Entering the Ministry of Rites' Examination Hall, Xu Ming carried his examination badge along with his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to his designated cubicle.
The cubicle was tiny—five feet long, four feet wide, and eight feet high. Inside, it contained only a desk, a bed, a lamp, and a covered chamber pot. Eating, drinking, sleeping, and relieving oneself all had to be done within this confined space.
The only consolation was that the chamber pot had a tightly sealing lid and was regularly emptied by designated staff.
With the ringing of the bell, the imperial examination officially began.
Test papers were distributed to each examinee in order, and when it came time to collect them, they would be retrieved in reverse order. Only after the next bell rang were the candidates allowed to open their papers and begin reading and writing their answers.
The examination comprised four subjects: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, with each subject consisting of twenty questions. The exam spanned four full days.
During these four days, examinees not only had to craft perfect answers to the questions but also meticulously transcribe their responses onto clean sheets, ensuring not a single character was misspelled and the handwriting was immaculate.
The neatness of one's exam papers greatly influenced the examiner's first impression. Moreover, for those who succeeded in becoming tribute scholars, their papers would eventually be presented to the emperor himself.
Thus, the imperial examination was not merely a test of intellect but also one of endurance and diligence.
Of course, for someone like Xu Ming, a martial artist, such physical exertion was hardly worth mentioning.
When mealtime arrived, the examination hall provided food to all candidates.
The meals were thoroughly inspected by the chief examiner and deputy examiners using spiritual energy, ensuring that nothing illicit had been added.
Xu Ming found solace in the fact that the food provided was quite delicious, with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables. However, he couldn't help but think it still paled in comparison to the meals at Blood Asura Battalion's place.
As night fell, darkness gradually enveloped the examination hall, and the candidates lit their lamps one after another.
From a tall building overlooking the hall, Xiao Mochi stood with his hands behind his back, surveying the entire area.
Every night, Xiao Mochi would stand there and watch, fearing that a fire might break out somewhere.
One morning, his gaze fell on a particular cubicle, and he couldn't help but chuckle. "This kid still has so much energy?"
Inside that cubicle, candidate Xu Ming was already awake and practicing his martial arts, while most of the other candidates were still fast asleep.
On the first day, most candidates felt that time was abundant and worked at a leisurely pace.
By the second day, the majority had settled into their rhythm.
On the third day, some began to realize that time was running short and hurried to catch up.
By the fourth day, some were sweating nervously, while others casually napped after lunch. As night fell, those who had finished their work waited for the next morning to submit their papers, while those who hadn't worked tirelessly through the night to complete their transcriptions.
Finally, after four days, the bell rang again, signaling the end of the examination. All candidates put down their brushes, regardless of their progress.
The sound of that final bell brought a collective sense of relief to everyone present.
Xu Ming felt a wave of nostalgia, reminiscent of finishing the college entrance exams in his previous life.
But unlike modern exams, where one could rip up their books, fold paper planes to throw off rooftops, or discuss answers with friends before heading home for a celebratory feast, the imperial examination offered no such reprieve.
After the exam, all candidates were required to remain in their cubicles, unable to leave.
This confinement lasted about ten days.
During this time, the examiners would grade the papers, and inspectors would visit each cubicle to ensure no cheating occurred.
To be fair, aside from something as severe as leaking the exam questions—a crime punishable by death—minor infractions like smuggling in a few old book excerpts had little impact on the outcome.
After all, every single question was an essay question.
Most examinees, after finally loosening the taut string of tension, collapsed onto their beds for a deep sleep. Xu Ming, however, continued practicing his martial arts, maintaining his discipline.
Of course, there were quite a few candidates who couldn't sleep at all, haunted by the looming announcement of results in ten days. For those who failed, their next chance would come in four years—but how many "four years" does one have in a lifetime?
In the Ministry of Rites' rear courtyard, the grading of the exam papers was overseen by Xiao Mochi and carried out by a team of 101 officials, with Blood Asura Battalion members guarding the area. Each of the four subjects—scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—was assigned 25 examiners. Each candidate's paper had to be graded by three different examiners.
The grading system was based on scores, and any paper that sparked disagreement among the examiners would be brought to Xiao Ke for the final decision.
This year's imperial examination saw a record-breaking 6,000 candidates, the highest in Wu Kingdom's history since its founding. However, only 400 candidates would be admitted—making for an enormous workload for the examiners.
At first, the examiners were patient, taking their time to thoroughly review each paper. But as they progressed, fatigue and frustration began to set in, and their grading pace quickened.
If your handwriting was poor, you could be in serious trouble.
By the ninth day, the candidates had gone thirteen days without bathing. Flies buzzed around the cubicles, turning them into what could only be described as pigsties. The only difference was that 400 of these "pigs" would eventually rise to prominence.
In the Ministry of Rites' rear courtyard, as the last examiner finished grading the final paper, he collapsed into his chair, utterly exhausted.
"My lord, there were a total of 6,251 candidates, resulting in 25,004 papers. We have completed grading all of them. Here are the top 600 papers based on total scores across the four subjects. Please review them," said the deputy examiner as he pushed a cart carrying neatly arranged papers. The candidates' names had already been unsealed.
"Mm, well done," Xiao Mochi replied as he began examining the papers one by one.
Starting with the 600th-ranked paper, he worked his way upward, his eyes lighting up as he read.
When he reached the top ten, Xiao Mochi flipped through those papers repeatedly, unable to put them down. He was utterly enamored, becoming more and more impressed with each one he read.
Each of the top ten papers was extraordinary. Individually, any of them could have won the title of provincial champion in most of the past 250 years of imperial examinations. The essays were nothing short of masterpieces. And now, all these exceptional talents had appeared in the same examination.
"A legendary cohort, all arriving at the same time," Xiao Mochi murmured, placing the final paper down and exhaling deeply. "No issues. Publish the results."
"Yes, sir!"
That same morning, the results were announced. One by one, the examiners called out the names of the successful candidates. With each name spoken, another candidate ascended to the rank of tribute scholar.
Some burst into joyous laughter; others wept in bitter disappointment.
A total of 400 tribute scholars were selected. These scholars were immediately taken for bathing and given new clothes before being ushered into the palace to meet the emperor for the final imperial examination.
Dong.
Dong.
Dong.
Three days later, as the tribute scholars emerged from the imperial palace, the Blood Asura Battalion members were already present in the capital city.
Before them stood officials holding the golden honor roll, ready to announce the final results.