Chapter 801: Jinshi Enters the Palace to Present a Letter of Thanks
On March 20th, Sun Shan still had to get up early in the morning.
After yawning, getting dressed and having breakfast, he quickly went outside the palace gate.
Today, the new number one scholar will lead a group of Jinshi scholars into the palace to express their gratitude.
When the time came, everyone lined up according to their ranking in the palace examination and followed Du Zhuangyuan step by step.
After a series of complicated rituals, all the rules learned yesterday were used to thank the emperor for his gift.
Sun Shan was still the last one, but because he was too far away from the emperor, he still couldn't see what the emperor looked like. No, he couldn't even see the emperor's figure.
He did whatever his classmates did.
Sun Shan was already following others' lead in familiarity, and believed that as long as the previous ones did not make any mistakes, he would be fine.
The emperor gave the champion a set of crown and court robes according to the custom, and also issued five ingots of treasure notes to each Jinshi.
The number one scholar is now an official, and has distanced himself from Sun Shan and others, so the treatment he receives is very different.
It turns out that grades determine identity, and grades briefly determine destiny.
By the time he could go home, it was already noon and Sun Shan's stomach was rumbling.
So I followed Chen Jin to have dinner together.
Anyway, it's Chen Jin who invited me, so it would be a waste not to go.
Senior Brother Chen smiled and asked, "Junior Brother, you look listless, are you too tired?"
Even if he is tired, he cannot say he is tired. This is a rare highlight moment in his life, and Sun Shan is excited.
I shook my head and said, "Brother Chen, no, I'm just too happy. I've studied hard for more than ten or twenty years, and today I've passed the imperial examination. I'm so happy with my efforts."
Chen Jin didn't expect Sun Shan to say this, but he agreed very much: "Brother Sun, you are right. Looking back on the hard days of studying, I am really happy to finally gain something."
Chen Jin raised his glass, clinked glasses with Sun Shan, and then clinked glasses with his fellow villagers.
Then Sun Shan also got to know Chen Jin's fellow villagers.
Your friends are my friends, and my friends are your friends, so we all have many friends.
One of the fellow villagers said: "Tomorrow I have to go to the Imperial College to pay homage to the Confucius Temple, and the day after tomorrow I will take the imperial examination. These days have been very busy, and my life has been fulfilling and honorable."
Another fellow villager said cheerfully: "I don't know how high I can get in the imperial examination. If I can do well, I will have a chance to enter the Imperial Academy."
When Sun Shan heard this, he knew that this classmate had good grades.
If his grades were at the bottom, no one in the same class would dare to say such things.
Chen Jin held his forehead with his hand and said with a wry smile: "Alas, my chances of entering the Imperial Academy are slim. It's all my fault that I didn't do well in the imperial examination."
Speaking of not doing well in the exam, who could have done as poorly as Sun Shan?
Sun Shan said openly, spreading his hands, "Brother Chen, compared to me, you are much better."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone burst into laughter.
Chen Jin said mischievously, "Junior Brother Sun, haha, you are unprecedented and unrivaled. Tell me how you did in the exams? Why did you always come last? Also, how did you get a bad number?"
The other two classmates looked at Sun Shan with shining eyes.
Perhaps the reason he followed Chen Jin was simply because he wanted to get to know Sun Shan.
Who wouldn’t want to get to know such a special classmate?
Sun Shan waved his hands and said, "Brother, stop talking. You asked me how to take the test. How would I know how to take the test? Every time I take the test, the result is like this. Alas, I never expected it."
Chen Jin rolled his eyes at Sun Shan and said with a smile, "Yesterday you were boasting about your position for three days. Haha, Junior Brother Sun, many people threw things at you. I am really envious of you."
One of his classmates also said, "Sun, did you read yesterday's Beijing Tabloid? It said that because you were so popular, the court had to quickly send more people to maintain order. Many people even quarreled with the soldiers just to see you. Haha, you are so charming. Many people in Beijing came to see you."
Sun Shan's heart skipped a beat.
What did the "Beijing Tabloid" say again?
I attended the Enrong Banquet early yesterday morning, and then went to the Honglu Temple to study etiquette for an afternoon.
When I came back, I played with Jiujin for a while, and fell asleep after dinner. I didn't have time to read "Beijing Tabloid".
Sun Shan asked in confusion: "What did the tabloid say? I don't have time to read it."
Another classmate said with a smile: "You can go back and take a look today, hahaha."
Chen Jin smiled and said, "Brother Sun, don't be nervous. Tabloids only write gossips, they won't write anything. Don't worry."
After listening to Chen Jin's words, Sun Shan nodded.
That’s right, if there was any problem, the three members of the Sun family or the He family would have told him long ago.
I didn't tell him it was just a small matter and not worth mentioning.
After Sun Shan and Chen Jin had lunch, they went to the Bamin Guild Hall to find Zhu Pengyun.
We have to leave the capital early tomorrow morning, and Sun Shan is busy and can't see you off.
Zhu Pengyun was very happy to see Sun Shan and said happily: "Ashan, congratulations!"
Sun Shan cupped his hands and said jokingly, "Congratulations!"
The two looked at each other and laughed.
Sun Shan asked, "Pengyun, are you going back home?"
Zhu Pengyun's grandfather was a county magistrate, and his father was also a county magistrate. These two people were different.
Zhu Pengyun returned to his hometown from Yuelu Academy to take part in the provincial examination, but failed. He then went to study where his father lived.
Three years later, he took part in the provincial examination, passed it, and went directly to the capital to take part in the metropolitan examination.
Zhu Pengyun nodded and said, "Let's go home first. My wife and children are all in my hometown. We'll make plans later."
Sun Shan asked again: "Pengyun, will you continue to enter the market in three years?"
Zhu Pengyun nodded very confidently and said, "Yes, I will definitely enter the venue."
After a pause, he continued, "My grandfather was a juren, and my father was also a juren. I never thought that I would still be a juren. My family hopes to produce a jinshi."
This means there are three juren in one generation, and the family is almost becoming a juren family.
Sun Shan patted Zhu Pengyun on the shoulder and said encouragingly, "Pengyun, come back in three years. I believe you will be able to pass the imperial examination."
Zhu Pengyun said happily: "Anyway, my family doesn't need me to work, haha, I will continue to take the exam."
After he finished speaking, he started laughing, and Sun Shan also laughed.
The two recalled their study days at Yuelu Academy and the good times they had with Qian Yingyang when they went to Furong Street to eat snacks.
Sun Shan felt a little melancholy, a little confused, and more of a reluctant one.
I said goodbye to Zhu Pengyun today and I don’t know when we will meet again.
Sun Shan spent only two years in Yuelu Academy, but it was the happiest time of his student life.
At that time, I had teachers to teach me, discussed schoolwork with my good friends, and received advice from them from time to time, but I also spent more time playing around.
In just a few years, everything has changed and everyone has gone their separate ways.
Zhu Pengyun ordered: "Ashan, write to me after you are settled."
The so-called "settlement" means waiting for Sun Shan's official position to be confirmed and get on the right track.
Sun Shan nodded and said, "Okay, I will."
After dinner with Zhu Pengyun, Sun Shan handed him a purse before he left: "Pengyun, the journey home is long. With money you can travel all over the world, but without money you can't even take a single step. Don't refuse."
Zhu Pengyun paused, then took the purse and said seriously: "Ashan, you are right, thank you!"