Yongchang Town was within Anping County, and the Luo family’s sideyard was about a ten-minute walk from the examination venue, offering both tranquility and convenience.
Yang Mengchen didn’t let the four continue their studies. Instead, he took them to the construction site of Fairy Lake, to unwind and talk about tactics for dealing with the examination. The intention was, of course, to help them relax.
The next day, at the second segment of the morning hour, Yang Mengchen and his elder brother, along with his cousins, escorted Yang Chengyou and the others to the examination venue. According to regulations, candidates were to enter the venue at the fourth segment of the morning hour.
There were already many candidates waiting outside the venue, some brimming with confidence, some wearing a worried frown, and some jittery with nerves. freewebnøvel.coɱ
The imperial examination for young students was divided into three parts: the county examination, the preliminary examination, and the academy examination. The first two were overseen by the County Magistrate and Confucianism Professors dispatched by the Magistrate. The academy examination was presided over by a Xuezheng, appointed by the Emperor himself, a Scholar of the imperial examination. Passing the academy examination was the requirement to be officially titled a Scholar.
The three examinations spanned nine consecutive days. Whether answering papers, or addressing the needs of eating, drinking, relieving oneself, or sleeping, all candidates had to stay in a small confined space and were not allowed to leave. They could only drink water and eat dry food. Many candidates didn’t make it through the entire examination and had to be carried out horizontally.
Yang Mengchen not only prepared bedding but also various easy-to-digest foods, water, and homemade medicinal teas, as well as both internal and external medicine. After all, candidates had to sit there for nine days straight to complete their papers, with no time for exercise, and the confined spaces were not suitable for movement, making it easy for them to accumulate ailments.
Once Yang Chengyou and the others entered the examination venue, Yang Mengchen and Yang Chengrong also stayed nearby. They would either stop by the Drunken Immortal Tavern, check the progress on the commercial street, or take a walk around Fairy Lake.
The artisans working on Fairy Lake were arranged by Xiao Hongtao. Knowing that Yang Mengchen had a profound relationship with Xiao Hongtao, they naturally did not dare to treat him with negligence or disrespect.
The most important aspect was that Yang Mengchen treated the artisans courteously and respected their opinions. He also offered some suggestions, from which the artisans learned a great deal of knowledge and skills in construction, earning his gratitude.
Of course, regarding the quality of work, Yang Mengchen insisted the artisans ensure quality and quantity. There must be no cutting corners or shoddy substitutions. Should any misconduct be discovered, it would be reported immediately to Xiao Hongtao for severe punishment. Otherwise, if an accident occurred in the future, not only would Xiao Hongtao be unable to escape responsibility, but it could also endanger innocent lives—something Yang Mengchen would never allow.
On the ninth day, around Shen Hour (about 4 pm), the candidates began to emerge from the examination hall one after another.
Many family members and servants who accompanied the candidates to take the exam gathered at the entrance, each anxiously craning their necks.
Seeing the exam-weary candidates, who looked pale and obviously exhausted, Shi Qing, the servant attending to Yang Chengyou, muttered, "So the examination is this grueling, almost like enduring torture." He silently felt relieved that he had never aspired to become an official, and besides, he wasn’t cut out for it; otherwise, he might have gone insane if he didn’t die first.
Hearing Shi Qing’s murmurs, Yang Mengchen deeply sympathized.
In his past life, the college entrance examinations in most provinces took two days, and three in a few. However, candidates could return home or to their hotels for rest at noon and night.
But the ancient imperial examination lasted nine days in a row. The candidates had a hard time eating and sleeping in that cramped space, which resulted in some being carried out continuously during these days: some due to exhaustion, some due to digestive issues, others due to sudden illnesses, and there were even cases of people poisoned by snakes hidden in the roof, leading to their quick demise. It was indeed like enduring punishment.
Before long, Yang Chengyou and the others came out, arm in arm. They stood out among the group of candidates who looked as if they had shed a layer of skin.
Although they were not beaming with vigor, they were strikingly different from the other candidates.
Especially Yang Chengyou, who appeared relaxed, with his hair in order and his eyes bright and clear. Apart from his Light Blue Outer Robe being slightly wrinkled, one couldn’t tell he had just gone through nine days of examination; he looked as if he was about to enter the examination venue.
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