July passed by in a blur.
The still hot August has arrived.
The provincial capital of Yuzhang on Jiangnan West Road is even more lively now.
Once again, the most eye-catching provincial examination in a province has arrived. Such examinations are also taking place all over the land of China. It can be said to be another grand event in the world.
The Academic Affairs Office had already posted a notice in mid-July, stating that the Jiangnan West Provincial Examination was about to begin. The examination hall began to clean up, and the inside and outside of the examination hall were uniformly checked and searched by dedicated personnel. The identities of the candidates were also confirmed one by one.
The whole city seemed to be speeding up at this time. Students were everywhere for a while. Various shops put up their signs one after another to attract customers through the provincial examination. There were also banquets in various guild halls. Students communicated with each other and recited poems. Yes, all kinds of tabloids were full of gossipy news.
But all of this suddenly changed at the end of July. There were few students walking around on the streets. Every guild hall, government school, academy, and bookshop were full of students holding books and studying hard.
The nervous atmosphere of the exam has enveloped all the talented students, almost making them breathless.
On August 3, the first morning of the provincial examination, when the whole city seemed to have not yet woken up, students in various guild halls had already taken action.
"Junior Brother Song, the process of this provincial examination is not much different from that of the college examination. It's just that you can't leave the examination room. The examination lasts for three days and two nights. It's inevitable that it will be hard."
Song Mu was wearing a naked robe at the moment. His long hair was simply tied behind his head with a crown. He was holding a test basket in one hand and two robes, an oil-paper umbrella and other items in the other hand. He was with Fu Zefeng and others. Walking together on the street heading to the examination hall.
"Yes, it's my first time to take the provincial examination. I heard how hard it is. In previous years, there were students who couldn't stand it in the examination room."
Sun Fang, who was walking on the side of Song Mu, also said at this moment. There were still two dark circles on his face. He had been studying hard for the past two days, and he obviously didn't get a good rest.
Song Mu walked among them and said with a smile.
"Everyone, senior brother, Song also understands the pros and cons. Of course, senior brother and I are both young people, so we can naturally pass it."
Saying this, Song Mu also handed over to several people.
"Brothers, it seems that in the examination room, Song is going to compete with everyone."
What Song Mu said was a bit funny, and everyone laughed twice. Fu Zefeng even stepped forward and patted Song Mu on the shoulder.
"Junior Brother Song, if you don't write one or two good articles this time, I will be offended!"
Several people laughed and headed towards the examination center.
Students continued to appear on the road along the way, all carrying test baskets and carrying things. Some were walking forward in groups chatting and laughing, while some were walking forward alone with their heads buried in a hurry, and some were carrying carrying bags. Scroll, still shaking his head all the way, stumbling on the road.
There are all kinds of strange things, but everyone here is a first-class scholar in the great literary dynasty.
Song Mu and others were walking forward. Ge Long suddenly saw a few people in front of him, and immediately stepped forward to say hello. Song Mu and others were a little confused, but when they saw those people stopped and looked over, they also He quickly stepped forward.
"Lao Fu, Junior Brother Song, and Brother Sun, these are students from Xunyang Mansion. They said we met when we were hunting a few years ago, so we know each other."
"This is Yi Xuesheng, the head of the Xunyang Mansion in the 23rd year. He is an extremely talented student."
Ge Long then introduced a middle-sized scholar to everyone with a smile. He had a regular appearance, but his eyes were extremely bright.
After hearing Ge Long's introduction, everyone stepped forward to say hello. Yi Xuesheng also bowed his hands to everyone very respectfully, but his eyes fell on Song Mu at the moment.
"This must be Song Mu, the leader of the case in Jizhou Prefecture last year, right? Now that we meet, he is indeed a heroic young man!"
The other party immediately praised Song Mu, and Song Mu also smiled and stepped forward to hold his hand again.
"Brother Yi is overly praised. I just got it by luck."
Yi Xuesheng laughed twice when he heard this, then shook his head and said to Song Mu.
"Brother Song is being humble. You are a legendary figure who has been published in "Tianwen Magazine" for half a year. If your case was obtained by luck, then we just picked up the fame from the sky."
After saying this, several people immediately smiled, and Song Mu also grinned.
Everyone was walking together, and Yi Xuesheng seemed to be a very cheerful person, and he was also talking to everyone at this moment.
"This year is really a gathering of talents. Outstanding students from various prefectures in recent years have gathered here, such as Bai Zhifan from Jizhou Prefecture, Qin Ying from Ganzhou Prefecture, Ren Yuanyu from Raozhou Prefecture, and Zhang from Hongzhou Prefecture. My family’s Zhang Tianju, this year’s Jieyuan, but I don’t know whose family it will go to.”
"Brother Yi's poetry strategy and theory are impeccable, but there is no need to worry too much."
Ge Long said this, but Yi Xuesheng shook his head and suddenly turned his eyes to look at Song Mu on the other side.
"Brother Song? But I don't know what your plans are this year?"
Song Mu suddenly heard the other party calling him, and was suddenly startled. After hearing the other party's question clearly, he shook his head at this moment.
"Song wouldn't dare. Our talents are shallow and shallow. If we can win the exam, it will be a fluke."
After hearing this, Yi Xuesheng shook his head seriously and looked at Song Mu with a firmer gaze.
"Brother Song, you don't have to be so modest. I have read your articles and poems, and they are very profound. Even teachers like me are full of praise for them."
"Although you have only been a scholar for a year and come to the provincial examination, you should not be underestimated."
As he said this, several people next to him also looked at him one after another, with different expressions on their faces, but most of them also said a few wishes.
Song Mu didn't dare to say such big words, he just held his hands in front of everyone.
"Since everyone is so optimistic about me, Song Mu must work harder and strive for a ranking."
Song Mu's words were quite satisfactory, and everyone congratulated him one after another.
Not long after, everyone had arrived in front of the examination room. Although it was just Chenshi, there were already many people coming to the examination room.
There are multiple prefectures in Jiangnan West Road, and the populations in the areas under their jurisdiction vary. The Jizhou Prefecture where Song Mu is located is even downstream, but only more than a hundred people came.
However, in those wealthy prefectures, such as Xunyang Prefecture and Raozhou Prefecture, the number of candidates who came to take part in the examination was astonishing, with hundreds of them.
"I'm afraid there will be more than 3,000 scholars in this provincial and scientific examinations, right?"
Some people sighed, and the people next to them were also deeply moved.
"I'm afraid it's more than that. I heard that many military scholars are also applying for the exam this year, so there are so many people. It is estimated that the examination room will be full."
"Then I'm afraid there will be a lot of moves this year. Last year there were only more than 170 people, but I don't know what this year will be like?"
“In previous years, it was usually one out of ten, so I hope it will be the same this year.”
"It's okay now. A hundred years ago, only forty people passed the provincial examination in Jiangnan West Road!"
The voices of students around him continued to discuss. Song Mu had already reached the wall of the examination hall at this moment, and he raised his head and looked around.
This examination hall is located in the center of the city and covers a large area. It is said that it can accommodate more than 5,000 people taking exams at the same time.
This was originally because Jiangnan West Road took over the examinations for students from Guangdong and other places in the past. Later, each state built its own examination institutes, and the Yuzhang Examination Institute was not filled with seats every year.
And this is not the most famous one. "Here I will introduce why the situation of the provincial examination is different. Mainly, I will take the exam myself, and then I will take the academic administration exam, and there will be an inspector to review the papers."
It is rumored that there are tens of thousands of examination rooms in the examination halls in Suzhou and Hangzhou. Students from three provinces take the examinations together, and the scene is spectacular.
It's just that there are many differences between the current provincial examination and what Song Mu knew. In history, there were originally three examinations, each lasting three days, but here it was condensed into three days and two nights.
The reason may be related to breaking through the realm.
The examiner is no longer sent by the imperial court, but the local academic administration. The papers are issued by officials from the Ministry of Rites, and then the inspectors sent by the Ministry of Rites collect and review the papers. The red list is then handed over to the academic administration for announcement.
Song Mu looked up at the examination hall at this moment, and his heart was also surging at this moment, just like last year when he saw the examination hall for the first time.
It has only been a year since I came to this world, and it is already my second time to step into the examination room.
Although not at the same time and in different places, it is the same dream.
For higher fame, for a longer and grander future.
…(To be continued)
