103, Provincial Examination
103, Provincial Examination
On the eighth day of April, the provincial examination began.
Walking into the examination room again, Lu Mingfei's mentality was more stable than the first time he walked in. He didn't know where he would rank this time, but he knew that as long as he answered every question well and did well on every test, he would definitely pass.
It is precisely because of this mentality that he tries his best to answer every question and give a perfect answer to the examiner and himself.
There are five exams in five days. Students are required to enter the exam room before dawn every day and hand in their papers and leave the exam room at sunset.
After the last day of exams, the candidates lined up and came out one after another.
Lu Mingfei walked among the crowd and noticed that after the exam, many people looked extremely solemn. It was clear that the questions in this academy exam were more difficult than those in the previous county exam, and many candidates were not as relaxed as before.
He knew that each subsequent exam would be increasingly difficult compared to the previous one. If he wanted to excel in each exam, besides having a positive attitude, he also needed to have a solid knowledge base. Otherwise, it would be difficult to surpass others in each exam, secure a ticket to the next one, and make it to the final one.
The candidates emerging from the examination hall, judging by their attire, were many of them from wealthy families, with few from humbler backgrounds. However, within the examination hall, there was no distinction between the poor and the wealthy; everyone was competing for admission into the same examination. If these humble students were fortunate enough to pass all the exams and enter the imperial court, they would serve alongside their peers from aristocratic families.
Putting aside the future connections these children from humble backgrounds would have in the workplace, even now, their knowledge resources were extremely limited. Lu Mingfei knew full well that if he could pass this prefectural exam and the next academy exam, but couldn't find a good academy and a good teacher, he might not even be able to pass the provincial exam three years from now.
When they walked out of the examination room, they saw Zhang Mansion's carriage waiting for them outside, so Lu Mingfei walked over.
The two servants waiting beside the carriage saw Lu Mingfei approaching and both stood up straight and called out, "Master Lu."
"Is your young master not out yet?" Lu Mingfei asked when he saw that Ye Zhuoran and Zhang Lingxuan were not here.
"Not yet. Mr. Lu, you are the first one out today. Mr. Lu, please go to the carriage to have a rest. There are water and food in the carriage." said the servant of the Ye family.
Lu Mingfei was really tired after this exam. He nodded, took the hand extended by Zhang's servant, got into the carriage, bent down and sat in the carriage, leaned back against the wall, and closed his eyes to rest.
He had just gotten into the car and had been sitting there for a while when he heard Zhang Lingxuan talking to the servant. He reached out and lifted the curtain that blocked the car, and called out to the person standing outside, "Lingxuan."
"You just sit inside and rest. I'll see if Zhuoran has come out." Zhang Lingxuan turned around and said to Lu Mingfei.
"Okay." Lu Mingfei didn't go down.
The two waited here for a while before Ye Zhuoran came out.
Fortunately, although Ye Zhuoran looked a little tired, he didn't look like he had failed the exam.
The three of them said hello and went back together in a carriage.
After Ye Zhuoran and Zhang Lingxuan boarded the carriage, Lu Mingfei carefully observed their expressions, but didn't ask how the exam went. They were all exhausted after the exam, and Ye Zhuoran wasn't as talkative as usual. He and Zhang Lingxuan were also silent throughout the journey. No one spoke.
The senior brother who came to take the exam with them went back with another candidate who was guaranteeing each other, and did not travel with them.
Cai Renjun had failed the county exam the previous time, so this time, a new candidate had been appointed as their mutual guarantor. This newcomer was a friend of their eldest brother, and their teacher also knew the elders in the other family, so they introduced him to be their mutual guarantor.
Otherwise, they wouldn't dare to bring in strangers from outside to protect each other. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, the rest of them will be implicated.
This is also the inconvenience of studying in a small private school. If they were studying in a large academy, they could find acquaintances and friends who also studied in the same academy to guarantee their education, without having to go out to find people. Of course, small private schools also have their flexibility. At least they have been studying near their homes for many years, and they don't need to travel too far to study.
"I can get off here. No need to go inside." When the carriage was about to reach the entrance of the alley, Lu Mingfei asked the driver to stop. When he was about to get off, he remembered to ask the two people sitting opposite him: "Will you two go to the master's place tomorrow?"
"Well, go ahead. What about you?" Zhang Lingxuan wanted to talk to their teacher about the results of this test and ask what their teacher thought.
"I'll go too. Let's go talk to the teacher about the answers to this exam." Lu Mingfei said.
The three of them agreed to go to the gentleman's place tomorrow morning.
After watching the carriage leave, he turned and walked into the alley.
Before he could reach the door of his house, the gate of the yard was opened from the inside. His father stuck his head out and looked outside. His eyes lit up when he saw him.
"Dad." Lu Mingfei shouted with a smile.
This time, he didn't ask his family to send him off for the exam. He went alone in the carriage of Ye Zhuoran and Zhang Lingxuan, and came back in their own carriage. This saved his father from having to drive a donkey cart to send him off, and then rush back to load his things to set up his stall.
"You're back?" Lu Youtian strode forward and took the exam basket from his eldest son. He didn't ask how he did on the exam, but said to him, "Your mother just asked me to come out to see if you were back so she could cook."
"Today, I happened to see someone selling chickens on the street, and your mother asked me to buy a chicken and kill it for her. She also invited your adoptive father and mother to come to our house for dinner."
"Oh? My adoptive father and mother are all in there?" Lu Mingfei followed his father as he walked home.
"Yes." Lu Youtian responded.
When the father and son walked back to the courtyard gate, Lu Mingfei saw his adoptive father sitting in the yard. Before he could greet the adults, his three younger brothers ran towards him, calling "brother, brother" in his ears, just like three little ducks hopping in front of him.
"Okay, okay, I heard it." He reached out and touched the two little guys' heads, walked over to greet his adoptive father, and asked his adoptive mother: "Where is my adoptive mother?"
"She and your mother are cooking in the kitchen. Are you hungry? We'll eat soon." There was a table in front of Lu Qingfeng with some hot tea on it. He asked his adopted son who had returned, "Would you like to have a cup of tea with us?" He and Lu Youtian had just been drinking tea here while waiting for his adopted son who had gone to take the exam. There were two used teacups on the table.
While Lu Qingfeng asked his adopted son if he wanted tea, he had already picked up an empty teacup and was pouring tea for his adopted son.
Xu Yueniang and Liu Sanniang, who were in the kitchen, heard the child coming back. They both came out and greeted the child before going into the kitchen to cook.
Lu Mingfei went to the toilet and washed his face before going out into the yard to drink tea with his father and godfather.
"Brother." Lu Mingcong snuggled into his brother's arms.
Lu Mingfei held the increasingly plump little guy in one arm and asked his adoptive father and his father with a smile: "Dad, adoptive father, do you want us to find a martial arts master to teach Mingcong, Mingrui and the others martial arts? This way, they can strengthen their bodies, and they can also protect themselves when they encounter any danger outside."
"You do have a point." Lu Qingfeng nodded and said, "I'll go ask where there are good martial arts masters and hire one to teach them."
Lu Mingfei offered his adoptive father an idea: "Places like the escort agencies should have martial arts masters who are quite skilled. They've been traveling for half their lives and know a lot. If you know a master in this field, or even if you don't, it doesn't matter. You can ask the old escorts there if they're willing to teach the kids martial arts."
"We're not trying to turn Mingcong and Mingrui into martial arts masters. We just want them to know where safe and dangerous places are when they go out, and know how to deal with danger. That way, they can stay alive in times of danger."
Lu Mingfei knew that the world he now inhabited was different from the one he had previously lived in, and that traveling far from here would bring him all sorts of dangers. He had grown up near the capital, and had taken the imperial examinations in Kyoto Prefecture, so unlike other students, he didn't have to travel thousands of miles to take the exams, thus avoiding many of the dangers he encountered.
However, if he were to pass the imperial examination and enter the imperial court, there was a high probability that he would be assigned to another post. Without the ability to protect himself, being outside was always dangerous. It seemed that if he had time later, he would go to Zhao Lang and learn horseback riding and archery. At the very least, he would know how to control his horse in times of danger.
As the younger brothers in the family grow up year by year, they may want to go out and see what the outside world is like. If the younger brothers have the ability to protect themselves, they don’t have to worry too much.
He had no chance to learn martial arts before, but now his family's conditions have improved a lot, and he can still afford to send his younger brothers to interest classes.
"Yes, that's right." Lu Qingfeng was originally wondering where to find a powerful martial arts master, but after hearing what his adopted son said, he felt that the old escorts in the escort agency were better. "It just so happens that I know someone in the escort agency. I'll go there and ask the old masters there if they are willing to take me in as a disciple."
While they were talking, the meal was ready in the kitchen.
The weather in April was already warm, so they put the dining table outside in the yard, brought the food prepared in the kitchen to the table, and the adults and children from both families sat around the table to eat.
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