After a good night's sleep, the two struggled to get out of bed the next morning.
It felt like I had only slept for a short while, and now it was already dawn, and I had to rush to the exam hall.
My whole body ached, and the thought of the three-day exam ahead made me feel like I was going to faint.
But the two dared not delay. They quickly washed their faces with cold water to clear their heads, ate breakfast, and then set off with the exam basket that Aunt Qian had prepared.
Upon arriving at the examination hall, Li Qingyao glanced around and felt that the number of people was not as large as on the first day.
However, every candidate wore a determined expression. It was the final exam; they had to get through it. Skipping the exam? That was out of the question.
Unless they are completely delirious like that other candidate, as long as they are clear-headed, they will definitely come to take this last exam.
Gao Chuan was not in as good condition as Li Qingyao. He felt dizzy when he woke up today, probably because he had caught a cold.
Worried about developing a fever, I took some medicine before going out.
"Can it still hold on?"
Li Qingyao was also a little worried about him. If he developed a fever in the examination hall, he wouldn't be able to get out. Unless the final drum was sounded, he would have to stay in the examination hall even if he fainted.
"I'm fine, I feel okay. I took my medicine before going out, so there shouldn't be any problems."
Gao Chuan comforted him, saying that this was the only remaining test. He felt he had done well in the first two tests, and he was unwilling to give up now.
Li Qingyao knew he couldn't persuade him, so he didn't. Putting himself in his shoes, if he were the one feeling unwell, would he be willing to give up the third match? No, he wouldn't.
In the end, he simply patted Gao Chuan on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Give it your all!"
Takakawa also responded with a smile: "I will not waste this precious time!"
The first day of the third exam was the hardest for Gao Chuan. Not long after the exam started, he began to feel drowsy, probably because the medication was taking effect.
I didn't dare answer the questions. I just took advantage of my good mood to break down the policy essay questions and first determined the theme.
Later, unable to stay awake any longer, I squinted and lay down on the table, sleeping for a while. Although it wasted a lot of time, I managed to recover.
His condition improved day by day, indicating that it was a mild case.
Three exams, spanning nine days. The hardships involved are beyond what outsiders can understand. Just being able to walk out of the exam hall standing up was already a remarkable achievement.
When Li Qingyao walked out of the examination room, it felt like a lifetime had passed. Besides being in a daze, he was only worried about Gao Chuan, after all, Gao Chuan hadn't been in good condition when he entered the room.
I had only been waiting at the entrance for a short while when I saw quite a few people walking out of the exam hall sideways. Without exception, they were all relatively old, but there were also quite a few young people who collapsed as soon as they came out.
The entrance to the examination hall was filled with the oppressive sound of weeping, and Li Qingyao dared not look into it. Every provincial examination was like this; life is unpredictable.
After waiting a while longer, Gao Chuan finally appeared. His face was deathly pale, and he was walking with a trembling gait.
Li Qingyao was startled by his appearance and quickly stepped forward to support him.
"Brother-in-law! What's wrong? We need to get to the clinic right away!"
"It's nothing serious, it's nothing serious."
Gao Chuan quickly grabbed Li Qingyao's hand, "I've had some diarrhea these past few days, and I couldn't bear it any longer, so I went to the toilet."
"...Really nothing else?"
Li Qingyao paused for a moment before continuing to ask questions. After all, those who knew about the toilets in the examination hall knew what was going on, so it wasn't hard to understand Gao Chuan's expression.
"Let's go home first, and we can have the doctor come later. I'm really exhausted after taking these exams for the past few days."
Gao Chuan just wanted to go home and lie down; he was eager to return.
Gao Chuan insisted, and Li Qingyao readily agreed, saying that it wouldn't be too late to fetch a doctor after returning home, so they went back to the courtyard together.
To everyone's surprise, as soon as they returned to the courtyard, Aunt Qian arrived with the doctor.
"The young masters are back. I had been thinking about it and they should be home around this time, so I went to fetch a doctor. Young Master Gao was feeling a little unwell earlier. I wonder if he is alright? Let the doctor take a look at him first."
"Thank you so much, Aunt Qian."
The two men thanked her sincerely. In the end, Aunt Qian was just an employer and employee; she was only responsible for their food, drink, and laundry.
During this period of imperial examinations, every time they came out of the examination hall, Aunt Qian would ask a doctor to examine them.
She was truly an extremely meticulous woman.
He's a good person too.
"Hehe, you gentlemen are too kind. I made some soup today. I've lost weight these past few days from taking the exams, so I need to make sure I eat well."
The doctor examined Gao Chuan first, prescribed some medicine, and told him to rest well for a while. Li Qingyao was fine and just needed to sleep for a few days.
The provincial examination is over, and I can finally stop thinking about anything. After eating fried rice and dried meat for several days, I can finally eat and drink well without worrying about getting an upset stomach.
The candidates were relieved, but the examiners' journey through the provincial examinations was not yet over.
As soon as the provincial examination ended, the grading process began immediately.
The provincial examination had one chief examiner and seven co-examiners. Each examination paper had to be reviewed by the seven co-examiners, and only papers that passed the review of five or more examiners could reach the chief examiner.
In other words, Li Qingyao and Gao Chuan's previous efforts to figure out the examiners' preferences were completely in vain.
It's impossible to please everyone. If so many people like a particular exam paper, it can only mean that you are truly talented and exceptional.
Otherwise, there must be something fishy going on.
The most important of the three exams is the first one, as there are specific guidelines for writing and composition in this exam. If you answer well and get to the point, you have a high chance of passing.
The examiners meticulously reviewed the papers, not daring to slack off in the slightest. After all, this was the first provincial examination after the new emperor ascended the throne, and the previous floods had further dampened their spirits. They needed this joyous occasion of passing the exam to bring some relief.
Thousands of people are vying for these one hundred spots; alas, none of them are easy.
However, these three exams should be considered together. Those who excel in the first exam will be guaranteed to become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations) as long as they do not make mistakes in the following two exams.
The candidates waited anxiously for the day the results would be released.
The results were usually announced within half a month after the provincial examination. The courtyard where Li Qingyao and his group rented still had a month's lease remaining.
The two of them slept for several days before finally going out to visit friends.
Now that the exams are over, it's time to relax. Li Qingyao, like everyone else, first went out to pay his respects to Lin Can's elder brother, Lin Ye.
Lin Ye was already a successful candidate in the provincial examination and had taken the metropolitan examination once, but failed. He was now teaching at Qingzhu Academy in Suyang Prefecture, preparing for the next metropolitan examination.
When he arrived earlier, he brought Lin Can's letter to pay his respects. He and Lin Can hit it off immediately, and the Lin family treated him sincerely, so he naturally respected his elder brother as well.
Lin Ye was a kind person and even shared a lot of his experience in answering the provincial examination questions with him. Now that the exam is over, he should definitely go and thank him.
In the days that followed, Li Qingyao, along with Gao Chuan and a few other friends, traveled around the prefectural city, visiting famous scenic spots and historical sites, thoroughly enjoying himself.
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