The township examination is divided into three sessions, the eighth, eleventh and fourteenth of the first month, the ninth, twelfth and fifteenth exams, the tenth, thirteenth and sixteenth days of the first month, and the second day of September. The first of the three exams is four books and one poem, and one poem with five words and eight rhymes; In the second test, one of each of the five scriptures; The third trial is a second question.

August was hot, the room was unusually hot, and mosquitoes were disturbing, and the nine days were really difficult. When he left the examination room, Jiang Anyi saw that many candidates were pale and walked staggeringly, and some even had to rely on others to help them walk. Although Jiang Anyi is sour, he is in good spirits, it seems that the function of mental cultivation to strengthen the body is very powerful, and the more he has practiced for so long, the more he has practiced, the more spiritually he becomes, do you consider teaching An Yong.

There is still half a month before the release of the list, many people stay in Wenping Mansion to wait, Jiang Anyi has a lot of money, simply lives in the store, calls friends every day, looks for famous places, and is not at ease. In the name of Jiang Anyi's word immortal, of course everyone is willing to get acquainted, Liu Yixing and Li Yifeng who knew before, Wu Yuanshi, Zhao Nanzhong, and Chen Mingdao, Xiao Daocheng and others are all talents for a while.

In the first hall of the Gongyuan Association, the 617 examination papers were divided into 10 parts, including the chief and deputy examiners, and the eight fellow examiners were all sweating, and the ice basins placed in the four corners of the room could not withstand the scorching heat of August. The Great Zheng Imperial Examination only sealed the candidates' names and places of origin, and did not transcribe the papers, which undoubtedly gave the examiners the opportunity to cheat.

Ma Jingxuan looked at the paper with cold eyes while reading the papers, and saw that the same examiner was happy from time to time, and picked out a certain paper and put it aside, and he didn't know if they had selected the good paper or found the secret mark in advance. Ma Jingxuan secretly sighed in his heart, when the time comes, the official will let you see what it means to be honest and honest.

The same examiner will pick out the best papers and recommend them to the main examiner, and the chief examiner will decide whether to admit them, the so-called "to take the trade-off, focus on the main examiner", if the main and deputy examiners agree, then the deputy examiner will write the word "take" at the end of the paper, and the main examiner will write the word "in". The middle paper needs to have the approval of the recommending officer, the seal, and the official title to prepare for the exam, and the two examiners also have the right to search for the best ones from the falling papers, which is called "searching for the falling papers".

On August 28, all the examination papers had been assessed, and the two examiners began to take the papers, including Lin Hongguang, who were stunned by Ma Jingxuan's iron-faced selflessness. According to the usual practice, the volume sent first was through the relationship, and Lin Hongguang also brought one. How do you know that the main exam of Ma started from the beginning, and ten books in a row were not selected, and they were thrown aside, and everyone changed color, did this main exam of Ma want to offend the entire Texas officialdom? The next recommendation paper was really taken, Ma Jingxuan nodded frequently, and began to write the word "medium".

When he saw the twelfth book, Ma Jingxuan couldn't help but recit: "Good rain knows the season, when spring happens." Dive into the night with the wind, moisturizing things silently. The wild trails are dark, and the river boats are bright. Xiao looks at the red wet place, and the flowers are heavy and the city is flat. Good poetry, good poetry, subtle body, into the spirit. ”

Lin Hongguang couldn't help but praise this poem: "It is full of shapes and feelings, profound and unique." I didn't expect this department to produce such good poems. This poem will be passed down through the ages, Brother Ma, you and I are fortunate to be able to take this poem and carry it in history. Luckily, very lucky. ”

Who doesn't like fame and fortune, after Lin Hongguang said this, Ma Jingxuan's originally depressed mood was a little more relaxed, and said with a smile: "The person who can write such poems is definitely not a lonely and unknown person, I don't know who is the most famous in Guizhou?" ”

"Jiang Anyi." Everyone spoke in unison, and the two examiners and the eight examiners discussed the poems written by Jiang Anyi one by one. Ma Jingxuan heard that Jiang Anyi was still less than twenty, and he had a plan in his heart, Jiang Anyi, Jiang Anyi, count you lucky, the old man will give you a solution yuan, you can learn about Entu and repay the old man well.

After determining Jiang Anyi's fate, Ma Jingxuan circled ten more test papers, all of which were really talented and learned, and he had already circled fourteen people. Seeing that it was not early, and the faces of the people around him were like earth, Ma Jingxuan put down his pen and said with a smile: "It's getting late today, let's see it tomorrow." Lord Lin and the princes should bother a lot. ”

Everyone immediately knew. That night, the lights in Ma's examination room were turned on late.

The next day, Lin Hongguang handed over a test paper with a smile and said, "Brother Ma, this volume is well-versed in poetry and concise in speech, take a look." ”

Ma Jingxuan glanced at it, nodded and said, "Yes, it's not that Brother Lin almost missed the talents." As he spoke, he took a pen and wrote the word "medium" on the back of the volume. Lin Hongguang was satisfied, sat back in his position, looked at the fellow examiners who had greeted him with the recommendation papers one by one, and nodded and came over.

Soon, the twenty places were full, and this imperial examination was still fairer than in previous years, and the real amount of the plug was only six, and the next step was to search the papers, and the places were full, and this step was just a pretense. On the 30th, ten examiners gathered to check the middle paper.

On September 1, Feng Tingshi came with officials from the state capital, and today he announced the list and filled it out, according to the law. There is a special person to check that the seal is correct after opening the seal, the scribe loudly roll call, place of origin, etc., Lin Hongguang holds the name of the person in the black pen book on the red list.

The order is from last to first, and the book is the sixth place to put down the pen and feast. After the banquet, the book list was re-listed, and the remaining five people were called the five champions. Feng Shaojun closed his eyes slightly and listened to the scribe sing: "The fifth place is Chen Mingdao, a native of Shinan County...... The fourth place is Ren Xinghe, a native of Linquan County...... Third place: Zhao Nanzhong, a native of Wenping Mansion...... Second place, Yayuan Xiao Daocheng, from Xingde County......"

Feng Shaojun nodded secretly, this Ma Jingxuan is quite fair, he has heard of these four people in the five kui, and he deserves it, no one dares to doubt this list, I don't know who is Xie Yuan in the main exam?

"The first name is Xie Yuanlang, Jiang Anyi, a native of Xinqi County." The scribe roared out Jiang Anyi's name passionately, he had also heard Jiang Anyi's reputation as a word immortal, this time he took the middle and solved the yuan, Jiang Anyi's real future is bright.

Feng Shaojun laughed and said: "This son is called a word immortal, and his poetry is a must, when the old man valued his talent and learning, he took him as the head of the case, and he didn't want to be two years apart. Speaking of which, this son and the old man are from the same Zechang Academy, and the old man is still his senior. There are people in the follow-up of the academy, hurry up, hurry up. ”

"Lord Feng, as the so-called hero sees the same thing, the old man reads his poem "Spring Rain", and can't help but be amazed, not only the word immortal, this poem can also be called an immortal."

"Oh, Master Ma, you might as well listen to it."

Ma Jingxuan shook his head and chanted the song "Spring Rain", and the audience was full of applause.

On the second day of the first month of September, the township test list was released, and I came to the Gongyuan at the beginning of the year. Although he is confident, whether or not he can win the township test has a great deal to do with it, and Jiang Anyi is looking forward to it nervously. The list was only released at the end of the hour, and there was still more than an hour, Jiang Anyi thought that he could come, but he saw that the square in front of the Gongyuan was crowded with people, and the nearby restaurants and teahouses were overcrowded.

Jiang Anyi was looking for a place to eat something, when he suddenly heard someone above his head beckoning him, "Anyi, Anyi", and looked up to see Liu Yixing leaning out of the window of the teahouse and waving at him. Squeezed into the teahouse from the crowd, nearly fifty tables on the upper and lower floors were packed. went upstairs, Liu Yixing stood up and beckoned to Jiang Anyi, and Li Yifeng and others next to him got up to salute.

Liu Yixing asked: "Anyi, why did you come, you are really calm." ”

Jiang Anyi replied with some surprise: "Didn't the list be released only at the end of the hour, there was still more than an hour, I thought it was still early?" ”

"I've been waiting here for a long time." Chen Daoming interjected. The tea was brewed, and there were snacks such as buns and cooking cakes on the table, and Jiang Anyi listened to the crowd chatting while drinking tea and eating snacks. The performance of everyone is different, some are calm and quiet, some are nervous and restless, and some are talking and laughing, but they all set their eyes on the door of the tribute courtyard from time to time, and everyone has the same expectation.

The time is like a year, just after the hour, the vermilion gate of the Gongyuan is slowly opened, and the crowd in the square is noisy, causing everyone in the building to flock to the window to look. The first to come out were two groups of officers and soldiers armed with spears, neatly separated from the crowd and maintaining order. The sound of drum music came from far and near, the guard of honor was leading, and the four people carried the yellow silk pavilion, which was upright and placed the list of the current department, followed by four or five small officials. Blowing all the way to the wall of the Gongyuan, the drum music stopped, and the little official bowed forward again and took out the list to hang. At this moment, everything was quiet, and everyone waited with bated breath.

The list gradually unfolded, and the rising sun shone brightly on the red list, dazzling and bright. The "buzzing" crowd exploded, and there were voices of ecstasy and sorrow, some who looked up to the sky and howled, some who burst into tears, some whose faces were like ashes, some who squeezed forward desperately, and some who staggered out......

There are guys in the teahouse who specialize in reading the list, and there are also people under the list who copy the list and sell it for money. After a while, the man returned with the transcription list in his hand, and the whole teahouse was quiet, and the shopkeeper of the teahouse stood in the middle of the building, cleared his throat and began to read it out loud.

From the last place to the sixth, there was a cheer in the building, and the sound of congratulations came upstairs, and someone should have been lifted. Liu Yixing's face was pale, his hand holding the cup couldn't help trembling, the tea shook his hands dripping, and his sadness and disappointment were overflowing.

Jiang Anyi persuaded: "Brother Liu, there are still five kui who have not yet come out, don't you need to do this?" ”

Liu Yixing smiled bitterly: "I know my own family affairs, and it is still difficult to be promoted, so how can I get the five kui." After that, Liu was insulated from the imperial examination in the future. After that, he raised his glass and drank the tea, and even the tea residue was unintentionally spit out and swallowed.

The shopkeeper lifted everyone's mouths, took a sip of tea unhurriedly, and began to read out the list of five kui word by word: "The fifth Chen Mingdao is from Shinan County." ”

There was a burst of cheers in the teahouse, and Chen Mingdao muttered excitedly: "I'm in, I'm in", and the people around him rushed over to congratulate him. Zhao Nanzhong and others, who are expected to be lifted, are even more solemn, nervous and expectant.

"Fourth place, Ren Xinghe, from Linquan County." There was a loud sigh from inside the building. Ren Xinghe's reputation Jiang Anyi has heard of it, and this imperial examination seems to be very fair. There were three people left, and everyone's hearts were in their throats, and Jiang Anyi's heart was pounding. Liu Yixing fought hard and prayed to the gods and Buddhas, hoping that he could be in the top three in high school.

The shopkeeper was majestic, standing on the table and glancing at the candidates gathered around him, and read out the third place slowly, "Third place, Zhao Nanzhong, from Wenping Mansion, congratulations to Zhao Ye, congratulations to Zhao Ye, Lian Jie in the coming year, high school champion." The shopkeeper knew Zhao Nanzhong, congratulated him repeatedly, and said auspicious words.

Zhao Nanzhong's face was flushed, and he could only say one word with a grin, "Reward, reward." Wu Yuanshi, Xiao Daocheng and others were envious and nervous, and after congratulating Zhao Nanzhong, they couldn't help but stand up and stare at the shopkeeper's mouth, eager to take out their names from his mouth.

"Thank you for the reward." The shopkeeper's eyebrows opened and smiled, stood up, and then read: "The second Yayuan, Xiao Daocheng, is from Xingde County." ”

The congratulatory voice rose again, Xiao Daocheng was relieved, sat back in the chair, didn't know what to remember, his eyes were moist, and he muttered to himself.

The shopkeeper didn't think that there were four people in his store today, and the second, third, and fifth places were all in the store. ”

Everyone quieted down, dozens of pairs of eyes focused on the shopkeeper's body, and Jiang Anyi's hands couldn't help but clench under the table, and his palms were full of sweat droplets. Liu Yixing and Li Yifeng calmed down, knowing that Xie Yuan had nothing to do with him, so they drank tea with a bitter face. Wu Yuanshi felt that he was a little dizzy, either he was in high school Xie Yuan or he was named Sun Shan, this stimulation was too intense.

Nearly 100 people are silent in the teahouse, waiting for the final fate.

(Zhao Nan is actually a forbidden word, I can't figure it out)