It was pitch black outside the window, the darkest, darkest and coldest moment before dawn, and the students and scholars who usually slept soundly in the inn had packed up at the moment and brought their things out of the house.

It's moths to the fire

Or Phoenix Nirvana

This is the day when the fate of each other begins, the county test in February of the Ming Dynasty began, and the students and scholars who walked out of the inn were either anxious or full of ambition, of course, there were also expressionless and unfazed.

Zhu Ping'an also went out at this time, bringing a lot of things, as if moving: there was a rabbit skin blanket and a thin mattress in his bag; A large bamboo basket was carried out, which was full of food and drink, preserved fruits, pastries, cooked food, braised pork, water cups, etc. Of course, pen, ink, paper, and inkstone are also indispensable.

After all, Zhu Ping'an is only thirteen years old, not tall, and with so many things, he is almost unable to see people, like a clumsy turtle carrying a shell.

Other students and scholars who went out saw Zhu Ping'an laughing at the fact that he was carrying too many things, most of them were relatively light, and some people also brought a lot of things, but none of them brought so many things like Zhu Ping'an.

Zhu Ping'an turned a deaf ear to the ridicule of fellow students and scholars.

When passing by the lobby, Zhu Ping'an was a little surprised to find that Uncle Zhu Shouren and several other students leisurely ordered a table of good wine and food to eat, and there was no intention of leaving.

"Biao'er, don't be nervous, it's okay not to hit this time, and you have a long experience, and you will have a long future."

Zhu Shouren, the eldest uncle who was enjoying the envy of everyone, saw his nephew Zhu Ping'an, who was carrying a lot of things, and his face became even more proud, and he preached in the tone of an elder.

This is not an exam yet, why don't you open your mouth I don't win, shut up and have long experience, Zhu Ping'an looked at Zhu Shouren, an uncle who was kind enough to preach, and 10,000 grass and mud horses roared in his heart.

"Why hasn't Uncle left yet?" Zhu Ping'an asked lightly.

Hearing Zhu Ping'an's doubts, Uncle Zhu Shouren seemed to have drunk three bowls of soju in one go, and he was about to float, and his face was red with excitement, but he pretended to be nothing.

"Uncle is already a child, and he doesn't need to participate in the county test and the government test, just to participate in the hospital test."

Uncle Zhu Shouren stroked his beard, his face was full of pride, waiting to see Zhu Ping'an's envy, jealousy and hatred.

"Oh, that one went first." Zhu Ping'an didn't care about the uncle's pride at all, replied lightly, and went out with everyone with his bags.

Just oh a sound

Waiting for Zhu Ping'an's envy, jealous and hateful uncle, he looked at Zhu Ping'an's departing back blankly.

Zhu Ping'an followed everyone to the county test center, which was set up in a market not far from the county government. There is the east and west gate in the southernmost part, surrounded by a wooden fence, there is a large courtyard, the north of the courtyard is the main gate, called "Dragon Gate", and the dragon gate is a large courtyard for candidates to wait for the name of the institute. There are three halls in the north, with an aisle in the middle, and the examiner sits in the west room, facing the east for roll call. Further north there are many simple multi-row seats for candidates to write.

In front of the examination shed, there are five teams of officials in front of the main gate, checking the certificates of students and scholars and the salutes they bring with them, and the inspection is very careful: the bedding cannot have a lining, the socks must be single-layered, the clothes must also be dismantled, the inkstone must not be too thick, and the pastries must be cut

The officials inspected so carefully because they were afraid of cheating, so as not to be held accountable in the future.

There are many students in front of them who are not qualified for the exam, but fortunately they have not been found to be cheating, and the unqualified things are just piled up at the door, and people go in.

It has been so many years since the imperial examination, and the punishment for cheating is also very serious, at least Zhu Ping'an waited in line for this time and did not find any entrainment of cheating.

Like a modern security check, a large number of everything brought by Zhu Ping'an was opened and checked, and the cooked preserved fruits were cut by the officials just enough to be entered.

None of such a large number of things were unqualified, not only the students who were waiting to see the joke were surprised, but the officials who inspected them were a little surprised.

After entering the main gate, there was a little official who was familiar with literature and ink to check Zhu Ping'an's identity and resume, and after checking, he led Zhu Ping'an to a vacant place, where there were already four scholars about twenty years old waiting, which should be the four candidates who were guaranteed by Old Master Sun and his son. These four people think very highly of themselves and communicate with each other, none of them pay attention to Zhu Ping'an, they all know that Zhu Ping'an is found by Old Master Sun to make up the number.

Zhu Ping'an saw the performance of several people, and the original idea of saying hello disappeared, and he stood there and waited.

When it was almost dawn, the county magistrate wearing official robes arrived, and the waiting students and scholars were in a commotion, which made the officials who took care of the order a little difficult.

There are too many people, Zhu Ping'an is young and short, and he didn't see clearly what the county master looked like.

Through the communication of the people around him, Zhu Ping'an knew that the county master generally said a word of encouragement, and then said about the exam, the county exam has a total of four exams, etc., in fact, the county exam can be five out of four, and the county official has decided, and Zhu Ping'an is also happy to see the four exams this time.

Then the county magistrate left, and the officials began to roll call, and several officials repeated the words of the county magistrate loudly for the students to hear.

It took a long time for Zhu Ping'an to hear his name, and he walked in with several scholars who were guaranteed by Old Master Sun with him.

There is a pasted paper light sign in the courtyard, which is easy to see clearly, Zhu Ping'an entered the atrium lobby with a few people, and bowed to a few people who looked like examiners.

"Li Lanshan, a native of Shanghe Village, is guaranteed by Sun Hongzhi." One of the four stepped forward and took a copy of the exam paper and sang loudly.

Then Zhu Ping'an heard the voice of Old Master Sun, "Sun Hongzhibao." ”

Zhu Ping'an looked up and saw Old Master Sun sitting in the lobby, and there were several people sitting with Old Master Sun.

After hearing Old Master Sun's confirmation, the examiner nodded, and then a small official led Li Lanshan to the examination room to take the exam.

Zhu Ping'an was the last of the five to sing Bao, and after Old Master Sun was guaranteed, Zhu Ping'an didn't even have a chance to make eye contact with Old Master Sun, so he was led to the examination room by the little official.

It is also understandable that so many candidates and students have to go through this process, and the time is very tight.

Zhu Ping'an has the seat number on the roll cover in his hand, Ding Chou. This is arranged according to the heavenly and terrestrial branches, but Zhu Ping'an, who is used to seeing Arabic numerals, is still at a loss about this, fortunately, there is a small official who has caused a seat, otherwise it will be a trouble to find a seat.

There are ten rows of simple seats, a long table, a chair, and that's it.

Zhu Ping'an sat in his seat, put the pen, ink, paper and inkstone one by one, and then opened the test paper.

The test paper has a red line and a straight dodge, a total of more than 10 sheets, 12 lines per page and 2 crosses per line, and two blank sheets of paper are used for drafting.

It's just that he didn't see the test questions, Zhu Ping'an was a little puzzled, and was about to raise his hand to ask the examiner, but he saw that several officials were patrolling the venue with a sign lamp, and the two officials held up a big wooden board to tour the display, and the exam questions were pasted on this big wooden board.

So that's the case, Zhu Ping'an suddenly realized.

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