Just as Butler Li had predicted, Jiang Shuyun slept until noon the next day.
"Master, you're awake. Have some warm water first."
Li Li, who was in the outer room, heard the commotion inside and quickly came over to serve.
Jiang Shuyun had been sleeping for a long time and was thirsty, so she took the teacup and drank it all in one go.
"What time is it?"
"A quarter past noon."
"I slept for so long, no wonder my stomach was rumbling."
Jiang Shuyun drank a glass of warm water, felt more awake, and got dressed to go out.
"Second brother, you're awake. Come and eat."
Jiang Shuwen did not go out, but waited for his second brother to get up.
"Thank you for your hard work, I'm really hungry."
Jiang Shuyun was really hungry, so she didn't say much and went to eat.
Just after we finished eating, Butler Li returned.
"Sir, how are you feeling? Should we call another doctor to check your pulse? This morning, many scholars at the inn had stomach problems, some even vomiting and having diarrhea. The local doctors are all overwhelmed."
"It's not that serious. I'm fine, no need to call a doctor."
Jiang Shuyun ate the same dried noodles that Sister Li made during the provincial examination at the examination hall. They were cooked hot, with soup inside.
Many candidates from the south probably didn't expect the capital to be so cold, and they were unprepared and their bodies couldn't handle it.
In this cold weather, it's no wonder my stomach hurts if I don't eat something hot. I hope it's nothing serious.
"Butler Li, what's the situation outside? Who are the most vocal supporters?"
Jiang Shuyun was also quite curious. There were still a few days before the results were released, and with nothing else to do, she decided to join in the fun.
"The candidates for the top scholar are the patriarch of the Chu family in Jiangnan and the young master of the Li family in the capital. The young master of the Li family, in particular, is said to be extremely talented and a true young scholar. He is only eighteen years old this year."
Our prefectural city's top scholar, Master Wang, is quite famous, and there's also a poor scholar, Master Han, who's only twenty years old and also quite well-known.
Steward Li overheard a lot of gossip at the teahouse, and the various families were arguing fiercely.
"Butler Li, where is my second brother?"
Jiang Shuwen was also curious. So many people were favored, and his second brother's grades were also good, ranking ninth in the provincial examination!
"I've heard that my ranking in the provincial examination was not high. In such a large city as the capital, where talented people gather, no one will even notice me."
Jiang Shuyun was self-aware; his achievements were simply not within the scope of what these various forces valued.
In officialdom, there are many factions.
Some are grouped by region; students from the same region are sometimes automatically grouped together.
The complex relationships among powerful clans, aristocratic families, wealthy clans, gentry families, and commoner families were beyond the comprehension of Jiang Shuyun, a man from a humble background.
He was quite satisfied with his provincial examination results; they weren't high or low, just hovering in the middle, unremarkable. If he were fortunate enough to achieve a second-class ranking in the metropolitan examination, he would be content.
After the palace examination, the top three in the first class were selected: the first place was the Zhuangyuan (状元), the second place was the Bangyan (榜眼), and the third place was the Tanhua (探花). The first place in the second class was the Chuanlu (传胪), and after that, there was not much difference in rank.
After the palace examination, those who were not ranked first could take the examination for probationary officials. Those who passed could enter the Hanlin Academy to work, while the others would wait to be assigned official positions.
There's a saying that only those who have passed the imperial examinations can become members of the Hanlin Academy, and only members of the Hanlin Academy can become members of the Grand Secretariat. Although it's not absolute, it still has some influence.
Jiang Shuyun had no interest in entering officialdom; these matters were of little concern to him.
"Third Master, the capital is full of scholars from all over the country, all of whom have studied diligently for many years. Moreover, those who are famous also have their own troubles."
"How so?"
Jiang Shuwen and the others didn't understand and looked on with curiosity.
"Now, the famous scholars who have passed the imperial examinations are being targeted by various forces. Some want to win people's hearts in advance, while others want to secure a future for their daughters. Sometimes, they have no choice but to do so."
Steward Li heard a lot of talk; some families were even planning to find a son-in-law from among those listed in the imperial examinations.
Many things have two sides; sometimes, you can only be swept along by the current.
Jiang Shuwen and the others did not understand these things, nor could they comprehend them.
While waiting for the results, Jiang Shuyun did not completely isolate himself from the world. He would occasionally attend gatherings of students, usually in teahouses or bookstores. He would never set foot in brothels.
Even if one doesn't intend to enter officialdom, some networking is still necessary. Not for any other reason than to preserve the bonds of family and community for the children; being from the same department is a form of connection.
The waiting days were agonizing; we eagerly awaited the day the results would be released.
Early in the morning, Butler Li was busy non-stop.
Jiang Shuwen and Li Li were in charge of breakfast. Jiang Qin and Jiang Shuhai started sweeping the yard early in the morning. If they passed the exam, the good news would come over, and the yard couldn't be too messy.
The most relaxed and calm person was actually the person in question. Having had the experience of the provincial examination, Jiang Shuyun felt there was no need to be so nervous.
After breakfast, Jiang Shuyun strolled leisurely toward the place where the results were posted.
Li Li and Jiang Shuwen had already gone to reserve their spots early, hoping to see the results as soon as possible.
There were far more people waiting to see the results than those taking the exams; families with students taking the exams sent more than one person to check the results.
And those who placed bets in various neighborhoods are also paying attention.
The ladies and young women of wealthy families would come to join in the fun, riding in carriages and waiting to see their children's academic results.
Jiang Shuyun and Butler Li did not push forward, but found a less crowded place to stand.
"Ta-da..."
After the familiar sound of gongs, soldiers cleared the way, and yamen runners came out to post notices.
"Everyone move back, move back..."
The noise was deafening, and the voices of the yamen runners were drowned out by the crowd.
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