To the northeast of the inner city of Beijing is the Gongyuan of the Ministry of Rites, where every imperial examination was held.
On this day, under the gaze of everyone, and nine days later, the gate of Gongyuan opened again, and more than a thousand candidates who were candidates for the examination walked out of Gongyuan.
But it was the Spring Examination of Jinke that finally came to an end on this day.
Because of their respective performances, the candidates may be happy or sad, cry or laugh, be jealous or show off, and all kinds of human emotions are displayed here.
Among them, those candidates who took refuge in Zhao Junchen knew the purpose of the exam in advance. The remaining "Super 711" candidates who took the exam are now full of confidence and ambition, and are only waiting to be nominated on the apricot list.
He became an official in the imperial court, and then rose to the top under the guidance of Zhao Junchen?br />
…………
But Zhao Shancai was also mixed in with the crowd at this time, walking towards the outside of Gongyuan.
With Zhao Shancai's intellectual talent, it was naturally only a small test for him to take the spring examination of Jinke. Although the confidence in his heart was not revealed, in fact, after answering the examination paper, Zhao Shancai was already convinced that he would definitely pass the spring examination of Jinke.
It's among the best.
Therefore, Zhao Shancai was not worried about the results of the general examination. He just walked out and thought to himself: "Nowadays, it is a troubled time between the government and the public, but it happens to be the spring of the general examination. During these nine days,
I am trapped in the Gongyuan, with no news from inside and outside, and I don’t know how many changes have happened between the government and the public, but I have to investigate carefully next."
Zhao Shancai inherited the inheritance of the emperor's mental skills from the former crown prince and grand master He Ming. Although he was in the grassland, his heart was in the temple. However, the isolation of news for the past nine days made Zhao Shancai a little uncomfortable. So after the examination, the first thing he thought of
, just to inquire about the changes in the government and the public these days.
However, while Zhao Shancai was deep in thought, someone suddenly stumbled past him. His shoulders collided, and Zhao Shancai was caught off guard. He almost fell.
But this man didn't apologize, as if he didn't notice at all, and just continued to walk outside the Gongyuan. His steps were staggering, and he looked like he was in a trance.
Seeing the man's back, Zhao Shan was slightly startled, and then shouted loudly: "Brother Yan, please stay."
It turned out that Zhao Shancai actually knew this person. His name was Yan Ru'an. Although his family was not well off, he was talented and knowledgeable, and his knowledge and intelligence were not bad. Zhao Shancai had met him several times, and after talking with him, he became quite speculative.
Now that he saw Yan Ruan's dazed look, something seemed to have happened. Zhao Shancai felt concerned and naturally wanted to ask.
However, Yan Ru'an still didn't notice Zhao Shancai's call, and just continued walking stumblingly, as if he had lost his soul.
Zhao Shancai frowned, quickly caught up with Yan Ruan, stretched out his hand to stop Yan Ruan, but saw Yan Ruan's face was pale and his eyes were lifeless, and his expression was full of misery and despair. He couldn't help being shocked, and asked with concern: "Brother Yan,
I see you looking dazed, but what happened?"
On the other side, Yan Ruan finally noticed Zhao Shancai. He looked at Zhao Shancai blankly for a moment, and then said with a sad smile: "It turns out to be Brother Zhao. With Brother Zhao's knowledge and talent, he must be among the best in this subject, right? I would like to congratulate you in advance.
Brother Zhao."
Although it was congratulations, there was a bit of jealousy in Yan Ruan's eyes. It was the jealousy of a loser towards a winner!
Seeing Yan Ruan's expression, Zhao Shancai frowned more and more, and asked: "Brother Yan's knowledge, I have always known that nomination to the Apricot List is inevitable, why is he looking so bleak now? But in the examination
What happened during the period?"
Yan Ruan looked sarcastic and said: "Something happened, but why do you keep asking, Brother Zhao? What? Is it possible that you can help me save it? I might as well tell you that I suddenly fell ill on the sixth day of the exam.
I was in a coma. I handed in a blank paper for the policy question in the last subject. There is already no hope for the current examination, haha! For more than ten years in the cold window, I studied hard day and night. It was obvious that this was the one thing I wanted to do, but God was unfair and let me do it.
I fell ill at this time! More than ten years of hard study have all gone to waste! Haha! God is unfair!"
As he spoke, Yan Ruan looked crazy and smiled miserably, attracting the attention of the surrounding students.
After listening to Yan Ruan's explanation and looking at Yan Ruan's madness, Zhao Shan sighed and silently let go of the hand holding Yan Ruan's arm.
In Zhao Shancai's impression, Yan Ru'an was a standard scholar, gentle, elegant, humble and polite. How had he ever behaved like this?
However, this is the imperial examination. If you succeed, you will be ecstatic, but if you fail, you will have nothing. The ups and downs between success and failure are often the ones that can change a person's character the most.
The free and easy mentality of "starting over again" is easy to say, but not everyone has it.
What's more, Yan Ru'an's family is poor. I heard that he even borrowed money to travel to Beijing to take the exam, and all the accommodation and food expenses in Beijing were on credit. This failure will probably leave him with nothing.
For a moment, Zhao Shancai didn't know how to persuade him.
Seeing that Zhao Shancai was silent, Yan Ruan's expression became more sarcastic, and then he stopped talking to Zhao Shancai and left with a sad smile.
…………
Zhao Shancai stared at Yan Ruan's leaving figure, sighed and shook his head. The book boy Zhao Mu, who had been waiting outside the Gongyuan for a long time, finally found Zhao Shancai in the crowd.
"Sir, I finally found you. Did the test go well?"
After what happened to Yan Ru'an just now, Zhao Shancai was not interested in saying anything more. He just nodded and said: "Fortunately, the question is not difficult, and the scope of the question has been anticipated, so I can perform normally."
Although Zhao Shancai didn't show off anything, in Zhao Mu's view, Zhao Shancai's knowledge and talent, even if he only performed normally, was enough to win the Huiyuan. He couldn't help but feel overjoyed and congratulated him repeatedly.
Zhao Shancai sighed, shook his head, and then told Zhao Mu: "You can help me find out which inn Yan Ruan is staying in Beijing later, and then bring some money to help him settle the debt."
I heard that Yan Ru'an spent all his expenses in Beijing on credit. It's just that the innkeeper knew that he was knowledgeable and was likely to be nominated in the apricot list, so he wanted to form a good relationship. That's why he never
I want to pursue him, but now that Yan Ruan has had an accident at the meeting, he will no longer have a chance to be accredited, and the innkeeper may turn his back on him. "
"Did Mr. Yan's meeting have an accident?"
After hearing Zhao Shancai's instructions, Zhao Mu was surprised.
Zhao Mu didn't see Yan Ruan's crazy performance just now, but he just thought of how gentle and polite Yan Ruan was in the past. He had a good impression in his heart. Now that he knew that Yan Ruan had an accident during the examination, he couldn't help but feel pity for him.
Seeing Zhao Shancai again, he looked unhappy. Zhao Mu quickly assured him: "Don't worry, Master. I will go find out immediately after I get back and help Master Yan settle the debt. Master Yan is your friend. We can't let him." I feel so wronged."
Zhao Shancai shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Friends? I'm afraid we won't be able to be friends in the future, but after all we got to know each other, it's just my best effort. I hope he can be more open-minded."
In Zhao Shancai's view, Yan Ru'an may have changed his temperament because of his failure in the general examination, and has become a little cynical. Zhao Shancai expressed his condolences to him before. She asked you to express your gratitude, but she showed a look of jealousy. It was clear that the two of them could no longer be friends.
After hearing what Zhao Shancai said, Zhao Mu seemed to understand but was about to ask.
But Zhao Shancai asked in advance: "By the way, Zhao Mu, during the nine days I took part in the examination, did anything happen in the capital?"
Thinking of the ups and downs in the past few days, the flaws in the preparations for the southern tour, and refugees from all over the country coming to Beijing to complain, Zhao Mu nodded repeatedly and was about to say something.
But before Zhao Mu could speak, Zhao Shancai suddenly raised his hand to stop him and looked behind Zhao Mu.
Zhao Mu turned around and saw a young man in casual attire walking towards the two of them with a reluctant look on his face.
Arriving in front of Zhao Shancai, the man raised his hand to Zhao Shancai and said, "I haven't seen you for a long time, Mr. Zhao. How did your examination go well? My master wants to see you again and talk about something. Mr. Zhao, please invite me!"
With that said, without waiting for Zhao Shancai to answer, the visitor already extended his hand to lead the way, as if he was not afraid of Zhao Shancai's rejection at all.
After Zhao Shancai pondered for a moment, he nodded and said: "Then it is better to be respectful than to obey."
At the same time, Zhao Mu finally recognized the identity of the person who came, it was Xu Qingyan, Zhao Junchen’s long-term follower!
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At the same time, on the other side, Yan Ruan finally left the bustling crowd of scholars and walked forward in confusion.
As for where to go, even Yan Ruan himself doesn't know.
The inn where he stayed in Jingzhong was greeted by Yan Ruan, but Yan Ruan did not dare to go back.
Because, as Zhao Shancai knew, most of Yan Ruan's accommodation and food expenses in Beijing were on credit. However, the innkeeper knew Yan Ruan's knowledge well and thought that Yan Ruan would definitely be nominated for the apricot list. Take care of and please.
But all of this is based on the premise that Yan Ruan can be nominated for the Apricot List.
If the innkeeper knew that Yan Ruan fell ill during the examination, that Ce Wen had failed in the examination, and that there was no hope for the Xingbang examination, Yan Ruan could not even imagine how his face would change, and what kind of humiliation he would face!
He wanted to study hard for nearly twenty years and now he was fighting against the odds. However, all the efforts he had made were wasted due to a sudden illness. For a moment, Yan Ruan thought of death.
"Remember, if you go further south, you will reach the moat..."
Thinking like this, Yan Ruan walked south without knowing it.
However, after walking a few steps, I suddenly heard another call.
"Mr. Yan! Mr. Yan! Oh! I finally found you! I have been waiting for your good news, Mr. Yan!"
Hearing this call, Yan Ruan's expression changed.
This is the voice of the innkeeper where he lives!
Unexpectedly, the innkeeper was waiting for me outside the Gongyuan!
Then, Yan Ruan turned around stiffly and saw the kind and kind face of the innkeeper. (To be continued...)