Provincial Examination

Is Grandpa Cui home?

"The old man used to like Bai Sha's white leaf tea, so I brought some with me this time."

Zhang Lie asked the question that Zhong Xuan wanted to ask.

"Grandpa has been in seclusion studying books and hasn't left Zhushan for three months. He didn't come to Yunzhou this time."

Before Zhang Linchun could speak, the young girl Cui Yi gave her answer.

"I see."

Zhang Lie's face showed regret.

Although the imperial examination was overseen by the Ministry of Rites, the Wenyuan Pavilion played a significant role. If Old Master Cui, a former Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, were willing to put in a good word for him, his son could gain an advantage in the provincial examination.

Zhong Xuan was the same.

He had achieved minor mastery of the Crane-like Void technique and had originally planned to use this excellent opportunity to seek instruction from Master Cui on lightness skills. In that case, he might even gain some points before the provincial examination. Now it seems that he has no chance.

As they were talking.

Zhang Linchun glanced at the stairs out of the corner of his eye, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.

He had already seen Zhong Xuan standing behind his father.

Because of what happened last time, he still felt a bit uneasy about Zhong Xuan. When they last met, Zhong Xuan was only practicing skin cultivation, but now he was a bone cultivation martial artist just like him.

Although he had studied at the prefectural school for many years, he still retained the nature of a merchant from the Zhang family.

It's very clear that offending a bone-training martial artist is extremely unwise.

"Master Zhong, we meet again."

Zhang Linchun took the initiative to bow with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Young Master Zhang, it's been a long time."

Zhong Xuan chuckled and returned the greeting.

Upon seeing this scene, Zhang Lie's grin widened even further, almost reaching his ears.

"My son has grown up."

He was filled with emotion.

A true man is one who can bend and stretch.

Zhang Lie knew very well that it was inappropriate for his son to recruit Zhong Xuan that day, and he also knew his son's proud temperament. Today, his son was willing to put aside his pride, which was already a great improvement.

At this time.

The voice of Guo Yang, the slightly chubby boy who had previously studied in Baisha County, came through: "Master Zhong, do you still remember me?"

"Young Master Guo is so handsome, how could I not remember him?"

Upon hearing this...

Guo Yang's face immediately lit up with excitement, and he launched into a long speech: "Master Zhong, this year's provincial examination in Yunzhou has produced a great many talented people."

"Wu Ziqi from Hanshan Prefecture and Liu Wei, the talented woman from Yuehua Prefecture... are both strong contenders for the second-place ranking."

"certainly."

"None of them are as good as our Junior Brother He."

He Siqi?

Zhong Xuan followed everyone's gaze and looked at a fair-skinned young man standing in the center.

If I'm not mistaken, the young man before me is the most talented genius of this generation at Yongning Prefectural School.

"Top grade on earth level!"

Because of his excellent physical constitution, Zhong Xuan understood the difference between ordinary people and geniuses.

Those with superior Earth-rank physiques can progress rapidly in martial arts training.

"Senior Brother Guo, you're making fun of me again."

Young He Siqi spoke somewhat shyly, clearly showing his naivety and inexperience.

It's not surprising.

Who taught this boy to be only fifteen years old?

However, his cultivation level had already reached the terrifying late stage of Bone Refinement.

With a good background and good aptitude, one can probably master the basic skills by the age of five or six, and thus progress rapidly in their cultivation level.

Guo Yang said with a grin, "Junior Brother He, there's no need to be modest. Whether Yongning Prefecture can produce a top scholar depends on you."

Upon hearing the words "top scholar in the imperial examination".

All the students at the prefectural school showed expressions of longing.

The top scorer in the provincial examination is called the Jieyuan.

His status was completely incomparable to that of an ordinary scholar who had passed the imperial examinations.

Most successful candidates in the imperial examinations would only become county magistrates or instructors.

But if you become the top scholar in the provincial examination, you can directly enter the Imperial Academy!

The highest level of official learning in Qing Kingdom.

They could even skip the provincial examination and be directly selected by the Ministry of Rites to become officials, usually as officials in the capital of the Six Ministries, without having to go through layers of selection.

"It seems that Yongning Prefecture has not produced a top scholar in the provincial examination for more than ten years."

Zhong Xuan participated in the imperial examinations too many times.

I would go and take a look every time the results of the provincial examinations were posted.

People often say that winning the top three honors in the imperial examinations is the greatest achievement in the world.

The so-called "Three Excellences" refer to the top three scholars in the provincial examination, the metropolitan examination, and the imperial examination.

According to some busybodies' statistics, a full 50% of those who achieved the highest honors in the Qing Kingdom by passing all three levels of the imperial examinations eventually rose to the rank of first-grade official, with several even becoming Grand Secretaries.

And Jieyuan is that first Yuan.

Although Zhong Xuan ranked well in the provincial examination, the gap between a student who received a stipend and a top scholar in the provincial examination was enormous, if not insurmountable.

Passing the imperial examination is already considered the best possible outcome.

How could I possibly dare to hope for anything more?

......

......

Zhang Lie was forthright and generous.

They booked two top-class rooms directly at the inn where the students of Yongning Prefectural School were staying.

Zhong Xuan didn't stand on ceremony and stayed there.

Before we knew it, the autumn imperial examinations were upon us.

The ninth day of the eighth lunar month.

The hour of Chou (1-3 AM).

As dusk fell, the area in front of the examination hall in the southeast corner of Yunzhou City was already crowded with people.

There were only a dozen or so scholars in the county, which was not a large number.

However, the talents gathered at this time were from all over the continent, so there were as many as two thousand people.

"I've heard that in some of the major continents of the Central Plains, there are as many as 10,000 people participating in the provincial examinations."

Zhong Xuan stood in the crowd, quietly queuing and waiting to enter the examination hall.

Candidates entered through the main gate of the examination hall in the southwest corner. Outside the gate, soldiers from the city defense and military equipment department conducted body searches in the roll call hall and search hall.

Cheating in the imperial examinations was a serious crime.

"The provincial examination was indeed much more respectable."

Zhong Xuan walked into the search room, feeling a mix of emotions.

During the imperial examinations, one had to strip naked in public for inspection; now, at least there's a room separating the two.

Right.

Those who could participate in the provincial examination were all scholars, and all were respectable people of high status.

Have some self-respect.

After the soldiers from the Armed Forces Department finished their search, someone led Zhong Xuan into the Imperial Examination Hall.

A familiar feeling.

It was still a cramped cubicle, at most a little more spacious than the one used for the imperial examinations.

Those who can sit here, even if they are young, are all seasoned test-takers.

So despite the large number of people, there was not much rioting.

"The six subjects of the provincial examination are largely the same as those of the prefectural examination. At most, the difference lies in the temperament of the chief examiner, which may lead to some differences in the direction of the questions."

Zhong Xuan thought to himself.

In an imperial examination, the chief examiner plays a crucial role.

"I wonder who the examiners will be this year?"

......

......

The other end.

The prefect of Yunzhou was an elderly man in his eighties, and also one of the chief examiners for this provincial examination.

According to the etiquette system of the Qing Kingdom.

The provincial examination had two chief examiners and four co-examiners. In addition, there were supervisors, examiners, supply officers, and so on, totaling dozens of people.

This also demonstrates the importance the imperial court attached to the provincial examinations.

The chief examiner was an extremely important part of the process, and the Ministry of Rites would often recommend candidates, while the emperor would personally appoint an official from the capital as another chief examiner.

The prefect of Yunzhou looked at the middle-aged general with a long beard and dressed in white beside him.

"Lord Lin, it's been a long time."

Looking at this young official from the capital, the old prefect of Yunzhou felt a pang of emotion.

"The younger generation is truly formidable."

The young man in front of me is practically an authority on the imperial examination system.

Although he did not achieve the triple crown.

But even then, it's only one in ten thousand for two yuan.

Now he is the right-hand man of the Governor-General of Jiujiang.

More than just being successful.

Currently reading: Chapter 87, the Provincial Examination (First Update), all the latest chapters are available here.