The sun rises in the middle of the sky, and then gradually slants to the west.

The sun baked the whole hut, and it was like a steamer.

All the candidates were sweating profusely, but none of them complained of being tired.

On the one hand, this is because most of them are not from very good backgrounds and are used to enduring hardships, and on the other hand, it is also because the master warned them early on that there is no easy work for carpenters.

Regardless of the cold or heat, you have to do the job when you take it, and the scorching sun and the cold wind blow your face are all idle things.

The only thing you need to consider is not yourself, but whether the wood in your hands can withstand the cold and heat, and whether the nature will change due to the weather temperature.

However, the examination room is not too strict, and a small official put water to the door halfway, and the candidates ate some dry food with water and made lunch.

The only thing candidates can bring into the examination room is lunch, and Xu Wen brought the dried meat bun that Lian Linlin prepared for them.

She killed a few chickens, stir-fried and dehydrated the chicken to make spiced jerky, pickled several kinds of kimchi in advance, divided them into portions, and brought three portions for each of them.

"Don't save it, eat it quickly. The weather is hot, see if it's bad every day, don't eat it if it's broken, it's troublesome to have diarrhea during the exam!"

Xu Wen opened the package, as if he heard the voice of Lian Linlin's old hen again.

Xu Wen sandwiched the jerky and kimchi into the cake, and ate it with clear water.

The taste is average, but the taste is good.

At about half past three in the afternoon, the sound of the rock suddenly sounded.

In another quarter of an hour, the current round of exams will be over, and those who have not yet finished must hurry.

By this time, the candidates who were quick with their hands and feet had already finished their work and were doing the final inspection and clean-up work.

Xu Wen was the same, the square stool in his hand had already taken shape, and he was rubbing the surface vigorously with a coarse cloth to polish it.

The pale yellow paulownia wood is polished by the rough linen, like a thin layer of wax, shining brightly.

A quarter of an hour later, the sound of the rock sounded again.

Xu Wen took out the wooden plaque in his arms, took off a piece, tied it to the leg of the wooden bench, and fixed it.

I forgot to write my name on the test paper, but I didn't get a mark.

Just after four o'clock, the sound of the rock began again, this time different from the previous three, a total of nine sounds.

Nine sounds, the sound shook the sky, and at the same time, there was a loud shout from the sergeants: "The time has come, all the apprentices who take the test have stopped!"

"Raise the curtain and go out!"

The shouts mixed with the sound of the rock, like the wind, through the alleys between the wooden houses, crashing into the house, especially clear.

Xu Wen finally checked the wooden sign on the leg of the stool, picked it up, put it into the burlap bag next to it, and went out with the bag and the curtain.

The examination curtain was lifted one by one, and the candidates came out one by one.

The weather is too hot, and many people are a little unparticular, so they just take off their clothes and go shirtless. When the wind blows, the heat is carried in all directions, and it is simply smoky.

Xu Wen sneezed and rubbed his nose.

After a while, four sergeants in armor pulled the cart and came over one by one to "collect the rolls".

The stools were all packed in the same cloth bag, and they were exactly the same when they were put in the car, and it was impossible to tell who was whom.

When the car arrived in front of Xu Wen, he raised his hand and put his share in it.

"It is very indecent to be naked. ”

At this time, on a corner tower of the county government outside the examination room, a middle-aged man in an official robe was frowning and saying.

This person's surname is Tang, and he is the county magistrate of Yushui County, so it is natural that he will be admitted to the imperial examination. He worked hard in the exam that year, but he was finally lucky, and he came out to govern one side in a big county like Yushui.

The apprenticeship test is a major event in Yushui County, although he did not be the chief examiner, but all parties need him to coordinate, after the first day of the exam, he ended all kinds of government affairs in advance and rushed here.

"A craftsman is helpless if he does not understand the teachings of a saint without the teachings of a saint. Zhu Gantang has a good temper and has a close relationship with the craftsmen, smiling and playing round.

"Hmph. Tang County Ling wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't say it.

"Not everyone is like that, there are decent people. Zhu Gantang pointed to one of the people below and said.

Either shirtless or disheveled, there was a neatly dressed one.

It can be seen that he is also tired after a long day, his clothes are sweaty everywhere, and several places are soaked. But before he came out, he tidied up his clothes a little, and it was a breath of fresh air in the messy crowd around him.

"Hmm, this young man looks a little familiar?" asked Tang County Ling's gaze.

"It's Qi Kun, the young owner of Yue Mu Xuan, and he also came to participate in the test this year. Next to him, Master Qin hurriedly introduced.

"Oh...... I remember that he was enlightened at the age of four, and he was able to write poetry at the age of seven?" asked Tang County.

"Yes, that's him. However, the children of merchants cannot participate in the scientific examination, so they can only come to the apprenticeship to try. Zhu Gantang said.

This sentence unexpectedly won the favor of Tang County Ling, he stroked his beard and laughed twice, and said, "After being taught by the sage, it is still different after all. ”

As soon as they said these few words, another teenager walked out of the examination room, attracting everyone's attention.

This young man looked a little younger than Qi Kun, with the same neat face as him, and his posture and demeanor were even more outstanding than him.

"What a handsome boy!" Tang Xianling's eyes lit up.

Zhu Gantang was also stunned when he saw the young man's face. Next to him, Master Qin said, "Isn't this the young man with good eyes, he is a particular person!"

"Whether you pay attention to it or not, it depends on the work at hand. Master Song said nonchalantly beside him.

Tang County Ling is the parent official here, but Master Song is still a little unbearable.

Craftsmen are not very educated, unlike them who read and talk about etiquette everywhere, and they have to dress neatly when it is hot. It's all too common to get shirtless or wear just an undershirt.

The old master is like this, and the young apprentices follow suit.

Master Song didn't think there was anything wrong with this. How hot the weather is and how tiring the work is, these "saint disciples" who sit in the high hall and read and write do not know.

Why is it good to dress neatly, I don't know if it's an embroidered pillow!

Although Master Song's words were light, Zhu Gantang still heard the hidden meaning. He glanced at him lightly, changed the topic, and said, "The candidates have all left, and today's exam results have come out, why don't you go and see it together?"

As he spoke, he walked in the direction of the stairs, and the meaning was obvious.

Master Song said respectfully: "Lord Zhixian, please." ”

Tang Xian Ling nodded and followed.

When the group came to the back hall, the military officials had already collected all the work of the candidates and transported them all here and piled them up.

There are ten categories of apprentices, and the color of all the bags in each category is different. The ten colors are stacked in different categories, and they look quite pleasing to the eye.

Tang Xian Ling rarely came into contact with these things, and at this time he was also a little curious, and asked, "Do you want to start judging the file now?"

Zhu Gantang asked for the opinions of the two deputies: "How?"

"It's okay to start early and finish early. "Song and Qin's two masters have no opinion.

Zhu Gantang sent someone to prepare, and after a while, all the pen, ink, paper, and inkstones were placed on the table to transcribe the scores evaluated by the examiners.

"Which category to start with?" asked Zhu Gantang.

Neither of the two masters spoke immediately, they glanced at each other, and then Master Qin asked a little cautiously, "Before we officially start, do we have to set a standard first?"

"Standard?" Zhu Gantang asked suspiciously.

"Yes, we have a saying in carpenter's work: there are no rules. These apprentices are all taught by different families, and they all get different inheritances. There is no unified standard, and the three of us evaluate it as if the public is justified, and the mother-in-law says that the mother-in-law is reasonable, and it is all in vain. Even if the adults of each family ask us to do work, we have to give a word of approval, sign the calligraphy and painting, and pledge us to start the work, right?"

“...... Reasonable. Zhu Gantang pondered for a moment and nodded.

This approach is completely different from what Tang County Ling is used to, but after thinking about it for a while, he has to admit that it is indeed necessary to do so.

If Xu Wen was on the scene at this time, he would definitely immediately find out that this was obviously the difference in thinking between liberal arts students and science students.

"We usually have some fixed methods for acceptance projects, so you two adults might as well listen to them first?" Master Qin asked again.

“...... It's good. Zhu Gantang nodded again.

"First of all, carpentry. Carpentry is divided into two types: large wood and fine wood, and the big wood ...... "Master Qin is very skilled and begins to talk eloquently.

Master Song is not good at words, he speaks a little less, and mainly supplements him on the side.

Zhu Gantang just listened at first, listened and listened, and began to write down what he said.

Remember, a piece of paper was full, and Tang County Ling took the initiative to step forward and help him change the paper.