The daily routine of the ancient imperial examination

Finally came the day of the entrance examination.

The capital examination is different from the rural examination in the provincial capital. Although there are three exams and nine days, you will not be allowed to go out during the nine days. Unlike in the provincial capital, after one exam, go out and rest for a day before continuing to the next exam. .

Similarly, it was also because the time spent in the No. [-] room was too long, and it was not easy to store the meals they brought with them. People in the capital city would provide free meals for nine days.

In the early hours of the night, Shi Yunchen was holding a list and carefully checking what he was going to bring this time, lest he accidentally leave something behind.

"Nan Xing, is everything ready? Go check it again according to the list."

"It should be all right? I have checked it no less than a hundred times in one day today."

Nan Xing didn't accept the list either, so he checked it back and forth.

Lu Xiuyuan looked at the huge pile of luggage in the lobby, his head sank a bit: "A Chen, isn't this a bit too much?"

A small boiler for cooking porridge, a bag of rice and wheat, a jar of pickles and a lot of bacon, behind the overstuffed basket there are several boxes of candied snacks, refreshing ginseng lozenges, and a fox fur cape to keep warm It was also stuffed into the luggage pile.

He couldn't help but wonder, is this for an exam or a vacation?

In addition to these necessities, there are also a series of prohibited items such as quilts, charcoal candles and so on.

Lu Xiuyuan picked out those things that are not needed: "In order to prevent candidates from cheating, the examination room stipulates that they are not allowed to bring such things as quilts and charcoal."

Seeing that the charcoal was picked out, the young master became a little anxious: "I heard that the food provided by the test is plain water and dry biscuits. How can you cook porridge without these things?"

"In order to prevent cheating, there is a special place to sell these things before entering the number room, but it is a bit expensive."

Clean up the unused ones, and there are still three full test baskets left.

"Then I'll ask Nan Xing to bring you some more money." After finishing speaking, he asked Nan Xing to get the money, "By the way, I'll buy two more quilts. You will be closed for nine days. Don't think it's the beginning of spring. If it's a cold spring , that will definitely take away most of your life.”

By the time everything was packed, it was already night time.

Under Lu Xiuyuan's non-stop stop, Shi Yunchen installed two more test baskets for him, "The weather is not hot now, the food in this square basket is just enough for you to eat for the first two days, after finishing these things, cook the porridge Let's eat."

There were too many things, Lu Xiuyuan originally planned for them to walk a few more times, so he set off directly from the back door.

In the end, Nan Xing said that he was careful, and he had to go through the main entrance when starting the exam. Shi Yunchen nodded when he heard this, but they had no choice but to ask the guards to carry things to the main entrance.

It was clearly in the middle of the night, when people were sleeping the most, but because of entering the arena, the general's mansion was brightly lit.

Shi Yunchen's eldest brother is the youngest son of the big house. There are so many children in their family who are the most promising in studying. It can be said that it is the hope of the whole family. Today, they will try to enter the arena. Basically, except for the old lady, everyone is up and struggling see off.

Lu Xiuyuan and the others passed by with their luggage and couldn't help clicking their tongues when they saw their huge lineup.

After greeting him politely, he stood there watching the guards move things into the car.

Sometimes you don't take the initiative to cause trouble, but the trouble will come to you automatically.

Lu Xiuyuan stood here and just yawned, when he saw Shi Yunchen's big brother cast a sidelong glance at this side, and said in a disdainful tone: "My brother-in-law is probably too weak, it's already March now, How about using fox fur to keep out the cold?"

In the dim light, he could see the soreness in the other person's eyes, so he could only spread his hands in a helpless gesture: "I can't help it, Ah Chen said that the bed boards in the No. [-] room are too hard, so let me make the bed boards."

What, what?Fox fur to make bed boards?

The eldest aunt who was arranging the clothes of the eldest brother got stuck.

Except for the fox cloak owned by the ancestors in their house, these sisters-in-law don't have any, and now this junior actually uses fox fur as a mattress?

The eldest aunt's expression was distorted with jealousy, as expected, she was a child who grew up in the country, uneducated, and didn't know how to distribute good things to them elders, and she didn't respect the old and love the young at all.

Although the big hall brother didn't care about the family's financial problems, but seeing his mother's face was not good-looking, he still replied: "Don't be too nervous when my brother-in-law is waiting for the exam. Anyway, it's just a formality. Wait for the next exam. Have experience."

Lu Xiuyuan just smiled: "Thank you for your concern, Brother Tang, I'm fine, I'm just a big hearted person so I won't be nervous."

Hearing this answer, the other party snorted coldly, "Brother Dao, what you said is not groundless. I have read your previous articles on the township examination. Even if you pay homage to the old Shoufu now, it is still impossible to get a title on the gold list in three months. People Be self-aware."

Lu Xiuyuan didn't answer any more, it happened that all his things were packed in the carriage at this moment, so he saluted and said goodbye: "My little brother packed up his things, let's go first."

After getting into the carriage, the carriage began to drive slowly. Shi Yunchen stretched out his hand to help him straighten his collar, and comforted him: "You don't have to pay attention to what the big hall brother said just now, it's all to scare you, he is not good at himself, It has been dropped several times.”

"Well, I don't care about that."

To be serious with that kind of person and waste one's emotions in vain, what's the use of the other party reading his country test paper?Now after half a year of study, he is already very different from when he first entered the capital.

Not to mention others, even he himself can't read the articles on the rural examination, which is rubbish.

Thinking of the big hall brother just now, he also read the other party's article from Shen Congzhi, and he had to say that some people just don't have points for their own level.

The top students always know their score and whether they have any hope of passing the test after completing the questions, but some people have that inexplicable confidence in themselves.

Forget it, there is no exam yet, so it's too early to say anything, let's wait until the exam is over and the rankings are released before drawing conclusions.

The two leaned against each other, and as they got closer to the Gongyuan, the carriage was gradually blocked and unable to move.

Lu Xiuyuan poked his head out and saw that the streets were full of people carrying test baskets, their shoulders touching their shoulders, and there was no way for a carriage to pass.

"Achen, we probably have to get out of the carriage and walk over there."

Shi Yunchen also poked his head out and took a look: "Didn't you say that you will enter in batches? Why are there so many people?"

Boom!Boom!

Two loud gongs sounded.

Lu Xiuyuan looked at the other party silently: "Maybe we came too early? It's only now that the second batch has started to enter..."

"Aren't you the sixth batch? Isn't that coming soon?" The young master disagreed.

"It's a waste of time during the body search, I guess we'll have to wait an hour or two..." Lu Xiuyuan pinched his fingers and said.

"Okay, okay!" Shi Yunchen curled his lips, "I'm worried that you will enter the arena late!"

Seeing the other party like this, he couldn't help laughing, "It's better to go out early, so that you have enough time to make full preparations."

Hearing this answer, the young master snorted arrogantly and patted himself on the shoulder.

"Anyway, it's still early, you should rest for a while, and we'll go there when the fifth batch enters the arena."

Lu Xiuyuan glanced over his shoulder, and it looked horrible.

"I'm going to lie down and sleep."

After finishing speaking, the person directly lay on his side into the arms of the young master, and wrapped his hands around the other's waist.

Shi Yunchen hid back for a while but didn't dodge, and simply let him go.

Lu Xiuyuan buried his head in his arms, sniffing the fragrance of the other party, and gradually relaxed his mind.

It is impossible to say that you are not nervous. After all, this is a three-year test. Whether Xianyu can stand up depends on this test.

Fortunately, he had a lot of test experience in his previous life. Although he was still a little uncomfortable, his condition was still stable.

Originally, he just wanted to lie down for a while, close his eyes and rest his mind, but unexpectedly he actually fell asleep.

While half asleep and half awake, he suddenly heard someone screaming in despair outside the carriage.

"I didn't cheat! I didn't! I was wronged!"

The sharpness of the voice refreshed the minds of the people nearby.

Lu Xiuyuan was still lying in the young master's arms and was sleeping dazedly. When he heard the scream, his body suddenly backed away. It was thanks to the other party's reaction that he quickly caught him back, otherwise he would have fallen down.

"What? Did you wake up from fright?"

Sitting up with his arms propped up, he rubbed his sleepy eyes, opened the curtain of the car, and saw that he was not far from the Gongyuan.

"Which batch are you in now?"

"It's only the fourth batch, do you want to continue to sleep for a while? I guess it will be half an hour before you."

He yawned sleepily: "Forget it, you will have a headache if you go back to sleep after being woken up."

Seeing that he was still very sleepy, Shi Yunchen didn't care about the cheating just now.

"I really don't know how this person got into Juren. How dare he cheat in the imperial examination. If he is found out, he will be banned from the exam for life and cannot be an official!"

After sitting for a while, Lu Xiuyuan's consciousness gradually became clear: "Who knows, maybe you are really not sure, and then you want to take a gamble. After all, if you succeed, you will be able to get riches and honors at your fingertips."

The two chatted for a while, and when the fifth batch began to enter the arena, Lu Xiuyuan also began to re-count his things.

It may be because of the sequelae of Qin Lan planting the jade pendant at the Liushang Banquet before, but now he encounters some occasions, he can't help but count his things, lest a similar situation will happen.

When Shi Yunchen saw that he was flipping through the exam basket filled with snacks, he asked concerned: "Would you like to have a snack to pad your stomach? There happens to be tea here."

"No, no, there are too many things here, I plan to cut some more."

"Where is there too much?" Shi Yunchen expressed his incomprehension, "You will stay in there for nine days. If you don't bring anything more, what are you going to eat inside?"

Knowing that the young master also cared about him, Lu Xiuyuan reached out and pinched the other's cheek. "Rice and bacon are already very good. If you weren't here, I guess I would only eat the white water and hard cakes provided by the examination room."

After slapping the paw off his face, the other party said angrily: "You are too careless about your diet."

Lu Xiuyuan smiled and didn't say a word. On occasions like exams, if he only focused on answering the questions, how could he have time to enjoy himself?

While thinking, his movements suddenly paused.

"Achen, do you have any steamed buns?"

"Huh? What steamed buns?" Shi Yunchen poked his head over, just in time to see a row of small steamed buns under the layer of snacks.

It was about the size of a baby's fist, and it was pinched into the shape of a pig. It was engraved with the four small characters "Pig Matters Smoothly" in red letters.

"No? I knew you didn't want to bring steamed buns, so I didn't ask Nan Xing to prepare them."

The young master picked up a piglet and looked it over carefully: "Could it belong to the big hall brother, and then the servant accidentally took it by mistake?"

After finishing speaking, he poked the little pig's stomach lightly with his finger, "It's quite cute."

At first, Lu Xiuyuan also thought that he had taken the wrong basket, but after studying the test basket several times, he suddenly said, "No, this is our test basket. This plate of steamed buns was put in by someone."

what? !

The young master's smile disappeared instantly, "Who let it go? Why did you let it go?"

Lu Xiuyuan shook his head, and began to take out the steamed buns one by one with his hands, carefully broke them apart and crushed them for inspection.

Seeing his actions, the other party also became nervous.

"Is there something in this steamed bun?"

He didn't reply, just continued to take things apart seriously.

After crushing three small steamed buns to pieces, Lu Xiuyuan frowned.

He felt something strange in the fourth steamed bun.

Under the gaze of the young master, he took out the foreign object.

It is a paper ball the size of a cotton swab head.

Carefully unfold the ball of paper, and there are a few Analects of Confucius written inside.

"Rotten wood cannot be carved, and a wall of dung cannot be insulted..."

Seeing this, the young master's eyes turned red with anger.

"Who is going to kill you?! Is it that big trash from the General's Mansion?!"

Although the other party is not good at reading, he also knows that after being stamped with cheating, it is equivalent to being ruined for the rest of his life.

Thinking that they checked nearly a hundred times before they went out, and in the end, there was an extra layer of steamed buns in the basket when they went out. This must have been done by the servants of the other party taking advantage of the crowd.

"It's no wonder you were so arrogant when you went out just now. I'm going back to settle the score with him! Don't even think about participating in this year's test!"

When Lu Xiuyuan heard this, he quickly reached out his hand to stop him: "Achen, wait a moment."

Shi Yunchen was going crazy with anger: "What are you waiting for? Wait any longer and he will enter the arena!"

It will be too late then!

"Wait a minute, this may not be the other party's doing..."

Shi Yunchen suppressed his anger, gritted his teeth at him and said, "Your life was almost ruined by others, how can you still hold your breath now?!"

Lu Xiuyuan closed his eyes when he heard the words, he was also very angry at the moment, but the more angry a person is, the more rational he will be.

"Achen, listen to me, I have a way to find clues to the murderer behind the scenes."

Shi Yunchen's expression changed: "What way? Tell me quickly!"

Lu Xiuyuan moved forward, and the two of them stuck together: "Let's pretend we don't know, the other party is acting so viciously, then when I enter the arena, the attacker will definitely leave eyeliner nearby to see if I'm caught Cheating, so I can go back and report to his master..."

After hearing this, Shi Yunchen nodded, and then added: "Now there are so many people at the entrance of the Gongyuan, and the sight is blocked, it is inconvenient to see. The other party must be hiding in a place with a wide view to observe!"

"Yeah." He nodded, "Be sure to pay attention to safety."

After explaining these things, Lu Xiuyuan carefully checked the things he was going to bring in. Fortunately, there was nothing else except this layer of steamed buns.

I'm afraid the other party didn't expect it either, so he checked it carefully before entering the arena.

Boom!Boom!Boom!Boom!Boom!Boom!

Six gongs sounded, reminding Lu Xiuyuan that he could enter the arena.

"Be careful for a while!" After carefully exhorting, Lu Xiuyuan finally couldn't help but kissed the other party lightly.

"Hey, wait for my good news."

After reluctantly saying goodbye, he jumped out of the carriage with the simplified three test baskets.

Even though five batches of people have already entered, there are still many people at the gate of the Gongyuan.

Carrying three big test baskets with difficulty, he came to line up at the main entrance. Not long after, Lu Xiuyuan felt that he was being stared at by an uncomfortable gaze.

In a remote alley vertically away from the Gongyuan team, a man with a mischievous eye was staring at this body search.

It will arrive soon, and there are only five people in front of Lu Xiuyuan.

Watching the people in front pass one by one, when it was finally Lu Xiuyuan's turn to check, the corner of that person's mouth couldn't help but twitch.

Hurry up and be discovered, after he is dealt with as cheating, his 100 taels of silver will be in his hands.

Watching the search soldiers open the examination basket containing snacks, the smile on the man's face grew wider.

Just smiling, the smile froze on his face.

After checking the dim sum test basket, the soldier signaled Lu Xiuyuan to go to the second door for inspection.

how come? !The little thief rubbed his eyes and continued to stare at the second door.

After Lu Xiuyuan also passed safely, he looked shocked and couldn't believe it.

"How could this be? How could it not be discovered?!"

In a panic, his body couldn't help but took two steps back, but he didn't expect to be hit on the back.

The man was immediately annoyed, and turned around to scold angrily.

"Which one doesn't have long eyes...?!"

As soon as he turned his head, the little thief saw Shi Yunchen looking at him with a smile.

The rest of the words were immediately choked in his throat, and before he could say them, Duang felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, and he lost consciousness instantly.