GBP Chapter 321 This is a humble abode; I must stay for a full nine days!
Chapter 321 This is a humble abode; I must stay for a full nine days!
The front yard was being covered with a "mock exam room" with a clanging sound.
There were four small examination sheds in a row, and each of them had a missing brick or tile, which caused drafts to seep in.
The craftsmen were the same ones who built the examination hall for the Jiang family a few years ago. They never expected that they would be able to take on this job again after three years.
Upon hearing that the visitor was the Jiang family's steward, the group immediately found it reasonable.
This project was done by the Jiang family three years ago. How many rooms were built back then? Three, I think?
This year they're building four rooms! Wow, the Jiang family is really something else; it looks like they're going to produce a few more scholars.
"Boss, we're all set!"
"Alright, pack up the tools and report to the boss!"
They were all experienced test-takers who had done it once before, and they only used a few test sheds in one morning.
Let it air dry naturally for the next few days. It can be used when there is no moisture left.
"Li Shan, settle the wages and material costs for all the craftsmen."
After Jiang Xiaoqi inspected the rooms, he labeled the four examination sheds with numbers.
Examination booths numbered A, B, C, and D will be assigned, and the allocation will be decided by drawing lots with the clansmen later.
However, the situation in the various examination booths was similar; the only difference was the location of the leaks.
After three or four days, the examination shed was completely dried in the shade and ready for use.
Jiang Xiaoqi gathered his cousins, and the group stood in front of the four examination rooms, looking at each other in bewilderment.
Jiang Xiaoqi took out the prepared divination tube and said, "Brothers, today we will decide our examination halls by drawing lots."
The cousins nodded in agreement. "Hmm? Drawing lots? What kind of lots?"
Deciding to take the exam in a makeshift hut? Does Mingfei really mean he'll be living in this little thatched cottage? Is he serious?
None of them had ever been to the provincial examination hall, and the information they had about the examination hall came from what they had heard from others.
Elders in the clan who passed the imperial examinations and became Juren or Jinshi also mentioned that the conditions inside the examination halls were harsh, and sometimes the examination sheds were dilapidated.
Is it really that dilapidated? If it rains, they'll probably have to mix mud right inside the examination shed.
"Um, Mingfei, are we really going to stay here in this leaky room for nine whole days?"
Jiang Lin originally wanted to say "humble abode", but after casually glancing at the examination shed, he saw several holes and felt that calling it "leaky room" would be more appropriate.
"Yes, that's how my grandfather, father, and brother-in-law did it before the provincial examination.
Later, all three of them passed the provincial examination. They didn't succeed in the metropolitan examination the following year, but having built up their previous knowledge, they all passed it as well.
The rest of the clansmen knew what happened next; they all passed the imperial examination and became Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examination).
That's why our entire clan went back to our ancestral home in Puyang to repair the ancestral hall and erect the Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) memorial arch.
Jiang Xiaoqi recounted these events in detail, and none of them were fabrications. After all, everyone present shared the surname Jiang and was one of the most outstanding members of the Jiang family in this generation.
"Alright, Mingfei, you don't need to say anything more. No pain, no gain. If our great-uncle and cousins can endure this hardship, then we can too."
Jiang Lin was the first to express his opinion.
“That’s right. We’re younger and stronger than them, so it should be easier for us to do the same thing.”
Jiang Yan echoed this.
"Alright, alright, we're all surnamed Jiang, so why is it that they can do it but we can't? Come on, let's draw lots!"
Jiang Hao had already reached out and taken a stick directly from the divination box.
"This is Examination Room B. I'll go in first, you can continue."
After the drawing of lots was completed, everyone entered their respective examination rooms to check the results. The steward, along with a group of servants dressed as examination officials, distributed the examination papers.
The writing implements, food, bedding, chamber pot, and other items had already been placed in the examination shed, eliminating the need for a body search upon entry.
To ensure fairness, the questions for the mock provincial examinations were all generated by the system, and Jiang Xiaoqi could not know the specific questions in advance.
Jiang Xiaoqi was also sitting upright in the examination room No. D, and like his cousins, he began to answer the questions.
Once inside the examination hall, time seemed to slow down.
However, once the questions start, time seems to be fast-forwarded.
A cool breeze blew in through the drafty opening in the examination room, but Jiang Hao didn't feel cold at all; in fact, he found it quite comfortable.
However, on the actual day of the provincial examination, the weather will be colder than it is now, but the examination hall will not be as drafty as their current examination shed.
Outside the gate of the Jiang residence, Yun Muze stared at the tightly closed gate, lost in thought.
What does it mean that the front door is locked?
The Jiang family's black lacquered gate was locked with a thick iron chain, and a wooden sign hung beside it, which read in beautiful regular script: "The head of the family is in seclusion and will not be receiving guests!"
Retreat?
Yun Muze's face clearly showed his disbelief.
"Young master, what should we do?"
The coachman standing nearby couldn't help but feel sorry for his young master, who had only just heard that several of Young Master Jiang's cousins had arrived in Xinghe Prefecture.
Only then did they prepare some gifts and send them over, showing great respect to the other party. But the other party refused to see them at this time, which was a case of ungratefulness!
"It's alright, let's go back. Brother Jiang must have something important to discuss. We'll come back in a few days."
Yun Muze wasn't particularly understanding; rather, he had suppressed the anger that had just risen within him.
He had been in Xinghe Prefecture all along, so of course he knew that the Jiang family had also closed their doors to guests for many days three years ago. He didn't know exactly when it was.
Oh, right! It was also around the time of the provincial examination; this certainly wasn't a coincidence.
Then, recalling that a group of bricklayers had visited the Jiang family a few days ago, Yun Muze became even more certain of his guess.
"Young Master, shall we go straight back to the manor?"
"Wait a minute, let's go outside the city."
The Yun family's carriage went straight out of the city and circled around outside the city several times.
"What? Another order to build examination halls?"
"No, they didn't say directly that they wanted to build an examination hall, they just said they wanted to do the same as the Jiang family."
"Isn't that still just building an examination hall?"
"Should we accept the offer or not? This guy seems to want to learn from Young Master Jiang!"
"Why not accept it? Young Master Jiang didn't say that people are not allowed to learn this method. Alas, whether or not we take the exam is not important."
In the final stage of the provincial examination, it all comes down to talent and learning. What good is building a hundred examination halls if you lack sufficient knowledge?
They would leave the examination hall every three days, but actually spend six nights in the examination hall.
Every three days, the four of them could leave the examination hall to wash and bathe, and also have a nutritious and delicious meal. So it didn't seem too difficult.
"I've never thought plain congee could taste so good, it's simply divine."
Jiang Hao looked completely satisfied, as if he were enjoying some delicacy.
"You're exaggerating. There are charcoal stoves and ceramic ovens in the examination hall, and clean water is plentiful. There are also several kinds of porridge that you can make. Just tell me how lazy you are that you can't even be bothered to light a fire."
Jiang Hao was the only one among them who drank cold water and ate dry rations for three days.
The others either cooked their own porridge, or made black sesame paste or osmanthus lotus root starch, which, although simple, tasted really good.
"Was I lazy? No, I just didn't know how!"
"Sigh, before the provincial examination, I must learn how to start a fire, so that when I actually enter the examination hall, I can eat more comfortably."