March twenty-eight.
The date of registration for the state examination.
Wei Chen, Sheng Changbai and Chen Jun came to the government office to sign up.
The Yamen has not yet opened, but there is already a lively scene in front of us.
The teahouses and food shops on Fuqian Street were full of candidates who had gathered from various counties. They were all laughing and talking about interesting anecdotes from the county examination.
In order to attract business, many food shops put up their sheds on the street, making the already narrow Fuqian Street even more crowded.
"Why are there so many people?"
Chen Jun looked at the sea of people in front of him and said in surprise: "Isn't there almost three thousand people?"
"I'm afraid there is."
Sheng Changbai nodded and said: "In the ten counties of Jiangning, each county admitted 100 to 200 people during the county examination. There are also all kinds of scholars who have passed the county examination but were stuck in the government examination. They are all gathered here. "
Seeing this scene, Wei Chen finally understood why the Mansion Examination was the most difficult level in the Junior Three Levels.
Although there are a lot of candidates for the county examination, there is no threshold limit. Anyone who can write a name can take the exam. Take Youyang County as an example. Among the nearly a thousand candidates, there are only about five to six hundred candidates who can speak fluently.
But the prefecture examination is different. The base of candidates is large, and they have all passed the county examination, so the level will not be too bad.
Unfortunately, there are only fifty places in total for the government examination, and the candidates of this year are required to fight with the candidates of the previous year. It would be strange if they don't kill them all with blood!
At this time, there was a sound of banging in the yamen, and the gate of the yamen opened.
In an instant, the thousands of scholars waiting outside stood up together and crowded towards the government office.
A dark, thin, gray-haired candidate squeezed in front of the door, but was pushed away by the gatekeeper.
The official shouted: "Don't crowd, don't crowd, come one county at a time, first Jiangning County, then Shangyuan County!"
"yes."
The old candidate hurriedly bowed and walked aside tremblingly.
Not far away, Wei Chen, who was queuing up in the queue of candidates in Youyang County, saw the slumped back of the old candidate and couldn't help but sigh: "I can't figure out what these candidates are trying to do after spending their whole lives studying hard. If you still take the exam when you are forty or fifty, even if you win, you are just a child."
"Brother Wei, you don't know this. Childbirth has many benefits!"
There is such an old boy in the village where Chen Jun lives. He only passed the government examination at the age of fifty-four, so he has the most say in this matter.
Chen Jun pointed at the old candidate and said: "Don't think this person is so old, but as long as he is admitted as a boy student, when he turns into a handful of loess in the future, he can also carve the words "To be presented to the official" on the tablet, but if He is not even a Tongsheng, so he can only write the word [virgin scholar]. With the name Tongsheng, he can be regarded as having an account of the books he has read all his life, and his descendants will also have some dignity, so he can be regarded as a scholar."
Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai were both stunned when they heard this: "It turns out it's for the sake of posthumous fame."
"That's not all!"
Chen Jun continued: "If you are a middle school student, you can go to social studies, or you can go to a wealthy family and be a tutor. A salary of ten taels a year will not be a problem. If you can recite poetry, write, etc., you can go to a wealthy family and become a tutor." Qingke, your life is also leisurely."
Wei Chen held up his palms and smiled and said: "Brother Chen said this, I feel confident. Even if I fail to win in the future, I can still use my poetic talent to become a guest in a wealthy family, which will be quite leisurely."
After Wei Chen finished speaking, the three of them laughed.
Of course Sheng Changbai and Chen Jun knew that Wei Chen was joking. Wei Chen was the leader of Tangtang County's examinations. He was sure to pass the government examinations, but his ranking was uncertain. How could he not win?
The three of them followed the queue into the government office. The subsequent process was almost the same as when registering for the county examination. They first wrote a resume in the official's office, then issued an examination reference, and finally affixed a stamp recording the candidate's appearance.
It's just that this time Wei Chen's ticket is no longer short, but medium in stature. I guess it's because Wei Chen has grown a little taller in the past few months.
After taking the examination citations, the clerk learned that Wei Chen was the first in the county examination and Sheng Changbai was the third in the county examination, and stamped the word "tang" on their examination cards, which means the title of the hall.
The so-called sitting hall number means that the examination room is set up in the lobby and the examiner sits under the nose of the examiner, making it more difficult for candidates to cheat.
But there are benefits.
Candidates who mention their seat number are more likely to get the attention of the examiner, and can also be interviewed by the examiner in person, and have a greater chance of being selected.
Being promoted to a court seat is a treatment only available to the top ten in the county examination. Chen Jun only ranked over fifty in the county examination, but he did not have the chance to enjoy it.
However, Chen Jun is not discouraged. During this time, he has been reviewing with two top students, Wei Chensheng and Changbai. He has gained a lot from it. He is confident that he will achieve good results in the imperial examination. It is not important to him whether he can be promoted to the imperial examination.
After completing the process, the three of them left the government office and were about to go home and continue studying when they heard Chen Jun suddenly say: "Brother Wei, look, isn't that Tao Dazhi!"
Wei Chen looked up and saw a chubby little man with a horizontal body walking towards him. Who else could he be if he wasn't Tao Dazhi?
Wei Chen immediately smiled and saluted: "Brother Tao, you're fine!"
"Haha, Brother Wei and Brother Chen, we meet again. I know that with your talents and knowledge, you will definitely not be able to defeat you in the county examination!"
Tao Dazhi came up to him with a grin on his face. His narrowed eyes were bright and bright, giving people a sense of shrewdness. However, after he smiled, his shrewdness turned into a look of honesty.
Everyone greeted each other and exchanged greetings. Wei Chen also introduced Sheng Changbai to Tao Dazhi.
Sheng Changbai did not look down upon Tao Dazhi because he came from a merchant family, and greeted him respectfully.
Tao Dazhi also had a good impression of this approachable young master. After smiling and cupping his hands, he talked endlessly about his experience in Jiangning during this period.
Only then did Wei Chen realize that the fat man in front of him, who was not very good-looking, had actually taken third place in the Jiangning County Examination.
Jiangning County and Shangyuan County are attached to Jiangning City. They are the two most prosperous counties in Jiangning Prefecture. They are also the gathering place of Jiangnan culture. Over the years, various prodigies have emerged in an endless stream, making it the most fiercely competitive place in the county examination.
However, Tao Dazhi was able to stand out and get third place in the county examination. If such talent and knowledge were placed in an ordinary small county, I am afraid that the head of the case would be easily captured.
Speaking of which, Tao Dazhi was often second in the monthly classes at the free school. Even Lu Qingzhou and He Jinchao, who were born in formal academies, could not compare with him.
Thinking of this, Wei Chen looked at Tao Dazhi with more and more playful eyes.
This little fat guy is really hiding his secrets!
I heard that Wei Chen and the others had been studying hard behind closed doors since they came to Jiangning and had not gone out for shopping yet. Tao Dazhi showed surprise on his face and immediately wanted to take the three of them to wander around the city to have a good appreciation of Jiangning, the capital city of Jiangnan. style.
"Brother Tao, you're not going to invite us to take a bath in your bathhouse, are you?"
Chen Jun smiled bitterly and shook his head: "There are still more than ten days before the government examination. I don't have time to go out and play. Don't hurt me!"
"Brother Chen misunderstood."
Tao Dazhi waved his hand and said: "The place I want to take you to is not some Qin Pavilion, Chu Pavilion or garden pavilion, but is closely related to this imperial examination!"
"Is it related to the government examination?"
Hearing Tao Dazhi's words, a look of surprise flashed across the faces of Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai.
Chen Jun couldn't wait to say: "Where is it, Brother Tao, don't be so secretive and tell me quickly!"
Tao Dazhi chuckled and did not answer. He just said mysteriously: "You will know when we get to the place. Don't worry, I won't let you down!"
