Zhong Yichen from Qixian Academy, entering right behind them, also heard the discussions. Learning that Meng Fangxun was also taking the exam this year, he was taken aback. He looked up towards Xu Huaqian's group, trying to see which of the five was Meng Fangxun.
He first ruled out Zhang Bingwen and Xu Huaqian.
One was too short, the other too thin—neither had the demeanor of a scholar.
He then ruled out Pei Wangxun from between Pei Wangxun and Duan Youyan—too frivolous, not matching Meng Fangxun's character.
Finally, he focused his attention on Duan Youyan and Meng Fangxun. Meng Fangxun was known for his austere perseverance, like an unyielding rock in the mountains, not drawing attention. Duan Youyan's robust handsomeness and dignified, refined appearance attracted Zhong Yichen more.
He thought Duan Youyan was Meng Fangxun. Seeing that this "Meng Fangxun" was no less impressive in looks than himself, he felt somewhat uncomfortable.
When Xu Huaqian was inspected—the official tapped his clothes with a ruler, no paper scraps fell out, and he called, "Xu Huaqian, pass. Duan Youyan, enter."—Zhong Yichen saw "Meng Fangxun" enter the inspection barrier for the clothing check and realized he had mistaken the person. He then fixed his gaze on the real Meng Fangxun.
Seeing Meng Fangxun in faded, worn clothes and with rather ordinary looks, he immediately relaxed. Nothing special. This year's top spot was secure.
As Meng Fangxun entered the barrier for the physical inspection, Zhong Yichen turned around and saw a Qixian Academy student looking at him with utter disdain. His face was impassive, thinking, where did this idiot come from?
After this inspection, there were no further checks. The examination hall maintained dignity for scholars by not conducting strip searches. If scholars themselves didn't cherish this and were caught cheating during the exams, the penalties were severe: light punishment involved stripping of academic titles and permanent disqualification; heavy punishment meant imprisonment or exile, treated the same as criminal offenses.
It wasn't like you couldn't take the exam again next year. What fool would be so desperate as to ruin his own future? Therefore, cheaters were few.
Feeling he had preserved his innocence, Xu Huaqian, having passed the final check, stood aside in high spirits waiting for Duan Youyan and the others to finish their inspections. They would then go together to the supply official to purchase bedding and arrange meals for the next three days. That's when he noticed a tall "little green man" outside the barrier looking at Meng Fangxun with contempt.
Xu Huaqian: "???" How dare he look down on our top student?
Having eavesdropped on plenty of gossip while in line, Xu Huaqian knew that a Qixian Academy student named Zhong Yichen had boasted he would take the top spot this year.
Could this little green man be Zhong Yichen?
When he regrouped with Meng Fangxun, Xu Huaqian, never one to avoid stirring trouble, pulled Meng Fangxun and pointed towards Zhong Yichen: "He鄙视 (despises) you."
Meng Fangxun nodded faintly: "I know."
Xu Huaqian suggested: "How about you take the exam seriously and snatch the top spot from him? Make him socially die?" Serves him right for boasting and looking down on people.
Pei Wangshu, walking beside them, asked curiously: "What does 'socially die' mean?"
"It means being utterly humiliated in public," Xu Huaqian explained, then asked Meng Fangxun expectantly, "Will you do it?" Fights between top students were something underachievers loved to watch.
After Xu Huaqian finished, Duan Youyan and Zhang Bingwen also looked at Meng Fangxun expectantly.
Zhong Yichen's undisguised contempt hadn't been seen only by Xu Huaqian and Meng Fangxun; Duan Youyan and Zhang Bingwen had seen it too. One could imagine how many others had witnessed it. If Meng Fangxun didn't respond in some way, people might think they were afraid of Zhong Yichen.
Being stared at expectantly by all four of them, Meng Fangxun felt a pang of frustration: "The top spot isn't something I can just decide to get. Besides Zhong Yichen, other students are also highly skilled."
"Don't worry," Xu Huaqian said with a look of complete belief in him. "The knowledge is all in your head. Now it's just time to use it. Since you're using it anyway, why not use your very best knowledge."
Zhang Bingwen, Pei Wangshu, and Duan Youyan, who had all received tutoring from him, nodded in agreement.
"That's right, Senior Brother Meng! Since you're using it anyway, use your best to compete with him!"
"Besides, people always compare our Qinglian Academy to Qixian Academy. If you, Senior Brother Meng, take the top spot back, the teachers and the academy head will be so proud!"
"Most importantly, if you get the top spot, when it's time for the provincial exams next, the academy head will definitely allocate more resources to you. It's beneficial for you too."
Listening to them urging him left and right to aim for the top spot, Meng Fangxun looked at Xu Huaqian's face, pale from illness yet undeniably beautiful, and felt he was being rather mischievous. If the top spot were that easy to get, wouldn't he have fought for it already? Precisely because it was difficult, he had adopted a detached attitude. Now they were putting him on the spot!
Yet Xu Huaqian seemed completely unaware of his thoughts and asked him: "Senior Brother Meng, will you do it?"
As if not agreeing would mean he had no backbone, Meng Fangxun helplessly nodded: "I'll try my best."
"Then we shall await your good news, Senior Brother." Hearing his agreement, their faces lit up with joy, each congratulating him as if their words were coated in honey—as though his mere promise guaranteed success.
Meng Fangxun looked up at the sky: "..." Once again regretting why he had ever formed a mutual guarantee with these people.
Of course, the food and bedding provided by the examination hall weren't free—candidates had to purchase them from the supply officials themselves.
There were good and bad options, allowing them to choose.
Having come this far, none of the five wanted to jeopardize their exams by using subpar supplies, so they all opted for the best available.
When Xu Huaqian saw that ginseng slices were also listed among the food items, he immediately splurged on a three-day supply.
It cost him five taels of silver, and the sting of the expense nearly made his heart ache. Ten taels could buy a whole ten-year-old ginseng root, yet here he was spending five taels on a few unmarked slices of dubious quality.
Fortunately, fearing that the examination hall officials might confiscate their money, he had given his purse to Chen Liejiu before entering, carrying only a few inconspicuous strings of copper coins. Since he didn't have enough, he borrowed from Pei Wangshu, delaying the pain of the expense for a few more days.
Even as he carried his bedding to his assigned cell, Xu Huaqian was still thinking: his cell number was sixty-six—"double sixes" signifying smooth sailing. This exam would surely go smoothly.
But then, when the first day's exam papers were handed out, he glanced at the questions and immediately saw stars.
—So difficult.
Many were topics he hadn't studied, and there were even several juxtaposed questions cobbled together from the Four Books and Five Classics.
Yet that wasn't the worst of it.
The real hardship was:
He couldn't eat well! Nor sleep well!
Even though he had purchased the highest-grade supplies available in the examination hall, what he received was far from it.
The cotton quilts weren't warm, the food was cold steamed buns, and while the ginseng slices hadn't been shortchanged, their quality was inconsistent—some were clearly just ginseng root hairs.
Before entering the examination hall, Xu Huaqian had anticipated that conditions would be harsh, but he never imagined they would be this unbearable!
At night, curled up in his cell, shivering and coughing uncontrollably, Xu Huaqian found it impossible to sleep. Afraid his coughing would disturb other candidates nearby, he bit down on a cold bun to muffle the sound, suppressing it in his throat. Wrapped tightly in his quilt, he trembled as he sat up and, by the dim moonlight, reviewed the day's exam questions over and over. In his heart, he cursed every official in the examination hall.
Useless officials feeding off the people!
Just wait until he became an official!
If he ever rose to power, the first thing he'd do was purge these corrupt bureaucrats!
While Xu Huaqian alternated between reviewing and cursing, his neighbor Meng Fangxun was also unable to sleep.
Initially, he had felt his exam performance that day was decent. But as he leaned against the cell wall trying to rest, it suddenly struck him—he had promised Xu Huaqian he would compete for the top spot and crush Zhong Yichen.
Meng Fangxun: "..." Instantly wide awake!!!
He scrambled up, unrolled his paper and brush, and reviewed his answers from the day. Realizing they weren't good enough—they could be better!
While they burned the midnight oil, many others were also restless—such as the academy head and teachers.