The Lucky Farmgirl-Chapter 2060 - 2035: Policy Recommendations on Current Affairs
When comparing their answers, Bai Erlang was shocked, "Though I’m here to gain experience, the difference is just too great."
Bai Shan furrowed his brows and said, "The exam questions are too difficult this year."
He had tackled the questions from the previous five Imperial Examinations, and none were as difficult and obscure as this time.
Bai Dalang also found it very challenging. The two cousins exchanged a glance, both feeling that this time they truly experienced a trial.
With this realization, by the last day of the exam, Bai Shan and his group were completely relaxed. Even Bai Dalang, who usually cared a lot about exams, waved to them with ease, "See you in the afternoon."
"See you in the afternoon."
The three of them were seated far apart, seemingly divided at random, with Bai Shan in the second row, quite close to the chief examiner’s table.
Today’s exam was on current affairs policy, and as soon as the paper was handed out, Bai Shan had only two words in his mind, "As expected."
He stared blankly at the questions on the paper and, after a moment, raised his hand to pour a little water into the inkwell and then started grinding the ink stick.
His hands worked at a steady pace, while his mind raced rapidly, thinking that he probably had no hope in this exam.
Not only him, but also Dalang and Bai Er seemed to be in the same boat. Even if he had a great reputation and Bai Er was the future son-in-law of an imperial princess, the chief examiner would not ignore the content of the paper and give them high scores.
But since they were there, they had to do their best on the paper, treating it like homework assigned by their teacher.
Bai Shan pondered how to begin.
Many examinees in the same hall were also on the verge of breakdown; some had already begun daydreaming. Forget about writing—they hadn’t even started grinding ink, seemingly ready to give up.
Although Bai Shan didn’t believe his ideas were mature or would gain recognition, he still found himself writing freely, filling two large sheets of paper.
Bai Dalang and Bai Erlang, after their initial stupor, each managed to fill a sheet.
It’s worth remembering that when they first started writing policy essays and didn’t know how to begin, Mr. Zhuang taught them that, regardless of how to start, the first thing is to understand the question and then have your own ideas.
Once you can think, you’ll be able to write. Even if you can’t open elegantly, use allusions, or show literary talent, as long as you write down your thoughts, you’ll earn some points, and the teacher won’t think you’re empty-headed.
The three of them always remembered this, so even if they were uncertain, they wrote profusely, appearing impressive to the examinees beside them who had bitten their pens in frustration, managing only a couple of lines after a long effort.
But this was all appearance. The three muddled through to the afternoon, then, after having lunch, carefully revised and added to their work, securing every improvement before finally copying the content from their drafts onto the exam sheets. They left the hall despondently once they had finished packing up.
The gongs had sounded, and everyone submitted their papers and left.
When they reached the main gate, Feng Zongping and others caught up with them, everyone exchanging looks that ultimately confirmed they were all more or less in the same boat, quietly sighing in relief.
Feng Zongping said, "My father told me to try again next year, and if I still don’t pass, take the Ming Classic exam instead. Do you want to join?"
Bai Shan declined, "I plan to travel and study first, come back in a couple of years, and try again. If I still don’t succeed, I’ll decide whether to take the Jinshi or the Ming Classic exam."
Feng Zongping looked at his face and nodded, "Yeah, you’re still young; even in three or four years, you’re young enough for the Ming Classic."
He’s not as fortunate; if he takes the Jinshi a few more times and then switches to Ming Classic, by the time he passes, he’d be considered old.
Yi Ziyang also sighed, "I knew the Jinshi exam was tough but didn’t expect it to be this hard."
Bai Dalang nodded in deep agreement; it was indeed very difficult.
For them, it was still manageable. After all, they were young, unlike regional candidates who traveled from afar. Many older candidates leaned against the walls, silently weeping as they exited the exam hall.
Someone began crying aloud, and then everyone couldn’t help themselves, bursting into loud sobs at the exam hall entrance.
When Manbao came to pick them up, she saw many people either standing, crouching, or sitting nearby, crying. Bearded old men in their fifties and sixties, as well as youths in their thirties, were all in tears.
She didn’t know what had happened and looked toward Bai Shan.
She saw Bai Shan wearing a deeply pained expression, his eyes seemingly red as well.
Manbao immediately ran forward and asked, "What happened?"
Bai Shan sighed, "The questions were too hard this year."
Manbao: ...So it’s the difficulty that made them cry?
Some examinees’ family members came forward to comfort them, saying, "It’s okay, if you don’t pass this year, try again next year."
"If I can’t pass this year, I won’t next year either," a bearded candidate said, wiping tears, "Forget it, I’m giving up, going home to teach my grandson."
"...Father, why don’t you try the Ming Classic exam? Your eldest grandson is taking it next year."
"I’m already over fifty; it’s embarrassing to take the Ming Classic now."
Bai Zhi and Feng Zongping, who were planning to switch to the Ming Classic exam: ...
Everyone quickly turned away, deciding they should leave first.
Most of those crying were regional candidates who had to pass county exams first, followed by prefectural exams, and finally, they had to come to the capital for the Ministry of Personnel’s re-examination to qualify for the Jinshi exam.
That’s why regional candidates were usually not young, at least in their twenties.
Unlike their group, the provincial, Imperial Academy, and Chongwen Pavilion students were younger, needing only to pass an internal exam to qualify.
And there were plenty of slots for Chongwen Pavilion students, with people like Zhao Liulang not even considering taking the exam, so Bai Shan and the others didn’t have to even pass an exam. They just registered for the Jinshi exam, and Libationer Kong gave them the slots.
As for Bai Dalang, he took an exam in the Imperial Academy and felt he did decently, leaving him confident.
After all, the Imperial Academy’s exam served as a preliminary for the Jinshi exam, and he was ranked quite high there, supposedly giving him a good chance.
But as soon as he got the papers on Confucian Classics and current affairs policy, he realized he had been overconfident before.
Yet, even with poor performance, they couldn’t admit defeat in demeanor. So when classmates from the Imperial Academy asked how they did, Bai Shan, Bai Erlang, and the others all claimed they did well, at least they had written a lot.
Whether the examiners would give them high marks was uncertain.
After seeing off these unfamiliar classmates, Feng Zongping turned to ask Bai Shan and the others, "Did you really do well?"
Bai Shan replied, "Do you believe it? We attended the same classes."
Feng Zongping sighed in relief, "I thought Mr. Zhuang and Libationer Kong gave you extra help. This time the current affairs policy asked about the equal-field system; I suspect they might ask about military strongholds next year. Who came up with these questions?"
