Chapter 19: Pick it up on the spot
It was after the hour of Hai when Jia Zheng hurried back.
" Brother Cong!" Jia Zheng greeted him happily and pulled Jia Cong back without waiting for him to greet him. He was even more excited and nervous about Jia Cong's fate than Jia Cong himself.
"The county exam will be held tomorrow. I have already told Shumo to harness the carriage in advance and not to delay the time! I have also told your sister-in-law Lian to prepare food for you in advance. As for writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone, I have already prepared them for you!"
"You don't need to be nervous. I have read all the articles you wrote recently. Mr. Shan Pin and Mr. Ren Zhanguang also said that as long as there are no mistakes , you will definitely be selected for the Tongsheng Examination!"
Afterwards, Jia Zheng earnestly told Jia Cong some things to pay attention to. After all, he had experienced the imperial examinations and was an experienced person, so he was naturally willing to provide some help to this promising younger generation.
After talking for a long while, Jia Zheng suddenly clapped his hands and said, "You see, I am hysterical. You will be killed tomorrow, so you should go back and rest early!"
"Shumo, light the lights and send Cong back home!"
Jia Cong bowed, "Thank you for your guidance, second uncle!"
After returning to his room and resting for the night, Jia Cong woke up at the beginning of the next day. However, Xiao Que'er woke up earlier!
"Third Master, I have checked your bookcase several times, there must be no mistake! Second Master's servant has just arrived and said that a carriage is waiting outside the door. Sister Feng'er has also brought food over!"
As for what to prepare for the imperial examination, Xiao Que'er even went to ask Daiyu, and she had rehearsed it several times in the past few days!
As he spoke, he helped Jia Cong dress and wash himself skillfully!
After Jia Cong finished his meal, he checked the bookcase again, and when he saw that there was nothing missing, he left the house! Xiao Que'er also wrapped herself up tightly and sent Jia Cong out.
As expected, there was a green-covered carriage waiting outside the gate, with two servants standing on either side. The one on the left was Shumo, and the one on the right was Jia Lian's servant Xing'er.
"Greetings, Third Master. Second Master and Second Madam asked me to take you there together!"
Jia Cong nodded and said, "Xiao Que'er, just wait at home for the next few days. If you are free, go find Second Sister and the others!"
Xiao Que'er bowed solemnly, "I wish you a successful start and a place on the imperial examination!"
“Hahaha, okay!”
Jia Cong turned around and got on the carriage. Two servants sat on the shaft, and then the carriage began to tick forward.
"Third Master, let's go pick up the guarantor first. Second Master has already sent someone to call for him!" Shu Mo said in a low voice, and Jia Cong had no objection.
After about two quarters of an hour, the carriage stopped and Jia Cong got off directly. He happened to see a door in front of him wide open, and a middle-aged Confucian scholar came out accompanied by a servant.
Jia Cong stepped forward and saluted, "Jia Cong of the Jia family, thank you for your help, Mr. Cheng!"
The scholar's name was Cheng Zihui, and he was a scholar. He was good friends with one of Jia Zheng's retainers, so Jia Zheng asked him to act as a guarantor for Jia Cong.
"Mr. Jia, you are so polite!" Cheng Zihui did not dare to be negligent and hurriedly returned the gift.
Afterwards, Jia Cong led Cheng Zihui to get on the carriage first, and then he followed.
Cheng Zihui was secretly surprised by Jia Cong! He had heard that most of the children in the Jia family were naughty, and this time he had to accept the offer because he could not refuse. But now, it seems that Jia Cong is at least humble and polite.
When they arrived at the entrance of the examination hall, there were already huge crowds of people! The two servants shouted and helped Jia Cong and the other two to squeeze forward, and soon they were at the front.
After waiting for a while, at the hour of Mao, they heard a cannon shot and the gate opened.
There were soldiers holding swords and guns on both sides on guard, and two green-robed officials were holding a list and a photo album to announce the names!
Each time a person was called, the guarantor and the candidate came forward, and two minor officials checked the test nameplate and let them in if they were correct.
"Jiangning County candidate Jia Cong and guarantor Cheng Zihui!"
Upon hearing this, Jia Cong hurried forward with Cheng Zihui and handed over the examination cards. When the two checked each other correctly, Jia Cong bowed to Cheng Zihui and entered the examination room.
There was no need to mention the body search. Jia Cong was wearing thin clothes for the imperial examination, so there would naturally be no problem.
When the soldiers arrived at a cell, they stopped and saw a two-foot-high board separating the cells, with a few small characters on top: "Number Nine"!
The soldier lifted the tablet and Jia Cong entered with the book box on his back.
He put the prepared food box aside, took out the pen, ink, paper and inkstone and put them away one by one, then sat down and closed his eyes to rest.
After an unknown amount of time, I suddenly heard the sound of a gong and someone shouted, "Students have arrived, and reading is beneficial!"
Wei Qi, the magistrate of Jiangning County, opened the test papers sealed with wax, and after someone checked them for correctness, he ordered them to be distributed!
Jia Cong opened the test paper and saw the words written on it, "Yan is now abusing its people, the king is going to conquer them!"
This is a sentence from Mencius' Liang Hui Wang. Jia Cong is not unfamiliar with it. He has even seen many similar examples! Immediately, after laying out the straw paper, he began to write.
By noon, Jia Cong had finally finished writing! After putting away the straw paper, he took out the snacks and water prepared in the book box to eat, and then rested for a while, then took out the roll of paper and copied it carefully.
After finishing everything, I checked it again carefully and found no typos or taboos, so I felt relieved.
After three days , the entire county examination was finally completed!
Jia Cong stood up, took the last test paper, walked to the front and handed it to the examiner!
Just as he was about to leave, he heard the examiner ask, "Your name is Jia Cong?"
"Greetings, sir!"
"The way of the university, the destiny of heaven is called nature, learn and practice it from time to time, how to solve the problem!"
Jia Cong thought for a moment, "The Tao is from Heaven, and it is cultivated and presented to the court!"
The examiner was delighted, "Good!"
Immediately, he asked a few more questions, and Jia Cong answered fluently!
"I never thought there was such a talent in the Duke's Mansion!" The examiner praised, then turned around and asked, "What do you think?"
Several Confucian scholars around congratulated him, "Your Excellency, we should congratulate you for having such a disciple!"
The examiner stroked his beard and laughed, "I am Wei Qi, the magistrate of Jiangning County . I can tell you now that you have been selected!"
In the county examination, the county magistrate could directly select the candidates, so it was not surprising.
Although he had been somewhat confident, Jia Cong couldn't help but feel happy now that he had passed, even if it was just a small exam for a student.
He immediately bowed, "Jia Cong thanks you, sir!"
Saying "sir" instead of "sir" is also a response to the disciple's feelings! Sure enough, Wei Qi's smile became even more intense, "Okay, you can go! After you go back, prepare well for the prefectural examination, don't slack off!"
When Jia Cong came out of the examination room, he found that Shu Mo had been waiting there.
"The Second Master knew that the Third Master had finished his exam today, so he sent me here early to wait for him! Moreover, the Second Master did not go to work today, and is waiting for the Third Master at home!"
Jia Cong let out a long sigh and got into the carriage somewhat tiredly. He couldn't stand or lie down in that carriage, which was really uncomfortable.
