Cheng Zhong pinched a piece and put it in his mouth, and suddenly the hot aroma of the pastry filled his mouthpiece, and his whole body was comfortable. ‘

Cheng Zhong said vaguely while chewing: "It turned out to be jujube cake (bad)." "

"Phew!" Liu hurriedly said, "What nonsense? Where would it be bad? My son will definitely be lucky in this exam, and he will win in one fell swoop. He put his palms together and prayed very reverently for a while.

Although Cheng Zhong didn't believe it, he didn't stop it. After breakfast, Cheng Zhong said goodbye to Liu and his sister Cheng Lianyi and went out alone to Huating County to take the exam.

The wee hours of the morning were the coldest of the day, Cheng Zhongse shrank and held a paper lantern that Liu had pasted overnight in his right hand; In his left hand he carried a book basket containing three candles and some pen and ink, as well as the day's food. Liu wrapped the pastry in several layers of cotton cloth, hoping to leave it warm for a little longer, but in such weather, it was futile.

The lanterns swayed on the sheep's intestine-like path, like a ghostly fire. Cheng Zhong felt that he was like a lantern in his hand, looking around blankly, but he could only illuminate the two steps in front of him, let alone hope.

However, knowing that there was little hope, Cheng Zhong had to give it a try, and there was still a glimmer of possibility if he tried, otherwise there would be no way out.

Soon, Cheng Zhong saw a few lanterns similar to himself, which were Tong Meng, who was rushing to take the exam like him.

Entering Huating County, the sky was already glowing blue, and there were more and more small lanterns on the road. Cheng Zhong didn't need to ask where the test center was, just follow the other lanterns.

In the end, Tong Meng, who was playing the lantern, even blocked the road, and could only wait for the trial hospital to open in the cold wind.

Although Cheng Zhong's shoes were stuffed with some cotton by Liu, he was still shivering coldly, and he stomped on the ground a few times from time to time, and soon, the sound of stomping became louder and louder, as if they were collectively tap-dancing, which made Cheng Zhong guess that the spectacular riverdance might have been created by some poor children with cold feet to keep warm.

At this moment, the door of the test hall opened, and more than a dozen test cases with lanterns in their hands came out of it. The last person in the team is also the chief examiner of the county exam, the county magistrate.

Cheng Zhong was not the earliest, he was at the front of the line, and he could only see the faces of the two test poors in the front, and for the county order, he could only see the tall and thin figure.

Cheng Zhong sighed in his heart, he is a second-generation official, and he should have some privileges if he takes the civil service examination in the future generations, but why did he fall into the current situation? If you can get to know the examiner and let him take care of it, the situation will naturally be different. In fact, don't say that you know the county order, but you are familiar with the temperament of the county order, and if you can do what you like, the county test can also be two points bigger.

However, Cheng Zhong also knew that it was wishful thinking. He didn't have any acquaintances here.

With the help of the light, Cheng Zhong began to observe the candidates around him who were also taking the exam.

Their ages are big and young, the younger ones are about fourteen or fifteen years old, and the older ones are estimated to be forty or fifty years old.

Among them, the rich and the poor are also different, the poor are like Cheng Zhong, and the rich even bring domestic servants to light lanterns on their behalf.

The test cha took a step forward and shouted, "Roll call—" The sound of stomping feet that had just started one after another suddenly fell silent.

The county order sounded in a slightly hoarse voice - "Li Zhiquan-"

Someone in the crowd responded: "Yes - the guarantor Li Zhiyou!" "Although it's just a showman's exam, but every candidate must have a guarantor, there is no way to check the photo in ancient times, and I think this is to prevent fraud such as impersonation for the exam.

As a guarantor, you must at least have the merit of showing talent, if the candidate is found to have a problem, the guarantor must also bear the responsibility of joint sitting, and those who are strict may even have the reputation of the guarantor removed.

In the group of people next to him, someone also responded loudly: "Li Zhiyou Bao Li Zhiquan-"

Cheng Zhong had already appeared before, and a group of people had gathered next to the candidate team, originally thinking that they were parents who came to send the exam like later generations, but now he realized that it was not what he imagined at all. These people are the guarantors of the candidates. At the same time, Cheng Zhong was a little apprehensive in his heart, his guarantor was Cheng Xueyi, was this old guy also in that group?

Cheng Zhong looked at the group of people, but they couldn't tell the difference. If this old thing can't come to the exam room, then he won't even be able to enter the examination room. But after thinking about it, Cheng Zhong put his mind at ease again, Cheng Lian's guarantor is also Cheng Xueyi, even if this old boy doesn't deal with him, he won't even get rid of Cheng Lian, right?

The county magistrate nodded slightly, and took the pen in his frozen hand and clicked on the back of Li Zhiquan's name. I just arrived here from the warm Qiongshan, and I am really not used to the cold here.

Looking at the dark crowd in front of him, Cheng Zhongzhen didn't know when it would be his turn. It is estimated that others also think the same, and some acquaintances around them began to whisper.

At this time, the conversation of the person next to him attracted Cheng Zhong's attention.

"Brother Chang has scored nine out of ten in the exam this time, right?" An obese candidate in his thirties said to a candidate of a similar age around him.

"How dare you, how dare you." Chang Lianshun, who was called "Brother Chang", shook his head and said: "Even if I fail the test, I am about to extinguish the mind of the imperial examination. But Brother Zheng seems to be confident this time. "

"What did Brother Chang say?" Zheng Weihan, known as "Brother Zheng", said humbly: "Who doesn't know that Brother Chang is only eight buckets high, and he has a god in writing? It's just that the science field is unlucky, how can you say such a frustrating thing? "

"What do you say? Writing a god? It's also a waste of effort to not be able to enter the eyes of the county, who knows what the new county has this time? Chang Lianshun said helplessly. He is also quite famous in Huating County, but he failed to do it repeatedly, and he didn't even get a show talent, so in the end it can only be attributed to his bad luck.

"Brother Chang is pedantic when he says this." Zheng Weihan smiled, then lowered his voice and said: "The taste of the county lord is nothing more than yellow and white things, as long as it is done, why is it difficult to send you a case at the time of the case?" "

Chang Lianshun sighed dejectedly, how could he not know this truth? However, his family is poor and cannot be filial at all. He also knew that Zheng Weihan's family was solid, and he was afraid that he had already done it up and down, so he dared to say such a thing. Chang Lianshun has always despised Zheng Weihan's knowledge and character. But the times are stronger than people, and this time I'm afraid I'm going to be laughed at by the villain. But he still argued in his mouth: "Lian Shun heard that this Haixian Zun is not an official who is greedy for ink. "

"Brother Chang is too naïve. Haven't you heard, Haixian Zun is just a person, not even a jinshi, he can teach first and then become a parent of a county, if he doesn't go up and down, how can he be? Isn't the silver he was going to land on us in the end? This is not a ** cat Zheng hasn't seen it yet! ”

Cheng Zhong didn't pay attention to what the two of them said, but when he heard the two talk about the new county order, Cheng Zhong listened attentively. His point of view is the same as Chang Lianshun's, the county order is the main examination of the county examination, and the article naturally has to be directed at the mind and spleen of the main examiner. For example, the county order hates monks and Buddhas, but you write a lot of books about the teachings of monks and Buddhas, and even if you write a splendid article, I am afraid you will not be successful.

Cheng Zhong originally wanted to learn about the "taste" of the county order from the conversation between the two, and then give it his liking in the exam, maybe he could pick up a surprise. But when the two talked about it, it turned out that they didn't know much about the Haixian Order, and Cheng Zhong couldn't help but be a little disappointed.

However, what Zheng Weihan said is also very reasonable, ten officials and nine greedy, "three years of Qing Governor's Mansion, 100,000 snowflakes of silver", I am afraid that this Haixian order is not much better, the so-called incorruptible is just self-flaunting, and the typical is the ** archway.

Wait, Haixian Ling, it's from a human background, it can't be him, right? Cheng Zhong knows very little about the history of the Ming Dynasty, and even less about the characters in it. But among the few people he knew, there was one surnamed Hai, who was naturally the famous Hai Rui! Just, could it be so coincidental?

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