Time flew by as Luo Jiancang and Luo Miaoqing studied diligently.
The preliminary examination was held every February in the Qing Dynasty, consisting of five sessions. After passing the preliminary examination, the prefectural examination was held in April, consisting of three sessions. The provincial examination was held twice every three years. This year happens to be June, so if Qingyin doesn't want to miss it, it's a good time to take the preliminary examination this year.
At the end of January, a notice was posted in Beijing as scheduled, announcing that students in Beijing could apply for the exam starting immediately.
At the last minute, Luo's father specially found a government-subsidized student to act as guarantor, so that Qingyin was able to successfully go to the capital to take the imperial examination.
As the last day for registration approached, the registration area was deserted, except for a slightly overweight man with a beard who looked around boredly.
Qingyin followed behind the scholar her father had invited. This scholar was an old man with gray hair. After meeting Qingyin once, he praised her highly and agreed to Luo's father's request without saying a word.
At that moment, he walked forward familiarly and said, "Fatty He, someone's here! Register quickly."
"Old Li, it's you. Why are you only registering now?" The chubby man perked up and opened the "admission book" to register.
Judging from their tone of voice, it's clear that the two have a good relationship.
At this moment, Old Li laughed and scolded, "Just register, why are you making such a fuss?"
"Hey, you old Li!"
...
Qingyin emerged from the bickering between the two.
An eerie silence fell over the room, followed by Old Li's smug voice amidst the astonishment of those present: "Isn't my student handsome?"
Fatty He clicked his tongue, unable to utter a word of objection.
Tsk tsk, I wonder which family this young master belongs to? He's even more handsome than Yin Xianzhi, who's said to be the reincarnation of the God of Literature in the capital and has an exceptionally outstanding appearance? Although he's a bit older for the children's examination, the imperial examinations have never been about age. Anyway, from the first glance, Fatty He felt that this young master was not without talent.
At this moment, Qingyin had no idea that the person in charge of registration in front of her had such high hopes for her.
Because of his connection with an acquaintance and the fact that he was alone, the entire identity verification process was extremely quick and efficient.
The man also learned Qingyin's identity during the process—Luo Qingzhang, the eldest son of the Ningyuan Earl's Mansion, who had recently been brought back.
Fatty He had a premonition that things were about to change in the capital.
— — — — — — — — — —
On the second day of the second lunar month, the spring rain continues unabated, but it's never too late for students to start their studies.
At dawn, Qingyin urged her two younger siblings to study hard.
He also held a yellowed ancient book in his hands and read it. Under Qingyin's supervision, the two of them stared at the "textbook" in front of them without even blinking, trying their best to understand its meaning.
Facing their rival, he/she dares not relax at all. After all, what if the older brother likes him/her more if he/she loses to him/her?
But isn't my older brother supposed to take an exam tomorrow? Waaah, why do I have to study today? I thought I could rest today! Luo Miaoqing thought to herself, biting her pen.
Qingyin casually tapped her hand, "Don't bite your pen while studying, it's dirty, don't you know that illness can enter through the mouth?"
Luo Miaoqing nodded obediently, but in her mind she was thinking, how did her older brother know she was biting the pen without even turning his head? Could this be an essential skill of a martial arts master?
The little girl couldn't figure it out, so she simply stopped thinking about it. In her mind, her older brother probably knew everything except how to give birth.
Meanwhile, Luo Jiancang silently comforted himself, thinking, "It's okay, once the academy starts, he won't have to study anymore."
The time for the children's examination had arrived. After checking all the necessary items for the exam, Luo's father led the whole family to send Qingyin off to take the exam.
Inside the carriage, the little girl nervously held onto Lin's mother's hand. Although she trusted her elder brother, she couldn't help but worry about him, even though Luo Jiancang had already passed the exam.
Seeing the restless group, Qingyin comforted them, "It's okay, the exam will be over soon."
However, his words clearly did not dissuade them, and they remained somewhat tense.
When we arrived at the entrance of the examination hall, there was already a long queue on the road.
Under the worried gazes of several people, Qingyin got off the carriage and walked into the crowd.
The first person to see Qingyin was a young boy with a mole under his eye. He stared wide-eyed, not listening to a word his father was telling him, and just stood there dumbfounded.
Following his son's strange gaze, the boy's father also fell silent.
One by one, more and more people saw Qingyin, but the unusual silence around her remained unchanged.
The sudden silence was strikingly noticeable at the bustling entrance, drawing even more attention.
The constable standing in front maintaining order looked puzzled; the unusual commotion had clearly caught his attention.
Until he saw that person in the crowd who seemed to glow, he instantly realized that the boy or young man in the white robe was fair and radiant, with clear eyes and eyebrows. It was as if the heavens had nurtured such a person with the most exquisite treasures in the world. In particular, the cinnabar mole between his eyebrows added a touch of sacredness. He was like a snow lotus on a snowy peak, pure and noble, rising from the mud unsullied and cleansed by the clear water.
But that slender figure also exuded a faint Buddhist aura, which blended with his temperament, creating an inexplicable sense of asceticism that also inexplicably attracted people, pulling them into a state of ecstasy.
The constable stood there stunned. If someone hadn't urged him, he wouldn't have come to his senses so quickly.
The queue sped up, and soon it was Qingyin's turn.
The official in charge of the physical examination was already getting impatient with the long queue, and his tone was not very gentle. He said irritably, "Bring me the examination certificate?"
"Thank you, sir." A pair of overly white and slender hands, like works of art, handed out a piece of white paper, making even the yellowed examination paper seem more attractive.
Whether it was the incredibly beautiful voice or the artistry of those fingers that made it hard to hear, the constable instinctively looked up and was immediately struck by what he saw.
The constable was stunned. Could there really be such a handsome man in the world?
"My lord, my lord? It's time for the physical examination," Qingyin reminded him familiarly.
The yamen runner who was awakened blushed bright red. Fortunately, the people behind him didn't care about his momentary lapse in duty and stared intently at Qingyin, admiring her.
"Ahem, please extend your hand, young master, so I can examine you." The constable subconsciously softened his tone. If a physical examination wasn't mandatory, he wouldn't have bothered with it and would have let Qingyin pass.
Qingyin's body search was incredibly fast; he barely felt the constable's actions before they were complete.
After entering, the student, whose face was also flushed, shouted loudly, "Student Liu Cheng, I'll protect you!"
Once inside, the rest of the process was very quick.
Qingyin was lucky enough to be assigned a spot far from the outhouse; thankfully, his luck wasn't that bad.
After all, no one would want to sit near the toilet in the imperial examination hall.
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