Time is precious. There are 24 hours in a day, not a single minute more.
Even if Zhu Ping'an cherishes time, his fingers are too wide and time is too thin, so time still slips away quietly. The sky can be repaired, the sea can be filled, and the Nanshan Mountains can be moved. The past can never be brought back.
While Zhu Ping'an was studying hard and preparing for the exam, the college entrance examination was already approaching.
"Brother Zhu, Brother Zhu, please go away quickly." Fatty Xue Chi knocked on Zhu Ping'an's door.
Zhu Ping'an, who was reviewing his lessons, opened the door and saw Xue Chi, a fat man with a bruise on his forehead, standing in front of his door with an excited look on his face, as if he had picked up a huge bargain.
"Why are you so anxious? The door is broken, you have to pay for it." Zhu Ping'an had just started to work on the topic and was about to finish the eight-part essay in one go, but the sound of the fat man banging on the door disrupted his train of thought, so he looked at the fat man with an unfriendly face.
"What's the matter? The education commissioner has just posted the examination dates for each prefecture in front of the Imperial Examination Hall. Everyone has gone out to take a look. Let's go, hurry up, or there will be no good place if it's too late." As the fat man Xue Chi spoke, his face trembled with excitement.
According to the usual practice, the Nanzhili Academy Examination hosted by the Education Officer was held in the Yingtian Jiangnan Gongyuan, because there were 14 prefectures in Nanzhili, including Yingtian Prefecture, Suzhou Prefecture, Fengyang Prefecture, etc. The number of students who passed the examination this year plus the number of students who passed the examination in the past was quite large. Therefore, even if everyone took the examination in the Yingtian Jiangnan Gongyuan, they were divided into batches. The Nanzhili Academy Examination was basically divided into two batches every year. The first batch was usually several prefectures around Yingtian Prefecture. After the first batch of examinations, the second batch of other prefectures took the examination. There is no need to worry about the problem of leaking questions, because the questions of the two batches of the Academy Examination are different. There is no need to worry about different grades due to different difficulty of the questions, which will cause unfairness, because the questions of candidates in each prefecture are the same, and the Academy Examination results are also issued separately according to each prefecture. Each prefecture has a fixed number of passing places, which are divided into three levels: large, medium and small according to the level of literary style and the number of money, grain and people in each place. Large prefectures have more places, and small prefectures have relatively fewer places. Large prefectures have 40 places, medium prefectures have 30 places, and small prefectures have 20 places. Among the prefectures in Nanzhili, Yingtian Prefecture, Fengyang Prefecture and Suzhou Prefecture were large prefectures, and the rest were medium prefectures.
Conventions are conventions, but no one can guarantee that there will be no changes this year. As the saying goes, plans cannot keep up with changes. The order of each academy examination is based on the examination date announced by the official in charge of education.
"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go." Fatty Xue Chi urged with his fat face pouting.
At the repeated urging of Fatty Xue Chi, Zhu Ping'an closed the door and went downstairs with Fatty Xue Chi towards the Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall.
Before I even reached the Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall, I heard a lot of noise and discussion over there. It seemed that the examination dates in various prefectures had changed this year.
When we got almost to Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall, we couldn't move any further because there were too many people. Students from various prefectures had come to see the sign announcing the exam date. Even if the gate of Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall was wide, it couldn't hold all of them.
"Copy the exam date sign word for word, 20 cents per copy." At this time, some shrewd businessmen and hawkers hurriedly copied hundreds of exam date signs and sold them on the spot, making a lot of money.
"Give me two." The fat man took out a handful of money from his pocket and waved it at the vendor.
The vendor came to collect the money and gave the fat man two copies of the manuscript. After the fat man received it, he casually gave one to Zhu Pingan. Zhu Pingan did not refuse and took it and started reading.
As expected, this time the education officials made major adjustments to the examination periods in each prefecture. Although it was also divided into two batches, it was very different from previous years.
The education official divided the fourteen prefectures into two groups in the examination date notice. The first group of seven prefectures, namely Yingtian, Fengyang, Huai'an, Yangzhou, Suzhou, Anqing, and Chizhou, will take the exam tomorrow. The second group includes the remaining Songjiang, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, Luzhou, Taiping, Ningguo, and Huizhou, and the exam will be held three days later. Candidates must gather at the gate of Jiangnan Imperial Examination Hall at 5 to 6 o'clock in the morning on the day of the exam and be called to enter.
"Hahaha, Brother Zhu, we can take the exam together." Fatty Xue Chi looked at the sign announcing the exam date and laughed so hard that his eyes almost disappeared.
"Yeah." Zhu Pingan responded lightly.
"To celebrate the fact that we are taking the exam together, my brother is treating us. We won't go home until we are drunk today." The fat man said as he was about to pull Zhu Ping'an to go to the restaurant together.
Hearing this, Zhu Ping'an almost couldn't help but kick the fat guy in the face so hard that it became two sizes bigger. Damn it, the exam is tomorrow, and you're not going to come back until you're drunk!
"I just finished breakfast, no thanks." Zhu Pingan replied indifferently.
"That doesn't matter. Let's go. I wish us all good luck in passing the college entrance examination. We won't go home until we are drunk..." The fat man was very enthusiastic, and the gold locket around his neck was dazzling.
Damn it, I won’t go home until I’m drunk. What’s the point of taking the exam tomorrow
In response, Zhu Pingan replied calmly, "I bought a bag last year!"
"Bag? Purse? I bought it last year. What are you talking about now? Let's go, let's go..." Fatty Xue Chi was still enthusiastic and not worried about tomorrow's exam at all.
Well, the ancients didn’t understand the mystery.
"Forget it, I have to go back and ask for help." Zhu Ping'an was determined not to go along with the fat man.
"Hey, you are usually very diligent, and you are still working so hard. The exam is tomorrow, so one day doesn't make a difference." The fat man pouted and said helplessly.
"I advise you to go back and read some books. You have an exam tomorrow and you have to rush to the entrance of the Imperial Examination Hall early in the morning for roll call. What's the point of taking the exam if you don't come back drunk? It won't be too late to stay awake after the exam." Zhu Ping'an patted the fat man's shoulder and walked towards the inn.
"Oh, oh, Brother Zhu, wait for me..."
Fatty Xue Chi chased after Zhu Pingan, shouting, "Let's make a deal. After the exam, we won't go home until we're drunk. Hehe, then I'll take you to the other side to open your eyes..."
Finally, under Zhu Ping'an's persuasion, the fat man went back to the attic to read. As for the effect, no one knows.
Zhu Ping'an returned to the inn, sat at the table, and recalled all the memories of eight-legged essays he had read in the past. Thanks to his rebirth, his memory in this life was surprisingly good.
Most of the other students in the inn were busy preparing for the college entrance examination. The business of the Jinfenyulou on the other side of the Qinhuai River also dropped by half. The ones who were still promoting their consumption were all powerful people who were either confident or conceited. Otherwise, how could they stay in such a beautiful place
One step forward brings you a bright future; one step back brings you shame.
It was late at night and the inn was lit up everywhere. The rare students and scholars were sitting by the windows reviewing their lessons for the exams. I wonder how many of them lost sleep that night.