Chapter 115 Chapter 115 County Examination
Although Kang He had read some books, he didn't know much about matters such as the results of the imperial examinations.
A few days before the exam, he went back to his village to do some work, and took the opportunity to ask Fan Xin about many details of the exam. Although Fan Xin was not well educated, he was an experienced candidate after all, and had taken the exam many times.
When it comes to experience in ending a relationship, I'm afraid that among the scholars he knows, no one can compare to him.
Fan Xin then told Kang He that the children's examination was divided into two major examinations: the county examination and the prefectural examination.
The county examination was held in the county town by the county magistrate. Candidates had to take five exams, namely the main exam, the first round, the second round, the third round and the final round.
Each exam usually lasts one day, and the results will be released two days later. Only those who pass can participate in the next exam. If you fail, the exam will be terminated immediately and you will have to wait until next year.
Kang He said, "Wouldn't it take nearly a month just to take the county exam?"
Fan Xin responded, "That's exactly what happened. The county exam is only in February. If you pass, you won't have much time to rest. You'll have to go to the prefectural capital in March to prepare for the provincial exam in April."
"Luckily, there's no academy exam this year. If it were the one that happens every three years, those who passed the prefectural exam this year would still have to prepare for the academy exam. After a few major exams, almost the entire year would be spent on exams."
"However, this situation is rare. Few candidates have such smooth sailing, passing every exam in a row. But I'm telling you in advance so that you understand the process of the exam and can prepare for future Dafu exams."
Speaking of this, a warm current surged in Fan Xin's heart, and he even wanted to try again to make up for the regret of not even being able to get the title of Tongsheng after studying for many years.
However, he felt a little embarrassed to do so. After all, he was no longer a student, but a teacher. Not only did he not have enough time to finish his work, but if he failed, he would not be able to convince his students and would lose face.
Kang He didn't know what he was thinking, so he just nodded in agreement.
As a father, he couldn't help his child with the exams. It all depended on Dafu's own knowledge. But he knew more details, which showed the care and attention that parents showed to their children.
But then again, I heard that the county exam alone was so complicated, with five sessions and candidates being eliminated in each session, which was quite strict.
He only knew that Fan Xin hadn't even passed the examination to become a student before, but now he heard that passing the county examination was a great achievement, and he actually felt a little respect for Fan Xin.
Not to mention anything else, just in terms of studying, he is much better than me.
"The external examination for children requires five candidates to jointly guarantee their admission, and another student from the government stipend to act as a guarantor. However, I am not worried about these things. Dafu is studying in the academy, and Mr. Xu will make the arrangements."
Kang He said, "I've heard from Mr. Xu that these students are all honest and well-behaved, and the guarantor fees have already been paid yesterday."
The two men were talking in the house. Zhang Jingui overheard a few words from outside. Hearing that Dafu was about to leave, she couldn't help but open the door and go in and say:
"You sent him to take the exam so early? Our Daxin also took the children's exam after he turned ten. Dafu is so young. How could he understand it after entering the exam room?"
Kang He said, "He will be nine years old this February, so he's not young anymore. I heard from the scholar at Zhen'er's house that the imperial court originally allowed candidates to take the child examination as young as six. For example, those officials' families, even if their children and grandchildren are not good, can still participate in the imperial examination. It's only in our small place that children take the examination late."
Fan Xin also said, "Everyone's hands are unfamiliar the first time they play. Otherwise, why would Mr. Xu have suggested that we hone our skills beforehand? The saying goes, 'First time is new, second time is familiar,'"
Zhang Jingui was disappointed and went out timidly.
She thought that Mr. Xu just loved to make trouble. He had taught them the same thing before. Daxin should go to the exam room early to try it out, get some experience, and get familiar with the exam room. After the second and third times, he would be much more relaxed and not so nervous, so he would naturally get good grades.
It's just that they have never been to school, so they just believe whatever the teacher says. Daxin has taken the exam so many times, but it doesn't seem to be of any use.
Moreover, the children's examination is held every year. After passing the county examination, one has to go to the provincial capital to take the second one. The round trip will cost a lot of money.
Their family was made poor by this exam in the past.
But then again, the second wife is rich. She built a luxurious house in the countryside, but still felt it was not enough, so she bought a house in the city. After all, she has enough money for the exam.
Let’s just take the test. No one can say a word.
Kanghe returned to the house in the afternoon, and Awang said that Dafu had come home.
Because the exam was about to start, the cram school let the students go home three days in advance to prepare. I haven't been to the cram school for the past few days.
Kang He asked Fan Jing again, and he said he was at the pork shop.
After hearing this, he told Awang to go to the kitchen and tell Hua Niangzi to add a dish of braised pork for lunch, making it sweeter, and also stir-fry some pig's stomach.
Then he went to Dafu's yard and brought Qiao in, and heard Xiaofu's voice inside.
"Brother, will you be away for a long time for the exam? I can only see you in the afternoon during study time. If you go to take the exam, will I not be able to see you for two or three days?"
Xiaofu rode on a wooden horse that could sway back and forth, his feet stepping on the carved stirrups, his hands holding the handrails extending from between the horse's heads, swaying back and forth, as if he was really riding a horse.
"Is Brother Fifteen also taking the exam? I didn't even see him during the New Year, and he clearly said he was setting off firecrackers with me."
Dafu was sitting at the desk next to Xiaofu, writing with his eyes slightly lowered.
"He's not taking the exam this time. He should go next year. Uncle Xu didn't teach him a lesson, and he was a little sad. He was motivated for a while and buried himself in his studies every day. That's why he didn't have time to come and play."
Xiaofu heard this and said, "That's really pitiful, brother. If Brother Fifteen doesn't leave, there will be no one to accompany you to the exam. Aren't you scared? But don't be afraid. On the day of the exam, I will definitely get up early and go with Daddy and Little Daddy to take you to the exam room."
"There are many people taking the exam, so don't be afraid, brother. Besides, you can go to the exam hall in the morning and come home in the afternoon, just like studying normally."
After hearing this, Xiaofu felt relieved.
Then he said, "Brother, are you hungry? Do you want some candied fruit and freshly made rice cakes? I'll get some for you."
Dafu smiled and said, "No, I don't need to. I ate a lot at lunch and didn't move much, so I don't feel hungry now."
"Brother, do you want to ride the pony with me for a while? I'll take you for a ride. I ride the pony and practice with the sword every day, but I get hungry pretty quickly. Daddy even said he'd make me a new sword when he has time. Do you want one? I'll make you one."
Kang He listened to Xiaofu chattering outside the door. It was hard for Dafu to write and talk to him at the same time.
He walked in. Although it was February, it was still cold. There was a charcoal brazier in the room, which made it much warmer than outside.
"You are a parrot, why do you talk so much?"
Kang He smiled and pinched Xiao Fu's ear from behind.
"Daddy, you're back."
Xiaofu's cat-like eyes sparkled brightly. When Dafu saw Kanghe, he also stopped writing and raised his little face with a smile.
Kang He picked up Xiao Fu and went to sit next to Da Fu at the desk. He saw the articles on the desk and said, "You are still writing after coming home. Take a break. Be careful not to hurt your hands."
"The exam is in three days, and I want to consolidate the knowledge that I don't remember very well."
Kang He patted Dafu's head and said, "This is your first exam. Don't be so nervous. Just treat it as a chance to try your hand and see the exam room."
Dafu hummed, and then he said a little embarrassedly: "Although this is my first time, I still want to save face for my father and my little father."
If he could have achieved fame and honor earlier, then his father and little father wouldn't have to work so hard, and his father and little father's care and hard work for him wouldn't be in vain.
Kang He felt warm in his heart when he heard this, and he gently stroked his little face: "You kid."
"Daddy and Little Daddy know how filial you are, but don't be too hard on yourself. The most important thing is that you are happy."
Dafu nodded.
Later, it started to drizzle outside. Kang He found an umbrella and was about to go to the pork shop to pick up Fan Jing. Just as he arrived at the door, the man happened to come back and drove towards the back door.
"Take this and stew it."
Fan Jing jumped out of the car and saw Kang He waiting for him at the door. He felt happy and handed him a small basket with a bowl in it.
"I've already asked Madam Hua to bring more dishes. What do you want to eat?"
Kang He opened the basket and saw a fresh pig brain inside.
"Zhang Shili killed the pig and brought it over, then he took it out and stewed it for Dafu to eat."
Kang He smiled and said, "I have an exam coming up soon, so it's good to refresh my brain."
His eyes rolled. "But isn't a pig's brain too stupid? I heard monkeys are smarter."
Upon hearing this, Fan Jing's eyebrows moved: "I'm afraid it's difficult to do it in the city, I have to go back to the mountains to have a look."
Seeing that he was serious, Kang He quickly pulled him back and said, "I was joking. You really can't just say that wind will rain. It's too cruel to really use monkeys. We can't use these folk remedies."
Fan Jing glanced at him sideways: "You're the only one who talks too much."
After saying that, he strode into the house. Shenghan, who was pulling the mule and the cart, couldn't help but chuckle.
Kang He hurried over and said, "Oh, don't worry, come with me to stew the pig's brain."
Early in the morning on the sixth day of the second lunar month, before daybreak, after breakfast, Kang He and Fan Jing personally drove Dafu to the Imperial Examination Hall.
Originally, Chen Sanfang and Fan's father also said that they would send the child to school today, but Kang He persuaded them to go back. It was the first time the child had suffered such a misfortune, and it was good for the whole family to pay attention to it, but paying too much attention to it would also be a kind of invisible pressure. It would be better to treat it as an ordinary school day so that Dafu could feel more relaxed.
Xiaofu was thinking about sending his brother off today. It was the best time to sleep in February when it was still dark and the quilt was warm, so the little guy got up as soon as he could.
It was actually not the time for him to get up on his own as usual. He ate breakfast in a daze, and climbed into the carriage with all his strength. Now sitting in the carriage, his eyes started to spin and he felt dizzy all over.
Dafu was a little nervous at first, but when he saw his brother nodding his head like a chicken pecking at rice, his eyes sometimes opening and sometimes closing, he couldn't help laughing, and he felt a little relieved.
The fog outside was thick, and the light from the lanterns along the street was dim. The only sound was the sound of passing carriages.
Several carriages were parked in their alley, probably carrying students who were being sent by their families to take the Imperial Examination. The streets were deserted in the morning, but during the examination, it was not deserted at all.
Walking all the way to Gongyuan, when we entered Gongyuan Street, the speed of the carriages slowed down, and the further we went, the slower it became.
"Daddy, little daddy, let's get off here."
Seeing that the car was moving slowly, Dafu looked out the window and saw the sign of a restaurant called Shizhijinming under the gray sky. He estimated that it was not far from the Imperial Examination Hall.
Before the exam, he and several other candidates who were jointly guaranteeing the exam came for a walk and got to know the way to Gongyuan Street. After coming out of the Gongyuan gate, they saw this restaurant half a minute later.
Waiting for the carriage to arrive in front of the Imperial Examination Hall like this would probably take even longer than walking.
Furthermore, I heard that carriages and horses were not allowed to drive into the courtyard outside the Imperial Examination Hall, and could only be parked far away on the street to avoid accidents where carriages and horses might hit people.
Kang He thought he had arrived early enough, but he didn't expect that the car had already stopped several blocks away and the traffic was so congested. He was afraid that he would be late if he continued in the traffic, so he agreed to Da Fu's request.
"Little Daddy will take you there. I'm afraid we can't leave this car parked in the middle of the road. If we block the candidates coming behind us, they'll miss the exam."
After that, the car stopped for a short while. Fan Jing carried Dafu's bookcase, and the two of them quickly got on the mule cart.
Xiaofu suddenly woke up at this moment. He sniffed and said, "Brother, please come home after you finish the exam."
Dafu smiled and pinched Xiaofu's cheek: "I understand."
After saying that, Fan Jing led Dafu and walked quickly forward. After walking a few steps, they saw that the cars were stuck in traffic. Fortunately, they got off in advance.
When they arrived at the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall, there was already a group of examinees there. Although there were many people, there was no noise and everyone was talking in low voices.
Dafu was sharp-eyed and found the candidates who had guaranteed him a place in the exam. Two of them had already arrived. He went to the meeting and waited for the other two to arrive.
They were all punctual. In just half a quarter of an hour, the remaining two candidates came over and joined the group.
When everyone was gathered, they were led by the guarantor to the physical examination before entering the venue.
"Little Dad, go back now. I've lined up and will be in the examination room soon."
Dafu saw that the sky was foggy and rainy, and there was a strangely cold wind blowing from the windward side.
Fan Jing just said: "It doesn't matter, I'll see you enter before I leave."
After saying that, he stood beside Dafu. Whenever the team moved forward a little, he would move a little, and together with the child beside him, he blocked half of the wind.
Only after the physical examination was completed and he received the badge and was allowed to enter the Imperial Examination Hall did Fan Jing return to look for Kang He.
"Is there anything wrong?"
"No."
Kang He breathed a sigh of relief and drove the car outside.
This morning it was easier to get in than to get out. It took more than an incense stick of time before I finally got back to the main road.
After returning home, Fan Jing carried Xiaofu back into the house, took off his shoes and socks, and tucked him back into the quilt. It was only then that the sky began to brighten.
The two of them went to the new shop and set up the shelves. Everything on this side was almost ready. They just needed to supply the vegetables from Xiaoxiang and then they could open for business.
However, Kang He checked the almanac and decided to postpone the date. Firstly, there would be more varieties of vegetables in March, and secondly, Dafu was taking an exam and they had to pick him up. If all the things happened at the same time, it would be hard to cope with the situation.
Let’s talk about Dafu who entered the Imperial Examination Hall. He found his examination room according to the number plate he was given.
Although I had heard Uncle Fan Xin say that the cell was small and not as big as a toilet, when I saw it with my own eyes, I couldn't help but be slightly amazed by the small square cell.
But the good thing is that he is still small and has not yet reached adulthood, so he does not feel that the cell is too narrow.
He sat down facing the patrol route, on the side with the only window. He looked around and saw that there was a young man in his twenties sitting in the room opposite. His heart tightened a little. He couldn't help but think that there were people of all ages in the imperial examination hall, which showed how fierce the competition was and how difficult it was to pass the exam.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but take two deep breaths to relax himself. When he felt calm, he opened the bookcase, took out the pen and ink, and ground some juice to prepare for the exam.
It took only an incense stick of time before the bell rang. Immediately, an invigilator came and double-checked the items brought by the candidates to prevent cheating.
After checking, the examiner's loud and powerful voice rang out: "Exam takers, pay attention, the exam questions will be revealed!"
Dafu quickly straightened up, his eyes nervously looking outside. When the examiner finished singing, three gong strikes were heard: "Open the question!"
He saw two assistant examiners holding the test papers and slowly approaching from afar. When they got closer, Dafu did not think at all and quickly picked up the pen to write down the test questions on paper. After writing, before the people came up to him, he took advantage of this time to review the questions three times. After confirming that they were correct, he withdrew his gaze.
Looking at the title carefully again, Dafujian took a sentence from "Mencius" as the proposition, and wrote a formatted article, and then composed a five-character six-rhyme test poem.
He smiled slightly. Not only was the question not difficult, but it was also a sentence he had just reviewed before entering the examination room.
Dafu picked up his pen and began to answer quickly, just like he did his usual exercises.
The only difference between the two is that he first makes a draft, reads it through three times after finishing it, makes one or two simple revisions, and when he is satisfied, he copies it onto a new white paper for submission.
He wrote with great concentration, without the slightest distraction, and did not notice that the candidate sitting opposite him saw him answering calmly, and secretly lamented that he was not as good as the elders and not as good as the young ones, and his heart became even more impetuous.
Dafu passed the first exam with great caution.
When he went out of the examination room, he saw Kang He and Fan Jing waiting outside from a distance. Dafu was very happy and ran towards them.
"Are your hands tired of writing?"
Kang He went to meet the people and saw a relaxed look on Dafu's face, so he thought that everything must be fine.
Dafu rarely acted coquettishly: "My hands are a little tired from writing. I made a draft, copied it once, and felt it wasn't good enough, so I made some revisions and copied it again."
After saying that, he smiled and said, "But fortunately, the questions on this exam are."
Seeing this, Fan Jing rubbed his hand and said, "Just answer it, the rest doesn't matter."
So, we just have to wait for the results of the first round to come out in two days.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
