Zhong Hao and Xu Feng came back from Ouyang Xiu and prepared for the final exam with peace of mind. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

Mrs. Du spoke, let them just study with peace of mind, and they don't have to worry about other things, and she will have someone to help them with miscellaneous matters such as receiving number plates, name stamps, and audits.

In the past few days, Zhong Hao has made a few more poems and strategies, and asked Xu Feng to help comment.

It's just that after Xu Feng read it, he just encouraged Zhong Hao to continue to work hard and did not comment.

Zhong Hao estimated that his poems and articles were not good, and Xu Feng was afraid that if he told the truth, he would hit himself.

In fact, Zhong Hao also has his own number in his own heart! It is easy to say that the objective questions of the Thesaurus and Moyi are good, and these days he has been reciting the three books of "Spring and Autumn", "Book of Rites" and "Analects" all day long, but he feels that there is almost no problem. However, things like poems and essays can't be written overnight, they need to be accumulated over time and practiced diligently!

Therefore, it is naturally difficult for a layman like Zhong Hao, who is only a little dabbling, to write brilliantly.

Zhong Hao felt that he still had some hope for participating in this "lock hall test" at first, after all, there were a lot of gentlemen mixed in this "lock hall test". But the more he prepared for the exam, the more he found the difficulty of the scientific exam, in fact, he had long since stopped holding the Chinese-style luck.

Zhong Hao is actually planning to go to the Gongyuan for three days now, go through the motions, and explain to his father-in-law.

Anyway, if he doesn't get into the jinshi, Zhong Hao feels that it doesn't have much impact on him. Anyway, now that he has a knighthood and can wear a scarlet robe, he has no reason to break his promise about his family. Being admitted to the Jinshi is nothing more than icing on the cake for me, and if I can't pass the exam, it's just like that.

Zhong Hao actually didn't have much pursuit after coming to the Great Song Dynasty, and he was able to mix to the point where he is now, in fact, he is already very content. At least now he is also a lord, and there is a loose official from the sixth grade, if it is placed in the place, he is not a person who can be manipulated casually.

In fact, Zhong Hao felt that if he couldn't be Chinese, he really wanted to wait for Fu Ruozhu to marry and return to Qingzhou to live. I have relatives and friends there, and I also like it there, and I help it become my hometown in the Great Song Dynasty, and the most important thing is that my current identity is back, which can be regarded as having a relatively high status, and in a place like Qingzhou, it should still be able to mix.

Of course, Zhong Hao also knew that this was just his wishful thinking. Although it is very likely that he will not be able to do Chinese, his wish to return to Qingzhou for permanent residence may not be realized. It is estimated that his father-in-law does not allow his son-in-law to pursue it so much.

Alas, it's sad to think about it, marrying the daughter of the prime minister's family, this trouble is also a lot.

Originally, I was now a good mix, and if I could be free, it would be good, but I was spurred by my Taishan father-in-law all the time, and I really couldn't help myself!

Zhong Hao actually knew that he had little hope for this scientific examination, but he was quite calm when he approached the exam, and he should eat and sleep every day.

However, Xu Feng has some gains and losses, mainly because he attaches great importance to this subject, after all, he has already failed the list once in the last subject, and he has waited for four years, and finally waited for an opportunity, and he still attaches great importance to it.

Fortunately, Xu Feng saw that Zhong Hao was calm every day, and he gradually felt at ease.

A few days before the exam, Lin Yuchen and Hua Xiaodie sent two little maids to send a lot of things. The two of them are still quite concerned about Zhong Hao and Xu Feng's scientific expedition this time. Of course, in fact, the main thing is to worry about Zhong Hao.

The things sent by the two little maids are all things for the exam, including two sets of test boxes and a full set of stationery, a time-honored brand in Tokyo City, as well as two pairs of light gloves in satin velvet, four deerskin ear protectors, two pairs of short-haired soft boots, as well as various colors of ear protectors, waist protectors, and scarves...... There are more than a dozen pieces, all of which are valuable fine goods, and they are all double-portions.

Xu Feng couldn't help but be overjoyed when he saw the things sent by these two Pan Lou beauties.

"Hehe, Wen Xuan's womanhood among those Oiran leaders is still as good as ever, the third brother is stained with you again this time!" From the time he was in Qingzhou, Zhong Hao was appreciated by Oiran Ye Yihan, and within a few days of arriving in Tokyo, he was missed by Pan Lou Oiran, which made Xu Feng really envious!

"Haha, the third brother is polite!"

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In the blink of an eye, it was the ninth day of the first month of February, and the examination of the fifth year of the Great Song Dynasty Emperor You was opened today.

Just after the ugly day of this day, Zhong Hao was called up by Xiao Tao and Xiao Xing.

Xiao Xing served Shen Ze after washing, and went to serve the prepared hearty breakfast.

Then, Xiao Tao pointed to the dozens of objects used in the exam on the table and said, "Childe, take a look again, check it carefully, if there is nothing missing, the slave family and Xiao Xing will be packed." ”

Check it out according to the checklist. In addition to the necessary pens, ink, inkstones, and other study rooms such as "Rhyme", you also have to bring food, tableware, etc. Because no fire can be opened in the courtyard, only some ready-to-eat foods such as shortbread, duck, bacon, osmanthus cake, and sesame cake can be prepared.

Of course, although they are not allowed to open the fire in the Gong Academy, hot water is still supplied, otherwise it will be cold and freezing in this winter, and these candidates will not be able to hold on. Xiao Tao and Xiao Xing prepared some porridge powder for Zhong Hao that could be washed immediately. After the japonica rice is fried, mix it with some walnuts and black sesame seeds, let it be ground into powder together, and it is still very good to brew and drink. The two little girls are still very attentive to Zhong Hao.

In addition to these, there are also pills that help digestion and prevent headaches, as well as bedding rolls for sleeping, and roll bags for test papers.

After Zhong Hao counted everything, he went to the side to have breakfast, and left the rest alone.

Xiao Tao and Xiao Xing stepped forward and received these things in the same way.

The test box sent by Lin Yuchen to Zhong Hao and Xu Feng is the most famous "Wen Han Zhai" in Bianjing City, the materials are elegant, the design is also quite exquisite, it is divided into three layers, in addition to a large drawer at the top and bottom, the middle layer is also designed with two small drawers, which is convenient for candidates to store items in different categories. And it also has the advantage that it is strong enough that if candidates need to rest while waiting for the exam, it is a bench, so that they can save the need to bring an exam bench.

When Zhong Hao was eating breakfast, he saw that the lights had already been turned on in the fine house where Xu Feng lived, and it was obvious that he was doing the same thing in his house.

Before breakfast was finished, Yang Huaiyu came. Later, Yang Huaiyu will personally go to the Tribute Courtyard with Song Zhonghao and Xu Feng. For scholars in the Song Dynasty, the imperial examination was a more important event than marriage, so there was a custom of sending the examination to relatives and friends.

When Zhong Hao finished eating a hot breakfast, Xu Feng also came over, he cleaned up over there, and the two little maids helped him carry a cover roll on his back and an exam box on his back.

Although Xu Feng came, Zhong Hao still finished the breakfast steadily. It's freezing on this day, and it will take three days to go to the Gongyuan courtyard, and today's hearty and hot breakfast is still very important.

When Zhong Hao finished eating, Yang Huaiyu commanded several servants to carry Zhong Hao and Xu Feng's cover papers and examination boxes respectively, and prepared to go to the Tribute Academy.

In Tokyo, such actions are happening everywhere.

Soon after the drum sounded in the third watch, there was movement on the street, the sound of cars and horses, and footsteps sounded from all corners of the capital, heading in the same direction, that is the Gongyuan!

…………

Zhong Hao and Xu Feng arrived at the Gongyuan in the Yang family's carriage, but they got off at a long distance.

There is no way, there are too many people who send the exam today, after all, it is thousands of people taking the exam at the same time, so there are naturally a lot of carriages and horses to see off, and there are still nearly two miles away from the Degong Academy, and the carriage will not move at all, because the carriages and horses in front of it are already blocked.

There was no way, everyone had to get off here.

Yang Huaiyu, Zhong Hao, and Xu Feng walked another two miles before they arrived at the fence of the Gongyuan.

A fence was set up in front of the Gongyuan, and the family members who saw them off could only be sent to the gate, and after entering the gate, they were only waiting for the soldiers to enter.

"Big brother, third brother Xu, little brother will send you here! The younger brother wishes the two brothers success and the title of the gold list! ”

"Borrow Zhong Rongji's words!" Zhong Hao and Xu Feng both said.

At that moment, Zhong Hao and Xu Feng took their respective test boxes and cover rolls from the hands of those little servants of the Yang family, waved goodbye to Yang Huaiyu, and walked into the fence!

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When the drums sounded on the fifth watch, the Gongyuan opened the door, and the patrol soldiers who maintained order began to line up, and the officials of the Ministry of Rites in charge of examination affairs also lined up in front of the door, each holding a sign in his hand. An official shouted in front of the door: "After entering the door, the hall is locked and the test is in the east courtyard, and the main test is in the west courtyard." Each of them is optimistic about the words on the north side of your name, find the corresponding examination affairs, and quickly line up and stand. After a quarter of an hour, the entry begins in turn. ”

Zhong Hao looked at the signs carefully, and in the order of the thousand-character text, they said 'Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang, Universe Flood Desolation' and the like. He took out his name from his bosom, flipped it to the back and saw that there was a 'River Character Sixteen'! This should be your own room number and seat number.

Xu Feng also looked at the back of his name, and the back was written "Let the word twenty-one"!

Zhong Hao took the lock hall exam and went to the East Courtyard for the exam, while Xu Feng took the main exam and went to the West Courtyard for the exam.

Zhong Hao smiled at the moment: "Little brother wishes the third brother the title of the gold list this time, haha, then we will see you again in three days!" ”

Xu Feng also smiled and said: "Cheng Wenxuan Jiyan, third brother, I also wish Wenxuan success!" ”

"Hehe, that little brother also borrowed the third brother's auspicious words!"

After the two finished speaking, they patted each other on the shoulder as a sign of encouragement.

Xu Feng immediately sighed: "It's a pity that Liulang couldn't come this time, otherwise if the three of us can win together, it will be a good story!" ”

Zhong Hao said in his heart: You are very confident, but I don't have much confidence.

"Alas, I don't know what happened to the sixth brother's family, I hope everything is okay!"

A few days ago, Zhong Hao and Shen Ze went to Cui's business in Tokyo to find Cui Ye. The shopkeeper of the Cui family's firm actually said that Cui Ye would not take the exam, and as for what the reason, the shopkeeper didn't know!

Zhong Hao was very worried, and he didn't know what was going on in the Cui family, so Cui Ye couldn't even participate in such a big thing as the scientific expedition.

"Well, hopefully!" Xu Feng also said.

After a few more gossips, Zhong Hao and Xu Feng saw that the candidates were almost lined up, so they also said goodbye and went to stand under their room number plates and wait for admission.

…………

The waiting time was a little long, and before I knew it, it was dawn, and it was finally Zhong Hao's turn to enter. The official of the Ministry of Rites, who was branded with the word 'River', led their group of forty people into the gate of the Tribute Courtyard. Inside the gate, there are officials who check the roster and strictly check the candidates, including names, places of origin, age, appearance, etc., to inquire and check in case someone takes the test on their behalf.

After everyone was identified, the card-playing official led them further inside, turning into a makeshift shed on the left.

Only then did the official put down the sign and said to everyone with a straight face: "You will pay homage to the Holy Master later, and you must bathe and change your clothes." You have a tea time to shower and go to the exit to pick up your belongings. ”

This is not a new rule, the candidates have heard it before, and Zhong Hao has also heard Xu Feng talk about it. At the official's order, all the candidates muttered, but they all immediately began to undress.

Although all the candidates did what the examiner said, they all felt that this matter couldn't help but make people feel a little ridiculous, is this an examination room or a bathhouse?

In fact, this is a means of guarding against entrainment. Like the proxy examination, entrainment is also a common fraud method in the imperial examination, and the tricks are endless, which is difficult to prevent. When candidates in the Tang Dynasty entered the venue, they not only had to check the items they were carrying to see if they were carried, but they also had to be searched up and down, inside and out, and all over the body. The officials and soldiers shouted and drank one by one, which made the weak scholars feel chills, and for this kind of search, the backbone of the people felt unbearable, thinking that it was an insult to their personality.

In this dynasty, as the competition in the imperial examination became more and more fierce, the search and inspection of candidates entering the examination became more and more strict. At the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in order to strictly enforce the examination discipline, candidates were required to loosen their knotted hair, untie all their clothes, and pick out their ears and noses to prevent candidates from stuffing notes in their ears and noses. For this kind of search method, many candidates feel unacceptable, they have expressed protest, many candidates saw this kind of search, immediately brushed their sleeves away, gave up the qualification to participate in the provincial examination. The ministers of the court also thought that this kind of search was excessive, which was indeed not respectful enough for scholars.

In view of so many objections, the imperial court finally came up with a compromise approach, requiring all candidates to bathe in designated places. While the candidates are taking a shower, the invigilators can also carefully check their various clothes and the test boxes, bedding and other items they carry.

In this way, it can not only prevent the candidates from being entrained, but also save the face of the candidates, so as to achieve the good effect of 'preventing abuse and not losing courtesy'.

However, this kind of search method is not only time-consuming, but also requires a lot of manpower and material support, and only the Great Song Dynasty, which is not bad for money and loves readers, will always do this.

However, although Zhong Hao has heard of these policies, he still can't help but slander, it's still early February, it's still cold, I'm afraid it's easy to freeze and catch a cold in this bath!

However, although Zhong Hao was slandered in his heart, he also knew that this kind of thing was not something that could be changed by his small person, so he still followed the candidates into the bathhouse in the Tribute Courtyard.

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