Chapter 67 Who Won?: The two brothers burst into tears.

Geng Hao could hardly believe his ears.

He? He got it?

On the first day, he still couldn't recall the sample answer to the question that everyone had predicted. He could only pretend he had never seen the question before and racked his brains to answer it.

After the three-day exam, as soon as he came out of the examination hall, he was enveloped in a layer of "don't mess with me" irritability. He found fault with everything. He killed a batch of flowers in the house by overwatering them, and he also killed the koi fish that his father raised by feeding them eight meals a day. He was hated by everyone and even dogs.

Everyone in the family knew he had failed the exam, even his father noticed and surprisingly comforted him: "It's okay to take the exam again next time. Many people take it three or four times before they pass."

Geng Hao later recovered and didn't hold out much hope. That's why he casually told Geng Ji to go check the results while he stayed at Zhixingzhai, enjoying a life of luxury.

And now they're saying he won!

He looked down at Gengji, his mind racing with all sorts of thoughts. He couldn't help but wonder: This kid is always so clumsy, could he have misread the name?

Just as they were muttering to themselves, another commotion erupted at the alley entrance. It was Geng Zhu, who had gone with Geng Ji, returning. Geng Zhu was running into the alley with the other servants sent by the students, making a racket. He was obviously much more reliable, clutching a slip of paper in his hand, which had even copied down Geng Hao's ranking.

Before he even arrived, his voice preceded his arrival. Geng Zhu, with particular pride and a sense of honor, began shouting loudly from outside the alley:

"Hao-ge! We were last on the list! We made it! That's great! We were last!"

Geng Hao: "..."

Is this something worth making a big fuss about?

Seeing Geng Zhu running towards him so cheerfully, "last place, last place," Geng Hao blushed and quickly winked at Geng Niu and Geng Ma: "Quick! Gag him!"

He then turned around, pretending that the Hao-ge he was calling wasn't him, and quickly hid in the private room.

Fortunately, the alley, outside the teahouse, and on the street were already in complete chaos. All the students were concerned about their rankings and whether they had made the list; some were happy, some were sad, and no one gave him a second glance.

Once the door closed, there was no one around.

The muscles in Geng Hao's face finally relaxed, his lips slowly parted into a smile, and his eyes shone. Actually, he thought the same as Geng Zhu: so what if he came in last? He was still on the list! That was a hundred times better than failing!

The Spring Examination, also known as the Provincial Examination, actually consisted of only two lists. The first was the First List, which included only three people. These three were called "Jinshi Jidi" (进士及第), and unsurprisingly, they would later become the top three scholars in the Palace Examination: Zhuangyuan (状元), Bangyan (榜眼), and Tanhua (探花).

They would also be directly granted high-ranking positions such as compilers in the Hanlin Academy, without needing to go through the subsequent Ministry of Personnel examinations, giving them a head start in their official careers. The second list was the Yi list, also called "Second Class" or "Third Class," collectively known as "successful candidates in the imperial examinations." The Yi list had a larger number of recruits; since the reforms in the first year of the Baoyuan era, the Yi list could recruit five or six hundred people.

There was also the Mingjing examination. Although those who passed the examination were also called Mingjing Jinshi, they were generally not granted official positions except for medical students who passed the Taiyishu examination. They could only become officials through the civil service examination, which was another category of examination.

Students of the Imperial Academy were particularly special among them. Ordinary local students had to be recommended by the county magistrate to participate in the prefectural/state examinations. Only after passing the provincial examinations could they participate in the provincial examinations, which was this year's spring examination.

However, because of the preferential treatment given to students of the Imperial Academy as disciples of the emperor, as long as they passed the prefectural examination, they could directly participate in the spring examination based on their ranking in the annual examination of the Imperial Academy, bypassing the preliminary examination.

Even sons of high-ranking officials like Geng Hao, who held the rank of "third grade" or above, could still take the imperial examinations in the spring even if they failed the annual examinations at the Imperial Academy, thanks to the "hereditary privilege" quotas applied for by their fathers.

This is also why students from Biyong Academy and other private schools didn't think much of the students from the Imperial Academy. They had more than one more chance to take the imperial examinations than other students, and they didn't have to take the preliminary examinations!

Geng Hao ranked second to last in the Imperial Academy's annual examination last year, narrowly escaping failure. In that case, his father would have to shamelessly apply to the court for "favoritism" on his behalf, which would indeed be quite embarrassing.

Oh, by the way, Meng Boyuan was the last in last place in last year's exam.

Geng Hao paced back and forth excitedly in the room, thinking, "Thank goodness for Sanwu!" He had roughly gone through that book before the exam, and although he found it difficult during the exam, he still had some ideas and filled most of it with answers. He never expected that he would actually pass the exam!

Just as he was getting excited, the noise outside grew even louder.

Dr. Zou returned. He was even more disheveled than Geng Ji, his hair like a tangled mess, his clothes like pickled vegetables. He personally waited at the foot of the examination hall wall for three days. As soon as the list was posted, he immediately took out the paper and pen he carried with him and began to copy it quickly, pressing the paper against the wall.

Although he was squeezed and looked disheveled, and his whole body smelled of stench, he was radiant and his eyes were shining!

He rode his donkey straight to the alley behind the Imperial College and pasted the list he had copied onto the wall behind the college. The examination hall was packed with people, and many students were waiting anxiously. When they saw that Dr. Zou had returned with the list, they immediately swarmed around him.

Dr. Zou also looked up and was surprised to find that none of the top three students in this year's list came from the Imperial Academy or the Biyong Academy. Instead, they were all students from the Lu family of Jinxi, the Wang family of Linchuan, and the Zeng family of Nanfeng who studied at the Bailudong Academy in Jiangzhou Prefecture, Jiangnan West Circuit.

However, this is not the first time. In previous years, there was a rare phenomenon where the top five in the imperial examinations were all from Jiangxi. No wonder there has been a growing saying in recent years that there are many talented people in Jiangnan, and half of them are from Jiangxi.

Therefore, today he only copied the names of the students from the Imperial Academy in the "Second List". He copied in a hurry and his handwriting was very messy, but he could still see the names of many students from the "D" numbered school among the crowded names.

Lu Fang was even ranked twentieth on the second-best list!

Liu Huaiyan ranked thirty-sixth, making him and another student the highest-ranking in their Ding-class academy. However, out of his thirty-odd students, only nineteen failed the exam; half passed! Although their rankings weren't high, they all passed nonetheless…

Even children from humble backgrounds can achieve great things and pass the imperial examinations with flying colors!

As Dr. Zou gazed at the scene, tears welled up in his eyes.

It was all worth it for him and his students to work so hard for so many days, getting up early and working late every day without daring to relax for a moment. Almost every one of his students' fingers were worn raw, bleeding, scabbed, and eventually calloused. Their wrists ached every day from being in slings, but they would endure the pain and continue writing even after applying plasters the next day. The study was still brightly lit late into the night, and they would even recite in their sleep... It was all worth it!

These children, without the "favor" that the students of Jiashe School had, had to rely entirely on their own hard work to get ahead!

He wasn't the only one shedding tears. Many other students who had passed the entrance exam for the Dingzi School had also gathered around. Finding their names, they barely had time to rejoice before their throats choked with emotion. They came from humble backgrounds, had no wealth or power, and no one had believed in them; only their teacher had never given up on them. The crowd surrounded Dr. Zou, laughing and crying at the same time.

Dr. Zou patted each of them on the shoulder, wiping away tears with deep emotion, and urged in a hoarse voice, "...Go home first, the good news will arrive at your homes soon, hurry home."

"Oh, right!" The students suddenly remembered this, hurriedly bowed and said goodbye to their teacher, then ran home as fast as they could. The more they ran, the lighter they felt, as if they wanted to jump up.

Dr. Zou looked at them, feeling joy in his heart, and couldn't help but smile.

In a corner, a dozen or so students who had failed the exam covered their faces and sobbed.

Dr. Zou heard this, his smile fading as he walked over and pulled each of the disappointed students to his side. His voice, though not loud, was firm and resolute: "Why are you crying! Although you didn't pass this time, how can one setback in the imperial examination determine your entire future? Don't give up on yourself because of a temporary failure. It's not a big deal. You're all still young. Next time, I'll accompany you to take the exam again! Wipe away your tears and keep studying. Don't be afraid!"

"Sir... but haven't I wasted these three years?"

"What a waste!" Dr. Zou waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the crowd with piercing intensity. "The books you've read, the hardships you've endured, and the resilience you've honed will not betray you. The will you cultivate today will surely transform into the wings of a roc in the future. How can you say it's all in vain? This is Heaven testing your resolve!"

The students who had failed the exam stared blankly at Dr. Zou, tears streaming down their cheeks, their eyes filled with sorrow and confusion. Dr. Zou's heart softened, and he pulled them one by one to his side, saying gently, "I know you have done your best, and you don't need to blame yourselves anymore. It's over, and there's no use in blaming yourselves now. You should look forward."

A spring breeze rustled through the alley, the new leaves of the old elm tree by the door whispering and filtering dappled sunlight. He led the group of dejected boys outside; their steps were somewhat hesitant, but gradually became firmer.

“Now go home with your teacher and rest. If you are worried about your parents scolding you,” Dr. Zou paused, patted one of the children on the shoulder, “after your teacher changes his clothes and washes his face, he will accompany you back home one by one to explain things. Your parents may not know how hard you have worked, but your teacher has seen it all.”

Dr. Zou led his group away, and only then did Meng Chenglin and his two companions return, panting heavily, their foreheads covered in sweat. The examination hall was already surrounded by an impenetrable wall of people, three layers deep, and the three of them couldn't squeeze in at all. Having made a wasted trip, they had no choice but to rush back, and by the time they returned, it was already late.

Fortunately, the list that Dr. Zou copied was already posted on the wall. The three of them squeezed to the base of the wall, craning their necks, their eyes eagerly searching through the scrawled names.

Lin Weiming quickly found himself, and surprisingly, he was only a few ahead of Geng Hao, ranking over five hundredth.

A cool breeze ruffled the damp, stray hairs on his forehead, chilling him to the bone. He had expected his ranking to be low, but he hadn't anticipated being at the bottom! Had he been judged "inferior" or "unqualified" in one of his subjects?

At this time, the imperial examination consisted of three parts: the first part was policy essays, the second part was calligraphy and painting, and the third part was poetry and prose. Each part was divided into "qualified" and "unqualified" parts, and each part determined the "qualification" and ranking.

The final ranking is based on the sum of the three subjects. If someone fails the poetry exam, but ranks highly in the other two subjects, they might barely pass even though they are at the bottom of the class. If they also don't perform well in the other two subjects, they will fail the exam altogether.

We can only find out after the results are posted. Because of the anonymous marking and transcription methods, all the students' original ink papers are sealed after the transcription is completed. Neither the examiners nor the candidates can access them. However, the rankings for each session will be posted for several days afterward. This is called "posting the results." At that time, students who have questions about their rankings will be able to find out where the problem lies.

If, after reviewing the results, one still believes there was an error in the grading, one can appeal to the Ministry of Rites or the Censorate, and the Emperor will appoint a "re-examination official" to re-evaluate the papers. However, this is only applicable to "obvious errors in judgment," and candidates must answer the questions again during the re-examination. If one deliberately makes trouble, one will be stripped of their academic honors.

Lin Weiming wasn't arrogant enough to think the examiners were blind; he only suspected that he hadn't written a good poem again. He had always struggled with poetry. As he pondered this, he noticed Cheng Shujun beside him, head tilted back, motionless like a statue. A thought struck him, and he followed Cheng Shujun's gaze upwards—

Below the top three, the top student on the second list is also the champion of both the Imperial Academy and the Biyong Academy this year:

Cheng Shujun, of the Bing class of the Imperial College.

Those three words, as if dipped in golden ink, shone brightly and jumped into Lin Weiming's eyes. He snapped back to his senses, grabbed the stunned Cheng Shujun, and hugged him tightly, even more overjoyed than if he had won himself. His voice was so shrill it almost split: "Cheng Da! Cheng Da! Fourth! You're fourth! You can enter the palace examination!"

Each year, only three candidates from the top three lists and the top thirty from the bottom thirty lists are selected for the palace examination, for a total of thirty-three participants. To demonstrate the "boundless grace of the emperor," there is also a rule that the palace examination only ranks candidates and does not dismiss any candidates. Therefore, the rankings determined during the spring examination are not the final rankings; the final decision is made only after the examination is completed under the emperor's watchful eye.

Although most of the time, the top three in the imperial examinations would become the top three scholars in the imperial examinations, there were exceptions. For example, Prime Minister Geng was the top scorer in the provincial examinations of the previous emperor's reign, but he was demoted to fourth place in the palace examinations because he was suspected of using allusions and fabricating stories.

Although it was eventually discovered that this was a misunderstanding, and someone found the allusion in his exam paper, which was a very obscure allusion from the Spring and Autumn Annals, but... can you say that the late emperor was so ignorant that he did not know this allusion?

Even if the top scholar who was within reach slips away, one can only accept the loss.

Therefore, in Lin Weiming's mind, Cheng Shujun had a chance to be among the top three! Maybe he would write exceptionally well in the palace examination and be selected as one of the top three!

Lin Weiming excitedly jumped onto Cheng Shujun's back, shouting and yelling as if he were about to meet the emperor the next day. He was excited for his friend for a while, and then he held onto the man's shoulders and made a fuss for a while before he realized that Meng Boyuan, who was usually the most talkative, had not said a word. He kept his head down and his shoulders were trembling.

It looks like she's crying.

Oh no! Could it be that Meng Si... failed the exam?!

Lin Weiming's heart tightened, and he quickly suppressed his smile, slipping off Cheng Shujun. Just as he was about to offer some words of comfort, he saw Meng Boyuan suddenly raise his face and burst into wild laughter, which startled him so much that he trembled as he was about to speak.

He thought Meng Boyuan had gone mad, but Meng Boyuan pointed to the lower middle of the list, his fingers trembling violently, and slapped Lin Weiming's shoulder wildly: "Lin Da! Lin Da, look! 389! I passed! Haha! I actually passed!"

Lin Weiming followed the trembling finger. Dr. Zou's handwriting was messy; he hadn't looked up much further after finding his own name. Now, the three characters "Meng Boyuan" were prominently displayed at number 389, stinging his eyes. He felt a pang of unease; he hadn't expected Meng Boyuan, who usually took the Geng grade exams, to be ranked so much higher than him! What was going on? Where had he answered incorrectly?!

Although those ranked 300th and 500th were the same—both were only "successful candidates in the imperial examination"—and both had to take the Ministry of Personnel examination to become officials, Lin Weiming just couldn't accept it!

He's not usually this bad! How could this be? He usually gets into the Imperial Academy's top two lists, while Meng Boyuan often submits blank papers... blank papers... Yes, he usually dislikes Zhu Dabing and submits blank papers, which is why he only got a lower grade.

He didn't answer at all!

Whether he can or not, nobody knows!

"You bastard Meng Si, you liar..." Lin Weiming pointed at Meng Boyuan, his eyes instantly reddening with grievance, his voice trembling with tears, "You've deceived me so badly."

Meng Boyuan scratched his head and chuckled foolishly, "I...I really don't know..." Before he could finish speaking, he was overwhelmed with joy and became carried away, "Wow, I never thought I was so amazing!"

"screw you!"

Lin Weiming burst into tears upon thinking about his exam ranking. He had always thought his grades were decent, and sometimes when he studied hard or slacked off, he would secretly comfort himself, saying, "It's okay, it's okay, I still have Meng Boyuan."

I never expected it! I was actually the worst of the three!

Just as he was feeling upset and wronged, a loud wail erupted beside him, even louder than his own. Turning his head, he saw his second younger brother, Lin Weicheng, wiping away tears while looking at the list—he had failed the exam.

It's even worse now.

His younger brother didn't even pass the exam as well as that rich but foolish young master Geng Hao! The slight resentment Lin Weiming felt for himself was instantly overwhelmed by the sadness of his brother's failure, and he hugged Lin Weicheng tightly.

The two brothers burst into tears.

Now, Cheng Shujun and Meng Boyuan were both embarrassed to be happy and came over to comfort him. Cheng Shujun patted Lin Weicheng on the back and said that if Lin Weicheng needed anything, he would give him all his study notes and books, and that he would definitely pass the exam in three years.

The news and commotion surrounding the imperial examinations continued for several days without subsiding, and Yao Ruyi's Zhixingzhai, riding this wave of popularity, became famous overnight.

The well-worn copies of "Sanwu" books, written by students of the Imperial Academy, were being sold at exorbitant prices. The woodblock printing workshop owned by Master Meng was also operating around the clock, with employees working in shifts to print books day and night, as demand far exceeded supply. However, soon, many poorly made pirated copies of "Sanwu" books began appearing in bookstores and shops throughout the city.

Enraged, Master Meng hired a lawyer and sued more than thirty shops.

Yao Ruyi, however, knew that piracy was like a wildfire that could not be extinguished, only to spring up again with the spring breeze. Even with stricter copyright laws in later generations, piracy could not be completely eradicated, let alone today.

But she was still quite confident, because the value of the "Three-Five" method lay in the keen insight and perspective of the compilers and question setters regarding the scientific examinations, and in its systematic learning methods. The annually updated and incisive "real exam questions and mock exams" were extremely important. Moreover, she possessed a unique advantage that was unavailable elsewhere.

She has Lin Wen'an and the doctors from the Imperial Academy!

Yao Ruyi had already discussed it with Master Meng.

The quality of the questions is the key to the success of the "Three-Five" exam. Doctors from the Imperial College, especially those who were imprisoned in the Imperial Examination Hall and set exam questions, should be invited to review the questions for the next "Three-Five" exam.

Lin Wen'an is the core "big data" expert; his mind is just... just too good!

When compiling this edition of the 35th edition, he precisely calculated the frequency and proportion of each exam question and test point in each year, analyzed the changes, assessed the difficulty of different years and different questions, and even studied the thinking, preferences and characteristics of different PhDs who were selected as examiners in recent years.

He alone can ensure the accuracy and cutting-edge nature of the knowledge in three to five books. Moreover... the "real questions" of the imperial examinations, and even the real questions of the palace examinations, are not easily obtained by outside bookstores.

New wine is brewed every year, but the old bottle becomes worthless.

Of course, we'll still sue. If we win the case, we can get some money, but as for those who copy it privately, there's nothing we can do. We can only let them be.

Sanwu had already become popular once before due to its exam predictions, but this time it has completely "gone viral".

This year's imperial examination admitted over six hundred people, with just over one hundred from the Biyong Academy, while nearly two hundred from the Imperial Academy passed! Although most of them were ranked at the bottom of the second-tier list, barely hanging on to the top of the list, passing was passing. Whether it was the two hundredth or the six hundredth like Geng Hao, they were all genuine "Jinshi" (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examination).

This further illustrates that these people were originally of average talent, but because they correctly predicted the exam questions and had better study methods, they passed the exam in one go.

What a huge inspiration this is for ordinary people!

In particular, almost half of the students from the Dingzi School passed the exams, and Geng Hao and Meng Si, two lively characters who had been struggling in the Gengzi School for years, suddenly became successful, making them a truly outstanding institution.

Dr. Zou has finally achieved great success; he is such a good role model and a model of political achievement! Not only did the Imperial Academy Chief Minister Feng specifically petition the court for him to be commended, but his story of how he devoted himself to teaching students has also been widely circulated.

In no time, people flocked to him to inquire about which academic institution he would be appointed as a Doctor of the Academy next year, and countless others brought gift boxes, hoping to send their children to his tutelage.

Even distant relatives came knocking on his door, some even trying to subtly offer favors to his wife. Terrified, Dr. Zou immediately sent his wife and children back to their hometown, and locked himself in his own home, refusing all visitors.

Because Geng Hao had miraculously passed the exam, Geng Xiang personally visited Zhixingzhai the next day, making a grand entrance. He not only presented Yao Ruyi with a plaque, but also said to her with a particularly kind expression, "Young lady, this study is of great benefit to scholars. I am thinking of donating some money to add another floor, so that more students can study here. This will be a meritorious deed in the future."

Yao Ruyi listened with great admiration, as if he had never had a stepson named Deng Feng, or ever remarried.

As expected, officials need to have thick skin.

But when someone came to give her money, Yao Ruyi naturally accepted.

Although construction hadn't even begun, she had already considered how things would be done in the future. She would have a monument erected, meticulously inscribing the reason for Geng Xiang's donation and the amount on it, and place it in a corner of the courtyard. The two-story building newly constructed on top of the existing house would be called "Wenhua Hall." Since Geng Xiang's courtesy name was Wenhua, it would be a fitting and respectable name if anyone inquired.

Once the repairs were complete, she wanted to post the detailed accounts to prevent gossip. This way, she could reap the benefits without causing any trouble.

When the results of the imperial examinations were announced, almost everyone in the alley was overjoyed. One family hosted a feast today, another tomorrow, until Yao Ruyi's face became rounder, and Grandpa Yao even developed a double chin.

Unable to eat any longer, Yao Ruyi hurriedly pushed away the table from the Meng family's feast. He was so happy that he collapsed in the street upon learning that his son had passed the exam.

I almost fell into the ditch.

Judging from his expression, he's planning to throw a banquet.

Even though the Geng family invited her, Yao Ruyi didn't go; the book-carving business was enough to keep her busy! She also had to discuss building a second-floor house with Zhou Jumu.

Just as things were getting lively and filled with laughter, there was some activity at the Shuimen Wharf. The cargo boats that had already arrived in Chenqiao Town finally started appearing at the Shuimen Wharf one after another.

This spring, there was insufficient rainfall, and the water level in the river dropped significantly. There was too much silt, which caused many cargo boats to be stranded in Chenqiao Town for several days until the river was dredged and they were finally able to pass.

Dozens of large ships, one after another, braving the wind and dust, carrying equally weathered medical officers and students, finally docked safely at the Jindu Water Gate Wharf, carried by the gentle spring breeze. From a distance, the sight of masts and sails filling the water was truly magnificent.

The families in the alley were still basking in the joy of the Imperial College's great victory this year, but unexpectedly, another good thing happened!

When the news reached the alley, Yao Ruyi was furtively pulling Lin Wen'an, avoiding Grandpa Yao and Tie Baojin, and secretly hiding in a corner deep inside the shelves, applying medicine to his two scarred arms.

Grandpa Yao really didn't hold back when he hit people; the old man was quite strong! The marks left by Lin Wen'an's ruler took three or four days to subside, but they still left behind bluish-purple bruises, especially the ones with bleeding points, which looked particularly pitiful.

Although Lin Wen'an always said it was nothing serious and would subside in a few days, she still bought a jar of "Taiyi Ointment" from Granny Xue, which was said to promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and promote tissue regeneration and wound healing, and made sure he applied it several times a day.

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The details regarding the imperial examination process and the number of candidates admitted are fictional. [pat on the head]

Wishing all those taking exams the best of luck, success in the college entrance exams, and a place on the honor roll! [Sprinkling flowers]