On this day, snow was still falling in Yingtian City, magnificent and incomparable, and there was only a kind of silver-white colour left between heaven and earth, just like a giant city of ice and snow.
Around dawn, Yingtian City deployed a number of magistrates and servants to help the idlers, the Jiangnan Tribute Courtyard to the Temple of Fu Zi around all the lights and colours, big red lanterns and silver-white ice and snow in stark contrast.
On this day, the students in the inn had changed into new student uniforms and put on the most pious expressions, kneeling and burning incense in the direction of the temple.
At a table by the window in the lobby of the inn, Zhu Pingan and Fatty Xuechi sat at the table drinking rice porridge and eating small dishes. Zhu Pingan’s face was calm and composed, and he was eating very well, but the fat man next to him was a bit different. As the fatty ate, he glanced in the direction of the door from time to time, and his eyes were also a little bloodshot, it looked like he had a rather bad night’s sleep last night as he tossed and turned.
Inn lobby at this time filled with students students, many people are like the fat man, from time to time to look at the door, eyes are also red, like a hungry wolf.
This day is the day of the countryside examination release.
The countryside test is different from the student test, the countryside test release list in accordance with the usual practice is by the yamen and police officers first to the inn and other scholars landed in the place of good news, to all the new lifts after the completion of the good news, only in front of the Jiangnan Tribute College will be posted a complete list.
Do not have to worry about the messenger can not find the way, all the students in the examination before their temporary residence information, place of origin, etc. registered in advance to the Yamen.
“The annunciation errand boys are out!”
Around just to the hour, an excited shout was heard outside.
Then everyone inside the inn’s lobby excitedly poked their heads towards the door, and Fatty Xue Chi’s entire body was about to fly out of his chair.
A golden scale is not a thing in a pool, once it meets the wind and rain, it turns into a dragon.
Everyone fantasised that they would be able to get into high school, and once they were in high school, it would be much different, it was another world, and the name of it was power.
Time seems to become very slow, the hall of the students waiting for the right and left, feel like waiting for tens of thousands of years, but have not heard any happy sound.
Finally
“The report of the countryside examination! He”
The crowd in the lobby couldn’t wait to look towards the door. There were even people who left their tables and chairs to dart towards the door.
However, all the crowd could see was a magistrate holding a red scroll whizzing past the inn’s entrance and heading towards another inn.
“Alas.”
A sigh rang out within the inn.
When the crowd’s sighs hadn’t completely left their lips, another clear and loud sound of annunciation came, heading straight for the inn’s lobby.
“A report of success in the countryside examination! Congratulations to Fengyang Prefecture’s Master Xue Chi Xue for placing thirty-fifth in the vice list of the countryside examination.”
An errand boy announcing the good news. He rushed into the lobby shouting.
Upon hearing this, the fat Xue Chi sitting across from Zhu Pingan wailed and stood up, his emotions were so excited that it was hard for him to get over himself, and his mouth shouted, “I’m in and so on. What the hell, did you just say vice list?”
Fatty I won three words only said two words and then paused, originally full of flushed face turned black, grasping the announcing agent shaking together.
“Yes, vice list.” The errand boy who reported the good news nodded his head.
After receiving confirmation, the fat man let go of the errand boy with one hand, a fat face on the verge of tears, “Vice list you report a ball! This is still the last place in the vice list.”
Vice list is, the imperial examination in a kind of additional list, also known as the preparation list. The secondary list of the countryside examination started in the 5th year of the Jia Jing Dynasty. Those who won the secondary list did not win the examination. Rather, it is the qualification of the next boundary of the countryside examination to continue the examination, do not have to participate in the science examination and so on, directly to participate in the next countryside examination can be. This quota is not much, the average positive list of five to take a vice list.
However, and, egg.
For the fat man’s excitement, the people in the lobby also understand, even if the fat man did not high school lifts, but high school vice list is also considered very good, at least it is also considered a kind of honour. The people in the lobby gave congratulations to Fatty.
Fatty lost his mind for a moment. Immediately figured it out, felt out a broken silver to reward the person who reported the good news, and then sat across from Zhu Pingan and boasted about himself.
“Brother Zhu, even though Fatty I didn’t win the Lifelong Learnership. But the secondary list is also great, it’s called the Tribute List. En, I can go to the State Scholarship in the capital, much better than my old man.”
Fatty has an extremely powerful inner healing function, all of a sudden he thought about it, himself a backdoor gift to get a place in the countryside examination all of a sudden got the vice list in the examination. This is much stronger than those who took the countryside examination in name only, especially his own old man, that is not even able to catch up with his own ah.
“Well, not bad.” Zhu Pingan nodded, behind the sentence out of my expectation did not say out, indeed out of Zhu Pingan’s expectation, just based on the fat man’s piece of sister I think of, this achievement is out of my expectation, I guess the fat man this goods other articles have a very colourful place it.
Hearing the words of Zhu Pingan, the fat man some complacency.
In the next time, in addition to the fat man, the inn lobby, there are two people also received the report of the vice list, and the fat man quite resonant look at a few eyes, agreed to drink together later.
“Now it’s time for the Gui List.” The crowd inside the inn exchanged glances and looked out the door.
Finally
A clatter of clear hoofbeats broke the hearts of the crowd waiting hard. Only to see the doorway two healthy horse neighing stopped at the door of the inn, two yamen rolled over and dismounted, shouting the township test report, straight to the inn.
“Countryside examination report, congratulations Anqingfu Zhu Pingan Zhu senior high school countryside examination one hundred and thirty-fifth.”
The one hundred and thirty-fifth place.
The total number of admissions for the entire South Zhili Township Examination was 135, and Zhu Ping’an got 135, which meant that he was the last on the admissions list.
To be honest, this ranking is really a bit out of Zhu Pingan’s expectation, and he feels that he is not at the end of the list.
However, thinking about it, there are more than 10,000 students who participated in the countryside examination, and it is already excellent for him to be successful in the examination. Last place, huh, one seems to have to continue to work harder and harder.
Can’t underestimate the heroes of the world ah.
Zhu Pingan quickly adjusted his mood and took out from his body the reward money that he had prepared long ago and distributed it to the two errand boys who were reporting the good news.
The two agents took over and touched the heavy string of coins, the amount is very sufficient ah, very happy to say some words of congratulations to Zhu Ping An, and then went back to resume their duties with a smile.
Zhu Pingan hanging tail high school lifts, the people in the inn envious, this young man luck so good it, the last on the list, this luck must be the ancestral tomb smoke it.
In addition to envy, they are still more jealous, if we are more lucky, we can also.
“Brother Zhu, we are also considered to be difficult brothers ah. You’re the last in the main list, and I’m the last in the secondary list.” Fatty said with a bitter face, but then changed his words in the middle of saying, “No, you’ve both won the lottery ah!”
“One year earlier and one year later, Xue brother got the vice list today, this time is the Enke, according to the rent system, next year can be another year of countryside examination, Xue brother calmly prepare one or two, next year a quasi high as the laurel list.” Zhu Pingan comfort fat man said.
“also, less you this batch of competitors, I can be the thirty-fifth place, hahaha, next time can still be recorded one hundred and thirty-five, then I won’t be in the bag.”
Fatty smiled, his bitter face instantly turned radiant, and his voice was sparrow-happy.
Indeed, it was a blessing in disguise.
Fatty’s thoughts were justified, next year’s normal township examination, Fatty’s chances were indeed great!
