Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Chapter 91

The thirty-eighth year of Huayuan was the year of the imperial examination.

Last year’s provincial examination and this year’s metropolitan examination, each examination was more difficult.

If the initial Tongshi was a competition among scholars from dozens of counties in Jianmeng Prefecture, the admission rate was quite acceptable.

But the provincial examination was a competition among the scholars from all the counties in Jianmeng Prefecture.

Being able to pass the examination and become a scholar shows one’s knowledge.

The best of the scholars are selected and finally the juren are chosen.

How many people fail the exam after trying five, six, seven or eight times, and finally have to leave with regret.

Many people are stuck at the stage of taking the imperial examination.

But to be honest, passing the imperial examination is as difficult as climbing to the sky.

But for the Jinshi who were above the Juren, many people stopped directly.

It is equivalent to when you first started school, you thought it would be easy to get into junior high school, and it would also be okay to get into high school or college.

But if you say you can get into the top two schools, most students will be discouraged and change their career path. There is no need to work hard for an impossible goal.

In other words, after learning so far, I already know my own strengths and weaknesses, and it is impossible to go any further.

In the village or county, you may be the first or second.

The provincial examination was equivalent to the provincial examination. Among all the students in the province, it was already quite good for the first and second place in the village to be ranked dozens of places ahead.

Most people would not have any confidence in the national examination.

The one who can step into the threshold of Juren is the last Juren this year. He is also a genius among ordinary scholars.

Unfortunately, his talent compared to a true genius is like the gap between an ordinary person and a genius, there is almost a huge gap.

Like a long time ago, Mr. Huang, a good friend of Mr. Zhao, Ji Yuan’s teacher.

He passed the imperial examination in his thirties and made a prompt decision not to take the imperial examination again and directly become an official.

I just knew that it was meaningless to continue taking the exam, so I might as well seize the opportunity and get a job.

There were also those who became officials directly in the provincial capital and gave up the path of imperial examinations.

However, most of the teachers in the provincial schools were able to take the exam again.

Anyway, if you want to pass the imperial examination, you cannot be an official in the court. This has been the rule since ancient times.

In the eyes of others, the high and mighty scholars were still daunted by the prospect of taking the imperial examination.

This shows how difficult the imperial examination is.

But let me ask you, doesn’t everyone want to become a Jinshi?

That's definitely what I thought.

At the beginning of the Tianqi Kingdom, Juren and Jinshi were still used together.

But now that the imperial examination system is flourishing, and the general election is held every three years, countless talents are recommended, so naturally more importance is placed on Jinshi.

It is not just as simple as making use of Jinshi candidates, but also requiring them to be used strictly according to their rankings.

As mentioned before, Jinshi are divided into three levels.

The top three in the first class are awarded as Jinshi

There are about thirty people in the second class, all of whom are Jinshi graduates.

If there are more than one hundred people in the top three, they will be considered as Jinshi.

The three lists are in order and should not be confused.

The subsequent arrangement of positions and selection of talents will also refer to the rankings of the three lists.

And every step forward is supported by the shoulders of countless scholars.

No matter how great a genius is, he would be delighted if he could pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi.

There is no way, there is always someone better.

You think you are a genius.

But there are always more talented people than you in this world.

Let’s take Cai Fenglan as an example.

When he was studying in Zhengrong County School, he was the first in the C-class and B-class classes.

Then I met Ji Yuan.

But Ji Yuan is not an exception.

After Cai Fenglan arrived at the provincial school, he had been studying in the second hall. It can be seen that in the minds of the teachers, all the thirty people in the hall were smarter and more talented than him.

This may sound cruel, but it is the truth.

How does the saying go? You think you are gold, but the capital is magnificent.

That's about how it feels.

The more this is the case, the more the government school values ​​​​Jiyuan.

The attention paid by the provincial school did prepare another path for him.

When Ji Yuan was called to the provincial school, he knew something was wrong when he saw the two instructors on his left and right.

Dr. Yin was also there. As Ji Yuan's doctor of the Five Classics, everyone believed that he could better persuade Ji Yuan.

This is what they want to persuade.

"Should you consider giving up the imperial examination next year?"

Examination?

give up?

The instructors and even the academician have discussed this matter.

For Ji Yuan, giving up next year's imperial examination would be a good thing.

Dr. Yin was helpless and said directly: "Just explain it to him and let Ji Yuan think about it himself."

"Do you know the difference between the three lists?" The right instructor said seriously, "Jinshi Jidi, Jinshi origin, are the same as Jinshi."

Ji Yuan knows.

If we say that Jinshi is naturally higher than Juren, then Xiucai is better.

But in the officialdom of Qi today, especially high-ranking officials, only those who have passed the imperial examination can be recruited.

This shows the gap between several titles.

But there are also differences among Jinshi.

For example, the first class is commonly known as the top scholar, the second scholar, and the third scholar.

The top scholar was directly appointed as an official of the sixth rank.

The second and third place winners are of the seventh rank.

For example, those in the second class can also enter the Hanlin Academy to observe government affairs, which is an internship, but their rank must start from the seventh rank.

The last three classes of Jinshi are the largest ones.

Generally speaking, they are official positions of the eighth rank.

When they are sent abroad, most of them will be granted the position of "County Magistrate".

Yes, not even the county magistrate, but the deputy of the county magistrate.

For ordinary people, passing the Tongjinshi exam is good enough, at least it means you are a Jinshi.

But for a genius like Ji Yuan, Jianmeng Mansion School has higher expectations for him.

At least, you have to get second place, right?

Ji Yuan is only fifteen years old this year, so it seems a bit difficult for him to directly enter the top thirty-three in the country.

It was a pity that he passed the imperial examination and ranked third among the Jinshi.

Why is it a pity?

Zuo Xundao explained: "There is an upper limit for each list of candidates."

"Needless to say, the first three will become sixth-rank officials if they pass the exam."

"The thirty people who ranked second will have the opportunity to participate in the selection of Shujishi."

"Once you get to the top three, the ceiling is low. If you want to think about the future, giving up next year's examination will bring greater benefits in the future."

To put it bluntly, it is an unwritten rule of the Tianqi court.

Those who rank first or second in the class will be reused.

The top three Jinshi will basically not be taken seriously, and it will be very difficult for them to get promoted in the future.

Therefore, many talented but ill-prepared students would rather not pass the exam than get into the top three.

If their discussion were to be shared outside, many people would surely be jealous.

The title of Jinshi that everyone else is vying for is actually being picked and chosen by someone.

The instructors on both sides were indeed picking and choosing for Ji Yuan.

According to them, as long as Ji Yuan prepares for another three years, he will definitely be able to get a top two ranking.

In that case, why not study for another three years.

It's almost like, there is an exam, if you take it now, you may only get a third-tier degree, and after you take the exam, it's determined and cannot be changed, and there is no higher academic qualification.

But if you prepare for another three years, you can get into a top university.

It would be fine if this person could only get into three books.

No one said anything, everything would be fine as long as you passed the exam.

But knowing clearly that this person will definitely be able to get into a top university after studying for a few years, most people would choose to study for another three years.

The difference between third-tier colleges and top-tier colleges is huge.

So what we are saying now is, let Ji Yuan take the examination casually next year, and it would be best if he fails directly.

Wait until three years later, then put all your energy into it.

By then, it will definitely make a big splash.

The right instructor even joked, "What if you study for another three years and get first place in the imperial examination? That would be two first places in a row."

With Ji Yuan's character and appearance, when it comes to the palace examination, the emperor might just pick him as the top scorer.

After all, in the final palace examination, appearance also adds points.

Although the right instructor was joking, what he meant was that he felt Ji Yuan still had potential.

Such proposals are usually only made within large families to pave the way for their own children.

The reason why the prefectural school said this is that it wants to truly cultivate Ji Yuan.

After all, cultivating a third-class Jinshi is completely different from cultivating a second-class Jinshi.

Ji Yuan's calligraphy and paintings, Ji Yuan's poems, and his articles.

Everyone, including the prefect, felt that Ji Yuan should have a better future.

This is why we are having today’s conversation.

Ji Yuan understood what everyone meant and felt a little amused and helpless.

What kind of cabbage is a Jinshi? He can pick and choose as he pleases.

Ji Yuan also smiled and said: "My doctor Chunqiu also said that if I failed the exam, I could go to the Imperial Academy to study, and the chances of passing the exam would be even higher."

Plus the arrangements made by the teachers in the provincial school.

He should fail the exam next year, then enter the Imperial Academy and wait three years before taking the imperial examination again.

This arrangement seems very reasonable.

The instructors on both sides actually nodded and said, "Yes, we can allocate one of the recommended students for Jianmeng Mansion this year."

"Fail the exam first, and then go directly to the Imperial College to study."

"Maybe I can really get the top score in the exam!"

"Then our provincial school will have a top scholar!"

In ancient times, the top scholar was definitely the best in the country.

Jiyuan went from being first in the county to first in the province.

Now everyone is planning a route for him to become the best in the country!

Ji Yuan held his forehead with his hand.

That's all he said.

Dr. Yin ignored the excitement of his instructors and asked Ji Yuan first: "Ji Yuan, what do you think? How do you want to take the exam next year?"

The instructors on both sides also looked over.

In their opinion, it would be safest to let Ji Yuan study for another three years.

Ji Yuan shook his head and said, "Since we have taken the exam, we must take it seriously."

"Besides, even if I take the exam seriously, I may still fail."

The two were silent, as if they had no way to refute what they said.

After all, passing the imperial examination is not that easy.

However, this matter was not so easy to decide. The government school had left Ji Yuan a way out, and finally said, "If you feel unsure, try to fail the exam."

"If you think you have a chance of getting into the second class, then give it a try."

Then he continued, "When you get to the capital, you can ask around. The essays of the candidates who went to the capital will be circulated. You can read more of them first."

The essays of the outstanding candidates from various prefectures must have been compiled into books long ago, and the provincial examination records from various places can also be bought in the capital.

Collect everyone's articles and first look at the level of each opponent.

That's a good idea.

I'll record this and thank you all.

This is the way.

If everyone's essays are so good that no one can surpass them, Ji Yuan feels that he will fall behind the top three, so he can let off some steam during the exam.

If you feel confident, then give it a try.

While other candidates were thinking about how to pass the imperial examination.

On Jiyuan's side, the candidates' rankings have already begun.

What's the difference between this and controlling scores in exams? It's really scary.

After coming out of the Research Office, Dr. Yin said, "In that case, then make two preparations. However, you still have to study and focus your mind."

After saying this, Dr. Yin even laughed: "Master, why am I telling you this? You are the most serious one."

"No matter what, take care of yourself first, and then think about other things later."

Ji Yuan is only fourteen or fifteen years old this year. If he were in other families, he would also be a rookie.

But he had to go to the capital to take the exam and face the joint examination.

Dr. Yin could imagine the scene when he took the imperial examination for the first time. He took the exam three times before he passed. Although he could not be said to be discouraged, he did feel melancholy at times.

Ji Yuan is not very old, and this kind of pressure is too much for him.

Ji Yuan said, "Master, don't worry. I have one more way than others. I will definitely walk it well."

"Besides, it's just an exam. If you can pass it, then pass it. If you can't, then we'll talk about it later."

Ji Yuan is very open-minded.

It’s already this late in the exam, there’s no point in thinking so much.

Dr. Yin smiled and nodded: "Okay, then pack up your things and wait for the government office to give you a pass. Then we'll see how to get there."

"I mean to go early so that we can settle in properly."

The imperial examination year is different from other times.

The scholars who had been busy socializing before also began to prepare things for their trip to the capital.

When Monk Bai came back from Qingyun Temple, he thanked Ji Yuan again and said that the atmosphere in Qingyun Temple was much better now, and he could feel at ease going to Beijing to take the exam.

Cai Fenglan also returned to Qiyan Temple in February, but this time he was there to pack up his things.

The Zhou family arranged a courtyard near the provincial school for him to live in first. It was close to the Zhou family, and when they got married this fall, they could move in as a couple.

With this calculation, all three of them would have to move out of Qiyan Temple.

The three of them felt a little disappointed.

Everyone still remembers the scene when they first moved here.

The name of Qiyan Temple sounds tough, but the temple is dilapidated, but it is still quiet and peaceful.

Over the past three years, even Qiyan Temple has undergone some changes, with more and more poor students coming to seek refuge there.

The three of them are moving away.

The one who was even more sad than the three of them was the young monk in Qiyan Temple.

This kid likes to help Ji Yuan and the others on weekdays, and always gets some extra cakes in return.

Now that the three of them have left, he doesn't know who to play with.

Cai Fenglan smiled and said, "I live near the prefectural school. You can come find me if you have time."

"As for the two of them, we have to go to the capital to find them."

Capital city?

The young monk had lived in the provincial capital since he was young and thought that the provincial capital was very powerful.

So where is the capital city?

Where is the capital?

Nature is the best place.

Students from all over the world gathered here, and officials from all over the world gathered here.

Anyone you meet on the street may be a family member of an official. The fourth-rank officials are all minor officials over there.

It was hard to say these things, so Ji Yuan and the others just said, "It's just a very amazing place."

"Is it more powerful than our city?"

"Yeah, it's many times more powerful, and it's still very prosperous."

The young monk congratulated sincerely: "Then you must stay there."

They want to too.

Monk Bai and Ji Yuan both smiled and nodded.

They will try hard to stay there.

When he heard that the three of them were moving away, the abbot of Qiyan Temple came to see them off.

If they didn't live here, Qiyan Temple would not have any extra income.

In addition, Monk Bai's master was familiar with the abbot, so they were naturally closer.

Jiyuan’s things are actually very easy to pack up, and some of them have already been placed in his hometown in Anji Village.

Basically take away the rest.

He made an appointment with Monk Bai to go to the capital on horseback, and then invite some other scholars who had also rented horses to travel together.

This also saves time.

This shows the benefits of learning horse riding and archery.

Finally, four or five candidates said they would go together and set out on February 9th. By then the weather would be warmer and they would probably reach the capital around February 20th.

They didn't want to be delayed on the road for too long.

Gao Laosi, who studied mathematics with Ji Yuan and the others, was also among them, and Mr. Gao from the mathematics department felt regretful.

Both of them passed the imperial examination and became juren. He had eight students in several subjects, and suddenly a quarter of the students were missing.

If this continues, I guess the mathematics department will not be able to continue.

Although he said that, Mr. Gao was still happy for them.

After packing up my things, the candidates who would be going with me have also been confirmed.

They could not leave easily either. They had to wait for the travel permit issued by the government and the test papers of the candidates in the provincial examination.

The test paper was also one of the credentials for their travel, and they needed to copy it out individually, have it stamped by the government, and have a travel pass as proof.

Tell all the hotels along the way that these are candidates coming to Beijing to take the imperial examinations, and ordinary people dare not mess with them.

Dr. Yin also gave many tips for traveling.

Set off early and sleep in an inn if possible at night. The ones run by the government are the best. Now that they have official status, they can just stay in an inn.

Don’t talk too much to other people on the road, even to the candidates.

Don't even discuss current affairs. Keep your mouth shut about the royal family, princes, ministers, and even the new and old policies of the court.

If someone gets hold of evidence against me, I'm done for.

Don’t look at each other’s test papers. If you must look at them, do so after you arrive in the capital.

After arriving in the capital, the hotel where one stayed had to be reported to the Ministry of Rites, so that if anything happened, the officials from the Ministry of Rites in charge of the imperial examinations could be found in time.

They were the new imperial examination winners last year, and the Ministry of Rites generally gave them preferential treatment.

In short, what Dr. Yin said is all based on experience, and cannot be bought with any amount of money.

Dr. Yin sighed, "It would be better if someone in Beijing could pick me up, but unfortunately I was staying at a relative's house at the time, so I can't bother them anymore."

This is the advantage of having someone in Beijing.

But neither Ji Yuan nor Monk Bai knew anyone in the capital, so they could only go in the dark and look for a suitable hotel on their own.

Fortunately, as for money, neither Ji Yuan nor Bai Heshang have to worry about it, as they both have money on them.

The remaining things were also explained one by one, and in a blink of an eye it was the ninth day of February.

Before leaving, Ji Yuan received letters from his good friends, all of which told him to tell them after he had confirmed a place to stay in the capital.

Even County Magistrate Nie asked if he needed help finding a place to live.

Ji Yuan still declined politely. He didn't know the situation of the Nie family in the capital, and he didn't want to get involved in it. He didn't want to be labeled as a member of the Nie family as soon as he went there.

It's just a place to stay. People have mouths, and they are meant to be used.

Unexpectedly, Master Wei from the Archery Department came and solved the problem.

"You two forgot that the Wuying guys are still in the capital! Go find them!"

Wuying, Wu Renhao, and Liu Jun have been staying in the capital since they passed the military examination in April last year and have not returned.

They can go directly to Wuying.

Wuying has been in the capital for a year. Isn’t he more familiar with it than Jiyuan and the others?

Ji Yuan and Monk Bai slapped their heads and wondered how they could have forgotten about this.

Master Wei wrote down the address of the military camp and said, "Just go there directly. You don't need to worry about this because of the friendship between you two."

That’s for sure, they played football together, practiced horse riding and archery together, and it’s a long-standing friendship.

Everything was arranged properly, and after having dinner with Cai Fenglan, the Zhou brothers and sisters, and Yin Mao, Ji Yuan and Monk Bai officially set off.

There is no time to delay.

It’s better to go there early.

The ninth day of the second month in the thirty-eighth year of Huayuan.

The weather was also good. Ji Yuan and his group of six people were in the group. The oldest one was a 36-year-old scholar and this was his third time taking the imperial examination.

The youngest is Ji Yuan, who is fifteen years old this year.

They all wanted to get to the capital as soon as possible, so they didn't talk much on the way.

Ji Yuan naturally has the best relationship with Monk Bai and Gao Laosi, and they take care of each other in daily life.

As Dr. Yin said, we should travel during the day and rest when it gets dark.

Fortunately, those who can ride horses to the capital are all quick people, and the journey is actually faster than expected.

The only bad thing is that the weather warmed up a little late this year, and the weather became colder as we got closer to Beijing.

When I rode fast on horseback, I actually felt very cold.

Every time Ji Yuan got on a horse, he would wrap himself up tightly as he was about to take an examination and couldn't have any problems with his health.

Speaking of which, going to Beijing to take the exam was also a hurdle.

Those of them who are in good physical condition can ride here on horseback.

People with average health will definitely have to take a car or even a boat.

Moreover, it takes about ten days to travel from Jianmeng Mansion to the capital, which is considered short.

Compared with Yunnan and Guizhou, which were further away, the imperial court even allowed them to take the exam again.

Generally speaking, if new successful candidates do not take part in the imperial examination the following year, the imperial court will even punish them.

As for the students from Yunnan and Guizhou, they were allowed to wait until three years later to take the imperial examination.

Why?

Because the mountains are high and the road is long.

Their path to study will be more difficult.

If we compare the candidates from Yunnan and Guizhou with those from Beijing.

It's basically like heaven and earth.

The latter will take the imperial examination right at his doorstep, and will be in the best condition both mentally and physically.

But Ji Yuan and the others couldn't say anything.

Because compared with other people taking the provincial examination, Ji Yuan and his friends were already considered lucky.

Take last year’s autumn provincial examination as an example.

Monk Jiyuan Bai and his friends were studying in the city.

The provincial examination is also held in the provincial capital, so they just have to wait for the exam.

There is no need to travel long distances or find a temporary place to stay.

But the candidates coming from the counties and towns below have to prepare and set off early.

It is hard to describe the hardships those candidates have gone through.

Ji Yuan thought that he had taken advantage of the provincial examination.

Now, riding a horse to the capital to take the exam is much better than many people.

Ji Yuan had a good attitude, and the other people in his group also had a good attitude, and they learned from him to surround themselves tightly.

Running a lap and sweating is better than having your face numb from the cold.

Everyone did this for several days.

Many people also secretly admired him.

Ji Yuan was so young, but he could actually endure such hardship.

Riding a horse to travel is not just an ordinary pastime, it is really hard work and requires riding a horse for a long time.

That is, the horse will rest only when it is tired.

He ran with these people in their twenties and thirties without complaining at all. His tenacity was far beyond that of his peers.

Among these six people, only Ji Yuan and three others were new imperial examination candidates, while the others had taken the exam several times.

Although Ji Yuan and the others were young, they were quite good and shared their experiences.

It turns out that when a juren took the imperial examination, at the very least he would be assigned a position.

After all the candidates take part in the imperial examination, they will be divided into the main list and the secondary list.

The main list is the top three rankings that everyone knows.

The candidates on the secondary list are still Juren, but they will be assigned positions according to their ranking.

"In the past ten years, if you passed the exam and were admitted as a second-class candidate, you could ask the Ministry of Personnel to arrange a position for you, but that's not the case now."

"Now the top three candidates are waiting for the Ministry of Personnel to arrange positions for them. If they are on the second list, they will generally be assigned to various places to serve as instructors."

"Usually they are places like county schools, so if you accidentally fail to make the main list and end up on the secondary list, you should leave immediately or pretend that you didn't know about the appointment by the Ministry of Personnel."

Is this possible?!

What this scholar in front of me means is that there will be a list when you take the imperial examination.

Needless to say, these are all Jinshi in the main list.

If you fail, don't worry, the Ministry of Rites will still rank you and assign you a position according to your ranking.

But what if there are not enough positions now?

Then become a teacher.

Forget about being a teacher at the provincial school. Go and be a teacher at the county school.

Most of the successful candidates in the imperial examination had a very high opinion of themselves, so how could they be willing to be a teacher in a county school?

But if you take the imperial examination and are on the second list, you will definitely be arranged.

What should I do then?

Run.

Even if you are still in the capital, you have to pretend that you don't know about the appointment by the Ministry of Personnel.

To put it bluntly, there are so many candidates who fail the imperial examination every year, and basically everyone does this.

This appointment by the Ministry of Personnel was not implemented.

Moreover, they are all juren and have official positions, so the Ministry of Personnel probably doesn't bother to care about this matter.

This policy is actually very good.

Since you don't have any official positions, you can become teachers and fill the county schools below to cultivate more talents.

But he was so happy to see that Zhengrong County School had a scholar who passed the imperial examination.

Few scholars would "lower their status" and go to the county to teach.

It’s roughly equivalent to graduating from graduate school and being assigned to a very remote village primary school?

Anyway, these scholars will definitely not go.

Most of the candidates would return to their hometown to continue preparing for the exam and then go there for the joint examination.

Ji Yuan suddenly thought of Dr. Yin.

Dr. Yin failed the imperial examination before, so he was assigned the job of an instructor. Logically, he had to go, but he still went to be a teacher in Zhengrong County where his good friend Lord Lin was?

So that's how it is.

However, the choice of most candidates is understandable.

It is no exaggeration to say that being able to pass the imperial examination was a step towards success. In earlier times, one could have directly become an official.

Even now, if you are willing to go to a remote place to be a county magistrate, it is possible.

But most people are thinking about preparing to take the exam again.

They took the imperial examinations not to suffer. Studying was hard enough, and it was better not to suffer any more.

After eating some dry biscuits and drinking some water, everyone set off again.

On the way, I did meet other candidates who were going to the capital. Most of them were riding in horse-drawn carriages or ox-drawn carts, and some were just walking.

There are even people taking boats when crossing the ferry.

A place where scholars from all over the world gather is indeed extraordinary.

The closer you get to the capital, the more different the scenery becomes.

The rocks in the north are mostly tall and angular, and even the trees are tall and straight.

It was not until February 14th that we had finally completed most of the journey.

Everyone decided to rest at the inn here as they still had four or five days of journey to go.

Fortunately, they usually walk fast, so it won’t take much time.

Several scholars who were going to Beijing to take imperial examinations were already staying in the inn here. Some of them were suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, and were obviously not adapting to the local climate.

Fortunately, they set off early, otherwise it would be difficult to recover.

After asking carefully, I found out that they actually came from across the sea and were students from the island.

It’s really not easy to make a trip from one place to the south and one to the north.

They even set out after the Autumn Examination and finally arrived near the capital.

After resting for half a day, some of the scholars drank some wine to relieve their fatigue, and they looked exhausted.

However, there are also some optimistic people who say: "It is spring now, the road is easy to travel, but before the provincial examination, the heat is unbearable, and the road is difficult."

"Yes, we could only travel in the morning and evening then, but now we can do that."

Ji Yuan understood better.

How lucky they were to be studying at the provincial school before going to the provincial examination.

No wonder the teachers in the county school insisted on sending them to the provincial school to study. Now that I think about it, this was also the reason.

Dr. Na Luo told him that if he failed the exam this time, he could directly study in the Imperial College. Did you also think about this?

Now it seems that there is.

When a candidate goes to take the exam, his future is unpredictable.

These are not empty words.

But even with so many obstacles, countless people still flock to it.

Becoming a Jinshi means officially entering the officialdom, not to mention the future prospects.

Among those who took the exam, each of them was a genius from their village or county.

All struggling forward.

Some candidates felt sorry for themselves and wrote many poems describing how miserable they were.

But if we compare them, they are better than many people just by being able to take the imperial examination.

Early the next morning, the group set out again.

This time when we went to the capital, we didn't take more rest on purpose. At most, we just let the horses rest.

Finally, on February 18th, we arrived at the outskirts of the capital.

When we first arrived in the suburbs of Beijing, everyone was attracted by the fields in the suburbs.

The fields are connected by paths. It is the spring ploughing season, and many farmers and tenants are working in the fields. On the official road in the middle, merchants and tourists come and go.

The population in the suburbs of Beijing alone is more lively than that of an ordinary county town.

I estimate that if we wait another half a month, more people will come to the suburbs for an outing.

What a great capital city! Before even entering the city, I already feel what peace and prosperity are like.

Gao Laosi said excitedly: "We are finally here."

The others were equally excited, including Ji Yuan. He looked at the city gate in the distance, rode forward a few steps, and said with a smile, "Is this the capital?"

Before he finished speaking, several flowers hit his head. Ji Yuan was stunned and subconsciously turned his head to look over.

"Look, it's a handsome young man."

"You are so young, are you here to take the exam? This is the imperial examination."

Several young girls around sixteen or seventeen years old covered their mouths and laughed.

There was no malicious intent in throwing flowers; they just wanted to strike up a conversation with the handsome young man riding a horse in front of them.

The culture in the capital of Tianqi Kingdom is not that closed, and people also go out for an outing in the early spring.

Ji Yuan's ears turned red and he even took a few steps back on his horse.

Monk Bai and Gao Laosi laughed so hard that they doubled over. Gao Laosi smiled and said, "He is indeed here for the imperial examination, but he is only fifteen."

Monk Bai deliberately added: "No, he just turned fourteen, not even fifteen yet."

ah? !

It doesn't look like it.

It turns out that they are several years older than this young man!

Several girls looked at Ji Yuan in surprise and apologized awkwardly: "Brother, we were just joking, don't be angry."

Ji Yuan's face turned even redder and he quickly waved his hands.

But his appearance makes people want to laugh even more.

Everyone laughed again, and Ji Yuan simply bowed to everyone and rode away.

Let’s get into the city quickly!

I have to find a place to live when I go into the city!

Once they entered the capital city and passed through the towering city gates, they felt as if they had become insignificant.

After crossing the stone bridge and moat, you will arrive at the outer city of the capital.

There are already many shops on both sides of the outer city, and many of them sell statues of Bodhisattva, Guandi, and even Wenchang.

Most of them are prepared for the candidates who come to take the exam.

There are also some seasonal fruits and vegetables that are sold by people from the suburbs of Beijing.

The roads in the city are wide enough to accommodate eight carriages running side by side. You can feel the grandeur of the capital city just by looking at it.

"You are not allowed to run horses in the capital. Horses must be led. Do you hear me?"

They had just been warned, and the guard who was checking the pass was a little more polite: "So you are candidates coming to Beijing to take the imperial examination. You must be more careful, otherwise it will affect the examination in April."

Facing these scholars, the guards' attitude became better, but not much better.

Those who can work as guards in the capital city basically do not come from ordinary families.

Although they are only the lowest-ranking guards, they are also guards at the foot of the imperial city.

I have seen many officials coming and going.

Perhaps only after coming here can you feel that what Magistrate Nie said back then about the numerous scholars being as numerous as the hairs on a cow was not really a mockery but a fact.

The capital city is said to be the best place to live, and naturally it is also a place where talented people emerge in large numbers.

Ji Yuan and his group led their horses forward, and the group of six separated.

Some went to live with relatives and friends, some had already made agreements and each had their own destination.

Ji Yuan, Monk Bai, and Gao Laosi went to return the horses first.

These horses are rented, twenty cents a day. The earlier you return them, the more money you save.

In modern times, renting a horse is almost equivalent to renting a car, and is also very convenient.

After the horses were returned, Ji Yuan and the others asked for an address.

"Shanqin Street?"

"This is a great place, right on the edge of the inner city and not far from the Imperial Examination Hall."

The people from the horse riding company were still helpful in showing the way, so Ji Yuan and his companions passed by.

Gao Laosi said, "It seems that Wuying and his men are doing well in the capital? They live well too."

Ji Yuan, Monk Bai was also happy for them.

Wuying and his men have been practicing martial arts since they were young, and have also learned the art of war, and have acquired great skills.

After waiting for seven or eight years, there was finally a military examination, and now it seems that he is being valued.

The capital city is divided into the inner city and the outer city.

Most of the people living in the inner city are royal relatives, princes and ministers, while those living on the outskirts of the inner city are officials of slightly lower ranks in the court.

Shanqin Street where Wuying and his men were located was only separated from the inner city by an inner river. After crossing the river was the outer city.

But this place is very expensive, and being on the edge of the inner city is already a good place.

The closer the outer city is to the inner city, the higher the status of the residents. There are even some minor officials who cannot afford to rent a house in the inner city.

And going out, the identities of the people become even more mixed.

Therefore, when people hear about Shanqin Street, a place where the inner and outer cities meet, most of them envy those who can live there.

Not to mention the miscellaneous things in the horse business.

Ji Yuan had written letters to Wu Ying and others earlier.

But since the provincial examination, he has been extremely busy, returning to his hometown and socializing, and he has neglected his work.

The relationship between them is not affected by these letters.

Gao Laosi also planned to go and take a look. The Gao family used to be doing well in the capital, but they have declined over the years and have basically no relatives or friends left here, so his accommodation is also a problem.

Anyway, he will go and have a look first. If it doesn’t work, he can just rent a room in the inn.

When you are away from home, the friendship between you and your fellow countrymen is truly special.

The three people had just entered the capital and were still excited, but it took them half an hour to reach Shanqin Street. Only then did they realize how far it was to walk from the outer city to the inner city of the capital.

Gao Laosi could hardly walk anymore, so he had to lie on Monk Bai, and only then could he move.

Ji Yuan was still in good physical condition, he was just asking for the address.

Unexpectedly, the servant who was being questioned said with a look of surprise: "So you are going to Wu Renhao's house. I will take you there."

With such enthusiasm, there must be something wrong.

Ji Yuan smiled and declined: "Sorry for the trouble. I am going to Beijing to take the exam and meet my fellow townsmen."

Fellow countryman?

Is this another person who wants to curry favor with Wu Renhao and his friends?

The boy's expression turned cold and he pointed in a random direction.

Ji Yuan kept smiling, bowed briefly, and left with Monk Bai and Gao Laosi.

"You're meeting your fellow townsman. Everyone knows that Wu Renhao and his men have a good relationship with the Fifth Prince, so they're rushing over to curry favor with him."

"Those martial arts graduates are just blockheads. Will they care about you?"

The servant muttered to himself that he had already thought that Ji Yuan and the others were trying to curry favor with some noble person who had passed the military examination.

Ji Yuan and his companions had already arrived at a house.

This house is different from other houses. There are no servants at the door, let alone hangers-on. The door is closed tightly, as if no guests are welcome.

Ji Yuan went forward and knocked on the door. Seeing no response from inside, he asked, "Is anyone home? Excuse me, Wuying, does Wu Renhao live here?"

"I told you I wouldn't see you, why are you still here!" Liu Jun opened the door angrily and yelled, but he saw Ji Yuan, who was taller than him, and then he saw Monk Bai behind him, and a man who was breathlessly building the Meng Mansion School.

"era!"

"White Monk!"

"There's another fellow villager!"

Liu Jun went from being annoyed to being pleasantly surprised. He quickly hugged a few people and said excitedly, "I heard that you two passed the imperial examination. I also knew that you were coming to take the examination, but I didn't expect you to come so early!"

"Hurry, hurry, come in first."

When I walked into the yard, I found that the open space in the middle had been converted into a martial arts training ground. There were weapons on both sides, and it seemed that they did not practice regularly.

But next to this weapon, there is a large frame filled with Cuju.

They still like Cuju so much.

Wu Renhao came out from Wuying when he heard the noise. He was also extremely surprised. He almost hugged everyone and turned them around a few times.

Especially after seeing Ji Yuan, it was like I had found my backbone.

Wu Ying still had some sense and said, "It must be hard for the three of them to come here in such a hurry. Let them rest first."

"Let the kitchen cook and boil water for bathing."

Ji Yuan looked around and naturally found the problem, but now was not the time to talk about it.

As for where to stay, Wu Ying pointed to the small courtyard and said, "There are many empty rooms. You can each stay in two. Why bother renting a room in an inn?"

Soon, with the help of the servants, Ji Yuan and the other three settled down. After taking a hot bath, hot meals were also prepared.

However, after they had finished cleaning up the mess, the servants retreated obediently and did not stay with Wuying and the others.

The dining room was filled with food, which would make anyone salivate with anticipation.

People like them in Jian Meng Mansion mostly eat noodles, but here in the capital they have everything and the dishes are more exquisite.

When they were almost done eating, Gao Laosi sighed, "This is what it feels like to be alive. I am so exhausted after all this journey."

Monk Bai and Ji Yuan also nodded.

Traveling on horseback is not easy.

Wuying and the others said directly: "Then take a rest quickly and get enough rest first."

However, when Monk Bai and the others left, Ji Yuan did not move. He looked at Wuying, Wu Renhao and the others and asked, "Is there anything wrong with you?"

Come to think of it, they haven't seen each other for more than a year.

Wu Ying's temperament is more stable, but also a little sad.

He is 25 years old this year and shouldn’t be sad, right?

Liu Jun is the same age as Wu Ying, and the irritability on his face is even more obvious.

Wu Renhao, on the other hand, had become stronger now, and he looked worried and sad, and it seemed that he was not happy about being in the capital.

It seems that I am not as happy as when I was building Meng Mansion.

Wu Ying had no intention of hiding it from Ji Yuan. Seeing Ji Yuan was like seeing his backbone. Although the problem could not be solved, it was still okay to complain to Ji Yuan.

But he said: "This cannot be explained in a short time, you should rest first, and we will talk after you have rested well."

"In short, the capital is not that easy to stay in."

This sentence really expresses my sadness.

To outsiders, it seemed like a good thing that they passed the military examination and were kept in the capital.

But now it seems that there is something hidden.

Ji Yuan nodded: "Okay, let's talk about it tomorrow. It's been almost ten days of traveling, and my bones are almost falling apart."

On the first day in the capital, Ji Yuan and his friends washed, ate, and then went to sleep.

It was not until the next day, at dawn, that Ji Yuan slowly woke up.

It was February 19th and the fog outside was still quite heavy.

Last year winter came early and this year it left late, making this winter season seem especially long.

Ji Yuan calculated that he had slept for almost six hours, or twelve hours, and he finally got enough sleep.

Ji Yuan got up and stretched his muscles with Wu Ying and the others, and then ran a few laps.

But Ji Yuan saw clearly that they would never touch Cuju.

Usually, Liu Jun from Wuying likes this the most, and Wu Renhao also likes it.

But now I don’t want to get involved in anything.

Could it be that their difficulties are related to Cuju?

After the exercise, everyone talked about this while eating breakfast.

Wu Ying said directly: "It is true that success and failure are both due to Cuju."

"By the way, do you remember those hooligans in Qinglan Mansion?"

Ji Yuan definitely remembers it.

In the thirty-sixth year of Huayuan, playing football with the hooligans from Qinglan Prefecture ended Jianmeng Prefecture's two-game losing streak.

That group of football hooligans were hired by Qinglan Prefecture School to play football. They won first place for two years, but were terminated in the third year.

At that time, Wu Renhao was also hired by them to play football, no, to hit people.

"They are also in the capital, with Wang Li as the main player, playing for the Fifth Prince."

ah?

Wait a minute, Ji Yuan, remember that Wuying and the others are also following the Fifth Prince?

Doesn't that mean enemies are playing football together? !

Wu Ying explained the reasons in detail.

It turned out that the emperor's youngest son, the Fifth Prince, had taken a liking to Cuju in recent years.

The better it is, the better it will be for the better, so all places are looking for talents in playing Cuju.

As you give away things, you naturally have to choose the best.

The officials at the Qinglan Prefecture School came up with an idea. Taking advantage of the fact that the four prefectures had the habit of playing Cuju games, they cultivated a winning team and gave it directly to the Fifth Prince.

During those years, the Qinglan Prefecture School tried every means to make their team the first in order to gain some fame.

When they were originally planning to present this team to the Fifth Prince, they said that since this was a team that had won three games in a row, they would naturally receive a reward.

Unexpectedly, they were intercepted by people from Jianmeng Mansion on the way.

No wonder the other side spent a lot of money, both winning over officials and bribing referees. So this is how it is.

Unfortunately, the football hooligans did not live up to their expectations and Huayuan lost the Cuju competition in its 36th year.

But there was no other solution at the time, so the Qinglan Prefecture School gathered some people and sent them to the Fifth Prince.

That's how those hooligans came about.

Regardless of their character, their football skills are indeed good. After all, they were carefully selected by the Qinglan Prefecture School.

She feels like a fish in water here with the Fifth Prince.

They were also called the top scorer in football, which was a title they gave to please the Fifth Prince, but it also made their value soar and they were proud for a while.

Enemies often meet on a narrow road.

Wuying and his group also came here because of the military examination in April of the 37th year.

During the martial arts competition, they played football in their spare time and caught the attention of a nobleman.

Others said that they were powerful figures who had defeated the "No. 1 Ball Champion". Coupled with Wu Renhao's size that could not be ignored and Wu Ying's absolutely excellent ball skills, they were naturally favored by the Fifth Prince.

As soon as the martial arts examination was over, the three were recruited into the Fifth Prince's team.

They and the gangster Wang Li and others looked at each other in hatred.

Wuying and his men disdained to associate with Wang Li and others.

Wang Li hated the people in Jianmeng Mansion for stealing his limelight.

If it weren't for Wuying Jiyuan and the others who broke their winning streak, would they still be scolded like grandsons by those people from Qinglan Mansion?

They will definitely be treated better by the Fifth Prince.

The two sides are like water and fire, but they have to play football together in front of the princes, and they cannot show it on their faces.

In short, it can be as frustrating as it can be.

If that were all, it would be fine.

Wuying laughed at himself: "Learn the arts of civil and martial arts, and sell them to the emperor's family."

"With all my skills, I can only play Cuju."

Playing football with my enemies just makes me feel irritated and depressed.

But it is more than just frustrating that a good martial arts candidate can only play Cuju.

Yes, the three of them worked hard and passed the military examination.

Now, just like the football hooligans like Wang Li, it is only used to play Cuju for the amusement of princes and nobles.

They really couldn't go on living like this.

If they knew that the military examination was like this, they definitely wouldn't have come.

Wuying is proficient in riding and shooting, and has studied military books diligently. Last autumn, he even defeated quite a few people while hunting.

Liu Jun also grew up in a garrison. He was very good at training soldiers and his marksmanship was also first-rate.

As for Wu Renhao, everyone can see from his talent and personality that he is a natural born general.

But nowadays, they are playing Cuju with the gangsters.

He had no official position, let alone soldiers under his command. Even if he wanted to garrison at the border, he couldn't just ask for it.

Otherwise it would be disrespecting the Fifth Prince.

The three of them became more and more depressed the more they thought about it. Liu Jun even opened a jar of wine early in the morning. If Wu Ying hadn't stopped him, Liu Jun would have become a drunkard.

Ji Yuan looked outside and found that the capital city was really big, but also really difficult.

Wuying patted them on the shoulders and said, "The court does not value military generals, but civil officials. If you take the exam well and get a good rank, maybe you can take us away."

Wu Ying said it casually, but his words were filled with hope.

As long as Ji Yuan can be an official.

No, as long as Ji Yuan can stay in the capital, their lives will definitely get better.

Although they don’t know why, they just trust Ji Yuan!

Very trustful!

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