Chapter 110 I still need to think about it carefully
The list of successful candidates would be sent by the prefect to each county by fast horse, so that each county could issue official documents to the successful candidates—the formal title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the imperial examinations).
In addition, the county government would also post a celebratory notice, which would be about half a day or a day later than the prefectural government's notice.
The inn was not peaceful that night. Some people returned late, some cried and made a fuss, and some, having heard that the nightlife in the prefecture was bustling, planned to invite their friends to go to listen to music and watch plays.
The longer you stay in the state capital, the more social interactions you have, and the greater your expenses will be.
Grandma Guo is in Xiuning County, keeping an eye on the day the results will be released. She expects to hear the news in the next day or two.
Early on, Yang Qiaomai and Yang Xianu, who worked at the same shop, told each other to help look after the business. Then, they pulled Guo Xiaohua along to go and post the list of successful candidates.
Just in case, Grandma Guo was wearing a decent outfit she had recently made.
Whether it's the house in the south of the city or Guo's shop, both have been kept spotless these past few days.
"Grandma, if my brother passes the imperial examination and becomes a scholar, will our family no longer have to pay land tax?"
"Yes, the scholar doesn't need to pay." Accompanying Grandma Guo to see the results announcement today was the village chief of Guo Family Village.
Upon hearing Guo Xiaohua's question, he smiled and explained to her.
Even strictly speaking, only those who have passed the provincial examination can be addressed as "Master," but as long as one passes the county-level examination, one has already officially entered the ranks of "scholars."
For ordinary people like them, it's normal to address someone as "Master" in private.
Guo Xiaohua didn't understand, so Grandma Guo waved her hand at him, "The eight characters are only just beginning to emerge, how can you be called 'Master' yet?"
Upon hearing this, Village Chief Guo didn't say anything, but just squinted and smiled happily.
He was just happy to see that a scholar had finally emerged from his village.
When the three arrived at the county government office, the list of names had not yet been posted.
A large crowd had gathered outside, waiting to see the results. Seeing this, Zhao Dayong, who was helping to maintain order not far away, explained, "You don't need to crowd here and wait anxiously. In addition to posting the results, the yamen runners who receive the news will also go to your homes to deliver the good news."
That had some effect; the crowd dispersed somewhat.
But some people chose to stay put and wait.
Village Chief Guo glanced at Grandma Guo and Guo Xiaohua, "Why don't we go back and wait too?"
But—saying they're going back means they're actually going to Guo's place to wait for news?
Should I go home and wait for news?
While Grandma Guo was still hesitating, a yamen runner who had just entered the city to deliver good news galloped over from not far away. Before even dismounting, he began to shout: "In the year of Yi Si, the Qianzhou provincial examination has produced three qualified students from Xiuning County—"
Upon hearing this, everyone who was originally considering whether to go home and wait for news stopped in their tracks.
After watching eagerly as the visitor communicated with the county government of Xiuning County, a list of rankings was quickly posted on the notice board at the main entrance of the county government.
Zhao Dayong, who was still maintaining order, walked towards Grandma Guo and the others with several constables behind him. From a distance, he said in a loud voice, "Great news, Madam Guo!"
"Your son has lived up to his years of hard work and has achieved the 151st place in the provincial examination. He will soon be attending the county school! The provincial education commissioner has already approved and registered the application. Your son's future is limitless. Please prepare a celebratory feast to share in the joy!" As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Dayong, with a happy expression, bowed and handed over the red and yellow application form.
Grandma Guo had experienced the process of becoming a candidate for the lowest level of the imperial examinations before, so although she was overjoyed, she still quickly came to her senses.
As he took the report, he quickly grabbed a handful of the prepared lucky money and gave it to the constables.
Seeing that someone in front of them had passed the preliminary examination, the crowd gathered around to join in the fun, and some even tried to take advantage of the chaos to get some lucky money.
Seeing that people were gathering over there, Village Chief Guo realized what was happening. He loudly thanked everyone around him while quietly pulling Grandma Guo and Guo Xiaohua outside.
After finally managing to push their way to the edge of the crowd, the group disregarded everything else and hurried home with the newly acquired forms.
Guo Baiwen's passing the imperial examination and becoming a scholar was a great joy for the Guo family. On that day, their house was bustling with activity, and countless neighbors came to offer their congratulations.
They were busy until late at night before things gradually calmed down.
The next morning, Guo Baiwen and Chen Baoyue arrived late in a carriage.
With the results of the provincial examination settled, the two relaxed and stayed in the prefectural capital for an extra half day to buy gifts for their relatives before leisurely making their way back.
Before they even reached the city gate, they were startled by the crowd that had surrounded them.
People were talking on one side and sighing on the other, all talking at once, making one's head spin.
When they finally arrived home, they learned that the good news had already spread throughout the surrounding neighborhoods and villages.
Everyone is now just waiting to see what the new scholar looks like, and also to enjoy a meal with wine and noodles that can be imbued with a touch of literary elegance.
Guo Baiwen was surrounded by the crowd. The carriage that he had rented from the carriage company had been picked up by the people from the shop who were stationed at the city gate.
During the half-day he missed due to his journey, the Guo family home had already become a completely unfamiliar place to him.
The house was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and every dish on the banquet table was made with great care.
Guo Baiwen was carried forward until he was completely seated, only then did he belatedly realize that this was his celebration banquet.
Although I was somewhat happy, I also experienced the headache that Master Guo had mentioned before.
After the banquet ended, Guo Baiwen, who finally had some free time, told Grandma Guo that he planned to visit Master Zhang and Master Guo when he had time.
Master Zhang hadn't been teaching him for long, and he was very pleased that his students had passed the imperial examination and become scholars.
The two drank some more wine that day and discussed several questions from the previous academy examination.
After reading the article that he had rewritten from memory, Master Zhang first praised the commendable parts, and then the two discussed for a long time the direction for solving the problem.
When he got home, Guo Baiwen belatedly realized that his trip had actually added a lot more to his schoolwork.
Seeing his dazed look, Chen Baoyue couldn't help but laugh at him a few more times.
Fortunately, after this discussion with Master Zhang, he did find many areas where he still needed to improve.
After a day had passed and the gifts prepared for Master Guo were packed, he changed into a new dark blue straight jacket and prepared to visit him.
As luck would have it, it happened to be when Master Guo was tidying up his house.
Master Cao had already left the county town with his family before the new year. Master Guo stayed in Xiuning County for a longer period of time, so it was more difficult for him to pack up his belongings.
"Now that you're considered a scholar, Guo," he said, finally finding some time to chat with Master Guo when he wasn't so busy. "The imperial examinations are in two years. Shouldn't you be taking them to become a scholar?"
Guo Baiwen touched his nose, and couldn't help but chuckle bitterly as he listened to Master Guo's words, "Master, you're making fun of me."
"Don't talk nonsense, I didn't."
"It's already extremely lucky that I passed the county-level exam this time," Guo Baiwen said, shrinking his neck. Besides, his ranking wasn't even that high.
But having come this far, which scholar wouldn't want to continue taking the exams?
Unable to resist, Guo Baiwen turned to look at him again and said with some curiosity, "I heard that the provincial examination is very difficult."
"Difficult." Master Guo uttered only one word before falling silent.
It's so difficult to pass the imperial examination. He's been taking it since he was in his early twenties, participating in countless exams, each time spending nine days in that cramped and narrow examination room.
It wasn't until last year that I finally managed to get ashore.
But how many people fail the exam even after taking it a dozen or twenty times... They spend most of their lives and savings hoping to pass it.
“When I failed the provincial examination before, I calculated in private that in our Qianzhou Prefecture, a county might not even produce a single Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination) in three years.” Master Guo seemed to be sighing, or perhaps reviewing the first half of his life. “In our Xiuning County, we haven’t produced a single Juren in the previous few provincial examinations.”
He originally thought that this was probably how he would be from now on, but unexpectedly, perhaps it was a blessing from heaven, he was able to pass the provincial examination with Master Cao last year.
Even if the final ranking is not high, there are only a handful of people in the county who have achieved the title of Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations).
Despite the abundance of private schools and academies, passing the imperial examinations remained extremely difficult for scholars.
If three or four out of more than a thousand scholars can become successful candidates in the imperial examinations, it is already considered that this place has produced a great number of talented people.
The imperial court allocated only fifty places to Qianzhou for the provincial examinations every three years, but every year there were newly successful candidates who would take the exams. As a result, the number of candidates who failed each year accumulated to at least three or four thousand.
To put it bluntly, the number of scholars who failed the provincial examination was greater than the number of students who failed the county-level examination.
This is just for passing the provincial examination; there's also the imperial examination for the highest degree...
These were all Guo Fuzi's own feelings, but looking at his student who had just passed the county-level imperial examination, he swallowed them back.
He pulled the person to sit down on a stone bench by the courtyard. "In the past, those who passed the imperial examinations would either choose to study diligently at home behind closed doors, or seek recommendations to study directly at the prefectural or state schools. Others would take the opportunity to travel around and seek out famous teachers and scholars to become their disciples—what are your plans?"
In the end, Yangzheng Academy was just a private academy.
Being able to bring students to the rank of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations) is already an exceptionally remarkable achievement.
Moreover, with Master Cao and Master Guo, who were originally teaching at the academy, about to leave one after another, the teaching quality of the later masters remains to be seen.
Considering that Master Guo had previously recommended him to Master Zhang at the Chengnan Study, it became clear that there was nothing left to teach at the academy.
Moreover, Master Guo's words just now implied that the county school of Xiuning County was excluded, although the reason for this is unknown.
But having known Master Guo for many years, he knew Master Guo's character.
However, his family members were all in Xiuning County. If he went to study at the prefectural or state school without permission and lived alone away from home, he would inevitably worry about his grandmother and the others.
“Master Guo,” Guo Baiwen said, “I need to think about it carefully.”
"Yes, this is a big matter. You should go back and think it over with your family." Master Guo wasn't in a hurry, but he still reminded them, "At the end of this month, I will be moving my whole family to the prefecture. If you have made up your mind, you should come and tell me as soon as possible."
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