Nine days of exams left the test-takers exhausted and the waiters heartbroken.

On the seventh day, Chen Zhaoci was already struggling to keep going. She was still thinking about how neither she nor Lao Xu accompanied Xu Di when he took the college entrance examination. Chen Zhaoci was busy at the hospital, while Lao Xu was on a teaching trip to impoverished mountainous areas organized by his workplace. By the time they both finished their work and returned, Xu Di's college entrance examination results had already been released.

Chen Zhaoci said to Xu Bai, "Back then, your father and I really didn't think the college entrance examination was a big deal. We've all been through that time. It's just taking an exam. We've taken plenty of exams before. So why do I think it's a big deal now that your older brother is taking the college entrance examination?"

Xu Bai said with a smile, "Mom, the college entrance exam only lasts for two and a half days. You can come home for three meals a day and sleep at home. It will be over in the blink of an eye. The provincial exam lasts for nine days, and you can't come out once you go in. You must be getting anxious waiting."

Chen Zhaoci thought for a moment and agreed, then asked, "Are there any people from the prefecture waiting at the entrance of the examination hall?"

Xu Bai said, "Yes, my grandfather arranged for people to wait at the entrance of the examination hall. On the fourth day of the exam, some people were carried out because they were too physically weak and couldn't finish."

Chen Zhaoci said, "It's not that your physical condition is too bad. You can't eat or sleep well inside, and with the pressure of exams, if you can't hold on, you'll have to be carried out. By the way, you have to exercise more, because you'll have to take exams in the future."

Xu Bai nodded and said, "I know, Mother, don't worry. Didn't my father take the exam once before? I've seen that from Grandmother to Grandfather, no one is in a hurry. Let's wait patiently at home. My eldest brother will be back in two days."

Chen Zhaoci could only nod, but she still couldn't sleep that night, fully experiencing the role of a worried parent.

On the day the imperial examination ended, the Yongning Marquis's residence went to wait at the entrance of the examination hall early in the morning.

The street where the examination hall was located was completely blocked by carriages early in the morning. Chen Zhaoci of the Yongning Marquis's Mansion led all the younger members of his family who could come, and several carriages occupied a large area of ​​the street.

There weren't many sons of noble families in the capital participating in the imperial examinations. Chen Zhaoci led the way and met a few families he knew. After exchanging a few simple pleasantries, they returned to their respective carriages and waited patiently.

After the gates of the examination hall opened, people began to walk out one after another. Chen Zhaoci didn't care anymore. He got off the carriage, stood next to it, and anxiously watched the people coming out of the examination hall.

Confined inside for nine days, with poor food and drink, they had neither the means nor the energy to maintain their appearance. Most of them looked pale and sickly, not to mention ragged clothes, they were disheveled and staggered out carrying their exam baskets.

Some of them, barely clinging to life, fainted without even saying hello to their family members who came to pick them up. This startled Chen Zhaoci, but judging from the expressions of the people around them, she knew that this kind of thing happened quite often. She just needed to take them back and give them a good rest and a good night's sleep.

Xu Di came out neither too early nor too late, and looked somewhat tired. After handing over the examination basket to the people in the mansion, he quickly went to Chen Zhaoci's side. He had just greeted Chen Zhaoci, and before Chen Zhaoci's wife, younger brother, and younger sister could even greet them, he heard someone behind him say, "Brother Xiuning, greetings."

Xu Di quickly turned around and saw a tall figure. The person had just come out of the examination hall and looked tired, but his spirits were still good. After taking a closer look, he quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Brother Youhuai."

Xu Di was not yet of legal age, but the Marquis had already given him a courtesy name, Xiu Ning. When he was with a group of students, everyone usually addressed him by his courtesy name.

The two exchanged a few words briefly before parting ways.

Xu Di followed Chen Zhaoci into his carriage, where hot tea and snacks had already been prepared. Xu Di didn't care about them; after wiping his hands, he ate two snacks and drank several bowls of hot tea before finally letting out a sigh of relief.

Xu Bai squeezed into Chen Zhaoci's carriage. Seeing Xu Di's expression, he said in surprise, "Brother, didn't you bring a stove, charcoal, and so much good food with you? How come you're still so hungry?"

Xu Di sighed and said, "The weather was bad a few days ago, it was so cold that I couldn't even hold a pen. We used too much charcoal, so we couldn't light the stove for the next few days. I just ate a couple of snacks to get by."

Xu Bai asked in surprise, "Don't they provide hot water inside the examination hall?"

Xu Di chuckled upon hearing Xu Bai's words and said, "Boiling water? Once inside, each person will have a small cubicle, without doors or windows. There's a small table in front and a small wooden bed in the back, nothing else. The examiners won't say a word to you. After the exam questions are distributed, you'll just sit and write in your cubicle. If you get tired, you can go to the bed to lie down and rest. You can arrange things as you see fit, but you can't just leave your exam number."

Xu Bai clicked his tongue and said, "Such an inhumane exam! They don't even provide hot water."

Chen Zhaoci had already poured Xu Di another bowl of hot tea. Xu Di picked it up and took small sips, saying, "Otherwise, there's always the possibility of cheating during any handover. This is to prevent it from happening in the first place."

The carriage went directly to the stables. It was very close to Xu Di's courtyard from the side gate of the stables. Xu Di went back to his courtyard, took a good hot bath, changed his clothes, and then went to the old lady's courtyard.

The Marquis was already waiting in the old lady's room. Xu Di kowtowed to the old lady, who said with heartache, "Oh dear, get up quickly, get up quickly. Our Di-ge'er has been working hard these past few days. He should rest well at home. Let the kitchen make you some good food to nourish him. Anyway, the exam is over. Let's not think about how he did. It's no use thinking about it anymore, don't you think?"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!