Chapter 429: Registration for the Provincial Examination
Li Xinjun lived with Sun Shan, so the two could discuss issues more conveniently.
Sometimes Qian Yingyang would also come over, and the three of them would discuss together.
The time passed quickly, and it was already the beginning of August, with more than ten days left before the provincial examination.
Sun Shan's good friends Liu Wenhuan, Jiang Qian, and Hong Jian also came down and lived in the He family's courtyard.
As for the case leader Zhang Yue in Huangyang County, he went to live with his relatives and did not come to live here.
Aunt Sun and Uncle He really liked scholars, or really liked Sun Shan, so they cooked various kinds of food every day so that Sun Shan and his friends could eat well and sleep well so as to prepare for the provincial examination.
He didn't care at all that there were so many people coming to his house for free.
Although Li Xinjun and his companions paid for accommodation and food, they converted the money into a gift in disguise and gave it back, and also provided them with delicious food and drinks every day.
Li Xinjun and others whispered to Sun Shan that they had gained several pounds since they came here.
On this day, Sun Shan and others went to handle the procedures for the provincial examination.
Looking at the huge crowds of students, Sun Shan got a headache.
Qian Yingyang exclaimed: "Ashan, there are so many people, what should I do?"
What can I do? Just leave it alone. The more time passes, the more people will come.
Li Xinyun hung his head and said, "Three years ago, there weren't so many people coming to take the provincial examination. Now it feels like there are half as many people. What should I do?"
It’s still a cold dish. There are many people and few people. You still have to take the exam.
Sun Shan and Hong Jian did not feel as deeply as they did, as it was their first time taking part in the provincial examination.
Qian Yingyang, Li Xinjun, Jiang Qian, and Liu Wenhuan came for the second time, so they could truly feel the change in the number of people.
After everyone completed the formalities, it was already afternoon.
I found a teahouse and drank several sips of tea before I came to my senses.
The weather was hot and there were a lot of people. I was sweating profusely when I came out. It was really uncomfortable.
Liu Wenhuan sighed and said, "Every three years, there are two more batches of scholars, so more and more people will participate in the provincial examinations, and the provincial examinations will become more and more difficult. Alas, we are still better off in Guangnan. I heard that there are more people in Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi. It is true that the juren are gold and the jinshi are silver."
Juren is gold and Jinshi is silver, which means that Juren is more valuable and more difficult to pass.
Those who can pass the imperial examination are the best among men.
Passing the imperial examination meant that one had already set foot on the official career and had the opportunity to take part in the imperial examination. Even if one failed the imperial examination in the future, one could still become an official or even a county magistrate, and naturally enjoyed greater privileges than a scholar.
Qian Yingyang opened his eyes wide but it was as if he hadn't opened them yet. He whispered, "I just heard from the person who handles the paperwork that there are 2300 people who have signed up this time. Oh, that's too many people. What should I do?"
The time of the provincial examinations in various places is almost the same, all in August, also known as the Autumn Examination, but the content of the examinations is different.
Generally, each province (Zhili) sets its own questions, and the number of successful candidates in each province (Zhili) is also different, and this number is allocated by the imperial court.
It was formulated based on the population, taxation, education, etc. of each province (Zhili).
The general admission rate is one in thirty.
Generally, a large province has 130 people, a medium province has 100 people, a small province has 70 to 80 people, and a very small province has only 40 to 50 people.
Guangnan Province is a small province with little distribution, so the amount allocated is not much.
The quota allocated by the imperial court to Guangnan Province fluctuated between 80 and 2300. That is to say, only the top 80 out of people could be included in the list.
The top 80 also include 10 second-place candidates, so the top 70 are the ones who actually pass the exam.
Such a small number of people is really despairing.
When Sun Shan heard that there were only about 70 rank candidates in each session, he was shocked.
He knew it was less, but it was much less than he had imagined.
He thought there would be 130.
Who knew that the actual number of places would be half of what he imagined.
It would be a lie to say that I am not desperate, but I still have to take the exam after despair.
When everyone learned about the number of people who entered this year and the number of people who were admitted in previous years, they fell silent.
The air suddenly became very quiet, forming a sharp contrast with the bustling streets outside.
Sun Shan was also scared, but he still comforted himself and his classmates by saying, "Don't be discouraged. We find it difficult, and so do other candidates. If it's difficult for everyone, then it's not difficult for everyone. Haha, we still have a good chance."
Sun Shan's nonsense words did not comfort others. Everyone hung their heads and drank tea in silence.
Suddenly Qian Yingyang asked again: "Do you know who the chief examiner and deputy examiner are this time?"
Everyone shook their heads. How could they know such a confidential matter?
However, the powerful and wealthy people would definitely know about it, because the examiner should be on his way to Guangnan Province at this time. As soon as the examiner lands, everyone will know about it.
The examiners of the provincial examination were also called "curtain officials", who were divided into inner curtain officials and outer curtain officials.
The chief examiner and co-examiners in the examination room are called inner curtain officials, while the officials outside the examination room such as supervisors, supervisors, examiners, inspectors, sealers, copyists, and readers are called outer curtain officials.
The chief examiner and deputy examiner of the provincial examination were both directly appointed by the imperial court.
The selection of inner curtain officials for the Zhili provincial examinations was mainly done by Hanlin officials.
The candidates for each province were selected from among the officials in the capital who were below the rank of vice minister and had graduated from the Jinshi degree.
In addition to the two chief examiners appointed by the court, there were four co-examiners.
The co-examiners are nominated by the provincial governors, provincial judges and inspectors, and are among the current instructors who are between 30 and 50 years old and are "proficient in literature and have an honest character".
When marking the papers, local Confucian scholars, lay scholars, instructors, outgoing or retired officials, officials on sick leave, etc. would be hired to mark the papers to increase the fairness of the provincial examinations.
Sun Shan and others mainly wanted to know who the chief examiner was, because he was the one who held the power over the life and death of the students.
The provincial examination tests not only knowledge but also luck.
The examiner's favor greatly affects the students' chances of being admitted.
If your writing style and viewpoints are approved by the examiner, your admission rate can be greatly improved.
Sun Shan and others had just completed the procedures for the provincial examination.
Two days later, the chief examiner appointed by the court arrived.
As soon as he heard about their arrival, Sun Shan got the examiner's information firsthand.
Sun Shan did not have the ability to obtain the information first hand, but he had a good friend, He Shuqiang.
He Shuqiang quietly sneaked into the He Family School and Guangya Academy and acted undercover.
After these two places obtained the background information of the examiner, they immediately passed the information to Sun Shan.
If Sun Shan knew it alone, it meant that all his classmates knew it, so everyone could learn about the examiner's background first.
The chief examiner of this provincial examination was Yang Xun, a Jinshi who had passed the imperial examinations twice in a row, a native of Shandong, and the right assistant censor, a fourth-rank official.
After reading the information given by He Shuqiang, Sun Shan found that the information about Mr. Yang was very brief and consisted of only his growth experience.
Mr. Yang had never published a book or poetry collection, and had no experience as an examiner. This was his first time doing so.
So I have no idea how he sets the questions.
The only thing that is certain is that although Lord Yang is an imperial censor, he has a very gentle temperament and does not have the stereotype of imperial censors who hate evil and hate evil.
In the court, he behaved like a good guy.
This is the information He Shuqiang obtained. Sun Shan took a look at it and felt that this Lord Yang was really hard to figure out and there was absolutely no experience to refer to.