Chapter 430 July 8
With the arrival of the examiner, the entire Guangzhou Prefecture was swept by a "Yang craze". Everyone was talking about Yang Xun, trying to get a clue from any trace about him.
It's really hard to know what to do when the examiner is your first time, and you don't know what questions he will ask.
As for the preferred writing style, everyone thought that steady and cautious was the most suitable, and Yang Xun was a slow and steady type.
He Shuqiang received information from the He family and said to Sun Shan, "Brother Shan, I heard from the clan that Lord Yang is slow in doing things and is not at all suitable to be a censor. I don't know why he became a censor.
I heard from the clan that Lord Yang also used very gentle words when writing memorials, never saying harsh words, and of course never saying anything flattering. His writing style is very balanced, but I don't know if he likes it. I don't know if he likes his style of writing, or if he likes passionate and sharp words and gorgeous words? "
Sun Shan asked, "Would Lord Yang like plain and simple articles?"
He Shuqiang shook his head and said, "I don't know either. Lord Yang doesn't like writing books or poems. It seems that he doesn't have any hobbies."
He Shuqiang told Sun Shan and others all the information he had obtained from the clan school and Guangya Academy, but the information they received was very little.
It's not the clan school and Guangya Academy's fault for not being proactive, it's just because Yang Xun had very little information, and more importantly, it was his first time as an examiner, and no one knew how he would set the questions.
He Shuqiang added: "The teacher at Guangya Academy said that this is the first time that Lord Yang has been the chief examiner, and he is a relatively stable person, so the questions he will ask will be conventional and will not try to break new ground. When students answer the questions, it is best not to go off the mark. Lord Yang may like this kind of article, but, for the sake of safety, he will definitely not let such an article win the first place. Lord Yang may want an article that is stable, conventional, and will not make mistakes."
What the teacher of Guangya Academy said makes some sense. If you have no experience, you should try to be safe. If you are too unconventional, everyone will be happy if you are welcomed. If you are questioned, then Lord Yang will be in trouble.
Therefore, the general risk hedging rules are to be steady, talk less and do less, and strive to avoid mistakes.
He Shuqiang was sharing information about Lord Yang with Sun Shan, while Sun Bomin hurried over and said, "Shanzi, I heard that your chief examiner is Lord Yang? People outside are going crazy about it. I wonder what kind of person Lord Yang is?"
Sun Bomin stayed to accompany Sun Shan to take the exam. After Uncle Sun San went back, Sun Bomin went to the dessert shop to help out.
Sometimes when the mountain goods store needs people, he will run over.
Sun Boming is a brick, he can be moved wherever he is needed.
Ever since Lord Yang came, the whole village of Hejia Village has started talking about it.
If it were in Sunjia Village, no one would know anything about studying, but it was different in Hejia Village. Every year, there would be provincial examinations in Hejia Village, and the students taking the imperial examinations would naturally spark heated discussions.
Sun Bomin worked as a waiter in a dessert shop these days, so he naturally heard the customers' discussions. Since Sun Shan was about to enter, Sun Bomin would naturally pay attention.
More and more people were discussing. Sun Boming didn't understand at first, but gradually he understood and naturally became nervous.
When Sun Boming received the ingredients at the dessert shop, he didn't know which ones were useful and which ones were useless, so he shared them all at once.
Some of the rumors were ridiculous, but Sun Bomin didn't know how to distinguish them and told Sun Shan one by one.
During this period, Sun Boming was more nervous than Sun Shan.
Sun Shan said soothingly, "Father, I understand. Don't worry, I will do well in the provincial examination this time."
It would be a lie to say that he was not worried. Sun Bomin frowned and paused before saying, "I heard that only 70 or 80 people were selected from more than 2,000 people. The competition is too fierce. Oh, I didn't expect it to be so difficult to pass the imperial examination.
Shanzi, don't put pressure on yourself. If you can't pass the exam, then so be it. Anyway, the title of scholar is very useful in Sunjia Village. We have 30 acres of land that is tax-free and we don't have to serve in the military. We are already much better off than our fellow villagers."
Sun Shan hummed, nodded and said, "Father, I understand. I will try my best to take the exam. If I fail, it's because I'm not good enough in my studies. I won't blame others, and I won't be too sad. Anyway, I'm still young and I still have a chance."
Sun Shan chatted with Sun Bomin for a few words and it seemed that Sun Bomin was still very worried.
So Sun Shan said, "Father, you should go to the sweet soup shop and help. My second cousin may be too busy. The weather has been very hot, and many people like to eat sweet soup to cool off."
Instead of letting Sun Boming think too much, it is better to let him be busy. As long as he is busy, he won't think too much.
When Sun Bomin heard this, he hurried to the dessert shop to help.
The shop is busiest in the afternoon and evening. The villagers of Hejia Village and people nearby are all quite wealthy and like to drink sugar water.
Sun Boming didn't dare to delay the transaction.
In a blink of an eye, it was the 23rd, and there were still two days until the provincial examination.
Sun Shan and his companions planned to live near the Imperial Examination Hall.
Fortunately, they booked an inn half a month in advance, so they could just go there directly.
Li Xinjun, Liu Wenhuan, Jiang Qian, Hong Jian, and later Zhang Yue lived in the same inn with Sun Shan.
As for Qian Yingyang, he went to their Duanzhou hometown association hall, which was full of students from Duanzhou.
Qian Yingyang said that he wanted to infiltrate the inside and find out the information, and then come out to share it with Sun Shan.
Li Xinyun said enviously, "How come Duanzhou has a hometown association, but we don't have one in Zhangzhou?"
Liu Wenhuan smiled and said, "Who told us that the people in Zhangzhou are poor? There are no scholars or big merchants to help build a guild hall. Well, not only Duanzhou has a guild hall for fellow townsmen, Chaozhou and Gaozhou also have guild halls for fellow townsmen, but our poor Zhangzhou doesn't have one. Students from other prefectures can live in guild halls to exchange information, but in Zhangzhou, we have to find an inn to live in."
After hearing this, Sun Shan smiled and said, there was nothing he could do. This was how a poor government was. Not only was the government office poor, but even the people were poor.
There are no university scholars, no big merchants, and even not many students.
So where is the financial resources to build a guild hall and take care of the students?
Perhaps the Zhangzhou government thought that there were few students and no need to take care of them, so they could just take care of themselves.
Sun Shan smiled and said, "Okay, whether there is a guild hall or not, you still have to go in and take the exam, haha."
Hong Jian followed behind and said, "We are poor in Zhangzhou and don't pay much attention to education, so how could we think of building a guild hall?"
Jiang Qian shook his head and said, "If we want to have a guild hall, we need more Juren. As for Jinshi, it seems like it will take a long time."
If it is difficult for Huangyang County to produce a scholar, then it will be difficult for Zhangzhou Prefecture to produce a Jinshi.
However, it is more difficult for Zhangzhou Prefecture to produce a Jinshi. After all, Jinshi are all from Daqian, and the difficulty is not on the same level as producing a Xiucai from Huangyang County.
After Sun Shan and the others chatted for a while, Aunt Sun arranged for a carriage to come over and let them stay at the inn in advance.
Uncle He prepared the examination basket according to He Shujin's original needs when entering the venue. The He family had experience, so Sun Shan and others did not have to inquire and purchase it in person.