The morning sun came again late. It was already past noon, but the sky was still dark, as if it was still a deep night. Chengxian Street in front of the Imperial College gradually had some people, but they were not the diligent students, but the vendors who got up early to do breakfast business.
This is a common sight on Chengxian Street. There is everything from tofu pudding, soy milk, sesame cakes, dumplings, steamed buns, noodles, porridge, etc. However, the first few vendors to arrive suddenly discovered that someone had arrived earlier than them!
Realizing that their previously agreed-upon territories might be occupied by these newcomers, several vendors became anxious. However, when these people pushed their carts and quickly rushed forward to argue, they were shocked to find that these newcomers were all dressed in black cloaks, standing silently like nails under the eight-character wall in front of the Imperial College, and the distance between each person was even uniform.
Just as several vendors were panicking, thinking that something had happened in the Imperial College, and sent people to watch over the place, someone suddenly cried out in surprise. Although the person who made the sound immediately covered his mouth, he still pointed at the wall behind the people in black cloaks.
Seeing that the wall was covered with yellow paper notices, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. They were all small vendors doing breakfast business, and they might be able to calculate the price and recognize a few words, but to understand so many notices, most people were naturally unable to do it. But there was one thing that everyone understood, that is, this notice should be a good thing.
Otherwise, why would they use yellow paper? You know, in the past, when the results of provincial and imperial examinations were announced, colored paper was used. For ordinary notices, white paper with ink words would suffice!
Now that they knew it was not a bad thing, the group of small vendors felt relieved. For a moment, no one paid attention to these big men in black cloaks. They pushed their carts to the places where they usually did business and started to make fires. A quarter of an hour later, the sky gradually became a little light, and most of the vendors besides them had arrived and also noticed the abnormality at the first time.
Although most people didn't have time to watch the fun and were busy with their own things, there were some curious and literate people who went over to take a look after they had finished cleaning up. But they didn't look for long before they hurried back and shouted to the other vendors on the left and right: "It's the result of the previous selection of attendants for the Eastern Palace by the Imperial College. Everyone's ranking has been announced!"
After doing business in front of the Imperial College for many years, most of the vendors have a consensus.
First, one must be sensible in doing business, that is, at this hour in the morning, it doesn't matter if they block the entrance to the world's highest institution of learning, but if they are greedy and want to extend the time, then the officers from the nearby Shuntian government office will come to drive them away!
Second, nine out of ten students in the Imperial College are just empty-headed and have little real talent. Therefore, it is rare to see a Jinshi degree from a student in the Imperial College. There is only one in 10 to 20 years. This time, the Crown Prince selected the attendants for the Eastern Palace in the Imperial College. In their opinion, it is not as good as the Jiuzhang Hall! At least the students in the Jiuzhang Hall are hardworking, easy-going, and have a good teacher!
Even though they thought so, the peak of the number of students was about to arrive, and no one, including the vendor who had just come to watch the excitement, had time to check the rankings on the list, and they all hurried to do their own work. Even though there was no shouting as per convention, as the aroma gradually dissipated, the first batch of customers finally arrived.