Liaozhai Great Sage

Chapter 153 School Examination.

The people in Guobei City know that today is the opening day of the exam, and they brought Xiaodie and Du Chunhua all the way along. There were many roadside vendors and passers-by who warmly congratulated Li Xiuyuan on his smooth exam. Middle scholar.

None of these people knew each other, and it was purely for auspiciousness.

The common people believe that if the scholar they have congratulated can pass the examination of scholar, it will also bring them good luck.

Whether it is true or not is unknown.

However, this simple folk customs made Li Xiuyuan feel very good.

When he came to the front of the Gongyuan, all the children in Guobei City had gathered here. There were a large number of them, hundreds of them at least, including young teenagers and middle-aged people in their 40s and [-]s. He even saw There are a few old children who have already turned gray at the temples.

In the vicinity of the Gongyuan, there are hawkers gathering, selling pens, ink, paper and inkstones, all kinds of food, and even some people open the market to gamble, whoever can be admitted as a scholar will be ranked higher.

Li Xiuyuan looked at the sky, and it was almost Mao hour.

Mao Shi quarter is the time for the opening of the Gongyuan, and all candidates will enter the Gongyuan to prepare for the examination.

However, during the period when the door was not opened, the nearby scholar doors made friends with each other and got acquainted with each other, so as to leave a little affection.

"Brother Li, this way, this way."

At this time, when Zhu Yu, Wang Ping, Zhong Qingxu and other scholars saw Li Xiuyuan, they immediately waved and greeted Li Xiuyuan from a distance.

"Oh, I didn't expect you to arrive early. It seems that you are sure to win this exam." Li Xiuyuan walked over with a smile and gave a salute.

Everyone returned a salute and thanked Li Xiuyuan for saving his life, but then Zhu Yu smiled wryly and shook his head: "Where is the inevitable, after what happened last time, I have been recuperating at home since I went back, and I am still thinking about it." Exhausted, looking tired, haven't read half a page of the book, and my mind is still messed up, I'm afraid I won't pass the entrance examination this time."

"It won't be so serious anymore." Li Xiuyuan said in surprise.

Another scholar said with a miserable face: "It's much more serious than this. I've been sick in bed for the past few days, and I just have the strength to get up and walk today. I don't know if God has mercy on me and let me take this exam. Otherwise, I’m afraid I’ll miss this exam, but even if I have the strength to take this exam today, I’ll probably fail the exam, and I can only wait until next year.”

"Speaking of which, is the beauty I was entangled with for a few days really a dog?" After speaking, she looked at Li Xiuyuan again with tears in her eyes.

It seems that there is only one miserable word to describe his current mood.

"." Li Xiuyuan.

"Don't mention such absurd things, I'd like to throw up again when you mention them." Zhu Yu who was next to her felt nauseated and wanted to vomit.

He is no better than others, because what he meets is not a woman, but a male ghost.

Every time I think about it, I just feel sick.

Li Xiuyuan looked at these scholars as if I understood you, and sighed slightly; "The past is over, you should seize this opportunity to take part in this college examination. After passing the examination, It’s not too late to think about other things.”

"Brothers, I don't want to take part in this exam. Today I'm here to say goodbye to you all."

At this time, the Xu scholar named Zhong Qing gave a salute suddenly and said.

"Brother Zhong, why are you doing this?" The other scholars were shocked.

Although they were empty-headed and in poor health, they still insisted on taking part in this exam. After all, the exam was only held twice in three years, and if they missed it, they would have to wait for more than a year, so they never gave up no matter what. Intend.

Unexpectedly, Zhong Qingxu would give up today.

Wang Ping hastily persuaded: "Brother Zhong, why do you want to give up the exam when you are so good? The opening of the academy is today, how can you not go to the Gongyuan? Besides, the exam is only two days long, and the delay is only three days. What is your urgent matter that you have to give up even the hospital exam?"

The few scholars next to him also nodded, thinking that this made sense.

Zhong Qingxu smiled wryly and said: "This matter is a bit mysterious. In the evening a few days ago, I met a sloppy Taoist. The Taoist took the initiative to make a fortune for me, saying that I don't need to participate in the college exam. Even if you take part, you won’t pass the exam.”

"Nine times out of ten, Taoist fortune-tellers fail. Why should Brother Zhong listen to a sorcerer's words?" Zhu Yu said.

Li Xiuyuan was stunned for a moment. The sloppy Taoist that Zhong Qingxu was talking about was probably his uncle, Taoist Mu. If that was the case, then his uncle would not just talk about it. It must have counted on Zhong Qingxu's future, otherwise he would not Dare to talk nonsense.

After all, if it ruins the future of others, it will bear karma.

Zhong Qingxu shook his head and said: "The sloppy Taoist said that I failed the scholar exam, but I didn't take it to heart, but the sloppy Taoist also said that my mother is seriously ill at the moment, if I don't give up the exam and rush home I'm afraid I won't be able to see the last side of my mother at home, but just last night, I dreamed of a dead friend of mine in my dream. The friend entrusted me with a dream, saying that my mother was critically ill and asked me to return home quickly. Did you answer the words of that sloppy Taoist?”

"After thinking about it, I feel that no matter what is true or not, I should go back. It's not too late to take the exam after two years in this institute."

After saying this, the other scholars fell silent immediately.

They didn't believe in ghosts and gods before, but after the ghost market incident, they firmly believed in it.

Nowadays, Taoist priests tell fortunes, deceased friends entrust dreams, and it seems that the mother is critically ill and there are nine out of ten.

Since ancient times, filial piety has always been the first.

If the mother is seriously ill, she should indeed go back to visit her, and the hospital examination can be put on hold for a while.

"Since my mother is sick, I should go back to visit her. I don't think there is anything worth hesitating about. I should do it. Scholars can take the exam every year, but there is only one mother." Li Xiuyuan said.

In his opinion, relatives are much more important than fame.

The others nodded slightly when they heard the words, expressing their agreement.

Zhong Qingxu looked at Li Xiuyuan gratefully and said: "I was still hesitant before, but now I suddenly understand what Brother Li said. Thank you Brother Li for your enlightenment. I will go back to visit my mother. I can't step into the Gongyuan with you today. It's a pity, but before I leave, I can only wish you all the best of luck in passing the college exam and being a scholar in the exam, everyone, take my leave, and see you in the future."

After he finished speaking, he gave a salute, and everyone saluted in return, wishing him a smooth journey and his mother at home.

Seeing Zhong Qingxu turn around and leave quickly without turning his head, he couldn't help thinking in his heart: "Although he is greedy for beauty and is deceived by female ghosts, he is still worthy of praise in matters of right and wrong. At least he is a filial son. Mother can give up this hospital exam."

The same is true for Wang Ping. Although Wang Ping is greedy for money and lustful, he is still moral to his friends, and he will not abandon his friends and run for his life when he is in trouble.

After all, no one is perfect, you can't expect a person to be so noble and complete, if there is such a person, then he is not a person, but a sage, no, even a sage will have some shortcomings The place.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

At this moment, the gong outside the Gong Yuan rang.

"The door is open, the Gongyuan is open."

A group of children suddenly said excitedly.

"Brother Li, let's go, the Gongyuan is open, let's go in quickly." Zhu Yu was also a little excited, and it was his first time to take the courtyard examination.

Li Xiuyuan nodded, then to Xiaodie beside him, Du Chunhua said: "Just give me the things, you go back first, don't go out these few days when I'm not around, if you need something, ask Lu Bo."

"Yes, sir."

The two maidservants nodded and responded obediently.

After Li Xiuyuan took the things, he walked into the Gongyuan together with other scholars.

Before entering the Tribute Court, there are special police officers who check your floating ticket, which is the so-called textual research. The textual research records your name, birth, place of origin, and appearance, etc., to ensure that no one is fooling you.

But because it is difficult to really determine a person's identity through textual research, there have always been loopholes that can be exploited since ancient times, so it has led to the occurrence of impostors and substitute exams.

"Li Xiuyuan from Guobei County?"

The little official looked at Li Xiuyuan: "It said that you are eight feet tall, handsome, and tall and straight. I think it is a bit exaggerated. It is obvious that your appearance and posture are ordinary. The adult who issued the floating ticket for you seems to have missed it." .”

Li Xiuyuan looked at this thin and black official, and couldn't help twitching the corners of his mouth slightly, it was so ordinary again, who influenced you?
"Let me ask you, who is the current magistrate of Guobei County?" asked the little official.

"The former magistrate of Guobei County was Liu Shimin, Mr. Liu." Li Xiuyuan said.

In fact, the little official didn't know whether the county magistrate Liu of Guobei County or Wang County magistrate was just asking casually. Then he looked at Li Xiuyuan's expression and saw that Li Xiuyuan was calm and unmoved, so he nodded and said, "Go in. .”

After entering the Gongyuan, another guard stopped Li Xiuyuan and checked his belongings.

This is to prevent cheating.

After passing this level, there will be a special policeman who will take the examinee to the examination room.

In short, the process is a bit cumbersome.

To inspect these hundreds of children, I am afraid that it will not be possible without more than half a day's work.

In addition to the time of the exam, the time spent in the Gongyuan was actually much longer than expected.

After Li Xiuyuan came to his own examination room, he saw that it was full of dust and overgrown with weeds in the corners, so he knew that no one took care of it for a while.

But my room is pretty good, and there are other exam rooms with broken roofs, rotten seats, and crumbling seats. I don’t know how to write papers and answer questions when candidates come in.

He shook his head, and took advantage of the waiting time to tidy up the examination room.

But when he was taking care of it, he saw a red poisonous snake crawling out of the grass in the corner.

When the poisonous snake saw Li Xiuyuan, it swished away, not knowing where it went.

"If you get bitten, you will probably die." Li Xiuyuan frowned.

I am really worried about the environment here.

It's no wonder that since ancient times, many candidates for the imperial examinations have died in the examination room. In this ghost place, it is God's blessing that a few people don't die every year.

(End of this chapter)