In the eyes of everyone's ridicule, Zhu Ping'an calmly finished the two dishes he ordered and the steamed bun beef soup, and went back to the room to rest while stroking his slightly bloated belly.
Looking at Zhu Ping'an's leaving figure, the voices of ridicule continued in the lobby.
"This idiot has a good appetite..."
"I ate twice in the examination room, and now I have eaten two whole buns, a big bowl of beef soup and two dishes. Is he a pig..."
"I'm a loser. I'm ashamed to be in the company of this person."
Amidst the ridicule of Zhu Ping'an, the tense atmosphere that people had been feeling for a whole day dissipated unconsciously. Perhaps this was also an unexpected gain for everyone.
After eating, drinking, and sleeping soundly, Zhu Ping'an went out the next morning with his schoolbag slung across his body as usual and a black wooden board under his arm.
In the inn, snoring was everywhere. The students and scholars who had been nervous all day yesterday could hardly relax and slept soundly.
Stepping on the wet bluestone, we came to the riverside again, put down the black wooden board, rubbed our hands, and started our daily required lessons.
The rising sun dyed half of the sky red, and after the visibility increased, Zhu Ping'an put away the brush and black board, took out a copy of the "Ming Dynasty Edict", "Da Ming Law" and the currently issued laws from his school bag and read it with gusto.
Because the second exam is about expression judgment, there are five judgments, including imperial edicts, expressions, internal affairs, and subjects. At this time, I reviewed the Ming Law a little more, and my impression was even more profound when I took the exam. In fact, the Ming Dynasty's legal code is very interesting. It was compiled by Lao Zhu himself. This legal text emphasizes severe punishments. Lao Zhu went to great lengths to promote this law, printing tens of millions of copies, one copy for every official, and one copy for every household. It can be said that it is the law with the largest circulation. However, Lao Zhu's theory of severe punishments was not in line with the national conditions of the Ming Dynasty. Lao Zhu's successors also introduced new laws. Lao Zhu's set of laws are now used for imperial examinations.
While they were watching with gusto, the girls and wives who were washing yarn and pounding rice came again. Now they were no longer surprised by this young man who sat by the river reading a book early in the morning every day, and he could also be the boy they had suppressed for a long time. A supplement to the feudal ethics, I have to tease a few words every day before I stop.
With so many young ladies and young wives together, they are not afraid of people gossiping.
"Little scholar, why didn't I see you reading yesterday? Giggle, could it be..." A bold little daughter-in-law made a brisk voice in the crowd.
Then there were the sneering laughter of a large group of women, and the shy scoldings of the older girls who had not yet left the court.
Zhu Ping'an is not surprised by being teased by these older girls and younger wives every morning.
"Yesterday's county exam, I went to the next exam." Zhu Pingan put the book back in his bag and prepared to leave.
Zhu Pingan had almost reached a tacit understanding with these girls and wives. Whenever they came here to pound rice and wash clothes, Zhu Pingan would collect their things and leave.
"Keke, let me tell you, little scholar, if you work hard every day, you will definitely pass the exam."
Listening to the voice coming from behind, Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but smile. Since he took the imperial examination, all he heard was that he failed the exam and gained experience. This was the first time he heard someone say that he could. Passed the exam.
"Thank you, I'd like to lend you your kind words."
Zhu Pingan didn't even look back, and waved his hand to thank him loudly.
Zhu Ping'an's words made the eldest daughter and daughter-in-law laugh for a while. If someone else had said it humbly, he would have said something like, "I'm still far behind," but he was embarrassed and even lent you some good words without blushing. What an interesting youngster.
After leaving the riverside, Zhu Ping'an found another snack, ready to taste Huaining's delicacies.
Just spend one day like this, and repeat the day again.
On the second day, when Zhu Pingan returned to the inn after breakfast, he found that the students in the inn were in a mess with excitement.
"Quickly, go quickly, the county magistrate is about to commit a crime."
As soon as the sound came out, the crowd was furious, everyone's face turned red, either with anticipation or anxiety, and a large group of people rushed out. Even Zhu Pingan, who had just returned, was dragged out of the door by his uncle Zhu Shouren and others.
For a moment, the whole street was boiling with hustle and bustle, as if a drop of cold water had splashed into a frying pan.
Zhu Ping'an was pulled and pulled by his uncle and others, and he almost knocked out the crab roe soup dumplings and lotus seed soup he had eaten in the morning.
The place where the county examination results were released was in an open space outside the county government office. The county examination results were released in an open space, which was called "Issuing Cases." Before the time came, the wall where the examination results were posted was already crowded with students and candidates, all trying to grab a spot. Good position, I can't wait to fight. Zhu Ping'an and the others arrived late, so they had to stay on the periphery.
Fortunately, no crime has been committed yet, and the students and scholars have not lost their composure. However, some of them are still kneeling and chanting at this time. Listening carefully, they are praying for the blessing of passing gods to be included in the list.
"The head of the case estimated it, and it was settled."
"Do the students in this book have one note of fifty words?"
There was a commotion nearby, and it turned out that someone had opened a market near the place where the crime occurred, making predictions about the crime.
At this time, few scholars criticized this, and most people actively participated in it, saying that it was an elegant thing to bet on good luck.
"Hey, what's your seat number?" Uncle Zhu Shouren looked at the handicap and asked enthusiastically, because the first three exams in the county exam were all announced seat numbers, and they will only be announced after the last one is admitted. The name issue is called a "long case", so the uncle asked Zhu Ping'an for his seat number.
Well
Seeing my uncle acting like this, he must be betting that I won't win.
Zhu Ping'an told his uncle Zhu Shouren his seat number, and the uncle immediately squeezed into the crowd holding a handful of copper coins.
After a while, the uncle came out dejectedly with money in hand. After Zhu Pingan asked about it, he found out that his name was not included in the handicap at all. He was not among the ten people predicted by the head of the case, and he was not even included in the prediction of the B list. This shows how much he is not favored by others. ah.
After a long time, I heard the sound of a gong, and several government servants in bright red uniforms played suonas, surrounded by a small official carrying a list of papers. The people were so excited that they opened a way to let them in. Post the list.
The article on the notice was very large, so the clerk stood on a high chair and with the help of the yamen servants posted the red notice on the high wall.
This is a large piece of red paper. The seat numbers are written on the list. There are more than 700 seat numbers in total. They are written in a circle on the list. The characters are also very large, so it can be read even from the outside of the crowd. visible.
Soon the crowd was boiling, and voices of great joy and sorrow came one after another. Some people were overjoyed and shouted, "I won," and so on. They randomly grabbed the people next to them and shook them. Some people burst into tears and shouted that the county government was unfair and the exam was fraudulent. Words like this make me burst into tears and grab the floor with my head...
Zhu Ping'an stood on tiptoes slightly and carefully looked for his seat number in the list. Before he could read the entire list, he heard the excited voice of the uncle next to him.
"Sure enough, your seat number is not on the list. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. You have the experience of failing the list this time, and your chances will be greater next year."
Uncle Zhu Shouren stroked his beard and comforted Zhu Ping'an in the manner of an elder, but his brows were filled with joy. Hmm, you didn't pass. The county examination was not as easy as you thought. Uncle, I got the title of "Tongsheng". It’s not easy. You must be jealous of me.
Among the more than ten students who came to take the exam together, excluding the uncle and two other children who did not need to take the exam, there were eleven students and scholars who took part in the county exam this time, a total of six of them were on the list. Those who were on the list comforted those who were not on the list, and they were superior. a feeling of.
Of course, Zhu Ping'an is the key target of consolation. It is said to be consolation, but actually it is more appropriate to describe it as ridicule.
Some people ridiculed and said: If you can take the exam, your purpose of making up the numbers will be achieved, and your merits will be immeasurable.
Even the consolation is like this: Although you didn't pass the exam, you had a good meal in the exam room.
Or it may be just plain ridicule, saying that you are a loser, you are bitten by a snake, you hear the song of a bird, you even live in a ruined woodshed and want to be on the list.
Just when everyone was laughing and laughing, they heard the sound of a gong again, and several more Dahong officials and servants came, surrounded by a petty official.
"The fifty people in the first class of this county's trial case are all listed on this list. Please give in and allow me to post this list."
Seeing that everyone was crowding around the second-class list that had just been handed out, the clerk couldn't help but speak loudly, stop the crowd, make way, and lead the government servants in to post it.
Zhu Shouren, Zhu Ping'an's uncle, who "consoled" Zhu Ping'an, and more than a dozen of his fellow students turned a deaf ear to this. The fifty A-class criminals and the heads of cases had nothing to do with Zhu Ping'an's designation, but those A-class heads of cases were all The real talent, Zhu Pingan, who only knew how to eat when he entered the examination room, was far away from others, so everyone continued to "consol" Zhu Pingan.
"You are such a big fan, from now on you should use your energy in eating to read..."
"I'm afraid your article is stained with oil and may be regarded as cheating by the county magistrate. You must never do this in the future..."
"Don't be discouraged, Xie'er. Although you didn't win this time, you have accumulated experience... From now on, you will study hard and your uncle will take time to teach you..."
Bang bang, everyone started talking, and suddenly at this moment, a trembling voice came...
"Everyone... dear friends... there is a number on the first-class list, it seems... it seems to be An Geer's..."
Everyone who was laughing and laughing suddenly stopped when they heard this, as if they had swallowed a bunch of food, and then subconsciously looked up at the first-class list that had just been posted.
Ding Chou
Impressively on the list
It is Zhu Pingan’s seat number;
