The first imperial examination of the empire was divided into two sessions, and the first one examined four major subjects, including classics, historical theory, policy theory, and gewu. In the second session, there are four minor subjects, including physics, chemistry, astronomy and geography, and arithmetic.

However, in order to avoid the students who apply for the exam are good at the four small subjects in the back, but the previous classics and historical theories are not prominent, so the two exams are not directly connected, even if the first exam is smashed, the second one can still take the exam.

This is mainly because this imperial examination is not only for the purpose of admitting talents from the past and the present, but also for the purpose of recruiting talents in modern science, and the admission standards for talents in these two aspects are also different.

In the first exam, Dong Li, like other students, had no problem with traditional scriptures, although the exam questions were difficult, but for the students who were able to kill all the way to the college examination and be admitted to Xiucai in the pre-Qing Dynasty, it was not a big problem, because it was already an instinct for them to do Bagu articles, and most of them were able to break the questions and write them, the difference was only how well they were written.

However, the difficulty of other historical theories, policy theories, and the three subjects of Gewu is greater, and many students, including the former Dong Li, are traditional readers who do not listen to things outside the window, burying their heads in the four books and five classics every day, and some people even read less history books.

Although the topics of history and policy theory do not require literary talent, they have quite high requirements for independent thinking and erudition in the examination, and it is not easy to say why, especially the topics of policy theory, which are some important contemporary problems.

The first question talks about the pros and cons of the conflict between raw silk and rice grain, the second question talks about judicial issues, and the third question talks about education. You may not be able to say these questions if you ask the cabinet officials to answer them, and it is not easy for the candidates to say why.

On the contrary, it is a subject of Gewu. Although it is a new subject, because it was announced in advance, it depends on Gewu, and the Ministry of Education has also printed and distributed many books in advance. In the past month, almost all students have been cramming their feet temporarily, reading these new books day and night, plus a summary subject of the so-called four small subjects of Gewu, and the topics that have come out of the few finale questions, the others are some common sense.

As long as you've put in the effort to memorize in the past month, not to mention getting a perfect score, it's not a big problem to mix up a passing grade.

Dong Li wrote one question after another, among which he spent the most time on policy theory, and the three policy theories added up. Wrote at least 10,000 words.

After an exam, the whole person is about to collapse from exhaustion.

After handing in the exam papers, I heard other students talking about the exam from time to time on the road!

"Alas, those few historical theories are too difficult, I haven't read much history books in the past, and I'm afraid it's difficult to pass this time!" A middle-aged examinee sighed.

Some people also said: "The historical theory is okay, I only made one of the three questions of the policy theory, and the other two are all scribbled!" ”

It's strange that most of them are the same as Dong Li. I don't think it's so difficult to add the new subject of Gewu, but it's the two subjects of history and strategy that are difficult for most students.

At this time, Wen Changlin didn't know when he also walked to Dong Li's side, and then he also said with a sad face: "This time, it is estimated that I didn't do well in the scriptures!" ”

Dong Li was not surprised when he heard it. Wen Changlin's scripture skills were not very good, and it was a fluke that he was able to be admitted to Xiucai, and he was not easy to comfort. Otherwise, there is a suspicion of being a showman, and he immediately says, "Oh." What about your other three subjects? ”

Speaking of the other three subjects, Wen Changlin immediately changed his face. showed a festive face and said: "Needless to say, you know that I usually like to read miscellaneous books, and I have done all six questions on history and strategy, I think it shouldn't be too bad, and all the words of Gewu have been answered!" ”

Dong Li said: "That's good, many people have not done well in history and strategy, as long as you grasp these two subjects well, you have great hope of being admitted!" ”

"Really?" Although Wen Changlin said a questioning sentence, the smile on his face was even stronger.

"Let's go, go back and rest, and then we'll read by candle and prepare for the next game!" Wen Changlin said, just walked quickly, and a few family members dressed as slaves were already waiting in front of him.

Dong Li naturally had no one to pick him up, so he could only walk home by himself, and when he returned home, he told his mother about the exam, and Dong's mother heard him say that all the questions had been answered, and her face was grateful: "Okay, that's good, I stewed chicken soup before, and you drink it and work hard!" ”

Just get up!

Dong Li looked at his mother in a pale face, and he couldn't bear to let him work anymore, so he immediately said: "I'll go by myself, you can rest!" ”

Dong's mother didn't insist, just continued to lie back on the bed.

Dong left the door and saw his sister Dong Xuan trotting over: "Brother, brother, I've made soup, my mother said brother, you can drink chicken soup and win!" ”

Looking at this little sister who was only twelve years old, Dong Li squatted down to wipe the grass ash on her face, but the more she wiped it, the dirtier it became, making her face look like a little cat, and then looked down at the clothes she was wearing that were loose and changed from her old clothes, and she actually spoke for a while.

In the first two years, although his family was not rich, he was also a medium family, and his family had 100 acres of fertile land, but there were many illnesses and disasters, and now the fields and houses were sold, and the original old servants were also forced to send out, and now the family of three can only rely on the meager salary he received as an account room to live.

The twelve-year-old sister has gone from not being able to do anything in the past to doing all kinds of housework, and when she is not working, she has to do needlework with her sick mother, and do embroidery to sell to the shop outside to earn a meager amount of money.

Dong Li got up after half a ring, raised his head after getting up and tried not to let the tears flow, and said in his mouth: "Send the chicken soup to my mother's house, I'll go read the book first!" ”

Back in the room, he cleaned up his mood and directly picked up a book of elementary physics and read it!

This time the township test must be successful, and no failure is allowed, otherwise what face will you have to face your mother and young sister who have all the expectations for yourself!

The next day, Wen Changlin also ran over to read with Dong Li, but not to mention that others came, he also brought a box of books and a few food boxes.

Wen Changlin pointed to the pile of books and said: "These are all newly obtained by my old man from the business area, and they are all books that can be used in exams. ”

Dong Li knows the preciousness of these books, why Wen Changlin wants to come to his house to read together, he also knows, learning from each other is secondary, the main thing is that Dong Li has no money to buy books, this kind of new book is easy to say, but if it is sold a dozen copies, it is a very difficult expense for Dong Li, this Wen Changlin is to read together, but in fact, it is to give Dong Li the opportunity to copy the book by himself, well, the same is true for the other two people Wen Changlin made an appointment.

Even the wine and food in the food box, Wen Changlin said: "The wine and food are in the stomach, so you have the strength to study!" ”

Dong Li knew that this was Wen Changlin helping himself in another way, and he also took care of his face, so he didn't say that he would send books or money and food directly, although he sighed in his heart, he didn't refuse.

Wen Changlin brought over the food box with several dishes, and most of them were in duplicate, Wen Changlin said: "We have a good time, we can't let Ling Tang and Ling Mei watch from the sidelines, and it's inconvenient to sit together, so let them send two servings!" ”

Dong Li didn't speak, just poured a glass of wine and poured it down, and then said: "Today we will talk about this physics, I learned a lot when I saw Zhizi last night......"

After a short time, Dong Li and Wen Changlin discussed each book, and then two scholars came to Dong's house, and after entering the study, these four young scholars were sometimes copying and reciting, and sometimes they were arguing about their rights and wrongs.

Dong Li, Wen Changlin and others studied hard for a few days, but they were a veritable temporary cramming, and they didn't seek to understand much, but only wanted to memorize more knowledge points.

Three days later, they went to the examination room again, and after four subjects in a row, all the students were sad, which shows that few people did well in the exam.

Dong Li is no exception, this time the questions of the four small subjects are much more difficult than the original summary of the grid, the previous subjects are all tests of some common sense, but now the four small subjects rely on more in-depth, just for the sake of arithmetic questions, Dong Li used up several pieces of hard meditation scratch paper, and the final answer is not known whether it is right or wrong.

After this exam, everyone is waiting for the release of the list in fear!

In the past few days, some students in the city have been waiting hard, and some are lingering in the restaurant and the boat!

Eight days later, Dong Li and a group of friends arrived at the place where the list was released early, and the other students also waited early, and when the time came, even a team of patrolmen in black police uniforms came out, and there were several officials in Chinese uniforms among them.

However, the empire only stipulates the Chinese dress code for officials, but there is no division of official grades and the like, from ordinary clerks to cabinet ministers, the Chinese clothes worn are the same, so there is no way to tell what level of officials these officials are from the dress.

I saw that these people, under the escort of the patrol police, unfolded a few big red papers in their hands, and then pasted them!

After posting, many students gathered around to take a closer look, and there were also good deeds in the front row reading aloud the list of the winners.

"First class, Chen Jinzhen, Shanyin County, Shaoxing Prefecture!"

When the words fell, I saw a student about twenty-eight or nine years old on the periphery shouting wildly, and it was obvious that this person was Chen Jinzhen, who won the first place.

"First and second place, Li Nanquan, Jiashan County, Jiaxing Prefecture!"

"First Class 3rd ......"

As the names of the Zhongju people in front of them came out one after another, there was a burst of cheers from the crowd from time to time, and even some of the students in the Zhongju cried with joy, and some screamed.

"Thirty-six second-class people, Dong Li, Fuyang County, Hangzhou Prefecture!" (To be continued......)