Chapter 22

The Autumn Examination of the Zhou Dynasty usually refers to the provincial examination scheduled for autumn. The imperial court selects Hanlin and cabinet scholars to go to various provinces to serve as chief examiners and deputy chief examiners to preside over the examination. It is held every three years and is usually in August, so it is called “Autumn Examination”. 

This autumn examination is divided into three sessions, starting from the seventh day of the eighth month, and opening every three days. The types of questions include but are not limited to the Four Books and Five Classics and current political views. The examination lasts for nine days and is completed.  

After several days of examinations, not only the theoretical knowledge and psychological quality of the candidates are tested, but also their physical fitness level.  

It was a sunny day when the exam ended. Many teachers and parents gathered outside the exam room to welcome them. Su Jia and Tao Sheng waited outside for a long time, finally waiting for Ji Yanming to come out of the exam room.  

As soon as Su Jia saw her son appear, she stepped forward and asked eagerly, “Were the questions difficult this time? How did you do on the test?”  

Ji Yanming spoke in his usual concise style: “Not bad.”  

At this moment, a tall and burly candidate in a green shirt came out of the examination room, jumping and running, shouting and laughing, saying that he had guessed the questions correctly, reviewed everything, and did very well on the exam.  

This was in stark contrast to Ji Yanming, who looked calm and composed.  

Su Jia’s enthusiasm seemed to be extinguished by a bucket of water, and her face immediately fell.  

Tao Sheng was amused by their actions.  

The “okay” of a genius student is different from the “very good” of an average person. Su Jia really doesn’t need to worry about Ji Yanming.  

Tao Sheng’s smile has always been contagious. Seeing her smile, Su Jia suddenly relaxed. “Anyway, thank God I finished the exam successfully. I have asked Butler Yu to book a private room in Taibai Tower for us. Let’s go there later and order some food and wine and have a good meal. You two have been tired during this period, so relax as a family.”  

Tao Sheng was about to agree when she suddenly remembered that there was still something she hadn’t done: “I still have the key and the card of this house, and I haven’t given them to the Marquis’s wife. I think after all, they are not ours. There are many people in the Marquis’s mansion, and there are many eyes. If I keep them here, there will be many troubles. It’s better to send them over now.”  

Su Jia also knew that except for Luo Xin, everyone else in the Marquis’s Mansion was a difficult person to get along with. She immediately expressed her understanding: “This matter cannot be delayed. Go quickly and come back soon.”  

_  

In the small courtyard in the northwest corner of Wenyuan Marquis’s mansion, Aunt Han took her son’s hand and asked him about the test situation in detail. She was finally relieved to hear Shen Huan’s confident words, saying that the test process was even smoother than expected and the results must be good.  

“Huan’er, you must strive to be better,” Aunt Han said. “Your eldest brother has a title, and your third brother has his wife’s family to pave the way for him. They are both well off. Only you are still neither here nor there. If you can’t pass the exam and get a government position, then there will be no hope for the rest of your life.”  

“Those who pass the imperial examinations are Jinshi ^[1]which refers to the highest degree in the imperial examination system. and Juren ^[2]which is a lower degree., but they are not granted official positions.” Shen Huan corrected Aunt Han. “If you want to make achievements in the officialdom, you will inevitably need the help of father and madam.”  

“Don’t worry about that,” Aunt Han said. “Madam is not a stingy person, and your father is naturally on the side of his own son. By the way, I heard that before the opening of this autumn examination, your father specially went to see you off and said a lot of things. Did he promise you anything?”  

“I didn’t make the promise. I just wanted my son to do better. After all, he has studied for so many years and has invited many famous teachers from Beijing and other places. He should not be outdone by those students from small families.”  

On the day before the exam, Shen Yu specially called Shen Huan to the study, gave him some pre-exam mobilization, and finally said meaningfully, “You are the son of my Shen family, the son of a marquis’s mansion. No matter what, you cannot be worse than Tao Sheng’s cousin. Let these people from smaller families outdo you.”  

Shen Yu was probably just offended by Tao Sheng, so he was more agitated than usual and even gritted his teeth when talking about the Su family and Ji Yanming.  

Shen Huan immediately understood what his father meant: “Ji Yanming has a perverse personality and doesn’t like to talk. He rarely communicates with the teacher or asks questions. When we were studying at Zhou’s house, the teacher was the one who disliked giving him guidance.”  

Shen Huan’s words were not lies meant to please his father. When they were taking classes together at Mr. Zhou’s house, Ji Yanming didn’t like to talk and didn’t ask many questions. Mr. Zhou mostly used his time to guide himself and Shen Ci in their studies, mostly ignoring Ji Yanming and seldom pointing out problems or providing him with ideas.  

Shen Yu stroked his beard and smiled, “Of course. With his background, let alone failing the Autumn Examination, even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to make it as he has no use in the officialdom.”  

After Shen Huan told this to Aunt Han, Aunt Han looked a little disdainful.  

“Your father really thinks too little of you. He got mad at the Third Miss, and he came over to give you some advice for no reason. He even compared you with a cousin like her. It really humiliated you.”  

_  

Tao Sheng brought the key and the card to Wenyuanhou Mansion to find Luo Xin, but she ran into Shen Ci as soon as she entered the gate.  

Shen Ci had suffered losses several times when he had quarreled with her, but this time he behaved much more obediently when they met again, even calling her “sister” respectfully.  

Shen Ci is now a teenager who is not even twelve years old. In Tao Sheng’s opinion, he is just a naughty sixth-grade kid. His mind and height are both in the growth and development stage. Tao Sheng is too lazy to argue with him. Seeing that he has a good attitude today and does not look like he is looking for trouble, she did not say much, just nodded slightly and walked straight in.

If Shen Ci could speak properly, he wouldn’t be Shen Ci. Although he didn’t confront Tao Sheng directly this time, he noticed she was keeping people at a distance and asked, “Your cousin participated in the provincial examination this year, right? Did he say how he did?”

Tao Sheng replied with Ji Yanming’s words: “He said he did well in the exam.”