The day before the entrance examination of Shanhe Academy, the thirteenth chapter of "Qilang's Ten Battles with the Flower Thief" was released on time.
Early in the morning, a long line formed in front of Wenqing Bookstore, blocking the street.
The Xinmin County government had to send out runners to maintain order on the streets.
At least leave a passage for passers-by.
The young girls and wives passing by pointed at the scholars and then giggled.
Facing the gazes of the young girls and wives, the scholars were displeased but all puffed out their chests like tall and mighty men.
As for the servants and managers who were mixed in the team and helping the master to buy books, they all laughed.
The meaning is self-evident.
As soon as the door of Wenqing Bookstore opened, people queuing up rushed in to buy books.
"Come one by one, no cutting in line, no pushing forward."
"Three hardcover editions."
"A simple set."
"Ten paperback editions."
The bookstore clerk's voice was instantly drowned out by the enthusiastic customers.
The bookstore has experience in dealing with such situations.
After all, "Qi Lang's Ten Battles with the Flower Thief" has already been published in twelve chapters.
I have to have such a hot scene like today every time.
The guys diverted the customers skillfully.
Some people are responsible for selling books, some are responsible for collecting money, and some are responsible for maintaining order.
To avoid receiving the wrong book, you should pay first and then pick up the book. Take the receipt and go to the designated bookcase to pick up the book.
"The simplified version is almost sold out, hurry to the warehouse to get more."
"The paperback edition is almost out of stock. Ask the warehouse to deliver it quickly."
“There’s also a hardcover edition.”
…
Yan Ci was not in good shape today. He got up early in the morning, had no appetite, and just walked around the house.
He pulled his hair, beat his chest and stamped his feet, and sighed.
Wang Xuecheng, who was doing exercises in the next room, had to stop and go to Yan Ci's room.
"Brother Yan, what's wrong? Are you worried about tomorrow's exam?"
Yan Ci grabbed Wang Xuecheng's sleeve and said, "Brother Wang, can you do me a favor? Go to Wenqing Bookstore and buy me a set of the simplified edition of the 13th chapter of "Qi Lang's Ten Battles with the Flower Thief". After you buy it, please lock it in your drawer and don't take it out. Give it to me after I finish my exam tomorrow."
Wang Xuecheng completely couldn't understand Yan Ci's fanaticism.
He said blankly, "Brother Yan, why did you have to buy it today? If you don't read it, why not buy it tomorrow after the exam?"
"No, no. If I go to buy it tomorrow, it'll be sold out. Brother Wang, could you please buy it for me? Only after I buy the book can I focus on studying for tomorrow's entrance exam."
Wang Xuecheng hesitated for a moment before nodding and agreeing, "Okay, I'll go buy it for you."
"Thank you, Brother Wang." Yan Ci instantly became excited, completely changing from his previous decadent, listless and anxious state.
Wang Xuecheng took the money and hurried to Wenqing Bookstore.
Seeing the long queue in front of the bookstore, he felt a little flustered.
How come there are so many people?
There were probably at least one or two hundred people in front of him.
And more people are coming from all directions.
He even saw someone using a donkey cart to pull books, and a cart full of books contained at least two or three hundred books.
"That's a bookseller from the county. 'Qi Lang's Ten Battles with the Flower Thief' is so popular that it's not only selling well in the capital, but also in other places. Booksellers in nearby counties are worried that Wenqing Bookstore won't send them the book, so they've sent people over to get the book."
Wang Xuecheng suddenly realized.
"Is this book really that good?" Wang Xuecheng felt like a real bumpkin. He had never heard of this book before.
"Brother, you haven't read this book? Then why are you queuing up to buy it?"
Wang Xuecheng smiled sheepishly, "I'm buying books for someone. I have an exam tomorrow."
"Oh!" Everyone around suddenly understood.
"Oh, I have an exam tomorrow, and I'm thinking about Miss San. What a sin!"
"Lock up the book when you get home and read it after the exam tomorrow."
"The bookstore should release the book two days later so that the exam is not delayed."
"Not everyone has to take the exam. It's convenient for you, but what about us?"
Someone in front turned around and said something.
Just by looking at his clothes, you can tell that he is a student of Shanhe Academy.
On one side were the candidates, and on the other side were those who had already passed the exam. They started arguing with each other.
The quarrel was not serious, just a way to vent the anxiety.
After all, if I don't pass the exam tomorrow, I'll have to wait until the end of next month, which means I'll have to rent an extra month and spend an extra month's money.
Going out to study is expensive, and most people are not well-off.
I still attach great importance to money.
Money is tight, and every extra month's expenses is a burden.
Wang Xuecheng had never liked anything so strongly before, so he couldn't understand the emotions of the people around him.
Even his studies were arranged by his father, Carpenter Wang, and he studied step by step.
As I read on, it became a habit.
If he is suddenly asked to stop studying, he won’t know what he can do.
Following Wang Xiaoxi to Xinmin County and taking the entrance examination for Shanhe Academy was the first major decision he made for himself in his life.
He successfully bought the simplified version of the thirteenth chapter of "Qi Lang's Ten Battles with the Flower Thief".
It is a simplified version and the packaging is also very beautiful.
He carefully flipped through the book. The printing quality was excellent, the handwriting was clear, and the paper felt very comfortable to the touch. No wonder it was so expensive.
He flipped through the content and was completely unable to concentrate.
Perhaps it was because he didn't watch it from the beginning that he couldn't be drawn into the story.
After returning, he saw Yan Ci standing on the second floor, clinging to the railing, and asked anxiously, "Did you buy it?"
Wang Xuecheng held up the book and said, "I bought it."
"Great! Come on, let me see it."
"Didn't Brother Yan say to lock the book and read it after the exam tomorrow?" Wang Xuecheng refused to give him the book.
Yan Ci rubbed his hands, wanting to look but not daring to.
Look, I’m afraid it will affect the exam.
If I don’t read it, I’m also afraid that it will affect the exam.
Seeing that Wang Xuecheng was really going to lock the books in the drawer, Yan Ci stamped his feet and gritted his teeth, "Forget it, forget it, I promise not to read it today. After the exam tomorrow morning, Brother Wang, remember to give me the books as soon as possible. In the days to come, I'll be counting on Sanniang to take care of me."
Wang Xuecheng locked the drawer and kept the key close to him. "I'll definitely give it to you after the exam tomorrow. Brother Yan, hurry back to your room and study. Don't delay the exam and regret it."
"Brother Wang is right."
Yan Ci was reluctant to leave and stared at the lock on the drawer.
Wang Xuecheng simply stood up and prepared to close the door.
"Brother Yan, how are you going to take the exam tomorrow if you're like this? Are you planning to take the entrance exam for the sixth time?"
A basin of cold water was poured over Yan Ci's head.
Yan Ci also realized that in this state, he would definitely fail the exam tomorrow.
I could only calm down, put Sanniang out of my mind, take out the exercise book, and work hard on the questions.
…
The next day.
Shanhe Academy holds an entrance examination once a month.
At daybreak, all the candidates had packed up and were heading to Shanhe Academy with their exam baskets.
Shanhe Academy is located on a hilltop of Yuxiu Mountain, nearly ten miles away from Xinmin County.
A bit of distance.
Wang Xuecheng and Yan Ci walked out of the landlord's house and just as they reached the street, they heard the sound of horses and carriages.
"Shanhe Academy, Shanhe Academy, two cents per person, leave when the place is full, leave when the place is full."
"We're just three people short. Three more and we'll be off."
Wang Xuecheng looked at Yan Ci, waiting for Yan Ci to make a decision.
He is from the mountains, so it’s okay for him to walk there.
It's okay to spend two cents to take a bus and save time and energy.
Wang Xuecheng now has a salary of two cents, which he can afford.
Yan Ci said bluntly, "Let's take that carriage. The guy who got first place in our exam last time rode in his family's carriage."
After saying that, he rushed towards the carriage.
"Would you two like to join us? Four cents, and we'll leave when we're all seated."
"When will it be full? It's almost there, almost there. With so many people, it won't be full in a moment. Hurry up and grab a seat."
Wang Xuecheng followed Yan Ci into the carriage.
Along the walls of the carriage, there were three rows of narrow wooden benches fixed to the carriage boards.
They also made a simple shed with thatch and bamboo strips to cover the carriage, which could barely shelter it from the wind and rain.
It was the first time for Wang Xuecheng to ride in such a carriage. The wooden bench was so narrow that he couldn’t even sit steadily.
"I don't know who came up with this idea, charging money for transporting people in a horse-drawn carriage."
Yan Ci was no longer surprised and said casually, "People in the carriage business used to use carriages to transport goods, but now they use carriages to transport people. It's the same principle. A carriage that used to transport goods can be easily modified to transport people, which makes more money than transporting goods.
Every day, at the entrance of Shanhe Academy, there are rows of horse-drawn carriages waiting to take people down the mountain. Two cents per person, making a killing. These days, many carriage companies no longer carry goods, only people. If you need someone to deliver goods, you use a courier. Couriers are more reliable than carriage companies.
Wang Xuecheng sighed and muttered, "It's so easy to make money here."
Soon, the carriage was packed with people.
There was already no room left, yet the dealership owner was still trying to squeeze people in.
It's so infuriating.
Under the protest of many scholars, the owner of the carriage shop waved his hand and asked the coachman to drive the carriage to Shanhe Academy.
Shaking all the way.
Fortunately, the road is paved with cement and the surface is smooth.
The carriage was wobbly but not bumpy.
Once we got up the mountain, the carriage had a hard time moving forward.
One scholar yelled, "Is this rickshaw even okay? I told you it can't hold so many people. This is an uphill drive. You're all obsessed with money."
The driver remained silent and drove the carriage diligently.
The old horse pulled the broken cart and finally went up the mountain and arrived at the gate of the academy.
A group of people got out of the carriage and breathed a sigh of relief.
Taking a carriage ride is like being reborn!
Wang Xuecheng and Yan Ci grumbled, "These two cents are such a waste! I'm not even this tired from walking."
Yan Ci laughed heartily. "I'm telling you, it's okay to walk up on weekdays. But on the day of the exam, you must take the bus up. It's tradition. It's said that only those who take the bus up can successfully pass the entrance exam to Shanhe Academy. Seriously, I'm not kidding."
Wang Xuecheng was stunned. "Is that really the case?"
"On the day of the exam, come up in a carriage and ask for a lucky draw, understand? Two cents isn't much, and you're a wage earner now, so you can afford a little money."
Wang Xuecheng looked embarrassed.
The two men had different levels of academic achievement. One applied for the Juren exam, and the other for the Xiucai exam. They separated when they entered the gate.
They lined up and entered the academy gate one by one.
Looking at the majestic gate of the academy, Wang Xuecheng suddenly felt a sense of pride in his heart.
He can also come here to study.
He will be a part of this, too.
Studying in such a grand academy makes me feel more grand.
College staff stood guard at the door, checking each student one by one. "Put your exam basket on the table, and your clothes open. If you're found with anything hidden, you'll be disqualified from taking the exam three times. Even if you pass, you'll also be disqualified from the first year's scholarship. Please be more disciplined."
"When you enter the examination room, you are only allowed to bring pen and ink. No paper of any kind is allowed. Blank paper with writing on it is prohibited. Anyone who brings paper into the examination room will be considered cheating and their score will be invalidated. What's written on your arm? Erase it. No writing is allowed on your body..."
After a rigorous examination comparable to the provincial and imperial examinations, Wang Xuecheng finally successfully entered the academy.
He followed the team and continued moving forward.
In the huge square, the small cubicles look extremely spectacular and terrifying.
"Wow, I finally saw the legendary barracks."
"I heard it was built exactly like the Imperial Examination Hall. From now on, the provincial and imperial examinations will be held in this kind of hall. Each examination will last for several days."
"It looks so spooky."
"Oh my god, why does it stink so bad?"
"Could this be what's commonly known as the stinky number in the Imperial Examination Hall? Anyone assigned to a stinky number would be truly cursed for eight lifetimes."
"One year, my cousin took the imperial examination and was assigned to a cell next to the toilet. He was carried out on the third day. It took him six months to recover."
"With the blessings of the Bodhisattva and the Three Pure Ones, I will definitely pass it smoothly."
The houses are arranged according to the vastness of heaven and earth, the vastness of the universe...
Wang Xuecheng drew a bad lot, which is commonly known as a bad number.
Three words suddenly popped up in his mind: It's over!
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