Great Zhou Wensheng

Chapter 12 Entering the Examination Room
Jiang Xingzhou and Gu Zhimian were standing by the corridor pillars, discussing in hushed tones what kind of exam questions the chief examiner, Cai Chao, might ask.

After listening to what Gu Zhimian had just said, he frowned slightly and said thoughtfully, "Cai Xuezheng has always favored agricultural classics, but I wonder which classics he might be involved in?"

“Tsai Hsueh-cheng took office at the county academy last month and served as its head. When inspecting the mulberry fields, he tested the county school students on Chen Fu’s “Agricultural Book” in the fields.”

Last night I pondered until midnight, and it's very likely that the test will focus on rice varieties from Jiangnan!

If that's the case, I'm about 70-80% sure I'll pass the exam.

However, if one were to delve into the "Essential Techniques for the Common People," its intricate details would likely be overwhelming.

Gu Zhimian's tone carried a hint of worry.

Jiang Xingzhou nodded slightly. "The Essential Techniques for the Common People" is indeed extensive and complex, exceeding the capabilities of most beginners.

"Boom~!"

But then, the morning bell rang, and the vermilion gates of the county college creaked open.

Two teams of over a hundred yamen runners filed out, their expressions stern, each carrying a long stick.

"Jiangyin students, line up and enter the county examination hall!"

Zheng Shuqian, the Imperial Examiner of the Academy, dressed in a black official robe, stood solemnly before the gate, holding a ruler in his hand. The gold-lacquered character "肃" (su, meaning solemn) reflected a cold light as he shouted, "According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, anyone who brings in illegal items will be punished with thirty strokes of the cane and permanently stripped of their academic honors!"

His gaze swept over the crowd of students like a hawk's, sending chills down their spines.

When a candidate passed through the Dragon Gate, his examination kit, his entire body, and even the soles of his shoes were subject to a body search by the yamen runners.

The constables opened Mengsheng's examination box, ransacking it thoroughly, searching every item including the box, writing brushes, inkstones, paper, pastries, and food.

You Mengsheng's inkstone contained oiled paper, and he was immediately seized by the fierce yamen runners, who used clamps to drag him out and beat him with sticks.

County Magistrate Shen Yanqing, holding an ink brush, was marking the names of the candidates found to have cheated in the registration book. Next to each name, a plum blossom was drawn, signifying that they would never be allowed to take the exam again.

The rest of the students, carrying their exam kits, didn't dare to breathe loudly as they nervously lined up to pass through the county college gate's inspection, fearing something might go wrong.

Only after entering the county academy did I breathe a sigh of relief. I registered with the yamen runners of the county government and received my examination number and examination room.

"Submit the student's name card!"

The clerk in charge of the ceremonial office spoke coldly.

All the students presented their name cards.

Jiang Xingzhou handed his name card to the clerk in the Department of Ceremonies.

It contained a detailed description of his name, age, place of origin, physique, and physical characteristics.

At the same time, the resumes of the living and deceased three generations of great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents should also be filled out. If the person is adopted, the resumes of the three generations of the person's biological parents should also be filled out.

And please have a guarantor of a scholar of the county rank or above.

It guarantees that they will not impersonate others, conceal deaths, use substitutes, or assume false names. It guarantees that their background is clean, that they are not the son or grandson of prostitutes or clerks, and that they themselves have not committed any crimes or engaged in any profession.

Only after completing the above identity verification and having their name card stored in the county government's ceremonial office are they allowed to take the exam.

"Jiang Xingzhou?"

"Exactly!"

The clerk took one look at the gilded name card of the student going to the examination. The gold-leafed paper read "Jiangyin County, Jiangxingzhou," and the guarantor was from the Duke of Xue's mansion.

He immediately became solemn and dared not be negligent in the slightest.

This gilded letter was placed separately in a sandalwood box—a name card from a prominent family in Jiangyin, which had always been a priority for the government and was not treated the same as those from ordinary poor families.

Moreover, this is a name card from the Xue family, the most prestigious family in Jiangyin County.

"Jiang Xingzhou, verify your identity and receive the examination pass number 7 (Class A)!"

After completing the verification process, the students entered the county academy. They first bowed in respect to the chief examiner, Cai Chao, the four deputy examiners, and the supervising instructors.

On the academy's sandalwood altar, wine, rice offerings, and various sacrificial vessels were laid out. The academic administrator, Cai Chao, having fasted and bathed, led the students in offering incense and paying homage to the seventy-two sages of the Great Zhou Dynasty's Confucian Temple—Laozi, Confucius, Mencius, Zhuangzi, Mozi, Sunzi, Zouzi, Han Feizi, Guiguzi, and Xuzi—the founding heroes of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

This is to honor the Way of Literature!

"The sages opened up the path of literature, overcoming obstacles and hardships."

Fuxi governed by tying knots!

Shennong kneaded wood to make a plow!
We, the scholars of today, follow the example of our sages, undeterred by difficulties, and strive forward!

After Cai Chao finished reciting the sacrificial eulogy, he then read out the procedures and rules for the county examination to the more than one thousand students present.

The county-level examination for candidates for the imperial examination in Jiangyin County consisted of three sessions.

The first session is the main session, based on the sacred texts of the Confucian Temple, where participants write an essay on the topic of "[Word Techniques and Literary Arts]".

The admission criteria are relatively lenient; those with fluent writing skills can be admitted, while those with fragmented and disjointed writing will be rejected.

The exam results were announced immediately after the exam, and the top 300 students were selected. Anyone who failed the first round was eliminated and could not take the second round.

The second exam was for beginners, and the task was to write a short essay on a given topic.

The proctoring was tightened, and any paper with ink stains was eliminated. Only the top 100 were selected.

The third session is the final session, where participants will write a poem on a given topic.

The examination is the most difficult, and the top thirty will be listed in the county's school roster. From then on, they will enjoy the salary of the Great Zhou Dynasty, receive three bushels of millet per month, and can enter the county's Confucian temple at any time to pay homage to the sage and seek enlightenment.

Furthermore, the top five candidates and the first-place candidate in the preliminary examination were selected and given special rewards.

All essays, poems, prose, and aspirations have a certain format and must not violate temple taboos, imperial names, or sacred taboos.

The exam paper has red lines for horizontal and vertical lines, and two extra sheets of plain paper are provided for drafting.

Candidates must not write their answers outside the sealed line; those who violate this rule will receive a score of zero.

The exam papers had seat numbers on them. After the papers were handed in, the clerks would seal the papers in front of everyone, seal the answers in a paper bag, and submit it to the chief examiner for review.

All examination papers from the three sessions of the county examination had to be archived for review by the prefectural officials, so they had to be written in writing.

The county examinations were held at sunrise and the examination halls were locked at sunset, with no candles provided.

A light snow fell in the early morning, and the county college was cleaned up by the yamen runners.

Jiang Xingzhou carried a heavy examination box on his back and held his examination card number [A7], and arrived at the examination room where his number was assigned.

The county college has more than a thousand temporary examination rooms, which are neatly arranged in rows. They are all very simple wooden plank and thatched huts to keep out the cold, and are about 10 feet long and wide, all facing south.

The chief and deputy examiners sat in the main hall of the county college, reviewing the examination papers.

Candidates took their seats according to their assigned examination cards. Hundreds of yamen runners patrolled the area, displaying the examination questions on posters. The candidates then began their examinations.

Jiang Xingzhou discovered that the examination rooms on his left and right, numbered A, were filled entirely with scions of prominent families—Xue Gui, Xue Fu, Han Yugui, Lu Ming, Cao An, Li Yunxiao, and dozens of other students.

Gu Zhimian was assigned to Examination Room B.

However, even in the examination room of Jiazi, there were only two simple wooden planks; candidates had to bring everything else themselves, and there were no preferential treatments.

Jiang Xingzhou sat in the cramped examination room, took a piece of fragrant and glutinous crab roe pastry from the sealed bronze gui vessel in the examination room, ate it, and drank a few sips of sweet spring water to moisten his throat.

The county-level exam lasted all day, consuming a great deal of physical and mental energy. Candidates were confined to their assigned exam rooms and were only allowed to leave after the exam ended at sunset.

After he had eaten his fill, he sat upright on the wooden board, closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, shutting out all the noise.

Waiting for the proctor to release the exam questions.

Jiang Xingzhou didn't think much about how many places he could get in the exam.

Passing the preliminary examination and ranking in the top thirty would be enough to satisfy anyone, as it would allow them to receive a modest salary from the imperial court. With the title of a preliminary scholar, they could also support themselves.

(End of this chapter)