Shen Yong nodded and said, "That's good. It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go to the back room to chat."
After Shen Yong finished speaking, he led the three to the reception room in the back hall. After they were seated, someone served them tea.
Next, the group started chatting. Shen Yong was very interested in the fact that Li Guang had led people to Xunzhou for disaster relief some time ago. He wanted to know why Li Guang's prediction was so accurate.
Zhao Xian smiled and said, "Li Guang once obtained a strange book written by Guiguzi. Li Guang has read the book thoroughly and is already a successor of Guiguzi."
Li Guang was a brilliant strategist, a war god of the Northern Dynasty, which explains his reputation. Furthermore, he was adept at accurately predicting major events in the Northern Dynasty, so his prediction of a major flood in the Xunzhou region is not surprising.
Zhao Xian's words surprised Shen Yong greatly; he never expected Li Guang to have such an extraordinary encounter.
The group continued their conversation, and Shen Yong soon learned that Zhao Xian and Li Xue had come to Huizhou Prefecture mainly to escort Ouyang Nan to participate in the provincial examination.
"When I was in Qing'an Prefecture, I heard that Marquis Zhengyang had taken in Ouyang Nan and his sister. I never expected that Ouyang Nan would participate in the provincial examination in just three years. Many scholars spend their entire lives without ever being qualified to participate in the provincial examination."
The triennial provincial examination is a major event in Huizhou Prefecture, as it is an important part of the country's talent selection process, and I attach great importance to it.
Thirty students from Zhengyang County participated in this provincial examination, and ten of them were from Shuixian Village, causing a sensation throughout Huizhou.
After chatting for a while, Shen Yong felt that Zhao Xian must have something else to say, so he spoke up.
"Lord Zhengyang, you and the princess have come here because of something important. Please tell me and I will do my best to accommodate you."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian and Li Xue first exchanged glances, then looked at Master Qin.
Seeing this, Master Qin knew it was his turn to take the stage, and he laughed.
Next, Master Qin told Shen Yong about the matter between Zhao Xian and Li Xue. He also had another request when he came to see the governor: that is, to ask Shen Yong to accompany him to the Prince's Mansion to present the betrothal letter on behalf of the Zhao family.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yong burst into laughter. He had already discerned the relationship between Zhao Xian and Li Xue. After spending so much time together, they had finally come together, which was truly a cause for celebration.
"In a few days, I will be going to the capital to handle some important matters. I will be going with Master Qin to the Prince's mansion to present the betrothal letter. I am definitely going to attend your wedding this time."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xian stood up and bowed to Shen Yong.
And so it was decided that Shen Yong and Master Qin would represent the Zhao family to go to the capital to present the betrothal letter to the Prince's mansion.
Five days later, Shen Yong took Master Qin to the capital.
In the southeastern part of Huizhou Prefecture, there was a Gongyuan (Imperial Examination Hall), which was the examination venue for the provincial examinations. A large plaque with the words "Gongyuan" (Imperial Examination Hall) was hung in the center of the main gate of the Gongyuan.
On the ninth day of the eighth lunar month, all the students from the province who were going to take the provincial examination gathered here, and the candidates began to enter the examination hall.
Before entering the venue, they had to undergo strict checks. The weather was neither too hot nor too cold, so the candidates could only wear a single layer of clothing and shoes. They were subjected to a body search and then had to take off their clothes for a physical examination.
They also had their stationery checked, and then each person was given three candles for nighttime lighting.
After all this was done, the candidates were put into their cell, the door was closed and locked, and the candidates took the exam inside.
The imperial examinations were brutal. Candidates had to be locked in solitary confinement for nine days, where they had to eat and sleep. It was difficult for candidates with poor health to persevere to the end, and some even had to leave halfway through, which was a real pity.
Zhao Xian and Li Xue escorted Ouyang Nan into the examination hall, feeling a little worried. Ouyang Nan was only eleven years old and would have to take exams for nine consecutive days. They wondered if he could persevere.
In the following days, Zhao Xian would come to the examination hall to check on the examination situation. For the first few days, the candidates persevered, but after half of the exam was over, some of them could not hold on any longer.
Some walked out on their own, while others were carried out. Some candidates had gray hair and were very weak; such candidates were unable to persevere to the end.
And so it went until the afternoon of August 17th, when the provincial examination finally ended, and all the candidates who persevered to the end were released from their cells.
Zhao Xian and Li Xue arrived at the examination hall early and waited at the main gate. Soon they saw Ouyang Nan come out from inside.
Ouyang Nan had sharp eyes and spotted Zhao Xian and Li Xue under the big tree next to him as soon as he stepped out. He quickly ran over.
Judging from the situation, Ouyang Nan's mental state was not bad. Although he stayed inside for nine days, it did not affect him much, unlike other candidates who came out pale and unsteady.
"Brother, Princess, you've both arrived!" Ouyang Nan exclaimed excitedly.
"Ouyang Nan, you've worked hard these past few days. You've gotten so thin. I'll make you something nice to eat tonight to help you recover."
As they were talking, the other two examinees from Shuixian Village also came out. Upon seeing Zhao Xian and Li Xue, they quickly stepped forward and bowed in greeting.
"Greetings to Marquis Zhengyang, greetings to the Princess."
Judging from their condition, neither of them seemed to be doing well; it's unclear how they fared on their exams.
“No need for formalities. Now that the exam is over, relax and have some fun. Let’s go back for dinner now. You can have a good day in Huizhou Prefecture tomorrow, and then head back to Shuixian Village the day after tomorrow,” Zhao Xian said.
Back at the residence, Ruan Fang was busy preparing a feast for the three examinees that evening.
During the meal, Ruan Fang glanced at the three of them and knew how their exams were going. It was best not to mention it now and to put the exams aside for the time being, and talk about it later.
After the meal, the three went to rest, intending to get a good night's sleep. However, Zhao Xian couldn't resist going to Ouyang Nan's room to find out how his exam went.
"Brother, I don't think this provincial examination is too difficult. Many of the questions were mentioned by the examiners, so answering them was very easy. I don't know if I will pass the exam."
“Ouyang Nan, it seems you performed well in this provincial examination. Headmaster Ruan told me that based on your knowledge, passing the exam is no problem. I hope that on the day the results are announced, you will be at the top of the list and become the top scholar.”
For Ouyang Nan, as long as he passed the imperial examination, he could continue his studies and better repay Zhao Xian in the future.
After the provincial examination, the candidates were greatly relieved. The next morning, the three of them got up early and prepared to go out and have some fun.
Zhao Xian told them that they would have lunch at Qinghe Restaurant in Huizhou Prefecture, and that they could come over when they had had enough fun, while he and his men would wait for them at the restaurant.
The three were very happy. Huizhou was the provincial capital and much more lively than Qing'an Prefecture. This was also their first time visiting such a big city, and they were determined to broaden their horizons.
The results won't be released for another fifteen days. It's impossible for us to wait in Huizhou Prefecture for that many days. Let's go back to Shuixian Village. If Ouyang Nan passes the exam, we'll know soon enough.
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