March 14th is the day before the imperial examination.
On Nanxunmen Street, two scholars in Confucian shirts walked side by side. It was Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai who had just returned from the Kaifeng government office after taking the exam.
This street is the main road from Bianjing into the city. There are many mansions of wealthy officials on both sides of the street. In terms of prosperity, it is even more prosperous than Jiying Lane where the Sheng family is located.
In order to avoid suspicion, the officials did not allow their women to lean on the door to look at the street. However, they built a two- or three-story street-watching tower in the courtyard wall facing the street to facilitate the women in boudoir to climb the tower in the mansion and overlook the street view.
In the folk tales of the Tang and Song dynasties, the encounters between countless male and female protagonists began when they were looking at a street building.
Today is the day for palace examinations and numbers are released. The Kaifeng government office is next to Nanxunmen Street. Three hundred newly promoted tributes will pass through this street, so the women from the official and official families have climbed up to watch the street.
Women who are more reserved will lower their bead curtains and hide behind them to peek. Of course, there were also those who were brave enough to open the curtains and look around, pointing at the scholars passing by downstairs and chatting and laughing freely.
Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai were walking and chatting on the street when they suddenly heard a burst of laughter from upstairs. Suddenly, they saw an embroidered handkerchief floating down from upstairs and landed in front of the two of them.
Wei Chen raised his head and saw that on the tall street watchtower in front of him, a pretty girl was covering her face with a fan, looking at him shyly and timidly. There were several older women beside her. Teasing and teasing.
"Xingyun, why don't you pick up this embroidered handkerchief quickly? Look at the way that little lady looks at you. If you come and return this embroidered handkerchief, you will definitely get married!"
Sheng Changbai glanced at the handkerchief on the ground and said to Wei Chen in a dull tone.
Sensing the sourness in Sheng Changbai's words, Wei Chen couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart.
Ever since they set foot on Nanxunmen Street, there have been at least a dozen or twenty embroidered handkerchiefs that "accidentally" fell beside them. It's no wonder Sheng Changbai is in a bad mood.
A few days ago, Sheng Changbai was entrusted by his parents to test Wei Chen's intentions to see if Wei Chen intended to marry the Sheng family.
Of course Wei Chen wanted to marry the Sheng family, but the concept of marriage in his mind was quite different from what Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu had in mind, and it was difficult to express it to Sheng Changbai at this time.
Faced with Sheng Changbai's temptation, Wei Chen could only follow the tactic of procrastination and always consider him left and right.
Sheng Changbai was disgraced when he met Wei Chen. He went back to reunite with his parents, but was scolded by Sheng Hong and Wang Ruofu again.
Fortunately, Wei Chen did not show any intention of marrying another family, which relieved everyone in the Sheng family a lot.
However, when he went to the street with Wei Chen today and saw Wei Chen attracting bees and butterflies like this, Sheng Changbai, who had been in a better mood these past few days, became depressed again.
Although Sheng Changbai asked Wei Chen to pick up the embroidered handkerchief and return it to others, if Wei Chen really did it, hehe, Sheng Changbai would probably be so angry that he would walk away on the spot.
Wei Chen naturally understood Sheng Changbai's thoughts. He didn't even look at the embroidered handkerchief on the ground. He just bowed to the people upstairs and then stepped away from where the embroidered handkerchief was.
Sheng Changbai looked at Wei Chen in front of him, and then looked back upstairs, but saw that the girl upstairs had a sad look on her face, and said something like "The husband is so elegant and handsome, but it's a pity that he didn't have the chance."
When Sheng Changbai saw this, he couldn't help but smile. He also bowed to the girl upstairs, then quickened his pace and caught up with Wei Chen in front.
After this incident, when Wei Chen talked to Sheng Changbai again, he could clearly feel that Sheng Changbai's eyes looked at him much softer, and he couldn't help but feel funny in his heart.
When the two arrived at Jiying Lane, they said goodbye to each other and went home. Wei Chen returned to his home, visited Zhuang Jun, and then went to the study to continue his daily homework.
Come and try it quickly. 】
After writing a poem and policy, Wei Chen stretched his bow dozens of times in the yard to exercise his strength.
It wasn't until he was sweating profusely that Wei Chen put down the seven-bow longbow, asked his servants to boil hot water, and took a bath.
In the afternoon, it was the same as in the morning, reading and writing, and practicing calligraphy.
In fact, for today's Wei Chen, no amount of practice can improve his knowledge. This is more of a way to maintain his mentality and keep himself in a state of studying and preparing for exams.
For more than ten days after the examination results were released, Wei Chen spent his time like this, except for occasionally going to the Sheng Family School to teach. He was like a soldier before going out to battle, finally sharpening the edge of the sword in his hand.
…
Early the next morning, before the fourth watch, Wei Chen from Mi Mi Hu Hu heard Sheng Changbai calling the door outside. He quickly got up, put on his clothes, and asked someone to open the door and invite Sheng Changbai in.
During breakfast, Zhuang Jun once again told Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai the precautions for the palace examination, such as how to salute, how to knock on the curtain, etc. These are valuable experiences from people who have been there. Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai listened very carefully.
After breakfast, Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai boarded the carriage arranged by the Sheng family.
In order to make the future emperor's disciples feel the royal grace, all the examination tools such as pens, inks, paper, inkstones, and food and snacks were arranged by the palace during the palace examination. Therefore, except for the card examination, Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai did not need to bring anything.
After bidding farewell to Zhuang Jun, the carriage drove the two of them straight from Nanxunmen Street to the Imperial City. After entering the inner city, they turned a corner and finally arrived in front of Donghua Gate.
Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai got off the carriage one after another.
But seeing several fires burning at the city gate, and teams of imperial guards guarding the city gate, it was awe-inspiring.
At this time, the sky was still full of stars, but there were already one or two hundred lanterns for the "Imperial Examination". Candidates wearing tribute uniforms arrived one after another and lined up outside Donghua Gate to wait.
Different from the nervousness during the provincial examination, the atmosphere before this palace examination was more of excitement and eagerness to try.
Because as long as they don't act stupidly, candidates will not be dismissed from the palace examination. No matter how badly you do in the exam, you can still be one of those who can be used as a Jinshi and be sent to the county magistrate.
After ten years of hard work, it was finally time to reap the rewards. Everyone was filled with joy and bowed to each other without any sign of nervousness at all.
When Wei Chen and Sheng Changbai arrived outside the city gate, they found Wang Yaochen and other members of the Jingxi Club and stood with them.
In this examination, a total of 11 out of the 23 people from Jingxi Society who took the examination passed the examination, which means that in this imperial examination alone, Jingxi Society will produce 11 Jinshi.
Wei Chen is also quite proud of this. Although the members of Jingxi Club are all the "top students" he selected from the best, and they are very good in themselves, but without Wei Chen's hard work, I am afraid they would not have such amazing success. Rate.
As the sky gets brighter, more and more scholars are in front of Donghua Gate. Although the officials of the Ministry of Rites have emphasized that no noise is allowed at the palace entrance, the scholars can't help but greet each other and joke with each other.
As a member of the Xinke Huiyuan, and with five yuan in hand, Wei Chen naturally attracted the attention of the public and was inevitably discussed.
Wei Chen has been accustomed to this kind of treatment all the way through the exams, and he is also calm about it. He occasionally nods to the Gong students who look at him, which makes them feel flattered and quickly bow in return.
After waiting for a short time, I heard a melodious bell ringing from the city gate tower, and the Donghua Gate slowly opened.
The three hundred Gongsheng students in front of the door showed humility to each other, and then they all turned their attention to Wei Chen.
Wei Chen did his part and bowed to everyone before taking long strides and taking the lead.
