Amid the mocking gazes of the crowd, Zhu Ping'an calmly ate the two dishes he ordered and the steamed bun and beef soup, then went back to his room to rest, stroking his slightly bloated stomach.
Looking at Zhu Ping'an's departing back, voices of ridicule rose one after another in the lobby.
"This fool has a good appetite..."
"He has eaten two meals in the examination room, and now he has eaten two whole steamed buns, a big bowl of beef soup and two dishes. Is he a pig..."
"Good-for-nothing, I am ashamed to be associated with him."
Amid the mockery of Zhu Ping'an, the tense atmosphere that had been building for the entire day dissipated unknowingly. Perhaps this was an unexpected gain for everyone.
After a good meal and a good sleep, Zhu Ping'an went out the next morning as usual, carrying a schoolbag across his shoulder and a black wooden board.
Inside the inn, snoring sounds were heard everywhere. After a busy day yesterday, the students and scholars were finally relaxing and sleeping soundly.
Walking on the wet bluestone slabs, I came to the riverside again, put down the black wooden board, rubbed my hands and started the daily compulsory lessons.
The rising sun dyed half the sky red. When visibility improved, Zhu Ping'an put away his brush and black wooden board, took out a book from his schoolbag that contained copies of "The Great Edict of the Ming Dynasty", "The Great Ming Law" and currently published laws, and began to read it with relish.
Because the second exam is about the judgment, there are five judgments, edicts, memorials, internal affairs, and science. At this time, review the laws of the Ming Dynasty, so that you will have a deeper impression when you take the exam. In fact, the Great Edict of the Ming Dynasty is very interesting. It was compiled by Zhu Yuanzhang himself. This law emphasizes severe punishment. Zhu Yuanzhang used all means to promote this law. He printed tens of millions of copies, and every official had a copy. Every household had a copy. It can be said to be the law with the largest circulation. However, Zhu Yuanzhang's theory of severe punishments did not conform to the national conditions of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yuanzhang's successors also issued new laws. The function of Zhu Yuanzhang's law now is the imperial examination.
Just as they were reading with great interest, the young girls and wives who were washing silk and pounding rice came again. They were no longer surprised by this young man who sat by the river reading early in the morning every day. Moreover, he served as a diversion from the feudal ethics that had been suppressed for a long time for them, and they would tease him a few times every day.
With so many young girls and wives together, they are not afraid of gossip.
"Little scholar, why didn't I see you coming to read yesterday? Hehehe, could it be that..." A bold young wife made a cheerful voice in the crowd.
Then there was the sneering laughter of a large group of women and the shy complaints of unmarried girls.
Zhu Ping'an was no longer surprised as he was teased by these young girls and wives every morning.
"The county exam was held yesterday, and I'm going to the next exam." Zhu Ping'an put the books back into his schoolbag and prepared to leave.
Zhu Ping'an had almost reached a tacit understanding with these young girls and wives. Whenever they came here to pound rice or wash clothes, Zhu Ping'an would collect their things and leave.
"Hehe, if you ask me, you will definitely pass the exam if you work hard every day, little scholar."
Hearing the voice coming from behind him, Zhu Ping'an couldn't help but smile. Since he participated in the imperial examination, all he heard were words like "if you fail, you need to learn from experience" and so on. This was the first time he heard someone say that they could pass.
"Thank you for your good words."
Zhu Ping'an didn't even turn his head, but waved and thanked loudly.
Zhu Ping'an's words made the young girls and wives laugh again. If it were someone else, they would definitely be modest and say something like "Not at all, not at all" or "I'm still far from it". But he had the nerve to even borrow your good words without blushing. He is really an interesting young man.
After leaving the riverside, Zhu Ping'an found another snack bar, as if he wanted to try all the delicious food in Huaining.
This is how the day went, and it repeated itself.
On the second day, when Zhu Ping'an returned to the inn after breakfast, he found that all the students in the inn were excited and in chaos.
"Hurry, hurry up, the county magistrate is about to file a case."
As soon as the voice was heard, the crowd was in a state of excitement, their faces flushed, and they rushed out in a large group, either expectant or anxious. Even Zhu Ping'an, who had just returned, was dragged out of the door by his uncle Zhu Shouren and others.
For a moment, the whole street was noisy and boiling, as if a drop of cold water had splashed into an oil pan.
Zhu Ping'an was pulled and dragged by his uncle and others, and almost spilled the crab roe soup and lotus seed soup he had eaten in the morning.
The place where the county magistrate posted the results was in an open space outside the county government office. The announcement of the county exam results was called "faan". Before the time came, the wall where the list of candidates was posted was already crowded with students, and they were eager to fight to grab a good position. Zhu Ping'an and his friends arrived late, so they had to wait outside.
Fortunately, no case has been reported yet, and the students and scholars have not lost their composure. There are just some of them who are still kneeling and muttering something. If you listen carefully, they are praying to the gods passing by to bless them and let them be on the list.
"The first estimate of the case is made, and the purchase is done."
"Students who read this book will receive fifty coins for each note they make."
There was a commotion nearby. It turned out that someone had opened a betting site near the crime scene and was making predictions about the crime.
At this time, few scholars criticized this. Most people actively participated in it, saying that betting on a good start was also an elegant thing.
"Zhi'er, what's your seat number?" Uncle Zhu Shouren asked enthusiastically while looking at the odds, because the seat numbers were announced for the first three county examinations, and only the names would be announced after the admissions in the last examination, which was called the "long case", so the uncle asked Zhu Ping'an's seat number.
Well
Looking at my uncle's expression, he must be betting that I will lose.
Zhu Ping'an told his uncle Zhu Shouren his seat number, and his uncle immediately squeezed into the crowd holding a handful of copper coins.
After a long while, the uncle came out again with the money in his hand, looking dejected. Zhu Ping'an asked and found out that his name was not in the odds at all. He was not among the top ten, and even the last one was not in the B list. It showed how unpopular he was.
After a long time, a gong sounded, and several yamen runners in bright red uniforms came playing suona, accompanying a minor official holding a notice in his hand. The people were so excited that they made way for them to go in and post the notice.
The notice was very large, and the clerk had to stand on a high chair and with the help of the yamen runners, he was able to post the big red notice on the high wall.
This is a large piece of red paper with seat numbers written on it. There are a total of more than 700 seat numbers written in a circle on the list. The words are also very large and can be seen even from the outskirts of the crowd.
Soon the crowd was in an uproar, with voices of great joy and sorrow coming one after another. Some people were so overjoyed that they shouted "I passed" and so on, and they grabbed the people next to them and shook them. Some people cried and shouted "The county is unfair and the exam is rigged" and so on, and they cried and banged their heads on the ground... ...
Zhu Ping'an stood on tiptoe and carefully looked for his seat number on the list. Before he finished reading the entire list, he heard the excited voice of his uncle next to him.
"As expected, there really is no seat number for Zhu'er Ru on the list. It's okay, it's okay. With your experience of failing the exam this time, you will have a better chance next year."
Uncle Zhu Shouren stroked his beard and comforted Zhu Ping'an in the manner of an elder, but his brows were full of joy. "Well, you didn't pass, kid? The county examination is not as easy as you thought. The title of "Tongsheng" was not easy to come by, uncle. You must be envious and jealous of me."
Among the more than ten students who came to take the exam together, excluding my uncle and two other students who did not have to take the exam, there were eleven students who took part in the county exam, and six of them were on the list. Those who were on the list comforted those who were not, and they felt superior.
Of course, Zhu Ping'an was the main target of consolation. It would be more appropriate to describe it as ridicule rather than consolation.
Some people laughed at it and said: You can come to take the exam, so your purpose of making up the numbers has been achieved, and you have done a great deed.
Even the consolation was like this: Although you didn’t pass the exam, you ate very well in the examination room.
Or it could be just a naked ridicule, with words like "a glutton", "a snake bitten and a bird chirping", and "a poor man in a woodshed" dreaming of being on the list.
Just when everyone was having a great time laughing, a gong sounded, and several runners in red uniforms came accompanied by a minor official.
"The fifty top-ranked candidates in this county exam are all on this list. Please make way for me to post this list."
Seeing that everyone was crowding around the B-level list that had just been issued and unable to get in, the clerk spoke up loudly, called out to everyone, made way for them, and took the yamen runners in to post the list.
Zhu Ping'an's uncle Zhu Shouren and more than ten other students who were "comforting" him turned a deaf ear to this. They believed that the top 50 A-class students and the first place in the exam had nothing to do with Zhu Ping'an. Those A-class and first place students were all real talents. Zhu Ping'an, who could only eat after entering the examination room, was far inferior to them. So everyone continued to "comfort" Zhu Ping'an.
"You are such a glutton. From now on, use the energy you use to eat to read books..."
"I'm afraid your article is stained with grease and was considered cheating by the county magistrate. Don't do this again in the future..."
"Don't be discouraged, my son. Although you didn't win this time, you have gained experience... Work hard in the future, and your uncle will take time to teach you..."
Pa la pa la, everyone was talking excitedly, and suddenly at this moment, a trembling voice came... ...
"My dear fellows, there is a number on the first-class list, which seems to belong to An Ge'er..."
When the people who were laughing enthusiastically heard this, they stopped laughing abruptly as if they had swallowed a piece of shit, and subconsciously looked up at the A-level list that had just been posted.
Ding Chou
Prominently on the list
It is Zhu Ping'an's seat number.