Chapter 498: 252 Palace Examination (two combined into one)_4 Chapter 498: 252 Palace Examination (two combined into one)_4 Xiao Liulang glanced at him: “Are you nervous?”
Du Ruohan grumbled, “What do I have to be nervous about?”
Xiao Liulang looked him over, if you stopped shaking your leg, it would be more convincing.
When the appointed time arrived, the door to the right opened, and officials from the Ministry of Rites began to check the examinees’ records and identity cards. After the check, the candidates were led into the Imperial Palace’s Taihe Hall jointly by an eunuch and an official from the Ministry of Rites.
This time, not many people were searched at the small exam, after all, everyone here was already not an ordinary scholar with reputation, but a candidate who had passed the provincial exam. From here, even the lowest ranking among them would be a pass scholar.
What is a pass scholar? That is an official in reserve for the court.
“Ah, Xiaoliu, do you know who that is?” Halfway, Du Ruohan suddenly pulled Xiao Liulang’s sleeve, gesturing with his eyes to a square-faced candidate not far away.
Xiao Liulang said indifferently, “Why are you talking more than Fen Lin?”
Both of them really talk a lot. They are birds of a feather.
Du Ruohan made a sound, “Fine, if you don’t want to hear then never mind.”
Xiao Liulang actually knew who Du Ruohan was referring to. It was Yuan Yu, the little grandson of Prime Minister Yuan. Just now when they were lining up, he heard an official from the Ministry of Rites greeting Yuan Yu by calling him Young Master Yuan.
The minister of the Ministry of Rites is a pupil of Prime Minister Yuan, so it is not surprising that he would take care of Yuan Yu.
As for the official of the Honglu Temple, he is a pupil of Duke, and will probably favor Prince An enormously.
Prince An’s examination number is behind Xiao Liulang and Du Ruohan, Xiao Liulang didn’t see him.
All the candidates take their exams in the main hall of Taihe Hall, with a cushion, a bookcase, and ink, paper, brushes and ink-stone provided by the court. The candidates must sit on their knees to answer the questions.
The examiners are officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple.
After listening to the instructions of the official from the Ministry of Rites and singing of the etiquette, the candidates bowed their hands and began to sit down.
The small exam only tests one eight-legged essay, this time there was no off-topic question, the topic is —— “The truth is not far from humanity. If a person behaves in a way that alienates humanity from the truth, then it cannot be called truth.”
This sentence comes from The Doctrine of the Mean, Chapter 13, which means —— The truth is not far from people. If someone pretends to be profound and alienates people from the truth, then it cannot be implemented.
This question has many entry points. It can explore the nature and form of the truth, as well as the depth and method of carrying out the truth.
Having experienced a round of increasingly brutal preliminary examinations, county examinations, and provincial examinations, the candidates were suddenly unaccustomed to receiving such a simple topic.
Thus, a strange scene appeared in the examination room. All the candidates were dumbfounded as they looked at the exam papers on their desks, seriously doubting if the examiners had given them the wrong paper.
“The examination starts”, the official from the Ministry of Rites reminded, and the candidates woke up as if from a dream, picked up their scrap paper and began to break down the question.
If there is any difficulty in this examination, it is perhaps the time. There are only two hours.
But considering that the exam questions are indeed not difficult, this much time is actually enough. Even Fen Lin and Lin Chengye didn’t feel much pressure.
The small exam does not count towards the final score. Its main purpose is not to select talents, but to prepare for the palace examination in advance, and also to familiarize with the palace etiquette and exam protocol.
The Minister of Rites and the Official of Honglu Temple jointly invigilate the examination.
Xiao Liulang sits in the second seat from the front in the first row. This position would normally not attract the attention of the examiners, however, there was a crutch next to him.
The official from Honglu Temple noticed that crutch right away. He asked quietly to the eunuch beside him, “Who is that?”
The eunuch counted Xiao Liulang’s examination number, looked at the match card in his hand, and said, “He is a student-monk from Guozijian.”
The official from Honglu Temple wanted to say, how come he is a cripple?
But when the words reach his lips, he feels they are inappropriate.
Since our dynasty has relaxed the conditions for the imperial examination, then he, as a government official, should accept it.
However, the official from Honglu Temple still couldn’t help but be drawn to Xiao Liulang. It was not his fault, it’s just that there had never been a cripple who took the examination in our dynasty since its establishment.
Especially one who made it to the palace examination.
There are quite a few candidates with scars on their faces.
Could this boy also be one with a scar on his face? Would that scare His Majesty?
The official from Honglu Temple decided to have a look. If this candidate is really ugly, he would have to eliminate him no matter what, at least he couldn’t let his paper be presented to the emperor. He would not be able to bear the consequences if they scared the emperor.
So, the official from Honglu Temple walked over to Xiao Liulang to take a look.
With just one glance, he was completely stunned.
Xiao Liulang calmly completed his exam, without handing it in early, because even if he had handed it in, he couldn’t have left.