Chapter 95

When the sky was just beginning to brighten, and the rooster with the red comb was urging the hens to get up and forage for food, the entire Xu family had gathered at Fushou Residence.

The old matriarch looked expectant, giving orders to serve the meal while repeatedly reminding Xu Ji to remain calm and composed during the exam, to stay calm and focused, and not to be nervous. The other elders also chimed in from time to time, repeatedly urging him.

All the necessary items for the exam, such as bedding and food boxes, had already been prepared. Compared to the attention Xu Ji received, Xu Hao seemed somewhat neglected. After all, it was just a child's exam, and no one took it seriously.

Of course, the one who felt the worst was the eldest son, Xu Wen. Seeing his younger brothers striving for success and receiving the family's attention, he couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. He was counting on the Wang family to secure him a military position. Over the past few days, the Wang family had made many trips to their ancestral home and sent many gifts, but there was still no news from that side.

Xu Hao was well aware that after the recall and confinement of Duke Feng Sheng of Song, the head of the Wang family, Duke Wang Bi, and other military leaders, lived in constant fear and dared not privately seek any paths for their descendants at this critical juncture.

He presented his second brother, Xu Ji, with a Xiangfei bamboo fan and a box of ink. In return, Xu Ji gave him a set of the Four Books and Five Classics that he had used.

Since Xu Wen returned home, he had been busy studying, rarely leaving the house, and had not seen Xu Hao much. Today, upon seeing him, he noticed that Xu Hao had grown taller, but he himself, who was developing healthily, had caught up and slightly surpassed him. It seemed that in a year or two, the gap would widen. Currently, their heights were about the same, and both were fond of martial arts.

Xu Ji's face was slightly pale, with heavy bags under his eyes, and his skin had an unhealthy pallor, likely due to overstudying and lack of sunlight. However, his spirit seemed good, his demeanor increasingly refined and reserved, with a hint of pride.

After the meal, the two brothers set off together. Xu Hao got off the carriage at the county yamen and the academy, while Xu Ji continued to the capital to take his scholar exam.

At the academy gate, lanterns were hung and hundreds of students gathered. Half of them were children around ten or twelve years old, who, despite their young age, behaved with the sophistication of adults, mostly excellent students recommended by their villages, known as prodigies. The other half were mostly young adults in their twenties, some older adults, and even a few elderly men in their sixties.

Soon, Xu Hao found Mu Ang, who was surrounded by servants, wearing a brand new scholar's blue robe, looking at the commotion with a smile. Xu Hao also noticed the nervous expressions of the students around him, and realized that he and the carefree Mu Ang were the only ones relaxed. He thought it was unnecessary for them to come, as they had no worries about their future and were competing with these hardworking students, which seemed unfair.

After a while, the school administrator gave a speech to the crowd. According to the numbers, Xu Hao and Mu Ang were assigned to take the exam in the main hall of the county yamen. The invigilator was the young county magistrate, a scholar named Xu Jie.

Xu Hao knew the name of this county magistrate, who was a famous historical figure, Jie Jin. Unfortunately, Xu Hao did not know much about Jie Jin's life, only that he was about to go to the capital to serve as a seventh-rank censor.

Censors in the Ming dynasty, though of low rank, had great authority, with more power and responsibilities than in previous dynasties, able to oversee almost anything. Like the Six Ministries' censors, they served as the emperor's eyes and ears in both local and central government. Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang placed great importance on the role of the censorate, raising its rank several times, but also imposed severe penalties for any mistakes, with even minor errors leading to punishment.

As the crowd slowly entered the exam hall, Xu Hao bowed deeply to Jie Jin, introducing himself. Jie Jin looked Xu Hao up and down, finding him slightly above average in appearance, and smiled satisfactorily, saying, "I have long admired you from afar. We cannot chat today, so please find a seat and focus on the exam."

Xu Hao felt a bit annoyed, regretting his past actions, as it would now be impossible for Jie Jin to show favoritism in public.

Today's exam was just the first step, designed to create a relaxed environment for the young students. They could sit anywhere, and there was no strict supervision, unlike the later exams.

The exam papers were important, but more crucial was the oral interview by the invigilator. Just like the exam at the Mu family, one could not easily bluff their way through; a lack of true talent would be revealed in a single question. Of course, favoritism was easier, but with more exams to come, few officials would risk their positions.

Mu Ang, of course, would not pass, and Xu Hao didn't care about him, choosing a seat and sitting down with his small basket. In the past half year, he had worked hard, with the guidance of talented scholars like Zhou Peng and Zhao Hesong, bringing his level to that of an average child of twelve.

When the papers were distributed, Xu Hao was pleasantly surprised to see that the questions had been predicted by Zhou Peng. He glanced at Mu Ang, who was already overjoyed, almost dancing with joy.

It turned out that, moved by Mu Ang's dullness, Xu Hao had asked Zhou Peng to predict the questions and then had Jiang Song cram the entire paper into Mu Ang's head. Despite his reluctance to study, Mu Ang was actually very intelligent and had memorized several questions to play and have fun.

As the first step in the scholarly journey, the questions were not obscure, and for students who had studied for a few years, they were not difficult. The challenge lay in the writing and the balance of the text. Whether the essay was steady and balanced, innovative, subtle and elegant, or bold and direct, it had to meet the examiner's taste.

Xu Hao recalled the two essays, each about 800 characters, and decided not to copy them verbatim. He carefully drafted an outline, choosing words and phrases based on his own insights, aiming for a moderate level of quality, which had its own merits.

Mu Ang, on the other hand, wrote down everything he had memorized without hesitation, a masterpiece by Zhou Peng that would easily pass Jie Jin's scrutiny.

Just as Mu Ang was about to submit his paper triumphantly, Xu Hao gave him a stern look, signaling him to sit still. Mu Ang, though impatient, remembered that Xu Hao was now his god-brother and could report to Lady Mu, so he obediently picked up a brush and played with it.

An hour later, students began to submit their papers one by one. Jie Jin, with his talent, could quickly judge the rankings, and he patiently evaluated each student, offering encouragement and advice. Those who passed were immediately interviewed, and those who failed were encouraged to try again.

Occasionally, students would kneel and beg for another chance, and Jie Jin, being a kind person, would consider their essays and decide whether to pass them, leading to a mix of joy and disappointment.

With more than half of the students already gone, Mu Ang finally couldn't resist and approached with his paper. When it was his turn, Jie Jin recognized him as a promising young talent, and the essay was well-written, tailored by Zhou Peng for Mu Ang's age.

However, Mu Ang was only twelve, and for a young noble like him, early success could lead to pride and complacency, wasting his potential.

Therefore, Jie Jin gently said, "With your talent, if you study hard for three years, you will surely rank in the top ten, and even the top three is not impossible. Go now."

But Mu Ang refused, shouting, "I can't go back; my mother will definitely beat me, and it will hurt a lot. Sir, please give me a chance."

Jie Jin, amused by his persistence, said, "Alright, I'll test you with a phrase: 'Greatness lies in late maturity.'"

Jie Jin didn't know that Mu Ang, though not good at many things, excelled at couplets, having been taught by his sister Mu Ningsnow from a young age. Mu Ang, who only listened to his sister, was willing to do anything for her, and with her vast knowledge, there was no couplet she hadn't taught him.

"Great talent is often constrained by short-term goals," Mu Ang replied without hesitation, his excellent memory coming to the fore.

Jie Jin, unable to argue, had to admit, "Not bad, I'll pass you."

Mu Ang, overjoyed, bowed to Jie Jin and quickly disappeared.

Xu Hao, who had just finished writing the last word, saw this and felt relieved that he had given his best today. Otherwise, if he hadn't passed while Mu Ang did, he would have lost face and wouldn't have been able to face Ningsnow.

Xu Hao, with his extensive exam experience, remained calm and carefully checked his paper for any errors. After a long sigh, he stood up confidently.

Xu Hao's handwriting was always good, and he had made significant progress in the past year. Even though it wasn't top-notch, it was sufficient for the exam.

Jie Jin had high hopes for Xu Hao and carefully examined his papers. His two essays were passable, with excellent balance and rhythm, but lacked any standout features.

Feeling somewhat disappointed, Jie Jin looked up and said, "Not bad, based on your writing, you should rank between 100 and 200, and you will likely be admitted, but it doesn't meet my expectations, so I cannot pass you this time."

Xu Hao smiled and replied calmly, "Sir, I have never been fond of the eight-part essay and have not spent much effort on it. Why don't you test me on real talent? If I fail to satisfy you, I will never step into an exam hall again."

Jie Jin was taken aback, surprised by his boldness, and asked with interest, "The eight-part essay is not real talent. What is real talent, then?"

Xu Hao suddenly smiled and said, "I dare not comment on the eight-part essay. I only ask you, sir, is the saying 'All professions are inferior, only scholarship is exalted' true or false?"

At this, Jie Jin's expression changed.