The Bookish Scholar of the Red Mansion

Cao Tingshou is a middle-aged man with a majestic appearance, if you just look at his face and burly figure. Saying that he is the minister of the Ministry of War is more in line with the image. Who would have thought that such a fierce man would be a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy.

Oh, it turns out I’m from Shandong, so that’s okay.

Cao Tingshou, who was eight feet tall, walked in front of the officials in Yangzhou with a majestic air like a tiger among the sheep. It also made Yao Ziran, who was following him, feel at ease.

The principal and deputy examiners both arrived, so Lin Ruhai naturally wanted to come out to receive them. What's more, Cao Tingshou's official rank is still higher than that of Lin Ruhai. The accompanying palace guards are not unreasonable people. He couldn't tell, but he hoped that Cao Tingshou would take the opportunity to relax.

It was a pity that Cao Tingshou was a silent and serious person. After seeing Lin Ruhai, he said senior brother and only exchanged a few words on the way to Gongyuan. When they arrived at the end of the field, they directly left a group of people, led the imperial guards and government officials, and officially took over all the affairs of Gongyuan.

Lin Ruhai didn't care, and just shrugged in front of his subordinates, smiled casually, and asked Zhizhou Zhang Shangxian to lead everyone to the banquet. He understood Cao Tingshou's temper and knew that this Shandong native was not arrogant.

It's just that one parent, an official, and a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy have different views on official matters. The former attaches great importance to practical matters and cannot help but be flexible in dealing with people. The latter is rooted in books, and his style of conduct is naturally more businesslike and bookish.

There is no distinction between the two as good or bad, and they both belong to His Majesty's new party, so there will be no differences over such trivial matters. Lin Ruhai felt at ease and was happy to spend more time with his wife and daughter at home. It's still early for Lin Jue to take the provincial examination. The atmosphere in the Lin family is naturally much more relaxed.

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But the old Chen family is different. Since Cao Ting was appointed on the third day of August, the Chen family's pre-examination syndrome has started to occur again.

When Chen Qingyue passed the government examination in April and got the first place, his family originally wanted to celebrate. But thinking that his eldest brother's provincial examination was about to take place, the old Chen family gave up the idea of ​​making a big deal and only had a good meal after the child came home.

Chen Gaishan and others still have a vague concept of the rural examination. They have often heard the saying Jin Juren, Yin Jinshi, and feel that the rural examination has great significance. When I heard that the former magistrate of Taixing County was also a civil servant. They suddenly felt that lifting people was powerful.

It turns out that the person who has been in charge of our family for so many years has just passed the exam that Heng'er is going to take this time. Under Chen Qingyue's narration, the family began to gradually understand the extraordinary features of the provincial examination.

But now the life of the old Chen family is getting better and better, and everyone no longer keeps silent, but try their best to look relaxed in front of Chen Heng. To put it bluntly, our family is living a good life. Don't be stressed this time. If you really fail the exam, it will be the same next time.

Ha, Chen Heng did not expect such a change, so he could only nod his head in confusion and said hmm repeatedly. His ability to withstand stress is much stronger than that of ordinary people. He will neither be nervous because of his family's anxiety nor indulge because of his family's relaxation.

If you travel a hundred miles, no one can stop you. With firm belief, Chen Heng waited at home until the ninth day of August.

The third watch day has not yet arrived, and Xinda, who couldn't sleep all night, has already checked the examination equipment for Chen Heng. The sound he made was soft and soft, as if he was afraid of waking up the sleeping people.

Chen Heng went to bed early last night, and he would not sleep more than four hours a day. When the time comes, wake up on your own. Seeing Xinda showing remorse, his brother smiled and said: Don't think too much, I just had enough sleep.

Okay. Xinda nodded and raised the oilcloth bag in front of Chen Heng. Second brother, take a look at it yourself.

Um.

This is a big deal, and it’s never too much to double-check. After confirming that there was no problem, Chen Heng picked up his things and went downstairs. The food we eat at home is still the same as Lao San, so there’s no need to mention it.

Before going out, Chen Heng put three taels of silver in his pocket. This is to prevent accidents. You can buy a pen in the examination room at that time.

Yes, you can buy pens in the examination room. It’s just that the paper will not be sold to avoid the risk of cheating. The brushes sold in the examination room naturally have their hair caps removed and have been personally inspected by the examiner.

Before leaving the house, Chen Qingyue expressed his support for his eldest brother who was traveling far away. I wish you the best for your departure... Chen Qingyue saluted and said, I will be named on the gold medal list and will be heard as my eldest daughter.

When it comes to the provincial examination, you can already use the word Jinbang title. Looking around the world, many counties may not even have a single scholar except for an official.

If the scholar is the carp who saw the dragon gate in the long river, then the scholar is the golden carp that jumped over the gate. His body has transformed and his energy has gathered the wind and clouds. Just waiting for the beautiful scenery to soar into the sky.

Okay. Chen Heng nodded to his younger brother with a confident and relaxed look on his face. It has been ten years since I started studying at the age of five. During this period, I have been working hard day and night, and the cold and heat have been constant, which has turned into the confidence of strategizing. When I pass the exam, the two of us will celebrate together.

Yes. Chen Qingyue was overjoyed and took Chen Yin with him to see his brother off. We are waiting for the good news, big brother.

Chen Heng stopped talking and hurried on the road with Xinda. When he went to take the exam, his family had already told him that he did not need to be accompanied. Although Gongyuan was a bit far away, Chen Heng still wanted to walk there.

Reminiscent of his past studies, when the ambitious young man walked to the gate of Gongyuan, the place was already crowded. Xue Biao and the others were also standing here without hesitation, but until now, he and Jiang Yuanbai were holding the tutorial book written by Chen Heng and looking at it desperately.

I thought you wouldn't be nervous. Chen Heng glanced at Xue Biao and Jiang Yuanbai, and couldn't help but smile at his friends. He said hello to Qian Dayou who looked nervous again, Brother Dayou, don't you want to take a look?

Being teased like this by his friends, Qian Dayou actually relaxed, I have kept everything you wrote in my mind. Speaking of studying hard, Qian Dayou also became more confident, Looking at it now, I feel nervous. .”

Chen Heng nodded and looked at Xue Biao and others again. What he wrote was handed over to these people in April. When Xue Biao, Jiang Yuanbai and others heard Chen and Qian's reply, they also laughed and said: When you sharpen your gun in battle, it will shine even if it is not bright.

Be prepared with peace of mind. Chen Heng reassured his friend An, At this point, just let go and don't mess up your position.

There were more people taking part in the provincial examination this time than last time. By the time Chen Heng undressed and took off his hair and passed the inspection by the inspector, it was already almost dark.

After successfully entering the Gongyuan, Chen Heng entered the room according to the number plate. As soon as he sat down, he didn't even have time to hang up the oilcloth bag. There was a click behind him. The invigilator had already locked the lock of the low door of the dormitory from the outside. The strictness of the rural examination is indeed different from before.

Chen Heng's luck in the examination was good, and his cell number was not a bad one that would change his mind upon hearing it. The smelly room is the examination room next to the dry toilet. Thinking about being locked up in the room for three days and having to answer the questions smelling the stench, you can imagine the sour feeling.

It was still early to get the hair rolled, so Chen Heng began to simply clean up the next room. He is now seven feet tall. His room was quite comfortable the first two times, but now he has difficulty moving. It's definitely impossible to lie down, so being able to curl up and sleep against the wall all night is a great thing.

The examination basket and food basket were hung on the wall. The snacks prepared by the Chen family were all dry food. Among them, the preserved meat was prepared by Bao Qin, and the fruits were sent by Lin Daiyu. There is also a pair of kneepads, which Zhen Yinglian made by herself and asked her second sister to send them to her.

Sister Lin also helped prepare waterproof tarpaulins, anti-mosquito sachets and other items. It's still in the oilcloth bag now and can be taken out when needed.

The first session of the rural examination began with the sound of the gong.

It was already dawn, and Chen Heng was polishing his ink over and over again, waiting for the invigilator to give the questions.

The first session was still the main session, and the test was on the Four Books and Three Questions. There are four questions on the craftsmanship of the Five Classics. There are some other small questions. If you want to answer all the questions within three days and answer them well, the test is the candidate's mastery, understanding and application of knowledge.

When the question examiner passed by holding the question board, Chen Heng quickly picked up a pen and copied it on the paper.

One: in front and behind.

Second: lack of strength.

Third: Don’t harm each other.

These three questions come from The Analects of Confucius: Zihan Chapter, Mencius: Gongsun Chou and The Doctrine of the Mean respectively.

It's Gongsun Chou again, Chen Heng muttered in his heart. The officials of the Yong Dynasty really liked to make topics in Mencius' Gongsun Chou.

After copying the topic, he began to formulate it in his mind. If you want to solve the problem, you must first know the problem. Of these three questions, the most difficult is the first one.

Candidates whose knowledge is not up to standard may have to memorize the Analects of Confucius in their minds just to think about who is ahead and who is behind.

Chen Heng was a quick thinker, and as soon as he thought about it, he knew the original words and text of this question. It is exactly the sentence in the Analects of Confucius that look ahead and suddenly look behind.

This question is an intersection question. It is formed by taking the endings of sentences. Some difficulty, but not too high. It can be regarded as following the tradition of the Yong Dynasty rural examination, and taking a steady path.

Cao Tingshou indeed did not rely on his profound talents and knowledge to embarrass the scholars of Yangzhou. If you can't even figure out this question, you may not be able to pass the provincial examination.

The vernacular of this sentence is: It seems to be in front, and suddenly it seems to be behind. It sounds a bit difficult to understand, but it becomes easier to understand when you put it into context.

The original words were spoken by Yan Yuan, also known as Yan Hui, the leader of the seventy-two sages of Confucius: those who look up to them become taller, and those who drill into them become stronger. Looking ahead, suddenly looking behind. The master is very good at tempting people, and he teaches me with his writing.

It talks about admiration for Confucius' knowledge and moral character. I feel that the more I study, the more difficult it becomes. It seems to be in front and behind.

This should be one of the key points in solving the problem. Chen Heng had already realized this in his mind, so he wrote down something on the paper. I also thought about the two sentences in the original text: If the phoenix bird does not arrive, the river will not flow out of the map. It's a good thing, it's a good idea! I treat Jia as a master.

The former sentence can be understood as a desire for talents, and the latter is more interesting. Zigong asked Confucius: I have a piece of beautiful jade here. Is it hidden in the cabinet? Or should we seek merchants who know the goods to sell it?

Confucius said: Sell it, sell it! I wait for those who know the goods and those who really recognize beautiful jade to sell it.

Combined with the current Jianping era name, Chen Heng has completely understood the problem. He knew that the meaning of this question was that His Majesty had the desire to achieve great things, and it also showed His eagerness to seek talents.

When the mind is open-minded, ideas flow like a fountain. Chen Heng put pen to paper and splashed ink on the draft paper. He started by emphasizing the importance of talent, learning and moral character, which is the original meaning of the sentence. The second meaning and the third meaning are solved by planting a sycamore tree and attracting a phoenix, which can be said to be a coincidence.

After passing one question, go to the second question. This question is the easiest of the three. The original words are clear at a glance, Those who convince others with force are not convinced by their heart, nor are they convinced by their strength. Those who convince others by virtue are convinced by their heart and are sincerely convinced.

This statement is easy to explain. It refers to the current common understanding of people, that harmony is valued and virtue persuades others. The barbarians from all directions all want to surrender.

This is the truth, but after all, Chen Heng has the experience of later generations and knows that apart from interests, there are few examples of countries convincing others with virtue. Compared with the truth of words, the world is still more willing to believe in the deterrence of fists.

But Chen Heng was a man in two lifetimes. After learning two sets of teaching materials, he now understands better that blindly using force will only lead to his own destruction. Blindly believing in the role of moral rules is also a recipe for death.

Be it domineering or kingly. All are inseparable from Tao. What is the Tao between countries? The sword in the hand is the Tao. He has famous generals like clouds and warriors like rain. He can win in battle and conquer them by attacking.

This is the backing for scholars to display their talents. This is the true meaning of having a sword in your hand and using the edge without using it. To put it crudely, I won't hit you, not because I don't have a weapon in my hand, but because I'm afraid that I'll kill you with one punch and I'll be sweating all over.

Chen Heng wanted to understand this and brought up the third question. This question comes from The Doctrine of the Mean, which says: All things grow together without harming each other, and Tao runs parallelly without contradicting each other.

This statement is simple and interesting, and the original meaning of the statement is straightforward and clear. Chen Heng thought briefly and connected the two questions together. He is an expert in art and bold. Even today, he does not need to figure out the examiner's thoughts like when he took the county examination for the first time.

Whether it's a mountain of knives or a sea of ​​fire, come on.

With a thought in his mind, Chen Heng couldn't hold back his pen. Like the general in white on the Changban slope, he used his pen as a spear and galloped freely on the white paper. After finishing the two articles in one go, Chen Heng felt some sweat on his forehead.

The sun is shining brightly now, and the heat of the Mid-Autumn Festival has warmed the room. But at night, the autumn wind passed by and it was freezing cold again. The first day is when you are at your best. Chen Heng felt that it would be better to leave the revision and polishing of the article to the second day, so he devoted himself to solving the problem on the first day.

After breaking through the four books, it becomes the Five Classics. Chen Heng's classic is Spring and Autumn, and according to the rules, he has to write four articles. For this article, you only need to follow the principle of the most important thing is the crown and write the broad meaning of the topic into the article.

Everyone has different options for the Five Classics, and there are fewer competitors than the Four Books. There is no need for Bo to be outstanding, just use Da Yin Xi Sheng and use Zhenghe.

After he finished writing the four questions about Spring and Autumn, Chen Heng looked at the sun and found that it was already past lunch time. If you wait a little longer, you can have dinner.

In the room opposite, the scholar who had just lit the fire and finished cooking was nervously packing away the utensils. From one look at his movements, Chen Heng knew that this was his first time taking the exam. When I was in a hurry, I accidentally spilled the soup on the roll noodles.

What was so dangerous was that when the scholar was about to scream, he covered his mouth. If there is any noise in the examination room, you can be expelled directly from the examination room. Seeing the frowning faces of his peers across from him, Chen Heng simply closed his eyes and calmed down his mind.

Before the third day, he was not prepared to light a fire to cook. They only plan to rely on some dry food, meat, fruits and vegetables to satisfy their hunger. Without him, I don’t want to be distracted too much.

The sky gradually darkened, and the first day of the rural examination ended quietly in the night. In Kegong Courtyard, there are many candidates burning the midnight oil, and the invigilators will also hang lanterns on the eaves of each room.

It was the rising moon. Chen Heng looked at the rows of lanterns in front of him and saw that the ground was as pale as frost. I can't help but think in my mind that if you look down from a high place, the scenery in the Gongyuan will be very interesting.

It can be said that the stars in the sky are shining like a bullfight, and the rays of light shine on the nine states. Who would have thought that the place where you stand today will be the best in the world.

That night, Chen Heng wrapped himself in a sheet, leaned against the wall, and slept with his legs curled up.

It's just that the sleep in the dormitory is not that good. There was thunderous snoring all around, no need to say more. Mosquitoes were also bothering him, and Chen Heng even took out the sachet to no avail.

Seeing more and more red envelopes in his hand, he could only laugh at himself and think: Later generations often say that mosquitoes only bite smart people. I hope I can get what I want.

He slept through the night and woke up the next day. Although Chen Heng was tired, he was still in good spirits compared to others. He answered questions quickly and confidently, and he didn't put precious energy into cooking. He was really smart.

What I have to do on this day is to revise and polish. It is inevitable to control the number of words, but also to take into account the meaning of the article and the sentences to be smooth. Changing it is laborious and even more energy-consuming.

But there is no way. When writing an article, you can do it in one go. But it is really about to hand it in, and it is such an important provincial examination, so it is inevitable that I will be a little concerned about gains and losses.

Thinking about whether the allusion used in the sentence is appropriate and whether the wording is appropriate. At the same time, we must also take care of taboo characters. Although Dayong is not like the Qianming Dynasty, where the characters Zhu, Yuan, etc. are prohibited in the volume, some invisible taboos must also be included.

After such a change, one day has passed. On the third day, it was the real transcribing. There is no need to mention Chen Heng’s name. His three mentors have always mentioned that the way to calligraphy lies in practice and strictness.

In addition to taking time to imitate famous works, I also have to be strict with my daily correspondence. Only the accumulation of habits over time can bring about the glory of one day.

Strive to write neatly and neatly, ensuring that there are no mistakes in every row and column. This matter can only be done slowly, not in a hurry. If you copy a word wrong or miss a word, you will regret it later when you think about it.

After doing this, at Youshi, the first session of the rural examination officially ended.

Enter the venue on the 9th and hand in the exam on the 11th. Even Chen Heng's body was a little overwhelmed by the three days and two nights of exams. In order to devote himself to preparing for the exam, he tried his best to eat small and frequent meals in the past few days, and even rarely went to the toilet.

After the three examiners collected the papers and handed them to the official Mi Feng, they folded the students' personal information and covered it with white paper. After covering it tightly, write the number.

There are temporary supervisors supervising the whole process. They will not touch the papers with their own hands. They will only add their own seals at the end to ensure their joint responsibility.

At this point, the paper is considered completed. Only candidates can leave.

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When Chen Heng came out, he was in good spirits. Outside the gate of Gongyuan, carriages from various families were parked, and there were also family members accompanying the examination standing guard everywhere. There were a large number of candidates coming out. Standing at a high place, Chen Heng could only vaguely make out his own carriage and the Xue family's carriage.

But it's not the time to talk now. I'll go back and take a nap today. I have to take the second test tomorrow. Chen Heng did not look for Xue Biao and others, but went straight to his carriage.

On the way, he met Xinda who squeezed out of the crowd and ran towards him. Chen Heng got into the carriage with the help of the other party.

Second brother, food has been cooked at home. You have a rest first, we will be home soon. Seeing his brother's tired face, Xinda felt anxious in his heart. As he spoke, he was already waving his whip and driving the carriage. Leave slowly.

Um.

Chen Heng didn't want to talk too much and took all the time to rest. He's pretty good. The candidates this time ranged from thirteen to fifty or sixty years old. Many of them were infirm and collapsed as soon as they walked out of the gate of Gongyuan. They were still carried down by their family members.

After returning home, Chen Heng ate something hastily and got ready to go to bed. Tomorrow is still midnight, and he will set off immediately to continue preparing for the exam.

You don't have to wait for the application papers at night.

Before going to bed, Chen Heng thought of something and told Xinda.

The so-called post paper means that the chief examiner and room examiners will roughly review the papers, screen out the papers that are not in compliance with the rules, and post them on the wall of the Gongyuan.

Candidates who win this honor do not need to come for a second session, they can just go home and rest peacefully.

Chen Heng still has this bit of confidence.

good.

Xinda stood guard outside the door and quietly walked out when he heard his brother snoring as he slept. In today's Chen family, even Chen Qingyue tries his best to ensure that he talks less, hoping to create the best environment for his eldest brother.

Have a good night's rest at home and replenish some food. Chen Heng woke up in the middle of the night and rushed to Gongyuan again. This time, he had no intention of walking and just sat in the carriage to have more time to relax.

Hahahahaha, please give me a monthly pass, please give me a monthly pass.