"Who is Miss Sheng...?" When Lu Zhihang heard his senior brother mention this person, his heart rippled for no reason.

"???" Ruan Yangping blinked and subconsciously pinched his face. After a stinging pain, he suddenly realized that this was not a dream.

Lu Zhihang watched Ruan Yangping's actions intently, with a faint smile on his lips, and explained in a warm voice: "Senior brother, I was abrupt, and I haven't explained the cause and effect to you."

"I've only been out for a few days, could something have changed?" Ruan Yangping covered his sore cheek and said in shock.

"It's not that shocking. It's just that when I went to pray in the mountains a few days ago, my head was injured by a gangster. I can't remember many things." Lu Zhihang glanced at him and said calmly.

"What? Junior Brother is in serious trouble." When Ruan Yangping heard that someone had injured his head, he immediately lost his composure. He quickly stood up and wanted to find out, and murmured, "Where did the thief come from so boldly?

!We must report it to the governor of Yandu and deal with it severely."

"I've seen the doctor. The injury is minor. Don't panic, senior brother." Lu Zhihang pressed the person in front of him on the drum stool and changed the topic, "Brother, can you tell me about Miss Sheng? I have been here for the past few days and nights.

I dreamed of a woman at night. She seemed to be in the south of the Yangtze River, but I couldn't remember clearly."

Ruan Yangping was still going to ask about the injury, but when he saw his junior brother's expression was serious and his concerned words were stuck in his throat again, he asked in surprise: "Don't you remember Miss Sheng?"

He often dreamed of his junior brother forgetting the past and staying with him until old age. Now that his junior brother really forgot, he became a little flustered.

"Yes." Lu Zhihang's smile faded, and he nodded gently and said, "Senior brother, do you know which family Miss Sheng is the daughter of?"

Ruan Yangping stared at him for a long time. Seeing that he had really forgotten, his face became a little more solemn and he hesitated: "I don't know much about you and Miss Sheng. I don't even know my identity.

"

"Senior brother, I would be very grateful if you could tell me everything you know." After hearing this, Lu Zhihang was slightly startled, with a thoughtful look on his face.

Logically speaking, how can we not even know the identity of the person?

Now that the junior brother had reached this point, Ruan Yangping couldn't beat around the bush anymore, so he said bluntly: "I only know that you and Miss Sheng fell in love with each other when they were in Jiangnan, and they... cough, they are like glue."

"So, our relationship should be very good." Lu Zhihang's thoughts were disrupted, and his attention immediately shifted to Ruan Yangping's words. He listened very seriously, and even his eyebrows became a little gentle.

Even if he has forgotten about the other party, the junior brother can still be so affectionate when he mentions Miss Sheng. Ruan Yangping's molars are almost sore, and he is a little discouraged and says: "That's true, but then Miss Sheng returned to Yandu, and the two of you have been together till now."

Never seen it before.”

When he was in Jiangnan, Ruan Yangping also asked, knowing that his junior brother's sweetheart had returned to Yandu, he would be hurt by his love, so he never mentioned it to Lu Zhihang. He himself was still jealous of Yun Qi, how could he do it himself?

Asking for hardship.

When he arrived in Yandu, he thought that the lovers would eventually get married, but he didn't expect that his junior brother was only interested in reading the books of sages. He finally mentioned it, but it made him unhappy.

"How could this be?" Lu Zhihang took a breath and asked with a frown.

In his hazy memory, there was no memory of any emotional discord between the two. On the contrary, judging from the subconscious left behind, he should have been deeply affectionate for Miss Sheng, so why did Jiangnan never see each other again after parting ways.

"I don't know the reason. I'm afraid I won't be able to explain it to my junior brother." Ruan Yangping reluctantly raised a smile and replied.

"Senior brother, do you know who else knows about Miss Sheng and me?" Lu Zhihang paused, took a deep breath and asked.

"..." Ruan Yangping fell silent for no reason when he heard his question. He replied after a while, "Master."

Hearing this, Lu Zhihang lowered his eyes and did not ask further questions.

————

The previous examinations of Yan State were all scheduled in March of Yangchun, which was the season when the orioles were singing in full bloom.

The children who are idle at home in Beijing are still interested in admiring the flowers and going on an outing, but the students who are about to try out their skills are extremely busy and wish they could spend more time studying hard.

Scholars from all over the world came to Kyoto to attend the Spring Festival, which is held every three years. This subject happened to be in the Gengchen year, and the exams were held on the ninth day of March, and the results were released in April, when the apricot trees were full of flowers, so it was also called the Apricot Examination.

"Master, Brother Ruan, I wish you both can be on the list and be selected as tributes." After several months of careful care, Song Heyu's body and bones have become much stronger. With the help of the maid, Song Heyu can still follow the test today.

Come to Gongyuan together.

Even though he had listened to Master for several months, Lu Zhihang still felt a little uncomfortable when he heard it from Song Heyu again. He could only smile indifferently and thanked softly: "Then I can borrow Heyu's kind words."

"Thank you Song Xiandi." Ruan Yangping smiled.

The seniority among them is a bit weird, so let’s just discuss it separately to avoid getting complicated.

The students who came to take the exam not only came from all over the Yan State, but most of them were candidates who had failed in previous exams. Those like Lu Zhihang who were taking the exam for the first time did not make up the majority.

The candidates selected from all walks of life gathered together, and even the prestigious talents such as Ruan Yangping felt the pressure, let alone Lu Zhihang. A few days before the exam, the two of them no longer asked to write more questions, but adjusted

The mood arose.

If they can pass the apricot list, they have to pass the palace examination next month to have any hope of staying in the capital as officials. If they fail to pass this test, not to mention that several years of careful preparation will fail, everything will have to be stopped and they will have to wait three days again.

years.

Yan Guo's examinations have always been presided over by four examiners, but these examiners are also divided into chief and deputy officers, with different levels of authority. This year, the most powerful one is the Right Prime Minister - Song Yuanzhou.

All important matters must be reviewed and nodded by the right prime minister. Several other bachelors with Jinshi background will assist, and a dozen or so Hanlin officials will serve as co-examiners.

The rest of the procedures, such as sealing, transcribing, proofreading, grading, and filling out the results, are the same as the provincial examination that Lu Zhihang consulted on Beichuan Road, except that there are three examinations, held on the ninth, twelfth, and fifteenth day of the lunar month.

Test.

"Yang Ping, don't underestimate me. You need to concentrate on answering the paper. Think clearly before writing. You must not smear the paper..." Ruan Yuan opened the curtain of the carriage and did not forget to give a few words of warning before leaving.

"Uncle, Yang Ping has made a note of it. There will be no joking in the face of important events." Ruan Yangping straightened his face and said seriously.

Ruan Yuan was very satisfied with his attitude, nodded and let the groom drive away, leaving the three of them in the huge crowd, waiting to be searched before entering the examination room.

"It's time to enter the examination room, Heyu." Lu Zhihang reminded softly as he listened to the commotion in front of him.

"Don't worry, I'll wait until Master gets inside before I leave." Song Heyu shook his head and stared at Lu Zhihang intently.

The few of them chatted for a while, and soon it was Lu Zhihang's turn.

Maybe the test was too important. He checked the test basket several times along the way. He was about to be searched when he was waiting in line. He didn't forget to take another look to make sure it was correct before he felt relieved.

He thought he had never met his girl Sheng in Jiangnan, but he didn't expect that she was in Yandu, and he didn't even know her identity.

Lu Zhihang followed his predecessors and put the candle issued by the government into the examination basket. Without anyone else talking in his ears, he couldn't help but think of that slender and tall figure.

Even though it was the Gongyuan of Yandu, this single room was still as dilapidated as any other. It was five feet long, four feet wide, and as tall as a person. Sitting in it, one felt short of breath. It was cramped and boring, just like a prison cell.

Fortunately, Lu Zhihang can be regarded as a man who has experienced hundreds of battles. He has simulated countless harsh environments in Jiangnan. Compared with the academy examination, Yandu's Gongyuan is even unique.

At least you don’t have to worry about half-way through writing the paper, rain leaking from the top of your head, etc.

When it came to the scale of the joint examination, the personnel and equipment were all equipped only for the imperial examination in Yan Guo's scientific examination. He did not close his eyes for a long rest before the papers were handed out.

After reading the question as usual, Lu Zhihang was immediately confused.

Except for the questions on Shi Wence, all the questions in Yanguo's imperial examination were taken from the Four Books and Five Classics, and these questions were divided into major questions and minor questions.

Most of the big questions are complete single sentences from the Four Books and Five Classics, or even entire chapters. For students taking the exam, it is naturally a lot easier because the questions are at least complete.

The first question on the paper in his hand was a big question from the Analects of Confucius.

Dangdang, the people have no name; Weiwei, it has success, and it has articles.

It can be said to be quite satisfactory. As long as you praise the achievements of the saints and sages while understanding the meaning of the question, and praise the emperor of the dynasty along the way, you can't go wrong.

Most of the small questions separate the meaning of the scriptures, and the meaning of the questions at the beginning and end of the street is extremely unclear. There are many divergences from the questions alone, and the implications are so wide that even the meaning of the question cannot be understood, so how to answer it.

After answering several questions in a row, it was obvious that Lu Zhihang was very confident and had already prepared a rough draft in his mind. He even knew the preferences of the examiner Song Yuanzhou very well because of his contact with Song Heyu for several months, and he was confident about whether he could pass the Gongshi examination.

Big increase.

Just when Lu Zhihang thought that the test was safe, he saw the question at the bottom. It was not that obscure. A person who had just become enlightened would have thought it was a simple and clear question.

.

Lu Zhihang's long eyebrows, like thick ink, frowned slightly. His fingertips covered with thin calluses brushed across the paper, and he paused for a long time on the last question.

I saw one word written neatly on the flat and smooth roll - 2.

"Two?" Lu Zhihang studied the word for a while and couldn't figure out the reason.

The question naturally comes from the Four Books and Five Classics. There is no doubt that this is a small question with a difficult meaning. The answer cannot be based on just one word, but must be connected with the context. Only after reviewing the question can you write a good article based on your own speculation.

"Do all the exams have such weird questions?" Lu Zhihang rubbed his forehead, feeling a little trapped.

Generally speaking, the higher the standard of the exam, the fewer the questions will be. For example, the first big question from the four books is mostly normal.

I still remember that during the reign of the late emperor, there was a county magistrate who loved to come up with some tricky and weird questions. The students under his rule were miserable. After doing this year after year, he aroused public indignation and was immediately removed from office.

Since then, there have been a lot fewer people who dare to ask weird questions, and even if they do, they don't do it so frequently.

Lu Zhihang didn't have a clue for the moment, so he had to write down the title he had already drafted on the draft paper.
Chapter completed!