The Prosperous Era of Longwan

Chapter 97 97 Entering

Three days passed in a blink of an eye, and they got up early and washed up according to the schedule.

In order to take the imperial examination, the store would prepare hot water and meals in advance on the two days of the examination, so they quickly finished breakfast in the inn.

There were more than 20 candidates participating in this academy examination in this inn, but they did not go together, and they still went together with people they knew.

Although it was divided into two examinations, there were not necessarily few students taking the exam. After crossing the Zhuangyuan Bridge and walking on Gongyuan Street, there were more people on the street. Everyone looked solemn, and there were few students with relaxed expressions.

The importance of the academy examination was well known to them, and it was too cruel.

Wei Guangde didn't know how many students standing on Gongyuan Street at this time hoped that they were born in the north or southwest, because in the Jiangnan region, the elimination rate of the academy examination was really frighteningly high.

For Pengze County where Wei Guangde was located, it didn't really matter how many people there were. What mattered was that there were only about ten places for scholars, and if they went to Shanxi or Yunnan and Guizhou in the southwest, each county would have fewer places, but at least eight.

But how many scholars are there in these two places?

There are always thousands of scholars in Pengze, but it is hard to say how many thousands there are. However, there are still hundreds of people who can pass the examination for Tongsheng after so many years, and then hundreds of people compete for ten places.

In the north or southwest, there may be more than a hundred people competing for eight or nine places.

Why did the Ming Dynasty divide the list into north and south? The competition for the imperial examination in Jiangnan was too cruel. Those who were almost squeezed out. Those who participated in the joint examination were selected from the best, and naturally they could get a good ranking in the joint examination.

Along the way, I saw old men with white hair from time to time. Of course, they did not come to send off the exam, but came to take the exam for the scholar themselves.

For these elderly candidates, Wei Guangde had no emotion except a little admiration in his heart.

They were old and still competed with young people for students. At least at this time, when he had not crossed that hurdle, he was very disgusted with these old candidates.

Near the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall, Wei Guangde and his team soon saw a large lantern with the name of Pengze County on it. That was where the candidates from Pengze gathered.

There was a large table near the gate, and several uniformed officials were there, flipping through the rosters in their hands.

The examination was only about the screening stage. According to the candidates' registration for the examination, the relevant information of the candidates must be registered, with detailed information of their place of origin, age, facial features, etc., as well as the information of the guarantor.

When it was almost time, the officials began to call out the names, and those whose names were called had to stand up. The officials would identify them based on the information on the roll call book, mainly to prevent fraudulent behavior such as impersonation.

As for the students who were guarantors, they had been checked long before the exam, but now they were all standing next to the officials waiting for their names to be called.

After going through a process similar to that of the prefectural examination, Wei Guangde had the opportunity to approach the gate of the Nanchang Imperial Examination Hall.

On both sides of the main gate stood a pair of stone lions and two stone archways with ancient patterns. The east stone archway said "Mingjing Qushi" and the west stone archway said "Weiguo Seeking Talents".

Wei Guangde couldn't help but stop for a moment, looked at the two stone archways, and then strode into the gate of Nanchang Gongyuan.

After entering the gate, there is another small square, and the same search and pick-up procedures as the prefectural examination.

But it is June now, and it is not cold even though it is early, and Wei Guangde's clothes are thin, so the search and pick-up are completed quickly.

The academy examination is similar to the prefectural examination. Wei Guangde didn't bring anything with him, because the examination room will prepare these for the candidates, so he can just come directly.

After all, there are too many candidates, and if they have to search and pick up the items they carry, it will take too much time.

Cross the small square and enter the second gate, and five gates are set up in parallel in the middle to prevent the candidates from crowding each other.

Going deeper is the "Dragon Gate", commonly known as the "Dragon Gate". From then on, no one except the candidates and the officials who manage the examination is allowed to enter.

From the Dragon Gate forward, there is a three-story tower-shaped building with brackets and flying eaves, named "Mingyuan Tower", and you can have a panoramic view of the Gongyuan when you climb up.

The word "Mingyuan" comes from "Dayong" (The Great Yong) "Shenluo Zhuyuan, Mingde Guihou". Mingyuan Tower is where the officials issued orders and went up to the tower to supervise, supervise, inspect, and take duty during the examinations.

"Follow up, don't look around, there are candidates behind to lead, just confirm your examination number and go in directly."

There was a clerk leading the way in front, and Wei Guangde and the candidates in front and behind followed forward, bypassing Zhigong Hall before entering their examination room.

"Keep an eye on your examination number and don't walk out of the examination room."

The clerk continued to say in front.

The examination room here is similar to the Jiujiang Prefecture Examination Hall, but it occupies a larger area. There are probably dozens or even hundreds of examination rooms in a row.

Wei Guangde didn't bother to count how many examination rooms there were in a row. He just stared at the number on the examination room, found his own examination room area, and then left the crowd and walked straight in to take his seat.

After entering the "Wen" examination room, I looked around. The specifications of the single room were 6 feet high, 3 feet wide, and 4 feet wide.

It had been some time since the Ming Dynasty, and Wei Guangde finally began to use the measurement units of this era to judge data, instead of the meters or kilograms of the past.

There were two brick joints between the two walls, one or two feet above the ground.

Pick up the wooden boards leaning against the side and put them on the two brick joints. This is the table and chair for the exam.

After Wei Guangde sat down, he felt that the examination room was still a bit narrow, but there was no other way. He could only do this.

Thinking about how many more such exams he would have to go through later, and each one would be more brutal than the last, Wei Guangde could only shake his head and stop thinking about it.

After getting the exam basket filled with exam supplies, Wei Guangde began to prepare for the exam, first grinding ink, and then waiting for the questions to be issued.

I don’t know how long it took, but I heard a harsh metal collision sound coming from Mingyuan Building.

“Entry is complete, everyone is silent.”

At this time, the clerk in charge of this row of exam rooms walked directly through the exam room, whispering so that all the candidates in the exam room could hear.

With the arrival of the messenger, the exam questions for this year’s college entrance examination also appeared in front of Wei Guangde.

The first question is simple but not simple, just two words: “Zi said”.

It’s very simple, it’s really very simple. It can be said that all the candidates here must have done this question. Putting it first is probably to let the candidates relax a little and not be too nervous to affect the exam.

The second question doesn’t seem to be very complicated, “Who is better, you or Hui?”

The third question was a little more difficult. It required students to write down two short passages from the Book of Songs and the Book of Rites. This was purely to shorten the time for students to answer the first two questions.

Of course, if students have poor memory, this third question would be very difficult.

Without hesitation, Wei Guangde quickly copied the questions onto his draft, and then prepared to start from the third question. He could not afford to waste time.

Chapter 97/1241
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The Prosperous Era of LongwanCh.97/1241 [7.82%]