Chapter 55
Chapter 55
The Zhengrong County government sent three two-horse carriages to take twelve students to take the imperial examination.
In addition, there are two other masters, Master Zhao and Master Li.
Two constables. Constable Lei and Constable Zhang.
There were two more coachmen.
Eighteen people in total.
Although there are two horses, one cart has to carry six people, so they still need to walk and rest.
It is estimated that it will take five days to reach the provincial capital, and will arrive on March 30th.
The official roads in Tianqi State are in varying repairs. Some sections are in good condition and people can still read books there, while those in poor condition can only be checked and memorized.
Constable Lei was protecting everyone's safety, and he and his good brother Constable Zhang were patrolling back and forth, which made people's teeth ache.
I have always known that county school students are hardworking, but after being with them, I realized that their work is even harder than they imagined.
When it was time for lunch, the carriage stopped near a roadside noodle stall. Everyone who had been sitting in the carriage for the whole morning got off, stretched, and prepared to eat.
The guys were already hungry after having pancakes for breakfast.
After everyone was seated, Constable Lei and Constable Zhang looked at each other, then whispered to Ji Yuan, "Thank you for what happened last time."
Thank him?
Ji Yuan was a little confused.
What did he do?
Cai Fenglan and Li Jin were also curious and asked, "What did Ji Yuan do? Look at how you are thanking him."
Constable Lei said, "Last time you talked about Li Yaozhong in the yamen, I don't know what touched Magistrate Nie, but he didn't fire us brothers. Instead, he said that the population of Zhengrong County has grown rapidly in recent years, and it would be better for us to stay."
Although Constable Lei said this, he didn't know what touched County Magistrate Nie.
In fact, it was Ji Yuan's words "black sheep" that made County Magistrate Nie consciously clean up the black sheep on his side.
Those who were useful before naturally stayed, and Constable Lei and Constable Zhang were among them.
At that time, Ji Yuan heard about it from the constable in the prison, and he didn't expect that Constable Ti Lei would mention it again. After all, this matter was related to livelihood, and everyone was really grateful to him.
Ji Yuan figured it out and said politely, "Just call me Ji Yuan or Brother Yuan, no need to be so polite."
"Besides, it's still you who do a good job. It has nothing to do with me."
Constable Lei and the others also laughed. They did not bring up this matter for no reason. They said, "Last time, Master Li mentioned that you were curious about Li Yaozhong's situation in the capital. Next time, you can just ask me about this kind of thing. You don't need to bother others. We are already friends now."
On the day after the county examination, Ji Yuan was curious about what Li Yaozhong had done in the provincial capital, so he asked Qian Fei to help find out.
Li Jin was present at the time and told the whole story, so there was no need to trouble Constable Lei.
There were a lot of people around at that time, and the words reached Constable Lei's ears, making him regretful. He felt that he had missed the chance to repay Ji Yuan after such a hard time.
So this is brought up again.
After figuring out what was going on, Ji Yuan smiled and nodded. It would be a good idea to establish a good relationship with the constable.
Besides, Constable Lei was very capable in handling cases. At that time, Magistrate Lin had asked him to handle the dispute between himself and Ji Li's family.
It was done beautifully.
It was probably because of this incident that Magistrate Nie became more determined to keep them.
"The noodles are here!" The waiter came over with five bowls of noodles, his movements so swift that people were amazed. "You are students going to the capital to take the exam, right? I wish you success!"
Taking the provincial examination does not guarantee success.
But who doesn’t love nice words?
Everyone smiled and returned the greeting. The guys along the way were used to it. At this time every year, scholars would go to take the exams.
Just as the noodles here were served, a group of scholars came into the store. There were more of them, about twenty or so, and they were generally older than the people here.
Master Guo went to greet the teachers over there and found out that they were teachers and students from the neighboring Heyuan County, and that their purpose was naturally the same.
Zhengrong County and Heyuan County are very close, so it is normal to meet on the road.
The teacher on the other side said, "We may have to spend the night on the road. Why don't we go together? It will be safer on the road."
Heyuan County had a large population and many candidates. A total of twenty-one people passed the county examination, and they followed four teachers, three constables, and five coachmen.
There are thirty-three people in total, and there are five cars.
In Zhengrong County, there were a total of eighteen people and three cars.
It would also be better for Zhengrong County if the two counties were to go together.
When you spend the night on the roadside, you are bound to encounter some situations.
The bandits were not so bad, after all they had government officials escorting them. And these were all students going to take imperial examinations, few of them dared to do such a thing.
The main thing is to be on guard against wild beasts. You will hear wolves howling at night along the way, and there are also leopards and tigers in places with high mountains and dense forests.
It will definitely be better if we all go together.
After Mr. Guo discussed with Constable Lei, they decided to walk together, and since the other side had more people, they would walk in front.
Their car just follows behind.
The students on both sides also looked at each other, and many of them were looking at Ji Yuan, the youngest student.
Jiyuan's reputation was naturally known in the neighboring Heyuan County.
After actually seeing him, I realized that he is also quite good-looking.
Ji Yuan was actually looking at them as well, and only then did he realize why the name sounded so familiar.
Isn’t Heyuan County the county where Ji Li went to gamble?
There are many underground gambling houses in their county, and the government has tried to clear them out many times but has failed.
The gambling boss in their county also went to Anji Village to set up a scam, but fortunately it was discovered in advance and Ji Li was the only victim.
Ji Yuan frowned slightly, but didn't know how to say it clearly.
They were all educated people, so he couldn't just mention the gambling house in the other county, as that would cause trouble.
Just after the people of Zhengrong County had finished their meal and were waiting for the scholar from Heyuan County to leave first, a voice came from somewhere.
"Big or small?"
This voice was obviously lowered, and when Ji Yuan and Cai Fenglan heard this, their pupils trembled.
What is this doing?!
What are these people doing on their way to take the exam? !
Cai Fenglan felt that he was the kind of person who didn't follow the rules, but he didn't expect that there were people who were even more outrageous.
The teacher from Heyuan County was still urging: "There are still four people who haven't boarded the carriage yet, come quickly!"
The four scholars quickly packed up their things and left, just in time to meet the gazes of Ji Yuan and Cai Fenglan.
The four of them didn't think there was anything wrong. They actually smiled at the two of them and left quickly.
ah?
Cai Fenglan and Ji Yuan were both dumbfounded.
In this gap, you still want to gamble?!
Ji Yuan whispered, "Do you know my cousin? He's in the casino in their county."
Many people in Ji Yuan’s family knew about it, so Cai Fenglan understood it after just a casual mention.
My God, what a good feng shui place Heyuan County is, even scholars are like this.
Cai Fenglan usually loves reading, and when he heard this incident, he was a little confused. Finally, he said, "Forget it, just pretend you don't know."
When Li Jin came over, he asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Look at the gods, I wonder how they passed the county exam."
Gambling and taking exams at the same time?
A true genius?!
Among twenty-one people, four are addicted to gambling. How can they pass the exam with this?
Playing on the road should be considered as addiction, right?
I don’t know if he is a genius or not, Ji Yuan only knows that he should stay away from him.
However, judging from the mechanism of the county examination, whether you can pass the exam does not only depend on your own level.
It also depends on the level of the same county.
The number of students who failed in Zhengrong County should be small. If the general academic performance is not good, some people can just fill in the numbers.
It doesn’t matter. You can all be eliminated in the provincial examination.
There were five carriages from Heyuan County in front, and three from Zhengrong County behind. With the government flag flying outside, basically no one would provoke them on the road.
Some people who were in a hurry to get on the road followed behind, also for safety reasons.
But this official road is too difficult to walk on. It is okay in crowded places because the government will repair it frequently.
Once they reach the suburbs, many students have to get off the bikes and walk, or even push them.
No wonder it takes four or five days to walk a distance of less than 200 miles.
As expected, we rested outdoors that night.
Constable Lei and his men made a fire so that everyone could have some lighting.
There is no need to worry about the temperature. It is late March in the lunar calendar and the weather is very warm.
It was the first time that Ji Yuan lived in the wild. Hearing the howling of wolves in the mountains, he couldn’t help but look over. He happened to see four or five pairs of green eyes on the distant mountains.
Cai Fenglan noticed his gaze and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Ji Yuan pointed and said, "Wolves?"
Cai Fenglan was still trying to look, so Constable Lei said, "Don't be afraid. There are ten of us here, and the wolves don't dare to come over, let alone fifty or sixty of us."
There were thirty-three people from Heyuan County, eighteen of them, and some common people who followed them.
With so many people, not to mention wolves, even tigers and leopards would have to hide away.
Just observe over there.
Ji Yuan was relieved, but Cai Fenglan was still trying his best to look: "I didn't see it."
Li Jin saw it all, but after a moment he said, "The wolf pack just dispersed."
After Cai Fenglan opened his eyes wide, Ji Yuan asked, "Are you nearsighted?"
“It’s just that things that are too far away cannot be seen.”
Cai Fenglan nodded: "Yes, you don't have it?"
Ji Yuan shook his head silently.
Looking at Li Jin again, Li Jin also shook his head silently.
you? !
You read for so long, and your eyes are fine?!
Most students and teachers have some eye problems, but it's not a big problem. Cai Fenglan said, "It's better during the day, but it's even darker at night. Forget it, I won't look at the wolf's eye. I'd better go to bed early."
It turns out that Cai Fenglan is nearsighted!
It seems that I still have a bit of night blindness, but it’s a pity that there are no affordable glasses in this era.
Night blindness can be cured: "Eat more spinach, chicken and pork livers, and your eyes will be better at night."
Is this possible?
Cai Fenglan nodded, and this time he really gave up on watching the wolves.
At Zhengrong County School, the students went to bed early.
There were still four scholars in Heyuan County who had not slept yet. There was another person next to them. The person was wearing the clothes of a constable and had red eyes.
"Damn it! I lost it all!"
The scholars paused as they took the money and stuffed it back: "How can we take your money, Brother Wang?"
"Yeah, everyone is just having fun."
"It's good enough that you play with us."
The constable who was called Brother Wang looked at the last scholar. The scholar clenched his fists and stared at the silver and money with shining eyes.
Or another person beside him whispered, "Wu Zhuo, speak."
The person who was called Wu Zhuo barely raised his head and said, "Yes, Brother Wang, we don't want your money."
Constable Wang left with satisfaction, saying, "Go to sleep, we have to travel tomorrow."
After playing for most of the night, I definitely won’t be able to get up the next day.
The students from Zhengrong County packed up early and waited for Heyuan County for half an hour before setting off.
Master Guo and Constable Lei frowned and discussed the matter again.
This won't work, it's too late on the road.
Fortunately, the other teacher also felt the same way and repeatedly assured me that he would be faster next time.
Master Guo came back and said to Constable Lei, "If this continues, we'll just have to go on our own."
The people who were traveling together had already set out early, but they were still dawdling behind.
Although my students can read on the way, it is better for them to arrive in the city early and rest early so that they can prepare for the exam better.
Mr. Guo felt somewhat regretful for going with them.
But there is nothing to say now. The other party has also promised that if there is any further delay, the people from Zhengrong County will leave first.
Ji Yuan looked at the most nagging people. They seemed to have not slept well, with dark circles under their eyes.
Ji Yuan opened the book. This section of the road was fine. The students in Zhengrong County were all reading books.
This scene made the teachers in Heyuan County extremely envious.
Look at other people's students, and then look at theirs.
In fact, most of the students in Heyuan County also said that the teacher accompanying them from Zhengrong County answered all the questions in detail, while the three teachers they followed did not want to say anything.
This is normal.
There are classes at the county school in Zhengrong County, and the teachers are accustomed to answering students' questions.
These students were all taught by Master Guo and Master Li before, so they have a stronger relationship with them.
The county school in Heyuan County had not been established, and all the candidates for the county examination were not students of the three masters who followed Che, so naturally they had less patience.
The next two days were peaceful. The Heyuan County carriage in the lead set off on time without any further delay.
On the contrary, a student from Zhengrong County did not get up in the morning and was forcibly pulled up by his classmates and almost became late.
I didn't rest in the wild last night. I happened to pass by an inn on the official road. All candidates could stay there for free, so I definitely stayed in the inn if I could.
We have been on the journey for three days now, and everyone should have gotten used to it.
Ji Yuan looked at him a few more times. During lunch, the classmate who got up late greeted the four people who were gambling in Heyuan County and took the initiative to move over.
Cai Fenglan, who came over with steamed buns, followed Ji Yuan's gaze and frowned as well.
Both of them were smart people and immediately realized that something was wrong.
If it were someone else, they might not bother to care.
But these are all classmates.
They all studied in the same county school, and studied together in the B-grade hall and the sprint class.
Cai Fenglan put down the steamed bun and said to Ji Yuan, "Looking for Master Guo?"
Ji Yuan nodded.
The two men had just taken a few steps when Constable Wang from Heyuan County, who was picking his teeth, came up behind them and clearly heard what they said.
"What are you going to do? We are about to set off. Aren't the people from Zhengrong County rushing you?"
Cai Fenglan said: "Yes, we are going to take a carriage."
"Oh, you're not looking for Master Guo?"
Ji Yuan felt puzzled.
The students from Zhengrong County were gambling, and they went to stop them, but what did it have to do with Heyuan County and the police officer Che?
Unless there is a vested interest in between.
Constable Wang did not let them go and insisted on chatting with them until they were ready to set off.
Fortunately, the time is short, so nothing serious should happen.
When we got on the carriage, the classmate who had just gone to Heyuan County to gamble with his classmates came back. He looked dazed and seemed to have cried bitterly.
Less than a cup of tea?
What happened? !
But when the carriage started, they refused to sit together, so Ji Yuan had to ask Constable Lei to come.
Ji Yuan briefly explained the matter. After listening to the whole story, Constable Lei, based on his rich experience in handling cases, said directly: "It took these people just a cup of tea to defraud Xu Chun of all his money."
cheat? !
Constable Lei asked the two of them to get out of the car, went to find Master Guo who was in another car, and then called over the deceived Xu Chun.
The carriage simply stopped, and Constable Lei made a prompt decision to let the car from Heyuan County go first without waiting for them.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the cars from the two counties no longer traveled together.
Everyone in Zhengrong County is our own people. The coachman is from the county school, not to mention the teachers and constables.
The rest are classmates.
Then Xu Chun explained the matter clearly.
Last night, everyone was resting in the inn. When Xu Chun got up at night, he saw the light on next door. He thought that people were still reading there and felt very emotional.
Unexpectedly, there were five people gambling.
When I see him coming, I will definitely pull him over to play.
Unexpectedly, in just one or two hours, he won dozens of taels of silver.
This is also the reason why he wakes up late in the morning. Gambling, coupled with the excitement after gambling, makes him unable to sleep.
After Xu Chun won the money, he didn't think much about it and just thought he was lucky.
I originally went over to say hello at noon today, but the other party insisted on dragging me to gamble again.
In a short while, not only did he lose the dozens of taels he had won last night, but he also lost the thirty taels of money his family had given him for travel expenses.
Hearing this, Constable Lei said with more certainty: "It's a scam. They trick you into winning money, and then you lose it all back in one go."
Most people will definitely play small at the beginning. If they keep losing, they will only lose a few taels of silver at most.
In other words, he deceived Xu Chunduo and won a lot of money, so he could make a big profit at once.
Ji Yuan thought to himself that this was exactly the same method used to deceive Ji Li.
Xu Chun had no choice but to cry.
Everyone feels bad when encountering such things on the way to an exam.
He was defrauded of all his money.
Mr. Guo's face turned pale.
Looking at the Heyuan County convoy going away, he said, "You'll have to take this loss. If the prefectural school knew that you were gambling on the road, you'd have no hope of passing the imperial examination."
Even if you want to get it back, you can't do it now.
The other party predicted that Xu Chun and Zhengrong County would not make any major moves before the provincial examination.
After the exam, they will return to the county immediately. No one cares about this.
The people in Zhengrong County were naturally very angry. They had to suffer in silence.
Ji Yuan sighed, he should have reminded him earlier.
But then I thought, even if I reminded him, it would be hard to say.
If someone drags you to gamble at night and you always win, who would listen to what others say?
I have no choice but to take this loss.
After this incident, Master Guo became even more stern. Constable Lei also had to take note of the incident and report it to the county magistrate.
If it weren't for Xu Chunfu's test, they would have said even harsher things.
But since it has come to this, Master Guo said, "You have not even arrived in the city yet, and you have already developed bad habits. If you really are in the city, what will you do?"
Master Guo said, "Although it is said that those who keep company with vermilion become red, and those who keep company with ink become black, if you are easily led astray, should we teach you this way in the county school?"
"You will eventually leave the county school. What will you do then?"
In fact, the contrast between the two teams is very obvious.
The teachers in Heyuan County didn't care much. Students could read if they wanted to, and play if they wanted to. As people from the local education bureau, they were only responsible for sending students to take exams.
It’s up to the students themselves to decide on eating and other things.
In contrast, the teachers in Zhengrong County teach diligently, remind students to study, and even arrange meals in a unified manner.
Mr. Guo was wondering if they protected him too well.
Let the students lose their vigilance.
The scholars outside are not their classmates in the county school.
Master Guo mentioned another person: "You all know about Li Yaozhong, right?"
Everyone must know it.
Writing sour poems and visiting prostitutes has become a joke known to everyone in Zhengrong County.
Many people in the city also know about it.
"When he was studying in a private school in the county, he was frivolous but he would never do such a thing.
"He became even more absurd after arriving at the prefectural school. He wanted to teach at the county school, but the instructor saw that he was drained of his body by alcohol and sex, and refused to let him come no matter what."
"So, do you think this is a problem of the prefectural city or the prefectural school?"
"Let's talk about Li Xun, who won the first place in the county exam two years ago. He also asked someone to help him get into the prefectural school. Now his grades are still among the best in the prefectural school."
“We are all from Zhengrong County, and we all changed our environment, so why are the results different?”
"Study and cultivate yourself. Are the Four Books and Five Classics in your hands just tools for taking exams?"
Master Guo agreed with the standardization of contemporary literature, but he also believed that reading should not be just a tool for the imperial examinations.
Perhaps it can be said that this has some of the temperament of Zhengrong County School.
The county school was set up for the imperial examinations, but it was not just for the imperial examinations.
This was the last class for the twelve students before the imperial examination. Although they were delayed for a long time on the road, everyone calmed down.
Xu Chun calmed down and apologized solemnly to everyone.
It was because he was off guard and because of greed.
This is his eternal lesson.
Several classmates pooled their money together, allowing Xu Chun to have some money to live on.
Master Guo looked at his students.
Aren’t these young Aries too naive? They should be allowed to experience the dangers of the world.
After this incident, the Zhengrong County convoy completely stopped following them and its speed increased a lot.
For some reason, the people from Heyuan County left earlier than them and stopped in the middle.
Upon seeing this, Master Guo went up to the other master and mentioned the matter, and finally returned twenty taels of the dozens of taels that Xu Chun had lost.
This is enough, there is no other way.
It seems that the money was taken by Constable Wang from Heyuan County. It's easy to get back the money cheated by the scholar, but it's hard to say about the constable.
This is the existence of evil officials.
This incident also alerted the students of Zhengrong County, and they became more vigilant when they were about to reach the provincial capital.
The current city is no different from a flood or a beast to them.
The world outside is so dangerous!
Ji Yuan is also curious about the outside world.
He has always been in Zhengrong County, and the atmosphere in Zhengrong County is relatively positive.
I had heard about the underground gambling houses in the neighboring county before, and I had also heard about Li Yaozhong’s absurdity in the provincial capital.
It’s still different when you really come here.
Without being held back by Heyuan County, the Zhengrong County group finally reached the outskirts of the city on the morning of March 30th.
From afar you can see the ancient and towering city walls.
Jianmengfu is an ancient city that existed thousands of years ago and has gone through countless dynasties.
This place is also the Yellow River Basin, and from mountains to plains, it is full of cultural depth.
People lined up outside the city wall, carrying fruits and vegetables in their hands and firewood on their shoulders, and there were also people from nearby who came to go shopping in the morning.
Just looking from afar, you can feel the prosperity and bustle of this Jianmengfu City.
Most of the people from Zhengrong County were visiting Jianmeng Mansion for the first time, and they couldn't help but stretch their heads to take a look.
The constables patrolling nearby were used to this, and seeing that they were candidates for the exam, they asked, "Which county are you from? There are a few students from the prefectural school ahead, saying they are here to pick up candidates from their county."
This is mostly spontaneous behavior.
Generally, it is because some of the students coming to take the exam are their relatives or friends.
Mr. Guo answered Zhengrong County, and the other party said, "Oh? There are three or four people from your county, and they are all in the front."
It's not about picking up a relative or friend, but about picking up classmates from the county school.
When Master Guo heard this, he knew that it was Li Xun and his group.
As the convoy moved forward, Li Xun and his companions were indeed waiting there. They treated Master Guo, Master Li, the two constables, and even the coachman from the county school particularly friendly.
"You are finally here. The road is easy to walk on. It rained for a day recently. It should be better."
"Accommodation in the city is tight recently. We have booked a few rooms near the school early on. You guys have to squeeze in."
When people from the same hometown meet, they naturally have endless things to talk about.
Ji Yuan also felt familiar with it.
Among the four students from Zhengrong County, he only knew Li Xun, who was the top scorer in the county case two years ago.
Most of the others had come before, and Ji Yuan didn’t know them.
But Ji Yuan didn't know them, but they knew Ji Yuan.
"Ji Yuan! We all know you! Li Xun has praised you countless times."
"Li Xun also said that you would definitely come to take the provincial examination soon, and it turned out to be true."
Everyone was talking animatedly, and the team quickly entered the city.
The candidates who came to take the exam and the government officials did not need to pay any money. The same went for the students of the provincial school. After checking their identity documents, the constables at the city gate quickly let them pass.
Looking from outside the city, it seems that the capital city is extremely lively, but only when you actually come in do you realize how prosperous it is.
Ji Yuan watched TV dramas and traveled to ancient towns when he was in modern times.
But a city of this size cannot be restored in ordinary TV dramas or ordinary ancient towns.
They first crossed an arch bridge with a moat underneath. The bridge was wide enough for eight carriages to pass side by side.
There are soldiers guarding the other side of the bridge. Going further inside is the real street.
The streets are lined with spring flowers, fruits, and turbans worn by Confucian scholars.
It seems that everyone knows that the students taking the provincial examination are here to take the exam.
Walking through the path between the vendors, you will reach the main street, which is lined with shops that are dazzling.
"There are four markets in Jianmeng Mansion, east, south, west and north. We are coming in from the north gate and need to cross the street to the vicinity of the East Market."
"The government offices and the provincial schools are basically all in the east."
"The prefectural school is a little off the beaten track, but the environment is excellent, with the mountains behind it. Now the mountain flowers are in full bloom, and many people come here to enjoy them."
The carriage was pulled from north to south.
Although Master Guo had been here several times, Li Xu and his friends had been in the city for two or three years, so they were naturally more familiar with it. With them leading them through the small streets, they soon arrived at the booked restaurant.
There are inns to stay in along the way, but there are none in the city.
There are too many candidates and the government can’t afford it.
These streets along the mountain are called small streets, but they are wider than the main roads in Zhengrong County. There are also wine shops, tea houses and various businesses nearby.
The deceived Xu Chun came to his senses and began to appreciate the scenery of the city.
This is especially true for Ji Yuan and others.
When we arrived at the restaurant, there were already people staying there. Each room held four people, so it was indeed not spacious.
But this restaurant is very close to the Imperial Examination Hall, and it is very quick to walk there.
If Li Xun and his friends hadn’t made a reservation early, the room would have been sold out long ago.
Anyone who has taken the test knows this.
The accommodation environment is indeed good, but the most important factor is that the accommodation is close to the examination venue.
Master Guo said with satisfaction: "You have done a great job, thanks to you."
"If you live well, you can do well in the exams, and maybe you can stay in the city to keep us company."
"Yes, we are all from the same hometown, and it is good for everyone to keep each other company."
Ji Yuan listened and heard other reasons.
Privately, Constable Lei whispered, "It's because of the reputation of Zhengrong County. They are easily laughed at, so they simply don't socialize."
ah?
What is the reputation of Zhengrong County?
Constable Lei only mentioned a few words and Ji Yuan understood.
"The proportion of talented people is the highest."
"Sour poetry and prostitution."
Ji Yuan held his forehead with his hand, who could have thought it would be like this.
First, the proportion of scholars in Zhengrong County is extremely high.
In other counties, only one out of ten people can win.
Zhengrong County had 7 out of 10 students the year before last and 4 out of 10 students last year, both far exceeding other places.
Naturally, other places will hold grudges against them.
After all, if you pass the exam, others will fail.
The second is the ridiculous things that Li Yaozhong caused.
In fact, this alone is enough.
Coupled with the enviable high admission rate mentioned above, it is hard to find a mistake, but people will laugh at it.
Over time, Li Xun and others had to huddle together for warmth.
Besides, they know the atmosphere of Zhengrong County School and they must like the original scene.
So let more younger students come over, there will be more of them.
The capital city is indeed prosperous and complex.
Ji Yuan and the others had seen it before coming to the capital.
Master Guo obviously knew all this a long time ago but never said anything for fear of making others feel uncomfortable.
Now that they have arrived at the place, some things can be discussed slowly. The twelve students from Zhengrong County looked at each other in bewilderment.
Cai Fenglan said: "Jealousy is really terrible."
Li Jin also nodded.
Ji Yuan thought the same thing, but this was not the time to bother with these things: "Since you are jealous of the fact that so many of us passed the exam, then we should just work harder."
"Then they will just have sour words to say."
Ji Yuan must have some feelings for Zhengrong County School.
Such good classmates, such good teachers and doctors, the teacher is even better to them.
He himself has received care countless times.
Previously, Qian Fei and Li Ting and others defrauded three hundred taels of silver from the Zhang family in the county, and this matter was settled.
There was also the lawsuit between him and Uncle Ji's family, and everyone in the county school put in a lot of effort.
If Ji Yuan didn’t get angry when hearing someone talking about their school, he would be a saint.
No, even saints would get angry.
But Ji Yuan became more rational and continued, "Doing well in the exam is the best counterattack."
That’s right!
Do well in the exam!
They will definitely get good marks in the exam!
The people around Li Xun couldn't help but say: "You are right. Although he is young, he is the backbone of many people."
The era has always been like this.
His classmates are older than him, but they trust him instinctively.
Knowledge can be learned.
But this kind of temperament is very rare, as if he is a natural leader.
The twelve students were encouraged and motivated.
Good job in the exam!
They will definitely do well in the exam!
For a moment, I forgot all about the prosperity of the capital city. I just wanted to learn first and talk about it after I have learned it well.
Everyone rested until noon and then studied peacefully in the afternoon.
There were twelve students, four in each room, all studying hard.
Candidates from other counties walked past this restaurant with lighter steps.
When he heard that this was a candidate from Zhengrong County, a look of sudden enlightenment appeared on his face.
It turned out to be them, a group of people who study hard without regard for their lives.
Such an opponent is a little too scary.
Never mind, let them read it too.
If you don’t study hard, you really won’t be able to pass the provincial examination.
There are still eight days left until April 8th, which is the day of the provincial examination.
Whether you can become a scholar and achieve honors will depend on eight days.
In addition to studying, Mr. Guo and Li Xun also shared the news they had heard with everyone.
There were a total of nineteen counties under Jianmeng Prefecture. The number of candidates in each county varied, with most being around forty or fifty, and as many as seventy or eighty.
Therefore, there were at least 1,200 candidates taking the provincial examination this time.
The number of people who can pass the provincial examination this time has already been determined, and there are only 120 places.
These 120 places will be divided into A, B, C, and D.
The first three are A.
The fourth to the twentieth are B.
Twenty-one to fifty is C.
The rest are all Ding.
This ranking is related to recommendation, salary issued by the court, and whether one can enter the provincial school.
The recommendation was made a long time ago.
At that time, there were few educated people, and scholars could also be recommended to become officials.
Now this rule has been basically abolished. Even the juren have to wait for an official position, so who cares about the scholars?
The salary is real.
The provincial school is even better.
There are two scholars who have passed the imperial examination in the county school of Zhengrong County, which is already very impressive.
However, there are more than one Jinshi who are serving as doctors in the provincial school.
You can see the difference.
Of course, these are still far away from the era.
Now they just need to get into the top 120.
He was selected from a pool of at least 1,200 people.
It looks like ten plus one.
But Li Xun got another piece of news that many places had passed the county examinations this year, and the estimated number of people who would actually take the prefectural examinations was around sixteen thousand.
There are 1,600 candidates to be selected into 120, which means actually only 13 to 14 people are needed to admit one person.
Those who can come and take the exam have all taken the exams of students from this county.
After passing their tests, you still have to go through many levels and defeat many enemies.
After hearing this number, the twelve students could only study harder.
Master Guo and Master Li did not go out either, but just sat in the guest room so that students could come and ask questions.
Li Xun and a few others also came over specially, especially a few days before the provincial examination, when Fan□□ School was on holiday because of the examination, so they came over to answer questions for their younger classmates.
The actions taken by Zhengrong County have attracted a lot of attention.
It is said that students from Jiangsu and Zhejiang like to stick together.
Why is it the same in Zhengrong County?
The younger students love to learn and the seniors are willing to teach.
This made many students in other counties extremely envious.
Their teachers were unable to come, so now they can only learn on their own.
On the other hand, the teacher is still teaching at this time.
It's really the same person with different fates.
But so what? Their Zhengrong County produced a scholar who wrote sour poems and visited prostitutes. It's really hilarious.
Thinking of this, many people raised their heads again.
They are still better than Zhengrong County!
At least they have a good reputation!
Isn’t it just that the proportion of people who pass the exam to become scholars is high? So what!
If these words had not been said with gritted teeth, the people in Zhengrong County would have actually believed them.
Until the fourth day of April, the area around the provincial school was relatively calm. The students preparing for the exams were working hard and only wanted to make good use of their time to study.
Sharpen your sword before the battle, even if it is disadvantageous.
But on the morning of April 4th, a dozen skinny and pale students arrived at the provincial school.
There is only one purpose.
Please ask the provincial school administrator to make the decision!
Get justice for them!
They hope to cheat in the county exams!
Please ask the academician to make the decision!
Fraud?!
This matter concerns all the students preparing for the provincial examination.
Those who had passed the provincial examination had naturally experienced the county examination.
So, how did the other party cheat?
What kind of suffering did these nineteen people suffer?
Master Guo was also concerned about this matter. It had caused a lot of uproar, especially before the provincial examination. If there was no appropriate explanation, I was afraid that the court would not agree.
Although the Tongshi examination is for scholars, it is only the lowest level of the imperial examination.
But since it concerns the court's support for scholars and the imperial examinations, it must be taken seriously.
Even the prefect asked about the matter and asked the provincial school official to investigate it thoroughly, preferably before the prefectural examination.
Today is April 4th, and the exam will be held in the morning of April 8th.
In total, it takes four days.
Li Xun and the others were called over to help, it seemed like it was a serious matter.
However, Li Xun was there to handle it, so he was more informed.
The people in Zhengrong County finally figured out what was going on.
The county examination in the same county is too ridiculous.
Let’s take the county examination in Zhengrong County as an example.
As everyone knows, the county examination in Zhengrong County is more rigorous, directly imitating the provincial examination, and all students enter the examination room for three days.
I believe many people know how strict those three days were.
Other counties are not like Zhengrong County, such as Heyuan County, which loves gambling.
The county examination in their county also starts on the sixth day of February.
The examination lasts for one day on the sixth day of the Chinese New Year, and the examiners select a group of candidates from the sixth day of the Chinese New Year.
This group knew that they had passed, so they took the second exam on the ninth day of the first lunar month, which was called the re-examination.
Similarly, the examiners will select another group and hold the third exam on February 12.
After the exam, students can go home, rest and wait for the exam.
It was not until the fifth exam, which was on February 18th, that the appropriate number of people was finally selected.
The exam questions are naturally no different from those in Zhengrong County.
The test questions also depend on the preferences of local officials.
It seems that there is no problem.
The exam will last from February 6th to February 18th.
This is the case for general county examinations. Although the timeline is relatively long, there are still rules in place.
Although it is not as strict as Zhengrong County, it is at least the normal process for selecting officials.
Wangtong County, where the examinees are now filing a complaint, also has the same examination method as Heyuan County.
Candidates are very clear about this method, and if they pass, they pass, and if they fail, they fail. Everyone just needs to know the answer.
But as the test went on, everyone realized something was wrong.
When registering for the Tongshi exam, students from Wangtong County paid a sum of money.
That’s no problem. All students have to pay when registering for the exam.
Then the first exam began. The first exam was called Zhengsheng. Before the exam, the government actually notified us to submit it again.
Candidates who have not paid will not be allowed to enter.
Of course you have to hand it in for the exam.
I thought that was the end of it, but before the second exam, there was another notice.
What was sent to the candidates was not only the news that they had passed the exam, but also the news that they had paid the money.
What? No money?
You can't even afford thirty cents, and yet you still passed the county examination.
If you don't pay these thirty cents, you can't take the exam.
Many students think that they have passed the second round and there are only three exams left, so they just need to finish them.
So I paid thirty cents and took the third exam.
Before the fourth exam, everyone had a rough idea of the amount and had already prepared forty cents.
By the fifth round, many candidates looked at each other in bewilderment.
We have taken the test so many times, why does it feel like there are not many fewer candidates?
Is it possible that the final match will decide the outcome?
Are you still paying the money?
Of course I will pay it. I have already given you so much before.
I thought it was the fifth round of exams, and also the final round. After the exams, they would announce who passed the county exam, right?
A wake-up call has come for the candidates in Wangtong County.
The county school instructor said, no!
Because the students from our Wang County were all so outstanding, the fifth exam could not determine who would pass the county exam.
There's still a sixth round!
But to take the sixth exam, you have to pay another eighty cents!
this?
Isn't this a joke?!
It's like you're participating in a talent show with a hundred people, and only ten of them can win.
There were a total of one hundred people in the first game. If you wanted to participate, you had to pay first. You paid one hundred yuan for the first game.
After the first game, the opponent said that after a fierce competition, we were finally eliminated, one person!
Okay, it's time for the second game. If you want to play, pay first! Two hundred dollars this time!
In the second game, one person was eliminated again.
So, I would like to ask, how many rounds of competition are needed to determine the winner, how much registration fee do you need to pay, and how much money can the program team earn?
This is a complex math problem.
The candidates from Wangtong County actually gave the answer.
The students who came to the prefectural school to seek advice took part in a total of eight county examinations.
Each person paid four hundred and ninety cents for various registration fees.
They were relatively wealthy, and those students who could not afford to pay in the fifth or sixth round were eliminated directly.
Is this still a competition of knowledge?
It's clearly a competition of money.
If you don’t have money, you can’t even register.
The county school can make a lot of money by spending students' money over and over again.
There were a total of 350 people taking the first round of exams in Wangtong County, and I heard that only five were eliminated.
Three hundred and forty-five people entered the second round, and then ten people were eliminated in the second round.
I can only say that in order to make money, the county schools in the same province have really exhausted their life's efforts.
The people who are finally selected must be those who come from wealthy families.
This way, one can both please the local wealthy and collect money.
The teacher of the county school in Wangtong County is really an expert at making money.
But these students who really worked hard were directly defeated by the wealthy people in the same county.
Ji Yuan felt that the so-called Tongxiu Society in their county school should be given this name.
The matter was not a big deal at first. After rounds of screening, it was found that there was indeed no cheating. It was just that those poor but capable students were automatically withdrawn from the competition.
But this is a hundred times worse than cheating. If this isn't robbery, then what is it?
The prefect of Jianmeng Prefecture was furious.
This prefect had just arrived this year. He was so angry that he cursed the county magistrate of Wangtong County and asked him to get over here quickly.
These students who filed the complaint will be given a separate exam.
As for other candidates in Wangtong County, they will take the exam together with these students who have filed a complaint.
Who can pass and who cannot depends entirely on their own abilities.
It would be interesting if the essay of the candidate from Wangtong County who came here a long time ago was not as good as that of the candidate who filed the complaint.
Although the matter has not been completely resolved, I finally gave everyone an explanation before the provincial examination, which calmed the hearts of other students.
Ji Yuan’s understanding of the city has reached a new level.
How long have you been here?
One moment it was the examinees engaging in gambling fraud, the next moment it was the county officials engaging in favoritism, fraud and extortion.
To say it is wonderful is no exaggeration.
How can I study well in a place like this?
Forget it, it has nothing to do with him. He will go back after the exam.
The county school in Zhengrong County is still the best.
What should I do if even County Magistrate Nie likes me?
Ji Yuan shook his head and stopped thinking about it.
It is better to prepare well for the provincial examination. This is the most important thing, no doubt about it!
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