After the banquet, everyone went back to their rooms to rest.
Niu Yong, Xiao Heng, Niu Daxiucai, Old Master Zhuo, and several other acquaintances from Niushan Village who had come together to take the exam were sitting in Xiao Heng's room talking.
"Who is this Master Mu? I noticed he brought five servants with him, booked all the best rooms in the east wing, and carried so many gold leaves with him. He's very generous," said Scholar Niu, quite surprised.
Little Fu Bao narrowed her eyes and smiled, "We knew someone like him before, also surnamed Mu, but judging from his age, he should be more than twenty years older than Master Mu." "That Master Mu is the richest man in the area, and used to be the richest man in the Great Zhou Dynasty."
"I've heard of the Mu family, but weren't they supposed to be in decline? How come they're still so generous?" Old Master Zhuo said.
Niu Yongdao:
"Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Although it's said to have declined, it's still not the richest man in Jiangzhou. It's just that its fortunes have declined compared to twelve years ago."
"That's true," said the young man. "Judging from his imposing presence and extraordinary appearance, I'm sure he'll pass this time."
Those who rank in the top thirty in the prefectural examination can enter the Imperial Academy.
Each province or prefecture could only admit fewer than one hundred candidates at a time. The top candidate was called the Jieyuan, and the second to tenth candidates were called the Yayuan.
The rest were graduates of the imperial examination system.
They were also eligible to participate in the imperial examination for the highest degree.
The Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) would take the exam three years later at the Daxiangguo Temple in Dingyuan, the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Three hundred candidates would be selected through this imperial examination.
The top scholar among the tribute students is called the Huiyuan.
Three hundred candidates then entered the palace for the imperial examination. Generally, the candidate who ranked first in the palace examination was the top scholar, but there were exceptions.
The top three were called the "First Class" and were known as "Jinshi Jidi".
The emperor would pass the written examination and then appoint the candidate after meeting him in person.
Sixty people were admitted to the second class and were called Jinshi graduates.
The top three ranks admitted 230 to 237 people, who were called "Jinshi graduates".
All the candidates who passed the imperial examinations did not fail; they simply passed the palace examination, and the emperor then re-ranked them.
On the other side to the east, Xu Zhen and Liang Xiucai knocked on Mu Yan's door, and Mu Yan's page opened the door.
"Is Mr. Mu still awake?" Xu Zhen asked.
"It's almost time to sleep, what do you want with our husband?" the page asked.
“We’ve come to ask Master Mu to help us with the exam preparation,” said Scholar Liang.
"Let them in," Mu Yan said from inside the house.
"Yes, young master," the page said. "Please come in, both of you!"
Six or seven lamps were lit again in Mu Yan's room. The page boy brewed tea for the three of them. Xu Zhen looked at the jade teacup in his hand and couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.
That scholar Liang wasn't actually that resentful of the rich; he was just quite envious and rather obsequious, saying:
"Master Mu has truly refined tastes. Even the teacup is extraordinary; the orchids carved on it are incredibly lifelike."
Xu Zhen said, "Yes! But I wonder what Brother Mu thinks of this exam? We are all poor scholars, and it's really difficult for us to buy those classic texts for predicting the exam questions."
The implication is that Mu Yan is easy to buy.
"I didn't buy any, I just guessed a few questions myself," Mu Yan said.
Xu Zhen and Liang Xiucai said:
"We also guessed a few questions, but we don't know if they're accurate."
The imperial examinations were divided into two parts: interpretation of classics and policy essays.
The policy discussion was a free exchange of opinions.
The meaning of the classics, however, is something that is dead in the textbooks.
Mu Yan frowned and said, "No one can guarantee that it will be accurate."
Xu Zhen quickly changed the subject, saying, "Yes! It's just that the competition for this imperial examination is quite fierce, but Brother Mu has always been exceptionally talented in literature, he will definitely be able to get the top score."
"Who else but Brother Mu could be the top scholar in this imperial examination?" said Liang Xiucai.
Xu Zhen said, "Brother Mu seems to be looking unwell. Is it because of that young punk surnamed Xiao?"
If he had married earlier, he could have been Mu Yan's father by now, always calling him "Brother Mu"... Brother Mu finds the two of them a bit annoying.
"No, let's talk about the questions you predicted tomorrow. Anyway, there are still two days until the imperial examination. Brother Xu, Brother Liang, you should go back and rest! Boy, see them out."
Mu Yan said.
The person called "Little Boy" was outside the door. Hearing Mu Yan's call, he hurriedly came in and saw Xu Zhen and Liang Xiucai out.
Then he helped Mu Yan to bed.
As Liang Xiucai walked side by side with Xu Zhen, he said, "Brother Xu, don't you think Brother Mu isn't in a very good mood today?"
Xu Zhen said, "It seems so. Brother Mu has always been arrogant and conceited, and everyone around him treats him like a star. It seems that today, that Xiao fellow overshadowed him, so he's not in a good mood."
Xu Zhen thought that although Xiao Heng and those few scholars brought two maids to serve them, so many people came together, yet they only brought two maids. They must be from a small merchant family.
Mu Yan, however, is the only son of the well-known richest man in Jiangzhou.
Scholar Liang thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "It should be."
Xu Zhen pulled Liang Xiucai's arm and said:
"Brother Liang, come with me, I have something to discuss with you."
The two then went inside.
Xu Zhen cautiously closed the door.
Liang Xiucai said, "Brother Xu, what exactly do you want to discuss with me? Why did you suddenly pull me into this?"
Xu Zhen said:
"Shh, keep your voice down." "Brother Liang, I have a plan to help Brother Mu, but Brother Mu is a man of integrity and upright character, and I doubt he'll agree outwardly." "We are both from poor families, and it's truly not easy for us to curry favor with someone like Brother Mu."
"Brother Mu is not only talented in literature, but also comes from a good family. He will definitely pass the imperial examination this time. Even if he doesn't, it won't hurt for us to befriend him."
Seeing his incessant chatter, Liang Xiucai grew impatient and said:
"Oh, if you have any ideas, just tell me!"
Xu Zhen took an undergarment and heated it over a fire, revealing tens of thousands of densely packed characters on it.
Scholar Liang said with considerable surprise:
"How...how did you do that?"
Xu Zhen said, "This was created by a remarkable person in my family. Few people know about it. This thing reveals characters when it comes into contact with fire or water." He continued, "Brother Liang was raised by his widowed mother who washed clothes for him. It must have been very difficult for him to achieve what he has today."
"Why don't we curry favor with Master Mu and help him resolve his worries? We can secretly give the other undergarment to that Scholar Xiao, and then trap him like a turtle in a jar. Master Mu will surely be grateful to us. Even if he doesn't pass the imperial examination, he can still find a job at Master Mu's residence in the future."
Xu Zhen glanced sideways at Liang Xiucai.
The scholar Liang was amazed by this cheating technique and said:
"I noticed that Young Master Xiao's attire is quite extraordinary. He might not have an undergarment made of such material, and it will inevitably be discovered. Moreover, there are many people in his group, so how can we slip this garment inside?" Furthermore, if such a harmful act is discovered, who will be the scapegoat?
Liang Xiucai didn't ask his last question.
He appeared foolish and simple-minded, but he was actually quite shrewd. He knew that even if he asked, someone as cunning and narrow-minded as Xu Zhen might not tell him the truth.
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