Chapter 107
"Oh?" Li Mingqian became interested.
Their group consisted of four people.
He himself did not participate in grading the exams, but the other three all did.
The collected exam papers all had their names sealed. They were divided into three sets, graded by these three people. The papers that passed were compiled together, and after all three had looked them over, they would jointly discuss the rankings.
In the past, when it reached this final stage, the examiners had different preferences—some emphasized literary style, others emphasized practical policy answers. They would always argue until they were red in the face, unable to reach an agreement.
But this time, he heard that this first-place candidate was unanimously agreed upon by these three, without a single word of dispute.
Li Mingqian couldn't help but be curious.
"Who is this Fang Zichen?"
The servant attending beside him was shrewd. Having heard him mention it the day before, he now respectfully presented a scroll with both hands.
When registering for the imperial examinations, painters would sketch each candidate's portrait one by one, with their names noted beside them.
This was to prevent the phenomenon of impersonation from being discovered.
These painters' skills were 'remarkable', able to capture a person's likeness by six or seven parts. The portraits of the successful candidates would then be sent from the county office to the prefectural city. If the person was promising enough, the portrait could be delivered by couriers to the capital and appear on the Emperor's desk.
During the prefectural exams, before entering the examination hall, soldiers would compare candidates to the portraits.
The servant had already had someone copy Fang Zichen's previous portrait and obtained a copy.
Li Mingqian unrolled it, and his eyes lit up.
It wasn't because he was impressed by the painting skill, but because the person in the painting was truly outstanding.
The painter's somewhat clumsy technique, while failing to capture the subject's vividness and spirit, still couldn't obscure his striking appearance.
Especially those eyes, with slightly deep-set sockets, their gaze seeming to carry sharp icicles, yet also appearing playful and irreverent.
And then there was also...
This youngster was actually the county top scorer?
Although he had only taken over the county exams because he took the opportunity of visiting his classmate in Fu'an Town, Li Mingqian's impression of Fang Zichen was truly too profound.
He had 'invigilated' for many years, both prefectural and academy exams. The number of candidates he had seen was no less than ten thousand, if not several thousand.
Those who could progress to the prefectural and academy exams were quite experienced in taking them.
Even so, he had never seen anyone in the examination hall behave like Fang Zichen, as if he was just playing around. He ate when he wanted, slept when he wanted. Other scholars, due to nervousness or because the questions were too difficult to answer, inevitably had poorer appetites—some couldn't even finish two steamed buns. But Fang Zichen man showed no trace of nervousness at all.
When writing his paper, he seemed not to think at all, just scribbling swiftly onto the exam paper, unlike other candidates who were more cautious.
Moreover, having been an official for many years, Li Mingqian carried significant authority and was accustomed to being stern. His expression was inevitably serious. Never mind outsiders being afraid of him, even his own young son at home was always scared of him.
Yet Fang Zichen actually dared to smile at him.
Sitting below him, even under his stare, he wasn't the least bit flustered.
The county exams were a 'mixed bag', with all sorts of people.
After finishing writing, and before eating, his eyes would dart around. He ate his steamed buns, drank his soup, and once full and satisfied, he would start sleeping.
It was somewhat normal for young people to need more sleep, but he had never seen anyone sleep for a whole afternoon, head down on the desk.
Like a pig.
There were those who were half-baked, those forced by their parents to come, those just there for the experience... because of this, when he saw someone sleeping, he didn't have them woken up.
And yet this person... actually...
Was actually the county top scorer??!
He didn't suspect his subordinates had misgraded the papers.
On the contrary, those who could follow him by his side always had some skill.
It seemed this person probably had some real learning in his belly.
The sound of wheels came from outside.
The carriage had arrived.
Li Mingqian rolled up the scroll, casually handed it to the servant, and stepped onto the carriage.
The wheels began to roll again.
The County Magistrate waved to him but said nothing more.
The two hadn't seen each other for years and had talked through the night for two nights. By now, everything that needed to be said had been said. Apart from the phrase 'the journey is long, take care along the way', there was really nothing left to say.
The scenery along the roadside slowly receded, and the carriage gradually left Fu'an Town.
As for Fang Zichen, a commoner who couldn't even be considered a Tongsheng yet, Li Mingqian didn't take him to heart.
If he was 'promising', they would naturally meet in the capital in the future.
If he stagnated, Fu'an Town was a hundred thousand miles from the capital, and they would likely never meet again in this lifetime.
However, Li Mingqian did not know, and could not have anticipated, that in less than three years, he would see Fang Zichen in the capital, at the Palace Examination. And moreover... he himself would be ambushed by the other, dragged into a dark alley, and severely beaten, even having one of his teeth knocked out.
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The results of the county exams spread like the wind. Within one morning, everyone knew.
The Dean of Anhe Academy was very surprised and felt utterly humiliated.
In previous years, the top scorer of the county exams had always come from Anhe Academy.
Although other private schools also had candidates on the list, they had never taken the top spot. Their Anhe Academy, whether in reputation or the qualifications and knowledge of the scholars teaching there, far surpassed those old Xiucai who ran private schools.
Therefore, whenever someone wanted to study and advance in the examinations, their first choice was always Anhe Academy.
However, for large academies, besides the self-funded books, paper, and ink, it cost sixteen taels of silver per year.
For the middle and upper-class commoners in the town, while this was also a lot, it wasn't unaffordable.
But for those at the bottom and people from the villages, sixteen taels of silver per year was something they couldn't earn even if they worked non-stop all year, toiling under the sun, without eating or drinking.
Therefore, even though the large academies were good, they could only choose to study at private schools with lower tuition fees.
If this first place had come from one of these private schools, it would still be somewhat acceptable.
It would be a little embarrassing.
But this first-place was someone nobody knew.
By now, never mind their Anhe Academy, even those private schools were caught off guard by this dark horse who came out of nowhere.
Upon careful inquiry, once they learned it was Fang Zichen, the Dean and Ji Xiucai's expressions darkened.
The villagers had never seen Fang Zichen read books, thinking he went to work every day and was just joining the exams for fun.
But the people at Zuixiao Restaurant knew that Fang Zichen had read books... although when he read, he often divided his attention, but he was clever and smart, so everyone felt he could pass.
Now, knowing that he not only made the list but also got first place, everyone was extremely happy.
Yang Mutao even had Wang Xiaohu deliver eight taels of silver to him, plus two purple sandalwood brushes.
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