After the exam questions were handed out, Li Qingyao carefully reviewed all eight questions to get a general idea of what to expect.
There are definitely traps; how could the provincial examination questions not be tricky? Of course, the more obscure the questions, the better, and the bigger and deeper the traps, the better.
Li Qingyao sorted out his thoughts, grinding ink as he laid out the draft paper. He needed to list his ideas on the draft paper before he could start writing.
There's only so much scratch paper, so I can only write down the key points and leave space for other questions.
You must remain calm and composed when answering questions, and ideally, you should be able to write your essay in one go. When writing on the paper, your hand must not tremble; if you spill even a single ink smudge, the paper will be considered smudged and will certainly be rejected by the examiner.
Over three days, students had to write eight essays on the Four Books and one poem for the imperial examination, a considerable workload. Each question had strict format requirements, demanding not only a well-thought-out style and theme but also the use of classical allusions and exquisite language.
The process of introducing the topic and developing the topic must be completed completely, and the word count must not exceed the limit. When drafting, you must carefully think about how many words to write for each step.
Gao Chuan was also very focused and attentive. Perhaps it was because of the happy occasion at home that he was in a good mood, and his thoughts flowed freely when he wrote, making him much better than usual.
Taking advantage of his good mood, Gao Chuan quickly finalized the key directions for several articles. Just like laying a foundation, a tall building can rise from the ground if the foundation is solid.
I don't know how I got through these three days. When I was hungry, I would stir-fry rice with water and chew on a few pieces of dried meat.
When I'm sleepy, I should go to sleep as soon as possible, but since I haven't finished writing and my mind is still on the exam paper, it's not so easy to fall asleep.
The hardest part was going to the toilet. There were four or five thousand test takers this year, all sitting in this exam hall. The toilet had been sitting there for three days, and now that it's hot, it had all fermented.
The stench was unbearable, and going to the toilet was a major ordeal for the test takers every time.
Three days later, Li Qingyao walked out of the examination room and met up with Gao Chuan.
The two men looked at each other, both pale and half-dead. They both sighed, thankfully they had made it through.
Neither of them had the energy to talk; they had been overworking their brains during the exam. Since they were family, they knew what was going on, so they didn't hold back.
They encountered members of the Tong family on the way, but only gave a slight nod as a greeting. Everyone was tired and wanted to go home to rest as soon as possible, because they would have to come back to "serve their time" again tomorrow.
Because I lived very close to the examination hall, I arrived home in no time. I first had a good night's sleep.
Aunt Qian was worried about the two of them's health, so she called a doctor to come and take a look. The doctors in the city were all busy today, so they only gave them a quick look, left a prescription for calming medicine, and left.
Fortunately, neither of them was seriously injured, just exhausted. They both got up for dinner that evening.
Aunt Qian made a calming soup for the two of them and didn't dare to cook anything greasy. It was better to keep the food light, since they had to take the exam tomorrow. They hadn't been eating well for the past three days, and if they ate anything too nourishing tonight, they might get an upset stomach.
"The water is ready. After you two finish eating, take a hot bath to relax yourselves."
"Thank you, Aunt Qian."
The two people sincerely thanked her, saying that Aunt Qian was a really good person.
"Oh, you're too kind, gentlemen."
Aunt Qian smiled. The employer was kind, and she felt comfortable working there. Besides, they were all young. After spending time together, she felt like she was seeing her own younger relatives.
While eating, Gao Chuan reviewed the judgments. He was weak in this area. The law books were not only thick and heavy, but the wording was also difficult to understand. Moreover, while there were regulations, there were still differences when it came to actual application.
Li Qingyao helped him organize his thoughts and reinforce his understanding. Having been raised by his father since childhood, he had read many official documents, so the second exam was easy for him.
Many average test-takers aren't particularly good at judging essays. As the saying goes, even last-minute cramming can be effective. The more Gao Chuan studies, the greater his chances of success.
Early the next morning, the candidates gathered again in front of the examination hall. Gao Chuan noticed that many candidates had dark circles under their eyes and were walking unsteadily, clearly having stayed up late studying the night before, or at least not for long.
The two went to bed after washing up last night and are in good spirits today.
Li Qingyao shook his head. This exam would last for three days. How could he endure it without proper rest? Could he possibly get a good rest in the exam hall?
Even the strongest body couldn't withstand such an ordeal; otherwise, why would the government grant a one-night leave?
A group of people lined up, slowly waiting to enter the examination room.
Suddenly there was a commotion ahead, and many people craned their necks to look.
Li Qingyao was also curious, but the excitement of the provincial examination was not something to behold.
Before long, two officials helped a candidate out. It turned out that the candidate had a fever and had fainted while queuing for the examination.
In this state, how could the candidate possibly take the exam? After being helped out, the candidate's family rushed up to him, crying and wailing.
"What a waste! What a waste! My money!"
A thin woman burst into tears and started tearing at the man next to her. The man remained silent, like a statue.
"My son! Eldest brother, please save your brother!"
Li Qingyao felt a pang of pity; the "carp" might not be able to cross the "dragon gate" and would die of exhaustion on the way.
Because of the exam, he didn't have much money on him. He hurried over, stuffed the only tael of silver he had into the old woman's hand, and then squeezed into the crowd and disappeared.
He ignored the sounds of gratitude and the chatter of the other candidates behind him.
"quiet!"
Those few people didn't stay long; they were quickly ordered out by the officials. Thousands of examinees, plus their families accompanying them—if a stampede broke out in the chaos, it would be a serious matter.
Finally entering the examination hall, my heavy heart relaxed slightly. However, the good mood didn't last long.
The toilet bowl, which had been sitting for three days, still hadn't been cleaned, and the air was already smelling bad.
The candidates were utterly dejected; this was going to drag on until the very end of the provincial examinations. Just thinking about it made them feel...
The second exam consisted of judgments, edicts, proclamations, and memorials. For Li Qingyao, this was a piece of cake.
Upon seeing the questions, he wrote with great enthusiasm. One of the questions was one he had just discussed with Gao Chuan the night before, and he couldn't help but feel relieved for Gao Chuan as well. At least, this question should be a sure thing.
Gao Chuan was also overjoyed, thinking that his precious son was his lucky charm, and he felt that he was too lucky.
The second exam was indeed much easier than the first, and many candidates began to hand in their papers on the afternoon of the second day.
However, even after handing in the paper, students could not leave the examination room; they had to wait until the time was up. The second exam only ended when the drum sounded again.
Perhaps because of his exercise, Li Qingyao was in relatively good condition. However, he had seen many people who were unsteady on their feet along the way, and he was still somewhat worried about Gao Chuan's condition.
Not long after waiting at the door, Gao Chuan slowly walked out. Although he looked much more haggard, he could still walk steadily.
Exams are inevitable, and everyone looks haggard. He even felt like he had aged ten years.
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