Rogue Scholar (17)

The county exams in Donggu County are hosted by County Magistrate Zhu. On the 20th of the first month, the county government issued a notice setting the exam date for February 20. The students who are preparing to take the exam will have to go to the county government to register.

Yan Jing Ze had already made preparations and understood the process. The next day, he took Wei Lingxiu and the three students who were with them to go to the county office to register.

After signing up, he took Wei Lingxiu directly to live in the Wei family's bookstore.

Although they have books at home, but not many, it is better to study at Wei's bookstore.

More importantly, Shopkeeper Wei tried his best to invite them, and even willing to cover their food and accommodation.

As for why Shopkeeper Wei did this, of course it was for his big character calligraphy!

Wei's bookstore is not only in Donggu County, but also in the capital city and other county towns. If a few famous calligraphy masterpieces can be displayed in such a bookstore, it can attract many scholars to stop by!

And although Yan Jing Ze is not a famous master, his words are not at all inferior to those of famous masters!

Last year, Shopkeeper Wei sent a calligraphy written by Yan Jing Ze to his home. He was personally received by the head of the family and asked him to try to get a few more works…

Yan Jing Ze is now unwilling to receive some money to write for others. Shopkeeper Wei found him and asked him to live in the backyard of the bookstore. He can provide board and lodging every day, and let him read the books in the bookstore, so he can ask for a calligraphy.

Yan Jing Ze readily agreed.

He had a pretty good impression of Wei's shopkeeper.

The original owner was indeed a thug, and when Wei Lingxiu first came out of Wei's house, Wei Lingxiu had a bad reputation, but Shopkeeper Wei was willing to accept the books they copied. He didn't guard against him when he left him in the bookstore to copy books. The two of them can be said to be in very good terms.

Yan Jing Ze happily wrote a few large characters for Shopkeeper Wei, and after a while, Shopkeeper Wei showed him some book notes to read.

In these years, circulation is inconvenient and books are difficult to publish. Some literati commented that a book would not be published unless they had great confidence in them. Even if they were published, only a few hundred copies would be published, and ordinary students would not be able to buy it.

Even a poor scholar like Zhao Xiucai can't buy these notes taken out by Shopkeeper Wei.

Yan Jing Ze was very grateful to Shopkeeper Wei, he read them all, took the essence, and then wrote a copy for Wei Lingxiu to see.

In addition, of course, he must also urge Wei Lingxiu to memorize the book.

After the two registered, they just hugged the Buddha's feet temporarily for a month. These days, they didn't even go out. Only when Li Xiucai waited for someone to find him, they would discuss their knowledge with Li Xiucai and the others.

In the beginning, Yan Jing Ze's knowledge was far less than that of Li Xiucai and others. Li Xiucai took the initiative to come to his door to answer his doubts because he wanted to befriend him. However, after half a month, Yan Jing Ze was able to help Li Xiucai answer some questions.

He never forgets, has a strong understanding ability, the growth of his learning is very amazing.

And in the face of a man like him…

The Li family where Li Xiucai was a part of, as well as the Wei family where Shopkeeper Wei was a part of, have sent him some things such as the government test questions from previous years, and the answer sheets that the xiucai of their families wrote out silently afterwards.

People in ordinary families have no access to these things, they can only be found in large families who have had many scholars. If Yan Jing Ze did not have a heaven defying talent, and received the attention of the Wei family and the Li family, he would definitely not have the opportunity to see these things.

Even Wei Lingxiu had never seen such things before – his father had never shown them to him.

When Yan Jing Ze and Wei Lingxiu were burying their heads in their studies, the news that both Wei Lingxiu and Yan Jing Ze are going to take the county exams is also spreading.

Most people in Donggu County don't believe it.

Wei Lingxiu wanting to participate in the county test is normal, but Yan Jing Ze… Yan Da changed his name so much that they couldn't say it all at once! As for this person, they watched him grow up since he was a child. He was still very young, so he snatched food from other people's children. Later, when he grew up, he did a lot of messy things. How many people in Donggu County are afraid of him?

Such a person actually wants to participate in the county examination?

"Are you kidding? If Yan Da can take the county examination, so can I!"

"I heard that Yan Da can't forget once he sees it and is very intelligent…"

"I don't believe it anyway, if Yan Da has this ability, my son can get the first prize!"

...

Ordinary people think so, and the Wei family think so.

Old Mrs. Wei gritted her teeth with hatred.

Wei Lingxiu's mother didn't take her seriously back then. Later, Wei Lingxiu's uncle scolded her face to face. She had no affection for this grandson.

This grandson is not like her son but just like her daughter-in-law, her daughter-in-law's reputation is not good… Who knows if this is her son's seed!

"When he came up with all these rumors, he was definitely not reconciled, and he wanted to come back!" Old Mrs. Wei said.

Because many people have recently said that Wei Lingxiu's expulsion from the Wei's house was the work of Mrs. Wei, Mrs. Wei has had a hard time recently, but she is in front of others and cannot speak like Old Mrs. Wei…

Mrs. Wei said, "Mother, don't be angry…"

"Can I not be angry? He even went to the county test… Does he want to lose my Wei family's face?" The Old Mrs. Wei said, "I heard that he still wants to go with that Yan Da? No way! Find someone and stop them!"

Mrs. Wei responded quickly. She knew very well in her heart that Wei Lingxiu wasn't really ignorant. If not for this, she wouldn't really have wanted to spend money to find Yan Da to bring Wei Lingxiu down in the first place.

This Wei Lingxiu went to participate in the county test. What should she do if her good luck runs out?

Early in the morning of the county test, all the candidates came to the examination center.

Yan Jing Ze and Wei Lingxiu came together. In the midst of a crowd of candidates, Yan Jing Ze stood out and saw an array of heads.

The three students who had mutually guaranteed for each other with Yan Jing Ze and Wei Lingxiu saw Yan Jing Ze at a glance, and quickly squeezed over: "Master Yan, are you here?"

"Master Yan, have you eaten yet?"

"Master Yan…"

These three people were taken to the county magistrate by Yan Jing Ze, and after "experiencing" Li Xiucai, they were respectful when faced with Yan Jing Ze.

But the people around were dumbfounded.

"Yan Da really came to take the exam?"

"Why can Yan Da come to the exam?"

"We are actually going to be in the same examination room with Yan Da?"

Scholars are all proud and arrogant. Although Yan Jing Ze has been calm and quiet recently and did not find trouble for people, everyone still remembers what the original owner did before!

"Master Yan has great talents." A student next to Yan Jing Ze spoke for Yan Jing Ze.

When people around heard him, they thought he was crazy: How dare you say such nonsense!"

"He can still have great talent?"

"Him being here is simply an insult to the scholars!"

Just as they were talking, suddenly a group of people dressed as subordinates came and said to Wei Lingxiu, "Young Master, the old lady wants you to go home!"

After saying that, they were about to grab Wei Lingxiu.

The words of the surrounding people, Yan Jing Ze is not at all concerned.

These scholars pay attention to face, and even if they look down on him, they say "humiliating gentlemen" and "humiliating scholars" at most. What does it matter if they said a few words?

When he finally gets a good score on the test, he'll smack these people in the face with a "pop".

But now, some people want to grab Wei Lingxiu… He can't bear this!

Yan Jing Ze stretched out his hand, grabbed a family servant who was close, and threw it to the side where there was no one!

Today, the people gathered here are all scholars, and the guards of the Wei family dared not bring their weapons over—what should they do if they accidentally injure someone?

So, they wanted to take Wei Lingxiu away with their bare hands.

They thought it was a good plan.

Although Yan Jing Ze is addicted to reading these days, he has not neglected his body.

For example, this whole month of living in the bookstore, every night before he went to bed, he would take the stone used to cover the manhole cover in the store to exercise his strength.

No way, if he doesn't consume his energy… the one he likes is lying next to him, he was afraid he could not hold it in!

He would even call on Wei Lingxiu to exercise together.

County exams are fine, four exams in total. Each test is taken in the morning and in the evening. The latter examination will not be so comfortable. In the country exam, students will have to stay in the examination room for nine days… Without a good body, you wouldn't be able to withstand it till the end!

In addition to these days, Shopkeeper Wei prepares all kinds of delicious chicken, duck, and fish for them every day… Yan Jing Ze feels that not only has his strength not decreased, but it has increased instead.

It's really too easy to deal with a few family servants!

One by one, most of the family servants who came were thrown aside by Yan Jing Ze and fell to the ground screaming again and again.

As for the remaining small number of servants… those family servants did not wait for Yan Jing Ze to throw them, they ran away by themselves.

Wei Lingxiu, who was a little scared at first, said, "…" Brother Yan is really amazing!

The surrounding students who were still very opinionated about Yan Jing Ze saw this scene, and backed away one after another, wishing to slap their previous selves.

This person is so powerful, they even dare to accuse him!

They are simply seeking death!

One by one, they bowed their heads and walked away, fearing that Yan Jing Ze would notice them and get thrown out as well… That would be a real disgrace for them.

At this time, the officers who maintained order came over.

" Get out of the way! All of you, get out of the way! What happened here?" The leader of the officers asked.

"Officer, they want to beat me!" Yan Jing Ze said.

"How dare you take action against the students who came to take the examination!" The government officials swarmed and tied up the servants – these are all extra money! If no one came to pay the ransom, they wouldn't let them go!

As for Yan Jing Ze…

"Yan Da ah, have a good exam." These officers looked at Yan Da and said. They used to deal with Yan Da, and the relationship between them was good, so they were willing to help Yan Da speak in front of the county magistrate. For the exam, they also hope that Yan Da can do well in the exam.

"I will do my best!" Yan Jing Ze said.

These government officials just took the family servants and left.

And at this time, there was no one else around Yan Jing Ze except Wei Lingxiu and those three students. It was foreseeable that the next few exams would be very quiet for them as well.

"Brother Yan, are you okay?" Wei Lingxiu asked, looking at Yan Jing Ze's hand.

"Master Yan, those people misunderstood you, don't be sad!" The three students also comforted Yan Jing Ze.

In the past, Yan Jing Ze was misunderstood because of too much strength and too much ability to fight, right? It's so unlucky for a good scholar to be called a thug!

Those who knew the three students and happened to be standing not far away and heard their words: "..." Are these three people crazy?

Regardless, Yan Jing Ze entered the examination room successfully.

Shopkeeper Wei is a good person. Not only did he prepare everything necessary for Yan Jing Ze and Wei Lingxiu to take the exam, he also found two sedan chairs. When Yan Jing Ze and Wei Lingxiu are done with their exams, they will be picked up and taken back to the bookstore.

After an exam, most people will be so tired that they just want to lie down. At this time, it is very comfortable to have a sedan chair, but Yan Jing Ze is not tired at all during the exam, but the sedan chair swayed him uncomfortably.

In this way, they took the exam for four days in a row.

In the past four days, the shopkeeper Wei did not ask Yan Jing Ze how he was doing in the exam, and he didn't ask until Yan Jing Ze had finished the exam.

Yan Jing Ze said: "Too easy!"

Even Wei Lingxiu felt that… it was too easy.

Also, after the county exam, you have to pass the prefectural exam to become tongsheng, and you have to pass the academy examinations to become xiucai.

This county test is only the first level, it's really simple.

And basically, as long as the handwriting is clear, and the essay is smooth, you can pass!

Of course, in a county with a strong literary culture like Donggu County, the county exam will be correspondingly more difficult, but not much more difficult.

But this is still simple. It is for Yan Jing Ze, who never forgets, and Wei Lingxiu, who has studied in the Wei family since he was a child…

On the day when the results came out, the students who took the exam gathered together again, and many students found it difficult: "I showed the teacher the articles I wrote, and my teacher said that shit is not good."

"I've already memorized it, I've learned all of them, but I was anxious during the exam, I forgot."

"When I was transcribing, I made a few corrections…"

These people sighed and began to speculate again about who would rank first in the county exam.

Of course, when saying that, people will also mention Yan Jing Ze: "That Yan Da most likely turned in a blank paper!"

As they were talking, the results came out.

The one who ranked first in the county exam is… Yan Jing Ze?

Who is Yan Jing Ze?

Everyone was wondering when someone said, "That Yan Da, isn't he called Yan Jing Ze?"

Everyone: "..."