The list of cases in the main venue of the government examination is the same as that of the county test, and it is still the marked seat number.

"Jiaxu, haha, this son is in the inner circle, it seems that the government test is expected to pass......"

"Alas, it's in the outer circle again, why can't I always pass the government test......"

The examination is heavy on the first one, and the four books are already the unspoken rules of the imperial examination at this time, if the first case is in the inner circle, it is almost a certainty that the government examination will be selected.

From time to time, some people in the crowd were elated, some sighed, and there were many people in their forties and even a few in their fifties and sixties, covering their sleeves and crying sadly for not being able to enter the inner circle this time.

Among Zhao Yan's several people, only the little fat man squeezed in with his weight, and after a while, he squeezed out in a rampage, and said excitedly: "Brother Zhao, you said before that your seat number was 'Gengzi', I don't know if it is?" ”

Zhao Yan nodded and said, "Exactly, is it out of the circle?" ”

"No, congratulations to Brother Zhao, he ranked first in the main field, it seems that Brother Zhao is the first person in this government test." The little fat man looked even happier than Zhao Yan, and those who didn't know probably thought he was the first.

Liu Jing was weak and couldn't squeeze in for a long time, and then the little fat man volunteered to remember the seat numbers of several people one by one, and then squeezed in to see the list, at this time these people heard that Zhao Yannai was the first, and they were happy for him, but they were also more concerned about whether they were on the list, so they asked anxiously on the side: "Brother Liu Xian, how many people should I wait?" ”

Liu Quanyou thought for a while before saying: "Brother Zhang is seventh in the inner circle, Brother Liu is at the end of the inner circle, and although Brother Qian and the younger brother are out of the circle, they are within the five hundred." ”

There is another difference between the prefectural exam and the county exam, that is, a group of people will be brushed down for each exam.

After the first case was discovered, only 500 people were selected, and only these 500 people could take the second exam, and after the exam, half of them were brushed down, and the remaining 250 people took the third exam, and finally 100 people from these 250 people passed the government exam.

Since ancient times, there have been no fathers and sons in the field, and a few families are happy and a few people are sad.

The little fat man participated in the government examination only to participate, and he didn't expect to get any good rankings, but Qian Liangcai was open-minded, and he was just relieved for a moment.

"It's okay, this is only the first one, there are two more in the back, maybe I will do well in the next back, and then be favored by the examiner." Qian Liangcai smiled and said: "Brother Zhao Xian can be promoted to the first place in the main field, and Brother Liu and Brother Zhang Xian are also in the inner circle, congratulations, how about I go back to the inn to celebrate?" ”

"Good."

Everyone knew that Qian Liangcai felt uncomfortable, and they didn't break his thoughts, so they went back to the inn to gather the crowd for a big meal, but they didn't drink the wine, because there was a second exam tomorrow.

On the second day, the second exam was held as scheduled, and all the procedures were the same as before, but the number of participants was significantly lower.

Zhao Yan consciously played well, and during the time waiting for the release of the rehearsal after handing in the papers, Zhang Wenyuan also handed in the papers, and after the rehearsals, the two went back to the inn together, and then ordered the wine and food and waited for the rest of the people to come back.

After an interval of two days, the second case began to occur, and all of the people except the little fat man were selected and allowed to take the third exam.

The little fat man was deposed and fell down and was not discouraged, still giggling and not in shape, after sending a few people into the examination room on the second day, he took two family members to hang out in Fucheng by himself, estimated that the third test was almost over, so he went to the Hengsheng Inn to call for good wine and food, and waited for a few people to come back.

In a blink of an eye, it was the day of the last case of the government examination, and although there were crowds of people in front of the Zhending Examination Hospital, there were mostly people watching the excitement.

"Brother Sun, I heard that you were promoted to the head of the case in the county test in Lu County, if this government test is also the head of the case, it is even two yuan, and when you go to the hospital to take the test, there will be another case leader, and Xiao Sanyuan is afraid that he will not be able to run."

"Haha, Brother Wu is too high-minded, I really set the house Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, this government test is just to be on the list, but the head of the case doesn't dare to look forward to it."

"Brother Sun is too humble......"

"Brother Wu, look at it, the case has been reported, I don't know who will be the first to take this government test."

"The head of the case is Shenzhou Zhao Yan, isn't this the recent rise of fame 'insisting on Qingshan not relaxing'? The county test is the head of the case, the government test is the head of the case, it seems that there is no vain under the fame, for this small case leader, we still need to make friends. ”

The 'long case' of the government examination is slightly different from the 'long case' of the county examination, and the list is divided into two lists, A and B, with 30 people on the A list and 70 people on the B list.

At this time, the rankings on the first list are: first place Shenzhou Zhao Yan, second place Zhending County Kang Quan, third place Shenzhou Zhang Wenyuan, fourth place Jizhou Jiang Shu, fifth place Lu County Sun Wang...... The thirtieth Dingzhou Cui Zhongping.

After Liu Jing saw it, he bowed his hand to Zhao Yan and Zhang Wenyuan: "Two virtuous brothers, you two occupy two of the top three, but you have won glory for my Shenzhou." ”

Zhao Yan didn't have any expectations for the head of the government test, he just wanted to make do with the government test, but he didn't expect that the final case gave him a surprise.

"It's just a fluke." Zhao Yan said a few words of modesty with a smile on his face, and then saw that the B list was posted, Liu Jing's name was ranked forty-fifth on the B list, and Qian Liangcai was not on the list, but fortunately, he had already been mentally prepared, and he didn't have too many resentments about not being selected.

Governor Han has had a good reputation since he took office, and there are well-known old people and old jinshi from all over the country to help read the file, so no one has a word about the fact that the head of the case is a fifteen-year-old boy.

The gold content of the government test is much higher than that of the county test, and it is an inevitable result to pass the hospital test to achieve fame and fame, Zhao Yan was excited for a while, and drank a few drinks with a few people that night, and then ...... And he was drunk.

At this time, the liquor liquor, that is, the alcohol content of shochu is almost the same as that of later generations, and the lowest is more than 20 degrees, Zhao Yan has been recuperating for a year, in addition to growing a lot taller, his body is getting stronger and stronger, but he has never drunk much, but he drank less than three or four taels last night and fell drunk on the table with a red face, and then was helped to the room by several people in a daze, and it was inevitable that he would have a splitting headache when he woke up the next day.

Zhao Yan got up and freshened up, and his mind was still a little foggy, and he was about to ask a few people to get up for breakfast, when a voice suddenly came from downstairs: "Does the head of the government try Zhao to live here?" The government is invited. ”

Han Governor looking for himself? Zhao Yan didn't dare to slack off, and instructed Xiao Er and a few others to get up and tell him where he was going, and then hurried to the mansion with the comer.

There is also no deer banquet in the government examination and the hospital examination, after the exam, the candidates are all going back to their own homes to find their own mothers, Zhao Yan and the others originally wanted to pack up and go back to Shenzhou in the next two days, but they didn't want him to be summoned by the Han Governor's Mansion today, and I don't know what it was for.

It was still the official hall last time, and after Zhao Yan came in, he saw that in addition to the Han Governor's Mansion, there were several old men with a lot of beards sitting on both sides, and he didn't dare to look at it more, so he immediately bowed his hand and said: "Student Zhao Yan, I have seen the Mansion and the seniors. ”

Han Zhifu's face was full of red, and he was in a very good mood at first glance, he waited for Zhao Yan to give a salute and waved his hand, and said: "Guomei, this official is here to introduce you, this is Professor Xuezhu of Fuzhou, this is Zhou Lao from Jizhou, and this is Liao Lao from Fucheng...... These virtuous people are highly respected, and even the officials have to call them old-timers, and when you see them in the future, you must not lose your courtesy. ”

The Han prefect called Zhao Yan for two purposes, one was that several old men wanted to see the moral character of the head of the case they selected this time, and the other purpose was that the Han prefect wanted to show off.

I want to be the first time the official came to the Zhending Mansion, and met a teenager in Hengshui City, and casually encouraged a few words, I don't want this young man to be a blockbuster after a year, and he has become the head of the county trial case and the head of the government test case one after another.

Zhao Yan came in a daze, and after being encouraged by the people present to take the school examination, he left in a daze, and only came back to the door of the inn to come back to his senses, and he came and went when he was called, why was his treatment so like a dog?

After laughing bitterly twice, Zhao Yan sighed helplessly, the way of the world is like this, even if the Han Governor's Mansion does not have malicious intentions towards him, as a county guard, he is not a child who is not even a talent can easily disobey.

If he is an official residence, or even just a preliminary step into the system, this Han prefect must not dare to despise himself so much, right? In the final analysis, this is a society with clear classes, and I still don't have enough status, just like a small employee of a company in later generations, not to mention the chairman and general manager, but a deputy manager in charge of personnel below asks you to do this and that, do you dare to say a word? If you're not afraid of being put in shoes, you can say 'No'.

The road is long, I will go up and down and seek, Ming, I Zhao Yan made up my mind today, one day in the future, I will be a great minister...... Well, the rebellion should be avoided first.

Liu Jing saw Zhao Yan standing at the door of the inn in a daze, and came to the front for some unknown reasons, shook his hand in front of his eyes, and asked: "Brother Zhao Xian, you are back, I don't know what the Fuzun asked you to go, why do you look like you don't belong?" ”

Zhao Yan came back to his senses, his heart moved, and he said with a smile: "It's not a big deal, it's just that he was favored by the Fuzun and gave him a watch......

……

When it rains, it rains, but when it goes, the sky is clear.

Not only did they arrive in Shenzhou for one day, everyone dispersed, and Zhao Yan also went back to the Zhao family's courtyard, as for the little fat man Liu Quanyou, he had already turned back to Hengshui halfway.

For Zhao Yan's achievements, cheap dad Zhao Xin was full of surprise, and Li Fuzi was surprised and delighted, he didn't expect Zhao Yan to pass the government exam all the way, and in the end he was promoted to the head of the government test.

"That's it, now that you have come this far, you must not slack off in the future college exam." Li Fuzi's face sank like water, and although he was satisfied with Zhao Yan in his heart, he was not used to showing it.

Zhao Yan still respects Li Fuzi very much, after all, Li Fuzi gave him great guidance and support in the composition of the eight shares, and he said yes when he heard the words.

The college examination is the last level of the children's examination, which is usually twice every three years, sometimes once every three years, and the time is not very fixed, and it is determined by the provincial Taoist officials according to the actual situation.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the Confucianism Promotion Division was set up, and the first year of orthodoxy was set up to supervise the study and administration, and the two capitals were appointed by the Imperial History and the Thirteen Political Divisions according to the Judges, which was called "the Tao of Learning", and there was only one of them, and they were generally called "grandmasters".

Beizhili's study of the imperial history is stationed in Tongzhou, only close to the nearest prefecture and county for the exam, and the rest of the prefectures are in turn to take the exam, that is to say, if Zhao Yan wants to take the exam, he doesn't have to go all the way to Tongzhou for the exam, just wait for when the case of the imperial history of the study comes to the Zhending Mansion, and there will be a notice in advance, and then Zhao Yan will go to register for the exam.

Beizhili has nine prefectures and two Zhili prefectures, and Tongzhou is adjacent to it...... Well, Tongzhou is in the territory of Shuntianfu, so if you take the college exam, you must first take the Shuntianfu, and then mention the imperial history in order from north to south, and then file Yanqing Zhili Prefecture, Xuanfu, Baoding Prefecture, Baoding Mansion, and Zhending Mansion in turn......

In late July of the 11th year of orthodoxy, a notice was posted outside the four gates of the state city, saying that the Beizhili proposed to study the imperial history of Shen Yan in the Zhending Mansion, and that students who were interested in participating in the college examination should go to the Fucheng to register before August 15, and the backcourt examination was officially opened on August 16.

For the hospital examination, Zhao Yan was determined to win, and after learning the news, he packed up and embarked on the journey to Fucheng again on the eighth day of August.

Only Zhao Yan and Zhang Wenyuan went to Fucheng to take the entrance examination this time, Qian Liangcai was not selected for the government examination, so he could only wait for the next year to take the examination, as for Liu Jing, he was ordered by his grandfather to study hard at home, and he was not allowed to participate in the college examination if he was not allowed.

Liu Jing's grandfather, Liu Zhongshi, was indifferent to fame and fortune, honest and quiet, and he was also a hero who followed Emperor Yongle.

Its original name was Liu Zhongfu, when Zhu Di, the king of Yan, raised troops as a student to defend the city, he was appointed as Chen Liuxian Cheng, and later promoted to the Ministry of Works, when Ming Renzong Zhu Gaochi was in charge of the country, he was ordered to act as the Ministry of Works, and was given the present name, and then promoted to the right senator of Jiangxi, and then successively served as the right senator of Shandong, the political envoy of Zuobu, and the servant of the household department, etc., and was impeached and imprisoned many times, and now because of his disobedience to Wang Zhen, he secretly instructed people to go to prison, and was finally released as a common man.

Although Liu Zhongfu is considered a veteran of the Four Dynasties, he has an indifferent temperament, and now he has been dismissed from the official, but he issued a light speech without an official, and then returned home to take the school to take the school, and was very dissatisfied with Liu Jing's article on the eldest grandson, so he closed his confinement and let him study hard at home behind closed doors, and when the article he wrote could be entered into the house, when Liu Jing could regain his freedom, Zhao Yan and the others could not do anything about it, so they could only occasionally go to Liu's house to visit him, and talk to him to relieve his boredom.

The Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15, also known as the Moon Festival, the Autumn Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, etc., began in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, prevailed in the Song Dynasty, and in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it has become one of the main festivals with the same name as the Spring Festival.

On the road, because the wheel of the carriage was broken, so it was delayed for a lot of time, and when Zhao Yan and Zhang Wenyuan arrived in Fucheng, it was August 14, and the two of them hurried to the government to register, and then began to look for a place to stay.

The two of them came to the Hengsheng Inn where they stayed last time, but it was already full, so they had to carry their luggage and ask from door to door.

In addition to the students who passed the government examination last time, there are also children who have not passed the previous college examination, and there are quite a lot of people, thinking that there are not four or five thousand but two or three thousand, and the two of them have not booked the guest room in advance, so they have asked three inns in a row, but they have not found a place to stay.

"Brother Zhao, what if you can't find a place to stay, isn't it possible that the two of us are going to sleep on the street?" Zhang Wenyuan stood on the crowded street with his luggage and was quite worried, he would have come a few days earlier.

Zhao Yan said with relief: "Brother Zhang, don't worry, there is no endless road, the two of us will find a few more inns, if you can't find it, you can also go to the house to spend the night, as long as we give silver, it's not easy to find a place to live." ”

"That's right, it's still Brother Zhao who is thoughtful." Zhang Wenyuan nodded, and then walked along the market with Zhao Yan.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, like the Spring Festival, is an extremely important festival in the Ming Dynasty, although the nickname of "Reunion Festival" was not proposed until a hundred years later, but the atmosphere at this time is similar, the people in the street market are smiling, and there are also small stalls selling some festival supplies on the roadside.

"Crispy and crispy moon cakes, eat one to protect your toad palace and win laurels, eat two good things in pairs, eat three three happy ......"

Zhao Yan listened to the hawker's shouting and felt a little familiar, and then thought that the locals were familiar with the way, where there was a place to stay, it must be clearer than his own two, so he walked over and arched his hand, and asked: "This big brother, let me ask, is there any other place to stay near this test house besides the inn?" ”

The peddler glanced at the costumes of the two of them, knew it in his heart, and immediately made a deep groan on his face, looked down at the moon cakes on his stall and said, "What about this...... It's hard to say. ”

Seeing this, Zhao Yan scolded in his heart, then handed over a few copper coins and asked, "I bought a few moons of cakes in the next place, can I say it now?" ”

The vendor accepted the copper coin with a smile, then wrapped a few months of cakes and handed it to Zhao Yan, saying: "Xiao Langjun, this is the right person, my Li Da* grew up in Fucheng since I was a child, and I am most familiar with the tiles and alleys in the city, and I can hear a lot of news when I chat with the neighbors......"

Unexpectedly, this person was a chatterbox, Zhao Yan interrupted helplessly: "Since Brother Li is so familiar with Fucheng, he must know where there are inns that have not yet been filled, or other places where you can stay, right?" ”

Li Da nodded and said: "That's natural, if you want to say the place to stay, it is naturally the preferred inn place, but there are a lot of people who come to take the college exam this time, most of the inns are full, only a 'Huisheng Inn' not far away still has a vacant room, but the shopkeeper of the inn has set a rule, if you want to stay, you can also stay, but you have to pass two levels first." ”

Zhang Wenyuan became curious and asked, "How to pass two levels in a row?" ”