Jizhou Chunhui Mansion, where the imperial examination prefecture Gongyuan is located, a group of candidates who are either confident or anxious are waiting outside.
Gongyuan is a special place for examinations at all levels of the imperial examination. However, the scale will vary depending on the level. Candidates who have qualified in the county examination and government examination will go to the state capital to take the examination. The state is in charge of the examination, and on the Jizhou side is Chunhui Mansion.
The Gongyuan of Chunhui Mansion has high eaves and deep roofs. It is a large closed house with a large area. It has wooden doors, screens and other things inside, which are divided into simple small rooms. All candidates must complete their essays here alone.
However, this was the period before the exam, and it was also the most nervous period for everyone. Including Yin Zhaoxian, a group of Gongshi scholars, large and small, had already lined up in two long lines outside the Gongyuan, one after another. Whisper or read a book.
Unlike Ji Yuan’s previous life, most of the candidates waiting for the exam here are adults. Although Yin Zhaoxian laughs at himself that he is no longer a young scholar, in fact he is not that old here, and there are even some gray haired people in the queue. candidates.
Yin Zhaoxian did not improvise, but looked at the tribute courtyard with some emotion.
Back then, Yin Shu’s business was booming. He easily won the first place in the county examination and ranked first in the prefecture examination. However, in the prefectural examination, he missed the first place by three places and lost the qualification to go to Zhili Gyeonggi Prefecture.
The failure of the imperial examination left Yin Zhaoxian quite depressed. In addition, an elder in the family died of illness, so his wife and children needed support and care in life, so he settled down in Ning’an County.
Some scholars can rely on their wives to support them and continue to study hard and refer to it, but Yin Zhaoxian is not such a person, and he does not want his wife to suffer too much. With his knowledge, there are many rich families in the county who can invite him to go. Be a master.
Although a comfortable life is good, it can sometimes wear down your energy. Even if your family’s life is better and you have savings, Yin Zhaoxian never thought of taking the imperial examination again until Ji Yuan left a letter when he left three years ago. He was able to make his mind clear.
At this moment, state officials would come out of the Gongyuan after inspecting the examination room and nod to the officers on the side who were maintaining order.
The officer inflated the vital energy in his chest and lungs, and shouted:
“This state examination starts now. All tribute scholars can bring pens, inks, inkstones, food boxes and other items. Paper and water will be provided by the Gongyuan. Before entering the Gongyuan, please bring your own application letters, official documents and other items, and accept the search by the police. It starts now. Admission~~~~”
There were hundreds of candidates this time, and most of them came from various prefectures and counties in Jizhou and passed the exams based on their talents and knowledge. Some Gongshi candidates at the front had their ears buzzing from the shouts of the guards. .
Many officers skilled in martial arts searched their bodies one by one, checked their belongings, and even used chopsticks to look through the food in the food boxes of the tributes to see if there was anything hidden.
The four officials sitting next to him checked the official documents of each tribute one by one to confirm the identity of the visitor.
Except for the lack of cameras and the occasional relationship, the entire process is actually more stringent than modern student reference.
Yin Zhaoxian was carrying his test preparation box. In addition to study utensils, he also bought “Gongshi meals” from a restaurant near Zigongyuan. While he was still being searched, a state official who was checking official documents suddenly looked at him. Asked:
“Are you Yin Zhaoxian?”
Yin Zhaoxian was stunned for a moment and then raised his hand to him.
“Exactly, do you recognize this sir?”
“I don’t recognize it, but when I went to Huafeng Academy, I read the children’s chapter and the night tour chapter of “The Theory of Birds” brought by the students, which were somewhat interesting.”
Yin Zhaoxian hurriedly bowed again.
“It’s a humble work, I don’t dare to praise it as an adult!”
“Well, go in, I hope you can rank first.”
“Students should do their best!”
The official checked Yin Zhaoxian’s name in the book with a pen and handed him his brand number, indicating that the officer could let him go.
Watching Yin Zhaoxian enter the Gongyuan, the official stroked his beard before continuing to examine the next tribute.
Inside the Gongyuan, the compartments are slightly different from the original ones. Yin Zhao first looked at the brand numbers and found his own number “Ding Twenty-Seven”.
After waiting for about two-quarters of an hour, after all the students had entered and found their seats, the examiner checked the official documents and registration numbers one by one to ensure that no one sat in the wrong seat.
At the front of the examination room, an examiner stood and shouted.
“Today’s exam lasts for two hours. When the time comes, light up the incense and hand in the paper before it burns out, otherwise it will be invalid! Now, show the test questions!”
As the words fell, the officers hung up large signboards with white cloth as the background on all sides of the examination room, with the contents of this examination written on them.
There are two examination questions, namely “Thesis: Controlling Drought” and “A Poetry on the Autumn”.
Different from the county examination and the government examination, the state examination no longer focuses too much on basic skills such as dictating articles, but begins to focus on abilities. This year, it is particularly rare that there is an argumentative question on the state examination, which attracted many candidates. Discuss below.
“Quiet~~~~”
The officer Luck yelled.
“The exam begins, the oval is opened, the gong is sounded~~~~”
The official on the side gripped the wooden cloth hammer and hit the gong hard.
“When~~~”
When the voice fell, it was like a knock on the hearts of all the tributes. Everyone hurriedly sat down attentively, some were thinking hard and others had already started to write…
Poetry is not difficult for most talented people. What is difficult is argumentation. Yin Zhaoxian has a clear idea. Perhaps hundreds of people have written the same thing about drought control, but there are not many scholars who can actually write something useful. , Yin Zhaoxian is one of the exceptions.
‘Drought is not a disaster. It is said that food is the most important thing for the people. When drought occurs, man-made disasters will come. Man-made disasters will lead to epidemic diseases. Poor governance will cause resentment and anger. Violence will lead to miasma…’
Yin Zhaoxian’s calligraphy has improved greatly because he always copied Ji Yuan’s calligraphy.
. . .
After the exam, it was natural that the intense review time came when handing in the papers, and many officials from the state government were involved.
In the end, Yin Zhaoxian’s “On Drought Control” was even read by the prefect and prefect. Although Jizhou has good weather almost every year, officials are not destined to die in one place. Many of them have experienced droughts in other states. Knowing Yin Zhaoxian This article considers the weight of the article in all aspects.
Zhizhou Li Hou even said: “Although his article also contains some empty reverie, it is more comprehensive and detailed. Officials with little talent and weak ability can use this to control drought!”
That’s a very high rating.
. . .
Because Dazhen’s prefectural exams are often held in the autumn, the results are mostly released when the sweet-scented osmanthus is in full bloom, so it is also called the “Guibang”.
Half a month later, the honorary list outside the Gongyuan of Chunhui Mansion was announced.
Yin Zhaoxian did not push his way to the front like others to have a look. The result has been decided and cannot be changed by just squeezing your head here.
However, there are some positions on the list that can be seen clearly from the outside without having to squeeze too far forward.
The name at the top of the Jizhou Gui List is the largest, and the first column is written in large characters:
Yijia Jieyuan: Yin Zhaoxian
“Who is Yin Zhaoxian?” “Is he Jieyuan?”
“Who knows Yin Zhaoxian?” “I don’t know…”
……
Many comments from the front gradually spread to the back. Although Yin Zhaoxian had long expected that he would obtain the first grade, he had never expected to gain the first grade. At this moment, his heart twitched twice and he quickly rubbed it himself.
At the beginning of the state examination, and until the joint examination and the palace examination, the first place takes the word “Yuan”, which is Jieyuan, Huiyuan, and Zhuangyuan respectively. Each one is the achievement of Guangzong Yaozu.
From now on, when others call Yin Zhaoxian, they will probably call him “Yin Jieyuan”.
With the announcement of the identity of the final list, it is customary to congratulate those on the list, whether sincerely or not, and Yin Zhaoxian is naturally the focus of attention.
That night the state government held a deer-minging banquet to celebrate the tributes and internal and external officials. Even if Yin Zhaoxian believed that he was too drunk, it was impossible not to drink on that occasion.
In the end, the man who was helped by the guards to the inn was almost unconscious.
In the middle of the night, a red shadow loomed from outside the city of Chunhui Mansion. When it approached the edge of the city, it was like taking a few walks and walking up the city wall to step inside.
There are not many places with lights on in the city. Red shadows are walking on the streets like dreams and smoke. Suddenly, they see a ghost patrol passing by, looking for the book garden www. zhaoshuyuan.com flashed around the corner with a smile.
“Uh-huh…”
When the two patrolmen passed by with Yin Feng, Hong Ying smiled and continued to move forward.
Crossing the streets very quickly, as if he had his own purpose, he soon arrived outside the Guixiang Inn near Gongyuan.
Looking up at the inn, the red shadow slid into the second floor of the inn like a red ribbon.
Occasionally, hoarse and painful sounds can be heard in the inn.
“Hoo…” “Uh-ho…”…
After a while, Hongying finally found the room where Yin Zhaoxian was.
“Click~squeak~~”
The door automatically unlocked and opened. Hong Ying walked into the house, and the door automatically closed behind him.
Looking across the table, the official document of Yi Jia Jie Yuan can be seen above.
“Hehehehe…Yin Jieyuan…”
The red shadow slid to the bedside, and a slender white hand with long red nails caressed Yin Zhaoxian’s chest. Yin Zhaoxian’s body was filled with righteousness and awe-inspiring images.
Hongying’s body was shaken, and his arm was bounced away, and Yin Zhaoxian immediately regained consciousness.
Looking at the sudden appearance of a woman in the room, Master Yin shrank back in, looking a little panicked.
“You, you, you…who are you? How unbecoming it is to enter a man’s room at night!”
“Hehehe… Yin Jieyuan, you can call me Mrs. Hong. I haven’t seen a scholar like you in many years. Do you think I’m beautiful~~”
The woman sat on the bedside, wrapped in a veil, looking back at Yin Zhaoxian sideways.
Originally, I just wanted to inhale some Yang Qi and longevity, but now my eyes are filled with seriousness.
It’s just that Yin Zhaoxian’s scalp is numb now, his hands and feet are cold, and under the stress of Haoran’s righteousness, for a moment, he seemed to see a red skeleton…
‘This is a monster…! ’