Chapter 120

Chapter 120

The rented house was well-situated in the county town, with newly built main structures. It came fully furnished, ready for immediate occupancy, offering great convenience.

Rumor had it that the original owner was a wealthy merchant from the county, who, due to the recent floods, had relocated his entire family to another prefecture.

In their hasty departure, they took only valuables and essentials, leaving behind larger possessions.

The house was entrusted to a relative for sale. However, such a grand estate proved difficult to sell due to its high price, so the relative secretly rented it out to earn some extra income.

The three-courtyard compound was bright and spacious, allowing the children to finally have their own rooms instead of sharing.

After they settled in, Wang Ying decided to give Er Shun and the others a few days off to visit their families in Chen Village.

Having been away for over a year, they must have been homesick. This break would allow them to spend some quality time with their loved ones.

Er Shun and the others were overjoyed. They had longed to return, expecting to wait until the young master finished his county exam. They were pleasantly surprised when he allowed them to leave early.

They bought some provisions in town and set off early the next morning by carriage towards Clearwater Town.

With the servants gone, the house grew much quieter. Li Shi and Aunt Chen, concerned about Third Aunt and the others, visited the Cao family daily. Qing Yun also brought Yuanbao to stay with Lin Sui, comforting him and encouraging him not to dwell on the past.

Old Liang, as usual, led the three in their morning studies, a routine reminiscent of their days in the village.

With time on his hands, Wang Ying picked up his brush and continued writing his agricultural treatise.

In early February, the south was already vibrant with new growth and birdsong, while the north remained locked in winter's icy grip.

These past few days had brought a slight thaw. The sun melted the snow on the rooftops, sending drips from the eaves into the courtyard.

New green shoots emerged from the willow trees along the wall, adding a touch of spring to the otherwise drab courtyard.

"What are you writing?" Liang Boqing asked softly as he approached.

Wang Ying quickly rose. "You've arrived! It's a book on agriculture. I have a keen interest in the subject, so I've just jotted down a few pages."

"Oh? Let me see."

Wang Ying handed over the pages he had written. Old Liang sat on a nearby stool, meticulously examining each page, occasionally stroking his beard and nodding slightly.

"Did you draw this diagram yourself?" Liang Boqing pointed to a cross-section of a wheat seed.

"Yes..."

"I never imagined such a tiny wheat seed could hold so many intricacies. Your observation is truly remarkable."

Wang Ying's cheeks flushed. It wasn't his keen observation; he was merely recounting what he had learned. Unable to explain this, he sheepishly accepted the compliment.

"Keep writing. Once it's finished, I'll see if I can help you get it woodblock printed."

Wang Ying was taken aback. "Really? Is that possible?"

"If it's a book that benefits the people, why not?"

"Thank you, Teacher!" Wang Ying blurted out, then scratched his head, surprised at his own address. Seeing that Old Liang didn't seem offended, he breathed a sigh of relief.

After a moment of hesitation, Wang Ying asked, "Do you think Qing Yan and the others will pass the civil service exams this time?"

"The county exam should be no problem. If they perform normally in the Prefectural Exam, they might even secure the top spot. As for the provincial-level exams, I cannot predict." Liang Boqing himself had never taken the provincial exams, so he wasn't familiar with the questions or the passing criteria. However, he was certain their academic prowess was beyond question; otherwise, the court wouldn't have repeatedly invited him to retake the exams.

Wang Ying pressed his palms together and prayed to the heavens. "That's good. I just hope the exams go smoothly and they perform as usual."

Liang Boqing gazed at the tender willow sprigs in the courtyard. "Qing Yan has had a difficult path. I only hope this imperial exam will allow him to emerge and shine, just like these willow buds."

*

With only three days left until the county exam, the atmosphere in Longquan County grew increasingly tense.

Scholars from various towns could be seen everywhere on the streets, most carrying exam baskets and accompanied by family or servants, settling into inns around the city.

With the influx of people, inn prices soared. Rooms that originally cost 200 wen per day suddenly jumped to 500 wen, and even then, they were in high demand.

In teahouses and taverns, conversations revolved entirely around the imperial exams. Due to the floods, the number of candidates this year was nearly a third fewer than in previous years.

The year before last, when Chen Qinghuai took the exam, there were 218 candidates for the county exam. This year, there were only about 130.

Fewer candidates didn't mean less competition; on the contrary, the pressure increased because imperial regulations stipulated that the smaller a county's population, the fewer the passing quotas.

In previous years, Longquan County had eight spots, meaning only the top eight scorers could advance to the prefectural school for the Prefectural Exam. This year, there were only five spots.

With over a hundred candidates vying for five spots, the odds were incredibly low. However, there was no need to worry about foul play, as the imperial exams were directly linked to the local magistrate's performance record.

If anyone dared to cheat or use connections to pass, it would be discovered in the prefectural city. The magistrate would then face severe consequences, and a charge of exam fraud could cost him his life.

Thus, the imperial exams were a matter of utmost importance each year. To ensure the county exam proceeded on schedule, the magistrate had ordered the city cleared three days in advance. Vendors were forbidden from hawking near the exam site, highlighting the court's emphasis on the exams.

As the exam approached, Old Liang stopped making the three of them memorize texts. Instead, he had them focus on calming their minds, practicing calligraphy, and composing poetry. Chen Qingyan even found an old qin and began studying music.

This qin was bought by Wang Ying from a pawnshop for three guan. Chen Qingyan had expressed an interest in music while at the prefectural school, mentioning it to Wang Ying during their time in the experimental fields. Wang Ying had kept it in mind.

Later, in the prefectural city, Wang Ying inquired at a music store and found that even the cheapest wooden qin cost over thirty guan—too expensive to justify buying.

Once, while passing a pawnshop, he saw a woman pawning this qin. The shop offered only two guan, which she found too low, so she refused. Wang Ying stopped her and struck up a conversation, eventually buying it for three guan.

Old Liang praised it as a fine qin at first glance. Although two strings were broken, the body was intact, made of high-quality spruce. A new qin of this quality would easily sell for a hundred guan.

After replacing the strings, it was as good as new. When played, it produced a metallic resonance with long-lasting echoes.

However, Chen Qingyan's qin skills were still at the stage of identifying the five notes—gong, shang, jiao, zhi, and yu. He could barely play a simple tune like "Moonlight Lullaby" (an ancient song for soothing children).

Once he started playing, he became so engrossed that the discordant notes buzzed in everyone’s ears. Even cows would shake their heads at the sound. After playing for just one morning, Old Liang grew annoyed and sent him back to copy the Four Books.

*

Before they knew it, the day of the county exam arrived. Before dawn, the lights in the Chen household were already lit.

After washing, changing, and tying up his hair, Wang Ying inserted a wooden hairpin into Chen Qingyan’s bun and placed his hands on his shoulders, gazing at the reflection in the bronze mirror.

He had a feeling that after today, the person before him would soar like a dragon breaking through the waves, astonishing everyone with his brilliance!

Chen Qingyan turned his head and kissed the hand on his shoulder. "Don’t worry, I’ll do my best in this county exam."

"Mhm."

In the other rooms, Chen Qinghuai and Chen Qingsong were also dressed. According to exam rules, layered clothing was prohibited, so they wore only single-layer garments. However, they had four or five layers on, with a close-fitting lambskin vest innermost, so they weren’t cold.

Aunt Chen boiled pork and celery dumplings, and served each of them a steaming bowl.

They did a final check of their exam baskets, ensuring they had ink, brushes, and inkstones. Additionally, each brought a bag of dry rations and a water pouch.

The county exam consisted of five sessions over three days. The tested subjects included essays on the Four Books, poetry, classical commentaries, and regulated verse.

The first two days had two sessions each, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. On the third day, the final session would determine the rankings, and the results would be posted in order of performance.

The top scorer was named the county *anshou*. The chief examiner would mark the last ranked candidate with a red brush, drawing a chair-shaped symbol to indicate the end of the list, hence the playful nickname "sitting on the red chair."

All those who made the list were sent to participate in the Prefectural Exam, and those who passed became state-recognized scholars.

Li Shi and Fang Ling held their sons' hands, their eyes filled with warmth, and advised them: "Don’t be nervous when you get to the exam hall. Whether you pass or not, make sure to complete all the questions and avoid smudging the exam paper."

The three boys nodded in agreement.

Chen Guang brought the carriage over and said, "It’s *yinshi* (3-5 AM), time to go."

Liang Boqing escorted the three into the carriage, while the rest of the family squeezed into another carriage behind. They locked the main gate and set off for the county exam site.

At this hour, the streets were usually empty, but today was unusually lively. Carriages and mule carts passed by frequently, disturbing the households along the road, who lit their lamps and stood at their doors to watch the commotion.

Halfway there, they even encountered a blockage in the road.

It was said that a scholar had been hit by a carriage and was blocking the road, making it impossible to pass. The people in the carriage were on edge, unsure whether to wait in the vehicle or proceed on foot, worried about missing the exam time.

Fortunately, the issue was quickly resolved. As the carriages ahead began moving, everyone’s tension eased.

They arrived at the exam site without any real trouble, parked the carriage, and disembarked to escort the three candidates to the queue.

They were relatively early, with only seven or eight people ahead of them in line. The three carried their exam baskets and waited for the examiners to call their numbers.

The roll call and entry process was tedious. Each candidate’s name, age, place of origin, and physical characteristics had to be verified to prevent cheating or impersonation.

Unlike modern times, where exam permits include photos for easy verification, in those days, they relied solely on a description. For example, Chen Qingyan was described as: height 7 *chi* 2 *cun* (approximately 179 cm), slender build, almond-shaped eyes, a square nose, and a mole on the left eyebrow.

The examiner compared the description to the candidate and, once confirmed, proceeded with a thorough search. The scholars had to remove all their clothes, including their socks.

This was just a county-level exam. It is said that the provincial exams were even stricter, making it hard to imagine the folk stories of a woman disguising herself as a man to take the exams—such a disguise would fail at the first checkpoint.

The roll call began at *maoshi* (5-7 AM). The first scholar was called up for the thorough search, and everyone waited, sweating nervously. After a while, it was finally the Chen brothers’ turn.

"Qingshui Town, Chen Qingyan!"

"Here!" Chen Qingyan took a deep breath and stepped forward. Before entering the exam hall, he glanced back at Wang Ying in the distance. Even from afar, Wang Ying could make out the words he mouthed: "Wait for me."

Next was Chen Qinghuai, followed by Qing Song. The first two had taken the exam before and had some experience, but Qing Song was participating for the first time and moved clumsily.

Li Shi was worried sick. "Oh dear, this child…"

Wang Ying couldn’t help but laugh and sigh. Still, Qing Song was young, and this exam was more about gaining experience. Even if he passed, he would not move on to the Prefectural Exam but would need a few more years of practice before trying again.

After the last candidate was inspected, the exam hall gates were locked. Over a dozen soldiers stood guard outside, and no one was allowed to approach. Violators could be executed on the spot.

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Author’s Note: ①: One *chi* is approximately 25 cm, so Chen Qingyan’s height is approximately 179 cm.