Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 11788 The best of both worlds
Changping Village, Wanghai County.

"Why go to the capital? Didn't you say that once the exam results were released, we could go home?" Wang Cuilian asked.

The other elders also looked bewildered. Although Da'an had walked this path years ago, they still couldn't remember it!
At that time, weren't we just too busy being excited and happy?
Yang Ruoqing was a little embarrassed: "Ah, I was the one who said that. I only half understood it myself, hehe, please forgive me. Let Xiao An explain it to everyone!"

Everyone gave Yang Ruoqing a friendly smile, saying, "At least you understand half of it, unlike us, who don't even understand half of it."

Yang Ruoqing felt even more ashamed. It's best to understand this stuff completely, but there's really no difference between understanding half of it and not understanding any of it.

In some situations, even partial knowledge can be counterproductive.

Xiao An said, "Let me tell you all about it. The exam that Da Zhi is taking this time is called the Huishi. If you pass the exam, you will be called a Gongsheng."

“Gongsheng can also be called Gongshi, but they are not Jinshi. Therefore, after the metropolitan examination, they still need to go to the capital to participate in the palace examination.”

"Passing the palace examination makes you a disciple of the emperor. My brother and my elder brother Mu Zichuan both became the top scholar and the third-ranked scholar in this way."

"Xiao An, so you mean that Zhi'er and Jinling are going to the capital this time? Good heavens, could they have become the top scholars in the imperial examination?" The person who asked this question was not Wang Cuilian, nor Sun Shi, but Da Sun Shi.

Hearing the commotion, Madam Sun quickly dropped what she was doing and rushed over.

"Auntie, becoming the top scholar isn't easy! In the whole world, only one person like that will emerge this year! It's too difficult!" Yang Ruoqing shook her head gently.

Although she acknowledged that Zhi'er was talented and well-read.

However, to be fair, she won't give him a beauty filter just because he's her son. If he's not good enough, he's not good enough. He has talent, but it's not enough to reach the top.

It's like in later generations, your child studies hard, has a decent IQ, a great family atmosphere, and the right to support the child, spending a lot of money on tutoring classes every year and hiring one-on-one private tutors at home... In the end, your child gets into a 985 university as desired.
Yes, that's Zhi'er's situation.

But for the top scorer, that means... your child was number one in the entire school district from elementary school to high school.

The same thing, the teacher explains it once, and before other students even understand it, your child can already apply it to other situations.

He was only in seventh grade when he started self-studying ninth-grade courses, and in eighth grade, he skipped directly to high school.

They are all directly admitted to universities through the national college entrance examination (Gaokao). Some can even directly enter the top 985 universities' junior class after graduating from junior high school. Even if they want to experience the normal high school process and take the Gaokao, their scores will be the highest in their province and among the top three in the country.

Honestly, such people are geniuses; their intelligence is naturally different from that of ordinary people.

Reaching such heights requires more than just years of hard work, study, and sweat...

Therefore, having lofty ambitions is definitely not an option.

Yang Ruoqing felt that Dazhi had done his best and reached the upper limit of his abilities, which was enough, since he was able to pass the imperial examination and even become a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest level of the imperial examination).

As for Jinling, Yang Ruoqing always had a feeling that although Jinling was five years younger than Dazhi, Jinling's potential was above Dazhi's.

In other words, Jinling's intelligence and ability in learning knowledge far surpasses that of Dazhi.

At the same time, Jinling was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and Dazhi was a pure scholar and poet.

For example, Jinling is not only skilled in both literature and martial arts, but he is also the only direct descendant of the Mohist school. At the same time, he is learning the Mohist knowledge that Zuo Junmo has taught him.

For example, Jinling, despite his young age, is a business genius. He could easily take over the Zuo family's vast business empire. Therefore, when he goes to the capital to participate in the palace examination, Jinling's score might even surpass Dazhi's.

After Xiao An explained the concept to everyone again, everyone basically understood, and now they really understood.

Luo the blacksmith said, "This is good. It allows the children to finish all the exams they need to take in one go, so they can finally relax. Otherwise, they'll be studying every few days and preparing for exams all the time. It'll feel like there's a knife hanging over their heads. They won't be able to eat or drink properly, and the pressure will be immense."

Yang Ruoqing strongly agreed with what Luo the blacksmith said. The pressure was indeed immense. Almost everyone who could go to the capital to participate in the palace examination failed; even the worst candidates would become Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examination).

Those who passed the imperial examination and were of the highest rank were considered disciples of the emperor and could hold official positions to share the emperor's burdens.

He could receive a salary, support his wife and children, and realize his grand ambitions, transforming all his life's learning into practical applications...

"By the way, does that mean it will be a long time before Dazhi can come back?" Sun suddenly asked.

Everyone was counting down the days on their fingers. It's early August now, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner.

Dazhi and his group set off northwards in the next few days. He, Zuo Jinling, and a group of successful candidates from Changhuaizhou traveled together to the capital.

They had already started to make friends. They were all students from Changhuaizhou who had gone to the capital. No matter how well they did in the future, whether in the imperial court or the Hanlin Academy, they were all from the same hometown and would inevitably have to look after each other and stick together for mutual support.

"From Changhuaizhou to the capital, they should be able to get there in about twelve days by taking the official road."

"After arriving there, we will rest and reorganize for about ten days before participating in the palace examination."

"From the time the palace examination is over until the results are announced, and then there are all the procedures and ceremonies, and finally the time to go home... it will probably be the twelfth lunar month by then."

"It's great that we were able to come back before the Lunar New Year," Xiao An said.

Everyone nodded in agreement. "It's alright, it's alright. This is a big deal, a matter of utmost importance."

Yang Ruoqing suddenly thought of something else and asked Xiao An, "What about Xiao Qiao? Did Xiao Qiao and Shaoyao go to the capital with Da Zhi? Or did they stay in Changhuaizhou?"

"Sister, Dazhi said that it will be too cold in the capital in the second half of the year. My nephew's wife is weak and cannot withstand the dryness and cold of the north, so we did not take her with us. But she did not stay in Changhuaizhou either."

"Where is Xiao Qiao?"

“My nephew’s wife and peony came back with me. They are currently in Qing’an County, where Lian’er stopped them.”

"Lian'er asked me to pass on a message to you, telling you to rest assured that she's letting Xiao Qiao stay for a few days and will send her back later."

Yang Ruoqing nodded with a smile: "That's great. Xiao Qiao has been accompanying Da Zhi in his studies, so she's probably under just as much pressure as he has."

"Now that Dazhi is about to reach the shore, Xiao Qiao should relax a bit. Let her stay with Lian'er and have some fun for a few days!"

Wang Cuilian said with a smile, "I guess she'll be back in a few days; she misses Nini."

Madam Sun also said, "Yes, if it weren't for taking care of Dazhi, how could Xiao Qiao bear to leave Nini? Nini is still so young, Xiao Qiao must want to see Nini as soon as possible."

“It’s alright. When Xiao An returns to Qing’an County, I’ll go with him and personally pick up my daughter-in-law,” Yang Ruoqing said.

Xiao An will stay at home for a few days and return to Qing'an County after the Mid-Autumn Festival. Yang Ruoqing will go with her. This way, Xiao Qiao can relax at He Lian'er's place and can also be brought back quickly to reunite with Nini and her daughter. It's a win-win situation.