Chapter 134 Examination Process
Liu Ji arrived home at 19:15.
I was very lucky today. After school, I was able to meet an oxcart going to Xiahe Village at the city gate. I added five more cents and asked them to take me to the entrance of Liujia Village. I was able to get home before the sun completely set.
The family had already had dinner. Meat slices were added to every dish, and the fried vegetables were greasy. Qin Yao ate an extra bowl of rice. It was the first time she felt so full that she lay down under the bamboo chair in the yard and didn't want to move at all.
As soon as Liu Ji entered the door, he did not receive the warm welcome he had imagined.
The four children in the family sat obediently at the desk practicing calligraphy. Two oil lamps were lit, making the room bright.
Hearing the noise at the door, they turned around to look at him, called him "Dad" in unison, and then turned around to continue studying.
The past few days were busy with the autumn harvest, and Qin Yao was also busy with things in the manufacturing factory, so she had not studied for several days. Now that she had some free time, she naturally had to make up for it.
Reading is like this, you can't stop. Once you stop, it will be difficult to pick it up again.
Qin Yao raised her fingertips to her lips and made a hushing gesture, reminding Liu Ji to be quieter and not disturb the children who were studying in the room.
Liu Ji suddenly felt uncomfortable. This was no longer his home. It was almost becoming Qin Yao's home. He was just a guest.
No, not even as good as a guest!
Resisting the frustration in his heart, Liu Ji went into his room and put his things away. Under Qin Yao's gaze, he handed her what she wanted, then turned and went into the kitchen to heat up his own meal.
When the lid of the pot was lifted, inside was a bowl of meat and vegetables and a bowl of full white rice left by Dalang. There were two pieces of firewood left in the stove hole, which had burned out, but the food in the pot was just warm enough.
Liu Ji's wounded heart was instantly comforted and he took out the food and ate it in big mouthfuls.
The food in the academy was not very good, and there was no way I could eat meat. But I was so hungry that I spent my own money to buy two meat buns to satisfy my craving.
But he didn't have any extra money, so he could only eat the meat buns once. Compared with the big slice of meat in his bowl, it was not even enough to fill his teeth.
While eating at home, Liu Ji's mood after being coldly treated when he first came home recovered and he felt full of energy.
After eating and drinking, he moved behind Qin Yao, looked at the sky which had already darkened, and asked tentatively:
"It's so dark, can you see clearly, madam?"
Qin Yao glanced at him and said, "Then you don't know how to light the lamp?"
Liu Ji turned around angrily and lit the oil lamp in the main room and brought it over, thinking, can't I watch it in the room? Why must I watch it in this dark courtyard?
In one month, Liu Ji only collected the examination questions of the past two years of the Xin Dynasty, including two county examination papers and one prefectural examination paper.
There are a total of six exam questions.
The imperial examination system of the Sheng Kingdom was similar to that of the Song and Ming dynasties that Qin Yao was familiar with. Candidates could choose one of several subjects to take the exam.
However, the contents are all related to the Four Books and Five Classics, and there are requirements for the number of lines, ranging from 700 to 1,000 words.
Liu Ji's memory was very messy. He only marked the year and then the scene. Qin Yao needed to reorganize it herself.
There were not many reference answers, only four.
There was a lot of content, and Liu Ji's handwriting was ugly, so it was hard for Qin Yao to read it. She planned to wait until dawn to read it carefully.
Overall, Liu Ji only completed 70% of this task, which was far from Qin Yao's expectations.
But considering the difference in family status, it was already very good that he could get four reference answers for the county examination.
Those who came out of the provincial examination were all Juren, and even those who failed were old scholars with great qualifications. They were not in the academy, so Liu Ji had no chance to meet them.
"My dear, you said before that completing the task would benefit me. Are you satisfied with the answer sheet?"
Seeing Qin Yao put away the notebook he brought back, Liu Ji asked expectantly.
Qin Yao patted the notebook and said with a smile: "There will be benefits. When I sort it out, the first two-year simulation test will be yours!"
Liu Ji frowned slightly. This doesn't sound like a good thing, does it?
Qin Yao stood up and said, "Go to bed, remember to close the door, and make breakfast tomorrow morning."
After giving the instructions, he went into the house, closed the door, and went to bed.
Liu Ji was also tired and too lazy to think too much. He washed his face and feet with clean water and went back to his hut to rest.
He used to look down on this small room, but he didn't expect that he missed it so much now.
There is no stinky feet, no snoring, no grinding of teeth. It is quiet, with only the chirping of insects and birds, and the air is extremely fresh.
I had a good night's sleep and when I woke up the sun was just peeking out from the horizon.
Liu Ji got up to make breakfast, thinking he was the first one there. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, the light in the master bedroom was on.
Qin Yao had already cut the paper according to the width of the test paper, and made question cards. She was writing the county test questions on the cards.
There are two questions in the county examination. Hers is the preliminary test question, which is commonly known as the Tongsheng test here.
Only after passing the preliminary examination can one be qualified to take the imperial examination.
There is another exam in May or June, which is the formal county exam, which is the level of scholar.
Both exams are held once a year and then every three years.
Nowadays, the new emperor will be given a special honor once a year upon ascending the throne.
Qin Yao is doing mock test papers and practice books for real exam questions.
Thanks to the one month she worked as a bodyguard in the Ding Mansion, she learned a lot of information about the imperial examination from Miss Ding and Butler Yu, and knew what the examination process was about.
With the basic process information, you can follow this process to complete the corresponding test questions and take a mock test at home.
The first round of the county examination begins in February every year and consists of five sessions. Students are called to enter the examination room before dawn and are required to submit their papers on the same day.
The answer sheet format is: fourteen lines per page, eighteen characters per line. The answer sheet has more than ten pages in total, with several blank sheets attached.
The exam content includes: two essays from the Four Books and one test poem, and the corresponding answer format is specified, which should not exceed 700 words.
The remaining four sessions are all retests.
The so-called re-examination is one of the imperial examination systems. In order to prevent unfair selection of candidates, those who are selected in the initial examination will be re-examined with new questions.
The re-examination time is generally after the announcement of the results. The specific time is uncertain, and there may not necessarily be a re-examination. It is usually conducted only when someone reports that the list is unfair.
Liu Ji had no idea what Qin Yao knew, nor did he know how the teachers in the academy taught. The examination process was not told to the candidates in advance.
But it is also possible that Liu Ji had just enrolled, and the teacher felt that he had not even passed the basic courses, so there was no need to say anything.
Who cares because most of his classmates are children?
"Hiss~" Thinking of this, Qin Yao felt it necessary to ask the teacher to transfer Liu Ji to another class.
He was going to take part in the imperial examination, not to come to the academy to learn literacy. The concepts were completely different.
Qin Yao told Liu Ji about this during breakfast. Liu Ji scratched his head in embarrassment, "This... at least I have to memorize all the Four Books before the teacher will transfer me."
"You haven't finished memorizing just a few words?" Qin Yao was shocked, wondering if Liu Ji had a problem with his brain.
Liu Ji grumbled aggrievedly, "I don't have time to memorize the lessons. I've spent all my time writing the exam questions and reference answers you gave me."
This time it was Qin Yao's turn to scratch her head. She was a little worried because she would have to take the exam in February next year and there was only half a year left.
Time is short and the task is heavy, so let's study hard from today!
Qin Yao's sharp eyes swept over, and Liu Ji, who was eating a steamed bun, suddenly had a bad premonition.
(End of this chapter)