Disguised as a man: Watch me create a new dynasty

Chapter 131 Another year of provincial examinations, the past is like the wind

Yan Nansheng in the house was unaware of the movement outside. She was still immersed in counting silver.

It can be said that this provincial examination was well prepared. The Xie family had previously sent the personal information of the chief examiners of this year's provincial examination and their preferences for articles.

But Yan Nansheng didn't look at it carefully, but just paid more attention to the character of these officials.

She knew very well that if a person had solid knowledge, no test questions would have much impact on her. Even if she memorized the examiners' preferences in advance and successfully passed the exam, her future prospects would not be too broad.

The provincial examination is an important part of the imperial examination.

The provincial examinations were usually held in the provincial capitals every three years, with the regular examinations held in the years of Zi, Mao, Wu and You, and the special examinations held during celebrations. The examinations were usually held in August, so they were also called "autumn examinations".

Candidates taking part in the provincial examination must be students who have passed the local county examination or prefectural examination and obtained the qualification of scholar.

Before taking the provincial examination, scholars had to register with the government and submit information such as their place of origin and three generations of resume. After being reviewed and approved, they would be eligible to take part in the examination.

The examination hall for the provincial examination was called Gongyuan, and its layout was rigorous.

Candidates must undergo a strict body search before entering the examination room to prevent cheating by bringing in smuggled materials.

Originally, this was very unfriendly to Yan Nansheng, but who could blame Yan Nansheng for having the magical system?

The content of the exam needs to strictly follow the rules, but the admission paper is not within Yan Nansheng's consideration.

After entering the examination room, candidates are assigned to a small single room to answer questions and are not allowed to leave at will during the examination.

The content of the provincial examination was mainly Confucian classics, including the Four Books and the Five Classics.

The examination format is generally eight-part essay, requiring candidates to write according to fixed formats and rules.

The examination questions were drawn up by the chief examiner and reviewed and approved by the court.

The test questions cover aspects such as the meaning of classics, policy questions, poetry and prose, in order to test the candidates' understanding of Confucian classics, their insights on state governance, and their literary talent.

The marking process for the provincial examination was also extremely strict.

The examination papers are copied by a special person to prevent examiners from identifying candidates through handwriting.

Examiners will review the answers according to certain standards and procedures and give high scores to excellent answers.

The number of admissions to the provincial examinations is limited, and each province determines the number based on factors such as population and literary style.

Those who are admitted are called Juren, and the first place is called "Jieyuan".

After passing the imperial examination, the juren not only gained the qualification to participate in the imperial examination, but also enjoyed certain privileges, such as exemption from taxes and corvee labor.

Once passing the imperial examination, the candidate's social status will be greatly improved.

However, the competition for the provincial examination was fierce, and many candidates failed after taking the exam many times. Some candidates even spent their entire lives trying to pass the provincial examination.

In short, the ancient provincial examination was a rigorous, complex and significant examination. It selected a group of knowledgeable and ambitious talents for the country and provided many students with opportunities to change their destiny.

However, the limitations of its examination content and format have also constrained people's thinking and creativity to a certain extent.

The reason why Yan Nansheng was so calm and composed was because she had already thoroughly studied the book on Five Thousand Years of History that was rewarded by the space.

The magic of space is that time flows much faster than in the outside world.

The Yan family caravan had also found many anecdotes and historical books for Yan Nansheng over the years. So what she lacked now was not the sprint before the exam, but preparations to return to Beijing.

She carefully counted every item and every fortune, muttering to herself.

"This box contains pearls, of excellent quality and value. These boxes contain jade jewelry, of exquisite craftsmanship, and will surely cause a sensation among the noble ladies in the capital."

Yan Nansheng was recording in the account book as he spoke.

Time passed minute by minute, Yan Nansheng did not feel tired at all, her heart was full of longing and plans for the future.

After a month, Yan Nansheng finally finished taking inventory of all his property.

She stretched and breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally it's done. Now I feel relieved."

When she walked out of the room, she saw the little maid who was still sobbing. Yan Nansheng frowned slightly and asked, "What's going on?"

Nanny Li quickly stepped forward and told Yan Nansheng everything that had happened. After listening, Yan Nansheng sighed softly, "Forget it, she is also a newcomer, you old people just need to guide her for many years."

The little maidservant kowtowed repeatedly as if she had been pardoned, "Thank you very much, young master, thank you very much, young master, I will be careful in the future."

Hearing this, Granny Li glared at her. The maid was also smart, and quickly lowered her head and said, "I, I thank you very much for your forgiveness, Master."

From then on, all the new servants in the Yan family regarded Yan Nansheng's words as an imperial decree, and did things more cautiously, for fear of making mistakes.

As the provincial examination approached, Yan Nansheng arrived at the Yan family's house in the provincial capital in advance.

The Yan family spent a huge amount of money to buy this house, and it has been prepared for Yan Nansheng's imperial examination.

Uncle Li is the housekeeper here. He knew three days in advance that the eldest young master would come to the city to take part in the provincial examination, so he made preparations early.

The house was originally cleaned by servants every day, so there was hardly any dust at all.

But Uncle Li still ordered people to clean the house thoroughly inside and out. Not only did they clean every room spotlessly, but they also trimmed the flowers and trees in the courtyard neatly.

The furnishings in the house were rearranged and fresh flowers were placed, filling the entire house with a fresh and pleasant fragrance.

The carriage that Yan Nansheng was riding in slowly drove into the city. He lifted the curtain of the carriage, with a faint smile on his lips, looking at the prosperous scene outside the carriage.

The streets of the city were bustling with people coming and going and cars and traffic because of the approaching provincial examination.

The shops on both sides of the street are doing a booming business and the shop assistants are busy as hell.

The bookstore was crowded with students who came to buy reference books and stationery, and the shopkeeper greeted the customers with a smile on his face.

In the silk shop, there is a wide variety of exquisite fabrics. Many candidates' families come to choose, hoping to buy new clothes for their children who are about to take the exam, in order to bring good luck.

The food stalls on the street are filled with aroma, and the stall owners are shouting enthusiastically, attracting passers-by. They sell steaming hot buns, crispy and delicious fried chicken and cola, as well as sweet candied haws, which make people salivate.

The teahouse not far away was filled with people talking loudly.

Some were discussing the possible directions of this year's provincial examination questions, some were sharing their experiences with previous imperial examinations, and some were cheering on students who were about to take the exam.

Although the streets were bustling, they were well-organized.

Patrolling soldiers passed by from time to time, maintaining law and order and ensuring people's safety.

Yan Nansheng looked at this scene full of vitality and hope, feeling deeply moved.

The carriage finally stopped in front of the Yan family's house. Yan Nansheng got off the carriage. Uncle Li had already been waiting at the door with a group of servants.

"Young Master, you are finally here. Thank you for your hard work along the way." Uncle Li said respectfully.

Yan Nansheng smiled and nodded, "Uncle Li, thank you for your concern."

Yan Nansheng entered the house and after a short rest, he decided to go home to recuperate before visiting the Xu family.

He changed into neat and decent clothes, took the carefully prepared gifts, and got on the carriage to Xu's house.

The Xu Mansion was located in a prosperous area of ​​the city, and the carriage stopped in front of the Xu Mansion.

Yan Nansheng got out of the car, handed over his business card, and soon he was welcomed into the mansion.