In years of famine and drought, their village even rejected fatty meat.

Chapter 652 Success in one dynasty

In addition to the imperial examination system, the Xia state also had a system of recommending officials for selection.

The so-called recommendation for official selection can be roughly understood as officials recommending virtuous and talented scholars to serve as officials.

Which large family doesn't have dozens of people holding official positions?

If they wanted to, recommending members of their clan for official positions would be an easy task, regardless of whether the recommended individuals were virtuous and talented...

This is not something they should be considering. Besides... virtue and talent are things that cannot be quantified. As long as there are enough people who believe that you have both virtue and talent, then you are virtuous and talented!

Because becoming an official was very easy for people from large families, the children of large families did not attach as much importance to the provincial examinations as students from poor families. The reason they participated in the provincial examinations was only because of the requirements of their elders.

Since the provincial examinations were not taken seriously, students from prominent families naturally wouldn't come to see the results in person; most would send their servants instead.

The results are out!

Just then, the gates of the examination hall opened, and a constable came out and posted a large red notice on the outer wall of the examination hall.

In an instant, the entire area outside the examination hall became agitated, with a large number of candidates rushing forward and crowding the area where the results were posted.

"I passed! I passed! Hahahaha! I passed the imperial examination!"

Soon, a burst of jubilant cheers erupted from the crowd.

But when a student saw his name on the list, he went completely mad, showing no regard for the image of a scholar.

However, no one looked down on him. They understood his feelings. No one could suppress their excitement at the moment when the fruits of decades of hard study were realized.

"I passed too! Hahahaha! After twenty years of hard study, I finally passed the imperial examination!"

"I won! I won! Hahahaha! Thank you, Lord Li! Thank you, the Imperial Court!!!"

"Hahahaha! I won too!"

"..."

Soon, the jubilant voices of the students echoed outside the examination hall. Almost every student who saw their name on the list could not contain their excitement and danced with joy.

"Let's let one let, let one let!"

Zheng Qing and Li Qiao squeezed into the crowd, staring wide-eyed at the list, and soon saw their names in the third position!

"Congratulations, Brother Zheng!"

Li Qiao smiled and congratulated Zheng Qing.

When Zheng Qing saw that he was ranked in the top three, his pupils contracted first, and then he was almost overwhelmed by joy.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Zheng Qing let out the same manic laughter as the other students. After more than ten years of hard work and study, the moment of success made him so excited and thrilled that he no longer cared about his image.

"I passed! I passed the imperial examination! Brother Li, did you see that? I passed the imperial examination! I'm a scholar now!"

Zheng Qing grabbed Li Qiao's arm and shook it wildly, as if to express her inner excitement.

"I saw it! I saw it!"

Seeing Zheng Qing like this, Li Qiao couldn't help but find it amusing. Zheng Qing was usually a very reserved person and rarely showed his emotions on his face.

However, Zheng Qing's intense reaction at this moment shows just how excited he was.

However, while some are happy, others are disappointed.

The provincial examination in Qingzhou only had 50 slots available, but there were nearly a thousand students from poor families present. Obviously, it was impossible for all of them to pass the examination.

Those who passed the exam were overjoyed, while those who failed were filled with dejection.

"Alas! After studying for so many years, it's all been for nothing."

"What can be done if one's skills are inferior to others?"

"We were just unlucky in the end."

"..."

The candidates who failed the exam sighed inwardly, but unlike before when they failed, they did not complain about the unfairness of the examiners. This was because more than 90% of the candidates admitted this time were from poor families, which showed that Lord Li had not favored the powerful families. The reason they failed was simply because they were not as skilled as others.

"Thank you, Lord Li. If it weren't for you, we poor scholars would probably never have a chance to rise above our circumstances!"

"Yes! Without Lord Li, we probably would never pass the imperial examinations, even if we studied until we died."

"Lord Li is like our second parents!"

"..."

Every candidate who passed the imperial examination was filled with gratitude towards Li Mingyuan. They knew very well that while their own hard work was essential to their success, Li Mingyuan was truly the most crucial factor!

If Li Mingyuan had not personally presided over the provincial examination, even if they were well-read and knowledgeable, they probably would not have had the chance to become successful candidates.

Therefore, in their eyes, Li Mingyuan is their second parent and a benefactor on their life's journey!

In fact, many of the successful candidates regarded Li Mingyuan as their mentor.

"Brother Zheng."

After seeing that Zheng Qing had calmed down, Li Qiao said, "Shall we go to the market to buy groceries? We must celebrate for you properly tonight."

"it is good!"

Zheng Qing nodded, and the two of them went to the market to buy vegetables, and then headed straight for Li Mingyuan's residence.

"came back?"

As soon as the two returned to the mansion, they saw Li Mingyuan, who seemed to have been waiting in the living room for a long time.

"Master Li."

"Uncle Li."

The two men hurriedly bowed to Li Mingyuan upon seeing him.

Immediately, Li Qiao asked in surprise, "Uncle Li, why are you back so early today?"

"I didn't have much to do today, so I came back early!"

Li Mingyuan looked at Zheng Qing and asked with a smile, "Young Brother Zheng, are you on the list?"

"Yes, Lord Li!"

Zheng Qing replied with a smile, "I am not very talented, but I am ranked third."

"Not bad!"

Li Mingyuan praised him. In fact, he already knew that Zheng Qing was in the top three, after all, he was the chief examiner and had personally participated in grading the papers.

One of the reasons I came back early today was to celebrate Zheng Qing's success.

"Congratulations, young man, you've achieved your wish!"

Li Mingyuan offered his congratulations, then his expression turned serious as he asked, "Young brother, have you decided what you plan to do next? Will you continue to participate in the imperial examinations, or..."

"I don't plan to take the exam again!"

Zheng Qing surprisingly shook his head. He knew very well that he was able to pass the imperial examination because of Li Mingyuan's fair and impartial examination. Without a fair examiner like Li Mingyuan, he would never have been able to pass the examination.

And the metropolitan examination that follows the provincial examination...

The imperial examination was held in the capital. Although Li Mingyuan had never been to the capital, he was aware of the darkness of officialdom. There were many powerful families in the capital, and the examiners who presided over the examination were bound to be from powerful families as well. He, Zheng Qing, a peasant, wanted to pass the imperial examination...

The probability is zero!

Therefore, Zheng Qing wisely gave up the idea of ​​continuing to participate in the imperial examinations.

"Oh?"

Upon hearing that Zheng Qing wanted to give up the imperial examination, Li Mingyuan asked in surprise, "Why?"