the exam this time were children, and scholars were rare—probably they were reluctant to bear the fame of the Ming Dynasty.
Although it is a bit cold in December, the advantage of the cold weather is that it is easier for candidates to monitor exams. Various gastrointestinal infectious diseases common in summer and autumn are not easy to spread, and emergencies such as heat stroke and dehydration will not occur. It was also easier for Zhang Yunmi, who presided over the exam.
The three of them said goodbye as soon as they entered the venue, and each took the exam number according to the number on the admission ticket.
Yuan Shuzhi was Cheng Zi No. 15. He followed the number distribution list downstairs in Mingyuan and walked through countless number houses. He only saw the three characters "Cheng Zi Hao" written in big white plaster on the gable outside the door of one house. . Feeling relieved, he quickly walked over.
There is an original fence at the entrance of this alleyway. This fence is not an openable door, but is nailed to the wall. Candidates are only allowed to pull out the piece of wood in the middle and drill in and out. After the exam starts, it is sealed with a seal, and it is not reopened until the top card is released. Zhang Yunmi came to inspect in advance and felt that the design was really weird, so he asked people to remove all the fences at the entrances of the alleys and replace them with fence gates.
There is a staff member who is a naturalized citizen standing at the door of this alleyway. This is the second time to check the admission ticket, in order to prevent anyone from going to the wrong place. Yuan Shuzhi checked his admission ticket, walked in, and quickly found the exam number No. 15.
This examination hall has been cleaned and repaired in advance and is quite tidy. Yuan Shuzhi set up the signal board and sat down, breathing a sigh of relief.
The civil service exam is not as complicated as the Fake Ming exam, and it only takes one day. Take the test in the morning, apply for papers in the afternoon, and leave right after the test. There is no need to nail the number curtain, and the wind stove is used to cook tea and porridge... Of course, there is no need to pay rice to the veteran soldiers who look after the number. This made Yuan Shuzhi feel like he was in a new era - things were done so cleanly and neatly.
Several candidates settled down and followed their past habits, walking around in the alleyway, chatting, and some simply smoking. They were all persuaded to go back one by one by the patrolling staff of naturalized citizens.
When a gong was heard outside, the staff began to distribute the test papers. The test paper was put in a brown paper bag with a seal and placed on the number board with the admission ticket number written on it. Staff members patrolled the lanes to remind candidates that they are not allowed to open papers before the exam starts. The handymen carried large baskets and distributed bamboo kettles filled with boiled cold water one by one.
"This Australian is really thoughtful."
Yuan Shuzhi put the test paper bag aside, took out the brush and inkstone that he had prepared long ago, and began to sharpen ink. Zeng Juan persuaded him to use a dip pen to answer his questions, but he was used to using a brush, and he was really not used to using a dip pen. However, rulers, charcoal pencils, etc. are all new products from Australia.
Gradually, the sounds of people and footsteps outside gradually stopped. Yuan Shuzhi knew that the exam was about to begin, and he couldn't help but become nervous. He knew that whether he could change his destiny depended on this one try!
Not long after, a huge voice rang out in the venue, making the air buzz. This was the loudspeaker announcing the precautions and disciplines in the examination room:
"First, there are five parts to this administrative vocational aptitude test, with a total time limit of one and a half hours. Second, please fill in your name and admission ticket number in the designated position with a black dip pen or brush. Others are invalid; third……"
The sound of the loudspeaker finally stopped, and there was silence in the venue. After a while, there was only one cannon shot from the Zhenhai Tower, and the bell and drum towers across the city rang nine more times: nine o'clock!
At Zhang Yunmi's signal, a naturalized civilian cadre rang the gong to signify the start of the exam, and the first Guangzhou Civil Service Examination officially began.
ps: Official account Lingao Qiming
Lingao Qiming book fans base
The braggart’s message board;
Introduce and sort out important figures and event information;
Showcase the style of the Lingao community and a traveling exhibition of outstanding fan and material works;
Organize online or offline gatherings of elders from time to time;
aword, senatuspopulusqueagnus
