At night, once again boarding at the inn, this is the tenth day that Li Ming has gone out with the two uncles.

The capital is in sight, the roads are becoming more and more wide, and the public security is visibly better.

Liu Qingshi and Wang Hengliang's vigilance still did not let go, Li Ming blinked and lay on the bed, feeling that it was not easy to catch up with the exam in this life, but also couldn't help but have some doubts: "Uncle Shi, you say, who was the one who gave us incense that day?" ”

After noticing that Ma had crossed paths that day, the three of them dealt with the matter without danger under Liu Qingshi's quick response, and there was no follow-up afterwards, and they directly skipped the matter.

Now that Li Ming thinks about it, he is really a little itchy.

"Anyone is possible, but no matter what, the three of us are safe and sound, which is the most important thing."

Liu Qingshi had a smile on his face and replied softly.

"Okay, hurry up and rest, it's almost time to the capital, you have to rest well and cheer up."

Wang Hengliang on the other side spoke softly, Li Ming nodded lightly, turned his waist, and then said quietly: "Uncle Shi, Uncle Shi, when you get to the capital, you have to buy some prescriptions to dispel dampness." ”

Hearing Li Ming's words, both of them were stunned, then chuckled lightly, and slowly fell asleep on the floor.

“…………”

Kyoto, the capital is vast, the city tower is majestic, it is the largest city of the Great Qian Empire.

After sleeping at the roadside post station for eighteen days in a row, Li Ming and the three finally rode horses to this prosperous capital.

Kyoto's North Gate is a wide avenue that can supply 36 horse-drawn carriages walking side by side, and inside are three large gates, the middle gate and the left and right side gates.

The middle gate was only opened when the generals of the court won battles outside, or the officials stationed on the frontier made great contributions, or when the emperor traveled.

Ordinary people enter and exit from the left door and enter from the right door, whether it is a prince or a general, a person or an ordinary person.

However, if nothing else, someone will probably cut the line.

"Let's let go, let's let go, Second Master Liu of the Marquis of Dongchang Mansion has arrived!"

Li Ming, who was queuing up, suddenly heard a shout behind them, and then took the initiative to hide to the side under the leadership of Liu Qingshi, and watched a high-headed carriage enter the city along the automatic line under the leadership of the little guy.

"Hurry up, don't block it!"

The soldier holding a long knife in front shouted, after the carriage of the second master of the Dongchang Marquis Mansion Liu passed by, the team passed quickly, and Li Ming and the three of them were mixed in, and they also quickly walked in.

The morning market in Beijing is a busy and orderly picture. The sunlight shines through the clouds and casts a golden glow over the bustling crowd, illuminating the entire street market. There is an endless stream of pedestrians, some rushing to work, some tasting authentic Beijing snacks at street stalls, and some admiring various traditional handicrafts in front of the shop.

Shops in the market have also opened their doors to welcome customers. The hustle and bustle of various languages intertwine to form a cheerful symphony. Those fragrant food stalls are also a beautiful landscape, with a variety of authentic Beijing snacks such as fried noodles, sugar gourds, roast duck, etc., which make people salivate.

"The capital, worthy of the capital, is really big and prosperous."

When they arrived at the city gate, Li Mingshi's uncle Wang Hengliang said with emotion, and then the three of them walked along the street market in the capital, bought something, and then followed to solve the first problem: renting a house.

Entering Beijing to catch the exam is not a step to the sky, and the life problem must be solved first, otherwise you can't live in a restaurant all the time, it will be too cost-effective.

Liu Qingshi, as an old Jianghu who has traveled the most from south to north, is naturally very familiar with this capital, otherwise, the head of Qingsongguan would not let him bring Li Ming and a junior disciple who has not been out of the courtyard much.

He took Li Ming and Wang Hengliang to shuttle through the noisy street market, first buying some simple supplies, and then began to look for a suitable place to live.

There are two main differences between renting a house and a private rental house.

According to Liu Qingshi's meaning, they did not go directly to the people in Yaxing, nor did they go directly to the official rental house, but ran errands by themselves to look around the capital to see if there was a suitable house.

It's cheaper that way.

They weaved through the bustling alleys, and luckily they found a slightly old yard only in the afternoon. Although the house looks a little shabby, it is well kept. It is especially important that the rent is not too high.

Li Ming was quite satisfied with such a house, so he agreed, and Uncle Liu Qingshi was in charge of the negotiation.

Uncle Liu Qingshi negotiated with the landlord and finally rented the small courtyard at a price that was satisfactory to both parties. Next, the three of them began to get busy, moving things, cleaning the room, and tidying up the courtyard.

After a lot of hard work, the small yard is well organized by them, and it is as warm as home. In the evening, they enjoyed a simple dinner in the peaceful courtyard and then slept peacefully in their respective cleaned rooms.

On this night, they were immersed in a restful sleep, as if they were in a peaceful world.

The next morning, I opened the window and walked into my small yard, the spring breeze blew, and the feeling was very different.

Li Ming packed his bags, went to the bookstore first, selected some books that he had never read in his hometown of Linshan, and then carried them back to his home to prepare to study them.

Then I went to buy all the newspapers that recorded the major events in the past two years, and the examination papers of the content of the five consecutive palace examinations on the Internet.

Then I went back to the courtyard and began to study it attentively.

The content of the palace examination is "current affairs", which is a style of writing in the imperial examination, and the content is a countermeasure to solve practical problems. The current policy in the temple examination is a major question, and there are three to five sub-questions.

In order to prevent the leakage of questions in the exam, the emperor organized the ministers to write questions in the inner court the day before the exam, and the emperor circled the questions among the many questions. This process prevents the possibility of leakage.

There are many rules and fixed formats for the writing of the imperial examinations, and the palace examinations are no exception. For example, after a candidate gets the test paper, the first thing he does is not to review the answer sheet, but to write the resume of three generations at the front of the paper.

Another example is the need to use formatting statements in the process of answering the questionnaire. Although most of the questions in the palace examination are related to major events of the court and the people's livelihood, the rules and regulations in these answer sheets seem to be more like a word game.

The examination is completed within one day, and the examination papers are reviewed and judged by the examiner. The top ten test papers in the palace examination will be reviewed by the emperor himself. Generally speaking, the marking process is limited to two days. Since it was an examination presided over by the emperor himself, the examiners paid special attention to the writing of the paper.

Undoubtedly, compared with other exams, the temple exam is much stricter, and there are many uncertainties.

But this may seem uncertain, and many of it are actually traceable.

For example, since it is the emperor who solves the problem and solves the practical problem, then in the case that the emperor and the ministers have not been replaced, it is completely possible to figure out their style and question according to their previous questions, and then do more targeted warm-up.

The sun shines through the leaves and shines on the summer yard. In the yard, the flowers bloom in a colorful and lively manner. The flowers in the flower bed shook their heads, and the sound of children playing came from the door.

The cherry and plum trees are full of red and yellow fruits, and the birds eat the fruits merrily, and from time to time they make a crisp call. The breeze blows, and the leaves rustle, like an accompaniment to the bird's song.

On the other side of the courtyard, Liu Qingshi and Wang Hengliang were busy tidying up the garden. The scissors in their hands flew from branch to branch, pruning the excess with precision and beauty like butterflies.

The fountain in the corner, the water splashes everywhere, and the cool water vapor sparkles in the sun. Children love to play in the water here and enjoy the coolness and happiness brought by the fountain.

The courtyard in early summer is so beautiful, so peaceful, and it makes people feel happy. It is full of life and natural charm, making people feel very comfortable and relaxed.

Yes, I have been on the road for more than half a month, and it is already summer at this time.

Li Yang sat in the shade of the tree in the courtyard and read the book, he was a little sleepy from the sun, he got up and practiced it again before he felt better, and then continued to devote himself to studying.

When it was lunch time, Liu Qingshi, who was experienced in the rivers and lakes and cooked deliciously, took the initiative to cook.

Liu Qingshi stood in the kitchen, wearing a dark blue apron and holding a gleaming spatula in his hand. His eyes were determined and focused, as if he was in control of the fate of the entire world. His movements are skilful and fluid, and every step is precise, demonstrating his mastery of cooking.

The fire is hot, and the oil in the pot is boiling hot. Liu Qingshi poured the chopped green onions, ginger slices and minced garlic into the pot one by one. As the sound of "zizi" sounded, a smell immediately filled the entire kitchen.

He skillfully wields a stir-fry spatula and stir-fries the ingredients to a steaming temperature. Every flip is just right, no more, no less. His eyes are keen, and he is always aware of the situation in the pot, like a serious artist creating his work.

Finally, he adds the right amount of salt, stir-fry again and evenly, and a delicious dish is complete. Liu Qingshi looked at his work with satisfaction and smiled softly.

"Stir-frying, you can also increase your control over your own power."

Liu Qingshi took the rice plate and smiled at Li Ming, Li Ming ate silently, and he cooked that night.

“……………”

Daily practice, reading, reading newspapers, and life before the palace examination is simple and fulfilling.

Until the time of the temple exam, nothing major happened.

Finally, this day came, and the temple test came.

Li Ming packed up his body, and under the escort of his uncle and uncle, he rushed all the way to the palace.

After checking Li Ming's lifting information, Li Ming was let go alone and lined up inside, while Liu Qingshi and Wang Hengliang were left outside.

The sun shines slantingly at the entrance of the vast palace, and a golden glow paves the way to the palace. On the side of the road, people dressed in neat test-taking clothes, lined up in a long queue in order, quietly waiting for the start of the temple examination.

Their eyes were full of anticipation and nervousness, as if waiting for the verdict of fate. Each person holds their own holding sign, which is engraved with their name and place of origin, symbolizing their past efforts and dedication.

The faces of the lifters were full of emotions, excitement, anticipation, nervousness and determination. Their eyes sparkled with a vision for the future and a desire to succeed. Everyone knows that this is a pivotal moment for them to change their fate.

There was an air of silence and seriousness in the air, broken only by the occasional sound of footsteps and whispers. The people waited silently, their mood was like the autumn sky, cloudy and uncertain.

In this long wait, it was as if time had been stretched. Everyone is immersed in their own thoughts, some are repeatedly reviewing their exam-taking essays, some are quietly thinking about their future plans, and some are silently praying for their good luck.

They knew that this temple test would decide their fate. For most of them, this is the most important moment of their lives. So even though the wait was so long and boring, they persevered and looked forward to it.

Finally, after a long wait, the palace gate slowly opened, revealing the solemn and mysterious palace. The lifters immediately picked themselves up, sorted out their clothes and manners, and prepared for the upcoming challenge.

The palace test was held in the Taiji Hall of the Imperial Palace.

The Taiji Hall of the Imperial Palace is the most solemn and magnificent building in the entire Imperial Palace, and it is also a symbol of imperial power and glory.

The use of a palace-like roof, high vermilion cornices, and enclosure walls makes the entire building appear majestic and sacred.

Entering the main hall, the first thing that catches your eye is the golden dome, painted with the auspicious pattern of the dragon and phoenix, implying the royal dignity and authority. There is a huge dragon chair in the center of the main hall, which is the place where the emperor holds various important ceremonies and receives foreign envoys. Above the dragon chair hangs a huge plaque with the words "Peace in the World", implying the royal philosophy and expectations of governing the country.

The main hall is flanked by a variety of precious artifacts and works of art, showcasing the royal grandeur and long history. These cultural relics and artworks include all kinds of porcelain, jade, calligraphy and paintings, antiques, etc., each of which is priceless and full of strong historical atmosphere and cultural heritage.

In the four corners of the palace, there are four huge copper pillars, which are carved with auspicious patterns such as dragons, phoenixes, and lions, giving people a solemn and mysterious feeling. These bronze pillars support the structure of the entire hall, and also symbolize the stability and longevity of the royal family.

The whole hall is filled with an atmosphere of solemnity, sacredness and awe, which makes people deeply feel the majesty and glory of the royal family. Here, the emperor used to receive hundreds of officials, hold various ceremonies, issue decrees, etc., and it is one of the most important places in the entire palace.

Following the team into the main hall, Li Ming was also able to get a glimpse of the whole hall.

"Let's get started."

A majestic voice sitting in the jade bead curtain came, sounding a little young, Li Ming didn't have time to think about it, sat on the field and began to look at the questions of the exam papers.

(End of chapter)