It was pitch black outside the window. It was the darkest, darkest and coldest moment before dawn. The students and scholars who were usually sleeping soundly in the inn now packed up, took their belongings and went out.
It's a moth flying into the flame
Or the Phoenix Nirvana
This is the day that determines their future destiny. The county examination in February of the Ming Dynasty has begun. The students and scholars walking out of the inn are either anxious or complacent. Of course, there are also expressionless and calm faces.
Zhu Pingan also went out at this time, bringing a lot of things with him, as if he was moving: there was a rabbit skin blanket and a thin mattress in the bag; he carried a large bamboo basket, which was full of food and drink. There are a dazzling array of preserved fruits, pastries, cooked food, braised meats, water cups, etc.; of course, pens, inks, paper and inkstones are also essential.
After all, Zhu Ping'an was only thirteen years old and not tall. He brought so many things with him that he could hardly see anyone, like a clumsy turtle carrying its shell.
Other students and scholars who went out saw Zhu Pingan and laughed at him for bringing too many things. Most of them brought lighter things, and some also brought a lot of things, but none of them brought so much like Zhu Pingan.
Zhu Pingan turned a deaf ear to the ridicule from fellow students and scholars.
When passing by the lobby, Zhu Ping'an was a little surprised to find that his uncle Zhu Shouren and several other students were leisurely ordering a table of good wine and delicious food, without any intention of leaving. The other students and scholars in the same group looked at them with envy. , Uncle Zhu Shouren and the others also enjoy the attention and envy of everyone.
"Xie'er, don't be nervous. It doesn't matter if you don't win this time. Once you gain experience, the future will be long."
Uncle Zhu Shouren, who was enjoying the envy of everyone, saw his nephew Zhu Ping'an carrying a lot of things. His face became even more proud, and he preached in the tone of an elder.
It's not the exam yet, why do I fail when I open my mouth, but I gain experience by keeping my mouth shut. Zhu Ping'an looked at his uncle Zhu Shouren who looked like an elder and was preaching kindly, and in his heart ten thousand grass and mud horses roared past.
"Why hasn't Uncle left yet?" Zhu Pingan asked quietly.
Hearing Zhu Ping'an's doubts, his uncle Zhu Shouren felt as if he had drank three bowls of soju in one breath. He was almost in the air. His face was red with excitement, but he pretended to be nothing.
"My uncle is already a child. He no longer needs to take the county examination or the government examination. He only needs to take the college examination."
Uncle Zhu Shouren stroked his beard, his face full of pride, waiting to see Zhu Pingan's envy, jealousy, and hatred.
"Oh, the pig will go first." Zhu Ping'an didn't care at all about his uncle's pride. He replied lightly, then carried his luggage and followed the others out.
Just say oh...
The uncle who was waiting for Zhu Pingan to be envious and jealous looked at Zhu Pingan's leaving figure with a blank look on his face.
Zhu Ping'an followed everyone to the county examination center, which was located at a market not far from the county government office. During the examination period, the market was closed and cleaned, and a huge examination booth was set up, facing north and south. There are two gates on the east and west sides of the examination shed, and the gates are surrounded by wooden fences. The examination shed was set up as a large courtyard, and there was a main entrance, which is often called the dragon gate. This large courtyard is the examination room where candidates take the exam. The examination room is divided into two parts. The front part is for candidates to wait, and the back part is equipped with rows of tables and chairs for candidates to answer their papers. The examiner sits on the west side, and the candidates line up here to wait for the examiner to call their names. Only after the call is called can the candidates take their answer sheets.
In front of the examination room, there were five teams of government officials in front of the main entrance, checking the certificates of students and scholars and the salutes they brought with them. The inspection was very careful: the bedding must not have linings, socks must be single-layered, clothes must be unsealed, and the inkstones must be It can't be too thick, the pastries have to be cut...
The yamen officers checked so carefully because they were afraid of cheating, so as not to be held accountable in the future.
There were many students who took the exam before who brought unqualified items. Fortunately, they were not found to be involved in cheating. As long as it was not cheating, if the items were unqualified, they would be left behind and people could enter.
The imperial examination has been taking place for so many years, and the penalties for cheating are also very serious. At least during the time Zhu Pingan was waiting in line, he did not find anything involving cheating.
The search by the yamen was like a modern security check. A lot of everything Zhu Ping'an brought was opened and inspected, and the cooked and preserved fruits were cut by the yamen just enough to be eaten.
There was not a single unqualified item in such a large number of items. Not only the students who were waiting to see the joke were surprised, but also the yamen officers who were inspecting were a little surprised.
After entering the main entrance, a clerk with some knowledge of literature checked Zhu Pingan's identity and resume. After checking, he led Zhu Pingan to an open space, where four scholars in their twenties were already waiting. This should be Old Master Sun has become the guarantor for the four candidates. These four people had high self-esteem and communicated with each other. No one paid attention to Zhu Pingan. They all knew that Zhu Pingan was brought in by Old Master Sun to make up the numbers.
Seeing the performance of several people, Zhu Pingan's original idea of saying hello disappeared, and he stood there waiting naively.
When it was almost dawn in Daise, the county magistrate in official robes arrived. The waiting students and scholars became commotion, which made it difficult for the government officials to maintain order.
There were too many people, and Zhu Ping'an was young and short, so he didn't see clearly what the county magistrate looked like.
Through the communication with people around him, Zhu Ping'an knew that the county magistrate gave some words of encouragement, and then talked about the exam. There were four exams in the county exam, etc. In fact, there were four exams in the county exam, and five exams could be taken. It can be done in any venue, as determined by the county magistrate. There will be four exams this time, and Zhu Pingan is also happy to see it.
After the county grandpa left the scene, the officials began to roll the roll, and several government officials repeated the county grandpa's words loudly for all the students to hear.
It took a long time for Zhu Ping'an to hear his name, and he walked in with several scholars who were guarantors of Old Master Sun along with him.
There was a paper lantern sign in the courtyard, which was easy to see. Zhu Pingan followed several people into the atrium lobby, and followed them to salute the person in front who looked like the examiner.
"Li Lanshan, who is from Shanghe Village, is guarantored by Sun Hongzhi, a local student." One of the four people stepped forward, took a test paper and shouted his guarantor.
Then Zhu Ping'an heard the voice of Old Master Sun, "Sun Hongzhibao, the born student."
Zhu Pingan looked up and saw Old Master Sun sitting in the lobby, and there were several other people sitting with Old Master Sun.
After hearing Old Master Sun's confirmation, the examiner nodded, and then a small official led Li Lanshan to the examination room to take the exam.
Zhu Ping'an was the last one among the five to bail out. After Old Master Sun agreed to bail, Zhu Ping'an didn't even have a chance to make eye contact with Old Master Sun, and was led to the examination room by the clerk to take the exam.
It is also understandable that so many candidates and guaranteed students have to go through this process, and time is very tight.
There is a seat number on the envelope in Zhu Pingan's hand, Ding Chou. This is arranged according to the heavenly stems and earthly branches, but Zhu Ping'an, who is used to seeing Arabic numerals, is still confused about this. Fortunately, a clerk noticed the seats, otherwise finding a seat would have been a hassle.
There are ten rows of simple seats in the venue, one long table, and one chair, and that's it.
Zhu Pingan sat on his seat, placed pens, inks, paper and inkstones one by one, and then opened the test paper.
The test paper has red lines and horizontal grids. There are more than ten sheets in total, with twelve lines on each page and twenty crosses on each line. There are also two white papers for drafting.
However, he did not see the test questions. Zhu Ping'an was a little confused. He was about to raise his hand to ask the examiner when he saw several government officials patrolling the venue with sign lights. Two government officials held up a large wooden board to display the exam. The title is posted on this large wooden board.
It turned out to be so, Zhu Pingan suddenly realized.
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