CHAPTER 172: CHAPTER 6 FIRST COVERAGE

Fortunately, everyone passed, but Gu Wanjiang’s ranking wasn’t very good; he fell to the bottom.

"Grandfather! I really passed this time, ranked seventy-fifth." At this moment, Gu Wanhua, with his hair like a bird’s nest, came to Uncle Gu, happily dancing around.

"Congratulations, Hua! We all passed!" With his hair neatly combed, Gu Chengyu stepped to Uncle Gu and Gu Wanhua to offer his congratulations.

"Really? This is a good omen. Our Gu Family all passed; truly, thanks to our ancestors. Did your classmates do well too? They seem to be people with outstanding knowledge." Uncle Gu was genuinely happy to see his grandson pass.

While conversing with Uncle Gu, He Shunian and others returned one by one.

Upon seeing Gu Chengyu, He Shunian stepped forward to offer congratulations: "Junior Brother! You did well, achieving first place."

"This is just the first round; there are four more rounds ahead!"

After exchanging congratulations, everyone proceeded toward the inn, faces beaming with happiness — except for the second son, whose expression wasn’t pleasant. He ranked at the bottom this time, making the next exam even riskier. Watching the confident five ahead, his heart felt uneasy.

Actually, as Gu Chengyu was chatting, some onlookers overheard that Chengyu had secured first place in this exam, surprised that the top rank was achieved by such a young lad. Nearby were yesterday’s students who had witnessed a dispute, announcing the inn’s happenings to others, making Chengyu somewhat famous even before finishing the county examination. But this was only the first round, with many examinees taking the test, causing no major stir.

The second round, the initial review, tests the classic texts and their interpretation. This time, the classics hold lesser weight, with most questions covering interpretations.

It includes selecting a passage from the Chief of Staff for annotation tasks; in essence, interpretation is akin to modern short-answer questions, requiring examinees to thoroughly read scriptures and various commentaries to respond.

It tests the foundation in the Five Classics, raising difficulty by requiring not just recitation of the Four Books but also memorizing annotations, elevating the complexity for Chengyu. He carefully reviewed the questions, finding some unusually obscure — understandable with so many examinees; tough questions are necessary to filter candidates.

County Magistrate Lu, looking at the examination shed with fewer candidates below, sighed in relief. Jingyuan Prefecture doesn’t match the literary flourishing of Jiangnan; over three hundred examinees this time, noticeably more than before. Sweeping his gaze across the examination hall, Lu spotted Gu Chengyu diligently writing, internally praising him.

Chengyu clinching first place in the first round wasn’t merely skill; Lu’s supervision played a role. After all, if everyone answers correctly, penmanship becomes the sole focus! Though Chengyu’s writing stood out, he wasn’t unparalleled.

Qinghe County had consecutively failed to produce any scholars; Lu occupied the magistrate position for two terms. Without achievements this year, evaluation next year could be tough! He wasn’t a noble son, lacked connections, and wasn’t wealthy, yet aspired to climb the ranks!

Meeting Chengyu seemed like a great opportunity; if Chengyu excelled further, showcasing literary talent, why couldn’t Qinghe County produce a prodigy?

Considering this, Lu became restless, feeling he should better observe this young man who ought not to disappoint. Concerns arose about Chengyu’s focus exclusively on the Four Books; lacking proficiency in the Five Classics would complicate matters in the examination, given his self-authored questions.

Chengyu finished drafting, ready to transcribe onto the answer sheet, catching Lu peering at his draft through the corner of his eye. He paid little attention, likely intrigued by Chengyu’s youth.

At that moment, Chengyu solely wished to promptly complete his answer sheet. Today’s bread, bought from the inn, was as hard as a stone and chilled in the cold wind, making it tough to swallow; he resolved to endure, eager for warm food outside.

Once Chengyu completed his writing, lifting his gaze, he realized Lu was no longer there. He thoroughly checked the answer sheet from top to bottom, verifying name and seat number, ensuring no errors or omissions before summoning the attendant with a bell.

The candidate seated opposite watched Chengyu pack his examination basket, proceeding to the hall. Those facing Chengyu bit their nails, thinking how he finished first yet again. They felt the pressure but resignedly focused back on their half-completed test, sighing and continuing to write.

When Sun Xian and others emerged, seeing their expressions joyful, Chengyu knew they were confident in their performance. He pulled them along to buy some hot food on the street, leaving Chengyi, Uncle Gu, and He Shunian’s father there waiting.

Chengyu led Sun Xian and Ye Zhiqiu to the bun shop in the county. Due to the county examination, the county’s visitors rapidly increased, assuring the bun shop remained open.

The inn’s bread was prepared catering to examinees with bulk made a day prior, inevitably affecting taste. Additionally, they sold cheaply, likely skimping on ingredients, with some black flour mixed, as the inn sought to earn a reputation.

"This shop’s buns are quite delicious; the filling is pure meat." Chengyu recalled eating these buns when his father and elder brother visited two years ago, unforgettable even now.

"Since you say so, I must taste them. The bread at noon lacked oil and was rough on the throat; I only managed a few bites." Cold bread naturally avoids oil to prevent examinees’ stomach issues.

Ye Zhiqiu felt troubled; a meat bun wasn’t cheap, costing two or three copper coins. His Silver must be used sparingly, uncertain of his accommodation expenses.

"Young man! Give me six meat buns first!" Chengyu pulled out a string of copper coins, counting out eighteen coins to the server.

"I’m treating my seniors with meat buns, but seniors don’t compete with me; when you become scholars, treat me to something proper." Chengyu knew Ye Zhiqiu was short on Silver and couldn’t squander it on buns; Sun Xian’s family also faced hardship, with further exams looming, saving wherever possible.

Sun Xian understood Chengyu intentionally said so, appreciative of his gesture, recognizing Chengyu had granted him many favors. Ye Zhiqiu felt warmth well up, keenly aware of Chengyu’s intentions.

Just biting into their buns, oil oozed out. The three exchanged smiles, with Chengyu pondering whether this was the pure friendship between classmates. However, he wondered if such camaraderie would persist once they entered officialdom years later.

They brought two buns each for the remaining folks, with large buns packed in oversized paper bags.

When Chengyu and company returned, they found Gu Wanhua and He Shunian already out, chatting with Uncle Gu and others.