The imperial examinations began on February 15th and ended on February 24th.
The scribes, who had been busy for more than half a month and had been resting for a whole year, had calluses on their fingertips from copying so many papers before finally delivering thousands of copies of the examination papers to the chief examiner.
Then it was the examiner's turn to get frustrated. They would first pick out the nonsensical articles, then put those with conflicting ideas behind them, and prioritize the excellent, agreeable, and well-phrased ones for their critique.
No wonder every year during the imperial examinations, students would inquire about the examiners' preferences. If the examiner liked the sky, but you insisted on writing about the earth, failing the exam would only be bad luck.
Of course, if someone is so outstanding that the examiner abandons their preferences or even changes their opinion, that is a matter of personal ability.
This period lasted a total of more than twenty days.
For the six siblings, it was a rare time for them to reunite.
They gathered together to eat, drink, and chat. Even Jiang Sheng sighed, finally seeing his third brother leading eight Jiangs in martial arts practice again.
Time seemed to turn back to the past, to the brother and sister living a peaceful life in Ansu County.
But it's not like before, because there are always people who need to be busy outside, traveling around, and smiling at the world.
Jiang Sheng opened a branch of Jiuzhenfang, which she managed on her own. She hired new aunts and uncles, signed contracts, investigated backgrounds, and kept the recipe a secret. She was very busy.
Zheng Ruqian then set about preparing the first batch of lychees to be sent to the palace. The Liao family had already fallen, so the task of supplying the palace had indeed fallen to him. However, there were always powerful families eyeing the market, eager to get a share. Only by establishing a firm foothold this year could he truly take control of this lucrative business.
Wen Zhiyun had to manage the clinic, and also occasionally make home visits to the ladies of noble families for follow-up consultations, study new massage techniques, and then teach them to the female doctors.
Upon closer examination, only Xu Mo, who had just finished his exams, could be considered truly leisurely, spending his time carving wood at Changyan.
The two brothers sat facing each other at the desk, one holding a pen and writing, the other gently blowing away wood shavings. In the distance, Fang Heng, shirtless, was practicing martial arts, accompanied by eight men shouting "Hah!"
Finally, on March 20th, the results of the imperial examination were released.
Jiang Sheng handed the shop over to Miao Zhaoying and her daughter Daya for care, Zheng Ruqian arranged for Wang Xiaosong to personally escort lychees to Lingnan, Wen Zhiyun handed the clinic over to Wang Xiaozhu, who was capable of simple medical consultations, and headed to the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall with his brothers.
Inside the carriage.
Xu Mo was dressed in a clean, unwrinkled blue robe. He looked calm and dignified with his back straight. Only those who were close to him could sense the tension he was trying so hard to hide through his slightly rapid breathing.
The release of the results of this imperial examination not only determines whether Fang Yuan becomes a tribute student, but also concerns the top scorer and his life.
The conversation between the heads of the Tian family and the Fang family in the Golden Palace a year ago left a deep mark on Xu Mo's heart.
Both sides were clearly implicated in the imperial examination fraud. As long as Fang Yuan obtained the status of a tribute student, he could obtain the promised top three in the palace examination.
In contrast, Xu Mo's failure to pass the exam resulted in the execution of his entire family.
This is the difference between aristocratic families and impoverished students; this is the difference between those with power and those without.
Although Xu Mo was extremely confident that he wouldn't fail the exam, what if he did?
He was always nervous, always worried, and always fearful until he actually saw it.
No one could soothe this emotion, so the younger siblings didn't say anything, but just stayed by their side silently.
From the second courtyard to the examination hall, a distance of about two cups of tea's time, the entire carriage was completely silent. Only when the carriage stopped did Jiang Sheng take a deep breath and say, "Brother, I'll get off first."
She was the bravest girl, and the most fearless among her siblings.
Eight-year-old Jiang Sheng was confident that her older brother would win the top spot because of her ignorance of the imperial examination system and her bewilderment at the boundless sea of knowledge.
Jiang Sheng's steadfastness at age twelve stemmed from her support for her family, her understanding of her elder brother, and her courage in the face of the unknown.
The girl in the bright red dress jumped off the carriage, greeted the brothers she knew, and then rushed towards the notice board without hesitation.
They didn't count from back to front, nor did they carefully peek through their fingers.
She looked at the top spot with such grace and poise, and finally broke into a big smile.
"Sister Jiang Sheng, has Brother Xu arrived yet?" Qi Huai called out from outside, his voice full of laughter. "Where is he? Hurry up and come out."
“Yes, come out quickly,” An Jun called out as well.
Xu Mo took a deep breath, looked at his brothers who were full of encouragement, and finally lifted the carriage curtain and jumped off the carriage.
There were so many people at the entrance of the examination hall. Those who passed were overjoyed, while those who failed were dejected and in tears. Their families either shared their joy or offered them gentle comfort.
Qi Huai, with his younger sister, and An Jun, with his parents, smiled when they saw him.
They should all be on the list.
"Congratulations." Xu Mo cupped his hands in greeting. "Congratulations to you both."
"We should be the ones congratulating you," Qi Huai blinked. "Brother Xu is of noble character and integrity, and he doesn't give up in the face of setbacks. He is a role model for us all..."
He wanted to say something more, but his sister, dressed in a black dress, covered his mouth.
Qi Yue, who used to go by the alias Qi Yue, said with a blushing face, "Don't listen to my brother, go and see for yourself."
Xu Mo nodded slightly and finally walked up to the plaque.
His sister laughed in front of him, his name was prominently displayed at the top, and his classmates, who knew him, congratulated him with open arms, their eyes filled with undisguised envy and jealousy.
How can someone be so amazing that they topped the list twice in a row?
The first time it was stolen by trickery and force, the second time it finally returned in glory.
"Xu Huiyuan!" someone called out his new identity, loudly congratulating him, "At sixteen, he topped the list of candidates in the imperial examination. Such a talent is rare in both the past and present dynasties. He is truly a formidable young man!"
Xu Mo returned the greeting with a smile, neither arrogant nor impatient.
Some people who failed the exam due to retaking it glared resentfully. Soon, Fang Heng and eight Jiangs surrounded them, protecting them firmly in the middle.
"Congratulations, big brother!" the younger brothers happily congratulated him.
Xu Mo finally let out the breath he had been holding in and began to carefully search for Fang Yuan's name.
There are none in the front row, and none in the back row.
Fang Heng, with his sharp eyes, spotted the inconspicuous characters "Fang Yuan" in the middle-to-back position.
The brother and sister, who had been beaming with joy, immediately became serious.
“My cousin is indeed quite capable.” Fang Heng’s eyes were cold and sharp. “Grandfather taught us martial arts, but we only dabbled in literature. Yet he managed to pass the imperial examination and become a tribute student in just a few years.”
Although not as outstanding and dazzling as Xu Mo, it is still far beyond the ordinary.
If the imperial family follows last year's agreement and grants Fang Yuan a place in the top three of the palace examination, the Fang family will have completely transformed from military officers to civil officials, becoming the biggest winner.
The only ones who suffered in this cheating scandal were Xu Mo and the other students who wasted a year of their education.
Moreover, judging from the Fang family's recent moves, they may have prepared some tricks for the palace examination to completely destroy Xu Mo's path to the imperial examination.
"Why should we!" Fang Heng clenched his fist in anger. "The Fang family has gone too far! They've bullied us too much!"
This is intolerable!
Enough is enough; there's no need to endure it any longer.
He turned around sharply and looked at Chang Yan, whose brows were furrowed. "Xiao Wu, tell me, what method can we use to detect the Fang family's backup plan?"
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