In April, spring comes and flowers bloom.
The weather is exceptionally gentle, with gentle breeze and warm sunshine. The spring sky is majestic and the clouds are floating in the sky.
In Ning'an Prefecture, there was a constant stream of carriages and horses in front of the examination hall.
Today is the day of the prefectural examination. It is held in the prefecture that governs the county and is presided over by the prefect. The content is similar to the county examination. After passing the prefectural examination, one will be eligible to participate in the academy examination.
The most important thing is that if you pass the provincial examination you will become a student.
Although Tongsheng was the first identity of a scholar, it was already very remarkable, because there was no universal and compulsory education system in ancient times like today, and not many people could read.
It is not an exaggeration to say that many people remain as mere students throughout their lives.
Although Song Chi has not yet taken part in the provincial examination, he is definitely a student because he is the top scorer in the county exam. As long as the essay written by the top scorer in the county exam is not too bad, he will generally be passed.
However, Song Chi's goal is not just to pass the exam, he also wants to get the first place in the prefecture.
The candidates taking the provincial examination came to wait outside the examination hall early. The number of people was not as many as when he took the county examination two months ago, about half less.
Not only candidates from Ji County come here to take the provincial examination, but also candidates from all counties under the jurisdiction of Ning'an Prefecture.
Song Chi took advantage of the proximity, and when he got off the carriage, he instantly attracted a lot of attention, and quite a few people were pointing and talking.
This scene was a little awkward, but Song Chi was no longer surprised.
Now, he is also a prominent figure in Ning'an Prefecture, and is known as the behind-the-scenes magistrate of Ji County. His greatest achievement is leading people to defeat the Yongsheng Gang, for which he was praised by the people.
"Mr. Song, I am Fu Cong from Lin County. I have long heard of your great name. I would like to offer myself today. If Mr. Song does not mind, we can be friends."
As soon as he got off the carriage, several people surrounded him. Leading them was a tall, square-faced scholar who looked elegant and upright.
"Fou Ts'ong?"
Song Chi asked, "Are you the leader of the Nanting Poetry Society?"
"It's just a group of like-minded people who get to know each other through poetry. I'm just lucky enough to be elected as the leader of the society." Fu Cong clasped his fists, looking very humble.
Jiangzhou is located in the south, with a developed economy, flourishing literature and many students.
These scholars and students would gather in groups of two or three, become friends in groups of dozens, and then form literary societies. This was also a trend. Some of them were attracted by poetry and articles, while others were attracted by romance.
Song Chi was an outlier. He was also a candidate and student, but he became a legal advisor in the county government. He was involved in local government affairs and dealt with people like Han Yuanzheng, so he had less contact with these scholars and students.
However, he also knew some of the more famous societies.
In Song Chi's opinion, it is very beneficial to make friends with these people. They are knowledgeable and can inadvertently express their own opinions during social conversations, thereby creating an impact.
The Qingliu Party has always loved this way. In the early days, there were many Qingliu Party societies in Jiangzhou. Later, they were deliberately suppressed by the "Wen Party" and gradually weakened. The Wen Party was the majority in Jiangzhou. Because Song Shiwen called himself a gentleman, their societies were mostly named after the "Four Gentlemen" of plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum.
If you see a name starting with plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum, it is a literary party.
The reason why Song Chi had heard of the Nanting Poetry Society was because it was a group that leaned towards the Qingliu Party. Lin County and Ji County were adjacent to each other, and they had some reputation in Ji County.
"They are all members of our Nanting Poetry Society." Fu Cong took a step back to make way for the five or six people behind him, all of whom looked like young scholars.
This club is of high quality. The fact that they can get here means they have passed the county exam.
Song Chi clasped his fists and said, "Nice to meet you, nice to meet you."
"An Shou Song is now an official, making plans and governing the country is no problem. We are far behind An Shou Song." One of the young men clasped his fists.
"Yes, with Case Chief Song advising and counseling County Magistrate Feng, Ji County has taken on a completely new look compared to before. Especially after the Yongsheng Gang was wiped out, even Lin County has benefited greatly. It's no longer as chaotic as before."
Fu Cong sighed, and it was obvious that it was not a false compliment.
The Yongsheng Gang occupied the entire Ning'an Prefecture City, and Lin County was also severely affected by it. Although Song Chi did not lead people to destroy the Yongsheng Gang branch in Lin County, the headquarters was destroyed and the members scattered, and it was no longer a force to be reckoned with.
"We are here to thank Case Chief Song for eliminating this evil for the people."
Fu Cong clasped his fists, and so did the others.
This is a group of progressive "youths".
Song Chi hurriedly helped him up. There were no mobile phones in that era, otherwise he would have taken out his phone and added WeChat.
"You're welcome, everyone. From now on, we can be considered acquaintances and friends."
"Ha ha."
Fu Cong asked, "After the provincial exam is over, I wonder if Mr. Song will have some time. How about we find a place to drink and talk?"
"Very good."
Song Chi clasped his fists and said, "Then I wish you all can write brilliant essays and pass the provincial examination."
He is willing to make friends with "like-minded" people. One cannot achieve anything alone and it is difficult to go far alone. Relationships with fellow townsmen and classmates are relatively reliable. One needs to have someone to help him if he wants to enter the officialdom.
As they were talking, a few more people came over.
Song Chi was usually busy and hardly ever interacted with other scholars and students. He only appeared in front of the public when he took part in the provincial examination.
The Han family has become powerful in Ning'an Prefecture, but there are still many people who dislike it, but most of them dare not speak out.
Song Chi dealt with such occasions as easily as breathing, occasionally throwing out some famous quotes and soon became one with the crowd.
The conversation lasted only a quarter of an hour before the examination hall door opened.
"I wish Mr. Song to get good results in the exam and win the first place again." Fu Cong and others clasped their fists. Although they said this, they also knew that Song Chifu's exam might not go smoothly.
Everyone in Ning'an Prefecture knew who was behind the Yongsheng Gang. On the day when the Sifang Teahouse, the headquarters of the Yongsheng Gang, was destroyed, the prefect, Lord Zhou, went to the Ji County Government Office to capture Song Chi.
When he does things for the people, he is bound to offend some people.
The provincial examination was presided over by the prefect. As long as the prefect made trouble, no matter how well Song Chi wrote his essay, he would not be able to get the first place, and it was even possible that he would fail.
"You dare to claim that you are the first in the Song exam? You only got the first in the county exam. Do you think you can get the first in the prefecture exam?"
At this moment, a discordant voice sounded.
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