Xu Yan has a good grasp of the rhythm of the college entrance examination.
The three articles are of appropriate length and almost make the most of the time.
This avoids the embarrassment of having to wait for a long time to end the exam.
Compared to half a year ago, Xu Yan is now obviously more mature in dealing with the imperial examination.
After the college entrance examination, Xu Yan and a group of candidates left the provincial school.
Since there is only one examination this time, it means that candidates only need to wait quietly for the results.
Chen Maoli obviously did well in the exam. After returning to the inn, he took the initiative to find Xu Yan to play chess.
Xu Yan was also happy to accompany him. After all, he had nothing to do and it was a good opportunity to kill time.
You should relax after a high-intensity exam.
"My dear brother, I heard that this year's top scorer, Li Chunfang, wrote a Qingci poem that won the favor of the Holy Emperor, who has transferred him to the Western Garden to take the exam. Would you like to practice?"
Chen Maoli spoke mysteriously as he made his move.
Xu Yanzhi felt both amused and helpless.
When I first met Chen Maoli, I didn’t feel that he had a gossipy nature.
"I can't write something like Qingci."
Xu Yan shook his head.
In fact, it’s not that Xu Yan can’t write it, but he feels there is little benefit.
Only Emperor Jiajing liked Qingci.
And now it is the 26th year of Jiajing.
Even if Xu Yan passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi in the 29th year of Jiajing, according to the rules of the Ming Dynasty officialdom, he had to observe the government for a few months before being selected as a Shujishi or being appointed as an official in other places.
Needless to say, those who were selected as Shujishi would directly intern in the Hanlin Academy for three years. After they were released, they might not be able to move out, and might have to continue to hone their skills in the Hanlin Academy for another three to five years, under the euphemism of "sculpting".
If you want to play externally, you must have at least seven or eight years of experience, right?
This trip lasted more than 30 years during the Jiajing period.
However, Xu Yan knew clearly that the Jiajing Dynasty lasted only forty-five years.
Even if he had worked in a powerful government office for more than 30 years during the Jiajing period, it would have been impossible for him to rise to the top.
To be precise, Xu Yan's golden period of official career should be during the Long Wan period.
In other words, investing in Emperor Jiajing was a waste.
The Jiajing period was only the starting point of his official career. It was absolutely nonsense to think that he would enter the cabinet and become a prime minister at the age of 30.
"Brother Yishi is too modest. Qingci is difficult to say, but it is also simple to say."
Chen Maoli swallowed his saliva and said, "I have also done some research recently and found many tricks."
Xu Yan thought to himself that Chen Maoli was really good at scheming, but the college entrance examination had just begun, so wasn't it too early to practice writing Qingci in such a hurry?
Seeing Xu Yan remained silent, Chen Maoli didn't care and continued to talk about his experience.
It has to be said that Chen Maoli put in a lot of effort. At least he compared the Qing Ci poems of Xia Yan, Yan Song, and Li Chunfang, and summarized their similarities.
"Brother Lu Qing, how do you know so much?"
Logically speaking, although these Qingci are not secret things, they should not be something that a mere boy can find out.
Chen Maoli came over and said mysteriously, "Brother Yi Shi, you don't know that I have someone above me."
Xu Yan acted as if he suddenly understood something.
Cixi County is indeed a major cultural and educational county, where there are many hidden talents. Any student has a background in the court.
Come to think of it, Chen Maoli came from a scholarly family after all, so it was not impossible for someone in his family to be an official in the court.
"The current emperor loves Qingci very much. If you want a smooth career, you must practice it. I have no choice but to do it."
Xu Yan still agreed with this statement.
Qingci is a means to get close to Emperor Jiajing.
Looking at the Jiajing Dynasty, was there any powerful official who did not write Qingci?
As long as one is willing to write poems and do practical work, it's good. I am just afraid that those villains who can only flatter others will seize high positions.
Xu Yan is not a corrupt scholar. He does not have so many moral obsessions. He thinks that the most important thing is to have the ability to do things.
...
...
Zhang Mansion.
Zhang Yinian lay comfortably on the bed, listening to the report from the steward Zhang Han.
"Master, according to your instructions, the clerk who copied the papers has already made some changes to ensure that Xu Yan will not pass the exam."
Zhang Yinian yawned lazily, nodded, and said, "You did a good job. After the task is completed, I will reward the clerk with more silver. As for you, this young master will not treat you unfairly."
"Thank you, Master. Thank you, Master!"
Zhang Han kowtowed like crazy.
Zhang Yinian snorted coldly and said, "Xu Yan, I will make you pay double for what you took from me!"
...
...
Ningbo Prefecture School.
In the public housing, more than a dozen clerks were copying the test papers non-stop.
Because of a decision made by the Grand Master, they had to do so much more work for no reason. It was really infuriating.
Moreover, many of them were basically clerks in the government office, who were forcibly seconded.
Apart from a small subsidy, there is basically no profit to be made.
Who would be willing to do such a thankless task?
But no matter how much you complain, you still have to do the work.
No matter whether it is the prefect or the academician, they cannot afford to offend them. At most, they can complain about them behind their backs.
Among these clerks, there was one whose behavior was a little strange.
He did not rush to copy the test paper, but was looking for something among a pile of test papers.
This pile of examination papers all belong to candidates from Minglun Parish, and they haven't had time to cover up their names yet.
There are only dozens of test papers, so it is not difficult to find them.
Soon he found the paper he was looking for.
This paper was written by Xu Yan, who ranked first in the provincial examination. The clerk did not show any joy after getting the paper. Instead, he took the paper away, sat down at his seat, and pasted his name on it with paste.
His name was Wu Feng, and he was a clerk in the Rites Office.
Although he had a stable job and was paid by the government, Wu Feng lived a very difficult life.
I have an elderly mother to support at home, my wife died early, and I have a pair of children to raise.
Life was extremely hard.
Wu Feng works two jobs to make a living.
In addition to working for the government office, he also copied books for bookstores.
Although movable type printing is very popular nowadays, some customers still prefer handwritten copies.
Taste is a very mysterious thing.
Life was hard, and what made Wu Feng even more miserable was that he saw no hope.
Until one day, the Zhang family's manager found him and gave him fifty taels of silver, asking him to tamper with the examination papers and then pay him another fifty taels after he succeeded.
Wu Feng's instinct was to refuse, but the temptation of one hundred taels of silver was too great.
With this money, his mother and children will be able to live a good life and no longer have to suffer from hunger.
After a fierce ideological struggle, Wu Feng finally agreed.
As long as he does it secretly, no one will find out.
It’s a pity for this student from Dinghai County named Xu Yan, whose bright future was ruined.
But after all, that was a person who had nothing to do with him, and Wu Feng's guilt soon disappeared completely.
All he cared about was the extra fifty taels of silver that would come after the matter was accomplished.
...
...
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