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Chapter 479 Gathering together

After the candidates had finished their exams, it was the turn of the CEO, the 18th Fang and their subordinates to get busy. After getting the test paper, the first step is to classify it according to the scriptures, and then take it to the Mi Feng official to fold the corners and seal the place where the name is written, and stamp it.

The sealed test paper will be sent to the copying officer, who will use a red pen to copy every word in the test paper, and then two reading officers will check each other, one will take the red paper and the other will take the black paper. There should be no one word difference. The original was to be sealed and no one was allowed to see it until the list was released.

At this time, the red paper can be sent to the examiner from the 18th room and the two CEO examiners for formal review. They can neither see the candidate's name nor the candidate's font, but can only see the content, which technically eliminates collusion. fraud.

In fact, the transcription officer has already reviewed the test papers. The transcription officer is checking the content while transcribing. If there are any problems such as violating taboos, revealing one's family background, insufficient number of words, and the paper is not neat and tidy, he will go directly to the examination paper without waiting for the president and Shibafang to mark the papers. eliminated.

The examiners from the Eighteenth House will write comments on the favorite test papers. If these candidates win the Jinshi, they will be the students of the same examiner. In the future, they will be regarded as teachers and students in the officialdom, supporting each other and supporting each other.

Relatively speaking, the comments written by the examiners are much less. First, they major in different types of scriptures. Second, they are all high-ranking officials in the imperial court. They only think about people all day long and do not have much time to think about knowledge. Their level has long been stagnant. I'm sorry, I can't write very exciting comments, so I just write less to avoid embarrassment.

The entire examination lasts for about two decades, and the results are usually released at the end of February. On this day, you can see all kinds of life at the gate of Gongyuan, and you can also taste the change of the world and the change of people's hearts.

Those who win the exam will smile happily and call friends. As a tribute scholar, as long as there are no big problems and they will not be eliminated from the palace examination, they will most likely become a Jinshi and embark on a new journey to become a master.

The losers either burst into tears or looked at each other with a bitter smile, feeling extremely lonely. They went back to their residences dejectedly to pack their bags and prepare to go home to receive the cold stares and ridicules again. Then they continued to study hard in the cold window, hoping not to make the same mistake again when they stand at the gate of Gongyuan three years later.

Most of them have a bleak future. After three years and three years and three decades, there are many people who fail to pass the Jinshi exam. The years of youth cannot bear to be wasted, and I feel empty and sad, and my young head turns gray.

In early February, as the examination date approached, candidates from all over the country gathered in the capital. Some were still studying hard every day, while others were running non-stop between various guild halls to make friends.

The triennial imperial examination is not only a summary of knowledge but also a stage for displaying communication skills. Regardless of whether you pass the exam or not, you will always gain from being familiar with them first. No matter how many people you have a drink with, you will become the number one scholar in the next day. Networking is an important help after entering the officialdom.

In Qipan Street inside Zhengyangmen, in addition to various shops and stalls, most of them are restaurants, teahouses and theaters. Among them, the most famous one is Jieyun Tower in Xijiangmi Lane. Its characteristic is not the exquisite dishes but the integration of restaurants, teahouses and theaters. In the words of later generations, it should be called a comprehensive entertainment city.

It consists of four three-story wooden buildings, surrounded by a Hui character. The stage is set up in the middle, facing north and south. Guests can sit in the building to dine, drink tea, listen to books and watch plays.

There was a peak tourist season in later generations, and it was similar in ancient times. Just after the New Year, all walks of life in the capital have invariably raised their prices, obviously to take advantage of the popularity of candidates from all over the country coming to Beijing to take the exam. Youdao means no businessman, no treachery.

Faced with this kind of behavior, local people may reduce the frequency of consumption. Anyway, it only happens once every three years. It only takes two months to endure it, so it is not too much of a problem. However, foreign merchants and officials could not avoid it, or they did not know at all that they had to go where the excitement was when they finally came to the capital.

The food prices, tea prices, and room rates at Jieyunlou have also increased a lot, but the business is not deserted at all, and the house is still full of guests every day. Most of them are candidates with different appearances, speaking in southern and northern accents, and dressed as scholars rushing to take exams. "Youxuan, Youxuan, this way, this way..." There is a table of four people sitting on the second floor facing the street, some wearing Confucian scarves or big hats, wearing green round-collared robes, obviously dressed like a scholar, and they are all about the same age. Appearing in his twenties.

At this time, another man dressed in the same dress came up from downstairs. As he was looking left and right, someone at the table stood up and shouted. He looked a little older, and although he spoke in Mandarin, he had a thick accent, which attracted the attention of the tea drinkers around him.

"Brother Jing Shuo, I'm a little late. It's your fault... who are these?" Juzi, known as Youxuan, strode over. His Mandarin accent was similar to the former's. He saw three other people sitting at the table. People quickly clasped their fists and asked for advice.

"They are all friends I made in Beijing. This is Yuan Yuanyu!" Juzi, known as Jing Shuo, quickly introduced them one by one.

"Yuan Chonghuan, Teng County, Guangxi, born in the twelfth year of Wanli!" A man immediately stood up from the left and announced his home with clasped fists and a salute. If Hong Tao were present, he would definitely be surprised, disappointed and relieved at first.

Yuan Chonghuan, a very controversial celebrity in the late Ming Dynasty, was not only young but also a bit unattractive. He was dark, thin and short, and had nothing to do with adjectives such as handsome and handsome.

"Zhuang Daozhou, Zhangpu County, Zhangzhou Prefecture, is one year older!" Later, he also clasped his fists in return.

"Zhang Chun and Zhang Taiyu from Tongzhou, Shaanxi, I'm sorry, brother Youxuan, but I'm one year older than you!" The next person looked decent, but his accent was a bit thick.

"Hahaha, brother Taiyu is so happy!" Huang Daozhou returned the favor again with his fists clasped.

"Song Yingxing from Fengxin, Jiangxi Province, whose courtesy name is Chang Geng... Alas, the four of us are all elder brothers, and the younger brother can only be at the bottom!" The last one standing up has a slightly fairer complexion, speaks standard Mandarin, but is a bit thin, and has a big hat on his head. Daggering like a bean sprout.

"Youxuan, why did you arrive in Beijing so late? We have been here for many days and had the honor to visit Mr. Chengsuo, the editor of "Half Moon Talk". We talked for nearly an hour and gained a lot!"

After the five people exchanged greetings, they sat down one after another. The elder Juzi raised the teapot and poured it in a circle. He was the first to ask why Huang Daozhou was late. It sounded like the two of them should have known each other for a long time and were quite familiar with each other.

"Sigh... It's a pity that I can't help myself. I was supposed to leave at the beginning of last month, but who would have thought that the Navy would hold a tender in Quanzhou to find a buyer. My father is frail and sick, so I can only run around the house first, which lasted for twenty days."

"Half Moon Talk" is very famous in Guangdong and Fujian. Even Ma Jinglun became a celebrity and was very popular among local scholars. Huang Daozhou felt regretful after hearing that he had missed the opportunity to interview his idol.

"Oh? The Navy is inviting tenders again. What kind of magic is this time?" The middle-aged Juren was a little complacent at first, but as soon as he heard about the Navy's tenders, he immediately stopped complaining and kept asking.

(End of this chapter)