Chapter 59 The Imperial Examination Has Begun: The Questions Were Correctly Answered.
After the banquet at the You family's house, everyone was thoroughly enjoying their meal and drinks.
Night had fallen. After helping to clean up the mess of cups and plates scattered all over the table and floor, everyone went home in twos and threes. The You family was right in the middle of the alley, and the drunkards helped each other out. The Yu, Liu, and Yao families headed towards the back alley, while the Lin, Meng, and Cheng families went forward. The figures were scattered, forming two groups that disappeared into the night.
Yao Ruyi had only drunk a few cups of sweet rice wine. Although his face was a little hot, he didn't feel drunk. The night breeze made him even more sober. Grandpa Yao had made an exception and let him drink today, but before he knew it, Yao had drunk a few more cups. Now, he was leaning on Uncle Cong's back, mumbling incoherent drunken ramblings. Suddenly, his cheeks swelled up, his eyes widened, and his throat made gurgling sounds. Seeing that he was about to vomit, Uncle Cong hurriedly turned his head and said urgently to Yao Ruyi, "Go ahead! Go ahead!" He used all his strength and ran towards the Yao family's courtyard.
Any slower and he'd vomit on his head.
Watching Uncle Cong's hurried and staggering figure, Yao Ruyi was both amused and exasperated. She thought to herself, "It would have been better to put him down and let Grandpa Yao vomit first before leaving." But before she could finish speaking, Uncle Cong had already carried Grandpa Yao into the Yao family courtyard. Suddenly, she sensed something and turned around to see Aunt Yu and Sister Jiuwan walking faster and faster for some reason, while Sister Yinzhu was hurrying along because Xiaosong was sleepy. When she finally came to her senses, deep in the alley, only she and Lin Wen'an remained, lagging behind.
The night was already very dark, with only two lanterns in front of each house casting small, dim yellow lights that swayed faintly in the wind. There was no other light source around.
The two stood side by side in silence, their steps involuntarily slowing down.
Alcohol emboldens the timid, and besides, she wasn't a coward at all. She looked straight ahead, not at him, but quietly slipped her fingers, hidden in her sleeve, to her side. Her fingertips first touched the cool fabric of his sleeve, then moved down, gently brushing against the back of his hand that hung naturally at his side.
She swallowed hard and poked it.
At the banquet, everyone was drinking, and he inevitably had a few drinks as well. At that moment, his knuckles, which were usually a bit cool, were warm.
She poked him again. His fingers were longer than hers, with distinct knuckles, and felt hard to the touch, like poking a stone. There was no reaction at all. She was inexplicably angry.
He snorted inwardly.
He arrived late, and she ran to his side, looking up at him with great interest to ask if he had made up his mind. He just turned his head and glanced at her helplessly, sighed very softly, and didn't say a word.
He was immediately led by Lin Si Cao to the table of male guests, where he sat with Grandpa Yao. He turned his head to serve Grandpa Yao, who was sometimes lucid and sometimes confused, while he actually left her behind and chatted with the neighbors as usual.
This made Yao Ruyi so angry during the banquet that she ended up eating an extra large bowl of rice!
Now that she'd given him a way out, he still wouldn't take it! Yao Ruyi was truly furious. She thought to herself, "I don't want a man like this who's so unyielding. I'll throw him into the ditch, let him fly away on a kite, or carry him away on that stubborn donkey of the Meng family!" She would never speak to him again!
But just as she was pulling her hand back, he suddenly flipped his hand over and firmly grasped her entire hand. His sleeves billowed out and fell down, and the darkness of the night completely covered their intertwined hands.
Yao Ruyi suddenly turned her head to look at him, but he did not look at her. His gaze was fixed on the "grocery store" sign in front of the Yao family's door, which was swaying slightly in the wind.
She stared at Lin Wen'an's profile, which was as calm as still water, revealing no clue whatsoever, and couldn't help but grind her back teeth. Still not speaking? She might as well just tie him to a kite and throw him away! She tried to pull her fingertips out again.
His face remained calm and silent, but his hand under his sleeve suddenly tightened even more. Instead of letting go, he spread his fingers and pressed his palm against hers, carefully weaving in and locking her fingers one by one. The two hands, one large and one small, were now tightly intertwined like clams, inseparable.
So unequivocally, she was not allowed to break free.
Yao Ruyi's heart skipped a beat, and she dared not move again, obediently letting him lead her.
"The You family was not a suitable place to discuss our affairs." As if sensing that she had calmed down, he turned his head slightly, lowered his eyes, and said softly.
Perhaps it was because it was late at night and the lights were dim, but his eyes were darker, deeper, and more profound and serene than usual.
Yao Ruyi nodded guiltily. Fortunately, she was just a regular transmigrator in a book, and no one knew what she was thinking. By the way... she quickly let go of the little Lin Wen'an figure that she had tied to the kite string in her heart.
The two didn't speak after that, but he didn't let go of her hand until they were almost at the gate of the Yao family's courtyard. Their fingers were intertwined, and his thumb unconsciously rubbed her protruding wrist bone all the way. Their palms were also a little warm and damp.
But just as he was about to step across the threshold, he turned around, grabbed her hand tightly, and pulled her into the grocery store.
The shop was dark, even darker than the alley outside, with varying shades of ink floating before my eyes. After my eyes adjusted, I could make out the deeper shadows of the shelves and the slightly lighter shades of the aisle.
The entire shop felt like it was underwater, with only a few slivers of light seeping through the gaps in the window frames.
Lin Wen'an led her step by step into the depths of the shop, until they reached the darkest corner of the shelves, where he suddenly stopped and let go of her hand. He stood before Yao Ruyi like a silent monument.
It was too dark around her to see his features clearly; she could only make out his tall and imposing silhouette. Strangely enough, she could clearly sense the gaze upon her—no longer the usual reserved and composed one, but a restrained and deep affection she had never felt before.
Suddenly, she seemed to see the result of his inner struggle over the past two days.
The slight turmoil in Yao Ruyi's heart was strangely soothed by his gaze. She was about to say something when she heard him sigh, "I've made up my mind."
"As one wishes."
With a deep, slightly hoarse voice, he leaned towards her.
"You don't need to test me anymore."
"At this moment, even if it violates the teachings of sages, even if it fails to inform one's elders, even if it goes against worldly customs and etiquette..."
He was fully aware of the price of this private affair and the possibility of a romantic relationship, but after a sleepless night of deep thought and repeated deliberation, he finally managed to dismantle all the high barriers, worldly shackles, and moral standards that had been erected in his heart.
He gazed intently at her in the darkness.
Let's get married.
Before he finished speaking, with a hint of determination in his voice, that tall figure had already leaned down towards her.
His blurred features, seemingly emerging from the thick darkness, gradually became clearer before her eyes. His nose gently brushed against hers, and his hands steadily and carefully lifted her chin. Then, a cool touch landed on her lips, and they were gently taken into his mouth.
In an instant, all was silent, and my mind went blank.
Only one foolish thought remained:
His lips were so soft.
***
Madam Cheng, leading her unusually silent son, arrived at the front door. She took out her key, unlocked the door, and removed the latch. Mother and son entered the house one after the other. Madam Cheng lit the lamp first, then turned back to re-latch the latch. When she turned back again, she caught a glimpse of Cheng Shujun's forlorn figure disappearing into her bedroom.
She stood there for a moment, then finally took up the oil lamp and went to knock on her son's door.
There was no response from inside, so she gently pushed the door open.
Cheng Shujun hadn't lit a lamp, so the room was pitch black. He hadn't even changed his clothes before collapsing onto the bed, his legs dragging on the floor, clearly exhausted. Madam Cheng silently picked up a lamp and sat on the edge of the bed. Turning her head, she saw his face buried in the blankets, so she sighed almost imperceptibly, patted his back, and whispered, "Wash yourself before you sleep."
He didn't move.
Cheng Niangzi then pinched his waist hard.
Cheng Shujun winced in pain and sat up abruptly.
She raised an eyebrow and said sternly, "You have an exam tomorrow, what are you doing acting like this?"
Cheng Shujun lowered his head.
"You've studied for so many years, starting your education at three. Your mother gritted her teeth and sent you to a private school for three years. At six, you took the imperial examination for children and passed it on your first try. But your father died, and since then, it's been just the two of us, mother and son, struggling to make ends meet. I see how hard you've worked, but you can't belittle yourself!" Madam Cheng scolded. "It's fine on ordinary days, but it takes ten years of hard work to hone your skills. Whether you become a fish or a dragon will be seen tomorrow. Do you want all those years of hard work to go to waste? Can't you even tell what's important and what you should do? How old are you? Do I still have to teach you these things?"
Cheng Shujun clenched his fists, bit his lip, and shook his head vigorously after a long while.
“Ruyi is a good woman, Mother knows that.” Seeing his expression, Madam Cheng was even more disappointed in him and bluntly stated, “Mother knows perfectly well how you feel about her. But Mother also knows perfectly well how you feel about Ruyi, don’t you? So why are you putting on this act? You know perfectly well that it’s impossible!”
Cheng Shujun was startled, looked up, and said with a mixture of fear and panic, "Mother..."
Madam Cheng snorted, "I'm your mother, I'm not blind! If I couldn't see the son I raised, I would have lived in vain!"
Cheng Shujun felt as if his spine had been removed, and he slumped down, his back bent in despair. He lowered his eyes and said with self-loathing, "I understand what Mother said, I know... but I... am useless, I can't help it, I always..." He suddenly paused, his eyes welled up with tears, and they fell to the ground.
Seeing this, Madam Cheng felt saddened. After hesitating for a long time, she gently put her arm around his shoulder and took a breath, saying, "Ah Jun, it's not shameful to be attracted to a younger man, and it's normal at your age. But you must know how difficult it is to find someone to spend your life with among millions of people in this world. Look at Sister Jiu Wan, she couldn't stay with her husband for long either time. Where is her true love? You're only seventeen, two years younger than Ruyi. How do you know where your destined one is? Ruyi is good, but he's clearly not the one for you... You must understand one thing."
As she spoke, she reached out and turned Cheng Shujun's face, which he had buried deep in shame, back towards her, forcefully wiping away the tears on his face, her tone softening:
“It’s like seeing a brightly colored little fish in a mountain stream,” Madam Cheng said, pausing for a moment. “You want to dig a ditch to channel it into your own pond, but it would rather swim upstream to live in another body of water than come to yours. Why? Because your pond is still shallow and the surrounding area is barren. So you need to dig a pond, store water, and plant lotus flowers to make your pond lush and clear. When the water is warm and the wind is gentle, little fish will be willing to swim here. At that time, you don’t need to force it; it won’t swim away.”
Cheng Shujun lowered his eyelashes and said softly, "But it's not that little fish anymore."
Madam Cheng rubbed his head: "Silly boy, besides that little fish, you've also gained a pond of clear water, lotus leaves, and sunshine, no longer that desolate, shallow pool that no one cares about. Now that you've become such a clear and lush place, it will naturally attract other equally beautiful and colorful fish that love your pond. To the little fish that loves you, you are a unique and precious pool! So why keep thinking about that fish you met by chance that didn't belong to you? Life is a mix of triumph and loss; imperfections are normal. You must be able to bear it and stand tall."
“Don’t be afraid. They say a man doesn’t easily shed tears, but in my heart, it’s okay to cry when you’re sad. Just remember to cheer up.” Madam Cheng looked directly at him. “Normally, I wouldn’t nag so much. I’d let you be sad, discouraged, or confused for a while. When you’re young, no amount of advice from others will help. You need to experience some trials to become successful. But tomorrow is the imperial examination, and you can’t afford to waste it. Now, rest well, and tomorrow take the exam seriously. Don’t let down the years of hard work we’ve put in. Do you understand? But…”
Just as Cheng Shujun was about to nod, he heard Cheng's wife change the subject:
"If you really can't do it, it's okay if you fail the exam! You can take it again next year or the year after. I won't blame you, and you shouldn't blame yourself either. The family is better off than before, and we can support you until you're thirty. Remember, I gave birth to you with my life. You can tell me anything, and I'll stand by you no matter what. Don't be afraid, I'll take you home after the exam and we'll have something good to eat."
With a hint of worry in her eyes, Madam Cheng patted his arm one last time before letting go with a slight hesitation. It was inconvenient for a widow to raise a child alone, and she preferred to mind her son's business as little as possible, fearing that he might become weak, incompetent, and indecisive due to being raised under a woman's care.
After that, she closed the door and never went back in.
Let him think about it slowly.
Even so, Madam Cheng tossed and turned all night, barely closing her eyes before getting up, afraid that the child hadn't figured it out, and didn't sleep a wink all night either.
As dawn broke, Bianjing City was already bustling with activity. The sounds of carriages and horses gradually rose in the alleys, mixed with the clamor of human voices and the calls of livestock. Even the narrowest alleys could hear them clearly, indicating that some students heading to the examination halls and their families seeing them off had already set off early.
Madam Cheng hurriedly got up, and after washing up, she heard a soft sound from Cheng Shujun's bedroom.
The door opened.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her son's expression.
There were no dark circles under his eyes, no listlessness, and no sign of weakness caused by love. His fair face held a calm and composure that hadn't been seen in a long time. He said to her, "Mother, don't bother. Lin and I are going to take his car to the exam venue. He said he brought me..." He paused, then calmly called out the name, "...brought Yao's breakfast."
Madam Cheng happily wiped her hands and replied repeatedly, "Okay, okay, Mother will take you!"
Cheng Shujun slung his examination bag over his shoulder, and before leaving, he suddenly turned back to Cheng Niangzi and said, "Mother, don't worry."
Cheng Niangzi's eyes welled up with tears. She nodded, took his arm, and kept nagging him all the way, asking if he had brought his exam pass and if he had checked his writing materials. When she saw him off at the Lin family's door, she hurriedly thanked Lin Si Cao and Aunt Ying.
Lin Si Cao had already rented a mule cart, a railing-equipped cart. The mules were very strong, and although it was still a bit chilly in the morning, they puffed out white breath and occasionally pawed at the bluestone slabs, looking quite docile. Lin Weiming and his second brother, Lin Weicheng, were already seated, also wearing the moon-white overcoats of the Imperial Academy. Seeing Cheng Shujun arriving in the same attire, they quickly greeted him loudly.
According to Dr. Yao, who proctored the exam, wearing the Imperial Academy uniform would make the guards more polite when inspecting the exam hall, since they were students of the emperor and not to be offended.
As soon as Cheng Shujun got into the car and settled in, Lin Weiming stuffed the still-hot roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) into his arms: "We'll eat it on the way! My dad said it's better to go early than late. The examination hall is packed with people. If we're at the front of the line, we can finish the search and go in earlier, and then we won't be so anxious."
Cheng Shujun took a deep breath, turned to look at Cheng Niangzi, nodded to her, and then didn't look back. Cheng Niangzi nervously clenched her hands, and having arranged with Aunt Ying to wait for them at the entrance of the examination hall the day after tomorrow, she also went back, turning back every few steps.
The mule cart rumbled forward, merging into the flow of people and vehicles heading towards the examination hall. As dawn broke, the shops on both sides of the street had not yet opened, but many temporary stalls selling hot food, writing brushes and ink, or invigorating tonics had already been set up along the way. The stall owners called out their wares, and the rising steam mixed with the aroma of ink and oil, all mingling with the morning breeze that also carried a strong smell of donkey dung.
There were no vehicles on the road, and students going to take the exams on foot could be seen everywhere. Some walked alone in deep thought, while others walked in groups of three or five. Most of them looked tense but excited.
Lin Weiming nudged Cheng Shujun's arm, signaling him to turn around and look. It turned out that an old man in his fifties or sixties with white hair was also coming to take the exam, leaning on a cane.
"If it were me, I would only fail the exam three times in a row, and then I would give up." Lin Weiming saw that the old man looked worried, as if he saw himself failing the exam year after year. He couldn't help but take out the Xingguo Temple Wushi Token given to him in his exam bag, put it in his palm and started to pray to Buddha again.
Is it too late to pray to the gods and Buddhas now? Cheng Shujun looked at him, shook his head speechlessly, glanced at the old man with faltering steps, and continued to gnaw on his roujiamo (Chinese hamburger).
The imperial examination hall was located in the Gongyuan (Examination Hall) in the southeast corner of Bianjing (Kaifeng). The towering vermilion gates were now wide open, and from a distance in the morning mist, they looked like a giant beast's mouth, swallowing up countless students who aspired to pass the imperial examinations and enter officialdom.
As the mule cart reached Gongyuan Street, the crowd suddenly surged, making it almost impossible for the Lin family's mule cart to move. All around were vehicles, people, and a cacophony of urging and admonitions.
Several long lines had already formed in the square in front of the gate, heavily guarded by soldiers carrying fire-and-water sticks and waist knives. The search was extremely rigorous: candidates had to loosen their hair to check for any concealed items, remove their outer robes and even their undergarments, and even their crotches were thoroughly searched. The writing implements, paper, inkstones, food, water, and even the inkstone and water bowl in their examination bags were all checked one by one. If anything was suspicious, they would be questioned repeatedly, and those who were slow would be reprimanded.
Even the children of high-ranking officials received no preferential treatment at this time.
Fearing they would be late, Lin Si Cao quickly tied the mule cart to the roadside, paid ten coins to hire a waiter to watch it, then tightly grasped his two sons' hands, and told them to hold Cheng Shu Jun's hand as well. The four of them struggled to squeeze through the crowd, finally finding the long queue to enter according to their examination numbers. Lin Si Cao then gathered the three of them together and said sternly:
"Good lads, don't be nervous. When you see the question, don't rush to write. First, jot down some ideas on scrap paper, then carefully copy them onto the paper. Don't write any wrong words or make any corrections, otherwise, immediately get a new sheet of paper. Answer the questions you know first, and think about the ones you don't know later. Don't stare at a question like an idiot for half an hour without writing anything down, understand? Also, even if you don't know the answer, make something up and fill the paper. Even if you copy the question over and over again, you can't hand in a blank paper, understand?"
The three nodded vigorously.
Lin Si Cao patted each of them on the shoulder. Seeing the crowd moving forward, he became so nervous that his voice trembled as he said, "Go on, don't be nervous. If you're hungry, have some snacks, but don't drink too much water. Did you bring the jujubes to block your nose? The latrines in the examination hall stink terribly, and you're not allowed to close the doors. Don't go at night, or you might accidentally fall in. Back when I was taking the imperial examinations, someone had to give up because they fell into a latrine..."
"Also, the pens, you have to wrap them in straw paper at night and place them next to the charcoal brazier, otherwise the nibs will freeze solid the next morning, and you'll have to spend time moistening them, which is a waste of time... You also have to be careful when sleeping in the charcoal brazier at night, don't kick it over, or it will burn the papers..."
Lin Si Cao's rambling went on and on, the air thick with the smells of sweat, ink, and an invisible tension. Cheng Shu Jun and the two Lin brothers waited in line for a long time before it was finally their turn. The soldiers all looked fierce and menacing, their rough hands rummaging through his hair and clothes, examining each item in his examination bag closely, even lifting the lid of the hot pot and inkstone to look at them over and over.
Only after confirming that everything is correct will they wave and let people through.
Lin Si Cao was still standing on tiptoe in the crowd, shouting, "Don't be impatient, everyone!"
He had heard these words a thousand times before. Cheng Shujun finally managed to enter the examination room through the surging crowd, find his examination number and sit down. He could still hear Lin Si Cao's voice ringing in his ears, but his tense nerves finally relaxed by half.
During the spring imperial examinations, not only students from the two official schools and countless private academies in Bianjing (Kaifeng), but also students from surrounding prefectures and counties would gather in the capital to take the exams. Inside the examination hall, rows upon rows of low examination tents stood side by side, stretching as far as the eye could see.
But he was lucky; he didn't get the noisy exam number at the entrance, nor the "stinky" number at the very end near the latrine. He was right in the middle, and he breathed a long sigh of relief.
He had barely taken out his writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from his examination bag when the surrounding examination booths were already filled with people. A motley crew of people in various colored clothes thronged around him, and one person even let out a loud snort as he passed by his booth. Cheng Shujun looked up in surprise and saw that the man was wearing the robes of the Biyong Academy, his face clearly showing resentment.
For many years, the Imperial Academy and the Biyong Academy were at odds with each other, especially during the ten-day examinations. The two institutions would take the same exams and then combine the rankings. Not only did the professors argue about which side had more students on the top list, but the students themselves also secretly competed fiercely.
He frowned, ignored it, took out the ink stick, and slowly ground the ink in the hot pot inkstone.
The refreshing and soothing scent of ink slightly dispelled the musty and damp atmosphere in the cell.
Cheng Shujun's brows gradually relaxed.
The ink sticks he and Lin Da brought were specially blended by Yao Xiaoniangzi with Jing Yuxuan, featuring a unique flavor that was only sold at Zhixingzhai and could not be bought elsewhere. She had the ink maker mix peppermint, borneol, and rose fragrance into the ink, making it smell incredibly refreshing. Rose also has a calming effect, not only invigorating the mind but also bringing peace to the heart.
A little while later, another person passed by. That person must have been from the private school. He stared curiously at the hotpot inkstone that was already covered with ink, and exclaimed "Eh!" with envy. He paused, wanting to take a second look, but was angrily shouted by the soldier behind him: "What are you dawdling for! Hurry up!" Only then did he hurriedly nod and bow and move forward.
Later, he encountered several students from Biyong Academy who, upon seeing the writing implements he had displayed, whispered among themselves, "Strange, why are all the students from the Imperial Academy carrying the same exam bags, using the same writing brushes and ink, and even these oddly shaped inkstones are the same..."
He looked down at his own writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Not only him, but all the students from the Imperial Academy who were taking the exam today were wearing the same clothes, and most of them were using Yaoji's writing implements. Even on Geng Hao's desk in the farthest examination hall, the flamboyant ivory-handled pen was nowhere to be seen, replaced by an ordinary bamboo pen like everyone else's.
He couldn't help but smile.
At that moment, he suddenly understood the true meaning of his mother's words from yesterday.
Yes, Miss Yao is like a lush pond with lotus leaves, naturally attracting fish to swim there, and she simply chose the one that suited her best.
And what about himself? He's still surrounded by barren mountains and dry waters, yet he has the nerve to wallow in self-pity. How foolish!
He should also strive to become a better person.
Thinking this way, the confusion of the past gradually dissipated. The calmness and composure I had feigned upon waking up truly settled in my heart at this moment.
A moment later, a series of heavy, long horn sounds echoed throughout the examination hall, followed by the resounding thuds of water and fire sticks being slammed into the ground in unison, both inside and outside the hall, accompanied by the stern shouts of the local soldiers: "Silence!"
The entire examination hall fell silent instantly; even coughs were suppressed.
Soon after, the huge inscription board was carried back and forth by two constables and slowly moved through the passageway between the examination booths.
Everyone quickly picked up their pens and copied it down.
After copying it down, Cheng Shujun checked it again to make sure it was correct, and then he was stunned.
Hmm? This question... why does it look so familiar... like I've done it before?
My heart started pounding like a drum, and my face flushed.
He almost held his breath as he looked at it again.
A funny phrase instantly popped into his mind: "Three years to become a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and five years to become a Zhuangyuan (top scholar in the imperial examination)."
It was a question that was once asked in the "Three-Five" series.
It seemed to be the most difficult set of "mock exam questions" compiled by Lin Wen'an. Although it was not entirely the same as the exam questions at the time, it was almost 60% similar...
At the time, because the set of questions was too difficult, many students gave up on doing them, and even secretly wondered if Lin Wen'an was deliberately setting difficult questions to make things difficult for them, in order to show that he was smarter than others?
But it is likely that he roughly calculated the set of questions based on the scope, difficulty level, and habits of many doctoral examiners before compiling them.
Cheng Shujun practically pinched his thigh to suppress the exclamation that threatened to spill from his mouth. He had done that set of questions! Now, why was he racking his brains? The direction of his approach and the structure of his writing had been meticulously discussed and repeatedly refined with Dr. Yao and Dr. Jiang!
Many others were in the same boat as him. Lin Weiming almost choked on his breath when he saw the question. He looked up and saw Geng Hao right in front of him. He glanced at him instinctively and saw that Geng Hao was also stunned, as if he couldn't believe it. He rubbed his eyes and looked at it again carefully.
Then I heard him angrily curse, "Damn it! That test was too hard, and I didn't even do this question! I just left it because it was too difficult! I'm doomed! Utterly doomed!"
Lin Weiming: "..." So he didn't do it after all.
On second thought, I was secretly delighted: He didn't do it, but I did! Haha!
Fortunately, he and Cheng Da stayed up all night that day, working on practice problems until dawn. The next day, Dr. Yao gave him a thorough dressing-down, but the harshness of the scolding left a deep impression. He revised that policy essay several times before finally getting Dr. Yao's approval.
His approach to the problem was somewhat biased, but there are no fixed rules for policy essays; different people will solve the same problem differently. As long as they didn't stray too far from the topic or become incoherent, Dr. Yao never easily dismissed his students' own ideas. Instead, he guided them to delve deeper into their chosen angle, pointing out the flaws and prompting them to consider better solutions. This is the brilliance of Dr. Yao's teaching.
He taught according to students' individual needs, and although he was harsh in his criticism, he never belittled the thoughts and ideas of his students.
Geng Hao was so annoyed he wanted to roll on the ground, but was immediately glared at by a patrolling soldier with fierce eyes, who hissed, "Silence! Any more disturbances and you'll be thrown out!" He could only shut his mouth with a face full of resentment, thinking, "Who do you think you are to dare insult me? Wait until I'm out of the exam hall, then let's see if you dare to be so arrogant!"
But the next moment he lost all interest in lecturing him, his eyes reddening with anger.
He did so many questions, why didn't he do this one?
He had done quite a bit of those "three-five" work these days, it was rare for him to be so diligent, yet God treated him this way. Geng Hao lowered his head, wanting to cry, but still picked up his pen and moistened the tip with saliva, beginning to desperately recall what the sample essay attached to this question actually said.
What exactly did you write?
I can't remember anything at all!
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Happy Dragon Boat Festival, everyone!
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