Please don't force me to be a god.

These days.

Lin'an Prefecture is full of the sound of reading.

The scholars are used to reading aloud, and everyone thinks reading is an elegant thing. Even if they are disturbed, no one dares to complain.

Anyway, as long as it is not a ghost screaming in the middle of the night, it is acceptable.

In their spare time, the most common behavior of scholars from other places is to look up at the stars.

Looking at the "Tianguan Guest Star" in the sky that can be seen in the daytime, listening to the "miracle" about Zhang Tian, ​​they are both fascinated and half-believing.

It is said that such a "fairy" lives in Lin'an Prefecture. He usually has nothing to do and strolls on the street to find delicious food.

It feels that this "fairy" is too real, and everyone feels unreal and doesn't think he is a fairy.

However, the imperial examination is about to begin.

It is not fast but bright when sharpening the knife before the battle. For a while, no one has time to visit Zhang Mansion.

The examination for scholars to take the examination for Juren is also called the provincial examination.

Originally, the examination was conducted by the provincial education departments in various provinces.

However, because the Nan'an Dynasty lost most of the territory in the north, the land area was reduced a lot.

Since they all had to go to the provincial government and the journey was equally long, it would be better to go directly to Lin'an Prefecture and take the examination together.

Thus, thousands of scholars gathered in the imperial capital.

On this day, at three o'clock in the morning.

The whole Lin'an Prefecture began to bustle.

Whether it was an inn, a post station, or the home of officials and dignitaries, as long as someone wanted to take the exam, they would get up early to prepare.

Some businessmen also took advantage of this grand occasion and started to set up stalls and open shops on the street in the middle of the night.

Zhang Tian specially set an alarm clock and got up at three o'clock in the morning.

After all, it was his own disciple who was taking the exam. He could not teach Xu Wen anything about the imperial examination, but he still had to give him spiritual support.

Go out to the living room.

Seeing Xu Wen, Tiedong, Xu Jingye, the cook, the servant couple, and even Su'er getting up with sleepy eyes.

Xu Wen was carrying a basket with pens, ink, paper, and inkstone on it.

In addition, there was a bundle, which should be clothes, dry food, daily necessities and other sundries prepared in advance.

The ancient imperial examinations were not as humane as those in later generations.

The examinees were locked in a cubicle, eating, drinking, defecating and urinating in it, and stayed there for several days.

Unless you handed in the paper, you would never be allowed to come out.

Occasionally, someone got an acute illness, or a fire burned their belongings, and they could only consider it their bad luck and come back next time.

Seeing Zhang Tian coming out, Xu Wen choked up: "Thank you for seeing me off, Master. I am really ashamed to disturb your sweet dream..."

"Okay, we are going to take the exam. Don't cry. It's unlucky."

"Yes, Master."

Zhang Tian asked Xu Jingye: "Are you ready?"

"I have checked inside and out three times. I have prepared enough pens, ink, paper, inkstone, dry food and sundries."

As Xu Wen's second uncle and the housekeeper of Zhang's house, Xu Jingye naturally attaches more importance to this exam than anyone else.

"Well, let's go."

Then he turned to the cook, the old couple's servants and Su'er and said: "You can go back and take a nap. You don't have to wait for us to come back."

Tiedong drove the carriage with Zhang Tian, ​​Xu Wen and Xu Jingye.

As soon as they got out to the street, they saw that the whole street was brightly lit. The government had already arranged for the yamen runners to light the lights.

Many scholars, either riding in carriages or carrying their own belongings, headed for the examination hall.

The examination hall is also called the Imperial Academy.

It is rarely used, so it is built in a more remote location.

Before reaching the Imperial Academy, officials stood at the intersection, holding torches, stopped the carriages, and asked the scholars to get off the ground and walk.

The carriages drove to another street and were diverted out.

If all the carriages drove to the Imperial Academy before letting the scholars get off, I'm afraid I don't know what the traffic would be like.

When Zhang Tian's carriage arrived at the intersection, the officials stopped it as usual, but someone immediately stopped the officials.

Then, a figure walked out from a group of officials.

Zhang Tian and others saw that it was Zhuo Ping.

Zhuo Ping was wearing palace clothes today, and it was obvious that he came on behalf of the emperor.

When he arrived in front of the carriage, he said, "Meet the Immortal Master, Senior Brother Xu."

"Well, what are you doing here?" Zhang Tian asked.

Zhuo Ping said, "The emperor was afraid that it would be difficult for the immortal master to find the examination room, so he asked his disciple to come and lead the way."

"Immortal Master, Senior Brother Xu, please..."

As he spoke, he took the initiative to step forward, led the horse's head, passed the officials, and drove towards the tribute hall.

After passing the forbidden intersection, the whole street was full of people walking on foot, and only this carriage was driving in the crowd, which was extremely eye-catching.

It attracted everyone's attention.

"Whose carriage is this? So bold."

"Could it be that the dignitaries of Lin'an Prefecture ignored the discipline of the imperial examination and exercised their privileges?"

"Hush... don't say too much, didn't you see that the officials didn't care?"

"Let's take our own exams well, and don't make trouble. "

Some of the bold ones began to complain: "Huh, they are so arrogant before entering the examination room, and the officials don't care, how can we guarantee fairness?"

Some people who recognized him immediately pulled the people around them and whispered: "The one who led the horse is from the palace, and the one-armed driver should be the servant of Zhang Xianren who borrowed the stars."

"Oh..., is he taking the exam too?"

"Are you stupid? What exam does the immortal take? Of course it's his disciples. "

Zhang Tian heard these gossips in the carriage, but he didn't care.

This was the emperor's good intention. There was no need to refuse in order to show that he was approachable. Xu Wen's exam was the most important thing.

Although Zhang Tian knew that with his current influence, it was not impossible to ask the emperor to give Xu Wen an official position.

But it was not the right way after all.

It was safest to let Xu Wen take the imperial examination in a legitimate way and gain recognition from his contemporaries.

With Zhuo Ping leading the horse, there was no need to queue.

He directly crossed the bustling crowd and led the carriage to the gate of the Imperial Examination Hall.

Zhuo Ping said: "Master, Senior Brother Xu, we are at the Imperial Examination Hall."

"Okay."

Xu Jingye immediately took the sundries off the carriage, counted them nervously, and handed them to Xu Wen.

He urged: "Wen'er, do well in the exam, don't let down the expectations of the immortal and your father."

"Yes, second uncle. Master, the disciple is going in. ”

When he was sent to the door, he saw a thin official in purple official uniform waiting.

It turned out to be Prime Minister Cai.

“Hello, Mr. Zhang.” Prime Minister Cai bowed.

“Well, Prime Minister Cai is here early too.” Zhang Tian said.

“Good morning, Mr. Zhang. As the chief examiner, I must be in the Imperial Examination Hall as soon as possible to handle all matters.”

“Oh, then you go about your business. Xu Wen is left to you.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Zhang, I will definitely take good care of Xu Xiucai.”

As he said that, he ordered someone to bring a number plate and personally lead Xu Wen into the Imperial Examination Hall.

The scholars in line were already dissatisfied with being cut in line, and seeing the chief examiner actually getting so close to the candidate’s family was almost shameless.

If it was a normal imperial examination, this one item alone would have been enough to report to the emperor, saying that someone was engaging in malpractice.

Someone whispered, “Is that old man the current prime minister?” ”

“Apart from the treacherous minister Cai An, who else could there be?”

“Alas…, why didn’t the emperor send Minister Shi to be the chief examiner? Minister Shi is selfless and has a good reputation. Wouldn’t it be perfect to let him be our tutor?”

“Let’s talk about the tutor after you pass the exam. Don’t say too much. Go in first. ”

In addition to being called the “chief examiner”, the examiner of the imperial examination is also called “master” by the scholars who are admitted, which is a bit like a teacher and a student.

Generally speaking, it is easy for the chief examiner to cultivate a network of officials close to him through this relationship.

There are at least several thousand students taking the exam.

The several gates of the Imperial Examination Hall are checked at the same time, which is extremely strict.

From pens, ink, paper and inkstone to dry food, even the cakes have to be broken open to see if there are any slips of paper inside.

Starting from the third watch, the inspection will not be completed until the red sun rises and shines on the earth.

Zhang Tian will naturally not wait that long. He has already bought breakfast and snacks and went home to take a nap.