Chapter 1025: The Talent of a Top Scholar

The imperial examination is undoubtedly a major event. It is so for individuals, and it is also so for the imperial court.

For individuals, it is that they have achieved something after many years of study, and have taken a step forward in the direction of becoming an official. For the imperial court, it is to stabilize the scholar group, ensure the stability of people's hearts, continuously select qualified officials, maintain the healthy operation of the bureaucratic team, and also test the organizational strength of various places and the central government.

The inns in Yangzhou City have long begun to raise prices.

As an important node city connecting the two sides of the Yangtze River and communicating the north and south of the Grand Canal, water and land transportation is developed, and the daily flow of people is very large. The population of Yangzhou City alone, including the floating population, is 200,000. Counting the counties below, there are another 200,000. The total population of Huainan East Road is more than 3 million, and Yangzhou alone accounts for one-eighth.

And the venue for the Yangzhou state examination is naturally in Yangzhou. Those who have failed the exam for many years, those who are taking the exam for the first time this year, together with thousands of people, all poured into Yangzhou City. They all booked for three months, because they had to rush over in advance, and wait for the list to be posted to get the results, and no matter whether they have money or not, they always have to socialize.

In fact, as long as you are willing to lose face, the socializing activities that are most important to scholars don't actually cost much money. You don't need much talent, as long as you are not at the bottom, and you are willing to flatter others and set up a stage for others, scholars from wealthy families are generally quite welcome, and they don't have to pay for food and drink, and even the prostitution fees for brothels can be settled.

It's just that comparing vanity, having no money and pretending to be a big head, this is what adds a lot of burden for no reason. But whether it is pretending or licking, they are all looked down upon, mainly a problem of self-satisfaction.

Spending your own money, being awesome yourself, feeling distressed yourself, and having to let your old parents, wife, and children eat bran and vegetables at home. Licking wealthy scholars, you have to lose some face, and let go of some dignity, which is that you really don't feel very good about yourself.

However, mixing in the world, you always have to occupy one, either have ability or money. If you don't have both, no matter how you say it, you have to lose some face.

Like Wang Yan, he belongs to the player without big money. The consumption of scholar socializing, with his family background, cannot support playing every day. But he can be considered to have ability, participating in Yangzhou's high-end socializing activities, so he doesn't have to pay, and he is still the protagonist that people compete to get close to.

"Brother Ziyan."

"Ziyan."

This is a sunny day in August. Of course, this August is the lunar calendar. If it were changed to the Western calendar, it would be a few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is connected to the National Day holiday, but the bitter working people are working six or seven days in a row when adjusting the holiday.

Wang Yan walked slowly with his hands behind his back, followed by Little Dongliang, who was struggling to carry a large box.

The scholars gathered outside the examination hall were all taking the initiative to greet Wang Yan. This is the reputation Wang Yan has accumulated in the past half year. Many people have not seen him, but as long as they have a little brain, once they see this situation, they know which number he is without introduction.

Talent is talent. Although Wang Yan's name is becoming more and more popular, although if he doesn't pass the exam this time, he will lose face, it does not affect people's recognition of him. Just because of the sentence "What is obtained from books is ultimately shallow, and one must practice it to know it", which is sung all over the Great Song and even went to Liao, Western Xia, and Dali, it is enough for him to eat and drink for a lifetime.

After all, this is the most intuitive judgment. There is still controversy about a certain battle fought by a general, how to fight it, and others think they can do it. When it comes to Wang Yan, just put that poem there, whoever is awesome, write a sentence that is not inferior, and then laugh at Wang Yan for not living up to his name.

"Good senior brother!"

"Brother Wang!"

Two different titles came. He turned his head and looked, and saw Liu Yun, who was widely connected, coming over with several scholars.

Wang Yan stepped off the carriage on the horse stool, bowed to the group of people who came over: "I don't know what Brother Jingshu is doing here?"

"Specifically waiting for you, Wang Ziyan." Liu Yun waved his hand, "Ziyan, you have hidden it from me so painfully. Could it be that you have apprenticed to Master Ouyang, look down on me, and don't want to associate with me?"

"Brother, what are you talking about? How could I be such a person? It's just that this is my first time participating in the state examination, and I have been silent for many years. How can I be as calm as you? Seeing that there are not many months left, my heart is really uneasy. Therefore, I am either studying at home or asking for advice at Master Ouyang's mansion, and I really can't spare any time.

If it weren't for this, brother, you have made a name for me, so that the whole city knows about my proposal on the street, how could there be such a great momentum. And how could there be brothers and Brother Jingshu waiting for me outside the city, it's really embarrassing for me."

After speaking, Wang Yan bowed to the others who came together, and his posture was very low.

For a time, everyone exchanged polite greetings. Among these people, there were sons of wealthy families, sons of small officials, local scholars who came to Yangzhou to study from the counties below, and several poor scholars. Rich, poor, a group of more than ten people.

They flattered Wang Yan, saying that Wang Yan's poems were well written, and they were widely circulated on both sides of the Yangtze River, and they were afraid that they would reach Bianjing. They also said that he proposed on the street and dared to go to the Sheng family's door, and they envied him. They said he was lucky to apprentice to Ouyang Xiu, and he couldn't forget them after he developed in the future, etc.

Wang Yan was simple, saying they were handsome, had good families, spoke well, and would definitely have a future. It was a formal commercial mutual flattery.

After a good while, Liu Yun took Wang Yan's arm and said: "Ziyan, I think you should be free today, why don't we have a banquet and write some good poems and lyrics?"

"Brother, I am going to Master Ouyang's mansion today, and then I have to go to the Sheng mansion again. I really don't have any free time. Furthermore, thinking that the exam date is approaching, my heart is hesitant and uneasy, and I really have no heart for drinking and feasting."

Wang Yan shook his head sincerely and refused, "If I pass the exam, I will definitely invite brothers to gather together. If I don't pass, it will not be too late to gather and feast in the future. It's only half a year, why are brothers in such a hurry?"

Seeing Wang Yan's sincere eyes and the surging ambition, inexplicably, the scholars present felt a little ashamed. But then, they couldn't help but feel that Wang Yan was too fucking pretentious.

This had nothing to do with good or bad, it was just that Wang Yan was a bit unsociable. They didn't study, Wang Yan studied, which was a bit prominent.

It was mainly because these players were useless. As long as they passed the exam, these people would still wave flags for him. They belonged to the players who automatically leaned over,

It was a coincidence that standing right beside him was Liu Yun.

"Brother Ziyan."

"Brother Jingshu is truly composed, standing here so calm and relaxed." Wang Yan casually flattered him.

"Do not mock your brother." Liu Yun shook his head. "I said it earlier, I have simply studied too much, hence my peace of mind."

"This brother, I wonder if you have more than me?"

Wang Yan and Liu Yun followed the voice and looked over, only to see a middle-aged man who looked to be about forty years old standing not far away. His body was thin and dry, lacking a sense of strength; his hair was casually coiled up, a mix of black and white, and his eyes were full of exhaustion.

"Certainly not as much, my apologies, my apologies." Liu Yun hurriedly put down the things he was carrying and bowed respectfully.

The man shook his head and muttered, "If I cannot pass this time, then so be it, so be it~"

Once these words were spoken, the buzzing scholars around them fell silent. This silence spread outward, and after only a moment, it became completely quiet.

Those on the periphery didn't know why it was quiet, just habitually following suit. But in the circle where Wang Yan and the others were, negative emotions like vicissitudes, sorrow, and desolation had already overflowed.

Just as everyone was sighing in sorrow, Wang Yan suddenly shouted loudly.

"Flowers bloom not in a cluster of a hundred, standing alone by the sparse hedge, the interest is not yet exhausted. I would rather die holding my fragrance on the branch, than be blown away by the north wind! We scholars must row against the current, forge ahead with courage, and fear not the rain and wind. The ideals of us scholars should be to establish a heart for heaven and earth, to establish a life for the people, to inherit the lost teachings of past sages, and to open up peace for all generations!"

At a time like this, it was necessary to put on a show. With a poem to boost morale and the four sentences of Hengqu, everyone was pumped up, and Wang Yan's act was perfectly executed.

Zhang Zai hadn't said these words yet at this time, because the twenty-eight-year-old Zhang Zai hadn't yet attained enlightenment. He would only summarize these four sentences after mastering Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. His theoretical masterpiece would come later, when he wisely resigned from office and ran back to Hengqu to study and lecture at an academy because he wouldn't join Wang Anshi's reforms and knew Wang Anshi would target him.

Wang Yan had to say these famous sentences, which became the highest ideal for scholars after they were proposed. This kind of thing belongs to whoever says it first...

After Wang Yan used vocal techniques to roar out a poem and a famous quote, the area outside the examination hall fell into an even deeper silence. But the next moment, someone shouted "Good!"

Immediately following, a fierce clamor arose, all praise for Wang Yan's poem and famous quote, as well as the hot blood surging to their heads.

Whether becoming an official is for the sake of the common people is a question to consider after becoming an official. Now, at this moment, they believed Wang Yan understood them and voiced the thoughts in everyone's hearts. Yes, that is exactly what they thought...

Sheng Hualan, Sheng Changbai, and Ouyang Fa, who were standing in the distance and hadn't left, were already stunned, each with their mouths slightly open, unable to believe it.

They were all sensible people; Wang Yan's newly composed poem was very good, but those four sentences were too awesome, shocking people's hearts like a bolt from the blue. This already belonged to the realm of enlightenment.

However, Sheng Hualan was relatively simple. She looked at Wang Yan, who was already surrounded by people, leaving a large empty space, and was walking in circles and speaking loudly in that space, her eyes full of little stars. This was her future husband; he could shine~

Sheng Changbai, on the other hand, was thinking that he should also be as awesome as his future brother-in-law in the future.

The little fatty was simple: Damn it, why isn't it me who is so awesome...

This was destined to be a great moment that would shake the past and present. At a time when the provincial examination was about to begin, in front of thousands of scholars, Wang Yan voiced the highest ideal of scholars, which was destined to be recorded in history.

In the eighth year of Qingli, in the eighth month, the Emperor held the Yangzhou examination. At that time, a villager had taken the exam many times without success and told the Emperor that if he didn't pass this year, it would be the end. After speaking, everyone was silent. The Emperor was displeased and shouted...

The commotion didn't last long before it was stopped by the proctor. Soldiers were brought in to maintain order, and it returned to the previous state of lining up to enter the examination hall, bustling and buzzing. It's just that everyone was looking in Wang Yan's direction; there was no way around it, he was just too awesome, and he had all the scholar style they imagined.

They couldn't help but feel envy, jealousy, and hatred, but they also couldn't help but want to follow and get close.

This is the effect of prestige...

At this time, the imperial examination had already begun to lock the compound, meaning the doors of the examination hall were closed, and they were circled inside and not allowed to come out. When entering the examination hall, there were several passages, each with minor officials and several infantry soldiers standing there. They had to check everything the candidates brought, all of which had to be carefully gone through, including clothes, shoes, etc., all to prevent cheating.

Wang Yan let the soldiers check him once and even left them a piece of dried meat before carrying his things to the room where he would take the exam.

The examination hall at this time was actually about the same as the very famous Jiang Nan Examination Hall that has been preserved. No matter how rich the Song Dynasty was, it hadn't reached the point of building a small house for every candidate; construction costs were one aspect, and proctoring costs were another.

So this place was far from comfortable, just enough to shelter from the wind and rain. Many people had big and small bags, carrying blankets and the like, fully equipped. However, when checking at the passage, they all couldn't escape the fate of being cut open by knives.

Wang Yan didn't take that much; he found it troublesome. He liked comfort, but it wasn't that he couldn't endure a little hardship. Moreover, no matter how dilapidated this examination hall was, it was always much better than the battlefield.

He wiped the table with a rag, fiddled with the large boxes he had brought, took out the brush, ink, and inkstone, took out the tea set and a small stove, lit the charcoal, and went to fetch water, directly boiling hot water...

The reform of the content of the imperial examination was continuous.

The Song Dynasty inherited the Tang system. At first, it emphasized poetry and prose, first poetry and prose, then policy essays, using poetry and prose to determine who stayed and who left. That is, after the first round of poetry and prose, a bunch of graders began to review the papers. Those who didn't pass didn't need to look at the policy essays and just left.

This naturally had drawbacks, so the first reform of the Song Dynasty imperial examination was carried out in the fifth year of Tiansheng of the Renzong Emperor, focusing on policy essays.

In the third year of Qingli, Ouyang Xiu submitted a memorial, "On Changing the Tribute Examination," proposing to divide the examination into three rounds: the first round testing policy, the second round testing essays, and the final round testing poetry and prose, with people staying or leaving according to the proportion in each round, and abolishing the testing of classic interpretations and memorization. With the failure of the Qingli New Deal, this imperial examination reform could not continue.

It wasn't until the second year of Jiayou, when Ouyang Xiu presided over the provincial examination, that the previously proposed reform was finally implemented. And this year was hailed by later generations as the most awesome imperial examination, because those who passed as jinshi were all figures who were awesome to the sky. Su Shi, Su Zhe, and Zeng Gong were three of the Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song. Cheng and Gu were big shots of the Luo School, and Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism originated here. Zhang Zai, this goes without saying; Wang Yan had just used his words on establishing the Dao to show off.

It was fortunate that Zhang Zai didn't know; he would only think Wang Yan was his soulmate, otherwise he would probably chase down the shameless Wang Yan and would definitely take his dog head...

So the imperial examination Wang Yan was experiencing now focused on policy essays. But even if it focused on policy essays, if the poetry and prose weren't done well, it would be in vain.

However, for him, Wang Mou, it was naturally all child's play; he was very capable.

Three days passed like this. Wang Yan, who had handed in his paper, let the soldiers and minor officials check his small cubicle, packed his things, and walked out of the examination hall, smiling and nodding to the scholars who were still struggling.

Finally, he could speak. Liu Yun, who happened to come out with Wang Yan, sighed: "Ziyan's literary talent is high and excellent; I think he will definitely pass the exam. Your brother has failed again this time. Who would have thought, who would have thought that I would be assigned to the stinky number..."

Liu Yun sighed sorrowfully to the sky...

The stinky number is the seat next to the latrine. Although it was autumn, Yangzhou is located in the south, and it was still cool in the morning and evening, but it was still very sultry during the day. The hotter it was, the bigger the smell of the latrine, which was very stinky and unpleasant.

Otherwise, why would Wang Yan be a step away from Liu Yun? He was pickled with the smell.

Liu Yun, who had long discovered Wang Yan's movements, was naturally tearful and even more sorrowful.

Wang Yan waved to Little Dongliang, who was jumping over from afar, as well as Sheng Hualan, Sheng Changbai, and Ouyang Fa.

"Brother Jingshu, your younger brother will go first." He decided not to talk much with Liu Yun because the smell was really strong.

Liu Yun's eyes were full of resentment. Watching Wang Yan leave, and then watching his book boy come over and subconsciously take a step back, anger rose from his heart, and he gave the book boy a kick that was neither light nor heavy...

"He didn't do well on the exam, young master?" Little Dongliang took the big box and looked at the dejected Liu Yun.

Ouyang Fa spoke first: "Must be, if he did well, could he still take it out on the book boy?"

"My young master doesn't take it out on others even if he doesn't do well on the exam."

"Hey, you're still talking back to me."

Little Dongliang wasn't afraid at all, giggling and circling to the side.

Wang Yan patted Ouyang Fa's big fat head and said with a smile: "He was assigned to the stinky number."

Ouyang Fa, Sheng Changbai, and Hualan, who came over two steps behind, all looked disgusted.

Hualan asked: "How did the gentleman do on the exam?"

"Rest assured, there is no worry about passing the exam." Wang Yan waved his hand. "Let's go, hurry back to take a bath, and have a good meal."

"Brother Wang, you are already tired, no need to rush. Wine and food have been prepared at home, stay at home today."

"That's fine. Good junior brother, shall we go together?"

"Let's go."

Ouyang Fa was now familiar with the Sheng family and came and went freely. Although they were five years apart, he and Changbai played very well, and the two could talk together. They were both precocious children, and even if childish thoughts were inevitable, in terms of depth of thought, they were by no means comparable to ordinary people.

As for Ouyang Fa's changes, Ouyang Xiu and his old wife saw them in their eyes, but they didn't say much, which could be considered as happy to see it happen. Ouyang Xiu was a romantic and casual person; he actually didn't like children being like little adults, stiff and without vitality. It's just that he didn't want to say much, as long as the child didn't grow crooked.

Contact with Wang Yan was also quite good. Ouyang Xiu knew that Wang Yan was a person with persistence, and at the same time had means and wisdom. He had always believed that Wang Yan would definitely be promoted smoothly after becoming an official. It's just that thinking of the previous conversation, it was still a bit annoying; he always felt that Wang Yan really wanted to start a massacre in the local area...

Thus, the group got on the carriage and came to the Sheng Mansion.

Because of the imperial examination, Sheng Hong had also been very busy recently and was not at home. It was Wang Shi who came out to receive them. She only said a few polite words and took the unwilling Hualan away; she was just here to take Hualan away.

Without Sheng Hong here, Changbai, the face of the family, couldn't control Hualan, so only Wang Shi could come out. Otherwise, if it spread out, it wouldn't be good, making the Sheng family look like they had no rules.

"Brother Wang, since you have passed the exam, you should also propose marriage and ask for the name. My sister has been waiting hard." Changbai didn't drink, just poured wine for his future brother-in-law on the side.

"It won't be too late after the list is posted, why rush those few days? The matchmaker has long been found, and the wild geese are raised fat and plump."

Ouyang Fa on the side was gnawing on a chicken leg happily, muttering and asking: "Good senior brother, hurry up and tell the two of us, what was the situation inside the examination hall?"

Just the three of them eating and drinking together, two players who hadn't taken the exam, caring about the process of the imperial examination. For example, what questions were asked, how Wang Yan broke the questions, and what his feelings were.

Wang Yan ate and drank a lot, took a bath, and slept in the Sheng Mansion.

Half a month later, the provincial examination list was posted, Wang Yan was first...