The provincial examination consisted of three sessions, each more difficult than the last. Inside, the candidates wrote furiously, while the noise from those outside grew louder and louder, with many candidates running into problems before the exam.
Fortunately, thanks to the strict defense of several people, the three-day provincial examination finally ended.
They were exhausted and had lost a lot of weight. They took turns to rest for two days before they recovered.
The results would be announced in three days, and the four of them were filled with excitement. After locking the gate, they all went out to see the list.
We arrived early and the results hadn't been announced yet, but the venue was already packed with people.
After waiting for the hour of Si, a gong sounded, and a team of yamen runners arrived, carrying paste and a red list. They pushed through the crowd and began to paste the red list. When the list was finished, the leader shouted "Open the list" and left with the runners. The crowd erupted in excitement as the runners left.
There were too many people, so Zhao Yiming was busy protecting Tian An and retreating. Deng Xue also stood on the other side of Tian An, while Deng Yuan stretched his arms and legs and rushed into the crowd.
Wherever he went, there were cries of wailing and cursing, "Who is this? You stepped on my foot!"
"Ouch! Why are you squeezing me? My shoes are going to fall off."
"Who, who pulled my clothes?"
"My head hurts, someone pull my hair."
…
As more and more people came, Zhao Yiming and Tian An retreated a little further.
Soon, cheers spread among the crowd, "I passed the exam! I finally passed the exam! Thank you, my ancestors, for your blessings!"
Then there were cries, wails, and curses:
"Hey! Why didn't I pass again? I'm too embarrassed to see my parents!"
"I feel so sorry for my parents who gave birth to me and raised me, and I feel so sorry for my wife who worked so hard from dawn to dusk to earn money for my trip!"
"I told you not to take the exam, but you refused to believe me. My family has been supporting you to study and take the exam. Our son is already 18 and still hasn't found a wife. You're going to exhaust the whole family!"
Looking at the old man with gray hair who couldn't even lift his head because his wife pointed at his nose and scolded him, Tian An couldn't help but sigh at the cruelty of the ancient imperial examinations!
After a while, Deng Yuan came running back with disheveled clothes and unkempt hair. Before he even reached the three of them, he was already panting and shouting excitedly, "Congratulations, sir. Congratulations, congratulations, sir. You passed the exam and ranked tenth, sixteenth."
"Sixteenth? Six is good! Everything is going smoothly! The next college entrance examination will definitely go smoothly." Tian An said happily.
Deng Xue, who was standing by, also said, "Young Master will definitely be able to win the first battle and capture the scholar in one fell swoop."
Zhao Yiming smiled but said nothing, as calm as if it wasn't his exam.
Now that they knew the results, they didn't stay long. They bought a lot of food and went home.
I've passed the provincial exam, so I should celebrate. I originally wanted to go to the restaurant, but then I thought about the academy exam, which is the most critical time. What if someone goes crazy? It's better to be cautious.
After a delicious meal, Tian An and Zhao Yiming began to discuss their next itinerary.
The college entrance examination was scheduled for June 15th. The two hesitated, wondering whether to take the exam here and then go back, or whether to go back to Shangba Village first to report safety.
"There are still two months before the exam. Why don't we go back to Jinning County first! Your family must be worried after you've been away for so long. Also, the news of your passing the exam should be passed back to make everyone happy." There was still a long time left, and Tian An felt it was better to go back first.
"Okay! Then let's do as you say." Zhao Yiming said it was no problem and he would do whatever Tian An arranged.
However, man proposes, God disposes. It rained heavily that night. The rain was so heavy that it was not suitable for traveling, so they decided to wait until the rain stopped before setting off.
We waited for three days, and on the fourth day, the sun finally came out. Thinking that the road would be wet and slippery after so many days of rain, we decided to wait another day until the road was dry before setting off.
Unfortunately, the weather did not go as planned. It started raining again in the middle of the night. This time it rained intermittently for half a month. The scheduled itinerary was also delayed again and again.
"We can't go on like this! It keeps raining like this. Three days is not enough for us to go back to Jinning County. We'll have to go through the trouble of coming back from Jinning County, and all our time will be wasted on the road." Tian An said worriedly as he looked at the rain outside the house.
Zhao Yiming turned a page without even looking up before saying, "Then we won't be going back to Jinning County. Let Deng Yuan pack up and report back safely. We'll just finish the exam here and then go back."
Tian An nodded, "That's the only way."
The next day, Deng Yuan bought some food for the three of them for a few days, then he packed up lightly and set off on horseback back to Jinning County.
However, something happened on the third night after Deng Yuan left. Those who were watching them probably became more alert after seeing Deng Yuan leave.
In the middle of the night, Tian An was half asleep and half awake when he seemed to hear something rubbing against the ground, making a rustling sound.
“This voice…”
Tian An jumped up with a start. In the moonlight outside the window, she saw two snakes, spitting venom, crawling towards her, about ten feet from her bed. The color of the snakes told her they were highly venomous.
Tian An quickly summoned the powder from his space, aimed it at the snakes and sprinkled it on them. The two snakes twisted their bodies and rolled on the ground a few times before they became motionless.
"Oh no, Zhao Yiming..."
Tian An got out of bed without even putting on his shoes and ran out the door.
As a result, as soon as she went out, she saw Zhao Yiming walking towards her room.
Tian An stepped forward quickly, "Brother Yiming, are you okay?"
Zhao Yiming quickly looked at Tian An and was relieved to see that she was not bitten by the snake. "I'm fine."
Seeing that she was not wearing shoes, he was about to scold her when he heard her exclaim, "Deng Xue!"
Just as the two were about to go to Deng Xue's room, they saw Deng Xue climbing over the wall outside the courtyard.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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