The person who inquired about the Xu family's children was naturally not the high-ranking clerk in the Rites Office, but the clerk under him.
The problems are nothing more than family background, height and appearance.
After all, the imperial examination was to select talents for the imperial court. To become an official, one must not only be examined on one's character and academic performance, but also on appearance, which was also a very important factor.
Otherwise, the local official is short, ugly and fat, and even wearing an official robe, he really does not look dignified at all.
The clerk who questioned Xu Yan was about twenty years old and had a good attitude. After asking a few questions, he recorded Xu Yan's facial features, pasted them on a wooden exam card, and handed it to Xu Yan.
After thanking the person who posted the book, Xu Yan flipped through the exam card and thought to himself that this was the admission ticket for the Ming Dynasty.
With this exam card, you have completed the registration procedures before the county exam and can officially take part in the county exam.
The county examination will start three days later, which is already late August.
Although the exam started much later than normal, there was nothing that could be done about it due to the Japanese invasion, and the candidates understood.
Besides, this year is the year of the major examinations, and the next provincial examination will be two years later. Even if the county examination is held later this time, it will not have much impact.
After registering, Xu Yan naturally did not plan to stay in the county government office for long. He was about to leave with the exam card, but was stopped by a member of the Xu family next to him.
Xu Yan remembered this man. Judging from seniority, he should be Xu Yan's cousin, named Xu Zhuo.
Although Xu Zhuo was over 30 years old, he had never passed the imperial examination and was still a student.
"Brother, what did you call me for?"
"If I remember correctly, this is Brother Qiu's first time taking the exam, right? My father asked me to tell you something: 'Enter the Golden Gate, and your name will be revealed on the Jade Table.' Brother Qiu, you must study hard. Whether our Xu family can produce a scholar depends on you."
Xu Yan blushed upon hearing this. How unlucky was the Xu family? Such a big family, yet they had never produced a scholar?
No wonder his father's eyes lit up when he learned that he wanted to concentrate on his studies.
"Don't worry, brother. I will do my best."
Xu Yan became famous in Dinghai County because of a poem he wrote against the Japanese invaders, which rekindled hope for the Xu family, who had been unsuccessful in the imperial examinations for a long time.
It seems that this county examination is no longer just Xu Yan's family's business.
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The imperial examination system in the Ming Dynasty was divided into six levels: county, prefecture, academy, township, association, and palace.
Only candidates who passed the county, prefectural, and imperial examinations could receive the title of "xiucai" (xiucai), otherwise they could only be called "tongsheng" (tongsheng). Scholars with the title of "xiucai" were eligible to take the additional selection examinations at the county and prefectural schools, and those who passed could then participate in the provincial examination. Success in the provincial examinations became "juren" (juren), eligible to participate in the following year's metropolitan examinations in the capital. Successful candidates in the metropolitan examinations were called "gongshi" (gongshi), who then took the palace examinations to determine their final ranking.
In other words, Xu Yan now only has to take the most basic entrance test.
Even so, everyone in the Xu family became nervous, and everything took priority over Xu Yan's preparation for the exam.
Mrs. Xu Chen even specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare a midnight snack for Xu Yan so that he could have something to eat if he was tired from studying at night.
Now Xu Xiaolangjun was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
Mom, mom, are you using too much force?
I'm the one taking the exam, but why do I feel like you're more nervous than me?
Besides, shouldn’t you focus on relaxing before the exam?
However, when he thought about what his uncle said, Xu Yan could understand it.
The Xu family hasn't produced a scholar in many years. Xu Yan is the youngest one, so he naturally became the "hope of the whole village."
Xu Yan seemed to have no other options except to comfort himself and turn pressure into motivation.
To be honest, before rushing to Hangzhou and accidentally becoming Mr. Xushan's disciple, Xu Yan was not very confident about this county examination.
But after a month of special training, Xu Yan could indeed feel the improvement in his eight-legged essay writing skills.
It may be difficult to pass the Juren examination with this level of ability, but it should be enough to cope with the county examination.
The county examination usually consists of four to five sessions, the specific number being determined by the county magistrate.
The first game is the main game, the second game is the initial review, the third game is the secondary review, and the fourth and fifth games are the consecutive reviews.
It looks complicated and tedious, but the first game is the most important one.
As long as you perform well in the first round and are approved by the county magistrate, you will be passed directly without having to participate in the next few rounds.
If you are unlucky and fail, you can only take part in the second preliminary review. If you still fail, you have to continue to take part in the third review, and so on.
Xu Yan was, of course, aiming to pass it on his first try. Exams are like wars: you push hard at first, then you lose momentum, and then you're exhausted.
As you take the exam, you may lose confidence in yourself.
The county examination is not something to be feared, but it should not be underestimated either.
It is still important to maintain a sense of the question.
Before the exam, Xu Yan prepared to write an article every day to warm up his hands.
But on that day, Xu Yan was about to write a topic from the Four Books, and Shuangxi came into the house with some midnight snacks.
"Master, this is the midnight snack that Madam specially ordered the kitchen to prepare. There are Ningbo glutinous rice balls, glutinous rice cakes, and brown sugar steamed buns..."
Xu Yan hummed: "Just put it here."
The dishes that Mrs. Xu Chen ordered to be prepared were all specialties from Ningbo Prefecture, and they were all what Xu Yan had loved to eat since he was a child.
But after a trip to Hangzhou, Xu Yan found that he actually liked eating wonton noodles more.
But the chef in the mansion definitely didn’t know how to make it, so he ate glutinous rice balls and glutinous rice cakes first to satisfy his craving.
Xu Yan put down the brush, picked up the bowl and blew on it, then took a dumpling with a spoon and put it into his mouth.
Chew gently, and a burst of fragrance fills your mouth, soft, smooth and fragrant, that’s the taste!
Mencius said: "A bowl of rice and a bowl of bean soup: if you have them, you will live; if you don't, you will die."
You are not deceiving me!
After Xu Yan finished his midnight snack with relish, he patted his stomach in satisfaction.
When I pick up my pen again, I naturally have to organize my thoughts.
The most important thing Xu Yan learned from his mentor this month is that he must remain calm when reviewing questions, especially when facing questions that require cutting and connecting, and must not fall into traps.
After carefully examining the topic, Xu Yan had an idea in mind. He came up with an angle to approach the topic and began to write his essay.
In the past, Xu Yan would write furiously once he had an idea, but after being taught by his mentor, he now writes each stroke carefully to ensure the neatness of the article.
In the words of my mentor, it should at least make people feel comfortable and refreshed when watching it.
Otherwise, even if there are transcribers in the provincial and metropolitan examinations in the future, it will definitely affect the final ranking.
After finishing the article, Xu Yan read it again as a whole and nodded with satisfaction.
Now he is able to put everything he has in mind on paper in a relatively complete manner, in one go without the need for revisions.
It seems that more than a month of special training is still useful. Hard work pays off!
After finishing the article, Xu Yan looked at the collected annotations of the Four Books and prepared to rest.
Maintaining your touch is important, but getting enough rest is also essential.
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ps: The county exam is coming soon, why don't you vote for Xu Xiaolang to cheer him up~
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