Chapter 211 Kiss (First Update)
Xiao Liulang passed the imperial examination with top honors, and the whole family was overjoyed.
The old priest didn't say it, but the smile in his eyes was impossible to hide.
Although he believed that with his apprentice's abilities, passing the imperial examination with top honors was a certainty, it didn't stop him from being happy.
He cooked several extra dishes for dinner, and the family enjoyed a hearty meal.
The old lady gave Xiao Liulang a big red envelope, which he won playing cards today. She also gave one to Gu Jiao, saying that her nephew had worked hard on his exams, and that it was even harder for Jiao Jiao to take care of this brat.
Xiao Liulang accepted the red envelope and then gave it to Gu Jiao.
“Well, for home use,” he said seriously.
"Oh." Gu Jiao accepted it.
The money earned at Qingfeng Tower doesn't smell as good as the money my husband gives me!
"Are there any more exams later?" Gu Jiao asked.
“There are more,” Xiao Liulang said. “There’s a second round of testing at the end of March, and the final exam in April.”
The so-called re-examination is more like a roll call exam, which is not very meaningful and does not count towards the score. It is said to be for comparing handwriting to prevent anyone from cheating in the spring examination.
The final examination is the main event that follows.
The imperial examination was presided over by the emperor himself, with the nine ministers supervising. All the candidates answered the questions under their watchful eyes, and the pressure they faced was unimaginable.
The imperial examination of the previous dynasty lasted only one day.
In this dynasty, in order to better select talents, the system was changed to one day of written examination and one day of oral examination.
However, not all candidates have the opportunity to take an interview.
Basically, only the top performers in the first exam could be summoned by the emperor for a personal examination.
Of course, if the emperor wished, he could randomly select people to answer questions in the first exam, which would put the candidates' psychological qualities and performance under pressure to the test.
Some candidates are very knowledgeable, but too timid, and they cannot perform well in the palace examination. Therefore, the current ranking of the candidates does not mean that they will achieve the same results in the palace examination.
Xiao Liulang also encouraged Feng Lin and Lin Chengye in the same way, so that the two could focus on the exam without distraction.
"Will you fail the exam?" Gu Jiao asked.
“That’s not true,” Xiao Liulang explained patiently.
The palace examination did not eliminate candidates; it only ranked them. In other words, as long as one passed the examination and became a Gongshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), one had the opportunity to become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination).
However, even among those who passed the imperial examinations, there were different ranks.
The top three in the palace examination were called the first-class Jinshi, namely Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua, and were granted the title of Jinshi Jidi.
Those who ranked second in the imperial examination were granted the title of Jinshi (进士出身), and those who ranked third in the imperial examination were granted the title of Tong Jinshi (同进士出身).
The first and second-class Jinshi were both officially recognized Jinshi, while the third-class Jinshi were said to be equivalent to Jinshi, but in reality, they had failed the exam. Giving them the title of Tongjinshi was considered a consolation for those who failed.
Those who failed the imperial examinations had little chance of developing their careers in the capital; they could only become county magistrates of the seventh or eighth rank in local areas.
First-class Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examination) could directly enter the Hanlin Academy. Second- and third-class Jinshi would take another imperial examination. Those who passed were called Shujishi (probationary officials). After three years of study, Shujishi who passed the final examination were also qualified to enter the Hanlin Academy.
The Hanlin Academy was the talent pool of the Zhao Kingdom. There was a saying that no one who had passed the imperial examination could enter the Hanlin Academy, and no one who had passed the imperial examination could enter the cabinet. The Hanlin Academy was a place that all candidates dreamed of going to.
In fact, entering the Hanlin Academy did not mean a smooth rise to power. The Hanlin Academy also had its own examinations and rules, but that's another story.
Gu Jiao pondered for a moment. She had already become the wife of a tribute student, and the next step was to become the wife of a scholar who had passed the imperial examination.
"Who is the third?" she asked.
Since Xiao Liulang and Prince An were tied for first place, there was no second place, and the next place was directly third.
The third-ranked candidate was a classmate of Xiao Liulang from the Imperial Academy, surnamed Cao. He was thirty years old this year and not a native of the capital. He was quite famous in his hometown at a young age. He failed the imperial examination several times and was almost disheartened.
He passed the provincial examination this year and became a tribute student.
Gu Jiao remembered that this name was not on Qingfeng Tower's betting list, so it must have been an upset. However, with Xiao Liulang being such a huge upset, not many people paid attention to him.
At dinner, the whole family ate their fill. Perhaps because they were happy, everyone ate more than usual, except for Xiao Jingkong.
As the only child in the family, Xiao Jingkong is very mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace.
This time, my bad brother-in-law tied for first place with someone else. The fact that everyone was so happy about a tie for first place shows how low everyone's expectations were for him, and how bad his studies were.
Xiao Jingkong decided to give his bad brother-in-law a heads-up, telling him not to be too arrogant, lest he accidentally revert to his old ways.
Of course, he also decided to give him a reward.
"Give me a reward?" In the study, Xiao Liulang looked at Xiao Jingkong with a strange expression.
The sun has risen in the west? The little monk is actually going to reward him?
Little Jingkong put his hands behind his back, hummed in agreement, and said with a serious face, "Master Jiang said that we should care for the vulnerable groups."
My brother-in-law is the worst, definitely a member of the disadvantaged group.
Xiao Liulang pointed to the list of successful candidates on the table: "Please, I ranked first in the exam."
Little Jingkong pouted and snorted, "They're just on par."
Xiao Liulang looked at him with a mixture of amusement and exasperation: "Then why don't you take the imperial examination and become a top scholar?"
"Then wait for me to grow up!" Little Jingkong said confidently!
Xiao Liulang was both amused and exasperated: "Alright, after saying all this, what reward are you going to give me?"
Xiao Jingkong asked, "What do you want?"
What could Xiao Liulang possibly ask him for? It couldn't be that he wanted the rent waived.
Xiao Liulang pondered for a moment, and then he remembered something he really coveted: "The gift Jiaojiao gave you on your birthday."
Xiao Jingkong exploded: "You're so mean! You actually tried to steal the gift Jiaojiao gave me!"
Xiao Liulang spread his hands innocently: "You asked me what I wanted yourself, and now I've told you."
Xiao Jingkong frowned. He was a good boy who kept his word and couldn't go back on his promise.
He suppressed his heartache and asked, "Are you taking the checkers that Jiaojiao gave me?"
Xiao Liulang said, "What do I need checkers for? I need that."
Xiao Jingkong and Xiao Liulang were born on the same day, and Gu Jiao gave them both gifts. In addition to checkers, she also gave Xiao Jingkong a gift.
Xiao Liulang was referring to the origami crane.
Little Jingkong clenched his fists tightly, looking at Xiao Liulang with a mixture of disbelief and heartache: "You, what do you need that for, a grown man? That's for kids!"
Oh, so now you remember you're a child?
Xiao Liulang chuckled and said, "I want it, are you going to give it to me or not?"
This is definitely the same kind of shameless behavior as that of Marquis Xuanping.
Xiao Jingkong looked at Xiao Liulang with a complicated expression, as if saying, "Oh my god, how could you be so bewildered?"
Xiao Jingkong took a deep breath, closed his eyes, his expression indescribable. After a long while, he made up his mind: "Fine, since you insist."
As he spoke, he took a step forward as if to die a martyr, and under Xiao Liulang's astonished gaze, he gave him a quick kiss on the right cheek!
Xiao Liulang: "..."
After Xiao Jingkong kissed them, neither of them felt good.
What kind of suffering has this person endured, God?
Xiao Jingkong: I've sacrificed too much!
Xiao Jingkong was furious. He stuck out his tongue, rolled his eyes, and stormed out!
After regaining his senses, Xiao Liulang shuddered, indicating that he was also completely stunned.
When Gu Jiao entered the room, Xiao Liulang's lips were still twitching.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Gu Jiao looked at him in surprise.
Xiao Liulang coughed lightly: "It's nothing."
That's incredibly embarrassing, not worth mentioning.
Gu Jiao walked into the room and handed him a small brocade box.
“This is—” Xiao Liulang took the box, opened it, and saw that inside was a red silk hair ribbon.
He was not yet of age to wear a crown, and he was not used to using hairpins.
The original hairband was old, and this was the color that Gu Jiao personally dyed. It suited him perfectly, making him look as cool and aloof as jade, yet also as beautiful as peach blossoms.
"Is this... a gift from Huiyuan?" Xiao Liulang asked.
"Huh?" Gu Jiao was taken aback.
Obviously not. Xiao Liulang lowered his eyes. He didn't say anything, but his expression inexplicably revealed a hint of grievance.
Gu Jiao instantly felt that she had wronged her husband.
Xiao Liulang sighed, "Jingkong just gave me a gift."
What happened to our agreement not to mention it?
If even Jingkong has given it away, wouldn't it be unreasonable for me not to give it away myself?
Gu Jiao quickly asked, "What gift do you want?"
"Actually, it doesn't need to be too complicated, just keep it simple." Xiao Liulang straightened his expression and said seriously, "On my birthday, Xiao Jingkong has one, but I don't."
When Xiao Liulang said that last time, he received a sweet kiss from Gu Jiao.
"Oh." Gu Jiao understood instantly, turned and went out, returning with a paper crane in her hand. "Here!"
In Gu Jiao's opinion, the only things Xiao Jingkong had on her birthday that Xiao Liulang didn't have were kisses and paper cranes. Since kisses had already been given, only paper cranes were left.
Xiao Liulang, who didn't want the origami crane at all: "..."
(End of this chapter)
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