The back gate of Wendao Academy is located in the south, and pine, banyan, birch, and fir trees are lined up one by one. Beautiful scenery. The red brick and black tile disciples' dormitories are built along the mountain, and they blend with the woods in a patchwork manner.

There are also kitchens, wells, bathhouses, and other living facilities. There is a corridor that communicates with the school hall and the lecture hall on the east and west sides.

Jia Huan has not been around much here in the southern district and is not familiar with it. He spent nearly two months in the academy and lived a life of hard study.

Yi Junjie and the others took Jia Huan from the corridor to the inner house disciples' dormitory, and followed the gravel path through a pine forest. The tall blue brick wall of the academy appeared in front of Jia Huan's eyes.

In a small pavilion three meters away, several students are pinching chicken legs and duck legs to eat. Seeing that Jia Huan and Yi Junjie were coming, they all said hello with a smile, "Classmate Yi, did you bring the head of Jia Yuan to fight the tooth sacrifice?" ”

"Haha, exactly." Yi Junjie laughed, walked to the wall, knocked on the wall, took away two bricks, revealed a hole, and shouted: "Shopkeeper Zhang, come with six meat buns, a chicken, a tube of rice wine, and a handful of peanuts." ”

Jia Huan: There are six of them.

"Holo." Outside the wall, a thick man's voice answered. After a few moments, food wrapped in withered lotus leaves was passed through the hole.

Jia Huan watched Yi Junjie skillfully trade with the shopkeeper Zhang outside the wall, and couldn't help but smile. Old driver. When he was in high school, the school was also closed and students were forbidden to go out. Every time the meal arrived, the students would buy lunch through the fence and the stall owner outside the school.

Reminiscing about the eventful years of the past: just a young student, in his prime!

Jia Huan's heart swelled with unspeakable emotion, remembering the hardships of high school. Those days were as hard as purgatory... Temper people's thoughts, tenacity, and strength like steel. The craziest thing about him was that he didn't say a word for a whole week. It's like a nightmare.

At this time, still.

There is the hard work of reading, sleeping on the third watch, getting up on the fifth watch, looking forward to being famous all over the world; There are still a group of classmates who are difficult brothers and sisters in this "sea of suffering". In this glorious day, there is joy in suffering.

Happiness and joy are so subtle and satisfying.

Jia Huan and Yi Junjie went to the small pavilion and surrounded a long stone bench. Humility said a few words, and let Jia Huan sit on the stone bench. Yi Junjie divided the meat buns, one for each person, and handed the bamboo tube to Jia Huan. Jia Huan took a sip first. One person took a sip of wine, ate meat buns, roast chicken, and peanuts and talked, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.

Standing at the foot of Jia Huan is a tall and thin student, like a hemp pole, named Zhu Chen, whose family is a small landowner. Yi Junjie is next to a sharp-cheeked student named Zhan Chengji. His eyes were depressed, and he took thirty exams a month. I almost fell into Class B.

Opposite Jia Huan was a weak scholar, white-faced, called Du Hong, a native of Yongqing County, who didn't talk much. Opposite Yi Junjie was a strong, dark-skinned student. His name is Qin Hongtu, who was born in the mountains of Jizhou. Seventh place in class A in the monthly examination. A very introverted person.

Just after a few students from the inner house finished eating, they smiled and greeted and left. Everyone had no scruples about talking in the pavilion. Yi Junjie stayed in the academy for 3 years, and told everyone the secrets of the "celebrities" in the academy:

For example: Gongsun Long, handsome, has a good temperament, but the widow has a disease and longs for the beauty; Qiao is kind, has a good character, and has a solid family property, but he has a fierce wife. His wife was beautiful and jealous;

Last year's head of the academy, Liu Yi and Liu Guoshan, after entering the school, went to Shoushan Academy, which teaches Xiucai knowledge. Promising.

Shoushan Academy is located near the Xuanwu Gate of Jingshi, in the heart of the hinterland. It was founded by the Donglin Party in the late Ming Dynasty. On the gate of the academy hangs the famous sentence of Gu Xiancheng, the former leader of the Donglin Party: The sound of wind and rain, the sound of reading, and the care of family affairs, national affairs, and the world.

The scholars of Shoushan Academy often criticize current affairs, and they are very famous and influential in Beijing.

But it is not allowed to talk about government politics in the Academy. Therefore, Yi Junjie commented a few words, and everyone's topic turned to the academy. Like all students talk about school: bad food, strict teachers, frustration with test scores, worries about the future...

Jia Huan listened with a smile, occasionally interjecting a few words.

As he was talking, a green-shirted gentleman walked quickly through the pine forest, panting and smiling: "Head Jia, you are really here." Luo Jiaolang is looking for you. ”

"Oh, thank you Brother Liu for coming and telling me." Jia Huan stood up and thanked him. It was Liu Yichen, a disciple of the inner house. He met Liu Yichen at noon at noon on the 28th of last month when he was eating in the cafeteria.

Jia Huan had something to do, and this "dinner" of all the classmates inviting guests and congratulating them naturally dispersed.

Saying goodbye to Liu Yichen, Yi Junjie and other classmates at the intersection, Jia Huan went to Luo Jiaolang's residence in the West Chamber alone, wondering what Luo Jiaolang was looking for him. His course on the Book of Songs was completed yesterday.

…

…

Luo Jiaolang's dormitory is in the middle of the West Wing. Jia Huan knocked on the door and entered, and Luo Jiaolang was correcting the article at the desk full of papers.

This dormitory is spacious, about 70 or 80 square meters. Beds, desks, bookcases, wardrobes, and tables by the windows are lined up in order. Washing utensils, wooden barrels, wooden basins, etc. are in the corners. It's really a bit poor.

Luo Jiaolang was a middle-aged man with a short beard, wearing a simple jade-colored shirt, squinting at Jia Huan with small eyes, and took out a piece of paper from the pile of papers, "Do this question here for me." ”

"Yes, sir." Jia Huan stepped forward to the desk and picked up the title, on which were written the sentences of the Book of Poetry: The mountains look up, and the scenery stops. Although I can't reach it, my heart yearns for it. From the Book of Poetry - Xiaoya - Che Jurisdiction. This is to ask him to write eight strands here.

Jia Huan took pen and ink from Luo Jiaolang, sat down on the side of the table, and began to think about solving the problem, undertaking the topic, and starting to speak...

An hour later. The afternoon sun shines through the windows and falls on the hard ground.

Jia Huan racked his brains to write an eight-strand article and put it in front of Luo Jiaolang. Luo Jiaolang glanced at it roughly, and said very "poisonously": "If you can pass the Wanping County test with such an article, I will call you sir." ”

Jia Huan: "...."

Luo Jiaolang pinched his nose and commented, a very hurtful action, and said: "The rhetoric is lacking, the literature and science are acceptable, and the literary tone is mediocre." Rough and messy. Grammar is not timely. Since you only have such a level, do you dare to rush to get off the field? Tsk, courage is commendable! ”

Jia Huan could only smile wordlessly. Although he has recently practiced the eight-strand essay under Ye Jiaolang's professor, he has practiced the four book questions. Pentateuch question, he is blind. Write it on his true level.

The most important thing in the county examination is the first exam: one of the four books and five classics, and one poem of five words and eight rhymes. Of these three questions, four are the most important. Grinding guns in battle, it is naturally a priority to assault the four book titles.

Luo Jiaolang took out a piece of paper from the scroll, put it on the table, and pointed a little with his fingers, "Take it out." If it weren't for Brother Ye's face, I would definitely charge you 10 taels of silver. ”

Jia Huan took the piece of paper suspiciously and looked at it, and suddenly his face showed joy. It turned out to be the guarantee that was needed for the county test registration. The guarantor is Luo Hong, a student of Wanping County. Luo Hong must be Luo Jiaolang's name.

Jia Huan thought that Ye Jiaolang would help him find five children who participated in the county test in Wanping County. I didn't expect it to be the way of Tuo Luo Lang. What he didn't expect was that the unattractive Luo Jiaolang turned out to be a student of Wanping County.

The children who pass the college examination are called students, which are commonly known as "Xiucai". Xiucai is divided into three levels, Yusheng (廪食生人), Zengguang (Zengguang Shengren) student, and Episheng (attached student). Yusheng is the best in the county school, and he can receive the rice of the court every month, which is a bit of a public-funded student. In addition, as long as you get the second class in the year-end examination, you can obtain the qualification for the township examination.

Jia Huan was a little speechless in his heart: It is worthy of the poisonous tongue Luo Jiaolang. It was a good thing to call him here, but I scolded him alive.

Seeing Jia Huan's happy face, Luo Jiaolang snorted and said, "Tong Sheng is not famous. It stands to reason that when I heard that the head of the academy had passed the county examination, I didn't ask anything, so I should compete for the first place in the county examination. It's just that you have a good knowledge of current writing...

I know what you're thinking. The mountain chief has a lot of dealings with Zhao Junbo, the magistrate of Wanping County. You are now the head of the courtyard, serving by the side of the mountain chief. But I want to give you a word: ten thousand words are better than one silence. ”

Silence is golden. It's actually pointing. Because, at Jia Huan's age, being able to stand by the side of the mountain chief Zhang Anbo as the head of the courtyard is enough to make people remember him. Age is his calling card. There is no need for eloquence. It's just that Luo Jiaolang speaks, and he has to hurt people.

Jia Huan saluted, "Mr. Xie." ”

Luo Jiaolang waved his hand and sent Jia Huan out.

Jia Huan came out of Luo Jiaolang's dormitory, looked at the knot in his hand, and sighed in his heart. He now understands the escort process of the ancient imperial examination. It's not a fool's name! This is simply a dark box operation.

As long as you say hello to the county magistrate in advance, is it difficult to pass the county test? It's not hard!

Although there are rules on the format of the eight-strand text. But in the end, it belongs to the category of language composition. It's subjective. The examiner has a lot of autonomy over how many points to give. Sure enough, how many questions do you know about reading people?

Jia Huan now understands the whole of Ye Jiaolang's plan. First of all, he has to obtain the title of head of the academy and obtain the qualification to follow the mountain chief Zhang Anbo. Secondly, the mountain chief will travel with the magistrate, and he wants to leave an impression in front of the magistrate.

In this way, as long as his eight-strand essay is not written in a bullshit manner, or commits obvious taboos. The county test must be passed.

In the corridor, Jia Huan let out a long breath, and the dawn appeared!

Now, it's time for him to go back to the capital to register for the exam.