Although Song Shi'an was quite skilled at taking exams and rarely performed poorly, this was an entirely different ancient-style examination system, so he pored through decades worth of all the provincial examination records.
As well as every single session's model answers from the Jieyuan.
In other words, the provincial top scorer's examination papers.
What came as a surprise was that despite the Great Yu's Song Shi'an having prepared for so many years, the model answers in his study didn't even have any creases.
This fucker didn't study at all.
But there was good news: his new body came with a brand new brain.
The provincial examination consisted of two sections, morning and afternoon.
Lyrical Composition and Policy Essay.
Lyrical composition was generally an assigned essay—given a topic, compose a poetic piece, testing the examinee's literary skill.
Neither section used a scoring system, but rather a ranking system.
First, articles were graded by content into levels: jia, yi, bing, ding. Then within these grade levels, the articles were ranked.
First place in a single section was called "jia grade, first place."
And what was quite accommodating was that if one of the two sections was exceptionally outstanding, reaching jia grade, even if the other section was quite poor at bing or ding level, one could still pass and become a juren.
In other words, writing excellent lyrical composition could get you the juren degree.
Writing profound policy essays could also get you the juren degree.
After all, both literary talents and practical talents were in great demand in officialdom.
However, those who could reach jia grade in one section generally wouldn't perform too poorly in the other.
But if one wanted to achieve Jieyuan status—that is, provincial first place—just getting first in jia grade for one section wouldn't cut it.
The six arts of the gentleman—in ancient times, officials were expected to be all-rounders.
Unsurprisingly, every session's Jieyuan was a top-tier talent with excellent literary skill, calligraphy, and policy essay depth.
Even Song Shi'an's old man, who passed the jinshi examination at age twenty and was called a "child prodigy" by his hometown, hadn't achieved Jieyuan in his provincial examination back then, only reaching sub-yuan status (second to tenth place).
"Phew..."
Having studied until evening and feeling completely exhausted, Song Shi'an already had a certain level of confidence about tomorrow's examination.
If he took the conventional approach and tested normally, his chances of passing weren't high.
He could only rely on the depth of his policy essay to make a run at the juren degree.
After all, when it came to lyrical composition, he as a modern person had a natural disadvantage.
But no matter.
Doesn't all the literary foundation I've accumulated over these years count as my knowledge?
"Time to sleep."
Without overworking himself before the exam to the point of disrupting his circadian rhythm, Song Shi'an went to bed early.
Blowing out the lamp beside him, lying in bed, he watched the moonlight shine through the paper window, outlining the silhouette of the ceiling beam. He gradually accepted the reality of having transmigrated.
Since he'd struck such fortune, he could only honestly accept this current life.
Actually, no.
He was even a bit excited.
Letting a Shandong man play a real-life version of an official promotion simulator—this is too awesome!
---
At the hour of mao, the sun rose and the sky revealed a pale white.
The city gates opened, the markets opened for business.
Song Shi'an maintained his original routine, waking early. After dressing and donning his cap, rinsing his mouth and washing his face, he went to Jiang-shi's room.
"Why did my son wake so early today?" Jiang-shi, who was embroidering silk in her room, asked curiously with a smile.
"Isn't the examination today?" Song Shi'an said.
"That's still quite early." Jiang-shi spoke, then said to the maid in the room, "Bring the morning meal."
"Yes, Madam." The maid complied and left the room.
Generally speaking, wealthy noble families ate breakfast in garden pavilions or reception halls.
But for a bastard son like Song Shi'an, he definitely couldn't sit at the main table. Normally, he ate together with Jiang-shi.
However, it wasn't always like this. If a mother's natal family was powerful, even illegitimate children wouldn't have too low a status in the clan.
But Jiang-shi was of even lower status than commoners, born a maid, and her natal family were all ordinary common folk—she couldn't harbor unrealistic thoughts.
After a while, the maid brought the morning meal.
"Then Mother, I'm off to the examination."
After eating quite simply, Song Shi'an took his examination entry certificate and directly left Jiang-shi's room.
"Alright, focus on the examination."
After Jiang-shi finished speaking, she suddenly remembered something, quickly stood up, grabbed a prepared bundle, and chased after him: "Ah, this child!"
Leaving the side building, he entered the Song Estate's courtyard.
Water pavilions, flower clusters, winding paths.
The Sheng'an Magistrate's estate, though it couldn't compare to those top officials' mansions, was still quite spacious and impressive.
Thinking about how he couldn't claim even a single tile of such a vast estate, Song Shi'an couldn't help but feel an impulse to steal something from this household.
After walking for a while, he finally reached the central courtyard between the main building and main gate.
At this moment, Song Shi'an stopped in his tracks.
In front of the main building stood a crowd of people, all with beaming faces. Even Song Jing, who was always stern and rigid, showed a barely noticeable smile.
The woman standing beside Song Jing, who was considerably older than Jiang-shi but had delicate white skin, a plump and jade-like appearance with an air of nobility overflowing, and whose physical condition looked to be around forty, was the mistress of this household—Madam Cui.
The eldest daughter of the Cui Clan of Jingzhao.
The Cui Clan, one of the Five Prestigious Families of the Capital, was even more illustrious than the Song Clan of Huai Commandery.
"My Ce'er is truly handsome in appearance, born to wealth and nobility."
Stroking Song Ce's cheek with her hand, Madam Cui's face was full of smiles.
At this moment, the Song Estate's chief steward Song Gan, bowing at the side, exclaimed with admiration on his face: "This lowly one has never seen such a young master, truly spirited and radiant, like a divine being."
These words directly pleased Madam Cui as well, who raised her hand with a beaming smile: "Reward him."
Then someone gave Song Gan his reward money.
Song Gan nodded and bowed, receiving it with both hands: "Thank you, Madam, thank you, Young Master."
And the youth being surrounded like stars around the moon in the center, dressed in pure white robes, remained quite composed.
So composed that he was getting a bit pretentious.
"Ce'er, remember what I told you yesterday." Song Jing instructed.
"Father, I remember."
Song Ce nodded.
Then, he stepped back a few paces, knelt on the ground, and performed the kowtow ritual to his parents.
"Shi'an, you forgot your dry rations."
Jiang-shi chased out and stuffed a bundle into his hands.
But after seeing that harmonious scene over there, her expression darkened, then she forcefully squeezed his hand: "Son, do well on the exam."
"I know, Mother."
Carrying the bundle of dry rations, Song Shi'an nodded to Jiang-shi, then walked toward the estate gate.
"Father, Mother, I'm leaving."
After standing and solemnly bidding farewell to the two, Song Ce departed through the main entrance, accompanied by the Song Estate's coachman.
"If he passes the juren examination at fifteen, wouldn't that be even better than you were back then?" Watching her son's retreating figure, Madam Cui teased.
"What's the problem with a son being better than his father?" Song Jing's words couldn't help but reveal his doting affection for Song Ce, but he quickly added sternly, "He hasn't even taken the exam yet, don't speak carelessly."
"Everyone praises my son as naturally intelligent, possessing the bearing of a jinshi. What difficulty could a mere juren pose?"
"Among juren there are also distinctions between Jieyuan, sub-yuan, and common juren."
Just as the two were chatting rather carried away with premature celebration, Song Shi'an suddenly passed leisurely before them.
And as they faced each other, he cupped his hands in salute, performing a symbolic gesture of respect.
Seeing him, Madam Cui's expression immediately soured, her face showing contempt.
However, as he gradually walked away, her contemptuous expression turned somewhat surprised. Then came anger, and she quickly reminded Song Jing: "Aji!"
Song Jing, being called "Aji," saw Song Shi'an getting closer and closer to the main gate, and thus angrily rebuked: "Scoundrel! Is that a gate you're allowed to use?!"
In ancient official households, the main gate could only be used by the master, his wife, legitimate sons and daughters, and imperial or noble guests.
Aside from gate servants, if any servant dared to use it, that was insubordination punishable by being beaten to death with rods.
"..."
Song Shi'an, sternly rebuked, stopped in his tracks.
Then in the next moment, carrying his bundle of dry rations on his back, right in front of everyone, he suddenly broke into a sprint toward the main gate and rushed out.