The Ming Dynasty's imperial examination was grand this time, and there were many scholars from all walks of life coming to visit each other than the first time. Thousands of scholars who were taking the exam were suddenly flooded into Nanjing, and their families, servants, etc., tens of thousands of people came to Nanjing, making it difficult to find a room in the inns and hotels in Nanjing.

Like the first imperial examination, the Ming Dynasty mainly took four subjects, namely Jinshi, Mingfa, Mingju, and Wu. Compared with the last imperial examination, the preparation time was longer and the procedures were more complete. In addition, the local preliminary examination was improved, and the difficulty was relatively higher.

But even so, there were more than 4,000 scholars who came to Beijing for the exam, which was twice as high as less than 2,000 civil and military personnel for the first time. Among them, there were many scholars who came from Fujian and Guangdong. In order to settle these scholars, the imperial court specially set up residences in the Confucius Temple area so that some poor scholars could have a place to prepare for the exam with peace of mind.

But no matter how well the arrangement was, it could not stop too many scholars from coming, so most scholars could only find accommodation by themselves. Moreover, this imperial examination even attracted scholars from the Qing Dynasty controlled area. Of course, the origin and identity of these people needed to be registered in the relevant yamen. Only after the Qing Dynasty imperial examination achievements and identities were recognized before they could participate.

Zeng Yishu was a scholar who came to Nanjing from Hunan to take the exam. Hunan was a district controlled by the Qing court. It was not a long way from Hunan to Nanjing, and it was not easy to walk along the way. However, Zeng Yishu still rushed to Nanjing to take the exam.

However, because the road was far away, Zeng Yishu came a little late. The free accommodation arranged by the court had long been gone. The inns and hotels in the city were already crowded. In addition, he was born in a poor family and didn't have much money. It costs money to stay in a hotel. At the current housing prices, he couldn't bear to leave even if he had a house. Therefore, after registering at the school department first, Zeng Yishu went around in Nanjing to try to find a cheap place. After a while, he was caught in Jiangjun Valley on the western foot of Nanjing, which was the Longquan Temple near the General Mountain.

Compared with the area around the city and Confucius Temple, Longquan Temple is much remote. Because it is far away from the city and there are not many pilgrims, this temple is relatively deserted. However, for Zeng Yishu, it is a very good place to stay. It costs less and is quiet here, which allows him to prepare for the exam here with peace of mind. Although it is a little far away from the city, Zeng Yishu doesn't care. When he was a boy studying, he went back and forth dozens of miles a day, and he didn't come here differently?

It was a coincidence that Zeng Yishu also met a scholar who was from the Qing Dynasty to Nanjing for the examination at Longquan Temple who was also from the Qing Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty to take the exam. This scholar was from Yangzhou and was older. Moreover, Yangzhou is located in northern Jiangsu. Although it is closer to Nanjing, because Yangzhou has always confronted Nanjing with the Yangtze River, it is more difficult for him to come to Nanjing than Zeng Yishu. It is said that he went around a long circle, from Yangzhou to west and into Anhui, and then after Anqing, he entered the Ming area and took a boat to Nanjing from Anqing.

Although the hometowns of the two are thousands of miles apart, it is fate to meet in this little Longquan Temple. Moreover, they are both ordinary people and can be regarded as poor scholars. In addition, they have good knowledge of each other. After contact, they quickly became friends. Although they are more than 10 years apart, they usually study and review together, or talk about everything, and sometimes they will travel around together. After a few days, their relationship becomes deeper and deeper.

On this day, Zeng Yishu came back from the city and walked into the Zen room where he was staying. When he entered the door, he saw his friend Huang Luzhuang reading a book. He took out something wrapped in oil paper from his arms with a smile and handed it over quietly.

"Salted duck? Where did it come from?" Huangluzhuang smelled the familiar smell through the oil paper and asked in surprise.

Zeng Yishu quickly made a ban on voice gesture, and after closing the door, he smiled and said softly: "You can still come here, of course I went to the city to do it. Today I was lucky. I met my former classmate and invited me to drink. When I came back, I held a duck. I think you have a good time."

"Good luck!" Huang Luzhuang praised. Neither of them took the matter of holding the duck after the banquet. Although they were both scholars, they were free and easy, without the rigidity and dogmatic style of other scholars. They had the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties in their actions. This is also the main reason why the two were more than ten years apart and could become friends.

When you have delicious food, of course you have to share it with your friends, but this is a temple. You have to be careful when eating this thing in the temple, otherwise the monk will know that you have to drive them out.

Close the door, Zeng Yishu took out a small wine gourd from his arms like a magic trick. Huang Luzhuang looked at it and snatched it. He couldn't wait to take a sip. Then he picked up a piece of duck meat with his hand and threw it into his mouth to chew it, applauding while chewing.

There is wine and food, and friends are now, it is really a joy in the world.

The two of them were eating and chatting. Zeng Yishu talked about what they saw in the city today. As for Huangluzhuang listening and commenting a few words, they laughed loudly at the same time when they were happy. After a few laughs, they suddenly remembered that the occasion was wrong and quickly lowered their voices.

"Brother Huang, you have always admired your knowledge. Why don't you take the Jinshi exam together this time? You chose Mingshu." After talking for a while, Zeng Yishu mentioned this matter again. After contacting these days, he admired Huangluzhuang's knowledge very much. Although Huangluzhuang was over fifty years old, he was still a young man. The two sides were very good at talking. Moreover, they found that Huangluzhuang had excellent academic knowledge during communication. However, they did not expect that Huangluzhuang did not choose the Jinshi exam that most students wanted to take, but instead chose the more biased Mingshu exam, which really puzzled Zeng Yishu.

According to Zeng Yishu, knowledge is the first. The so-called Ming laws and clear calculations that the Ming Dynasty courts have run in parallel are just techniques. It is a pity for Huang Luzhuang to do this.

Zeng Yishu has always wanted to persuade Huangluzhuang to come, but before, Huangluzhuang always smiled but didn't say anything. Today, under the wine, Zeng Yishu couldn't help asking about this matter directly. Huangluzhuang drank a sip of wine and shook his head with a smile and said, "I am different from you. Although Zeng Xiandi came from a poor family, he was inherited from a famous family and was of course respected as a Jinshi. I am just an ordinary person. When I was young, I was also very energetic and did some stupid things that shocked the world. Even the imperial examinations were lost again and again, and were even more unwilling to the village. Now that I went south this time, I have been burning my own boats. I know my own affairs. If I also participated in the Jinshi, I might encounter difficulties again, but I was not talented, and I was a little confident in Mingsuan, so I won't miss it anymore, so I don't miss it anymore, so I don't want to be together with my brothers..."

After these words, Zeng Yishu looked at Huang Luzhuang's weathered face and gray hair, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Huang Luzhuang is right. He can't afford to fail at this age. This time he went from northern Jiangsu to Nanjing to participate in the imperial examinations, perhaps Huang Luzhuang's last chance. If he missed it, Huang Luzhuang would probably have no courage to go next time. Compared with the fiercely competitive Jinshi exam, Mingsuan, which was held in the Mingsuan exam in Mingsuan, is indeed more suitable for Huang Luzhuang. Zeng Yishu admired this friend's accomplishments in Mingsuan. It can be said that he has never seen anyone as proficient in Mingsuan as Huang Luzhuang.
Chapter completed!