Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 441

The imperial examinations in the Qing Dynasty followed the old rules of the Ming Dynasty and were divided into four levels, which were divided into courtyard examinations, rural examinations, general examinations, and palace examinations.

In the college examination, you take the exam in the nearest prefecture, state, and county. The examination is arranged by the provincial education administration. Those who are admitted are "students."Even if a scholar has fame and fame, he is no longer a commoner, and he doesn't have to bow down when he meets the county magistrate.

The rural examination is held in the provincial government, and the chief examiner and the deputy chief examiner will be appointed by the imperial court to invigilate the examination.The admitted person is "Ju Ren", and No.1 is "Jie Yuan".Juren can be called "Master", and can have ordinary discussions with county magistrates.Once you become a Juren, you are qualified to be an official. If you are willing to spend money, you can directly make up for a seventh-rank official.

According to the rules, one must obtain the qualification of being a scholar and supervisor before taking part in the provincial examination.Scholars had to take the exam in their hometown, while supervisors and Gong students could go to the capital to take the exam regardless of their hometown.

The township examination is held every three years. It is the official examination in the year of Ziwu and Maoyou, and other imperial examinations, such as encountering royal celebrations, are called Enke.

The second year of the township examination is the period of the general examination.

The general examination was held in the capital, and all provincial Juren and Guozijian students could participate. The number of candidates was about 1 to [-].Usually a hundred or ten people are selected, those who pass the exam are called "Gongsheng", and No.[-] is called "Huiyuan".

After the general examination, it was the palace examination presided over by the emperor himself, but there was no such thing as failing the list, it was just a new ranking among the tribute students, first, second, and third.The first rank is "Jinshi Jidi", the second rank is "Jinshi background", and the third rank is "same Jinshi background".

First-class picks three places, champion, second place, and Tanhua, and these three are directly awarded officials.Those on the top two and top three lists passed the exam, some were awarded officials, and some were admitted to the Hanlin Academy as Shujishi. After three years, they passed the examination and were awarded officials.

On the capital side, the township examination and the general examination are held in the same place, which is the "Gongyuan" in Chongwenmen.

The Gongyuan here was first built in the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty. It was originally a shed built of wooden boards. Later, after several incidents in which the Gongyuan burned to death or burned test papers, it was remodeled and became a brick and wood structure.

Because this is also the examination room for the provincial and general examinations, there are more than 9000 numbered rooms, which can accommodate more than 9000 scholars taking the examination at the same time.

In the early morning of the [-]th, Cao Yong got up.

He really felt a bit like a parent who sent his students to take the exam, and he unconsciously linked the ancient imperial examination with the exam-oriented education hundreds of years later.If you compare the four levels of the imperial examination, it seems a bit like elementary school, middle school, university, and graduate school.This township examination feels very similar to the college entrance examination hundreds of years later.

On the Gongyuan side, you have to enter the venue at Maochu (five in the morning), and there is a pre-examination inspection in the middle, so you need to go there earlier.

On Shaoyuan's side, Zhao Jia's has already ordered someone to prepare a bamboo basket full of food and water, as well as two toilets.It was prepared earlier, and I specially ordered the kitchen to make a plate of amber walnuts.

This is still a custom handed down from ancient times. You should try to eat more walnuts, thinking that walnuts can nourish the brain.

Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang also got up, and they both changed into half-new single clothes, and came to say goodbye to their mother.Seeing that Cao Yong and Chu Yu were also there, they both bowed to salute their elder brother and sister-in-law.

Mrs. Zhao Jia touched Cao Shuo and said, "These clothes are not cold enough. What if it gets cold? Or ask someone to change into two sets of thick clothes, even if the two sets of new clothes get dirty, so what?" , what is the matter?"

Cao Shuo's eye circles were a bit dark, it seemed that he didn't get a good rest last night.Hearing what Zhaojia said, he whispered back: "Mother, jackets are not allowed in the examination room. If jackets are used, they must be taken apart. My son is wearing two single clothes, so he won't be cold."

When Zhao Jia heard this, he couldn't help but "tsk tsk" twice, and said: "This is not an exam, I really suffered. Hurry up and have breakfast, let your brother take you there!"

Cao Shuo agreed with Cao Xiang, but he couldn't sit down, so everyone was invited to sit down too.

Cao Yong said: "Your sister-in-law and I have just eaten, you two eat quickly. I don't know how long the queue will be, so let's go there earlier to be sure."

Zhao Jia also said: "How can I eat in the middle of the night? You two should eat more, you must be full before you have the strength to write."

Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang just sat down and had breakfast in silence.

After the two brothers had finished eating, Cao Song came in yawning. Seeing that the place had been cleaned up, he looked at the sky outside and said, "It's only Chou Chu (two o'clock in the morning), isn't it early?"

Zhao Jia said: "Hurry up sooner rather than later, how can there be delay?"

Seeing that Cao Shuo and his brothers finished their breakfast, Cao Yong said, "Since we've finished eating, let's go!"

While speaking, a group of people left the Shaoyuan, and Zhao Jia and Chu Yu personally sent them outside the second gate.Mrs. Zhao Jia had to ask again and again, but asked the two brothers to take care of each other, so as to take care of their health, but did not mention the exam.

In the front yard, Mr. Zhuang also got up.

Since the two brothers Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang came to Beijing last May, Mr. Zhuang has been their half-wife.Now that the students are leaving, he has to come out to see them off.He told me a few words about avoiding words in the examination room, which were all mentioned before.

The brothers all listened with all hands, and Mr. Zhuang had to send it to the Gongyuan himself.Cao Yong stopped him because he was getting old and was afraid of the cold in the past two years, and he didn't let him toss.

Because it was midnight, Cao Yong did not ask people to prepare horses, but prepared several carriages.The four brothers took two carriages, and Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang's book boy took a basket with pens, ink, paper and inkstones and food in one carriage.Wei Hei and Zheng Hu led more than a dozen long-term guards behind them.

Lanterns were hung in front of the carriage to lead the way, and the group went to Chongwenmen.

The distance from Cao's house to the Gongyuan was not close, but fortunately, because it was still dark and there was no one on the road, the carriage could run.Occasionally, when passing by horses and horses, they all go in the direction of Gongyuan.

When it was half a street away from the Gongyuan, the lights here were already brightly lit, and there were crowds of people everywhere, and the carriage could no longer catch up.

Cao Yong and his younger brothers all got out of the carriage, leaving two people to watch the carriage here, while the others carried their things and followed them.

There are relatives and friends seeing scholars off everywhere, and all the auspicious words of "being on the list" come from their ears.

Although they are all township exams, the Shuntianfu Township Examination has 2000 people because the supervising students can participate regardless of their hometown.Among these people, only a hundred or so can be selected, and it is not easy to be on the list.

In front of the Gongyuan, countless torches and lanterns were lit here, which were very bright.Under the light, you can see the towering Gongyuan gate in the middle, with an ink plaque hanging on it, with the word "Gongyuan" written on it.

On the east and west sides of the gate, a memorial archway is built. On the eastern archway is the inscription "Selecting Scholars from Mingjing", and on the west archway is the inscription "Seeking Talents for the Country".

Outside the gate are the east and west gates, and relatives and friends who send off scholars can only go outside the gate.Inside the gate, there are soldiers holding handles, and the scholars line up with baskets, and they must be checked in turn before they can leave the field.

It's not too late for Cao Yong and the others to come, but it's not too early either. Some scholars have already entered the gate.

Cao Yong recalled an old news about the imperial examination. It is said that there was a gifted scholar in the previous dynasty. Because the book boy put a book in the basket by mistake, he was found to be cheating during the inspection. He was banned for three games and was not allowed to take the exam again for more than ten years.Therefore, he couldn't help his mother get up, and said to Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang: "Don't go in in a hurry, and check the things in the basket carefully. Don't mix even a piece of paper with handwriting, this is not just a mess. "

Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang brothers, when they came to the tribute house, they held their breath and concentrated on their faces, with a bit of solemnity on their faces.

After listening to Cao Yong's words, the two brothers took the bamboo basket from the book boy and looked at the pen, ink, paper and inkstone one by one.

At this time, someone in the gate shouted with disheveled hair: "I am wronged!"

The voice was extremely miserable, but the inspectors next to him looked like wolves and tigers, and pulled the man aside.

Cao Yong and the others were still surprised, when someone whispered: "There is a cheat sheet stuffed in the braid, what is it if you are not a fool?"

Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang brothers were so scared that their faces turned pale. Cao Shuo turned his head and asked in a low voice, "Brother, do you need to check your braids?"

Cao Yong didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and said: "Why are you panicking? If you don't cheat, you don't know how tall you are? I asked to check the things I brought, because I was afraid that I would bring books or writing paper due to carelessness." After looking at the two brothers, there shouldn't be any problems with the single clothes and shoes.

Seeing that the time was about the same, Cao Yong took out several snuff bottles from his arms. Seeing the different designs and colors, one person gave two, saying: "The glass ones are filled with peppermint oil, and the jade ones are filled with snuff bottles. Put the peppermint oil into the water Talk about it, and pour the rest of the snuff on the lapel, if you feel your head is heavy when answering the questions, use the lapel. Although it evaporates quickly, it can be used if you don’t know.”

Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang took it with both hands. According to what Cao Yong said, they unscrewed the snuff bottle, sprinkled a few drops of mint into the kettle, and poured the rest on the skirt of their clothes.

All of a sudden, the smell of mint dissipated, which also made people clear their minds.

Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang carried the bamboo basket by themselves, said goodbye to the two brothers, and went to the gate.

Seeing Cao Yong's carefulness, Cao Song felt a little guilty, and said: "I'm bothering my brother, I don't even need to prepare this."

Cao Yong said with a smile: "Maybe I am redundant. This is something I use in summer. Now that the Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, the autumn is high and refreshing, so I may not need this. It's just a precautionary measure. Even if the two young ones are nervous, take this thing." It might be safe after a sniff."

Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang lined up a lot of scholars, and the two of them lined up at the end of the line, and they had to wait a while before they could reach the inspection office.

Cao Yong and Cao Song didn't leave, but waited outside the gate, thinking about waiting for them to end.At this time, someone behind him said: "Cousin?"

Cao Yong didn't care about it at first because he looked at the front.It wasn't until someone shouted from behind that he realized that the voice sounded familiar. Looking back, it was Fu Nai's eldest son, Chang Ling.

Changling was wearing a half-new unworn singlet, and two long suits carrying bamboo baskets, which was exactly the attire for an exam candidate.

Cao Yong was somewhat surprised, and said: "Cousin also came to take the test?"

Changling nodded with a smile, and said: "After serving in the military for several years, I am a little tired of the military profession, and I want to find a real brand background."

Fucha's family is a big punishment in Manchuria, Fu Nai is now also the deputy governor of the second rank, and Changling himself has been a military officer of the fifth rank, but now he is re-taking the provincial examination.This boldness made Cao Yong feel somewhat admirable.

Changling looked at Cao Song next to Cao Yong, and said, "Cousin is sending my brother to take the exam? Didn't I hear that I'm making up for errands these days, why did I take the imperial examination again?"

Cao Yong pointed to Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang who were in the queue and said, "It's the third and fourth of my family. They are off for the first time this year!"

Changling knew that Cao Yong had several cousins, but except for the one in front of him who had reached the weak crown age, the others were only teenagers.He was a little surprised when he heard that it was the two younger ones who took the exam, and said: "It's the two of them, they are very young. Students of this age are mostly studying in schools!"

Cao Yong said with a smile: "The left and right are still young, but I just came to see Zhang Chang!"

Because the scholars all went to wait in line for inspection, Changling exchanged greetings with Cao Yong, and then entered the gate.

After half an hour, the two brothers Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang arrived at the inspection.

The inspection errands searched the two people from beginning to end, and asked them to take off their shoes.In the end, they squatted down and twisted the socks, only to get up when they saw that they were single-layered.The things in the bamboo basket were also turned over one by one, but there was nothing private, so they asked the two to go there.

Cao Yong and Cao Song were watching here, already heaving a sigh of relief.Cao Shuo and Cao Xiang finished the examination, turned around, saw that the brothers were still there, waved at them, and entered the examination room...
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(End of this chapter)