Chapter 275: County Examination

"Why hasn't it arrived yet?

In the main hall of the backyard, Chen Heng looked anxiously on his face and looked at the door frequently. Today he is wearing a blue Confucian scholar's robe and a Dongpo scarf suitable for married men. Such an ordinary outfit with a hint of formality. Obviously, the person who is about to come to the door is a close and distinguished guest of the Chen family.

Daiyu also dressed up a little, putting a little pink on her pretty face. Although she didn't wear too many jewelry and hairpins, she couldn't hide her peerless elegance. Seeing her husband's anxiety and expectation, she comforted Chen Heng: "The third brother has already gone to the city gate to wait in person. He should be there soon. Please be patient, sir."

Third brother is Daiyu’s name for Xinda. Chen Heng nodded and was about to reply to his wife. Pan You'an ran in from the front and shouted: "Sir, madam. Manager Chen is back with the guests."

Finally the person has been waiting. The couple smiled at each other and hurriedly walked out the door hand in hand to show their respect for the guests. As soon as I walked to the courtyard, I saw a few blurry figures walking slowly under the drooping spring branches.

Chen Heng held Daiyu's hand, quickened his pace slightly, and said excitedly: "Brother Du."

His wife also shouted to the visitor, "Sister Wei."

"Sister Lin!" "Zhi Xing."

Du Yunjing and Wei Qijun came hand in hand as a couple, and they couldn't conceal their excitement when they reunited with old friends. The two pairs eagerly gathered together and started chatting directly in the courtyard.

"I didn't expect it, I really didn't expect it." Chen Heng held Du Yunjing's arm and laughed, "Who would have thought that we would meet Brother Du again in Songjiang? What a great thing."

"Hahaha, I guess this is a blessing in disguise." Du Yunjing smiled proudly, slightly dispelling the melancholy look on his brows. He is much older than Chen Heng, and his face is already showing signs of weathering. I don’t know whether it was because of the hard journey or because I was tired of my situation.

Chen Heng nodded calmly, then stretched out his hand to lead the way personally. The couple behind them exchanged handkerchiefs. From the moment they met, their hands were stuck in one place, and the topic had already spread all over the world.

"The weather in Jiangnan is good for people." Wei Qijun's eyes have not moved away since he saw Daiyu. It has only been a few months since he saw her. Sister Lin's complexion is much better than when she was in Beijing.

"Winter in the North is still too dry." Daiyu also smiled. After saying that, she leaned against Wei Qijun's ear and whispered something unknown.

It seems to be a coincidence and fate. The two couples have an excellent personal relationship. The couple grew up in love with each other, and the two men were classmates and old friends in the same school.

Chen Heng knew that Daiyu had a lot to say to Wei Qijun, so he apologized to Wei Qijun and said, "As a convenience, Madam-in-law, please allow me to borrow my brother for a while. Let us talk to each other, okay?"

When Wei Qijun heard this, there was no reason not to agree. She and Daiyu also needed time to be alone. Seeing him smiling and nodding in agreement, Chen Heng directly took Du Yunjing's hand and said happily: "Let's go, Brother Du, come with me to the study."

Seeing himself being dragged far away by his master, Du Yunjing took the time to turn around and nodded to his wife.

His original intention was to...

Wei Qijun didn't bother to care about his original intention, and directly choked: "You guys are talking about you, don't worry about me. I am more comfortable here with Sister Lin than you are."

Seeing how deeply in love the couple looked, Daiyu saw it and was happy that her sister was marrying the right person.

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The four of them had two places to relax. In the study room, Chen Heng welcomed Du Yunjing to the couch. Neither of them cared about formalities. One half turned sideways, leaning on the cushions. A man was making tea with his legs crossed, as if he wanted to show off his new tea-making skills.

Du Yunjing looked around Chen Heng's study and saw Xue Biao's paintings and Chen Heng's calligraphy on the wall. On the bookshelf filled with books, there are small objects that Chen Heng and Dai Yu bought from the streets. Things look ordinary, but there is warmth and comfort everywhere.

"From this point of view, it would be better to serve as a local official."

Du Yunjing couldn't help but sigh when he thought of his various experiences in the capital.

The imperial palace newspaper for the first month has not yet been sent to Songjiang. Although Chen Heng didn't know why Lao Du was demoted from Beijing, considering what Li Zhi ordered him to do, it was not surprising that he would experience this. It's not that easy to check Xungui's account privately. Do you really think that people are like meat on the chopping board, to be slaughtered by others?

Pushing the freshly brewed tea leaves in front of his friend, Chen Heng said with a smile: "When you get used to staying here, I'm afraid you won't want to go back to the capital even if I ask you."

Du Yunjing smiled, picked up the tea cup and took a sip. He is an aspiring scholar, and he also knows that being able to shine in the capital will definitely be better than being able to influence things locally. The former's slight movement of his mouth may affect thousands of households. No matter how well you do it locally, it will only benefit one county or one state.

Seeing that the guest still had something hidden in his mind, Chen Heng thought for a while and asked, "Brother Du, what kind of position will he take when he comes to Songjiang this time?"

"He is the head of Songjiang Prefecture Maritime Safety Administration."

This answer made Chen Heng feel that it was subtle. This official position was easy to say. Like the head of the Criminal Department, he was from the sixth rank. Beijing officials are naturally half a rank higher than local officials, so it is not an exaggeration to say that they are ‘clearly demoted’. After all, the officials of the capital are always in front of His Majesty's eyes, and they may become famous.

Don't look at the director of the Maritime Safety Administration, he is only from the sixth grade. In terms of power, it is not small at all. This official office is specially designed for Songjiang Prefecture Port and is directly under the name of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Not only is he a seal official, but he is also out of the control system of the state government.

To put it bluntly, if Du Yunjing loses his temper in the future, the prefect of Songjiang will not have to lose his face. From this point of view, it is not an exaggeration to say that it has been promoted secretly. After such an encounter, why is Brother Du still depressed?

Chen Heng didn't understand the key for a while, so he comforted Du Yunjing: "After all, it's just a palm print. In the future, I can be an official in the same city as Brother Du. I can not only serve the people, but also have friends to accompany me. I don't have to go to court every day." Not to mention the difficulties, as long as the official affairs are properly handled, it would be wonderful to be able to do whatever you want on a daily basis. "

Du Yunjing wanted to laugh when he heard this, so he changed his posture to half lying down and joked: "Listening to Chi Xing's words, I'm afraid I won't miss Shu anymore."

Chen Heng nodded generously and admitted, and then asked about the results of Du Yunjing's affairs in the capital. There is nothing to hide. For at least half a month, once the imperial report arrives in Songjiang, Chen Heng himself can half read and guess half of many things.

"I checked several families of the four princes and eight princes, and the accounts here are simply unsightly and too numerous to describe." Du Yunjing sighed that he had not done all the work, but he was still unwilling to say, "It's a pity that your Majesty intends to let them go. Only a few people were killed, but these leading nobles were given a year to settle the accounts. "

This is normal. There will be a war at the border in April or May at most. At such a critical moment, how could it be possible to arbitrarily touch Dayong's nobles? Not to mention the political energy at their disposal, and the old disciples and friends they have in their hands. If they start to cause trouble, even Wei Yinghong will have a headache.

Thinking of this, Chen Heng couldn't help but asked, "Didn't Master Wei persuade you?" He didn't understand Du Yunjing's straightforward temper. Li Zhi didn't know, but Wei Yinghong must have understood. Why do you let Lao Du act like a fool who will never look back until he hits the wall?

"Of course my father-in-law persuaded me." Du Yunjing smiled, "It's just that I want to imitate Li Yishan and be a wanderer who insists on going his own way."

Yishan is Li Shangyin's character. When Chen Heng heard this, he hurriedly raised his hand and waved it gently in front of his nose, mockingly saying: "You can save it. When it comes to poetic talent, even if we are both together, we can't even see Li Gong's back. Li Yishan insisted on it back then. Marrying the Wang family is a real act of love and infatuation..."

Before he finished speaking, Du Yunjing had already rushed to answer: "Then I wholeheartedly want to do things for the people and make decisions for the people. Isn't it considered a love affair?"

Chen Heng laughed immediately, because according to Lao Du, it made sense. He could only shake his head and say no more. In fact, Chen Heng also admired Du Yunjing in his heart. Can regard wealth and honor as floating clouds, and can reject the kind advice of relatives and elders. Isn't it a happy thing to stick to your own beliefs and go to the end?

Seeing that the host's smile faded, Du Yunjing was worried that Chen Heng would say something comforting. He said hurriedly: "Don't open your mouth to praise me. As soon as you open your mouth, I feel that you are also praising yourself. I only listen to half of your 100% intentions."

This... Chen Heng looked at the distinguished guest and then at his own situation. The laughter that had stopped came out again with a higher pitch.

"Lao Du, you are much sharper than you were in Yangzhou."

Du Yunjing spread his hands and said, "When I was in the academy, if I had this ability, I would have beaten Cui Youdao to the ground."

The three heroes of Leyi Academy at that time were in different situations. Chen Heng felt a little emotional and turned the topic elsewhere. Just five days later, Huating County will hold the county examination. He hurriedly took the matter out and told Du Yunjing.

Everyone is the best from this road. Suddenly hearing Chen Heng's words, Du Yunjing said it was impossible not to be interested. He hurriedly asked Chen Heng to come up with the questions he had prepared, preparing to see how Chen Heng made things difficult for the students under his care.

"This is called not forgetting the man who dug the well when you are drinking water." Du Yunjing said very happily, "Things that the county magistrate made difficult for me back then will have to be returned to others today."

"Hahaha." Chen Heng was really amused by Du Yunjing's witty remarks today. He took his own test questions from the desk and gave them directly to the distinguished guest to look through.

The county examination is the first hurdle in a tall building, so there is no need to demand too much confidentiality. Firstly, the court will not care about it, and secondly, after passing the county examination and the government examination, you will be considered a child only if you pass both examinations. As for the difficulty of the county examination, if you want to give an analogy, it can be understood as the primary school diploma of later generations.

This thing is more of a qualification than a difficulty. It means that this person can read and write, and can answer official documents issued by the court in the countryside. It is better to continue on the road of imperial examination.

Du Yunjing unfolded the questions and took a look at them. When he saw the difficulty of the questions, he was very unhappy. He said hurriedly: "Your two four-book questions are too simple."

He turned over the pages and complained again: "Why did you even get out the scriptures?"

Tie Jing is the fill-in-the-blank and dictation questions of later generations. Most of the candidates who can take the Boy Exam are young. This age is when memory is at its best. Asking this kind of question is almost the same as letting someone go.

Scroll down further and see the arithmetic problems written by Chen Heng. Du Yunjing did the math in his mind and found that the answer was completely different from the one written by Chen Heng. Then he smiled brightly and said: "This is good, this is good. This is how the question should be..."

I don't know what Du Yunjing encountered in the county examination. Chen Heng shook his head when he heard it: "You must never be an examiner in the future. I don't know how many candidates will criticize you later."

Du Yunjing smiled, "It's bitter first and then sweet. I don't know what to do with my conduct. As long as they pass my test, I will ensure that everything goes smoothly for them in the future."

Chen Heng heard this and wanted to calm down the other party's mood, so he said: "That's the case, I still lack a question for rhymed poetry. Please help me think of a question."

Poetry does not account for a large proportion in the county exam. As long as it is neat and not out of line, whether it is good or bad, the candidate will be considered to have passed. After all, this thing relies too much on talent. Some candidates are too talented, and if they write a good poem at random, the examiner will have a hard time commenting on it. There is no way, I can't write it myself.

Du Yunjing was very interested when he heard it. He was a second-class Jinshi in the first year of Jianping, and he must be good in terms of talent. Old Du clapped his hands together, squinted his eyes and thought for a while, then said happily: "I got it."

He jumped off the couch suddenly, ran to Chen Heng's desk, and splashed ink on the paper. In a short while, he came up with the questions and said happily, "Come on, old parents of Huating County, come and see how my questions are."

Chen Heng took it and looked at it, and laughed, "You, you are embarrassing me again."

"Hahaha, this is the method of selecting the best from the best. You can't get the middle without both talent and learning."

Chen Heng nodded, this is not bad. Anyway, the county exam is held twice in three years. If you don't pass this one, you can still take the exam the year after next.

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On the tenth day of February, the early spring chill has not yet dissipated. The students in the prefecture city are ready to go and rush to the Gongyuan in the city and Lou County. Between their eyebrows, each of them has the spirit of writing and splashing ink, just ready to try their skills in front of the county magistrate.

Today, Chen Heng got up early and sat in the hall of the Gongyuan in his official uniform. Such an experience is indeed rare. Thinking of the scene when he took the exam in his early years, he also had a lot of emotion in his heart.

As the sound of singing outside the door came, Chen Heng immediately put his mood in order and inspected the examination room with his official belt. Huating County is a large county, and the annual county examination is held in the Gongyuan in the prefectural city.

Compared with it, Lou County, which was separated from Huating County, has fewer candidates. A Lou County government office is enough for candidates to complete the county examination.

The Gongyuan in Songjiang Prefecture is inferior to the Gongyuan in Yangzhou. Most of the buildings inside are handed down from the Song Dynasty. Walking along the way, I saw that many houses were dilapidated and old.

Chen Heng secretly remembered that at this time, there was no need to talk about protecting ancient buildings. After a few hundred years, the house he lived in would also be an antique. Who looks down on whom?

The entrance began at Yinshi and lasted until the end of Yinshi. More than 700 candidates were allowed to enter. Xiao Zhushi took out the portrait of the master and hung it high, and then Chen Heng led the candidates to salute.

After this, the officers rang the gong and the bell. The Huating County Examination in the fifth year of Jianping officially began.

When the white papers for answering questions were distributed, the placard holders also walked around in the Imperial Examination Hall. After half an hour, when there was only the rustling sound of writing in the examination room. Chen Heng was finally able to leave the hall and led the county officials to start the inspection.

The first round was the main round, which was the most important. Chen Heng carefully prepared two questions for these candidates. They were from "The Analects": Wealth can be sought. "Mencius": The grace of a gentleman.

The questions of the county examination do not have to be difficult for people. Although the court will not pursue the question of cutting and connecting questions. Afterwards, the candidates will definitely poke their own spines. Chen Heng wrote the questions directly, and he expected these candidates to write wonderful insights.

He walked around the Imperial Examination Hall and admired the candidates' eager writing. When he was walking to the hall, he happened to see the police holding up the regulated verse question.

On it was a difficult question personally asked by Du Yunjing, which was: Yellow flowers are like scattered gold.

This question is neither difficult nor easy. The reason for this roundabout way is the word "yellow flower". This is the title of the poem. If the examinee thinks that yellow flower refers to golden chrysanthemum in autumn, it is a serious off-topic offense.

Regulated poems account for a small proportion, but if you go off-topic, you will not pass. In fact, yellow flower refers to rapeseed flowers. As long as the examinee has read the poem "The green strips are always green, and the yellow flowers are like scattered gold", or has often traveled and seen the early spring scenery in the countryside, he should know this. In the spring fields, rapeseed flowers are connected into a sea, and the wind blows and the waves rise, like scattered gold.

After all, the county exam is held in early spring, and this question is definitely not off-topic. It only depends on whether the examinee has the ingenuity and agility. He signaled the officer holding the notice board not to bow to him and make way. Chen Heng put his hands behind his back, looking forward to how many examinees can answer this question correctly, and how many will fail on this question.

The county exam only lasts for one day, and the papers will be collected at sunset. Before the end of the exam, Du Yunjing, who was already working at the Maritime Affairs Bureau, walked into the Imperial Examination Hall in an official robe. He was invited by Chen Heng to serve as a grading officer. With more Jinshi to help, the speed of grading can be greatly accelerated.

In a large county like Huating, if necessary, the government office will also have to draw personnel to help. This time there are only more than 700 people, which is still a small number. If Chen Heng is stricter, he will deliberately eliminate the next batch of candidates. When the county exam is held the year after next, there will be more than 1,000 people participating.

In addition to Chen and Du, anyone with a scholar or above in the county office can serve as a grading officer. To ensure that the ranking of the main venue can be issued as scheduled three days later.

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At night, after the candidates left.

Chen Heng led a group of people to sit in the Imperial Examination Hall and start grading the papers. He will stay here for the next few days. Daiyu even prepared bedding and toiletries for him. There is nothing he can do about it. When the candidates are free, they are the busiest.

After working all night, Chen Heng found that many candidates had indeed answered the yellow flower question incorrectly. This was an unexpected but reasonable result. If you don't have enough knowledge and don't often go out to gain experience, then you should go back and study hard again.

While helping to mark the papers, Lao Du drank the tea and dried fruits sent by Mrs. Chen. From time to time, he would hold the examinees' excellent papers and come to discuss the wonderful points with Chen Heng.

After a day and a half of hard work, the rough candidates for admission were decided. The remaining top ten people will be decided by Chen Heng himself. This ranking will basically not change as long as there are no major mistakes in the future.

Chen Heng picked and chose among the ten test papers, and finally selected the one with the best literary talent. After deciding the first place, the rest of the rankings are very easy to arrange. Just because the first place in the county case is guaranteed to pass the prefectural examination, this casual choice will give him a title of scholar, which is enough to be called turning stone into gold.

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Three days later, the county and city released the group list. The ten people in the small circle are the top ten selected by Chen Heng. The eighty people in the second circle are called the first list together with the small circle. There are also one hundred people in the outermost circle, which are counted as the second list.

These one hundred and eighty candidates can already be regarded as having passed the county examination. The rest is the competition for ranking. The other candidates can decide whether to take the subsequent examinations.

Such a number of admissions is the regular number in Huating County. It is neither too much nor too little. Some candidates thought that the Magistrate of Huating County had just taken office and would show mercy and release more people to add some cultural and educational achievements to themselves. After knowing the results, they all lamented: It is not so easy to be the disciple of the top scholar.

Once the group list was released, the next three exams were the first review, the second review, and the final review. After several days, Chen Heng's first experience of the county exam finally ended.

Compared with the turbulent provincial exam. The county exam was just an appetizer. Chen Heng had a taste of it, and his excitement did not stay for too long. It was just that when he met with the top ten candidates, he tried his best to give fair evaluations and instructions. I hope these candidates can continue to work hard in the prefectural exam.

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After the county exam, it was early March in a blink of an eye. The sudden birthday banquet of Zhen Mansion disrupted Chen Heng's itinerary to inspect Chuansha Hall.

After all, it was a place where you can watch the excitement, so Chen Heng naturally would not leave Daiyu alone. He arranged the affairs of the county government, and then set off for Jinling with Daiyu, Zijuan, and Liu Xianglian.

It only takes two and a half days to go from Songjiang Prefecture to Jinling by water. There is no rush to go back and forth, so Chen Heng specially ordered the boatman to slow down the boat. Accompanying Daiyu to visit the scenery on the river and enjoy the spring scenery.

After chatting and playing like this, Chen Heng and Daiyu finally arrived in Jinling City after spending another day. This is the first time for the couple to come here. The thousand-year-old ancient city and the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties in front of them can be said to be: Where is Jinling City, dragons and tigers lean on the east of the river.

In Jinling in March, the atmosphere in the city is even more lively than during the New Year. I don’t know what method the Zhen family used, half of the city is covered with red ribbons and colorful ribbons, which is amazing.

Merry Christmas, brothers!!! I continue to work overtime, woo woo woo.