I'm in the Red Mansion

Chapter 70 Announcement
Four days passed in a flash, and in the blink of an eye it was the day for the announcement of the results.

The results are the average scores from the first to the fourth round. Names are no longer arranged in a circle, but five names are written in each row on a large square paper.

There are several or even dozens of lines of names, so it is called a "long case", or "main case" or "general case".

That day, Jia Cong got up early.

Although he has lived two lives, he still couldn't help feeling nervous.

After washing up, Jia Cong hurriedly ate breakfast and prepared to go out to see the list.

In fact, you don’t need to look at the list. As long as you can pass the exam, you just need to wait patiently at home and someone will come to announce the good news.

But this was too much torture, so Jia Cong decided to go and see for himself.

When Jia Cong went out, Aunt Mei and a few maids did not ask.

They didn't want to put too much pressure on Jia Cong. After all, they would know the result after he came back.

Soon, Jia Cong arrived at the square outside the Academic Office, where the results were announced.

The county examination is only the first small stage of the imperial examination, and the number of people taking the exam is not large.

However, the crowded crowd still blocked the list, and for a moment, Jia Cong couldn't even squeeze in.

There's no point in being anxious, so just wait outside.

When some of the people around disperse, you can see it.

And the candidates who were surrounding the list in front were crying, laughing, and even going crazy. It was quite lively.

"I got it! I got it! I got it! Hahahaha, I got it!"

"Why is my name not on the list? The examiner must have missed my name. It's impossible. There is absolutely no way I failed the exam!"

"Brother Zhang, you also passed the exam? Congratulations!"

"Brother Li is ranked ahead of me, let's congratulate each other!"

"Eh? The first person in the case is Jia Cong. I wonder if Brother Zhang knows him?"

"Looking at his place of origin, he is from the Rongguo Mansion, a son of a noble family. Brother Li, you know..."

Is it Jia Cong who is the first in the case?
I won? And I'm the first in the case?
The person who wins the first place in the county examination is called "Zheng'an Shou". In subsequent examinations such as the prefectural examination and the imperial examination, the examiners would take into account the face of the chief examiner of the county examination and usually would not let the Zheng'an Shou student fail.

In other words, as long as you get first place in the county examination, it is almost equivalent to having one foot in the threshold of becoming a scholar.

For a moment, Jia Cong felt his blood boiling, his body was in a trance, and he had a dreamlike feeling.

After a long while, he finally came to his senses and then burst into laughter.

It's just the first stage of the imperial examination, the county exam. I just passed the exam and got the first place. What is there to be proud of?
At this time, the crowd in front who were looking at the list dispersed a little, and they could finally squeeze in.

Jia Cong squeezed through the crowd and saw his name at a glance.

The first place is the main one, which is very conspicuous and can be seen at a glance.

After reading it, Jia Cong smiled and walked back.

……

In the Jia Mansion, in Rongqing Hall, Li Wan, her sisters from the Jia Mansion, as well as Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai were all here.

Wang Xifeng, Mrs. Wang, and Aunt Xue were also there.

The room was dark and full of people, very lively.

The relationship between Mrs. Wang and Lady Jia, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, has always been bad.

If you don't believe me, you can read the entire book of Dream of the Red Chamber and you will hardly find any direct dialogue between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law.

The ancients wrote books like they painted, paying attention to leaving blank space and paying attention to writing without writing.

Although Cao Xueqin did not directly write that the relationship between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law was bad, there was no direct dialogue between them in the whole book, which was a blank space that aroused people's imagination. After Wang Fu-ren was dismissed from her position as housekeeper by Jia Mu, she was ashamed and stayed at home for several months without going out.

I have only been out recently, but I have been visiting Lady Jia more often.

It seemed as if he wanted to please Lady Jia and regain the power of housekeeper.

In the room, Jia Baoyu mingled among the sisters, trying his best to please Lin Daiyu.

Lin Daiyu, however, ignored him and was too lazy to pay attention to him.

At this moment, everyone in the room faintly heard the sound of gongs and drums coming from outside.

After a while, the sound of gongs and drums became clearer.

Grandmother Jia couldn't help but ask, "Where does this gong and drum sound come from? Could it be that someone in the street is having a wedding or funeral?"

Wang Xifeng said with a smile: "Grandfather, there are only two families on this street, Rongguo Mansion and Ningguo Mansion."

"People in other streets don't go to our street for weddings or funerals."

"I wonder where this gong and drum sound comes from. Could it be heading to Ningguo Mansion?"

Grandmother Jia couldn't help but wonder, "I haven't heard of any happy events in the East Palace!"

At this moment, a group of people coming outside to announce the good news came running towards the gate of Rongguo Mansion, beating drums and gongs.

This group of people, all dressed in red, stopped at the gate of Rongguo Mansion, and the leader shouted loudly:
"Congratulations to your Third Master Hui Cong for winning the first place in the county examination, the first place in the provincial examination next autumn, the first place in the metropolitan examination, the first place in the imperial examination, the first place in the imperial palace, and the sixth place in the imperial examination!"

For those who bring good news, auspicious words are all ready.

After they said the auspicious words, they waited for the Jia family to reward them with money.

No matter which family the messenger goes to, he will get rewarded; the only difference is how much.

The Jia family, a noble and wealthy family, is the most favorite family for those who bring good news.

He was very generous and after just one opening, he could provide them with enough food to last for half a year.

However, the servants in front of the Rongguo Mansion looked at each other in bewilderment. How could they have the heart to reward them with money?
A servant couldn't help asking, "Did you come to the wrong place? No one from our family is going to take the county exam. What good news are you reporting?"

Upon hearing this, the person who brought the good news was stunned.

Did they really go to the wrong place?
But how is this possible? They clearly base their selections on the candidates' place of origin.

The person who brought the good news could not help but ask, "Is your mansion the mansion of the Duke of Rong?"

"Exactly."

"Does your family have a third master named Cong?"

"Well, there is such a person. The eldest son's family does have a Third Master Cong, but I have never heard of Third Master Cong taking part in the county exam?"

Hearing this, the person announcing the good news could not help but ask, "My dear gentlemen, is this Third Master Cong a bastard?"

The servant nodded and said, "That's right, Third Master Cong is the illegitimate son of the eldest son."

The messenger said, "This should be correct. Why don't you report it in and ask whether this Third Master Cong has gone to take the county examination?"

Hearing this, the servant came back to his senses.

No wonder the person who brought the good news asked whether Third Master Cong was a bastard's son. If it was Second Master Bao who went to take the county exam, he would have already shouted it out so that everyone in the mansion would know about it.

Master Sanye Cong took part in the county examination, probably secretly.

Since people in the mansion were unaware of this, it was not surprising.

Thinking of this, the servant did not dare to delay and hurried in to report.

Soon he ran to Rongqing Hall, called a maid and said:
"Madam Song, there are people coming to the door to announce the good news. They say that our Third Master Cong has won the first place in the county examination. Please go in and pass on the message so that you can give them a reward."

(End of this chapter)